Reviews (4)

Know Your Enemy
If you read book you will know why Islam is an enemy of the non-muslim world.
The "religion" of Islam
Fr. Menezes is straightforward in his analysis of the "religion" of Islam. It is so amazing how pertinent his comments were from 100 years ago to today's Islamist society. This is a "must read" for anyone seeking the truth.

Improved Table of Contents
Although the book suffers from the absence of an Index, Bibilography and a detailed Table of Contents, it is an excellent primer even for secularists and Analysts wrestling with an idelogical challege.
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Subjects:  1. Biography & Autobiography    2. Biography/Autobiography    3. General    4. Religion - Socialissues    5. Religious   

Editorial Review

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Reviews (139)

Well written, inspirational, and thought provoking.
Combine these elements with the fact that the book is a great read from beginning to end, and this qualifies as one of the best books I've read in some time.Further, it's a one of a kind in terms of content.

Sweet and Sour
I enjoyed much of this book as I did the National Lampoon of the early to mid 70's when Hendra was editor.I largely ignored his politics back then but find it hard to do so with this book, the main message of which has something to do with love.
Satire, Love, and Gentle Goodness
You may not cry, you may not find wisdom, and you may not be changed, but you will love the thoughts and philosophies of Father Joe. YOu will wish you had known him all your life as Tony Hendra did. Who better to tell the story than a one time confused, selfish, embittered, and finally saved cynic who became a good man. Father Joe taught Tony the only real sin was selfishness. What did he teach the countless others who new him and benefited from his sage and simple advice? Please enjoy this book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Benedictines    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Catholics    7. England    8. General    9. Personal Memoirs    10. Religious    11. United States    12. Biography & Autobiography / General   

Reviews (15)

Challenging, enlightening, enjoyable
I am nothing more than a humble interested amateur and my formal science education is limited to some advanced classes for my high school diploma many years ago. I picked up "Mr Tompkins" following a conversation with a physicist sitting next to me on a long flight. I found it to be an excellent introduction to modern physics in general and quantum mechanics in particular. I found it challenging and I wouldn't claim I understood every last detail, but it is definitely not necessary to have a profound knowledge of mathematical and physical concepts to read this book. The writing is witty, precise and thoroughly enjoyable. In fact I was so intrigued that I went and picked up two other books (Alice in Quantumland and Taking the Quantum Leap), both of which I found harder to read and not as suitable for the uninitiated as Mr Tompkins.

Mr. Tompkins in Paperback
It was a great transaction, Good prices, Great quality, and FAst delivery

Fun with physics, Gamow style.
Here are Gamow's two 1940's Mr Tompkins books popularizing modern physics, in one tidy package. An earlier reviewer has suggested that this book be produced as an animated educational film, a good idea, but I picture it as being more of a computer enhanced live action video. The chapters on relativistic geometries and cosmological models could really be audio-visual treats, and it's hard to imagine a better basis for a script explaining the strange new world of physics to the interested lay public. The lions-share of what science now claims to know about the world was developed from a seemingly strange handful of theories thrashed out in the first three decades of the twentieth century. Gamow was both a party to this theoretical explosion and a gifted writer. Most of what has occurred in physics since these books were first published, has essentially been the refining of the ideas discussed here, so, for the most part, the science is still significant. But while Gamow had some important cosmological ideas -- he predicted the cosmic microwave background radiation, the discovery of which earned Wilson and Penzias a Noble Prize (in which Gamow should have shared, but did not) -- he also bet on the wrong horse when it came to cosmological models.
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Subjects:  1. Biography & Autobiography    2. Biography/Autobiography    3. Physics    4. Physics (General)    5. Political    6. Quantum Theory    7. Relativity (Physics)    8. Science    9. Atomic & molecular physics    10. Science / Gravity   

Reviews (1)

Amazing
This book has not only wonderful pictures but also incredible biography of Verdura -- highly recommend it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Jewelry    4. Rich & Famous    5. Techniques - Pastel Drawing    6. Antiques & Collectibles / Jewelry   

Reviews (8)

Only Rama V did better what dont you like about this book?
This book was authorized by the Thai king, there is no ban on it
Next to worthless
Without doubt, this is one of the worst books in recent memory -- and not just books about Thailand. The author, who can't write coherently and is even worse at fact checking, had unusual access and wasted it shamelessly. Your rating system should make it possible to rate items with no stars at all!

Inaccurate
This book is riddled with inaccuracies it boggles my mind how it was published.
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Subjects:  1. Biography/Autobiography    2. Asian / Middle Eastern history: postwar, from c 1945 -    3. Biography: royalty    4. Thailand   

Reviews (30)

Churchill was begging....
After the fall of France in June 1940, Winston Churchill was begging USA President Roosevelt for military aid (in fact, all sorts of support was then needed) as no one knew what would the 'fate' of the French fleet was going to be.
absolutely a delight to read
I was adrift when I finished this volume.
solitary courage
No better profile of Churchill 1932-40 exists. Whetted with acrimony and disdain, Churchill is ultimately proved right (and his real task commences).
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Subjects:  1. 1874-1965    2. 20th century    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Churchill, Winston,    7. Foreign relations    8. Great Britain    9. Great Britain - History - 20th Century    10. Historical - British    11. Political    12. Politics and government    13. Sir,    14. Biography & Autobiography / Political    15. British & Irish history: c 1700 to c 1900    16. United Kingdom, Great Britain   

Reviews (4)

Ambiguities and the Fog of War
After the retreat from Dunkirk in 1940, Britain knew that it would be fighting again within Europe, but until an invasion could be made by regular forces, a secret war had to be waged.For this purpose the Special Operations Executive was formed, with the object of clandestine insertion of agents to oppose the advancement of the Nazis.It was a perilous assignment, and agents were told to expect a fifty-fifty chance of dying; as it turned out, they fared better, a 75% survival rate.The section of the SOE devoted to activities within France was the assignment of Vera Atkins, where she was staff officer to the head of the section.Atkins was devoted to the highly secret operation, and only recently have the truths about the work of the SOE (including its many failings) emerged.Atkins took many of the secrets to her grave when she died in 2000.Sarah Helm, an investigative reporter, was able to interview her two years before her death."She didn't tell me much," Helm says."She never told anybody much."There was, however, quite a story, and it involved Atkins's personal secrets as well as military ones.In _A Life in Secrets: Vera Atkins and the Missing Agents of WWII_ (Nan A. Talese / Doubleday), Helm has described her efforts to understand the secrets in a long and frustrating search for what made the brilliant and wary Atkins averse, beyond all callings of duty, to letting some secrets go.
A brilliant account of SOE and one of its spies
I've read a lot about World War II and SOE, and this outshines most books. Ms. Helm puts human faces on the dead and betrayed agents, and doesn't mince words when it comes to skewering those who sent them to their deaths. This is brilliantly researched and written, provoking outrageous anger at the novice spy handlers who ignored numerous warnings that networks had been penetrated and who continued sending agents to horrible deaths in concentration camps. Further, it shows their callous nature in covering up their stupidity and never admitting mistakes. There are many lessons here for today's times. I cannot recommend it highly enough. It will stay with me for a long time.

The incredible tale of a true heroine
Both the NY Times (William Grimes) and the Washington Post highly praise this book. It tells the story of two great searches . The first is of the heroine of the book, Vera Atkins who after the War searches in Europe to learn of the fates of the 117 of 400 agents she had helped prepare for their missions of gathering Intelligence for Great Britain against the Nazis. The second is the search of the author Sarah Helm to get the details of the story of her subject, a research which also involved extraordinary effort.
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Subjects:  1. Biography & Autobiography    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Biography And Autobiography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. France    6. General    7. Great Britain    8. Historical - General    9. Intelligence Operations    10. Military    11. Military - World War II    12. Missing in action    13. Secret service    14. Underground movements    15. Women    16. World War, 1939-1945    17. Biography & Autobiography / General   

Reviews (40)

Seriously Lacking
This book was not at all what I expected from Brands, who was a Pulitzer Prize finalist for his biography of Benjamin Franklin, First American.In trying to make an academic biography accessible to the reading public, Brands' writing suffers greatly and becomes far too colloquial.At one point, when discussing Indian-White relations, he goes so far as to call the whites "Palefaces."It was a chore to get through, and while it heightened my knowledge of Jackson, nothing was particularly memorable except what I already knew or, perhaps, the actions I disagreed with (his invasion of Florida or his use of martial law after the Battle of New Orleans).Particularly when discussing Jackson's historically far reaching actions, such as kicking the Cherokees out of Georgia, or his battle with Biddle and eventual destruction of the Bank of the United States, Brands does a deplorable job of explaining what happened.Elements of background, and why Jackson did whatever it was he did exactly, as the reader will be confused on that point, are conspicuously missing.I have read similarly poor reviews of another biography by Brands, TR: The Last Romantic, and if First American is at all similar in style, I know why he didn't win that Pulitzer.

Fine Biography of Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson was a major figure in American history from his service in the War of 1812 through his presidency.And even in retirement after his departure from Washington, D. C., he was still an important figure in American politics.
Great work by a fabulous author
Brand's has a great style with a smart wit and feel for the times as well as anecdotal material that gives great depth to his writing. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1767-18    2. 1767-1845    3. 1829-1837    4. Biography    5. Biography & Autobiography    6. Biography / Autobiography    7. Biography/Autobiography    8. Historical - U.S.    9. History: American    10. Jackson, Andrew,    11. Politics and government    12. Presidents    13. Presidents & Heads of State    14. U.S. History - Antebellum Period (1840-1860)    15. U.S. President    16. United States    17. United States - Antebellum Era    18. History / United States / State & Local   

Reviews (28)

A compelling story of abuse in the search for Divine Love
I applaud Karen Armstrong for having the guts to write this book. Although I am guessing that it was cathartic for her to review this period in her life, she wrote quite dispassionately about her experiences. It is remarkable to me that she did not play the role of victim. In fact, she showed more love and compassion to those who abused her than those who were supposed to guide her on the path to love.
A harrowing inside look
Karen Armstrong has written a compelling memoir of her time in the convent in formation to become a nun.She wants this life so badly that she will forsake everything, including her own mind, to attain a perfect relationship with God.This is what she was told she must do.She did this despite gut feelings to the contrary, despite physical illness, and despite slowly dying inside.In fact, she believed this was a sign of progress.
Difficult to read at times...
but well worth getting through the gritty parts.
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Subjects:  1. 1944-    2. Armstrong, Karen,    3. Biography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Ex-nuns    6. Institutions & Organizations    7. Religion    8. Religious    9. Women   

Reviews (29)

Touching.
A beautiful reminder that God is still capable of doing the impossible.
A Timeless Classic
Nicky Cruz is a personal friend of mine, and I can assure you, he's the real deal -- open, honest, caring, a great husband, father, and grandfather. Ever since his dramatic conversion related in this book, he's been a changed man with a deep social conscious and a heart for inner cities and their residents. This book is a must read -- it never goes out of date. In fact, it is perhaps even more pertinent in today's culture than ever before.

Exactly why people shouldn't join gangs.
i read this in highschool. Required reading, they say. Oh, it is a requiring read, I'll say. It's based on a true story written by the man it happened to. It's a perfect testimony and an even better moral story to everyone who wonders what gangs are like. He explains everything in detail so that you won't make the same mistakes as he did. It's graphic, but hey, isn't real life that way anyway? ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography / Autobiography    2. Personal Memoirs    3. Religious    4. Fiction   

Reviews (56)

Return from Tomorrow by George G. Ritchie with Elizabeth Sherrill
Review
An Amazing spiritual experience
I first encountered Ritchie's story sometime around the late 1960's and the experience positively influenced my life. I recently read this book (it gives many details surrounding his life, both before and after his NDE) and was touched by it. It is a delightful experience to read this book.

Return From Tomorrow
Provocative reading.An opportunity to see what might await us after we die.My husband has read this book so often he wore it out.This is our second copy! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography & Autobiography    2. Biography/Autobiography    3. Christian biography    4. Death, Grief, Bereavement    5. Future life    6. General    7. Inspirational    8. Inspirational - General    9. Near-death experiences    10. Religious    11. Religious aspects    12. United States    13. Biography & Autobiography / Religious    14. Modern fiction   

Reviews (19)

Okay. . .
While the author does a good job at addressing the general issues of deployment, it is lacking in specifics.All of the information in this book I had already found on different websites - for free!And much of the information about keeping your house, car, and finances are common sense.I agree with other reviewers who feel this book neglects Army families.I found that I skipped many paragraphs of the book, simply because my husband doesn't deploy for six months on a ship.On top of that, I don't like that the author suggests that as a military spouse you have chosen this lifestyle, so deal with it.I did not choose this lifestyle, and I'm sure I'm not the only spouse who was married before their soldier decided to become a soldier.I don't see how those kinds of thoughts will help you cope with deployment.So if you're looking for a general 'how to' then this is a good book.There are some good chapters, but don't look for specifics, especially if you're an Army spouse.

My Deployment Bible!!
This book has some great ideas in it. Not only did we set up a budget (and spreadsheet to track all of our differences in pay, etc during deployment), I also used that chapter to help us plan our savings and emergency funds, something we hadn't gotten around to yet! We have used some of the communication ideas, too. We don't have kids, so I also appreciated the section about ME and how to stay busy and sane with the right kind of activities. The ideas for home security/feeling safe and also for getting to sleep at night were helpful too.
An important, general title tackling a host of deployment issues families across the country face
Military families facing the uncertainties of war now have something to turn to for guidance in Karen Pavlicin's Surviving Deployment: A Guide For Military Families. Learn how to stay together as a family, how to adjust to long absences and uncertain communications, how to overcome the challenges of single-family parenting and new responsibilities, and how to manage financially through a blend of personal stores from hundreds of fellow military families and checklists. An important, general title tackling a host of deployment issues families across the country face.
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Subjects:  1. Biography & Autobiography    2. Biography/Autobiography    3. Military   

Reviews (9)

A guy we can all relate to
This book is warm and generous, just like its author.He's a guy just like the rest of us with fears, joys, sorrows, disappointments, peeves, and some great accomplishments.I loved sharing his life with him, and thank him for being so open.

Disappointing--shallower than anticipated

Presidential Aspirant for 2008?
In my opinion, politicians write an autobiography for one of three reasons:to salvage his or her reputation(i.e. Richard M. Nixon), to promote his or her legacy (i.e. Ronald Reagan), or to start the journey to claim the prize that he or she wants (i.e. Stewardship of the White House as President of the United States).
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Subjects:  1. 1947 Nov. 15-    2. 1951-    3. Biography    4. Biography & Autobiography    5. Biography / Autobiography    6. Biography/Autobiography    7. Governors    8. Hispanic Americans In The U.S.    9. New Mexico    10. New Mexico - State Government    11. People of Color    12. Personal Memoirs    13. Political    14. Politics and government    15. Politics/International Relations    16. Richardson, Bill,    17. Biography & Autobiography / Political   

Editorial Review

Founded in the late 18th century by expatriate German Jews, the London-based House of Rothschild was within decades the largest banking enterprise in the world. Its principals controlled a vast portion of the industrial world's wealth--more so, Oxford historianNiall Ferguson writes, than any family has since--and as a result enjoyed tremendous political influence in the major capitals of Europe, counting as allies such important figures as Metternich and Wellington. That influence would provoke countless anti-Semitic tracts fulminating against Jewish usury and against the power of "Eastern potentates" in the empires of England and France. Although the Rothschilds were well aware of their power and not reluctant to use it, they operated fairly, Ferguson notes. For example, whereas lending rates in the textile industry, in which the Rothschilds got their start, were often 20 percent, the fledgling house charged 5 to 9 percent. Through shrewd, complex negotiations they helped promote peace and the beginnings of economic union throughout Europe.Read more

Reviews (15)

Great book by Ferguson on monied surrupticious Euro family...
[Also see: Fritz Springmeier's Bloodlines of the
A little too detailed
I have to start out by saying overall I enjoyed the book but I would only rate it as an average book. It is a little too detailed and didn't keep my interest from one chapter to the next. It would have been better if it left out 150 pages or so. I found myself doing a lot of skiming over what I would say was boring filler in the book. You can learn a lot about the type of business that that Rothschilds were in but not a lot of how they went about doing it.
Much more than a family saga
Those who already know Niall Ferguson do not need any praise for the books he writes: a few years ago I chanced to read his excellent "The Cash Nexus" and this led me to "The Pity of War" and finally to "The House of Rothschild".
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Subjects:  1. 19th century    2. Bankers    3. Banks and banking    4. Biography    5. Biography & Autobiography    6. Biography/Autobiography    7. Europe    8. Europe - General    9. History    10. History - General History    11. Jews    12. Rich & Famous    13. Banking    14. Biography & Autobiography / Rich & Famous    15. Biography: general    16. c 1700 to c 1800    17. c 1800 to c 1900   

Reviews (6)

Was he taking a nap on this one?
Any book Trump pens is a good investment, and in this his second offering, he tells stories, names names, and provides worthwhile insight. But compared to The Art of the Deal and his third book, The Art of the Comeback, he seems to have done this one lying down. There is significantly less material, fewer hot scoops, and less of the bottom-line rhetoric Trump has made his style.

Good insight
Who knows more about Trump than Trump himself?This is a good book if you want to know more about Trump.At times he is sincere; like when he tells of the various disadvantaged people he has helped.At times he sounds really fake; he mentions how he admires the courage of gamblers.That is alot of boloney.At times he is boastful; the Trump Princess is the best yacht ever built.But hate him or love him, he says it like it is.He seems very vindictive as evident with his numerous attacks on some very famous people throughout the book.But for those who are his friends, he has nothing but praise for them.He doesn't play politics, but what he does do is make deals and makes a whole bunch of them in this book.One of the recurring themes of the book is to wait for the right price even if it means giving it up and not to let emotions dictate the price.In many instances, the deal comes back to him and at an even better price than ever.

Good insight
Who knows more about Trump than Trump himself?This is a good book if you want to know more about Trump.At times he is sincere; like when he tells of the various disadvantaged people he has helped.At times he sounds really fake; he mentions how he admires the courage of gamblers.That is alot of boloney.At times he is boastful; the Trump Princess is the best yacht ever built.But hate him or love him, he says it like it is.He seems very vindictive as evident with his numerous attacks on some very famous people throughout the book.But for those who are his friends, he has nothing but praise for them.He doesn't play politics, but what he does do is make deals and makes a whole bunch of them in this book.One of the recurring themes of the book is to wait for the right price even if it means giving it up and not to let emotions dictate the price.In many instances, the deal comes back to him and at an even better price than ever. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1946-    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. Business History    6. Businessmen    7. Businesspeople    8. Real estate developers    9. Rich & Famous    10. Trump, Donald,    11. United States    12. Biography & Autobiography / General    13. Biography: general    14. Business & Management    15. Economic history    16. Trump, Donald   

Reviews (33)

As a clinical psychologist...
If you read this book for the history of it, you're probably better off with another Lincoln biography (and there are plenty from which to choose).In fact, I wouldn't recommend this book unless you've read another about Lincoln.This book is rather focused on Lincoln's depression (melancholy, in the language of the day), and while it does give a rough biographical outline, it's nothing that can't be gotten elsewhere.As a history book, it fails to satisfy.
HOOO HUM
One of those books in which you continuously read, hoping it will eventually become interesting...

Excellent read about greatness and depression
How does depression fuel Lincoln to become one of the icons of democracy when depression is an incapacitating condition?Shenk attempts to answer this question by painting in his very thorough book a deep, personal, and touching picture of Lincoln.After reading the book, Lincoln became a man I have known for a long time, with his struggles and failures.One of the nice features of the book is Shenk's review of the history of writing Lincoln biographies. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1809-1865    2. Biography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Biography And Autobiography    5. Historical - U.S.    6. History    7. History (General)    8. History: American    9. Lincoln, Abraham,    10. Presidents    11. Presidents & Heads of State    12. Psychology    13. United States    14. United States - Civil War    15. History / United States / Civil War Period (1850-1877)   

Reviews (9)

A peek at His Excellency
I think that Joe Ellis acquitted himself quite well insofar as his stated goal. He wasn't attempting a comprehensive treatment of Washington but was trying to breathe some life in the marble bust that is our dollar bill occupant.
Discrediting an American Hero
I purchased this book with the objective of being inspired by the life of one of the greatest heroes that has ever lived and who's legacy of exemplary character has survived