The Last American Man

Average customer rating:

The Last American Man

Limited portrayal

Modern Day Mountain Man

Next generation Ed Abbey

Not what I expected

The Last American Man
Elizabeth Gilbert
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Nature Writing | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0142002836
Release Date: 2003-05-27

Book Description

In this rousing examination of contemporary American male identity, acclaimed author and journalist Elizabeth Gilbert explores the fascinating true story of Eustace Conway. In 1977, at the age of seventeen, Conway left his family's comfortable suburban home to move to the Appalachian Mountains. For more than two decades he has lived there, making fire with sticks, wearing skins from animals he has trapped, and trying to convince Americans to give up their materialistic lifestyles and return with him back to nature. To Gilbert, Conway's mythical character challenges all our assumptions about what it is to be a modern man in America; he is a symbol of much we feel how our men should be, but rarely are.

Customer Reviews:

The Last American Man .......2007-09-12

The lifestyle and ideals of Eustace Conway go against the current of modern life, yet it is the fascination others have with his lifestyle (if not his ideals) that carries him along. Disciples (he calls them apprentices) are as important to his way of living as is Turtle Island, the place in which he lives. This book is about his failures with people as much as his untiring pursuit of union with nature.

Limited portrayal .......2007-09-05

Gilbert writes that she had "doubts about writing the book" but when someone said "wouldn't you rather make a mistake by doing something than make a mistake by not doing something?" she felt compelled to write Conway's story. And that's the sad part because had she listened to her own doubt she might have postponed writing this book until she became a little older and wiser. Although a gifted writer, I believe it would have been a different story. I can't help but think that because of her focus, Conway will be reluctant to allow another biographer such access. This is a man, who has lived an incredible life, little of which we are privileged to see in this portrayal.
How we like, in certain intellectual circles, to tear down people--to focus only on the defect not the accomplishment, not the journey--not comprehending that life unfolds in its own beauty. Very little, unfortunately, was written about the remarkable accomplishments this man undertook and completed. Traveling down the Mississippi River, hiking across Alaska, scaling cliffs in New Zealand and living with the Navajo of New Mexico, surviving in the wilderness--all are given short shift. Instead the focus of her book is on Conway's troubled relationships with family, later with staff at Turtle Island and through out the book, in great detail, with the women he tried to bond with along the way.
And then there's Gilbert's commentary--about politics, feminism, men's rituals, his family relationships--difficult at times to ascertain fact from tongue--in--cheek, admiration and pure condemnation. A powerful story tells itself--it doesn't need commentary. Let the readers draw their own conclusions. It sometimes felt as if Gilbert needed more pages turned out, thus the commentary--but come on--what a great story to tell, so many more things much more interesting to know . . .
Finally, people notice different things. Some pay more attention to feelings and things, others to nature, logic, art, science. Besides choosing different information to focus on (which often says more about ourselves than others), we also have access to different information. We tend to believe as if we have all the important information there is to know about another, but we don't and so what we choose to focus on is limited by what we see. Age often, but not always, expands what we are capable of seeing. And that's my main problem with this book.
Gilbert was young when she wrote it, most likely struggling with her own relationships, her own identity as a woman and thus the focus of her book. She repeatedly states, for example, that Conway's father was verbally abusive yet writes little concerning two extraordinary attempts of both father and son at reconciliation and yet, isn't this the more poignant story? Did she just have a deadline to meet? (And let me reveal my bias!)
Her portrayal is of a damaged man, not a man in the process of becoming. Becoming what? I don't know but from direct quotes of his conversations with her, a man willing to reflect upon his own life. This could have been a great biography and I'm not stating Gilbert shouldn't have delved into Conway's troubled relationships. I'm simply saying it is only part of the story, filled with commentary when the story could have been presented more powerfully and more simply merely by letting the story tell itself while including the extraordinary with the ordinary.

Modern Day Mountain Man.......2007-06-19

Fascinating read. You will come away admiring Eustace's work ethic and self sufficiency and will also question his intolerance for "us." Good lessons about American Utopian societies of the past and some of the lesser known facts about Mountain Men like Daniel Boone and Kit Karson. It is also "cold water in the face" to any dreamer who wishes to give everything away and start a new life in the wilderness.

Next generation Ed Abbey.......2007-05-31

In the end, Eustace Conway is no more or less human than the rest of us. He's got his own family issues and seems to be internally conflicted about what will bring him peace vs. what he should do. For those decrying Ms. Gilbert's awards, feel free to market the books you've written. The point of this book seems to be as much a reflection of her process to understand Mr. Conway as it is a description of his life. While her writing is more informal than "literature" (whatever that is), she effectively entices the reader to join in her journey. This book was enjoyable, as was Eat, Pray, Love. It provided a brief insight into living closer to the earth. Whether we agree is beside the point. Mr. Conway seems to be comparable to Ed Abbey in his view of the world, lust for life, difficulty in reconciling inner peace with changing other people's behavior, and inability to settle down with a family. We could all take away some of his respect for life (/nature) and our individual responsibility in recognizing how we each impact our environment. I'm looking forward to learning more about his efforts at Turtle Island.

Not what I expected.......2007-05-23

A friend suggested this book to me, because of my interests in nature. Although the book can be interesting, it did not hold my interest as well as I had expected. Not to mention the ending was completely the opposite of what I expected.

Average customer rating:

A lot of death
Don't Waste Your Time
A Birthday Present that turned into a Sour Read
Couldn't 'Stand' any more! (1.5 stars)
Incredible...

Last Man Standing
David Baldacci
Manufacturer: Grand Central Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0446525804
Release Date: 2001-11-06

Amazon.com

As a pretty psychiatrist puzzles over the corners of Web's brain that kept him alive, Web himself stays on the move. He's certain that the ambush is connected to the prison escape of a neofascist leader, Ernest B. Free, whom he helped arrest five years earlier, and a series of new murders leads him to a Virginia horse farm and the driving force behind all the carnage. It may seem as though Baldacci gives away the mastermind too soon, but both the bad guys and the good guys are complex enough that there's plenty of punch all the way to the last page. --Barrie Trinkle

Book Description

Last Man Standing has the essential elements of a terrific DavidBaldacci novel: a tough but tender-hearted hero, dirty dealings in the nation'sbureaucracy, and a roller-coaster plot. Web London, a member of the FBI'sHostage Rescue Team, froze up on a drug raid and thus became the sole survivorof a remote-controlled ambush that killed six of his compatriots. Now the onlywitness has disappeared and the inside man on the botched raid has goneunderground. As a pretty psychiatrist puzzles over the corners of Web's brain that kept himalive, Web himself stays on the move. He's certain that the ambush is connectedto the prison escape of a neofascist leader, Ernest B. Free, whom he helpedarrest five years earlier, and a series of new murders leads him to a Virginiahorse farm and the driving force behind all the carnage. It may seem as thoughBaldacci gives away the mastermind too soon, but both the bad guys and the goodguys are complex enough that there's plenty of punch all the way to the lastpage. --Barrie Trinkle

Download Description

It took ten seconds for Web London to lose everything: his friends, his team, his reputation. Point man of the FBI's super-elite Hostage Rescue Team, Web roared into a blind alley toward a drug dealer's lair, only to meet a high-tech, custom-designed ambush that killed everyone around him. Now coping with the blame-filled words of anguished widows and the suspicions of colleagues, Web tries to put his life back together with the help of his psychiatrist, Dr. Claire Daniels. To do so, he must discover why he was the one man who lived through the ambush--and find the only other person who came out of that alley alive . . . a ten-year-old boy who has since disappeared.

Web's search leads him from inner-city Washington, D.C., to the rolling hills of Virginia horse country--while people connected to him are violently silenced. Acting on his instincts, Web believes he knows where the killer will strike next. Only this time, he may not survive the attack. Last Man Standing is an explosive psychological thriller about a man desperate to find answers--from the secret terrors he has kept from himself to his unbearable guilt. His fight to save himself and those he cares for will come at a high cost . . . and threaten everything he has grown to believe in. With vividly realized characters and a breathtaking pace, this is another spellbinding novel from David Baldacci, one of today's best storytellers.

Customer Reviews:

A lot of death.......2007-10-05

It seems that every chapter contains a death. As soon as a character becomes pivotal to the plot they get killed off in hopes that suspense is created. Come on, you have to be able to create suspense a little more emotionally and creative. It was a very fast paced book and I did want to find out who was behind everything. But I quickly got tired of being teased.

Don't Waste Your Time.......2007-09-19

This review relates to the audio version of Last Man Standing. I listened to 22 hours of this book only find it had the worst ending ever. The budding romance that had been developing throughout the book, even up to the last chapters, died so suddenly that I was sure there was more to come, until the reader's next words were, "The End." It was as if David Baldacci got tired of writing this book and decided to finish it off quickly. This was my first attempt at a David Baldacci and I think it will be a long time before I get the courage up to read/listen to another. My sympathies to anyone currently listening to this story.

A Birthday Present that turned into a Sour Read.......2007-07-30

I received this book as a birthday present many months ago, and the gift brought a grateful smile to my face since I have enjoyed many of David Baldacci's novels, i.e., Absolute Power, A Simple Truth and others and within a few days I was reading Last Man Standing. Overall, I thought the Web London character was boring and shallow. As an FBI hostage team assaulter he seemed more like a loose cannon rather than a team player which I suspect is the SOP for the FBI. The story is plastered with police that have nothing to fill their time with except to shoot bazookas like guns and love every minute of their destruction. Sometimes I had to laugh because some of the author's scenarios were so bizarre and far-fetched. I won't go into the constant splattering of foul, almost detestable language, which I didn't feel added much to the plot. There were few surprises and I felt I was sitting on the edge of my seat waiting to find out what would happen next.

Anyway, in my opinion Last Man Standing doesn't seem to fit Mr. Baldacci's style of a thrilling mystery novel that is at least realistic to a degree and his intensive research into the subject matter that he noted for. One last thought I think the book could have been shorten by at least 50 or 60 pages. It's not a terrible novel, it's a good read and I wouldn't recommend purchasing a hardcover, but pick up a paperback.

For you Mystery fans I encourage you to take a look at the gripping novel The Monopoly Factor by Robert L. Saunders. I finished reading it a week ago and the incredible effort in which the author used in his style of storytelling bring this thrilling mystery to the forefront of an excellent page turning read. You won't be disappointed. It's absolutely a top-notch novel. Have a good day.

Couldn't 'Stand' any more! (1.5 stars).......2007-07-19

My first(and probably last) David Baldacci novel. I gave it an extra half a star for at least starting off well, with an interesting premise, and some believable action scenes and character motives. Then, apparently Baldacci took a long lunch, and let that room full of monkeys bang away on typewriters until they'd finished the story!
Way too many characters, subplots and 'Bet you thought we'd forgotten about THIS!'-style twists and revelations tacked onto the end of the story. Most of the characters and their dialogue, are corny and forgettable. By the time I reached the end, I just didn't care how any of it fit together.
The guy who suggested that anyone who likes this book should try reading Harlan Coben was insulting Harlan Coben. As cliched as Coben's books are, Baldacci surpasses him in stilted prose, and stale cliches.

Incredible..........2007-05-30

...in its mediocrity. I have a hard time believing that David Baldacci even wrote this. Having read and enjoyed several of his other books I at first guessed it was either a very (very, very) early work where he was still a "green" writer or it was a later book where he'd suffered Author Burnout.

The plot isn't too complicated. You have this super-Gman type who, in the opening chapter, freezes during an assault by his team and ends up being the "last man standing," or in this case, lying down. After that, it's basically a story of why his team was set up and why he froze, including a tremendously tedious visit to an - surprise, surprise - attractive psychoanalyst. Then there are some scenes with his coworkers that are trite to the point of agony.

This story has so many things wrong with it, besides what's already been mentioned. First, there are too many point of view characters which makes the story hard to follow. Then there are far too many areas of the book where nothing of interest happens. For example, if you're going to detail a therapy session in a book it'd better be a revealing one - Baldacci's wasn't. Calling the book dull is an understatement.

After the first chapter the story drags on and on with little or no build up to sustain interest. Compared with the rest of the field it deserves no better than 2 stars. Against Baldacci's other stories it merits less than 1 star. If you've never read Baldacci before, please skip this one.

To the Last Man: A Novel of the First World War

Average customer rating:

"To The Last Man"
Excellent. A history teacher's review.
Very dissapointing
to the last man
Key to understanding 20th century history

To the Last Man: A Novel of the First World War
Jeff Shaara
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0345461363
Release Date: 2005-08-30

Book Description

Jeff Shaara has enthralled readers with his New York Times bestselling novels set during the Civil War and the American Revolution. Now the acclaimed author turns to World War I, bringing to life the sweeping, emotional story of the war that devastated a generation and established America as a world power.

Spring 1916: the horror of a stalemate on Europe’s western front. France and Great Britain are on one side of the barbed wire, a fierce German army is on the other. Shaara opens the window onto the otherworldly tableau of trench warfare as seen through the eyes of a typical British soldier who experiences the bizarre and the horrible–a “Tommy” whose innocent youth is cast into the hell of a terrifying war.

In the skies, meanwhile, technology has provided a devastating new tool, the aeroplane, and with it a different kind of hero emerges–the flying ace. Soaring high above the chaos on the ground, these solitary knights duel in the splendor and terror of the skies, their courage and steel tested with every flight.

As the conflict stretches into its third year, a neutral America is goaded into war, its reluctant president, Woodrow Wilson, finally accepting the repeated challenges to his stance of nonalignment. Yet the Americans are woefully unprepared and ill equipped to enter a war that has become worldwide in scope. The responsibility is placed on the shoulders of General John “Blackjack” Pershing, and by mid-1917 the first wave of the American Expeditionary Force arrives in Europe. Encouraged by the bold spirit and strength of the untested Americans, the world waits to see if the tide of war can finally be turned.

From Blackjack Pershing to the Marine in the trenches, from the Red Baron to the American pilots of the Lafayette Escadrille, To the Last Man is written with the moving vividness and accuracy that characterizes all of Shaara’s work. This spellbinding new novel carries readers–the way only Shaara can–to the heart of one of the greatest conflicts in human history, and puts them face-to-face with the characters who made a lasting impact on the world.

From the Hardcover edition.

Customer Reviews:

"To The Last Man".......2007-10-06

My dad reads history books for fun. I'm sure many of you can relate, but I, however, have often found my dad's hobby perplexing. For Dad, the best books present the down-to-the-minute detail of battles, examine every word of a president's letters to friends, follow the explorer each painful step of the journey. Yes, it's interesting, but I'm talking 1,000 pages of details. A daunting task for even us dedicated readers.

When I was growing up, my dad, the lifelong history major, took us to battlefield memorials instead of to amusement parks. As a child, I drew pictures of civil war soldiers more than doodles of Mickey Mouse. I'm sure this pleased my dad, the way this interest in history soaked into me. What didn't please him was my desire to read historical fiction. I was enamored of the TV mini-series "The Blue and the Gray", and soon after, began reading John Jakes' "The North and the South" trilogy. Dad frowned upon this. Too many Southern belles with bosoms heaving and laudanum addictions, I think. Not enough "hard" history, not enough fact. The fact of the matter is, I still prefer fiction. Ironically enough, to make history most real to me, I need it connected to the stories of individual people, and no one seems to do that better than novelists.

Enter Jeff Shaara. My dad introduced me to him by way of the author's personal life history. Jeff's father was Michael Shaara, Pulitzer-prize winning author of The Killer Angels. Michael Shaara was at work on the second book in his trilogy on the American Civil War when he died. Not a writer or historian himself, Jeff vowed to finish his father's work. And the books Jeff finished for his dad are excellent, critically-acclaimed. But when he spread his wings and started his own work, with books on the American Revolution, World Wars I and II, and the Mexican-American War, he surpassed his father. I have just recently finished To the Last Man, Jeff Shaara's book on WWI. Mind you, it is, technically, historical fiction. But just barely. Bestselling history writer Joseph Persico praises Jeff Shaara's "rarest of writing gifts, making literature read like history and history read like literature. He brings ... [history] to pulsating life." His books are "fiction" only in that Shaara creates thoughts and dialogue for these historical figures, based on impeccable research, but ultimately, on his imagination.

In most of his books, Jeff Shaara focuses mostly on the events surrounding the major figures - the generals, the leaders of the countries involved. Shaara explains in his preface of To the Last Man how this book is different: he tells about WWI through the perspective of just four people. In this way, the story isn't comprehensive or all-inclusive, but it is incredibly powerful. The four people are General John J. Pershing, THE commander of all U.S. forces when America finally enters the war; Baron Manfred von Richthofen, "the Red Baron"; Raoul Lufbery, of the Lafayette Escadrille; and Private Roscoe Temple, U.S. Marine Corps.

Well, if you're like me, the only reference I have to "the Red Baron" is ... Charles Schultz's Snoopy fighting him from the Sopwith Camel. It turns out Richthofen's life, just his personal history and career alone shed tremendous light on the war and the time period itself. And I had never heard of the Lafayette Escadrille - the Americans who went to France to fly the airplane, just in its infancy as a weapon of war, way before the U.S. reluctantly decided to join the fray. Now, I'm hooked on every word I can find about these guys. (Yeah, go ahead and rent the movie "Flyboys"; the fight scenes in the air are quite realistic, I think. But then do yourself a big favor and read about the REAL people. As far as I can find out, all the characters from the movie are fiction.)

And there it is: did you see that? I crossed over. Maybe historical fiction isn't as engaging as fact, after all. Certainly, it depends some on who is conveying the story. I, obviously, give Jeff Shaara an enthusiastic recommendation. With him, Dad and I both win.

Editor, "Of A Predatory Heart"

Excellent. A history teacher's review........2007-07-23

Shaara's writing just continues to improve as far as I'm concerned. Like many people, I was led to Jeff Shaara by way of his father's book "The Killer Angels." While he has never achieved that level of mastery, this is a very strong book - at times poignant, at times repugnant and always interesting.

Shaara's opening is strong and serves as a tremendous introduction to the vast devestation and inhumanity of the war. He focuses about half of the book on the new world of air power and the other half on an average foot soldier in the war. Pershing and other generals are thrown in from time to time to give the reader a wider view of the war. Those are essential as a plot device, but are not nearly as interesting as his portrayal of the fighting.

I give this one an enthusiastic grade of A.

Very dissapointing.......2007-06-01

I expected a lot from this book, hearing so much about Shaara and how he makes history read like literature. This was not the case at all though. The characters are all so stereotypical, the plot is stereotypical. I read a quarter of the book and had to stop because it got so tedious. He is more concerned with the history of what happened, not exploring the minds of the men that fought in the war.

to the last man.......2007-05-06

This is a not to be missed "novel", based on actual participants in the
Great War! I couldn't not put it down, I recommend highly this book to all who have an interest is the war or merely would like to learn more about the history of the war that changed the map of Europe

Key to understanding 20th century history.......2007-04-26

I never read any of Jeff Shaara's previous works and I knew very little about the Great War beyond the basics. This book follows very different aspects of this struggle from the horrors of trench warfare to early air warfare. The evolution of the AEF's leader General Black Jack Pershing is also contained therein showing some of the complex politics involved in the relationship between France, England and the fledgling AEF. Real people are the focus and the contrast of brutality and chivalry as well as the unbelievable waste of humanity is mind numbing.
It testifies to an effective end game strategy in a conflict to truly conclude a war rather than to sow the seeds for future conflict.

Average customer rating:

My first romantic novel in 15 years and I was unable to put it down until I was finished.
Wonderful read!
Fabulous!!
At last.
Brenda Joyce Series

A Lady At Last (de Warenne Dynasty)
Brenda Joyce
Manufacturer: HQN Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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Release Date: 2006-12-01

Book Description

Raised as a pirate's daughter, Amanda Carre has not been tutored in the finer social graces. Alone in the world, she has never depended on anyone, until fate intervenes when Cliff de Warenne rescues her from a mob at her father's hanging. Now she must set sail for England to find the mother she never knew, and her chaperone is an infamous ladies' man….

The greatest gentleman privateer of his era, Cliff knows honor demands that he see this beautiful wild child to London and into her socialite mother's arms. He's aware that Amanda is utterly unprepared for a debut in London's ton, so his only recourse is to become her guardian and champion her transformation into a lady--and find her a suitable match. But with every passing moment it becomes harder to deny his jealousy and ire--until Amanda makes her stunning debut, a lady at last. And when his passion is finally released, their love can no longer be denied.

Customer Reviews:

My first romantic novel in 15 years and I was unable to put it down until I was finished........2007-09-26

There was something so touching and sweet about this story. I almost missed work because I had been up all night reading it. Amanda is so desperate she offers herself to the governor in exchange for her father's pardon. Her despair, pain and vulnerability are so palpable despite her attempts to hide them behind her tomboysih and defiant exterior. The scene at her father's hanging brought tears to my eyes. Cliff DeWarrene's reaction to her plight and the way he came to her aid won me over. He was truly an honorable man. And he sincerely tried to think of her as an innocent child that needed to be taken care of, offering her his protection without expecting or even accepting anything in return. I found myself laughing out loud when I saw his jealous outbursts while he still denied his feelings for her. Brenda Joyce was very adept at developping these 2 characters and building/evolving their relationship. The sexual tension between them was always there, but she also took the time to build their friendship and their respect for each other. The fact that Cliff still preferred Amanda as "La Sauvage" versus the lady endeared him to me even more. This is basically the story of a gentleman sea captain, an unlikely damsel in distress with a lot of heart and spirit, a love story amid pirates, London's aristocracy, and the Jamaican Islands. What can you ask for more.

Wonderful read!.......2007-06-11

Wonderful read !
I have not read such a good novel in months ! And I devour books! Definitely a keeper.

Fabulous!!.......2007-05-20

An avid fan of romance novels, I just finished reading A Lady at Last and I absolutely adored this book. It will rank in my top ten amongst the hundreds of romance novels I've read.

The story of Cliff and Amanda is refreshing as the hero is not one of the typical brooding overly aggressive males. Instead he is a pure gentleman fighting his feelings and looking to truly take care of and look after the heroine. She is also a delight to read about as she tries to seduce her gaurdian.

Definitely give this one a read!

At last........2007-05-16

This is an excellent title for this book. I now realize that I have read at least one other of the series and will look for the rest because this book was very readable, the characters were interesting and I love series books. The two main characters in this book made me laugh and cry with them. Lovely book.

Brenda Joyce Series.......2007-05-16

This is the second book in a series of which I wish to have. The series has 4 books and the 5th book will be published this fall.

Robert Crais CD Collection: The Last Detective, The Forgotten Man, Hostage (Elvis Cole Novels)

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Robert Crais CD Collection: The Last Detective, The Forgotten Man, Hostage (Elvis Cole Novels)
Robert Crais
Manufacturer: Brilliance Audio on CD
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Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: 1597377260
Release Date: 2006-07-29

Book Description

The Last Detective:
While attorney Lucy Chenier is away on business and her ten-year-old son, Ben, is staying with Elvis, Ben disappears without a trace. Amid the maelstrom of personal conflicts, Elvis and his enigmatic partner Joe Pike are forced to consider a troubling lead - one indicating that Ben's disappearance is connected to a terrible, long-held secret from Elvis Cole's past.

The Forgotten Man:
Responding to a gunshot, the LAPD has found an injured man in an alleyway. He has told the officer on the scene that he is looking for his son, Elvis Cole. Minutes later, the man is dead. Elvis turns to the one person who can help him navigate the minefield of his past Â- his longtime partner and confidant, Joe Pike. At the same time, Elvis has no way of knowing he has awakened a sleeping monster.

Hostage:
In a sleepy suburb north of Los Angeles, a convenience-store robbery turns violent. With the police on their tail, three criminals flee the scene and invade a home in an exclusive gated community, taking captive a panicked father and his two children. Police chief Jeff Talley, a former hostage negotiator with the LAPD's SWAT unit, is now thrown back into the high-pressure world that he has so desperately tried to leave behind. But Talley's nightmare has barely begunÂ…

Athanasius Kircher: The Last Man Who Knew Everything

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Be careful
A Solid Edited Volume
Really Interesting Person!
Athanasius comma comma down

Athanasius Kircher: The Last Man Who Knew Everything

Manufacturer: Routledge
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ASIN: 0415940168

Book Description

Athanasius Kircher (1602-1680) -- German Jesuit, occultist, polymath - was one of most curious figures in the history of science. He dabbled in all the mysteries of his time: the heavenly bodies, sound amplification, museology, botany, Asian languages, the pyramids of Egypt -- almost anything incompletely understood. Kircher coined the term electromagnetism, printed Sanskrit for the first time in a Western book, and built a famous museum collection. His wild, beautifully illustrated books are sometimes visionary, frequently wrong, and yet compelling documents in the history of ideas. They are being rediscovered in our own time. This volume contains new essays on Kircher and his world by leading historians and historians of science, including Stephen Jay Gould, Ingrid Rowland, Anthony Grafton, Daniel Stoltzenberg, Paula Findlen, and Barbara Stafford.-

Customer Reviews:

Be careful.......2007-02-06

I just wanted to say that almost all of the illustrations in this book are of poor technical quality. They are incredibly pixelated. The publishers might have accidentally published working images and not the full resolution ones

A Solid Edited Volume.......2005-04-30

Athanasius Kircher hasn't been studied in a terribly coherent way, in general. He was a 17th-century Jesuit who studied everything, collected everything, and at times seemed to know everything. Perhaps most famously, he formulated translations for hieroglyphic inscriptions on Egyptian monuments and such; unfortunately, without the Rosetta Stone and Champollion, he was dead wrong about nearly all of this. Nevertheless he was a fascinating figure situated at a major crossroads of Baroque intellectual culture.

The negative about this volume is the usual one: because it is an edited volume, there still isn't any coherent argument made, nor any agreement. Indeed, it seems that the authors duck and weave around a number of major issues, as though they think others in the book will take them up. But since there is so little really serious scholarship readily available, this is an important addition to the little library.

I can't really say that there are certain "shining stars" in the volume. All the essays have strengths and weaknesses; it really depends what you're interested in. That may seem like a cop-out, but if you know something about Kircher, you can see why it comes up: he was interested in everything, after all, and generally published on it as well. Consequently you might be intrested in Egypt and find several essays interesting, and then think the essays on magnetism and biological wonders and Chinese very boring indeed. But what if you care mostly about Kircher's important contributions (often via Gaspar Schott) to the study of magnetism, and care nothing about linguistics? And so on.

Fortunately, the volume is a relatively inexpensive paperback, so there's no reason not to buy it and dip in. When Daniel Stolzenberg's book comes out, we'll maybe have a solid foundation to work from as well. Now if only we could get some decent editions of Kircher's actual work in translation....

Really Interesting Person!.......2004-03-10

----
I'm not sure Otto, in the previous review, put his review under the right book. His review isn't for THIS book, that's for sure!!!

I've just completed reading "Athanasius Kircher: The Last Man Who Knew Everything" 2004 edition. It is a VERY fascinating look at a man who lived in the 1600's. I'm glad I had the opportunity to read it!

Loved the book, and will recommend it!

Again, this is for the 2004, Hardcover edition.

Athanasius comma comma down.......2003-10-02

A non scriptural reference of southern disorders and phantasms pertaining to the jingoistic affluence of Post German and Pakastani laborers, and their economic hold on the museum quality replica industry of Midwestern South New Wales as they were studied at that time. Mastery and technique are key essential to this review of prescience and educated guesswork. We would suggest following any fifth or sixth reading with a short sabattical referendum amoung your peers and a public reading on prime time afternoon television. An absolute must if possible. If you are openminded and have a general understanding of specific ecclecticism you will love this book and it's demeanor.

Average customer rating:

Montana Reader

No Man's Land (The Last Gunfighter)
William W. Johnstone
Manufacturer: Pinnacle
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0786015446

Customer Reviews:

Montana Reader.......2004-08-18

An aging gunfighter, Frank Morgan, meets a wagon train on its way from Indiana to the gold fields of Colorado. Morgan suspects that their wagon master, Steve Wilson, is not what he portays himself to be and after enjoying the company of the train's members for the evening, he bids everyone a safe journey and leaves the train. Fearing treachery from Wilson, Morgan follows the wagons. His suspicions were confirmed when he found all of the men and boys killed, and wagons, women and girls missing. This sets the basis for Morgan's determination to find and rescue the women and lead them to their desired destinations. The plot includes women slavery, heartless killers, plenty of gunplay, a young Texan Ranger and a kind-hearted couple who helps Morgan when he needs it most. The character development is crisp, and the warming love between the aging Morgan and widower Dixie Carpenter leaves the reader cheering for a long, sucessful future for the two and for an answer to Morgan's growing desire to end the violence that hounds him.

You'll enjoy this one.

Love Last Forever (Love Spectrum Romance)

Average customer rating:

Love Lasts Forever was an enjoyable read
A Good Book
Wonderful Book
'Kindred' for romance fans
A well crafted IR romance story

Love Last Forever (Love Spectrum Romance)
Dominiqua Douglas
Manufacturer: Genesis Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 158571187X

Customer Reviews:

Love Lasts Forever was an enjoyable read.......2007-06-22

I didn't expect to find myself enjoying it quite so much since one it was partially set 1800's my ancestors were still in slavery, and I've always had a hard time dealing with that paricular era of American history. With that said it was a very romantic read. Thor was a wonderful hero, who finds out that life isn't over when you get knocked down, and his visit to his families past opens his eyes and his heart. Willow was warm and loving and courageous, and I love seeing heroines written that way. Escapism yes as all romance novels should be with angst and misunderstanding and deep love found by two well deserving people who both fought for justice in a time when one risked life and limb but realizing both that the rights of human beings are worth fighting for and if you find love along the way with a little help from a timepiece filled with magic well it's a good book to curl up with and enjoy. Definitely well edited and well recieved by me. I'd definitely buy another of Ms. Douglas' books can't wait till she graces us again with her talent.

JohnandVan
JV

A Good Book.......2007-03-24

I liked this book. Thor was a well crafted character and Willow was very likeable. The end dragged on a bit but the book was still a delightful read. We definately need more IR SCIFI books out there. This was a great addition to the bunch.

Wonderful Book.......2007-02-25

As far as IR romances go, this is one of the best ones I have read in a very long time. The characters were very believable. Although the book was reminiscent of Octavia Butler's Kindred, it more than held it's own. I can't wait to read her next novel.

'Kindred' for romance fans.......2007-02-04

Great story! Ms. Douglas truly has a gem here. I've read quite a few books by this publisher, but most have been awful. This is one of the best IR stories I've read. Throw in time travel, and it's Octavia Butler's 'Kindred' with a romance twist. The stories are different, but I liken them to each other b/c of the time travel.

At first, I was confused/skeptical because while in Kindred, it was obvious that the characters were switching worlds, this book appeared to have been done as a dream. That was my only point of confusion. Other than that....EXCELLENT!

A well crafted IR romance story.......2006-08-24

This book is definitely a keeper. It was engaging from start to finish. It was very well written and edited so was an easy read
(unlike some novels in this genre I could name).

This novel did many things right. Firstly it got the romance aspect correct between the main characters Thor and Willow. One could relate to the characters and believe that they fell in love. Also the chemistry between the two was hot. Next it skillfully wove the element of time travel. Thor travels back in time and meets Willow whom he falls in love with. Lastly the historical aspect of coming from a modern world and going back to days of slavery was treated in a credible manner. It was also interesting how one might react meeting their forebearers. Combining all the various elements together has produced a great romantic read.

Breaking the Rules: Last-Ditch Tactics for Landing the Man of Your Dreams

Average customer rating:

funny but true
Deliciously neurotic!

Breaking the Rules: Last-Ditch Tactics for Landing the Man of Your Dreams
Laura Banks , and Janette Barber
Manufacturer: Career Pr Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1564142965

Customer Reviews:

funny but true.......2004-02-15

M's Banks and M's Barber show us how life can be more fun f we would only "break the rules" of dating. You remember that book, right? Let him make the first move, wait for him to call _you_, don't act too eager to see him - you know, all that stuff your mom or girlfriends told you to do that seemed so stupid at the time.
The lovely ladies suggest that "if he has a pulse, you have a date" and instructs the available females on how and where to meet these men. It's a funny book but has a lot of truth in it, especially one of my favorite passages: "...stop waiting for some nonexistent guy to come along and save you. Get over it. This is it. Get a job and buy your own stuff."
If you find yourself laughing at that quote or at the least agreeing with it, you will really enjoy this book. However, if you're still waiting for Prince Charming to show up, you probably won't like this book - you definitely need it, but you won't like it. I recommend this book highly for all those who can laugh at the dating game.

Deliciously neurotic!.......1998-08-30

You must read this book if you have read "The Rules" and have a sense of humor. The authors are hilarious; I laughed out loud while reading in public even. My favorite quote from the book pretty much sums it up: "PMS is a gift given to women, biological permission, if you will, to torture, maim and paralyze men."

Last Man Standing: The Tragedy and Triumph of Geronimo Pratt

Average customer rating:

can't completely review this item yet as I haven't finished reading it, but so far it's good.
Tragedy and Triumph
The Cure for Your Despair
Amazing book, Amazing man
One of the Best books I ever laid my hands on

Last Man Standing: The Tragedy and Triumph of Geronimo Pratt
Jack Olsen
Manufacturer: Anchor
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

African-American & Black | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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Blood in My Eye
Seize the Time: The Story of the Black Panther Party and Huey P. Newton
We Want Freedom: A Life in the Black Panther Party
Still Black, Still Strong (Active Agents)
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ASIN: 0385493681
Release Date: 2001-11-06

Book Description

Jack Olsen's Last Man Standing is the gripping story of Geronimo Pratt, war hero and community leader, who was framed by the FBI in one of the greatest travesties of justice in American history.

Geronimo Pratt did not commit the murder for which he served twenty-seven nightmarish years. As a UCLA student, though, he had led the Los Angeles Chapter of the Black Panther Party, and became a target of the FBI. Here is the spellbinding saga of Pratt, his heroic lawyers, Johnnie Cochran and Stuart Hanlon, and the Reverend James McCloskey, who overcame all the odds to bring the truth to light and free Geronimo.

Customer Reviews:

can't completely review this item yet as I haven't finished reading it, but so far it's good........2007-02-22

I wanted to know the real scoop for years on the Geronimo Pratt case. Although I'm not yet finished reading the book, it is very obvious that Mt. Pratt got screwed, like so many others caught up in the "good old USA" system. Obviously this one is a case of racial prejudice, but it could have just as easily been some other kind of prejudice. It is clear that the concept of "innocent until proven guilty" is just a nice theory that should be strictly adhered to but rarely is. The presumed guilt is clear from the get go on the part of the police. It continues on to the top with lies and deception on the part of the police to get a conviction at any cost, especially with regard to the truth. It's frightening and a relief to know it's not me. But next time it could be me, or anyone who gets targeted by individuals in a position of power, who have no integrity, and don't give a hoot about the constitution of the US.

Tragedy and Triumph.......2006-04-20

This is certainly one of the best books I've ever read. Jack Olsen did an outstanding job of weaving together all the facts in a highly readable narrative of one of the most blatant chapters of injustice in 20th century legal history.

I already had considerable knowledge of the case before I read this book. In the early 1990s, the case was being publicized again. I was a reporter for Wave Newspapers in Los Angeles and journeyed with a co-worker to the state prison at Tehachapi where Pratt was then being held and we interviewed him. I then wrote several stories about his situation.

Pratt was imprisoned for 27 years for a crime he clearly did not commit. The prosecution was part of the FBI's notorious COINTELPRO operation-essentially a war against numerous dissenting groups in the 1960s including the Black Panther Party. As Olsen makes clear, in Pratt's case this also involved LAPD and the L.A. County District Attorney's office.

Pratt was convicted of the December 1968 Santa Monica tennis-court murder of school teacher Caroline Olsen. There was considerable doubt about the credibility of key-witness Julius Butler, who had a previous falling out with Pratt, and was later proven to be an informant. (When I was a reporter, I actually contacted Butler. He yelled that he was "tired of this" and hung up on me.) Plus, numerous other Panthers could have confirmed he was at a meeting in Oakland the day of the murder but most wouldn't testify because of a severe split in the ranks.

Appeal after appeal was turned down despite more and more evidence being discovered pointing to Pratt's innocence. In all probability the crime was committed by two low-level Panther members to obtain money for drugs.

That ties in with the only complaint I would make about Olsen's book. He really glossed over the fact that the FBI and police campaign against the Panthers (which I am not defending) was not just because of their militant political rhetoric. They had a lot of criminal types within the group.

Regardless, this is an extraordinary book about another era and the governmental abuses of that time. Johnnie Cochran redeemed himself in my eyes by getting Pratt released. That was after he was involved in a travesty of justice, himself, by getting O.J. Simpson off. But that's another story.

The Cure for Your Despair.......2004-12-01

The courage and essential goodness of Geronimo Pratt, in spite of receiving a life sentence for a crime he did not commit, is truly inspiring. This is a wonderful book.

Amazing book, Amazing man.......2003-06-15

Geronimo Pratt had one of the most honorable and incredible lives I have ever heard of. This book documents his entire life, from is Morgan City childhood to his unjust incarceration for the murder of Caroline Olsen. I literally had trouble putting this book down. It is a great read for anyone interested in the judicial system, the FBI's COINTELPRO, the Black Panther Party, and racism in general. READ THIS BOOK!!!

One of the Best books I ever laid my hands on.......2003-02-20

This book should be mandatory reading for every black person when they turn 15 years old. To read what the gov't put this man through was utterly shocking. After you read this book read "The Judas Factor - The Plot to Kill Malcolm X." You'll be numb after reading these two books back to back.

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