Average customer rating:
- My Favorite Reacher
- Lee Child is Spot on in this Book
- The Enemy
- A must read for Thriller fans.
- I'll Keep Reaching for Child's Books
|
The Enemy (Jack Reacher Novels)
Lee Child
Manufacturer: Dell
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
 Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Thrillers
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
Spy Stories & Tales of Intrigue
| Thrillers
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
General
| Thrillers
| Mystery & Thrillers
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Spy Stories & Tales of Intrigue
| Thrillers
| Mystery & Thrillers
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
All 4-for-3 Deals
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Persuader (Jack Reacher)
-
Echo Burning
-
Without Fail (Jack Reacher)
-
One Shot (Jack Reacher)
-
Running Blind (Jack Reacher)
ASIN: 0440241014
Release Date: 2005-04-26 |
Book Description
Jack Reacher. Hero. Loner. Soldier. Soldier’s son. An elite military cop, he was one of the army’s brightest stars. But in every cop’s life there is a turning point. One case. One messy, tangled case that can shatter a career. Turn a lawman into a renegade. And make him question words like honor, valor, and duty. For Jack Reacher, this is that case.
New Year’s Day, 1990. The Berlin Wall is coming down. The world is changing. And in a North Carolina “hot-sheets” motel, a two-star general is found dead. His briefcase is missing. Nobody knows what was in it. Within minutes Jack Reacher has his orders: Control the situation. But this situation can’t be controlled. Within hours the general’s wife is murdered hundreds of miles away. Then the dominoes really start to fall.
Two Special Forces soldiers—the toughest of the tough—are taken down, one at a time. Top military commanders are moved from place to place in a bizarre game of chess. And somewhere inside the vast worldwide fortress that is the U.S. Army, Jack Reacher—an ordinarily untouchable investigator for the 110th Special Unit—is being set up as a fall guy with the worst enemies a man can have.
But Reacher won’t quit. He’s fighting a new kind of war. And he’s taking a young female lieutenant with him on a deadly hunt that leads them from the ragged edges of a rural army post to the winding streets of Paris to a confrontation with an enemy he didn’t know he had. With his French-born mother dying—and divulging to her son one last, stunning secret—Reacher is forced to question everything he once believed…about his family, his career, his loyalties—and himself. Because this soldier’s son is on his way into the darkness, where he finds a tangled drama of desperate desires and violent death—and a conspiracy more chilling, ingenious, and treacherous than anyone could have guessed.
From the Hardcover edition.
Customer Reviews:
My Favorite Reacher.......2007-08-09
I have read six of the Reacher novels. So far this is by far my favorite. In my opinion many of the novels seem to get bogged down in the middle. This one however avoided that fate and kept the action and interest alive.
What really makes this novel the best one so far? We finally get a good look at the back story of Jack Reacher. At the end of this novel it feels like Child has finally given us a reason, besides his heroic archetype, to care about Reacher. We finally start to see why Reacher became the man he did. His development is more than passing phrases and secondary accounts.
I would recommend this as your introduction to Reacher. Start with this book and then read the rest in order.
Lee Child is Spot on in this Book.......2007-08-02
I have read 7 of the Reacher series books and I liked this one as one the best; they are all great, but this one was well thought out and the pacing was quick, the plot points were believable, the character of Reacher was developed more and he started to become a rounder character. There was good use of military proceedures without being obnoxious about the acronyms or the military jargon.
This prequel to the other Reacher novels gives a great background on who Jack Reacher is. I love when Child writes in the first person, and he has done that in a couple of other books, but it was especially good here as we get to sit next to Jack and listen to him as he narrates the story to us, creating a sense drama, and showing us Reacher as a human character.
For me the better parts of the book was the previously untold relationship Jack had with his mother and his brother. The scenes of when he is in Paris visiting his mother were heartfelt and poingnent.
A very well conceived book, if you only want to choose one, start here. You will be hooked on Jack Reacher.
The Enemy.......2007-07-25
In this book Jack Reacher is a still a Major in the Military. He's sent to look into the murder of a general. Things become more complicated when the General's wife dies. Jack's boss leaves suddenly and the new guy, a former pencil pusher tells him to stop his investigation. Another gruesome murder takes place and it's beginning to look like a conspiracy of major proportions is going on. Jack disobeys orders and soon finds himself the one who's in trouble. This is another great read from Lee Child.
A must read for Thriller fans........2007-07-22
I'm a little late on my review but I just had to get a plug in for Lee Child. In my opinion Lee Child is an unsung mystery/thriller writer. His novel "The Enemy" is prequel to the rest of the Jack Reacher's series going back to his army days in the early 1990's.
What follows is a terrific military police procedural that finds Reacher pursuing a case that involves a cover-up in the USA and Europe. This exciting story could only be told by the talents of Lee Child. A must read for all thriller fans.
I'll Keep Reaching for Child's Books.......2007-07-01
Lee Child is hands down the best thriller writer out there right now. This is my fourth Lee Child book, and I become more sold on his writing with each one. While I agree somewhat with other reviewers' comments that the book drags a bit more than his others, I still enjoyed every bit of it. I thought actually that the police procedural work was reminiscent of Lawrence Sanders' "Deadly Sins" Series. Furthermore, it was nice to see Jack Reacher's older brother, Joe, who first made a brief appearance in Child's first and stunning effort, "The Killing Floor." It was also good to see Reacher's military background illuminated.
Child's skill at characterization is first-rate, as we get to know this flawed but fascinating hero better with each book. Not only does Reacher come to life in each new book, but Child creates some truly heinous villains who he delights in serving their comeuppance. Furthermore, this author's pacing, suspense, and knack for witty, winning dialogue all seal the deal for me. (I am wondering where Hollywood has been on all of this...)
Although I have not read them in order, I will be soon seeking out the Reacher novels I've missed for more vicarious thrills. Kep 'em coming, Mr. Child!
Book Description
From THE ENEMY AT HOME:
“In this book I make a claim that will seem startling at the outset. The cultural left in this country is responsible for causing 9/11. … In faulting the cultural left, I am not making the absurd accusation that this group blew up the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. I am saying that the cultural left and its allies in Congress, the media, Hollywood, the nonprofit sector, and the universities are the primary cause of the volcano of anger toward America that is erupting from the Islamic world. The Muslims who carried out the 9/11 attacks were the product of this visceral rage—some of it based on legitimate concerns, some of it based on wrongful prejudice, but all of it fueled and encouraged by the cultural left. Thus without the cultural left, 9/11 would not have happened.
“I realize that this is a strong charge, one that no one has made before. But it is a neglected aspect of the 9/11 debate, and it is critical to understanding the current controversy over the ‘war against terrorism.’ … I intend to show that the left has actively fostered the intense hatred of America that has led to numerous attacks such as 9/11. If I am right, then no war against terrorism can be effectively fought using the left-wing premises that are now accepted doctrine among mainstream liberals and Democrats.”
Whenever Muslims charge that the war on terror is really a war against Islam, Americans hasten to assure them they are wrong. Yet as Dinesh D’Souza argues in this powerful and timely polemic, there really is a war against Islam. Only this war is not being waged by Christian conservatives bent on a moral crusade to impose democracy abroad but by the American cultural left, which for years has been vigorously exporting its domestic war against religion and traditional morality to the rest of the world.
D’Souza contends that the cultural left is responsible for 9/11 in two ways: by fostering a decadent and depraved American culture that angers and repulses other societies—especially traditional and religious ones— and by promoting, at home and abroad, an anti-American attitude that blames America for all the problems of the world.
Islamic anti-Americanism is not merely a reaction to U.S. foreign policy but is also rooted in a revulsion against what Muslims perceive to be the atheism and moral depravity of American popular culture. Muslims and other traditional people around the world allege that secular American values are being imposed on their societies and that these values undermine religious belief, weaken the traditional family, and corrupt the innocence of children. But it is not “America” that is doing this to them, it is the American cultural left. What traditional societies consider repulsive and immoral, the cultural left considers progressive and liberating.
Taking issue with those on the right who speak of a “clash of civilizations,” D’Souza argues that the war on terror is really a war for the hearts and minds of traditional Muslims—and traditional peoples everywhere. The only way to win the struggle with radical Islam is to convince traditional Muslims that America is on their side.
We are accustomed to thinking of the war on terror and the culture war as two distinct and separate struggles. D’Souza shows that they are really one and the same. Conservatives must recognize that the left is now allied with the Islamic radicals in a combined effort to defeat Bush’s war on terror. A whole new strategy is therefore needed to fight both wars. “In order to defeat the Islamic radicals abroad,” D’Souza writes, “we must defeat the enemy at home.”
Customer Reviews:
It's justifiable homicide, of course.......2007-08-27
D'Souza's logic and syntax are impeccable, as always.
If I annoy Dinesh - Liberal that I am - or if I cause Dinesh to view me as a sinner, it is therefore my fault if Dinesh decides to blow up my house or even some other house that looks like it in my neighborhood.
Dinesh makes an persuasive argument in defense of Al Q'aida and grumpy old terrorists everywhere.
I recommend that all true Americans read his book and edumacate themselves immediately.
good questions.......2007-08-24
I don't know if the American left really are so unpatriotic that they are allying themselves with the terriorists. However, it is a good questions to asked.
I agree with the author in the analysis of the imposing American ideals onto other countries. But I believed it goes both ways. It is arrogance for the Conservatives to impose the American Ideal of Democracy onto the unwilling participants. It is also very arrogant of the sophisticated Hollywood crowd to impose their ideals of the freedom of choice and feminism onto the unwilling participants. It is ethnocentric view on both sides. There will always be someone that wants to break out of the mode in all the developing countries. That does not mean the mass majority are willing to give up their way of life as they know it.
Author stressed that most traditional societies does not agree with the liberal view of the world. The liberal view works for the west, it doesn't necessary work for the rest. If the conservatives are guilty of imposing views on others, the Liberals are equally, if not more forcefully impose their liberal values onto the rest of the world that do not want them, via internet, media, entertainments. Conservative use military force, liberal uses softer but more pervasive method in infiltrating the rest of the world by....."Americanization" Combined with the unwanted morals of the liberal, and the military force, this make us the prime target for any counntries that have any grievence against the US.
Provocative but thought provoking.......2007-08-24
Dinesh D'Souza has written a powerful and provocative book, containing a unique perspective difficult to attain other than by an author straddling his traditional culture of origin and the newly adopted progressive culture of his current environment. While many readers will be offended by the book's central thesis of the left's putative contribution to the moral decay of American society, the book has much to offer in terms of understanding strengths of the Islamic family structure alien to Western ethnocentric analysis. Despite some minor factual errors regarding the Spanish Inquisition and the role of Islam in science, the data in the book are in the main sound. Its up to the reader to react to the analysis. Sean Penn might look elsewhere.
Well Worth Your Reading Time.......2007-08-13
I approached this book with much skepticism; by the time I was mid-way through the book, I was much intrigued with the author's thesis. Toward the end, however, I was of the mind that the author's deductions and conclusions were too much of a stretch.
I believe the D'souza correctly diagnosed several key points, which escape many mainstream thinkers:
1. The driving passion behind the masterminds of 911 was not religious, but cultural.
2. Most Americans, at all levels, tend to be rather ignorant about other cultures and simplistically believe that what we think is good should naturally be welcomed by other cultures. In reality, as many scholars have pointed out, democratic institutions must be home grown for them to take hold. People in foreign lands perceive America through the lens of American pop culture, which has become very coarse and depraved. We also "export" ideas such as strident feminist, abortion and homosexual agendas which, even in our own society are controversial, are viewed with suspicion and contempt in other traditional societies.
3. The key to winning this war is winning the hearts of traditional Muslims. Traditional Muslims have more in common with conservatives than many think. Most traditional Muslims do not subscribe to the fringe teachings of the Taliban and Al Queda; they are God-fearing people who want to live in a society where the traditional family values are respected. They are natural sympathizers of the radical Islamists, although they are not active supporters. We should not attack their religion and drive them right into the arms of the radicals. Many in the West tend to look at certain things, such as "honor killing", in the Muslim world, and conclude that Islam is outdated, and its followers barbaric. In reality, such practices are not the norm in the traditional Muslim society. On the other hand, a traditional Muslim probably finds partial birth abortion as revulsive as we find honor killing.
What I am not ready to agree with the author was his assertion that Bin Ladin and the Left in this country are in a conscious alliance. Regardless of how much their short-term goals and interests coincide with each other, there is neither logic nor evidence for an alliance to exist. The Left in this country are a pathetic bunch who want power, but it is one of those inevitables of a Western-style democracy.
EXTREMELY educational.......2007-07-30
This book did more to educate me about the 'whys' behind the current world situation than any of the many books I have read. Yes, there are many opinions given that sound like facts, but it is impossible to 'know' everything that is going on in this extremely complex situation. I am glad that the writer has gone out on a limb to push our thinking, to stretch us to believe that we may be part of the problem. Gee!! Hard to believe that, huh? I am in fact a conservative, but I don't 'blame' the left. It's like the boiled frog syndrome -- place a frog in boiling water and it will jump out. Place it in warm water and turn up the temperature slowly and it will die. What has happened to this country in the last 30+ years is like turning up the temperature slowly. We HAVE become a decadent society. Anyone who doesn't believe that has his head in the sand. Conservatives are as much to 'blame' as liberals because we have done such a lousy job of articulating our thoughts, and making them connect to the current world situation. The Bush administration has done a TERRIBLE job of educating the country. While I agree with much of what the Bush administration has done, I hold them 100% accountable for not providing a clear understanding of the world situation, and why America must do what it is doing. Perhaps no one in the administration has read D'Souza's book. It is surely not 100% right, but it sure helps put things in a lot better perspective than anything else I have read. Now the strategies HAVE to change. You cannot kill all the radicals. The Bush administration has been woefully weak in understanding the larger context for the Muslim violence around the world. We, the people of the USA, must become more educated, and FORCE our elected representatives to be more thoughtful, and less antagonistic to 'the other side'. Otherwise we have turned over to our children a terrible future.
Book Description
A never-before-written exposé on catching child predators, from the creator of the powerful NBC Dateline series
Over 40,000,000 Americans have seen Dateline NBC's ongoing “To Catch a Predator” series, with an average of 11 million viewers per episode. So far, the Dateline series has led to the arrest of 183 men and shown that child predators can be anyone—even those most trusted in the community—including rabbis, doctors, and teachers.
In his book To Catch a Predator, Chris Hansen, the creator and on-air correspondent for Dateline's most successful series, looks deeper into the world of child predators. The book expands beyond the Dateline series to include commentary from psychological and criminal experts about the origins and methods of child predators, and includes substantive advice for both parents and children on how to protect kids on the Internet. Hansen also looks at the current methods for treating child predators and interviews several of the men seen on the Dateline show to follow up on their lives since being arrested. To Catch a Predator presents a strong analysis of what some feel is a child predator epidemic and a startling look at the shortcomings of our systems and society.
Customer Reviews:
TO CATCH A PREDATOR.......2007-08-25
I think every person that has a child in their home should read this book. I also think children over 14 years of age should read this book.
Get the Book!!!!!!!!.......2007-08-04
If you have the internet,if you have kids (THIS IS A MUST READ FOR PARENTS!), if you love kids, if you work around kids, if you hate the actions of pedophiles that become sexual predators and feel they should be incarated unitl Jesus comes back, or you think hey should get treatment and that is the best solution, get the freakin book!
It covers all of these issues and all of the operations and catching these sexual predatory dirtbags. ( Ofcourse I'm a "locker upper!")It is a great read, Chris Hansen is well spoken on all issues, and just does a great job with this one! Its full of information and sometimes will make you say "What" and sometimes "HMMMMM." It is probably the best beginners book for reading on the issue of online predators. There are more explicit and problably more scientific ones but this should be on every internet crimes against children bookshelf. GET THE BOOK!!!
Every parents should read this book!.......2007-06-05
This book is written by the host of the popular NBC Dateline series, To Catch a Predator. If you are a parent, you should read this book.
Read this Book..........2007-06-03
if you have children and a computer.
More than just a rundown of the TO CATCH A PREDATOR Dateline NBC series (although it does do that), this book also contains heartbreaking stories of children who have been exploited -- and in some cases murdered -- by predators they met on the Internet.
Chris Hansen does a great job of illustrating the fact that the computer and the Internet, as a whole, are useful tools that even younger children can take advantage of. But his tips and hints for protecting your children from online predators are something that EVERY parent needs to read -- and then share with their kids.
While I tried to avoid scaring my two children (ages 10 and 6), I have sat them down and discussed the dangers that can be found on the Internet. Just as predators in real life don't always look like what they are, I think my kids now understand that people they could meet online aren't necessarily who they claim to be, either.
I highly recommend all parents, especially those of teens and pre-teens, who have a computer pick up a copy of TO CATCH A PREDATOR. You'll be amazed, frightened, and instilled with a sense of urgency when it comes to the protection of your kids.
Catch a Predator.......2007-05-10
I enjoyed the book, it expands on the television series and gives some insight into protecting your children. It is a great tool for anyone that has children and gives some great tips on using the internet and also what to look for if you have a child that uses the internet.
Book Description
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and bestselling author Ron Suskind takes you deep inside America's real battles with violent, unrelenting terrorists -- a game of kill-or-be-killed, from the Oval Office to the streets of Karachi.
You may think you know what the "war on terror" is.
But to know it truly, you must read this book.
Suskind has written a riveting work of narrative nonfiction, filled with exclusive, historically significant disclosures that will echo across America and the world.
What is the guiding principle of the world's most powerful nation as it searches for enemies at home and abroad? The One Percent Doctrine is the deeply secretive core of America's real playbook: a default strategy, designed by Dick Cheney, that separates America from its moorings, and has driven everything -- from war in Afghanistan to war in Iraq to the global search for jihadists.
The story begins on September 12, 2001, the day America began to gather itself for a response to the unimaginable. Ultimately, that reply would shape the nation's very character.
Suskind tells us what actually occurred over the next three years, from the inside out, by tracing the steps of the key actors -- the notables, from the President and Vice President to George Tenet and Condoleezza Rice, who oversee the "war on terror" and report progress to an anxious nation; and the invisibles, the men and women just below the line of sight, left to improvise plans to defeat a new kind of enemy in an hour-by-hour race against disaster. The internal battles between these two teams -- one, under the hot lights; the other, actually fighting the fight -- reveal everything about what America faces, and what it has done, in this age of terror.
Who is actually running U.S. foreign policy? Is there an operational cell, armed with WMDs, inside the United States? Have some of the world's most dangerous terrorists -- including leaders of al Qaeda -- been caught and accidentally released? Can America prevail in this struggle against enemies who are patient, ingenious, certain, and have clear tactical advantage?
With his unparalleled access to senior officials, past and present, Ron Suskind -- author of The Price of Loyalty, the most revealing book yet written on the Bush administration -- finally answers the questions that keep Americans awake at night.
And in this startling book, he reframes the debates that roil the globe.
Customer Reviews:
Inaccurate information makes conclusions suspect.......2007-09-20
The present administration misled the american public regarding the presence of weapons of mass distruction (WMD) in Iraq.
Suskind alleges that George Tenent, former chief of CIA, knew nothing about the misrepresentation. This seems to be incorrect.
This inaccurate reporting makes other conclusions Suskind reaches suspect as well.
Fascinating.......2007-09-06
As someone who originally supported the Iraq war, I very much appreciate this book. It's insightful and engaging, well-researched and thoughtfully written. If you're undecided or lean toward the conservative and want to hear a good anti-war argument (as well as an analysis of the state of the government and its intelligence or lack thereof) that isn't just empty mud-slinging or hoaky conspiracy theories, then I highly recommend this book.
A strong book about what were facing in the post 911 world........2007-09-04
I'd recommend this book for anyone who wants to find out how the internal dynamics of the Bush WhiteHouse operate in the post-911 world. The author also gives us a better understanding of what our intelligence and law enforcement agencies are also having to face in the post-911 world. If the author is right and I think he is in many regards we are not really much safer now than we were on September 10th, and Al Qaeda is poised to strike again. I recommend that anyone interested in this title also read the 911 Commission Report.
AmBUSHED.......2007-08-28
Suskind makes a strong case that being smart doesn't mean you can't be president. After reading The One Percent Doctrine and another Suskind book, The Price of Loyalty about Paul O'Neill, I am more than ever convinced that we have a C- GPA graduate of Yale in the White House and we deserve what we get.
So much for exchanges of opinion in the Oval Office. I must say, however, that Suskind has done a thorough job of researching the way policy is adopted and implemented, even though Cheney comes out looking like the mad Rasputin.
I recommend you read The Price of Loyalty because this time, it GETS PERSONAL with Paul O'Neill and puts the frosting on Bush's obvious mantra, "My mind is made up. Don't confuse me with the facts."
Signed,
Ashamed Utah Republican
Mostly Blowing Smoke.......2007-07-26
Unlike some other reviewers, I found this book unfocused and lacking a central theme. It bounces all over time and the world without tying the pieces together.
Perhaps I am just naive and unimaginative in not identifying Bush bashing and Cheney chasing as a good central basis for a largely fictional plot.
That is the other great problem with this book. I guess Suskind is trying to copy Bob Woodward in writing a tell all book without identifying source material. If you compare his description of supposedly secret events with his with the author's index, there is little correlation. Suskind attributes his sources as "Many former officials with the CIA, the FBI, the White House" and others in the US government. But we accept the claims of an author who seems to have such a political bias?
If you are a committed Bush hater, the answer is obviously yes. This must be great reading and confirms what you have suspected all along.
For those who might be interested in having a more solid feel to the information you are reading, this book will be disappointing.
Book Description
Enemies Foreign And Domestic is a domestic terrorism thriller set in the near future. The novel begins on opening day of the NFL season, when bullets begin to rain down upon the upper deck of a packed football stadium. A panic stampede ensues, leading to mass casualties. The alleged sniper is found holding a smoking assault rifle, and is killed by a police marksman.
One week later, congress bans the private possession of all semi-automatic assault rifles. Gun owners are given one week to turn in their semi-automatic rifles, or face a five year mandatory sentence.
The plot revolves around the true identity of the actual sniper. The alleged sniper killed at the scene may be a patsy, and many Americans refuse to turn in their banned weapons, leading to a civil crisis in the nation.
Customer Reviews:
Enemies Foreign & Domestic .......2007-10-10
Fairly well written story about a possible scenario of an attempt to disarm the American people by elements of our own government. I enjoyed reading this book, had some interesting twists and mostly believable characters. All in all a good read.
A Glimpse Of The Near Future?.......2007-10-07
In "Enemies Foreign and Domestic" author Matthew Bracken lays out a 568-page novel of a power hungry, out of control leader of a Federal SWAT team type organization who engineers a contrived sniper-driven massacre at a local football stadium.
Character development is excellent, and don't let the book's mass deter you; this is a fast paced page-turner with some innovative, creative and believable plot twists.
On the heels of stadium sniper shooting, extreme anti-gun legislation is ram rodded through a spineless congress, aided of course by the lazy and clueless Main Stream Media. Using the guise of "national safety" and the Homeland Security Department, the Patriot Act is the vehicle by which funds are obtained and draconian laws passed attacking the Second Amendment, no-knock warrants requirements and government seizures of property. Regardless of your political leanings, you'll recognize some of these measures as being as fresh as last night's newscast.
The plot's several interesting developments centers on the efforts to battle these extreme new laws and expose the diabolical true facts behind the stadium murders.
A rare (for this reviewer), well deserved 5-star effort, and I think the reader will enjoy it.
pretty good.......2007-09-26
Liked this book a lot.
Not all good news. Awkward in places, there is some implausibility but not enough to mess up a good story. It lost me at a couple of points (don't want to spoil anything so I will refer only to the beginning where the "slab" is involved and near the end when the word "bedroll" appears). No doubt that in some ways it is disappointing. Still, there was enough good stuff, including technical accuracy, which makes me recommend it.
I will buy the next book, hoping that Bracken improves.
When Freemen have Natural Law on their side, they will win - a must read novel.......2007-09-24
Adventure and intrigue - Bracken writes of an lives imperiled by the government that is meant to protect them. Very well written, high speed adventure with a political purpose.
Recommended Read!
Really good novel about freedom, guns and an oppressive government........2007-08-20
If you're a gun owner and/or believe in liberty and enjoy fast paced fiction then this book's for you. It's a thick book with a good plot and good character development (a must for any good novel), so you're getting your money's worth here.
The premise is this: A Gulf War Vet with an SKS is blamed for one of the worst massacres in US history and the government uses this as an excuse to ban "assault rifles" and then a short time later they also ban rifles with scopes on them ("sniper rifles" is what they call them instead of "deer rifles" which is what most of them are). A government alphabet agency and its director then does it's best to stir up trouble with unwarranted attacks on prominent gun owners so that it can rise in prestige within the federal law enforcement community by putting down the "Gun Nuts" and "Constitutional Extremists" (as if that's a bad thing to be one of those things). A small hunt and fish club and a few gun owners who associated with it is then portrayed by this agency as the cause of all the trouble and ordinary freedom loving Americans are forced to fight for what they believe in against this agency.
A well written novel and one that you should buy if you like this type of novel. If you like Molon Labe, Patriots or other books written about this same kind of thing then you'll like this book as well and it's a good addition to your SHTF and survival book collection.
Book Description
A brilliantly original account—narrated from both sides—of the love-hate relationship between Britain and France that began in the time of Louis XIV and shows no sign of abating.
That Sweet Enemy brings both British wit (Robert Tombs is a British historian) and Gallic panache (Isabelle Tombs is a French historian) to bear on three centuries of the history of Britain and France. The authors take us from Waterloo to Chirac’s slandering of British cooking, charting the cross-channel entanglement and its unparalleled breadth of cultural, economic and political influence. They illuminate the complexity of the relationship—rivalry, enmity, misapprehension and loathing mixed with envy, admiration and genuine affection—and the ways in which it has shaped the modern world, from North America to the Middle East to Southeast Asia, and is still shaping Europe today. They make clear that warfare between the two countries often went hand in hand with hardy, if hidden, strains of anglophilia and francophilia; conversely, though France and Britain were allies for much of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, it has been an alliance almost as uneasy, as competitive and as ambivalent as the previous generations of warfare.
Wonderfully written—acute, witty, consistently surprising—That Sweet Enemy is a triumph: an eye-opener for the experts, and a feast for the general reader.
Customer Reviews:
Francophobia does not reflect well on the Anglo-Saxon world........2007-08-26
This book is another "monument" to the francophobia of the Anglo-Saxon world. It is full of clichés and often it distorts the truth. I will take only three examples :
- 1 - The section on Napoleon is ridiculous. To start off by putting on the same level Napoleon, Stalin and Hitler is just not right.
- 2 - The narration of the start of WWI is not right too. I suggest that Barbara Tuckman's book "The Guns of August", Pulitzer price, is the correct history. It shows how poorly the English were prepared for the war, how they kept retreating and that the French were left alone against the full fury of the German attack. Come on, be fair ! The French won the first World War, not the English.
- 3 - Then what happened in the thirties is not reported fairly. Churchill, in "Gathering Storm" writes : "How the English speaking people through their unwisdom, carelessness and good nature (?) allowed the wicked to rearm". Many others make the same point, for instance, Zara Steiner in her book "The Lights that failed". The result of francophobia was Hitler.
This book was a waste of my time. And I would venture that the English and Anglo-Saxon world are now in permanent relative decline. As the subprime mess is showing, finance has its limits. Nial Ferguson in his book "Colossus" writes about the three Anglo-Saxon deficits : attention deficit disorder, people deficit, money deficit. How true!
In 1945, the Anglo-Saxon world was the victor. But since then, it has lost all its advantage and more.
The defining moment was when Jean Monnet understood that France and Germany should be tied together so tightlty that never a European war could again take place. Monnet succeeded. Since then, continental Europe is an island of prosperity and good life : perfect infrastructures, education for everybody, good health system, high productivity and long holydays. The Anglo-Saxon world is the reverse: the rich live very well but the low and middle classes are being squeezed to complete dispair. Continental Europe shows more balance and less greed.
The rest of the world has progressed a lot. China, Brazil, India, Japan, etc... are great success stories. The problem of the Anglo-Saxon world is that it has not yet realized that the rest of the world has improved so much that it is tired of Anglo-Saxon arrogance.
Today, when America does something right, in six months it has been taken up by the rest of the world . When something right is done in Europe and elsewhere, the Anglo-Saxon world will argue for five years before taking it up... The surest path to mediocrity. Just look at what happen to the Anglo-Saxon automobile industry.
Today Europe is prosperous. America and England still have to spend billions - that they don't have - to rebuild their education system, their health system and their infrastructure. France is not agressive toward England, but France is amazed at the fact that England is still Bush and America's poodle... France and continental Europe want peace and democracy but they understand that it is a process to be negotiated and which requires time and respect. Bombs don't solve problems, diplomacy does. Jean Monnet showed the way. Thanks to his honesty, sincerety, openness and patience, peace was achieved. Read his memoirs...
I am a solid anglophile but this book could make of me an anglophobe. But I shall not condescend to such pettiness. Let us stop this cheap in-fighting. Climate change is the biggest threat that the world ever will meet. We need England to convince America to give up on its selfishness and work with the rest of the world on an equal and generous footing.
An esepcially enjoyable reading experience - and quite a fresh perspective for Americans.......2007-05-22
Yes, I read a lot of books. And I review the books I enjoy (there is no point to reading what one dislikes, is there?). Once in awhile I run across a book I find to be very special and am especially enthusiastic about. This is one of those books.
Robert and Isabelle Tombs are scholars on the history of France and Britain and the combine their wonderfully expansive knowledge of those histories to give us a tour of the social, economic, military, political, and cultural histories of these nations from Louis IV through the first few years of the Twenty-First Century. As an American who grew up while America was always a dominant (if not the dominant) world power, it is particularly interesting to see how the world's major powers interacted and contended when America was largely, as yet, unpopulated by the Europeans.
Even our Revolution, so central to every American's understanding of our nation, takes a minor role in a much larger global struggle for supremacy. Both Britain and France tried to cause the other to stretch their ability to hold their growing Empires together. Each had to make choices on what to hold onto and what had only secondary importance, and what to let go. This happened over and over again. Eventually, their mutual struggles became a mutually cooperative relationship to deal with the rising German (and other) threats.
What I like about this telling is that the authors do not feel the need to side with anyone in particular. They provide quite a number of side articles (in the shaded areas) to flesh out specific points. There are also special sections such as the "interlude" (a couple of pages) on the French and Shakespeare. We also get some wonderfully chosen illustrations. However, what I like most are the chapters where the authors draw their separate conclusions and disagreements on various topics. The provide differing perspectives on the same topics that through the subject into better relief than one side alone. These sections provide for a rich perspective and help make the reading experience seomthing I wanted to savor.
The book has a tremendous amount of information about economic expenditures, the great leaders, the common folks, the literary digs at each nation, the technological leaps, the balancing of the benefits of a strong navy with the amazing costs incurred to build and maintain it. The authors are also quite clear about what was fortune (for good or ill) and what happened that actually looks like good judgment and skillful execution.
For Americans, this is can be a very helpful and educational book. It has been for me and I am grateful to the Tombs for writing it.
A good book for serious readers.......2007-04-16
This is a well-written book about the relationship between Britain and France over the past three centuries or so. It reviews the history, the development of their cultures and identities, and the influence that both have exerted on one and another, and in fact on many aspects of modern society allover the world in areas ranging from politics and economics to art, literature, fashion and cuisine. The authors are a couple, a British husband and professor of history at Cambridge University, and a French wife with a Ph.D. in modern British history. The authors' background, in my view, might help ameliorate some potential biases. The authors have attempted to provide several point and counterpoint discussions to illustrate the difference between the British and the French views.
The book however is a lengthy tome of a little more than 700 pages. Many scholars tend to believe that writing about history usually benefits from looking backward at events after the passions of the day have subsided, and more historical records become available for serious study. Perhaps this book could have presented a more balanced and a somewhat shorter review by omitting Part IV,"Revival" dealing with recent history. In particular, chapter 14, "Ever Closer Disunion", including commentary on ongoing events such as the War against Militant Islamic Terrorism, seems to suffer from the lack of a decent historical distance to allow a dispassionate review; and seems to be somewhat influenced by anti-American propaganda.
The authors seem to consider that the American Independence War, as a part of the British-French continued wars in the 18th century. They further argue, "France's victory in 1783, though it created the United States of America, has bankrupted the French Bourbon monarchy and led to the French revolution. Clearly, France's assistance to the American colonies was not only important but also instrumental for the ultimate victory at Yorktown on October 19, 1781. After the French and Indian war 1754-1763,France attempted to foment rebellion against Britain in the American colonies. In 1775, the French minister of foreign affairs, Comte de Vergennes, dispatched a representative to Philadelphia, who secretly met with five of the leaders of the colonies, one of whom was Benjamin Franklin. These attempts however did not stir up the Americans to take the French bait. However after approximately a year of war between the British and the American Continental armies 1775-1776, and the declaration of Independence, the Continental Congress sent Benjamin Franklin in December 1776 to France to seek assistance. The initial French assistance was relatively small, measured in a way so as to avoid war with Britain. It was only after the Americans prevailed at the battle of Saratoga in October 1777, that the French attitude started changing, and finally agreed to sign a treaty with the colonies in 1778. A more serious assistance was attempted by France afterwards. Also it seems that the French Bourbon monarchy bankruptcy is more related to a spree of spending and borrowing from 1783 to 1787 managed by France's controller general, Charles de Calonne. The spending and borrowing bubble ultimately burst in 1787. The bubble burst was further aggravated by the Assembly of Notables refusal in February 1787 to authorize further taxation to increase revenues, and remedy the incipient Bourbon bankruptcy.
This is a well-written book that I believe the serious readers and aficionados of modern western civilization would find both informative and entertaining.
A Fascinating Review of 300 Years.......2007-02-23
This very long (I guess about 750,000 words of text), informative and frequently amusing narrative and analysis of the clashes and misunderstandings between Britain and France (even when they were on the same side) over the past 300+ years is fascinatng and very well done. I thought I knew the history pretty well, at least from the British side, but this opened my eyes many times.
The strict focus on the two protagonists has produced what to me as an American seems to be an oddly distorted (although not inaccurate) picture of the last 70 years or so, because there is relatively little discussion of the participation of the United States in world events.
I have two complaints about the book. One is that the detailed comparison of the economic position of the two countries in recent times virtually overlooks the stultifying effect on France's employment level and economic activity of its restrictive and "protectionist" trade policy.
The second is that the index is truly dreadful, particularly considering the length of this book. I frequently looked, for example, in the index to see if a particular person was mentioned. When I failed to find that person's name in the index I assumed he/she was not mentioned. But it turned out that the index was incomplete.
Quite brilliant.......2006-05-08
This tome of nearly 700 pages of text about the relations between Britain and `that sweet enemy, France' (a phrase from a sonnet by Sir Philip Sidney) is like a huge pudding stuffed with goodies: I have rarely read a history book whose brilliance is sustained over such an immense time-range - from the reign of Louis XIV to that of Jacques Chirac. The authors - the husband an Englishman, his wife born in France - handle the story with skill, and efficiency, and they frequently employ a joyous felicity of phrase to point up differences and similarities between England and France. There are neat descriptions of personalities - the authors are always forthright in their judgments - and spirited accounts of campaigns. Even someone who, like myself, considered himself quite familiar with the political narrative will come across sections which throw a new light upon it. I learnt much, for example, from the Tombs' description of France's involvement in the American War of Independence, and from their interesting reflections on how the loss of the American colonies, even in the short term, turned out to be a blessing in disguise for Britain. And the wider narrative is frequently interrupted by vignettes of little-known episodes, set in a different type, which further illuminate the themes under discussion.
There is a particularly striking chapter about the differences between the British and French navies during the Second Hundred Years' War: here, as throughout the book, the authors fully acknowledge and make excellent use of the secondary literature they have consulted. (Their list of secondary authorities runs to 28 pages.)
After the Napoleonic Wars Britain and France were never again at war with each other, and since the Entente Cordiale of 1904 they have technically been allies. But that does not mean that there have not been tensions and suspicions between the two countries throughout all these years, even during the First and Second World Wars, and of course during the inter-war period also. The authors are interesting on Appeasement. Most historians say that the French could not stop Hitler marching into the Rhineland or the Sudetenland because the British would not have supported them. The authors say that for various reasons the French governments, like the British, would not have wanted to risk a conflict anyway and were glad later to blame their non-intervention on the lack of British support.
After the Second World War Britain and France took such different attitudes towards `ever closer union' in Europe that there really has been very little cordiality between them. The parts of the book dealing with the issue of Europe bring out very well the very different visions of the two countries in an account that shows clearly how British policy handed the leadership of Western Europe to France for more than half a century, but which has broken down in today's enlarged European Union. Besides, the book argues, that leadership was exercised in a way which, after early economic successes, eventually brought stagnation to France.
The political chapters are interspersed with sparkling chapters on culture and society: how each nation saw and often stereotyped the other; how each alternatively (or simultaneously) mocked and copied, despised and envied, hated and admired the other, but could never be indifferent. Travel, manners in general and table manners in particular, sport, fashions in clothes, attitudes to the theatre, the views the two countries had about each other's women, philosophical traditions - these are some of the subjects that are treated with wit and learning.
Not the least among the charms of this book are the debates between husband and wife which end each of the four parts into which the volume is divided. It is perhaps a bit of a knockabout, in which both rally fairly uncompromisingly to the defence of their native countries; but the summing up of the `British' and `French' points of view is very well done and thought-provoking.
This must already be the most authoritative and enjoyable treatment of the period under review; but I hope that the success of this book will encourage the authors to produce a prequel, from the Norman Conquest to the 17th century, or at least from the 16th to the 17th century: the Tudor-Valois period is, in my opinion, the defining period during which the most essential differences between England and France took shape, and I would love to see the authors tackle it with the same verve which has made this book such a remarkable achievement.
Amazon.com
Cornwell furnishes a provocative look at the Arthurian legends in Enemy of God, the second book in the Warlords Chronicle. This version of the tale takes place during the Dark Ages, when even the lords of the land lived in thatched huts. Arthur, still defending Britain for his younger half-brother Mordred, faces religious uprisings, Saxon invasions, and disloyalty at the heart of the kingdom. His uncompromising belief in oaths and his optimistic blindness to human betrayal isolate him from even his closest friends. At the same time, Merlin's quest for the Cauldron (read Holy Grail) also becomes entangled in treachery.
Cornwell's writing skills have continued to evolve since his journeyman Sharpe series, and Enemy of God combines intriguing descriptions of Druidical magic with the war-ravaged landscape of Dark Ages Britain, without holding back on the brutality of vengeance and war. The Matter of Britain always commands interest, and Cornwell invests the usual splendor and tragedy with the human squalor of the times. --Blaise Selby
Book Description
With the Winter King, the first volume of his magnificent Warlord
Customer Reviews:
Derfel finds love, Arthur finds pain.......2007-04-05
After a hard fought victory at Lugg Vale, Arthur and Derfel hope for peace but alas it is not to be. In this second book in Cornwell's Warlord series the Arthurian legend continues. Derfel finds the love of his life and becomes a "Lord of War" while Arthur suffers his worst betrayal, and of course there is plenty of fighting. "Enemy of God" is a completely new chapter in the Arthurian legend in which Cornwell transforms Merlin into a real and loveable character and introduces the reader to much of the magic and mystery of the Druid. The story takes the reader into the reign of King Mordred and the dark times that follow. In this installment Derfel is at his happiest while Arthur is brought to the depths of despair. This is my favorite of the three books because the story brings out such deep emotions and leaves such a lasting impression.
Great twist on the Arthurian legend.......2007-03-10
I was intrigued about this alternate version of the Tales of Arthur. This well-crafted book (the third of 3 books in this series) fleshes out many of the legendary characters in very believable ways. I liked the book.
Enjoyable historical fiction with a masculine bias.......2007-03-09
While there is a certain similarity of characterization in Cornwall's books I still find them fascinating with enjoyable plots that for me evoke the age they address. I am a fan of all of his books
Arthur on the dark side.......2007-01-09
Great story, lots of research went into this book. so much attention to details that you feel as if you were reading an factional historical account.
I highly recommend it for all Arthurian novel & history buffs
Someone is Stirring the Cauldron.......2006-09-02
Bernard Cornwell is one of that rare breed of authors who are able to write convincingly on a broad range of subjects. Present day thrillers, the Sharpe novels about riflemen in the days of the Duke of Wellington, even an ancient historical novel about Stonehenge and it doesn't come much more ancient than that. His more recent novels have been about the Saxons and very good they are too. But I think that the trilogy he has written about the Arthurian legends are certainly among the best, if not the best of his novels. Having visited the authors website he also believes they are the best books he has written.
The legends of King Arthur hold a magical attraction for many people, myself included and I enjoy reading about them very much. The tales of Arthur and his knights of the round table riding about in full and shining armour are of course a total nonsense and a more or less modern day depiction of Arthur. Suits of armour were not even invented until several hundred years after Arthur's death, if indeed he existed at all. But if he did it would be more around the time in which the Winter King is set.
Mr. Cornwell puts a more realistic slant on the existence of Arthur in or around the sixth century, and the author himself believes that Arthur was some sort of war chief rather than a king.
This is the second book in the trilogy. At the end of the previous book (The Winter King) Arthur has fought the decisive battle that unites the warring British Kingdoms and now he sets out to face the real enemy . . . Merlin has lead a dangerous expedition into the West of the land to retrieve a cauldron, one of the treasures of Britain. Merlin believes the ancient treasures of Britain will bring the old gods onto the side of the British against the Saxons and the Christians, whom Merlin hates. However he is not the only one plotting, Arthur's wife Guinevere wants to make magic of her own . . .
Book Description
After September 11, Americans agonized over why nineteen men hated the United States enough to kill three thousand civilians in an unprovoked assault. Analysts have offered a wide variety of explanations for the attack, but the one voice missing is that of the terrorists themselves. This penetrating book is the first to present the inner logic of al-Qa’ida and like-minded extremist groups by which they justify September 11 and other terrorist attacks.
Mary Habeck explains that these extremist groups belong to a new movement—known as jihadism—with a specific ideology based on the thought of Muhammad ibn Abd al- Wahhab, Hasan al-Banna, and Sayyid Qutb. Jihadist ideology contains new definitions of the unity of God and of jihad, which allow members to call for the destruction of democracy and the United States and to murder innocent men, women, and children. Habeck also suggests how the United States might defeat the jihadis, using their own ideology against them.
Customer Reviews:
THE MIND BEHIND THE MADNESS.......2007-08-06
Knowing the Enemy
This is an Outstanding Book. As we in the West are beginning to realize, the war against Salafist Jihadists is.... all about ideology. Although unnatural to western minds, which have long been conditioned to compartmentalize ideology - and especially religion - in such a way as to pretend that it has no bearing on the `real' issues in life (meaning: those things we can see, smell, touch or somehow scientifically measure), the fact of the matter is: violent Jihadists act the way they do because they believe the way they do. Action proceeds from belief. (Isn't that usually the case?).
That being the case, an understanding of militant Islamist thought is necessary in order to understand their actions, and one day defeat them.
As others have said:
"It is necessary to understand the ideology of extremists and to counter it with one's own in order to combat terrorism successfully." (Farid Shafiyev)
"The struggle underway throughout much of the Muslim world is essentially a war of ideas. Its outcome will determine the future direction of the Muslim world and whether the threat of jihadist terrorism continues..." (Building Moderate Muslim Networks - RAND Corp)
"Unless we understand this ideology that gives rise to extremist violence, we will not succeed in defeating either the terrorists or the "non-violent" Islamists who seek to trigger a clash with the West." (Zeyno Baran)
Our Strategy Recognizes That The War On Terror Is A Different Kind Of War, Involving Both A Battle Of Arms And A Battle Of Ideas. (U.S. National Strategy for Combatting Terrorism).
Mary Habeck's book goes a long, well-worded way toward helping the reader understand the bases of militant Islamist belief. I've been on a personal quest to understand just that since Sep 11 2001 and have read not a little on the subject. Dr. Habeck's book is the best I've seen. She does an admirable job of covering the necessary bases - yet not in the "touch and go" fashion often employed by others. She not only introduces several of the major ideologues of the past, whose ideas underpin current jihadism, but deals with them in sufficient depth to leave the reader with a good grasp of both their significance and the beliefs they left behind them.
This book was recommended to me and I, in turn, heartily recommend it to others who have a desire to understand the thought behind the current madness of Jihadist terrorism. It is, after all, a well reasoned and ideologically informed madness. Therein lies the threat - and, one hopes, a vulnerability.
Best Book on the Subject in Existence.......2007-07-29
I would give it ten stars if I could.
This is a very clear, complete and concise treatment of Jihadist ideology. I have read literally dozens of works on Jihadists, terrorism and Islam (including the Quran, 4 collections of the Hadiths and the works of Qutb and Mawdudi) and have never seen it explained so well. I wish I would have had this book ten years ago. If you want to understand how the Jihadists think, make decisions, treat other Muslims and believe, read this book before all others.
A concise history of jihadist ideology and practice........2007-05-23
Mary Habeck's "Knowing the Enemy" examines the ideological underpinnings of the modern jihadist movement. Although many in the West see this movement as a response to very recent social and political developments in the Middle East, Habeck shows that jihadist ideology goes back nearly 700 years to the writings of Ahmad Taymiyya, long before the rise of European colonialism, the state of Israel, the founding of the United States, or the development of the modern global economy.
Taymiyya's ideas were resurrected in the 18th century by Muhammad al-Wahhab, and again in the 20th century by Muhammad Rida, Hasan al-Bana, Sayyid Mawdudi, and Sayyid Qutb, who in turn inspired today's extremists such as Usama bin Ladin.
What were these ideas? The core idea is that Islam is in a state of decadence and peril, corrupt within and threatened from without, and that the only true Muslims in the world are the exponents of violent jihad intended to found a totalitarian Islamic theocracy, first in the nominally Islamic lands, then spreading throughout the entire world. It is absolutely essental to understand that the jihadists are at war not only with the West, but with most of the Islamic world, and that virtually every Islamic government from Pakistan to Algeria is also - to one degree or another - at war with the jihadists.
In the 20th century, these ideologues often coopted the language of Western socialists and communists, portraying radical Islam as a kind of liberation theology which would free the world from every form of slavery and every form of exploitation by others. In the words of Qutb, "[Islam] is really a universal declaration of the freedom of man from servitude to other men . . . and to remove all human kingship."
Of course, Qutb fails to mention that even an Islamic theocracy must be administered by men, and to pretend that these men are merely implementing the will of God is to assume (1) that the Koran and hadith actually represent the will of God; (2) that the human administrators correctly interpret those documents; and (3) that everyone in the world can be expected and forced to agree with (1) and (2). Qutb thus bestows the administrators of an Islamic theocracy with a status akin to that of God, a blasphemous and idolatrous notion if there ever was one. The idea that an Islamic theocracy preserves men from the rule of men is laughable on its face.
Modern developments have only exacerbated the threat perceived by the jihadists. They find themselves threatened by Jews, Christians, Hindus, atheists, moderate or backsliding Muslims, Muslim political leaders and governments, atheism, capitalism, communism, feminism, gay rights, science, popular culture, secularism, democracy, international law, the United Nations - pretty much the whole world. Anyone who thinks that they can be appeased by changes to American foreign policy, or by sweet-talking them, simply doesn't understand the depths of their estrangement or the universal scope of their ambitions.
Jihadist ideology also has a non-falsifiable quality, i.e., any temporary setback can be explained with the trump-card of "we have fallen short of the will of Allah," so we must purify ourselves and try harder. They are thus prepared for the long haul, and when George Bush said we must prepare ourselves for a long fight, he was only taking the jihadists at their word. They believe we are decadent, weak-willed, and that they can outlast us. The Mogadishu incident convinced them of this, and they were truly surprised when America invaded Afghanistan after 9/11. However, recent developments in Iraq may bolster their confidence once again.
At the end of the book, Habeck offers several responses to the jihadists: (1) military efforts, when appropriate (she takes no firm position on the Iraq war); (2) efforts to dry up terrorist funding by exposing and shutting down false charities and other money-laundering schemes; (3) intensified efforts to resolve the Arab/Israeli conflict, which is a prime recruiting tool for new jihadists; (4) monitoring and exposing the radical mosques and educational institutions which foster jihadist ideology; and (5) psychological and ideological warfare to discredit the jihadists in the eyes of ordinary Muslims. The last of these might be the most important, and it is arguably the one that we have tried the least.
I give this book four stars because it explains the jihadists in their own terms, not ours. But I think Habeck could have said more about their specific strategies in the modern world, their propaganda efforts, their keen observations of Western society, their ability to manipulate the Western media, our inability to properly assess and understand them, and our tendency to force them into our own categories. All in all, however, it is a concise and much-needed examination of who our enemies really are.
Should Be Required Reading.......2007-05-17
I bought this book because I wanted objective, unbiased information about Islam, and I was not disappointed. This book is informative, balanced in the way Habeck draws distinctions between jihadis and moderate muslims and highly readable. It is also frightening in its implications for the future.
This book should be required reading for every American, and especially for those in positions of power at the national level.
Extremely informative.......2007-03-18
This is one of the best, unbiased presentations on this topic that I have read to date. A quick 2-day read that requires at least a week to study the author's footnotes and references. I feel quite comfortable trusting the information she presented as is, until I get some time to do further research.
In the interest of tolerance and definitive understanding to the current circumstances of our country, this book should be required reading, teenagers and up.
The jihads consist of a portion of Muslims who's faith and beliefs are a sour interpretation of a holy book and subsequent teachings (hadith). This book helps explain what Islamic terrorists found their actions upon. Now that we know who they are and why, if only it was as easy to "encourage" them to reconsider their perspective on God's will.
Customer Reviews:
Everything in moderation..........2007-09-26
I borrowed this book from a friend and really thought it helped me understand where my 3-year-old daughter was coming from. I agree with reviewers who said that it was more of a developmental awareness type of book, rather than a how-to-deal-with-your-kid book. If you want how-to, I recommend How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk by Adele Faber. Anyway, I read over some of the negative reviews and felt that though I agree that the book was outdated, I think these people were excessively harsh. The authors do suggest that someone besides mom might have an easier time dealing with a 3 1/2 year old... but I read that as "help should be welcome at this age". They didn't ever suggest outright that you put your kid in all-day daycare and forget them. They suggest picking your battles (things that really mean a lot - like bathing, clothes, hairbrushing) and don't sweat the small stuff - like going back to close a door or making their bed just-so. I got from this book that the defiant age passes, and if you can get help during the tough times do it for your own sanity. My personal update - enlist dad to help. It's true that they treat dads as family police who just enforce rules. Realize that the book is outdated somewhat, but still has pearls of wisdom that do help understand what's happening with your child.
It's a manual for three year olds.......2007-08-21
I find book very reassuring, especially during difficult times. I did the developmental test inside and I was comforted. It also has precise schedules when it's best to leave your child with a trusted caregiver and when to pay closer attention. The cycles of moods is just a life-saver. I would recommend it to first time mothers.
Good for the worrisome parent.......2007-06-27
I have a VERY active 3-year-old little girl. I've always been troubled by making sure she's operating within the normal parameters of her age. And this book certainly helped put my mind at ease. As many reviewers have said, this is not a book for people seeking parenting "advise" per se, but is excellent at outlining the typical range of behaviors for the age. As must have for the nervous parent
Hopelessly Out of Date and Out of Touch.......2007-06-14
I was very disappointed in this book after hearing so many good things about the series. It is hopelessly out of date to the point that it offended me after only 10 pages. The book assumes that the father is this distant person with little to no involvement in parenting. I just don't think that's true any more for many families. To me this attitude just reinforces stereotypes that only mothers can be good parents. Bleh!
Your 3 year old: Friend or Enemy.......2007-05-19
I too am shocked that there are people who don't like this book. Yes, some of the advice is outdated, but the general behavioral info is spot on. I've looked for more updated information on behavior and advice & have found none to compare with providing concise insight into the WHY of behavior. Just understanding why my child was acting a certain way put a whole new spin on how I deal with issues. The days that it seems my child turned into a stranger, I could say "ah ha!" this book told me this may happen. I do love, love, love this book & have recommended it over and over.
Book Description
DOMESTIC ENEMIES: THE RECONQUISTA is a novel set in the near future in the American Southwest, during a period of low-intensity civil war. The action takes place between Texas and California, but the story is mainly centered around New Mexico. Domestic Enemies: The Reconquista is a sequel to Enemies Foreign And Domestic, but it may be enjoyed on its own.
Customer Reviews:
A must Read for any World-Wise American.......2007-09-24
Bracken writes a novel explaining a possible future "History" if American Society doesn't tend to business.
I found some of the graphic writing gratuitous, and unfortunately exposed enough to limit readership in some circles, but the underlying story is powerful, well told and profound.
A must read.
Great book with a premise that's starting to come true in real life........2007-08-20
Well written story about how radical Hispanics take over the Southwestern United States and create their own Republic Del Norte/Aztlan that's inter-woven with the story of an escape from a Federal Detention Center by the female main character (Ranya Bardiwell) of Bracken's book "Enemies Foriegn and Domestic".
This is the sequel to that book and it continues to follow the main character of that book (Rayna) as she manages to escape after her imprisonment as a "terrorist" by the Federal Government and as she makes her way to New Mexico in search of her son. Along the way she meets an interesting cast of characters among them Mexican Nationalists who are fighting to make their dream of carving up part of the US a reality, Federal Agents and corrupt Federal Officials and a Resistance Movement made up of American Farmers, Ranchers and Gun Owners trying to survive in a country where to US Government does NOT defend her own borders or territory from invaders and revolutionaries.
The money that you pay to buy this book is well spent if you liked Patriots, Molon Labe, Lucifers Hammer, Unintended Consequences or other books that feature fictional people struggling to survive in a Dystopia.
As good as the first!.......2007-08-06
A frightening look into a possible future. Ranya is an awesome character! She gets the job done, no matter what it takes.
A joy to read........2007-08-06
I've read both E.F.A.D. and Domestic Enemies. Usually, I hestitate to read a sequel to a book I've enjoyed, but this is an exception. I believe that Mr. Bracken has outdone E.F.A.D. with this new installment. Fortunately for me, Mr. Bracken signed this book when I pre-ordered it. Buy this book now and enjoy. Now, how can I wait another year for his next installment?!?!
It makes you consider the future of our great country........2007-07-27
I received my copy of Domestic Enemys 4 days ago and couldn't put it down. This is a gripping, original, second novel. There is just the right amount of the first novel in it to make you comfortable with the story line and its charactors. "Enemies Foreign and Domestic" and "Domestic Enemies" would make great movies! Matt Bracken is a writer just waiting to be discovered. I can't wait for the third in the series.
Books:
- The Fast Track Detox Diet: Boost metabolism, get rid of fattening toxins, jump-start weight loss and keep the pounds off for good
- The French-Inspired Home, with French General
- The Ice Man: Confessions of a Mafia Contract Killer
- The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name
- The Killer Angels
- The Last Temptation of Christ
- The Last Week: A Day-by-Day Account of Jesus's Final Week in Jerusalem
- The Mysterious West
- The Poetry of Pope John Paul II Roman Triptych Meditations
- The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary (P.S.)
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- It's Only Too Late If You Don't Start Now : How to Create Your Second Life After Forty
- Because They Hate: A Survivor of Islamic Terror Warns America
- The Biology of Tiger Beetles and a Guide to the Species of the South Atlantic States
- The Chemistry of Physics and Coatings
- Total Construction Project Management
- Bullying and Emotional Abuse in the Workplace: International Perspectives in Research and Practice
- A Fresh Taste of Italy: 250 Authentic Recipes, Undiscoivered Dishes, and New Flavors for Every Day
- They All Fall Down: Richard Nickel's Struggle to Save America's Architecture
- The Modernist City: An Anthropological Critique of Brasilia
- The grasses of Central Australia
