Reviews (2)

5 stars as source for papers, 3 stars as a reading experi
I've recently developed an interest in Civil War history, an era that had not heretofore intrigued me.In doing some reading on the subject, I kept coming across references to "the diaries of Mary Chesnut," and decided to read them.Most historians look upon these diaries as a major source of information on what took place in the South during the Civil War, because the lady was present at some of the important events and was certainly herself effected by them.As the editors write, she was often reduced to moving "eventually from one place of refuge to another as a fugitive from military invaders (p. x)" and "Living out of her trunk in hotels or rented rooms (p. x)."The quotations or information gleaned from this resource do indeed illuminate the narration in the historical works in which one comes across them.They are not, however, easy to read. America's Own Pepys
This is the one indispensible book for anyone interested in what went on in the South behind the battle lines. As Pepys gives us a living picture of the London and court of Charles II, so does M. Chesnut give us a bird's eyeview of the Confederate government and the society she lived in.Read more

Subjects:  1. 1823-1886    2. American - General    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. Chesnut, Mary Boykin Miller,    6. Civil War, 1861-1865    7. Confederate States of America    8. General    9. History    10. Personal narratives, Confederate    11. Social Science    12. Sociology    13. Sociology - General    14. United States    15. United States - Civil War    16. American history: c 1800 to c 1900    17. Chesnut, Mary Boykin Miller    18. History / United States / Civil War Period (1850-1877)    19. History, American | Civil War & Reconstruction    20. USA   

Editorial Review

Veteran reporter and Read more

Reviews (437)

Painfully bad writing
I was assigned this book as preparation for an A.P. English class, and I was incredibly disappointed with it. Although it features some stirring stories of bravery and compassion (hence the two stars), every word of it is poured over with syrup and then carelessly vomited onto the page. Only about half of the words in this book are necessary at all to the context of the stories it tells; the rest are flag-waving literary masturbation. Consider sentences like these:
good retrospection
Tom Brokaw has wriiten quite a good book using the common men and women as the forces of retrospection. Of course, he only mentions people he knew or came across in the generation, missing out a lot of others.
This brought back memories-good and bad
This was the first book my wife gave me about the war. It started me thinking of all I went through when I was in the war. As an introduction to the generations who weren't there, I think this was super. For us who were there, I am glad to see it documented in such a manner. Thank you for writing this book! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Historical - U.S.    2. History    3. History - General History    4. History: World    5. Military - World War II    6. Modern - 20th Century    7. Personal narratives    8. Personal narratives, American    9. World War, 1939-1945    10. History / Modern / 20th Century   

Reviews (44)

A solid historic book
This is one of the rare historic books reflecting the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict from both sides. It is reach in historic and political facts, and also reflects the author's own eyewitness of the war.
A must read on Azerbaijan
Thomas Goltz's book on Azerbaijan is unique, for many reasons. First, he was among the few western journalists to be and actually live in the Caucasus when hellbroke loose in the conflicts of the region. Secondly, He speaks the language, bringing him across cultural barriers that even Russian-speakers encounter though they seldom know they do in the non-Russian partso the former USSR. Third, Goltz has a smell for the events of the country and understands the backdoor politics.
Great book on caucasus region
This a a great source of informaiton for those who are interested to learn more about Azzerbaijan and it's relations with the neighbouring countries. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Europe - Former Soviet Republics    2. Europe - Russia & the Former Soviet Union    3. History    4. History - General History    5. History: World    6. Political History    7. Azerbaijan    8. Biography: general    9. Civil war    10. Essays, journals, letters & other prose works    11. European history: postwar, from c 1945 -    12. Revolutions & coups   

Reviews (6)

An Extraordinary Woman . . .
Jehan Sadat is an extraordinary and courageous woman. I was amazed to read about all of the wonderful programs she created for her country, including cooperatives for women, educational facilities, communities for the disabled, and home communities for orphans. She served tirelessly on local political committees and charitable committees, including Egypt's version of the Red Cross. The fight for women's right to divorce and vote in elections was so important to her that she risked her own family relationships but constantly asking her husband (to his annoyance) to support her agenda until he gave in. Sadat accomplished all these things and much more while raising three children, pursuing a graduate degree in Arabic literature, and supporting her husband, president of Egypt. _A Woman of Egypt_ is not just about Sadat, however; the book discusses Egyptian politics, especially Egypt's relationship to Israel and the US. After reading Sadat's book, I've come to understand the complexities between US-Israel and Arab relations. Sadat is even-handed and fair in assessment of the political situations--she does not condemn her enemies just because they are her enemies. I found her to be an admirable woman and her husband to be an incredible man--the first Muslim leader to actively seek peace with Israel. My favorite line from the book is (paraphrased): They say my husband was ahead of his time, but how can a man who lived only for peace be ahead of his time?

A Woman of Egypt
I was living in Saudi Arabia with my husband for several years. Last summer, a German friend of mine gave me this book translated into German. I was completely captivated by the contents of which I knew very little and the interesting way Ms. Sadat wrote about her life. It was definitely a revelation to me how deeply rooted the problems in the Middle East between Egypt and Isreal were already at the time. Whether this my suggestion belongs into this review or not:I wished the book was made more public - I could not find it this past summer anywhere in a bookstore. (Competitive store)only showed the German title. Every American should read the book in order understand the unsurmountable problems between Jews and Arabs in the region to this day. Very Good Book
I've never wrote a review before but I thought A Woman of Egypt was so interesting that I couldn't resist. This book gives you an inside look at a lady who was constantly in the public eye in Egypt and wanted to see change. I thought it very courageous some of the things she did and tried to do in Egypt as the first lady. I believe Jehan Sadat spoke from her heart. You will find it hard to put this book down, I know I did! I have resided in Cairo for some years now and I can see what Jehan Sada was trying to do from a different light. Well done Mrs. Sadat! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography & Autobiography    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Biography/Autobiography    4. Historical - General    5. Presidents & Heads of State    6. Women    7. Literary Criticism & Collections / General   

Reviews (86)

very disappointing...
I have been reading a series of autobiographical accounts of modern day warriors and had high hopes for this title.As others have pointed out, Coughlin's ego can be suffocating at times.This could be forgiven if it were the books only flaw.Alas it is not.The writing is amateurish at best and the author's overuse of adjective and hyperbole is very distracting.The language is disjointed and unnatural as if it were written with the heavy use of a thesaurus.Again this could be forgiven as we're reading this book for a soldier's account, not that of an English grad student.
Outstanding!
This is an Outstanding book!I am a former Marine and bought the book after seeing a friend who was reading it.After reading a few pages, I couldn't put it down.It's an easy read, filled with stories of the Marine Corps and Jack's assignments.
Right on Target
This is an excellent account of the early days of the Iraq war and the fascinating role a professional sniper played in it.Reading it not only made me proud of the dedicated men who go to war on our behalf, but also showed me that the noble warrior ethic is alive and well today.These Marines are heirs to the proud warrior traditions of the Round Table, the Japanese Samurai and the Spartans -- men who liveby the Spartan dictum:"Come home with your shield or on it.""Shooter" has given me new insights into the war in Iraq, the dedication of our people fighting it, and the sheer professionalism of someone who, for 20 years, had one of the most unusual jobs on earth. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Coughlin, Jack    4. General    5. Historical - U.S.    6. History    7. History - Military / War    8. Iraq War, 2003-    9. Marine Corps    10. Military    11. Military - United States    12. Personal narratives, American    13. Snipers    14. Sniping (Military science)    15. United States    16. History / Military / United States   

Reviews (30)

An Incredible Historical Perspective (Part 2)
This conclusion of Maus 1 is the conclusion of Vladek's story and of Artie's relationship with his father.
Spectacular account of the Holocaust
I first read Maus II when I was in fourth or fifth grade, but, of course, I didn't really grasp the true horror of it all at the time.I decided to buy a copy a couple of months ago and see if it lived up to my memory, and I was not disappointed.Now that I'm nine or ten years older and more attuned to the world and its history, it's that much more poignant.The insanity of the time period is hard to comprehend, but even in a cartoon, Spiegelman is able to give us some small idea of the reality.
Simply Brilliant II
In the two volumes of "Maus," Art Spiegelman has captured the essence of the Holocaust. He focuses his tale on his own family's tragic history, using the strangely-appropriate medium of comic book drawing. Maus II tells the Spiegelman family story from confinement in Auschwitz to the harrowing days at the end of the war through liberation and establishment in America.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Biography And Autobiography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. Children of Holocaust survivors    6. Comic books, strips, etc    7. Comics & Graphic Novels    8. Fine Arts    9. Historical - General    10. Historical - Holocaust    11. Holocaust    12. Holocaust survivors    13. Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)    14. Jewish - General    15. Literary    16. Literature: Classics    17. Military - World War II    18. Poland    19. United States    20. Europe    21. Fiction / Graphic Novels    22. History   

Editorial Review

The long life and powerful personality of England's beloved Virgin Queen have eternal appeal, and popular historian Alison Weir depicts both with panache. She's especially good at evoking the physical texture of Tudor England: the elaborate royal gowns (actually an intricate assembly of separate fabric panels buttoned together over linen shifts), the luxurious but unhygienic palaces (Elizabeth got the only "close stool"; most members of her retinue relieved themselves in the courtyards), the huge meals heavily seasoned to disguise the taste of spoiled meat. Against this earthy backdrop, Elizabeth's intelligence and formidable political skills stand in vivid relief. She may have been autocratic, devious, even deceptive, but these traits were required to perform a 45-year tightrope walk between the two great powers of Europe, France and Spain. Both countries were eager to bring small, weak England under their sway and to safely marry off its inconveniently independent queen. Weir emphasizes Elizabeth's precarious position as a ruling woman in a man's world, suggesting plausibly that the single life was personally appealing as well as politically expedient for someone who had seen many ambitious ladies--including her own mother--ruined and even executed for just the appearance of sexual indiscretions. The author's evaluations of such key figures in Elizabeth's reign as the Earl of Leicester (arguably the only man she ever loved) and William Cecil (her most trusted adviser) are equally cogent and respectful of psychological complexity. Weir does a fine job of retelling this always-popular story for a new generation. Read more

Reviews (115)

The Life of Elizabeth I
Alison Weir, a very successful popular historian, has written an absorbing biography of the ever popular Elizabeth I. However, serious students of history should beware. The author makes only cursory attempts to be even handed in her analysis of this controversial queen. Colorful, mercurial, brilliant are all apt descriptions of Elizabeth, but if you're Irish or Catholic, you might use other adjectives. Ms. Weir pretty much dismisses those other unmentionable attributes with a hohum, let's get on with more Eliza worship. I'd like to see a more balanced, criticalpicture of this Tudor monarch.

The Virgin Queen
A lively and readable introduction to Tudor History. Ms. Weir makes Elizabeth come alive on every page and it becomes obvious why even now, more than 400 years after her death, people are so fascinated by her. The prose is engaging and avoids the trap of becoming overly scholarly and plodding as some historical biographies are wont to do. Reading this left me wanting to know more, and I highly recommend Ms. Weir's other books on the Tudor family, especially 'The Six Wives of Henry VIII'.

Compelling like a mystery novel
I came to this book out of my interest for Elizabeth from the striking film with Cate Blanchett. While the film is not entirely historically accurate, it captures the emotional impact of Elizabeth's reign. This book has drawn me in and I'm about one third of the way through it, and find that I cannot put it down. It is very accessibly written, very exciting, and reads almost like a mystery novel. It answers all my questions about Elizabeth, her time period, and her reign. If you want to know more about her in broad strokes as well as specific details, and want something other than the feared 'dry, academic' style, by all means please pick this book up. It flows, reads fast, and stays in your mind. Very well done. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1533-1603    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Elizabeth    7. Great Britain    8. Historical - British    9. Queen of England,    10. Queens    11. Royalty    12. Women    13. History / World    14. Reading Group Guide   

Reviews (15)

The most famous dentist ever?
There are eras in American history that seem almost more mythic than real.Certainly this applies to the Old West, in particular, the frontier from around the end of the Civil War to the beginning of the 20th century.The figures of this period are the stuff of legends, constantly being shown, assessed and reassessed through books and movies.
Destined to become a classic...
This is a long-awaited book that is destined to be a classic in American biography.Gary L. Roberts has captured the life and the legend of his fellow Georgian in a manner unlikely to be excelled in our lifetime.The highly respected Roberts, who has written dozens of articles about various aspects of western history over more than four decades, is Professor Emeritus of History at Abraham Baldwin College.He is the author of the acclaimed study of 19th century New Mexico mayhem, "Death Comes for the Chief Justice: The Slough-Rynerson Quarrel and Political Violence in New Mexico."This book is the culmination of a lifetime of his research into the life of the legendary gunfighting dentist.
Excellent research, splotchy presentation.
Any reader enjoying history, specifically the "Old West," will delight in the literary offerings associated with Tombstone in the 1880s. In particular, the Earp/Holliday/Cow-Boys saga is one with many tales, some based in fact, some in myth. Since the movies, "Tombstone" and "Wyatt Earp," we have been flooded with books centered on this fascinating story. The difficult part for a discerning reader however, is knowing which one is the closest to the "real" truth. I suspect we will never know which version encompasses the greatest percentage of accurate datapoints, but we still try. Gary Roberts has provided us with another chapter to consider, and while I consider Mr. Roberts a very skilled and masterful historian, he has had better efforts.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Adventurers & Explorers    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Frontier and pioneer life    7. Gamblers    8. Historical - U.S.    9. Outlaws    10. United States - 19th Century/Old West    11. West (U.S.)    12. Biography & Autobiography / Historical   

Editorial Review

Robert Caro's Read more

Reviews (125)

Terrific Book
Robert Caro is just flat out a great writer.I marvelled at half page paragraphs in which he would paint the most intricate and vivid picture about some minor point.Such economy and elegance.I loved it.Overall, his work on LBJ is just awesome.
Can't Wait for the Next Installment!
Absolutely one of the best biographies I have ever read.Fascinating, insightful and brilliantly written!As I finished reading it, I found myself longing for the next installment about the vice presidency and the presidency.I will be reading it as soon as it comes out!

Amazing History
Robert Caro has produced another, long masterpiece with the continuation of his biography of Lyndon B. Johnson. This is the second Caro book I have read and the first LBJ book (the other book was The Power Broker, his epic about Robert Moses).
Read more

Subjects:  1. (Lyndon Baines),    2. 1908-1973    3. Biography    4. Biography & Autobiography    5. Biography / Autobiography    6. Biography/Autobiography    7. Historical - U.S.    8. Johnson, Lyndon B.    9. Political    10. Presidents    11. Presidents & Heads of State    12. U.S. History - Post World War II Period    13. United States    14. United States - 20th Century    15. Biography & Autobiography / Presidents    16. Johnson, Lyndon B   

Reviews (42)

Well Researched and Accurate
Ever since the 1920's, many myths and legends have surrounded Wyatt Earp.Feuled by Hollywood, these myths continued to grow well into the 1990's.Even today, many people still perceive Wyatt Earp as a larger than life hero.However, the Wyatt Earp of legend is vastly different than the real Wyatt Earp.
From Hollywood - towards the historical and psychological truth
I'm very pleased to meet this side of the mytological character of Wild West. 48 years ago, when I was about ten, I heard or read the first time about "the Lion of Tombstone", from the pulp magazine named Jesse James. After that I have collided to this persona mostly in film, played by Henry Fonda (My Darling Clementine), Burt Lancaster (Gunfight at OK Corral), James Garner (Hour of the Gun), Kurt Russell (Tombstone) and Kevin Costner (Wyatt Earp) among many other, probably secondary, films.
This book could be used in history classes
Casey Tefertiller did a perfect job writing this book.His fair and accurate analysis of the life of Wyatt Earp is interesting and hard to put down once you start reading.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography / Autobiography    2. Historical - U.S.    3. History    4. History: World    5. United States - 19th Century    6. United States - 19th Century/Old West    7. American history: c 1800 to c 1900    8. Biography & Autobiography / Historical    9. Biography: historical    10. USA   

Editorial Review

An exhaustive, soul-searching memoir, Bill Clinton's Read more

Reviews (675)

My Life
Bill Clinton writes a very interesting account of his life in an inviting conversational style. His story-telling approach easily draws the reader into the events of his life. I especially enjoyed the amount of time he spent discussing his childhood. He expresses the pain and isolation that he felt very well. He is a talented communicator and this comes through as he tells his story. The words flowed one after another and I was easily captivated by the details. This review actually refers to the audio CD unabridged version, Part I. However, after 21 CD's for Part I alone, I did become tired of all of the drawn-out explanations and wished I got the abridged version. Overall, it was a great book and I am going to also read Part 2. It provides insight and apology for the actions of our ex-president. He seems to have written it to make amends with those he offended.

Bill Clinton is brilliant !
Why did I decided to listen to an autobiography, I still don't know, autobiography's have never interested me before? However, Bill Clinton's autobiography, articulate and exceedingly detailed, was the exception.
Good read
Well written, good book. Interesting to read his perspective on world events different from what I was seeing in the media. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1946-    2. 1993-2001    3. Biography    4. Biography & Autobiography    5. Biography / Autobiography    6. Biography/Autobiography    7. Clinton, Bill,    8. Historical - U.S.    9. Personal Memoirs    10. Politics and government    11. Presidents    12. Presidents & Heads of State    13. U.S. History - 1990s    14. U.S. President    15. United States    16. Biography & Autobiography / Presidents    17. Memoirs    18. Autobiography    19. Political    20. Clinton, President Bill    21. U.S. Political History    22. History   

Reviews (4)

Excellently Honest
Anyone who doubts that North Korea is an "Axis of Evil" needs to read this book. Kang gives a straightforward first-person account of his life inside an aquarium called North Korea, where there is only fear, propaganda, corruption, prisons, hard labor and starvation. He gives us his memoir of enduring all these hardships and his astonishment at the freedoms of South Korea, which present him with new challenges. If you want to know the truth about North Korea, it doesn't come much closer than this first-hand experience.

A very disturbing look into the world's last Stalinist country
Aquariums of Pyongyang is the story of one man's life through ten years of captivity in a North Korean gulag....an incredible story of struggle against man's inhumanity to man. Many who read this book will probably view his family as highly naive for leaving Japan for North Korea and in believing North Korean propaganda over what they heard firsthand from people who had been there. On the docks before leaving, they were warned about going back and about the conditions to be found in North Korea. But, the elder family members were ardent supporters of Kim Il-Sung, and believed the propaganda put out on a daily basis. Little did they know they were putting their kids into a deathtrap from which they would have to endure many years of beatings and privation at the hands of the guards. The reeducation lessons are particularly noteworthy, as readers can gain valuable insight into how this regime works. Even dead people were not immune from being used to inculcate hate.....the picture of the prisoners being forced to throw rocks at the people hanging on the gallows (because they were enemies of the state no less, even when dead!) until they were unrecognizable is one of the most chilling things I have ever read. All in the name of propping up one of the worst ideologies the world has ever known.
Wow
An exceptional book.A first hand account of life in a NK concentration camp.The account is horrifyingly similar to other diaries of Nazi concentration camps and the Russian Gulag, but fifty years closer to the present. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Asia - General    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Christianity - General    4. Personal Memoirs    5. Religion    6. Travelers    7. Asian / Middle Eastern history: postwar, from c 1945 -    8. Biography: historical    9. Human rights    10. North Korea   

Reviews (269)

Just my two cents
Not everyone that refuses to hold Lincoln up as a godlike figure is a neo-confederate.On the other hand, all this talk of Lincoln being a tyrant and the war being one of Northern aggression is nonsense.
When a book is controversial - check its critics
DiLorenzo's book challenged virtually everything I thought I knew about Lincoln, so I did the logical thing - I looked into what points his critics cited in panning his book.I was surprised by what I found.Most critics challenged his "right" to be a historian, slamming him for citing the wrong edition of a book (right page, wrong edition), or citing to the wrong page of a book.Other criticisms were conclusory and not fact-based.When the smoke had cleared, it seemed that the major criticisms were nits picked by those adored Lincoln.None confronted DiLorenzo's facts.(This is a far cry from, for example, the Michael A. Bellesiles book, "Arming America: The Origins of a National Gun Culture", whose critics shredded the book on a factual basis.)
Abraham Lincoln: Unnecessary War. By Thomas Dilorenzo
A lot of research examines Abraham Lincoln and other origins of American National Socialism. Much of the work helps to explain the massive growth of government in these United States of America and the growing police state. More work needs to expose the influence of American National Socialism upon socialists worldwide, and upon the National Socialist German Workers' Party.