Europe Books

This book may be a little out dated here and there (thats why only 4 star) but it still serves the purpose nonetheless. I studied abroad in Germany for 6 months and this gave me an amazing insight into the culture of Germany. Put it on as your #1 on your reading list while in Germany or before going. It will help you cope very well. My other study abroad friends also found it very insightful.

It is also a nice quick well thought out book.

As an American living in Germany, I've become accustomed to asking "why?", this book has given me many of the answers. Now I understand the German social market economy, German communication styles, the importance of formality and work/non-work divisions, the importance that Germans give to "doing something right the first time", etc.

The author achieved his purpose of providing an objective and unbiased account of the cultural differences between Germans and Americans. This is a definite must read, and a real page-turner. The only critique point I have concerns a couple of paragraphs on the European Union. The majority of the German people did not want the EU, period. They were not allowed to vote on it like France, for example. Germans still would much prefer their German Mark over the Euro. In fact, there are still vast sums of German Marks still in circulation. Many Germans are keeping them as they are not convinced the EU will hold together.

I couldn't stop reading this book. It is done in an academic style much like a college text but I was still captivated over the detailed explanations of the cultural and behavioral differences. Keep an open mind when reading how others might perceive American culture. Enjoyable and informative!

The book overall is quite good. Also, as a German, I can speak to its incredible accuracy in terms of our custums/traditions and how they differ from those in America. I enjoyed chapter 4 the most and as I was reading it only for enjoyment purposes did not really benefit from the discussion of the differing business practices. However, if you are an American unfamiliar with us and will be doing business in Germany or with Germans it is a definite must read. It is well worth the price of the book.

A thief from the year 1763 finds himself in the 21st century. Just think of all the bad things he can do with the technology now available to him.

This is the second book in the series and keeping track of who is where is getting complicated! This starts out with Kate and Mr. Schock traveling back in time to rescue his son, Peter. The only problem lies in the fact that instead of ending up in 1763, they end up 29 years later! They do find Peter but he is unwilling to admit who he is. Plus, the anti-gravity machine has become damaged and is no longer a working machine. NOW how do they get home?

The Tar Man, the thief, finds himself someone willing to teach him about the technology of the 21st century and who is just as willing to do unscrupulous things. All this time travel has the NASA people concerned about the effect on our history and Kate finds that time travel HAS had an affect on her.

We meet French aristocrats, learn how technology allows the Tar Man to gain wealth and that there might be parallel worlds.

Gerald Doyle, as the reader, uses his talents to create different voices so the listener can tell who is speaking. His inflections are wonderful and you can tell English characters from French ones because of this. His ability to do this makes listening easy.

I can't wait for the third book to come out.

When Kate Dyer and Peter Schock accidentally traveled back in time to the year 1763 --- after an antigravity machine malfunctioned --- they were befriended by Gideon Seymour, a gentleman who is a former cutpurse. Gideon became their guide as they adjusted to living in the 18th century, as well as rescuer when they met the feared Tar Man and the notorious Carrick Gang. While the overall experience shocked and awed the two young time travelers, they still had hope that they would return together to their lives in the 21st century.

However, when a rescue attempt from Dr. Dyer was interrupted, Kate returned to the 21st century, leaving Peter behind. Kate feels guilty for what happened and wants to go back to save her friend immediately. For Kate's family and Dr. Andrea Pirretti, Dr. Dyer's lab partner, there are other matters to contend with. There are the growing questions of Inspector Wheeler, who is strongly suspicious of the children's disappearance, and the NASA scientists' activities. Then there's the antigravity machine-turned-time-travel device and its potential consequences. Dr. Dyer is concerned about getting Peter safely back to the 21st century, whereas Dr. Pirretti is more worried about the negative effects of time travel, particularly if it was used for sinister intentions.

Kate is determined to bring Peter back, so she seeks out the most unlikely yet important person for help --- Peter's father. When they get back to the 18th century, though, they quickly realize that they are not in 1763, but in 1792! Luckily for them, a man comes forward, introducing himself as Joshua Seymour (Gideon's half-brother who sailed to America), and offers to help. Kate is relieved to meet Joshua, but as time goes by, she begins to question who he truly is. The adventure intensifies as the trio visits old friends, makes new acquaintances, and travels to France in the midst of the French Revolution. Unfortunately for Kate, new problems arise when she begins to experience strange symptoms.

Meanwhile, the Tar Man is intent on making a name for himself in 21st-century London. He employs a teenaged girl named Anjail as his guide and is determined to get his way no matter what, sometimes with hilarious results. However, it's not all relatively harmless mischief, especially when the Tar Man hatches a scheme in order to strike it rich and perhaps change history.

Strange alliances and secrets act as catalysts, driving the characters and readers to a stunning conclusion that will leave them with more questions than answers. THE TIME THIEF is a page-turning adventure that features intrigue and action, along with moments of humor and emotional turmoil, bringing the diverse characters and the situations in which they find themselves (no matter the time period) to life.

--- Reviewed by Sarah Sawtelle

This series is INCREDIBLE! The author, characters, the plots, resolutions are intricate, detailed and fully developed. HOWEVER, BE AWARE that each book in the series has 2 published versions/titles. The first book is "Gideon the Cutpurse" (British version) and "The Time Travelers" (American version). The second book in the trilogy is "The Tar Man" (British version) and "The Time Thief" (American version). So far, the 3rd book is entitled "Lord Luxon" but I do not know if this is the British or American version, or what the other title will be. I prefer the British titles and British versions (the hardcover British "Gideon the Cutpurse" version is AWESOME and creative).

Once I stopped buying the same books but different versions, I absolutely loved this trilogy. It is well worth the money and the wait. This is SO MUCH MORE than just another time-travel story. I would even suggest it for people who don't usually go for time travel themes -- the history, power struggles and choices between good vs. bad and right vs. wrong are truly deep and relevant yet not overdone; Just for the simple plot alone, this one's a keeper -- and yes, I've read the Harry Potter series, and Linda Buckley-Archer's Gideon series is well worth the comparison. You won't regret it. For both children and adults alike.

Even better than the first book. The Tar Man is an intriguing and complex character.

The book is an excellent read. It's filled with suspense and action. The characters face some unique problems and have to make some difficult chioces.

I picked this book up from a friend's bookshelf intending to flip through the pages. I ended up taking it home with me and reading it from cover to cover. It's well written and filled with a great deal of fascinating history. Not having ever been to the cities mentioned in the book, I can't comment on the accuracy of the tourist information. But this book would be of interest to anyone who has a curiosity about the history of Jewish life in eastern Europe. If it's ever reprinted, photographs would make it even better.

I was lucky to find this book in the library and used it extensively while in Warsaw, Cracow and Prauge. The detail is incredible, the writing style excellent with a lilt of humor. This book -made- my trip so I'm buying my own copy. If you take this book to Europe with you don't bother hiring a guide or taking a tour. It has more than any individual could offer.

For anyone interested in the Jewish history of Eastern Europe, this book is compulsory. It also presents conceptual and detailed history of over a thousand years and up-to-date descriptions of what the traveller will find now. Don't leave it behind despite its heft.

Having known Eli many years ago at University, I couldn't wait to read this book to re-establish spiritual contact. What I wasn't prepared for was the depthand passion that Eli had written on the subject. This is a masterpiece that once you have picked up you will not put down until you have seen the cities and experienced the tours first hand. My only regret is that the vast majority of those reading this book may never actually visit Prague.

This book is a gem! I pick it up and settle down in my chair and am transported in time and place to Eastern Europe. I was in Prague before I read the book (it had not been published yet) and now when I read the Prague sections everything comes to life. Mr. Valley has a way with words. He supples the reader with his dense knowledge of his subject in an easy to read, matter of fact style. I would recommend this book to anyone whether or not they are planning to travel to the cities described. I am eagerly awaiting his next book.

If you're looking for the nuts and bolts of what made the WW2 German army, this is the book. A very nice overview of the entire military machine. As a historian and WW2 German reenactor I liked the coverage of military tactics from army to platoon, as well as the coverage from tanks and airplanes to individual field gear. Weapons, boots, bread bags, radios and all the field gear are covered along with lesser known machines like field kitchens and bread makers! Highly recommended.

Totally comprehensive review of everything about the Wehrmacht from their biggest guns down to their canteens. Massive review of the organizational structure of all elements from the leadership down to breakdowns of divisions, tactics, etc...The claim on the back that Marshall might have known more about the Wehrmacht than Hitler seems plausible. This is a real gem.

An absolute must have for anyone interested in the German military of World War II. A very technical guide that does not waste time with flowery documentation.

This is the ultimate guide to German forces in the Second World War. Although produced late in the war, it covers the old type of infantry division. I thought that was a nice touch. This book teaches us not only about Germans, but what their contemporary counterparts were thinking. Want to crawl around indide the heads of American Intelligence Officers from another era? This is the book.

This an outstanding book of facts and data whose main scope is the German Army. Although the name of the book refers to the whole German armed forces in reality the coverage is wide for the Army, light for the Air Force and almost non-existent for the Navy. The information it contains is extremely detailed (in particular in tables of organization and equipment of many divisions) and on the whole very accurate (although not without the ocassional flaw: a schwärme is referred as a tactical unit of 5 airplanes but in reality was a 4 airplane unit).
Although it provides information from 1939 to 1945 the information relating to the tables of organization, tactics, equipment and uniforms refers mainly to the period 1944-45.
For example, you can find the TO&E of an army and SS panzerdivision in 1944 but not in 1939 or 1940.
Also, it is important to note that due to the nature of the book it is mainly a WHAT and HOW book (provides data and factual information )but is not a WHY book. That is, you will notice that a motorized infantry battalion differs organizationaly from a regular infantry battalion but it is not explained WHY. Other books give the explanation. This is not a problem with the book, it is just its scope. Overall it is a highly recommended book for anyone interested in the details that are not covered in most WW2 books.

I bought this book many years ago. I greatly enjoyed it, as it had a veracity to its description of lower-deck life. I re-read it recently, and still enjoyed it.

I suppose I should have realized that it was fiction, as I don't think there ever was an E-class destroyer "HMS Eclectic", and no destroyer of that name sailed with HMS Hood and Prince of Wales to intercept the Bismarck (HMS Electra was in that group and picked up the 3 survivors from HMS Hood), as Jones claims. Nor was there a destroyer of that name that sailed with HMS King George V from Scapa Flow, nor did one join the action later from convoys. Some of the details of the action are also inaccurate, but not badly so for a supposed personal narrative (e.g., 6" secondary armament on KGV, when they were 5.25")

Similarly, while there were four O-class destroyers involved in the sinking of the Scharnhorst, there was no "HMS Obstinate" (Jones' ship), nor was one of that name ever commissioned.

Anthony Dalton's biography of Jones seems to paint him as a very interesting, but less-than-pleasant person. It certainly seems to have nailed any notion of Jones' books being other than substantially fiction. The history of the author does seem to add an extra level of interest to the stories. But that said, the stories are good, the feel for characters is strong, and they are very readable.

I needed information re- life on board a British ship during WWII. I found many fascinating details and much accurate information in this book. I found that some of the humor was less funny that announced, but on the whole, I found this book
very interesting. It was in great part a tale based on personal experience, and
it held my interest throughout. I'm going to read more by this author...

It is a terrific book - and I have enjoyed it for many years. However I recently discovered it is - as Anthony Dalton's new biography of Jones shows - complete fiction - in the sense that Jones was never at any of the events he described. In fact he didn't join the Royal Navy till AFTER World War II.

But that is not to diminish the writing of the tale - Jones imaginings make for a "real" perspective of life in the lower decks of the WWII Royal Navy - and I imagne that in his immediate post-was career in the navy he learned enough to set the scene accurately.

But remember - it is a work of fiction - set on a real historical timeline - but still a good read.

A welshman's soulful and realistic retelling of a matelot's live in Her Majesty's Navy during the dark days of World War II. Tristan Jones recounts his experiences with all the colour and song of a poet; a sea poet - and that he is. The lives of these men carry with you long after reading this book. Put Tristan Jones near the top of my favorite author's list.

Heart of Oak is one the finest war books and sea stories that I have read. I found it hard to put down. Although the intensity of the war and its effects on the men was depressing, I was compelled to keep reading.

Jones' gives the reader a different and personal perspective--that of the lowly, poor, and teenage sailor; looked down upon by everyone else and facing death, boredom, and discomfort constantly.

I agree with another reviewer that it is unlikely that Jones witnessed as much as he claimed, and I cannot attest to the accuracy of his descriptions of life aboard His Majesty's Navy, but there is a truthfullness and sincerity in Jones' narative that I find totally convincing.

Sometimes good history books are also a bit boring. This one covers the history, but is a fascinating read as well. I was hard pressed to put it down - and it is the best I've read on the Light Brigade.

Excellent insight of what really happen, with all the history, and social norms, and customs of the time, that allow this tragedy to happen

I found this hard to put down, that plus the background detail for the Crimean War, nineteenth century England, and the inefficiency of armies, makes for an interesting book. I had been an unknowing receiver of the Tennysonian myth created by his famous poem written shortly after the famous charge, and it is actually quite illuminating to check the mental phantom of the saga against the facts. With imperial overtones, the Crimean War begins as gunboat diplomacy. The depiction of the officer class is a snapshot of the British class system, and the defunct policy of allowing the aristocracy to purchase offer commissions. With the resulting sadsacks in charge the misteps towards the famous cavalry charge are set. The ambiguity lies in the blunder mixed with Tennysonian echoes (triggered by the reports of the famous Times journalist William Russell). The minute by minute account of the dread seven minutes of the fatal attack is almost cinematic, and fairly well wraps up the tale.

Brighton briefly sketches the events that led to the Crimean War, but never loses focus on the Light Brigade. His account of the famous Charge is very detailed, and extends for over 100 pages. He skilfully allows the original participants (through their memoirs) to describe the action, and thus his descriptions have a first-hand 'feel' to them absent in some other books on the Charge. Brighton weaves these accounts together effectively. Despite the extraordinary detail of the section on the Charge, I never lost interest -- and was filled with admiration for the cavalrymen who rode up the valley and then down it in the hellfire of the Russian guns. Brighton examines Nolan's actions in (and after) relaying Raglan's orders to Lucan, and although apportioning most of the blame on Lucan, doesn't adopt a one-eyed strategy of making scapegoats of people. Instead, his discussions appear to be well balanced.

There are useful maps at the beginning of the book (though one showing the 'Thin Red Line' and the Heavy Brigade's repulsing of the Russians, prior to the Light Brigade's famous charge, would have been useful); and Brighton includes a list of those who rode in the Charge.

A great read and history 'brought to life' by those who created it.

Terry Brighton's writing of the actual minute by minute unfolding of the charge was so well written I felt I was in the middle of it. Utterly captivating.
As for the rest of the book, he does an excellent job looking at the causes of the Crimean War, and delves into things I would never have thought about; transporting all the horses by ships for one thing.
Two chapters that could have been left out were about who blew the bulge for the charge and about Florence Nightingale's involvement after the charge. Both interesting, but they seemed to be vestigial.
I am not a big fan of military history, but this was an engrossing book.

A good book is capable of opening your eyes to a whole new reality, Ms. Durham does that here. An Italian historian once wrote that the Albanian territories were across the Adriatic Sea yet less known than darkest Africa, this is a valiant effort to remedy that. Ms. Durham ventures, illegaly, into northern "High" Albania with an intrepid curiosity and through Western eyes proceeds to open up the vast horizons of Albanian culture. Imagine a society so isolated by the Alps and suspiscion of outsiders that they still have a ready grasp on pre-Christian traditions and myth. Read this and learn of the highland clans, the "besa", the rights of blood and honour that decimated entire generations of males and oh so much more.

Ms. Durham managed to earn the love and respect of those that trusted no one and had been maltreated by all. She lobbied tirelessly, if vainly, for her adopted people for her entire life and in the end was embraced as the "Queen of the Mountain People." This truly is an exceptional book. Read it.

Edith Durham was a remarkable British woman which after an illness that caused her depression. Her doctor recommended that she changes the place where she lives and she did. She sailed to Balkans and it was then when her lifelong involvement with the people of Balkans began.

"As I knew there was no case on record of a stranger being "held"
in North Albania, and moreover, The Albanian is an old friend of mine" - she writes and there she was in Albania even though they were under occupation by Turks at the time.

Even though it is more like a armchair travel book, Edith gave us a lot of historical facts about Albanians. She writes a lot about Illyrians and Skenderbeg. She talks about times when Slavs with an enormous number came to Balkans for the first time.
But what makes this book so pleasant is when she writes about her time spent with various Albanian tribes. There are so many "tales" such as those with Witches. There is a "tale" about an Albanian woman who killed her husband who sold her brother's life to the turks for a bag of gold.
There is a lot of everything and this book is just wonderful by all means. Even though I am an Albanian there were lots of things I learned that I didn't know before.

So if you really need to learn more about Albanians, their traditions and their history - one must chose Edith Durham's book
"High Albania"

Highly Recommended

This is a fascinating first-hand exploration of one of the least travelled lands in the Balkan regions. Ironically, it was actually more accessible to travellers in 1909 than for most of the 20th century. Full of amazing tidbits: Albanians counted kinship through their male line to the remote past, but the sister of one's mother was "some sort of relation." Ms. Durham (who must have had the soul of David Livingstone) stayed with Albanians who refused to believe that nights in summer were shorter than in winter. Albanian men were constantly "in blood" with other tribes because they had killed to "cleanse their honor" to a degree that the Hatfield/McCoy feud seems like a happy band of brothers in comparison. Top-notch first-hand vintage travel: Recommended.

Edith Durham is the undisputed "Queen of the Northern Albanian Alps". She takes you along her tour in Victorian/British-English fashion through the Northern Albanian Alps just after the turn of the century and you feel as if you were just whisked away to ford the streams and climb the mountains with her.

Remarkable as it was to have traversed this landscape in 1909, it was nothing short of a miracle for a woman to have done it. She gained the respect of those she met, showing respect for the great traditional law of the Gheg Albanians--the Kanun of Leke Dukagjini. She was offered "bread and salt" at every table and never doubted the Albanian people's ability to show mikpritje (hospitality) towards an outsider as herself.

Furthermore, I loved the stories she relates about her visits to the specific tribes. She peppers them occasionally with Albanian parables that she was told along the way. For me, this book was amazing and I wholeheartedly recommend it.

The totally engaging travel diary of a woman who explored High Albania in the years before the constitution. It is illustrated, though sparsely, with her own charming sketches.

The book explains the complex tribal system of social relationship where strict rules on intermarriage inevitably spark off tribal blood feuds. It is another view of this worlds love affair with the gun. You will be intrigued by the tradition of the "Albanian virgin".

I came to understand better, through reading this book,the civilizing power of government. The author also deals with the development of the concept of individuation and personal responsibility. This is often accompanied by the original folk stories that Ms Durham recorded.

Edith Durham became for a time unofficial "Queen" in recognition of her contributions to social welfare. The daughter of an English surgeon, she never married, but fell in love on a holiday trip and gave her life to a people. I would like to read more by, or about this woman.

This book provides a thematic discussion of the Renaissance at War, with many excellent illustrations and maps of battles--some famous, some more obscure, and all dealt with in a factual and often humorous manner. I have not read any of the other books of this series, but this volume--easy to read and an excellent reference as well. The excellent discussions in this volume about the spread of gunpowder and the subtle challenge it posed to chivalric nobility, as well as the way in which kings and nobles straddled between the old and new ways of war are discussed well here. In addition, this book contains the finest description of the French Wars of Religion, the complicated battles in Italy between the French, Swiss, Germans, Spanish, and Turks I have seen, as well as a well-done examination of the Dutch Revolt. In short, if you like military history at all, and you are curious about the wars of the Renaissance, you will find much of value in this book.

This slim but lavishly illustrated volume offers a very perceptive analysis of the late-fifteenth and early-sixteenth century re-examination of military matters that occured in Europe and the eastern Mediterranean. It discusses the technological and tactical advances, in a more concise manner than similar works like David Eltis's, but it also integrates them into the renaissance of military philosophy, and indeed of all facets of society, that was occuring at the time. That analysis, combined with illuminating sidebars, several key case studies, and gorgeous artwork make this perhaps the top general reference for Renaissance military history.

First off, I knew nothing about war during the European Renaissance before reading this book, so I went in with pretty low expectations. I was pleasantly surprised- this book is fascinating. Thomas Arnold writes in a very clear style, that is easy to follow. His research is detailed, but he does not bog the reader down with too many minute details.

Also, this book is full of excellent graphics. It has many period prints, maps, tapestry images, and some well done battlefield graphics. I thought this illustrations really helped emphasize many of the author's key points.

This is the first book in the series that I have read, so now I have rather high expectations for the other volumes I purchased with this one. I highly recommend this book to any military history student, or anyone interested in learning more about how warfare changed in Europe during the Renaissance.

Indeed a very nice book, with a lot of interesting information. The writer avoids the complicated style most historians dealing with the Renaissance prefer, and writes clearly, with regard of and respect to the ones who never have dealt with the complexities of the history of warfare, especially in a period such as this, when the wide use of gunpowder marked a turning point in the style of warfare and the perception of military tactics. Arnold covers every basic aspect of the Renaissance warfare, the decline of the Knight (in that old, medieval sense), the change in styles of fortifications, the change of the role of the general, the use of the artillery, etc, and does so while giving in the same time an accurate account of the main historical events (of military nature, obviously). Thus, the reader has an accurate, viewed from all sides, perspective of the matter. If there were more stars to give, I would definitely give them (!) although one must remember that this is an introductory study, and for particular details and a more in depth analysis there are other books to consider. In all this book is...a great place to start.

Thomas Arnold is a great writer, and having John Keegan as the editor of could only have helped the text. It is very easy to read and still extremely interesting, covering first the technical evolution of warfare from the 15th to the 17th centuries and then covering the major conflicts of the era.

Added to the strong writing and editing are many computer generated maps of individual battles and some great illustrations, many taken from period tapestries and paintings.

This book is probably the most clear, well-written book available on the subject, while still encompassing many lesser known facets of the Renaissance and even injecting some humor in a couple of passages.

Don't judge it by its textbook appearance and odd dimensions...it is anything but textbook-like and will undoubtedly lead you to buy more of the books in the series.

The Bulletins of the Napoleon's Grande Armee was in essence, nothing more then newsletters written for French army personals and their opponents. The author did the Napoleonic community a great service by making this book available in English, the complete set of Napoleon's Bulletins. The book also included other pages of history as Napoleons' decrees, treaties that was signed and even military reports.

The Bulletins shows exactly what it supposed to be, a newsletter written for military consumption, and it was geared not only for the French army but also for their enemies. Thus, you will have not only the truth in those bulletins but also misinformation. It does boggled the mind to realized such effort was made to both informed and misinformed both sides of the battle line. As one previous reviewer wrote, a propaganda sheet. But it seems to work. If I was a French soldier reading these bulletins, it would be informative and if I was a their enemy, I would be misinformed. The bulletins also serves to give recognition to troops for their services or valor, both as an unit or as indivduals. These bulletins and its accompanying documents gives a clear inside view of how war looks to the men fighting it.

However, unlike the other reviewers, I would say this much. I don't think this book is for everyone. Readers with limited background in Napoleonic military history will undoubtfully be totally confused or be misinformed themselves. Most of the bulletins were written with the understanding that people reading them knows who "Duke of Auerstadt" and what corps he commanded. It was written for people who already know what went on previously. I don't believed this is a book for beginners into this subject but someone who already have a good understanding of the Napoleonic wars and its terrains, leaders and troop types.

A valuable book, a "must have" in any Napoleonic library and almost a mandatory reading material for any experienced Napoleonic reader.

Thanks to David Markham, Executive Vice-President of the International Napoleonic Society, we now possess the great treasure from the Napoleonic times - the Bulletins of the Grande Armée, 1805-1815. This is the first time that all of them have been translated into English, assembled in chronological order and put together in one source, and thus presents an important source of information of the epoch. Now, when one is about to read any book on Napoleon's campaigns, Imperial Glory will present an indespensable source of understanding the epoch, including operations and movement of the troops. By all means it should serve as desktop reference book for any serious scholar and student!
True, Napoleon's bulletins were written and published for propaganda purposes, although admitting certain facts, loses and misfortunes. For example, during the First Polish Campaign, 1806-1807, in the first day of battle at Eylau, 7 February 1807, the 2nd bataillon of the 18th Line Regiment lost its Eagle and color to the St.-Petersburg's Dragoons; this loss was admited in the Bulletin!
Generally, this book could serve as a good starting point for anyone who is interested in Napoleonic history. Comparing what's written in this or that document with an actual event of the campaign, one could find very interesting facts which might move to conduct another, more thorough research on this or that event. It is also very useful for re-enactors (the author of this review is one) because it presents important information on all aspects of various troop movements, operations and achievements; it will help them to understand epoch they recreate in more colorful aspects and on various levels.
Overall, we need more books like this! Highly recommended!

Greenhill books and David Markham have hit a home run with this magnificent collection of the Bulletins of Napoleon's Grande Armee. This is the first time they have been collected together and published in English. This book is a wonderful reference work, and if definitely fills in a very large blank in the history of the period.

There are some who would doubt the usefulness of the Bulletins as historical reference. It is true that they were used as propaganda, but it is also true that they were full of accurate information as well as some misinformation, deliberately put in them by the Emperor. There are two things that must be remembered when talking of Napoleon's Bulletins. First, they were never intended as history; second, Napoleon was the first European ruler to speak directly to his people, and the Bulletins was one of the ways in which he did it.

An interesting facet of this volume is that it contains more than just the published Bulletins. There is other relevant correspondence of the period, one of the most interesting is the death warrant issued against Austrian General Chasteler by Napoleon for his conduct regarding French and Bavarian prisoners during the Tyrol uprising in 1809. Apparently, he allowed prisoners taken by troops under his command to be murdered, and did nothing about it. There was a price on his head, but unfortunately he got away. This is but one of the valuable gems that you will find in the pages of this most excellent of volumes.

This book is highly recommended and it should be on the bookshelf of every enthusiast of the period. Much useful information and knowledge can be gleaned from these pages, and the author has definitely made his mark with this volume.

J. David Markham has compiled the first English language translation of all of the bulletins of the Grande Armée from 1805 to 1814. In addition, he has included reports from marshals and the major general of the army, Marshal Alexander Berthier. Markham has written an excellent introduction that he calls "A modern view of Napoleon's bulletins" in which he points out the strengths and weaknesses in the use of these documents. The book also contains the bulletins of Marshal Masséna's Army of Italy in 1805; a selected guide to men and their titles; a partial list of other important individuals mentioned in the bulletins; and a very good index, all of which make it very user-friendly for scholars doing research on Napoleon, his generals, and/or the Napoleonic wars.

These bulletins also provide a real insight into Napoleonic propaganda. They were written for publication in the Monitor, the official government newspaper, to bolster moral and support on the home front and to raise the moral of the troops on campaigns. Thus, when he deemed it wise or necessary, the Emperor was given to exaggerate his successes and accomplishments and those of his armies while playing down his reversals and setbacks.

Nevertheless, the bulletins provide a wealth of information on Napoleon, his armies, and men who fought those wars. Markham has provided a major contribution to Napoleonic studies by making the bulletins available in the English language in one concise volume. It will be a welcomed addition to individual libraries and a must for colleges and universities where French history is taught.

John G. Gallaher
Professor Emeritus of History
Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville
Author, The Iron Marshal: A Biography of Louis N. Davout; Napoleon's Irish Legion; General Alexandre Dumas: Soldier of the French Revolution.

Occasionally a new book is released that is so important to the study of the Napoleonic era that it immediately falls into the "must have" category for both Napoleonic scholars and enthusiasts. Imperial Glory is such a book. David Markham has assembled for the first time, all of the bulletins written by Napoleon between 1805 and 1812. Many of them have never been translated into English before, while others were only available to the serious scholar. Additionally, Mr. Markham also checked the translations of those bulletins that had been translated in the 19th Century and found many errors in them.

Napoleon used his bulletins for a variety of reasons: to inform the public and his soldiers of the progress of his campaigns, to praise his soldiers and their officers for the actions, and to ensure his enemies heard of his triumphs. They were published in the government's official newspaper, Le Moniteur, and often hung on doors and posted in public squares throughout the Empire. The veracity of the bulletins has always been open to question, with one of the most frequently used expressions from the Napoleonic era being, "To lie like a bulletin."

Although many of these bulletins were published for propaganda purposes, Mr. Markham does point out most are "reasonably accurate." Furthermore, he writes "[Napoleon's] losses were sometimes described as 'considerable', and he would list specific officers that were lost, along with the numbers of men killed, wounded or taken prisoners."

In addition to all 183 bulletins written from 1805 and 1812, Imperial Glory contains 170 other documents, many of which have never been published in English before. Broken down by year, the book includes:

1805

37 Bulletins of the Grande Armée (complete)
9 Bulletins of Masséna's Army of Italy (complete)
9 Proclamations
3 Decrees
2 Orders of the Day
3 Letters
1 Armistice
1 Treaty of Peace

1806-1807

87 Bulletins (complete)
4 Proclamations
1 Letter
1 Armistice between France and Prussia
1 Armistice between France and Russia
1 Treaty between France and Prussia
1 Treaty between France and Russia

1809

30 Bulletins (complete)
4 Proclamations
2 Proclamations of the King of Saxony
2 Orders of the Day
2 Reports by the Viceroy (Eugène)
3 Letters
1 Treaty between France and Austria

1812

29 Bulletins (Complete)
1 Final dispatch from Paris
1 Order of the Day
1 Letter
21 Field Reports, including:
5 Reports from Marshal Ney
4 Reports from Marshal Murat
2 Reports from Marshal Davout
2 Reports from Eugène
2 Reports from Marshal St Cyr
1 Report of Marshal Macdonald
1 Report from Marshal Oudinot
1 Report from Prince Poniatowski
1 Report from Prince Schwarzenberg
1 Report of Russian General Wittgenstein to Tsar Alexander
1 Report from General Wrede

1813

51 Reports from Le Moniteur, which often include reports from multiple days
2 Proclamations
2 Reports from Marshal Berthier
1 Report from General Vandamme
1 Report from Marshal Ney
1 Report from General Milhaud
6 Letters
1 Armistice

1814

23 Reports from Le Moniteur, including two "bulletins" at the end of the campaign
2 Proclamations
1 Decree
1 Order of the Day
2 Speeches
1 Act of Abdication

The collection of material is by campaign, with a separate chapter covering the different campaigns fought in that year or years. Within each chapter, the material is also arranged chronologically. This is an ideal arrangement, for not only does it permit the reader to follow the campaigns as seen through the official press releases, but it also provides great insight into how Napoleon managed his propaganda campaign.

The supplementary material is fascinating. I found particularly interesting the after-action reports on various battles written by the unit commander to the Imperial Headquarters. These reports were not written for public consumption and often were the first communication between a subordinate commander and the army headquarters. These reports contain information that would not necessarily be placed in the bulletins. Mr. Markham also included all the bulletins written by Marshal Masséna in 1805. He was in command of the Army of Italy and operating as an independent commander. Masséna's bulletins are in chronological order and interspersed with Napoleon's. Reading them together will give the reader a good feel for the two individuals' writing styles.

Mr. Markham and Greenhill Books are to be commended for making available to the public, material that has long been inaccessible to all but those with extensive libraries. Imperial Glory is an impressive collection of documents that every Napoleonic library should own. Do not delay buying Imperial Glory. It will be snatched up quickly and soon will be out of print.

Drumlish author strikes a chord with his memories of a Longford childhood
By Fergal Quinn - Reporter for the Longford Leader, Ireland.
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A life becomes a great deal less ordinary when it is written down. Happily for the readers and fans of the new book by Arnold J Meagher he is well equipped to do just that.
Sound effects and extravagant hand movements accompany the words as he outlines some of the vivid memories contained in 'Ireland, my Ireland', his debut book of memoirs which skilfully weaves a colourful tapestry of Longford in times past.
The long since emigrated Drumlish native, was back home to do readings of 'Ireland, my Ireland' around the county last week. The book is about growing up in County Longford in the 40s and 50s and has been winning a growing band of admirers and fans.
"Readers make it worth while and it's very gratifying to get such positive feedback", he told the Longford Leader at the home of his cousin Sean Donnelly in Longford Town, where he is staying with his wife Jackie for the duration of his stay.
"It does seem to have brought back memories for people. One woman, who went to the same school as me and also emigrated said 'finishing the book was like leaving home again'".
His wife Jackie, with whom he now lives in Eufaula, Alabama was the principal driving force behind "Ireland, my Ireland, memories from the heartland" being written, says Arnold.
"It was a way of life that didn't exist anymore and he remembered it", Jackie explains, "I wanted our son to have a feeling for the life his father had in Ireland".
"Ireland my Ireland" took five years to finish, and after having been turned down by over 60 publishers, was finally published in 2003.
"The ones who turned me away would say `There's no controversy. There's no scandal. It won't sell'," says Arnold.
"Then Publish America, got back to me with similar concerns, and asked me to write and tell them why my book is different.
"I told them the Irish memoirs I had read were all about dysfunctional families. All about city life. My book is about life in the country, in the heartland."
He felt the time was right to tell a different Irish story.
"There was a scatter of books after 'Angela's Ashes' did so well. Frank McCourt's a great writer and I'd never put him down but I wanted to tell another side of Irish family life that wasn't so dysfunctional. I think Irish people abroad are ready to hear a story they can be proud of, that they can feel good about."
Drumlish is in many ways, 'everytown', says Arnold, now 71 years old, and people who had grown up in rural Alabama got in touch and said they related to it.
Arnold's favourite moments , and the ones which kept the children to whom he was reading to last week enraptured is the account of the football match, the banshee and making hay.
"Tea in the meadow was better than anything from Harrods in London! You'd be picking out the grass hoppers, but the older men, who were not so patient, would simply blow them to one side and gulp it down," he says.
Ireland, my Ireland', reads deceptively simply off the page. But to achieve such a flow was no accident. For Arnold, the writing process was slow and rather painstaking, involving lots of rewriting, sessions of recalling memories and jotting them down, before trying to connect them all together. Ann Donnelly, Sean's wife, was also a help in getting the details Arnold wanted.
"Reading it aloud is an essential part of the distilling process.
To Jackie, or even to myself. You never knew how a sentence was until you heard it aloud," he explains.
"The Banshee concept was hard. I wondered how I'd get across the idea on the page. Feeling dictates how the words flow. "
It's many years since 1957 when Arnold left Longford for America, after having been ordained as a priest. He was stationed in Sacramento for 15 years.
The story of his leaving the priesthood is one which he is admirably frank about. Arnold had his doubts about the issue of celibacy, even having written a celebrated article, anonymously, in the National Catholic Reporter.
"My attitude was that celibacy is a gift that not all priests have, so it should not be expected of every priest," he says.
"I did not doubt my vocation so much but I looked around me and more and more came to realize that I did not want to grow old alone."
When he met Jackie he knew that the celibate life was not for him.
"I met Jackie and fell in love with her and got the reluctant permission from the church to leave the priesthood." Arnold has no regrets on the route his life took. "They were fifteen great years. I was a good priest, in good standing until I left of course. "
The Longford man came late to writing creatively but he's certainly used to writing on other levels. He is exceptionally well educated having done a PHD on 'Chinese Emigration to Latin America', a formidable work which is recognised as one of the best on the subject.
On leaving the priesthood, he set up a company 'Best Writing' which write and phrase things for companies for everything from brochures to proposals for Government Contracts. Words have been his trade for a long time.
Arnold has been a fairly regular visitor to these shores since going abroad especially when his parents Arnold and May, the former a policeman, and the latter a school teacher were alive.
His mother May taught at Gaigue school for 41 years while his father joined the Gardai when they were first being formed at the age of 18.
Arnold and his eight siblings committed after their parents died to having a reunion every four or five years rotating between Ireland, England, where three of them were and the US where another three were.
The ability to write was always latent in him, but Arnold admits that he couldn't have written the same book as he did, had he remained living here. "Distance lends enchantment to the view. The distance in time and geography coloured my writing to an extent", he explains.
"And his appreciation too," Jackie adds.
Of course it's not all fun and light. There are fears and unpleasantness, the dentist, the sometimes cruel school master, the fear of the dead and the little people. But it's all written in an engaging, light style that the reader can almost hum along to.
"The little people I believed in unquestionably as a child, as I did God I suppose. My guardian angels were not as real to me as ghosts were," he recalls.
"The children in the school where I was reading asked me about the Banshee. 'Was it real?' I said it was real in my mind, not on the outside. They understood the concept very well."
He's happy and comfortable with immense change that this little island has undergone in the years since he was a boy.
"Each time I come back I see more progress, more flowers, more nice houses. It's uplifting for me to see this happen and I'd love to have shared in that success," he says.
The book is selling steadily, mostly through word of mouth, and with Arnold essentially publishing it himself. He has been one of the best sellers in the Longford Bookshop over the last year. It's a good start, he says. "People who read it seem to like it. That's the main thing."
Will a young fellow growing up in Longford today, have as distinctive and individual a story to tell if he sits down in 60 years I ask him.
"Absolutely!" he says with conviction.
"Since I wrote the book, I have come to the conclusion that there's one book in everybody's life. A life story is unique, like a fingerprint, and no-one else can write it. It's the detail that makes it come alive and blossom."

Arnold Meagher's memoir awakened for this Longford native golden memories of her youth. A must read!

Arnold Meagher has written a charming look back at his years growing up in the middle of the Twentieth Century before the Celtic Tiger reshaped his homeland. Arnold's Ireland is a country of small villages, rural landscapes, and a priest ridden school system. As a child, Meagher found happiness in the small features of nature and society. On his grandmother's farm where he helped his uncle with farm chores, he was an inveterate birdwatcher, made pets of many farm animals, loved the smell of hay, celebrated feast days with the neighbors, and surreptitiously eavesdropped on the same neighbors who many nights appeared at his grandmothers to sit before her peat fire and tell tales of the little people.

Meagher's reminiscences relate a timeless cycle of century-old rituals and work in the Emerald Isle. While the official account of Ireland's history is poignant and sad, Meagher's corner of Ireland was full of light, playfulness, and a tightly-knit large family. A pleasure to read!

Wholly engaging and healing for even the hardest of heart. Arnold J. Meagher has provided this hard-hearted German emigrant refugee a glimpse into the heart of youth growing up anywhere in this world, a wee bit of an "Everyman's" experience. Well done, Mr. Meagher. Your pages are a balm for all souls everywhere who have the courage and wisdom to revisit their childhood experience in search of the whole person in a broken world. Your healing insights and reflective prayer has healed us all who read your book, Ireland, MY Ireland. I shall revisit your pages often. I hope you are not done sharing your beautiful soul in writing. I would love to hear the story of an Irish immigrant and Irish-American. Welcome to the hall of Literary Gems.

Dear Arnold:
I just finished reading your book and for the first time in my life, I am writing to the author of a book I had read. It took me back so deeply that I was again living those years and I hated reaching the end because I had to leave home again.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book and the fact that you had the facts exactly as I remembered them and you used the real names of people that I knew, even though some of them were just on the edge of my recollections, made it so much more interesting.