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.

LEADERSHIP AND TRAINING FOR THE FIGHT: A FEW THOUGHTS ON LEADERSHIP AND TRAINING FROM A FORMER SPECIAL OPERATIONS SOLDIER

Average customer rating:

Should be required reading for LE and Military personnel
Howe does not disapoint
No Punches Pulled
Excellent
Solid thoughts from a BTDT operator

LEADERSHIP AND TRAINING FOR THE FIGHT: A FEW THOUGHTS ON LEADERSHIP AND TRAINING FROM A FORMER SPECIAL OPERATIONS SOLDIER
PAUL, R. HOWE
Manufacturer: AuthorHouse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1420889508

Book Description

This book will pursue an honest and frank discussion of leadership and training that is applicable to the military, law enforcement and the business world. It provides accounts of leadership successes and failures under the most severe conditions.

Customer Reviews:

Should be required reading for LE and Military personnel.......2007-09-25

I didn't know what to expect from this book when I purchased it. I simply wanted to read the thoughts and ideas of a well respected and highly experienced leader. What I got out of this book is simply amazing. Howe has an uncanny ability to get right down to the core issues. He does this through a little bit of intrigue, a ton of valuable insight, and a bit of humor on top. He has that rare ability to get his point across without sounding like a preacher. Through my experiences in the military and Law Enforcement I can more clearly see how leadership should be approached. I believe that my abilities greatly improved due to the insight I gained from this book. This should be required reading for all military and law enforcement personnel.

Howe does not disapoint.......2007-08-23

Should be a standard on LE trainers bookshelf for constant review, study & strive to match the standards within.

No Punches Pulled.......2007-07-08

A brilliant evaluation of lessons learned on the battle field. This book is useful for anyone who finds themselves in a leadership role or who desires to be in leadership. MSG Howe takes real world encounters from his personal experience and cites examples of what went right and what went wrong. A must for the library.

Excellent.......2007-06-27

This book addresses issues that have plagued men in combat situations for years. This should be required reading for all members of the U.S. Military and law enforcement, and on all of the professional reading lists.

Solid thoughts from a BTDT operator.......2007-06-06

Good read. I especially liked the "stories" of previous missions or encounters before each section. A lot of his thoughts and suggestions, to me, seem to be common sense. But after being in the desert myself, clearly its uncommon sense.

Worth multiple reads, if not a study.

Average customer rating:

Colin Powell: serving the USA for almost 50 years
What a Man
Colin Powell: soldier of good fortune
A Good Soldier to the End
Service to the Nation

Soldier: The Life of Colin Powell
Karen DeYoung
Manufacturer: Knopf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1400041708
Release Date: 2006-10-10

Book Description

Over the course of a lifetime of service to his country, Colin Powell became a national hero, a beacon of wise leadership and, according to polls, “the most trusted man in America.” From his humble origins as the son of Jamaican immigrants to the highest levels of government in four administrations, he helped guide the nation through some of its most heart-wrenching hours. Now, in the first full biography of one of the most admired men of our time, award-winning Washington Post journalist Karen DeYoung takes us from Powell’s Bronx childhood and meteoric rise through the military ranks to his formative roles in Washington’s corridors of power and his controversial tenure as secretary of state.

With psychological acumen and a reporter’s eye for detail, DeYoung introduces us to the racially integrated neighborhood where Powell grew up, his courtship of and marriage to Alma Johnson, and his years as a promising young Army officer. We are witness to the pivotal events that helped shaped his world view, including two tours of duty in Vietnam, where he was disillusioned by a breakdown in leadership and the lack of a clear objective, and a 1988 meeting as President Reagan’s national security adviser with Mikhail Gorbachev, who looked at him dead-on and effectively declared an end to the Cold War. We are privy to his reasoning as the architect of Operation Desert Storm and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton, a position that made him a household name and an international celebrity. And we experience his agonizing deliberations in the face of a groundswell of public desire that he run for the presidency.

Yet it was his capacity as America’s chief diplomat in the administration of George W. Bush that brought Powell the most renown—and criticism. Charged with the formidable task of making the case for war with Iraq, he convinced a wary nation that it was both necessary and right, only to find his own credibility hanging in the balance as the justification for invasion began to unravel. At odds with the White House on a range of foreign policy issues, Powell’s counsel went unheeded and his reputation was tarnished.

With dramatic new information about the inner workings of an administration locked in ideological combat, DeYoung makes clearer than ever before the decision-making process that took the nation to war and addresses the still-unanswered questions about Powell’s departure from his post shortly after the 2004 election. Drawing on interviews with U.S. and foreign sources as well as with Powell himself, and with unprecedented access to his personal and professional papers, Soldier is a revelatory portrait of an American icon: a man at once heroic and all-too-humanly fallible.

Customer Reviews:

Colin Powell: serving the USA for almost 50 years.......2007-06-30

This biography of Colin Powell is very impressive. It details both his career as a serviceman and then as a political appointee for a period totalling almost 50 years.

As a non-American, it is interesting to read a biography of an individual who is both influential in terms of the positions he has held, and a positive role model for many. Colin Powell comes across as a fundamentally decent human being in an environment where power can have a corrosive effect.

I recommend this biography to anyone who wants to know more about Colin Powell and his life and times, as well as to anyone interested in understanding the world events and political influences within which he served the USA.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

What a Man.......2007-06-28

One of the best biographies of a political character that I have ever read. There are times where I lose track of who the players are and what a particular politician or officer's title means. Yet, overall I was able to follow what was going on and how it affected our nation. Powell did an excellent job of speaking at the Speaker Series. He was smooth and easy to follow with quips and humorous antidotes throughout the evening. He reminded me of that member of everyone's family who is easy to talk to and one who people are drawn to. That is probably why he has been such a great leader of our generation.

Colin Powell: soldier of good fortune.......2007-04-24

With Colin Powell, what you see is what you get. Karen DeYoung's exhaustive biography of the former secretary of state reveals a man who prioritized loyalty and military values. The respect shown Powell over the years is a reflection of his deep-rooted strength of conviction, subdued yet commanding personality, and sense of decency. A career soldier who served two tours of duty in Vietnam and commanded the 1991 Persian Gulf War victory, Powell dealt in the power of the chain of command. How that served - or, late in his career may have disserved - him and his country is at the crux of this book. DeYoung, an associate editor at The Washington Post, flexes her considerable reportorial muscle as she whisks you past every security checkpoint, and into the midst of sensitive and historic meetings at the highest levels of government. We highly recommend this fascinating and riveting look at an American hero who played the game as best as he could - even though the other guys made the rules.

A Good Soldier to the End.......2007-03-19

While this is a biography about the man, I think the real importance of this book is the insight it gives into the decision made to attack Iraq. Colin Powell was in the middle of that decision, his speech to the United Nations mirrored the certainty felt at the time that Iraq had and was expanding their WMD's.

This is now known to be false, and the more radical Democrats have adopted as a mantra: 'Bush lied.' But it is becoming ever more clear that the beliefs in WMD's were simply wrong rather than 'Bush lied.'

The other aspects of the book regarding decision making in the Bush White House are also intrigueing. Ms. DeYoung is certainly no fan of V. P. Cheney. But this is not the main thrust of the book, it is instead on Powell, a decent, well meaning, very bright man, but a soldier of the 'shut up and follow orders school,' rather than the leader in his own right.

It will be interesting to see what happens to Powell in the future. He is now 70 years old, but certainly shows no outward signs of age. Would a more central Republican president want him somewhere in his administration? Would Obama? I can't see Hilary wanting him around. Ms DeYoung's book shows Powell to be a very bright senior manager, but not the insightful creative leader.

Service to the Nation.......2007-03-03

This is an unauthorized biography of Colin Powell but contains many excerpts from his autobiography, My American Journey, and includes interviews with him. Being that the author is able to interview other persons involved in his life, Karen DeYoung is able to analyze certain events from a neutral third person perspective. This is the strength of the book as she objectively presents both his critics view and his counter viewpoint. Events such as Mai Lai in Vietnam, the Iran-Contra scandal, and the response to the 9-11-2001 attacks on the United States are discussed.

The first third of the book presents pretty much the same information that was presented in his early life, pre- Vietnam, as written in is autobiography. The second third of the book covers his military years that is again similar to his autobio, but includes much more analysis.

Critics complain of Powell's lack of military command time and he spent too much time in Washington DC to have been promoted to a Four Star General. However, the author presents the events as they occurred and allows the reader to analyze the events and the working behind the US government to make their own decision. There is no doubt in my mind that he was successful as Chairman and that his military time spent in Washington DC benefited the nation as a whole.

It was truly enlightening on reading how President Reagan personally requested that General Powell return to the White House to correct the problems that resulted from Iran Contra. His interactions with the different Presidents from Carter, Reagan, Bush, and Clinton along with how their staffs worked, or rather didn't work together in the case of Clinton, was very insightful. The basics of organization, professional courtesy (such as returning a phone call or personally replying to an email), and conducting a meeting are presented and can be compared between administrations.

The final third of the book covers the period of time after his military retirement. His thoughts towards running for President, his attempts to bring the Republican Party back to moderation, and why he did not run for office is discussed. The book also discusses his time as Secretary of State and the challenges it posed in dealing with the extremist views of the Vice President and Secretary of Defense and the Deputy Sec Def in 2002.

The book can be infuriating at times when one reads how certain politicians chose to ignore Mr. Powell's world life experience and advice after 9-11. Certain appointees have their views, but they are at times not in the best interest of this nation, its citizens, and the world community. Mr. Powell has been the voice of reason trying to prevent extremist views (of both political parties) from dominating our government's policies for the past three decades.

Was he the "odd man out" as Secretary of State? The reader can decide for themselves, but one thing is certain, Mr. Powell has served our nation with distinction and honor. This book presents a balanced viewpoint on his life, his accomplishments, and allows the reader to determine if the criticisms of him are fair or unjustified.

Some current readers may try to compare a senator from Illinois, Mr. O, to Mr. Powell, but to do so is unfair to Mr. Powell. Mr. Powell has served this country for decades while the other is a first term senator with little experience.

Recommend reading this book at least for at least the last two thirds regarding the insights into the inner workings and dynamics of our nation's government over the past few administrations. Am not sure about recommending ownership of this book, however as it is can be a bit dry and slow to read in certain portions. The last third of the book covers a lot of his life that was not included in his autobio and may be worth including into a supporter's collection.

Holt Collier: His Life, His Roosevelt Hunts, and the Origin of the Teddy Bear

Average customer rating:

A Great Biography of a Little Known Historical Figure
Spellbinding!!
Amazing New Biography
The Ultimate Man of the Delta
Phenomenally intriguing, accurate, and detailed.

Holt Collier: His Life, His Roosevelt Hunts, and the Origin of the Teddy Bear
Minor Ferris Buchanan
Manufacturer: Centennial Press of Mississippi, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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

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Book Description

On November 14, 2002, the 100th anniversary of the world famous Teddy Bear will be celebrated. The origin of the Teddy Bear stems from an occasion when President Theodore Roosevelt visited the wilderness of Mississippi in hopes of killing a black bear. He was guided on this hunt by Holt Collier, a former slave, Confederate veteran (yes-amazing though it sounds), Texas cowboy, Mississippi lawman, and noted pioneer. He is known to have killed over 3,000 bear in his lifetime, more than Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett combined. Roosevelt, who also hunted with Collier in Louisiana in 1907, called him "the greatest hunter and guide I have ever known."

Collier killed many white men, several in Mississippi. One exciting incident in his biography is a detailed description of the gunfight at Washburn's Ferry where Collier out-drew the notorious Louisiana outlaw Travis Elmore Sage. He was prosecuted only once-for the murder of a Union captain after the Civil War-but he was acquitted. Collier was famous nationally during his lifetime, but the racial atmosphere in Mississippi for the last eighty years kept his remarkable story from being told. There is no detailed and authoritative work on Holt Collier or the origin of the Teddy Bear other than this book.

Customer Reviews:

A Great Biography of a Little Known Historical Figure.......2007-10-16

Although this book would probably be considered politically incorrect by the black community because it relate Collier's devotion to the South and the Confederate cause, it fills a void that's long existed in telling the true history of Mississippi's past. This book takes us through Collier's entire life from slavery through his final years in retirement when he became invisible and forgotten in the annals of history. It also does a good job in telling the story of Teddy Roosevelt bear hunt that led to the creation of the "Teddy Bear" as a result of the Nast cartoon. And it tells us that the legend that grew out of that hunt was in many ways incorrect or an oversimplification of the event.

Minor Buchanan does not approach this as a quick book project to make a few bucks by assembling a collection of anecdotes he collected around the state. He poured all his free time into research for quite a long time before even getting to the point of putting together a cogent retelling of Holt Collier's life. I've had the pleasure of knowing Minor for some years and can say that I have seen how devoted he has been to this project and how much he likes to talk about the history of this unique individual, especially things that he learned that simply couldn't be fit into the book's written word.

Spellbinding!!.......2003-07-15

This is a must-read book for anyone interested in any of the following topics: African-American History, hunting, Theodore Roosevelt, Southern History, the Civil War, and William Faulkner. As an avid Faulkner reader, I cannot help but conclude that Holt Collier is the real-life person upon which the pivotal character of Sam Fathers is based. Beyond this observation, the book is well researched and is an excellent read. You will not be disappointed. HOLT COLLIER deserves a wide audience and should be assigned reading.

Amazing New Biography.......2002-12-24

Brilliantly written non-fiction biography using countless primary sources. An amazing new character never before presented to the general public. If this book had not been sent to me as a present I would have never heard of it. Apparently it has been sold only as a regional book, but I can assure any reader, it will have a national following in due course. Very highly recommended. Well worth the read. You will come away from this book thinking about it for weeks, and frankly, you will soon pick it up to read it again.

The Ultimate Man of the Delta.......2002-12-10

As a history major in college I developed a taste for the truth that can only be found in biographies. Over the years I have kept a small library in my home and under my bed to read at night, prior to retiring. The book by Mr. Buchanan is a detailed, accurate account of this man and his relationships to the men around him and his world. Being a product of the Mississippi Delta, I can see Holt Collier in the deep bayou's of the old Delta, hunting the bears. I admire the writer's style in his ability to place me there beside Holt all along the way in this book. There, in the realities of Holt's world, the reader walks his paths, thinks his thoughts, and feels the anger he feels.

Finally I would like to thank Mr. Buchanan for this effort and look forward to seeing more of his work in the future.

Phenomenally intriguing, accurate, and detailed........2002-11-07

Minor Ferris Buchanan excells in this historical document of Holt Collier: an ex-slave, Confederate soldier, and excellent big-game hunter. I found the portrayal of this very accomplished individual more intriguing and inspiring than any other Afro-American biography I've ever come across (including those of Frederick Douglass, Booker T. Washington, W.E.B. Du Bois, Jackie Robinson, Martin Luther King Jr., and Malcolm X)
I loved it!

Biggest Brother : The Life of Major Dick Winters, The Man Who Led the Band of Brothers

Average customer rating:

A must-read for Band of Brothers "Buffs"
Gripping biography of a 20th century warrior
A great read about a great man
Outstanding soldier and leader...yet a humble man
Curahee!

Biggest Brother : The Life of Major Dick Winters, The Man Who Led the Band of Brothers
Larry Alexander
Manufacturer: Amazon Remainders Account
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: B000EPFVFA

Book Description

In every band of brothers, there is always one who looks out for the rest.

A soldier. A leader. A living testament to the valor of the human spirit. Major Richard D. Winters finally shares his amazing story.

They were the Easy Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Army Airborne, the legendary fighting unit of World War II. And there was one man every soldier in Easy Company looked up to-Major Richard D. Winters.

Here, for the first time, is the compelling story of an ordinary man who became an extraordinary hero-from Winters's childhood in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, through the war years in which his natural skill as a leader elevated him through the ranks in combat, to now, decades later, when he may finally be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions on D-Day.

Full of never-before-seen photographs and the insight that family, friends, fellow veterans of Easy Company-and only Winters himself-could provide, Biggest Brother is the inspiring life story of a man who became a living testament to the valor of the human spirit-and America.

Customer Reviews:

A must-read for Band of Brothers "Buffs".......2007-09-05

This is a very well written book about Major Winters' life.

Reading this book has also been a fantastic exercise in having multiple perspectives on historical topics. I'm happy to have read it, because it shows how important it is to get multiple perspectives on any situation if you seek full understanding.

For example, from Band of Brothers, during the "Crossroads" charge in Holland, where Winters faces the young SS soldier (and then shoots him...and others). This book puts Winters heroism in more proper perspective. He did not simply scale the embankment to find a surprised (and unarmed) soldier on the other side. In reality, the two had already exchanged grenade tosses. Winters forgot to remove the tape from his grenade lever. The German was still cowering from a grenade that never exploded, and it gave Winters the advantage. This is quite important to know.

This book demonstrates how Ambrose had to "cut corners" in order to condense the memories of many men into one singular tale. I believe this book should be required reading for anyone in academia that is doing research on the 501st and their activity in Europe. I also suggest you read "Parachute Infantry" by Daniel K. Webster.

Gripping biography of a 20th century warrior.......2007-08-25

After seeing the HBO Band of Brothers series a couple of times, I ran across this book about Major Winters. This is an engaging and well-written account of a true American hero. However, if you have read Ambrose Band of Brothers book (that started the recent surge of interest) or have seen the HBO mini-series, you will find much of the content here matching those accounts. In fact, you will be able to predict what aspect of the story will come next through about 80% of this book as it tracks Easy company from Tacoa to The Eagle's Nest. It tracks Winters throughout his whole life, up to the present.

Easy company is fascinating for many reasons, but historically because they were at the tip of the spear for so much of the European theater of WWII. The stories here are told from Major Winters perspective however, and that tends to personalize them more than I experienced from the HBO mini-series. For example, in this book, Winters writes many of his experiences to a lady named DeEtta. These letters and the long distance relationship, forlorn romance etc. add a very human dimension to the crazy things happening as he was leading Easy company. He is very transparent with DeEtta in the letters.

There are other interesting personal observations Winters makes throughout the book. For example, the arrogance and ineptness of many high-ranking officers is repeatedly described. Winters gives names and accounts in this area. Their aloofness and inability to admit they aren't well suited for war is placed in contrast to Winters, who is practically tailor made for the job he is thrust into by the needs of history and his own capabilities. He also generally holds a low opinion of British soldiers in the field of battle, finding them repeatedly impractical and detached from what is important. One aspect of this book that is also present in the mini-series is Winters approach to leadership. Winters is friendly with his subordinates, but not actually friends. This is a tricky line to walk but it seems natural to him.

Winters conveys an unwritten, and unpopular, theme about war in the book, especially in the area of death. It is this: Don't be foolhardy. Many soldiers will die due to no fault of their own. But, many others will die due to lack of clear-headed thinking or foolhardy/misplaced bravery. Winters is frequently brave, but he is always deliberate and calculating in his actions. That doesn't guarantee survival, but it certainly helps. I've never been to war, and I'm glad of it, but I think there is a life-lesson there for all of us.

Some other interesting observations about Winters I like:
- Underachiever in high school.
- Became very disciplined physically and mentally during college.
- Grew up in a Mennonite community. When the war seemed inevitable, he could wait for the draft to start, or
"beat them to the punch and enlist, and satisfy his one year military obligations to his country. Winters chose the latter... At one point he considered drawing on his Mennonite background...Winters soon realized he was not a conscientious objector and to say so would be a lie." p29

Later chapters of the book cover Winters occupations after the war, becoming older and essentially acting as the historian for Easy company for decades while hardly anyone seemed to care. The book then comes closer to the present and talks about meeting Ambrose, reunions with surviving Easy members, Tom Hanks and others for the HBO mini-series. This is pretty fascinating material not found in the Ambrose book, or the TV mini-series.

The book tells about the strange tensions, sacrifices (both large and small), horrors, and insanity of war through the eyes of a genuine American hero. If it were about anyone else, I would find the combination of integrity, heroics and insight into difficult situations hard to believe. But, the Easy company story and Winters are well documented and have living testimonials to back them up. There have to be some feet-firmly-on-the-ground heros that actually help win giant wars, and Winters is one. If you like Major Winters and want to learn a lot about him, this is your book.

A great read about a great man.......2007-08-08

It's refreshing to read about someone with principles in a leadership position. The book was well written, uses sources that weren't available in the Band of Brothers (112 letters) and paints a picture of what Major Winter's and Easy Company went through. It also talks about after the war and the process of writing and later producing the Band of Brothers. If you liked BofB, you will like this...great book!

Outstanding soldier and leader...yet a humble man.......2007-07-27

What a fantastic biography this is about Richard Winters the leader of the 506th Easy Company. This starts off with the hair-raising account of his encounters over Normandy on June 5th and 6th 1944. This quiet yet focused man from Pennsylvania led a bunch of hardened steeled soldiers thru the thick of the fighting in France, Holland, Belgium and Germany in 1944 and 1945. After the war the book recounts Dick Winter's troubled transition back into civilian life and how he started a family yet kept correspondence with his soldiers after WWII.
The book also pays attention to Major Winters contribution to HBO's "Band Of Brothers" mini-series, the recoginition this outstanding series got, and what Major Winters is doing today (as of 2004).
I salute Major Winters for his leadership, compassion, insight and focus.

Excellent Read!

Curahee!.......2007-07-09

For anyone who follows or is interested in the stories of Easy Company, Company E/506th PIR, 101st Airborne Division, this book is a must! It is a treasure. Thanks to Larry Anderson for writing this book on Major Dick Winters and the men of Easy. Anyone reading this will be deeply moved and never forget what the "Band of Brothers" of Easy sacrificed on D-Day up to V-E Day. Get to know the man behind the leader/hero so many were willing to follow without a blink. An timeless story. A must for any book collection!

Hard Marching Every Day: The Civil War Letters of Private Wilbur Fisk, 1861-1865 (Modern War Studies)

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Hard Marching Every Day: The Civil War Letters of Private Wilbur Fisk, 1861-1865 (Modern War Studies)
Emil Rosenblatt
Manufacturer: University Press of Kansas
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0700605290

Book Description

As a war correspondent, Wilbur Fisk was an amateur, yet his letters to the Montpelier Green Mountain Freeman comprise one of the finest collections of Civil War letters in existence. "Literary gems," historian Herman Hattaway calls them. "In fact, they are so good that it would be believable that some expert novelist had created them."

But Fisk was no novelist. He was a rural school teacher from Vermont, primarily self-educated, who enlisted in the Union Army simply because he believed he would regret it later if he didn't.

Unlike professional war correspondents, Private Fisk had no access to rank or headquarters. Instead, he wrote of life as a private--as one of the foot soldiers who slept in the mud and obeyed orders no matter how incomprehensible.

Between December 11, 1861, and July 26, 1865, Fisk wrote nearly 100 letters from the battlefield. At the beginning of the war he was exuberant and eager for contact with the enemy. Two years later, Fisk was disillusioned and war weary. "The rebel dead and ours lay thickly together, their thirst for blood forever quenched. Their bodies were swollen, black, and hideously unnatural. They eyes glared from their sockets, their tongues protruded from their mouths, and in almost every case, clots of blood and mangled flesh showed how they had died, and rendered a sight ghastly beyond description. I thought I had become hardened to almost anything, but I cannot say I ever wish to see another sight like that I saw on the battle-field of Gettysburg."

Fisk wrote as eloquently on the moral and political issues behind the war as he did on the everyday hardships of life in the Army of the Potomac. He saw the war as a question of right and wrong and he continued to believe that it had to be fought, even after he was well acquainted with its horror and pointlessness.

This book is part of the Modern War Studies series.

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A MUST READ ! ! !

It sounds so prophetic

A must read

Excellent

An Extraordinary Biography and Full Frontal View of War

"I'm Staying with My Boys..." The Heroic Life of Sgt. John Basilone, USMC
jim Proser , and Jerry Cutter
Manufacturer: Lightbearer Communications Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Quiet Hero: The Untold Medal of Honor Story of George E. Wahlen at the Battle for Iwo Jima

Brotherhood of Heroes: The Marines at Peleliu, 1944--The Bloodiest Battle of the Pacific War

God Isn't Here: A Young American's Entry into World War II and His Participation in the Battle for Iwo Jima

The Pacific Warriors: The U.S. Marines in World War II: A Pictorial Tribute

I'm staying with my boys...the Heroic Life of Sgt John Basilone USMC

ASIN: 0975546104

Product Description

I'M STAYING WITH MY BOYS... is a first-hand look inside the life of one of the greatest heroes of the greatest generation. Sgt. John Basilone was lauded by General Douglas MacArthur as ...A ONE MAN ARMY and awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic defense of a vital airfield early in World War 2. It was the turning point of the war and Basilones foxhole was the site of the turning point in that battle. Distinctive among military biographies, the story is narrated by Sgt. Basilone himself allowing readers to experience the development of Johnny Basilone, the aimless youth, into Gunnery Sergeant MANILA JOHN Basilone, the clear-eyed warrior, undefeated light-heavyweight boxer and nationally revered war hero. This publication is the only family-authorized biography. The story is woven with surprising personal details such as Sgt. Basilones uncanny premonitions. Three times he confided to his family unlikely visions of his future. All three times the visions came to pass - including the final one that foretold his death. In spite of his final revelation, and true to his unwavering dedication to his men, he returned to battle and was killed on the beach at Iwo Jima - an emotional true story

Customer Reviews:

A MUST READ ! ! !.......2005-09-15

My friend loaned me this book to read and I must say that it gave me a new found appreciation of what those men and women did for us in WWII. This book was very easy to read, and should be included in the curriculum of every Recent American History course taught in High School or College. I HIGHLY recommend picking up a copy of this book. I have already purchased a copy for myself after reading my friends copy.

It sounds so prophetic.......2005-01-26

He knew he was going to die, and he just kept on fighting. He never abandoned his marines and thats just what he should have done. Its how the writer makes this so real that is so inspiring, not that his deeds werent great, but there have probably been thousands who have done just what he did, they just werent famous. But overall this is a good book. I like how it takes us to a time when being "patriotic" didnt get us arrested or sued.

A must read.......2005-01-06

Wonderfully moving and well written insight into a true American hero. It is a must read for all patriotic Americans and almost a responsiblity for us all to be aware of one of the US Marine's best.

Excellent.......2004-10-25

If you are interested in a personal story of WWII, then this is an excellent book. Rather than getting into the details of the conflicts this book focuses on the personal story of John Basilone - one of the handful of true American Heroes from WWII.

Written in the first person with an ample dose of personal details from his family, this book truly brings Manilla John back to life for many. I've been studying WWII for only 10 years and have read my share of the technical assessments of the important battles in WWII. This book stands out in my mind because it puts the reader in touch with the qualities of America's best young men and women of the 1940's; selflessness, courage, a supreme sense of duty, and in Basilon's case, a supreme sense of destiny.

Highly recommended for anyone with a passing interest in WWII, or for anyone who wants to learn about what made America's young people "tick" 60 years ago.

An Extraordinary Biography and Full Frontal View of War.......2004-08-28

Author and Film Producer Jim Prosser has created a richly detailed, raptly written, devastatingly powerful book about the life of American War hero John Basilone. This book is especially pungent at this time in history because it revives a lost tradition of the country's view of maritime heroism. Since the atrocities of the Vietnam mistake to the present harrowing details of a similar (or worse) war in Iraq the concept of war is now very much in a negative light. Even the words 'war hero' seem an oxymoron, so strident are the feelings about America's latest aggressions. But to appreciate this fine book requires a return to the mindset of the US during World War II when not only was Europe under the vile threat of Hitler and Mussolini, but the Japanese warriors were annihilating China, Korea, and ultimately the Philippines in the mission to own the Pacific Ocean. And even in those early years the threat seemed frightening but distant until the Japanese successfully decimate the US Pacific Fleet on December 7, 1941. That incident unified the country, creating a fighting force and support system at home that eventually resulted in the defeat of the massive evil outside the borders of the USA.

Given that atmosphere of over a half century ago, author Proser has created one of the most convincing portraits of a military hero in literature. And the intensively researched and detailed approach results in a biography that fully restores the ambience of WW II. John Basilone was a nice Italian boy form Raritan, New Jersey, a lad who quit school to follow his recurring visions. He caddied for Japanese businessmen at a country club, seeing in his prophetic mind that at some day he would be at war with Japan. After trying multiple jobs he finally enlists in the Army, makes the best of boot camp by gambling and boxing, and is shipped to the Philippines where he spent time waiting, boxing (becoming a champion nicknamed Manila John), running a little bar with his Island sweetheart, and finally returning home. Frustrated once again with the boredom of work and the embarrassment of not having finished his education, Basilone finally returns to the military by signing on with the USMC, trains hard at Quantico, Cuba, and other US training camp swamps, and finally is shipped to Guadalcanal where his brilliance and dedication to his commanding officer ("Chesty" Puller) through one of the most devastating battles in the Pacific arena earned him not only the respect of his men, but also the Medal of Honor - the highest commendation offered by his country. Returning home form this mission he ride the waves of adulation form the American people, hobnobs with movies stars, sells War Bonds, and falls in love, only to be shipped out once again to the Pacific where he is killed in action in the battle for Iwo Jima.

The amazing (that is, ONE of the amazing) aspect of this book is that Proser has elected to write it in the first person of John Basilone. Everything is told as Basilone perceives it, lives, feels, and survives it. Rarely has a story been written with such clarity and perception: we truly feel that Basilone has written his memoirs. The language of the period is exactly right, the descriptions of the various battles and conditions of being a soldier under tremendously adverse conditions are vivid, and the soldiers' mentality of being in the thick of war are written with such bulls-eye focus that no matter what the reader's opinion of War might be, this book makes it all understandable form the point of view of the soldiers who fought. Some of the battle passages are tough to read: "On October 23, a light tank and infantry attack across the mouth of the Matanikau ran right into the teeth of Vandegrift's defenses. It was chewed up in short order with over 600 Japs killed, many of them trapped in a jungle clearing where US tanks just drove over them instead of wasting ammunition. They ground the poor bastards up like sausage under the tank treads until the entire clearing was covered in gore and left to rot in the sun." And a soldier's impressions: "We all heard a lot about the bravery of the Japanese soldier before we got on the island. They were supposed to be the most fearless warriors ever to fight. But I kept thinking what kind of bravery it was that sent them, one after the other, right into the same guns that mowed down dozens before them. I don't know if that was bravery. I don't know what it was. Either they were crazy or they just didn't care. So I didn't care either. They weren't even men anymore. They were dumb animals who wanted me dead and had killed all my friends."

Proser very cleverly weaves snippets of Iwo Jima from the opening of the book to its finish, which in an act of brilliance makes the whole story more pungent in retrospect. There is little doubt the Sgt. John Basilone was an extraordinary soldier and military hero along with the thousands of others who lost their lives in the incomprehensibly vast WW II. I think this is a very important book that everyone should read, and I say that as a pacifist, as a Vietnam Veteran convinced that war on any level is simply not an option. This book is vastly important, well written, and contains a story and moment of history we all should face and incorporate. And perhaps then we can all better empathize with soldiers form throughout history to the very present. Recommended without reservation!

Soldiers and Society: The Effects of Military Service and War on American Life (Grass Roots Perspectives on American History)

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Soldiers and Society: The Effects of Military Service and War on American Life (Grass Roots Perspectives on American History)
Peter Karsten
Manufacturer: Greenwood Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Book Description

In this book, Karsten examines the consequences of American military life from the Revolutionary War to the present. Soldiers and Society contains two major sections. A long introduction, containing the author's survey and general conclusions, comprises the first section. The rest of the book is made up of source material--graphs, tables, and first-hand contemporary accounts. Karsten uses statistics extensively for comparative purposes.

The Eastern Front, 1941-45 : German Troops and the Barbarization of Warfare (St. Antony's Series)

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The Shocking Facts
This the third time he has written this book
Social Factors Of Wehrmacht Participation In Barbarossa!
A shameful drivel...
Important and excellent book

The Eastern Front, 1941-45 : German Troops and the Barbarization of Warfare (St. Antony's Series)
Omer Bartov
Manufacturer: Palgrave Macmillan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0333949447

Book Description

Based largely upon unpublished sources, Omer Bartov's study looks closely at the background of the German army on the Eastern Front during the Second World War. He describes the physical hardship, the discipline and morale at the front, and analyzes the social, educational, and political background of the junior officers who formed the backbone of the German army. Only with these factors in mind, together with the knowledge of the extent of National Socialist indoctrination, can we begin to explain the criminal activities of the German army in Russia and the extent of involvement of the army in the execution of Hitler's brutal policies.

Customer Reviews:

The Shocking Facts.......2006-02-26

An excellent presentation of this sad and tragic chapter in German history.

This the third time he has written this book.......2004-08-07

Bartov has written two earlier book on this. Those two were nearly the same. This one is yet another repeat. That is how how academics build their resumes. Save money and read his earlier work Hitler's Army.

Social Factors Of Wehrmacht Participation In Barbarossa!.......2003-08-06

This is a very interesting and quite different approach to experiencing the events of the Second World War. It is interesting in the fact that it comprises a sort of social history of the members of the Wehrmacht, or regular German army itself. So, this then is a fascinating if somewhat oddly focused study of the war along the eastern front from the viewpoint of the German foot soldier. It is often frightening and revealing, especially when one considers the fact that the author actually survived over five years of combat. So, although the writing style is a bit stiff and belabored, it is well worth the effort.

Given its attempt to be both more rigorous scientifically and paying attention to the details that comprise the German soldier's cultural makeup and prime orienting values, this is a very readable and absorbing exploration of an "average" foot soldier involved up to his muddy ankles in the most outrageous and provocative battles in modern history. This is truly a story for the record books, one told with brutal frankness regarding the soldiers existential circumstances as well as his willful cooperation in the widespread and savage atrocities systematically ordered and committed all along the eastern front; this is a story deserving of your time and study. Imagine slogging through the heat and rain and mud and snow and ice of the campaign into and then through Poland and Russia, and retracing mile by mile, yard by yard, foot by foot as the Russians relentlessly push the 200 divisions of the German Army slowly and painfully back from all of the gains, inflicting murderous tolls along the way.

The portrait given is one revealing the levels of hardship, depravations, depravities, and extreme experiences of a common soldier involved in the most terrible and hard-fought campaign of World War Two, Operation Barbarossa. One sees how the culture from which they sprang made all of this possible, the savagery toward Russian civilians, the rampant anti-Semitism, and the butchering of everything that walked, crawled, or flew into their pathway. Indeed, the changes such experiences must make on any ordinary human being; the slow but inexorable metamorphosis from callow and self-assured young men to war and world weary cynics willing to do anything to see another tomorrow, and the vaguest hope of someday going back to home and the world, makes them into battle-hardened survivors who do what need to be done to protect themselves and their comrades with trained indifference.

This is indeed a worthwhile and well-described (which is not to say easily read) story of a view of the Wehrmacht informed by a consideration of the social and cultural factors surrounding their participation in the barbarian behavior of the German Army in the Soviet Union and elsewhere. In the last analysis, it is in the close knit circles of comrades and friends that such things become possible, and the cultural background and social factors allowing these thousands of otherwise decent young men to willingly participate in the excesses of the Gernamn Army are much more understandable in light of the factors examined and discussed herein. Finally it comes down to living in the small community of buddies and surviving in that context that becomes paramount in the day-to-day experiences. This is, in that sense at least, a very moving and graphic document in describing such experiences, and should be read and understood by any serious student of WWII.

A shameful drivel..........2003-08-03

Unless you are an absolute amateur about WWII, there is very very little positive that can be said about this book.

Omer Bartov is either an insane individual or a pathetic "historian" telling partial truths, ignoring facts and telling several lies.

About his "destruction of the myth" that the Wehrmacht was not a mechanized army (relying more on horses and echelons to bring supplies over), the man seemed to ignore that at the launching of Barbarossa, the Wehrmacht had 13 (thirteen) FULLY motorized and mechanized divisions. Several panzer divisionen were up graded and highly mechanized as well. I know of no author telling that the entire Wehrmacht was mechanized. So perhaps he himself dreamed of such a myth.

He pictures the Russian soldiers and partisans as heavenly archangels defending themselves from the "legions of demons" coming from Germany. A lie.

For a person like myself, who has read a good deal of books about the eastern front, as well as meeting several veterans from both sides, my conclusion about Bartov`s book is:

I DO NOT BUY LIES, I DO NOT BUY TRIBULATIONS.

Important and excellent book.......2002-07-07

This book should be on the shelf of every student of WW II history. Bartov is one of the first historians to detail in English the real truth behind the shameful conduct of the German army on the Eastern front and dispel the myth of the "honorable" German army that was propogated during the years after the war. Bartov also wonderfully details the horrible conditions experienced by the German soldiers that he asserts helped lead to their barbarous conduct as well as the criminal orders by Hitler. In addition to dispelling the myth of the "honorable German army" he also does a wonderful job of dispelling any myth that the fighting on the Eastern front was mechanized and that the German army wasn't as fully mechanized as is commonly believed, they mostly relied on horses. This is another important part of his study. All in all, a wonderful book and deserves to be an important part of any WW II Eastern front collection.

Male Fantasies, Volume 2: Male Bodies--Psychoanalyzing the White Terror (Theory and History of Literature, Volume 23)

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An invaluable companion to Volume One
An innovative feminist critique of fascist Literature.

Male Fantasies, Volume 2: Male Bodies--Psychoanalyzing the White Terror (Theory and History of Literature, Volume 23)
Klaus Theweleit , Erica Carter , and Anson Rabinbach
Manufacturer: University of Minnesota Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0816614512

Customer Reviews:

An invaluable companion to Volume One.......1997-10-09

Where "eros" was covered in the first volume, the second deals with the thanatos, or death urge. Particularly interesting is Thewelveit's treatment of the "soldier's blackout," a synapse frying climax of inner psychological tension resulting from extended periods of drilled formation. An invaluable companion to Volume One, though less interesting in that Vol. I was (IMHO) a revolutionary reformulation and synthesis of many of the insights of Reich, wheras this volume merely elaborates on the (not so obvious) conclusions.

An innovative feminist critique of fascist Literature........1997-08-02

This second volume of Theleweit's ground-breaking examination of proto-fascist 'Freikorps' novels spans disciplinary lines by examining historical documents from a unique combination of feminist and psychological perspectives. While the text is intellectually weighty, Theleweit manages to avoid the verbal dryness inherent in the subject. His thesis is outrageous, illuminating and largely coherent. A must read for aspiring academics and cultural historian

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