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.

Average customer rating:

Fast-paced military fantasy.
A Bolo doesn't just fade away
Frank C. Dayton
One of the Best Bolo Novels
Old Soldiers - New Entertainment

Old Soldiers
David Weber
Manufacturer: Baen
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1416508988

Book Description

Captain Maneka Trevor was the sole human survivor of the Dinochrome Brigade's 39th Battalion . . . but she hadn't wanted to be one. The Bolo known as "Lazarus" -- Unit 28/G-179-LAZ -- was the 39th's sole surviving Bolo . . . but he hadn't been hers. The doctors and the Bolo techs have put them both back together again, yet there are wounds no doctor or technician can heal. And now Maneka and Lazarus must serve together once again, in a war whose stakes are literally the survival or extermination of the human race. They are all that stand between a desperate, secret colony of humanity and destruction: a Bolo commander torn by survivor's guilt and a Bolo whose very existence reminds her of all she has lost. The odds against them are heavy, the stakes are huge, and surrender is not an option. The Dinochrome Brigade is used to that, but can Maneka and Lazarus survive their own shared past to defend the present?

Customer Reviews:

Fast-paced military fantasy........2007-08-04

David Weber's OLD SOLDIERS tells of one Captain Trevor, the sole survivors of a battle - and a Bolo companion who also has survived the destruction of his own unit. The doctors have put them both back together - yet healing remains, and the two must serve again, together, against impossible odds in this fast-paced military fantasy.

A Bolo doesn't just fade away.......2007-02-24

The best part about "Old Soldiers" (the second Bolo-novel written by Weber, in the universe created by Keith Laumer) is that in this 372-page paperback novel, Weber doesn't have the space to "bloat" his story like he has done in other recent works. Instead, it forces him to focus on all-out action - something he excels at writing! The story clips along at a furious pace, dragging the reader with it like he/she's being hooked behind a Bolo travelling with the pedal-to-the-metal.
Complex tactical strategies, as viewed in detail from both sides, will have you scratching your head as you try to figure out how our heroes will be able to beat the vastly superior 'Dog Boys' when the remnants of the Concordat and the Melchonian empire finally start butting heads with all guns blazing.
Minor drawback is, that for the better part of this novel most of the characters are no more than standard cardboard-cut out people that don't really come alive, except for headliners Maneka Trevor and Unit 28/G-179-LAZ, a.k.a. "Lazarus". It's only when battle is fully joined that characters (especially the bad guys!) really start to "breathe".
I am not going to spoil it by telling what happens, but the ending is somewhat surprising (not standard "Hollywood"-fare so to speak), although it is surprisingly suitable to the overall theme of this novel. So, for everyone who enjoys an action-filled, roalercoaster-ride of a read, buy this novel!

Frank C. Dayton.......2007-01-03

I have a standing order for anything David Weber writes. I am amazed at the number of books he has put out. Not a klinker in the lot. The only problem I have found: I have to plan when I start reading one of his. I will probably not get any sleep until I am done. They will never be long enough.

One of the Best Bolo Novels.......2006-11-02

I have read all of the available Bolo Novels and this is by far one of the best. Weber really caught the tone and atmosphere of the last days of the great war between Humanity and Melconians. He brings out the desperation and fatalism of both sides in the last stages of Operation Ragnarok.

I hope that Weber does more novels in the Universe. The only other author that really bring the Bolos to life is William H. Keith, who has written the most full length novels in this series.

If you are a fan of the Bolo Novels and Short stories or if you are a new reader to the series, you will not be disappointed.

Old Soldiers - New Entertainment.......2006-07-27

Novel is based on the Bolo SuperTank theme with some new twists and is very much worth the read. Readers of David Weber's "Path of the Fury" will recognize some things which were relatively new to his stories in that book.
The hero of this novel is the supertank and the heroine is the tank commander.
By the time the fighting (which is very well done) is over the two have "A LOT in common" to say the least. To tell much more would give away too much of the story, but I highly recommend it to Weber SF readers and to anyone who likes Military SciFi.

The Diaries of John Gregory Bourke: November 20, 1872, to July 28, 1876 (Diaries of John Gregory Bourke)

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The Diaries of John Gregory Bourke: November 20, 1872, to July 28, 1876 (Diaries of John Gregory Bourke)
John Gregory Bourke
Manufacturer: University of North Texas Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1574411616

Zachary Taylor: Soldier, Planter, Statesman of the Old Southwest (Southern Biography)

Average customer rating:

Good Attempt at a Dry Subject
Comprehensive but often dull biography of our twelfth President
Bad attempt with limited research
Old Rough and Ready's Story
Highly Recomended

Zachary Taylor: Soldier, Planter, Statesman of the Old Southwest (Southern Biography)
K. Jack Bauer
Manufacturer: Louisiana State University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0807118516

Customer Reviews:

Good Attempt at a Dry Subject.......2007-09-26

This book is a tough one to get through, not through any fault of the Author but due to the dryness of the material. I am currently in the process of reading a book on every US President and this book seemed to be the best one out there on Zachary Taylor.

I would recommend if you are trying to find out more about the subject, but if you are looking for a great historical page turner, you need to look elsewhere.

Comprehensive but often dull biography of our twelfth President.......2007-09-18

I am currently reading a biography of every President in order and Bauer's book seemed like the obvious choice for Zachary Taylor.

This book is a bit difficult to rate fairly as I doubt any full biography of Zachary Taylor could be made into a great read. Indeed, Bauer's biography is excellently researched and organized. The writing, although a bit uninspired, is easy to read and well presented. At times, however, this book is very dull and in my opinion Bauer tends to error on the side of going into too much detail. Taylor's military career had few standout moments and most of the first part of the book focuses more on Taylor's transfer from fort to fort along the western frontier.

If there is a President for which a short biography would suffice Taylor is it, and while at slightly over 300 pages of text Bauer's tome is by no means exceedingly long, at the end of the book I felt that it could certainly have been cut down by about 100 pages while still providing a comprehensive biography. Undoubtedly, however, this is the best one volume biography of Taylor available (why anyone would need to read Holman Hamilton's two volume work is beyond me) and certainly more than adequate for its task.

Bad attempt with limited research.......2007-03-03

This was a terrible attempt at scholarship. The book is poorly written and gives an overview with no specifics except for military encounters. This author should have focused his efforts on a military account of Taylor's life because after reading I feel I know nothing about the man. Admittedly there are severe source deficiencies when dealing with this subject but a much wider study could have been undertaken. Sadly there is not much written on Taylor and this does a poor job of adding to the scholarship.

Old Rough and Ready's Story.......2006-03-09

This was a good read in that it described Zack Taylor's military carreer and political excursion thoroughly. The book does a good job of keeping interest in a less than interesting character. Taylor seems to be somewhat of a whiner throughout his military career, but he was a good soldier. The author's description of his campaigns in Mexico cause the reader to wonder why Taylor was hailed as a hero of the war, but since he was in charge, he got the credit. His political success wasn't any more impressive and we were fortunate to have such an able bodied politician/statesman in Fillmore to take over upon Taylor's death. I recommend this book to anyone interested in 19th century politics.

Highly Recomended.......2005-07-30

I have read a number of presidential biographies and this was one of the best organized and best written. The author breaks down Taylor's life into substantive themes. Now, I am NOT saying the Taylor is the most interesting president to study. I am saying, however, that this is one of the best books that you will find regarding biographies of presidents.

The Diaries of John Gregory Bourke: July 29, 1876-April 7, 1878 (Diaries of John Gregory Bourke)

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Recounts the manifold hardships the troops and their officers endured

The Diaries of John Gregory Bourke: July 29, 1876-April 7, 1878 (Diaries of John Gregory Bourke)
Charles M., III Robinson , and John Gregory Bourke
Manufacturer: University of North Texas Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1574411969

Customer Reviews:

Recounts the manifold hardships the troops and their officers endured.......2005-11-13

Edited and annotated by Charles M. Robinson (history instructor at South Texas Community College and a fellow of the Texas State Historical Association), The Diaries Of John Gregory Bourke: Volume Two: July 29, 1876-April 7, 1878 is the next published installment of the personal journals of John Gregory Bourke who served as cavalry lieutenant in Arizona from 1872 up to the evening before his death in 1896. A noted ethnologist who wrote extensive descriptions of Native American tribal life and customs that he observed first hand, he illustrated his diaries with both sketches and photographs. This second published volume opens as General Crook prepares for the expedition that would lead to his infamous and devastating Horse Meat March. The diary faithfully recounts the manifold hardships the troops and their officers endured. The diary then continues with the story of the Powder River Expedition and culminates in Bourke's eyewitness description of Colonel Ranald MacKenzie's destruction of the main Cheyenne camp in what become known as the Dull Knife Fight. With the main hostile chiefs either surrendering or forced into exile in Canada, field operations came to a close and Bourke finishes this second volume of his memoirs with a retrospective of his service in Tucson, Arizona. Enhanced for the modern reader with extensive annotations and a biographical appendix on Indians, civilians, and military personnel named in the diaries, this outstanding series continues to be a seminal and strongly recommended contribution to American Frontier History and Native American Studies reference collections and supplementary reading lists.

Old Soldiers Never Die:: The Life and Legend of Douglas MacArthur

Average customer rating:

Truman Was Right -- Yet, MacArthur Still Was My Hero.
Good, not great book on the General.
EXCELLENT STARTING PLACE FOR THE STUDY OF MACARTHUR
An interesting, well written book
To people who history is a avocation & not a vocation,

Old Soldiers Never Die:: The Life and Legend of Douglas MacArthur
Geoffrey Perret
Manufacturer: Random House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0679428828
Release Date: 1996-04-23

Amazon.com

With the possible exception of George S. Patton, is there a 20th century military figure who fascinates us as does Douglas MacArthur? Hero of Leyte, military genius, youngest brigadier general in World War I, MacArthur had a brilliant mind and an eye for self-promotion. This latest biography, utilizing substantial new research, makes a strong case for MacArthur's leadership abilities and his fierce independence without neglecting MacArthur's shortcomings as a man and as a tactician. Perret concludes that the landing at Inchon, which turned U.S. fortunes around in the Korean War, was one of the boldest and best-executed military invasions in history.

Book Description

In the first cradle-to-grave biography of MacArthur in nearly 20 years, Perret reveals new information and offers fresh insights into this landmark figure of American history. From his obsessive interest in becoming the most highly decorated soldier in American history to his disastrous flirtation with presidential politics, MacArthur is revealed, warts and all. of photos.

Customer Reviews:

Truman Was Right -- Yet, MacArthur Still Was My Hero........2006-12-01

From my earliest memories, General Douglas MacArthur has always been my number one hero. My soldier dad gave me a little paste statue of MacArthur, America's 'Caesar,' which I could hold in my hand. For me, it was important that he married a Tennessee woman. For another, he had the gawl to stand up to the President of the United States who demoted him and forced him to come home to the United States, where the public took his side and gave him a ticker tape parade down Broadway in New York City. Doug was a major general during the World War II for the allies, and being an American was there to represent our country first and foremost. However, like any person can be, he was lured into being an important personage in the Philippines government as an advisor. He had his cake and ate it too.

The whole country here tought that President Truman was out of his mind to talk to our hero the way he did, and MacArthur used rhetoric and politics in his going away speech that "Old Soldiers Never Die, They Just Fade Away" and his foolish declaration that "I Shall Return," It was as though he had turned his back on the American people and we were fools enough not to know what he was doing. President Truman did know and made an executive decision that the double-dealing had to stop. Apparently, FDR (Roosevelt) had let things get out of control and MacArthur made the most of it.

For more than sixty years now, he has been my hero. When my son Justin had to ask his parents who their hreoes were for a class project, his teacher was shocked at the name of mine -- as I am a woman. He probably throught it might be Eleanor Roosevelt had I been interested in politics or the war, or Queen Elizabeth who was newly crowned and I admired. But, no, it was the cause of Douglas MacArthur which gave me the backbone to stand and say what is right and righteous, to be fair to all and not allowing inferiors to take the jobs of people who are more qualified. That's the Affirmative Action Ammendment which kept my PHD son from getting many jobs in the 1980s. It was hurtful to the intelligent, trained young people who could do the jobs. Instead, like MacArthur in the Philippines where he did return (I do like a man who keeps his word.), it is double dealing and putting the wrong people in the wrong jobs. And I don't mean electing those with money. I'm talking about putting uneducated, ignorant people in government jobs who make decisions for all of us, and they don't know what they are doing. They are not qualified.

MacArthur should never have been double dealing and his failing was insubordination. He had such an adoring reputation for being stern and forceful as an American General. But now the truth will out and we know just how "old" he was, not in years, but in nonconformity and by not going God's will. That was his downfall.

Good, not great book on the General........2006-07-25

Obviously, the right starting place for MacArthur would be William Manchester's book. However, this one does not disappoint. As a matter of fact, of all Perret's books, this one is most likely the best, despite its flaws. Our subject is the greatest military mind this country has ever produced.
Was Gen. MacArthur an egomaniac? Yes, name me a general who wasn't. But in America's 'brief' history, you will not find a more intelligent, and courageous officer than this man. During WWI, his personal bravery and daring led to seven Silver Stars. During WWII, he lost less men in the southwest Pacific in four years of fighting, than Gen. Eisenhower did at the Battle of the Bulge alone! During the Korean war, at seventy years of age, his offensive at Inchon was the height of audacity and planning. He wrote Japan's postwar constitution, he is also revered by many Japanese to this day.
All in all, his career is enough to make one say, "Patton who?"

EXCELLENT STARTING PLACE FOR THE STUDY OF MACARTHUR.......2005-02-27

As several reviewers pointed out, this book has a few flaws. I do feel some of the criticisms hurled are a bit off the mark. This is a one volume book. There is absolutly no way a completely comprehensive sudy of this man could be accomplished in such a short space. For a one volume work though, it is very, very good. Yes, you can disagree as to the actual greatness of the man, as reflected in the various stages of his life, but the author has at least presented to us a starting point. This work, along with others, gives us a good picture of Macarthur the soldier and the man. Recommend you read this one.

An interesting, well written book.......2003-01-14

I enjoyed this book very much. Although long and detailed, I found its style engaging and well organized. It's an easy read. Being able to turn dense historical material into such an interesting book is a triumph.

Writing a biography of a controversial personality like MacArthur is challenging and, overall, I think Perret has done a good job. It's too easy to fall in love with your subject and the author is able to resist the temptation to hurruh too much.

I think, however, that there are a few areas, where the author seems to accept behaviors that are questionable and problematic. Into his assertion of MacArthur's greatness he never really factors in MacArthur's overly emotional temperament nor his lack of veracity. There is space for further debate here that I think the author missed.

To people who history is a avocation & not a vocation,.......2002-10-05

the life of Douglas MacArthur is known but in fairly broad strokes. For 688 pages (31 hrs on cassette) Mr. Parett fills in the blanks.
First he spends sometime on Arthur MacArthur, Douglas MacArthur's father & hero. This first Gemeral MacArthur was quite an important historical figure himself. Everything Douglas did in his life he measured against his father & the standards he had set.
Many biographies deal with just his involvement is World War II, Korea & maybe World War I. This whole life biography covers his West Point years, the Phillipines, Vera Cruz, Mexico, & his pre-World War I relationship with General Pershing & his mistress.
It is apparent that even one large volume gives brevity to MacArthur's life but Mr. Parrett does an excellent job. He also seems to have a slight bias towards MacArthur. He takes MacArthur's side in most instances except after Inchon when his judgement became questionable. But he does not shrink from his faults such as his huge ego, thin skin, inability to take advice or criticism & his foolhardy courage. Many times these character faults actually served him. His daily routine in the many places he served, his women, his only son, the many military leaders, presidents of many countries & his feelings about them are covered in this book.
A very complex man we were lucky to have as Supreme Commander in the Pacific. The Japanese were lucky to have him as their virtual ruler during the occupation of Japan. We were lucky again to have him in Korea--to a point. Inchon was the crowning achievement of his career. If he had died at that point he never would have descended to the status of mere mortals. His legend would have grown forever. His fall was swift & sad.
We were also lucky that he never became president. He toyed with the idea of running in 1944, 1948 & 1952. By 1951 he had not set foot on the mainland of the United States for 14 years. He was hopelessly out of touch with the people of the United States by that time.
I didn't know that FDR coined the phrase "dugout Doug".

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Pssst....hey you! Want to market a few gold bullion?
This Book Is Really Bad

Old Soldiers Sometimes Lie
Richard Hoyt
Manufacturer: Forge Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0765303310

Book Description

On November 14, 1947, two years after the war, General Douglas MacArthur met in private with Emperor Hirohito. They spoke for ninety minutes. To this day, there is no official record of what was discussed.Over five decades ago, MacArthur permitted General Tomayuki Yamashita to be executed for alleged war crimes. Now, Yamashitas granddaughter is determined to clear his name, even if it means unravelling a web of deceit and corruption that may stretch back to the Emperor himselfand a secret pact between Hirohito and MacArthur. Old Soldiers Sometimes Lie raises disturbing questions about what truly went on in the Pacific in the shadowy years following World War II. A former counterintelligence agent, as well as an award-winning author of espionage thrillers, Richard Hoyt pulls together disparate threads of historical fact and rumor to weave a gripping novel of intrigue and conspiracy in high places.

Customer Reviews:

Pssst....hey you! Want to market a few gold bullion?.......2004-01-05

I noticed this book while food shopping at a local market. The cover was sufficiently intriguing that I dropped the book in my basket. Later, when I started reading the book, I found the subject utterly fascinating. Knowing relatively nothing of Hirohito's gold, the mass burying of stolen WWII gold throughout the Philippines, the M Fund, and other facets related to this subject and time period, I was confused as to where the melding of fiction and fact began and ended. But this confusion did not detract from the book-it only served to whet my curiosity and to urge me to continue onward, page after page.

To readers who need constant action in order to keep reading a book, this novel may not be for them, as there are long (but captivating) narrations on the history of Hirohito's gold. But to those who enjoy a blending of historical fact with a snappy plot line, this book will give them a good read. Much of the action, both historical and in the present, is in the Philippines. Having been to the Philippines, I have to admire Mr. Hoyt's descriptions of the country and the people...I was soon sweating from his descriptions of the high heat and thick humidity (even while it was snowing here in Alaska), enjoying again the views of the verdant mountains and turquoise blue ocean waters, and reliving my own wonderful times with the truly unique and joyful Filipino people. In fact, I am now craving a San Miguel beer, and may have to just go back to the Philippines to get one.

As an interesting aside, when I was last in the Philippines (about 4 years ago), I was approached by a supposedly religious organization with a most unusual request: could I help them market an enormous load of gold bars found on a coconut farm in Mindanao? They had pictures of countless gold bars in some sort of bunker that they gave to me. I declined the offer. After reading Mr. Hoyt's account of the lost Japanese golden loot, the difficulties (to put it mildly) encountered by anyone, even former Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos, in attempting to market stolen gold, I was relieved and gratified at my decision to have nothing to do with the purported unearthing of Japanese gold.

The three principal characters in the book-a former, disillusioned CIA operative, a history professor and a Filipino farmer-are well rounded and the types of folks that I (and probably you) would like to socialize with (preferably in an open air bar in the Philippines overlooking the sea). You care about them, their quest, and you hope that they come out of this dangerous business in one piece.

This is a good book, and you learn a great deal about an alarming historical deception while you are roundly entertained.

This Book Is Really Bad.......2003-11-24

The only reason I actually finished this boring, convoluted, uninteresting book was because I was stuck on an airplane with nothing else to read. I should have just gone to sleep. The plot (if there really is one) centers around the attempt to recover gold stolen by Japanese military leaders and buried in the Philippines during World War II. There is virtually no action or drama in the book--just long, drawn-out explanations of historical activity by the main characters. I completely lost track of why some of the characters were in the book. Most of the activity (not action) is implausible and generally disconnected with the main theme. Don't waste your time or money on this book.

Baby of Bataan: Memoir of a 14 Year Old Soldier in World War II

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A Compelling Story
One of the Best
Very highly recommended reading
Baby of Bataan
Captivating

Baby of Bataan: Memoir of a 14 Year Old Soldier in World War II
Joseph Quitman Johnson
Manufacturer: Omonomany
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1590960025

Book Description

A sweet musty tropical smell hung over the city of Manila in the spring of 1941. It was a city of warm monsoon winds, cold San Miguel beer, cabarets, and slender girls with hinting eyes. It was a plum duty station for professional soldiers and sailors, and many made a career there.

In early 1941, Joseph Quitman Johnson enlisted in the U.S.Army. This memoir relates how he was thrown in with these older professional soldiers during the pre-war days of duty in Manila. It tells of his courage and bravery in the defense of Bataan, how he escaped the Death March to fight on the beaches of Corregidor, and finally his imprisonment in Japanese prisoner of war camps. It tells of forced labor, cruelty, disease, of surviving the sinkings of hell ships en route to Japan, and of working in condemned coal mines. It tells of the coming of age of a boy who joined the Army when he was only 14 years old.

This story recounts actual incidents and events that occurred in his life. Many events were tragic, some heartless and inhumane. This is the story of two cultures at odds with the other, each at times unbending.

Joseph Quitman Johnson lived this story and each of these events. He began this saga in 1941 at the tender age of 14 when he joined the Army. For whatever reason, fate chose him as one of those who was to survive these many ordeals. He was finally to taste freedom at the age of 19 when the war ended.

This is a true story, his memoir. This is the story of an underage American soldier who grew up on the battlefields of Bataan and Corregidor and the Japanese prisoner of war slave labor camps in the Philippines and Japan. His hometown newspaper named him the "Baby of Bataan."

Customer Reviews:

A Compelling Story.......2006-11-18

Once in a while, a book like this comes along. Do not miss this one. I tried to remember back when I was fourteen and what I was doing. wow! This is a story of a fourteen year old that put himself into the adult world of the military. It tells of his problems as a new recruit, his first taste of war, a chilling account of him as a POW, and even a story of the love of a young girl. This book has everything. I just wish I had the opportunity to shake Joseph Quitman Johnson's hand. Any teenager facing obstacles in his life should be given this book as a gift. I truly believe it could change their lives. Actually, it might have changed mine. My grandchildren will have a copy when they are old enough to understand.

One of the Best.......2005-12-02

I've read probably 15-20 books on the subject of POWs held by the Japanese - many of them written by the men themselves - this is one of the best - it's well written, considering it's done by a "non-professional" (some are barely readable) - "Baby of Bataan" is hard to put down as you travel with young Joe Johnson as he acts just the way a 15 year old would - thinks he knows it all and doesn't want to follow directions - thinks he all grown up when he runs away and lies to join the army - it doesn't take long for him to regret his decision but he stands up and acts like a man, does his job with the army as the U.S. tries to defend the Philippines then sees his best friends die and learns to survive as a POW - this is a book that every 16 year old in America should read - to learn why they have the privilege of living in this country as a free citizen -

Very highly recommended reading.......2004-08-09

Baby Of Bataan: Memoir Of A 14 Year Old Soldier In World War II the true story of a young man who, having grown up in the Depression with a broken family, lied to an Army recruiter to enlist at age 14. At age 16 he became a prisoner of war of the Japanese, forced to endure horrific conditions and nearly killed by his captors. Baby Of Bataan is a tale of survival, of being witness to death by overwork, slow starvation, maltreatment and worse, but also of the strong side of the spirit capable of weathering years of adversity while remaining fully human. Very highly recommended reading.

Baby of Bataan.......2004-05-01

I have read the book "Baby of Bataan" and would recommend it highly. Being a Viet Nam veteran I have a natural interest in this type of genre. The "Baby of Bataan" is an exceptional work. Mr Johnson first lets you get to know him, and his life, as a youngster before taking you on the "journey of a life time". He spares you graphic details of the horror of war and yet you get a full understanding of what he endured.

The veterans of WWII saved to world. This work is a demonstration of the unselfish bravery these individuals had to be a part of world history. Buy this book to honor Mr. Johnson's sacrifice, read this book to understand the dynamics of war, pass this book on to younger family members to read, so we as a nation, we don't forget our true heros, and take a WWII veteran to lunch to say thank you!

Captivating.......2004-04-25

"Baby of Bataan" is a captivating book about a young man who joined the army at age 14, became a POW at age 16, and spent almost 4 years in a number of Japanese prison camps. This book is a must read for anyone who has ever felt like giving up, or anyone who feels that growing up is just too hard sometimes. It has something for everyone, and that makes it easy to empathize with Joseph Quitman Johnson. You will be emotionally charged by this book as Joe and his fellow prisoners are subjected to the indignities, inhumane treatment, and cruelties heaped upon them by their captors. You will want to encourage him to keep the faith and not give up as he is pushed to the limits of human endurance time and again. He survived, and after years of soul searching finally decided to write this book. It is his story but it is also the story of others who gave so much to preserve the freedom we enjoy today. Read his book. You owe it to yourself.

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Buffalo Soldiers 1866-91 (Elite)
Ron Field
Manufacturer: Osprey Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1841767565
Release Date: 2004-06-24

Book Description

African-American soldiers played a decisive role in the US Army on the western frontier during the Plains Wars. First authorised by Congress in July 1866, they were organised into two cavalry and four infantry regiments, which were commanded by white officers. All were quickly nicknamed the 'Buffalo Soldiers' by their Cheyenne and Comanche enemies. These brave soldiers fought many native tribes over the years, including the warriors of Sitting Bull and Geronimo. This book tells the story of these buffalo soldiers who, until the early 1890s, constituted 20 per cent of all active forces on duty in the American West.

Soldier Saints and Holy Warriors: Warfare and Sanctity in the Literature of Early England

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Authoritative and Relevant

Soldier Saints and Holy Warriors: Warfare and Sanctity in the Literature of Early England
John Edward Damon
Manufacturer: Ashgate Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 075460473X

Customer Reviews:

Authoritative and Relevant.......2005-03-04

SOLDIER SAINTS AND HOLY WARRIORS: WARFARE AND SANCTITY IN THE LITERATURE OF EARLY ENGLAND is an outstanding study of the evolving relationship between religion and warfare in medieval Latin and Anglo-Saxon hagiography. The conjunction of faith and violence is a topic relevant to our times, and Damon's fair and comprehensive treatment of his provocative theme deserves a wide readership. In examining the literary period from the writing of Sulpicius' VITA MARTINI in 397 to the revising of Saint Martin's biography by several Anglo-Saxon authors prior to the First Crusade in 1095/96, Damon discerns a pattern of development in which the idealization of Christian pacifism by Sulpicius was eventually superseded by the championing of Christian militancy in AElfric's LIVES OF SAINTS. However, Damon not only avoids making a Procrustean bed of this pattern, he emphasizes the point that the gradual sanctification of warfare in medieval literature was a complex and conflicted trend. In fact, he devotes his last chapter to the demonstration of how Anglo-Saxon versions of Saint Martin's life preserve many of the pacifistic tropes used by Sulpicius.
SOLDIER SAINTS AND HOLY WARRIORS is blessedly free of theoretical jargon. Damon makes his points clearly and methodically, weighing his evidence judiciously and quoting in full the passages he examines. He translates the Anglo-Saxon passages himself, and his renderings are elegantly terse and accurate.
In his discussions of Saint Martin of Tours, Saint Guthlac, Kings Edwin and Oswald, and many other Christian soldiers marching as to war or marching to actual war, Damon's eruditon is always manifest. His research is reliable and his voice is assuredly authoritative. SOLDIER SAINTS AND HOLY WARRIORS is old-school scholarship, and Damon's Olympian style is reminiscent of the oracular and engaging pronouncements of an H.D.F. Kitto or a C.M. Bowra. Like the works of these venerable but still pertinent classicists, Damon's SOLDIER SAINTS AND HOLY WARRIORS is both timely and timeless.

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