Europe Books

I have used these calendar books for years. Anyone who likes France and looking at charming pictures of France will enjoy using these books as their combination daily calendar and address book.

i love these photographs! i feel as i am there! thank you linda for taking me to france every time i open your book!

This is the tenth year I've used a "French Country Diary" as my appointment calendar, and I don't know what I'd do if they stopped making them! Beautifully bound - a page a week - with just the right amount of space to mark several appointments each day along with notes, etc. I'm always complimented on the gorgeous souledo fabric hard cover. It's a discreet and lovely accessory that'll bring joy to your every day!

This item was for my wife; she really likes it. Perfect for her.

This is the third year I have used a French Country Diary and will continue to record my years in this fine diary as long as it is published. The photography is outstanding and reminds me of treasured visits to France. Quality is excellent. I was delighted to find it on Amazon.

A very moving look into the fragile psyche
of soldiers in combat. I couldn't put it down from the first page until the end, and I strongly recommend it to young soldiers and junior leadership in the armed forces today. Not only is it historically accurate, it is a testament to the strength of the human emotion and the bonds of friendship during war.

A Vet I met at the Bloomsburg PA county fair told me about this book. He said that the author was in his unit and that the stories were very well retold in the book. You as the reader can get a real feeling of what Bill Boyd and the men in unit went through. When you finish the story you are left with an feeling that it just incredible that anyone survived those final months of the war as the Germans fought to save there homeland and sadness for those who didn't make it. You will thoroughly enjoy reading this book.

This story was so gripping you felt like you were with William Pope (the main character) every step of the way. It provides the reader with great insight into World War II, as well as into the personal journies of the soldiers. I have not been so captivated by a book in a very long time.

One of the best books among the many about infantry combat. That it is fictional detracts not one iota. The author quite obviously writes from experience and makes use of the freedom fiction provides to paint a powerful and realistic picture of ground warfare, particularly the randomness through which men live and die. As one who fought in the infantry during the Battle of the Bulge, the setting for Mr. Boyd's novel, and produced three highly researched chapters about it in a memoir, I am proud to recommend "The Gentle Infantryman" as an authentic account of the way it was. Fiction can indeed be more true than fact. This honest little book is a primary example.

This is the best book about the WW2 combat soldier I've ever read. The information is historically accurate and exacting in detail, told with a true storyteller's memory and eye for a good yarn. The fact that the author experienced WW2 in Europe gives you the feeling that he is writing his own life story. The story is neither sentimental nor maudlin, nor is it gritty; it is realistic. Easy to read, it makes you proud to be an American and will leave you with immense respect for the "Greatest Generation." A must for every WW2 historian.

Schutz's photographic tour in "Great Cathedrals" is one of the most superb "coffee table" books on the market. The volume is massive in size and tips the scales at a number of pounds, but one glance is all it takes to be hooked. This is professional photography with results that only a seasoned photographer can produce, and then reproduced in the highest quality with splendid detail and high gloss, heavy weight paper. Browsing through these monumental pictures that pay homage to the monumental cathedrals, we forget all about the technical details of how the great Gothic structures were built and simply enjoy the fantastic beauty and immense impact the medieval architects planned all along. There are surprisingly few of these types of books in the American market (a plethora of them exist in France, England, and Germany), but Schutz's book fills the bill, and makes a splendid addition to the genre. From what I can see from the other posted reviews, it seems there is 100% agreement on the beauty of this book.

I got this book as an Xmas gift for my Dad who is a self confessed cathedral "junkie". He loved it and spent most of Xmas day and boxing day with his head buried in it.

He is a photographer and he commented on the great quality of the images, so I'm assuming that they must be good as he's really fussy about that sort of thing.

Awesome and great selection. Text provides enough information about the buildings. One of my favourite books.

This book has been around for at least 3 decades; I'm 43 and remember looking over an earlier edition with awe and reverence in the town library when I was a teenager.

The current edition has some nice updates, including added coverage of the great eastern European cathedrals, such as St. Vitus in Prague. The photography is splendid, and gives a feel of the look and scale of each building, as well as for the smaller details like sculpture and stained glass that makes each great cathedral a triumph of Western civilization.

If you are looking for a book that covers the major cathedrals of Europe in a thorough, satisfying way via photographs and a text providing the history of each building, a discussion of its style, and so forth, search no more. This is EASILY the best book out there that provides what you want.

Magnificent photography, both general views and close-ups of architectural details and stained glass. The book covers France, Germany, England, Spain and Italy. UIt contains a useful glossary of architectural terms and floor-plans of each cathedral. The "Crazy Vaults" of Lincoln Cathedral are not to be missed! I wanted this book to study cathedral design in general, and it more than met my expectations.

"In photography, the smallest thing can be a great subject. The little human detail can become a leitmotif." -- Henri Cartier-Bresson

French photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson (1908-2004) knew Paris. He studied at the École Fénelon and then at a private art school, the Lhote Academy, before turning to photography with his Leica camera. "I suddenly understood that a photograph could fix eternity in an instant,' he said. "I prowled the streets all day, feeling very strung-up and ready to pounce, ready to 'trap' life." Although Cartier-Bresson's photography took him many places, including China, Mexico, Canada, the United States, India, Japan, and Soviet Union, it was perhaps Paris that was his favorite subject.

Cartier-Bresson's photographs are a rare experience in truly seeing the world, whether it's a simple reflection in a puddle of water, or the beauty in a lovers' kiss. He was a master at capturing the significance of an event in his work, as well as the precise organization of forms which gives that event its proper expression: the "decisive moment," as he called it. Drawing from photographs taken over a period of 50 years, Cartier-Bresson personally selected the more than 130 black-and-white photographs of Paris included in this superb collection. These photographs offer a rare experience in seeing Paris through the eyes of someone who knew his subject well, Henri Cartier-Bresson. I have this book on my coffee table.

G. Merritt

This book is one of two Henri's books I have and the best one. The book to go through again and again. Then go shoot some pictures and go through it again. You'll be surprized how many fresh impressions you'll get every time. Very inspiring book. Highly recommended for practicing fotographers.

As my favourite photographer, Cartier-Bresson has some kind of impayable discernment. His gallery of Paris is his magnum opus. His Leica, his 50mm lens, his mysterious face... all made him a monumental legend. I bought this gallery (hardcover) in 1995 for the price of $US 50 in Hong Kong. What are you waiting for? Just click it and buy it immediately, you will never regret buying this book.

I have many of Cartier-Bresson's books, but this is the one I find myself drawn to.

Time and again I thumb its pages and find something in the photographs that I never before noticed.

This isn't some book full of "pretty" pictures in the conventional sense. One has to look at each picture to understand what inspired HCB to capture it.

I have a few favorites photos from this book, but those that stand out in my mind are of the picnic by the Marne and of the little boy carrying two large bottles of wine.

The Marne photo is so well layed out that, if one didn't know better, it would seem staged. That simply wasn't Cartier-Bresson's way. Although their faces are not seen, I "know" what each of the people look like.

The opposite is true of the little boy. His face is there for all to see and interpret. What is he thinking? Is he happy? Is he proud to be showing off for the little girls in the background?

Many of HCB's photos force us to read his mind and the minds of his subjects. These seemingly impromptu snapshots not only depict what HCB saw, but also depict it geometrically.

To someone like myself who has dabbled in "street photography", HCB epitomizes the genre.

As my favourite photographer, Cartier-Bresson has some kind of impayable discernment. His gallery of Paris is his magnum opus. His Leica, his 50mm lens, his mysterious face... all made him a monumental legend. I bought this gallery (hardcover) in 1995 for the price of $US 50 in Hong Kong. What are you waiting for? Just click it and buy it immediately, you will never regret buying this book.

If you're looking for a light read, Trotsky's History of Russian Revolution is not the way to go by any means. But, despite its length, and despite the enormity of its topic, this is an amazingly accessible and engrossing account of one of the modern world's most important political and historical events, written by one of its main players. There are certainly some parts that are more difficult than others, and some where clearly Trotsky assumes an understanding of what happened in Russia during 1917 - an expectation of his readers that would have been utterly reasonable for the audience he was writing for, at the time he was writing, but which at times can be a bit confusing for a Westerner reading it almost 100 years later. But this is only occasionally frustrating and there is, in any event, a very helpful set of appendices and glossaris at the back that help you know who's who and what's what. It is, undoubtedly in my view, well worth the effort that it will take you to get through it. I don't think any other history of the revolution is as detailed, as comprehensive, and as engaging as this. There are times when it really has you on the edge of your seat - and that, no doubt, is largely because it is written by someone who was actually there.

Max Eastman, who was a friend of Trotsky, gives us a translation that feels tremendously fresh and was enthusiastically endorsed by Trotsky himself.

This is one of the most exciting books I've ever read. It tells the amazing story of the Russian revolution of 1917, from the overthrow of the Czar to the Bolshevik Revolution of October. What makes it an incredible read is that the author, Leon Trotsky, was at the middle of it all, as one of the central planners of the insurrection that took power. Trotsky was a great revolutionary and great writer. But one thing I especially like about the book is that Trotsky uses excerpts from many other accounts, including those who hated him with a passion, to tell the story accurately. It is an inspiring story, especially for new generations of young people, workers and farmers who need to learn about an example showing that the dog-eat-dog system of capitalism we live in can be overthrown. For the definitive account of how this great revolution was later derailed, see Trotsky's Revolution Betrayed.

In spite of its length, I've read this book several times. It isn't just a widely acclaimed historic and literary masterpiece, written by a leading participant in the events he describes. It isn't just vividly written and thoroughly researched.

More importantly, it's one of the best books ever written about revolution, as relevant today as ever.

The most important conclusion that emerges is the crucial role of a revolutionary party with an overwhelmingly working class membership, leadership and political orientation: a party that has trained itself in the many years of partial struggles that precede a revolutionary crisis; studied together the lessons of past revolutionary struggles throughout the world; and done everything possible to educate broader layers of workers in those lessons.

(The point is illustrated both positively and negatively. More than once, Lenin had to turn to the Bolshevik's working class rank and file against wavering intellectuals in the party leadership.)

Please don't be put off by the first chapter, the driest and most difficult in the book. The basic idea is that capitalism arrived late in Russia, imported from abroad in the form of huge factories, which laid the basis for the rapid development of a strong, militant labor movement. As a result, the emerging capitalist class was reluctant to mobilize the masses against the feudal nobles and landlords that stood in their way, for fear that the aroused workers might turn on the capitalists themselves.

Under the impact of war and economic crisis, the resulting mixture of different forms of class oppression exploded in a combined revolt of workers, farmers, and oppressed nationalities, destroying both feudalism and capitalism by the time it was through.

Several postcripts:

(1) If you're wondering what went wrong in the Soviet Union after such a promising start, I recommend "The Revolution Betrayed" by Trotsky; also "Lenin's Final Fight" by Lenin.

(2) I disagree with Trotsky's assessment of the pre-1917 differences between himself and Lenin concerning the role of working farmers, the relationship between democratic (anti-feudal) revolution and socialist revolution, and Lenin's formula, "the democratic dictatorship of the proletariat and the peasantry". I think Trotsky's discussion of this is confusing. I recommend "Their Trotsky and Ours" by Jack Barnes. There is also a good debate in "Bolshevism and the Russian Revolution" by Doug Jenness, Ernest Mandel, and V.I. Lenin.

(3) Another reviewer pointed out that this book is available online. However, the printed version has glossaries of people, places, organizations and unfamiliar terms; a more complete chronology; and a thorough index. I relied very heavily on all of these, so much so that I used color-coded post-its to turn to them easily. Also, parts of the online version are full of obvious typos; books from Pathfinder Press are proofread very thoroughly.

(4) Finally, I recommend the ads in the back of the book. Pathfinder Press is defined by a political goal, not commercial success. It aims to provide a platform for revolutionary leaders speaking in their own words. If you like one book, you will probably like others.

Leon Trotsky's History of the Russian Revolution is partisan history at its best. One does not and should not, at least in this day in age, ask historians to be `objective'. One simply asks that the historian present his or her narrative and analysis and get out of the way. Trotsky meets that criterion. Furthermore, in Trotsky's case there is nothing like having a central actor in that drama, who can also write brilliantly and wittily, give his interpretation of the important events and undercurrents swirling around Russia in 1917. If you are looking for a general history of the revolution or want an analysis of what the revolution meant for the fate of various nations after World War I or its affect on world geopolitics look elsewhere. E.H. Carr's History of the Russian Revolution offers an excellent multi-volume set that tells that story through the 1920's. Or if you want to know what the various parliamentary leaders, both bourgeois and Soviet, were thinking and doing from a moderately leftist viewpoint read Sukhanov's Notes on the Russian Revolution. For a more journalistic account John Reed's classic Ten Days That Shook the World is invaluable. Trotsky covers some of this material as well. However, if additionally, you want to get a feel for the molecular process of the Russian Revolution in its ebbs and flows down at the base in the masses where the revolution was made Trotsky's is the book for you.

The life of Leon Trotsky is intimately intertwined with the rise and decline of the Russian Revolution in the first part of the 20th century. As a young man, like an extraordinary number of talented Russian youth, he entered the revolutionary struggle against Czarism in the late 1890's. Shortly thereafter he embraced what became a lifelong devotion to a Marxist political perspective. However, except for the period of the 1905 Revolution when Trotsky was chairman of the Petrograd Soviet and later in 1912 when he tried to unite all the Russian Social Democratic forces in an ill-fated unity conference, which goes down in history as the `August Bloc', he was essentially a free lancer in the international socialist movement. At that time Trotsky saw the Bolsheviks as "sectarians" as it was not clear to him at that time that for socialist revolution to be successful the reformist and revolutionary wings of the movement had to be organizationally split. With the coming of World War I Trotsky drew closer to Bolshevik positions but did not actually join the party until the summer of 1917 when he entered the Central Committee after the fusion of his organization, the Inter-District Organization, and the Bolsheviks. This act represented an important and decisive switch in his understanding of the necessity of a revolutionary workers party to lead the revolution.

As Trotsky himself noted, although he was a late comer to the concept of a Bolshevik Party that delay only instilled in him a greater understanding of the need for a vanguard revolutionary workers party to lead the revolutionary struggles. This understanding underscored his political analysis throughout the rest of his career as a Soviet official and as the leader of the struggle of the Left Opposition against the Stalinist degeneration of the Russian Revolution. After his defeat at the hands of Stalin and his henchmen Trotsky wrote these three volumes in exile in Turkey from 1930 to 1932. At that time Trotsky was not only trying to draw the lessons of the Revolution from an historian's perspective but to teach new cadre the necessary lessons of that struggle as he tried first reform the Bolshevik Party and the Communist International and then later, after that position became politically untenable , to form a new, revolutionary Fourth International. Trotsky was still fighting from this perspective in defense of the gains of the Russian Revolution when a Stalinist agent cut him down. Thus, without doubt, beyond a keen historian's eye for detail and antidote, Trotsky's political insights developed over long experience give his volumes an invaluable added dimension not found in other sources on the Russian Revolution.

As a result of the Bolshevik seizure of power the so-called Russian Question was the central question for world politics throughout most of the 20th century. That central question ended practically with the demise of the Soviet Union in the early 1990's. However, there are still lessons, not all negative, to be learned from the experience of the Russian Revolution. Today, an understanding of this experience is the task for the natural audience for this book, the young alienated radicals of Western society.

The central preoccupation of Trotsky's volumes reviewed here and of his later political career concerns the problem of the crisis of revolutionary leadership of the international labor movement and its national components. That problem can be stated as the gap between the already existing objective conditions necessary for beginning socialist construction based on the current level of capitalist development and the immaturity or lack of revolutionary leadership to overthrow the old order. From the European Revolutions of 1848 on, not excepting the heroic Paris Commune, until his time the only successful working class revolution had been in led by the Bolsheviks in Russia in 1917. Why? Anarchists may look back to the Paris Commune or forward to the Spanish Civil War in 1936 for solace but the plain fact is that absent a revolutionary party those struggles were defeated without establishing the prerequisites for socialism. History has indicated that a revolutionary party that has assimilated the lessons of the past and is rooted in the working class allied with and leading the plebian masses in its wake is the only way to bring the socialist program to fruition. That hard truth shines through Trotsky's three volumes. Unfortunately, this is still the central problem confronting the international labor movement today. Read this book many times.

This is a huge and wonderful book-- three volumes in one book, some 1200 pages in all. The story Trotsky lays out is most inspiring and encouraging: how revolutionary-minded workers and peasants in Russia, led by the Bolshevik party, overthrew the centuries-old Czarist monarchy, defeated the attempts to impose a capitalist dictatorship and went on to establish a worker and peasant revolutionary government, opening the road to the possibility of building a socialist society. It's a book you can read repeatedly, getting more out of it each time.

Trotsky explains with rich detail the growing social crisis that wracked Russia, the devastating impact of World War I, the economic collapse, and the incapacity of the old regime to offer any way out. He takes up political developments amongst workers and peasants and the oppressed nationalities of the Russian Empire, including the many millions forced into the Russian army. You understand their growing conviction that the old society had to be and could be overturned and a new order established. And Trotsky gives real insight into the leadership that made possible an actual revolution under these conditions-- the development of the Bolshevik party led by V.I. Lenin and it's successful fight to win the allegiance of the struggling millions.

Trotsky was, along with Lenin, a central leader of the 1917 revolution and of the government it established. After Lenin's death in 1924, he led the international fight to defend the Bolshevik's revolutionary course against the conservative and reactionary bureaucracy headed by Joseph Stalin that came to power later in the Soviet Union. This work was a key part of Trotsky's efforts to make the real facts and lessons 1917 available to future generations of workers, farmers and radicalizing young people. Read it along with some of his many other important works, including The Transitional Program for Socialist Revolution, In Defense of Marxism, The Revolution Betrayed, and The Struggle Against Fascism in Germany.

I liked the book because I am a history major but some parts are hard to get through. It is a classic however and is a great stepping stone to use when reviewing ancient history

Cornelius Tacitus knows perfectly what the cardinal human characteristic is: `From time immemorial, man has had an instinctive love of power.' And, `the reward for virtue was inevitable death.'
His book is a mighty illustration of the ruthless fight for the top spot: emperor. The ambitious and the wealthy fight one another without mercy. `The truth is that revolution and strife put tremendous power into the hands of evil men.' The vanquished are brutally slain.
For Tacitus, the most important factors in the power struggle are money (`money was the sinews of civil war') and control of the military (`the lesson that an army can create an emperor'). If you could `reward` your soldiers, you could win. However, the legions were not interested in war itself only in looting, plundering, raping and enslaving. `The men wanted campaign and set battles, as the prizes here were more attractive than their normal pay.' The victims were innocent peasants, women and children.
Overall, `Italy found it hard to put up with such hordes of infantry and cavalry, and with violence, financial loss and acts of lawlessness.'

While the `Annals' contain more human touch, the `Histories' are nearly completely centered on military, diplomatic and tactical manoeuvres, followed by terrifying and merciless violence after the battles (`the fury of the soldiers').

This for mankind severe and pessimistic book is a must read for all those interested in the lessons of history and for lovers of great classical literature.

Most people don't need a review of Tacitus's work. Most people want to know if a particular translation is any good. With that in mind, I recommend this Penguin edition of Kenneth Wellesley's translation. The translation itself is highly readable, and Wellesley indicates the rare instances where he emends the Latin text in footnotes. Wellesley also uses the footnotes to help the reader keep track of some of the less prominent characters in the work, a feature which is a big help for the non-specialist. Probably the best aspect of this edition is the map section at the end. The book contains 11 maps that include maps of large areas, maps of cities, and diagrams of important battles. Wellesley also refers the reader to the appropriate map through the footnotes. This review makes it sound like the book contains a lot of footnotes, but really there are usually just one or two a page. The one minor defect of the book is that the index only contains personal names. A general index would have made this user friendly book even better. But like I said, this is a great English copy of the Histories.

Every now and then a pivotal moment in history is witnessed and recorded by a master communicator. The mid-first century of Rome was such a time and Tacitus was such a communicator. The Histories will forever be a benchmark of good history with its observations on human nature and behaviour along with their impact on history. The historian will do well to read Tacitus not just for the historical lessons but for his approach to history as a record of human activity. While observing and commenting on the human element in history, Tacitus avoids making moral judgements and remains as objective as possible in the midst of turmoil, wars, and rumors of wars. His beloved nation and people were suffering under the barbarity of fratricidal war yet he remains above the madness and records the events with passion tempered with objectivity. His example is one that has remained difficult for others to follow.

A word on this translation in particular - I found Mr. Wellesley's translation very readable and poetic. He seems to have captured the literature value of the text as well as the content. Well done.

Reading Tacitus' Annals I oft remembered Thucydides' account of the Peleponnesian wars. An important theme of the latter work was the corrupting effects of prolonged war on the morals and intellect of the Athenian people, who were ultimately degraded so much that they voted the destruction of the people of a small island just because they had chosen to remain neutral. Tacitus, on the other hand, seems to have dedicated himself in this work to examining the corrupting effects of absolutism on the Roman people after the fall of the Republic. He shows how absolute power brought out the worst traits in the character of rulers like Tiberius and Nero, who grew more and more tyrannical with every year on the throne, and how members of the illustruous Roman senate and other sections of the Roman political society turned into a horde of spineless sycophants, informers and debauches. There were still a few honourable individuals, but as Tacitus shows in an endless series of judicial and non-judicial murders, most of these paid the price of sticking to the ancient traditions of liberty and honour with their lives. Tacitus also deals at length with the relations of the Romans with the subject peo-ples. I may be wrong here, but it seems to me that in such passages Tacitus draws a parallels between the fate of these enslaved peoples and that of the enslaved Roman people -the first a slave to the Romans, the second a slave to the emperor and his bureaucracy made up of ex-slaves. Many subject peoples rebelled and some like the Cherusci under Arminius (towards whom he does not seem averse at all) could successfully preserve their liberty against the in-trusion of the Romans. Those Romans who dared defy the tyrant on the other hand, and especially those who could wisely remain independent and yet stay alive, were far fewer, Tacitus seems to imply. Insofar as it demonstrates how closely liberty (including liberty of thought) and morals are intertwined, this work is still relevant today as a central work of liberal humanism.

Had a vague idea about the 1939-1940 war between Finland and Russia, but now I know the whole story. Kudos to the author for a great read and to the Finnish people for their incredible spirit against all odds. Kept me riveted up to the last page.

Excellent story set against the turmoil of war, the comparatively little known conflict between Finland and Soviet Russia in 1939. Frederick Brogger has done research in depth to get a real feeling for the oustanding bravery of the Finns in their struggle to withstand the predator Russians. Against this background he tells a heartfelt story of romance as a young American is caught up in events which test him to the ultimate. Enthralling story, highly recommended.

Journey into Winter provide insight into a part of hisotry with wich I was not familiar. The blend of the story line around the facts of the war mad for very interesting reading. The autor had an ability to write in a way that I could actually visualize Finaland in the winter--bitter cold weather, forzen lakes, and deep snows. Excellent reading.

No one can put this book down. The research that has gone into this book is amazing and the contemporary relevance is striking what with the main setting of this book being the Soviet invasion of Finland in 1939 with the Russians occupying parts of Georgia only weeks ago. The characters, those Finnish, American, British and German combined with the heroic defense of Finland make this a book that must be read.

Fred Campbell

Mr.Brogger made his characters come alive! Their feelings and interactions were so real and believable. I could almost feel the cold of the snows of Finland. I did not realize the events within Finland had such an impact on WWII. I recommend this book to all, especially those interested in history.

Mr. Brogger's story would produce a magnificent movie: Brad as Jonathan, Joli as Lanya, and, maybe even, Jennifer as Lucy..I can see it!!

The book provides an excellent source of the names and conversations that shaped the final 100 days.

Excellent book, it gives you a lot of information about the Yalta Conference, the last days of Hitler, the last days of Roosevelt, the Prussian exodus, the Oder ofensive, the VE day, and, of course, the last days of the War in Europe.

I am an avid reader of WWII history and must say that this is without a doubt the best book I have read on the period. This book manages to read like a novel in the majestic way in which it is written and at the same time it makes the war feel personal; the people throughout the pages are more than names, they are lives, maybe ones that could have been your own. Of all the books I have read on war this is the only one that has forced me to stop reading because some of the material in it actually made me want to cry, is this is not literature at its best, then I don't know what is.

In the end I must say that this is not only a classic read on WWII history but on the history of War itself and the major part it plays on the human experience. Trust me, you can't go wrong with this book; this is as close as you will get to feeling like you were in the middle of WWII.

The Last 100 Days is a monumental historical work. In it the author pieces together the story of the fall of the Third Reich at the end of the Second World War in Europe.

Although the book is generally described as a work of "popular history" it is more than that. It is in fact a work of history that has itself now become a part of the history of World War II. (Too many authors to count have relied upon this book in writing their own books on a variety of matters covering this period of the war.)

This is because in preparation for writing the book the author did much more than just review the then current literature on the subject by "real" historians (often written in a mind-numbingly boring and pedantic style, not to mention based on government records or reports by people who were not even directly involved in what they are reporting on), summarize it, and then rewrite it in a popular style. Instead, the author bases his book on (a) hundreds of personal interviews with persons actually participating in the acts described and (b) thousands of other primary sources, such as journals, monographs, and diaries.

From this vast treasure trove of information, the author brilliantly sifts through it to create a masterpiece. In so doing he discusses the end of the war in Europe on many different levels (e.g., politicians, generals, NCOs, front-line soldiers, and civilians) from many different vantage points (e.g., American, German, Russian, British, resistance).

The perspective of the last 100 days was also not chosen simply because it sounds good as a title. The significance of the last 100 days is that the beginning of this period (i.e., the first day of the last one hundred days) is roughly the time that both the American, British, etc., allies, coming from the West, and the Soviet forces, coming from the East, first breached the frontiers of the Fatherland, i.e., the pre-war boundaries of Germany. The Last 100 Days is thus an account of the counter-invasion and destruction of Germany against overwhelming forces of men and materiel that is told in an engaging, absorbing, thoughtful, and informative manner.

A must-read for anyone interested in the histories of Europe, Germany, or the Second World War.

This is a gripping look at the final months of World War II in Europe. Author John Toland covers many angles as the Allied armies advanced into Germany and squeezed what remained of the Nazi Empire. The author rotates between subjects, and keeps the reader's interest with vivid descriptions and many personal accounts of events. Readers learn of Yalta and the politics of Churchill, Stalin, Roosevelt (and then Truman), and note the seeds of the coming Cold War. We get a bird's eye view from inside the Fuhrer's bunker as his brutal empire collapsed. We also read about atrocities against both prisoners and civilians, hear of the plight of refugees, and learn about the views from the top Allied commanders in the west (Eisenhower, Montgomery, Patton, Bradley, etc.).

John Toland (1912-2004) was a master story teller, although not an academically trained historian. Judging by the sales figures, most readers seem to prefer his readable and well-researched approach. This is a vivid and gripping narrative.

For generations who did not experience WWII, this is a beautiful story that can take you into the heart and mind of a courageous, inspired and brave young man named Charles Booth Alling. Charles was a lead B-17 bomber pilot in combat over Germany during the final years of the war. In this gentle but war-torn story, Charles tells his life story as a young man who was raised with the American value of "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." He sets out with a heart of faith and trust to aspire to that great ideal. You will find yourself reading his journal and be proud to be a human being, an American citizen, and a lover of life.

Having served as a Lead B-17 Radar Navigator/Bombardier (Pathfinder) in the same outfit as Captain Alling, it brought back many memories of my tour in the 34th Bomb Group. I too served in the 4th Squadron on the Knockout Dropper, piloted by Jim Sain who was mentioned in this book. Many of the experiences of the author were similar to mine and I participated in several of the same missions. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in getting an exciting description of serving in a lead plane on many missions.

A matter of fact account of U.S. airraids over Germany in WWII. Not told with bravado or hyperbole, but just plain gripping accounts of hair-raising, almost suicidal bombing runs. You get a feel for conditions in the B-17, and the fear and trepidation the pilot (book's author) and his crew experienced, with the flight back to the States at the end of the European theatre one of the most nerve-wracking. I highly recommend this account, which is just one of several devoted to this part of the war.

A couple of days ago while I was in the middle of this book I mentioned I was reading it to a fellow across the table from me. He said: 'I flew in B-17's during the war.' He went on to say that he had been the radioman/dorsal gunner. I said something about the guys in this book flying 27 missions. He said that he had only flown seven.

I couldn't help but think that this was kind of puny compared to what these guys did. But then he went on.

On his seventh mission, somewhere over occupied France they were attacked and he was hit. Back in England he was hospitalized and told that it would be unlikely that he would ever walk again. He was still in the hospital when the plane went out on its 9th mission and didn't return.

I said that this sounded pretty rough.

'Everybody had it pretty rough in those days.'

This kind of 'aw shucks' attitude, from my lunch mate to the author of this book is why they are called 'The Greatest Generation.' Even though they would never admit it.

This is the story of one plane, one crew. It's told in a matter of fact way. Perhaps this is the only way that such a story can be told. Mr. Alling waited a lot of years to tell the story. Perhaps that too is the only way. Perhaps the time and the distance are necessary to get a realistic view. Thank you Mr. Alling for sharing the story.

Captain Chuck Alling masterfully recounts his experiences as pilot of the 34th Bomb Group's lead B17G bomber during the last two years of WW2. "A Mighty Fortress" should be required reading for every military officer and is a "must read" for anyone interested in the Mighty Eighth Army Air Force's operations against the Third Reich. As a retired officer and military historian myself, I believe "A Mighty Fortress" is most probably the most inspirational book about WW2 ever written.

I purchased this book as a gift and had done a lot of research looking for just the right one. I loved the book from the moment I opened it and was very excited to see not only beautiful pictures but loads of ideas and design elements that were very helpful. The receiver of the book was also very thrilled with the design elements and help that the book brought to help with decorating her home in the french country style. Loved It.

I can see this book is going to sit on the top of the coffee table book pile for a long time to come. Aside from the fabulous photos of French Provincial homes, Dannenberg delicately picks apart the details that make a typical Provincial home and garden. It does the job so much better than we sitting in another continent can grasp from a few photos in a book. It teaches us how to copy this style and really appreciate the quality of each piece of furniture, artwork or chattel we acquire for own little pretend patch of France.
I love this book!

Really a wonderful book - both beautiful to look at and informative. Very interesting reading, as well as artistically lovely with wonderful, colorful photography. I am not a decorator or designer by trade, but go to this type of book for creative inspiration, and this one was a winner.

The book was very informative. It gave me many ideas on how to include my furnishings with a French feel.

This is one of the best books on Country French that I've found. The illustrations are wonderful, whether you prefer the older designs or are looking for something with a more modern feel. I loved just looking at the pictures and getting a feel for the colors and styles. This is a book I'll return to again and again to get the feel of the French countryside.