Editorial Review

Gandhi's nonviolent struggles in South Africa and India had already brought him to such a level of notoriety, adulation, and controversy that when asked to write an autobiography midway through his career, he took it as an opportunity to explain himself. Although accepting of his status as a great innovator in the struggle against racism, violence, and, just then, colonialism, Gandhi feared that enthusiasm for his ideas tended to exceed a deeper understanding. He says that he was after truth rooted in devotion to God and attributed the turning points, successes, and challenges in his life to the will of God. His attempts to get closer to this divine power led him to seek purity through simple living, dietary practices (he called himself a fruitarian), celibacy, and Read more

Reviews (61)

Honest politician
Gandhi may have been the only honest successfull politician ever.
Gandhi, A man of Truth
Barrister Gandhi, in his book "Gandhi and Autobiography: The Story of my Experiments With Truth" is a real account of experiments with truth or what is percieved to be the truth. Gandhi, the youngest of three sons was born and brought up in Porbandar, India. His love for truth and respect for all humanity was put in him by his father who was "...a lover of his clan, truthful, brave and generous..." His mother too left him with an "...outstanding impression ... of saintliness" as "she was deeply religious", a woman devoted to prayer and fasting. It's on this background that Mr. Gandhi built his life of Experiments on.
Inspirational Convictions...
What can you say that hasn't been said about this man?A good read and a wonderful humanist perspective.I was amazed at his capacity and restraint to qualify his perspectives and avoid embellishments.It took a bit longer to read through this novel and left me to ponder.This should be on a list of books for suggested reading for everyone.I only understood the general history and concepts that he pursued in his life, which were admirable.This book allowed me to see why he was so exceptional. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1869-1948    2. Biography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. Gandhi,    6. Historical - General    7. India    8. India - History    9. Mahatma,    10. Political    11. Religious    12. Statesmen    13. Biography & Autobiography / General    14. Biography: general    15. Biography: political    16. Colonization & independence    17. Gandhi    18. POLITICS & GOVERNMENT   

Editorial Review

If you enjoyed Read more

Reviews (20)

Beautiful memoir!
Through this well written memoir you get to learn a lot about Africa, specially about Rwandas history. Rosamund's life story is very interesting, the choices she made, the oportunities life offered to her and that she took. It's great to see all the good deeds she made and the things she achieved inspite of all the caos Rwanda has gone through in the last decades. She takes care of lots of orphan kids and shelters them at her property. She does her best to help these kids become the best they can be even they live surrounded by danger. I enjoyed the book very much and learned more about Africa and about humanity as well.

50 years are artfully packed into this memoir
What a well-written book! It reads like the memoir that it is, and memoirs require special storytelling skills when they cover an entire 50 years.And this is what the book does--covers 50 years of the author's life and Rwandan history.
Fascinating look into Rwanda's history
My interest in Rwanda was spurred by watching the movie "Hotel Rwanda" and reading "The Poisonwood Bible" (which is set in next door Congo).This book follows the life of a young woman that marries an African adventurer and goes there at a fairly young age.She winds up spending practically the rest of her life there, and provides a unique and interesting perspective on Rwanda's history.Watching "Hotel Rwanda" gave me only a snapshot - leading me to think that Hutus were crazy blood thirsty savages going after Tutsis.Well, many of them were, but this book gave me a little of the background as to why the Hutus are so crazy and militant.Rwanda certainly has had a turbulent history.
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Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography & Autobiography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. Carr, Rosamond Halsey    6. Central Africa - History    7. Country life    8. Description and travel    9. Ethnic Cultures - General    10. Historical - General    11. Rwanda    12. Social life and customs    13. Travelers    14. Women    15. Biography & Autobiography / General    16. Biography: general    17. Travel writing   

Editorial Review

"Worse than the ordinary miserable childhood is the miserable Irish childhood," writes Frank McCourt in Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography & Autobiography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. Ethnic Cultures - General    6. Genealogy    7. General    8. Historical - General    9. Ireland    10. Irish Americans    11. Limerick (Limerick)    12. Biography & Autobiography / General    13. Biography: general   

Editorial Review

Ron Chernow, whose previous books have taken on the Morgan and Warburg financial empires, now turns his attention to the patriarch of the Rockefeller dynasty. John D. was history's first recorded billionaire and one of the most controversial public figures in America at the turn of the 20th century. Standard Oil--which he always referred to as the result of financial "cooperation," never as a "cartel" or a "monopoly"--controlled at its peak nearly 90 percent of the United States oil industry. Rockefeller drew sharp criticism, as well as the attention of federal probes, for business practices like underpricing his competitors out of the market and bribing politicians to secure his dominant market share. Read more

Reviews (123)

Bigger than life personalities?
Rockefeller is reported to have searched endlessly for golf balls lost in an attempt to recover them, yet could nearly buy the world - why?
Lessons from a Self Made Billionaire

Good Stuff In This One!

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Subjects:  1. (John Davison),    2. 1839-1937    3. Biography    4. Biography & Autobiography    5. Biography / Autobiography    6. Biography/Autobiography    7. Business    8. Capitalists and financiers    9. Historical - U.S.    10. Industrial History    11. Industrialists    12. Philanthropists    13. Rich & Famous    14. Rockefeller, John D    15. United States    16. Biography & Autobiography / Business    17. Biography: general    18. USA   

Editorial Review

Over time, Tim O'Brien has used both art and artifice to shape his fictional accounts of Vietnam. Award-winning novels such as Read more

Reviews (24)

Wonderful!
I thought this book was very well composed and it make me realize the harsh raalities of the Vietnam war. O'Brien sure captured my heart and thoughts. I would highly recommend this book to any history fan!
Great memoir
This book, titled after a line in a military march song, is O'Brien's memoir of his time in Viet Nam. It's divided up into shorter essays--most narrative, some more philosophical--which together create the tangled web of dilemmas that Viet Nam was. The book chronicles O'Brien's tour of duty chronologically, from the pressure and shame that kept him from not fleeing to Canada when he adamantly opposed the war, throughbasic training and combat and his eventual move to a job in the back. Each essay tackles a theme or issue: friendship, courage, fear, getting a desk job, the morality of a shooting or not shooting a civilian who may or may not shoot you.
A must read for one who doesn't know much about 'Nam
"If I Die in a Combat Zone: Box Me Up and Ship Me Home" was very a well written book. I'm in a generation that doesn't know a whole lot about the Vietnam War. My idea of Vietnam is based off of the movie "Platoon". Tim O'Brien does an awesome job of portraying a soldier, and what each soldier has to put up with mentally and physically everyday.
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Subjects:  1. 1946-    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Biography/Autobiography    4. Historical - U.S.    5. Literary    6. Military    7. O'Brien, Tim,    8. Personal narratives, American    9. Vietnam War, 1961-1975    10. Vietnamese Conflict, 1961-1975    11. Biography & Autobiography / General    12. Reading Group Guide   

Reviews (79)

Excellent history of Mohammed
It is a sad fact that in these darkened times, the relationships between the world's Abrahamic faiths is at an all-time low.Each day it seems that Jews, Christians and Muslims are only too willing to go to war with each other and claiming God is on their side, when all three faiths profess to believe in the same God.
Mohammed is far from perfect
What I learned from this book is that Muhammed was a prophet who harnassed the spirtual hunger that lay in all Men's hearts to create a coherent and powerful (but far from perfect)religion that is Islam.
Secular Viewpoint
Karen Armstrong writes her biography of Muhammad (pbuh) from a very secular, 20th century point of view (although she tries very hard to see all sides of the story).She is also very confused about certain things, believing that Islam teaches that Satan will be forgiven on the Day of Judgement.Overall, it's an ok biography, but there are better ones available. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography / Autobiography    2. Historical - General    3. Islam - General    4. Islam - Mohammad    5. Muhammad,    6. Muòhammad,    7. Prophet    8. Prophet,    9. Religion    10. Religious    11. d. 632    12. Islam    13. Religion / Islam   

Reviews (20)

A BRILLIANT BIOGRAPHY - WELL DONE!
This is a brilliantly written biography of one of the most fascinating characters in history.Like most of Mnchester's work (I must admit to being a big fan), this is a very readable biography, well researched and holds the reader's interest from page to page.We see so much of Churchhill in his role as a WWII leader that we tend to forget there was a young man, living, learning and growing before the back and white films we see today.It is good to be reminded of this from time to time.It is also, for those interested, to learn how a world leader of Churchill's calibre came into being, how he developed and why he was the way he was.This work gives us great insight to those questions.Cannot recommend this work highly enough.

Insight Into A Great Man

Tale of a Giant Lives Up to Its Subject
Although William Manchester didn't live long enough to complete his biography of Winston Churchill, this first book of the proposed triology begins with Dunkirk and shows Churchill at his most magnificent before switching to his early years.Manchester's prose--eloquent, clear, moving, and witty--is a fitting vehicle for the story of a master of the English language, and the story itself is filled with amazing adventures and memorable anecdotes. This book and its sequel are the best of all the Churchill biographies. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1874-1965    2. 20th century    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Churchill, Winston,    7. Europe - Great Britain - General    8. Foreign relations    9. Great Britain    10. Great Britain - History - 20th Century    11. Political    12. Politics and government    13. Sir,    14. Biography & Autobiography / Political    15. Biography: general    16. British & Irish history: from c 1900 -    17. Churchill, Winston    18. United Kingdom, Great Britain   

Reviews (2)

"Our Eastern Affairs are Complex Beyond All Words"
History is useful not only for revealing the past, but also in foreshadowing what the future might hold.In the case of Iraq, this is a very important matter.This book by Liora Likutz, a scholar who is currently at the Truman Institute in Jerusalem, describes the making of modern Iraq through the life of one the two key protagonists who drew its boundaries on the map following World War I.Those two individuals were T.E. Lawrence and Gertrude Bell.While the broad outline of Lawrence's life and exploits in the Middle East are well known to many, Gertrude Bell remains more of a mystery.This book attempts to pull back that veil.Anyone who seeks to understand the currents and tides swirling underneath modern Iraq needs to understand how this country came to be, and the complex life of Gertrude Bell is a good place to start.
Understanding Irak
Facinating and exciting point of view of Irak through Gertrude Bell's life.
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Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Biography/Autobiography    4. Colonial administrators    5. Great Britain    6. Historical - General    7. History    8. History: World    9. Iraq - History    10. Middle East - General    11. Middle East - History    12. Sociology    13. Women    14. Women Middle East specialists    15. Women's Studies - General    16. 20th century    17. Asian / Middle Eastern history: from c 1900 -    18. Asian studies    19. Biography: historical    20. Imperialism    21. Iran   

Subjects:  1. 1918-    2. Africa - History    3. Africa - South - South Africa    4. Biography    5. Biography / Autobiography    6. Discrimination & Racism    7. General    8. Historical - General    9. History    10. History: World    11. Leadership    12. Mandela, Nelson,    13. Pictorial works    14. Political    15. Presidents    16. South Africa    17. Biography & Autobiography / Historical   

Subjects:  1. 63 B.C.-14 A.D    2. Ancient - Rome    3. Ancient Rome - History    4. Augustus,    5. Augustus, 30 B.C.-14 A.D    6. Biography    7. Biography & Autobiography    8. Biography / Autobiography    9. Biography/Autobiography    10. Emperor of Rome,    11. Emperors    12. Historical - General    13. History    14. Rome    15. Biography & Autobiography / Political   

Reviews (2)

Father of the Queen of the Skies
There have been many books written about the 747, but none of them tell the human side of taking one of the largest aircraft off the drawing board and into the skies in two years time.Joe Sutter is the consumate engineer, he engages you in a voice that keeps you interested all of the way through the book.He does it in such a way that makes you feel that maybe you where there.Boeing bet the company on the 747, if it had been a failure the company would probably be a footnote in history.The company put their trust in one single man, who claims he and Boeing grew up together.Joe also includes the stories of many others along the way, he never takes credit for himself but always makes you aware that it was a team effort.In fact he leads off with a disclaimer that if he remembered it wrong he was sorry.
Joe SutterIS " one of the great ones "
The above partial quote is plagerized from Joes book as he quotes Charles Linderbergh comments about the 747 which in its entirety was " This is one of the great ones "
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Subjects:  1. Aeronautical engineers    2. Aircraft Design And Construction    3. Aviation - General    4. Aviation - History    5. Biography    6. Biography & Autobiography    7. Biography / Autobiography    8. Boeing 747 (Jet transports)    9. Design and construction    10. Historical - General    11. History Of Specific Companies    12. Personal Memoirs    13. Scientists - General    14. Transportation    15. United States    16. Biography & Autobiography / Historical   

Reviews (19)

An Extraordinary Man
A powerful and reflective telling of what it means to live, not in the dualistic world of black and white, but in the reality of many shades of gray.Paul Rusesabagina was able to find and draw out the good that he knew to be in each person, offering even the most despicably behaving individual an opportunity to see beyond themselves.The Rwandan genocide is described in a broad historical and cultural context, including the role that the United States and Europe played in it.The shameful lack of response from the world powers speaks for itself and highlights even more clearly the courage, faith and power of individuals.The book provides a window into the family and community life in this country and reminds us of the influence that our choice of words and actions has.This would also be an excellent choice for a book club, HS or college course and is hightly recommended.

A must-read, even if you've read other books on the subject & seen "Hotel Rwanda"
Because I'd done all mentioned in my review title, I opted to borrow rather than purchase this book on the assumption that what few new tidbits I'd learn really wouldn't merit the expense. How wrong I was.Can't count the number of times I wished the book were mine so I could underline one of Mr. Ruseabagina'smemorable ways of seeing the situation and people in it.In explaining why he maintained contact with an old friend who became the vice-president of the group leading the massacre, for example, Ruseabagina wrote, "People are never completely good or completely evil.And in order to fight evil, you sometimes have to keep evil people in your orbit.Even the worst of them have their soft side, and if you can find and play with that part of them, you can accomplish a great deal of good.In an era of extremism, you can never afford to be an extremist yourself."The absence of braggadocio in this passage is characteristic of Ruseabagina and the story he tells, something else that is pretty astonishing, given what he did. I also thought he did a masterful job of explaining the history of Rwanda that led to the genocide.Finally, his description of his childhood home in a beautiful land is quite poetic. In sum, so well-written, informative and thought-provoking was the book that I'm buying a copy, rereading it and underlining the many things I truly do not want to forget.

Hardly ordinary
You know the story. But the history, background and thought processes added to other details, make this unforgetable. A modern hero. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Africa - History    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Civil War, 1994    7. Genocide    8. Historical - General    9. History    10. Human rights workers    11. Personal Memoirs    12. Prevention    13. Rebellion And Insurgency    14. Refugees    15. Rwanda    16. Biography & Autobiography / Personal Memoirs   

Editorial Review

Everyone knows that Galileo Galilei dropped cannonballs off the leaning tower of Pisa, developed the first reliable telescope, and was convicted by the Inquisition for holding a heretical belief--that the earth revolved around the sun. But did you know he had a daughter?In Read more

Reviews (221)

Charming read
Reading letters to Galileo from his daughter is something every scientist, historian, or interested reader can now enjoy. Dava Sobel tirelessly hunted across continents for the letters, and then learned Italian in order to translate them into English. The result is a splendid and insightful collection, revealing the Galileo that history forgot. Instead of the familiar and legendary iconoclastic Church-challenging rebel, we see a pious man who fathered two nuns and spent a great deal of time trying to reconcile his science with his God. This book will sweep you away to a time and place full of conflict and misunderstanding, a place that hasn't existed for four hundred years, but is undeniably very present today.

A Historical Memoir of Science, Faith, and Love
Galileo's Daughter waited in my accumulation of books for several years. The "Best Seller" tag on the cover always puts me off. Most 'best sellers' are abject wastes of time, whose sales have been propped up by the praises of critics too used to praising abject wastes of time. Well, now that I've offended many, I admit that there are exceptions. Here is one.
Not so compelling
After reading Longitude, I was disappointed by this book.It's arguably a more compelling and provocative topic, but somehow it didn't come to life the same way.It did provide a sense of the politics of science in the 16th century, but I was expecting more about Galileo's daughter (silly me).Anyway, I think this book is primarily of interest for someone already interested in the topic, which wasn't the case for Longitude. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1564-1642    2. Astronomers    3. Biography    4. Biography & Autobiography    5. Biography / Autobiography    6. Biography/Autobiography    7. Correspondence    8. Galilei, Galileo,    9. Historical - General    10. Italy    11. Religious    12. Scientists - General    13. Biography & Autobiography / Science & Technology   

Reviews (15)

Truthful contrast
Dr. Franklin is an extraordinary savant.His writing technique is grabbing and august.He presents his life in a clear unquestionable manner; causing the reader to feel the emotion in which he experienced throughout his life journey.
Autobiography of John Hope Franklin
Every page is a valuable learning opportunity.Written in a factual, insightful way that creates a focus on lessons learned and then makes these same lessons implements of progress and growth for others.This is a book everyone should read and then find ways to incorporate the example if Dr. Franklin in concrete ways in their individual lives.

From Sisters Nineties Literary Group, Linda Smith, Book Review Editor, Reviews
Professor John Hope Franklin's story, Mirror to America, is a chronicle of his life embellished with the history of African Americans in the United States.A rare jewel, Professor Franklin decided early in his education at Fisk University, where he earned his undergraduate degree, that he would make a life long committment to pursue the history of African Americans in this country as a scholar.He attend Harvard University where he earned his Masters and Ph.D. degrees in history, remaining committed to pursue African beginnings in America without compromise and with impeccable courage in the time where racial prejudice was practiced in every phase of American culture.
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Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. African American historians    3. Biography    4. Biography & Autobiography    5. Biography / Autobiography    6. Biography And Autobiography    7. Biography/Autobiography    8. Brooklyn (New York, N.Y.)    9. Educators    10. Historians    11. Historical - U.S.    12. Novelists, American    13. People of Color    14. Personal Memoirs    15. U.S. History - 20th Century (General)    16. United States    17. United States - 20th Century    18. Zabor, Rafi    19. Biography & Autobiography / General    20. Biography: general    21. Black studies    22. Civil rights & citizenship    23. Political activism    24. USA   

Reviews (30)

The most brilliant mind in today's mediocre world
Although this author once bashed a book I had written, I refused to turn away from this writer and miss out on the writings of the most brilliant mind and greatest wordsmith since Winston Churchill.I never tire of seeing him on talk shows where his brillance simply overpowers everyone attempting to put him down.I buy and read every book written by this author, and his output is unbelievable -- obviously thoughts flow from his mind straight onto the page.Reading one of this author's books remind me of being thrust into the midst of a mind feast.Like your mother's best Sunday dinner, it's just impossible to push back.I'm now reading his latest, THOMAS JEFFERSON, and I recommend it, as I highly recommend all of Hitchen's books to you.Jean Sasson, author of Mayada, Daughter of Iraq

HItch is so brilliant, I sometimes think that I must be stupid
However, Reading his books, make me feel like I get a chance to understand what it must be like to be brilliant. I loved this book on Jefferson, an easier read than most of his books, becasue I love what Jefferson understood. In spite of the new revisionist history that is being taught today in American schools ( Jefforson came to America for his own financial benfits, he was a slave owner, he raped women, etc. etcl.etc.)I found this book to be refreshing, as it tells of one of the most important founders of this democracy that allows teachers to teach drivel to my child, which I must un-do when he returns home. If I could only get the teachers to read this book, perhaps saying the Pledge of Alligence would not be "nerdy" and would be stated wth pride, as I fear that we are losing our country, to political correctness, lack of values, loss of religion (I know Hitchens hates religion, but we have to agree to disagree)and values of democracy being bitten away by Islam and the desire to resetablish a Caliphate here in America. Read this book, and be proud to live in the best country in the world.