Indiana Books

David Weiss has written a profound memoir of a difficult encounter with people and his past. It is eloquent, brilliant, deeply moving and eminently readable.

This is the sad story of the Jewish community in wartime Nazi Austria and the return of surviving victims to Wiener Neustadt. A gripping tale told by the son of the former chief Rabbi of the town.

This is an astonishing work -- deeply revealing, personal, and yet universal in its message. David Weiss uses language with precision, describing complex emotions and internal conflicts with grace and originality. This book, regardless of our associations to the Holocaust, is one that we can all learn from. It reminds us that each human being must be judged as an individual, even when circumstances make it difficult for us to do so. For those of us who search within to overcome old biases and hatred, this book can be an epiphany. For any thoughtful person, it can illuminate a black period in history and inform our responses to it.

"Reluctant Return" by David Weiss presents the intricate emotional landscape of a Holocaust survivor compelled by the sincerity and heart of a new Christian sect to return to his Austrian hometown of Wiener Neustadt on a mission of reconciliation. Ichthyus, a new Christian sect devoted to repairing the deep wounds caused by Christian anti-Judaism and anti-semitism, begins from the dreams and visions of a minister's wife, Uli Eiwen, who feels led by God to uncover the truth of 1000 years of Jew-hatred in her hometown, and to work to forge a reconciliation. Uli's visionary experiences lead her to the belief that God has abandoned Christianity because of two thousand years of Christian anti-Judaism. Recognizing her God as the God of the Jews, she feels that God's covenant with Abraham speaks directly about Christians in particular in the statement, "your enemies shall be my enemies." She convinces her husband, Helmuth, of the power of her beliefs after a chilling vision of the Nazi swastika during a mass he leads drives her from church screaming. He discovers the horrible history of Lutheran complicity with the SS in his hometown, resigns his ministry, and starts Ichthyus. Weiss and other Jews from Wiener Neustadt are convinced to return by the simplicity and honesty of the Eiwens, much to their own surprise. Weiss's mapping of the intricate and complex emotions he feels during his return has much to say about the destructiveness of prejudice and hatred, and the difficulty and beauty of forgiveness. Weiss writes with a pained lyricism in this profoundly moving book. I have used this recently in a course on religious autobiography (college level), and it has been a powerful source of knowledge and reflection for my students. Very highly recommended.

David Weiss opened his heart and soul with "Reluctant Return" and I was drawn into his life and experience so deeply that I finished the book in one sitting (with a dinner break). We all have our ghosts and parts of our past we have buried or refuse to acknowledge and we live our lives fully, successfully and quite happily. David Weiss lived like that until he was forced to take another look at his feelings about Austrians and growing up in antisemitic Austria. He shares his own survival experiences during the 1930-45 period and his feelings about pre- and postwar Germany, Germans, Austria and Austrians. He points out that Germany and many German people have openly acknowledged their role in the holocaust whereas Austria and the Austrian people are barely beginning this process. He describes his experiences and deepest feelings when he is returned to the town of his youth. Then how he shared his life and these feelings with groups of Austrian school children whose history books have deliberately omitted their country's role in the holocaust. The children start to realize and accept that their elders committed terrible crimes against other humans whose only error was to try to live peacefully in this small town in Austria.

If this book were published by a BIG NAME publisher, it would be an instant best seller. I believe that "Reluctant Return" will take a path similar to "Under the Tuscan Sun" and "The Perfect Storm" and grow to be a classic.

Laurie, it's Sandy Brown from the US/FL. Awesome to see a book by you! PLEASE contact me sandrabrownma (at) yahoo (dot) com. I'm coming to the UK!

This is the amazing story of the healing of Moses Thomas, a young African leader. A wonderful team of Christians, composed of medical professionals, missionaries, and ordinary Christians prayed, intervened with difficult government agencies and finally brought Moses from Zimbabwe to the United States where he received life-saving treatment just in time. The greater story is how God orchestrated all these events not only to save Moses' life, but also to touch all those involved in the story so that their lives were forever changed. I was very moved by Laurie's story and recommend it highly. Letty Harding

This book is a quick read with amazing results! It is a compilation of the work of many people in behalf of ONE. The one benefits from the many.
That one is Moses, a young African man, who against all odds exercises faith and finds his way to another country for healing. While enduring great pain for a long time, Moses accomplishes the almost impossible.
You will want to see how he does this!

Rarely have I read a book that has so inspired and impacted my life. The format of the book as a collection of emails enabled me to sense the urgency and emotion of the main character's (Moses) situation more readily than a narrative would have. Often I have wanted to be more personally involved in missions but felt overwhelmed at the enormity of the world's problems. Learning how many people were involved in helping Moses and how varied their roles were, allowed me to trust that God wants to use me in His grand plan no matter how small or large the part. I recommend Salvation in Indiana highly as I know you'll be challenged and moved to respond.

This true account of God's miraculous presence in a multitude of ordinary, everyday Christians is inspirational. We come to know and love Moses, a young African minister-in-training with an absolute life-threatening health crisis. Then we get to witness his journey to ultimate salvation through a myriad of players: prayer partners, medical and surgical teams, missionaries, government agency representatives. We see God's love transcending all the obstacles. We get to see the spiritual growth of each individual God used in this modern day miracle. This book inspired me deeply, enriched my faith and reconnected me with the incredible power of prayer. Thank you to all those who let God use them in the healing of Moses. Thank you, Moses, for continuing to serve and glorify God with unwavering faith. And thank you, Ms. Hill-Crosbie, for documenting this moving story!

Nancy Rexin Evans did a wonderful job in this telling story of her Mother's courage. How brave Cecelia was in saving lives at the risk of losing her own, her strength was amazing, to face death every day and evil , an evil we all wish and hope to never see again, is her testament OF courage. I am of German heritage and it makes me sad to think how horrible all of these people were treated. If not for the love and courage of this brave woman, an entire generation and culture would have disappeared from the face of the earth forever. God Bless you Cecelia, up in Heaven and God Bless your daughter, Nancy, for having the courage to re-live this story so we all may learn a valuable lesson.

My name is Lacey and I am sixteen years old. I just finished reading "Testament to Courage" by Cecelia Rexin, translated by her daughter, Nancy Rexin Evans. Being partially of German descent, I felt a kinship with Cecelia and her strength as with my grandmother, but at the same time ashamed of how people could act like that, being of the same heritage, that could be so evil incarnate and have no regard for human life.       As I was reading this I tried to compare my world with Cecelia's, but nothing could compare. We live in a world today where we can go run to the store for soap, milk, bread, anything your money can buy, go to sleep whenever we want, have decent shoes, socks, clothing, toiletry items and much more. All the while Cecelia worked her hands to the bone, with no food, water and hardly any clothing to save not only her life, but others too. As she described what they wore, where and how they slept, what they didn't eat , it made me feel selfish of what I have and all the petty things I fight amoungest my siblings and others about.               As I was reading one night, I had just gotten home from a friends house and I had gotten something to eat, it was towards the end of the book where things got real bad and 2,000 people are crammed in a box with nothing to eat, drink, and no way to bathe and barely had a restroom ( actually it was a bucket ). I got so sick to my stomach. I stopped eating and started crying, as I felt so bad for these people. I felt as if this was partially my fault being from their descent, but it is not. We take life for granted when "Life" is all that some of these people wanted.

I found the memoirs of Cecilia Rexin to be incredibly moving and inspirational. It is heartwarming to read of the depth of soul, conscience and human dignity that can prevail even in the face of unspeakable evil and horror. It is a must for good people of all faiths and creeds.

testament was a exalant book from point a to point z the book kept u reading it i couldnt put iy down one of the best books i read all year sad, happy, and most of all educating in the terms of the holocaust two thumbs up -mark

This was such an amazing book for me to read. The way the book was written, makes one think that you are right there. I am of german background, but had no idea of what people like ceciele went through. I have read other books on this subject, but none compare to the details of all that people like her wnet through. You feel like you are right there in the same room . This women story needed to be told to educate people and to not let anyone forget, that if we do not guard our freedeom and fight for it, this the holacost could become a reality all over again. This book is a must read.

Moving and extreme reality

This book reviews the aftermath of the Vietnam-U.S. war in a down to earth tone and it's impact on the people who's involvement in the war are explained in detail.Personally i like this book because of its content which voiced out the real opinion of the one involved in the war no matter whether they're the allies or enemies.It's a great book to those who wants to know more about the Vietnam war and its aftermath.

This book is worth reading for anyone interested in the history of the Vietnam War.
It is a collection of forty-eight short recollections from a wide variety of Americans and Vietnamese involved in the war, or the country, from the late 50's to the 80's. It also touches on Cambodia and Laos. Each recollection is from one-half to six pages long, and may cover one short event, or several years' experience in the country.
The book deceptively starts out slowly, and it is only with continued reading that one discovers that within this chosen group of recollections are many of the great truths of politics and military conflict in South Vietnam.
The essays cover the fatal flaws inherent within South Vietnam, which include the long history of being a colony of France, without France taking any steps to prepare the country for independence, such as training civil servants or encouraging the rule of law through local rulers. Once independent, South Vietnam was fragmented on religious lines. The civil leaders were corrupt, engaged in nepotism, and did not relate well to the peasants. South Vietnamese military leaders were promoted not on merit, but by family ties and the size of the bribes they paid to the government. For political reasons, the military zone around Saigon was intentionally unorganized and inefficient.
The geography of South Vietnam -- having all its territory within easy reach of Laos, Cambodia, and North Vietnam -- made it a very difficult land to defend from an enemy with safe sanctuary so close to crucial areas. This book does not mention the oppressive acts of the South Vietnamese government, which helped alienate its citizens. The book seems to understand, if not almost excuse, wrongful acts by US soldiers.
The US tactics also contributed to defeat: rules of engagement tied the military's hands in senseless ways (a SAM base couldn't be attacked under construction, but pilots had to wait until it was operational); rotating inexperienced officers through Vietnam to "punch their combat ticket" was more important than retaining experienced officers and advisors who often "got it" just before being rotated out; the battle for "hearts and minds" was often ignored; and years were wasted on ineffective strategy, until home protests compelled withdrawal.
And, yes, North Vietnam really was an oppressive regime which used terror and lies to achieve its goals.
Any discussion of Vietnam brings up many "what if's?" What if South Vietnam had a more appealing and legitimate government? What if US politicians hadn't used such ineffective strategy and tactics? Is there ANY scenario which would have resulted in a long-term stable and secure South Vietnam?
If you're at all interested in the field, this is a book well worth searching out.

Al Santoli's book, To Bear Any Burden, is a narrative of stories told by 47 Americans, Vietnamese (both North and South), and Cambodians regarding their experiences before the US involvement, during the US war, and the war's aftermath (after the departure of US troops). Each tale (from two to 10 pages in length) is riveting in itself. The book moves in relative chronilogical order beginning in 1954 and concludes with the present (circa 1985). Each tale is successfully interwoven with the next story such that there is a cohesiveness and a logical flow to the story telling timeline.

Some of the stories are quite stunning: from the description of US soldiers being called baby-killers and spat on after they returned to the US [difficult to comprehend in this patriotic post 9/11 world] to the horror stories of the Communist regimes in Cambodia and in North/South Vietnam after the fall of Saigon [after reading theses stories, one should question why the US would want to establish ties to Vietnam].

This "straight from the hip" narrative is recommended to anyone wishing to learn more about the scenes from a participant's point of view.

I first read To Bear Any Burden when it was originally released in 1985. This has been a 'must-read' classic of American involvement in Southeast Asia since it was published. For it, Santoli interviewed, in depth, 47 individuals representative of that involvement from 1945 into the 1980s--Americans, Viet-Namese (communists and anti-communists), Cambodians and Laotians. The book is so artfully compiled as to flow like a single narration; yet the 'cast of characters' are separate in time, space, culture and social rank--an entire spectrum from ambassadors to villagers, soldiers to politicians, in one volume. No ones education about the Viet-Nam War is complete unless they've read this book.

The Tri-State tornado is the deadliest tornado to affect the United States since weather records have been kept. Since this event took place in 1925, survivors with a clear memory are becoming few and far between. Fortunately, the author has clearly documented not only the stories of survivors, but the atmospheric conditions that existed during the event and the struggles of attempting forensic meteorology. Considering how sparse the data is for an event so far in the past, I'm pleased that the author was able to accomplish this much. Events like this will happen again and, much to my disappointment, there is no way to determine if the Tri-State tornado was one single tornado track (which it appears to be) or a family of large, violent long-track tornadoes.

I first read this book while taking a class in severe & unusual weather at the University of Illinois a few years ago. If you're into jaw-dropping weather phenomena, you really need to get this book. There are great interviews with survivors, a few astounding pictures, and some good basic science to back it all up.

There are quite a few stories, books, etc. about this event, but this book is different in a way, with newspaper accounts, and direct information from the survivors and their kin themselves.It's an easy read and one most weather buffs will enjoy.

Tornadoes are the most powerful storms on Earth. They may not be the biggest in size, but the destruction they can cause is insurmountable.

The Tri-State Tornado gives the readers the perfect example of how devestating these storms can be. Even in this day in age with our advanced technology, meteorologists have a difficult time understanding the true nature of these storms.

This was evident back in 1925 when that fateful day came when one single tornado had struck three states, killed 689 people, and traveled 219 miles at a rapid pace anywhere between 60-73 miles per hour. No one saw it touch ground or disappear.

The author does a great job of interweaving interviews from the actual survivors. Who better to explain that day than the people who saw this mile plus wide tornado barreling down in front of them.

The Tri-State Tornado remains one of the most bizarre and deadliest tornado to have ever hit the United States.

At around 1:00 p.m., March 18, 1925, a tornado touched down in Reynolds Country, Missouri. But, this was no ordinary tornado. This was an F5 multivortex tornado that proceeded east-northeast across 219 miles, 13 counties and three states (Missouri, Illinois and Indiana). By the time the tornado dissipated, it had destroyed a number of small towns, erased a number of farms, and killed some 689 people. This was one of the worst tornadoes in U.S. history, and this book tells its story.

This is quite a fascinating book. The author does an excellent job of telling the story of the Tri-State Tornado with factual reporting, but yet brining alive the horror of what happened. The book is an interesting mixture of Mr. Felknor's narration and accounts from some fourteen survivors of the tornado.

Overall, I found this to be a fascinating and highly informative book about a little known subject. If you are interested in tornadoes, then you simply must get this book about the granddaddy of them all! I highly recommend this book.

I bought this book about a year ago, and I'm working my way through all the hikes. So far, every one (I've done about 15 of them) has been enjoyable. I found that I recently had to purchase a binder for the book because it's so much easier to rip out the pages and take them along on your hike. The author does tend to patch together pieces of different trails, so you really do need the description and map along with you for each of the trips.

One side note for dog owners - double check before bringing your dog to some of these places - IL Beach does not allow dogs on their trails, but the book says dogs are allowed, on a leash. That was kind of a long drive to find that out the hard way.

I almost finished writing my review, hit the wrong button and lost it. Just to sum up, you will not find information so thorough, accurate and well-written on the subject. Mr. Villaire is the closest thing to a personal guide.I've lived in Chicago all my life and am pleased to have discovered and rediscoveredl so many worthwhile nature areas. Author Ted Villaire is obviously passionate about sharing his information with fellow nature lovers. Everytime I Google one of the recommended hikes, I find little that adds to the info found in the book. And forget Mapquest- this book gets driving directions right every time. The book is hardly pocket-sized, and the detailed trail guides will have you pulling the book out of your backpack often. My solution is to copy the pages and take those with. (Whoops- did I just confess to copyright violation?)

I bought this book as a referrence for a planned trip. I was so pleased with the graphics and format that I am buying more books in the series. The maps and desciptions are clear and informative. The hikes seem do-able for casual day hikers.

The title of the book caught my eye, and the book itself more than lived up to it! I live in downtown Chicago and was looking for hikes that could be done as day trips - the 60 hikes included are within this distance. The book makes it easy to search by type - for example, river hikes, lake hikes, hikes for wildlife viewing, hikes with children, and then also by distance (1-3 miles, 3-6 miles, and 6+ miles). Each hike has a trail map, directions, a full description, and key info at a glance (e.g. length, configuration, difficulty, scenery, facilities, and even exposure - shady, sunny etc.).

THANK YOU, IT WAS THE RIGHT BOOK THAT I NEEDED FOR CLASS, CHEAPER THAN B&N AND CAME ON TIME.

Publius Ovidius Naso was born in 43 B.C. and died in 18 A.D.
Augustus banished him for unknown reasons to Tomi, a barren place near the coast of the Black Sea.
Another famous work. Scholars agree that it's his best achievement. Ovid is a master in describing feminin emotions ( see also 'Heroides').
It would be wrong to see 'The Art of Love' as some sort of a manual. It's a parody of the poetical manuals that existed in his time.

This is one of the best books that i have read on "love".Intellectual eroticism always gives a sophisticated veneer to less lofty primordial sexual impulses.Throws new light on the Roman decadence and hedonistic society.So if you want to take a journey and delve into the very essense of Ovid's eroticism and human sexuality or just learn to show some 'love' read this book.

I read the Duane Humphries translation. His preface is superbly written, so one would hope that his translation possesses similar flair. Since I don't read Latin, I cannot attest to his accuracy.

He observes in his preface the commonalities between Ovid's scene and that of our contemporary world. You will get a strong sense of a society that was very similar to that of our own.

I have enjoyed Paul Halpern's works over the years and this is an added must. In it he gives a very detailed and tactical account of how the battle in 1917 unfolded and by this he shows how many of the tactical convoy and naval battles would be like in World War II.

So unless you read Italian or German, this is the best account in English and is well put together with maps and wonderful and well produced photographs.

This book is by one of the leading authors on WW1 naval affairs, in which he applies his considerable writing skills to a single tactical battle rather than the strategic issues he usually discusses. The battle is very obscure in the West, where the WW1 naval interest revolves around Jutland and the North Sea. However, it was an extremely interesting affair and the book presents it in a very readable and exciting manner.

One of the most fascinating aspects of this battle is the amount to which aircraft participated on both sides. Remember, this is WW1. This is emphasized by the large number of illustrations in the book created during the battle by these aircraft: photos and position diagrams.

In most histories of the naval conflicts of the First World War, the emphasis is primarily - if not exclusively - on the maneuverings and battles in the North Sea and the Atlantic. While this area was indeed the site of many of the important maritime struggles of the war, such a focus overlooks the many other areas in which the war at sea was fought. One of those areas was the Adriatic, where the Austro-Hungarian navy battled the combined naval forces of the British, the French, and the Italians. In this book, Paul Halpern, the preeminent naval historian of the war, illuminates this often-overlooked front by focusing on the key battle waged there, the battle of the Otranto Straits.

Halpern begins his book by providing the background to the battle. He notes that many people often overlook the proud naval history of the Austrians, who triumphed in the battle of Lissa in 1866. While primarily a costal and regional force, the Austro-Hungarian fleet was involved in the naval armaments races at the beginning of the 20th century, and had a number of battleships at the start of the war. Their use was restricted by the geography of the region however, which favored conflict by smaller craft. As a result, the most effective and oft-utilized weapon was the submarine, and the ports of the Austro-Hungarian empire played a key role in basing German and Austrian submarines that attacked Allied supply lines in the Mediterranean.

Though the British and the French easily outmatched the Austro-Hungarian fleet on paper, the demands of the conflict meant that their superior forces were usually deployed elsewhere in the war. While the Italians added to this superiority upon joining the conflict, their reluctance to risk their capital warships - a risk illustrated by the sinking of two armored cruisers early in the war - meant that a rough stalemate existed in the Adriatic. Halpern is especially good at describing the challenges faced by the multinational Allied force, with political tensions often defining plans and operations inhibited by the difficulties in communicating across three languages.

Nowhere was this better illustrated than with the barrage the Allies tried to establish across the Otranto Straits, an effort that was often hindered by disputes over contributions from the various sides. Halpern is dismissive of the efficacy of the barrage in stopping submarine transits through the straits, yet it provided a useful target for the Austro-Hungarian navy to attack. On May 15, 1917, three cruisers attacked the drifters manning the barrage, sinking fourteen of them before heading back to base. The Allies attempted to intercept the cruisers, prompting a midday engagement from which the Austrians escaped with some damage. Though Halpern credits the Austro-Hungarian force with the greater success in the battle, the success proved difficult to replicate, and in the end could not prevent the empire from going down to defeat the following year.

Halpern does an excellent job of reconstructing this engagement, an effort complicated by the conflicting accounts of the battle. Yet the greatest strength of the book is his use of the clash as a window into this often-overlooked theater of the war, demonstrating how it embodied many of the elements the various sides faced while fighting in the Adriatic. Though marred slightly by occasional repetition within the text, this is a great account of an often neglected battleground of the First World War and a must-read for anyone interested in the war at sea.

It's an otstanding account of one of the most unknown naval battles of the first world war. A confused action, without Jutland' big guns became alive in the great description of the author

His verses are curses,
His words are sharp swords,
His phrases are races
Of animal herds,
He slashes and bashes,
He kicks and he bites,
The world of the uselessness,
Bleeds and than dies.

Mayakovsky was one of the foremost futurist poets of the early 20th centuary. He wrote anguished (and mildly egocentric) pieces about being alone and unrequited in love. He also wrote political poems that were supposed to moblize the workers and shock the borgeosie establishment. This book is worth buying for the two epics "A cloud in trousers" and "The backbone flute" alone. The other poems are the icing on the cake, sounding off his thundering poetic voice. His final poem, "Past one o'clock.." starkly contrasts the others with it's muted depression. He would include part of it in his suicide note, changing the line "now you and I are quits" to "now life and I are quits." The Bedbug is a savage satire of Soviet society, and (had he not shot himself) would probably have gotten him arrested during the imminent Stalinist purges. After his death, Mayakovsky was lauded by Stalin. His pro-Bolshevik political verses were glorified and proudly shown off by the state, whilst his other poems and satirical plays were quietly supressed. Get this book if you want to see every side of Mayakovsky, and not just the one that has been publicized for years as propaganda.

Well, I love pre-Revolution Russian literature, so I guess I'm a little biased towards this book, but it really is good. Even the introduction is fascinating and inspiring if you ask me.

Mayakovsky's self-distinctive tone is one style that can be taken for either some of the worst mouthing off imaginable or the most brilliant & confident declamations of personality ever to appear on the pages of poetry.His startling lines filled with bragadoccio,machismo,exuberance,wit,irony,satire & love jump from the pages in brilliantly precise metaphors intensified by some of the most passionate lyrics ever to be written.The reader is kept on hold throughout.His best poems assault relentlessly signifying at times an intruder who is irregardless of others privacy.The weakness in Mayakovsky's verse is that the exhortant exclamations tend most of the time to thicken the surface of the subjects he assails,leaving the bottom composedly empty.This makes up for a shallowness that could have been repudiated if the poet would have seen things in a much broader level & not just within his somewhat narrow mind frame.His most accomplished poem may have been his last.And it takes on universal aspects & acceptance.The unfortunate omission of his great shorter poems is a dissapointment.

The Bedbug is a funny & witty satire on the state of Soviet society at that time & where it may lead to,the way Mayakovsky saw it.The characters are enetertaining & real life,with wit present almost everywhere.The futuristic scenes in the end are impressive.And the final scene is heartachingly moving.The play could have benefited though from a more elaborate plot to give the characters & the situations more chance to stretch out.All in all a delightful read.

This is a great book for anyone looking to recapture the excitement of the Super Bowl Season. It is more of a picture book but also includes a short review of each game in the season - a definate must add to any Colts Collection.

Bought this for one of the kids for Christmas, they were very happy with it.

This is a wonderful keepsake, and at a very affordable price. The pictures of the team were great, and they've thrown in a picture or two of Colts' fans. Certainly our Super Bowl victory was a long-time coming, and this is a great way to remember and relive it. Would make a nice gift, as well. Mine also came in superb condition.

I am very happy with this purchase. It came in excellent condition, as promised.