Amazon.com
Amid his efforts to expose the Russian mob, Robert I. Friedman learned from the FBI that "the most brilliant and savage Russian mob organization in the world" had put a $100,000 price on his head. Reading Red Mafiya, it's not hard to see why: this is a brave book about a troubling subject. Friedman, a freelance journalist, describes the research behind it: "I ventured into the Russians' gaudy strip clubs in Miami Beach; paid surprise visits to their well-kept suburban homes in Denver; interviewed hit men and godfathers in an array of federal lockups; and traveled halfway around the world trying to make sense of their tangled criminal webs, which have ensnared everyone from titans of finance and the heads of government to entire state security services." Their racket involves heroin smuggling, weapons trafficking, mass extortion, and casino operation, among other activities. "Blending financial sophistication with bone-crunching violence, the Russian mob has become the FBI's most formidable criminal adversary, creating an international criminal colossus that has surpassed the Colombian cartels, the Japanese Yakuzas, the Chinese triads, and the Italian Mafia in wealth and weaponry," writes Friedman. They've even penetrated professional hockey, as Friedman shows in an eye-opening chapter ("Federal authorities have come to fear that the NHL is now so compromised by Russian gangsters that the integrity of the game itself may be in jeopardy").
Red Mafiya benefits from a breezy narrative in detailing a master criminal operation whose influence on the United States is growing rapidly. Russian mobsters already have siphoned off millions of dollars in foreign aid meant to prop up their country's economy--and they may have a more direct impact on American national security concerns in the years ahead: "The Russian mob virtually controls their nuclear-tipped former superpower," writes Friedman. Now, there's a scary thought. Lifting the Iron Curtain seems to have been a mixed blessing: it let freedom in, and organized crime out. --John J. Miller
Book Description
"In North America alone there are now thirty Russian crime syndicates operating in at least seventeen U.S. cities, most notably New York, Miami, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Denver. The Russians have already pulled off the largest jewelry heist and insurance Medicare frauds in American history, with a net haul exceeding $1 billion. They have invaded North America's financial markets, orchestrating complex stock scams, allegedly laundering billions of dollars through the Bank of New York, and coolly infiltrating the business and real estate worlds.
"The Russians didn't come here to enjoy the American dream," New York state tax agent Roger Berger says glumly. "They came here to steal it." -From the Introduction From an award-winning investigative journalist comes an astonishing exposi of Russian organized crime, its growing power in the United States, and its terrifying implications for the rest of the world.
In the past decade, from Brighton Beach to Moscow, Toronto to Hong Kong, the Russian mob has become the world's fastest-growing criminal superpower. Trafficking in prostitutes, heroin, and missiles, the mafiya poses an enormous threat to global stability and safety. The black-market corruption of the Brezhnev era proved the perfect breeding ground for organized crime. Beginning in the 1970s, Soviet ?migr?s--including a large number of felons and murderers the USSR was happy to get rid of--began arriving in the United States and quickly established themselves as a major criminal force in New York, Las Vegas, and elsewhere. But it was the breakup of the Soviet Union that made the
Russian mob what it is today. In a weakened, impoverished Russia, it quickly became the dominant power. And it has now spread to every corner of the United States, infiltrating its banks and brokerage firms--and American law enforcement is just waking up to this enormous problem. No journalist in the world knows more about the Russian mob in America than Robert Friedman. At great risk to himself, he has made connections with a number of top criminals who have gone on record about their activities for the first time. The result of his discoveries is a revelation: the Red Mafiya is everywhere. The implications--for law enforcement, the economy, foreign policy, for the American people themselves--are staggering."
Customer Reviews:
Good information, poorly organized.......2007-10-04
An account of the Russian Mafiya is an daunting task that requires a great deal of research. While I have no doubt that many of the statements in this book are true, the book suffers from a terrible lack of organization. It seems as though Friedman decided to write this book in a stream-of-conscious format. The format problem is damaging to the credibility of the book because it can confuse readers.
The evolution of the Russian Mafiya, which is located at the conclusion of chapter 5, should really open the book. Instead, Friedman jumps right into a prison interview with little primer before the important text. The main thesis alleges that the KGB stashed much of the money after the fall in the Soviet Union in as many places as possible. Among these places was organized crime, which has been diversifying since the 1970's. The problem was exacerbated when the Soviet Union fell. And because many of these Russian are Jewish, they seek asylum in Israel.
One of the move informative chapters discusses the extortion practices that mafiya associates exhibited with Russian NHL player. The media seems woefully unaware of any problem. This chapter is toward the middle of the book, sandwiched between prison interviews, illegal schemes, and biographies of members. The format left me with little frame of reference or time line regarding this developing problem. The book could benefit from a return to an editor.
Very Factual and in NO WAY anti semitic........2007-08-07
Contrary to some of the comments mentioned by those giving this book low marks; this book is extremely accurate and in NO WAY anti semitic. Some stated that this book was anti semitic because it did not talk about the good side of the Russian-Jew Imagre. NEWS FLASH!!! This book is about the Russian Mob! The book is about BAD GUYS! Who says the author has to talk about the honest and good Russian-Jew imagre?? Secondly those who said the content was embellished or un-believable obviously do not have any knowledge on the subject of the Russian Mafia. Myself being involved in law enforcement at the state and federal level for 23 years, I can attest that nothing is sensationalized in this book. As for the person who claimed to have been written about in the book.. GIVE ME A BREAK!
for lack of "0" star option.......2007-04-29
Bottom line: this is not what you'd expect - 90's Russian mafia in the West stories. I was duped into... by the title 7 years ago... and pissed of by the good reviews which I saw now.
The great robbing of Russia and the spill-overs into the world have nothing to do with the hoodlum stories of this book.
Publishers do that: once a topic gets media attention... publish anything related.
CRAP!
Quite Shocking!.......2006-10-07
This is quite shocking of how the mafia is able to buy off members of both major political parties in the U.S. along with other Western nations such as Israel. I would also recommend reading Double Cross about Sam and Chuck Giancana the two mafia bosses whom had the Kennedys in their pockets.
Inciteful and Highly Readable.......2006-05-12
A real eye-opener. Friedman writes about some pretty ruthless, cruel people. I don't know how the author could have possibly obtained all the information that he did; he is a brave man. I hope he's still alive, and will be amazed if he is, given the nature of the people about whom he has written. Friedman describes Russian Mafiya types operating in Toronto, near to where I live -- very unnerving. Mind you, if you live in NYC, Miami, Denver, San Francisco or Los Angeles, you are not alone...
Book Description
Investigator Arkady Renko, the pariah of the Moscow prosecutor's office, has been assigned the thankless job of investigating a new phenomenon: late-night subway riders report seeing the ghost of Joseph Stalin on the platform of the Chistye Prudy Metro station. The illusion seems part political hocus-pocus and also part wishful thinking, for among many Russians Stalin is again popular; the bloody dictator can boast a two-to-one approval rating. Decidedly better than that of Renko, whose lover, Eva, has left him for Detective Nikolai Isakov, a charismatic veteran of the civil war in Chechnya, a hero of the far right and, Renko suspects, a killer for hire. The cases entwine, and Renko's quests become a personal inquiry fueled by jealousy.
The investigation leads to the fields of Tver outside of Moscow, where once a million soldiers fought. There, amidst the detritus, Renko must confront the ghost of his own father, a favorite general of Stalin's. In these barren fields, patriots and shady entrepreneurs -- the Red Diggers and Black Diggers -- collect the bones, weapons and personal effects of slain World War II soldiers, and find that even among the dead there are surprises.
Customer Reviews:
Dark tunnel to another reality.......2007-10-06
A good writer creates his own reality. For suspense and action novels the reality is a phantasy or a dark picture or just another world. We all, who love reading this genre, know examples of each. "The Hound of the Baskervilles" serves as a shining example of the dark phantasy with the moor, action in the darkness, enormous hound and a pretty lady (in distress).
"Stalin's Ghost" serves Russia in separate flavors. And the general taste seems real, up to the point of having very Russian memories of the main character, investigator Renko, of his deceased and cruel father General. The General served in the Soviet Army against the invading Germans. This was the Great Patriotic War, of which the Russians are so proud of. The General was waiting for his promotion to a Marshall and only found that he was the cause of his wife's suicide and a killer of two young Afghans during that Soviet war.
The Chechen war serves as the background to this novel but the historic value of the Great War outweighs all others. The villain of the story, former Black Beret captain turned detective turned a Senate candidate during recent Russian elections tries to use grave digging of the Soviet soldiers of World War II as his crowning TV event to push him over the top. In a cruel twist, the diggers uncover a mass grave but instead of the brave Soviet soldiers they find Polish officers murdered on Stalin's orders.
Investigator Renko moves through the story almost like a ghost and the weight of the war stories exceeds any detective focus. His determination to uncover the truth is almost painful, as he sees the former Black Beret captain as the scoundrel almost from the first page. We all know that Renko will find his truth but at what price? Will he keep the woman he loves, a woman who is also the captain's lover? Will he die from a head wound that is just too magical to recover from?
Finally, why is chess so important in Russia? Two supporting characters, both chess masters, add a lot of color to this novel about contemporary Russia, which maybe is a suspense novel as well.
Indestructible Renko survives another bad moment in new Russia.......2007-10-05
"Stalin's Ghost" is right up there with Martin Cruz Smith's best Renko stories. It's a plausible, if extreme, description of what ails nouveau riche Russia socially and politically. As usual, poor detective Arkady Renko is taken to the brink of total destruction physically and mentally before prevailing in the end. Smith's plot zig-zags and other canny surprises fully compensate for the predictable hero-bashing (literally) that comes with these stories. Well, Ian Rankin, Michael Dibdin and others do it to their alter egos, so why not Smith?
An excellent thriller, well worth the time and money.
Renko strikes again.......2007-10-04
I love Arkady Renko: a man of honor in a world of post-communist poshlost', knavery and corruption. And the background in this one, with the uncovering of surprises amid the graves of the war victims. is well thought out. The author satisfies so entirely with hsi sparkling dialong and clever plot twists that I'm willing to suspend disbelief to a ridiculous extent as he pulls it all together at the end. Good job, Mr. Smith!
Dozed and confused.......2007-10-01
I found Stalin's Ghost to be a very boring novel! The plot was confusing with too many subplots to give any main plot substance. I stumbled through it but found it lacking. Why the ghost? I'm not sure how this was supposed to be wrapped up in a rug smuggling scheme. Convenient that his girlfriend and the antagonist's was the same; strange chess boy from ghetto - what's the point? Too convoluted and I thought lazily written. Felt that it was a very forced novel by this author. It sounded so good too....hmmm
a great addition to the Renko saga.......2007-09-27
How refreshing to read another Arkady Renko novel where the main character is not the same standard fare as so many others: the strongest, richest, smartest, sexiest, funniest. Darwin's Blade comes to mind by Dan Simmons featuring a hero that is impossible to digest. On the contrary, Arkady is an impeccably well thought out, complex character where his greatest strength is his intellect. It is a treat to wind your way through the book, as he puts together a framework of clues to flesh out the truths within the case and within himself. I can't wait for the next one. While Gorky Park has the big reputation- both Polar Star and Stalin's Ghost are not far behind.
Book Description
Spy tells, for the first time, the full, authoritative story of how FBI agent Robert Hanssen, code name grayday, spied for Russia for twenty-two years in what has been called the “worst intelligence disaster in U.S. history”–and how he was finally caught in an incredible gambit by U.S. intelligence.
David Wise, the nation’s leading espionage writer, has called on his unique knowledge and unrivaled intelligence sources to write the definitive, inside story of how Robert Hanssen betrayed his country, and why.
Spy at last reveals the mind and motives of a man who was a walking paradox: FBI counterspy, KGB mole, devout Catholic, obsessed pornographer who secretly televised himself and his wife having sex so that his best friend could watch, defender of family values, fantasy James Bond who took a stripper to Hong Kong and carried a machine gun in his car trunk.
Brimming with startling new details sure to make headlines,
Spy discloses:
-the previously untold story of how the FBI got the actual file on Robert Hanssen out of KGB headquarters in Moscow for $7 million in an unprecedented operation that ended in Hanssen’s arrest.
-how for three years, the FBI pursued a CIA officer, code name gray deceiver, in the mistaken belief that he was the mole they were seeking inside U.S. intelligence. The innocent officer was accused as a spy and suspended by the CIA for nearly two years.
-why Hanssen spied, based on exclusive interviews with Dr. David L. Charney, the psychiatrist who met with Hanssen in his jail cell more than thirty times. Hanssen, in an extraordinary arrangement, authorized Charney to talk to the author.
-the full story of Robert Hanssen’s bizarre sex life, including the hidden video camera he set up in his bedroom and how he plotted to drug his wife, Bonnie, so that his best friend could father her child.
- how Hanssen and the CIA’s Aldrich Ames betrayed three Russians secretly spying for the FBI–including tophat, a Soviet general–who were then executed by Moscow.
-that after Hanssen was already working for the KGB, he directed a study of moles in the FBI when–as he alone knew–he was the mole.
Robert Hanssen betrayed the FBI. He betrayed his country. He betrayed his wife. He betrayed his children. He betrayed his best friend, offering him up to the KGB. He betrayed his God. Most of all, he betrayed himself. Only David Wise could tell the astonishing, full story, and he does so, in masterly style, in
Spy.
Customer Reviews:
Far and away the best book on the subject.......2007-09-30
Without a doubt, this book is better than any others on the case of Robert Hanssen. Wise has absolutely the best sources (just compare the acknowledgements) and it is very fairly and professionally written along all lines. Far and away better than "The Bureau and the Mole."
Couldn't put it down ..........2007-09-21
Simply put, one of the best books I've read in recent years. After renting the movie "Breach" which is loosly based on Hansen, I wanted to know more about why and how he became a spy. This book answered all that and much more. Very well written ... no loose ends. Just a great book. Such a shame that a man as intelligent as Robert Hansen used his gifts for evil and not for good. There is some evidenct that suggests that the Russians didn't even know his identity! Hard to believe they didn't have someone watching him as he picked up the money at the drop sites but ... that could be one reason he got away with it for solong. But the book also tells of the many times he should have been caught but talked his way out of it. Read this book ... it's excellent.
A companion to Breach.......2007-06-21
After seeing Breach, I wanted to learn more about the Hanssen case, and this is the first book I found in the library. Robert Hanssen is a fascinating subject, and this book provided information that was missing or glossed over in the film. For example, money seems a major factor in his spying. I did not get that impression from the movie. Also, the movie portrays him as combative and confrontational, whereas the book depicts him as socially awkward, aloof, and a nerd.
While I respect the author's research, I am unimpressed by his writing. He does not tell the Hanssen story in an engaging way. Far too much time is spent describing the bit players. Do I really need to know that this FBI agent was "tall and affable" and this woman was "bright and articulate"? In my opinion, the book should have provided more speculation on Hanssen's motives. I also found the author's attempts at creativity and levity to be distracting and cliche. For example, note this sentence: "This time, he decided, he would play in the majors" (46). I also dislike the author's occasional moments of self-applause. For example, in a footnote he mentions that Hanssen thought the author is "the best espionage writer around" (271). Congratulations David, this pervert likes your work.
"Spy" gives a complete overview of the Hanssen case. I recommend it for its insight despite its literary flaws; however I suspect that more compelling books exist.
Oh What Tangled Webs He Weaved.......2007-06-20
Robert Hanssen was in a league of his own. There wasn't another spy to compare him to, and not only for the amount of damage he did to compromise American intelligence to Russia. This was a man of several contradictions. It must have been hard for him to keep his respective roles straight. He was an agent for the FBI, a devoted family man, devout Catholic, obsessed with porn, spying for Russia, and became infatuated with a stripper to the extent that he took her on a trip to Hong Kong and bought her a Mercedes. He was the computer guru who appeared contemptious of other co-workers. It appears to me that he often employed the defense mechanism called reaction formation which means he took an attitude with others the opposite of which produced anxiety in himself. He not only betrayed his country by using his job for personal gain, but horribly betrayed his wife by sharing sexual photos of her to his friend. Hanssen justifies his spying by saying his first job at the FBI was in Scarsdale, New York, and the cost of living there with his minimal salary forced him into needing extra money. Hanssen spent over 20 years compromising America's secrets through approximately 18 drops of documents for the Russians. His Russian contact made sure to massage Hanssen's ego with flattery in communication with him. What the Russians paid for this information was a pittance compared to its value. A tunnel built under the Soviet embassy in Washington that cost hundreds of millions of dollars was for naught as he passed this on to the Russians. Three Soviets working for the FBI were named by Hanssen and were called back to Russia and executed. Apparently it didn't bother his conscience because he would always confess his spying along with his other sins to a Catholic priest. It doesn't appear right to me that he should be able to confess such law infractions and not be reported, but that's another story. This is the third book I've read on Robert Hanssen's life of espionage, and I feel this one is the best.
Slow start, but interesting.......2007-06-11
This book is most appropriate for anyone who believes in US government conspiracies. The inability of the FBI to catch a spy who seemed to put out crazy person vibes for years is a bit scary. Robert Hanssen was one strange cat. Maybe he was smart, but he didn't come across as too smart in this book. It is no shocker that a guy who claimed to take religion and family values seriously ends up as a huge hypocrite. The book gets more interesting towards the end. Sad story.
Book Description
They dared to risk it all in a skiff of reeds or leather, on a ship of wood or steel, knowing the only thing between them and certain death was their ship. To explore, to seek out what lay beyond the close and comfortable, every explorer had to embrace danger. And as they did so, what arose was a mystical bond, a passion for the ships that carried them. From the very first time humans dared to warp the fabric of space, escaping from the ashes of the third World War, they also created ships. These vessels have become the icons of mankind's desire to rise above the everyday, to seek out and make the unknown known. And these ships that travel the stellar seas have stirred the same passions as the ones that floated in the oceans.
While every captain has wished that their starship could be outfitted in the same manner as the sailing ship H.M.S. Beagle -- without weapons -- that proved
untenable. From the start, Starfleet realized that each vessel, due to the limited range of the early warp engines, must be able to stand alone against any
attack. Thus arose the idea, taken from the days of wooden sailing ships, that every Starfleet vessel must stand as a ship of the line. Through the actions of their captains and crews, countless starships have taken on that role. Here we remember some of those ships and their heroic crews.
In celebration of the fortieth anniversary of Star Trek, here for the very first time collected together are the spectacular images from the highly successful and acclaimed Star Trek: Ships of the Line calendars. Gloriously rendered, each of these illustrations was created exclusively for Pocket Books. With text by Michael Okuda (The Star Trek Encyclopedia), the story of each of these valiant starships comes to life.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent book for those who love Star Trek ships..........2007-09-22
I've been a fan of the "Ships of the Line" calendars for many years. This book is essentially a compilation of those stunning images, with some explanatory captions added. As such, it's a wonderful volume for any Star Trek fan who enjoys "beauty shots" of the various ships shown in the series. It should be noted, however, that these are pieces of original digital artwork. They are not screen captures of the various series or movies, but unique images created for the calendar series (and now, for this book). It was a great value and an excellent addition to my Star Trek book collection.
Ships of the Line (Star Trek) .......2007-09-21
Ships of the Line (Star Trek)was not what I was expecting. I was hoping for a more techincal review of the fleet.
With that said, the artwork was great, although I would have liked more on the ships other than that bad 'Enterprise' series!
The Romulan Warbird was the best pic, in my opinion!
Ian Johnson. Perth, Australia
Beautiful book--but know what you're getting........2007-09-19
This is a beautiful, imagination-stimulating, sometimes breathtaking book. But potential buyers should know three things: 1. This book is about half the size of the average coffee table book (FYI, in case you don't read the fine print or easily "get" measurements in the Product Description), so they are not big pictures. 2. This is an *art* book; these are "illustrations," not photographic reproductions from the Star Trek T.V. series(s) or movies. I wasn't familiar with the "Ships of the Line" calendars, so was expecting "real" photos of the Star Trek ships, not paintings. However, some of the pictures are computer-design artwork that very effectively look like photographs. I know it's a matter of taste, by I find these more enjoyable, more evocative.
3. While ships from all five of the T.V. shows are included (not the animated ST), there is of course a favored emphasis on the Enterprise in its various/successive generations. There are only 37 illustrations, so that doesn't leave room for a whole lot else. (Opposing/even-numbered pages are blank, except for a short paragraph of text by official Star Trek history guru Michael Ocuda, which offers interesting commentary, though more impressionistic thatn encyclopedic.) Also, the book's cover illustration is not repeated in the book, so if you get a torn or badly smudged copy, you're out of luck. I was also disappointed that a book called "Ships of the Line" didn't have a single schematic drawing or even a comparative illustration to scale of the various ships (like is sort of done on the cover picture).
Even given all these qualifications, there are at least 10 pictures in this book that really inspire me and excite my imagination; and any two of them, for me, are worth the price of the book.
Disappointed.......2007-09-04
Great art work, but I was expecting the entire book to give us a complete look at rarely or never before seen star fleet ships in various situations. There was a limited look, but mostly that of the series ships we're already quite familiar with. I wasn't too thrilled about the blank left pages as well. Lots of potential for a great coffee table top book. Hopefully we'll get more in a Volume 2.
Another Great Star Trek Photo Book.......2007-08-12
Margaret Clark & Doug Drexler have out done themselfs. This book is packed full of some of the best CGI graphics yet to be published. It's a must for any trekie as it will keep you spell bound just looking at page after page. The book covers all era's of trekdom with graphics of all the major ships we've come to love. It even has a few hints of things to come. The book is graphic intense with very little story, but that ok because some of the graphic will have you beliving that these ship are real. The only short side to this book is it's lack of alein ships as it's cover suggests. There are some aliens ship but none are the focal point of any of the graphics. All in all I would highly recommend this book for anyones library.
Book Description
Wherever one’s career in the culinary arts may take them, this book will remain a valuable reference. It can support readers throughout their culinary education and certification, as well as throughout their professional career.This book presents a foundation — from the objectives and key terms that introduce each chapter to the activities and recipes that round it out, this book is organized to highlight and explain the basic competencies of a professional cook or chef.
Section One takes a moment to look back at the importance of the culinary arts in the history of humankind as well as a glimpse ahead into the careers of culinary professionals. Section Two introduces important concepts for any professional cook or chef: nutrition, food safety, and food science. Section Three continues the development of some basic professional skills by exploring the purpose and uses for math and recipes in the professional kitchen. Section Four introduces the tools of the trade. Section Five is devoted to the ingredients found in a professional kitchen, from fresh herbs to meats to canned goods. Sections Six through Twelve are the heart of this book–basic cooking skills–stocks, sauces, sautés, roast, vegetables, starches, breakfast, baking and more. Also presents a broad view of the culinary globe by grouping it into large geographic areas: Europe and the Mediterranean; the Americas; and Asia.
Appropriate for cooks, culinary apprentices, culinary trainees, chefs, and chef educators.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent Textbook.......2007-04-05
This is the Textbook I chose for my students. I just can say it's excellent!
Customer Reviews:
Excellent and Concise.......2007-08-11
I began reading this book before leaving on my first mission trip to Russia. I finished it upon my return. The portion I read before the trip was helpful to me in my interaction with the Russian people. The remainder of the book was confirmed by my recent observations and experiences.
This title is very good investment for anyone traveling to Russia or seeking to gain a better understanding of the Russian people.
Excellent and insightful book.......2007-04-19
My wife is Russian and this book really helped me understand the cultural issues that sometimes baffle both of us. It really helped to give me insight into her culture. This is an excellent read. I'd particularly recommend it to anyone that does business with Russians.
Insightful and Helpful.......2005-05-23
A client who lived throughout Russia for around ten years and still conducts most of his business with Russians recommended this book to me. This is a good book, but a little too reliant on history in explaining present day Russian culture. The book really shines when talking about the Russians outside Moscow, but more and more the Moscow business elite seem to take their cue more from the New York or London elite than from their peasant ancestors, as this book contends. Overall, however, this book is as good any for gaining a better understanding of Russians and the Russian bureaucracy.
Short, well written and very insightful.......2002-09-07
Having lived and studied in Russia and being married to a Russian I am able to appreciate the tremendous understanding of the Russians by the author. this is a must read book if you intend to travel there, live there or marry someone who lives there; it will save you from making many mistakes or false assumptions. It is well written, concise , easy to read and inexpensive. Essential reading.
Modern Russian Culture: From Nyet to Da.......2001-10-04
This book is very informative and easy to read. My husband and I are traveling to Russia sometime in the next 2 months to adopt 2 children and I feel it is important to understand their culture both for now and for their future. I have recommended this book to others on the adoption related mailing lists I am on and others have also responded favorably.
Book Description
The complete and accurate story of the Beslan School Siege that occurred in Russia on September 1, 2004. This book tells the untold story about the victims, the soldiers who were there and the history of the events leading up to the tragic incident. But more than just the story, this book highlights the lessons America's school system can learn from the tragedy to protect itself from terrorism.
Customer Reviews:
A must read.......2007-05-30
Quite simply this book is a must read for all Americans. It's time to take the blinders off and face the facts presented.
A very good read .......2007-01-15
I got this book from a friend who takes an interest in how our public school system shapes the future of this country. After reading Terror at Beslan I see a few things that have been left out of the list of recommendations on how to cope with the potential for terrorist acts against our children and against our schools. I wonder why Mr. Giduck did not suggest the one thing that would make it extremely hard for terrorists to take large numbers of our children captive. That thing is to REMOVE THE TARGET. Mr. Giduck makes it clear in his book that one of the reasons that terrorist attack schools is because to them they are high value targets. One of the best ways to avoid an attack on a targe however - is to not make yourself a target in the first place.
The great service that Mr. Giduck has done for parents of school age children - and for people who truly care about the way our children are educated in this country is to point out that - along with the myriad of other problems that our public schools have - is that they are aggregating our children in one place, making them easy targets for terrorists motivated enough to carry out the attack. And again - as Mr. Giduck has pointed out - the terrorists are not stupid. They are smart and highly motivated. I have recently read books and writings by John Taylor Gatto and Vin Suprynowicz, both of whom are highly critical of our public schools ability to properly educate our children to make them good citizens of our republic. Both Mr. Gatto and Mr. Suprynowicz have pointed out that the public school system in this country was not designed to make our children into free-thinking individuals, it was designed to mold our childrens minds so that they all have a common - government influenced - way of looking at the world. Putting children all together in the same place removes them from the influence of their parents to a large degree and makes it easier to control the educational materials they are exposed to - thereby controlling the mindset they acquire as they are educated. The growing home schooling movement in this country is a backlash against this influence.
Now it appears that the aggregation of our children in large groups has one more detrimental affect on them - it makes them easy to acquire targets for terrorists who have no regard whatsoever for their lives.
In order to find a truly sustainable solution to the terrorism problem in regards to our educational system that also respects the freedom that we wish to keep for ourselves in this country - as well as producing an educated citizenry we would do well to think outside the box and consider all of the alternatives - rather than just turning our schools into armed camps with on demand gas delivery systems, comprehensive monitoring systems, and on campus SWAT teams, as Mr. Giduck suggests. For a parent who is trying to decide what to do to protect their own child - think long and hard about sending your child into harm's way in a public school. Given that the choice of schooling you make for your child may some day be a life or death decision, the alternatives of home schooling, small private schools, or group schooling - like we used to have in this country before compulsory public education took over - may literally be the difference between life and death for your child. And your child may get a better education in the bargain.
I would highly recommend this book by Mr. Giduck, he has done all concerned American citizens a great service. I would however also recommend "Send in the Waco Killers" by Vin Suprynowicz, and "Underground History of American Education" by John Taylor Gatto. Read all three and you will come away with an entirely different perspective on this problem than you may have had before.
Book Review.......2007-01-01
I had attended a half day seminar by the author and bought a copy of the book there. After reading it I have purchased several more copies (for teacher friends and my Chief). If you're interested in this particular incident you'll probably not find any more definative material. Good read. If you get the opportunity to attend the author's seminars, do so! Well worth it.
Sgt. J. Chavalia
Lima, Ohio Police Department
No sensationalism - just the real dramatic truth about our enemies.......2006-10-31
John Giduck does an excellent job of setting the stage for, presenting the facts of, and discussing the implications of one of the most horrendous Islamist terrorists attacks of all time.
In addition, this is one of the few books on Islamists terrorism that doesn't try to sugar-coat the current world wide conflict. The tens of millions of terrorist Muslims that are determined (even to death) to kill, destroy, or violently oppress any non-muslim in the world is a cold hard fact.
We in America have tried to live in a dream and have ignored not only the distant past going all the way back to Mohammed but even the recent past where 99.9% of all the violent terrorists acts in the world have been committed by the Islamist Terrorists. This isn't a few dozen but it is hundreds and hundreds of violent deadly acts with no purpose other than to kill, maim, and oppress the non-,muslim world.
Thanks John for sharing the inside information and insight into how every American can not only wake up but also take action to prepare for the violent acts that are sure to come.
Parents & law enforcement must read this book.......2006-09-06
Terror at Beslan by John Giduck is an absolute must read by anyone who has a child in school and by anyone who is in law enforcement that may need to respond to such an incident. This book is heart wrenching and difficult to read but this must not prevent you from gaining the needed knowledge that this book provides.
I recently attended a training by John Giduck on the Beslan school seige. After attending this training it is apparent that tough questions must be asked and the answers are not easy. For example:
- As a parent do you know what your child's school safety plan is?
- As a law enforcement officer are you willing to shoot a child that is being held as a human shield while the hostage taking terrorist is pointing a gun at you?
We live in a world where terrorists target the weak: children, women, elderly, etc. Law enforcement must be able to respond appropriately. America is a society where if one child is killed in such a seize the public views the police response as a failure. The media will have a feeding frenzy. The reality is that the terrorists will hold children as human shields. This is a difficult and terrible situation to be in as a first responder. We are no longer afforded the opportunity of hoping for the best as we stick our head in the sand. Law enforcement must address this issue now and have clear direction by the highest levels of administration on what an acceptable response will be when this incident happens in the U.S.
Terrorism is about fear. A Beslan type seize is very possible, maybe even probable, in America. Law enforcement must be able to do their jobs, an extremely difficult job, without the fear of civil litigation. It is time to face reality for what it is and pull our heads out of the sand.
As the saying goes: Proper planning prevents poor performance.
Book Description
Novelist and critic Jonathan Wilson clears away the sentimental mists surrounding an artist whose career spanned two world wars, the Russian Revolution, the Holocaust, and the birth of the State of Israel. Marc Chagall’s work addresses these transforming events, but his ambivalence about his role as a Jewish artist adds an intriguing wrinkle to common assumptions about his life. Drawn to sacred subject matter, Chagall remains defiantly secular in outlook; determined to “narrate” the miraculous and tragic events of the Jewish past, he frequently chooses Jesus as a symbol of martyrdom and sacrifice.
Wilson brilliantly demonstrates how Marc Chagall’s life constitutes a grand canvas on which much of twentieth-century Jewish history is vividly portrayed. Chagall left Belorussia for Paris in 1910, at the dawn of modernism, looking back dreamily on the world he abandoned. After his marriage to Bella Rosenfeld in 1915, he moved to Petrograd, but eventually returned to Paris after a stint as a Soviet commissar for art. Fleeing Paris steps ahead of the Nazis, Chagall arrived in New York in 1941. Drawn to Israel, but not enough to live there, Chagall grappled endlessly with both a nostalgic attachment to a vanished past and the magnetic pull of an uninhibited secular present.
Wilson’s portrait of Chagall is altogether more historical, more political, and edgier than conventional wisdom would have us believe–showing us how Chagall is the emblematic Jewish artist of the twentieth century.
Visit nextbook.org/chagall for a virtual museum of Chagall images.
Customer Reviews:
Marc Chagall.......2007-05-13
This has made a fascinating artist even more interesting; and you can understand the impact of his life on his technique!
Icon of Modernism.......2007-04-14
The reader turns the first page of this little book to see the 1929 oil on canvas painting, "Lovers" by Marc Chagall. The painting depicts a man and woman seated and embracing; the woman's head turned inward on the man's breast, while the man, an expression of calm and contentment, peers upward, watching a winged angel flying overhead, across a deep purple sky. The painting has the deep and rich signature colour of all Chagall's work, though lacks the intense emotional suffering and ambivalence that makes up so much of his oeuvre, however this painting evokes a mystical love, a true love which, in my opinion, expresses the relationship between the artist and his beautiful wife, Bella.
As part of the Jewish Encounter project, Marc Chagall by Jonathan Wilson is one contribution devoted to the promotion of Jewish literature, culture, and ideas. (One can find all these contributions here on Amazon.)
It can be observed that most of Chagall's work, according to the author, is an expression of his philosophy, his religious sensibility if you will, in the form of the "literalization of metaphors", deeply grounded in the mystical and symbolic Hasidic world and Yiddish folktales, which include in their writings the "repository of flying animals and miraculous events." (P. 13)
It is impossible to label Chagall's work as "Expressionism", but the representation of an acute imagination, coloured in fantasy, depicting highly charged religious symbols, including in several works, Christs Crucifixion in a variety of contexts. What I love about Chagall is the viewer is drawn into the work by its striking colour and busy subject matter and is compelled to study it, because the meaning of the painting must be discovered as it is not apparent on a superficial viewing.
Wilson does a wonderful job of narrating Chagall's life in terms of the major events that the artist experienced, spanning through the Russian revolution, two world wars, the Holocaust and the establishment of the State of Israel. Wilson suggests that in viewing Chagall's paintings against the backdrop of these major historical events will see the artist's work as a response to them, and his personal inner conflict between his "Jewishness" and his focus on Christ's Crucifixion, and also his attempt at secularism in many of his paintings.
My favourite paintings by the artist are his various representations of love that display an ethereal, mystical quality, a sublimeness that to me captures love in their most revealing forms, as Wilson comments,
"Chagall's vision of love, so appealing to the human soul, frequently involves a merging of two faces, or bodies, into one. In this regard he is Platonic, as his figures pursue their other halves in an apparent longing to become whole again. Over and again he paints the myth that Aristophanes recounts in The Symposium." (P.174)
Chagall's life Wilson suggests was an attempt through his art at the reconciliation between two worlds, a genuine effort universalizing or merging opposites, he writes,
"In his paintings, past and present, dream and reality, rabbi and clown, secular and observant, revolutionary and Jew, Jesus and Elijah...all commingle and merge in a world where history and geography but also the laws of physics and nature have been suspended." (P. 210)
Wilson's Marc Chagall is an erudite biography and insightful critical work. Although relatively short in length, manages to capture the artist who is considered along with Picasso and Matisse, one of the icons of Modernism.
Book Description
Blowing Up Russia contains the allegations of ex-spy Alexander Litvinenko against his former spymasters in Moscow which led to his being murdered in London in November 2006. In the book he and historian Yuri Felshtinsky detail how since 1999 the Russian secret service has been hatching a plot to return to the terror that was the hallmark of the KGB. Vividly written and based on Litvinenko's 20 years of insider knowledge of Russian spy campaigns, Blowing Up Russia describes how the successor of the KGB fabricated terrorist attacks and launched a war. Writing about Litvinenko, the surviving co-author recounts how the banning of the book in Russia led to three earlier deaths.
Customer Reviews:
Hear the Axes Grind Between the Lines.......2007-09-16
Interesting that a man who denounces the Russian FSB as a nest of intriguers and liars asks us - as a career KGB/FSB officer - to accept his words in this book at face value. After all, if FSB officers are such masters of deceit, why should anyone believe him now?
I don't doubt that much of the book may well be true, especially the blowing up of Russian apartment blocks in 1999 to kick off the second Chechen War. It's not just Russian intelligence agencies capable of such black operations, as the "P2 conspiracy" in Italy back in the 70s attests. The problem lies with the clandestine nature of Litvinenko's sources, which come across like mere shop gossip. Reader/listener beware.
There are inconsistencies galore. Yeltsin is painted a great democrat, even though he sent tanks to blow holes in the Russian Parliament building. The adoration of General Pinochet is attributed to Putin, though anyone who knew Russia in the 90s well remembers the love for Pinochet's Chile evinced by Yeltsin's staff. It was also Yeltsin who created the authoritarian Russian presidency after his destruction of Parliament in October, 1993 - not Putin.
The fact is, that Yeltsin created the FSB, as he did the oligarchs. Putin did not get where he is by being part of the anti-Yeltsin opposition. After Yeltsin it seems there was a power struggle for Russia between the FSB and the oligarchs, and the former won. But they could not have done so without Yeltsin's patronage. Yeltsin needed immunity from prosecution by the Russian Duma when he stepped down; a strong FSB guaranteeed this protection. Perhaps also he was afraid of the oligarchs whom he created in 1996, and wanted a counterforce to keep them in check.
At any rate, this book comes off like some internet conspiracy theory. While the core of its argument of FSB black operations may well be true, keep in mind that it was commissioned by Boris Berezovsky - no angel himself, and possibly responsible for assassinations in his own right.
Hard to Read.......2007-04-15
It's easy to see why Litvinenko was poisoned with Polonium when you read this book. It's laden with so many evil plots it leaves the reader with doubts about the authenticity of some of the material. Although most of it is believable, there is the problem of a lack of sufficient references. This, unfortunately, is due to the need to keep many of them secret in order to protect their lives.
The book is not well organized, and constantly jumps from one time period to another. There is an acronym page that I had to constantly refer to while I was reading. Felshtinsky admits the book is a hard read, and he is right. There are hundreds of Russian names which are hard to keep up with.
It could have been better. The subject matter is fascinating when you can figure it out..
Tragic Tale.......2007-03-15
This book is not about the murder of Alexander Litvinenko. But it is the book that got him murdered. If you imagine Russia as a nation on the mend from its communist sickness, think again. The former KGB and FSB operative (Litvienko) and his academic friend (Felshtinsky) published their book in Russia and it enraged Don Vito Putin. Putin, you'll recall, was the man about whom George W. Bush said: "I looked the man in the eye. I found him to be very straightforward and trustworthy . . . I was able to get a sense of his soul." As Litvenko lay dying he wrote the following to Putin:
"You may succeed in silencing me but that silence comes at a price. You have shown yourself to be as barbaric and ruthless as your most hostile critics have claimed.
"You have shown yourself to have no respect for life, liberty or any civilized value."
So much for President Bush's soul sense.
A fabulous book that is all too often read out of context.......2006-12-11
This is a book that should absolutely be read, but only with proper contextual background. Though there are true findings in this book, an overwhelming majority of the facts are completely unsupported (a fact which Litvinenko acknowledged--the book contains not a single footnote of reference). One should also be aware of the context in which it was written: Russian billionaire buisnessman Boris Berezovsky paid Alexander Litvinenko to write this book in order to discredit the Kremlin after the FSB ordered Litvinenko to kill Berezovsky (a mission which Litvinenko ultimately decided not to carry out). It's worth reading without a doubt, but factual assertions and accusations should be taken with a grain (or cup) of salt.
Author Murdered.......2006-11-25
To bad Litvinenko died for the truths he told. But so goes the dark underworld of espionage.
Book Description
Specialty retailing is one of the fastest growing types of small business, nationwide. This book tells budding entrepreneurs everything they need to know to start and run a successful specialty shop, including finding your niche and which products to sell, developing a realistic business plan, maintaining records, managing inventory, and merchandising.
A complete, step-by-step guide for beginning entrepreneurs Brimming with new ideas for established small retailers Includes valuable tips on how to make the most of your advertising budget
Customer Reviews:
Disappointing Book.......2007-09-03
This book is heavy on motivation and light on actual how-to. If you need cheerleading about how necessary passion for retailing and customer service is to be successful, then this book is for you. If you are looking for specific information and resources on how to start and run a successful specialty store, then this is not for you.
Great Guide.......2007-05-19
This was an excellent read. It brought so many things to my attention that I never really thought about. It mentions websites and names of things that I will actually use. I am just getting my ideas together to start a boutique, and this was perfect for me.
Excellent !.......2007-05-12
This book was immensely helpful to me in my quest to open a small specialty business. I truly can't think of a question the author doesn't address. I highly recommend it.
Specialty Shop Retailing.......2007-03-19
Starting a one-woman video business, not a shop, but this
book gave some straightforward, honest advice and tips.
Easy reading yet intelligent. Great for future reference as
my business expands.
could be more concise.......2006-09-17
Was rather of a long story and sometimes hard to read as it doesn't get to the point quick. But I did get one good idea from it so there was some value in it for me.
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- Shadow & Claw: The First Half of 'The Book of the New Sun' (New Sun)
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- Silence on the Wire: A Field Guide to Passive Reconnaissance and Indirect Attacks
- Stalin's Folly: The Tragic First Ten Days of World War Two on the Eastern Front
- Survival of the Sickest: A Medical Maverick Discovers Why We Need Disease
- Tan Tien Chi Kung: Foundational Exercises for Empty Force and Perineum Power
- Thank God I Had a Gun: True Accounts of Self-Defense
- The Apocalypse Code: Find Out What the Bible REALLY Says About the End Times . . . and Why It Matters Today
Books Index
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Intelligence & Espionage
| Military
| History
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| Books
Comrade Criminal: Russia`s New Mafiya
The Russian Mafia In America: Immigration, Culture, and Crime
The Merger: The International Conglomerate of Organized Crime
Darkness at Dawn: The Rise of the Russian Criminal State
Godfather of the Kremlin: The Decline of Russia in the Age of Gangster Capitalism
