History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Average customer rating:

Captivating story
Spoilers and Questions
Somber Mood
Amazing grace
Tempted by wild strawberries.

Astrid and Veronika
Linda Olsson
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0143038079

Book Description

With extraordinary emotional power, Linda Olsson's stunningly well-crafted debut novel recounts the unusual and unexpected friendship that develops between two women. Veronika, a young writer from New Zealand, rents a house in a small Swedish village as she tries to come to terms with a recent tragedy while also finishing a novel. Her arrival is silently observed by Astrid, an older, reclusive neighbor who slowly becomes a presence in Veronika's life, offering comfort in the form of companionship and lovingly prepared home-cooked meals. Set against a haunting Swedish landscape, Astrid & Veronika is a lyrical and meditative novel of love and loss, and a story that will remain with readers long after the characters' secrets are revealed.

Customer Reviews:

Captivating story.......2007-09-13

This is a remarkable story of two women who meet under ordinary but perhaps unexpected circumstances. Astrid is practically a recluse who has lived almost her entire life under one roof. Veronika has traveled the world but at the time of their meeting she has retreated from her previous life and rented a secluded home in the countryside of Sweden that is within the view from Astrid's window. The two women have not led similar lives, they are not from similar backgrounds nor are they close in age. Each of them has separate reasons for distancing themselves from people and the world surrounding them. The contact between them begins reluctantly and continues very tentatively. With a very delicate touch and a precise focus, Olsson gradually removes veils of grief and allows the reader to watch a friendship grow between Astrid and Veronika as they share a brief time in the present and gradually share their pasts with each other. This is a very small story, set in a very small time and space, but it is totally captivating. While it is possible to read this novel as a story of one friendship, it also is a story of the power of human interaction to transform lives. Astrid and Veronika spend a relatively short time together, but as they find common ground they rediscover their essential humanity that enables each of them to better connect with their pasts and the world around them. Whether you view the essential common denominator as pain, as endurance or as love may be related to your personal view of the world. The novel is well written with an excellent sense of both characters and setting.

Spoilers and Questions.......2007-08-05

The story kept me interested and overall I enjoyed it. I was left with several questions thought. Why did Astrid's mother commit suicide? Was Astrid afraid her own husband or her father would abuse Sara? Also, Veronika spoke of needing to face her own mothers abandonment of her, yet it was never addressed in the story, even when her father asked if she had spoken to her mother recently. Also, there was the weird statement at the end where the man says, "Sad the way she went, the old lady. But then, it was her choice" and then Olsson never explains that comment. What was that all about?

Somber Mood.......2007-07-20

This is the tale of a friendship forged between a younger and older woman during a year in Sweden. The tone of the book is quite somber, despite the blossoming friendship that is at the center of the book. Astrid (the elder) and Veronika are neighbors in a small village who eventually find comfort in sharing their life stories with one another. Both of the women have dealt with tragic life events and you can sense the relief - particularly from Astrid - that sharing their stories brings to them. The story takes place in Sweden, and Veronika's back-story takes place in New Zealand; the settings play an important role in their individual stories. I expected the ending long before it happened, just based on the overall tone and writing. I wish the story had been more "cheerful," for lack of a better word. The friendship was wonderful, but I felt that the somber tone overshadowed it a bit. It was a 'hard' read because the story skipped between the two women and went from the past to the present quite often. It took a while to get the story started and to understand and care about the character. Also, there was a lot left unfinished - I didn't feel that Astrid's story was completely told to us. The book is worth reading though, and recommended.

Amazing grace.......2007-06-19

Amazing writing. Amazing story. An intimate examination of the synergistic healing balm of amazing grace.

Tempted by wild strawberries........2007-06-18

I was hoping to be as captivated by Linda Olsson's story as I was by her novel's cover photograph. Olsson is a recent creative writing graduate from the University of Auckland. Astrid and Veronika was previously published in New Zealand as "Let me sing you gentle songs" (2005). Set in the frozen landscape of Olsson's homeland, Sweden, it tells the story of two women, Veronika Bergman, a 31-year-old novelist, and her elderly, reclusive neighbor, Astrid Mattson (who is called a witch by the local villagers). The two flatly-drawn characters cultivate a friendship based almost entirely on their own personal losses. Veronika, we learn, has suffered the recent loss of the love of her life, James. Astrid has suffered her father's sexual abuse, then endured a loveless marriage along with the death of her infant daughter. Through their rather implausible relationship, Astrid and Veronika eventually find closure from their painful, secret histories. Friendships have the power to transform us. While Olsson's writing is often elegant, it doesn't deliver the cover's temptation of fresh, wild strawberries. Her narrative is slow and predictable, and her characters' stories never quite seem to draw readers into their heartbreak.

G. Merritt

Average customer rating:

Terrible.
First draft
Descent into the depths
Part Ingmar Bergman, part Alfred Hitchcock --- masters of the symbolic, the noir-ish and the macabre
The deserved ruination of a despicable human

Depths: A Novel
Henning Mankell
Manufacturer: New Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1595580891

Book Description

A gripping, masterful novel from the world-famous Henning Mankell, set off the coast of Sweden during World War I.

The skerry was resting in the sea. It was like being in a cradle, or on a deathbed, he thought. All the voices hidden in the cliff were whispering. Even rocks have memories, as do waves and breakers. And down below, in the darkness where fish swam along invisible and silent channels, there were also memories.—from Depths

It is October 1914, and Swedish naval officer Lars Tobiasson-Svartman is charged with a secret mission to take depth readings around the Stockholm archipelago. In the course of his work, he lands on the rocky isle of Halsskär. It seems impossible for it to be habitable, yet it is home to the young widow Sara Fredrika, who lives in near-total isolation and is unaware that the world is at war.

A man of control and precision, Tobiasson-Svartman is overwhelmed by his attraction to the half-wild, illiterate Sara Fredrika, a total contrast to his reserved, elegant wife. Soon he enacts the worst of his impulses, turning into another, far more dangerous man, ready to trade in lies and even death to get closer to the lonely woman without losing hold of his wife. Matters of shame, fidelity, and duty are swept to sea as he struggles to maintain his parallel lives, with devastating consequences for the women who love him.

Henning Mankell, author of the internationally bestselling Kurt Wallander series and the critically acclaimed Chronicler of the Winds, once again proves himself a master of the novel with Depths, an arresting, disquieting story of obsession.

Customer Reviews:

Terrible........2007-09-24

This book was cold and bland. It never drew me in and it wasn't all that entertaining either. The only reason I finished it is because I didn't have anything else to read at the moment. I hope this isn't typical of Mankell, I'll be hard pressed to read another book by him.

First draft.......2007-09-07

This one reads really like an outline for a movie screenplay and could have done with better editing to excise the pretentious bits; it's better than the pedestrian Wallander novels but completely devoid of any humour or levity.
It's still, oddly, very gripping. It's tantalising to imagine what a really great writer, rather than a merely good one like Mankell, could do with the plot.

Descent into the depths.......2007-07-01

A number of reviewers here were disappointed with this novel because of its relentless bleakness. The "Depths", by Henning Mankell, is bleak indeed, but it is not a story badly written. Some objected to "very short chapters", this of course is a valid stylistic exercise used by other authors, usually to make a point; it is used by Mankell to the same effect here (the protagonist was obsessed with the detail but unable to see the whole and this can be seen as one of the reason of his descent into depths, both literally and figuratively).

The bleakness of the novel is masterfully executed; if you would rather read something uplifting this is not the book to pick up! The characters are well supported by the relentless land- and seascape (much of the story is set in the cold season, and most of the summertime is glossed over). But this novel belongs in the European tradition of Ibsen or Dostoyevsky with its dispassionate analysis of a character whose life unravels in front of our very eyes and where practically everyone affected by his actions ends up damaged as well. The strong female characters grow in strength through the story but still remain only schematically, or lightly, drawn in contrast to the centre character. This was the only disappointment for me; otherwise the story made a powerfull impact on me.

Part Ingmar Bergman, part Alfred Hitchcock --- masters of the symbolic, the noir-ish and the macabre.......2007-05-30

I think of films, not novels, when trying to describe DEPTHS: It's part Ingmar Bergman, part Alfred Hitchcock --- masters of the symbolic, the noir-ish and the macabre --- with maybe a dash of Ripley's Game thrown in. However, Ripley --- in the film and the Patricia Highsmith novel on which it's based --- is clearly a psychopath; the suspense is in seeing how long and how successfully he can pass for normal. In contrast, the protagonist of DEPTHS, a naval officer by the name of Lars Tobiasson-Svartman, initially appears sane, albeit terrifically repressed.

Sure, he has issues: a father complex (Tobiasson is his mother's name, inserted for protective purposes: "His father was dead now, but dead people can also be a threat"); a highly ritualized marriage to Kristina Tacker, a woman who mysteriously has retained her maiden name; and seriously weird dreams (horses being whipped?), but he seems more control freak than madman.

When we first encounter him, it is wartime, 1914, and he is engaged in a covert mission to the Baltic Sea --- charting the depths of certain sea routes used by the Swedish navy to make sure ships won't run aground. His profession has to do with measurement, and he seems to conduct his life and manage his psyche with the same pitiless precision. Then disturbing things start happening. A seaman falls ill with appendicitis and dies before he can reach a hospital; the body of a German soldier is found floating in the ocean (although Sweden has remained neutral, Russian and German ships are battling not far away); and a captain drops dead of a heart attack.

Most fatally, Tobiasson-Svartman rows to Halsskär, an obscure and apparently unoccupied island near his ship's anchorage, and there he discovers a young woman named Sara Fredrika --- a widow living in unimaginable isolation --- and conceives a desperate passion for her. Sara Fredrika is completely unlike Kristina Tacker, with her cool beauty and fragile china animals (the two women are clearly conceived as opposites). She is dirty and smells; in her primitivism she is irresistible.

Tobiasson-Svartman is hooked. He returns home to Stockholm, where his wife tells him she is pregnant, but he cannot stay away from Halsskär and Sara Fredrika. In his desperation to return to the island undetected, he even walks over the frozen sea (like many scenes in DEPTHS, this journey is strikingly and memorably cinematic). Helpless in his obsession, he squanders his savings, deceives his wife and employer, and finally commits murder; as his double life unravels, we begin to see that he is not just the victim of an inappropriate lust --- he is quite insane. It all ends just about as badly as one can imagine.

The wildness of this gothic tale is echoed in the oceanic setting --- more than a setting, actually, for in Tobiasson-Svartman's fevered mind nature is treacherously alive (rocks turning into beasts; the sea "keeping watch on him, like a sharp-eyed animal"), and Mankell is constantly making parallels between the unconscious mind and the fathomless sea ("He was mapping navigable channels so that other people would be able to travel in safety, but the charts he was mapping for himself led to chaos." And again: "He had measured the depth of the sea...but he had not succeeded in coordinating his discoveries with the navigable channels inside himself.").

I must confess that this relentless, heavy-handed symbolism got me down after a while (as did the oddly brief chapters, some as short as a single sentence). Perhaps it is a European style of novel that doesn't appeal to me, or maybe the fault of any literature in translation, but despite its haunting seascape the book seemed to me pretentious and arty rather than profound.

It's not that I insist on Mankell sticking to the known territory of his mystery novels. He is allowed to experiment. But here, it seems to me, his usually sure touch has deserted him. In his thrillers, as in DEPTHS, the realm of the abnormal and disturbing (in the form of murder) is juxtaposed with matter-of-fact life and daily routine. But Mankell's finest creation, the police inspector Wallander --- instead of being consumed by the craziness of his job --- remains magnificently human and absolutely sane. He is flawed, vulnerable, overweight, lonely, sometimes depressed, not that good at being a parent, husband or lover --- but he is magnificent at solving murders.

I wish Mankell had dispatched Wallander on his own secret mission to save DEPTHS from turning into a chilly intellectual conceit. With him tracking Tobiasson-Svartman, the book might have had a pulse.

--- Reviewed by Kathy Weissman

The deserved ruination of a despicable human.......2007-05-13

Henning Mankell uses a distinctly different writing style in his latest translated novel "Depths", compared to his hugely popular Kurt Wallander series. Rather than using the descriptive style prevalent in his police procedurals, "Depths" is written concisely with a proponderence of chapters typified by their brevity. Whereas most of his previous offerings are presented in a largely somber manner, "Depths" is a downright depressing novel.

Mankell's novel commences with a woman, Kristina Tacker having escaped from a mental institution. He goes on to describe the circumstances that put her in her present predicament. Her husband, main character Lars Tobiasson-Svartman was a Swedish naval commander and venerable hydrographic engineer. At the onset of World War One he was commissioned to sound the depths of navigable waterways around the Stockholm archipelago, to update sea charts. This would allow safer and more rapid transit of Swedish ships during the tumultuous wartimes.

Svartman while on his secret mission discovers a woman living by herself on a small rocky island of Halsskar and becomes obsessed with her. He formulates a series of lies and deceptions to his wife, comrades and superiors that are fabricated to enable him to shirk his duties as both a commander and a husband to be with this woman, Sara Fredricka.

Gradually his whole essence sinks to the level of depravity as lies lead to violence and murder. While his pregnant wife sits in their Stockholm flat convinced that Svartman is on a clandestine mission, he is leading a double life on Halsskar.

Eventually he sinks into an abyss from which he cannot extricate himself as "Depths" plays out like a Swedish Shakespearean tragedy. All that the deplorable Svartman touches becomes marked for catastrophe.

In the Wallander series, Mankell's protagonist is empathetic whereas main character Lars Svartman evolves into a villainous blackguard for whom there can by no sympathy or acceptance.

Ingrid: Ingrid Bergman, A Personal Biography

Average customer rating:

Ingrid...A true view!
ingrid
Review from Fresno
Great Book
Ingrid Bergman, a Personal Biography

Ingrid: Ingrid Bergman, A Personal Biography
Charlotte Chandler
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0743294211

Book Description

Ingrid Bergman was one of the biggest and most glamorous stars in Hollywood -- until she became one of the most controversial, when an international scandal threatened to end her career. She had starred in several now-classic films: Casablanca, Spellbound, Notorious, Gaslight, and her co-stars included such Hollywood icons as Humphrey Bogart, Cary Grant, and Gregory Peck. In this insightful new biography, Charlotte Chandler draws on her extensive conversations with Bergman herself to describe what happened from Bergman's point of view, revealing a complex and fascinating woman who lived life intensely.

Already a movie star in her native Sweden, Ingrid Bergman became an instant sensation for David O. Selznick in Hollywood and the number-one box-office star in the world. But the most dramatic event in her life took place off the screen when she made a film in Italy and began a passionate romance with her director, Roberto Rossellini. The scandal that followed left her exiled from America, ostracized by Hollywood, vilified in the press, denounced by clergy, censured in the U.S. Senate -- and separated from her young daughter. She was able to make films only with Rossellini.

In the words of those who were involved, Chandler describes Bergman's life before, during, and after the scandal. Among those Chandler spoke with were Alfred Hitchcock, George Cukor, Sidney Lumet, Cary Grant, Gregory Peck, Greta Garbo, and Liv Ullmann. She spoke with Roberto Rossellini; their twin daughters, Isabella and Isotta Ingrid; Rossellini's son, Renzo; Ingrid's daughter Pia Lindstrom; and others who knew Ingrid well. This extraordinary access makes Ingrid: Ingrid Bergman, a Personal Biography the most perceptive and revealing book ever written about the charismatic Hollywood legend.

Customer Reviews:

Ingrid...A true view!.......2007-08-31

Having had a close, sweet friendship with Ingrid the last 12 years of her life, I can easily say that Ms Chandler's remembrances of Ingrid, marked by numerous interviews of family, friends & collegues rings very true!
Being privy to many personal aspects of Ingrid's life, visits to Choisel, dinners in Paris & London, etc., I was swept with nostalgia & memories of dear Ingrid as I read this marvelous story picturing Ingrid as she really was in her life.
Following a less than nice review of a play in London, Ingrid was appearing in, she wrote to me about that notice & said: "Let the dogs bark
the caravan moves on!" Typical Bergman.
Unpretentious, caring, sweet, natural, I loved Ingrid dearly, as a friend!
This book says it all!

ingrid.......2007-06-27

very disappointing no new facts or interesting untold published background on the star.

Review from Fresno.......2007-05-29

This book was purchased as a gift, and the recipient was very well pleased.
It has great interest to people, women particularly, who were living during the period of Ingrid Bergman's stardom and scandal.

Great Book.......2007-04-28

This book tells a very human story about the life of Ingrid Bergman from the time of her parents before she was born, to her early life after her mothers death, to being an actress in Sweeden Hollywood and Italy to being a wife three times and mother of four including Isabella Rossalini.

Great Book, Very interesting life!

Ingrid Bergman, a Personal Biography.......2007-04-07

This was a well-written story about Ingrid Bergman...I had seen her in several movies but did not know about her background. Just things I had read and heard about her. The author really captured her fascinating life in detail from her birth until her death...and revealed how Ingrid Bergman felt about the things that were happening to her throughout her life. I thought the book was a page turner and I couldn't put it down.

Average customer rating:

Although interesting but...
A Bio Apart
Read Swenson if you want to be alone with Greta Garbo!
Garbo: A Life Apart
Fascinating and believable...

Greta Garbo: A Life Apart
Karen Swenson
Manufacturer: Scribner
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0684807254

Amazon.com

A Life Apart is the apt subtitle of this scrupulously researched biography of the star as legendary for her fiercely guarded privacy as for her haunting beauty and luminous acting in such films as Camille and Ninotchka. Entertainment writer Karen Swenson delineates a unique personality considerably earthier than Greta Garbo's screen image: shy yet blunt, devoted to her craft but indifferent to fame, sexually magnetic to both men and women, a loyal friend who mercilessly punished disloyalty. The author meticulously fact-checked the often unreliable memories of companions and lovers such as Cecil Beaton and Mercedes de Acosta to comprehensively document Garbo's long life (1905-90).

Customer Reviews:

Although interesting but..........2005-09-12

Although the book is interesting taking into consideration its factographic side, it is written in a very pretentious manner trying unnecessarily to colorize the biography and therefore making it trivial and sometimes even pathetic. Just to mention: usage of such expression like "Turkey's great metropolis" in order not to call it Istanbul or Canstantinople seems to be quoted from an essay composed by some sixth-grade pupil.
I still consider "Garbo" by Barry Paris the best Garbo's biography.

A Bio Apart.......2005-01-20

Swenson conveys an understanding of and respect for her subject as few biographers have. Not that anyone can know too much about Garbo, Swenson dug deep and this bio is full of pictures and information to make any Garbo fan's heart flutter into cardiac arrest! The Best!

Read Swenson if you want to be alone with Greta Garbo!.......2003-02-19

Karen Swenson is to be commended for a fine biography of Greta Garbo. Garbo is an enigmatic star more closely resembling a lonely sphinx camping out in the Sahara than a glitzy glamorous star in Hollywood's Golden Era.
Swenson delineates the Garbo career from the Swede's girlhood in a poverty stricken home in Stockholm to the extremely wealthy recluse she became in New York following her 1942 retiriement from the silver screen. (Her last flick was a bomb called "Two Faced Woman." Garbo had at least two faces in real life. The athletic outdoor woman she was could be kind and cruel as her moods were quicksilver in the soul of this Viking child of the North.
Barry Paris's book on Garbo contains more pictures and is, on the whole, better written. I did, however, enjoy Swenson's work
on the screen legend devouring the biography in huge portions of time.
Garbo was a great talent who lit up the screen with her peerless beauty and style. Costumes by Adrian and the magic of MGM camermen aided her in the climb to the top but she was herself unique for her aura of lonely beauty.
I appreciate the work of Karen Swenson. I hope you the reader do as well. If you read only one book on Greta Garbo you could do worse than selecting this excellent biography to fill you in on the Swedish queen of film.

Garbo: A Life Apart.......2002-01-02

Garbo: A Life Apart is a modern biographical masterpiece. I got started and could barely put it down. It was filled with great information. I have been following the life of Greta Garbo for about 7 years and have a collection of memorabillia to show for it! I have to say this is a MUST for any fan or collector of Garbo material!!! BRAVO Karen Swenson!!

Fascinating and believable..........2000-10-26

This wonderful story, about a wonderful woman, combines a selection of rare photos with startling new information about her childhood, her career, tumultuous relationships with lovers and friends, and her life after Hollywood.

Average customer rating:

Another solid mystery by Tursten
mildly interesting

The Glass Devil
Helene Tursten
Manufacturer: Soho Crime
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1569474524

Book Description

"Know[s] how to craft a truly satisfying police procedural."- The Philadelphia Inquirer

The principal of a high school telephones his friend, Inspector Andersson of the GÃ¶teborg Crime Police; one of his teachers failed to show up for work. To Inspector Irene Huss' surprise, on the basis of this vague complaint her boss drives out with her to a remote cottage in snowbound southern Sweden to investigate. There they find a body, its head blasted by a rifle. Teacher Jacob Schyttelius has been murdered. When they go to break the news to his elderly parents, Pastor Sten Schyttelius and his wife, they find the couple dead in their beds, each shot between the eyes. Upside-down pentagrams have been drawn in blood on their computer screens. The only surviving member of the family is a daughter, now residing in London, but she is too distressed to be interviewed. Is the killer a member of a satanic cult? Is it the parish treasurer, rumored to have been embezzling church funds? Or one of the assistant pastors, tired of waiting for a promotion? Perhaps the attractive blonde who sings in church and practices witchcraft? Irene Huss has a hunch that the answer lies in England, and she travels there twice to discover the reason for this triple homicide.

Helene Tursten is the author of Detective Inspector Huss and The Torso. The latter is now a German film, and her series is being filmed for Swedish television. She lives with her husband in GÃ¶teborg.

Customer Reviews:

Another solid mystery by Tursten.......2007-08-17

While it isn't quite as gripping as The Torso, this is yet another fine work by Helene Tursten featuring Detective Inspector Huss. Tursten once again creates a believable, intelligent, and interesting character, as well as her fellow detectives and family, resulting in an engaging and intriguing mystery.

mildly interesting.......2007-07-04

unlike other swedish writers of police procedurals, tursten's series lacks bite, interesting character development and intriguing story line.

Classical Swedish Architecture and Interiors: 1650-1830

Average customer rating:

An excellent acquisition any library serious about world architectural styles will want.
Classical Swedish Architecture gets a rave review from me.
An amazingly beautiful book. Full of great information and pictures.

Classical Swedish Architecture and Interiors: 1650-1830
Johan Cederlund
Manufacturer: W. W. Norton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

Reference | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

Sweden | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

Scandinavia | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0393731723

Customer Reviews:

An excellent acquisition any library serious about world architectural styles will want........2007-08-07

Any college-level holding specializing in world architectural history should have Classical Swedish Architecture & Interiors as part of its collection: art historian John Cederlund covers the foundations of Swedish architecture and interiors and covers the major sites and representations of Swedish style, from stoves to architecture for the monarchy. An excellent acquisition any library serious about world architectural styles will want.

Classical Swedish Architecture gets a rave review from me........2007-03-12

This is an excellent survey of Swedish architecture and interiors of the most influential historical period and the photographs are splendid.

An amazingly beautiful book. Full of great information and pictures........2007-02-20

I have bought several books on Swedish architecture and design. This book truly is an important addition to any fan of neoclassical design, although the segments on the baroque, rococco and empire periods are also outstanding.

The sketches, floorplans, photographs and engravings are of an extremely high quality, and the sheer breadth of buildings covered is astounding.

Highly, highly, highly recommended. A beautiful book that is a necessity for anyone with an interest in architecture or interior design.

The Man Who Smiled (Kurt Wallander Mysteries)

Average customer rating:

Excellent series in a non-English-speaking setting
I had seen worse ones but not many
excellent, but if you are new to Wallander Mysteries, read them in sequence...
No mystery at all
out of sequence but great

The Man Who Smiled (Kurt Wallander Mysteries)
Henning Mankell
Manufacturer: New Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Police Procedurals | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1565849930

Book Description

Dalgliesh.

The Man Who Smiled begins with Wallander deep in a personal and professional crisis after killing a man in the line of duty; eventually, he vows to quit the Ystad police force for good. Just then, however, a friend who had asked Wallander to look into the death of his father winds up dead himself, shot three times. Ann-Britt Höglund, the department's first female detective, proves to be his best ally as he tries to pierce the smiling façade of his prime suspect, a powerful multinational business tycoon. But just as he comes close to uncovering the truth, the same shadowy threats responsible for the murders close in on Wallander himself.

All of Mankell's talents as a master of the modern police procedural—which have earned him legions of fans worldwide—are showcased in The Man Who Smiled, which is the fourth of the eight Wallander books published thus far in English.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent series in a non-English-speaking setting.......2007-10-09

Sweden used to be a pretty safe country. People didn't plant bombs in your car or mines in your back garden. By the early 1990s, however, as Inspector Kurt Wallender notes, "Crime became more frequent and more serious: Different, nastier, more complicated. And we started finding criminals among people who'd previously been irreproachable citizens." And the Swedish police haven't dealt with the change very successfully, not even in Ystad, the town at the very bottom of Sweden where Wallender is the star of the local police force -- until the previous year when he was forced to kill a man. Wallender is a very human, very believable cop. He worries about screwing up, he gets frightened when he discovers he's being followed, he sometimes drinks too much (and then feels guilty about it). But he has no patience with incompetence or back-biting among his colleagues. (You *really* don't want to rub him the wrong way, and with good reason.) He's also willing to bend the rules if necessary in his attempts to suppress true evil. And the Bad Guy in this one really is evil! Mankell supplies a lot of detail about Swedish police methods and the restrictions of bureaucracy in a semi-welfare state (though that status is changing), which is interesting if you're only familiar with American and British procedurals, and the translation is very competent. This is the fourth in the Kurt Wallender series (not the author's only series, either), so I'm going to have to go back and find the first three.

I had seen worse ones but not many.......2007-09-20

First, it is way-way-way beyond bizarre.

Criminals who are trying to cover up their tracks resort to very public executions (e.g. by blowing them up with mines) each and every one even remotely related (including investigating officers) while intentionally leaving with the primary victim quite a few direct pointers to themselves.

A detective inspector is throwing a tantrum when a citizen asks him to produce a badge. When the same detective suspects a land mine planted in the witness' garden the best line of investigation for him is to blow it up immediately. When there is a suspicion that a police car is rigged with explosives and that the explosion will be triggered by the low level of gas, police officers decided to leave the car engine running, and then they are genuinely surprised by the explosion etc. etc. etc.

Second, it is hard to believe that the author is through his graduate studies: the characters are primitive cliches and he completely fails to draw a convincing picture of adult-to-adult relationships within a police force of a small county. The main hero never asks the most traditional/natural set of relevant questions.

Third, it is slow and boring beyond any borders of reasonable for a crime fiction.

excellent, but if you are new to Wallander Mysteries, read them in sequence..........2007-09-14

Other reviewers said all that had to be said. I have one suggestion to readers that are new to Kurt Wallander Mystery Novels. Read them in sequence. Unfortunately, they were translated to English out of order. Here is the correct order: 1. Faceless Killers (1991) 2. The Dogs of Riga (1992) 3. The White Lioness (1993) 4. The Man Who Smiled (1994) 5. Sidetracked (1995) 6. The Fifth Woman (1996) 7. One Step Behind (1997) 8. Firewall (1998) and 9. Before the Frost (2002). Also, consider another 'non-Wallander' mystery: The Return of the Dancing Master (2000) I hope I didn't miss anything...

No mystery at all.......2007-06-08

The author reveals the murderer in the first chapter. I suppose the reader is supposed to read the book with the murderer's viewpoint in mind: i.e., "I did it & the cops are too stupid to figure it out." I just felt frustrated that the cops couldn't see it. Good discriptions of Denmark & Norway though.

out of sequence but great.......2007-03-16

The book starts off slow and murky, especially if you haven't already figured out that this is an early Wallander just now translated into English (I hadn't). However, the pace picks up after a few chapters, and after I loan the volume out to several family members, I'll be stowing it on my bookshelves for future re-reading enjoyment. Vintage Mankell.

Average customer rating:

Unique work
A true masterpiece!
A true masterpiece!
It works!
Great book!

Armour from the Battle of Wisby
Bengt Thordeman
Manufacturer: Chivalry Bookshelf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

Sweden | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

Uniforms | Military | History | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

Medieval | World | History | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1891448056

Book Description

This is a classic work not only on this history of armour in the 14th century, but of a key battle and the wound pathology relating to victims of the battle.

Customer Reviews:

Unique work.......2005-10-08

This book contains a wealth of knowledge about medieval armour and the effects of weapons. The pictures are fantastic, skeletons buried in their armour, rarely does one get to see how armour was actually worn. The breakdowns and detail of actual armour construction is immaculate and enables any competant armourer to reproduce the examples shown. The detail from an archeologist's point of view was a little too in depth for my interest but if you are that way inclined then great. Only issue I have is the "analysis" of some of the wounds seen, Mr. Thordeman seems to imply that this battle was unusual in some way, that the combatants fought with unusual fury. He sites one incident of one combatant having both legs severed by a single blow as an indication of some great fury and intensity. I only disagree as there are very few examples of medieval battle wound pathology to compare the Wisby corpses. It seems that the author is looking at the battle from too detached a viewpoint, forgetting that killing was the purpose of the people who showed up to battle that day. This is a small detail but supposition as to the mental states of combatants, by someone who has no first hand experience of battle is unproductive. Otherwise a great book.

A true masterpiece!.......2003-02-27

This book has a very special meaning to me since I'm from the town of Wisby(nowdays spelled Visby). Born and raised on the island Gotland and lived most of my life thete. I'v built several of these coats of armour and so far everyone I've tried on have been of satisfatcion. The book is so far the best resource book I've ever found. I have for a long time tried to find the first edition, but IF you can find it somewhere it's incredibly expensive. So jus imagine my joy when I saw there was a reissue! And very soon I'm going to be proud owner of this masterpiece...
The book is really easy to use and have exceptional drawings and scetches. Transforming the scale of the objects in the book to original size is really easy and there's a lot of information i general. At last a recommendation for all you SCA-fighters out there. Try out armour no.6 and no.9 because they give very good protection and are comfortable to wear.

A true masterpiece!.......2003-02-27

It works!.......2001-10-30

I've made armor using the diagrams of existing armor types from this book. I didn't much care for some of the strapping arrangements described, so I designed my own. (Hey, this is the armor the regular fighters left behind - Wisby was defended by the teens and the oldsters to judge from the age of the bodies. This suggests the men of prime fighting-age were elsewhere, with their primary armor.) It worked, well, and protected me in combat. And the illustrations and text were clear, clear, clear.

Great book!.......2001-10-20

This is the complete version of the orginal book all in one book, not two sets like the first. There is just a little intro added by Price. BUY THIS BOOK! It has wonderful information on the skeletal finds, plus it shows the orginal armor that was found, sketches of it, and recreations done by Bengt and company. I am thrilled they republished this book! It is impossible to find the orginal two volume set.

Average customer rating:

Moments of Truth
A great leadership lesson for corporate leaders
Recommand an EXCELLENT publication from IATA!!!
Turning SAS back to the profit zone during the 80s
What an Airline CEO Should Be!

Moments of Truth
Jan Carlzon
Manufacturer: Collins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Company Profiles | Biography & History | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Customer Service | Industries & Professions | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Leadership | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Management | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Sweden | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0060915803

Book Description

The president and CEO of Scandinavia Airlines (SAS) shows how to adapt to the new customer–driven economy.

Customer Reviews:

Moments of Truth.......2006-07-25

In this new millenium it's funny to think how things used to be only 20 years ago. A lot of the principles of this book would be second nature now but it definitely highlights how you can develop a struggling business by focussing on what the customer wants - gee radical thinking!!
I'm of the opinion that it's good to read about the past lest we forget and make the same mistakes - in life and in business.
A good simple read but perhaps a little rose tinted. Left me wanting to know what happened in the late 80's (i.e. part 2).

A great leadership lesson for corporate leaders.......2006-06-01

If you are a business leader, you should read this book. It is a fascinating story of a corporate turnaround.

Moments of truth occur when your company touches a stakeholder and proceeds to deliver products or services that satisfy or disatisfy. It is that simple and yet very difficult to execute consistently.

If you have heard of "Service Maps" or touchpoints where customer contact occurs, my hunch is that the consultant or leader proposing the concept has read this book or been instructed by someone who has.

The book is a good read and provides deep business insights that you can you use to motivate and lead people and organizations.

IF you work for government or non-profit entities you too can learn from this book because its messages and concepts are applicable to all leaders and organizations.

Recommand an EXCELLENT publication from IATA!!!.......2005-07-14

Please go to http://www.iata.org/ps/publications/9057.htm

to get a comprehensive analysis of airline financial performance,by type of services and route areas!!

Turning SAS back to the profit zone during the 80s.......2005-03-14

Loyalty to vision, not details of execution is a must.

Middle management must be ignited and dedicated towards serving the market.

In a customer driven company the organization is decentralized with responsibility to make decisions that serve the customer at the front line. Middle level manager must learn that their roles are supportive and not declarative. The Middle level manager is to provide the resources and means allowing his front line to serve the customer.

Initiation of changes must originate from the executive suite. The executive's role is to communicate with employees, impart the company's vision and listen to what the employees need to make the vision a reality. A leader role is to be a visionary, strategist, informer, teacher, and inspirer.

At age 39, Jan Carlzon became President of Vigresor a subsidiary of Scandinavian Airlines Systems (SAS). Carlzon became president over 1,400 employees and immediately started acting out the role he thought he was given. Some of the employees started calling him "ego boy" behind his back characterized by his brash and dictator like commands until Carlzon realized the company was not asking him to make all the decisions on his own, only to create an environment or atmosphere with the right conditions for other to get their job done. Carlzon realized his role was to set the company tone and communicate the big picture with the employees. Vigresor's main function was to contract the flights and get the hotels and package them together for the customer and in the early 70s the company had 210,000 customers and 40,000 tourist package purchases that were unprofitable. The traditional model suggested the company should drive down costs and try to survive with 170,000 customers. Carlzon did not chop costs, instead restructured the organization, making it more flexible and able to handle more should the market bounce back. The market recovered and Vigresor was ready for the increased load and after four years Carlzon was offered the Presidency of Linejeflyg.

In 1978, Linejeflyg had $3 million in loses, passenger load was at 50 percent, 95 percent of the travelers were businessmen, fare rates were determined by airline expenses rather than customer demand levels and customer preferences of the market. Linejeflyg business model catered to business executives who want to fly into Stockholm in the morning and return home in the evening. Carlzon's first conclusion was that it was difficult to make money with an airplane was on the ground. Linejeflyg costs were fixed and the problem was how to increase revenues. Carlzon asks the company's employees to help solve the problem and be a part of the solution to turn the company around. The employees believe in Carlzon and begin participating actively in shaping the companies future. Carlzon believes he must make air travel attractive and increase counts by cutting air fares and getting the planes up in the air more frequently increasing the total hours in the air. Advertising is important and a new slogan is created, "The World's Best Airlines", a bold statement contrary to the norm against bring attention to ones self. Carlzon believes that times have changed and competition is good for the customer. Carlzon moves away from production oriented scheduling to letting the market define what Linejeflyg should produce and sell. Carlzon knows that to fill planes flying during off-peak fares had to be low, so a new campaign is conceived called "Hundred Note" - 100 Swedish kroner designed to attract 5,000 passengers and unexpected it attracted 125,000 passengers; the plan was simple, every knew the meaning a hundred note, and a new types of passengers started flying. Profits were realized when Linejeflyg started selling a $2 breakfast with a 50 cent profit and $1 coffee and bun; revenues increased from $84 million to $105 million with passenger volume increasing 44 percent. Carlzon says, "I succeeded because I reoriented each company towards the needs of the market it servers".

In the early 80s, Carlzon is offered the presidency of SAS. SAS for 17 years has earned a profit and suddenly takes a $20 million dollar loss. The board wants Carlzon to stop the slide into losses and turn the company around into a profit zone. Carlzon realizes that cutting costs is not the answer; the market is in stagnation with zero growth; the cheese slicer approach would cut cost from all departments equally and reduce or eliminate services that the customer wants and is willing to pay for and the cheese slicer approach retains little interest in the customer. Carlzon knows he must bring the best SAS services to market and this is the only solution to increase revenue. Carlzon want to be 100 percent better at one thing and requests $45 millions to improve competitiveness, increase operating costs, and expense $12 million for 147 projects. The board accepts the plan and wisely realizes $25 million in the first year, $40 million in the second year, and $50 million in the third year during a time when the rest of the airline industry was experiencing a $2 billion loss. Also, Carlzon drops the first class and replaces it with Euroclass and does not promote heavily the discount fares. As a part of Euroclass implements moveable partitions, adds telephone and telefax services at hubs, and convenience of their own check in counter and more comfortable seats with better food. Revenues were at $80 million during the first year with a 23% increase in full fare and 7% increase in discount fares.

In 1981, SAS purchases four Airbuses because to used for short flights because of their size and efficiency. The Airbus is large and has bright spacious interiors. The order was for 8 and the cost for the 4 was $120 million. This was not unusual because SAS often replaced aircraft with more technologically advanced models that could fly passengers at a lower cost per seat. The Airbus operate 6 percent cheaper than the DC-9 the work horse for SAS; it also had 240 seats verses 110. Carlzon looked at what the business man who flew SAS wanted. They wanted a non-stop flight from Stockholm to Continential Europe as a service. The Airbus was too expensive to fly this non-stop route. Carlzon switches back to the DC-9 away from the airbus to remain competitive to attract a limited market of Scandinavian business men who want a frequent non-stop flight with convenient schedules that best suite their timetables.

What an Airline CEO Should Be!.......2004-04-23

In this short book, Jan Carlzon relates how he righted three travel companies as CEO by listening to the knowledge accumulated by frontline employees and helping them do their jobs, rather than the other way around. Mr. Carlzon was spectacular in turning around the fortunes of Vingresor, Linjeflyg, and finally SAS. As head of SAS he was able to dispense with business as usual by listening more to the frontline employees, and scrupulously insisting on removing 'yes-men' from his inner circle, a policy that has also served Southwest amazingly well over the years. Although his tenure was not totally without controversy, Carlzon talks frankly about unions (he looks on them as partners and long-term stakeholders), and tough decisions, such as sticking with the trusted DC-9 when other airlines were buying newer planes merely for the sake of having newer planes, despite negative balance sheet implications.

This is a book that should be read by every business major, MBA, and airline employee about what is possible by working together. Sadly in recent US history most airline executives have been self-centered boors who don't care about the airline business, and have no long term stake in the company. Largely they have stayed around a couple of years, raked in millions (in some cases hundreds of millions) of dollars and then left a bankrupt or weak carrier in the lurch. Carlzon makes it clear that he is a capitalist, but a capitalist that realizes that if management and employees work together, solutions can be reached that will benefit all over the long term.

To the Boards of Directors of any airline anywhere I say this: read this book, learn how it should be done, and go out and get a Carlzon-school thinker for every executive position in your company. The long term results will amaze you. I could not recommend this book any more highly.

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