Book Description
For one hundred and forty three years The Statesman's Yearbook has been relied upon to provide accurate and comprehensive information on the current, political, economic and social status of every country in the world. The 2007 edition is fully updated and contains more information than ever before. In an endlessly changing world the annual publication of The Statesman's Yearbook gives you all of the information you need in one easily digestible single volume. It will save hours of research and cross-referencing between different sources, and it is an essential annual purchase.New for the 2007 Edition!*Political Profiles: Brief biographical profiles of all current leaders.*Government History: New tables showing names, party affiliation and dates in office for all leaders post WWII--allow readers to see at a glance how power has shifted.*Economic Overviews: An expanded economic overviews field that gives more analysis of economic performance over the past year and forecasting of future trends.*Historical Data: Expanded historical data with a listing of up to 10 years' GDP growth rate and inflation rate statistics and expanded historical introductions for each country.*Global Focus Section on Economic Overview: Expert anaylisis of the world's economic performance over the past year, providing commentary at the regional and sector level to complement the country-by-country analysis.*Global Focus on thematic essays on subjects of topical interest: For SYB 2007, these will be on the changing nature of democracy around the world (essay by Barry Turner) and on international military expenditure (by SIPRI).*Maps: New half-page line maps for all 192 countries will replace the existing thumbnail locator maps, to show state names and boundaries, location of major cities, and names of bordering countries.*Full text online at no extra cost
Customer Reviews:
Good Attempt at a Dry Subject.......2007-09-26
This book is a tough one to get through, not through any fault of the Author but due to the dryness of the material. I am currently in the process of reading a book on every US President and this book seemed to be the best one out there on Zachary Taylor.
I would recommend if you are trying to find out more about the subject, but if you are looking for a great historical page turner, you need to look elsewhere.
Comprehensive but often dull biography of our twelfth President.......2007-09-18
I am currently reading a biography of every President in order and Bauer's book seemed like the obvious choice for Zachary Taylor.
This book is a bit difficult to rate fairly as I doubt any full biography of Zachary Taylor could be made into a great read. Indeed, Bauer's biography is excellently researched and organized. The writing, although a bit uninspired, is easy to read and well presented. At times, however, this book is very dull and in my opinion Bauer tends to error on the side of going into too much detail. Taylor's military career had few standout moments and most of the first part of the book focuses more on Taylor's transfer from fort to fort along the western frontier.
If there is a President for which a short biography would suffice Taylor is it, and while at slightly over 300 pages of text Bauer's tome is by no means exceedingly long, at the end of the book I felt that it could certainly have been cut down by about 100 pages while still providing a comprehensive biography. Undoubtedly, however, this is the best one volume biography of Taylor available (why anyone would need to read Holman Hamilton's two volume work is beyond me) and certainly more than adequate for its task.
Bad attempt with limited research.......2007-03-03
This was a terrible attempt at scholarship. The book is poorly written and gives an overview with no specifics except for military encounters. This author should have focused his efforts on a military account of Taylor's life because after reading I feel I know nothing about the man. Admittedly there are severe source deficiencies when dealing with this subject but a much wider study could have been undertaken. Sadly there is not much written on Taylor and this does a poor job of adding to the scholarship.
Old Rough and Ready's Story.......2006-03-09
This was a good read in that it described Zack Taylor's military carreer and political excursion thoroughly. The book does a good job of keeping interest in a less than interesting character. Taylor seems to be somewhat of a whiner throughout his military career, but he was a good soldier. The author's description of his campaigns in Mexico cause the reader to wonder why Taylor was hailed as a hero of the war, but since he was in charge, he got the credit. His political success wasn't any more impressive and we were fortunate to have such an able bodied politician/statesman in Fillmore to take over upon Taylor's death. I recommend this book to anyone interested in 19th century politics.
Highly Recomended.......2005-07-30
I have read a number of presidential biographies and this was one of the best organized and best written. The author breaks down Taylor's life into substantive themes. Now, I am NOT saying the Taylor is the most interesting president to study. I am saying, however, that this is one of the best books that you will find regarding biographies of presidents.
Book Description
Robert Skidelsky's three-volume biography of John Maynard Keynes has been acclaimed as the authoritative account of the great economist-statesman's life. Here, Skidelsky has revised and abridged his magnum opus into one definitive book, which examines in its entirety the intellectual and ideological journey that led an extraordinarily gifted young man to concern himself with the practical problems of an age overshadowed by war. Meticulously researched and beautifully written, John Maynard Keynes offers a sympathetic account of the life and influences of a passionate visionary and an invaluable insight into the economic philosophy that still remains at the center of political and economic thought.
Customer Reviews:
A fitting tribute to one of the greatest thinkers of all time.......2006-05-31
Anyone who has taken a course in macroeconomics knows who Keynes is. Economics is full of camps, conflicting doctrines, feuds, rivalries, etc. Keynes was unique in that, unlike other economists who are indoctrinated or are in love with a theory, he was never scared of giving up an idea that did not work. If one was to read his "Tract on Monetary Reform" one might be fooled into thinking that it was Milton Friedman that was writing and not the J.M Keynes who revolutionized economic thought with his General Theory. This pragmatism is what sets Keynes apart from every other economist. But why Keynes was so different from others is something students never learn. This biography does an admirable job of tracing Keynes' upbringing, his education, career, and contributions in the light of circumstances that Keynes lived through and shaped his ideas. It is also full of nuggets about Keynes' idiosyncracies which humanizes the biography and shows the real person behind the aura. The book is long, but 63 years of action-packed life requires such detail. The Chinese say, May we live in interesting times. Keynes certainly lived in interesting times with the result that this book is just as interesting.
An excellent,nontechnical biography of J M Keynes.......2005-11-27
This book is Skidelsky's one volume abridged version of his previous three volume biography(1983,1992,2000)on J M Keynes.Skidelsky successfully weaves all of the different aspects and strands(personal,familial,historical,social,political,economic) of Keynes's life into a beautifully constructed historical tapestry that will keep the reader's attention from the first page to the last.All of the different talents Keynes possessed and displayed during his lifetime come alive on the pages of this book.Skidelsky is the master of his material as long as he concentrates on the vast nontechnical aspects of the life of his subject.Skidelsky has clearly mastered the historical and chronological events and interrelationships that occurred during Keynes's life. Unfortunately,Skidelsky does not have the necessary formal training in mathematics,logic,statistics or probability in order to properly understand or assess any of those parts of Keynes's scholarship that involves the use of formal logical and mathematicalmethods or analysis.These technical deficiencies in Skidelsky's academic training are the main defect,not only in this book but in the entire corpus of Skidelsky's writings on Keynes going back over 30 years.I will concentrate on Skidelsky's error filled statements concerning Keynes's A Treatise on Probability(1921;TP) and the logical theory of probability.On p.95,Skidelsky conflates the principle of indifference(poi) with the principle of insufficient reason.They are not the same.Keynes's poi requires a balance or symmetry of the relevant,available evidence or factors involved before equiprobabilities are assigned.The poi can't be applied if there is no relevant evidence.Advocates of the principle of insufficient reason,on the other hand, argue that equiprobabilities can be applied in states where no relevant evidence exists.Keynes always rejected this kind of reasoning.Skidelsky bases his assessment of Keynes's logical theory of probability on the error filled work of A. Carabelli and R.O'Donnell.Carabelli and O'Donnell base their assessments of the TP on four sources:1)Keynes's introductory guide to the measurement of probability in chapter III of the TP;2)F. Ramsey's 1922 book review of the TP in The Cambridge Magazine;3)F.Ramsey's 1926 book review of the TP in his article,"Truth and Probability",published in 1931 in a book of articles;and 4)Keynes's 4 page eulogy and very brief review of the book in 1931.In chapter III,Keynes had already made it clear to the alert reader,who had a mind of his/her own (and would not ape the preposterous ,nonsensical claims made by F. Ramsey that by nonnumerical and nonmeasurable Keynes meant that numbers could not be used in general to estimate probabilities,i.e.,that Keynesian probabilities were like a surveyor assigning nonnumerical heights to a mountain hidden in the mist)that the vast majority of Keynesian probabilities used in common discourse were/are interval estimates.John Maynard Keynes is the originator and founder of the interval estimate approach to probability.Keynes spells it out in a number of places in the TP:"...we judge that the probability of the actual argument lies between these two(numbers;reviewers note).Since our standards,therefore,are referred to numerical measures in many cases where actual measurement is impossible,and since the probability lies BETWEEN(Keynes's emphasis)two numerical measures..."(1921,p.32).After warning the reader not to reach any conclusions based on chapter III alone until after Part II of the TP was reached(p.37),Keynes gives his definition of nonnumerical in chapter 15 of Part II on p.160 of the TP.On pp.161-163 and pp.186-194(ch.17),Keynes presents his approximation approach .It has nothing to do with ordinal rankings(see Skidelsky's queer claims on pp.284-285,for instance).An upper bound and a lower bound are specified for some 13 worked out probability problems.One of these problems(a revision of Boole's problem 10)is then made the foundation for Part III of the TP.Part III is then made the logical foundation for Part V. Carabelli's and O'Donnell's "reading" of Keynes's TP is very poor,at best.Skidelsky's conclusions,based on their very poor reading,are very poor.Skidelsky also appears to have been misled by Richard Kahn and Joan Robinson into believing that Keynes was a strictly literary economist, who was a poor mathematician by 1927. Supposedly,Keynes had never taken the twenty minutes that was necessary to understand the theory of value(microeconomics).Based on these bizarre beliefs,Skidelsky comes to the queer conclusion that Keynes deliberately refused to present any formal mathematical model of his general theory in the General Theory(1936;GT).Any mathematically trained reader can find Keynes's completely worked out model,with the results presented in the form of elasticities so that a reader of the GT can compare Keynes's results with those of A C Pigou,in chapters 19,20,and 21 of the GT.Keynes then compares and contrasts his model with Pigou's model,who had also presented his results in the form of elasticities, in the appendix to chapter 19 of the GT.A technically trained economist should purchase a copy of the GT instead of this book.
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Balfour and Foreign Policy: The International Thought of a Conservative Statesman
Jason Tomes
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ASIN: 0521581184 |
Book Description
Arthur James Balfour was British prime minister (1902-5) and foreign secretary (1916-19), a conservative and an intellectual. This is the first analysis of his thinking on a full range of international issues, such as British imperialism, Great Power relations in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, central Asia and the Far East, the First World War, the Russian revolution, Zionism, the League of Nations and, above all, the Anglo-American relationship. Balfour emerges with a distinctively conservative approach to foreign affairs that demonstrates a continuity of belief from his philosophical writings to his political practice.
Book Description
For one hundred and forty -one years The Statesman's Yearbook has been relied upon to provide accurate and comprehensive information on the current, political, economic and social status of every country in the world. The 2005 edition is fully updated and contains more information than ever before. A foldout color section provides a political world map and flags for the one hundred and ninety two countries of the world. In an endlessly changing world the annual publication of The Statesman's Yearbook gives you all of the information you need in one easily digestible single volume. It will save hours of research and cross-referencing between different sources, and is an essential annual purchase.
Book Description
A short account of the life and achievements of one of the great figures of history, this volume also serves as an excellent introduction to one of the world's major religions.
Customer Reviews:
Loved it!.......2005-11-30
This book was exactly what I was looking for. It is a historical perspective of Muhammad that addresses both the political and religious nature of his life. What I really liked was how I would be questioning some aspect of his argument and two paragraphs later Watt would deal with those questions. Watt is also really good at outlining his points and conclusions so they are very easy to follow.
It's definately a sympathetic view of Muhammad, but I really enjoyed it.
Excellent shorter scholarly biography.......2004-05-11
Most readers probably won't have the patience to slog through Watt's two bigger volumes, Muhammad At Mecca and Muhammad At Medina. This slimbooks is a good compromise, and an excellent introduction to Western scholarship on the subject. Unlike later, more radical historians like Wansbrough and Crone, Watt sifts through the early Muslim accounts and accepts most of them as being historically reliable.
awful.......2003-02-28
this book is providing unneccesary info about islam that is false and very unacceptable.. especially page 17 when he writes
"The modern Westerner has no difficulty in showing how Muhammad may have been mistaken." it is
biased
and totally not reflecting history but showing a great deal of propaganda..
*The* Portrait of Muhammad.......2000-12-23
If you're looking to gain an understanding of the life of Muhammad, grab this book. Watt presents a prose description of Muhammad's life, backed by sound, comprehensive study. It is actually enjoyable reading, almost like a story, yet completely historically accurate. (Or as much as we can be.) Watt does not make either extreme mistake of simply accepting the traditions of the Hadith or the Qur'an as absolute truth; or of looking only at Western denigrations of Islam. Rather, he appears to recognize historical truths in the Qur'anic traditions, and in Western and Eastern scholarship. If you've been trying to learn about Islam and have spent time looking over the Qur'an, this is *the* book to turn to get that background on Muhammad and "flesh" him out. Watt shows a human, beyond the traditions and myths, that changed his world, and then the rest of the planet.
Book Description
Part One Of Two Parts
As chief of staff of the United States Army during WW II, George Marshall helped shape the defeat of Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan. He was an active, often decisive, influence in the conferences between Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin.
But it was as a statesman that he made his greatest mark. Secretary of State under Truman, Marshall engineered the European Recovery Act (Marshall Plan) to rebuild a war-ravaged continent.
At the conclusion of his long career, Marshall was given the Nobel Peace Prize -- the first and only military man to be so honored.
"No student of leadership in a democracy can afford to ignore this book and its implications for the coming decades." (Library Journal)
Customer Reviews:
Gentlemen, scholar, and Inspiration.......2007-10-04
This is a fantastic biography of an incredible leader. Marshall is usually associated with the European Recovery Act and as the Chief of Staff of the Army during World War II. He influenced so much more during his long Army career. A true gentlemen and scholar, his long career and dedication to service is an inspiration for all of us today.
THE Classic Life of Marshall.......2007-02-13
I read this book immediately after I finished Douglas Southall Freeman's massive four volume biography "R.E. Lee," and at first, I thought I'd be underwhelmed. How wrong I was.
Cray's book covers all the major moments of Marshall's life. While it probably won't surplant Forrest Pogue's definitive four volume work, it will probably remain the finest one volume distillation.
Marshall's contribution to this nation cannot be overestimated in any way. A key member of Pershing's staff in the First World War, his time with the 15th Infantry in China, helping organize the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Depression, his ascension to Chief of Staff on the very day Germany attacked Poland and his invaluable contribution in that post over the next six years, his time as Secretary of State in the Truman administration, there is little that Cray didn't cover.
Truman and Eisenhower would have major differences between each other over the years, but their flat out admiration of this man was well warranted.
I stand in awe that this country could produce such a man. We certainly could use more like him.
General of the Army is a solid book. Well written and instructive. Definitely worth the time it takes to read it.
Character Counts.......2006-07-08
George Marshall was arguably the greatest man of what has come to be known as the Greatest Generation. Only George Washington commanded a similar level of veneration and awe from his contemporaries as Marshall. And, like Washington, Marshall was revered mostly for his irreproachable integrity and honor.
In this solid, single volume life of the celebrated Army Chief of Staff, Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense, Ed Cray captures the essence of a man who was at once Olympian, yet, in a sense, quite common and whose special qualities should have been, in an ideal society, unexceptional. Marshall became a legend by being a world-class manager (one might even say a highly skilled bureaucrat) and earning a reputation for incorruptibility and almost unnatural selflessness. He was a larger-than-life figure who got that way through hard work and honesty, rather than uncommon genius or death-defying battlefield heroics. That has been Marshall's reputation since his lifetime, and Cray's biography generally endorses that image.
But this is no hagiography. As Cray tells the story, Marshall was, in fact, deeply ambitious; the prospect of being passed over for Chief of Staff drove the future five-star general to fits of despair and he fretted over his slow career advancement during the 1920s and 1930s. Moreover, Cray argues that Marshall didn't shy away from using connections and influence to advance his own cause and engaging in self-promotion when necessary, especially early on his career. In one memorable anecdote, Cray writes how a young Marshall literally elbowed his way into the Oval Office to talk President McKinley into giving him a shot at taking the Army Officer's commission test (it worked and Marshall passed). Any notion that Marshall simply worked hard, kept his head down and let the chips fall where they may has to be rejected after reading Cray's biography.
Not surprisingly, Cray devotes a great deal of focus to Marshall's role in the Second World War. He stresses Marshall's unswerving commitment to a few core strategic principles and his epic battles with some of the biggest egos of the 20th century. First, he steadfastly promoted the maximization of industrial production in the US and the careful allocation of resources based the key objectives being sought (much needed amphibious landing craft - LSTs - played an unusually critical role). Second, from the earliest days of the war Marshall maintained a steady focus on a "Europe-first" approach to strategy and a landing in France as the means to winning the war, which brought him into frequent clashes with Admiral King, General MacArthur, overall US public opinion, and, last but not least, Winston Churchill and his penchant for operations in the Eastern Mediterranean and the "soft underbelly" of Nazi Germany. Finally, Cray describes Marshall as an unapologetic defender of his commanders in Europe - especially Eisenhower - against the badmouthing and operational encroachment of the British.
Cray eloquently and accurately sums up George Marshall's life this way: "[he] exemplified in his lifetime all that was America's best - its sense of mission, of responsibility, of integrity, even nobility." Indeed. It's a shame that there aren't more like him.
Underrated hero - underrated biography.......2005-08-09
Other reviewers have covered the reasoning as to why FDR's fear that General Marshall would be the "forgotten hero" have come to pass --
Suffice it to say that I agree with others that the content, writing style and research make this an all-time classic for understanding the politics of war and importance of character in persons in positions of high authority. General Marshall should be the example for all service academies in this country -- even better -- for all ELECTED officials in the land.
A great book.
An Unsung Hero of the Republic.......2005-06-20
It always amazes me how few Americans know about this great man.
I first heard of him while in the Army and how he made the changeover of Army from a sleepy institution and made it into one of the finest fighting forces that they world has ever seen. Then how he unleashed it upon one of the greatest threats that Western Civilisation has seen since Atilla the Hun. He then followed it up as the father of the Marshall Plan which saved western Europe from a new Dark Age and the enslavement of the Soviet Empire. All the while establishing a record of honor, honesty and integrity that is just unbelieveable. All I can say is here was a Man!
Book Description
"God has set before me two great objects: the abolition of the slave trade and the reformation of manners." These immortal words penned by William Wilberforce in 1787 were the beginning of his lifelong crusade as a Christian statesman and philanthropist. He became a member of the British Parliament for his hometown of Hull in 1780 and represented Yorkshire in 1784, a seat he retained until 1812.
This moving biography of Wilberforce tells the story of his religious conversion in 1784 and his rise to leadership of the Clapham Sect-a group of evangelicals active in political, philanthropic, and religious causes. Under his leadership, the "Saints," as they were called, championed parliamentary and prison reforms, missionary endeavors, Bible distribution, and a host of other charitable efforts and organizations. These causes included the Church Missionary Society (established in 1799) and the British and foreign Bible Society (founded in 1804).
Statesman and Saint also describes Wilberforce's unrelenting forty-year crusade against slavery, in spite of many defeats in Parliament. He labored for eighteen years to secure the abolition of the slave trade, enduring personal criticism, deep-seated prejudice, and threats on his life for another twenty-six years before he saw the Emanicipation Bill finally passed in July 1833. His influential book, A Practical View, laid the foundation for the moral elevation of the Victorian Era that folowed his death only three days after the Emancipation Bill was passed in Parliament.
Customer Reviews:
Useful for Christian schools, homeschoolers, and church groups.......2007-07-03
Modern Americans often wonder if it is possible for a politician to remain a strong Christian after being elected to office and subjected to political havoc. The life of William Wilberforce proves it is not only possible, but also very good for the country. Interest catching and capably written, Statesman and Saint presents this biography in a clear-cut, triumphant manner. No punches are pulled, no whitewashing, and all glory given to the Lord. Adding to the interest are Vaughan's descriptions of life in England, especially in English politics in the 18th century. The alcoholism, immorality, and extreme self-interest of that era sound very similar to our era. Little tidbits relating to the American colonies add interest, such as Wilberforce' belief that the English were waging the revolutionary war in a "cruel, bloody and impractical manner" (p. 43).
By the year 1784, Wilberforce, then 24, was popular with society and a rising star in the political arena. Then in 1785, the Lord took over Wilberforce' life and thence forward many of the problems in London, pre-eminently the question of the legality of slavery. History buffs will meet many 18th century friends, including John Newton and William Pitt. Part 1 of Statesman and Saint presents Wilberforce' life, while Part 2 takes a candid look at his character. Part 3 considers the benefits humanity has reaped from Wilberforce' work and Part 4 draws lessons for our Christian growth.
Statesman and Saint is one of the volumes of the Leaders in Action series - just imagine, a whole group of Christian statesmen to encourage us! Statesman and Saint is as interesting as a novel. Well worth reading for enjoyment, this book will also provide devotional material and Christian life lessons. I recommend it for all readers middle school through adult, who are interested in history and/or Christian heroes, or just a good story. This volume will be useful for Christian schools, homeschoolers, and church groups. - Donna Eggett, Christian Book Previews.com
the source of his greatness.......2003-09-29
The strength of this biography is its coverage of Wilberforce's means of greatness, namely his deeply held personal faith. Wilberforce is most famous for his tireless work to end the British slave trade, which he accomplished, but should also be remembered for persevering another 25 years for the full emancipation of all British slaves. In addition, his monumental work on the reformation of manners still remains a classic treatment of living a life of faith in every facet of life. Wilberforce maintained that it was not enough to act like a Christian on Sunday and to keep up appearances of morality; instead, he believed that one's faith must permeate every area of life and that faith preceded great deeds and sustained a humble spirit in the face of success. In addition, this biography deals with areas of personal struggle and criticism as faced by Wilberforce and how he overcame them with humility and determination. All in all, this is a fine biography and is also a shorter read than several other Wilberforce biographies on the market. The reader interested in Wilberforce may also like Kevin Belmonte's book, Hero for Humanity, since it is written in a more narrative style and reads like a story of Wilberforce's life. For a technical treatment of Wilberforce, one may want to consult John Pollock's, Wilberforce.
Adequate, but not outstanding.......2003-01-17
Wilberforce is a monumental figure. Vaughan does a good job of portraying many of the qualities that made Wilberforce the moral giant that he was. However, I would have appreciated a more straightforward biography than a thematic approach based on Wilberforce's virtues and leadership skills.
Book Description
Treating Bismarck as a man of his time, the author surveys his political policy and actions as well as investigating the psychology of a man whose life and achievements continue to be a source of controversy.
Customer Reviews:
I love these types of books........2007-09-22
I really love books like this one. Now this book may not be the definitive, authoritative biography of Bismarck and it certainly leaves out some key points, but the book is only 288 pages. The book is not supposed to be the definitive work on Bismarck's life. I don't see how someone could pick up a book that is less than 300 pages and think that it will have everything they need to know about one of the greatest politicians the world has ever seen.
So why do I like this book enough to give it five stars? The book is very well written and Mr. Taylor has a nice style so the book is entertaining and easy to read. It is also filled with very good information and, for its size, the book does a very good job hitting the major highlights of a very important historical figure. I think the book does a fantastic job giving the reader a lot of information for the pages read.
I really like these short, well written books on history. They make reading about a topic that is outside one's course of study or interest accessible. The relative small size of the book means it isn't as intimidating as other works and hopefully gives the book a wider audience.
The main thing is know what you're buying here and you won't be disappointed. You cannot get a definitive biography of Bismarck into 300 pages or less, but you can get a really good book that is informative and fun to read. I really liked this book and I think others will enjoy it as well.
Bismarck , Europe and Politics in general.......2006-04-15
Bismarck may be read by high school students,housewives and educated men and women...A.J.P Taylor wrote to several audiences at once. So I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a well written book and wants learn about the facts of Bismarck's accomplishments. Furthermore "Bismarck" is a great example of what politicians do and say. The Difference between what constituents want to hear and what great politicians actually do. Examples are when British politicians make anti-Euro currency declarations in order to gain votes, while at the same time quietly adopting European integration measures. Conversely Italian politicians agreeing quickly to sound pro-European Integration,while all the while in practice stalling every European integration measure so as not to loose voters. This book is a great introduction into Parliamentary and extra parliamentary manoevuring,the basics on Right,Center,Left and the Grand coalition,or all party initiatives for US readers.
Summing up,Bismarck is a pre-requisite to understand European politics and history as well as great lessons in practical politics.
Great History Book.......2006-03-04
Entertaining to a fault, Taylor's book is more of a history book with a very Bismarck and German slant then a strict autobiography. It is an easy read and gives one a really good sense of what was going on at the time.
Bismarck as only Taylor can write him.......2006-02-25
Taylor's thesis is not meant to be an all inclusive telling of Bismarck's life from beginning to end; rather it highlights the most important events which made him famous, often notorious. As with The Second World War, Taylor takes a controversial stance in presenting his topic in order to disclaim the common misperceptions of Bismarck as a warmonger and tyrant bent on German dominance. By using reliable first-hand sources, Taylor shows how Bismarck often opted to go against popular opinion to assure peace in Europe. While this may sound entirely contradictory to contemporary historical record, Taylor does show how every goal set and made by Bismarck was ultimately to his advantage.
Taylor's Bismarck is a concise look at arguably the most influential statesman in Germany if not the world. No noticeable bias is present in Taylor's portrayal of Bismarck as he shows strength and weakness, success and failure in equal portions. While it is not all inclusive and is written for an audience with a certain level of prior knowledge of 19th Century German history, Bismarck is well composed, easy to follow and educational.
Great Statesman is Really Ordinary Guy.......2005-03-24
This is a remarkable book of history. I was surprised to find myself reading it from cover to cover. Usually I read a book like this for a while, read a mystery or adventure or science fiction, then read some more, but not this time. While I am not up on my German history and this book expects some knowledge to be had, it was still very interesting. At times you feel that the author is an apologist for Count Von Bismarck, but other times, you can see he is just giving a true to life account, warts and all. Count Bismarck may need someone to apologize for his excesses, because he would not do it, and because he was a very great man, who should be remembered for his greatness.
The politics of the day are a bit hard to understand for me (I just do not understand why certain wars are fought or not: why were the Balkans so important to Austria-Hungary? Was it defensive? Was it land and people power (income from the farms and woodlands, etc.)? Was it social, id est, families and clans fighting for each other?), but to read about the philosophical and personal interplay of Count Von Bismarck and the other heads of state, brings to life some of the challenges the politics of the day. It also brought to light the real start of the German Federation. No one ever taught me that Germany was not a country before because it was like the United States before the constitution was adopted, as opposed to France or England, who had royalty overseeing the whole of the country. It is no wonder it did not have colonies before 1860 or so.
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Recommended Books
- A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier
- The Apocalypse Code: Find Out What the Bible REALLY Says About the End Times . . . and Why It Matter
- Leaving Cecil Street: A Novel
- Mediterranean Domestic Architecture for the United States
- Mad About Madeline
- Probability and Computing: Randomized Algorithms and Probabilistic Analysis
- Petroleum Refining in Nontechnical Language Third Edition
- Jim Fowler's Wildest Places on Earth
- Jetway Joshua Aka Carl Lewis Lodjic: Four Score and Twenty
- Minutes of the last meeting
The World Almanac and Book of Facts, 2007 (World Almanac and Book of Facts)
The Sourcebook to Public Record Information: The Comprehensive Guide to County, State, and Federal Public Record Sources (Sourcebook to Public Record Information)
The New York Times Almanac 2007: The Almanac of Record (New York Times Almanac)
Babel
The Departed (Widescreen Edition)
