Editorial Review

Jim Powell believes that worthwhile abstract ideas are best promoted by the study of the lives of those who embodied them. In Read more

Reviews (9)

Good source for further reading
This book is good for basic information, but the best thing, or things about it are the tidbits of information that lead one to further reading.It is a great source for pointing the reader not only to great thinkers, but also to works by great thingers worthy of further investigation.

A Triumph of Libertarian Scholarship
With this book, Jim Powell advances the notion that modern history can best be viewed as a quest for freedom, and even the most cynical among us must agree that "wresting liberty from tyranny's iron fist" is indeed worth fighting for. In a series of short biographical vignettes, Powell looks at the lives of sixty-five historical figures that he deems heroes in this struggle, making for a fascinating and inspiring read. However, any such grouping of people is bound to spark debate, as very few of these individuals would call themselves "libertarian", nor would all libertarians be quick to claim them all as ancestors or heirs. A Series of Somewhat Dry, Short Profiles
"The Triumph of Liberty" is best purchased with the notion that you will chew on one or two short nuggets at a time to capture the essence of each "freedom fighter" profiled. Like Brokaw's "The Greatest Generation", it's a compilation of vignettes that illuminate and sometimes inspire, and which can be read in short bursts. Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Freedom    3. History    4. History - General History    5. History: World    6. Liberty    7. Political And Civil Rights    8. Political Freedom & Security - Civil Rights    9. Political History    10. Reference    11. World - General    12. History / General   

Reviews (2)

Buy This Book!
Stephen's writing is polished and clear--very refreshing for this type of book.This is an interesting read, one wishes they could sit next to the fire and chat with Jo Moro.A must for anyone's bookshelf!

Wonderful
What a rare find! What a loss for those who never knew Mora ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1876-1947    2. Artists    3. Biography    4. Biography & Autobiography    5. Biography / Autobiography    6. Biography/Autobiography    7. General    8. Mora, Joseph Jacinto,    9. Reference    10. United States - 19th Century/Old West    11. West (U.S.)    12. West (U.S.) in art    13. Biography & Autobiography / Artists, Architects, Photographers   

Subjects:  1. 1819-1880    2. 19th century    3. Biography    4. Biography & Autobiography    5. Biography / Autobiography    6. Biography/Autobiography    7. Civilization    8. Composers    9. Composers & Musicians - General    10. France    11. Genres & Styles - Opera    12. History & Criticism - General    13. Instruction & Study - Composition    14. Music Of The 19th Century    15. Musical Composition    16. Offenbach, Jacques,    17. Paris (France)    18. Reference    19. History / General    20. Offenbach, Jacques   

Subjects:  1. Atlases    2. Atlases - World    3. Foreign Language Study    4. Reference    5. Spanish    6. Spanish: Adult Nonfiction    7. Reference / General   

Reviews (5)

Latina Women
I really recomend this book because it talks about Latina women including famous women who are Dominican, Puerto Rican, Mexican and from other Latin American countries.
An Inspirational Book for Every Woman
For so long women's accomplishments in society have been overlooked.This book does a marvelous job of detailing the many great contributions of women, and in particular, of Latina women.For any Latina and her daughters, this is an inspirational book that shows just how far you can reach!!

Great Guide to Latina Women of Passion and Accomplisment
Concise enough to be a reference guide, yet meaty enough I coudln't put it down, Sylvia Mendoza's choice of Latina women and the material she selects to highlight for each, make a compelling read.From Malinche (my favorite) to Selena, we learn who and what drove the lives, passions and successes of these amazing, but often overlooked women.From trailblazers to entertainers, doctors to activists and leaders, the glimpses into their lives educate and inspire. I'd love to read the same delightful sweep of 150 Latina men, 150 Black women, etc., etc.
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Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography & Autobiography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. Hispanic American Sociology    6. Hispanic American women    7. Latin America    8. Reference    9. Sociology Of Women    10. Spain    11. Women    12. Women's Studies - General   

Editorial Review

All but one originally published in the Read more

Reviews (7)

A Fine Collection of Profiles
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. masterfully profiles eight black men in this collection of his New Yorker essays.He writes in a bluesy, artistic style and has the ability to get quotes from these men that any other journalist would fail to do.The men intimately discuss the tragedies and successes of their lives.The stories of these men details their ascent and depicts the world around them.Gates daringly portrays O.J. Simpson and the infamous trial and Louis Farrakhan, the outspoken leader of the nation of Islam.The other men profiled are James Baldwin, Albert Murray, Bill T. Jones, Colin Powell, Harry Belafonte, and Anatole Broyard.Each of their lives have distinct differences, but it is also interesting to find the areas where they overlap. Couldn't put this one down, wonderful
Henry Louis Gates must have some magical ability to transcribe someone's personality onto the printed page.I was amazed at the variety of personalities Gates wrote about and how accurately Gates seemed to portray them.My favorites were Anatole Broyard and Colin Powell, but every essay is compelling.Perhaps what I enjoyed most is that Gates had the bravery to write about controversial subjects (like Louis Farrakhan and O.J. Simpson, though an entire essay was not dedicated to the latter).I recommend this book highly. Fans of this book would also enjoy Cornel West's Race Matters.

Gates should have excluded Anatole Broyard from this book.
Gates should have excluded the late Anatole Broyard from this book.Broyard was certainly not a "black" man.He looked white, identified as such, and his choice should be respected.Broyard's memoryshould not be subjected to "ethnic rape." ... Read more

Subjects:  1. African American men    2. Afro-American men    3. Biography    4. Ethnic Studies - African American Studies - General    5. Men's Studies - General    6. Reference    7. Social Science    8. Sociology    9. Biography & Autobiography / People of Color    10. Black studies    11. USA   

Subjects:  1. Biography & Autobiography    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Biography/Autobiography    4. General    5. Reference    6. Biography: general   

Reviews (2)

Biography written mainly for children or adolescents
This Bio of one of the greatest sportsmen ever to step onto a hardwood floor is well written, but clearly aims at children for a reading audience. Too much time goes into explaining obvious historical knowledge like the fact that back in the fifties races were seperate.
a good primer about a fascinating man (Bill Russell)
Like just about all new books, this book is "pricey."That is the only reason I did not give it a 5-star rating.[CAVEAT:I freely admit that I am biased.For several reasons, I like Bill Russell.]
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Subjects:  1. 1934-    2. Basketball players    3. Biography    4. Biography & Autobiography    5. Biography / Autobiography    6. Biography/Autobiography    7. General    8. Reference    9. Russell, Bill,    10. United States    11. Basketball    12. Biography & Autobiography / General   

Reviews (2)

Incredible... haunting.
This incredible book feels like an intimate recollection between you and the author. The descriptive prose will shake you to your foundation as Mr. Bird describes with amazing clarity his encounters with nuclear horror. Although small in stature (its only 150 pages) it walks tall and you will emerge from the experience changed.
Finding Hope
This memoir chronicles the author's experience as a test subject for one of the hundreds of US Government nuclear bomb trials which took place in the desert of Nevada, and the aftermath of its effects on the author both physically and psychologically.As a young soldier, Bird was ordered to crouch in a trench with his squad a mere 4,000 yards from the detonation of the largest nuclear bomb explosion in North America, wearing only a WWII gas mask for protection.The memoir is framed by the author's three trips to Hiroshima which ultimately aid in his attempt to come to terms with both the terror and hope he shares with the victims and survivors of nuclear war in Hiroshima.His account brings to life the horror of Hiroshima that is only understood abstractly by many Americans.Additionally, it is very informative about the hundreds of nuclear explosions the government sponsors in our own country for the purpose of experimentation and the devastating effects of radiation disease caused by radioactive fallout.Folding Paper Cranes: An Atomic Memoir, is frank, sensitive, and searingly honest.It is sprinkled with poetry and though poignant with despair, ultimately brings a message of peace and hope. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Atomic bomb victims    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Bird, Leonard    7. Cancer    8. Historical - General    9. Marines    10. Nevada    11. Nuclear weapons    12. Patients    13. Personal Memoirs    14. Reference    15. Testing    16. United States    17. Biography & Autobiography / Personal Memoirs   

Reviews (9)

An Important Chapter In Wall Street History
I found the information in this book very informative and surprising that black participation in finance went back as far as it did.Stories of black stockbrokers and mutual fund salesmen in the 1950's to the investment bankers of today, records the slow but meaningful progress made on the Street in the last few decades. Hopefully, the progress will continue....

A Very Interesting Book
This book was an impulse buy for me, I have always had little interest in Wall Street but my son works in the securities industry so I thought I would read this for some background.I am very glad I did because I did not realize how deep African American history in the financial world is.I enjoyed the stories of people like Philip Jenkins and John Patterson, early pioneers who deserve greater recognition for their contributions.I think that this book is an important contribution of both African American and Wall Street history and does a good job of illuminating aspects about the history of finance that went unrecognized for far too long.

The first and best of its kind
This book fills in the missing pages of Wall Street's History. It documents how African-Americans overcame racism and other barriers to become successful in the financial securities industry. This should be part of every business school's curriculum. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. African American capitalists a    2. African American capitalists and financiers    3. Biography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Black American Sociology    6. Business    7. Business & Economics    8. Business/Economics    9. Ethnic Studies - African American Studies - General    10. History    11. Investment Finance    12. Investments & Securities - General    13. People of Color    14. Reference    15. Securities industry    16. United States    17. Black studies    18. Business & Economics / Investments & Securities    19. Investment & securities    20. USA   

Reviews (4)

Excellent book, very detailed and interesting.
I recently read this book and found it to be an excellent read. The writing certainly isn't slick and manicured, but instead it is written by a real man who endured these very real experiences and survived to tell about it in a genuine, honest way. As I read it, I could almost imagine an elderly man relaying the story to me in his own words. It is very honestly written and Fiske pulls no punches when describing his very understandable feelings toward his captors. The book has many humorous moments, even though the story itself is heartbreaking, and even gruesome at times. Fiske's detailed accounts of everything from his plane's crash to his torture are excellent with almost cinematic detail. He also speaks of his Christian faith and how it helped him through his ordeal. The photos and drawings (mostly from Fiske's memory) contribute much to the story, and I would consider this book a "must read" for anyone interested in WWII or POWs, or anyone interested in American history. A very inspiring read.

Intense story
Mr. Hanley is no Tom Clancy but the story is fantastic.A fast read that keeps your attention.Mr. Hanley recounts his days as a B-29 Navigator and how in March of 1945 his plane was shot down over Japan.He was taken prisoner but not afforded POW status due to the Japanese bitterness involving the fire bombings they had recently undergone only a few weeks earlier.The Japanese considered Mr. Hanley a "Special Prisoner", essentially a war criminal.His treatment was inhumane at best and more realistically should be considered sadistic.Mr. Hanley recounts his bitterness and hatred towards those that tortured him.I hope he eventually found some resolution.

Special Prisoners of the Japanese
ACCUSED AMERICAN WAR CRIMINAL is a very accurate account of a World War II Japanese Special Prisoner.The book is a real page-turner.The author has written several books on World War II and is a much sought-after speaker on Japanese war prisoners. ACCUSED AMERICAN WAR CRIMINAL by Fiske Hanley is very interesting reading and deserves a place on the lists of American history books. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography / Autobiography    2. Military    3. Reference   

Reviews (6)

Fantastic read...
The most striking thing about this book isn't the age of the author, or even his unique perspective, returning to Afghanistan after September 11, having been raised in California. The most striking thing about this book is that, by the time you have finished reading it, you will care very deeply about what has happened, and IS happening, in Afghanistan. At times very touching and sad, and at other times very funny, this is a very moving, emotionally-charged and honest book.

Present at the Creation!

Best recent book on what's going on in Afghanistan I've found
Comback to Afghanistan, by Hydar Akbar is unique
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Subjects:  1. Asia - Central    2. Asia - General    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Reference    7. Travelers    8. Biography & Autobiography / General   

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Art - General    4. Artists    5. Artists, Architects, Photographers    6. Biography    7. Biography & Autobiography - Art    8. Biography / Autobiography    9. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 10-12)    10. Encyclopedias    11. Fine Arts (Young Adult)    12. General    13. Juvenile Nonfiction    14. Reference    15. Reference - Encyclopedias    16. Dictionaries of biography (Who's Who)    17. History Of Art / Art & Design Styles   

Subjects:  1. Art & Art Instruction    2. Artists, Architects, Photographers    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. History - General    6. Individual Artist    7. Portraits, British    8. Reference    9. Switzerland    10. Women painters    11. Art / General    12. Exhibition catalogues and specific collections    13. Individual artists    14. Painting & paintings    15. c 1700 to c 1800   

Reviews (1)

Simply Unbelievable...
It is amazing how the author transforms Rommel into a completely different personality.Georg Reuth should seriously consider pursuing a career with the National Enquirer.No doubt, his work is the greatest military fictionof our time.Congratulations to Mr. Reuth. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Africa, North    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Campaigns    7. France    8. Germany    9. Historical - General    10. Marshals    11. Military    12. Military - World War II    13. Military History (General)    14. Normandy    15. Reference    16. World War II    17. World War, 1939-1945    18. Biography & Autobiography / Historical    19. Biography: historical    20. European history: Second World War    21. Second World War, 1939-1945   

Reviews (1)

An American Journey
If you are an Oak Ridge Boys Fan like I am,you will love this book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography & Autobiography    2. Biography & Autobiography / Composers & Musicians    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. Composers & Musicians - Country & Folk    6. Composers & Musicians - General    7. Genres & Styles - Country & Bluegrass - General    8. Music / Country    9. Oak Ridge Boys (Musical group)    10. Reference    11. Biography: film, television & music    12. Country & western    13. Genres & Styles - Country & Bluegrass    14. Music   

Reviews (3)

Just OK
I am a big fan of Tony Horwitz's work.Confederates in the Attic may be one of my all time favorite books.Having said that, I would not recommend this book.He did not write this book, and that is clear from the first page!This book is really quite dry.It reads like a textbook, but without the depth.

Average accounts
A wonderful account of American exploration.From Cabeza De Vaca to Fremont and beyond this book gives quick sketches of Americas great explorers.Although it seems to stop short and seems to miss a few people this book gives a whirlwind tour of adventure, American style.

Rip Off!
How disappointing!Read more

Subjects:  1. Adventure and adventurers    2. Biography    3. Explorers    4. Historical - General    5. Historical - U.S.    6. Historiography    7. History    8. History - General History    9. History: American    10. Reference    11. United States    12. United States - General    13. American history    14. Biography: historical    15. Geographical discovery & exploration    16. History / United States / General    17. History, American    18. USA   

Reviews (7)

A great story that lost something in this telling..
The writing is clear and manages to convey many of the important details of Wallenberg's life, yet it was written for a typical young-adult audience. To a sopisticated reader this text can come across as a bit hollow and wooden. These amazing human beings and the incredible times they lived in appear somewhat simplified and one-dimensional in this book. It was lacking a bit too much in feeling and deeper exploration of human nature for this adult reader. Still Wallenberg's life is a great story and worthy of being told many times over. It's just that this one alone fails to do it complete justice.

Should be on Everyones Must Read List
This book should be read by everyone. It is informative, well written, and provides information one one of the true heros in the history of mankind. If you read "Shindlers Ark" (or saw the movie) you'll really enjoy this book.

History that is more exciting than the best-selling fiction
As a parent, I know how hard it is to find excellent, high-quality nonfiction books for older children who are at an in-between stage - not quite ready for adult books but too old for "juvenile" books. This true account of Raoul Wallenberg, a man who saved more than 100,000 Jewish men, women and children from extinction during the Holocaust, is gripping and well-written. My kids could NOT put it down and one of them is a reluctant reader, so that says a lot right there. Watching my reluctant reader with his eyes glued to the page compelled me to pick up the book myself and I was glad I did.The author has used actual archival materals and even interviewed Wallenberg's family and friends. There are also photographs included, a special touch that brings a sense of immediacy to the past. Perhaps most importantly, the author has not "talked down" to the older children who are most likely to read this book (although it could be read aloud to younger ones). Adults, too, would find this one fascinating to read. A strong recommendation for this one! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography & Autobiography    3. Biography/Autobiography    4. Children's 12-Up - History - General    5. Children's Books/Young Adult Misc. Nonfiction    6. Diplomats    7. History - General    8. Hungary    9. Jews    10. Juvenile literature    11. Persecutions    12. Reference    13. Righteous Gentiles in the Holocaust    14. Sweden    15. Wallenberg, Raoul,    16. Biography: general    17. Europe    18. European history: Second World War    19. Fiction dealing with multiculturalism   

Subjects:  1. Genealogy    2. General    3. Oral biography    4. Reference    5. Biography: general    6. Family history    7. Historiography    8. Oral history   

Subjects:  1. Biography & Autobiography    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. General    4. Reference    5. Spanish: Adult Nonfiction