Book Description
A chilling memoir by the head of Hitler's Foreign Intelligence Service-the only SS-man to describe the inner workings of the Nazi bureaucracy
This unique account of Hitler's corrupt regime illuminates more vividly than any other the deepening atmosphere of terror and unreality in which the Nazi leadership lived as the war progressed. Schellenberg recounts with firsthand knowledge the motivations and machinations surrounding the Nazi Army's every move in Poland, Austria, and Russia. But this remarkable inside account is perhaps most memorable for its riveting portraits of Reinhard Heydrich, Heinrich Himmler, Heinrich Mueller, Ernst Kaltenbrunner-men whom Schellenberg calls, with stunning lack of irony,"Hitler's willing executioners."
"[Schellenberg's] lack of self-consciousness, damning as a revelation of character, makes him the more valuable as an historical witness." -Alan Bullock
"The interest of this book lies in the rich assortment of 'cloak and dagger' stories, some of them so fantastic that they could only have taken place in the loony world of the Nazis, and in the picture of the sinister, bloodthirsty world of the Gestapo." -William L. Shirer
Customer Reviews:
History from someone who was there at the highets level.......2005-09-14
Since Mr. Schellenberg was a high ranking nazi you have to be aware that he has to have been covering his own tracks. Lets be honest he had to walk a fine line between the complete truth and perhaps a noose. We can assume he stretches the truth a bit here and there and surely omits things he'd rather not have known. But it is fasinating to learn what it was like being as close as he was to Himmler, Hitler and the rest of the nazi leadership. We learn that even someone as high up as Shellenberg was spied on by his fellow nazis. Even someone at his level had to watch his back.
A Historical Polaroid. .......2005-01-05
This is an amazing testimonial about life within the NAZI German rogue state. Schellenberg's confessional documents the attempts by one man to put together an intricate secret service on the behalf of his totalitarian benefactors. His tales are rather bewildering and one is grateful that he had the time with which to memorialize his deeds in print before he died. Ultimately his organization became extensive but paled in comparison to that of the Soviets.
Indeed, The Labyrinth also tells us much about the Soviet Union as their espionage links were so established that Schellenberg, in a country where he could randomly assasinate nearly anyone that he wished, was unable to completely disable the transmitters of the Rote Kapelle (Red Chapel).
To me, the most valuable thing about the book is the historical primary source information it provides. These prose portraits of Hitler, Himmler, Heydrich, Canaris, Ribbentropp and Kaltenbrunner are quite thorough and illuminating. Schellenberg has many useful insights about human nature that he shares as well.
The only reservation I had is that the narrator seems to be putting forth a sugar coated version of himself in its pages. This appeared to me to be a final bit of misinformation before death. His self-description is highly non-ideological and one feels as if they are being played while reading it. He really portrays himself as a highly humane individual who is an outsider within this criminal regime. His SS ranking of Brigadefueher belied such a conclusion.
The book of a master of deception.......2003-02-26
Walter Schellenberg, -the closest friend of Reinhard Heydrich, an intimate of Himmler- was an "idea man" for both and his career sky-rocketted to make him the youngest SS General. How are we expected to believe that he had nothing to do with the mass murdering of Jewish people?
Isn't he the one, who, on May 20 1941, ordered to stop the emigrations of Jewish people from France and Belgium, being the first to refer to the coming "Final Solution" of the Jewish problem... Well, you will not find this in his Memoirs, and neither in the US archives on Walter Schellenberg which have just been declassified (1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002) and even less in the British archives which have not been declassified.
Thanks to a plea bargain with the British, owing to the Allies desire to conceal that the duke of Windsor (former king Edward VIII) and Wallis Simpson (his wife) were Nazi spies, Walter Schellenberg's history was rewritten with the help of his western Allies investigators.
Schellenberg was given the time to prepare his defense in Sweden with Himmler's chyropractor, Felix Kersten, to be later acting as a defense witness. Thus, through the "Troza Memoradum" then written by Schellenberg, Felix Kersten was informed of how he had to adapt the "notiezen" which would be used for writing his own Memoirs. This avoided him of being convicted and helped saving his Gestapo accomplice.
Walter Schellenberg had attempted more negotiations for a separate peace witht the west than anybody else event if he was carrying them out not for a return to democracy but only for replacing Hitler by Himmler. Even this part is misinformation.
Schellenberg in fact was just an agent-provocateur, who infiltrated every treason attempt against the nazis. It did cost, at Venlo, Menzies and Dansey (heads of the British IS) their spy network in continental Europe.
During the war it only costed Himmler the life saving of a couple of Swedish jews, and, at the very end of the war, a train of 1200 Jewish persons which were about to be liberated by the Allies: for this "Musy train" negotiations had been dragging since June 1944 (almost one full year) but were arranged in a matter of days when it became strategic for Himmler.
Schellenberg worked as a chief of the Gestapo Office E, before directing (only for two and a half year) the political espionage of the Nazi Security Service. After the von Stauffenberg attempt against Hitler (which he and Himmler had fully penetrated) he also gained full control over the military espionage. Naturally the Memoirs loose the reader in the Labyrinth of the spy stories to avoid him getting to the Minotaur of the Holocaust. Wasn't the Minotaur symbolically representing the guilt of King Minos of Crete?
Schellenberg's Memoirs duly called the Labyrinth are full of silence and subtle lies, well wrapped up in true fascinating but misleading spy stories.
Unfortunately lots of historians did base other analysis on this twisted and biased account written by one of the nazi monster.
To be read with more than caution as, contrary to what the investigators claimed, the author is extremely clever. Their statement about his alleged lack of intelligence was only aiming at covering the holes left in their own investigation, and at hiding some inconsistencies in their presentation.
This book doesn't supply any answers but it raises a huge number of questions for the knowlegeable historian.
One day someone will use the Ariadne thread to find the proven way to the Minotaur and fly above the intricacies of the Labyrinth with wings that the sun will not melt down.
Schellenberg - A master in deceipt.......2002-12-30
I've been studying the American, British and German archives and testimonies about Walter Schellenberg for the last ten years. His memoirs are a masterpiece... in deception. The book aims at focusing attention on spy stories and personal stories concerning Hitler, Himmler and Heydrich (most of the times totally twisted but never totally factually false). Yet he would not have become the youngest SS general just on the accounts of his failed spying attempts that he very subtely describes in his book (omitting he had a heart attack at the only successful one). Readers should know that he was one of the originators of the Einsatzgruppen who shot millions of men, women and children behind the Eastern European front. He did play a part in the organization of the emigration of rich Jewish persons after they had been so heavily ransomed that they were basically left with their lives. He basically was the recognized idea man behind Heydrich (the worst of the worst) and Himmler. A letter signed by him demonstrates that he was working on the Final Solution of the Jewish Problem before May 20th 1941 (the Wannsee conference -where Heydrich announced it- would only come on January 1942) He favored the massacre of Jews (namely in Hungaria) to have something to exchange with the allies for peace negotiations allgedly preparing an alliance against the Soviet Union. He managed to go through Nurenberg by dealing with the American juges and the British Secret services and lying to them about the were-wolfes and the Alpine Reduit, which never existed. He was helped by charging some other major criminal when other evidences were inconclusive (Kaltenbrunner). He sprinkles his book with reference to a few Jewish persons (Portugal) or to Kersten (Himmler's chyropractor) who occasonally helped Jewish families to be saved. He used his negotiation attempts as if they were political and humanitarian (for historical practical reasons, the allies acted as if they believed it). To crown everything, he may have been [the young] "Werther", the soviet spymaster who had access to Hitler's most secret military plans and transmitted them, unpunished, daily from Berlin (he supported and save several times his adjutant Stirlitz really a Soviet agent, Colonel Maksim Maksimovich Isaev, who had infiltrated the SD): after all he was the head of the counter-intelligence. Naturally he did put historians on a false track inducing that H. Mueller (head of Gestapo) had turned into a communist. This book is very dangerous for historians as many massively quoted it, taking it at face value: these memoirs are one of the first real successful attempts at what is now called desinformation. It is done intelligently, with charm, making it all the more ambiguous. The other reviews here demonstrate how successful Schellenberg was, but he was one of the most cynical murderers of the time: he invented the solutions to Heydrich, Hitler and Himmler's problems and had others doing the dirty work to keep his hands clean and collecting the rewards of his murderous masters. Don't forget that this book was written after Nurenberg to clean his past preparing his future career. Fortunately there is a form of justice and he died from a liver cancer convinced that he was being poisoned by the British. Readers should remember that Bin Laden's September 11th is a (macabre) joke compared to what this guy invented.
Hidden Characteristics of the Nazi Elite.......2002-07-26
Heinrich Himmler, Reinhard Heydrich, Ernst Kaltenbrunner, Heinrich Mueller, all exposed in a different light through the eyes of Walter Schellenberg, in his book, "The Labyrinth." The book is a story of how Schellenber attempted to create and run an intelligence unit (secret service) for Nazi Germany during World War II, while, at the same time, attempting to survive the petty jealousies of other party leaders who desired Hitler's attention. I read the book in two days, as I was intrigued by Schellenberg's approach to problems he perceived Nazi Germany faced both at the beginning of the war and at the end.
Book Description
Gerald Brenan’s The Spanish Labyrinth has become the classic account of the background to the Spanish Civil War. Written during and immediately after the Civil War, the book has all the vividness of the author’s experience. It represents a struggle to see the issues in Spanish politics objectively, whilst bearing witness to the deep involvement which is the only possible source of much of this richly detailed account. As a literary figure on the fringe of the Bloomsbury group, Gerald Brenan lends to this narrative an engaging personal style that has become familiar to many thousands of readers over the decades since it was first published.
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Gerald Brenan's The Spanish Labyrinth has become the classic account of the background to the Spanish Civil War. Written during and immediately after the Civil War, the book has all the vividness of the author's experience. It represents a struggle to see the issues in Spanish politics objectively, whilst bearing witness to the deep involvement which is the only possible source of much of this richly detailed account. As a literary figure on the fringe of the Bloomsbury group, Gerald Brenan lends to this narrative an engaging personal style that has become familiar to many thousands of readers over the decades since it was first published.
Customer Reviews:
An Incisive Assessment of an Important but Forgotten Historical Episode.......2006-04-15
Gerald Brenan's THE SPANISH LABYRINTH is a masterful account of the mosaic of the history and immediate events leading to the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939). Brenan effectively deals with the complexities of Spanish political history from the end of the Napoleonic Wars (c. 1799-1815)to the start of the Spanish Civil War. Brenan is clear that the Spanish Civil War was the culmination of events of the early 19th century to 1936. In other words, he does not provide a "quick fix" to superficially explain these events. Another asset of this book is the fact that Brenan carefully examines the Spanish Civil War based on a precise review of Spanish Civil War. Brenan dismisses the notion that too many lazy historians use in describing the Spanish Civil War as one between righteous "Democracy" and wicked "Fascism."
Brenan is one of the few historians who gives the reader an explanation of how geogrpahy and climate affected Spain's political history. Since the 17th century, Spain was geographically and culturally isolated from the rest of Europe. Historically, Spain was forgotten by the rest of Europe. Brenan also gives the reader a geography of Spain's topography and climate regions. Parts of Spain were mountainous while other areas were flat plains. Some areas of Spain get adequet rainfall while other areas are semiarid at best. This geography lesson is important in understanding the reasons for Spain's political instability. Those Spanish farmers or peasants who lived in areas that were semiarid and had poor land were often those Spaniards who were more rebellious against the old monarchy and landlords. On the other hand, those Spanish farmers who lived in areas with decent rainfall and adequet rainfall, were less likely to rebel and were more conservative.
Brenan's assessment of the "Spanish character" is interesting. Brenan describes the Spanish peasants as proud, charitible, enthusiastic, excitable, etc. This was probably true of almost all Spaniards regardless of class. These characteritics were assests and liabilities. The urge to rebel against perceived injustice is easier to explain. On the other hand, these characteristics were liabilities that often prevented political unity and a clear program. As Brenan explains, these characteristics and divisions were common for both the Spanish "Left" and Spanish "Right." Brenan explains that there were often instances whereby the Spanish "Leftists" and "Rightists" switched sides because of temporary common interests.
Brenan also gives the reader a "scorecard" regarding the different political parties. He describes each party and leader as well as their political program. These parties included the Monarchists, the Liberals, the Catholic parties, the Military, the Socialists, the Anarchists, the Anarcho-Syndicalists, the Carlists, ect. Readers may be interested in knowing the within these political parties there were bitter political divisions. These internal divisions were often just as bitter or more so than the animosity shown toward opposing political parties. This helps explain the political instability from the early 19th century to 1936. These political divisions also inform the reader that the start of the Spanish Civil War in 1936 did not "just happen." There were previous rebellions, civil wars, and political unrest long before 1936. Brenan's political sympathies were probably with the Spanish "Leftists," but he is clear about their political blunders and excessive violence. In other words, Brenan does not ignore the excesses of the political violence of either side during the 19th and 20th centuries which other bland historians do without doing any serious research.
Brenan's last chapter which deals with the start of the Spanish Civil War is good. He explains that one of the political liabilities of the "Left" was their hostility toward the Catholic Church which was excessive and alienated a large segment of Spaniards. Brenan argues that a reasonable reconciliation could have helped the Spanish "Left" and the Spanish Republic against the Franco's Phlangists. Brenan also gives a good account of how Soviet Stalinist agents helped as well as hindered the Spanish "Left." The Republic survived as long as it did due to Soviet arms. Yet, the Soviet disciplined bureaucratic mind did not fit well with the Spaniards' independence of spirit and pride. Therefore, the Soviet sympathizers and agents did not cooperate with some of the Spanish "Leftists" and withheld arms. This was expecailly true in regard to the Communists antipathy toward the Spanish Anarchists who fought so well early in the Spanish Civil War. Stalin was fearful that a successful Anarchist movement would antagonize the Western Europeans against the Soviets. One could argue that Soviet diplomatic interests far outweighed any independent revolutionary ideals or Spanish revolutionary goals.
Brenan's THE SPANISH LABYRINTH should be read along with George Orwell's HOMAGE TO CATALONIA and Franz Borkenaus's THE SPANISH COCKPIT. These books explain the complexities and the importance of the Spanish Civil War. These books also undermine the superficial historical accounts which display many historians' ignorance and intellectual laziness. One should note that both Brenan and Orwell had a high regard of the Spaniards' character and courage. The fact that Franco's Phalangists won the Spanish Civil War between 1936 and 1939 may have been due to the political divisions of the Spanish Republic and the parties who were supporting this government more than Franco's political ability. Brenan's book is well worth reading.
A good history of 19th century Spain and up to 1936.......1999-06-15
Only for those with an interest and some background in Spanish history and politics. Sets the stage for the Spanish Civil War (1936-39). Well written and readable; the English author uses research as well as first-hand experience to paint the complex mosaic of Spanish political factions. In the last line of the epilogue he condemns the English policy of appeasement toward Hitler of allowing the Spanish Civil War to take place by not imposing an arms embargo against Germany. The Spanish fascists were allowed to import German arms and thus, eventually, maintain superior firepower over the Republicans.
Another piece in the history puzzle; worth reading.
Customer Reviews:
Through the Magical Path of the Labyrinth.......2003-10-29
This last book by Jeff Saward, the well-known photographer and labyrinth historian, is a well illustrated and documented work based on his research on the field since the 1980s.
Through an extensive historical analysis of such an archetypal symbol - from the pre-historic Spanish petroglyph labyrinths to the modern revival - the author shows and describes almost all the labyrinths known up to the moment.
Although with some lacks (especially on literary labyrinths) this book, with its catalogue of the worldwide known labyrinths - the most comprehensive list ever since - is a useful (and an indispensable) tool to the beginner and the expert alike.
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- An Esstential Companion Piece!
- A Magic Multimedia Tour
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Mysteries and Desire: Searching the Worlds of John Rechy
The Labyrinth Project , and
John Rechy
Manufacturer: USC Annenberg Center
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Binding: CD-ROM
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Book Description
Challenging the borders between autobiography, memory, history and fiction, this interactive memoir presents a diverse array of personal materials by and about John Rechy and sets them against larger collective histories of Chicano culture and the gay world. Drawing passages from all of Rechy's published novels, it also mines the outrageous fictions that circulate around this fascinating literary figure who, as a gay icon, a Chicano writer from Texas, a dedicated bodybuilder, a gifted teacher of creative writing, and a recent recipient of the PEN West Lifetime Achievement Award, has long been a subject of notoriety and fantasy. Combining original artwork, video, archival documents, and recorded interviews and commentaries, it lets you move through three interrelated realms—Memories, Bodies, and Cruising—each with its own daring repertoire of interfaces.
Customer Reviews:
An Esstential Companion Piece!.......2004-02-27
Already own all 13 of Rechy's books? ... Got a copy of *Numbers* from a friend once, but never read anything else? ... Only know *City of Night* because it's on that list of "modern classics" you should have read? ... Well, no matter what your level of exposure to Rechy's brilliance, if he's an author you long to learn more about, this CD-ROM can help. Filled with fascinating images from his personal archives, it also contains multimedia pieces which dramatize and synthesize the themes of Memories, Bodies, and Cruising. One feature sure to please Rechy fans who haven't had the chance to meet him, is the use of the author's voice for narrative pieces and book excerpts.
Nonetheless, if you're looking for a definitive bibliography, or expecting a project resembling a flashy "book report" on Rechy, this CD-ROM is not the place to start. (For that sort of treatment, go to the library and/or search the Web). This CD-ROM will not familiarize you with all his writings, or give you biographical trivia, in the traditional sense -- but it does illuminate the style and substance of his work, and reveal aspects of his life, in new ways.
As to the CD-ROM itself: I would have preferred more detailed installation and navigation instructions -- but didn't have any great difficulty getting the various components up and running. Overall content seemed rather sparse once I started exploring it, and I kept wanting more detail and depth -- but that's to be expected. After all, there's only so much space on any CD-ROM, and no amount could be "enough" or "too much" when reveling in the beauty, passion, and glory of a work.
A Magic Multimedia Tour.......2000-11-28
As many times as I have explored this amazing multimedia CD-ROM, I constantly find something new to appreciate. A photograph in a collage that links to an artifact with the voice of John Rechy revealing new meaning...a path through a thicket of trees that reveals the author standing shirtless above his beloved city.... Mysteries and Desire is a masterful, extraordinary work whose technique rises to the level of its subject. Anyone interested in John Rechy, literature, digital content or new media should not miss this experience.
Book Description
Part travelogue, part spiritual memoir, the author tells the story of packing his family into their car and heading out for a four month tour of Europe's rich and diverse labyrinths.
Book Description
As Tehran faces a crisis in its escalating showdown with the International Atomic Energy Agency regarding its nuclear program, renowned Middle East expert Dilip Hiro clears the way through the labyrinth that defines today’s Islamic Republic. In a country stereotyped as fundamentalist by America, Hiro finds a contradictory land—where black chador-clad women are the majority at universities, Iranian films are shown at international festivals, and human rights lawyer Shirin Ebadi is a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate. Drawing on Iran’s rich history, its vast oil and gas reserves, and its unique strategic importance, Hiro reveals a complex nation whose theocratic rulers are struggling to prove that Islamic democracy is a viable and enduring social system.
Customer Reviews:
More people should read and review!.......2007-01-04
I am surprised this book has so far only received 3 reviews. It is well worth reading. Dilip Hiro is a scholarly author whose work deserves careful reading and analysis--especially in times like these when there is little legitimate info about Iran on the shelves of Barnes and Noble. Not to mention we may be attacking them soon.
Hiro's work is incredibly comprehensive, and he is no novice to Middle East studies (his book "Iraq" is also wonderful). He is on the "left" but I hesitate to say this because he makes little to no "overly-normative" comments. I looked long and hard for a recently published history of Iran and I was not disappointed in this one. Iran is one of those countries that Americans unfortunately dont know much about. It is also a country which will be of prime importance in the future, especially in regards to US foreign policy. People have some terrible misconceptions about Iran, and this book will set them straight.
They are not a free and democratic country, but there are some things you will read that will blow your mind. Things that are totally contrary to popular convention. Hiro goes to great lengths to show Iran as a mature and civilized place (they are one of the oldest civilizations in the world!).
The book starts in 1501 and goes to present (2005). It talks about oil, geo-politics, the Iran-Iraq War, culture, the Shah, democracy, US intervention/foreign relations, and more. One of the most surprising things I learned is that Iranians love American culture! There are many more. Very comprehensive, well written and well researched. A must read for anyone interesting in learning about Iran and current events.
Admirable balance and detail.......2006-05-28
This book achieves admirable balance in recounting Iran's controversies through recent history. Starting with the merchants of Tehran's Grand Bazaar, Hiro walks us through the labyrinth to the Majlis legislature, the popular movements and dictatorships of the past, the Islamic revolution, the oil economy, foreign relations, youth, women, and the future. Seldom do we find the perspectives of Iran and the West compared with such objectivity. Even less often do we find the shifting tensions between Iran's five major centers of power explored with such in-depth knowledge. I will offer just one typical quote:
"When it comes to interpreting the Sharia - that is practicing ijtihad (interpretive reasoning) [concerning what is morally required, allowed, indifferent, undesirable, or forbidden] - there is often no difference between jurisprudents on the obligatory and prohibited subjects. Differences usually arise in the gray area of "allowed, unspecified, and undesirable". Whether a woman is entitled to become President of Iran or a member of the Assembly of Experts falls into this category. As stated earlier, at least one senior theologian, Grand Ayatollah Yusuf Saanei said "Yes" to both. In general, though, older jurisprudents are conservative, sticking to traditional interpretations, whereas younger ones are flexible and progressive." (p. 355)
And no cheese at the end!.......2005-12-13
Politics in any nation can appear confused, especially to outsiders. In an nation where religion is an influence, the complications grow intense. When religion dominates and theocracy threatens in a secular world, the twists and turns can only be described as Byzantine. Dilip Hiro makes a valiant attempt to impart what he's learned of Iranian politics and society in this book. It wasn't an easy task and Hiro has spent much time in Iran to understand it. He explains his revelations in a readable account. The reader is warned, however, that following his account isn't done easily. He's a journalist, but this isn't something to be consumed like the Sunday supplement in your local newspaper.
Hiro reminds us of Iran's special position in the world. It's not just another "Middle East" nation. Its history stretches back many millennia, even before it was the heart of the Persian Empire. That Empire's strength came largely from the area being a crossroads for trade and cultural exchange. Although the Persian Empire faded, the region was a factor in later imperial ventures, with the Ottomans in the 17th Century. Parcelled out by the European Allies during World War I, "Iran" was literally the creation of the British Foreign Office. The discovery of oil ensured Iran was rarely free of foreign influence thereafter. Whenever Iran attempted to shake off the oil-thirsty West, first the British, then the Americans, took steps to quell nationalism and restore "stability" and the free flow of petroleum. The most glaring of these intrusions was the overthrow of the Mossadegh government by the CIA, replacing a democratically elected government with a royal figure, the Shah.
The central theme of the book is Iran's Revolution of 1979. It marked the end of an era and set in train events unresolved today. The American installed Shah was deposed and a "Leader", ayatollah Khomeini, became the spiritual head of the nation. Although the West has viewed the Khomeini years as a time of theocratic dictatorship, Hiro clarifies both the Leader's role and its political manifestations. Iran's parliament, the Majlis, was still openly elected. The religious issues leading to newspaper closures, candidate rejection and clerical representation in the Majlis, were anything but uniform during the Khomeini years. Beyond purely domestic politics, the outbreak of war with Iraq, with the United States openly supporting Iraq, led Khomeini to modify many Quran-based social impositions. It was more important to Khomeini to foster Iraq nationalism than to impose religious dogmas on society. The result is a roller-coaster-ride reading experience as Hiro takes you through the rise and fall of political movements, often contradictory ambitions among even the clerics and the use of university students as political barometers.
A less manipulated, but equally influential group in Iranian society, are the bazaar market vendors. Staunch advocates of unrestrained commerce, the vendors proved highly influential in determining the course of Iranian politics. Quick to resent government interference in their activities, their protests have often led to yet another shift in policies and party structure. The impact of bazaar political strength will seem outlandish to the Western reader, but Hiro shows that it is an essential aspect of the Iranian domestic scene. Family and other relationships extend out from this complex enclave in Teheran, with alliances and networks reaching throughout the nation. This is one reason why long-standing political parties such as we know cannot last in Iran. The shifting emphasis of trade, interacting with religious and social forces, leads to the continual readjustment of political outlook. As a "lobby" to government, the bazaar has immense influence and gives to meaning to the term "government by the people".
The reader of this book must not expect free-wheeling analysis nor quick, simple answers to questions like "How do we deal with Iran?" Hiro is a journalist. He has compiled a wealth of factual information and presented it free of judgements. He is aware of Iran's continued interaction with the United States. Most readers will not be aware of Iran's support of the US in its campaign against the Taliban in Afghanistan. The clash of traditional and modern in Iran has remained out of sight for most. This book reveals many aspects of that contested issue in Iran. Although Hiro is hardly the sole information source on Iran, there is much to learn from reading this book. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]
Very helpful.......2005-09-11
It can now be taken as an axiom that the Western press cannot be trusted to report honestly the events of the Middle East as they are occurring and how they have occurred in the past. Journalism has been morphed into a game of politics and self-aggrandizement on the part of journalists. The study of history has been exposed as a game of promoting a particular worldview, and historians have exhibited an extreme bias that is sometimes admitted but frequently is not. For these reasons the study of historical events has taken on particular importance at the present time. Those who sincerely desire an accounting of history in most cases must undertake the study themselves. In addition, the prevailing political climate dictates that an accurate picture of history be available, in order to not be subjected to the mental tyranny of propaganda. Every citizen must now become a historian, and must practice extreme skepticism towards any assertions that are put into print that claim to be accurate appraisals of past events. Documents and sources must be checked meticulously, and no apologies must be given if research indicates that historical events do not conform to prevailing ideologies.
This book, written by one of those who have been "on the ground" in the Middle East, attempts to give an overview of the history of Iran in the twentieth century. The accounting that he gives sounds plausible, and as a whole the book seems to be free of any extreme bias or hidden political agendas. However, it should be remembered that the author has viewed the Middle East through finite time windows, and therefore his appraisal of the events he has observed may not reflect the true situation. The fact that the book must be kept at a manageable length for publication also dictates that the author must employ selective filters on the history he is attempting to analyze. The author though gives many references for those readers who want to pursue further studies on the history of Iran. In view of the current tensions between Iran and the United States, it is imperative that an understanding of this tension be put into proper historical context. Some in the United States government have called for war against Iran. To find out whether such a war is justified entails that a thorough understanding of Iranian history be obtained.
Some of the many historical topics that the author discusses in the book include:
1. The reasons for the invasion of Iran by Iraq in September 1980.
2. The origin and functioning of the Islamic Majlis.
3. The White Revolution, initiated by Shah Pahlavi, in 1963. This consisted of a "six-point" program involving agrarian reform, the nationalization of the forests, the sale of public factories to compensate landlords, suffrage for women, profit-sharing in industry, and the eradication of illiteracy.
4. The overthrow of the Mussadiq government by the CIA in 1953. This was the beginning of the heavy influence and manipulation of the United States into the affairs of Iran. The author reports that U.S. military and economic aid from the years 1953 - 1956 totaled $414, 000, 000. In addition, he reports that thousands of Americans moved to Iran during this time, which caused further alienation of the Iranian populace.
5. The life history of Muhammad Mussadiq al Saltane and his rise to the leadership of Iran in 1949.
6. The nationalization of the oil industry in 1950. The Anglo-Iranian Oil Company was nationalized, resulting in the CIA-sponsored coup against the Mussadiq government.
7. The history of the Reza Shah regime from 1925 - 1941.
8. The history of the Muhammad Reza Shah regime from 1941 - 1979. After installed by the CIA in 1953, the author reports that the Shah's persecution against the opposition resulted in the deaths of 5.000 Iranians as well as the exile of 50,000. The author discusses the formation of the Sazman-e Aminyat Va Ettilaat-e Keshavar (Organization of National Security and Intelligence) or Savak. The Savak organization was discussed by some members of the Western press as being one of the reasons for the overthrow of the Shah in 1979, due to its atrocious conduct towards many Iranian citizens. The author reports that Savak maintained strong ties to the CIA as well as to the Israeli foreign intelligence agency. The author also reports that Savak agents engaged in the deliberate attack against religious seminaries, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of people. The Shah also engaged in poll rigging and persecution of political opponents. One of those undergoing persecution and arrest was the Ayatollah Khomeini. The Shah had absolutely no qualms about using the military to suppress uprisings, with as many as ten thousand people reportedly being killed in the Tehran Grand Bazaar in what has been called the Khordad 15 Uprising.
9. The life and history of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. The author gives an interesting and detailed description, and the reader obtains insight into the religious views of Khomeini. Particularly interesting is his belief in an ethics that is not rule-based, i.e. not a prescriptive "do and don't" ethics for believers. The goal of all believers must instead be to oust corrupt officials and eliminate repressive regimes, and then replace them with ones that are ruled by just Islamic jurists. Once obtaining power in 1979, Khomeini unfortunately did not hesitate to use it to eliminate rivals, thus proving himself to be the moral equivalent of the man he replaced.
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- Life in action
- Shorter and better than Pilgrim's Progress
- Thought-provoking book.
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John Comenius: The Labyrinth of the World and The Paradise of the Heart (Classics of Western Spirituality)
Manufacturer: Paulist Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0809137399 |
Book Description
The study of Protestant spirituality in the early modern period has generally focused on Puritans and Pietists. The tradition of the Slavic Reformation that culminated with John Amos Comenius (1592-1670) has been largely ignored. This volume seeks to redress this imbalance by introducing Comenius's neglected masterpiece, The Labyrinth of the World, to a broader audience.
Though a better known as the father of modern education, Comenius was a pastor and spiritual leader of the Bohemian Brethren (Unitas Fratrum), a Czech Protestant group inspired by the Hussite movement of the fifteenth century. The Labyrinth, an allegory of the spiritual journey in the style of Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress, represents the culmination of his literary accomplishments. The work was written against the backdrop of the calamitous Thirty Years' War and Comenius's profound personal sufferings. His satirical castigation of the world's false ambitions and values is paralleled by a deep yearning for understanding and experience of life with God.
The work comprises two parts. The first introduces a pilgrim in search of a profession. Escorted by a series of guides who lead him through the maze of life's occupations, he visits tradesman, scholars, clergy, rulers and various other classes of society. Disillusioned by the petty rivalries and deception that mark every vocation he explores, the pilgrim ultimately despairs of the vanity and emptiness of human existence. In the second part of the text the pilgrim turns inward, where he finds "the paradise of the heart." After encountering Christ, he is led on a spiritual journey among those who have found the true meaning of life in relationship with God.
With the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe, Comenius has reemerged as one of this region's most prophetic and relevant figures. Though written three centuries ago, his Labyrinth is a timely critique of the postmodern world and its spiritual plight.
Customer Reviews:
Life in action.......2004-01-28
Interesting how a man whose life reflected the turmoil of his day. As Solomon said, all is vanity. Comenius writes from many of his own experiences. He saw his family taken away from him, he had to flee numerous times. He basically invented modern education. Here is a book, written so long ago, yet so important for our day.
Do we ever stop to ask why we do what we do and why we choose what we choose? Is there a better choice? Comenius was offered the Presidency of Harvard University in his day. Here is a man who survive, neigh, conquered in his life. You will be glad you read this book.
Shorter and better than Pilgrim's Progress.......1999-05-28
I enjoyed this book by the Father of Modern Education more than Pilgrim's Progress. I easily identified the many twists and turns that people make before they find spiritual insight. A must read.
Thought-provoking book........1999-03-07
Why should you read a book written in 1623? Because, this book is special. Comenius wrote with an uncanny ability to see life as it really is. In an allagorical genre (as Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress), it is fast moving, interesting and thought-provoking. The author will grab you and bring you along with him as he searches the world for true wisdom and true happiness. This book is simply unforgetable. On par, but of different genre, with Augustine's Confessions.
Customer Reviews:
Enjoyable.......1999-05-05
Cole does a very nice job of developing unique and colorful races. Within each of these we find our assortment of good and evil characters. Her attempt to bring all her characters and races together for the big finale came across as adequate. A lot of time spent trying to explain her worlds and their relationships right up to the very end, which came across a bit awkwardly.
Average customer rating:
- Quite Good!
- Good but don't expect it to be as good as the first
- Not nearly as good as the first one
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Into the Labyrinth
Roderick Townley
Manufacturer: Atheneum/Richard Jackson Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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The Great Good Thing
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Dragon Rider
ASIN: 0689846150 |
Book Description
What a relief when the old story-book is republished and the characters who live inside it suddenly discover they have Readers again -- lots of Readers!
Princess Sylvie finds herself rushing to get to her place whenever a new Reader -- whether in Boston or Bangkok -- opens the book. Her mother, the queen, is especially frazzled when the popular story is loaded onto the Web, a weightless, "virtual" world of unforeseen challenges.
To cope with the stress, Sylvie convinces the Writer to add a new character, who gives yoga instruction to the storybook's cast in those moments when they have time off. But stress proves the least of their problems as strange things start happening -- words get changed around, scenes disappear -- and Sylvie and her friends must launch themselves into the labyrinth of cyberspace to confront a twenty-first-century evil that threatens to destroy their world.
Customer Reviews:
Quite Good!.......2007-05-12
Although the first book, The Great Good Thing, may have been better in some ways, this was still quite a good book! All the same characters from the first book are here plus new people. The usual characters continue in their roles in this book and do more and more. In Into the Labyrinth, the Writer puts Sylvie's story on the Internet. That's when their story gets a virus.
Just as they start getting used to climbing down the page, instead of across as in a book, they find that for some strange reason letters go missing, and words get mixed up. When Sylvie learns what a virus is from a friend and finds a way outside of the story, she becomes determined to solve the problem.
Into the Labyrinth is a creative, imaginative book!
Good but don't expect it to be as good as the first.......2007-03-22
First I must say Roderick Townley is a writing genius. However this is not his best work. In the first one he still doesn't make it completly understandable. In this one I think he isn't quite staying in the same place first one. I think he lose's topic a bit too much and tries to make it better than the first one. He fails in the attempt. I would recommend the book just don't expect a movie anytime soon.
Not nearly as good as the first one.......2002-11-23
After reading and loving "A Great Good Thing," I was hoping for this sequel to be as well-written and charming. I was disappointed. It features the same wonderful characters, princess Sylvie and the "girl with the dark blue eyes," as well as the king and queen and all the other characters, but the plot doesn't hold together nearly as well. The author inserts a new character -- a yoga instructor named Rosetta-- into "the story" as an assistant shepherdess, and all the talk of energy projection lines and finding one's center is way above the heads of its 9-12 audience.
Instead of books and their readers, it tackles the problem of the Internet and its viewers -- that is, "the story" is published online. Instead of a little brother who is a pyromaniac and destroys the book in "A Great Good Thing," it seems to deal with a boy who spreads computer viruses -- but this part isn't very clear.
The story borders more on the zany type of puns and Alice-in Wonderland type plot, -- than than the clever, funny and fantastic but logical and believeable plot devices of the original. Characters from other stories wander into the text. Internet "cookies" look like lemon cookies, but are tasteless. Someone steals the "d's" in one paragraph. Entire lines of dialouge disappear, arrows become roses. Persumably all these thing happen due to a computer virus -- but there is no clear character behind or logical reason for the problems. The book suggests a little boy is to blame, but unlike the clear difficulties in the first book -- escaping a burning book and not being forgotten upon the death of the reader -- the villian is murky and there is not a logical direction to the problems. The mysterious villian is defeated eventually -- but you never do learn how or why the virus happened. And by the end of the book, you don't particulary care.
Customer Reviews:
Beautiful photos.......2007-03-20
An interesting history of the art of hand printing books. Fantastic pictures.
A real gem.......2004-10-27
In a mere 48 pages, author Michelle Brown, currator of illuminated manuscripts at the British Library, has put together a wonderful expose of the Lindisfarne Gospels, one of the beautiful illuminated productions to come out of the Irish monastic/scholarly traditions of the so-called Dark Ages. One can wonder how an age that could produce such exquisite books as the Lindisfarne Gospel could ever be called 'dark'.
The Lindisfarne Gospel is a piece of art, and a piece of history. It is a significant milestone in the history of Celtic and Anglo-Saxon development. Brown's book has illuminations of a more modern sort on every page, pictures and graphics, illustrating the beauty, grandeur, and history of this great work. The Lindisfarne Gospels helped to define Christianity for the local culture, connecting it with the larger world of Christendom.
The Lindisfarne Gospels' artistry lies not only in the beautiful pages, but in great attention to detail throughout. The colours and pages, the hinges and covers, the stitching and construction all testify to an unparalleled care for craftsmanship. The influences of Celtic and Anglo-Saxon imagery is clearly seen in the illuminations and construction, which in turn influenced the further development of those traditions. The calligraphy was influenced by Roman, Greek and Germanic lettering, blending things together in an astonishingly complementary way.
This book would be a gem for the pictures alone; with the brief, insightful text by Michelle Brown, the book becomes a real gift to the reader.
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