Ireland Books

This is NOT your father's self help book. :-) Dr. Ireland's book is awesome. Perfecting Your Purpose is chock full of biblical patterns and principles that are empowering me to deal with life's challenges-- on a daily basis. This book, with its humorous stories and plentiful bible references, glorifies God first, not the author; as a result, my relationship with God has become so much more meaningful and fulfilling...
My perspective is changing. For example, I now look at my job as part of my overall purpose, so I view the time that I'm toiling away as an opportunity for being salt and light in the workplace, and my work product, attitude and relationships have been significantly enhanced. I now see my wife and two children as my primary mission field for ministry and not just a financial burden, and my home has become more of a sanctuary and less of a source of stresss.
For maximum effect, this book should be read (i) with a journal for taking copious notes and addressing the life issues that are discussed in each chapter and (ii) with AT LEAST one other person.
I'm a big believer in the principle that you get what you expect out of life, so I strongly encourage all readers of this book to expect to be changed dramatically, and for the better.

This book is a life workbook. It's the kind of book you should use to write your annual goals. It asks you questions and gives you tools to create an action plan. The way this book is written it creates a safe place to ask ourselves questions about where we are, what we want to do with our lives and where we plan to be in 2-5 years. If you don't have the money for a personal life coach, buy the book.

Pastor Ireland's book is an excellent resource in developing a relationship with God. Through a relationship with God we begin to understand our true purpose. Pastor Ireland does a credible job providing the reader with a roadmap towards their true purpose. Like a roadmap, the book provides step-by-step guidance on the journey towards a more meaningful and fulfilling life. The book should continuously serve as a reference for future reflection and direction.

I highly recommend "Perfecting Your Purpose" to anyone who wants to discover his or her destiny. David Ireland is definitely a man of tremendous insight and great wisdom. If we follow these simple principles that he outlines in this book we can really find clarity and direction for our lives.
Some people are trying to be an eye when they are really called to be a hand and they don't realize that these misconceptions are hindering them and sending them in the wrong direction. He teaches us how we can apply these simple steps that he offers to our personal life as well as our spiritual life. Many of us have made wrong decisions in our lives but after reading this book you will realize that no matter how old you are, you can still get back on the right path.
David Ireland is a man of integrity and I believe the best teacher that I have ever heard. Everyone who read "The Purpose driven life" will definitely want to read this sequel to that book. It will help you comprehend the full measure of success God has prepared for you that will dramatically change your life as you discover your purpose in life. None of us are here by accident. If you are unhappy with the way your life is going, you can make a decision today to change your direction. This book is very easy to read because it is meant to be read over a period of forty days. I highly recommend this book to EVERYONE.

Because of the word purpose and the 40 day commitment, this book may appear to be similar to Rick Warren's "Purpose Driven Life." However, after reading "Perfecting Your Purpose," there is a clear difference between the two books. To compare both books would be a disservice to both authors, as each book has different goals. Rick Warren's book helps you to question and search for your purpose. Dr. Ireland's book "Perfecting Your Purpose" enables you to flush out vagueness and state your life's purpose in one sentence with clarity and conviction.

Dr. Ireland's "Perfecting Your Purpose" has three goals, which are:
1) To help confirm your life's purpose through self-discovery exercises
2) To help perfect your purpose
3) To present the benefits of practicing 40 day habits

Goals fulfilled after reading "Perfecting Your Purpose":
1) The self-discovery exercises truly help the reader solidify his/her purpose.
2) With a clear understanding of your purpose, the book guides you by providing exercises such as "Sampling the Fruit," which challenges you to seek and engage with people and/or programs to enhance your purpose.
3) In practicing 40 day habits and fasts, the reader will gain new insight of God's power in his/her life's purpose. Dr. Ireland writes a remarkable explanation describing how God influences and transforms biblical heroes during a 40-day interval.

"Perfecting Your Purpose" is a helpful resource that brings the reader closer to God. Dr. Ireland's book will help stimulate ideas and prayers that reveal specific tasks to fulfill your life's purpose and serve God's Kingdom.

This was the first book by Jack Higgins that I read. The plot grabbed me by the second page and didn't let go until the end. The characters were all very well developed, with no loose ends in their various encounters. The particular development of Martin Fallon was very interesting...Higgins established his "death wish" in a good manner, but kept me guessing to the end just how Fallon would resolve all of his issues. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good thriller.

...This novel was a little more touching in its direction and somewhat more of a moving story than all action of his other books. I found it as good as always, but I am a fan, so make your own opinion.

I first read this book about two decades ago. I think I can best describe the book by describing how that first encounter with APFD went. I had borrowed the book from a friend. I read it at one sitting - it's a quick read - and felt compelled to share it with others. In the week for which I had the book, I loaned it to four other friends then read it once more before returning it. Since then, every two years or so, I'd have an urge to read it again and I'd go out and find a copy. The book can almost be called a classic.

I must have read this book five years ago-- probably more like seven. In any case, it wasn't my copy-- we were renting a cabin, and it happened to be on the bookshelf-- I picked it up, and could NOT put it down until I read the whole thing, at the expense of my vacation. Not that I minded, mind you. ;) In any case, Higgins' tragic tale will have you aching over every moment. In fact, this novel is nearly perfect-- except for a couple of sexually explicit scenes, which I skipped quickly over. Due to that fact, this is not for sensetive readers at all, and usually I'm one of those-- but, frankly, after all the books I've ever read, this one was in my life for a mere twenty-four hours, and I remember it as one of the best.

I was first introduced to Jack Higgins with 'The Eagle has Landed' and 'Storm Warning', two WWII era stories. I enjoyed his ability to develop characters while keeping the action moving and suspenseful. However, it was this book, 'A Prayer for the Dying' that made me a lifelong fan of his writing. Actually written before he exploded into popularity with 'The Eagle has Landed' this tale is deeper and more moving than any of his books, before or after. Each character, both good and bad, have demons to overcome.

The story is about Martin Fallon, an ex-IRA executionor, who has bailed out on the movement after an tragic miscalculation caused a bus-load of school children to be blown up. We find him in London trying to leave the country and being chased by both his old comrades and Scotland Yard. He is blackmailed into killing one crime boss by another, and is seen by a priest Father De Costa. The story takes Fallon from executionor to hero as he is forced to protect the life of the priest at all costs.

Higgins takes the time to develop each character in this story into very complex people. Beside Fallon and De Costa we're introduced to Jack Meehan, (the crime boss with a twisted sense of fairness), his brother Billy (the original thing from under the rock), Miller (the frustrated Scotland Yard Detective), and Anna de Costa (the blind niece). Each character has wonderful and surprising quirks. A great example: Jack Meehan is an legit undertaker with many non-legit sidelines including prostution, gambling, and drugs. However, he is also VERY protective of the elderly, feeling they are always being taken advantage of. He actually crucifies one of his employees for trying to swindle an 87 year old widower out of 20 pounds.

To go further into the plot would spoil all the great surprises and twists. If you're a Jack Higgins fan you MUST find this book and read it. It's out of print but any good used book store will have it and it's well worth the trouble.

This is an excellent account of the long and troubled road for Scotland under the rule of Great Britain. Beginning with the Union of 1707, which Scotland pretty much got railroaded into, Devine charts the meandering path toward Home Rule in 1999. Along the way he touches on the cornerstone events which shaped modern day Scotland such as the Crofters' War, the Highland Clearances, the Scottish Enlightenment and Industrial Revolution. It is amazing to read just how vital the Scots were in the expansion of the British empire, yet Scotland remained subordinate to England throughout this period.

Devine focuses primarily on the social and economic history of Scotland, noting how the failure of the Scots to construct a link between the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean at the isthmus of Darien led to a financial crisis which England was able to exploit, thereby forcing Scotland to submit to its will in 1707. However, England still had a difficult time suppressing the Jacobeans in Scotland, which continued to mount resistance movements throughout the 18th century.

Probably the most notorious period was in the 19th century, when English landowners with the help of Scottish landowners forced the Highlanders off their grazing lands and made them to settle along the coastline. What began as a method of suppressing the remaining Gaelic culture, became a major relocation project that destroyed what remained of clanship in Scotland. It lived on in name only.

Devine notes how Queen Victoria, a Jacobean at heart, revived Highland pride during her reign by establishing an estate at Balmoral. This along with the historical novels by Sir Walter Scott helped rekindle an interest in ancient Scotland and led to a cultural renaissance.

With the industrial revolution, Glasgow usurped Edinburgh as the leading city in Scotland, irrovocably altering the way of life for most Scots. Devine charts the rise of the political movements in Scotland, which began to push for greater home rule, feeling that Scotland was still be overlooking by the Parliament. The rise of the Labour Party was instrumental in the drive for Home Rule. Devine also notes the troubled relationship between Scots and Irishmen, particularly in Northern Ireland. A once similar culture now found itself at opposite ends of the spectrum.

Devine takes in a big sweep of Scottish history, referencing early aspects of history, but focuses on the 300 years of Union with Great Britain. It is rich in reference notes, pointing the way to further reading on the subject. This is the culmination of his work on Scottish history, which he began with his book, Clanship to the Crofters War.

Well, this review might be crap compared to the others, but I do have a few useful things to say about this book.

I picked it up knowing next to nothing about Scottish history during the years of topic. If you said Jacobite I might have known what you were talking about, but I certainly couldn't have explained the risings of the eighteenth century to you.
Now, I can.

I found this book not only easy to read, but comprehensive, and best of all.....INTERESTING. That's quite a big compliment considering that the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries are not desirable at all to me, even as a student of history.
Yes, very easy to read, but not simplistic. And best of all, it is free of the sarcasm and haughtiness I've found in works like the Penguin classics book on Scottish history, and in essays by well known and respectable historians!!

T.M. Devine's account of Scotland from 1700-2000 is the most up-to-date review of Scottish history over the past three centuries. Mr. Devine covers every aspect of the development of Scotland and Scottish life over that time period. On many topics such as religion, immigration/emigration, government, cultural traditions, economics, and much more, Mr. Devine presents a thorough analysis. I was hoping for more details on Adam Smith, David Hume and other figures of the Scottish Enlightenment, but Mr. Devine chooses to stick with the story of Scotland as a whole for this work. This is a slow read at times, but for those genuinely interested in knowing more about the modern history of Scotland, this book has to be as good as one will find.

although i have to admit that i'm a bit biased towards any book that paints scotland in a flattering light, this is a great read. i found it especially helpful when i was writing a thesis about the ebbs and flows of scottish power within the united kingdom. since this book covers everything from the act of union to the recent establishment of the scottish parliament, it was extremely helpful. it's one of the few books of its kind. if you are curious to know how exactly the UK works (ie how can england, wales, northern ireland, and scotland be seperate countries and the same country) this is a good place to start, and it's a compelling read!

In 1999, Scotland experienced a momentous event, when after several centuries, a Scottish Parliament was convened in Edinburgh. Scotland is thus in a unique position at the beginning of the twenty-first century to enter a new era of self-determination and national pride such as has not been seen since 1707 (the year of the last Scottish Parliament) or since the times of the Stuart reign.

T.M. Devine, professor of Irish and Scottish Studies at the University of Aberdeen, has put together the first comprehensive and authoritative history of the Scottish nation during this 'non-parliamentary' (and, thus perhaps one might consider, non-sovereign) period in a generation. Scotland, as Devine explains in 'The Scottish Nation: A History 1700-2000', has almost always been misunderstood by the outside world. Thought of Scotland today (by those outside) conjure up visions of green sweeping Highland views, quaint tartan-patterned objects, kilts, bagpipes, Scotch whisky, and a wild rusticity that is quite at odds with the modern, urbanised character that is more typical of Scottish life today. As any good Scotsman will tell you, Scotland had seven universities when England had only two; even in the nineteenth century as London reigned supreme on the world stage politically and, in many ways, economically, Scotland was an industrial pioneer, providing much of the backbone for British success.

'For historians of Scotland the last three decades have been an exciting time. Research has boomed, established views are vigourously challenged and entirely new fields of investigation opened up which were uncharted in the older historiography.'

Devine commends the modern trend toward further investigation and research in Scottish and other non-England nations of the British Isles, but worries that most of this research is being shared and read only with professional peers rather than the general public. His book, The Scottish Nation is intended to be (and, in my opinion, succeeds at being) an accessible resource for the casual reader while being authoritative and thorough enough for the scholar to find it valuable.

Devine breaks the history of Scotland into four broad ranges: 1700-1760; 1760-1830; 1830-1939; 1939-2000. These periods roughly correspond to the eras of consolidation of political domination by England, the growing urbanisation of Scotland and attendant decline of Clanship, the period of immigration and Highland clearances , and finally the resurgence of Scottish nationalism in the wake of Irish independence and the aftermath of the second world war.

Devine examines the breakdown of traditional Scottish government in the aftermath of the ouster of a hereditary Stuart king in favour of William and Mary; Devine examines both English efforts to consolidate political and economic hegemony over Scotland (which included a movement in 1705 to declare all Scots aliens, thus subject to import duties and taxes that would be ruinous to the Scottish economy) as well as the Scottish problems of maintaining their own institutions in the face of English power. This is a different perspective than most will be used to, as history (traditionally written by the victors) has usually been stated 'authoritatively' from Oxford or Cambridge, not from Aberdeen or Edinburgh.

Following issues that are economic, military, social and political, Devine traces the various strands of Scottish history through to the present Parliament, detailing the London Parliament's intriguing struggle to deal with the issue of devolution and maintenance of the union through the post-war period. Devine devotes attention to aspects of family life, the role of women at various points in Scottish history, the development of educational systems, church/state relationships, and the status of the royals in Scotland -- again, any good Scotsman will tell you, it is inappropriate to say the present reigning monarch is Elizabeth II in Scotland, because Elizabeth I was never queen there.

This is a rather hefty book for light reading, but is quite enlightening for those of us with Scottish background (my family background includes many strands).

Memoirs are almost always interesting but this one is like nothing else I had ever read. Truly touching and endlessly interesting, this book has something for everyone. If you have ever felt like an "outsider" you will appreciate Hugo's plight. Can't stop ready it. It was a joy until the very last page.

This is a magnificent story of the author's growing up in Ireland.It takes place mainly after WW2 and until the mid-seventies.The son of an fanitically nationalistic Irish father who doesn't want to give up the past, and a German mother who is haunted by her past of growing up in Nazi Germany.
The author shows us the tremendous pressures of trying to get along when you are different from others in your community and country.This problem exists everywhere and we learn that it also occurs even in Ireland.This family lived with it as a central issue at all times and no matter how hard they tried,they could never get away from it.I don't think I have ever read a book that so clearly defined the issues and struggles that had to be faced.
Not only has the author described the struggles his family faced he also gives us a great deal of insight into the culture,thinking,perceptions,anguish,and the effect that the past has on the personality and feelings encountered when one is different.
Ireland is a very fascinating country and like no other.One never ceases to be amazed by what one learns by reading about its history and its people;and this book is no exception.
Several lines that really struck me were:

"Some things are not good to know in Ireland."

"We serve neither King nor Kaiser."

"My father says the Irish can't live on imagination forever."

"He doesn't want the song about immigration to go on forever."

"Ireland unfree shall never be at peace."

"Maybe there was no failure in Ireland,only bad luck,and
maybe there was no bad luck in Germany,only failure."

"Nelson's head was on the ground and the dust of the empire
was all around."

"When you're small you know nothing and when you grow up there
are things you don't want to know."

And finally,one that sums up the story:

"I'm walking on the wall and nobody can stop me."

The author's skill in the use of language is a whole order of magnitude higher than so much we see today;but still in a class with several of his Irish compatriots.What wonderful stuff this small country produces.

I found The Speckled People after encountering a fascinating article by Hugo Hamilton on the "Loneliness of Being German". Similar to the article, the book immediately struck a chord with me. Those living within and without their own language will find a special connection to this book. Language as the identification of "home" and "country" and "language wars" are explored here in a rather exceptional way - through the voice and outlook of a growing child. Like a patchwork quilt the vignette chapters of the book come together for the reader to form an exquisitely drawn portrait. Hamilton's family is pictured against the backdrop of their Irish reality of poverty and want in the fifties and sixties. Complexities are accentuated by his dual identity as a child of an Irish nationalist father and a German mother who left Germany after the war.

While The Speckled People is an intimately personal chronicle of his youth, Hamilton's story has significance far beyond the autobiography genre. There are advantages and challenges in using the language of a child. On the one hand, experiences can be conveyed in a direct and innocent way. Johannes (Hugo) has not yet learned to query all he observes: "When you're small you know nothing". He is a sensitive and perceptive child who intuits that there are more untold dramas in the family. "You can inherit a secret without even knowing what it is." On the other hand, it may be difficult to maintain the language as the boy's capacity to analyze and reflect becomes more pronounced with age. Hamilton succeeds admirably in keeping his style consistent even where he integrates numerous events from the wider world as they become relevant to the young boy. As you settle into his style, the narrative becomes deeply absorbing.

The experiences of life under Nazi rule as part of an anti-Nazi family, continue to haunt his mother. Her painful memories are conveyed to the son in small doses, like selected scenes from a black and white movie in which she had a part. Nonetheless, she is homesick for her native country and all things German. Books, souvenirs and toys arrive regularly resulting in outbursts of happy laughter. Johannes records his mother's mood swings expressed through either laughter or primarily mental withdrawal and silence.

His father feels more Irish than anybody around them. He insists on preserving Irish culture and on "freeing" the Irish people from British influences. His children become "his weapon" against the enemy. He forbids the family to speak English. The children tend to "live" in German as their mother has difficulties speaking Irish. The Irish language has to be protected even if it means losing business. This can mean that cheques are not accepted from people who cannot spell Ó hUrmoltaigh - Hamilton in Irish. The language is your home, "your country is your language", he insists - it identifies who you are. The pressure on the children to speak German and Irish at home sets them apart from people in Dublin at the time. There, English was the preferred language. The children suffer from this enforced isolation. The neighbourhood bullies, responding to their otherness and German identity call them "Nazi", "Hitler" or "Eichmann". They attack them whenever the opportunity arises. While Johannes repeats to himself and to his mother "I am not a Nazi", he does not defend himself against the assaults. One of the rules of the house is to adopt a form of pacifist resistance, the "silent negative " and not to become part of the "fist people". As Johannes grows up, he understandably rebels increasingly against these strictures. In the end, he discovers his own way out of all the identify confusion, his anger and pain.

The Speckled People is a memoir like no other. Any comparison with other Irish memoirs would seem inappropriate to me. While Hamilton chronicles his childhood and growing up, themes and issues beyond the personal play a fundamental role. In particular his exploration of the complexities of "language" as "home" and "country" gives this book added richness and depth. [Friederike Knabe, Ottawa Canada]

okay... this book is absolutely gorgeous - It is sweet,deep,and dark...an original story. it reads like a beautiful poem -i am so happy to read a new book by an author who writes so well... thank you, Hugo!

The cover picture and the packaging are obviously attempting to ride on the coat tails of the phenomonal success of "Angela's Ashes." Which is okay in this case, because there are many similarities, and also because this book is almost as good. Almost. It's very close. Which is to say: it's still better than just about any other memoir you could get your hands on. This is a most charming, most intuitive, most page-turning read. I loved it. You probably will too.

After reading "Don't Ever Tell"-Kathy's Story by Kathy O'Beirne and "The God Squad" by Paddy Doyle, I felt the need to inform myself further on the subject of absolute corruption and power in the Industrial Schools in Ireland. "Suffer the Little Children" gave me all the information, and more, on the shocking, shameful, collective sadism practiced in Industrial Schools, orphanages, convents and reformatory schools where different religious orders carried out dehumanising brutality and savagery on innocent little children who were placed in the institutions either through the Courts or the parents themselves to be looked after by the religious and to receive an education.
This book gives us the history of such institutions in the UK and Eire but concentrates on the Irish scene where they continued to exist up to the 1970's. It is well written and a most revealing exposé of a very dark, sick side of Irish history. It also includes personal testimonies which make the book even more gripping as they exemplify and confirm vividly the revelations of such an appaling system.
It also discloses the indifference and conspiracy of silence on an official level which brings to mind Molière's words "It's not what we do, but also what we do not do, for which we are accountable". And for bad history not to repeat itself, we must keep informed. This book is a must read.

Ever since the movie .."The Magdalene Sisters" and Frank McCourt's book..."Angela's Ashes", Plus the fact that I am a quarter Irish and love Ireland and her people, I find I want to know more and more about her people and the TRUTH of how they have suffered yet have remained strong and vital and are proud and have given much to our world today!(England should be ashamed of what they have done for far too long, too!)
This book tells an awful story about the horrors of little children treated so badly for years and years. I know sadly that these wrongs can never really be righted for these victims or the words, "I am sorry" will erase the pain in their hearts, but I do hope eyes are open now and this cannot happen ever again to anyone....especially to children...no matter what country they come from and no matter what their color or race. Bless the children and keep them safe!! God bless Ireland...
Linda Steffey

This book presents a portrait of 20th century Ireland that will debunk any nostalgic or sentimental view of the so called 'Emerald Isle'. No shamrocks and leprecauns in this book, but a history of cruelty, abuse and power. It tells the story of how Irish children were incarcerated in huge numbers throughout the 19th and 20th centuries in reformatory and industrial schools which were managed by the Catholic Church. Based on detailed historical research and interspersed with gut-wrenching first hand accounts of survivors of these institutions, it shows how an alliance between a power hungry Catholic Church and an indifferent Irish State resulted in the incarceration of the children of the poor. Rather than helping poor families, Church and State removed these children to bleak institutions where large numbers were sexually and physically abused and tortured by their Christian carers. I don't think that I will ever think about the Catholic Church and Ireland in the same way ever again. Anger, saddness, frustration, disbelief, but above all anger - why did this happen? I experienced all these emotions when reading this book. If you want to really understand Irish society, this book is essential and harrowing reading.

This book is one of true meaning an excellent written book, which show's the through Ireland. This books explains the mentality of the religious and states minds. Truly deeply sad book but very much worth the read. This book is excellent in the sense of giving true awareness to the Irish state.
Highly recommended.

This book is comprehensive and deeply moving. I could not put it down. I was disgusted and angry by the end of it. I am ashamed to be Irish and ashamed to be Catholic. How this could have gone on for so long with no help for these children is beyond words. If there is a hell, then open arms to all those sick and sadistic Brothers and Nuns, all of whom were operating in the name of God....! How dare they call themselves charitable and merciful. They are some of the most vile human beings in existence. Between that and the sex scandal in America, the Catholic Church owes many people an apology and some sort of restitution. For shame the Church still chooses to cover up it's misuse of power. If the Nuns and Priests and Brothers were not so sexually frustrated, maybe they wouldn't be so evil. Sorry to vent so strongly. After reading this book, you will feel the same way. Also read Do Penance or Perish, but not as good as this book. Thank you.

This book covers the history of "Ukraine" from time immemorial until the late 20th century, laying out all the important dates and leaders. It is without doubt the most extensive and lucid English-language account of the development of regions and peoples which constitute today's Ukraine.

Its crucial fault, however, is that it fails to overturn or even question the nationalist mythologizing of Ukrainian history. It assumes the permanent historical unity of the Ukrainian nation when in fact no such unity existed until at least the early 1900s. It marginalizes the role of Poles, Russians, and even Germans in laying rival claims to the territory and peoples now called Ukraine. It leads us to believe that Ukraine was destined to exist in its current form, when in fact the creation of Ukraine was highly contested and its current shape anything but pre-determined. This book presents the genealogy of regional figures and struggles which have been appropriated into Ukrainian nationalist mythology, but gives little sense how or when Ukraine actually came to exist, nor how its history fits into larger European narratives.

Mr. Subtelny's "Ukraine: A History" rates a notch above Mr. Magosci's. Well-written and very readable. This is the volume one reaches for when facts on the Ukrainian history are required.

Its full of knowledge and many interesting rarely seen historical photos. I have learned much more information that I ever knew before about Ukraine. Excellent book that I would recommend to everyone.

First published in 1988, Orest Subtelny's Ukraine: A History has again been newly updated in a third edition. This 736 page volume spans from the earliest times to the modern day, covering everything from ancient Greek colonization to the recent Ukraine diaspora. Orest Subtelny (Professor of History and Political Science at York University) goes into extreme depth and detail with a text that is significantly enhanced with maps, tables, and the occasional black-and-white photograph. Highly recommended for its lucidity, meticulous attention to detail, and scholarly precision, Ukraine: A History is a "must" for anyone who wants to learn about this fascinating land and its people.

Orest Subtelny's book on Ukrainian history is intelligently written and very readable, among the growing number of books on Ukraine. It's at the top of the list. A must for any Ukraine enthusiast!

This is the perfect book for whoever wants to learn about what falconry was like a long time ago. However, I would not reccommend it to anyone who wants to learn about present day falconry. After you get your license, I would reccommend it. The reason I say this is because it can confuse the apprentice. It confused me. It does teach a lot though, and can give insight to diff. ways of training hawks. Belongs in every falconers library!

Frederick II was one of the very few brilliant minds of the Middle Ages who opossed the Pope and the teachings of the Church, even, it is said, declaring Jesus, Moses and Muhammad [...]. Patron of arts and Science, warrior and writer, it is also said that he spoke nine toungues (in an era when most members of the highest nobility were unable even to read). He was known as Stupor Mundi (Astonishment of the World), a Pope declared him the Antichrist, was twice excommunicated, and Dante sent him to the fires of Hell in the Divine Comedy. This book, about one of his passions, hunting, should therefore be in the shelves of every learned reader of the world. It is a fantastic source of information for falconers, historians (both of the Middle Ages and of Science) and for everyone interested in the history or the life of this great King, who, when crowned, wore a robe with this inscription wrote in Arabic: "May the Emperor be received well, may he enjoy vast prosperity, great generosity and high splendor, fame and magnificent endowments, and the fulfillment of his wishes and hopes. May his days and nights go in pleasure without end or change". So be it.

Beisdes being an incredible tract on falconry (modern ornithology has yet to surpass it, really. Doubly impressive, considering Frederick was writing some three centuries before the scientific revolution). This book is a cross-section of one of the most profound minds in all of Western history. Frederick the Second was the most magnificient of all the latter day emperors. From nothing he raised the throne of the Roman Empire to transcendant limits, defied both God and the Church, and brought in the fabled "third age" for the superstitious people of medieval Europe, who believed that he was either the bringer of Peace before the apocalypse or the Anti-Christ himself. His memorable utterance "...I am tired of being the anvil. Now I shall be the hammer!" was the inspiration behind Nietszche's work 600 years later. The Empire died with the next brilliant generation of the Hohenstaufen.

In light of all this, his book of falconry is indespensible. It shows us Frederick the Renaissance man, engaging in Scientific method in an era of revealed truths, and it shows us Frederick the hunter: shrewd, catching every detail, and always for the love of the chase. This book will amaze you to no ends!

As a practical guide to modern falconry, I don't believe this book would be as helpful as some on the market, but as a primary source from the middle ages it is first rate. The intricacies and details of the hunt, the housing, the care given to the birds, hounds, etc. . . . for this, the book is priceless. If you are looking for summaries of the hunting practices in the middle ages, Marcelle Thiebeaux and Anne Rooney are among the best authors to seek. If you want the actual details of the way it was by someone living at the time it was practiced, there is no better source than Frederick II's book (and few even close).

An absolute must for anyone interested in the lore and history of falconry. Also a good primary source for historical research involving the middle ages. Here is truly an opportunity for an apprentice falconer to learn the basics, terminology, and philosophy of the sport. Frederick II practiced the art of falconry out of a profound love for the sport and for his birds. The modern falconer who reads this volume is inspired to do the same. I highly recommend that anyone who is at all interested in birds of prey obtain this book. It will quickly become one of your most treasured possessions.

I think reading this book is an experience in itself. Its remarkable how similar we all are in basic high level thinking even though we might be centuries apart. Of course a emperror's biography going through smallest of details is very interesting. The preface by Salman Rushdie is an insult to such a great book. I believe he shouldnt have been chosen for it. But other than that I found the information in this book vital to undertstand the present culture, thinking and lifestyle in India. I am myself a proud Mughal and having this book in my possession is a pride in itself.

Babur was a king in the true sense of the word. His autobiography outlines his feirceness as a warrior as well as his compassion toward the people in his court. Although he lived in a time where one would think there would be little time for introspection, this is exactely what his narrative is: and introspective look at his own life, his shortcomings, his downfalls, his triumphs and tragedies. One is touched by Babur's humbleness, his sensitivity towards some of the most simple of things, and at his sense of awe and appreciation of beauty in the world around him. Although in some ways I prefered the AS Beveridge translation, this is also a wonderful translation with beautiful pictures and notes in the margins to help explain things. Even if you are not normally interested in this type of book, Babur leads you into his world and you are compelled to read on!

Babur, a descendant of both Timur and Genghis Khan, was a truly remarkable man: a soldier and a poet, an inspirational leader with a deep appreciation for the beauties of nature - and a sensitivity that seems striking to us in a warrior of his undoubted stature.

His memoirs are a detailed, entertaining, and highly personal view of a changing world. In leading his followers into northern India, he laid the groundwork for the Mughal Empire, one of the great Islamic powers of the early modern period - and it is this achievement that history primarily remembers him for. Yet the _Baburnama_ shows that there is considerably more to the story than its conclusion.

With unstinting and engaging honesty, Babur talks of his early struggles, his constant setbacks, and his lifelong desire to hold Samarkand, glorious seat of his ancestor Timur (Tamerlane). For Babur, India is only the consolation prize after his failure to reconquer the lands of his birthright; India is rich, yes, astoundingly so, but it is far removed from his fond reminiscences of home. Along the way, reports of skirmishes with his enemies, and the constant betrayals of his allies, share the page with descriptions of local flora and fauna, and fascinating observations on everyday life in the cities and towns that he spends time at - and it is here that the work's true enjoyment lies.

Bear with the initially confusing internecine squabbles of the Central Asian nomads, and you'll be richly rewarded. A comprehensive and compelling insight into both Central Asia at the turn of the sixteenth century, and the day-to-day pressures inherent in the leadership of an empire based on conquest.

The book itself is excellent.

I had problems with Salman Rushdie's preface, however. It is not a bad introduction, but some of his comments seem to be flawed. The writer explains the contradictory aspect of Babur's psychology (both ruthless/aggressive and soft/cultured) as the outcome of two conflicting "aspects" within Islam. Mr Rushdie does not explain how he arrives at this conclusion, however, and he fails to mention the possibility that Babur's aggression might have naturally stemmed from his Mongol background & warrior instincts. In addition, in the 2nd last paragraph, Rushdie seems to contradict himself when he compares Babur to Machiavelli: "In both men, a cold appreciation of the necessities of power, of what today would be called realpolitik, is combined with deeply cultured and literary nature, not to mention the love, of excess, of wine and women."

I would compare this extraordinary memoir by an extraordinary man to The Tale of Genji - both of them are "firsts" in their culture. The descendants of Tamerlane were both ruthlessly crafty Central Asian kings and warriors, and ultra refined conoisseurs of art and architecture, poetry, food, gardens, and (alas for them) wine. The Baburnama has it all. To encounter the private thoughts of a great conquerer is a unique experience. The Baburnama is well-written and well translated. It is one of the great treasures of literature, and will give the reader a much better idea why Afghanistan and Central Asia are the way they are.

A great book and great pictures. Berlin has deeply changed in the last 150 years and all this has been documented precisely by great photographers: this the easiest way to show how. Texts are exhaustive too into describing "typical" life of a city.
Maybe Berlin has changed more in the last two decades then ever before: the last chapter of this book could be more fascinating and explorative, including the fact that there are a lot of pictures about it but it'd had took another book, perhaps. Maybe Berlin has changed again yet and is changing again now... so I'm waiting for a second edition.

This is a beautiful book! The photos are not only outstanding but they have zero pixillation. You can discern details such as the company name on the back of a horse drawn cart in a crowd. The turn of the century through the 1930's I thought were the best. You can stare at one and with out much effort find yourself slipping away into the photo.

The National Socialist period is not covered in depth nor do I think it needs to be. There are far an away plenty of books for that on the market. This is a book that can not be digested in one sitting. Take your time and look at each photo. The small details are fascinating.

My only problem with the book is the blue page stock that some of the entries is written on. It made it difficult to read the text. That is a minor quibble, especially in a book like this. If you buy a used copy make sure you check the price of shipping as this book weighs as much as a small childs school backpack.

What a book! My mother as well as her sisters were born in Berlin during and after World War II, so I grew up hearing family stories of this amazing city. This book provided a tremendous visual aid to all these stories. Looking at the images I could picture my grandmother as a young woman, and my aunts and my mother in the postwar years.
If you have any connection to this amazing city, this book will bring tears to your eyes, for all the hardship and challenges it has faced, and with what fantastic grace it reemerged like phoenix from the ashes.

I purchased this as a gift for my little (20 yo) brother's birthday. He was born in Berlin. First of all this book is HUGE! I love that the explanations of the pictures are written not only in English, but in German. What a fantastic masterpiece.

I left Berlin, early in 1937, aged five and a half, not to return until 1983, as a visitor, but I have childhood memories of the city, some of which go back to before I was three. Reinforcing those memories were tales I heard from my parents and the occasional, non-war-related movie. To see pictures of the streets and the faces, the clothing and the shop displays going back to before the First World War has been a source of continuing fascination for me. As is only proper in a book of this sort, the horrors that beset Berlin under Hitler and during the Second World War are also given their proper place in this book, a reminder that even one of the world's most sophisticated cities can be all but destroyed in degeneration and nevertheless, with appropriate assistance, as, for instance, the air lift, be resurected and restored. The photos were excellent, and the commentary, in English, German and French, insightful and instructive. Priced in the mid-thirties, the book sold at a substantially lower price than it did at New York's Museum of Modern Art.

Black Potatoes is a very readable and understandable review of the important elements of the Irish potato famine of the 1840s. Wishing to learn more about this essential event in my Irish-American heritage, I read the book, The Great Hunger, which is offered and reviewed separately at this site. I mistakenly thought that would be a better read than Black Potatoes which is advertised as being for a high-school audience. But all the essentials of The Great Hunger were delivered in less than 1/3 the text by Black Potatoes, which of course is a much faster and informative read. In addition, it carries many sketches which make the story that much more vivid and imaginable, while there are many fewer in The Great Hunger which seems itself written more from the British point of view than the Irish (the author of Hunger was herself British). Black Potatoes is an excellent way to get a rapid understanding of that pivotal five-year period in Irish history.

An interesting and worthwhile history, made more palatable than a textbook by the extensive quotations of personal accounts and contemporary newspaper illustrations.

Broad in scope and adequate in depth, the book treats the Great Irish Famine of 1845-1850 with a sensitive, compassionate tone, spending great time on the human toll of the Famine, as well as the diseases it invited and the social upheaval it instigated.

Bartoletti vividly illustrates the dehumanizing and horrifying experience of the starving Irish, and explicitly eschews diplomacy to explore the economic and political causes. The book also explores both the (perceived or actual) maintenance and possible exacerbation of the crisis by the English government and the English landlords. Bartoletti concludes that the awkward and faltering relief was so unwillingly given because of staunchly protected laissez-faire economics as well as cultural biases and prejudice against the Irish. These factors created a political climate where merely the forecast of improvement caused the English to quit relief programs, often too soon, thus causing the situation to worsen for the Irish, creating staggering costs - in pounds as well as in lives.

Brief treatment of revolutionary activity is included, as well as interesting exposition of folk beliefs and practices.

This book avoids the "boring history" noose of more densely-written academic works, and is clearly targeted at young adults with its narrative style, but I recommend this for anyone wishing to read more deeply on this subject. Definitely written from an Irish point of view, but well researched and rich in original sources.

What would you do if there was no food to eat, no clean clothes to wear or no shoes to wear in winter? The answers to these questions are found in Black Potatoes, which is set in Ireland in 1845 at the onset of the Potato famine. At the time of the potato famine, there were three classes of people in Ireland, the Irish farm laborers, the Irish farmers, and the English landlords. The farm laborers were the poorest, the farmers were middle class, and the landlords were the wealthy and powerful. The farm laborers and farmers rented land from the landlords and planted potatoes. When the potato famine hit, the Irish had a hard time paying their rents because of their failed crops. The Irish people had a long and enduring time during the potato famine to keep their families fed and well. The British Government came to the aid of the Irish, but many
times it was too late. The book is very Anti-British and rightfully so according to the evidence of British attitudes toward the Irish that reveal the ethnic and religious prejudices that divided the Irish and the English. The writing style of the author is very realistic and Irish everyday life is very detailed that it leaves a horrific feeling of sadness for those who lived and died during the potato famine and the years after. The pictures in the book are actual sketches obtained from various sources such as the Illustrated London News and British and Irish libraries.

This is the best non-fiction I have ever seen. The liberal use of personal histories and stories along with illustrations from periodicals reporting the situation make this compelling and fascinating.

This is an excellent summary of the Potato (note that spelling, Danny-Boy-O Quayle) Famine that plagued Ireland from 1845-1850, when the fungus Pythophthora Infestans destroyed the staple crop. Author Susan Campbell Barttoletti deftly explores the swirling pathological, sociological, political, and theological soup caused by the rotting potatoes and the aftermath. She relies on original sources and interviews with descendants of the resultant Diaspora. This book is found in the children's section of the library, but frankly, I found it hard to read myself - not because the words or concepts are difficult, but because it is so very grim - the horror! the horror! /TundraVision, Amazon reviewer.