History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Revolutionary War On Wednesday (Magic Tree House 22, paper)

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MY BOY LOVES READING IT
Great Book! Ignore the Bad Reviews if you just want your kids to enjoy reading and be read to!!!!
revolutionary war on wednesday
Great book!
Revolutionary War on Wednesday

Revolutionary War On Wednesday (Magic Tree House 22, paper)
Mary Pope Osborne
Manufacturer: Random House Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0679890688
Release Date: 2000-09-26

Amazon.com

If it's Wednesday, it must be Revolutionary War day. Jack and Annie, stars of the Magic Tree House series, are in for another adventure in their time- and space-traveling tree house. Mysterious magical librarian Morgan le Fay has set four new tasks for the siblings. Jack and Annie must find four special kinds of writing for Morgan's library in order to save Camelot, the ancient kingdom of King Arthur. In Civil War on Sunday, the pair traveled back to the 1860s to collect a list of rules ("something to follow") from famous nurse Clara Barton. Now they discover they must visit another war era: the Revolutionary War. Jack and Annie set aside their apprehension and soon they're spinning back through time to Christmas Day, 1776, on the banks of the Delaware River in Pennsylvania, where they encounter none other than the man on the dollar bill himself, George Washington! The children accidentally-on-purpose end up embroiled in the famous commander-in-chief's mission, where they not only play a part in convincing Washington to carry on with his patriotic duty, but also find the second kind of writing for Morgan's library: "something to send."

Award-winning author Mary Pope Osborne's young adventure series, The Magic Tree House, is immensely popular among children and teachers alike, promoting a fascination with history--and reading--no textbook can match. (Ages 6 to 9) --Emilie Coulter

Book Description

The Magic Tree House whisks Jack and Annie back to Colonial America. They arrive just as General george Washington is planning the crossing of the Delaware. Before they know it, Jack and Annie are in a boat with the Father of Our Country as history is made!

Customer Reviews:

MY BOY LOVES READING IT.......2007-01-07

My 1st grader hates to put it down, he would rather read Magic Tree House books, than play video games. He even reads them to his class and explains the story for show and tell. In his kindergarten class the teacher would also let him read the Magic Tree House books out loud, not to give her a break, but to promote reading out loud. Great books!

Great Book! Ignore the Bad Reviews if you just want your kids to enjoy reading and be read to!!!!.......2006-01-06

COME ON PEOPLE! First of all this book and the entire series is meant for KIDS NOT ADULTS so go with the flow. Imagine you are a boy or girl who is 5 or 6 and is just starting to enjoy stories and reading. You will love it! The whole point of a book is to have children begging for more. This book and the series does just that! ENOUGH SAID! My 5 yr old loves this book and as a result he has become interested in American History. This appetite he has led us to purchase many more books on history. In my opinion, the book has accomplished what I wanted. AN INTEREST IN LEARNING! AN INTEREST IN HISTORY! AND AN INTEREST IN READING! The text should be simple! The text should be silly at times! Thank you to Mary Pope Osborne for creating a wonderful series which I believe has turned my child into a history buff eager to learn everything about America!

revolutionary war on wednesday.......2005-02-18

one summer day in Frog Creek, Pensylvania, a Mysterious tree house oppeared in the woods. eight year old Jack and his seven year old sister; annie, climbed into the tree house. They found that it was filled with books. Jack and annie soon discovered that the tree house was majic. It could take to the places in the books, all they had to do was point a picture and wish to go there. Along the way, Jack and annie discovered that the tree belong to Morgan Le fay.morgan is a magical library from camelot,long ago of king auther.She travles through the time and space gathering books. The magic tree house books # 13-16, jack and annie had to save for ancient stories from being lost forever.In magic tree house#17-20 jack and annie trade a misterious little dog from a magic spell.In magictree books #17-20 jack and annie trade a new challange.Tey must find 4 special kinds of writing for morgans library to help save camelot.

Great book!.......2004-01-27

How would you feel if you were in a war? Find out by Reading Revolutionary War on Wednesday by Mary Pope Osborne. Jack and Annie were in a war to get a stone for
George Washington. I really liked this book because it was funny. Will Jack and Annie get the stone in time? Find out by reading this book!

Revolutionary War on Wednesday.......2003-05-20

Revolutionary War on Wednesday, is about two kids who go on magical quests for Megan, the librarian. In this book, Jack and Annie recieve another riddle to answer, from Megan. This time they must search into the past for clues on somthing to send to Megan, that way she can help Camelot.
I thought that this book was fantastic. It was the first Magic Tree House book that i had ever read, although its number 22. I would defenetly recommend this book to people who are interested in mysteries.

This Time, This Place: My Life in War, the White House, and Hollywood

Average customer rating:

Saint Jack
Good Read but Lacks Bite
A Truly American Story
Outstanding
Valenti's Life

This Time, This Place: My Life in War, the White House, and Hollywood
Jack Valenti
Manufacturer: Harmony
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0307346641
Release Date: 2007-05-15

Book Description

With the nation at war in the 1940s, twenty-two-year-old Jack Valenti flew fifty-one combat missions as the pilot of a B-25 attack bomber with the 12th Air Force based in Italy. In the 1960s, with the nation reeling from the assassination of a beloved president and becoming embroiled in a far different kind of war in Vietnam, he was in that fateful Dallas motorcade in 1963, flew back to Washington with the new president, and for three years worked in the inner circle of the White House as special assistant to President Lyndon Johnson. Then, for the next thirty-eight years, with American society and popular culture undergoing a revolutionary transformation, Valenti was the public face of Hollywood in his capacity as head of the Motion Picture Association of America.

Been there, done that, indeed. Texas-born and Harvard-educated, Valenti has led several lives, any one of which could have provided ample material for an unforgettable memoir. As it is, This Time, This Place is the gripping story of a man who saw the terrible face of war while fighting with skill and bravery for his country; who was in the room, listening, participating, and remembering, as political decisions were made that would benefit or devastate countless lives in this country and on the other side of the world; and who championed the interest of the vast and globally influential movie industry with tenacity and vision. The list of boldface names whom Valenti knew and with whom he worked is as varied as it is astonishing in number. Aside
from LBJ, there were Jack and Bobby Kennedy, Kirk Douglas, Frank Sinatra, Robert McNamara, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Julia Roberts, Cary Grant, Lew Wasserman, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Jack Nicholson, Michael Douglas, Warren Beatty, and Bill Clinton, to begin a very long list.

The life of a man who earned both the Distinguished Flying Cross and his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is inherently intriguing, but Valenti’s warm, sometimes rueful, always engaging account gives this memoir a depth of humanity and a taste of life’s unpredictability that will linger long after you turn the final page. From growing up poor but largely oblivious to that fact in a hardscrabble neighborhood of Greek and Italian immigrants in Houston to rising to the highest summits both of national government and Hollywood, This Time, This Place is a candid and clear-eyed reflection of the joys and sorrows, ambitions and disappointments, of a life fully recognizable in its extraordinary variety. It is also a sweeping and important historical record, written by a brilliantly successful man who helped to shape politics and entertainment in the second half of the twentieth century, and who always found himself in the center of the current storm.

Customer Reviews:

Saint Jack.......2007-09-21

One must be a very dedicated movie or Jack Valenti watcher to plough all the way through this tome. Apart from the timing which cannot be faulted - he died shortly after the book was published: the book is more a diary than a literary work. Except for the opening chapter on the assassination of JFK, which is good and compelling writing, the remainder stretched incredulity a little too far.
If we are to believe what Mr Valenti tells us about himself, we should not be surprised that at the books completion, the Almighty whisked him off to heaven to be at his right hand. A more Saintly man never lived beyond the Vatican.
We learn that he started life very poor - not even any shoes. We also learn that his close relatives were very rich. That confused me. I thought these old Sicilian families stuck together. Or is that only in the Mafia? One of these relatives who did not feel able to buy little Jack any shoes, did give him a job however. The salary was not sufficient for the future $1.3 million a year boss of MPAA, so he lied to take the time off to solicit work at Humble Oil which was successful. Little Jack clearly had a talent for ingratiating himself into the affections of those who could help him. First it was the HR lady who gave him his first job at Humble. Then it was the head of the advertising department who put him to work there. Work: I use the word loosely as he seems to have spent his time travelling around the country keeping his boss from being lonely. He must have been a very seductive little chap.
Then the war intervened. Now I thought, this is where it gets interesting. He reminds us frequently that he was a war hero, so I was very keen to learn more. Unfortunately modesty prevented him from sharing with us any daring-do that he was involved in. Other than telling us that the Luftwaffe fighters held no terrors for him - indeed, he actually says that they were no problem to him. Well that's a first. I must have more than 30 books on WWII aerial combat, and I never read that before. Could it be that all the others were spoofing? We do learn at great length his mile by mile journey back to America from Italy. The war was over by this time, but low cloud and rain was more formidable than the Luftwaffe it seems.
Once back to civilian life, he takes advantage of the GI Bill and goes to Harvard. If he goes on about his time at Harvard to his everyday listeners as he does in his book, there can be few American who don't know that Jack Valenti went to Harvard. Upon completion of his course he goes back to Humble Oil. This is the second time they have him back. He learns as much as he can from them, sets up a company with a partner and promptly leaves Humble Oil. Using what he learnt from Humble he solicits business from Humble competitors. This is a life long habit of Jack's. He ingratiates himself with people until they are of no more value; then he drops them. He did that with President Johnson after he learnt that Johnson was not going to seek re-election. He would have done it to MPAA and gone to Columbia Pictures, but his devoted wife of God knows how many years wouldn't go to Los Angeles with him. Washington was more important than Jack it seems. She did offer to let him commute once a week from DC to LA.
It is at this point in the book that one loses the will to live. It becomes a page after page catalogue of the rich and famous who Jack loved deeply, and they him. Pick at random any Name from the A List, and they - and of course their gorgeous spouses, were close personal friends of the Valenti's. There is not an enemy in sight - he even had a good word for the Luftwaffe! But then this is a work more interesting for what it doesn't say than for what it does. He never mentions that he lead a crusade to prevent VCRs being introduced into America. He takes full credit for the `original' introduction of a film rating system. He expects the readers not to notice that the British Board of Film Censors has been rating movies since 1912. It is also interesting that Jack never ever mentions the British film industry. He mentions, and praises British actors and directors, but never identifies them as such. He does every other country that has a film industry. Perhaps under the overcast skies of grey old London lurk a few skeletons that Jack would prefer to keep in the cupboard.
After one has waded through pages and pages of Hollywood's `Who's Who', the book is completed with the unsurprising information that all of his three children are `...movie star beautiful, and they are all outstandingly successful.' No kidding. He even tells us that his grandchildren are perfect.
Jack Valent's life story could have been an enthralling read had it been an `unauthorised version' by Kitty Kelly or similar. Instead, it is a very boring exercise in self aggrandisement. It is said that before one writes a book, one should identify your audience. The only audience for this book is the Hollywood Hoorays who will enjoy what is written about themselves, and think kindly about Jack - and of course his children.
Well done Jack. Not so much a book, more an advertising brochure for the Valenti dynasty.

Good Read but Lacks Bite .......2007-07-15

In a sense this is two books in one. Valenti (apart from his war years) had two very different careers - as a valued aide to President Lyndon Johnson and latterly as President Motion Picture Association of America. He did sterling work in both roles.

Almost anything written about Johnson is fascinating and Valenti keeps that legend going. The author never fails to see good in people and like other Johnson aides such as Joe Califano, seemed to have a genuine love for the towering Texan.

Valenti's opening chapter on the dreadful events of November 22nd 1963 is compelling reading. The author also writes well on the meetings and decision processes that encouraged LBJ to enlarge the war in Vietnam. For those with rose tinted glasses who believe JFK would have taken the US out of Vietnam before it became a quagmire, Valenti makes it quite clear that the bulk of LBJ's Vietnam advisors were Kennedy people. Overall the section on Johnson and the White House years is enjoyable reading. The same can not be said for his MPAA memoir.

Part of the problem is that Valenti is so gushing in his praise of everyone. The number of "radiantly beautiful" or "dazzling" wives he met with adorable offspring is mind-blowing. This man would have something good to say about the devil! He alludes very gingerly to the excesses of and infatuation with Hollywood, but never provides any depth.

Valenti - who wrote a book on communication - is a wonderful writer with a flowing style that is a joy to read. It is a pity that he did not bring greater depth and I think honesty to his MPAA career.

A Truly American Story.......2007-07-05

Jack Valenti's memoir "This Time, This Place: My Life in War, The White House, and Hollywood" tells an authentically American story. Valenti, the grandson of a Sicilian immigrant, rises from his working class roots to:
* win the Distinguished Flying Cross (WWII)
* attend Harvard Business School (Veterans Bill)
* start his own successful business
* become the aide de camp to a US President (Lyndon Johnson)
* and, become the chief lobbyist and defender of the motion picture industry for four decades.

Valenti's book opens with a flashback to Dallas, Texas on November 23, 1963 as he rode in the fateful Presidential motorcade that passed the Texas Book Depository with Lee Oswald's rifle pointed at President John Kennedy. Before the day was over, he was THE confident and consigliore to a new US President, Lyndon Johnson, overseeing the president's speeches, decided whom he would see and where he would go to speak. His chronicle of his White House years reads like a fast-paced novel and has plenty of detail to satisfy historians.

"This Time, This Place" provides important events in Valenti's early formation which were the underpinnings of a remarkable life. As a working class kid from Houston, he watched his grocer grandfather practice local politics and made his own first speech at the age of 10, advocating the reelection of the Sheriff. He worked as movie usher during high school, and got himself elected class president as a night student at the University of Houston.

In 1943, he joined the Army Air Corps, taking his first solo flight only after nine hours of instruction. He piloted 51 bombing missions over Europe in a B25 winning the Distinguished Flying Cross. His descriptions of these years are among the most vivid in this book. His prose throbs with memories of an experience that was simultaneously exhilarating, terrifying and "brutal."

The section on the Hollywood years is looser. Valenti's good-old-boy Texas story-telling comes out. He is more willing to tell tales, poking fun at some of the pompous behavior and trappings of the Motion Picture Industry's celebrities.

"This Time,This Place" is told straightforwardly, acknowledging debts, sketching people he knew and giving a not entirely flattering view of himself. His self-portrait is one of restlessness, and a strong commitment to advancement.

This is a man that senators, congressman and presidents readily took calls from. His formula was simple, "It is rooted in the ability to engage in courtship, to cosset talent, to understand the human condition and to make decisions fast." He exuded charm and was able to establish relationships by being everyone's pal but he never left empty-handed.

Jack Valenti died two years after his retirement from the Motion Picture Association of America in April, 2007.

Outstanding.......2007-07-04

Jack Valenti was both a witness to, and an instrument of, history and his autobiography presents the fascinating elements of his life and all those that he came across. Written in a very easy to read, yet eloquent, style (you can hear Valenti speaking these words)the book should be read by anyone interested in the Washington, the Great Society, and movie industry scenes.

Valenti's Life.......2007-06-27

A memoir of someone (now deceased) who -- after brave service in World War II -- spent time in two workplaces that most would find very interesting, The White House and Hollywood. While some stories within the book are interesting, especially the historical notes on the Johnson Administration, most are very shallow.

It is the life story of a bright, ambitious man from the hinterlands who happened to be in all the right places and took full advantage of his career opportunities. He is the type of person who always has his eye fixed on the main chance ... and toward the most important person in the room.

The prose drips with sincerity and soars with hyperbole. Mr. Valenti said about his friendship with Don Imus and Bernard McGuirk (whose own careers cratered after this book went to press), he had instant fame from being on Imus In the Morning "...however fleeting!" I think Mr. Valenti's fame indeed will be fleeting since it is primarily derived from the reflection of others.

Civil War On Sunday (Magic Tree House 21, paper)

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MY BOY LOVES READING
The Real Life Books
CIVIL WAR ON SUNDAY
best of the series
Great Reading

Civil War On Sunday (Magic Tree House 21, paper)
Mary Pope Osborne
Manufacturer: Random House Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 067989067X
Release Date: 2000-05-23

Amazon.com

Traveling back in time from the rumbling thunderstorms of present-day Frog Creek, Pennsylvania, to the booming of Civil War cannonballs near Richmond, Virginia, Jack and Annie set out on their 21st Magic Tree House adventure. The mysterious Morgan le Fay, magical librarian of Camelot, the long-ago kingdom of King Arthur, has left the brother and sister a message in their magic tree house, asking for their help saving Camelot. "Please find these four special kinds of writing for my library: Something to follow, Something to send, Something to learn, Something to lend." Jack and Annie enthusiastically transport themselves to a field near the fighting, and soon are enlisted as volunteer nurses assisting none other than Clara Barton, legendary "Angel of the Battlefield," as she drives her horse-drawn ambulance right onto the battlefields to help save wounded soldiers--including one with a very special connection to Jack and Annie.

Mary Pope Osborne's tremendously popular Magic Tree House series launches into a new realm, as Jack and Annie are challenged to save Camelot. Young readers will effortlessly learn the basics of Civil War history, while losing themselves in another gripping tale that has turned many a nonreader into a bookworm. (Ages 5 to 8) --Emilie Coulter

Book Description

In the newest Magic Tree House adventure, Jack and Annie are whisked back to the Civil War where they meet Clara Barton and save the life of their very own great-great-great-grand-father.

Customer Reviews:

MY BOY LOVES READING.......2007-01-07

The Real Life Books.......2006-02-26

I liked Civil War on Sunday because they helped America's first nurse named Clara Barton. I liked when they rescued the drummer boy from the war. The author did a very good job writing the book. That is why I have a lot of Magic Tree House Books.

CIVIL WAR ON SUNDAY.......2006-01-20

THIIS IS A VERY GOOD BOOK MY FAVORITE PART IS WHERE JAKE AND ANNIE SAVE THE DRUMMER BOY.

best of the series.......2005-12-31

If you are looking for a book that explain the Civil War and the pros and cons from each side, please go else where. The book has a Northern slant since Jack and Annie as behind Union lines. Book has a different feel to it and gets away from some the fantasy stories lines for a refreshing change of pace. Enjoy!

Great Reading.......2005-08-12

Civil War On Sunday is a Great book and educational. My grandson and I love reading all of these books.

The Battles for Spotsylvania Court House and the Road to Yellow Tavern May 7-12, 1864

Average customer rating:

Highly detailed, but readable military history
The Overland Campaign series
More Civil War
Excellent Study of Bloody Spotsylvania
Great Book on a Battle that Changed the Course of the CW

The Battles for Spotsylvania Court House and the Road to Yellow Tavern May 7-12, 1864
Gordon C. Rhea
Manufacturer: Louisiana State University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0807121363

Book Description

The second volume in Gordon C. Rhea's peerless five-book series on the Civil War's 1864 Overland Campaign abounds with Rhea's signature detail, innovative analysis, and riveting prose. Here Rhea examines the maneuvers and battles from May 7, 1864, when Grant left the Wilderness, through May 12, when his attempt to break Lee's line by frontal assault reached a chilling climax at what is now called the Bloody Angle. Drawing exhaustively upon previously untapped materials, Rhea challenges conventional wisdom about this violent clash of titans to construct the ultimate account of Grant and Lee at Spotsylvania.

Customer Reviews:

Highly detailed, but readable military history.......2007-03-03

Having previously read Rhea's first volume on the 1864 Overland Campaign, I moved on to this work. Just like the first volume, Rhea has written a winner here. I had gotten somewhat tired of "military history" books because they were either overly detailed and dry and boring or they often focused too much on the commanders and not enough on the ordinary soldier. Well, no such problems with this book. Rhea has a very balanced prose focusing on the generals, the privates, and everyone in between. Furthermore, despite being full of enough detail for any military history buff, the book is very readable and Rhea writes in a style that makes you feel as if you are amongst the action, making you turn page after page. Other reviewers can probably write much better than I, but simply put, this book is a must have for anyone interested in military history or the Civil War.

The Overland Campaign series.......2006-07-22

The Battle of the Wilderness May 5-6, 1864
Product Details
* Hardcover: 520 pages
* Publisher: Louisiana State University Press (July 1994)
* Language: English
* ISBN: 0807118737

The Battles for Spotsylvania Court House and the Road to Yellow Tavern May 7-12, 1864
Product Details
* Hardcover: 483 pages
* Publisher: Louisiana State University Press (May 1997)
* Language: English
* ISBN: 0807121363

To the North Anna River: Grant and Lee, May 13-25, 1864
Product Details
* Hardcover: 505 pages
* Publisher: Louisiana State University Press (May 2000)
* Language: English
* ISBN: 0807125350

Cold Harbor: Grant and Lee, May 26-June 3, 1864
Product Details
* Hardcover: 552 pages
* Publisher: Louisiana State University Press (September 2002)
* Language: English
* ISBN: 0807128031

I am reviewing the four books a single series although each book is a full stand-alone history. This is a highly detailed military history of Grant's Overland Campaign of 1864. Two of the best generals commanding two of the best armies, in American history, decide the Civil war in the East. Gordon Rhea gives this month the detailed attention it requires and had never received. The 2,000 pages allows for the full story of the campaign, the personalities, failures and success.

The first book covers the major battle of The Wilderness an area Grant wished to clear and Lee hoped to trap him in as he had Hooker in 1863. Through a series of Union miscalculations and command problems, Lee manages to get in Grant's way. What follows is a confused bloody two-day battle that has been termed "Bush whacking on a grand scale". An excellent series of maps, help the reader stay abreast of the battle and understand the confusion of both sides. Lee loses Longstreet and starts to make the hard decisions about personnel that he has avoided since 1862. Grant while testing his relationship with Meade and Burnside, is trying to learn the AOP's generals too. This process dominates the four books as repeatedly Grant is forced to deal with the problems this creates and Lee takes steps that were unthinkable in 1863.

The second book moves the battle from The Wilderness south to Spotsylvania and Yellow Tavern. Grant refuses to "play the game" and retreat behind the Rappahannock but pushes past Lee and continues south. What follows is a race from defensive point to defensive point, which the AOP concedes to the AoNV. Union commanders hesitate at critical moments while the AoNV reinforces the objective. This allows Lee to stay up or ahead producing one of the bloodiest battles in our history at Spotsylvania. In addition, this book covers the critical cavalry operations, Grant's reasoning, and the price paid in taking Sheridan away from Meade. J.E.B. Stuart's death, is well covered. Both in terms of what it means to the AoNV, to Lee and to the Confederacy.

After one of the hardest weeks in their history, the two exhausted bloodied armies eye each other over their entrenchments. Lee understands that he is being trapped and that defensive war can only end in defeat. Grant is trying not to be stuck in a siege and determined to continue south. What follows is a series of forced marches and small battles as Grant and Lee test each other. Each general wins and loses daily as the armies march, counter march and fight. However, at the end of each day, Grant is always closer to Richmond. Lee produces a brilliant trap, Grant takes the bait but circumstances keep lee from springing it. Almost to late, Grant sees the trap pulls back, changes direction and continues south. Book 3, To the North Anna River covers this brilliant and exciting time in detail. Rhea produces some excellent analysis of both commanders and the developing personnel problems they are facing. Neither man is having an easy time of it and both understand they have never faced an enemy like this.

The last book takes us to Cold Harbor, one of the most controversial battles of the war. The detail history and excellent analysis leads us through this battle and produces some startling conclusions. As always, the author provides full support and justification for them. This might be the most important book of the series and the definitive book on the battle of Cold Harbor.

Each book has a full set of maps and illustrations. The writing is uniform and very readable. While detailed, the actions are understandable and you are seldom lost in a sea of names and/or unit numbers. Each book is a stand-alone history and is readable as such. The books were published from 1994 to 2002 and had to be written that way. This is the best account of the Overland Campaign available. It is both an invaluable reference and a great reading experience.

More Civil War.......2006-03-09

I have recenty - in the past two ot three years - become interested in the Civil War. The Shelby Foote series is wonderful, but still leaves a lot of detail to be fleshed out. The more you read the more you want to know. Much about the War remains a mystery. The battles can be presented in much detail and Rhea's writing is clear and lucid. There is considerable detail in presenting excerpts from diaries, reports and the like to make the battles real from a human standpoint. The books are much like the work of Stephan Sears.
All are well written and enjoyable, although I do recommend a bit of lighter reading between volumes.
The only quibble that I have is with the maps. They often neglect detail that could help follow the action. Plaaces mentioned in the text are sometimes not to be found on the maps.
This complaint can be applied to virtually every Civil War book that I have read. If you are interested in the civil war, this series is excellent.

Excellent Study of Bloody Spotsylvania.......2005-08-22

Recently I spoke to someone who had read all of Rhea's books published thus far. The person commented that he thought Rhea was too dry an author to be enjoyed. After having read Rhea's title on the Wilderness and now just completing his Spotsylvania book, I wonder if my acquaintance was talking about the same person!

In my humble opinion, Rhea has written the defintive study of the campaign that reflected Grant's determination to destroy Lee's army at any cost - Spotsylvania. The book's narrative flows freely and the writing style is easy to follow without being simplistic. He covers in great detail the armies' movements to Spotsylvania, the battles of Spotsylvania, Todd's Tavern, Yellow Tavern, and other engagements. In other words, I believe the professional historian and Civil War layperson will both enjoy the book.

Rhea seems to be fair and balanced in his praise and criticism of both sides - Lee, Early, Anderson, Meade, Upton, Hancock, and others get praise while others (Grant, Ewell, Burnside - surprise surprise!, and others) are criticized for their performance. Since I am a Civil War layperson, I will leave it to the "experts" to analyze whether Rhea's praises and criticisms are warranted. Instead, I am choosing to focus on the book's content and writing style.

I do have one criticism of a shortcoming I find in many Civil War Campaign Studies - the maps. While the maps are well drawn, there could have been at least 10 more and could have gone down to regimental detail. Doing so makes following the flow of action much easier and interesting.

Criticism aside, I highly recommend the title as the definitive study of the continuing struggle between Lee and Grant. The book will serve as a valuable guide to my next visit at Spotsylvania.

Great Book on a Battle that Changed the Course of the CW.......2005-08-14

Rhea does a wonderful descriptive job on the Battle that changed the Civil War in the east forever. Any romantic feelings of cavaliers and great flanking maneuvers is at a loss for this grim beginning of the complex battle of entrenchments that eventually extend to Petersburg, This battle is ugly in the sense of great casualties as waves of humanity go up against mine balls, canister, bayonets and the well entrenched foes, in the case of the latter, Lee's ANV. Rhea does an outstanding job in two particular areas, one is the study of command for both the Union and Confederates and in his excellent detail descriptions of the many battles at Spotsylvania that culminates in the horrid bloody assaults at the mule shoesalient including the equally high casualty counter attacks. In reference to the command structure, Rhea describes a continuation of the Union problems of command initially described in his preceding Wilderness book (one of a four part series on the Overland Campaign). In this case; however, Grant is much more involved and Meade is seemingly relegated to a senior staff officer position. An example is Meade's dissatisfaction with Sheridan's inability to cut through to Spotsylvania and beat the confederates only to be subjected to Grants intervention to allow Sheridan to cut loose with the entire cavalry in a run at Richmond and Stuart. And ackwardly, Burnside still maintains an independent command under only Grant. Rhea articulately studies the confederate command particularly in reference to Stuart's cavalry brilliantly blocking Sheridan at Todd's Tavern, and Anderson's timely march to support Fitz Lee at Laurel Hill that plants one of the main defenses of Spotsylvania setting the stage for the confederates extended defense works. Rhea does an astonishing job of tracking the complex maneuvers of virtually every brigade from Hancock's attempt to move two exposed divisions north of the Po River attacked by Early to Hancock's attack at the salinet's maze of entrenchments. Rhea equally tracks the confederates in the salient from the initial defenders to those in the many brigades involved in the counterattack. Rhea also highlights the emergence of Gordon that parallel's the demise of Ewell in Lee's eyes. The account of the bloody angle is with first hand quotes of the miraculous charge by Hancock, the bad luck of the Confederates (weather, fog, movement of artillery) and the virtual free for all fight for control of the angle. Krick has a more poignant description of the battle of the mule shoe salient but Rhea provides the whole battle scheme brilliantly. The importance of Laurel Hill is well described and not forgotten nor is Early's late flanking attack against Burnside. Inclusive in this monumental task is a vivid account of Sheridan's raid and Stuarts attempt to harass and finally stop his better-supported foe. As Rhea points out, unlike Sheridan, Stuart left half his troop with Lee while Sheridan took his entire corps. The consequences are better for Lee but not so for Stuart at Yellow Tavern. The book concludes with great analysis of the command success and failures of both sides. Of interest is Warren's conflicts as Grant is frustrated with Warren's desire to avoid headlong attacks against well-entrenched foes (seemingly appropriate), while Warren may be right but he was better served to working for Meade who had a similar cautious nature. Also a good look at Grant's drive to destroy Lee and end the war while suffering great casualties. Two items that could use more detail, was Ewell that bad at Spotsylvania to be reduced in command or was Gordon's star just eclipsing Ewell at this point as Gary Gallagher suggests? And what was the reason why the confederates maintained the salient position that became exposed? Some authors suggest that the layout was the result of night marches with units forming where they stopped at whatever terrain vantage points seemed best in the dark. Fascinating account of Lee as he continues to take an active battlefield role as his officer corps becomes decimated. An excellent book and as the author says in the last chapter, "Twenty-five miles south, toward Richmond, the North Anna beckoned". After reading this book, you are ready for that next part of the campaign.

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Stunning!
more Pentagon & Gen. Carroll & less Jimmy please
Institutional Evil versus Personal Conscience
The other house of mirth
Outstanding

House of War
James Carroll
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0618187804

Book Description

This landmark, myth-shattering work chronicles the most powerful institution in America, the people who created it, and the pathologies it has spawned. Carroll proves a controversial thesis: the Pentagon has, since its founding, operated beyond the control of any force in government or society. It is the biggest, loosest cannon in American history, and no institution has changed this country more. To argue his case, he marshals a trove of often chilling evidence. He recounts how "the Building" and its denizens achieved what Eisenhower called "a disastrous rise of misplaced power'from the unprecedented aerial bombing of Germany and Japan during World War II to the "shock and awe" of Iraq. He charts the colossal U.S. nuclear buildup, which far outpaced that of the USSR and has outlived it. He reveals how consistently the Building has found new enemies just as old threatsand fundingevaporate. He demonstrates how Pentagon policy brought about U.S. indifference to an epidemic of genocide during the 1990s. And he shows how the forces that attacked the Pentagon on 9/11 were set in motion exactly sixty years earlier, on September 11, 1941, when ground was broken for the house of war. Carroll draws on rich personal experience (his father was a top Pentagon official for more than twenty years) as well as exhaustive research and extensive interviews with Washington insiders, from Robert McNamara to John McCain to William Cohen to John Kerry. The result is a grand yet intimate work of history, unashamedly polemical and personal but unerringly factual.

Customer Reviews:

Stunning!.......2007-08-07

I read it. I was at the public library looking for something else, which had already been checked out. It was pouring rain outside (a typical Puget Sound day and all that... heh.) On the shelf where the book I wanted would have been, I noticed "House of War." I started reading...

Several hours later when the librarian started flicking the lights off & on to notify us that the library was about to close, I was still reading. Where had the time gone? Well - I'll have to check this book out. Then it kept me up past my usual bed time, still reading.

I was born exactly nine months after the Atomic bomb was dropped on (the civilian population of) Hiroshima by the Truman administration. I grew up in a world dominated by the Cold War and by policy decisions made in the Pentagon. Reading this book made it clear to me that it should have called "the GOLD WAR" because so many American industrialists used the threat of war and the Pentagon to get rich. They created a juggernaut that is now unstoppable. It feeds on the economy and diverts money from other programs. It distorts information to justify its own existance by spreading (and creating) paranoia and fear among the population for its own sake. It brainwashes otherwise intelligent people and indoctrinates them into its own self-perpetuating delusional paranoid mindset * you can read some of their opinions among these reviews if you look for the ones with one star.

Carroll has done a fine job here. He tells a complex story in an engaging and personal manner... Well worth the price of admission! You will never look at the headlines or watch the nightly the same way again.

more Pentagon & Gen. Carroll & less Jimmy please.......2007-07-10

This starts off being a great book and following the chronology starts hitting its straps by the mid 50s early 60s but falls away as the author injects more of himself into the narrative during the late 70s & 80s when he doesn't do more than indulge himself in hand wringing while his peacenik friends at least attempted something. Alas the world won't be changed from the pulpit of a column in the Boston Globe.
However like a previous reviewer pointed out, the device of a crazy Sec. of Defense setting up the direction of the "Puzzle Palace" is a little too literary for my taste.

Good but needed a little paring down.

Institutional Evil versus Personal Conscience.......2007-01-28

This outstanding book is a complex mix of history and memoir, but for me its pinnacle comes right in the middle, when after much preparation Carroll describes the nature of the institutional evil that is his ultimate focus. Not evil men and women - he knows them personally and has admired them - but a vortex of power which disables humane and compassionate judgment.

There were many revelations for me in House of War, including the thread of Roman Catholic concern and conscience; but the most important was how John Paul II, Reagan and Gorbachev contributed to the end of the cold war, and why each of them did so. I respect Ronald Reagan's humanity more than I did, but Gorbachev now stands out as a true profile in courage.

The other house of mirth.......2007-01-24

With the laying of the keel of the Gerald R. Ford, our Country will have twelve huge aircraft carriers. Twelve at a time when no other country has even one remotely comparable. Most of us strive to find a certain level of security in life. Most of us can recognize sufficiency in that area. And most of us can at least intuit when an extreme need for absolute security can be seen as psychosis.

Who would have thought it possible to document the concept of security utterly run amuck as emblefied by a building, forgodsake, in prose so graceful, so human that we feel the breath of the monster at the nape of our collective necks? Riveting reading even if you don't care about your own skin.

Outstanding .......2007-01-11

This is an outstanding piece of work, very well written and highly readable. It places our present war in Iraq in context indicating that this war did not simply come into being in recent years, but rather is the outcome of a set of behaviors and values that have been present in a significant portion of American society and leadership since WWII, including the idea of a preemptive strike and the desire to go it alone.

Palm Springs Modern: Houses in the California Desert

Average customer rating:

Great read for edgy MCM enthuisiasts
Excellent coffee table book: not an architectural text
Grab your sunscreen-Let's go!
Hot Desert Modern
Jeez, it's a picture book!

Palm Springs Modern: Houses in the California Desert
Adele Cygelman
Manufacturer: Rizzoli International Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0847820912
Release Date: 1999-09-18

Amazon.com

When designers such as Richard Neutra, John Lautner, and Albert Frey came together with members of the Hollywood elite like Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope, and Lucille Ball, they produced luxury homes nestled in bouldered hills and vacation estates located along green fairways. Palm Springs Modern documents this 40-year architectural explosion in the California desert.

One of the more dramatic collaborations was between Los Angeles architect Quincy Jones and billionaire Walter Annenberg, erstwhile publisher and ambassador to Britain under Richard Nixon. Annenberg and his wife, Lee, commissioned the Rancho Mirage Estate house with the express purpose of entertaining such heavyweights as Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles, and Ronald Reagan. Jones envisioned water and green grass on the outside--"I don't want to see one grain of sand except in the golf traps"--and an interior sympathetic to the Annenbergs' collection of impressionist art and oriental antiques. Near the end of the two-year project, Lee asked that the Japanese- and Mayan-inspired pyramidal roof be pink. So it was that pink became the signature hue of the Annenbergs' fabulous Rancho Mirage home.

Using many of the same general principles Jones employed--an open floor plan and the integration of the interior and exterior spaces--Donald Wexler and Ric Harrison's Steel Development Houses represent a very different perspective. Built almost entirely of steel, concrete, and glass, these 1,400-square-foot houses cost between $13,000 and $17,000 in 1962 and could be built in three days. They are minimal in design, aside from the butterfly ceilings, and are incredibly energy efficient. By using steel instead of wood, the buildings are expected to last for many, many years with little or no maintenance. Who would have guessed that the Bauhaus principles, which originated in Germany with Walter Gropius, would find their way to the California desert?

Author Adele Cygelman offers a succinct history beginning with the rise of desert modernity in the 1930s through to its fall from grace in the early 1970s. The photographs by David Glomb are spectacular. All together, Palm Springs Modern is a tantalizing feast of some of the very best mid-century domestic design. --Loren E. Baldwin

Book Description

Palm Springs is famous as a mecca for the international jet set. But the city has also attracted its share of eccentrics and mavericks who have left an architectural legacy that remains unsurpassed for its originality and international influence. Palm Springs Modern examines the impact that architects and designers have had on the desert oasis, primarily from the 1940s to the 1960s, when they created one of the most important concentrations of modernist architecture in the world.

Palm Springs came into its own architecturally after the war when it became a haven for such modernists as Richard Neutra, who was already practicing the International Style in Los Angeles. Many other distinguished architects have left distinctive marks in the desert: Albert Frey, John Lautner, E. Stewart Williams, William Cody, John Porter Clark, and Craig Ellwood. Palm Springs Modern features examples of mid-century modernism at its most glamorous, some of them the residences of prominent figures who commissioned weekend getaways in the desert including Frank Sinatra, Walter Annenberg, and Raymond Loewy. Adèle Cygelman's insightful text, a foreword by architectural historian Joseph Rosa, contemporary color photography by David Glomb, and the celebrated archival black-and-white work of Julius Shulman all capture the distinctly modern allure of America's famed desert playground.

Customer Reviews:

Great read for edgy MCM enthuisiasts.......2006-11-20

What I love about Palm Springs Modern is the variety of architects and styles featured. There are great photographs, including houses by John Lautner, Richard Neutra, Craig Ellwood, and Albert Frey among others. A particularly pleasant surprise is the section on the Maslon house by Neutra which was foolishly demolished a few years ago. Love this book!

Excellent coffee table book: not an architectural text.......2002-03-10

Palm Springs Modern provides a superb photo tour of a handful of landmark homes that defined the 'modern' style in the 1950s and '60s. Because wealthy businessmen and celebrities could afford edgier architecture, the authors focus on these homes -- with a welcome chapter on the talented William Cody in between. If you want a scholarly treatise on modernism in architecture, buy another book. If you want a tantalizing sample of some of the best work, PSM is fine. By the time modernism made its way into mass production homes, it lost much of its inventiveness and aesthetic. Those familiar with the Palm Springs area will notice that the Alexanders' ubiquitous 'butterfly' rooflines have become almost cliche, while the Loewy house and most of the PSM subjects remain exotic.

Do you need to own PSM before buying or designing a home for the California desert? Clearly the answer is NO. But if you want a virtual tour of some of the most inspired homes of the genre, PSM belongs on your coffee table. And yes, if you live in the Midwest or Northeast you would do yourself a service by putting this away in a closet somewhere during the winter.

Grab your sunscreen-Let's go!.......2001-07-05

A classic. If you've never been to Palm Springs, you'll be catching the next flight after leafing thru this fine book. Gorgeous photos of simply incredible buildings. Palm Springs has a quality and character unlike any other "resort" town. The fabulous architecture of the mid-century building boom and a renewed appreciation of the designs of that period has revitalized (again) the Palm Springs area. If you can't visit Palm Springs personally, then pour a martini, sit back and enjoy this book. It's almost like being there!

Hot Desert Modern.......2001-03-08

Palm Springs Modern illustrates (in photos) a collection of homes by designers who tested design concepts in the harsh desert environment that complimented, and indeed enhanced the outcome. Those of us who seek inspiration and documentation of the modernist period will find this volumn satisfying. It is not a scholarly book, nor is the text particularly deep in theory of architectural modernism. And it doesn't matter that some of the homeowners were celebrities. What really matters is that there are so many fine examples of modernist architecture and in such close proximity.

Jeez, it's a picture book!.......2000-12-12

I rather liked this book. Yes it's gushy and fluffy. I particularly liked the part about Walter Annenberg's interest in ecology after he turned 250 acres of desert into a personal Euro-Disney. However the pictures are nice, if somewhat disembodied from their context. The text is ridiculous, but I'm trying to get worked up to buy property there, so I was mainly interested in images. Of course, there is nothing useful in the way of floor plans, site maps, etc. However, if you live in the Midwest or New England and want to get really depressed about your current weather, this is the book to buy.

Stratagem: Deception and Surprise in War (Artech House Information Warfare Library)

Average customer rating:

Best of breed
A Must-Have for any military library

Stratagem: Deception and Surprise in War (Artech House Information Warfare Library)
Barton Whaley
Manufacturer: Artech House Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1596931981

Book Description

Out-of-print and out of the hands of military professionals for years, Artech House answers the demand, making the sought-after, classic work, Stratagem: Deception and Surprise in War, available once again. This timeless and widely cited volume offers professionals a model and template for studying and analyzing deception operations. Readers get an historical analysis of deception and surprise, over 100 real-world case studies, and a set of methods that underlie and pervade the entire book.

This unique resource takes a broad and deep look at surprise operations, presenting intriguing questions and hypotheses about the possible causes of surprise, including deception. Thoroughly referenced and supported with clear data tables, the case studies concentrate on the goals, planning, expectations, security, leaks, warnings, intelligence assessments, and final results. The book concludes with analytical lists of battles from 1914 to 1968, systematically laid out in columns for cross-tabulation.

Customer Reviews:

Best of breed.......2007-03-25

Barton Whaley is respected as the foremost expert in the field of deception, and his book "Stratagem" is by far the very best single publication on the subject. His work was exhaustively researched and provides the clearest and most detailed explanations of theory, principles, tradecraft and case studies on deception.

A Must-Have for any military library.......2007-02-20

This book is an absolute 'must have' for any military historian (amateur or professional) or any military officers with any interest or responsibility for intelligence or counter-intelligence.

This book is written in the form of two books, and somewhat less obviously, three books.

Book 1 has six chapters of text that discusses the general concepts of deception from a theoretical standpoint and it's value in warfare. He points out the analysis of 27 wars where in only six of these was a decisive result obtained by a direct approach.

Book 2, the biggest part of the book is Appendix A. This consists of 115 known instances of surprise and/or deception from 1914 to 1968 (this book was first written in 1969). To list just two examples:

Case A30 - Details the efforts that the Japanese went to in order to obscure the fact that they were preparing to attack Pearl Harbor. This view puts an entirely different light on the question about what the Americans knew about the pending attack. Suppose the Japanese knew or even suspected that we might have broken their codes.

Case A45 - The deceptions directed at the Germans regarding D-Day. As Churchill said, the facts regarding the invasion were to be protected by 'a bodyguard of lies.' This details the well known aspects such as the appointment of Patton to head up the ficticious army. But it also reports the FBI, back in the US having one of their agents (code named ND98, and still not publicly identified) send signals to the Germans attempting to direct their attention to an attack in the Med.

Conclusion: Buy a copy of this book before it goes out of print again.

American Revolution: A Companion to the Revolutionary War on Wednesday (Magic Tree House Rsrch Gdes(R))

Average customer rating:

An Aid to Students with Developmental Disabilities in Inclusion Middle School
LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! JACK AND ANNIE RULE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

American Revolution: A Companion to the Revolutionary War on Wednesday (Magic Tree House Rsrch Gdes(R))
Mary Pope Osborne , and Natalie Pope Boyce
Manufacturer: Random House Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0375823794
Release Date: 2004-08-10

Book Description

WHY DID WE fight the Revolutionary War? What is the Declaration of Independence? What was it like to live in the 13 colonies? Find out the answers to these questions and more in Magic Tree House Research Guide: American Revolution, Jack and Annie’s guide to one of the most important events in our nation’s history. This is the nonfiction companion to Revolutionary War on Wednesday (Magic Tree House #22).

“A great place to begin research for a report.”—School Library Journal

Customer Reviews:

An Aid to Students with Developmental Disabilities in Inclusion Middle School.......2007-01-16

This book has been a significant tool in adapting the seventh grade Social Studies curriculum (American History) for my two inclusion students with autism who read on a second to third grade reading level. The text is interesting and gets to the basic causes and results of the American Revolution. The illustrations help to provide some concrete visual aids. I also had these students read Revolution on Wednesday for their independent reading in English to further familiarize them with the story of the Revolution and the terminology involved. As a result, my students now have a rudimentary understanding of the American Revolution.

I look for more of these wonderful research guides. We will be using the Civil War books when we get to that part of the curriculum.

LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! JACK AND ANNIE RULE!!!!!!!!!!!!!.......2004-09-26

I'm a 12-year-old girl, and this Magic Tree House Research Guide rules! I love learning about the Revolutionary War and history, so Jack and Annie are the best kids ever! In this guide, you can answer questions like...

"What IS the Decloration of Independence?" "Who WAS George Washington and all those other American Heroes?" "What WAS the Boston Tea-Party?" "Who DID rule over the 13 Colonies in the mid/late 1700's?" "What DID the first flag look like?" "What WAS it like to live durning the Coloinal times?" "What WAS the Battle at Valley Forge?" "How DID we win the War?"

All these questions answered and MANY, MANY MORE to BE answered in this book: Magic Tree House Research Guide: American Revolution (a Non-Fiction Companion to "Revolutionary War on Wednesday")

***Remember to check out the OTHER Research Guides and the Magic Tree House missions, too! And the newest ones: The Merlin Missions, where Jack and Annie go to the time of Camelot and King Arthur! They're all SO(...) super! You keep writing, Mary Pope Osborne, and I'll keep READING!

The Thirty Years War (New York Review Books Classics)

Average customer rating:

One of the great books of the 20th century
A Panoramic and Poltically Sophisticated History
Machiavellian machinations
Outstanding
A Clear Presentation of a Tragic Historical Era

The Thirty Years War (New York Review Books Classics)
C. V. Wedgwood
Manufacturer: NYRB Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1590171462
Release Date: 2005-06-30

Book Description

Europe in 1618 was riven between Protestants and Catholics, Bourbon and Hapsburg--as well as empires, kingdoms, and countless principalities. After angry Protestants tossed three representatives of the Holy Roman Empire out the window of the royal castle in Prague, world war spread from Bohemia with relentless abandon, drawing powers from Spain to Sweden into a nightmarish world of famine, disease, and seemingly unstoppable destruction.

Customer Reviews:

One of the great books of the 20th century.......2007-06-26

I have had this book high on my reading list for over 40 years now, ever since a took a course in German Baroque literature as an undergraduate. It is far better than I had imagined, both in style and content. My only regret is that I didn't get around to reading it 40 years ago.

A Panoramic and Poltically Sophisticated History.......2007-04-20

For the English-language reader Wedgwood's book, which has been in print for over sixty years, is still an excellent introduction and synoptic narrative of this lengthy and turbulent period of European history. It gives brief and judicious biographical sketches of the major political and military actors of three generations: The principal antagonists at the outset -- Ferdinand II of Austria and Frederick V, Elector Palatine; the condottieri-style generals - Spinola, von Mansfeld, Tilly, Wallenstein, Piccolomini, Christian of Halberstadt, Bernhard of Saxe-Weimar, the duc d'Enghien (Conde); the contentious minor rulers -- Maximilian V of Bavaria, Johann Georg of Saxony; the northern monarchs -- Christian IV of Denmark and Gustavus Adophus of Sweden (and his daughter Christina and prime minister, Oxenstierna); the "spoiler", Cardinal Richelieu; the new Emperor Ferdinand III and his cousin, the warlord Cardinal-Infant Ferdinand of Spain; and many others. This book is written in a traditional English historian's prose style that is clear, eloquent and totally lacking the jargon of concurrent and later social and economic histories, while still covering these aspects of the period. In spite of some reviewers' claims of a "Protestant bias" in her interpretation, the author seems extremely fair when assessing responsibility for the long-running disaster of the war, taking the position that it was the self-serving political interests of the participants (dynasties, rulers, generals and paymasters) that kept the war going at the expense of the social and economic welfare of the vast majority of inhabitants of Germany and Bohemia.

Although I am not familiar with this new edition (and Grafton's introduction) I emphasize that any reissuing of this book should have a brief scholarly introduction which supplies more details on the constitutional arrangements and crises of the Holy Roman Empire during the sixteenth century, with a special emphasis on the composition of the Bohemian estates and the conflicts between the estates and the Habsburg king-emperors. The extent and internal organization of "the Bohemian crown lands" should also be outlined. A succinct review of the political status of Lutheranism, Calvinism, the Bohemian Brethren, and other Protestant c