Europe Books

Anyone who reads this and is still a bit unsure should read Yevgeny Zamyatin's book WE and Djilas' The New Class. If they are looking for the philosophical approach to the book, they should read Voegelin and any of his works that deal with the philosophical underpinning of what Billington is addressing in this fantastic work. Billington is a Rhodes Scholar. He is a visiting Professor to Harvard and Princeton. His works on Russia are definitive. This book being his best, is his dedication to Dostoevsky's Notes from the Underground and Demons. It is scary and brilliant. It answers the question of the two opposing "secret" warring groups one the proponents of freewill the others proponents of the collective and or the secular super powerful state. All this and according to Billington's work, the most startling aspect, is that journalists are the very agents of this revolutionary activity. Puts a very scientism spin on things like global warming and afro-centrism.

Noone has mentioned the cousin to this book which is Carrol Quigly's "Tragedy and Hope". Dr Quigly went to Harvard and taught at Georgetown where he, according to Clinton in his inaugual address, became the mentor to future president Bill Clinton. Please read my review of Quigly's work where I reveal a third book that is just as essential as Billingtons and Quiglys...and that throws a curve even at the most well read and learned!

This is another MUST read for ALL AMERICANS or any serious minded student of history,professional or not.Mr.Billington,who I believe is still head of the Library of Congress(though he MAY have recently retired)was appointted,to that position by Reagan, explores the role secret societies have played in revolutionary movements since the time of the AMERICAN/FRENCH revolution to the RUSSIAN revolution.It MAY change your view on "How the World Really Works.I stole that lasy phrase from the late Mr.Wanniski-a conservative.

~Fire in the Minds of Men: Origins of the Revolutionary Faith~ is an intriguing intellectual history that traces the developments of the so called revolutionary faith. The tumultuous upheavals and violent revolutions of the twentieth century were spawned by revolutionary ideologies fomented in the nineteenth century. These secular ideologies became full-fledged secular surrogates for religious belief and likewise sought the overthrow of traditional authority whether political or religious with the subsequent creation of a new order. The contagious revolutionary fervor of the French Revolution, which was wrought from 1789 to 1791, had its origin in the utopian Rousseau and German Romanticism. Billington'a sweeping narrative begins amidst this fervor, which beset the eighteenth century.

Billington astutely observes that a flame of idealistic German Romanticism kindled the flames of the early revolutions. Groups like the Illuminati** (yes it did exist) led by the idealistic Adam Weishaupt clung to a Rousseauian vision of leading all humanity to moral perfection free from the trappings of all established political and religious authority. This group and other revolutionary secular sects sought to emulate the hierarchy and organization of the Jesuits. The Illuminati and its related groups were the revolutionaries who sought to bring about an end to the old order and liberate humanity into a blissful universal utopia of liberty, equality and fraternity. Billington interestingly devotes a full chapter on the occult organization of the early revolutionaries, which continued to inspire their latter day progeny. The new secular revolutionary of the time was enamored in occultic symbols, numerology, abstractions and rituals. Billington traces the developments of the revolutionary faith, which was consummated in the Revolution of 1789, throughout the nineteenth century.

Despite, various incarnations of revolutionary ideologies from anarchism to romantic utopian socialism to scientific socialism to syndicalism, a basic schism emerged in the revolutionary faith. Many of these ideologies didn't whither away, but rather metamorphisized and fused with one another. This schism played itself out in the ideological struggle between followers of Marx and Proudhon. Billington elaborates on this schism, and distinguishes between those who believed most in fraternity (and its idea that the nation was the vehicle of deliverance) and those who believed most in equality (and its idea that the social class was a vehicle of deliverance.) The chapter National vs. Social Revolution chronicles the revolutionary fracture that came about in the mid-1800's. What emerged from this schism were the totalitarian movements of the twentieth century. The heirs of the national revolutionary tradition, "fortified fraternity with equality" and gave birth to Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany. National revolutionaries of the twentieth century found their fraternity in the abstractions of Volk (People) or the (Reich) Nation. The social revolutionaries, on the other hand, lofted equality above all but bound it to fraternity. They gave rise to Bolshevism and Communist movements. Ironically, as Billington notes, "The most violent and authoritarian movements in Germany and Russia each intensified one form of the revolutionary faith by adopting signficant elements of the other." Nazism was abbreviation for "national socialism" while Communism under Stalin came to be defined as "socialism in one country." Both of these revolutionary faiths whether of the national revolutionary tradition or the social revolutionary tradition were millenarian social religions. Both revolutionary factions wanted a new order to supplant the old traditional order. Likewise, both factions offered a salvific promise of a glorious future for an enlightened humanity, which would be paid for in the cleansing blood of revolutionaries and dissidents alike.

Billington devotes a chapter to revolutionary syndicalism and its various subsects and the 'social nationalism' and the fascist mutation that emerged. Mussolini was the heir of French syndicalists like Sorel and Valois and revolutionary Italian nationalists like Mazzini. Mussolini polished his brand of corporatist-syndicalist ideology turning syndicalism's rejection of state authority on its nose, but he embraced its organization, which sought to link trade union organization (syndicates) with mass action aimed at created a new order. Some scholars like Neev Sternhell have pointed that fascism represents a revision of Marxian socialism, rejecting its materialism and class struggle ethos in favor of an idealistic spiritual ideology made manifest in the pagan state while continually embracing an anti-liberal, anti-bourgeois, anti-parliamentary ideology like that of the Marxist.) Further bridging the nineteenth and twentieth century, Billington offers a chapter on 'Lenin's Path to Power,' which traces the revolutionary activities of he and his cohorts in bringing about the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917.

In his introduction, Billington offers a optimistic view of the future and professes a solace and contentment since it seems that the moderation and temperance of classical liberals like Lafayette seems to have won out over the revolutionary extremists. After the French Revolution, even the revolutionaries grew tired and weary of the bloodshed and violence while ridding themselves of lunatics like Robespierre, but will history repeat itself? Hitler characterized his Nazi revolution, as "the exact counterpart of the French Revolution."

This is a compelling book and a must to understand the ideologies driving the totalitarianism and the blood soaked revolutions of the past century. It remains a invaluable work in understanding the totalitarian horrors, which plagued us during the twentieth century. The author James Billington boasts some pretty impressive credentials as a Librarian of Congress and international studies scholar. He demonstrates a remarkable expertise and interest in Russian history as well.

**(And yes, the Illuminati existed. No, contrary to pop culture conspiracy theories, it does not still exist. However, Billington leaves little doubt that it ignited a fire in the minds of men, which has undoubtedly influenced, changed and perhaps scarred our generation through the revolutionary fervor and the wasteland created by the social upheavals and wars of the past blood-soaked century. The Illuminati waned while other revolutionary extremists rallied to pick up its torch. The indelible mark Illuminatism has left on history and the present time leaves little wonder that the gullible who hear of its eighteenth-century exploits are so apt to still believe it still exists.)

This is one of the great history books of our time.

Billington provides a comprehensive account of the revolutionary obsession from the 18th until the 20th century. He examines in particular national and socialist revolution and the cast of sometimes bizarre characters, cults and conspiracies that peppered these movements.

Beautifully written, it is a joy to read. Billington treats his subject matter with empathy but is by no means a revolutionist himself.

Gibbon's "Decline aand Fall of the Roman Empire" is still being read today more than three centuries after it was penned. Billington's book will be a must read centuries from now too.

this is with no doubt the best book i have ever read , it is filled with so many mixed emotions and the way it is seen through the eyes of a dog makes it ever more interesting . the feelings that you feel when you read it are a mixture of sadness , joy and wonder . you will never know what is comeing next and that just makes you want to read it even more . belive me when i say this is the best book you could ever get

This book if absoloutly fantabulous beyond belief. How buetiflly the words are used. descriptive of every detail. Extroudinary. I could read it a thousand times and never get bored. Buy it now! its great!

In 1381, English folk rebelled against the oppressive system of serfdoms. Cruel lords and masters ruled villages of ordinary folk with no say over the heavy taxation and unjust laws.

For a simple hunting dog, human politics meant little to nothing. As the canine friend to Rufus, a simple man, the old dog is happy to keep her place by the fire, take her master hunting, and sleep in the house.

Everything changes shortly after the birth of her latest litter of puppies. Soldiers take Rufus and his wife, Comfort, away, leaving behind their three children. The dog ensures the children's safety and returns to find only one of her puppies has remained. Together, she and her young pup do their best to survive. She experiences freedom, captivity, and reunion, all in the names of love, loyalty, and survival.

Originally published in 1998, FIRE, BED & BONE is a dog's observation of the horrors life sometimes presents us. This telling of a significant event in history is done in a way that will engage kids, teach them, and show them a wonderful story. Using a dog's point of view (there are no talking animals in this book) to portray the way of men is a powerful tool, and in this case, it is well used.

This book should be a leading candidate for classroom use, as well as for simple reading enjoyment. The writing is easy to follow and sentimental without growing sappy. I definitely recommend this title.

Reviewed by Christina Wantz Fixemer
10/26/2006

What a brilliant book! This is set at the time of the 1381 Peasants' Revolt in England, and it shows the causes and events and results of that social upheaval in a way that is quite sympathetic to the peasants' side of the story without glossing over the mob violence that was involved. The book manages to be dense with factual information without being boring or preachy. However, the narrator is a dog -- a dog accustomed to a life of good care, with the comfort of the fire, a bed, and an occasional bone shared from the meager resources of its owners. And the dog tells us not only about the impact of social unrest on the people but also on their animals. The reading level is suitable for average fifth graders, but the issues are powerful and complex enough to interest older students of any reading level. This is a wonderful narrative of human events from an animal's perspective and should be placed along the classics of this genre.

Branford has crafted a powerful piece of historical fiction about fourteenth century England and has done so in a manner that honors the Young Adult audience's often ignored right to realistic, unromantic history. Her narrator, a wise, nameless hound is endearing but never cute. Through her eyes we witness the brutality and social upheaval of the late Middle Ages. This sage old dog, so unlike the traditional, overwrought animal narrator, provides a sense of detachment from events like the Wat Taylor rebellion that allows us to feel the peasant's righteousness as well as to cringe at their senseless mob violence. Above all, get ready to breath this one in. Fire, Bed & Bone is so splendidly redolent with the real, visceral scents of the age that you will inhale it as much as you read it.

The book is awesome and has whet my appetite for more history. At first I did not like the divided history approach of highlighting Rome, Judea and China in various chapters but after reading through the book it did seem to motivate one to read through to get to the next continuation (kind of like a cliff hanger). This tended to highlight more of Rome & Judea and only a small amount of China.

The late historian Barbara Tuchman wrote a wonderful book called "A Distant Mirror" about the calamitous 14th century. It is absolutely spell-binding for history enthusiasts. While Klingaman's book is not quite as well written, it does a remarkable job of presenting the world-shattering changes that took place during the First Century A.D. (or C.E. if you prefer). As a Christian of the Episcopalian stripe, I enjoyed the "context" it provides for understanding the time of Jesus. I'd recommend it to anyone with an interest in the subject. Bring along your thinking cap because it's very thought provoking!

This book is written with style and some wit, bringing long dead shakers & movers to life. Very entertaining with some clever insights from the author who also presents historical figures with personalities (accurately or not - it does'nt matter), opinions etc.. Bloody good read.

If you have ever wondered about the events that shaped leaders and everyman, thousands of years ago, this is an entertaining read, considering it is non-fiction. The real life events are presented in a way that brings characters into stories that otherwise would seem to be so long ago and nameless.

A great line was "At the dawn of the first century, the empire over which Augustus ruled,-with the aid of only a rudimentary civil service-encompassed nearly eighty million people and ranged across ten thousand miles of frontier..."

A good read for the context getting of where we came from to get where we are today as peoples on this globe.

This book is wonderfully written, a pleasure to read. I give it five stars even though it is somewhat lop-sided: although it claims to be a history of Rome, China, and Judea in the first century, the author shows a decidedly western bias. Counting the sections, I see 14 on Rome, 11 on Judea, and only 7 on China. The author seems more sure-footed, and more excited, when describing Rome.

However, overall I found this a great read, enough so that it inspired to get some of the authors other books.

For most presses, East European studies is a dying breed, consigned to the periphery by Europe's metamorphoses and other global challenges. However, Granville (history, Stanford Univ.) examines an event that retains stinging memories almost 50 years later--the 1956 Hungarian Revolution. The author explored archives accessible only after the Cold War, and had extraordinary cooperation from archivists in Moscow, Budapest, and elsewhere. Kadar, Nagy, Rakosi, Tito, Khrushchev, Eisenhower, Dulles, and other personalities, as well as arcane communist and democratic bureaucracies, are revealed through countless archival fragments. Granville is at her best telling the interwoven story of 1956. Ultimately, Granville's analysis leads to a no-fault conclusion, suggesting that misperceptions and misconceptions among all actors led to the disastrous outcome. Recommended for graduate students and above.-- D.N. Nelson, University of New Haven

Johanna Granville is one of the most industrious and talented of the scholars who have seized upon new archival opportunities to deepen our understanding of the Cold War. For _The First Domino_, the author has scoured archives in Europe and the United States in an effort to find out how the principal actors arrived at decisions regarding the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. Matters, as she writes, were not as simple as they once appeared. Nikita Khrushchev and other Soviet leaders bad difficulty, for example, deciding whether or not to suppress the uprising by force. In fact, they voted not to intervene one day (October 28)before they ordered decisive military action (October 31). Some of what she has uncovered is already known: that Imre Nagy denounced some of his countrymen during his years in Soviet Russia (1930-44) and that he did not invite the initial Soviet invasion of October 23-24. But thanks to Granville's linguistic abilities, she has shed new light on the seemingly inexplicable conduct of Poland's Wladyslaw Gomulka and Yugoslavia's Josip Broz Tito. Moreover, she has helped to clarify Janos Kadar's decision to betray Nagy and the revolution. In a particularly compelling chapter, Granville examines the role the United States played before and during the revolution. She concludes that the Eisenhower Administration's talk of "rollback" and "liberation," when combined with U.S. intelligence operations and psychological warfare, may have led Soviet leaders to fear a U.S. intervention and, thus, to opt for a harder line. Above all, however, Granville reminds us of historical contingency. Those who have studied the revolution have sometimes taken the view that Hungarians and Soviets acted out of necessity. Granville herself thinks that given Hungarians' historic detestation of Russia and communism, revolution was bound to erupt; and Nagy's "trial and probably ... execution were inevitable." She should have written "were very likely," because elsewhere she observes that if the Soviets had removed Stalinist dictator Matyas Rakosi sooner, there might not have been a revolution; and that had there been no Polish crisis of October 19-20, Budapest's students might not have demonstrated on October 23. "No event," she wisely concludes, "is ever predestined; individuals can make rational choices to change the course of history at any given moment." ---Lee Congdon, Professor of History, James Madison University._History: Review of New Books_ (Summer 2004),v 32, i4: p 147.

Dr. Granville's book is without question a first-rate, well-researched monograph. She uses Hungarian documents that even Hungarians have not read, sometimes presenting them in dialogue form (Chapter 3). The books reads like a novel in some places. (...)

This long-awaited review of archival records dealing with the Hungarian uprising of 1956 is destined to appear on numerous Cold War historians' bibliographies. It is a meticulously researched study, a grand example of erudite scholarship in its truest sense. Dr. Granville's examination of declassified documents is exhaustively and exhaustingly thorough.

Johanna Granville's The First Domino: International Decision Making during the Hungarian Crisis of 1956 (...), a pioneering work on East European Cold War history, confirms that when President Eisenhower had his chance to redeem the Republican campaign pledge to "roll back" the Soviet occupation of Hungary, he failed and thus perpetuated that occupation for three more decades.
This is a remarkable study of Cold War history because the author, at home in Russian and other languages, has availed herself of recently opened Soviet and other archives to describe how Hungary became the first "domino" in a process that "resulted ultimately in the Soviet Union's loss of hegemony over Eastern Europe in 1989."
The Hungarian revolt resulted in more than 2,000 deaths and the flight of over 200,000 refugees to the West. It is worth noting that a far smaller group of earlier Hungarian refugees, who fled to America from a Nazi-endangered Europe, helped build the first atomic bomb during World War II.
Chapter 6 of "The First Domino" is the most fascinating, since it explores U.S. psychological warfare and covert activities in Eastern Europe during the 1950s, including broadcasts by Radio Free Europe.---Washington Times, March 21, 2004 by Arnold Beichman, Research Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University

Plumb tells the tale of the four Hanoverian 'Georges' who seem to progress generation to generation in the direction of complete nuttiness. The climax however is in George III , the old villain of American schoolbooks. Plumb says he was extremely slow of mind, and the first twenty years of his reign a complete disaster. Thanks to the foolish advice of Lord North who is portrayed as a somewhat sloth rolypoly George III managed to antagonize and lose his American colonies. The last twenty years of his reign were however much more successful. Plumb artfully describes how the brilliant Lord Pitt at twenty- four became the King's First Minister and brought about peace with both America and France. This despite the fact that George III one day began to speak to a tree , spoke to it twenty- four hours without stop and after this was pretty much not 'in the loop of decision- making'.
The relations between the various Georges and the various Princes of Wales were most often horrible. George III could not stand his father, and his son. What is somehow surprising is that despite the eccentricities of the monarchs Great Britain continued to grow and develop its Empire.
Plumb has a clear vision of the story as a whole, writes with interest about the various figures, Robert Walpole, Lord Chatham, Lord North, Pitt et al. who served the various kings. A highly enjoyable piece of historical writing.

This classic of historical writing and interpretation was first published in 1956, and it's still the best single volume on the Hanoverian dynasty. Taylor trained under G. M. Trevelyan, another noteworthy narrator of history, and became an illustrious Fellow of King's College, Cambridge. While he produced many important works in modern English history, he still is best known for his examination of the dynasty that began with the arrival in London 1714 of George, Duke of Brunswick, successor to Queen Anne, the last Stewart monarch. He didn't speak English and his son and successor, George II, barely could. The family has gotten bad press for generations, their reputation for loutishness and general lack of intellect perhaps being colored by American attitudes, but Plumb portrays them convincingly as ordinary human beings caught up in a series of exceptional circumstances: The rise of parliamentary power, the loss of the American colonies below Canada, the Industrial Revolution, the effects everywhere of the French Revolution, and the struggle against Napoleon. Like many others, I first read this book as an undergraduate, but I now much prefer the 1974 lavishly illustrated Hamlyn edition [which Amazon doesn't list]; the numerous political cartoons are especially useful in providing the flavor of the times.

This is by far the best book that i have read in a long time. Most history books are boring but this one is anything but. Plumb goes to great details explaining the relationship that each King shared with his son. He does a wonderful job of giving his readers a rare insight to the royal family.

Fluent, lucid and written with Plumb's characteristic brevity, this is among the best introductions you will find to the high politics of the Hanoverian period. Sir John Plumb (d.2001) was one of the finest historical writers ever published in English. He is in the tradition of Macaulay and Trevelyan. His prose is polished and perfectly cadenced, and his light style masks a profound analytical grasp of the political forces that shaped this century of Whig ascendancy. Some may accuse him of adhering to the 'Great Men' school of history. If so, he highlights all their vices as well as their virtues.

Plumb was criticised for more often making the grand sweep of historical analysis as opposed to dredging through the minutiae of historical documentation. This analysis, I believe, is flawed and inimical to the notion that for history to be worthy of the name it should be readable for a wider audience, not solely confined to the institutions where it is nurtured.

Plumb's scholarship has inspired generations of laymen; his intellectual generosity and didactic rigour has also reaped its rewards within historical departments on both sides of the Atlantic. Those inspired by the Plumb school of history, who mastered their craft under his watchful eye at Christ's College, Cambridge, include such well known names as Simon Schama, David Cannadine, Niall Ferguson and Neil Mc Kendrick.

Published in 1956, this work by Sir John Plumb has remained a classic. Plumb focuses his attention on personalities and politics of the first four members of the Hanoverian dynasty. He paints a balanced portrait of his subjects, bringing them to life, warts and all. These monarchs are fallible human beings, placed on their thrones by accident of birth. Plumb is especially judicious in his handling of George IV, who as Regent and King was viciously derided in his own time.
Plumb's treatment of the monarchs is supplemented with deft character sketches of many of the significant figures of the Georgian century; Walpole, Pitt, Wilkes, Fox, and North are among the figures included.
In his introduction, Plumb takes the reader on a survey of the world over which these sovereigns presided. This is history practiced in the manner perfected by G.M. Trevelyan; continuity co-exists with change, and the dynasty survives despite mistakes and scandals. Published when the influence of Sir Lewis Namier was at its height, The First Four Georges provided a refreshing antidote to the atomizing analysis of the Namier school. A fascinating and hugely enjoyable read.

Anyone in search of first-rate movie material--whether screenwriter, director-producer, or development company--could do worse than to check out Rita Kramer's Flames in the Field, the true story of four courageous British agents who were dropped into occupied France during World War II to organize resistance groups against the Nazis. The fact that the agents were young women only adds to the poignancy of what is at once a tale of suspense and intrigue and a tragic story of possible betrayal. Biographer Kramer (she wrote the definitive life the 19th-century educator Maria Montessori) expertly recounts how these women and their colleagues sought to carry out Winston Churchill's injunction to "set Europe ablaze," all the while unknowingly caught in a Byzantine web of scheming on both sides. Kramer's original research (both among archives and survivors) is a substantial contribution to the scholarship on the cult of intelligence, and her elegant prose and flawless sense of pace make the book a page-turner, effortlessly readable. But it's the subjects themselves, too--the men and women of a heroic time--as well as the complexity of motives and events in a situation where almost any moral choice is tragic, that make her story such a stunning tableau.

These stories will break your heart. Four courageous women go to their deaths after being captured one by one, usually because of treachery on the ground and sometimes stupid bureaucratic blundering in London. Rita Kramer -- whose abilities as a writer and researcher were already well established -- gives life and vitality to four forgotten heroines of history's most devastating conflict. "Flames in the Field" is a keeper.

Flames in the Field is an exciting book that tells the story of women agents who operated behind enemy lines during World War II. The research is impeccable, and the story is fascinating and well-written. A must read for anyone interested in World War II history, as well as for aficionados of women's history.

"Flames in the Field" is a mesmerizing, eye-opening account of a World War II secret operation, still little known, and of four of its women operatives. It is the most vivid kind of historical writing and though it tells a story whose terrible ending the reader knows from the beginning-- all four died in a concentration camp in France because of their work-- it reads like a mystery or suspense tale. This is a book you cannot put down, because of the tension the author maintains as she weaves together different strands from different people, places and politics. The complex tapestry that results illuminates not just the role of women in the Special Operations Executive (SOE), not just the kind of anti-Semitism that the French as well as the Nazis practiced, but the Machievellian triage that goes on in wartime, the inescapable treacheries, the score-keeping and the record-keeping, the pettinesses and the heroism. This is one of the few history books I know that I will want to read again.

Flames in the Field is a searing account of the heroic efforts of British and French resistance fighters during World War II. Rita Kramer manages to combine both historical detail and subtle character studies in a story that has suspenseful and surprising twists. Although the book is meticulously researched, it reads more like a spy novel that you can't put down. I recommend this book to anyone interested in reading about the unsung heroes who helped to vanquish the Nazis; the under-reported role of women in that courageous mission and the political machinations that turned heroes into pawns in a larger game plan. This book is exciting to read and an important contribution to uncovering the hidden story behind the Allied victory.

Guido and his spouse, Maria, live in the beautiful city of Florence in a small apartment over the bakery they inherited from Guido's father. Although they work extremely hard and lead frugal lives, the money they generate from the bakery is simply not enough to cover their living costs. A dwindling customer base is the main reason for this sorry state of affairs, for Guido, unlike his father, skimped on the key ingredients and made flavorless dough. Although Guido resorted to selling off their furniture, piece by piece, Maria drew the line when he sold their bed and she demanded that he find a new one.

Serendipity leads Guido to an extraordinary bed shop, where he acquires what is, unbeknownst to him, a magical bed. This bed takes Guido and Maria to a magical town far away, where a master baker gives them a special kind of yeast. When Guido and Maria bake bread with the unusual yeast, the delicious smells and tastes bring them so many new customers that their financial constraints disappear virtually overnight. Unfortunately, they learn the hard way that such a gift is not to be squandered through greed and short-sightedness.

The Flying Bed offers readers a powerful set of lessons about entrepreneurship and poverty, cleverly woven into an imaginative story with stunning images. Children and adults alike will appreciate the interesting plot, the well-developed characters, and the eye-catching scenes from Florence and the bakery. This first-rate book makes a valuable addition to any collection of children's literature with substantive content and dramatic illustrations. The Flying Bed puts fun and magic into the business of learning economics.

In Florence, Italy, Guido inherited a bakery from his father. He isn't a good baker, and he and his wife barely have enough income to survive. Gradually, Guido sells all of their furniture to make ends meet. When he sells their bed, Maria says, "' Enough is enough!' she shouted. 'I can't sleep without a bed. A bed I want and a bed I'll have!'" Guido searches all over Florence and is finally given an elaborately carved bed by a mysterious seller of beds. When he and Maria go to bed that night, they discover that they have been given a magical bed. It flies nightly out of the window -- carrying its occupants.


With a lilting story wrought with the mystery and magic of an Italian fairytale, the author presents an undeserving protagonist who fails on all counts -- except for his very wise choice of a wife. The realistic
paintings (except for a bed that flies) are exquisitely detailed and crafted. The painting of the bed flying over the tiled rooftops of Florence, with every one of the multitude of tiles shaded and distinct, is masterful. The illustrator's pictures of baked goods look good enough to eat. An amazing, perfect duet.

Nancy Willard weaves a wonderful fairy tale of modern tones emanating life's little lessons. John Thompson's magical pigmented canvas is freshly baked and alluring to the senses.
See also Your Favorite Seuss: A Baker's Dozen by the One and Only Dr. Seuss

Enjoyable story, and very nice pictures. It also prompted my son to ask questions about the greed of the baker and which led to a discussion of what people value.

Nancy Willard's THE FLYING BED features warm paintings by John Thompson, 2006 Hamilton King award winner, as it surveys the end of summer in Florence and a magic shop crammed with beds. A woman's offer to show off the best bed of all results in some surprises in this fun fantasy for grades 2-3.

This is a very good book! It's really big and long, so it's very detailed, but it has everything you'll need to know about Pairs in it.

First, I bought Fodor's France 2008 and then bought Fodor's Paris 2008 which gave me more detailed information I needed for my vacation. Stayed in Paris 8ni/9da and it was excellent.

The book was very detailed and gives you information by section. I didn't even buy a map when I got to Paris and just used to the book and it was great.

However, I think this book can be improved and I was going to put this on Fodor's website but I wanted to write it down on my reveiw first.

When you indicate names of subway stations, please write down which line it belongs to. For example, Metro Concorde (line 1) instead of just giving names of subway stations because Paris has many many subway lines. Also, indicate which exits to take when exiting subway stations.

And also, on your section maps please list all the street names. I know the space is small and you can't print all the names but that would greatly help us.

Other then these couple of things, the book is a must have when traveling in Paris.

I used this book on my first trip to Paris,and it was a valuable resource to pick how to spend our time. The maps were also very helpful in getting around the maze that is the Paris streets.

I bought both Paris and London 2008 books for my upcoming trip to Europe, and I enjoy both. The guides are easy to read, tell you how to make the most of your time at various locations, tell you how to get to where you want to go and provide a variety of eating and shopping locations for all budgets.

Fodor's Paris 2008 has everything the average vacationer would need to experience France from the inside out.
Here is a detailed index of what this book has to offer:

-Clothing size, weight, distance, liquid volume, and temperature conversions inside the front cover
-Detailed table of contents
-"About This Book" page which tells you how to read and use the information in the book
-General information about Paris such as cleanliness, diversity, and the general attitude of Parisians
-Paris Planner which includes information on what to wear, when to go, and transportation
-Detailed and easy to read maps of Paris and it's arrondissements
-Detailed lists and descriptions of Paris's top attractions
-Fun things to do in Paris with kids
-Great Itineraries
-Where to eat
-Where to stay
-A selection of gorgeous color photographs
-Word of Mouth from Fodor's online forums
-Detailed information about nightlife and the arts
-Shopping
-Free stuff to do in Paris
-Books and movies of Paris
-Vital vocabulary words
-Information and advice on traveling such as travelers insurance, booking, rental cars, guided tours, emergencies abroad, electricity, money, taxes
-A folded tear out map of Paris
-Map of Paris's Metro system on the inside of the back cover

I would recommend this book to anyone considering visiting Paris on vacation, anyone moving to Paris, or the average Joe who wants to learn more about the most romantic city in the world. It has everything you want to know about Paris.

In one sense, the events in the book, although well written, are remote from us. The so-called communist menace is destroyed, so Russia is not formost in our minds. But the process by which a society can so fall into ruin as to make Lenin viable is revealing. The fatal combination of scapegoating and failed despotism is something the reader find in today's world news as well.

What shines through undimmed from Fuller's account is the sheer incompetence and paranoia of the Imperial Russian government. The mobilisation of the Russian army for way against Germany and Austria-Hungary was massive in the numbers that turned out. But the logistics were primitive and wholly inadequate, both for the numbers of men that had to be supplied, and the distances across eastern Europe for which this was done. Plus of course the inept battlefield decisions made by the Russian generals.

As a desperate search for scapegoats for the resultant defeats, the Russian government then shot hundreds of purported spies. Based on the flimsiest of hearsay. To an American reader, who perhaps is familiar with the US military system, or who has been following the Guantanomo controversy, whatever your views on that, the book's descriptions of Imperial Russian military justice can be shocking.

Fuller's book is thoroughly documented, with extensive footnotes that suggest considerable, lengthy research was performed.

William Fuller, in his new evaluation of potential causes of the February Revolution, has opened a chapter that many people have not previously considered - that espionage and internal sabotage led to the abdication of the Tsar.

At first blush, it seems to be a far-fetched theory, but as the reader continues through the tale, it becomes more & more believable. Fuller offers the reader dossiers on both Miasoedov and Sukhomlinov, who he claims are the two people that really led to this wave of "spy mania" that was pivotal in the downfall of the Romanov Dynasty.

Suffice it to say that it is critical to know that the February Revolution started as a soldier's mutiny - without this piece of information, the book makes a little less sense, though it certainly is easily understandable. Once the reader connects the soldiers to Miasoedov, who was a gendarme and a soldier, and Sukhomlinov, who was the minister of war in WWI era Russia, the concept of internal subversion and the concern that spies were "everywhere" easily leads the reader to conclude that yes, indeed, spy mania was a contributing factor to Tsar Nicholas becoming the ex-Tsar and a political prisoner.

The book is easy to read, despite the fact that it is an academic text. The author lays out his premise well, and supports it nicely with evidence, primarily from contemporary sources such as trial transcripts, interviews with accomplices or eyewitnesses, and newspapers. I heartily recommend this book to anyone interested in the causes of the Russian Revolution - it is an interesting revision to the standard concept that the Bolsheviks came into power strictly because of economic difficulties in Russia at this time.

I really enjoyed this book, since I have always considered the period immediately preceding and following the Russian revolution very interesting. The author's theory is that the widely held belief that Russia was riddled with spies during World War I undermined the validity of the imperial government in the eyes of most Russians and eventually brought down the Russian government. The feeling among the Russian people was that only corruption at all levels of government could have caused them to be losing the war so badly since they had a strong sense of pride that made them believe that if only the war were run competently that they should prevail. A secondary cause, according to the author, was the belief among Russians that entire groups of fellow Russians - the Germans, the Jews, and the Muslims, for example - were working with the enemy powers, thus turning the people against each other as well.

The abdication of Tsar Nicholas II, made for the sake of military victory, brought down the whole structure of Russian statehood along with it. For all its immense territory, the Russian empire was a fragile artificial structure that was held together by the man-made links of the bureaucracy, police, and army - links whose unquestioned authority vanished along with the tsar. Russia's 150 million inhabitants were bound neither by strong economic interests nor by a sense of national identity due to its great ethnic diversity.

Although the author accurately pinpoints the causitive factors of the overthrow of tsarist Russia, I think that he makes the mistake of conveying the traits of modern-day well-fed literate Westerners upon the poor largely illiterate Russian peasants, only a generation removed from serfdom, who were just trying not to starve in those times. With the authority of the tsar gone, the promise of bread and an end to the war is what ultimately caused the soldiers to abandon the army and the citizens to take up arms against their government.

If you are interested in this period of time, the author certainly puts forth some interesting theories and also talks about lesser known characters, events, and attitudes leading up to the revolution. For those reasons alone it is worth reading.

When something bad happens, be it in the military, the government, or business, the first thought is to look for people to blame. In the cast of Pearl Harbor the top leaders of the Army and Navy (Short and Kimmel) were immediately fired and an investigation began into how this could have happened.

In 1915 Russia made a very poor showing in their battles with Germany. Obviously it couldn't have been the Russians fault, so they had to find fault. Lt. Col. Miasoedov was tried (in a two hour trial) and executed. The crime, of which he was not guilty, was of spying for Germany. A year later the Minister of War, General Sukhomlinov was arrested for the same crime.

These trials are used by Fuller as a starting point to examine the Russian government from 1915 until the revolution in 1917. It brings a great deal of understanding to how the Tsar government was corrupt and ready to be overthrown.

This is an excellent and entertaining book but upon re-reading after a space of several months, I am puzzled by the introduction that states "More importantly, the Empress should be remembered for having a higher fatality of passengers (840) in one calamity than either Titanic (832) or Lusitania (791)". At least one other source (Wikipedia) indicates that the Empress of Ireland claimed 1,012 lives, the Titanic 1,517 and the Lusitania 1,198. Perhaps someone else can explain whether I am missing something here. Do the words "in one calamity" have a special meaning that I am overlooking?

This book covers the subject well. The ship and the accident are covered in detail and it has some great photos as well as some blueprints.

It doesn't matter how you view history...this is one of the greatest books written on a little known disaster. I read it and was completely overwhelmed by the well-written text. The depth of the story came alive to me. I could picture myself being among those trying to survive the wreck. I would recommend this to anyone who has an interest in great liners and survivor stories.

THE LOSS OF THE EMPRESS OF IRELAND HAS ALWAYS BEEN OVERLOOKED. IT WAS NEVER THE MOST FASHIONABLE SHIP, BUT IT WAS A FASHIONABLE SHIP. IT DID NOT CARRY " THE " ELITE, BUT IT CARRIED SOME ELITE. THE HORROR OF THE SINKING CAN ONCE AGAIN BE SEEN THROUGH THE PASSENGERS EYES. AN ABSOLUTE MUST FOR SHIPWRECK LOVERS.

Mr. Zeni has somehow reached into the murky depths of the St. Lawrence River and retrieved the details of the sinking of the Empress of Ireland. Bringing out many small details that were never mentioned in earlier works, David Zeni does so with a style that keeps one reading on page after page. A truly delightful book to read, on a subject seldom written about. If you collect works on shipwrecks or great ocean liners, this is a must for your collection.