Netherlands Books

These are "THE" books to read by anyone who truly wants to know Vincent. He writes about his life and the people in it in great detail, and writes about his thoughts and desires on almost every imaginable subject. These books are a treasure to own.

The value of Van Gogh's letters is not disputed. More the pity that the publisher of THIS edition chose to put these three volumes together the same as a mass market paperback, pages just glued in. There are no longer any color illustrations. All the many drawings are reproduced in poor quality, worse than a Xerox machine. Buy a used 1st edition instead.

I first read this set back in the late 1980s while in college, and I've long wanted to own a set for myself. With the recent discovery of a possible actual portrait photograph of him, I happily purchased a set to refresh my knowledge of van Gogh, who has long been my favorite artist. This collection is unique in the art world, starting when he was about 17 -- well before he started on his career as a painter -- and continues on until his death. It offers an infinitely fascinating peek into his motivations and his thought process.

It is also infinitely heartbreaking to read, since, as all personal letters, van Gogh never conceived of having such fame that all his personal thoughts to his beloved brother would be seen and read by people all over the world. Reading such things as Vincent asking Theo for some money so he can buy some new underwear, because his current set is falling apart, makes me feel like an eavesdropper -- how hard it must have been for him to write it, and how embarassed he would feel to know others can read it so easily. Such inimate things happen over and over again in this collection.

If you are fascinated by the creative process, by van Gogh, or are a student of art history, this collection is for you. It is a testament to Theo's belief in his brother that he saved all these letters, and that he helped fund his brother's passion for painting for ten years. This collection is beautiful, and well worth the price.

Other Amazon reviewers have related to the three volume complete letters, with introduction and memoir. I will relate only to the letters of Van Gogh themselves , and that portion of them which I have read. They are surely one of the great documents for anyone interested in the connection between literary and artistic creation. They certainly too are a moving and frightening document of the inner life of a tremendously tormented soul and great artist. There is aside from this focus on Vincent the feeling given in the correspondance of what a considerate, helpful, wonderful brother he had . Just to listen to the rantings of a madman genius which often tend to repeat themselves and which however brilliant must often upset and throw one off one's equilibrium, is a great act of kindness. The friendship of the brothers is a great theme of this work. As for Van Gogh how tormented his soul how rich his creation.Those wavy lines those deeply clear eyes seem to express a kind of horror and fear no other artist can match.

This beautiful set of Van Gogh's letters starts with an introduction by his nephew (Theo's son) and a biography of Vincent Van Gogh by his sister-in-law , Theo's widow. It is a special set of books. The boxed set is very beautiful and I have it on display in my living room. I was fortunate enough to have seen the Van Gogh exhibit in Amsterdam ..., (and to have seen the Van Gogh exhibit when it came to the U.S. over 30 years ago. ...). I feel the artist's extraordinary family did so much to bring his art and writing to us, including this lovely book set. I thought the ... price was most reasonable considering what I got, and it made my trip to Holland even more special!

The guide bood for amsterdam was a very effective book for my recent trip to holland.
i enjoyed the photographs and the offers for tours.
all in all - i highly recommend this book for tourists from all over the world.
one comment - not enough maps - this was a problem for me!

We are now using the Eyewitness Travel Guides exclusively. We no longer need info about hotels, restaurants, etc., as we log on to Fodor's Travel to get the latest inside info from the Talk site. What we are looking for in a travel guide is inspiration, history and a sense of the country/city we will be visiting--we get all of that from Eyewitness Travel. We are now finishing the plans for our spring trip to Europe. The Amsterdam guide provides just what we need--lovely pictures to inspire us; practical info for visiting the city; history of the city to bring it to life. All this makes this guide just perfect for us.

Although Eyewitness Travel Guides may offer more visual guidance than other guide books, they are still quite terrible. Maps are difficult to read and information is inconsistent.

Eyewitness produces terrific City Guides. We used them in London and Paris last year and will 'test drive' the Amsterdam Guide next week.
They are very comprehensive and user friendly at the same time.

This book offers worthwhile information to a range of different readers. The first pages, "Four great days," offer itineraries for art lovers, shopping fans, history buffs, or families with kids to please. I don't think anyone will stop there, but I imagine many readers starting with those day-trips and filling in the edges.

The rest of the book presents the city in lush photography, legible maps, and clearly organized descriptions. The part of the book (about two thirds) divides Amsterdam into seven geographical districts. For each, the reader gets a bit of history and general layout, followed by detailed descriptions of many attractions. The remainder of the book talks about out-of-town points of interest and general information about food, culture, and other helpful travel information.

I'm going to Amsterdam soon on business, and have just a little time to enjoy this amazing city. This guide has been very helpful in planning those scraps of free time. Maybe this book won't meet every traveler's needs, but it meets mine.

-- wiredweird

Perfect for Belgium. Brussels, Bruge, Antwerp are all well done. The quality of the DK series makes them the pick of the class, but heavy. It's the only guilde that emmanates a feel for the area's architecture. I used the hotel section comparatively with other guides. It finished slightly ahead. What is unusual is a non-tourist perspective is part of the review mix. I am an intelligent successful high tech businessman and not particularly interested in clowns staying away from people that are. To me travel is not an entertainment video. It is a mix of pleasure, leisure, and learning while keeping in reasonable cost effective contact with the world that enabled me to make the trip. This is the one area that could use improvement. "Internet access" is a meaningless description. What's the cost, how fast, what mode, where, and how often is it available? For decades the hotel telephone has been the ultimate rip off tool. Now it's morphed into the cell phone realm. Despite what you have read international calling is still very expensive. When Best Western doesn't charge for the identical serice that Hyatt, Hilton,
Marriott, etc. do is it very clear whose happiness is primary despite what the brochure says. A lot more help on this would be most appreciated. Kudos to DK for giving local food a serious look. The inclusion of small, medium and high end places is a refreshing and useful change. For some reason no mention is made of the "ladies of the evening" displaying their virtues through sidewalk level bay windows along the street parallel to the Brussels airport-to-central station route about five minutes before it ends. After a long flight it provides a little spice that was missing in the airline food.

DK guides are by far the best for any trip -- their black-by-block walking guides just can't be beat.

I have had great experiences with the DK Guides. I use it extensively in my trip planning and this is the guide I take on the trip.

This guide provides execllent information about local sites throughout Beligium. It gives very clear guidance concerning what you can find and access information. It also helps you to locate the sites with indexed maps and diagrams.

I have found that this and the other DK Guides are bit weak in providing guidance about what to see. That is, it offers little qualitative information--everything sounds equally wonderful. And we all know this is not necessarily the case.

So I always find another guide that has more opinions and recomended tours to determine what to see. I espiecially look for guided the provide suggested walking tours. This has worked out well for the most part. I use other guides to plan the trip and the DK Guide in the country.

It has very usable maps although sometimes too limited in scope and you may require a local map to get around beyond the central city. Also, because the book is a bit heavy and too large to fit in a jacket pocket after the first day or so I leave it in the hotel and rely on the local map when walking about.

The one topic I find most reliable is DK's restaurant recommendations. The two places I tried in Brussels were fantastic and offered everything that the guide described. I have had equal success with DK's restaurant recommendations in other cities/countries.

I think this is an indispensible travel guide as long as you know what you are using it for--planning or background info, etc.

We recently took a trip to Belgium, where we intended to visit Brugge, Antwerp, and Brussels, although in the end, we dropped Antwerp in favor of spending more time in Brugge. I bought a copy of this book on the advice that it had a lot of coverage beyond Brussels.

Like most EyeWitness guides, the photos, sketched 3D area maps, etc. were all brilliant for identifying points of interest and notable details. The suggested walking tours also proved to be a great resource, since these cities are best visited simply by wandering the streets rather than heading straight for key destinations.

My only qualm with the book is that (as the title suggests) it is heavy on Brussels. This was a little disappointing, having heard that it included adequate coverage of the other cities in its subtitle. Nearly 75% of the book is dedicated to the capital with the other cities receiving only around a half dozen pages each. If you're planning to spend a lot of time in Brugge, Antwerp, or Ghent, I'd recommend finding a book with more focused coverage. If you plan to spend a lot of time in Brussels, with daytrips to one or more of the other cities, this book would probably be great.

This was an indispensable tool my navigation of Belgium. I also purchased the Top 10, published by DK just so I would not miss anything. I liked the large maps and the clear directions to the venues. The pictures were GREAT. This book greatly enhanced my journey.

This is a frustrating book to review. It is one of the worst-edited books I have read in a long time, yet it contains a wealth of intersting information. It is comprehensive and well-enough explained to interest a lay reader, but it is difficult to read beyond what is necessary given the dryness of the subject matter. First, the good: Israel presents almost a year-by-year discussion of Dutch politics, economics, and demographics. His presentation is highly detailed, generally offering his arguments first, then backing them up with substantial data. Israel has pulled together statistics of population growth, economic activity, and political positions in a wealth of tables. Finally, he defines his terms clearly, then uses them consistently. Now, the bad: This is one of the worst-edited books I can imagine. Israel's excessive use of commas in the most inappropriate places makes reading this work a chore. His meaning is obscured by the incorrect use of punctuation. In short, his editor should [have done a better editing job]. Second, the editing goes downhill toward the end of the book. Whereas the first 2/3 of the text clearly presents the major political events, then follows them with the appropriate economic, social, and demographic consequences, the latter part of the book reverses this presentation. This leaves the reader to infer major political events (like the French invasion of 1792-1794) from the discussion of demographics, economics, or social trends. A consequence of this decline in editing is that the explanation of why the Dutch republic declined is not presented clearly. If the reader pays close attention and has a good grounding in economics, he can understand what must have been going on behind the scenes. But the big story of the sudden decline of one of the major maritime powers in the world is not clearly told. Finally, Israel often uses text where a table would be more appropriate. He will take three pages to go through the voting record of each city in each province, rather than summarize the data in a table. The 1100 pages of the book could easily be reduced by several hundred without impacting the support of Israel's arguments and make the book much more readable in the process.

I am afraid I have to disagree with my fellow readers. Israel's account of the rise and fall of the Dutch Republic is exhaustive and certainly impressive, but it is a difficult read. This book is for only those with a burning interest in the subject and a willingness to tolerate dry, academic prose.

I learned a lot, which was my goal, but not without some, in my judgment, unnecessary frustration. Too often, Israel assumes that the reader has a much deeper knowledge of the subject matter than I believe is warranted. He frequently makes use of terms and refers to historical characters that are not explained until much later in the text. The organization of the chapters within each section does not help. It would have been better, I think, to begin each section with an overview of political events and follow with broader commentary on Dutch society and religious development, for example. This way the reader could put the latter into the context of the former. Israel does this in his section, "The Early Golden Age", but not with "The Later Golden Age." The narrative flow suffers as a result. Someone more expert in Dutch history would not find this a problem, but if this is to be the definitive and most accessible account of the rise and fall of the Dutch Republic, as the professional critic suggests, then it is a serious flaw.

I have a bias towards maps. I think history books should include a lot of them. They help readers place events. This book could use more, but the real problem here is that the maps Oxford's editors did produce for Israel are of poor quality.

In short, this is a book for the serious student of Dutch history and not for those looking for a good, accessible introduction to the subject. Turn to Israel after reading a book that provides such an introduction.

Professor Israel's book is the first volume in what is clearly intended to be a new series of definitive texts, Oxford University Press's History of Early Modern Europe. The book is certainly superbly produced (albeit a bit short of maps), and is packed with information on a fascinating subject. No doubt the Dutch achievement in the seventeenth century was amazing - after rebelling from Spain the Dutch turned themselves into a world power,became the freest and most advanced society in Europe (although Dutch freedom had its limits, as Professor Israel makes clear) and produced a galaxy of stunning artists - Rembrandt, Vermeer, Hals etc. All this based on nothing but hard work and daring, and founded on a country that Dutchmen made themselves - "God made the world, but the Dutch made Holland", as they say. So a great subject, a magnificent looking book, and a first rate scholar who really knows his stuff and who has published a number of excellent books. And yet, it doesn't quite get there...I don't agree with those who say that this book is in the same league as Simon Schama's. I am a historian, but found the book very hard going. I think one problem was the author's obsessive focus on the internal rivalries of the Dutch provinces and towns. By the time the states of Friesland and the States of Zeeland and the States of Holland and the States-General had all fallen out with themselves yet again for the umpteenth time my eyes were starting to glaze over...I'm sure it's very important to understanding Dutch history but I felt the material on internal rivalries and jealousies needed to be shortened and the issues clarified for the non-specialist. As well as being overburdened with material on internal politics other aspects of the Dutch achievement were covered very sketchily. I was surprised for such a large book to have so little on the Dutch seaborne empire - Israel is mainly interested in the VOC as a factor in Dutch internal politics. There is one chapter on the overseas empire but it is not very detailed and Israel is clearly not especially interested in it. As a citizan of a country named, after all, after a Dutch province and whose first European discoverer was a Dutchman I was disappointed to see so little on the DUtch in North America, Brazil, Ceylon, South Africa and the East Indies. The book is essentially a detailed internal political history of the Seven Provinces in 1100 pages. I also would have liked to know more about art and literature. Perhaps the book basically reflects a tendency in modern European historical writing to focus on internal politics and European affairs and to minimise and downplay the European overseas empires. For a great world seapower like the Netherlands this seems very limiting. Older works on the Dutch empire by C R Boxer and others still remain essential reading.

This book truly is the difinitive work on Dutch history. The sheer volume and description of detail makes the book very informative. The vivid writing style and the subdivision of the chapters gives the reader the ability to speed through the book in addition to breaking down and digesting each main idea clearly. The maps, charts, and graphs are clear and give the reader an illustration to the detail of the text. Also, the explanation of the Dutch Republican government, which is anything but simple, was clear and precise. I plan on using this book in my classes for reference. A truly great book.

The best historybook I have ever read with no doubt. I think in a small 1300 pages I never learned so much about my own history than I learned in the 2 weeks I spend to read this book. By now I have read it 3 times and if only have time I would pick ip up and read it again and again till I can dream whats in there. The 17th & 18th century is with no doubt one of the most interesting parts in the history of the world. Strangely it was my own country that played the most important role in this very interesting time.

And so many Dutch that earn the right to be named here, so many founders of our nations. Perhaps to them this is the most honarable a man could ever do to them, since they are all named in the book and how !!! I think about John Van Oldenbarnevelt, Hugo De Groot, John & Cornelius De Witt, Micheal De Ruyter, Rembrandt Van Rijn and last but not least Spinoza !!

An amazing achievement that will set out to be THE standard work about the Republic for years to come.

I have read the Dutch version, and that one is a really special one, seperated in 2 books, hardcover !! And everty page printed on photopaper, beautifully released !!! So when you are Dutch you can beter go to a local bookstore to get the Dutch version, since its simply more beautifull, although the price (about $ 130,- is another thing that can keep you away from it.) is worth it every penny !! You will not be regreted.

For non Dutch people, when you want to come over and tour our little nice country, be sure to read this book from beginning till end and back. It will tell you everything you ever need to know to understand our culture & history.

Haarlem is a great book that explores addiction, family, and culture,and race. It is well-written and very enjoyable taking you from the streets of Harlem, NY to Haarlem, Netherlands.

Haarlem is the second book I've read by this author. I like her writing style. Her characters seem real and the setting is another thing that drew me into the story.

Neff brings some wonderful stories. The novels always touch the heart and leave so much to discuss. You want to talk about her books. I enjoyed this book just as much as her last book. Both were given awards.

I'm an addict and I have abandonment issues as this book by Heather Neff brought this up inside of me and I thank her for writing this book that spoke to me.

Abel Paulus Crofton is a native Harlem, New York resident. He lives and breathes Harlem from childhood to adulthood.

We follow his turbulent childhood at the hands of a father who was a drunk, an abuser, and a musician. We follow Abel as he grows into being a man at least physically but with no role model he falters but for him more than makes up for it in ways that speak to him as a young man finding his own.

Along his journey he finds love in one person and that is his grandmother but when she dies he is left alone and that adds to his spiral down.

Coupled with an alcoholic father who was also abusive Abel is without a mother. His father chooses not to share anything about Abel's mother to him so he is left growing up without knowing a mother's love and which possibly adds to his spiral down.

Abel seeing that school is not his thing, drops out, and starts drinking which he does for a number of years.

Eventually he hits his rock bottom and he starts on the road to recovery.

Haarlem weaves back and forth in time as in the present Abel decides to do the un-thinkable, find his mother.

This search for his mother leads him to Amsterdam and along the way he finds Haarlem, which is far different than his Harlem but where he finds a place that offers him solace.

In his search for his mother he comes to find other surprises namely being he finds himself.

I applaud Ms. Neff on writing this book as she has put into words my thoughts and feelings when it comes to being an addict and one who also has abandonment issues and has opened up doors inside of me that I thought were long abandoned.

I have a long road ahead of me but just as Abel overcame, so shall I.

Juss

I LOVED Haarlem...poignant, riveting and emotionally rich. It is about a middle aged man who is a recovering alcoholic (12 years sober) who travels to Europe (Haarlem, Netherland) to find the mother who abandoned him as a child. Not only does he discover his mother...and a few other family members but the journey also allows him time to find himself. Haarlem is a literary read with crisp/descriptive prose. I was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed this book as much as I did. I read Neff's first book and did not care for it very much because it was too narrative driven...this time she had the right balance and pacing. I enjoyed this book thoroughly and definitely recommend it to those who want a break from contemporary fiction reads as well as tho' who enjoy reading books by James Baldwin. As Haarlem sort of reminded me of a couple of Baldwin's books. APOOO rating: 4.5 stars.

Reviewed by Yasmin
APOOO BookClub

A first time author with an original premise. Mouse is a charactor who impresses. The author has a flair for the dialect of the different peosonalities involved. This is a must read that doesn't let the reader catch his breath.

The story begins with a unique and interesting premise, but it is squandered with a preposterous ending. The two main characters are well developed and endearing, but most of the supporting cast are caricatures. The story becomes increasingly less plausible as it approaches the climax, including a totally absurd sex scene (pun intended). A ridiculous ending is compounded by the invocation of deus ex machina to save the "hero." Greg Iles' Black Cross is a far better rendition of a "Saving Jews from the Holocost" story.

I'm not finished reading this book yet, but I so far I think it's pretty good. The one thing that I absolutley love about this book, is that it has a little bit of everything. It has war descriptions, love, hate, betrayl, and ofcourse the Nazis in Europe. The people in this book are on a mission to let people around the world know that Jews were in mortal danger, and to show that they could be saved; but this is lost along the way in the first half of the book. It slowly goes into it, but that's fine because it makes up for it with the obstacles it provides for the characters. This book has so many different characters in it. It has gangsters, soldiers, engineers, police officers, jews that escaped from concentration camps, and other. I like how in the beginning of the book each person was on their own, but then everybody gradually come together. After reading this book, for awhile I started to think that the Mouse (the main character who is a hit man) is good, and that him killing all those people along the way was ok. The book does that to you because the characters in this book seem so real. I'm very eager to finish this book.

If you like WWII thrillers with the good guys struggling to overcome long odds to defeat evil personified in the Third Reich, this is the book for you. I do agree with some earlier reviewers that the book takes a while to build up steam, but then it holds your interest, non-stop.
The endearing character of Mouse goes through a change of heart because of the responsibilies thrust upon him and the love that he finds along the way.
There's lots of action and suspense. Highly recommended.

Gregg Keizer's first novel takes us back to the territory that Ken Follett, Greg Iles, and Jack Higgins used to explore so well in their earlier novels: Nazi-infested Europe. The Longest Night has no spies, just a guy nmaed Mouse, who is a Meyer Lansky employed hit man from Brooklyn, and who just happens to be Jewish. We follow Mouse on a mission to Europe in which he is charged with helping to liberate a train-load of Dutch Jews who are headed for concentration camps.

The writing is very good,especially the description of war-time Europe, and the story is well-told. The only thing holding me back from giving this 5 stars is that the pacing is slow to build up momentum, and this kind of book should be more tense.

I will read Keizer's next book, and hope he delivers on the promise shown here.

fast pace, complex/original plot, rich characters and a lean writing style. This is quite a feat. All the other reviewers have it right and can provide you with more details

M.R. A REFRESHING NEW TALENT WHO KNOWS HOW TO GRIP YOUR ATTENTION. THE LEVEL OF EXCITEMENT IS WAY UP ON YOUR AVERAGE THRILLER - THE NIGHTFERRY PROVES A MAN OF EXTRAORDINARY IMAGINATION AND DEPT.

Detective Alisha Barba is trying to get her life back on track after almost being crippled by a murder suspect. She receives a desperate plea from an old school friend, Cate, who is eight months pregnant and in trouble. On the night they arrange to meet, Cate is run down by a car and Alisha discovers the first in a series of haunting and tragic deceptions.

Determined to uncover the truth, Alisha undertakes a dangerous journey that will take her from London to Amsterdam and involves a violent underworld of sex trafficking, people smuggling, slavery and exploitation.

A highly recommended thriller. I am looking forward to Mr Robotham's next novel ('Shatter') which is due in May 2008.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

First Sentence: It was Graham Greene who said a story has no beginning or end.

DS Alisha Barba is going to her school reunion to see her former best friend Cate Beaumount, from whom she has been estranged for eight years. Cate appears to be eight months pregnant but when a car runs her down, Ali finds Cate is wearing padding to appear pregnant yet tells Ali that someone is trying to take her baby away. Among Cate's possessions, Ali finds a sonogram of twins. In trying to find out what is going on, Ali is plunged into a world of prostitution, human-smuggling, and forced pregnancies.

There are so many layers to this book. Ali is a woman police officer dealing with all the prejudices that women face working in a testosterone environment. Ali is a Sikh so she has that prejudice to deal with, as well as a very traditional mother always trying to arrange a marriage for her. Robotham has done a masterful job of creating this character and giving her a voice. She has a past, a sense of humor and a drive to uncover the truth and find justice that make her a strong, interesting and, occasionally, a reckless character. There were times I wanted to yell at her for being stupid and was amazed at her ability to take a severe beating and keep going. It is a painful book to read, at times. We may complain about immigration problems in our country--we have nothing about which to complain--and the issue of orphaned children and the treatment of women in other parts of the world is something about which most of us are exceedingly naïve. However, those elements never overwhelmed the story. The suspense grew as the story progressed and I found myself staying up way to late because I wasn't going to bed without finishing it. I haven't read Robotham's previous books but I'm sure going to look for them as well as new books up and coming.

Two returning characters are featured in Robotham's latest thriller, Sikh homicide detective Alisha Barba and Detective Inspector Vincent Ruiz. Out of commission since a serious back injury from her last case with Ruiz and many operations later, Barba is drawn into the pursuit of an ingenious and brutal criminal enterprise brought to the surface when Ali's high school friend requests her help. Although they have been estranged for years, Cate plans to meet Ali at their high school reunion. Unfortunately, the very pregnant Cate has little time to explain her dilemma before she and her husband are hit by an oncoming taxi outside the reunion venue. Left to ponder Cate's desperate last words- "they want to take my baby"- Barba is compelled to uncover the cause of Cate's urgency.

Seeking the advice of the now-retired DI Ruiz, Ali and her former boss begin a multi-layered investigation that spans London and Amsterdam, with ties to Afghanistan, the indifferent exploitation of innocents and a massive conspiracy. Peopled with the simply corrupt to the casually violent, Barba and Ruiz come in contact with the helpless victims caught in a monstrous scheme to defraud, abuse and profit from the hardship of the helpless. Following Cate's paper trail, Ali and Ruiz travel to Amsterdam, led finally to a crowded tenement and two helpless women. Given her last experience with violent criminals, Barba is no stranger to the expedience of brutality, her ruined back a constant reminder; but the Netherlands presents a new set of horrors, a group of sociopaths intent on bringing their evil plot to fruition, profit the great motivator.

Exploring Ali and Cate's broken friendship, Ali's flirtation with an unsuitable man and the evolving relationship between Barba and Ruiz, Robotham tackles his subject with confidence and compassion in a stunning depiction of how the world works for the predators and their prey. Confronting the lost years of a friendship gone wrong and her fear of commitment, Barba is the vehicle for a powerful message, the brutality that routinely visits the disenfranchised: "In Afghanistan we sleep with the thorns and not the flowers." Falling into the horrors bred of greed and exploitation, Ali and the DI are assaulted, beaten and bloody, but refuse to forego their commitment to Cate's legacy, regardless of personal consequences. With a shocking plot and finely nuanced prose, Ruiz remains Barba's rock, Alisha proving herself a valuable asset, a fearless detective and a loyal friend. Luan Gaines/2007.

One of the most touching stories about a girl�s courage during World War II is the book Sky. Sky is a story that always keeps you thinking what is going to happen to Hanneke, the main character, day after day as she helps Jews escape from Holland alive. She changes her identity and makes illegal trips across the border, along with risking her life in order to save others from Nazis. She is then caught and must find a way to survive. I think this is one of the best books I have ever read. Not only do I like autobiographies, I enjoy this story since is shows an example of heroism to many people. Hanneke shows that she had the courage to risk her life and that she had little fear against the Nazis. I can�t really relate this book because I have never really done anything illegal in order to help someone. Like Hanneke, I have never been in jail before. I would recommend this book to someone who enjoys autobiographies, but someone who loves adventurous stories, full of surprises and suspense.

This autobiography is one I have read several times, and have taught for about 6 years now. Every time I read it, I marvel at the depth of literary talent of this author. Her use of extended metaphor, using the sky as a barameter for what is happening in the world, is genius. The use of things blocking out the sky (the Hindenburg, her tears, the darkness, the prison bars, etc) reflects her talent. I've spoken with Hanneke twice, and find her to be a fascinating individual. This novel is an absolute must-read!

The book Sky is a true story of courage during World War II. Hanneke Ippisch is the person telling the story. She is fifteen years old girl who joins the Dutch resistance and gets taken to prison. Sh ehad to figure out her own way to survive. The story is set in Zeppelin, Holland in 1929. It leads you through Hanneke Ippisch's wholee life story during the war.

I would reccomend this book to any middle school student who is interested in learning about World War II. I liked the book Sky because it is an action filled book of courage of Hanneke Ippisch who was in the Dutch resistance. I liked the book and I hope you will as well.

If you haven't read Sky you're missing out, big time.
Sky is a book about a young girl's courage during World War II. Hanneke Ippisch was a young Dutch girl who was born into a wealthy family and always had everything that she needed. Later in her life when the war had begun, she didn't have as much as before. Her family learned to not eat dessert since it was so difficult to get at the time. She joined a resistance group against the Germans who, at the time, were occupying Holland. What had been going well for a while, suddenly became a bad fate when she is arrested by the Germans in Holland in 1945.
Some strengths in this book are that it tells about what was going on in Holland during World War II and that the book was easy to understand and well-written by Hanneke Ippisch herself. It shows the feelings of Hanneke, though not in great detail. The book really "pulls you into the story." You'll find yourself feeling differently all the time, happy, sad, happy, sad, etc, as the story changes throughout the book.
I feel that the story is better and more interesting during the war than before the war. It has much more feeling and action. Before the war, her life wasn't as interesting and I didn't look forward to reading as much earlier in the book than later in the book. When the war was going on, I was left in suspense at the end of every chapter and I was excited to read more.
Sky is full of many pictures taken of Hanneke and Holland taken during her life. It is helpful to have many visuals with captions telling what the pictures are of.
I had many favorite parts in Sky, but some would give away the story. My favorite part was when Hanneke was in the resistance and helping people (victims of the war) find a safe place to live. She had a lot of courage, it was definitely something that I could never do. She helped many people and saved many lives when she was a part of the resistance.
My least favorite part in the story was when Hanneke was arrested by the Germans for working in the resistance. It was very unfortunate that after helping people for so long and she was arrested.
I would feel that the main idea of this book is to teach young readers about Holland in World War II and to give the message to always have courage and hope in hard times. The book is a good example of this because even though Hanneke knew that she could get arrested in the resistance and that it was hard work. One passage in the book tells about when Hanneke joined the resistance. She was told that it was hard and not a romantic or adventurous job. After thinking strongly about it for a long time, Hanneke decided to join the resistance.
In conclusion, Sky is a very good book. It is one that I didn't regret reading, and I do regret reading many books. I feel that Hanneke Ippisch had a good idea to write this book because it is a very good story to write a book about, teaching young readers to have courage through any hard times.
This book is great for any reader in middle school. It is easy to follow and collects much interest. I would definitely recommend this book to any young, middle school reader who wants to know more about Holland during the war, about the resistance toward the Germans, and the punishments that that could lead to.

Last spring Hanneke Ippisch came to our little private school to talk to us about her book. She was elderly, of course, but she was sweet, kind, hopeful and energetic. Hanneke passed around the real letters she had written on toilet paper when she was in jail (there are photos in the book) and then scolded another child for popping her gum (it reminded her of the gunshots duing the war). She gave us a moving speech (I cried) and then signed books. In each book she wrote, "Let Us Remember!". I had read the book before that day and I was so moved by her story that I simply had to talk to her. I told her my name and she told me that her best friend had the same name. I smiled, but she said that her friend had died during the war. I somehow felt connected to that young girl. I reccommend her book immensely, because her heart is so full of hope and she is the bravest woman you could ever meet. LET US REMEMBER!

ARNHEM 1944: THE AIRBORNE BATTLE is one of the best books I have read on Operation Market Garden since A BRIDGE TOO FAR. Martin Middlebrook's fine researched volume provides detail, some of it from sources that only became available in the 1990s, that puts the whole battle into perspective.

Operation Market Garden is controversial to this day. There is absolutely no agreement as to whether or not the airborne and ground operation was even necessary at that stage of the war. Indeed there are also differing opinions as to whether or not the operation was a failure or not. In reading Middlebrook's book the primary shortcoming was in XXX Corps inability to reach and relieve the British 1st Airborne Division in accordance with the timetable. In contrast the Germans considered the Allied operation a stunning success with the only solice drawn from the fact that the British were halted at the Neder Rijn.

In the first few pages of his book Middlebrook explains that he approached the telling of the story from the Allied perspective. As such there are no extensive passages exploring the German response or viewpoint. Combat encounters with the Germans are described strictly from the 1st Airborne's point of view. At first I was concerned that this appoach would ignore an important aspect of the battle. However, as I read further I understood that there was a method in Middlebrook's Allied focus. The battle narrative constantly references German attacks, as well as individual encounters. In doing so the German reaction is, by default, revealed throughout the book.

ARNHEM also dispelled some of the folk lore generated by the battle over the years. For example, Major General Urquhart has often been criticized for failing to appreciate the importance of the Westerbouwing high ground and the Heveadorp Ferry. In hindsight, yes. At the time of the battle Urquhart's mission was to first secure the Arnhem highway bridge. He therefore was looking east, not west. By the way, the Germans likewise neglected to put any priority on the high ground until well into the battle. For subjects such as this Middlebrook provides the reader with the information and it is up to the person reading the book to form an opinion. Where the surviving information does not support a definitive conclusion, such as heroic actions by individual combatants, the author explains that as well.

One of the challenges I constantly face in reading military history is the lack of geographic reference. Too often books about great battles mention towns, rivers, roads, and terrain features that are not visually portrayed anywhere in the volume. Middlebrook's ARNHEM 1944 contains 13 maps amply serving the need to flip pages back and forth for orientation. In fact, I wish Middlebrook's book had been available when I toured the Arnhem/Oosterbeek battlefield in the early 1990s.

The book is chock full of indented paragraphs devoted to quoted first hand accounts. Most of these are well placed and very interesting. Others seem to have been inserted for no specific reason. Frequent long quoted passages can be annoying. The other aspect of the narrative that was sometimes challenging was that Middlebrook often introduces a subject only to note that it will be described in another chapter. I well understood that Middlebrook assembled the story by focusing on one aspect of the battle at a time and that it was necessary to introduce material at one point that would receive full treatment later. I just do not think it was necessary to constantly explain the process.

Overall Middlebrook succeeds in bringing this story to ground level with individual stories of hardship and heroism.

The book was as I expected from this author, well written, factual and informative with individual participant recollections adding that personal touch. A great read for those who enjoy factual military history.

Martin Middlebrook is a master a producing books that
explain complex military operations in a manner that
is comprehensible to the knowledgable general reader.
He especially is good at bringing the direct experience
of the individuals involved (soldiers or civlians as the case
may be) on both sides of the battle to the reader.
In this book about the British First Airborne Division's role in the
Battle of Arnhem phase of Operation Market Garden, fascinating
details emerge that I have not encountered in other sources.
Among the most interesting for me was the airlift phase
of the operation. Having seen the movie "A Bridge Too Far" in addition to documentaries about Market Garden, the use
of gliders, those amazing, engineless aircraft, seems rather strange and foolhardy, in light of the
pictures we have all seen of gliders crashing into trees,
or tipping tail up on landing, or hearing about their tow
ropes breaking in flight. In actuality, Middlebrook points
out that in this operation, the overwhelming majority of gliders
landed safely, and even in cases where the tow ropes broke, most pilots were able to land them safely, even at sea, and the crew and passengers often escaped relatively unscathed from overturned gliders, even with the danger of a heavy load in the back of the aircraft breaking loose and falling into the cockpit. He gives details on how the gliders were flown, at what speed and distance they were cut loose, and the like. Similarly, he explains how the paratroopers lined up to jump from the aircraft, that the aircraft were at an altitude of only 500-600 feet and the paratrooper was in the air for only 15 seconds. The heavy equipment the paratrooper brought down with him was jettisoned before he landed. In the event, the first day's lift was overwhelmingly safe and successful, which should have given the operation a good start, but which tragically, was not able to be utilized properly. This book describes the great heroism of the Airborne's forces and will be of interest to anyone who has a more than passing interest in the Second World War or military history in general.

This book represents another great effort by Martin Middlebrook. At first, one might ask why another book on Operation Market-Garden is necessary. The answer is that Middlebrook focus just on the actions of the units at Arnhem, ignoring the US airborne divisions further south and the advance of 30th Corps. The result is an account that presents far more detail than most accounts of the Arnhem fighting, which tend to focus mainly on Lieutenant Colonel Frost's battalion at Arnhem bridge.

Middlebrook begins his account with an in-depth description of the British 1st Airborne Division that covers every battalion and subordinate unit in detail. Readers will learn what every key unit, including the oft-neglected support units, could contribute to the battle. I was surprised to learn for example, just how many anti-tank guns that the British took to Arnhem: 52 six-pounders (57mm) and 16 seventeen-pounders (76mm). Most accounts of the battle do not mention the seventeen pounders, which gave the British a decent anti-tank weapon against even the heavier German tanks in the vicinity.

Arnhem was a very controversial operation and Middlebrook does not sidestep the controversy, but he does not become mired in it. The planning errors and false assumptions of Field Marshal Montgomery and the General Browning are duly noted. Yet despite the deep flaws in the plan, Middlebrook likes to flirt with the notion of what might have been achieved with a little better luck and speed. The chapter entitled "The Vital Hours" covers the very successful initial airborne landings and then details how sluggish many units were in actually moving toward Arnhem and the bridges. Soldier load is an issue here that most writers ignore but not Middlebrook; one participant noted how the paratroopers were so weighted down with gear that they could only run a few yards and were then exhausted. The one unit that made it to the bridge, Frost's battalion, had far more contact with the enemy than most sources suggest (the film A Bridge Too Far gives the impression that Frost's battalion marched to the bridge without even seeing any Germans) and only made it through due to unorthodox means. Middlebrook notes that the British made the final stretch to the Arnhem bridge when, "Frost led most of the battalion into a garden and then through the back door of a house and out the front door into another street...".

A key question usually asked about Arnhem is why couldn't the British 1st Airborne Division break through to reinforce Frost? Answering this question is probably the greatest value of this book. First the 1st Parachute Brigade, then the 4th Parachute Brigade tried to break through in piece-meal fashion and with minimal support. This section, which covers about 100 pages, offers a great deal of information about how the British destroyed their own division in a series of futile attacks. Both the parachute brigades were destroyed in two days fighting, which fatally undermined the ability of the British to hold onto their vital drop zones for resupply. The story of Frost and the bridge defense is also well-told but I find the story of the two parachute brigades far more compelling. In essence, the British made the fatal mistake of not dropping closer to their objective and then ruined the bulk of their division trying to fight their way through to that objective. Middlebrook uses these chapters to hammer home the reality that airborne units are configured for defense after rapid seizure, not sustained offensive operations and that this was the real crux of the disaster. Had a more or less intact British airborne division with defensible drop zones established itself north of the Lower Rhine, then Montgomery might at least have gained a foothold north of the river.

The battle of the Osterbeek perimeter and the subsequent withdrawal across the Rhine are covered in detail, but not as effectively as the earlier chapters. The sketch maps supporting the text could have been better. Nor is the treatment of the Polish Brigade's performance as in-depth as the earlier chapters, although the Middlebrook admits that the relief of General Sosabowski by the British was a shameful act. There is a full chapter on the resupply flights, which are barely covered in other sources. The aerial resupply effort was a colossal failure: 66 aircraft were lost and 222 men killed in order to deliver less than 200 tons of supplies to the British 1st Airborne Division. This disaster occurred despite mild weather conditions and air superiority. Middlebrook's detailed post-mortem is very interesting. Although 21% of the division was evacuated losses among the infantry were catastrophic. Only 405 members of the two British parachute brigades returned from the 3,461 who dropped into Holland. Additionally, two experienced brigade commanders, eight battalion commanders and 26 company commanders were lost. The division was essentially destroyed and the remnants were soon disbanded or attached to other units.

Middlebrook concludes that there were numerous errors that contributed to this debacle but that the two most important were (a) the flawed air movement plan (which Middlebrook mostly blames on the Americans) and (b) the failure of the US Airborne Division to capture the Nijmegen bridge sooner and thereby facilitate the ground link-up with the British troops at Arnhem. Although there is plenty of blame for the British commanders in this volume I feel that Middlebrook is too quick to point fingers at the Americans. Market-Garden was after all, Montgomery's show. Middlebrook might have been able to use this book as an interesting examination of British operational methods in the mid-20th Century. The British army throughout the Second World War, was at its best in a well-planned set-piece battle and at it's worst in a highly-fluid chaotic battle. The inflexibility of the British commanders is readily evident here and the reader must sympathize with the Polish General Sosabowski who was frustrated by their willingness to continue with a plan no matter how flawed.

This is an excellent account of the German reaction on the massive Allied air landings in Holland in September 1944, during operation Market Garden. It especially concentrates on the countermeasures of the battered German army which, barely escaped from the ordeals of the hell of Normandy, immediately launched counterattacks, often with astonishing weak and improvised units, suffering appaling losses. The legend that the elite 1st British Airborne division landed on top of two complete SS Panzer divisions is analysed by Middlebrook and he proves that both divisions hardly had the strength left of a weakened regiment. At the time of the landings some of their last remaining tanks stood ready for transport to Germany! Of course this doesn't change anything on the fact that the British fought extremely well, having the most difficult tasks in the entire operation. I enjoyed this book very much. Objective war books like this are rare. I posses hundreds of books and know what I'm talking about. Professional comments, good maps, interesting photos, some of German news reels, gripping personal accounts. I hope to see more of this author. A very well deserved five stars. This is the way history should be handled.

This book could have been called "beautiful" orange. Winner writes beautifully and also examines why beauty has such a huge part in Dutch football.

A great exploration of the unique Dutch mind. There is great stuff here on the Dutch greats: coach, Rinus Michels and player Johann Cruyff.

Great, great writing...you won't be able to put it down.

And...you needn't be Dutch to enjoy it: this book is a must for any football fan

Entertaining book. You gotta be a big soccer fan, with some sense of the history of the game to enjoy it, but if you are...

Make no mistake, this is a book about Dutch football-however, what makes it of at least passable interest to non-football fans is how Winner ranges into Dutch history, politics, art, architecture, and psychology in his attempt to explain why Dutch football is so different. In that sense, the book is quite a bit more "highbrow" than most. After starting with a brief history of Dutch soccer, Winner plunges full into the Dutch glory days of the late '60s to late '70s, when "total football" was king and Johan Cruyff was its master. The book's central idea is to try and suggest similarities between aspects of Dutch football and aspects of Dutch life, which when looked at together reveal something of the Dutch national character.

For example, one of these linkages is the shared timeframe for the birth of modern Dutch football and the progressive globalist nature of Holland, as exemplified by Amsterdam as we think of it now. Another is the lack of "killer instinct" or "win at all costs" mentalities (as evidenced by the national team's historical failure to win the big games), in favor or a more aesthetic mentality that values style or beauty over results. A third example is his discussion of the tension between society/team as a whole, and the individual/star. Winner splits his time between history and analysis (often very insightful), and interviews with former players, coaches, and non-football academic specialists and art critics. There are great tidbits here and there, such as a chapter about the Ajax club and why many of its supporters wave Israeli flags, which is intertwined with a capsule history of Dutch collaboration with Nazi occupiers and the Dutch collective memory of the war.

Lots of neat stuff here, but it's a little hard to get into without having access to video (or at least memories) of some of the pivotal games under discussion, such as the 1974 and 1978 World Cup finals. Winner can explain the "total football" concept as eloquently as possible (which he does), but I think you have to see it to "get" it. And in that sense, the book is a little bit of a failure. Maybe one day it can be reissued with a companion DVD?

For its entertainment value, its creativity, its humor, and its depth of insight, this is perhaps the best book ever written on soccer. One should be familiar in general with Dutch football tactics and history to get the most out of it, but even if you aren't, it's still highly engaging.

I would rate this book somewhere between 3 and 4 stars - it's almost one of those oddball classics. Judging by the title, I expected more insight into the strategy of Total Football or the Dutch soccer-playing style in general, an analytical explanation of why it works. Time and space are mentioned in general; perhaps it was foolish of me but I really did hope for a detailed spatial analysis.

Part of the problem is that David Winner at times does too much telling rather than showing. One of the earlier reviewers remarked that access to video footage would be helpful. I agree, especially when Winner just keeps telling the reader how brilliant and beautiful the Dutch playing style is without much description beyond those mere adjectives. On the other hand, there are sections where the description is quite vivid, like that of the Cruyff turn. But it still falls a bit short. This book would work much much better as a documentary. Or at least there could have been greater and better use of pictures and illustrations.

Another problem on the strategy front is when Winner tries to stretch certain ideas to the absolute limit. At one point he concludes that a player's ability to curl the ball on a free kick made the defensive wall useless in such a situation. Winner fails to notice that if the wall wasn't there, someone else would blast the ball straigth through to goal. When you're forced to pick your poison with let's say Real Madrid, surely you'd rather let Beckham curl it rather than give Roberto Carlos a direct shot. A few of Winner's exasperating conclusions almost made me give up on the book.

Luckily, for the most part, I continued reading. Despite my disappointments, the book does provide fascinating observations on Dutch history, culture, people, architecture, etc. and how they all relate to soccer. One of my favorite chapters was the one about Ajax and its Jewish links; I wish I knew about this when I was traveling in Amsterdam. Sometimes, though, the material gets a bit too academic, more in terms of writing style than analytical rigor - I could really do without the commentary from Uri Geller, puh-leez.

Overall, if you're a serious fan of soccer, this book's worth a read, in part because (aside from instructional material) there's very little of quality out there on this sport. I guess I've been spoiled by all the good baseball literature.