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.

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Blood on the River
Great book to commemorate 400th anniversary of James Town
A GREAT Novel
Great Book for new readers
Bloody River

Blood on the River: James Town 1607
Elisa Carbone
Manufacturer: Viking Juvenile
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Action & Adventure | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0670060607
Release Date: 2006-05-04

Book Description

Twelve-year-old Samuel Collier is a lowly commoner on the streets of London. So when he becomes the page of Captain John Smith and boards the ship the Susan Constant, bound for the New World, he can't believe his good fortune. He's heard that gold washes ashore with every tide. But beginning with the stormy journey and his first contact with the native people, he realizes that the New World is nothing like he had ever imagined.The lush Virginia shore where they establish the colony of James Town is both beautiful and forbidding, and it's hard to know who's a friend or foe. As he learns the language of the Algonquin Indians and observes Captain Smith's wise diplomacy, Samuel begins to see that he can be whomever he wants to be in this new land.

Customer Reviews:

Blood on the River.......2007-05-17

1607 was a big year for America. It was the year that settlers came to America and in the end it was how the country started. Blood on the River ia a fictional book, based on a historical event, written by Elisa Carbone about the first ship to come to Jamestown. It is written in the prospective of an English boy coming to America. The boy's name is Samuel and he is to serve Captain John Smith in the New World. Captain Smith teaches Samuel everything that he needs to know to surive in America.

Blood on the River catches the reader's eye. The whole book was magnificent but the end was the one part of the book that you wouldn't want to miss. The book ended on a very highnote and there was a lot of courage and heroism involved. I like how Elisa Carbone made the characters stand out from the rest of the book. I also like how she incorporated the true facts like the Starving Time even though it was a fictional account.

I didn't like the lack of action. I know some people might disagree with me, but I am a person that likes a lot of action and I didn't see that in this book. I think that she didn't use as much detail as she could have. I think there was more room to add detail without making it too boring. I think that Blood on the River was good for the most part, though.

Above I stated that the author could have added more to the action side. One way that I think she could fix that is to talk more about the battles. I think that the battles were not described as well as they could have been and lacked a lot of detail. From what I know about Jamestown, I know that one of the worst hardships were the attacks by the Indians. I don't think that the book showed how bad attacks were back then.

I think that this would be a good book for you if you like fiction based on history. With 2007 being the 400th anniversay of Jamestown now would be a good time to read Blook on the River. I think that this is a phenomenal book for people that like history or those who are just looking for a fictional book. Blood on the River is a new release so you might want to get it fast or it might be sold out.

Great book to commemorate 400th anniversary of James Town.......2007-01-16

Blood on the River is the tale of Samuel Collier, an actual settler of the James Town colony in 1607. In Elisa Carbone's telling, the young orphaned Collier becomes the page to Captain John Smith and soon finds himself on board the ship the Susan Constant, heading towards the New World. The journey is harsh, but the reality of the New World is even harsher. During that first winter Samuel endures hunger, fear and death, but Samuel struggles on.

Samuel changes from the angry youth with no family or friends that he was at the start of the journey. Captain Smith teaches him to channel his anger, and Reverend Hunt teaches him to make decisions based on love, not fear. These lessons help Samuel to stay alive, and to save the lives of some of his fellow settlers.

Elisa Carbone's thoroughly researched novel both entertains and educates. The English settlers' clashes with the Native Americans is unbiased and accurate. The informative Afterwards and Author's Note tell what happened in James Town after the story ends, and what in the book was fact and fiction. Boys and girls will both enjoy this adventurous tale, which could be used as a tie-in to the 400th anniversary of the settlement of James Town.

A GREAT Novel.......2007-01-14

Taking a long voyage across the Atlantic Ocean just to serve under the rule of Captain John Smith didn't exactly appeal to Samuel. Samuel is an orphan and about thirteen or fourteen. His Mother and Father died a couple years ago, and since then he's been living on the street. Unfortunately (To him) he ended up in an orphanage, and was recruited to be John Smith's page and to accompany him on the voyage to "The New World." Reverend Hunt, who ran the orphanage, and a fellow orphan Richard were also to go to The New World, with their own duties to take care of. This was a fabulous Historical Fiction book that can be enjoyed by girls or boys ages twelve and up.

This book was full of fights and anger. Most of the men that were on the ship to the New World were gentlemen, and they hated to do work. John Smith was always getting into fights with them, one time it almost brought him to the gallows. Samuel was also always getting into fights. When his Mother died, he closed up his heart, and wouldn't open it to anyone. At the Orphanage, the other boys would always tease him about how he tried to steal his Mother's locket from the Pawn Shop, and he would always resolve it with a fist fight. Another incident, near the end of the book, a group of brand new settlers barged into the Indian's campground, burnt down their houses, and stole their belongings. This basically started the war between the Indians and the Settlers. First the Indians stopped trading with the settlers, and then they started killing them.

This book was very sad and full of deaths. The first death was of a boy named James. This was near the beginning when Samuel was learning to open his heart to others, and make friends. James and Richard were best friends, and Samuel was working hard to become friends with them as well. One night, the Indians attacked and James ran out of the tent and for the boats, where he was immediately shot down, while Richard and Samuel hid under the mattress. Later on in the book, Reverend Hunt caught Malaria and died. The Reverend was the first one to help Samuel figure out that fighting doesn't solve anything and its better off to have friends. The last sad part, near the end, was when John Smith had to go back to England because of a severe burn on his entire leg. Smith had taught Samuel many things, but most of all he taught him to depend and trust people. Worst of all, Richard was to accompany Smith to England......Two friends lost at once.

Finally, this book was surprising. One day, a ton of men left their houses, all with their fires still burning. Something caught fire in one house, and before they knew it, all the houses were burnt to the ground. Thankfully, the Indians gave them an entire, fresh supply of food, and warm blankets to sleep on. Chief Powhatan of the Powhatan Tribe had made the people of Jamestown part of his tribe, because they treated his fellow Tribes well, and traded fairly. King James decided to also make Chief Powhatan part of his rule. John Smith thought this was an awful idea to make an emperor a prince, but Captain Newport wouldn't listen. When Powhatan wouldn't kneel down to be crowned, Captain Newport told his men to force him down. They did eventually get the crown on, but Chief Powhatan never treated the settlers the same.

This book was exciting, sad, and surprising, anyone would like it. I consider it fabulous and recommend anyone twelve and up to join in on the adventure. Enjoy!
-A. Lindemann

Great Book for new readers.......2007-01-09

My nine year old grand-daughter called one night to tell me that I would like this book. She loved it. She knows I real lots of history and non-fiction. To be able to discuss the book, I went to Amazon. The book was excellent as are the other books by this author. Readable by adults but still good for 9 to 12 year olds. Since she was reading a library book, I ended up giving her my book for her library. I have since read another recent book on Jamestown due to the interest from reading this one!

Bloody River.......2006-12-18

I found this book intresting because it had so many historical characters. My personal favorite part was when Samuel became an Indian. I also liked the part when he saved baby Virginia. I gave it four stars because of the ending. I mean like when their all saved but then what happens. It just dosen't work out in my opinion. But I'm not a critic. Overall, I loved it. My favorite character was Captain John Smith. He was my favorite because he was a strong leader. He also was a great fighter and he just was what looked like a good leader. I also liked Samuel because he was a good fighter. He is smart too. So I guess that's why I liked this book.

The Blood Runs Like a River Through My Dreams

Average customer rating:

I give this book three stars knowing it is a fraud
One Fraud Too Many
The Joke
A shameful fraud
plagiarist, Navajo wannabe, fake

The Blood Runs Like a River Through My Dreams
Nasdijj , and Nasdijj
Manufacturer: Mariner Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Native American | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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Memoirs | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0618154485

Amazon.com

The language and form of this searing book are as powerful as the life experience that inspired them. In a series of essays that cohere into a spiritual autobiography, the author writes prose that's deceptively simple yet rich in metaphor. An wild horse living in the parking lot of a Navajo school becomes a symbol for living creatures' intrinsic wildness, tamed only at a terrible cost. "We are all runaway horses" is one constant refrain, as is the reminder "you are your history." The author's history is painful: born in 1950 the son of an alcoholic Native American woman and a white cowboy father who "would sell my mom to other migrant men for five dollars," Nasdijj grew up a "mongrel" and an outcast, contending with his violent father's demons while his mother beguiled them with Indian stories. Living on a reservation, never fully accepted because of his white skin, he adopted a baby boy with fetal alcohol syndrome who died at age 6. The book's most beautiful passages meditate on Tommy Nothing Fancy's short life and express his father's love. Nasdijj has been homeless, he has taught Indian children on a reservation, he has retraced with a historian friend the dreadful forced march to Bosque Redondo, where the Navajo and their culture were nearly exterminated. These and many other ordeals are related in the agonizingly lucid words of someone who has turned to writing as a lifeline. This remarkable memoir has its share of bitterness and anger, but Nasdijj transcends both in his acceptance of the world that made him and in the knowledge that "the reservation runs like blood through a river of my dreams." --Wendy Smith

Book Description

A searing book as powerful as the life experience that inspired it, THE BLOOD RUNS LIKE A RIVER THROUGH MY DREAMS transports readers to the majestic landscapes and hard Native American lives of the desert Southwest. Born to a storytelling Native mother and a roughneck, song-singing father, Nasdijj has always lived at the jagged-edged margins of society, yet hardship and isolation have only brought him greater clarity -- a gift for language and a voice of searching honesty. "In a prose style that could almost be chanted" (New York Magazine), Nasdijj writes of his adopted son, Tommy Nothing Fancy, and of his own chaotic childhood; of his struggles between two cultures and his pursuit of the writing life -- as a lifeline. A powerful, unforgettable memoir, THE BLOOD RUNS LIKE A RIVER THROUGH MY DREAMS will "wash over readers and often take them by surprise" (Fort Worth Star-Telegram).

Customer Reviews:

I give this book three stars knowing it is a fraud.......2006-04-24

This book has to be the worst and most sickening case of cultural apropriation in the history of the US. The fact that it was writen by a white man is further proof of the emperialist and colonialist mentality that still exists in this nation twords the Native American Community. However when I forst read this book Nasdijj was still a navajo within the eyes of the public. At the time the book mooved me deaply. Nasdijj's use if diction and the storytelling nature of his narative was beutifle. It made me want to learn more about the status and problems facing the Plains Indian community and work bring about change. That meens somthing to me and despite what I know now that initial responce when I first read this book stays with me to this day. I urge those who are going to critisize this book to read it first if you have not, and when you read it, do so with eyes un clouded by the trouth.

One Fraud Too Many.......2006-03-16

It's a shame that because of works like this, not to mention the Forrest Carter (Education of Little Tree) scandal a few years back, many unknown and undiscovered--but authentic--Native American writers will probably have to struggle that much harder to become published. Well-established American Indian authors are already naturally suspect of any newcomers on the scene; the sad fact is that for some reason Native American culture and identity is misappropriated by more misguided white writers--whatever their individual agendas might be--than any other race or ethnic group. The sad truth is that, for every Forrest Carter and Timothy Barris who manage to secure a publishing contract, there are dozens of truly deserving Native voices that are going unheard.And thanks to these imposters making the buying public- as well as agents and editors- increasingly suspicious of anyone claiming to be Native American-their chances to be read and heard are only going to diminish.

The Joke.......2006-02-16

To hold the power to move people with words regardless of the validity of those words is a very impressive art. With the exception of one specific actor, no one in history has made a powerful film about his or her own life. There is no reason to believe that written works shoud be treated differently from movies in this respect. Obviously this writer has realized that human deception is an important method of eliciting an emotional response from an audience. By reading the responses from readers prior to the false exposure of the true writer, it is clear that this man or woman is light years ahead of current authors when it comes to manipulating the human brain into believing a story, factual or not. With the increasing pace of desensitization of the mind in recent years, obviously new techniques must be made available to entertain an insatiable public. To say that this author's amazing work is only confined within the pages of the book is downwright ludicrous. Everything, including the monikor and real identity of "Timothy Barris" is part of a larger piece of fiction that may be even further exposed as time passes. After this "identity" was unearthed, opposite and even stronger emotional responses were elicited from readers, demonstrated in print on these very pages of Amazon.com. Is it not true that disgust and outrage are also emotions that sub-par authors struggle to touch in their works? "The Blood Runs Like a River Through My Dreams" is such an example of a work of writing and deception that is capable of plucking each string of human emotion in such a way that has never been attempted before. There is a larger picture.

-AK

A shameful fraud.......2006-01-28

I read this book last year, and was moved by it, though I often found it rather fuzzy on certain details, and the chronology seemed to jump around. Now, I learn this guy is a total FRAUD: He's not Indian and Tommy didn't exist. He's apparently lazy, too: I've read that his descriptions of Navajo culture don't fit with reality, either. This is disgraceful, both his lying about his heritage, and inventing this sick child, as well as the other people he made up. What a waste of time.
So many literary frauds have been exposed this month (Jan 06). Now, I'm wondering about a few other memoirs that have been popular the last few years. I'm rather disinclined to buy any memoirs these days; and I bet I'm not the only one who feels this way. I bet these scandals hurt sales of this book genre.

plagiarist, Navajo wannabe, fake.......2006-01-28

I haven't read any of "Nasdijj"'s writings, and I don't expect to do so, but as a REAL Amerind (Cherokee), I am disturbed and indignant at Navajos being used as a publicity hook by a white sado-masochist. Don't take my word for it. Read an exhaustive exposé at
http://www.laweekly.com/index.php option=com_lawcontent&task=view&id=12468&Itemid=47

Blood, the River of Life (Human Body Series)

Average customer rating:

Blood, the River of Life (Human Body Series)
Jake Page
Manufacturer: Torstar Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Hematology | Internal Medicine | Medicine | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0920269478

The Mirror at Midnight: A South African Journey

Average customer rating:

Unraveling the complexities of South Africa

The Mirror at Midnight: A South African Journey
Adam Hochschild
Manufacturer: Mariner Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Africa | History | Subjects | Books

South Africa | Africa | History | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0618758259

Book Description

History lies heavily on South Africa, and in an original literary form—half-history, half-reportage—Adam Hochschild brings to bear a life-time’s familiarity with the country. He looks at the tensions of modern-day South Africa through a dramatic prism: the pivotal nineteenth-century Battle of Blood River—which determined whether the Boers or the Zulus would control that part of the world—and its contentious commemoration by rival groups one hundred fifty years later. This incisive book is an unusual window onto a society that still today remains divided.

Customer Reviews:

Unraveling the complexities of South Africa.......1999-12-03

I read this book while I was visiting South Africa and I would encourage it for anyone who is interested in an overview of life under apartheid. It was published just before apartheid ended, so the reader must look to other sources for a post apartheid look at South Africa, but I found this book to be well written, insightful, and interesting. South Africa is a very complex culture and that complexity is not always portrayed in American media. Hochschild lived in South Africa and his love for the people is evident in this work.

Rivers of Blood, Years of Darkness: The Unforgettable Classic Account of the Watts Riot,

Average customer rating:

A compelling ground-level report

Rivers of Blood, Years of Darkness: The Unforgettable Classic Account of the Watts Riot,
Robert E. Conot
Manufacturer: William Morrow
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Customer Reviews:

A compelling ground-level report.......2002-01-14

Conot was the first person given access to many of the reports of the uprisings, and he interviewed 1,000 people and got written statements from 500 others. He weaves all these together into an as-it-happens narrative in which the events unfold on the level of the individual actors, from the people caught in the middle at street level, to the governor and his officers. In doing so, he created a sociologically significant page-turner.

Born in Blood and Fire: A Concise History of Latin America

Average customer rating:

For what it is, it isn't bad
History Light
Great book
Concise Book
Useless and Biased

Born in Blood and Fire: A Concise History of Latin America
John Charles Chasteen
Manufacturer: W. W. Norton & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Mexico | Americas | History | Subjects | Books

General | Americas | History | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0393050483

Amazon.com

Made up of 20 very different countries, Latin America has sometimes been treated as though it were a homogeneous unit, one mired in poverty and political instability. University of North Carolina scholar John Charles Chasteen's sweeping history of the region imparts a sense of how diverse--ethnically, linguistically, culturally--Latin America truly is, and of how that part of the world is rapidly changing, mostly for the better. (For example, he writes, "in 1980 most governments of the region were dictatorships of various descriptions. In 2000, elected governments rule almost everywhere.")

Chasteen observes that, although Latin America came into being under the imperial aegis of a few European powers, principally Spain and Portugal, it quickly branched into sometimes conflicting regions with widely differing ideas of economic development and government. He goes on to examine the careers of some of Latin America's most important historical figures, among them Simon Bolivar, who spread a revolutionary gospel of independence throughout the hemisphere, and Lázaro Cárdenas, the Mexican president who, in 1938, nationalized the oil industry and set his nation on a difficult course toward economic self-government. Of particular interest is Chasteen's consideration of the many reasons Latin American governments have clashed with that of the United States--among them disenchantment over the 1947 Marshall Plan, which rebuilt Germany at enormous cost, while offering almost no assistance to needy Latin American allies.

Designed as an undergraduate textbook, Chasteen's survey offers a useful overview of a region that, although of growing importance in world affairs, remains little understood. --Gregory McNamee

Book Description

A concise, integrated, chronological narrative--includes all the high points of Latin American history while exploring its complexities. This amazingly brief history of Latin America will delight any reader. Fully informed by the latest scholarship, this cleverly written survey spans six centuries and covers twenty countries. John Charles Chasteen presents a compelling narrative of the Latin American experience, animated by stories about men and women from all walks of life, and enriched by insightful analysis. The famous and not so famous characters of Latin America are here: Cortes, Malinche, Moctezuma, Sister Juana Ines de la Cruz, Bolivar, Father Manuel Hidalgo, Juan and Evita Peron, and, of course, Che Guevara. This is a story of despair and hope, the processes of conquest and colonization, race mixing and class construction, revolution and republic formation, and the elusive quests for sustained economic growth and political and social equality. This beautifully written, concise history will be especially valuable for business and recreational travelers on their way to Latin America.

Customer Reviews:

For what it is, it isn't bad.......2007-10-10

I am reading this book for a class on Independence and Nationalism in Latin America and find that it is only appropriate for a very general survey of Latin American history. It is, perhaps, too concise! It is, however, informative and a very simple read. Chasteen wanted to make a history of Latin America readable and approachable and this book is definitely both. I would recommend this text with reservations. It paints a picture that is somewhat biased and full of holes. As an introductory reader, however, it succeeds.

Would have given it a four-star rating, but the edition pictured (2006, second edition) is riddled with typographical errors. The index cites pages that are either blank or diagrams not related to the terms. Not exactly helpful! For example, the entry for Diego Rivera points to page 215, which is BLANK. The other side of the page (216) is in fact a mural by Rivera, but what gives?

History Light.......2007-05-21

You have probably seen movies about Che Guevera or Eva Peron, but do you know in which countries they had influence? You probably know how the Cold War affected U.S. policy in Asia, but do you know how it affected Latin America? You may know about European immigrants living in New York or Chicago, but did you know they flocked to Latin America as well? If the answer to these questions is "no," you need this book. It is a quick, easy read, covering more than 500 years in a little over 300 pages. Of course, details are sparse, but it is an excellent way to gain a basic understanding of our neighbors to the south. I was particularly glad to see segments that told about the lives of particular groups in Latin America since its European conquest to present including minority groups and women. Ever had Moctezuma's revenge? Now you can find out why Moctezuma is so angry!

Great book.......2007-03-09

This is a very good book for Latin American history. Have used it for tests/quizzes and have no gotten uner a B. Provides and takes you through Latin American history.

Concise Book.......2006-03-08

I was assigned to read this book for my class in Latin American Studies. I especially liked the time line the author inserts before chapter 1 and the time lines he inserts for each period. The information in this book is extensive and serves well as a textbook.

Useless and Biased.......2005-12-28

I had to read this book for a course on Latin America. The author is clearly very biased, if you agree with him you will most likely enjoy the book. Chasteen often states his opinions as fact, stating several times that marxism would have been a better option for Latin American countries (how well did this work in the USSR?) Also, he skips over details that don't support his thesis; while he goes in great detail describing the killing and torture commited by government forces, he never acknowledges the torture and murders commited by guerrilla forces.

The book does cover a great deal of history, but the excessive bias takes away from the credibility of the text and the learning experience. I would reccomend finding a book that focuses more on fact than opinion.

River of Blood (Star Trek The Original Series: Errand of Vengeance, Book 3)

Average customer rating:

Great book - horrible editing
Excellent book, not QUITE as good as the first of the series
Great end for a great series!
Cry Havoc, And Let Slip The Dogs Of War !!!
Star Trek-TOS: River of Blood: Errand of Vengeance

River of Blood (Star Trek The Original Series: Errand of Vengeance, Book 3)
Kevin Ryan
Manufacturer: Star Trek
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Adventure | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

Space Opera | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0743446003

Book Description

Every person has a story, and those who are lucky enough to share the voyages of Capt. James T. Kirk aboard the Starship Enterprise ™ have stories unlike anyone else's. Some live, some die, but even those who serve below deck sometimes make all the difference in the universe!

The news from Starfleet Command is grim: a full-scale war against the Klingon Empire is coming, a war that the Federation may not be able to win. In anticipation of a monumental conflict, the U.S.S. Enterprise ™ is assigned to guard a vital starbase located perilously close to Klingon space.

But even as Kirk's mission brings him into a tense confrontation with an invading Klingon battle cruiser, an equally deadly menace lurks within the ranks of his own crew: Klingon infiltrator agents, posing as Starfleet officers and sworn to destroy the enemies of the Empire -- even at the cost of their own honor!

Customer Reviews:

Great book - horrible editing.......2007-01-05

I really enjoyed this book, as I did the whole series, but the editing was horrible. The first time Starbase 42 was mentioned, it was Starbase 43. It switched from Starbase 43 to Starbase 42 a mere two lines later. There were numerous problems such as the following: "Now let them they try to find us." (top of page 167 in the first paperback ed.) Thinking back there were similar problems in the entire series. Lt. West was originally called Ensign West, but in the middle of the scene it changed to Lt. with no explanation. It actually detracted from my enjoyment of the book. In addition, to beginner typo editing mistakes, the editor also failed to notice writing mistakes that any beginning editor could have corrected. Ryan did a great job letting us know that Klingons don't take prisoners and won't be taken prisoners (even though true Trek fans already knew this), but an observant editor could have corrected the fact that the reader was given this information approximately four times within 30 pages, and the repetition was unnecessary to move the plot forward. I own and have read most of the Star Trek fiction from Pocket Books, and this was, by far, the worst editing I've ever experienced.

Excellent book, not QUITE as good as the first of the series.......2003-10-10

Much better than book two, however. This book probably could be read as a stand-alone, but it obviously works much better if one reads the series in order. This book has a bit less character development than either of the first two in the series, but then, the story is well along and moving toward a climax in this book, and most of the character development has already been done. Some readers will doubtless feel that there is too much focus on action and combat in this story; again, if the trilogy is read as one long story, this is the climactic action scene; as such, it can't help but be combat-heavy. Other readers will be ecstatic at a book so totally action-packed; I suppose it depends on what you read Star Trek for.

Great end for a great series!.......2003-01-16

What can I say? Mr. Ryan has done it again whith his third book in the "Errand of Vengeance" trilogy. I won't go into plot summaries or anything like that (there are plenty of those in other reviews), but I will say that if you've started the trilogy, you'll love the ending. And I'll say this again, if you're a hardcore ST fan, Mr. Ryan won't dissapoint. There are plenty of hidden gems in all three books (other than the wonderful stories themselves) to feed any Trekkie's or Trekker's appetite.

I really enjoyed these books and hope Mr. Ryan writes many more.

Cry Havoc, And Let Slip The Dogs Of War !!!.......2002-10-25

First off let me say that I did enjoy this book, but to me it was a bit of a disappointment when compared to the first two. Basically this book is just one long battle - with an emphasis on the word "long" - and if it wasn't for the link back to the Klingon heritage probably would have been called "The Seige of Starbase 42" !!! Gone is the complex story and character development of the first two books, replaced by one endless phaser battle after another - was this story written for the Playstation generation or what ?!! Also as with book two, the number of technical flaws in the plot are enough to pilot a starship through. However probably the weakest aspect of this book is that "Kell", who was the driving force behind this trilogy, seems to become just a footnote here. He appears briefly at the beginning, sporadically during the running battles on the starbase, and then at the end meets a decidedly predictable fate. Again I have to put this flaw in the story structure down to the author's lack of literary skills. This just isn't a good way to write a plot, i.e. where the writer loses sight of the main character, but on the up side one can still enjoy the action and sheer pace of this novel. Ironically this story telling flaw has one obvious advantage to an Original Series fan like me in that it allows Captain Kirk to take a much more active role in the adventure. Overall this has been an excellent trilogy which I thoroughly enjoyed and would reccomend to any serious Star Trek fan, but it is a shame that the last book in this series, which was the climax and therefore should have been the highlight, proved to be weakest of the three.

Star Trek-TOS: River of Blood: Errand of Vengeance.......2002-09-19

Star Trek-The Original Series: River of Blood: Errand of Vengeance written by Kevin Ryan is the third installment of this trilogy (The Edge of the Sword, Killing Blow, and River of Blood). This trilogy is a Klingon based story, a story of cunning, deception, vengeance, murder, intrigue, and Kahless's truth and honor.

This third book takes up where the second book left off and add a great deal of richness to the story plot. The plot being to kill Captain James T. Kirk by a surgically altered Klingon infiltrator Kell/Jon Anderson. Sworn to destroy the enemies of the Empire... even at the cost of their own honor, Kell/ Jon Anderson is having second thoughts. Why, you say? Well it seems that the propaganda mill of the Klingon Empire is working overtime, and an honorable Klingon does NOT go to war... especially if there is no honor in it, according to Kahless.

We read a lot about honor and truth, but there is guile, cunningness, and knavery also. As the Klingons prepare for a war with the Federation, they need Starship Grade dilithium crystals. A planet is found by the Orions, not too far from the Federation/Klingon boarder on the third planet in Systen 7348, but this planet in inhabited by a pre-warp society... a Klingon-like society.

What I liked about this book is that even though Kirk was to be killed, Kirk, Spock, and McCoy were not the focus of this series... the focus was on how Kell/ Jon Anderson evolved and had second thoughts... a good fleshing out of the character as he and Parrish have a romantic involvement, but Kell/Jon Anderson pulls away as his mission becomes a burden.

There is another interesting subplot in this book and that is Kell's brother Karel as he learns the truth about the war with the Federation. Karel is on a Klingon warship and is a follower of Kahless. Honor and truth are what Karel leads his life by, but there are challanges along the way. There are many roads to Sto-Vor-Kar but only one path as both Kell and Karel learn.

If you like Klingon based stories this is your cup of Bloodwine. This is a fast paced, well-written story and is enlightening about Klingons.

The next series of books to arrive is the Star Trek-Deep Space Nine Mission Gamma. This has four book in the series, (Twilight, This Gray Spirit, Cathedral and Lesser Evil). If you haven't been keeping up with DS-9, might I recommend that you read Avatar Book One and Two by S.D. Perry, Section 31: Abyss by David Weddle and Jeffrey Lang, Gateways: Demons of Air and Darkness by Keith R.A. DeCandido, and Horn and Ivory fron the Gateways: What Lay Beyond. You'll need some background material as the first book in the series draws from these books

S...

Average customer rating:

Talk about realistic gore!!

A 5 STAR MUST READ

Blood River
Jory Sherman
Manufacturer: Berkley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Westerns | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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The Vigilante

Texas Dust

The Savage Gun

The Vigilante: Six-Gun Law (The Vigilante)

The Dark Land

ASIN: 0425199916

Book Description

Reeling from the murder of the girl he loved, young Chip Morgan seeks a new beginning in Colorado. But when he finds no succor, only more bloodshed, he begins a quest for vengeance that leads him to a place where youthful recklessness turns to true grit.

Customer Reviews:

Talk about realistic gore!!.......2006-05-09

I just finished reading this book last night. It was good, but very shocking. The violence was very graphic, I found it hard to believe that I was reading a western. But what made it worth while was knowing that the good guys won and the bad guys lost.

A 5 STAR MUST READ.......2005-01-30

Life is hard in the expanse of the Palo Duro Canyon of Texas. For Chip Morgan, his mother Mercy and father Keith, as well as the other settelers of the region, the biggest threat comes from the Comanche's. Keith keeps after Mercy trying to convince her that they should move on to Jefferson Territory before the Comanche chief Red Hand sends his warriors to their ranch to destroy them or force the family to move off what the Comanche consider their land. Mercy keeps resisting until she sees what was left of their neighbors after the Comanche's attacked and butchered them. So the Morgan's along with their helper Luke Neely began the long and difficult journey from Texas to Ute Mountain. With the help of Julio Selva, the Morgan's secure a place to build a new ranch near Lost Creek. Not all the Indian troubles have been left behind in Texas. Now instead of the Comanche's to contend with, there are the Ute's, who prove to be equally as fierce and brutal to those they consider interlopers on their land. While out hunting, Chip is surprised by a half-breed Ute named Bear. The Ute takes Chip back to his lodge where he meets Bear's wife Willow. Bear teaches Chip how to survive and hunt in the mountains. Bear warns Chip to be careful because the local Ute chief Umiya does not want any Anglos or Mexican's to settle along Lost Creek or near Ute Mountain. All is going well until a Ute warrior sees Luke desecrate a sacred Ute shrine. While Chip and Luke are away, the Ute's attack the Morgan Ranch. Keith is taken captive and Mercy is savagely assuualted. Chip arrives at the ranch to find his mother barely alive. With the aid of Willow, Mercy recovers from her wounds. Chip now knows he must somehow kill Umiya or the family will be destroyed. With Bear's help, Chip devises a plan to kill Umiya and free his father. BLOOD RIVER is an EXCELLENT story of courage and bravery on the western frontier. DON'T MISS this outstanding book from Spur Award winning author Jory Sherman.

Average customer rating:

Bloodstream: River of Life
Isaac Asimov
Manufacturer: Macmillan Pub Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0020911505

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