Book Description
In July 1863 the bloodiest battle of the Civil War was fought outside the sleepy Pennsylvania town of Gettysburg. In The Last Brother the story of one small boy is told amidst the dramatic events of those early days of July. Though he is only 11 years old, Gabe is a bugler in the Union Army. He takes his responsibility very seriously; after all, there are over 60 different battle calls for buglers to learn. But what is even more important to Gabe is watching over his older brother Davy who, as a foot soldier, is right in the thick of the fighting. Two of Gabes older brothers have already perished, and he is not willing to lose the only one he has left. During those long days, Gabe meets another young buglerone who fights for the other side. Suddenly, what was so definite and clear has become complicated by friendship and compassion. Does one have to choose between service to country, to kin or to a friend? As the cannons fire and the battle rages on, Gabe must do his duty while searching for a way to honor all that he holds dear.
Customer Reviews:
Traitor or hero?.......2007-09-15
Set at the battle of Gettysburg this is story that does not glorify war. Instead, it gets children thinking about the fact that war often involves senseless death. Questions to ask after reading this book: Does the young Union bugle boy make the right decision? Is he a hero or a traitor? Ask young readers to look at his decision to halt the charge from the points of view of the different players in the war - his brother, his parents, his Conferderate counterpart, the generals, and even President Lincoln. Although this is a picture book, its message is one that can be debated even by high school students.
Book Description
Through meticulous research and unprecedented interviews with Japanese and American combatants, award-winning author Ralph Wetterhahn provides a breathtaking account of the nose-to-tail air war between American and Japanese flyers above the Bering Sea. Dubbed riders of the “Empire Express,” American pilots stationed in the Aleutians flew nine-hour missions, 1,500 miles round-trip in subzero temperatures, to bomb Japanese installations in the Kuril Islands. While on his ongoing quest to give a full account of MIAs and POWs, Wetterhahn investigated the crash sites of two Empire Express planes found in the Soviet Far East in 2000 and 2001, and here re-creates their crews’ daunting exploits. With unrivaled mastery of aviation, warfare, and military forensic evidence, Wetterhahn rescues from obscurity the final moments of U.S. Navy pilot Walt S. Whitman, who made a forced landing with his crew on the Kamchatka Peninsula. He also details the missions flown by Japan’s pilots and the fate of Japanese captured by the Soviets and interned in Siberia. This is a moving testament to the impulse to account for all servicemen left behind.
Customer Reviews:
A great read........2007-08-02
Mr. Wetterhahn has done a great service in relating the type of warfare conducted in the Aleutians. However, the only criticism I would have is the title of the book....I think its title misleads the reader in that one is lead to believe this is the story of Bomber 31, whereas it seems to be about the Aleutian campaign. However it is, in my opinion, excellent reading, well researched and told from both sides with understanding and compassion.
fascinating read..........2005-07-15
Mr. Wetterhahn has done a superb job with his lastest book. Illuminating a theatre of World War II that is seldom touched upon. The daily lives of both american and japanese servicemen is seamlessly woven among an investigation concerning a downed american aircrew and the mystery of what actually happend to them over 60 years ago. Wetterhahn brings his countless years of experience..former combat pilot, aircrash investigator and author to meld a story of unquestionable bravery of the men that served in this theatre. Does this sound like I'm his publisher? Well, I'm not...but I can't emphasize enough...I've always been interested in this aspect of World War II and Mr. Wetterhahn has come forth to make something unique that is accessible to the layman.
Review of The Last Flight of Bomber 31.......2004-10-30
This book was an interesting account of World War II in the Aleutian/Kurile Island area. Particularly fascinating was the detective work to unravel the identity of U.S. aircraft wreckage found on the Kamchatka Peninsula.
Unfortunately the book has numerous errors scattered throughout which detract from the work--several are listed below:
1) Book states battleship Haruna was sunk at Midway--not so.
2) Book states A-26s were active in the Aleutians in 1943--not so. The A-26 did not make it to the Pacific Theater until 1944 with initial debut in New Guinea.
3) The G4M Betty bomber is referred to variously as the Type 97, G3M, and GM-4.
4) Book refers to destroyer Charleston being involved in Attu invasion. The Charleston was not a destroyer--was officially designated PG-51.
5) Unexploded ordnance around PV-1 wreckage is referred to as 50mm cannon rounds. Most likely meant 50 caliber machine gun rounds.
It seems a lot of historical works I read today have a significant number of errors.
Book Description
The war to end all wars – or so it is hoped.
For generations battle broke the once-proud kingdom
of Galifar. As nation fought nation, adventure was never
far away from those eager to find it.
Hunters of evil, seekers of fortune, loyal soldiers,
and those just trying to stay alive. These are their tales.
The Tales of the Last War.
Customer Reviews:
Snapshots of the Last Days of the Last War.......2007-09-06
This is a really interesting piece, in which the authors of the various stories in this anthology share their depictions of the last days of the Last War in a number of different lands in Khorvaire. Though it lacks some continuity with other works in general because it is a single edition, it provides the reader with a diversity of perspectives on the most cataclysmic and important event to affect the Dragon Between--the Day of Mourning. A good, quick read for any fans of fantasy.
Tales of the Last War.......2007-03-08
Great read....brings together a compilation of many stories filling in gaps between the Last War and current time in Eberron. Each story left me wanting for more as most ended with more tale to be told!
Decent first anthology for Eberron.......2006-05-27
Tales of the Last War is the first anthology set in the new world of Eberron. There are a total of nine shorts stories within the pages. Some of the names have already had Eberron full length novels released, while others have not. This anthology is supposed to cover the time from the Day of Mourning to afterwards and the aftermath of that day. Instead of trying to write a full review for each story, I will try to give a small blurb for each and you can take it from there.
1. "Death at Whitehearth" by Keith Baker. This story was originally in a booklet that helped Wizards of the Coast promote the new Eberron world. Overall, the story is very average. I am not a fan of first person stories and that is just what this one is. Also, Baker seems like he wants to include everything Eberron has to offer into one short story and that makes it seem disjointed. The characters found in this story are the same ones found in Baker's Shattered Land trilogy, the first trilogy to be in Eberron. I give this story a 3 out of 5.
2. "Death before Dawn" by Paul Crilley. This is a fast paced story that has no qualms at flying through the storyline. For a short story, this one is very good. I found myself caring right away about Col and his situation. The ending was a little clichéd, but getting there was a lot of fun. I didn't think it possible to have that many twists in a short story. I rank this as the second best story in this anthology. 4 out of 5.
3. "The Blade of the Flame" by Tim Waggoner. In my opinion this is the best story of the anthology. I really enjoyed reading this one, good characters, solid plot line, and all weaved together to keep the reader interested. Also, the heroes found in this story will continue on in Waggoner's first full length Eberron novel Thieves of Blood being released in May 2006. I suggest reading this story before reading that novel. 5 out of 5.
4. "Distant Fires" by Aaron Rosenberg. A decent story, but once you finish reading it the plot seems rather contrived and the clichés that riddle this book take away some of the enjoyment factor. Eberron being a completely new world, should strive to be it's own entity not copy things that have done before. Sadly, that's what I feel this story did. 3 out of 5.
5. "The Veiled Charge" by David A. Page. This story is... odd, for lack of a better word. It's well written, but there are so many perception shifts at times it leaves the reader wondering just what is going on for a page or two, and with space at a premium in short stories that is not a good thing. There is nothing really special that sticks out with this story, but the author seems to have some promise. 3 out of 5.
6. "The Weight of Water" by Edward Blome. This was a fun story to read. Although, I must admit that while reading it I often felt like I was reading a Dragonlance story about gnomes. I don't mean that as a bad thing, rather that this story just didn't `feel' like Eberron to me. The characters were very good, and the plot is one that made sense and had real meaning to the world of Eberron. Just something didn't fit overall. 4 out of 5.
7. "War Machines - 992 YK" by Ian Burton-Oaks. I didn't care for this story too much. Through all the Eberron books I have read so was we hear that the War Forged are killing machines and take orders etc. Yet, in this story the `forged are given `people' feelings and the like. It just didn't fit with my perception of the `forged and what they should be. This story does seem to have some veiled reasoning behind why the Day of Mourning happened though. So, it is worth while in that stand point. 3 out of 5.
8. "Call of the Silver Flame" by James Wyatt. A decent story, fast paced solid writing. One of the few stories to talk about vampires in Eberron. There seems to be characters in this one that we will see down the road as well. This story gives little tid-bits of the Eberron history throughout too. Interesting reading, but nothing really stood out for me. 3 out of 5.
9. "Flight of the Righteous Indignation" by Ari Marmell. This is another first person story, so the turned me off right away. I just can't get into stories like these. The plot seemed to have some promise, but a couple of the characters felt `fake' to me, like they were there for the story and they were not `making' the story. Overall, it was an ok story. 3 out of 5.
Personally I would have liked to see this anthology released before the first full length novel came out. This would give the readers a decent feel for what Eberron has to offer. Alas, that was not the case. I would however, recommend this book to those who have not yet ventured into Eberron, as well as those who enjoy the stories told thus far. If the authors in this anthology are the future writers of the Eberron world I think it has a bright future. There were some gems in this book, but some duds as well. Most lies in personal preference though. All in all a good anthology.
Samples and Preludes.......2006-05-10
This collection of short stories for the Eberron world fantasy setting is probably going to be a must-have for devotees of all things Eberron. The overall theme of this book includes stories that involve Eberron from a time-span of a few years before and after the end of the Last War.
If you are a reader who has only read even a few good novels involving Eberron and are looking to find more, this would be a good start. Not only does this book contain some very good stories, many of the short stories are clearly designed to serve as jumping-off points or preludes to future novels, so that devoted readers may feel not quite so in-the-know if they have not read these stories. I have chosen to summerize my comments about each story in 1 or 2 sentences:
*"Death at Whitehearth" by Keith Baker - An excellent quick adventure story prior to the Day of Mourning involving the characters from Baker's Dreaming Dark trilogy. This story was originally part of an Eberron setting campaign gaming supplement.
*"Death Before Dawn" by Paul Crilley - A mystery take that is pretty straight forward and not too full of surprises, but decently written.
*"The Blade of the Flame" by Tim Waggoner - An interesting story involving a former assassin-turned-exorcist of the Silver Flame. Clearly a jumping off point for future stories/novels.
*"Distant Fires" by Aaron Rosenberg - Well-written, interesting short story that seemed rather out of place in the Eberron setting.
*"The Veiled Charge" by David A. Page - A short adventure encounter story that involves a demi-demon and a small group of adventurers aboard a lightning rail.
*"The Weight of Water" by Edward Bolme - Another nice adventure story involving the Aundarian monk Teron from Bolme's "The Orb of Xoriat" novel. Excellent dialogue and one of the best stories in this collection.
*"War Machines -- 992 YK" by Ian Burton-Oakes - Interesting story involving the war forged. For those folks who like to speculate on what might have caused the Day of Mourning, this story would help to seed one strong possibility.
*"Call of the Silver Flame" by James Wyatt - An excellent short story that clearly serves as a precursor or back story to an upcoming novel by Wyatt.
*"Flight of the Righteous Indignation" by Ari Marmell - A suspenseful thriller that could be called a blending of H.P. Lovecraft and the movie Alien.
Thus far I have not found many of the Eberron novels to really contain enough elements, let along the flavor of the Eberron world, aside from creator Keith Baker's books. This collection of stories somewhat mirrors that problem in that some stories really seem to capture the pulp/noir feel that Baker apparently intended for Eberron. These would include the best 2 stories in this book: "Death at Whitehearth" and "Call of the Silver Flame", as well as "War Machines - 992 YK" and "Flight of the Righteous Indignation". Other stories are quite excellent and contain elements of the Eberron world without having quite the flavor of that distinct setting, or vice versa. These include "The Weight of Water" and "The Blade of the Flame". And then there are good stories which really have no real need to be considered Eberron stories but are fun to read just the same, like "Death Before Dawn" and "Distant Fires".
If I could, I would probably give this book 4 1/2 stars as I found all of the stories to be entertaining even though many of them could have been told in any other fantasy world setting. If you are heavily into Eberron novels, thinking about starting to read them, or just enjoy good fantasy short stories, this book fills all of those interests.
Fun collection of stories -- a little something for everyone.......2006-05-03
Tales of the Last War is a collection of nine short stories set in the world of Eberron. Each story takes place during or shortly after a world-spanning 100 year long war that changed the face of the world forever. The stories in this collection are well-written and provide a nice sample of what Eberron has to offer. Each tale focuses on a different set of characters and together they offer a little something for everyone. The stories range for a gruesome murder mystery, to a tale of possible demonic possession, to a search for meaning by a sentient living construct created for the sole purpose of making war. There is magic and mystery, there is adventure, betrayal and a lot more. The characters are well thought out and interesting. From a monk trained in the art of war, to an ex-assassin searching for peace, to a half-elven adventurer whose search for meaning leads her down the path to becoming a paladin these tales feature a number of interesting conflicts and situations. A number of the stories have a dark and gritty feeling and manage to convey a sense of tension to the reader.
All of the tales in this volume are enjoyable, although (as with any anthology) some were better than others. My personal favourite was "Call of the Silver Flame" by James Wyatt. I would definately recommend this book to any fan of short fantasy fiction. And it is a must for fans of the world of Eberron.
Average customer rating:
- Amazing Story...and it was never told before?!!?!
- IT'S A NOVEL.
- "He chose to live a bold life rather than settle for mediocrity" (a history teacher's review)
- The Myth and the Man
- Great Read!
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The Last Voyage of Columbus: Being the Epic Tale of the Great Captain's Fourth Expedition, Including Accounts of Swordfight, Mutiny, Shipwreck, Gold, War, Hurricane, and Discovery
Martin Dugard
Manufacturer: Hachette Audio
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD
 General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
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Book Description
This thrilling adventure narrative recreates the epic, never-before-told story of Columbuss fourth and final journey to the New Worlda voyage that was by far his most dangerous, unexpected, exhilarating, and consequential.
Customer Reviews:
Amazing Story...and it was never told before?!!?!.......2007-10-09
Dugard is a fantastic writer. Although the beginning of the book begins slowly, the tale of the fourth voyage is one of the most thrilling adventures I ever read. The fact that this was a true story and not fiction makes the reader hold onto their armchair as Dugard's narrative reads beautifully and steers the reader along, and it does so as masterfully as the great Columbus himself, who tenaciously led his frightened men to the New World. And despite Columbus' later misfortunes during this fourth voyage, he was an extremely clever man with outstanding resolve that although never found that elusive passage to Asia did manage to return home safely after a nerve-racking series of disasters. That is astounding by any mortal's standards.
I was glad to see that the History Channel made a movie on Dugard's book, as it is a crucial piece of history and an amazing story. Despite Columbus' failed mission he led his crew through, while even being deathly sick, to finally being rescued. That so many men did follow him, regardless of the mutiny, which was understandable at that crisis, it seems the main issue many others and I have is about Columbus being a tyrant. This whole issue truly needs factual evidence to prove that it was Columbus rather than his officers who committed those gross misdeeds on Hispaniola that tarnished Columbus' name, honor and right to govern.
In comparison to King Ferdinand's Spain, which was entering its most ugly period of pogroms by first expelling the Muslims and currently on a mission to begin the Inquisition, Columbus appears to have been an angel. If harsh punishments were meted out on Hispaniola, it seems the evil King Ferdinand, who was killing people in mass, was no one to reprimand Columbus or his men for harsh treatment. Many factors indicate that the King's aim was to demote Columbus and his monopoly on the New World, which he and his evil bishop, Fonseca, managed to do. They were ruthlessly expelling Muslims and Jews, and Columbus was just another expendable victim added to the list. Hence, this vital information needs to be finally resolved by ALL historians writing about Columbus.
However, this book is titled "The Last Voyage of Columbus", so I can't criticize Dugard too much in this regard, yet his storyline does address this previous issue, and therefore should to some extent. But as for the tantalizing fourth voyage, this is nothing short of extraordinary and almost too unreal to believe.
This was a fascinating tale, written in a fascinating and engaging style. Bravo Dugard! And thanks for bequeathing to the world this great and important tale. A MUST READ!
IT'S A NOVEL........2007-09-25
Sigh. Dugard is such a good writer -- an awe-inspiring writer -- but a book with an index promotes itself as nonfiction. He's got the basic outline of the Columbian story, but the very vividness of his talent makes his historical blunders all the more jarring. Eventually they become unbearable, which is sad.
He keeps tripping over his own cursory research, bedecking Columbus in the correct colorful Renaissance attire, for example, at a time when the real Columbus wore monk's robes. He has Columbus the father holed up with his son Ferdinand in a hurricane -- getting to know each other "after a lifetime apart." What lifetime was that? Ferdinand's mother was Columbus's partner from 1485 to his death. Family life with her, their son Ferdinand, and Columbus's elder son, the motherless Diego, probably made seven years of waiting bearable for him. Cordoba, where Beatriz lived, was his home base, and we know that he stayed there with her and his children between voyages as well: At one point Ferdinand tells us in his biography that Columbus finally sent the two boys back to school because the next voyage was hopelessly delayed.
One night in a storm together may have made for vivid memories, but they knew "each other very, very well" already. With some research, this book could have been a masterpiece.
"He chose to live a bold life rather than settle for mediocrity" (a history teacher's review).......2007-09-01
"The only certainty about Columbus is that, for better or worse, he chose to live a bold life rather than settle for mediocrity." (p. 268)
That is how Dugard ends a lively and informative biography of Christopher Columbus. As the title indicates, Dugard focuses on the fourth voyage of Columbus and its successes and mishaps. In order to properly place this voyage in its correct context, he uses the first half of the book to give the reader a fairly comprehensive biography of Columbus, as well as a thorough look at the politics of the day and other voyages of exploration, especially those of the Spanish and Portugese.
Columbus has been a whipping boy for the politically correct crowd for decades now. Dugard does a solid job of putting Columbus's actions in their proper context without becoming an apologist for his actions. Dugard is unabashadly admiring of Columbus's skills as a navigator and his bravery, but he's quite critical of his abilities as a colonial administrator. His narrative would be a wonderful movie except for two things: #1) Columbus is still radioactively politically incorrect; #2) No one would believe it.
It is a fascinating story and I highly recommend this read. However, I cannot give it 5 stars because Dugard does the unthinkable for a writer of any history - he fails to provide any sort of footnotes or endnotes. None. He does provide an extensive bibliography, but that is not good enough. I require my high school students to provide footnotes or endnotes. Dugard should do the same thing.
The Myth and the Man.......2006-12-04
This book is divided into two parts, the first deals with Columbus, his time spent getting some one (anyone) to back him finacially on a hairbrain scheme to get to China/India by sailing West, and his first three voyages and their results. The second deals with the Fourth Voyage (which he calls his "High Voyage) it's triumph(s), tragedies and their aftermath.
But what makes this book worth reading is what it really deals with, and that when a man's dreams come true they are not always what he expected nor what he wanted in the first place (or thought he did). Columbus wanted to sail west, discover a way to the Orient, make himself a fortune, be showered with lands medals and titles and leave a great legacy for his children and posterity.
Because of his political naivete, what he got was short term acclaim, then humiliation and banishment, the smugness and pettiness of syncophants and courtiers, privation and deprivation, and lastly he almost lost credit for discovering the "New World" to a man (Amerigo Vespucci) who might never have actually commanded a ship of discovery. Keep in mind that the two continents are called America not Columbia (or Colonia, or Colomboia).
Dugard does a marvellous job of bringing out the personalities of all the people involved, from Ferdinand (miser and ingrate) and Isabella (friend and admirer), to his schizophrenic crews (who could never make up their minds on whose side they were on), the indigenous people (some who fought him and others that saved him from starvation); to the man himself who thought that he was protected by God, and never lost his belief in the miraculous help of prayer.
Great Read!.......2006-09-21
This is exciting stuff! I enjoy the honest portrayal of Columbus, showing his strengths and weaknesses and how he was both an opportunist and a victim of the system. The narrative is spell binding and gripping. It is a great story and very well written. One thing the reader should be aware of is that the first half of the body of the book is background information. It interesting and important information to have before you read the account of the voyage, but there is a lot of it and the title may mislead you into thinking that the body of the book primarily consists of the account of Columbus's fourth voyage, when the account is really about half. Secondly, I wished that there were more maps marking the important places the book mentions in Spain, Africa and the New World. There is a map of the New World and the lines marking Columbus's four voyages, but not enough of the important points are included on that map. Having that would have aided my mental picture of what was happening. Also, one of the other reviewers mentioned the lack of source citations. I have noticed the same thing about other recent reader's-history books lately. I wonder if it is becoming a trend to cite less, in order to prevent distraction to the reader. I hope not. Citing sources is an important part of validating one's research and it reassures folks that undue embellishments are not being made. Nonetheless, these are all nit-picky points compared to the almost magical way that Dugard draws you into the story. Buy the book! You won't be able to put it down you will be amazed at what Columbus and his crew endured.
Average customer rating:
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Canterbury Tales, Travles of Marco Polo, Selections From Arabian Nights, Iliad of Homer, Crime and Punishment, Odyssey, Ralph Waldo Emerson Essays and Journals, Autobiography of benjamin Franklin, Last Days of Pompe II, War and Peace, Divine Comedy (The Programmed Classics)
Manufacturer: The Programmed Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Franklin, Benjamin | ( F ) | People, A-Z | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000GS7W2U |
Product Description
11 different books
Average customer rating:
- ExaminesTailwind from all directions
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CNN's Tailwind Tale: Inside Vietnam's Last Great Myth
Jerry Lembcke
Manufacturer: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General | Television | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
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Book Description
Jerry Lembcke delves into the origins of CNN's 1998 story about U.S. soldiers in Vietnam using nerve gas on defectors and how it came to be believed, not only by those who told it, but by news reporters and the public. In his investigation, Lembcke shows that the myth of Operation Tailwind originated in the fiction of popular culture, the unreliability of memory, and the conspiracy-minded, ultra-Right wing, fundamentalist Christian community.
Customer Reviews:
ExaminesTailwind from all directions.......2004-05-23
This book makes the case that the Tailwind story of the US using sarin gas against US POWs was possible, because so many wanted the story to be true, facts notwithstanding. This included reputable TV reporters, editors and producers, none of whom could see the red flag being waved in their faces. The myth was exposed with finality when CNN retracted the story and fired April Oliver, putting Peter Arnett on the back, back burner. I was hired indirectly to check out the allegations, and came back with evidence that the story couldn't possibly be true. What Lembcke provides is the cultural atmospherics that make some people believe anything that supports their predispositions. Most alert people already know this, but rarely do we see such outrageous claims go unchallenged by pros.
Book Description
In Three Volumes. This scarce antiquarian book is included in our special Legacy Reprint Series. In the interest of creating a more extensive selection of rare historical book reprints, we have chosen to reproduce this title even though it may possibly have occasional imperfections such as missing and blurred pages, missing text, poor pictures, markings, dark backgrounds and other reproduction issues beyond our control. Because this work is culturally important, we have made it available as a part of our commitment to protecting, preserving and promoting the world's literature.
Book Description
The shot Count Hieronim Tarnowski fired on his wedding night in 1914, on the eve of the First World War, was like a tocsin that sounded the doom of his ancient Polish family. When, in August 1939, on the eve of another war, his daughter Sophie saw blood pouring down the side of her train, she felt a terrible foreboding and knew her idyllic world would be swept away. Thirty years later, when Count Hieronim’s British grandson Andrew learned of the death of his mother---the beautiful, fragile, and abused Chouquette---his sense of a lost identity deepened and he set out to rediscover the world from which he came. These moments punctuate an extraordinary tale of the downfall of a once-powerful family, which in turn mirrors the twentieth-century fate of a nation ravaged by invasions and crushed by tyranny.
Before 1945, Poland, now a fledgling EU country, was an almost Tolstoyan world of wolf hunts and extravagant wealth, set alongside great poverty and a semifeudal peasantry, in a landscape of frozen fields and dark forests. Broken by war, it was reduced by Communism to drab uniformity, and a way of life was lost forever.
This world out of time is the setting for Andrew Tarnowski’s memoir, The Last Mazurka, a tale of loss and exile, love and violence, wandering and longing, told with poignancy and unexpected humor, and a lingering regret.
Customer Reviews:
The Disintegration of a Family, a Legacy and a Way of Life.......2007-10-04
This is a great book about a country and a culture and a time that too many of us know too little about.
The narrative begins just before World War I and carries through World War II, the Communist period and the present day. It provides insight into the life of one family that made up part of Poland's priveleged class. The shortcomings and weaknesses that plagued Poland through much of its history seem to be manifested in this one, markedly dysfunctional family--the author's own.
Mr. Tarnowski's writing is clear, descriptive and enjoyable. He is forthright in telling the story of his family's disintegration--a process that began long before the Nazis ravaged Poland and the Soviets subsequently crushed and neutered it.
His writing quickly makes the reader familiar with the main characters; all of them are colorful, but only a few are likeable. In the end, although he doesn't say so, it is obvious that had the Germans and Soviets never crossed into Poland and stolen the riches of the ruling classes, the author's volatile, arrogant, greedy and alcoholic father would likely have singlehandedly destroyed the family's wealth and standing anyway.
It reads nearly like a novel--but is all the more enjoyable because the story is real. Although a sometimes painful read, it is a thoroughly gratifying one. I'm glad the author had the talent and courage to write it.
The Last Mazurka.......2007-09-14
I found this book to be one of the most fascinating books I've read in years. It is the story of the demise of an aristocractic Polish family during World War II written by a family member born during during the war. Their odyssey took them back and forth across Europe, into (then)Palistine, Egypt, etc. During their travels, they rubbed elbows with King Farouk and Ali Kahn. On more than one occassion they were saved by family connections originated in more prosperous times. When all else was gone they sold their last possession of any value, Romanov jelewry from Catherine the Great.
What really caused their demise was when, after the Germans left, the Communist regime, similar to Russia in it's revolution, took away the ownership of their estate. This was the Communist's effort to end the concept of aristocracy. In the end, some of the main characters went from enormous wealth to poverty.
This book is an easy read and gives an aspect of WWII that was new to me. An interesting side light that was not in the book, but I read in another review, was that the author was ostricized from his family for writing this book. Much of the book came from family interviews and I guess they didn't want this to be aired to the public. This included the breakup of marriages and family bickering.
History through adventure.......2007-09-14
Excellent and interesting historical review through one family's experiences offering good insight into the times.
"Poland shall not perish...".......2007-08-15
This family memoir is a tragic tale of the breakdown of Polish society during and after World War II. In the early part of the 20th century, the author's ancestors were considered the aristocracy, and they had possessions and wealth aplenty. The war took all of that away from them, and many were forced to flee to other places for safety. The interesting thing about the book was that, even though these folks were refugees, their aristocratic lineage enabled them to receive assistance from a plethora of rich friends and acquaintances across Europe and the Middle East so that, even if they weren't in their native land, they still maintained a reasonable standard of living. My ancestors were peasants in Poland, and they would not have been as lucky in obtaining assistance if they had to leave their homes. These folks were rather spoiled, and they played "musical beds" no matter where they were situated. Some of them never recovered from the loss of their ancestral prestige, but others adapted to a new life and lifestyle. This book once again shows that, as Norman Davis famously said, Poland is "God's Playground".
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Marvel Tales #79 : Starring Spider-Man in "The Goblin's Last Gasp" (Marvel Comics)
Stan Lee
Manufacturer: Marvel Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General | Comic Strips | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
General | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
General | Graphic Novels | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
Marvel | Publishers | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
Spider-Man | Characters | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
Antiquarian & Rare Books | Books & Reading | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Batman | Media | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
General | Star Trek | Media | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000TC6G3Y |
Books:
- The Lost King of France: How DNA Solved the Mystery of the Murdered Son of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette
- The Paper Bag Princess (Classic Munsch)
- The Rising Tide: A Novel of World War II
- The Road Map to Nowhere: Israel/Palestine Since 2003
- The Secret of the Old Clock/The Hidden Staircase/The Bungalow Mystery/The Mystery at Lilac Inn/The Secret of Shadow Ranch/The Secret of Red Gate Farm (Nancy Drew, Book 1-6)
- The Sight (Warriors: Power of Three, Book 1)
- The Silver Call
- The Simplest Path to Personal and Planetary Awakening, Step One: FREE YOUR MIND: 10 Keys for Unlocking Your Personal Potential, Achieving Spiritual Awakening, ... of Humanity's Ultimate Cosmic Destiny
- The Simplest Path to Personal and Planetary Awakening, Step One: FREE YOUR MIND: 10 Keys for Unlocking Your Personal Potential, Achieving Spiritual Awakening, ... of Humanity's Ultimate Cosmic Destiny
- The Vision A Two-in-one Volume Of The Final Quest And The Call
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