Customer Reviews:
A Piece That Has What Others Don't........2007-09-02
Highly regarded as one of the finest pieces of business investigative journalism written, Connie Bruck's groundbreaking work on the subject of junk bonds and corporate financing was written during a time when the business press universally admired Drexel Burnham for their ability to turn junk into gold.
You will find this book quite entertaining and comprehensible. A smooth read not filled with too much industry jargon, its nomenclature friendly enough even for the beginner. It highlights the bright sides as well as the dark sides of the critically acclaimed Junk-bond king Michael Milken and allows each of us to have his or her own view on Milken and Drexel Burnham's underlying philosophy.
Although the book does lean heavily towards Milken having a me first attitude, it does manage to pin down a few important business lessons underscored by him that cannot be overlooked. You will not waste any time reading this piece. You will definitely be on the winning side by reading this book.
This book will definitely generate scores of topics to discuss and debate about the philosophies of American business that dominated Wall Street in the 1980s. This future classic highlights many corporate raiders that are still vehemently visible today. Just to name a few: players like Carl Icahn, Nelson Peltz, Ron Perelman, T. Boone Pickens and a host of others.
A definite must read for those interested in banking, financial history, and especially for business students.
Amazing account of the rise of Drexel.......2007-04-11
Connie Bruck tells the tale of the rise of Drexel Burnham, Michael Milken, and the modern day junk bond market, from the early beginning all the way up to the end.
The Predators Ball is a great bit of investigative writing. The dramatic events really keep you hooked, although at some points the level of detail requires hunkering down for the long haul. Overall, recommended for any Street junkie or anyone interested in Drexel Burnham and Michael Milken.
Good background information on finance in the 80s.......2007-02-25
This book is a great reference point to many of the activities that occurred in the 1980s and how those events impact Wall Street and the financial markets today. While not as well written as other books in the genre, it makes an emphasis of using facts as opposed to circumstantial evidence presented as facts (which many similar books such as "Den of Thieves" and "Barbarians at the Gate" use) and that makes this book a cut above the rest.
One sided, but a good read.......2007-01-10
I gave the book 4 stars simply for the topic, it reads reasonably well, and it appears that the author has done a good amount of research, covering much of Milken's and Drexel's rise and fall. The book, however, is one sided (against Milken). The last few chapters are blatantly so and become almost unbearable in there tone.
Given the realization of how absolutely astonishing it is that one man influenced, almost singlehandedly, a financial era, I would recommend reading as much on the topic as possible. This would include the Predators Ball.
Good for what it sets out to do but really leaves a lot out.......2006-12-21
This is a decent overview of the malfeasance that was perpetuated by Drexel Burnham and Michael Milken. It however pails in comparison to the account that James Stewart presents in Den of Thieves. If you want to focus on the big event during one year this is a decent way to do it but you are really missing out on a much better account.
Customer Reviews:
Tatum needs to stop capilalizing on Stingley's misfortune !!!.......2007-04-06
I wish I could give Tatum a -----***** in honor of Stingley's death today. What a self-centered jerk!!!
Can't believe this was published...........2004-05-17
Aside from Tatum's whining about every game the Raiders lost, and his incessant bad-mouthing of the Pittsburgh Steelers of the 70's, I actually enjoyed Tatum's first book, "They Call Me Assassin". Tatum's second book, "They Still Call Me Assassin", was almost an exact reprint of the first book, except it included a few more of Tatum's self-serving rants that would interest no one outside of Tatum's immediate family. Now, in this third installment, we are given exact reprints of both books. Amazingly, the reprinted portions of "They Call me Assassin" that were in "They Still Call Me Assassin" are left in "Final Confessions", so much of the reprinted material in "Final Confessions" appears twice in the book! The actual `new' material takes up a whole 12 pages in the 348 page fiasco. Don't waste your money now, simply wait until the fourth Tatum book appears on the market, "I Still Have Final Confessions", and has the exact reprints of volumes 1-3.
States again what was said in the original..........2003-11-09
Buy "They Call Me Assassin" rather than spend your money on this release. It is simply too dry a read; especially when compared to his first book.
Brutally honest and shockingly factual, the best ever........1999-10-14
Brutally honest, shockingly factual, this book is the best ever written on the REAL world of professional sports.
"Final Confessions of NFL Assassin Jack Tatum" is an exact reprint of Jack's previous two books, "They Call Me Assassin" and "They Still Call Me Assassin - Here We Go Again". It also contains additional opinions and conclusions that Jack reached on a variety of subjects.
This compilation of events in the life of an NFL superstar reveals an athletically gifted, well educated, courageous and practical man who was raised to believe that truth, no matter how painful or revealing is more important than maintaining a phony status quo.
In this book, Jack has finally put to rest the whole issue of his insensitivity towards Darryl Stingley. He has taken a lot of undeserved heat for something completely out of his control. He indicates that he tried to visit and talk to Stingley more than once and was refused an audience. In spite of these unfortunate refusals, he has written words of praise for the man.
Honesty is not a behavior pattern for a reckless "loud mouth", it is the trait of a thinking man with values. This book is a celebration of honesty.
Just as time has transformed the public perception of Muhammad Ali from the "Louisville Lip" to one of the world's most beloved sports figures, this book proves that Jack Tatum deserves to be acknowledged as one of the greatest legends in sports history.
Jack Tatum deserves to be in the NFL Hall Of Fame because of his phenomenal play on the field and his courageously honest words off the field and in print.
If you want unvarnished truth about "pre through post" life in the NFL, This Is It!!
Don't Waste Your Money........1998-09-13
"Final Confessions" is actually two books: "They Call Me Assassin" (1979) and "They Still Call Me Assassin" (1996), which discuss the football career of Jack Tatum, a former Oakland Raider defensive back who was one of the hardest-hitters in the history of the NFL.
Tatum was criticized sharply in the press for his hard hits, which often injured or knocked out opposing players. The criticism turned into an uproar on August 12, 1978, after an exhibition game between the Raiders and New England Patriots, in which Tatum made a vicious (but clean) tackle of Darryl Stingley that permanently paralyzed Stingley. That coupled with Tatum's unfortunate tendency to fire off his mouth, the "bad boy" image of the Raiders, and Raider Owner Al Davis' own conflict with Pete Rozelle and the NFL led to Tatum being characterized as an outlaw.
In his defense, Tatum responds, (1) professional football is a vicious and brutal game, (2) I was paid to hit people hard, and (3) I generally played up to but within the limits of the rules. He has a point. Half of the second book is simply a rehash (often verbatim) of the first book. The other half is taken up with stories about Tatum. Jack Tatum may have an interesting story to tell, but you won't learn it reading this book. Only the oldest die-hard Raider fans will find anything of interest in it.
Average customer rating:
- Wait for the hardback edition!!!
- Not that bad
|
Tomb Raider Compendium Edition
Dan Jurgens ,
David Wohl ,
James Bonny ,
Andy Park ,
Randy Green ,
Michael Turner ,
Tony Daniel ,
Eric Basaldua , and
and more!
Manufacturer: Top Cow Productions/Image Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 General | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1582406375 |
Book Description
There's nothing like going back to the beginning and reading it all over again. For the first time ever, get Tomb Raider issues #1-50 in one giant soft cover! See the video game come to life as some of the industries biggest names bring the adventures of Lara Croft to comics!
Customer Reviews:
Wait for the hardback edition!!!.......2007-08-01
The content is 5 star worthy, great art, good story telling. However, the binding sucks. Because of the immence thickness of the book the binding cannot support its contents. Thus resulting in the spine cracking in many places and pages coming loose.
Top Cow is releasing The Witchblade Compendium in hardback soon. Hopefully Tomb Raider will follow.
Not that bad.......2007-04-24
This product isn't as bad as the previous review mentions. While the stories are not canon with the games or movies, they do contain all the actions that we know and love about Lara Croft. The graphics are pretty good, and the stories are for both old and new fans of Lara. My biff with this product is that one of the comics in the book is a three-parter, which requires witchblade 60 and Evo 1 to complete.
Book Description
The Legend Uncovered
·Highlighted references lead to the 49-page Extras chapter, which not only explains how to collect each Gold, Silver, and Bronze reward, but also reveals every single unlockable feature in Tomb Raider: Legend.
·Back cover foldout features multiformat control instructions and a map legend for easy reference.
·Piggyback's signature three-level tab system facilitates easy access to all sections of the guide, such as the illuminating How to Play chapter, individual level walkthroughs, the Secrets section, and the revealing Behind the Scenes interview feature.
·Concept art, sketches, renders, and illustrative hi-res screenshots make every page an individual and visually rich experience.
·Authoritative, all-encompassing walkthrough offers step-by-step guidance, plus advanced strategies and tried-and-tested techniques refined over months of dedicated play.
·Dozens of detailed annotated maps provide an at-a-glace guide to every locale Lara visits. All maps feature key information for each area, including checkpoints, reward locations, and the ideal route for Lara to follow.
Customer Reviews:
Tomb Raider review .......2007-05-29
I guide really help me understand most if not all of the puzzels.The bosses are fairly easy and the each of the courses are are pure fun. I love the construct of the game it's fun granted. Though it may take a little getting use to the set up of the controls.Tomb Raider is the best game that I have played in while
Tomb Raider Legend Guide.......2007-04-17
Hi, I'm a lover of Tomb Raider. I've played many of the Tomb Raider games. The last one out; Legend, is very fun and even better then the tomb raider games before. The other Tomb Raider games gave you a phone number to call incase you got stuck. Tomb Raider Legend does not have that. Your best bet is to get Tomb Raider:Legend:The Complete Official Guide. This way you will not miss anything and if you can't figure something out and you've spent hours on it, you can cheat and find out how to do whatever it is you're trying to do or get through. Before purchasing the book I was told of a few different web sites where I could find answers to my questions I have about Legend. Unfortunately, that did not work for me. I'm very happy to have purchased The Complete Official Guide, for Tomb Raider Legend. It's made the game much more enjoyable, even more so than it already was!Tomb Raider: Legend: The Complete Official Guide
guidance delivered.......2007-03-27
This is just what I needed. Being new to the Tomb Raider series, I was in need of something to help me with the in's and out's of the game. With the guide, I have been able to get farther into the game in 3 days than I had managed in 2 months without it.
great addition.......2007-03-23
I bought this book almost a year after I bought and played the game. First of all, there is only 1 down-side on this book, I expected more page filling art works, scetches, of pictures of the locations. Sure they are in it too, but small and too few.
But never the less, don't let this spoil the book, because for the rest I found it very handy (and nice) to read. It's written in a funny way, clearly by somebody who also enjoyed playing the game and writing this book, Everything is explained in a clear way, making it sound almost too easy to get all the hidden treasures, and what I also found helpfull was a map of every level, in clear detail, where to find what, how to get there, what to find there. And ofcourse all the unlockable secrets of the game itself.
All together I am very happy with the purchase of this book
Mic.......2007-03-20
I'm very happy with this guide. It is very detailed with nice photos. It came in good time and in excellent condition. A little long to read and it does not stay open by itself but very informative and I am happy that I purchased it.
Average customer rating:
- Caroline and the Raider
- I read this until I finished it!
- The last page couldn't come too soon...
- Fabulous Ending to the Orphan Train Series
- Caroline and the Raider
|
Caroline and the Raider
Linda Lael Miller
Manufacturer: Pocket
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Miller, Linda Lael | ( M ) | Authors, A-Z | Romance | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0671676385 |
Book Description
Holding her lovely head high, Wyoming schoolmistress Caroline Chalmers did what no lady should: she marched right into the local saloon to see the dashing and reckless Guthrie Hayes. Worse still, she went to ask him for help. She needed the former Confederate raider to plan a jailbreak to rescue her fiancé, Seaton Flynn, from the hangman's noose. An orphan by spinster sisters, Caroline was prepared do almost anything to save her beloved Seaton.
So why did her breath suddenly become a shivery sigh when she looked into Hayes's twinkling green eyes? Too late Caroline knew how perilous her request really was, for this strong and daring ex-soldier would refuse her nothing no matter how dangerous...but first he intended to teach her everthing about the power of a man's love, beginning with a shameless odyssey to ectasy in his arms....
Customer Reviews:
Caroline and the Raider.......2007-03-15
I enjoyed this book. I had read another in the series and I wanted to know what happened to Caroline and the other sister. It was a good story and had a happy ending for the girls. The story of each girl was different and thus was not redundant as some series are.
I read this until I finished it!.......2006-02-18
This book held my attention and I wanted to know what happened. There were a lot of different settings which made it interesting and how each was played out.
This is a book I plan to keep to reread later.
The last page couldn't come too soon..........2004-03-15
Orphaned as a child and raised by two spinster sisters, Wyoming schoolmistress Caroline Chalmers needs to get her fiancé out of jail. Seaton Flynn has convinced her he's innocent, and needs to somehow escape the hangman's noose. Boldly Caroline marches into a bar to seek help from a notorious Confederate raider, Guthrie Hayes. Guthrie's not so sure of Seaton's innocence, but they set out together. In the meantime, Caroline also continues her search for her two sisters, all of whom were separated as children.
This was my first read by Ms. Miller, despite the fact this is the third installment in a series. The book started out pretty good, but I soon got bored. This story seemed to be more about how many times, places and positions they could do the deed. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy reading romantic fiction, and the love scenes that go with it, but this was a little over the top. I did finish the book, but I was glad when that last page arrived! If you're a Miller fan, this book is probably for you, otherwise I can't recommend it.
Fabulous Ending to the Orphan Train Series.......2001-06-25
Caroline calls Gutherie out of the local bar to seek his assistance in breaking her intended out of a jail for a crime he convinces her that he did not committ. It doesn't take long for Gutherie to fall for Caroline, whom he promptly begins calling "wildcat" for the remainder of the book. The hero and heroine are funny and hot and their adventure is a page-turner. Underneath their story is the reunion of Caroline with her two sisters from Lily and the Major and Emma and the Outlaw stories. Read the book in one sitting, like many of Ms. Miller's books.
Caroline and the Raider.......2001-06-22
I just couldn't put this book down. I found it incredibly interesting, exciting and very sexy. This is a "must read" for all who love romance novels!!!!
Book Description
The Oakland Raiders of the late 1960s-1970s were a colorful team built by the myth of the antihero, a group defined by misfits, outlaws, and castoffs. But talent and hard work were also part of their success, and they became the only team in NFL history to have 16 consecutive winning seasons. This is a tribute to those Raiders and their inimitable style, when John Madden prowled the sidelines, Ken Stabler threw the touchdowns, and owner Al Davis helped fuel the team's mystique.
Customer Reviews:
GREAT.......2003-12-26
Loved reading about the old Raider Days and the great players from that era. The book profiles all the big name players like Stabler and shows what made them great.
Big deception.......2003-07-24
RAIDERS FOREVER was a big deception for me cause I buy the book to read about the greats moments of one of the greatest team of the NFL story,the Raiders of the 70's.I have a big surprise when I realise the book was a kind of short biography of each of the great players of that time.They talk about their years at high school,college,how they feel when they we're draft and a lot about their life after they retired from football.But I want to read about the games vs the Steelers,Chiefs or the Superbowl.I'm looking for Raiders memories not for the private life of the players.Mr.Lombardo talk about some highlights of the great moments of the team but talk too much about the players life off the field and not enough about what they did during the games.
Great insights.......2001-02-22
This is a book that truly captures the spirit of The Oakland Raiders of the 1970's. Best of all you come away with a deeper sense of the personalities and what made the team so unique. It is not just a "remember when" book, but rather a behind the scenes look at why the Raiders where the most compelling team of the 70's. It's well written, full of detail and should be interesting to any football fan.
Great Book.......2001-02-09
Raiders Forever is a must read for any Raiders fan. I'll never forget the glory days of the 60's and 70's - guys like Stabler, Madden, Van Egan, etc. After you read this book, you realize they never will either. The author finds all our old favorites, spread out all over the country now, and they reminisce about what it was like to be a Raider back in the good old days. It's fun to hear them as they look back, tell a story or two, and fill us in on what they're doing now. This is a great book about a great team. Highly recommended!
NOT ENOUGH.......2001-02-04
RAIDERS FOREVER IS SKIMPY. IT IS GREAT TO READ ABOUT ALL THESE GREAT PLAYERS. BUT HALF THE INTERVIEW IS WASTED ON THERE BACK GROUND AND SCHOOLING. LETS HEAR MORE ABOUT HOW IT WAS IN THE TRENCHES AGAINST THE STEELERS. THE BATTLES WITH RIVAL CHIEFS. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED IN THIS BOOK. I THINK THE AUTHOR SHOULD HAVE SPENT MORE TIME TALKING ABOUT THE GOOD OLD DAYS. A TEN PAGE OR LESS INTERVIEW JUST DOESN'T HACK IT. NOT WORTH THE MONEY. NOT RECOMMENDED. GLOSSY GARBAGE.
Book Description
During its clandestine construction in Liverpool, it was known as “Number 290.” When it was finally unleashed as the CSS Alabama, the Confederate gunship triggered the last great military campaign of the Civil War; a maritime adventure unparalleled in our history; an infamous example of British political treachery; and the largest retribution settlement ever negotiated by an international tribunal: $15,500,000 in gold paid by Britain to the United States. This riveting true story of the Anglo-Confederate alliance that led to the creation of a Southern navy illuminates the dramatic and crucial global impact of the American Civil War.
Like most things in the War between the States, it started over cotton: Lincoln’s naval blockade prevented the South from exporting their prize commodity to England. In response, the Confederacy came up with a unique plan to divert the North’s vessels and open the waterways–a plan that would mean covertly building a navy in Britain, a daring strategy that involved an unforgettable cast of colorful characters.
James Bulloch–Northerner by circumstance, Southerner by birth, he risked his life to enter England and build a fleet under the very noses of Northern spies; Lord John Russell–the British foreign secretary who was suspected of subverting his own legal system to allow the secret ships; Charles Francis Adams–son and grandson of presidents, who exhausted every avenue to stop the Confederate-British collusion; Raphael Semmes–the fanatically loyal Southern captain who disabled or destroyed sixty Northern ships before meeting his match near Cherbourg, France; and The Alabama–a wooden gunship that took to the sea named for a Southern state to wreak havoc on the Northern cause.
With The Rebel Raiders, naval historian James Tertius deKay brings to dazzling life an amazing, little known piece of history that is at once an important work of Civil War scholarship and a suspenseful tale of military strategy, international espionage, and a legal crisis whose outcome still affects the world.
Customer Reviews:
One ship, sixty-four captures.......2007-04-09
This is truly the story of the CSS Alabama (nee 290) that was commissioned to be built in Liverpool in 1862 for the exact purpose of being a raider and to search for and destroy members of the Northern Merchant Marine. Along with it's sister ship CSS Florida (nee Oreto), it was built and mostly crewed by Englishmen. Under the Queen's Foreign Services Act, when Britain was neutral it was illegal to build men-of-war for either side.
But there was a weakness in the law such that you could build 'ships' as long as they weren't armed; but you could sell them weapons separately. This is exactly what was done to launch the two raiders, who were then outfitted in the Azores. The rest of the story centers on the efforts of the Alabama and it's crew, and the US Ambassador to the Court of St.James to get the English government to admit they broke their own laws.
DeKay does a fine job in describing the Alabama's effect on the US merchant marine and the popularity of the ship and it's crew in the minds of the world public. In the end, the Alabama causes over $5 million in damages (about $100 million in today's money), and makes the buying of insurance to be prohibitive to drive a large part of the fleet to be sold or kept in port.
He also gives plausible reasons for why the anti-slavery British would be pro-Confederacy. The splitting of the american nation would insure that England would remain the premiere merchant marine for years to come and insure the continued supply of cheap (slave grown) cotton for it's textile mills in central England. There was talk of eventually weaning the South away from Slavery (which was abolished in the Empire in 1818) but it was just lip service.
Amazing History.......2006-12-14
The confederacy's navy during the civil war is a very impressive display of piracy on the high sees. While most of the attention always focuses on the iron ships it is often forgotten that there were several others out there raiding the north's commerce. This book puts quantifiable numbers and daring high sees escapades onto the same page. It is a very fast read and one that gives a new perspective on the civil war. The South's daring strikes and the north's eventual efforts to hunt down and put a stop to these raiders are cataloged here and make for interesting reading. There is also a very interesting subset that looks at European policies towards the United States during this time period and a perspective that is not often gathered can be seen here. This is a must have for true civil war buffs.
Astonishment upon Astonishment.......2003-03-15
Astonishing revelations fill this book. Perhaps you thought that the American civil war was fought in America and was decided at Gettysburg. The story is not so simple. The English ruling class favored the South so strongly that they flaunted their own laws and found ways for the Confederacy to build and outfit raiders in England. These few raiders destroyed the American whaling fleet and ran insurance rates so high that the American mercantile fleet was driven from the seas (and suffers to this day). The cotton textile industry in England was in disaster. Workers were naked and hungry. The ruling class was on the verge of recognizing the South and forcing an armistice on the two parties. Then the North launched the most effective barrage of the war. Charity in the form of food and clothing came from the North to the unemployed textile workers in England. The English under class, against their own short-term interest made its voice heard, and England remained neutral.
Chap 1. Montgomery: Mallory, the Confederacy's Secretary of the Navy selects James Bulloch to build a raider navy in England. Mallory has never met nor heard of Bulloch, but on the recommendation of a mutual friend (Judah Benjamin, the Attorney General) and a brief interview decides Bulloch is the man. It was an excellent choice. Astonishing.
Chap 2. Liverpool: Bulloch arrives in Liverpool unexpected and with no credentials. He presents himself to a man he has never met, Charles Prioleau, the managing director of the Confederacy's unofficial English bank, who agrees to fund the venture. Astonishing. Prioleau introduces Bulloch to an English lawyer who sets about gutting English law to allow the building of warships, on the grounds that warships without guns aren't warships. Astonishing. Do these guys know a secret handshake?
Chap 3. Number 290: Bulloch contracts the building of warship 290. Obviously a warship, but without weapons, the customs inspector ignores it.
Chap 4. Nemesis: American Quaker, Thomas Dudley comes to England to oppose Bulloch.
Chap 5. The Enrica: 290 is named Enrica. Dudley and Bulloch vie.
Chap 6. The Passmore Affidavit: William Passmore, English able seaman attests that he was recruited to join the 290, with clear understanding that it was a warship for the South. This is clearly against English law.
Chap 7. Escape: The English drag their feet and Bulloch barely gets Enrica out of England.
Chap 8. Terceira: Enrica receives her guns and supplies in a neutral port. Semmes takes command. The ship becomes CSS Alabama.
Chap 9. First Blood: American whalers around Azores are destroyed by Alabama.
Chap 10. The Grand Banks: more destruction.
Chap 11. Off the Georges Bank: and more destruction.
Chap 12. The Pirate Semmes: battle in the press.
Chap 13.'An Instance of Sublime Christian Heroism' : England is close to meddling in US affairs. Not so astonishing if you are the biggest baddest nation on the planet. America sends charity to England. The English working class wins one for Lincoln. Astonishing.
Chap 14. USS Hatteras: Semmes lures Union gunboat USS Hatteras out into the Gulf of Mexico, sinks it, and rescues survivors.
Chap 15. Straws in the Wind: CSS Florida joins the war.
Chap 16. Brazil: more ships seized. CSS Georgia joins the battle. Semmes turns a captured ship into his auxiliary vessel.
Chap 17. The Laird Rams: At Laird's, Bulloch is building two seagoing ironclad rams that could pulverize the Union Navy's wooden ships, shell Union harbors, and turn the tide of the war. Congress debates whether to authorize a raider war on British mercantile shipping. The British begin to wonder about the beast they unleashed. They need not worry for about half a century. The US cabinet considers sending a squadron of ships to destroy the rams at dock. US envoy Adams informs Lord Russell that there will be war if the rams put to sea. Russell detains the rams. Astonishing.
Chap 18. Simon's Bay: CSS Alabama is getting worn out and the crew is getting surely. The Sea Bride is captured and sold. Semmes infuriates the crew by using the proceeds for operating funds instead of paying it out as prize money.
Chap 19. Singapore: Semmes finds that the American mercantile fleet won't come out of harbor.
Chap 20. To Cherbourg: Semmes takes Alabama to Cherbourg in France, looking for a dry dock and intending to pay off the crew and request replacement.
Chap 21. Battle: No dry dock facilities are available and the USS Kearsarge shows up. Semmes figures if he waits that more Union ships will show up, so that his best chance is to fight now. The CSS Alabama badly needs repair, is leaking, has moist powder, defective fuses, and broken machinery, but Semmes chooses to fight. Alabama is lost.
Chap 22. The Shenandoah: Bulloch purchases Bombay trader Sea King to be christened CSS Shenandoah, which destroys the American Pacific whaling fleet.
Chap 23. The Claims: the war is over and Britain finds that the side it did not support now has the largest, most-modern, most experienced Navy and Army in the world. The USN has double turreted sea going monitors that could destroy any British vessel without being scratched. The upstart is angry and dangerous and wants reparations. Congress passed a watered down neutrality act, based on the British act, that would allow Irish Republicans to outfit of merchant raiders in America and operate against Britain. Astonishing. Britain's government will not settle, but wealthy interests in England begin to consider that maybe they had more to loose by not settling.
Chap 24. Sumner's Speech: Senator Sumner gives a rousing speech in the senate attributing half the cost of the war to British perfidy. The speech is a sensation.
Chap 25. Geneva: Bismarck's German Confederacy emerges. Britain sees two dangerous upstarts that might unite against her. It looks like a really good idea to settle the Alabama claims.
Chap 26. l'Envoi: The precedent set by the Alabama tribunal eventually becomes international law. Astonishing.
Author of the Monitor does it again.......2002-07-24
James Tertius (is that Ter-tee-us, or Ter-shus?) de Kay is one of the most fun writers of military history alive. He's only hurt by the fact that he writes things on obscure and unusual topics, or treats them from an unusual angle. One of his books (Chronicles of the Frigate Macedonian) is essentially a biography of a ship, and another (Monitor) is that combined with a portrait of the man who designed her. One book mainly recounts a battle (The Battle of Stonington) in which no one was killed. The Rebel Raiders recounts the Confederacy's efforts to build commerce raiders in Britain, and the American authorities' attempts, largely unsuccessful, to stop them.
The first portion of the narrative is devoted to the construction of the ships in Britain, and James Bulloch's efforts in this regard. The second portion recounts Raphael Semmes' cruise in command of the Alabama, culminating in the famous battle off Cherbourg. A third part, shorter than the other two, recounts the efforts of the American government after the war to recoup the losses suffered by the American merchant marine because of the Alabama's cruise. Many ships that weren't sunk were sold to the British, who wouldn't, of course, pay full price or sell them back after the war.
De Kay is especially good at personalities, and this story abounds with them. Bulloch and Semmes are portrayed as interesting characters, and Charles Francis Adams, the American minister in London (a 19th Century ambassador) is active throughout the story. It's fascinating.
I do have a few criticisms. There's no index, and the one map given is inadequate. There was an attempt to recount all of the vessels purchased in Britain during the war, but the Stonewall, which made it out of port, and wound up in Cuba only to find out the war was over, isn't mentioned. Perhaps he's left that out for another book.
Given all of that, this is a wonderful book, and I recommend it strongly.
Book Description
A true-life thriller completely exposes the network behind the illegal trade in ancient artifacts--and features a rich cast of rogues and some of the world's most prestigious art institutions
The story begins, as stories do in all good thrillers, with a botched robbery and a police chase. Eight Apuleian vases of the fourth century B.C. are discovered in the swimming pool of a German-based art smuggler. More valuable than the recovery of the vases, however, is the discovery of the smuggler's card index detailing his deals and dealers. It reveals the existence of a web of tombaroli-tomb raiders-who steal classical artifacts, and a network of dealers and smugglers who spirit them out of Italy and into the hands of wealthy collectors and museums.
Peter Watson, a former investigative journalist for the London Sunday Times and author of two previous exposes of art world scandals, names the key figures in this network that has depleted Europe's classical artifacts. Among the loot are the irreplaceable and highly collectable vases of Euphronius, the equivalent in their field of the sculpture of Bernini or the painting of Michelangelo. The narrative leads to the doors of some major institutions: Sothebys, the Getty Museum in L.A., the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York among them.
Filled with great characters and human drama, The Medici Conspiracy authoritatively exposes another shameful round in one of the oldest games in the world: theft, smuggling and duplicitous dealing, all in the name of art.
Customer Reviews:
Fascinating but a little information overload.......2007-05-08
This book is a well written, well researched book about looted antiquities. I recommend it to anyone who is interested in the subject, or anyone interested in looted art in general. If I have any complaint, it is that the book at times gives too much information, which slows down the pace of the narrative as the author reveals how the investigation of Medici, Robert Hecht, Robin Symes, Marion True, and others came to pass.
Great topic, well researched, choppy reading at times........2007-05-02
I give this book a definite four stars because it is a worthy representation of the story and gives the account of what happened with great zeal. The topic itself is fascinating. In my opinion, various Federal Art/Cultural Property Crime units would be well served by making this book mandatory reading for their agents. It stands as a clear insight into the dark realm of unlawful antiquities excavation, illicit smuggling and clandestine sale- an increasingly important issue in our "global economy" world where buyers and sellers can come together across oceans with little effort, and without regard to laws that may govern certain antiquities transactions.
At times, it reads a bit choppy. A lot of this has to do with the fact that the authors were careful to include all pertinent data, instead of sacrificing the volume of fact for the sake of the story. I almost feel bad detracting a star for this, but if you're going to sell a book as a story rather than an academic study, I do believe certain concessions should be made for ease of reading.
Nevertheless, still a great book, well worth purchasing. This book will probably become one of the classics on the topic of art smuggling and the attendant markets.
Great Book.......2007-03-27
Have been waiting for some time to read this book, and I really enjoyed it. Of course I like art-related mysteries and other stories anyway. I'll be looking for other titles by this author.
Medici Conspiracy is amazing!.......2006-08-25
The Medici Conspiracy by Peter Watson is an amazing account, thoroughly researched, beautifully written, with marvelous photographs. It is literally a fascinating mystery, revealed and solved. I applaud the Italians and commend Oscar White Muscarella for his life-long good fight.
Just Like the Movies, but Real Life.......2006-08-11
When you have something small, easily moved, requires no special handling such as refrigeration, very valuable, and willing customers, it's pretty easy to guess what happens.
This book is a window into the world of illegal art. It begins with an armed robbery and a chase. It develops into the discovery of a world wide network of theves and apparently willing customers who appear willing to spend literally millions of dollars for items the seller may have stolen.
In the movies the purchaser is a private collector who is taking the art into his private collection, never to be seen again. Here though, the purchasers are big time auction houses (Southeby's), famous museums (Metropolitan Museum of Art, Getty).
This book is a fascinating introduction to the world depicted in Pink Panther and Cary Grant movies.
Book Description
The Oakland Raiders have not only had three Super Bowl champions since their inception with the upstart American Football League in 1960, but also some of the most colorful characters in football history. It starts at the top with maverick owner Al Davis, called "The Geinus"--with admiration by some and derision by others.
The Raiders have been a team known for playing as hard off the field as on, led by the likes of Kenny "Snake" Stabler, John "The Tooz" Matuszak, and "Big Ben" Davidson. They also practically have their own wing at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, with legends such as Jim Otto, Gene Upshaw, Art Shell, George Blanda, Willie Brown, and Dave Casper.
Customer Reviews:
SOME GREAT STORIES ABOUT THE BLACK AND SILVER.......2004-05-23
THIS IS A MINI OAKLAND RAIDERS HISTORY PUT TOGETHER VERY NICELY IN THIS BOOK. I ENJOYED THE SEASON TO SEASON COVERAGE ALONG WITH A FEW SPECIAL FEATURES ON RAIDER SUPERSTARS. THE BOOK MIXES INTERVIEWS ALONG WITH FACTS TO THE UTMOST. THERE ALOT OF GOOD THINGS IN THIS BOOK, INCLUDING THE IMMACULATE RECEPTION, RAIDERS 1ST SUPERBOWL WIN AND MANY OTHER HIGHLIGHTS IN THEIR LONG AND "EXCELLENT" HISTORY. A MUST READ.
Amazon.com
Yup, she's back. Again (go ahead, pretend like you don't care). Lara's latest adventure sees her travelling all over the globe, from Area 51 to Antarctica, in search of a number of artifacts crafted from an ancient meteorite. The game includes a number of gameplay enhancements and new moves (crawling and the monkey swing), and this book explains them all. For newcomers, the book also explains each of the basic moves so that you can get up to speed in a hurry. You'll also get a detailed description of each location in the game, as well as an explanation of each puzzle you'll have to solve. Each level walk-through points out the best path as well as any secrets you might find. This is a thorough and well-written strategy guide for the biggest and best Tomb Raider yet. And, oh yeah, there are plenty of nice pictures of Lara--for those of you who are into that sort of thing.
Book Description
Extensive walkthrough of every level
Valuable strategy for surviving every enemy, obstacle, and booby trap
All secrets exposed
Solutions to every baffling puzzle
Make swift killings
Customer Reviews:
The secrets are kept a secret........2003-01-03
This book is...ok.
The only quam i have with it is, there's about 6 secrets that aren't even put in the book. And for those of you who do know, Tomb Raider III contains a secret level called "All Hallows" which is accessable only if you find all 60 of 59 secrets. (no, that's not a typo.)
...ok four. Now let me think...There's 1 missing in "Temple Ruins", 1 in "The River Ganges", 1 in "Mudubu Gorge", and if you're going crazy trying to find that one in "Aldwych", its in the same room you get into with the "Ornate Star". Just turn around and look up.
The only reason i did this is because we're waiting patiently for the "Angel of Darkness" to come out. But if you get bored...try getting all the secrets, because "All Hallows" is kinda fun.
But yeah...the book gives good hints and tips on how to get through the game, and places to find medi-paks and ammo and all that good stuff.
So, if you're buying a used one, i'd definately recommend it.
Not As Good As the First Two.......2002-03-19
While this book CAN be helpful, it's not as well planned or as well written as the first two Tomb Raider guides from Prima. It's easy to see why Prima decided not to continue to print this book, as its walkthrough is sparsely populated with pictures or words, comparatively. The problem with this book, as opposed to the first two, is that it almost always skips over how to get every pickup, or which items are traps or simply larks - useless to go after.
There is another book I have, "The Tomb Raider Companion," but I've misplaced it recently. I bought the Prima version, finally, because I liked the first two Prima guides and because the Companion is too wordy with not ENOUGH pictures. This makes it sometimes difficult to discern Lara's position or positioning within the game. But this review is about the Prima version; although written by the same author as the first two, it seems either that the editors decided to print less or that Mr. Ward decided that it wasn't necessary to write more. Reading over some of the other articles posted, it's difficult to understand why they thought that there was too much writing. The other book, the "Tomb Raider Companion", THAT book is too wordy...
All in all, this book is good for those who want to explore more on their own and rely less on someone else's writings, and perhaps that's why this is so much less informative than the Tomb Raider and Tomb Raider II walkthrough guides -- but if someone just wanted small hints at various steps of the game, they would probably just look it up online or ask a friend instead of buying this particular walkthrough.
to much writing.......2002-01-11
but this guide gives you lots of help but the only thing is the secrets and the guide has boxes and explains in more detail which is confusing and takes longer to complte than usual however this isnt really that much of a dilema also its interesting how it choses the levels this is worth buying yes
tomb raider 3.......2001-12-18
hello im matthew o'boyl and im writing to you to ask for the tomb raider 3 guide
A bit wordy.......2001-04-27
I needed this book to get through the game but there is so much to read...I had to up the time on my screen saver between moves. Also, there is an extra level in the game that you may partake in only if you get all the secrets. Well....if you notice, in London on the Aldwych level, there are 5 secrets in that level yet only 4 are listed in the guide. I made it through the whole game and collected all the secrets in the guide yet with cathedral key in hand, I couldn't enter the bonus level. Drats! So.....I took my time in that level once again and I found it (the fifth secret)....maybe I'll share if you really want it and can't find it. Only now, I'll have to play the whole game again to earn my bonus. Sigh.
Books:
- The Pursuit of Happyness
- The Razor's Edge
- The Reef Aquarium: A Comprehensive Guide to the Identification and Care of Tropical Marine Invertebrates (Volume 1)
- The Sacred Romance: Drawing Closer to the Heart of God
- The Serpent of Paradise: The Incredible Story of How Satan's Rebellion Serves God's Purposes
- The Truth Seeker (The O'Malley Series #3)
- The Ultimate Gift (The Ultimate Series #1)
- The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts
- The Year of Magical Thinking
- Tie Me Up, Tie Me Down: Three Tales of Erotic Romance: Captivated by You / Promise Me Forever / Hunter's Right
Books Index
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