Reviews (5)

Proof that Reagan had one of the best Staff/Cabinet in histo
Fantastic book! It's a real pleasure to see some of the lower level staff/cabinet people given credit for an historic 8 years. Before I read this book, I had no idea who Richard Pearl was and now I understand why the Reagan Presidency was noted for it's "hawkish" pro-defense policies. The best history reading is one that reads like a novel while still able to get across all pertinate points and this book does so overwhelmingly. "On the Brink" doesn't necessarily cover in detail all the policies and activities of the Reagan administration (like Lebanon or Iran-Contra...read Lou Cannon's "Reagan" for this) but those it does cover, it does so in "delicious/readable" prose. Highly recommended!

Good Book - But *one* man didn't do it
This was a very good book.The pace and detail kept me glued.I was surprised, however, at how little Reagan is mentioned in the book, given the subtitle.One of the other customer reviewers had it wrong, it was not *one* man (Reagan) who ended the cold war.Rather it was a collection of men and women, and this book brings you their stories (with particular emphasis on Richard Perle). Should be a School Textbook--but probably won't!
This is a wonderful, to-the-point saga of the years that changed history! It should be a textbook--and the only reason it WON'T be is that it crosses too many agendas!Read more

Subjects:  1. 1981-1989    2. Cold War    3. Foreign relations    4. General    5. History - General History    6. History: American    7. International Relations    8. U.S. - Commonwealth Of Independent States Relations    9. U.S. History - 1980s    10. United States    11. United States - 20th Century (1945 to present)    12. Current Events / General    13. Reagan, Ronald   

Reviews (35)

Good history, fair analysis, outdated
The simple fact is that this book is outdated. Published in 1992, it is obvious that the absolute last world event dealt with in the author's research was the Gulf War of 1991. Even though it says it's been updated in 1994, there is definitely no mention of the Clinton years or the 1993 WTC bombing. In fact, in an ominous line, the authors writes to the effect that there has never been a major intel failure since the 80s (regardless of what side you believe, 9/11 would certainly get a full chapter under this category). It's time to update this book, or it will be totally obsolete very soon.
Horrible, uninformative book on the CIA
Ronald Kessler's INSIDE THE CIA is among one of the worst books I've ever read, and the worst detailing the Central Intelligence Agency.
Kessler should come back to this book for an update
Good book, but very dated. Kessler is very informed about the workings of the CIA and the backgrounds of its employees and directors, but only up to when this book was published. It has a lot of interesting folklore about the beginning of the CIA and its different divisions. It's a good read if you want to get an overview of its structure and an idea of its mindset of the CIA up to and just after the fall of the Soviets. That being the post WWII era and the cold war. If he were to go back to this book's subject I am sure he would be able to gain a wealth of newer information more applicable to the current situations we face as a nation. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Espionage    2. General    3. History: American    4. Military - Intelligence/Espionage    5. True Crime / Espionage    6. Current Events / General    7. Espionage & secret services    8. USA   

Reviews (4)

An exceptional novel-
After reading this book I completely agree with the crowd. La travesia de Enrique is an interesting read especially if you are interested in knowing the details about what children and adults experience in their journey to the USA from Central America in hopes for a better life and future. The author is a journalist and experienced the journey first hand herself, a daring experience that she wanted to endure in order to make writing the book very accurate.
Worth every penny!
La Travesia de Enrique es unos de los mejores libros que he leido en mi vida. Sonia Nazario habla de una manera tan viva que es como estar mirando una pelicula. La historia en si llega al corazon de cualquier persona y al mismo tiempo nos abre los ojos ante la dificil situacion que afrentan muchisimas familias hoy en dia.

Muy buen libro para reflexionar.
Hace poco adquiri este libro y tengo que ser honesta desde que lo empeze a leer no queria parar, me llama tanto la atencion de todo lo que pasan estas personas con tal de conseguir un sueno.
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Subjects:  1. Biography / Autobiography    2. Case studies    3. Emigration & Immigration    4. Emigration And Immigration    5. Ethnic Cultures - General    6. Honduras    7. Immigration and emigration    8. Social Science    9. Sociology Of Children    10. Spanish: Adult Nonfiction    11. United States    12. Current Events / General   

Reviews (8)

Whitewash. A rewrite of history
To best judge the 911 commission it is logical to look at the commissioners themselves. As chief executive Philip Zelikow was the chief architect of the report. Zelikow is a personal friend of Condoleeza Rice one of the chief witnesses called to testify. He is also a rabid neo con who worked under Bush at the National Security council.
I almost bought this
untill Kean was involved the ABC 9/11 show. The absolute lies involved in the film and Keans explaination of them is an insult to any intelligent people left in America. Blame Clinton? I never voted for him but try googling executive order 12947 or CNN july 30 1996 bill waters down terrorist bill. Or August 22 1998 Clinton freezes bin laden assets. ABC is backpeddling like crazy but Kean who was intrusted by the people of The United States of America to give the truth about 9/11 thru the 9/11 commission, gives us this. Have you no shame, sir?

A rare inside look at Washington political process
I found this book fascinating.There are rarely Washington insiders with the narrative talent and an appreciation for process, and in this case, we have a book that provides both.The careful negotiations, resistance and calculations by federal agencies, the push and pull of partisan politics and the unique friendly-adversarial role of the 911 families provide for absorbing reading.If nothing else, the use of careful diplomacy by the authors in knowing when to wheedle and when to subpoena is a lesson unto itself.The delicacy of diplomacy and the ham-handedness of security considerations provide a rare insight into the difficulties of maneuvering inside the beltway, and the differences amongst and amidst the commission itself are more than simple sniping -- they are in many ways a laboratory for American political struggles.Recommended for policy wonks and aspiring diplomats, and for those, like me, who'd rather get the inside scoop on the White House than Hollywood. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Government - U.S. Government    2. Government policy    3. National security    4. Political Freedom & Security - Intelligence    5. Political Freedom & Security - Terrorism    6. Political Science    7. Political Terrorism    8. Politics / Current Events    9. Politics/International Relations    10. September 11 Terrorist Attacks, 2001    11. Terrorism    12. U.S. Government - Intelligence Agencies    13. United States    14. United States - 21st Century    15. Current Events / American   

Editorial Review

The dramatic and chilling story of an Ebola virus outbreak in a surburban Washington, D.C. laboratory, with descriptions of frightening historical epidemics of rare and lethal viruses. More hair-raising than anything Hollywood could think of, because it's all Read more

Reviews (439)

A true life horror story
A really compelling read! I could not put this book down. Before I read 'The Hot Zone' I had never really taken much interest in virology. Richard Preston writes his account very effectively in the style of a novel, but the fact that the horrors of Marburg and Ebola that he describes are actually true, gave me many sleepless nights. A frightening aspect of these filoviruses is that their source has still not been found. If only all non-fictional books were as readable as this!
Truly terrifying from the start to the end
I am someone who loves classics... so I never read this kind. But I happened to read it on my trip to east coast. I finished within 2 days. At first, I was scared, then i accept the truth... it became better. And it's so good from the start to end... So realistic, u can touch the grip of it... feel like it's happening around the corner.
Sub-par
I've been wanting to read this novel for several years now.Taking Virology during my undergraduate career only peaked my interest in reading about Ebola in a novel-style context.There's not much known about the Ebola virus, even to this day, and I was intrigued to see how Preston would incorporate this knowledge (or lackthereof) into his book.While the subject matter is extremely interesting and engaging, I will have to agree that his writing style is sub-par.I found myself skimming through whole paragraphs because of his mundane and repetitive diction and syntax.If it had been written by someone else, I think I could have immensely enjoyed this book (I'm a major science nerd, and I love reading science books).The only thing that kept me going to the finish was the fact that the entire novel was riding on the subject matter Ebola itself.The virus was what kept the novel going (I actually enjoyed all the factual paragraphs about Ebola...reminded me of the course I took in college! Haha, that, and I like seeing how factually correct Preston was).Overall, it seems like most of his facts are correct (there are a few things that I would contest, but that's besides the point), but honestly, the book was a bore...which is a shame, because it's written on such a fascinating subject.
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Subjects:  1. Africa    2. Diet / Health / Fitness    3. Diseases - Contagious    4. Ebola virus disease    5. General    6. Medical Virology    7. Primates as laboratory animals    8. Reston    9. Sociology    10. Virginia    11. Current Events / General   

Editorial Review

Michael Barone of Read more

Reviews (18)

Barone shows us how similar our issues around immigration today are to those of 1900
With all the agitation around immigration it is important to have as much actual information as possible rather than getting sucked in by old impressions and media slant.Michael Barone is one of our generation's treasures.He knows a great deal about our country and its politics because he has devoted a lifetime to the study of our history, our culture, and our politics.He says what he says the way he says it in order to inform rather than couching things carefully to win you to a certain point of view.
This Is Not 1925
The idea behind this book is an interesting one.Mr. Barone suggests that, although some fear the recent influx of immigrants to the United States, there's really nothing to worry about if we learn the lessons of history.Three of the largest immigrant populations from the early part of the 20th century, he points out, have "woven themselves" into mainstream American life with great success.Now, three large "new" populations can do the same, based on their similarities to those who came before.The black population ("immigrant" in the sense that it moved from the rural South, practically a foreign country, to the industrial North) can weave itself into mainstream American life as the Irish did, the Latino population as the Italians did, and the Asian population as the Jews did.Sounds pretty good, and Barone has plenty of statistical and historical evidence to support himself.Then he goes and ruins it with a political bias he claims he doesn't have. Quotas and victims
Some of the criticisms of Mr. Barone's work, mostly from the anti-immigration nativists, seem to me to be wholly misguided. What Mr. Barone is encouraging people to do is to think differently about how America views immigration AND race. I think he clearly, and devastatingly, shows that today's victim-oriented, quota-based debate hurts the people it's designed to help. He also encourages Americans to be more hopeful about the ability of society to slowly assimilate different 'races' (he makes the point frequently that Jews and the Irish were once thought of as a 'race') and the ability of those 'races' to succeed in America.Read more

Subjects:  1. Emigration & Immigration    2. Emigration and immigration    3. History    4. Immigrants    5. Immigration and emigration    6. Minority Studies - Ethnic American    7. Politics / Current Events    8. Public Policy - Cultural Policy    9. Social Science    10. Sociology    11. United States    12. Social Science / Emigration & Immigration    13. Current Issues   

Reviews (24)

The Best Book About Today's Israelis
A student gave me this book. Now I assign The Israelis in my university sociology class and students -- Jews, Christians, Muslims and Buddhists -- love it. It's lively, balanced and fascinating. The best book about contemporary Israelis I know.
Six Stars
What a lovely book! On returning from my first trip to Israel not long ago, friends and colleagues were stunned at how totally I -- a liberal secular non-Jew -- had fallen for Israel, and especially for the Israeli people. No doubt I sounded goofily infatuated trying to explain the resilience, toughness, crusty directness, the kindness, the wit, the incredible Israeli smile -- see, there I go again.
An excellent book on the lives of modern Israelis of all kinds.
I first read The Israelis about a year ago, and I enjoyed it very much.With the recent events in and around the country (the Hamas election victory, Ariel Sharon's new political party, his incapacitation) I decided to read it again.I started by looking up a few facts for a discussion group, and became so involved that I read the book a second time from cover to cover.I've discussed the book with friends from Israel, and all but one of them feel that it is an accurate view of modern life.The one person who didn't agree said it was "skewed," with not enough weight given to the various Orthodox communities and beliefs (she is Orthodox).The impression I had of her comments, though, were that she wasn't unhappy with the boook per se, but rather with the current path being taken by Israelis, and that this boook is promoting this path.My feeling was that it wasn't promoting, just reporting it as accurately as possible.
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Subjects:  1. Ethnic Studies - General    2. General    3. Jewish Studies    4. Middle East - Israel    5. Political Science    6. Politics/International Relations    7. Sociology    8. Asian / Middle Eastern history    9. Current Events / General    10. Israel    11. Social history   

Editorial Review

Most people know it's easier to get into prison than it is to get out. But for a journalist, just getting into Sing Sing, New York's notorious maximum-security prison, isn't easy. In fact, Ted Conover was so stymied by official channels that he took the only way in--other than crime--and became a New York State corrections officer: "I wanted to hear the voices one truly never hears, the voices of guards--those on the front lines of our prison policies, the society's proxies." Read more

Reviews (101)

Ted Conover's Keen Eye for Researching ..........
I bought this book for the interest in the subject matter and to also read about the author's personal experiences as a correctional officer and researcher. For the past few weeks, I read the book and can honestly say it is one of the best books on criminal justice written from "an outsider's experience inside." Ted Conover's role was to get the story. How many persons could honestly say they go in a prison to work on a book? Very, very few, probably the Ted Conover few.
Much Respect
I have to give the author credit.When he was denied the right to shadow a C.O. (Corrections Officer), he became one.This is not as simple as it sounds.He literally swore an oath to protect the inmates and the lives of his fellow officers.He worked the job with dedication, and got some great material out of it.I was wary, because I thought he might have been playing C.O.But, working in Sing Sing, you don't "play" anything.Bravo.

A Great Adventure Behind Bars.
Some investigative reporters will do anything for a story.We see it all the time on T.V. news.This one tends to live dangerously; he wrote about American Illegal Aliens in 1987 -- I wish he would do a followup as so much has changed in that regard in the past twenty years or so.
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Subjects:  1. American    2. Biography    3. Correctional personnel    4. Criminology    5. General    6. Law Enforcement    7. New York (State)    8. Officials and employees    9. Ossining    10. Ossining Correctional Facility    11. Penal Institutions    12. Politics / Current Events    13. Prisons    14. Sing Sing Prison    15. Social Science    16. Sociology    17. Current Events / American    18. USA   

Editorial Review

Some have said that the events of September 11 took every American by surprise. That's not true. There were Cassandras among us warning about the dangers of Islamic terrorism--and one of their leaders was Steven Emerson, who must be ranked among the most fearless reporters in the world. As a self-made expert on Islamic terrorism, he has invited the hatred of violent murderers. (At least one group has marked him for assassination; he was offered enrollment in the federal witness protection program, but refused). For more than 10 years, Emerson has soldiered on, studying groups that operate in the United States for the express purpose of funding and managing deadly organizations. Read more

Reviews (46)

American Jihad The terrorists living among us
This book should be REQUIRED reading byall our government representative who think they understand the Muslim mind and methodology.While most people aren't fond of dry historical accounts, this is a must read in our day and age to not only protect yourself and your family, but to start a national dialogue for our national protection from nerds in government who don't understand where the dangers are.Perfect account with lots of relavent information.

A must read for all Americans.
It is heartening to read so many well informed five star reviews of Emerson's book.If only millions upon millions of Americans could be so knowledgeable about this critical subject.In general there is not much I can add other than to encourage buying the book.
the sobering facts
"The formula was simple: use the laws, freedoms, and loopholes of the most liberal nation on earth to help finance and direct the most violent international terrorism groups in the world." (p. 111)
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Subjects:  1. International Relations - General    2. Islam    3. Islam and terrorism    4. Jihad    5. Muslims    6. Political Discontent And Violence    7. Political Freedom & Security - Terrorism    8. Political Science    9. Politics / Current Events    10. Politics/International Relations    11. Religious aspects    12. Systems Of Government    13. Terrorism    14. Terrorists    15. United States    16. Current Events / American    17. Political activism    18. Political structure & processes    19. Politics & government   

Reviews (15)

Elegant as silk, sharp as a scalpel
Kenji Yoshino's book manages a difficult feat: it is simultaneously elegant and hard-hitting. Yoshino, a professor at Yale Law School, blends memoir and legal history as he charts the changing attitude of American society toward homosexuality. Formerly, gays were treated as if they had a deadly disease--if they were not willing to change, forcible means such as lobotomy and electroshock therapy were at hand to "convert" them. Next, they were left alone as long as they were willing to hide their sexuality. The riots of Stonewall and the AIDS plague were watersheds in changing this attitude, as gay men and women demanded to be recognized as such AND treated as human beings.
Insightful and much needed
Yoshino is one of the brightest stars in civil rights discussion. I found his book insightful and even necessary for any real progress to be made for civil rights for all people.

What a career!
I found the personal coming out to his parents story very moving; it brought tears to my eyes.I also loved the epilogue and the story of the blue star.But, in between, what a lot of navel-gazing and counting of angels on the head of a pin.I'm a lawyer, but I admit I got lost in all the differentiations and attempts to focus the covering/reverse-covering analysis on each type of discrimination.Then, halfway-through, I learn he was only in law school in the 1990s.I've been practicing longer than that and he's the Harvard professor!(I realize that's a comment on me.)This guy has really carved out a self-referential niche for himself. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Asians In The U.S.    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Ethnic Studies - Asian American Studies    7. Gay lawyers    8. Gay rights    9. General    10. Japanese American lawyers    11. Lawyers & Judges    12. Personal Memoirs    13. Political    14. Political Freedom & Security - Civil Rights    15. Practice Of Law    16. United States    17. Current Events / General   

Editorial Review

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Reviews (66)

Troubling but crucially important
Strauss and Howe offer an analysis of the past 500 years of Western civilization, through the lens of generational dynamics. They are repeating (and condensing) some of their prior work in Generations, and putting more emphasis on our present reality.The authors posit that there is a four-generation cycle that has repeated itself time and time again over the past five centuries. Every fourth generation, there is a massive upheaval -- the American Revolution, the Civil War, and World War II being the most recent examples. They argue that we are due for the next massive crisis by about 2020 to 2025, and that all the signs of disintegration of society we see around us are patterns that have existed in the periods prior to the massive upheavals of the past.I found this book to be a page-turner; I found it incredibly difficult to put down.
Family is the only ultimate safety net for both political and economic upheaval
The fourth turning prediction suggests a final abandon of futurist promises of social security, Medicare, and elder benefits.These New Deal projects will lie in the dust bins of history. Today's advice is to prepare for both economic and political upheaval.The federal government will need to simplify and reduce, size and scope. All levels of government need to prune legal, regulatory, and professional thickets that stymie institutional change. Government needs to thin out procedural requirements that could delay or weaken emergence measures in a crisis.Communities should improve their own functional support for schools, housing infrastructure (sewer,power,water,roads), transportation, safety, justice, social service from their own local resources and stop depending upon federal fund assistance.Personal responsibility for the future health care and income means people, today, should begin to save intensely.The saving must be signficant increase reaching 20-25 percent of their incomes.The author believes a consumption tax will benefit the middle class.A consumption tax would not tax income creating a wealth creation sphere.However, money is not the only solution.Bottomline, the family will be the ultimate safety net against disaster because of its never infinite resource capability and flexibility.At the same time, as economic hardship increases, one can expect government subsidies to vanish and new trade barriers to arise.Corporate bailouts caused from consumer spending declines will be less and less likely.
The most profound book I have read in a long time
I have always believed history was linear, and that we were progressing somehow as a species, until I read this book.
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Subjects:  1. Cycles    2. Forecasts    3. Future Studies    4. General    5. Politics/International Relations    6. Social Science    7. Sociology    8. Twenty-first century    9. American history    10. Cultural studies    11. Current Events / General    12. Social forecasting, futurology    13. USA   

Reviews (21)

Sandy Weill is a testament to belief in delivering value
This book could be considered a corner stone foundation marker in understanding what makes people relevant, even when they are not.
finished the whole book overnight
As a person used to work in Wall Street and live now in China, I read the Chinese version of this book. It was as if I lived, breathed, angered, and cheered with Weill, Dimon, Prince.... One of the best books about wall street of past 10 years. I ordered this book in English and will read it again, for at least once.

Riveting and rollicking?You bet.
The top business journalists in the world are the ones that research and pen the groundbreaking Page A1 stories in The Wall Street Journal.The Journal breaks these stories over and over again, and other news organizations simply trail in their wake.Monica Langley is one of these trailblazers.In 'Tearing Down the Walls,' she expands upon a lengthy Page A1 profile she had written about Sandy Weill and details his Horatio Alger story.
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Subjects:  1. Biography & Autobiography    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Biography/Autobiography    4. Business    5. Biography: general    6. Current Events / General    7. Entrepreneurship   

Reviews (3)

Very informative, a must-read on the intelligence community
This book is very informative on the subject of Ted Shackley. I think Corn is fair to him and doesn't indict him as an upcoming book will do. It treats him fairly and leaves the reader to make up their own mind. If you want an overview of the important events o the Cold War read this and how this legend participated in them.

Heavily biased but informative
Regardless of one's views on the CIA, it becomes quickly apparent that Corn's account of Agency activities, most of them pre-dating Church Committee hearings, is an extremely biased one. This is like reading an extended editorial column from an avid critic. The research is certainly thorough, although his admittedly extensive use of anonymous sources throws even more doubt on how much of the book can be taken at face value. Because the narratives primarily critique specific decisions and operations, it is easy to forget that Corn has chosen Shackley as the primary character. He is never really established as such. Expect to spend lots of time reading about operations in SE Asia. I do not at all agree that this book is essential reading for those interested in the intelligence community.For a more entertaining account of the inner workings of the Directorate of Operations (DO) during roughly the same time period, take a look at "The Night Watch" by David Atlee Philips. To my knowledge, Corn has never worked for the CIA. Philips served in various capacities within the DO.

Spend Money, Get Lots of Folks Killed, Lose Anyway...
Although Ted Shackley was a line case officer, this book is placed within the paramilitary section because his entire career encompassed a series of wars where the CIA played a very tragic and unproductive role.AsShackley's deputy in Laos is quoted on page 163, speaking on Shakley'saccomplishments in Laos, "We spent a lot of money and got a lot ofpeople killed," Lair remembered, "and we didn't get much forit."For those seeking to understand the bureaucratization of theDirectorate of Operations, both in the field and in Washington, this isessential reading. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography/Autobiography    3. General    4. Intelligence service    5. International Relations - General    6. Politics / Current Events    7. Spies    8. U.S. Government - Intelligence Agencies    9. United States    10. Current Events / General    11. Shackley, Theodore   

Features

• Abridged
• Audiobook

Reviews (96)

Required reading
Ron writes another riveting story of 'The Decider' aka GW Bush.Everyone should read this book, particularly those who voted for him in 2000 and again in 2004.Anyone with a logical brain and half history of the ME Region could anticipate that the foray into Iraq was misguided at best and a breach of trust at worst.America will need years to recover from this Fiasco (another fine book) as well as all the lives and money squandered in this poor attempt at a war on terror.

Docudrama
This book is a "docudrama" where real people are placed in scenes with words and thoughts given to them.The book comes with no notes or references.Though most of it rings true, the reader cannot tell fact from fiction.The story-line seems plausible about a large organization facing a large new challenge, regaining its balance and developing a strategy to counter it.For someone to write a book of this nature, he would have had to interview many of the players, but you don't know who.I got a sense that the vast majority of the interviewees were middle level.Their frustrations with their upper management through all of this turbulence come through pretty clearly.