Europe Books

I have read many different types of books over the past 60 years, but this book is by far the best, fiction or nonfiction alike. Professor Rasnic has accomplished what many authors wish they had accomplished, by giving the legal perspective in a human and many time humerous way, makes for easier reading for those of us who may not always understand legaleaze. This book in my estimation should be on the required reading list for anyone who wishes to understand the legal aspects and history of American and Irish similarities during the same periods in time.

Ireland's history is a violent one and, as Fulbright Fellow Carol Daugherty Rasnic shows in this book's first chapter, this is not only true for the 20th century but dates back at least to the island's 1169 Norman conquest - and actually, even further, as the Viking invasion of the 8th, 9th and 10th centuries consisted of a series of rather aggressive campaigns as well. The difference, however, was that despite these bloody beginnings the Viking colonists were eventually absorbed into Irish culture and daily life; contributing thereto rather than continuing their attempts at its suppression. Conversely, throughout much of Ireland's subsequent history, suppression was the preferred method of government of both the Normans and their British descendants; who brought in English settlers not to cultivate the island together with their Irish neighbors but to drive those out, thus sowing the seeds of the hatred still plaguing its society today, and no more so than in the six provinces still constituting British-controlled Northern Ireland, after the ill-famed 1920 Partition which eventually brought independence to the island's southern part.

Inseparably linked to nationality was, particularly from the times of Henry VIII on, the issue of religion; the English settlers being Protestants belonging to the Church of England/Ireland, while the vast majority of the Irish hung on to their Catholic faith; thus suffering discrimination not only on the basis of their nationality but also that of their religious beliefs. Tracing the multiple facets of today's division to their historic origins, Professor Rasnic shows how the identification as "Catholic" and "Protestant" has long come to exceed a mere religious denomination, mixing with everything from a person's stance towards the British administration of Northern Ireland to his or her national/ethnic origin, area of residence and social environment; to the point that the religious label is used even by those who have little to no spiritual connection to the church whose faith they claim as their own.

In the eight chapters following the book's initial historic overview, the author takes an in-depth look at the major issues dominating contemporary Northern Ireland life and politics, from ethnic strife and the (particularly: "Orange," i.e. unionist) parades, apt to newly ignite the fires of hatred every summer, to issues of governance, the release of prisoners convicted of terrorist acts, "decommissioning" (i.e., disarmament of the paramilitary groups active on both sides of the conflict), the position of the police and the administration of (criminal) justice, human rights and instances of persisting discrimination, and finally, the sectarianism in the province's schools, threatening to perpetuate the existing divide for a long time to come. Particular emphasis is given to the terms and effects of the so-called Good Friday Agreement, the April 10, 1998 agreement between Northern Ireland's major political parties and the governments of Ireland and Great Britain designed to bring an end to the province's "Troubles."

Although the book is subtitled "An American Legal Perspective," this is by no means the work of an outsider: Professor Daugherty Rasnic herself is the daughter of Irish immigrants on both parents' sides, and prolonged stays in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland have intimately acquainted her with an island which, quite obviously, is not merely her ancestors' home but an inseparable part of her own identity as well. A lawyer by training, she moreover brings to the subject the analytical skills necessary to digest problems as intricate as those ravaging the province of Northern Ireland; and her interest in and experience with the American civil rights movement provides for a truly unique perspective, enabling her to not only put the Northern Irish situation into a larger European context but also draw comparisons to similar issues of racial strife and discrimination in the U.S.

Aware that the issues she addresses - particularly with regard to the legal aspects of the Good Friday Agreement - may well have the effect of a strong barbiturate on her non-lawyer readership, the author apologizes for having to address matters which "only a constitutional [law] purist could love." Quite unnecessarily so, however, as she does a marvelous job in explaining a set of highly complex questions of constitutional and international law which, I am sure, are confusing to many lawyers as well. Moreover, Professor Rasnic's manifold comments, anecdotes relating to her own experience and sections entitled "A Personal Perspective" provide a truly personal tone; while scholarly in its overall approach to the subject and dedication to detail, the book nevertheless reads more like a conversation with the author, reflecting much of her doubtlessly vivacious nature, passion, empathy and sense of humor - humor even in the face of adversity proving her yet again, as cliche (and maybe not just that) would have it, a true daughter of Irish parents.

In addition to all its other merits, this book also benefits from its author's easy access to over twenty principals and other individuals involved in the Northern Irish peace process, from then-First Minister David Trimble and Police Chief Constable Ronnie Flanagan to Northern Ireland Assembly members of virtually all political colors (with the notable exception of the Rev. Ian Paisley, whose camp seems to have been the only one to adopt an obstructionist attitude), judges, attorneys, clergymen, social workers and professors at various universities; all of who add their own insight and perspective on the "Troubles," and whose comments are faithfully reported; in many instances verbatim.

Professor Daugherty Rasnic concludes her analysis with the words of Irish poet William Butler Yeats: "I have spread my dreams under your feet. Tread softly because you tread on my dreams." Like the great poet's words, her book expresses the hope that, one day, Northern Ireland may find a lasting way out of its "Troubles" (and no doubt, she is watching the province's recent political developments with a certain sense of trepidation). With this book, she has made a contribution of her own to the search for such a path - and I have a feeling that it will not have been the only one.

Also recommended:
The Making of Ireland: A History
Battle of the Boyne 1690
Irish Freedom: The History of Nationalism in Ireland
1916: The Easter Rising
A Memoir
Michael Collins
Eyewitness Bloody Sunday: The Truth
The Crying Game (Collector's Edition)
Cal
In the Name of the Father

Northern Ireland: Can Sean And John Live In Peace? An American Legal Perspective by Carol Daugherty Rasnic (Professor of Employment and Labor Law, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia) is an impressively researched and presented study of the conflict in Northern Ireland, including the religious and political forces that drive it, as well as the law and the legal system as a means to deal with what the Irish called "the troubles". A thoughtful, exhaustive, scholarly inquiry, Northern Ireland is a sober and informative account and a very welcome contribution to academic International Studies modern reference collections concerned with global issues and conflicts in general, and Contemporary Irish Political History reading lists in particular.

The world has too many Northern Irelands, and most of the time we form our opinions from some politcal ideology we have, or some news report or TV program. What we really need to be honestly informed about these "trouble spots" such as the Middle East or Kashmire or Ireland is to read a well reserched and well written book like Carol D. Rasnic work. She has certainly paid her dues and told us about something she has studied and live in for many years.And most important, she has not taken sides.

This book allows the American reader to gain insight into the true nature of what Irish call "The Troubles".

The conflict between Catholic and Protestant factions is viewed from the perspective of a American woman. Her experience with segregation in the American South enabled her to understand the cultural and economic factors that divide these groups.

Her insight clarifies the fact that this is not simply a religious issue. It is one of long standing cultural and economic differences between all factions.

I found this book to be an invaluable aid in understanding the complex and difficult social hostilities that afflict these people of a common background.

Professor Rasnic has spent a great deal of time in Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic. Her contacts with officials, politicians, clerics, and most of all, the Irish citizens gives her a special perspective. This was an enjoyable and educational read.

After I read the book "Diary of Mary Berg" I was so intrigued that I looked up some of the other books that are referenced in the "Diary of Mary Berg". I bought 3 more books from different authors that lived in the Warsaw Ghetto and I have been very pleased with these books because they deal more with the uprising in the ghetto then the diary does. The stories are very emotional and heartfelt. I am not Jewish but I was just as eager to learn from these books about the history of that time. I encourage everyone who may be interested to read this book or others like it to get a better understanding of what life was like in the Warsaw Ghetto during WWII.

As we each sit in our little world each day perhaps having pity on ourselves. This book should be a guideline to keep us from self-pity. The author fairly reports from diaries gathered throughout the Holocaust Horror. He does not only blame Nazi Germans but Jewish Police. This is a bold, honest reflection into the eyes of children, adolescents, parents, as they were waiting for their fate. This book made me smile about humanitarism even when they truly did not have alot to share. This book made me scared for what the power of humans can do to weaken spirits. It made me cry to realize the horror they felt. I cheered hoping the author would go unharmed. I wept when I realized a man and his family perish because of a cause they firmly defended. True heroism.

Unquestionably, this is one of the best written books I have read pertaining to the tragic historic event. It is an easy reading book however, it is hard to put down once you start.

I will cherish my book always.

It is a little-known fact that, during the first two or more years of the German occupation of Poland, Jews were treated better by the Germans than the Poles. Emmanuel Ringelblum alludes to this (March 25, 1940; pp. 24-25), when Poles felt safer masquerading as Jews! Also (August 6, 1940, p. 45): "True, they [Jews] were beaten; but Poles were shot. True, Jews are impressed into work; but Poles are sent out of the country to work...Jews were deported from Cracow in the course of several weeks, Poles in a few hours." (p. 45). Also (January 22, 1942): "The question of who is worse off now, the Jews or the Poles, is often discussed." (p. 248).

Many Holocaust films exhibit a simplistic hagiography of Jews and demonization of Poles. In contrast, Ringelblum appreciates the diversity in the conduct of members of both groups, which can be summarized as follows (April 26, 1941): "[I] heard the opinion expressed that war reveals the best and the worst in people. It's like a high fever, in which everything is clarified. On the one hand, some Christians offer to help the Jews; on the other hand, bestial anti-Semitism; on the one hand stony hearts [among the Jews]; on the other, devoted self-sacrifice to aid those suffering from hunger." (p. 157). As Jews were being ghettoized, Poles showed sympathy in some locations and not in others (p. 45). The same holds for exploiting vs. helping Jews with regards to post-Jewish properties (pp. 51-52).

Polish hoodlums' attacks were not limited to Jewish victims: (February 27, 1941): "On the other side of the Jewish graveyard, young Poles have formed bands that attack Christians as well as Jews." (p. 127). Sometimes Poles came to the defense of Jews under attack by Polish hoodlums.

Ringelblum mentions positive Polish attitudes and helpful Polish actions towards Jews many times (p. 21, pp. 51-52, p. 64, 66, 91, 137, 152, 199, 216-217, 322-323). In terms of generalizations, at least some Jews believed that most local Poles were good to the Jews (May 15, 1941): "The Catholics displayed a far-reaching tolerance...Mr. Isaac estimates the percentage of saintly gentiles in Starograd at 95 per cent." (p. 170). Polish organizations are credited with doing away with Polish blackmailers (October 15, 1942; p. 322).

Ringelblum alludes to the Germans' torching of a synagogue in Lodz and then blaming the Poles for it in an attempt to divide Poles and Jews (p. 39). He also never loses sight of the fact that Poles were also victims of the Germans. He discusses the privations and mass murders of Poles, notably of the Polish intelligentsia, numerous times (p. 21, 26, p. 30, pp. 38-39, 137, 145, 154, 169, 259, 288). The Poles realized that they were "next" when they saw the Jews ghettoized (p. 91).

All illegal acts had to be conducted away from the prying eyes of the Germans and their informers of various nationalities. Ringelblum spoke of Jewish informers (p. 251, 339-340), Jewish Gestapo agents (p. 182, pp. 280-281), and the search for Jews hiding within the ghetto (December 14, 1942): "In 90 percent of the cases it was the Jewish police who uncovered the hideouts. First they found out where the hideouts were; then they passed the information along to the Ukrainians and Germans." (pp. 340-341). Ringelblum doesn't mention the fact that Jewish agents, specially trained for the unmasking of hideouts, were also sent to Polish urban areas, and into fields and forests, in order to uncover Jews hidden by Poles.

A recurrent theme in Ringelblum's diary is the avariciousness of both the Polish Blue Police (Policja Granatowa) as well as the Jewish ghetto police (e. g., p. 145, pp. 154-155). Also (May 25, 1942): "As a result, a smuggler has to buy off four parties: Polish, Jewish, and German policemen, and now civilian agents as well." (p. 278).

In common with other chroniclers, Ringelblum's harshest criticisms are directed against fellow Jews (September 22, 1942): "The Jewish police had a very bad name even before the resettlement. The Polish police didn't take part in the forced-work press gangs, but the Jewish police engaged in that ugly business. Jewish policemen also distinguished themselves with their fearful corruption and immorality. But they reached the height of viciousness during the resettlement...And now people are wracking their brains to understand how Jews, most of them men of culture, former lawyers (most of the police officers were lawyers before the war) could have done away with their brothers with their own hands...Very often, the cruelty of the Jewish police exceeded that of the Germans, Ukrainians, and Letts...For the most part, the Jewish police showed an incomprehensible brutality." (pp. 329-331).

Owing to the actions of the Jewish ghetto police, a relatively small number of Germans and their Ukrainian and Baltic collaborators sufficed to send over 300,000 Warsaw Jews to their deaths at Treblinka (October 15, 1942): "Why could 50 S. S. [SS] men (some people say even fewer), with the help of a division of some 200 Ukrainian guards and an equal number of Letts, carry out the operation out so smoothly?" (p. 310).

During the actual extermination process, there was the Jewish outcry over the fact that the world was not doing anything to stop it. But even what later became known as the Holocaust was at first contextualized by Ringelblum (June 25, 1942): "Why should the world be shaken by our suffering when rivers of blood are spilled daily on every battlefield? In what respect is our Jewish blood more precious than that of the Russian, Chinese, English soldiers?" (p. 296). Ringelblum concluded with several proposals for stopping the extermination of the Jews (pp. 297-298).

This book presents a factual chronological statement on the conditions, daily tribulations, and perils of the Warsaw Ghetto. It is written in a documentary style rather than an emotional diary, thus providing a basis to compare and contrast against other "diaries". THIS SAID, it is a moving statement on Warsaw Jewry and their ability to overcome impossible odds, eventhough the overwhelming majority perished. The plethora of historical revisionists that now claim the Holocaust was a hoax must FIRST contend with "Notes"( aginst which they will lose). A truly powerful work.

It is many years since I've read "Notes From the Warsaw Ghetto" but it remains fixed in my memory along with Emannuel Ringelblum, who emodies for me the human ideal. In a time and place where death and destruction reigned, a simple teacher, father and husband bore witness to the inhumanity surrounding him. Ringelblum and a few other brave souls, ojectively recorded the daily lives of the inhabitants in the Warsaw Ghetto in considerable detail; describing the planned and enacted starvation, disease (rampant typhoid), the demands of the Germans on the Jewish Council for more and more Jews to be handed over for "deportation" and "resettlement in the East" (in truth the freight cars would carry the deported Jews to death camps of Treblinka and Auschwitz).

His unearthed notes bore witness to the end of Jewish life in Poland and the attempts to maintain the vibrant society that once existed. Ringelblum's notes relate to us that despite the madness that had become their world, and the unknown future they faced, the Jews of the ghetto played music, sat in cafes (without food or drink), educated their children, worshipped, held political debates, prepared young zionist to make aliyah to eretz yisroel, collected arms and prepared to fight back. When the age old question arises; what does it mean to be a human being, I think one need look carefully at the Jews of the Warsaw ghetto to see how humanity can and does flourish despite the evil surrounding it.

This book is written in a clear language, easy to understand. I found chapter 3 (Software Development Based on Reusable Technology) very helpful with its client-server example. Excellent work!

The book is a comprehensive guide to understanding software engineering and especially recommended for beginners as well as intermediates in the field of software development. Provides varied dimensions of software engineering and combining the best of theoretical and practical aspect of software development. The book forms a very good resource for understanding software engineering terminology without being intimidated by technical jargon. The code accompanying the book is concentrating on JAVA2 and subsumes concepts of any Object-Oriented Programming language. The contents of the textbook deal with understanding the complete software development life cycle model and its different phases from inception to termination.
It is an absolute must for a clear understanding of good software engineering practices.

This book was my class textbook in a second year software engineering class. Personally, I found that it covers quite well the basic, and some of the more complex, aspects of software engineering. A sample of the numerous software engineering topics covered include software patterns, requirements gathering, software testing and project management. The book also serves as an excellent introduction to certain of the more important aspects of the current version of the Unified Modelling Language (UML). The book also reviews some concepts of Object-Oriented Programming (OOP). Although it uses Java 2 as its example language, the concepts explained in the book can be applied to another programming language such as C++. Finally, the book is written in such a manner that it can be of use to the novice software engineer (or software engineering student) as well as an experienced developper looking to enhance his or her knowledge. I would not hesitate to recommend this book to people wishing to increase their knowledge of software development.

I used this textbook as an introduction to Software Engineering, and for the first time in my University career, I didn't find my textbook lacking or incomplete.
This book covers it all: the basics of Software Engineering, a review on Object-orientation, the software life cycle, detailed modelling in UML, architecture and design, patterns, and testing.
The material is easy-to-read, in-depth, well organized, and comprehensive. Too often, you find a book that bogs you down in its wordiness and jargon, but this isn't one of them.
This book was written by professors in the Software Engineering field who know, from years of experience, what a student needs to know in order to learn and understand the process of software engineering.
This is not a book that will sit on your shelf: I used it all the time during my first software course and still take it as my reference for all my other software courses.
I recommend it to anyone who wants to learn a lot about software.

This is an excellent introductory textbook for CS courses on software engineering. It features OO, UML, iterative processes, a good treatment of software frameworks and design patterns, constructive sample projects, and complete set of slides and full-length lecture RealOne video for free downloading. It is a thin book, but it contains more updated information than many classical ones. Most importantly, the authors have the confidence to air their opinions with justification, instead of compiling and citing a lot of inconsistent historical definitions or events.

I've read Carol Drinkwater's Olive trilogy and enjoyed it very much, so I was very pleased to come across this companion volume. Having read the three more detailed books already, I will admit I wasn't so much interested in the text because I already knew the story, but I was thrilled to see the pictures. It's a lot of fun to see what everybody looks like, and of course like every other reader of the series, I was really curious to see the farm. If the first books let us look into somebody's life, this one let us look into her home. Thanks for sharing.

I absolutely loved reading the Olive Farm, Olive Season and Olive Harvest and the Illustrated Olive Farm brought those books to life with all the beautiful pictures. As a Francophile, these books were very satisfying to my soul.

I loved this book. After reading her previous three books this was like looking at a photo album of an old friend. I just hope she keeps writing, can't wait to see what's next.

I first listened to the audio version, which is read by Carol Drinkwater. This book is written in such an easy, comfortable way you feel as if you are having these experiences of a foreigner living in Provence. I loved this book and bought the rest of the series, The Olive Season, The Olive Harvest, and The Illustrated companion. These stories made me appreciate the process and love of olive oil; creating an olive oil snob in myself. I cannot wait till her journeys on The Olive Route are readily available in the U.S. If you loved the movie Under the Tuscan Sun, you will love these books. If you read Under the Tuscan Sun, it was a horrible book and you need to read the olive trilogy!

This is the perfect companion to the Olive Farm trilogy which i have read and enjoyed. It was brilliant to finally be able to see the faces of the people i read about and came to care for. Beautiful photography and lyrical description which will enable one to feel as though they are there in the south of France and especially at Appassionata

I must have read it over a dozen time (in French) since I was 15. Can't comment on the translation, but I just wanted to say the original is truly a masterpiece. I want to live and wait at the fortress, forever.

Young, rich and idle Aldo longs for something indefinable, something to break the long dreary spell of his ennui. Opting for a post as an observer at a long decaying naval base, Aldo finds a n atmosphere suitable to his solitary, poetic nature. Ruminations abound in impressionable Aldos head. Gracq's prose works its spell on you just as the old fortifications and sea and desert landscapes work their spell on Aldo. Gracq's fabled land is reminiscent of Europe before WWI but the locales remain unspecific to make the experience all the richer, all the more evocative . His words keep you in a heady state of langurous suspense, his theme nothing less than a whole civilizations collective will which in its boredom has decided to invite doom upon itself. A book for true lovers of literature, French poetry,& war fiction though it far exceeds the usual bounds of that genre.

Even in translation you can feel the lyrical intensity and beauty of this novel which creates an atmosphere of tension which no reader will forget easily: Aldo, a young nobleman, has had enough of the decadence of his native Vezzano, a fictitious republic modeled on Venice. He has himself posted to a navy base which was once built to defend Vezzano against Farghestan. The two powers are still officially at war, but nothing has actually happened for 300 years. Now, however, there is a growing tension, not just inside Aldo, who dreams of the unknown Farghestan. People in Vezzano seem to be tired of its eternal stability, they long for action...

Most of the novel's plot takes place near the old navy base, which is surrounded by a desert landscape which is described with mesmerizing intensity. Little incidents are building up towards an explosion which is only hinted at in the book. People waiting for something to happen in a more and more uncanny slience - that may remind the reader of the fact that the book was written before and during World War II. The decadence longing for action, danger and change, however, seems to me reminiscent of World War I. This is not a book of easy historical analogy. It is a unique work of art which stands completely on its own.

Julien Gracq is one of my favorite french writers. I am a French former journalist, so I have read this book under its original title "Le Rivage des Syrtes". The very strange and mysterious connection with Buzzati's "Tartares" has never been explained. Both of them, in a very different style, write a story I would describe as a no-story. Men are awaiting an event which doesn't come. The event is not important. What matters is the silence, the wait, the days and nights so empty. This books really grabs you. But it is very hard to translate, so... Let's hope for a good translation. I highly recommend it.

Civilization has grown bored with itself and so in a richly detailed account of a fabled nations collective will, Julien Gracq shows how a people can arrive at a point where destruction is preferable to ongoing decay and stagnation. If you've read Balcony in the Forest you know that Gracq knows something about anticipation and suspense but this is a journey even deeper into the interior of the psyche and is an altogether unique reading experience. Julien Gracq's prose is best read slowly and savoured, he lingers in his descriptions and elaborates each thought with ever richer examples which hone and decorate his meanings. The plot progresses organically and instinctively like a dream unfolding and revealing episode by episode the destructive inclinations of late civilzation consciousness. Dense sensual impressions abound. If French poetry appeals to you as well as the war genre this is your book, though this book far exceeds the normal bounds of war fiction.

Marshall retells many of the stories of Britain in a way that makes them easy to remember and understand.

We homeschool using the Charlotte Mason method, and my 8 year old son loves this book. His 14 year old brother doesn't have to read it, but often does...that's how interesting it is.

I read this aloud last spring to my 3 boys, ages 10, 12, and 13. They all really enjoyed it and I enjoyed reading it.
The only (small) negative I could give it is that there are several spelling mistakes-mostly a missing letter in a word. I corrected that as we went along for the next time I read it aloud. It really wasn't a problem but I just thought I should point that out.
We are now reading the sequel about our own country (America) called "This Country of Ours" and enjoying that one as well. I can highly recommend both books, as well as "Fifty Famous Stories Retold" which is usually bought along with these two. That one is especially easy to narrate from as the stories are very short-often just 2 pages.

I ordered Volumes I and II of the audiotape version of The Island Story (history of Britain from mythology through Queen Elizabeth I) and listened to it with my boys aged 10 and 12 before we went to England this spring. We all really enjoyed it. While written for children, the history and color (eg tie ins to words/expressions we use today) were fascinating for me too. The book was written in the early 1900's which makes a few of the references to Britain's current day "empire" amusing but no less interesting. I will be saving this set of tapes for my grandchildren!

We have been reading about one a week for over a year. My girls love these stories! One of our rabbits ended up with the name "Boudacia" after we read her story.
At the beginning they might be more folklore than fact, but none the less they are wonderful. There are some great moral lessons to be learned from many of the stories.
After I bought the Yesterday's Classics I found an old hardback with great color pictures. It cost a bit, but what a treasure!
Highly recommend.

"Pack of Thieves" is a riveting account of man's greed coupled with a recounting of the worst crime in modern history - the Holocaust. I commend Richard Chesnoff for an insightful and beautifully written book. A must for every family library!

Chilling, captivating, terrifying express some of the emotional responses one will feel when one reads this book. The author has thoroughly researched his topic. In addition he has presented his findings in a very organized and readable fashion. The writing style makes for easy reading. The author has transformed what could have been a very mundane presentation of facts and figures into a captivating story that is impossible to put down once started. A must read for students of the Holocaust.

I literally shuddered from a combination of amazement, disgust, and anger after reading this well-written and quite readable overview of the plundering of the European Jews by Hitler and others starting in the 1930s and continuing to the present day. This book by Richard Chesnoff carefully details the scope and depth of the continuing final financial insult to those who suffered the "Final Solution" at Hitler's hand in the Second World War. Even after fifty years, the lies, dissembling, vile deceptions and equivocations continue, for literally tens of billions of dollars of gold, valuables, and money plundered as a result of the so-called "Final Solution" are still unaccounted for. For anyone old enough to have fifty such years of conscious experience in the world, it's difficult to actually be moved to disgust, to be amazed by anything people do, but the bold, shameless ways in which Europe's thugs, slugs and other lowlife cowards came slithering out of their damp and furtive hiding places to take full and open advantage of the Jews' persecution before, during and even after WWII is enough to wrench the most strong-stomached among us.

Although this line of investigation is by its very nature disturbing stuff, it is well handled by the author, and his even, professional journalistic tone is solid, seldom bitter or vengeful. Instead, his forte is his ability to systematically describe, detail, and document the multifarious ways in which the Jews were ritually stripped of anything of value by their friends, neighbors, and countrymen, and how so many of those of whom so much better should have been expected used their positions of relative advantage to exploit, extort, and even help to exterminate them. From outright expropriation of rugs, art, and valuables by the Nazis to a plethora of scams, false promises, and ultimate betrayals, the bottom line in case after case is personal enrichment at the extraordinary expense of the victims. Were I not also aware of countless stories of so many others who risked and often sacrificed themselves to save Jews, I would be ashamed to be a human being. It is difficult to understand how so many fellows human beings could continue be so cravenly covetous and so heartless as to perpetrate such a campaign of dispossession against those who were so helpless, impotent, and so needing of compassion.

The number of ways in which the Jews were exploited and extorted is numbing; from life insurance scams to funds transfer to numbered Swiss accounts to offers to help individual Jews escape to offers to hide them and spirit them to safety, the various permutations seem endless, and often quite ingenious. Yet one cannot help but be appalled by neighbors calmly expropriating clothing, cars, furniture, apartments, homes, and farms from Jews who were being systematically displaced. There are accounts of individuals coming home from the camps to find neighbors firmly ensconced in the homes, using their home goods, and totally oblivious to the possibility they would have to give it all up to the returning survivors. Many Jews returning to their former homes were threatened, scared away, beaten, or even murdered upon their return.

Of course, the most systematic exploitation was by social institutions; governments, banks, insurance companies, art museums. The degree to which these organized interests have systematically delayed, stonewalled, and denied any access to their records for all these decades is scandalous and disheartening to learn about. While the original impetus was to "Aryanize" the wealth of Germany's Jews to help finance the goals of the Third Reich, the explosion of avarice and greed soon spread throughout the Reich and beyond. What is truly disheartening is the widespread degree to which economic, social and political institutions we would otherwise consider respectable and honorable have participated in the plunder taking. This book is a most provocative reading experience, and one anyone interested in the curiosities and unintended ironies of history can play out their games should read. I highly recommend it, and hope it will be widely read and appreciated.

Pack of thieves is probably the most detailed book I have ever read about the plundering of the Jews in Europe. Throughout the book the crimes committed against the Jews is explained in horrifying detail. In my opinion, I would not suggest this book to the weak hearted as it has many awful pictures and stories of people being destroyed by the Nazis. Although it is a horrible subject to read about, the holocaust is not talked about enough. I think that people should be educated about world history so that atrocities like the mass murder of the Jews never happen again.

Chilling, captivating, terrifying express some of the emotional responses one will feel when one reads this book. The author has thoroughly researched his topic. In addition he has presented his findings in a very organized and readable fashion. The writing style makes for easy reading. The author has transformed what could have been a very mundane presentation of facts and figures into a captivating story that is impossible to put down once started. A must read for students of the Holocaust.

This book takes place in ancient Greece. It is about the life of a young boy named Nic who faces many dilemmas in life. He is sent away from Athens due to the plauge. He meets Gellius, a sailor who dreams to win the pankration someday. Then Nic is captured and sold as a slave. Gellius was not captured. This story tells about his search for a friend, and his struggle.I think that this was a great book. My friend thinks it was too convenient for Nic sometimes and a little unrealitic, but I loved it.
This book was exciting, and made you think about your life too. This book was a wonder to our class(as we read it aloud in class) I give this book five stars. It was a book of great pain, suffering, and happiness. I hope you all read this book.

The book takes place in Ancient Greece where Nic is fleeing from the plague in Athens and encounters danger. The pankration is an olympic event where people fight without weapons. This is one great book, but it was missing a little information about the charecters and about what happened after the pankration.

This was the most ammasing book I have ever read. It kept moving along and never got boring. One adventure leads to another. This is the best book I have read and it is pretty hard to beat. This book deserves 6 out of 5 stars!!

PANKRATION: THE ULTIMATE GAME reflects the ancient but brutal sport of Pankration combat. It had but one rule & everything else was allowed even fighting to the death and/or maiming one's rival. .... The rules of combat are defined in the book. The book has an intriguiing love story which causes two cadets to fight for the same woman both men desperately crave.

excellent! a great book for projects on greek olympics! Five-star book, Blacklock did an absolute thriller adventure ride.

Don't read this book when you are hungry. the food descriptions will make you drool. I used this guide when friends from London came over for the weekend. Mouth-watering restaurant reviews and spot-on opinions and advice about Paris. Useful, good value and sometimes very funny. The book also has full sets of city maps and subway guides, and give very clear directions with every listing. I reckon it would be a great read on the train or the plane as well.

Having spent a busy weekend sightseeing, shopping and eating in Lille thanks to this amusing and shrewd guidebook, I have no hesitation in recommending it to anyone else travelling in France and Belgium. The book had all the information we needed for using public transport, getting to know the locals and seeing the sights without ever making us feel like hicks or gawping visitors. We will be in Paris this Easter and have already chosen our hotels and at least two restaurants from the same book. Does this guy write about anywhere else? If he knows other cities like he knows this one, I want to read about it.

Laughter and good food make an excellent combination. This book is full of annecdotes and gossipy tips and snippets, yet it also is as mouthwatering as a recipe book. The author reviews restaurants without resorting to fashionable cosmopolitan cliches. Your mouth waters as he remembers succulent sauces and naughty desserts, you smile as he gossips about the waiters and restaurant owners, you want to linger on the salivating detail of every favourote dish and each evocative evening spent in cellars and dining rooms. Yet, when he talks of history, you are as enchanted by the true human nature of kings and artists that he conveys. I love his casual and very individual approach to sightseeing. He can give equal status to a shop selling haute couture for dogs as an art gallery or monument, and he seems to know where all the good stuff is hidden away from the coach trade. I have queued for hours at the Louvre and Musee d'Orsay in Paris, yet this guy knows of a private house with dozens of Monets on view. And best of all he knows where to find the best meals in town without breaking the bank. This book is hot on the practical side of travelling as well. Following his tips, I found out how to travel first class on Eurostar for less than the price of a second class ticket. My only complaint is that this is not part of a series. I travel all over France and Europe and would love to listen to this author's advice on the rest of the country and the continent.

Just returned from road testing this book in Paris and found it to be absoutely spot on. We found ourself visiting bars and cafes and even museums that we must have passed a dozen times before, and discoverting a genuinely local welcome in the big city. The hotel listings are fabulous, the food reports astute and the insiders' perspective is invaluable. I lent my copy to a fellow passenegr on the TGV train home, who told me that the Lille pages were just as accurate. All I have to do now, is plan my next trip at my leisure. Buy this book. You will save the over price on your first day's eating, shopping or partying.
I must have a dozen guide books to France, but this is, without doubt, the most candid and passionate. I never felt as thougb I was being prushed or processed through the tourist traps.

I laughed out loud
It is a long time since I have enjoyed a travel book so much that I laughed out loud. However, I have found myself smiling and chuckling on the metro each day since I picked up this hugely enjoyable read. The author provides us with plenty of invaluable tips on where to go and how to get there, with hundreds of restaurant and site reviews. But the great thing about this book is that everything has been tried and tested by one man, and he is a man with a top sense of humour and a fund of hilarious annecdotes about his fellow diners and visitors. I have worked in Paris for many years and I recognise so many of my favourite places in his stories and listings. Yet this fellow Englishman seems to know of many absolute treasures that have been hidden under my nose for years. I cannot wait to try more of them. I might even treat myself to a visit to Brussels, on the strength of his suggestions. An enjoyable read and a genuine key to any city.

Beatiful illustrations. Everything you need to know about France. Awesome book to keep for generations. I love it!!!

This book was absolutely excellent, of the highest quality. This is the greatest picture book i've ever seen.

This is more of a reference book than the standard "tour book"; it is a history of Art in Paris, and that is saying a lot! Very LARGE, HEAVY volume for art history buffs that have already visited Paris. Beautiful photography.

BY FAR THE BEST BOOK ON THE HISTORY OF ART OF ONE OF THE GREATEST CITIES IN THE WORD, WHEN IT COMES TO ART. THE HIGHEST QUALITY OF PAPER AND VIBRANT CRISP ILLUSTRATIONS.IF SELECT IT , IS REALLY AN INVESTMENT.

This book IS beautiful, and of top quality. It is about half illustration and half text, covering the history of art and architecture in Paris. There are some exterior and interior shots of different structures and buildings. However, most of the photographs are of architectural details, or are color reproductions of paintings, statues, and artifacts, similar to what you would see in an art book. There are also a lot of simple blueprints, and pen-and-ink type drawings of different structures. This makes sense, given the title of the book. However, based on some of the reviews, I thought it would contain more photographs of the city, and of the beautiful buildings in Paris. When I received it, it wasn't quite what I expected. Overall, I think it's a good value. I wish I could find a book of similar quality, but a little more like a photographic tour of the well-known and obscure corners of one of my favorite cities.