Europe Books

Excellent transaction. Very informative book and exactly what I was looking for.

I found this to be a very interesting book. I did not think all the conclusions he arrived at where justified by the data provided, there was a touch of making mountains out of mole hills (IMHO). However, most of the discussion was well thought out, well presented, and very thought provoking. It was also well written. I would recommend this one for anyone interested in the period.

Andrew Bridgeford's "1066, the Hidden History of the Bayeux Tapestry," brings a fresh interpretation to an amazing, mysterious piece of cloth. This strip of linen seventy meters (230 feet) long presents an account of events leading up to William the Conqueror's successful invasion of England. The traditional interpretation is that the Tapestry was a costly trophy commissioned by a Norman baron or bishop celebrating the Norman victory. Bridgeford disputes that view. He finds conflicting messages stitched onto the fabric, messages that tend to support the French, rather than the Norman, point of view. He even finds support for the English, and perhaps a challenge to Duke William's right to the English throne. Such messages would have been punished by death, and whoever commissioned and stitched the Tapestry would have taken great risks. Nevertheless, the ambiguous message was embroidered less than a decade after William's invasion.

What were the real intentions of the sponsor who dictated the images and message stitched into the Bayeux Tapestry? The whole tale is here: ambiguous negotiations, fatal misunderstandings, Duke William's landing, the battle of Hastings, the death of King Harold in battle and the aftermath of war in a ravaged land. The Tapestry (an embroidery, really) was originally longer, but the final scenes are missing. Did fire, damp or rats carry the ending away? Or did fear suborn courage, causing an unknown hand to cut off a dangerous truth in a deadly world? That is one of a thousand mysteries inhering to the Bayeux Tapestry.

Nor is that all. The Tapestry brings us a dwarf who may have been a founding father of French literature; and reminds its contemporary viewers of an unlovely tale, of two queen-mothers thrusting their several sons forward, sometimes fatally, in their own lust for royal power. Why? How do these apparent sub-plots relate? It has been an abiding mystery, one for which Andrew Bridgeford may have supplied - if not the missing end of the cloth - then at least several answers.

By Robert Fripp, author,
Power of a Woman. Memoirs of a turbulent life: Eleanor of Aquitaine

A true delight in print, Andrew Bridgeford's "1066: The Hidden History in the Bayeux Tapestry" reads more like a well-written mystery book than a history text. Many a past author has tried to make history "interesting" with unusual and sometimes ludicrous literary devices, but this book doesn't stoop to such silliness. Instead, the history we read here is indeed real history, but woven with a most intriguing claim, turning the book into a page-turner of scholarship from start to finish.

The main contention of the work, which I will present here without spoiling the details and supporting evidence for the reader, is that the common view that the Tapestry is a work of Norman propaganda to support William the Conqueror's claim to the English throne is incorrect. Rather, Bridgeford argues, the Tapestry is instead a truly English work which gives more credit to a Frenchman (not a Norman) for the 1066 battle victory, and was meant to serve as continual reminder that William's taking of the English throne, though successful, was not morally just. In this sense, the work can be somewhat considered "subversive," because its message of the invalidity of William's ascent was played out in full view under the noses of all the Norman entourage, and indeed, full public scrutiny. The makers of the Tapestry could only do this by creating a work that passes the "scratch and sniff" test for supporting the Norman cause, but only for those wishing to read that preconceived notion into what they see, and for creating a work that, on its superficial elements, appears to do just that. But woven into the threads of this work is a contrary view that becomes apparent if one rejects the temptation to skim over and "read into" each of the Tapestry's scenes, and it is a message quite different that it might at first appear to be.

Bridgeford's prose is consistently up to this challenging task. Each page of the text further illuminates our understanding, not only of what we already know about 1066, but of those things we "know" that really do not "fit," if we took the time to further reflect on it. After carefully considering each of the pieces of evidence presented, we come to feel there is good reason to support the author's claims. In fact, the book at times lays out its evidence and persuasion much like a lawyer might do in court, and if we find ourselves on this jury of opinion, we tend to find ourselves convinced. And although the reader here might think the author will have to resort to fantastic claims and that we'll have to check credulity at the front cover, we quickly find we can rest easy. The author's case is logical, cogent, and reasonable; the work never veers outside of accepted scholarship for evidence, and rejects many surrounding claims even if some of those might further buttress the argument. This is a solid book that is a fascinating addition to the library of works surrounding the Tapestry.

Bridgeford's text begins by laying out what must be considered an epic drama of the history of the Tapestry itself, a history which begins in the 11th century but, much like an Indiana Jones movie, finds itself the target of Nazi's, governments, and various nefarious forces throughout the centuries. Once we have followed the Tapestry's journey throughout the years, we settle into an examination of the tapestry itself, a scene by scene look at each element with the work. Thankfully, the entire Tapestry is photographically reproduced in full color with additional scene numbers and annotated text to translate the Latin so that we can refer to the Tapestry itself while the author makes his points and explanations. Historical background is provided within the narrative whenever necessary, helping us understand the possible motivations for the prime characters and serving as a historical backdrop to the story. Bridgeford makes his case scene by scene, and is not unconvincing. It is a true adventure to pry open the explanations of each of the scenes, and regardless of how convinced the reader may be of the ultimate assertions of the book, the result is likely to be a newfound interest in the Tapestry itself, and perhaps even a desire to make a trip to see the Tapestry in person.

But much of the charm of this book remains in the prose which relates Harold's and William's story, with characters whose motives and intentions come alive, settings that jump out of the past, and the ebb and flow of history once again surging past us when we thought it was already finished. And that is indeed, according to the author, the whole purpose of those enigmatic creators of the Bayeux Tapestry: to serve as a constant witness of historical fact that would hopefully guide those of future generations who were willing to listen to its message. They may well have succeeded. It's now approaching 1,000 years since the Tapestry was woven, and we are still here examining, debating, and enjoying it.

Many years ago I saw the Bayeux Tapestry while on holidays in Europe. My lasting impression of the work is the sheer size of it. It was much larger than I would have believed based on the odd picture seen in a book I'd come across before leaving home. I now wish I'd been able to read a book like this one before I'd viewed the Tapestry (or embroidery actually).

This book takes you scene by scene through this massive work of art - and a different picture slowly emerges than the one you might have read about in other books on the subject. This embroidery is the work of a conquered people - and to please their new masters it superficially shows their success in the conquest. However, the events, and how the artist chooses to highlight them brings out another story, and its not the same one that the Normans told of their "right" to conquer England. The Tapestry also brings into focus formerly obscure people that never feature in any other period work on the conquest - and the author of this book has done some research into these named individuals and dug up some very interesting information indeed.

If you have any interest in the Bayeux Tapestry or the Norman conquest of England in 1066 this is a book you should read. The author is a Lawyer by trade and not a historian but he has done dome very impressive and detailed research with this book. I didn't know much about either the Tapestry or the Norman conquest before reading this book, so even if you don't know much about this period this is still a good read as the author tracks down the mysteries in the Tapestry that many other writers gloss over.

Almost the exact same thing can be said of this 721 page tome as can be said for Durant's "The Age of Faith". I enjoyed every page, never bored, but how much will I retain? I suspect not a lot. I find I agree quite well with Spinoza, at least as explained by Durant, as I have not actually read Spinoza. And I had not realized how badly Louis XIV almost devastated France due to all his wars. Moliere was here, Racine, Thomas Hobbes, Newton, a powerhouse of thought in all fields of knowledge. Superstition and ignorance begin to be broken, from 1648 to 1715. Also liked what Pascal had to say about the universe and man. And Cromwell - what a figure! Milton too, Peter the Great. Fabulous age. Fabulous book.

Over the past year I have read extensively about the 17th century. "The Age of Louis XIV" is the best book which I have found on the period. Volume VII of Will and Ariel Durant's multi-volume "Story of Civilization", this book documents more detail of the era than any others which I have read.

The book begins with sections on France and England. The next section is "The Periphery" dealing with Russia, Poland, Scandinavia, Germany, Italy, and Iberia. After the geographically oriented sections, the reader is treated to sections organized along intellectual topics, such as science, philosophy, and faith and reason, which contain chapters dealing with specific philosophers or scientists. The conclusion wraps it all up with the denouement of Louis XIV.

This book makes the 17th century understandable. The premier character of the era was Louis XIV, the Sun King of France. During his reign, the policies of he and his ministers established France's day in the sun. Absolute ruler of the most populous and powerful kingdom in Western Europe, Louis made France the center of Western Civilization. On these pages we learn about the Fronde, the revolt by the nobility at the rising of his Sun, from which Louis acquired his life long aversion to Paris, Louis' aggressive support of Catholicism, while at the same time maintaining illicit personal relationships, and his generous support for the arts. This era, rich in French literature and theatre, as represented in Moliere, is revealed.

The forces threatening to rend the Catholic Church further asunder, as well as the relationship between King and Pope, are dealt with in detail. I was surprised to learn that Louis exercised a power over the Church in France similar to that which Henry VIII had previously established over the Church in England.

England, meanwhile, endured Cromwell, The Stuart Restoration, and the Glorious Revolution, while spawning Milton, Dryden, Swift and other literary giants.

Interesting contrasts are illustrated. Whereas in France the monarchy was strengthened into absolutism, England was making hesitating steps toward democracy. Whereas Louis excluded much of the nobility from government and military service, essentially forcing them into the role of idle rich, the English nobility gradually gained power and responsibility for the governance of their country. We can see how these trends may have encouraged the resentment of the aristocrats on the part of the French peasantry, which may have contributed to the intensity of feeling during The Terror of the French Revolution. By contrast, the empowerment of the English nobility may have helped solidify the tradition of peaceful political maturation.

On the Periphery, Charles XII brought Sweden to the zenith of its international power, while Peter the great modernized Russia. Germany survived the onslaught of the Turks, while Italy and Iberia, the "Old Europe" of the day, slid through an era of decline.

Intellectually the era was one of giants. Many of the names with which we are familiar come alive as we read of Isaac Newton, Thomas Hobbes, John Lock, Spinoza, Leibniz and others.

The conclusion of the era was the sunset of the Sun King. Having exhausted his country with dynastic war, bled it with unequal taxation and incurred the enmity of the world, Louis negotiated a peace which left his kingdom a shattered hulk of its former greatness.

For anyone desiring an introduction to the history of the 17th century, this is a great place to start. It has me ready for other books in the Durants' "Story of Civilization".

Will Durant continues his wonderful series with this volume covering and important era which is quite often overlooked by our educational system. Much of what we are today has it's origins during this era. The Durants bring history to like with their wonderful text and use of language. These volumes, this one included, read more like a novel than a dry and dusty book of forgetable facts. I hate to use the word "lyrical" is describing Durant's style, but it is certainly close. The expierence of reading this volume, along with the others has been a wonderful expierence, one I would have not wanted to miss. Recommend this one, quite highly as I do the others.

In this, the eighth volume in the landmark acclaimed series, "The Story of Civilization, Dr. Will & Ariel Durant have recounted the history of Europe's great age of kings.

The reader will be treated to a masterly exposition of: France's King Louis XIV. The dawn of modern drama, letters, and philosophy from Moliere, Spinoza, Locke, Hobbes, Berkeley and others. King Charles II of England. Isaac Netwon. Russia's Peter The Great. The War of Spanish Succession. And much, much more including plates and maps.

Written to stand alone or within the series, the Durants have written a prose of smooth flowing narrative that is easy to read and understand. In short, this unparalleled work is for everyone, both professional and layperson. I rate this work at five stars. Well done!

Though the central figure of this book is Louix XIV, this book is not about French history, but about European history as a whole.

The focus of this book is not on political and military history but on the history of religion, art, literature, science and philosophy. Or I can say politics is deeply involved in religion, art, literature and philosophy. I have never studied European philosophy before, and I thought it would be exttremely difficult to understand philosophy. But while I was reading this book, I found that phlosophy could be much easier when it was explained in a political context of the times.

And in this book English history was emphasized as much as French history. It is quite natural because Louis himself was deeply involved in and greatly responsible for the 17th century English history, and Thomas Hobbes and John Locke were Englishmen.

I believe that this book is the best book I've ever read. I'd like to read all 12 volumes of Will & Ariel Durant's "The History of Civilization" series.

By the way, I found 2 trivial mistakes in this book.
According to p 505, Halley identified another comet, seen in 1680, with one observed in the year of Christ's death; he traced its recurrence every 575 years, and from the periodicity he computed its orbit and speed around the sun. According to my own calculation, however, 575 x 2 + 33 = 1183, while 575 x 3 + 33 = 1758.
According to p 513, Mariotte amused his friends by showing that "cold" could burn: with a concave slab of ice he focused sunlight upon gunpowder, causing it to explode. To focus sunlight, however, we need a convex lens, not a concave lens.

I bought this book because a friend of mine on met the author on the train while my friend was making a pilgrimage of her own to revisit her past. My friend is mentioned in the book,along with her daughter who accompanied her on this trip. This book gives great insight from the victims perspective.

Bashert is not easy reading. The author doesn't back away from painful discoveries or stand aloof emotionally: Andrea Simon is present on every page of her powerful and personal odyssey of discovery. In this book you get to know her, her family, their community, and their terrifying history. This book contains horrors and heroism. It is an important book for Jews and non-Jews alike. The inhumanities it chronicles remind us of why we must continue to stand against contemporay atrocities. Read this book. Share it with others. It isn't easy, but it is important. Ms. Simon writes of how profoundly she was affected by writing it. Reading it will do the same for you.

I can't imagine many non-Jews looking at Andrea Simon's book in a catalogue or a store and thinking they MUST have it, or that it would necessarily contain anything of value to them. After all, it's just a Jewish woman's search for her history, right? Wrong! It is a tender, and unsettling, story of a personal journey that turns historic. And it is a reminder of what can happen, and has happened, when we lose touch with our shared humanity. This is not an easy book to read but it is a compelling book- and it is a call to action. We must never forget, and we must never give up. Andrea Simon persevered on her journey, as did her grandmother (and many others) before her. So must we all.

This is one of the best holocaust memoirs I've ever read. Simon's account of the atrocities that were inflicted are woven through the horrific experiences that her own family suffered -- experiences that she learns on many steps of her journey. Beautifully written, expertly researched and told.

Bashert by Andrea Simon is not only a labor of love and a remarkable gift to those who came before and will follow, it is an important addition to Holocaust literature, describing events that may not have come to light before. The events are described in a very readable and personal form.

What makes this book especially moving is the way the author weaves her personal story into her search for historical fact. It is the author's personal involvement, warmth and humanity that draw the reader in and create a sense of personal involvement for the reader. We are not just reading history, but being taken along on the author's quest for knowledge and truth. We share her hunger to know what happened to her lost family.

For those with personal experience or knowledge of the Holocaust, this will add; for others it is a good place to start. It is a remarkable personal odyssey which will leave the reader affected and transformed.

I did like the narrative and it gave me a glimpse into what went on inside the Bismarck and her crew. Many of the photograhs were a first for me. I especially liked Appendix D, "The Rudder Damage: Were all Possibilities of Repair Exhausted?". Apparently the Bismarck was doomed from the start, but this may have been hindsight on the part of the author.

As for Appendix F "A Break in the Code", the tome was written before information was released indicating that the British were indeed monitoring most, if not all, communications of the Kriegsmarine. I refer to the two volumes of "Hitler's U-Boat War" by Clay Blair. The Americans were also monitoring the movements of the Bismarck, possibly in violation of international law.

The only reason I gave the book 4 stars is because the author related his opinions on the politics and his superiors possibly after the war. I wonder how he thought during the war. Too many apologies for the Nazi regime for my taste. I agree that the regime was inefficient. This may have been common among many authors who were involved on the German side looking back.

I would recommend this book in addition to the several books that have been written on the Bismarck in the last few decades.

V. Mullenheim-Rechberg executes brilliantly where others have failed. This is one memoir where the author maintains a confident balance between his own personal history and the larger event in which he took part.

Make no mistake--this is his story, yet one where the ship and its crew reamin the focus. An understanding that he was but one, small aspect of each seems to guide his writing throughout. Moreover, he is careful to call out what he can only qualify as recollection and what he has culled from the established historical record. The result is a practically seamless recounting that should satisfy readers who seek personal insights into the short operational history of the Bismarck and those who crave details on the ship's construction, crew composition, and blow-by-blow accounts of Dennmark Strait and the final attack that lead to its ultimate fate.

His chapter describing the last minutes as the crew abandoned ship take on a downright cinematic feel. The clarity there is of moments he could not shake and of people he would not forget. It's deeply personal, yet he provides both himself and the reader emotional breathing space by weaving in views of the operational action around the ship itself. This intensifies every personally-infused vignette that he presents and ensures that none are lost in the wash of mass human loss.

The author makes particularly handy work of his footnotes, sometimes using them to personally answer some of what he believes are significant misnomers about the ship's history--and his own. The footnotes are clearly -his- space, and he does not hesitate to answer some of what he feels are personal attacks that various other authors have made on his character and conduct. Still, he shies away from pettiness and cheap indignancy here. His tone is measured throughout, and he exactingly cites the sources that fuel his commentary--leaving the reader a chance to further explore the issues. After all, he was a lawyer and diplomat after the war. It shows.

Recommended highly for those who enjoy their history presented in a narrative fashion.

The author, and one time adjutant to Captain Lindermann, the commanding officer of the Bismarck, reveals the real mission of the battleship which is a new concept to most. It was very exciting to read the details from the beginning of the battleship including the sailors and officers, the training, and sailing to the Atlantic. Although it would have been nice if even more details could have been included, but perhaps space and memory prevented it. The author did mention that most of his experiences and service had to be written from memory since he was prevented from recording classified and secret information. Particularly interesting is his description and feelings of being a POW inside the POW camps; his repatriation, a person returning to his defeated homeland, once a proud nation, and how a former POW can fit into the new and recovering society. Lacking many technical details that we would liked to have read about, this is still an excellent book. To be able to read about the battleship from the German side of the ship and war, is invaluable. Excellent book and highly recommended.

FIRST THOUGHTS: EMOTIONAL WAR DRAMA OF LEGENDARY STATUS

The Bismarck, like the Titanic before her, went down on her maiden voyage in the North Atlantic with a great loss of life. Though both ships went on to become legends, the Bismarck was one that went down via the concerted effort of a large portion of the British fleet. Due to its being the flagship of the third reich and symbol of its 'superior' achievement the mission to destroy the Bismarck was a vital necessity to the British and a desperate race for survival for its German crew. In the end, there is little to feel good about the sinking of a vessel with over two thousand men aboard, only 115 whom were saved. Worse still, this tragedy followed the sinking of the Hood by the Bismarck just several days earlier with just a handful of survivors from the Hood. All in all a very nasty business, but an epic piece of real human history.

IN A NUTSHELL:

Battleship Bismarck: A Survivor's Story (Bluejacket Books)
by Burkard Baron Von Mullenheim-Rechberg, is another fine 'Naval Institute Press Publication' and a terrific account of the Bismarck's short life. The author, Burkard Baron Von Mullenheim-Rechberg was first, Captain Lindemann's adjutant and later the gunnery officer in charge of the aft range-finder. His rank was 'Oberleutnant zur See', or the equivalent of Lieutenant, in the US Navy. Von Mullenheim-Rechberg was on board before the beginning and was there after the end to become a prisoner-of-war. Both before and after are included in his expanded accounts in this "THE NEW AND EXPANDED EDITION - 1990".

WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT:

Von Mullenheim-Rechberg takes us on-board the Bismarck as he is introduced to his new commanding officer, Captain Lindemann. It is 1940 and he is the Captain's adjutant as fitting out and trials get under way for the newly launched super-dreadnought. These prelimary maneuvers are included in detail. Von Mullenheim-Rechberg does give us insights into his Captain, Lindemann, Admiral Lutjens [fleet commander] and something about Adolf Hitler who did visit the ship. All three men will play an important role in the story that unfolds.

BUT THE STORY DOESN'T END THERE -

A lot happened to the Bismarck its crew, the Hood, and the world in less than a week, and much of it is covered within this volume, first hand.

The author, and one time adjutant to Captain Lindermann, the commanding officer of the Bismarck, reveals the real mission of the battleship which is a new concept to most. It was very exciting to read the details from the beginning of the battleship including the sailors and officers, the training, and sailing to the Atlantic. Although it would have been nice if even more details could have been included, but perhaps space and memory prevented it. The author did mention that most of his experiences and service had to be written from memory since he was prevented from recording classified and secret information. Particularly interesting is his description and feelings of being a POW inside the POW camps; his repatriation, a person returning to his defeated homeland, once a proud nation, and how a former POW can fit into the new and recovering society. Lacking many technical details that we would liked to have read about, this is still an excellent book. To be able to read about the battleship from the German side of the ship and war, is invaluable. Excellent book and highly recommended.

I imagined that some parts of this book might be a bit dry. I was delightfully surprised, because I was attached to the pages the entire read. The author skillfully adds in actual accounts of atrocities to give each chapter a very personal feel.

It has been years from when I read this book and now. However, one thought from the book that still comes to my mind often is the "ancestral shadow" that was mentioned and developed. I do not remember if the author coined the term or just cited it, but it is very explanatory in thinking about world or personal events. I'll leave the discovering of that term to you.

It was a very interesting read that goes into the extremely personal side of atrocities. It was eye-opening and extremely readable for someone who does not usually read psychological or sociological books.

for those who beome evil. I particularly enjoyed the evolutionary psychology and group dynamic approaches.

It is not enough to reject evil; in order to exercise responsibility, we need to understand it. Then we can change the social factors that make evil more likely, or less likely.

That is what this book is about. Waller does not excuse evil acts because "society is at fault," nor is this simply an academic study. There are practical lessons here for how a society becomes corrupt, and how to prevent it. Like the poor, evil will always be with us. That does not mean we should be fatalistic about evil. It means that we should always be ready to address it.

Wow, this is a deep, powerful book. I gave it five stars because it was very complete. The author started with his proposal that ordinary people can commit evil, introduces a model of what influences/causes extraordinary evil, and follows up on what can and should be done to ease (impossible to halt entirely) the spread of evil. Interspersed in every chapter is a harrowing account of genocide told by the perspective of the victims or eyewitnesses.

Although I generally agree with the author's belief that ordinary people can commit evil, I did take issue with some of the methodology/tests he used. For instance, he used the anaylsis of the Rorschach test used on the Nazi... even though that test is inherently faulty. Still, he did back it up with more concrete and intriguing evidence. His model was well researched and he backed up his outline with different accounts.

Another positive aspect of the book, is that it alerts you about how many acts of genocide and crimes against humanity go unpunished or even unacknowledged by the perpetrators and the world. Its very disappointing and frustrating as is the author's note that the situation is not getting better and evil will never be fully stopped. All in all, its a great book and its very sobering and sad. I think everyone should read it.

I was always fascinated with the question of human cruelty and the history of genocides, and after researching review on Amazon.com, settled on this book by James Waller. I was 100% right. It's incredibly well-written. Very easy to read, written in clear language in short chapters. Thoroughly researched. James Waller references and examines all the works that have been written on this topic before. His conclusions are profound, and dare I say it, correct.

It's a flawless book. It brings together history and psychology in a language that is very relevant and easy to read on an very important subject. I'd recommend this to anyone without a hesitation. Not just educating, but also enjoyable.

I visited Budapest several times from 1997 through 2001 and am very glad I purchased this guidebook at a bookstore in that city (and I'm happy I still have the copy, especially considering the prices people are asking for it these days). It stands apart from all the other travel guidebooks I know -- Andras Török's humor, literary flourishes and, above all, in-depth knowledge of his native city make it delightful reading even if you're not in Budapest, but the author never forgets that he's writing for travelers whose time in the Hungarian capital is likely limited and who are therefore keen to make the best use of that time. The detailed walking-tour maps are the best of their kind I've ever seen, and the short articles on such topics as the local language and viticulture further enrich the reading experience. Budapest has changed so much over the past six years, however, that I'd recommend obtaining the latest edition (published in 2007 by Park Könyvkiadó) -- and since it's nearly impossible to obtain outside of Hungary at this writing unless you're OK with paying ridiculous shipping fees, I'd recommend buying a copy as soon as you arrive in the marvelous city of Budapest.

We lived in Hungary for one year and used this guide for our weekend trips. Our good Hungarian friends gave it to us. Torok gives you a glorious, historic, poignant trip through this powerful city. Good to read and take the tours, even if you do it from your couch.

I am an ex-pat living here in Budapest. We run a small B and B called BudaBaB, so when we found this book, we bought and lend it to each guest to read. Although we have been here for almost five years, the book is a delightful read that provides interesting facts and information that we would never have learned otherwise. Torok writes with humor and a deep sense of love for his city. It has opened our hearts again and again to a city that we have loved living in already. It just makes it all the richer.

Ryan James

As a true city-lover, I found this book invaluable. Not only will you learn what it is you're looking at, but why you should care, and what makes it interesting. The friendly narrative style is truly entertaining, and all the recommendations are spot-on. It's full of enlightening sidebars by a variety of cultural figures, including "Directors Picks" for some of the major museums. Other guidebooks to Budapest don't do the city justice, but this is the book I wish I could write about my big-city hometown. I completely empathize with Mr. Torok's passion for Budapest--large cities can be just as nurturing and familiar as a small town, particularly when it's your own. If you love exploring cities, and trying your best to unearth their individual personalities (suspecting that it's impossible, but being driven to at least scratch the surface), this book is a must. My only regret was that I only found this book while I was there and already half-way through my visit.

I came across this little gem in a small bookstore while strolling down Andrassy Ut. in Budapest. It's essentially a loving and learned essay on the city slyly disguised as a guidebook. Of course he's got the requisite walking maps, addresses and practical information, but what he really does is to capture the soul of the city and its denizens, past and present. It's clear that his evocative observations and opinions, laced with wit and candor could only have come from one clever guy who's truly lived the life in Budapest. You'll read every page of this book as though it were a novel.

The most amazing thing that about this book is that Arrian somehow managed to rescue the man from the legend, the god from the myth and the story from the soothsayers. He intended to write a factual history of the great leader but by necessity was forced to rely on word of mouth, old stories, past recollections and hardly any authoritative manuscripts.

Considering what he had to work with, the outcome is simply amazing. Like Thucydides, Herodotus and Livy, his goal was to write a factual work that was to have been definitive...and it was. The campaigns are given much attention as well as the character of Alexander. For a more scholarly and literary work I recommend Robin Lane Fox and his biography of Alexander - just stupendous.

This book is a PRIMARY SOURCE that is great for any student. An ancient work that has great deatails. It is actually interesting to read, even if you just use it for school. If you want more information on this book, feel free to e-mail me at Silvermouse51@aol.com. I will try to respond to your e-mail as soon as possible. Again, buy this book if you're doing a project on Alexander the Great! It's the absolute best you can ever buy!

Of all the books that I read of Alexander the Great, this book is my favourite in explaining the famous battles.It also explaines how he conquered the tribes from Persia up to Sogdiana.The battles of the Granicus,Issus,Gaugamela,and above all Tyre are incredibly narrated.The names are all there, who did what,and who did not.In the battle of Tyre, how much he had destroyed and how much he had to rebuild,never giving up.It explains all the problems that Alexander encountered with the Tyrians.
The death of Hephastion that made him lose his sanity,make you really feel what friendship meant to him. What this young man accomplished,and what he wanted to do with the rest of his life. Conquer as long as there were places to conquer.
It also writes about the honest side of Alexander,and those who
were traitors how he treated them.All the spoils of war he gave away,only eternal fame was his.How he created cities,and how he was ahead of his time, in many ways.
Read it is a great book indeed.

The wierdest part of this history was the account in Indika of the island of cavemen that Nearchos ran into, and battled with his fleet...

"There was a lagoon at the mouths of the river, and the depressions near the bank were inhabited by natives in stifling cabins. These seeing the convoy sailing up were astounded, and lining along the shore stood ready to repel any who should attempt a landing. They carried thick spears, about six cubits long; these had no iron tip, but the same result was obtained by hardening the point with fire. They were in number about six hundred. Nearchus observed these evidently standing firm and drawn up in order, and ordered the ships to hold back within range, so that their missiles might reach the shore; for the natives' spears, which looked stalwart, were good for close fighting, but had no terrors against a volley. Then Nearchus took the lightest and lightest-armed troops, such as were also the best swimmers, and bade them swim off as soon as the word was given. Their orders were that, as soon as any swimmer found bottom, he should await his mate, and not attack the natives till they had their formation three deep; but then they were to raise their battle cry and charge at the double. On the word, those detailed for this service dived from the ships into the sea, and swam smartly, and took up their formation in orderly manner, and having made a phalanx, charged, raising, for their part, their battle cry to the God of War, and those on shipboard raised the cry along with them; and arrows and missiles from the engines were hurled against the natives. They, astounded at the flash of the armour, and the swiftness of the charge, and attacked by showers of arrows and missiles, half naked as they were, never stopped to resist but gave way. Some were killed in flight; others were captured; but some escaped into the hills. Those captured were hairy, not only their heads but the rest of their bodies; their nails were rather like beasts' claws; they used their nails (according to report) as if they were iron tools; with these they tore asunder their fishes, and even the less solid kinds of wood; everything else they cleft with sharp stones; for iron they did not possess. For clothing they wore skins of animals, some even the thick skins of the larger fishes."

Cavemen who dont at all use metal, but only stones and fingernails...they wear animal skins...but most importantly, bodies COVERED in hair? What?! I want to go search for this island.

I want to go look for this island, i know how wierd it is, but THIS paragraph caught my eye more than any other in this work.

PS:
Arrian's account of Alexander is the best ancient source, though he is a bit of an apologist for the actions of Alexander, so dont believe ALL that Arrian says. The guy though was an actual general, and he had fought and conquered, he was someone who had been through many of the same situations as Alexander as a governor and general, so he DOES know what he is talking about.
Great work...

Alexander the Great was already a historical figure and "larger than life" character by the time Arrian wrote his CAMPAIGNS OF ALEXANDER. More than 400 years had passed since Alexander's death and, while there was doubtless plenty of popular lore about him, there also was a considerable mass of written source material in existence. Much of this material came from contemporaries who had campaigned with Alexander, but these accounts apparently often conflicted. Forced to pick and choose from all this information, Arrian appears to have relied largely on Ptolemy and Aristobulus. Ptolemy was experienced in military matters and, as one of Alexander's generals, had participated in many of the operations he described. Arrian brings his own knowledge and experience of military and administrative matters to bear on this information with generally good results. The rap on Arrian is that he displays a sound grasp of Alexander's military exploits and of his character, but is too forgiving when it comes to Alexander's faults and glosses over other issues.

Arrian brought a wealth of experience to his task. His own personal accomplishments were considerable. A Greek by descent, he was born in the city of Nicomedia, capital of the Roman province of Bithynia, sometime prior to A.D. 90. His family was prosperous and had attained Roman citizenship, giving young Arrian the possibility of a career in the imperial service. Before he was done, he attained the Roman consulship and was subsequently entrusted by Emperor Hadrian with the governorship of Cappadocia, a border province on the eastern frontier that entailed the command of two Roman legions plus auxiliary troops. During this period he led a successful campaign to drive an invading tribe out of Armenia, sailed all the way around the Black Sea, and wrote accounts of these events as well as manuals on military tactics. After Hadrian's death, Arrian retired to Athens, where he rose to become chief magistrate and, later, a Member of the Council of the city. He also continued to write until his death sometime between A.D. 173 and A.D. 180.

Besides THE CAMPAIGNS OF ALEXANDER, Arrian authored many other works. A few survive, but most are now lost, as are the many sources available to Arrian from Ptolemy, Aristobulus, Nearchus and others. All that remains from those who actually knew Alexander is in the form of quotes and citations in the works of later historians like Arrian. It's a sad fact that, while a few histories written by ancient scholars such as Livy, Plutarch, Arrian and others have survived, the great bulk of ancient literature and source material is gone. In an age when scribes had to copy books by hand, there could never be more than a few dozen copies of any book in existence. Under such conditions, it is hard to exaggerate the magnitude of historical disasters ranging from the destruction of the great library at Alexandria to the sack of Constantinople. A survivor like this is a rare opportunity to share the observations of an intelligent and accomplished person from a very different age.

THE CAMPAIGNS OF ALEXANDER is an important piece of the modern world's understanding of Alexander the Great. We're extremely fortunate it has survived. More than that, though, this is a lively and fascinating book that any reader can enjoy. If you have any interest in Alexander, or in ancient history in general, read this book.

This book was riveting. I found amazing revelations about my own childhood while reading this book, and I quickly discovered I have some background in common with the author. Never before has any psychology, non-fiction or self-awareness book kept me in such profound awe or has unlocked the key to understanding the emotional, mental and physical impact of my being one of a half million children of Holocaust survivors raised in America.

As the child of a survivor, this book talks about many of the things our family kept silent. Just reading that even one other person out there had similar feelings, experiences, and views was so very comforting. It is important that society acknowledges the 2nd Generation's special status. May the memory of all who perished, of all who survived, and all who have come after them be ever for a blessing.

I purchased this book for a friend who had been unable to get a copy here in Australia.

As an 'outsider' to the experiences described I find this book remarkable in its bredth and depth. Epstein manages to convey as much in between the lines as she does in her sensitive, unjudgmental tellings. She has allowed her subject to expand and flow without careful categorisation and containment so that I have the sense that most children of survivors would find something to recognise in this book.

What a humane and remarkable writer she must be I would like to read more of her work.

I read this book many years ago. I was greatly moved by it, and through it understood the special burden children of survivors have to live with. Helen Epstein was the first to really explore the feelings and situation of the children of survivors. The secretness she writes about it, the things which were in the air but never spoken about play a large part in this.
I do remember having one point in which I felt the author did not do enough. While she deals with the individual psychological of problems effectively she does not really consider the ' collective side' of the disaster.
The imperative to keep the Jewish people alive after such a great disaster is not a subject she dwells on intensely.

As a daughter of Holocaust Survivors, when I first read this book (over 15 years ago), I was astounded. This author was the first to raise the issue at all: how has the Holocaust affected those whose parents survived it? When I was growing up, not only was the Holocaust itself practically a taboo subject, but no one ever, ever discussed the children of Survivors. This author had the courage, the foresight, and tenacity to do just that - and to do it in the most sensitive and articulate way.

When I first read the first chapter, I was so astounded that I stood up, and read that chapter standing up! She describes exactly, to the letter, how I felt growing up: that the Holocaust was a locked black box in your household, and that its secrets were more secret than sex, or anything else you can possibly imagine. Finally, someone has put on paper what I always felt, but could never describe. Everyone I have ever given this book to, no matter what his or her background, said he couldn't put it down. To anyone interested in the Holocaust - you must read this book!

In light of the previously posted shining reviews on this text, I suppose there is not much more to be said, but I felt compelled to bolster what has already been written. This book is, along with Norman Friedman's US Submarines since 1945, without question, among the definetive works on submarines of this period. Outstandingly researched and presented. Do not hesitate to buy this book. Top notch.

I was somewhat skeptical of this book when I saw nothing but 5 star reviews from purchasers of the title. However, having read it, this is THE Cold War submarine reference. It contains insights not only into the technologies deployed, but the rational (or in some cases the Irrational) that led to the development of the mysterious technological marvels we could only speculate on during the cold war. The authors clearly show both American and Soviet perspectives on the cold war submarine development. I found the information regarding the CONFORM design on 1967 to be of particular interest. Rickover's insistence on developing the 688 class killed CONFORM. Yet CONFORM was 40 years ahead of anything available at that time. It is interesting that the 688's were far more fragile than one might imagine. Yet Rickover insisted on having his way. Where would we be had the CONFORM design gone through?? This book is absolutely the best material that I have read to date on cold war submarines.

Not as many actual pix of subs as most books but it is very well written and also dabbles into the politics and design that went on with each new design of submarine. Nice charts and missile specs and things like that. Goes into greater detail of the US boats more than Soviet.

I sought a book with a serious overview of the topic of Cold War submarines, and not a book about one or another aspect of the topic. I ended up with a book that contains both an excellent overview as well as serious discussion of specific submarines, strategies, technologies and the men behind the scenes.
The story is well placed within the historical context of the political, military and economical events and processes of the Cold War. The text is well written and well structured.
Especially fascinating is the look behind the scenes of Soviet submarine design, construction and operations - those were among the best-kept secrets of the Soviet Union.
Besides dealing with "main stream" submarines, there are several interesting chapters about different experimental projects; rescue submarines and several fantasy projects, like freight vessels and aircraft carrying submarines.
Although the story is focused on the Cold War period, there is a detailed discussion of WWII technology that highly influenced Cold War designs, as well as descriptions of post Cold War vessels and fleets.
The book is well illustrated with photographs and line drawings.

I knew about a Polmar from reading references in some papers, so I finally decided to give a try. I wasn't disappointed. There were lots of technical details giving an overview. Better yet, it is a balanced account - by no means are Americans portrayed as all powerful.

If there were two things it can be improved on - well, one would be the placement of the endnotes. It is a matter of taste, but considering how many there were and how interesting they were, it might have been more convenient to have put them at the bottom of the main text as footnotes for each page.

The second is that I would have killed for a chapter or two on "other than the equipment". Subs are not just their designers, their admirals and the technicals - it is also the men, their organization and their training. Polmar briefly goes over the differences, but it could have been given a full chapter or at least an Appendix if extra efficiency measures were applied to the pre-Cold War history stuff.

Now, I'm going to buy another Polmar book that would hopefully fill up the gap. Wish me luck.

Ever since the Soviet Union crumbled in the early 90s, many first-time entrepreneurs who had exceptional financial success amidst the chaos that followed the collapse of the old way of life found themselves targets by the ruthless Russian Mafia, the KGB and also, the United States government.

This real life story of the author, Alex Konanykhin, is a detailed account of his life that spanned his relatively simple days in college to being the "Bill Gates" of Russia; from being one of the most powerful men close to Russian president Boris Yeltsin, to a marked man by the KGB; From a political refugee in the United States to being a prisoner, and then finally to freedom.

Written during his frequent incarceration, Konanykhin narrates a story worthy of a best-selling spy novel that proves once again that reality is certainly far stranger than fiction. It tells us even in the free world as long as there is lust for money, no one can escape persecution.

The book adequately shows insights into the dark world of Russian politics with its influence even reaching U.S. shores and the breadth and depth of the KGB's clout in the U.S. government. The paperback offers a different and deeper perspective into the conspiracies revolving inside Russia's political affairs. Many will find this revealing and will understand better what truly happened to the author.

Readers will be shocked about the hidden agenda of governments including the US' own government. You will be convinced that what is commonly released in the media has more to it than meets the eye. As you read this book, you will also find it unbelievable that the US government is all too willing to help KGB-controlled Russia, the so-called "Superpower of Crime," catch its political enemies.

The book also exposes a part of the Soviet culture which blindly hates capitalism yet it tolerates or sometimes encourages lust for power and wealth among its citizens.

The author, whom the CIA calls "The Kid," reveals that titles are more important than actual production in a Soviet economy. To get by, one must be well-connected to men in power - it ensures a good job that pays well without having to actually work. It also shows how fear of authority restrains the whole nation from straying beyond the Soviet thinking. And only the brave few will prevail; challenging the status quo.

Appropriately titled, Defiance tells its readers that even in a world such as where the author lived in and against all odds, one can triumph. Alex Konanykhin's memoir is an absolute must-read for anyone - particularly those who are interested in Russian business or politics.

Today, Alex Konanykhin, 39, heads KMGI, a thriving high-tech B2B agency located in New York which services major corporations and ad agencies across the globe.

And you think you've got it rough?

Young, wealthy, powerful and prominent one day and a robbed fugitive with a KGB contract out on his head the next, so has gone the life of Alex Konanykhin. Like they said it on 60 Minutes,

"Alex Konanykhin didn't only have KGB after him...He had the FBI, the Justice Department, even the CIA all on his case, as a favor to the Russians, part of a deal to allow the FBI to keep a bureau in Moscow."

And while you may have heard a bit about the chaos and danger faced by Alex and his wife Elena on 60 Minutes, CNN and FOX News, you now have the chance to experience the thrill of their misadventures first hand in Alex's new fact action page turner, Defiance.

While the plot is as twisted as any international paperback novel, this is the real McCoy - every bit of it a true story. From cover to cover, you'll find yourself immersed in a world of cruelty, intrigue and espionage, and seeing it through the eyes of an indomitable hero diametrically opposed to the oppression and lack of moral fiber (and ingenuity) around him. What started out as merely an attempt to quell an internal business takeover took him on a whirlwind adventure that left them fleeing from country to country, until finally finding themselves seeking amnesty within the safety of the borders of the United States.

But the story doesn't end there. In fact, it only begins.

Soon after fleeing here for safety, Alex learned that it wasn't just Russia that was after his life. You may just be surprised to learn of some of the social (and potentially life-threatening) injustices that various departments of the United States government made this young man and his wife suffer through as the US Court system became the playing field for a battle of immense, far reaching and often quite unexpected proportions.

More than just a great fast paced read highlighting the highs and lows of an incredible decade of change, Defiance is also a great source of motivation and inspiration for rising entrepreneurs and business men and women all across the globe. In addition to the hope inspired by the story of the chase, you'll also find wonderful insight into the budding economy and changing political ideology in Russia that are sure to refresh the hearts and minds of even the staunchest and experienced Capitalists around!

In a world far too short of people with principles, integrity, and long-suffering Alex's story is sure to inspire individuals in just about any negative situation, from imprisoned immigrants to disgruntled employees, to reach above their current circumstances and hold fast to a dream of something more, something better.

With an intense plot that will speed you from the first page to the last, and a bird's eye view of a world straight out of a spy novel (hey, that's not just me saying that, judges said so too!) Defiance is a compelling page turner that solidly deserves two thumbs up!

-Jennifer Gibbs

Defiance is a riveting, eye-opening, and compelling story of the Konanykhin family, who desperately tried to stay one step ahead of former KGB agents and ruthless CIA, FBI, and INS agencies. Once one of Russia's wealthiest men, Alex Konanykhin runs for his life (and the life of his devoted wife, Elena) after his bank is taken over by former KGB agents through extortion and fraud. The KGB displayed their unsavory tactics through kidnapping the Konanykhin couple. The two successfully perform a daring escape from Hungary and obtain quiet refuge in the United States, which had granted him a green card from the United States Immigration Department.

Their freedom in America was short-lived. The Konanykhins were arrested on bogus criminal charges which had been sought by the Attorney General of Russia. While an innocent man and his wife are trying to seek justice, powerful law firms, and even an INS agent, come to Alex's defense as a pro bono case.

Brilliantly written, Alex tells his own story in Defiance eloquently. The book is a must-read for every American who values basic Constitutional rights and how these rights can be trampled on for sheer political purposes. Follow the story through a myriad of legal maneuvers by the INS and United States Department of Justice designed to sell out the Konanykhin's in order to win favor with the Russian Government. Defiance dramatically sends message to readers that government agencies, whenever located, can succumb to corruption and use under-handed tactics with conscious disregard for basic, human, and constitutional rights.

But Defiance is not just about the issue of constitutional rights. It is also relays the disquieting apathy and lack of courage of our society as a whole to defend basic constitutional rights of others when these rights are placed in jeopardy.

Stripped of their estimated $300-$400 million in assets, the couple soon becomes disenchanted with their situation and begins to lose hope. But their courage to fight the system and their love for each other, which never wavered, is inspiring for us all. Having lost fortunes before and working his way back to wealth, Alex is a role model for aspiring entrepreneurs everywhere. This book restores the sense of ultimate justice while reminding us that even "justice", once denied can never really be restored when it has been delayed.

The emotional courtroom drama recounting the Konanykhin's story climaxes in the rendering of a decision by an American Immigration Department administrative law judge. The judge is faced with a politically-charged situation. Will the judge rule in favor of the Konanykhins and do them justice? Or will he collapse and lend aid to the intelligence agencies' carte blanche tactical methods?

Alex Konanykhin was a major supporter and friend of former Russian President Boris Yeltzin, whose political campaign was substantially funded financially by Alex. The Russian mafia and the KGB have likely taken over many of the new industries in Russia, and around the world, as well as the United States. The Konanykhin's story cannot help but capture your interest and keep you on the edge of your seat through every page.

Fasten your seat belts and prepare for the ride of your life.

Alex Konanykhin's story of his phenomenal success against overwhelming odds in becoming one of Russia's first entrepreneurs and the steep price he paid as a result, is one that rivals and even tops any novel by James Patterson,Carol Higgins Clark, or Frederick Forsyth. The sad part is how the U.S. goverment was a willing party in Russia's attempt to suppress and kill Konanykhin.

The most amazing part is that this is ALL verifiably true!

Defiance By Alex Konanykhin How to succeed in business despite being hounded by the FBI, INS, Homeland Scurity, Interpol, Department of Justice, and Mafia hit men. This is the amazing true story of Alex Konanykhin, a young man who made millions in Russia during and immediately after the ending of the Soviet Union's Communist dictatorship. He was an entrepreneur in business even before citizens were allowed to pursue capitalistic ventures and before he had completed college. His wealth was seized by the KGB and he had to flee Russia to keep from being killed or thrown into political prison. He continued to pursue business ventures within Russia even from his exile in Hungary and later the United States. In a difficult to fathom true account he describes how the United States government sold him out to the KGB and Russian mafia who wanted him returned to Russia so they could kill him. The biographical account reads like a Clancey novel. His determination and courage are amazing, and what was done to him by trusted government entities of several countries is horrifying. An interesting read.