5 comments about Blood Red Snow: The Memoirs of a German Soldier on the Eastern Front.

1. I am fascinated and incensed by every memoir written by German serviceman. Fascinated because I am afforded an opportunity to glimpse into the personal experience of an enemy, but incensed because everyone (at least whom I've read so far) comes across like such a gentleman. For instance, author said that because one Russian soldier was unarmed he did not shoot him. He also said that he couldn't bear seeing his buddy shooting wounded Russians because he thought it was barbaric. Oh, the innocent German soldiers. Where were they in Dachau, Majdanek, Treblinka, Auschwitz, etc etc etc? How about inhumane treatment of Russian POWs or mass murders of Russian population on occupied territories? Did 26 million Russian souls perish in this war just on their own? I guess those who choose to write about their experiences either conveniently forget these parts of the story or are absolute exceptions from the norm. I tend to believe the former.
   
   I have to agree with another reviewer (Jeffrey Thurston) that the author repeatedly names a weapon that Russian soldiers use as Kalashnikov quite incorrectly. The fact that this gun was introduced at least 2 years after the war makes the reading a bit confusing and, well, discredits the story somewhat.
   
   On a side note, I guess the numerous typos should not be the focus of my review, since the book is not written by a "professional" writer. Yet one is left wondering what the editor was doing right before they cleared the final manuscript for printing.
   
   In all, I found accounts of fear that Russian attacks instilled in Germans (at least on some occasions) utmost interesting to read, including calling the T-34 a steel monster (it wasn't a heavy tank by any means). As long as you don't think too much into the details (i.e., nonexistent weapon repeatedly used by Russians, confusing some Russian and Polish words), you'll find this book an OK read.



2. "Blood Red Snow" is another excellent book written about the German version of War in the East, through yet another direct participant in that war (this book is "one more" excellent - German perspective from the many great books on WWII, within the Amazon publishings).
   It's important to know one basic element about WWII before diving into these many WWII readings. That is; 7 out of 10 Germans killed in combat in WWII were killed on the Russian Front, not fighting American, British, or the Western Allies.
   Regardless of how it is discussed in public today regarding the German Army in WWII, these books (there are many good ones on Amazon), help to offer the genuine insight to what these men and the various nations at war, went through during the amazing battles in the East. Many millions of dead "On both sides" were consumed in this cauldron of fire in the East. That alone is something that is hard to balance and comprehend, in your mind.
   I have purchased books from Amazondotcom - on the Soviet perspective too. Another amazing learning, when you realize the many Soviet languages within the USSR, that had to be overcome, just to fight one battle. Simply moving the many Soviet armies forward as they pushed to take back their lands, in some sort of organized fashion,.... through the language challenge, was a struggle beyond words. The Soviets really did not fully get their arms around their language challenge, until the war was almost over (1944). Then to understand, how the soviets had to devise ways to speak with each other, to fight in concert with those language barrier orders of battle, through the beginning of the war to the end, is an eye opener. You will soon have a new respect for what the Soviet Army had to do, to win their war in the East. No small effort, in and of itself. The one Soviet word,.... or better stated, "their battle cry" HORAHhhhhhhhhhh !!.... Was not only a way for the Soviets to gather courage to attack, it was a way to find their mixed language troops and people, in the fog of battle. Once found, they then had to try and continue communicating as best they could, in one generic fashion, during the heat and confusion of battle. Setting aside for now, how we are taught to think about the USSR, when you consider how they struggled with the hundreds of languages and dialects the many nations that made-up the USSR had,..... you soon realize the scope of that challenge. It is wise to consider the battle cry - HORAHhhhhhhhh as being "the one phrase" they all could understand, and the one excellent way they had to communicate with each other, for many reasons, in WWII. When you understand that the soviet soldiers were forced to attack or be shot, this becomes an understanding about the basic soviet soldier, that requires you to know more about their day-to-day thinking and perspective on war. To take the time to understand these soviet conscripts, is to gain the vast knowledge about "the heart" of the war in the East. Again,.....Reading is learning.
   These newly published or republished books on the German Army shows, that everything that has been written in the past about their discipline, training, and camaraderie are under-stated. Did you know that the German Army boot camp before WWII and leading up to it, could be more than 5 months long (depending on what branch they would serve in, during combat)? They were among the best-of-the-best Armys of the world, at that time, and up to that time in history.
   It's amazing to note that these two armies (German/Soviet) fought in such harsh conditions,... for so long. Just to understand the weather conditions during battles (blizzards, mud, rain), is to understand one small element of their war. A night in the dark and vast Soviet lands, under 40 or 60 degrees below freezing temperatures and winds, is a sobering wake-up call, in iteslf. Then to imagine that they did this day-after-day, and night-after-night through the better part of four winters, is almost an anticlimatic thought. That to me, is personally - unimaginable. For many troops on both sides, they "were" in this struggle for 4 years, or until they were killed. Try to visualize sleeping outside in these extreme temperatures, for months,... without end. Even now, i want to think they (German and USSR troops) were housed in some warm cozy place at night, and only fought during the day, and always had enough to eat and drink. In reality, that thought would be far from the truth. When you consider the murderous land they fought on in the East, the failing food and ammunition supply lines that became thinner as the war went against the Germans,........ it soon becomes clear how the massive armies of Napoleon were erased in one campaign.
   I suggest that it is not too late, or too soon, to buy books like these.
   It is much better to KNOW history, than to have NO history.



3. I enjoyed this book and I recommend it. I've read "black edelweiss", "the good soldier", and "the forgotten soldier". I recommend forgotten soldier 1st, blood red snow 2nd.



4. It's hard not to feel sorry for Gunter Koschorrek. He's 18 years old, it's October 1942 (the second winter of Hitler's ill-fated invasion of the USSR), and his replacement battalion has been assigned to Stalingrad. As the Wehrmacht pounds that shattered city, the Germans don't know it yet, but they've already lost the war. It's only a matter of time.
   
   Koschorrek doesn't know it either. He arrives in Stalingrad, full of youthful enthusiasm, determined to fight bravely for Fuhrer, Volk, und Vaterland. But the bitterly cold weather, supply problems, and relentless Russian attacks soon change that. By the end of his first deployment, Koschorrek is determined only to survive.
   
   Survive he does -- barely -- and after recuperating from his wounds and a stint fighting partisans in Italy, he's back on the Eastern Front. Things have gotten worse. The Germans are in a fighting retreat from Russia, and Koschorrek is there every terrifying, horrible step of the way.
   
   This is where Blood Red Snow shines. Koschorrek gives a detailed "boots on the ground" look at the latter days of Operation Barbarossa. He explains what it's like to fight on an ever-shifting front line, retreating through viscous mud on murderously flat steppes, beside men who are sometimes paralyzed by fear and sometimes full of lunatic courage, against an enemy that seems as unstoppable as the Russian winter.
   
   As a plainspoken fighting man's look at the German-Soviet war -- and as an addendum to the "big-picture" books that pontificate about the grand strategies and politics of WW II -- Blood Red Snow is highly recommended.
   
   I do have two complaints about the book. First, it's shoddily typeset and edited, with numerous typos and punctuation errors. It also a British-centric translation, so the Germans, annoyingly, call each other "blokes" and "chaps."
   
   Second, Koschorrek's credibility is sometimes undermined by public-relations puffery. For example, early in the book, Koschorrek is shocked (shocked!) when an officer kills wounded Russians instead of allowing them to surrender. Such behavior is un-German, Koschorrek suggests. And then there's Katya, a young Russian woman -- with "cornflower" eyes -- from a village they briefly occupy, who cries when her German soldier "friends" are killed.
   
   Maybe Koschorrek is telling the truth. Maybe not. It's understandable that he would portray his fellow German soldiers in the most flattering light. Not every Nazi was a sadist. Some Russians did greet the Germans as liberators. Nobody is a villain in his own story.
   
   But, curiously, for a book about a Nazi soldier, the words "National Socialism" don't appear until page 255. The words "concentration camp" aren't mentioned until page 264 (and then only in the context of anti-Nazi "dissidents").
   
   Even if Koschorrek wants only to offer an ordinary soldier's view of the war, he can't ignore the fact that he was fighting for one of the most murderous regimes in the history of the world. He might claim he was pulling the trigger for patriotism, or for his fellow soldiers, or simply to stay alive. But the fact remains, he was a soldier for the tyrannical government that started WW II and murdered millions of people in cold blood.
   
   For that reason, ultimately, it *is* hard to feel sorry for Gunter Koschorrek -- even though I enjoyed his book and admired him for surviving the hell he so vividly describes.



5. Having just read this book, I have to say I'm not convinced of the reality of this author's claims. Supposedly 'purposely' not identifying his own unit was only the first hint that gave me the impression of a tall tale.
   
   I could be wrong (hope I am), but I'm sadly not convinced by this one.

5 comments about Out There.

1. This book was the first time I have read Kerasote - I completed it in two sessions. I thought it was brilliantly written. It had an educated style, which means I enjoyed occasionally checking some less common words (but cleverly appropriate)in my dictionary. This was an enthralling account of two basically dissimilar friends undertaking a great canoe trip down the Horton River toward the Arctic Ocean. I just wasn't willing to put the book down until the trip was over - the reader was right there with them. At one stage, I hoped for some photographs to supplement the map in the book - but then again Kerasote's writing was so good that I had a clear word picture of the events. Perhaps this was in keeping with the general theme of making do without everything on a platter? I found the historical notes provided a fascinating context for the modern day adventure. The professionalism of their outdoor skills was evident, and important for such a remote adventure. The potential 'clash' of the satphone was very much secondary to the description of the wonderful river trip itself. Actually, I thought the satphone was skillfully considered from a philosophical viewpoint - it was an issue that is very relevant now to modern mans interaction with serious wilderness adventure. This book was just brilliant stuff.



2. Enjoyed this great little book as I always do Kerasote's writing. I wanted to read it because he had written an article in an outdoor magazine 15 years ago on "Camping Beyond Aid" and I wanted to compare his thoughts then and now.
   
   But no matter: while camping "beyond aid" in the wilderness two weeks later, I developed a life-threatening medical condition that required Air Force helicopter evacuation.
   
   That sat phone sure would have come in handy.



3. Ordered this because it was suggested by Amazon as a book that might be of interest. This because I am so very fond of David Petersen's writing. Kerasote can't hold a candle to Petersen! He does not enlarge his subject to include any of the larger insights or issues, of which there are many imbedded in the subject of man and nature. From Melville to Petersen, we have struggled to describe and comprehend our relationship to society and nature. Kerasote adds little to the discussion.



4. This book was chosen for our book discussion group which was a good choice because it was easy to finish in time for the discussion and enjoyable. It did read like an article in Outside magazine, which I believe is part of the author's background. It does take you "Out There" which is what I liked about the book.



5. Well it started with Merle's Door. After that wonderful book I wanted to read more about the writer and see what else he had up his sleeve. Well I was not dissappointed with this book. What a joy to read. Every sentence, every word was descriptive. He does not waste words. Very enjoyable and a pleaseure to read. It feels like you are right there with him enjoying the same visual treat, in the canoe, watching the wildlife or lying in the tent while the rain pours from the skys. I love the way this guy writes. I too used to camp and canoe until work and worries kept me with my nose to the computer or exhausted from work stretched out on the couch. He has inspired me to see nature and be apart of it again. I am going to plan another camp/canoe trip soon and enjoy it all over again.
   
   If you like nature, being a part of it or just reading about it, this book is for you. It takes you away. Breathes new life into you, inspires you to enjoy what God has given us and to take care of it. And also to realize it is up to us to protect it. This guy is a TRUE nature lover. I want more Ted Kerasote books. Merle's Door is still my favorite, but this book comes in second:)I think his next book will come in third:):):)

5 comments about Exposing the Real Che Guevara: And the Useful Idiots Who Idolize Him.

1. This is a very well written book, full of documented facts. It exposes the real che, who was nothing more than a murderer, not a romantic idealist as he has been presented. It should be mandatory reading in all schools.



2. This book exposes difference between the real man and the media image on the t-shirt, the gap between fact and New York Times, the real events against the wanna-be tat were (and still are) Che Guevara.
   He will live forever on the t-shirt, and whoever reads
   Exposing the Real Che Guevara: And the Useful Idiots Who Idolize Him will do something with that t-shirt besides wear it.



3. Hollywood, the mainstream media, university professors and America-haters idolize him as a humanitarian freedom fighter. In reality, Ernesto "Che" Guevara was nothing more than a sadistic, cold-blooded mass murderer. Fontova documents the truth about this power-hungry terrorist and the "useful idiots" who idolize him.



4. This book is a quick and easy read. Obviously I am not a researcher and don't have time to fact check everything here. My sense was that most of what the author was recounting was true. It is probably true that in the end Che was a pompous, vain, ignoble wanker trying to pass himself off as the savior of the third world. It is probably also true that directly or indirectly he was responsible for the deaths of thousands, most of whom did not deserve it by any yardstick, revolutionary or otherwise.
   The delivery of these facts and anecdotes is so dripping with sarcasm and hatred that it takes away somewhat from being able to see it as a serious work. The author frequently references with disdain those who have written biographies, citing the references usually come from pro-revolution types who are anything but objective. Unfortunately, this work is so full of passion itself that while probably mostly true and accurate that it defeats his desire to be taken as seriously as other works. I would love to see a book that objectively and impassionately takes these events he describes and fleshes it out with more detail and perhaps a more sober attitude.
   I do have to admit that his lampooning of the Hollywood libertards regarding Che is hilarious. I gave this book three stars because I think it should have been more. That said, I did enjoy it and think it serves well as educational entertainment.



5. this book doesn't expose how truely evil che was. i'll allways remember his evil laugh while being tortured, i was one of the lucky ones who managed to escape during the revolution

5 comments about Since My Last Confession: A Gay Catholic Memoir.

1. Scott Pomfret is a genius. This is a must read for every GLBT Catholic on the face of the planet. Every 100 years or so someone comes around and writes a brilliant and also funny account of lifes circumstances. In this case it is being GLBT and Catholic. Mr. Pomfret does it with such intellegence and wit. I feel like Mr. Pomfret has channeled my life of 64 years as a gay catholic man. No one understands gay humor like another gay person. I could not put this book down. Mr. Pomfret has validated every nuance of my life as a Catholic Gay Man. Dealing with the Hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church is made easier once you understand them better. Mr. Pomfret does a brillant job of peeling away the layers of Church B... S... and lays open a human experience that reflects our lives. I am so grateful to Mr. Pomfret. Every Roman Catholic Priest, Bishop, Arch-Bishop, Cardinal and Pope should read this book. Free at last, free at last, thank God Almighty and Mr. Pomfret, I am free at last. I am not alone.



2. Pomfret's writing on the Catholic Church from his perspective as a gay man had me on my knees in hysterics! He brings a much needed light touch to what has otherwise been a heavy time for the Archdiocese of Boston. As a former seminarian who lived "inside those walls", I highly recommend Since My Last Confession for all who have struggled with the Catholic Church in recent years. This is a must read for gay and straight alike!



3. Does being a self-assured and proud gay man make you a bit of a hypocrite in also proclaiming to be a practicing Catholic? That's the question that Scott Pomfret asks himself in his hilarious (as well as insightful and seemingly historically/scholarly accurate) memoir. Starting with remembrances of how it felt to belong to the Church in his youth, he resumes practicing his faith in Catholicism, at a time and place where more people were leaving it: in Boston, at the time of the Church's lobbying to repeal gay marriages.
   
   Pomfret (who works as a government attorney during the day and, with his partner Scott Whittier, is responsible for the "Romentics" series of explicit gay romantic novels) shows a knack for describing the stereotypical yet colorful individuals, both gay and straight, he met while involved as a lector (reader) at church services, and attending meetings of Dignity and a gay spirituality group. There's the tough pastor Father Bear-Daddy, a trio of elderly Irish lady volunteers he calls the Hale Marys (they're all named Mary), spirituality group leader Mama Bear, and the worldly Father McSlutty, among others. He also has a few choice names for the Archbishop, as well as the Pope (Pope Benedict XVI, whom he calls B-16.) He rants at, yet tries to reconcile, the rules and politics of the Church, which he correctly points out, largely came from individuals throughout history, not God. Ultimately, he focuses on the reality that the Church is made up of a diverse group of individuals, gay and straight, clergy or not, and spotlights the more memorable (or outrageous) among them.
   
   As a "product" of 12 years of Catholic education (enough to turn off ANYone to organized religion for life!), I must admit I roared with laughter dozens of times at the author's spot-on depictions of the Church's less-than-logical rules and pronouncements. He deals with many concepts that would be considered in bad taste, and joyfully leaps over "the line" to tell it like it is. He almost (but not quite) made me want to give "my" church another try as well, which is certainly a miracle worthy of papal-declared sainthood! My only beef with the book is that it is somewhat unfocused and rambling, with many "déjà vu" moments that seem to overlap with sections that went much earlier in the book. Don't know if non-Catholics can relate much to it, but I do recommend the book highly for both practicing and "lapsed" Catholics. Give it four stars out of five.



4. Since My Last Confession
   A GAY CATHOLIC MEMOIR
   A Must Read Book for ALL GLBT Christians especially Catholics
   Written by Rev. Bob Johnnene OFD
   Mission Sts. Sergius & Bacchus
   www.missionstsergius
   www.missionstsergius/Divine_Mercy_Franciscans
   
   SINCE MY LAST CONFESSION, A GAY CATHOLIC MEMOIR by Scott Pomfret is a must read book for al GLBT persons who are or ever considered themselves Catholic and in fact, all GLBT Christian persons.
   The book will have you laughing hysterically, getting angry and make you think.
   " Since My Last Confession" makes it clear how a Gay person can even consider being a Catholic while it points out the hypocrisy of the Roman Church and it's contradictions.
   Filled with great humor, a true love and respect for the basic principals of the church as well as poignancy and regret for the church trying to use the smoke screen of homosexuality to hide it's failures in the pedophile sex scandal.
   Set in Boston where the author is an active member of a Franciscan Church as well as an open Gay man living in a committed relationship the book is full of humor and historical facts that opens your mind to the truth of Christ's message and the differences between the Truth and the churches current position.
   I strongly recommend this book for it's openness and honesty as well as historical facts presented in an enjoyable and humorous way.



5. this book is aimed for, but I'm thoroughly enjoying it! I'm a straight Jewish woman and I found the book at the O'Hare airport bookstore recently. Hey, why not take a chance and learn about gay Catholic lawyers? I'm glad I took that chance as Pomfret is a wonderful writer.

5 comments about My Life So Far.

1. Different FlagsI have read Jane Fonda's Autobiography and find it a very interesting book. The parts telling about her mother's mental illness, her suicide, her brother Peter and her relationship with her stepmother are the ones I enjoyed most. I was able to relate to the things Jane Fonda should have said to her mother but didn't. Her father's depression was described in a touching and honest way. Having lived in another country myself, I really liked Jane Fonda's description of France back in the 60s. I will read it again. Eugenia Renskoff



2. I "met" Jane Fonda at a book signing in Pasadena, CA. I was immediately taken with her graciousness. She appeared beautifully poised, content and unpretentious, before a packed gathering. She was irreverent, intelligent, insightful and candid. As she sat at the signing table, she immediately commented that she thought my blouse was gorgeous. While this may seem like a very minor thing, having been to countless events of this type, I was a bit taken aback by her focus on me. This was supposed to be about HER. This is a huge part of her charm; the ability to look outward, instead of being obsessed with herself, the way that so many of today's celebrities seem to be.
   
   As a child of the civil unrest, disobedience and rights movement, I had always related to what she stood for. I could always distinguish between being patriotic and simply disagreeing with the way that the government was handling things. Therefore, it was my belief that she had been demonized needlessly, and that ignorance and the inability to understand how caring for one's country, is what makes one passionate about what is happening in the first place. This is what has made it so difficult for people to look past what happened during the Viet Nam era.
   
   There are still many people who hate her for her activism. And it is a shame that those people will miss out on what truly is, an astoundingly insightful book. Jane Fonda is not just someone who is a famous actress; she is a woman who is living a very full, informed, and turbulent life, and took the time to really learn from it. And she is sharing her experiences in such a candid, forthright, refreshing way - that anyone could benefit from reading about them.
   
   You do not have to have been famous to have the kinds of experiences that she describes. While some celebrity autobiographies drone on and on about all of the other famous people they knew and know, very few actually tell about how they felt, and what they learned in the process. And many still have the fear of telling the truth. Because Jane Fonda is where she is in her life right now, she has the luxury and ability to be as honest as she wants to be. She has reached successful pinnacles in her career, that few rarely achieve.
   
   As I read each chapter, I could see my own life in parallels. I did not have the privilege that she did, however, I understand the same struggles that she had, as a woman. I could even see similarities in the kinds of men that she has had in her life, yet, I have lived worlds apart from her.
   
   This is a true, unabashedly truthful memoir, that does not scrimp on details. It is entertaining, candid, informative, while being stunningly, strikingly provocative, and enlightening. This is a book that I will always cherish. The revelations that she shares, have affected my own life, and will continue to do so. It is the most insightfully enlightening autobiography by an actor that I have read thus far. But that is not surprising, given that Ms. Fonda is much more than an actor. First and foremost, she is a human being who has always cared about humanity, and it truly shows in her life's experiences. I am so grateful that she decided to share it with us.
   
   



3. Jane is a pretty misunderstood woman. People make judgements about her based on stories they see in the media, and based on the rhetoric of those who oppose her. I learned a lot about the real Jane Fonda in this book. Her childhood was not that pretty. Her relationship with her father was strained at best, and this book delves into that with the insight and sensitivity of a person who has learned to accept parents who are not perfect, and who has come to understand how those early years shaped her life and the decisions she made throughout.
   
   - C.A.Wulff, author of Born Without a Tail



4. First of all, I would like to thank Jane Fonda for sharing so much of her spirit, self and life. Reading her book made me feel like I was a time traveler as she took me back in time to when she was a liitle girl and traversed along side her throughout her life and into her third act.
   
   I most definitely could relate to some of the same issues Jane Fonda dealt with in her life. For instance the lack of love, compassion and acceptance in the home while growing up.
   The uncertainty about her sexuality.
   Questions concerning the Vietnam War.
   Jane Fonda's relationship with her father or lack thereof. Unable to connect with her father on any level (no fault of her own). All these issues I to combatted in my life and just like Jane I am a fighter and a survivor.
   
   On another note, I have a favorite actress for each decade going back to the 30's. For instance Merle Oberon is my favorite actress of the 30's, Ginger Rogers the 40's, Kim Novak the 50's, and Jane Fonda of the 60's and 70's. I have not been able to choose one since Jane Fonda retired, but I am so happy to see that she is making a come back in movies. I so missed her presence on the big screen.
   
   In closing, I believe this book has something for everybody. I highly recommend "My Life So Far" to everyone.
   Thank you Jane Fonda for sharing so much of yourself with family, friends and fans.
   
   For a love story that is unlike anything you've ever read check out D. W. Gutridge's Captured by a Smile.Captured by a Smile "Imprisoned by Love": A Memoir of Young Love that Refused to Die.



5. Very Honest and inspiring. Just when she gets whiney she deflects you. A great read overall.

5 comments about Jesse Livermore: World's Greatest Stock Trader.

1. If you have ever read the Reminiscences of a stock operator by Edwin Lefevre and liked it then this book is a must read. It is very hard to put down, it reads like a novel, stock trading manual, Greek tragedy, and wisdom teachings all in one.
   I had my doubts, but after reading this book I believe that Jesse Livermore was the greatest stock trader the world has ever seen. At the age of fourteen he walked into a "bucket shop" and got a job posting stock prices. The next year in 1892 at fifteen he makes his first successful stock trade. He was a millionaire in his early 20's and by 1907, J.P. Morgan had to personally ask him to stop selling stocks short before he did serious damage to the stock market during a crash. His greatest achievement of all was walking away from the great crash of '29 with $100 million in profit from selling stocks short when everyone else was going long.
   The sad part of this book was how he lost everything several times and was bankrupt, the final one happening late in his life. He had a problem with beautiful women which lead to several divorces and ruin. He committed suicide in 1940 and his son Jesse Jr. also committed suicide 35 years later.His story was really an eye opener to the pitfalls of being wealthy and lacking self control in your personal life and child rearing.
   This book is packed with wisdom and stock trading tactics of the master himself. Get out a highlighter and prepare to mark key learning's as you go because there are many. Here are some:
   
   Cut your losses quickly.
   Be sure to confirm your judgement before you take your full position.
   Let your profits ride if there is no good reason to close the position.
   The action is with the leading stocks, which change with every new market.
   Keep the number of stocks you follow limited in order to focus.
   New all time highs are to be bought on breakouts.
   Cheap stocks often appear to be bargains after a large drop.They often continue to fall, most have little potential to rise in price. Leave them alone.
   Use pivotal points to identify changes in trend and confirmations in trends.
   DON'T FIGHT THE TAPE!
   
   This is my #1 recommendations for stock trading books.
   Also read all of Dr. Alexander Elder's books for basics in money management and technical analysis.



2. I read this book over a weekend and found it hard to put down and when I did I was excited to pick it back up. The author weaves a tragic story with lessons from the greatest stock trader. I would not have thought the lessons (stated in other people's reviews) would be true today, but in my experience as a trader today they very much are still. Granted some of the things he did and the way the market operated were different and not possible today, but it is still amazing and valuable knowledge of what to do and NOT to do.
   
   Make this a core purchase and buy this book. Just get it. It's worth it.



3. Richard Smitten does an excellent job of portraying Jessy Livermore. He does not protray Mr. Livermore as a hero or a goat, just a man.
   
   The book is easy reading and is very insightful to the frailities of a successful stock operator. It also discloses the principles by which Mr. Livermore built his wealth, and lost it. Good job Mr. Smitten.



4. I think the 20+ pictures and the last 3 chapters would worth the money I paid for the book. Many years ago, I read an article written by a scientist who said that he would not pass any opportunity to attend the seminars by the well-known scientists because by seeing their faces, their body languages, and how they speak, he could better understand the articles and books written by them.
   I find this is true in this case as well. After reading this book and re-reading "How to Trade Stocks" I noticed many things that I did not pay attention when reading the book before. Also I have gained deeper understanding about his frustration when he was asked about how to make some quick money in the market.



5. Excellent Book - WOuld rate it as a Bible for people dealing in Capital Markets. Must read for all who trade stocks and commodities.

1 comments about A Voyage Round John Mortimer: A Biography of the Creator of Rumpole of the Bailey.

1. Interesting to find his real life---While I love Rumpole, John Mortimer's life seems fraught with indiscretions--of which we dwell on too much.
   I guess I wanted him to be more like Rumpole.

5 comments about Gypsy: Memoirs of America's Most Celebrated Stripper.

1. Many people don't knwo who Gypsy Rose Lee was, if you don't she was one of the most highly respescted highly, highly paid strip teasers in the business. What made her different though was the class with which she did it. There was nothing leude, or vulgar about her acts, which was what made her a star. If you like reading about lives you normally wouldn't, like a burlesque queen. Then this is definately for you. She had an amazing life, and anyone can learn alot about how to face life through this book. It is not that long and is fast paced, filled with comedic interludes. All I can say is enjoy the show...



2. Rose Louise Hovick is known to the whole world as Gypsy Rose Lee a highly respected top paid burlesque queen of her day. In the 1930's Gypsy turned stripping from sleaze into an art form, this was done with the main use of tease, quick wit and intelligence all done with her tongue in cheek style, quoting well known Literature phases even in French. This book is bewitchingly colourful; it keeps you engaged throughout each chapter with Gypsy's smart, comic storytelling.
   
   This book takes you back to Vaudeville those wonderful days of the family oriented shows in there heyday. Gypsy describes what it was like to be part of the Orpheum circuit on stage and behind the scenes. Gypsy Rose Lee wants us to remember Rose Louise Hovick little miss nobody the talentless one. A girl with the bad teeth who played one of the boys in the back row of her little sister's show, Dainty June And Company.
   
   Dainty June and co. was run by Mama Rose the famous of all show biz mothers. Mama Rose real name Rose Thompson married John Hovick, Rose was age fifteen she had her two girls then divorced him. A very shrewd woman who had an intoxicating and intimidating personality. Con artists, awkward jealous stars and gangsters would not get in the way of her plans, being a star that's what mattered. Vaudeville had been fading for sometime the talkies were taking off, although Mama Rose thought Vaudeville was just going through a bad patch much worst happened Dainty June runs away from her all consuming mother at thirteen and gets married. Mama Rose decides this is just a hiccup in the mean time it was all about making money; Rose Louise Hovick is now the money maker but how! They still had to find her talent. Determination, Mama Rose was unstoppable lies and deceit she would succeed however rough it gets, seedy hotels, living in a tent, where there was a will there was a way. Through the eyes of a young girl, silently watching, learning, waiting, waiting and waiting all Rose Louise needed was a chance, a chance to shine and it came in an expected way.
   
   An array of real life comedy characters shine through in this book. None larger than life Mama Rose herself, tricks up every sleeve and woe betide anyone to cross her path. Grandpa and Big Lady (Grandma) always on hand to bail them out. June Horvick Sister to Gypsy (Was Dainty June became a Film Star in her own right without Mama Rose intervention) Fanny Brice famous stage star/Baby Snooks gave Gypsy her first acting role as a child (Barbra Streisand portrayed Fanny Brice in the film Funny Girl) Billy Minsky ran burlesque theatre shows in New York and gave Gypsy her break as a big star. Rags Ragland (John Lee Morgan Beauregard Ragland) had been a boxer, then a burlesque comedian, broadway performer, then Hollywood, Good Friend to Gypsy in her early days. Florenz Ziegfeld, Ziegfeld Follies took on Gypsy. Waxey Gordon, bootlegger racketeer, gangster helped get her teeth fixed. Lastly and let me not forget those wonderful comedy animals that performed and travelled with them around the country one by one they lost their lives in a tragic way but bless them all.
   
   This book is sheer Entertainment, In the prologue Gypsy mentions that although her memory of things are sharp and clear for the trivia; her memory of names and dates escape her in certain places but you can deduce from historic events what year you are actually in. Maybe for yourself as a reader you may find this irritating especially with the lack of dates but after reading the whole story you begin to understand, date juggling became part of life when Gypsy was a child.
   
   Example: Gypsy birth date changed frequently depending on what town and theatre they worked that month or week and they were endlessly trouping around. Gypsy was constantly underage (Mama Rose went to great lengths to change documentaion when need be). Newspapers were only read for reviews of their performances of their shows. Dates on a day to day basis were not necessary or a requirement to gypsy as a child she was to busy trying to remember her new date of birth and different details to keep the authorities at bay.
   
   A few other pointers the publication of this book was back in 1957 taboo's were still out there, this book is based on Gypsy's early days. Relationships with men therefore were few and only briefly covered.
   
   Gypsy only son Erik Lee Preminger although was introduced in the Prologue was still only young at the time of publication and out of respect for him absent details in certain places may have been for that reason. Another reason may have been for Gypsy's own privacy and precautions of those times. Take all this into account when reading.
   
   Even though I have mentioned the above points this does not take anything away from the book, it's completely fascinating to read what shines through was Gypsy Rose Lee's incredible Zest for life and her intelligence. It's Irresistible.



3. "Gypsy" is an autobiography by one of the most famous pair of sisters of the 1940's: Gypsy Rose Lee, born Louise Hovick, the stripper, actor, and eventual talk show host; sister to June Havoc, the actor, born June Hovick. In it, Lee covers some of the same material as does Havoc in her two-book autobiography: Their vaudeville childhood on the road with their monstrous stage mother Rose,and their adult struggles to continue their showbiz careers, and to deal with their mother. This book, furthermore, is the basis for the brilliant stage musical and movie, "Gypsy."
   
   Perhaps because she was the elder sister, perhaps because she was more business-minded, Lee's book provides a much fuller, more accurate picture of their vaudeville years than do Havoc's. She cites actual contracts, salaries, and the logistics of their never-ending trouping, from Vancouver, Canada to Tiajuana, Mexico; from San Francisco, California, to Portland, Maine. She names the many animals that trouped along with them, including numerous dogs and guinea pigs, a cat or two; Gussie the goose; Waupie the lamb; Gigolo the monkey; and Porky the pig.
   
   She gives more complete versions of incidents than June does, such as the time "Roxy" Rothfels, an influential New York theater owner-impresario, wished to buy June's contract to see that she got training in singing and dancing equal to her talents; he was repulsed by a hysterical Rose. (June's recounting of the story is so sketchy that it's puzzling.) Gypsy, moreover, seems to have monopolized the few pictures of their earliest years for her book; June's books are scantily illustrated.
   
   Gypsy tells us about meeting the handsome young manager of a Detroit bookstore, George Davis. (It's beyond the scope of this book, but Davis was eventually to invite her to that famous literary boarding house in New York's Brooklyn Heights' Middagh Street, where she was to live with W.H. Auden, Carson McCullers, Jane and Paul Bowles, and Benjamin Britten, almost everyone of them alcoholic and gay, though she was not. She was to bring the money and the cook that kept the enterprise going a few years more, and Davis, a highly-talented editor, was to midwife her phenomenal first book, "The G-String Murders.")
   
   The author does tell us of the day she became Gypsy Rose Lee (Gypsy, a traveling entertainer;Rose, Mom's name; and Lee for Louise) on the marquee, and a burlesque star. She was fifteen years old. She talks about working with Fanny Brice, her years with the Minsky Brothers, and in Florenze Ziegfeld's "Follies." She mentions her frequent arrests, and the inspired publicity stunts that kept her in the public eye for many a year. She closes her book with the call to Hollywood. The attempt to extend her career to films was not ultimately successful, but her career as an entertainer was to last for quite a while yet.



4. If you're a fan of the musical Gypsy, like me, you'll read this book. I've read from various websites, that the book is not entirely factual and that you need to read Gypsy's sister June's book, early Havoc, to get a clearer picture of what life on the road was like. But, entirely accurate or not, it's highly fascinating and an excellent look at the theatre of the time.
   
   The book bears small resemblances to the show: There really was a monkey named Gigalo, Louise was given farm animals as pets for her birthday, there is a man that Rose links up with for several years who manages the troup, they did eat Chinese food constantly, make coats out of blankets, and a cow really talked to Rose in a dream.
   
   There are major differences between the show and the book: The switch from Vaudeville to Burlesque was less dramatic in the book than the show -almost natural. "Herbie", Rose's companion and manager, left long before the act went Burlesque. And one very 'big' difference: you'll notice in the show that Grandpa calls Louise "Plug" but we dont' really know why. The little girl playing Louise was too adorable for words and grew up to be the stunning Natalie Wood. But, Gypsy got the name plug because she was a large child. And she grew up large. It wasn't until a couple years in Burlesque that she became more svelte. This is also a major point in the books, detailing the diets she was on and how it destroyed her self-esteem as a child.
   
   Gypsy, the movie, is a fun-filled version of life on the road for a vaudeville troupe. Yes, there are hard times, but nothing so bad. Gypsy the memoir describes eviction, near starvation, nights of sleeping in the cars, almost frozen, con artists - real life struggle.
   
   It's a quick read that is terribly fascinating. I highly recommend it.



5. The book is an entertaining read with photos rounding out the text. Once Gypsy hits the big time, towards the end of the book, the story's excitement wanes, the struggle for show biz success being more intriguing than the victory itself. Overall, worth a read, especially on vacation as a beach read.

5 comments about The Pat Conroy Cookbook: Recipes of My Life.

1. This has now moved into my all time favorite Pat Conroy book, and I'm a big Conroy fan. It's not so much a book of recipes, though that is definitely a part of it, as short vignettes of life in Mr Conroy's world. And since our world overlaps, and we know some of the same individuals, it was even more delightful. Mr czuk took one look at the picture on the front and said "You'd read a book about food by a man who looks like that?" Well, yes. And better him than some anorexic yuppy chic in a glam kitchen. Bring on the hush puppies, baby!



2. All of Pat Conroy's books reside proudly on my bookshelf. I started collecting with "The Water is Wide" and "The Boo". I have followed his career with joy for his well deserved success in literature. In "The Pat Conroy Cookbook: Recipes of My Life" he treats us to a witty and emotional memoir interspersed with his culinary expertise garnered in France, Italy, The South, including Atlanta, New Orleans, Mobile and the low country of South Carolina. It's another "can't put it down" Conroy book, only there are many wonderful recipes to please the discerning palate -don't miss this one!



3. This author can do no wrong. I have everything he has produced and while this is called a "cookbook" it is so very much more...It resides proudly
   in the midst of my complete and comprehensive collection!...Bravo, Mr. Conroy!



4. If you like Conroy you'll love this book. As with any cookbook you aren't going to like everything and I think this cookbook fell just short of average with the number of recipes that have caught my eye. It's also not a cookbook for the kitchen novice.
   
   As a book of short stories I loved it! It's part background (and I would guess a healthy dose of fiction) on recipes and people who have made Conroy the cook and author he is today. This book provides a culinary backdrop to the life of Conroy and help explain what he was eating when he wrote about the food and characters in his books.
   
   This isn't the book I'd recommend as your first, or even your second Pat Conroy experience, but I do feel that your Conroy experience isn't complete until you've read this book.



5. I am entranced by Mr. Conroy. This is possibly because many parts of his life sound so familiar to me. In this memoir/cookbook he once again is enchanting. He fills me with joy/sadness as I recall similar memories. My favorite author. I wanted to make all of the recipes immediately and did so on a number of them. Some were excellent and some not so excellent; however the stories behind the recipes kept the disappointment at bay. I continue to try the recipes. Next is the pickled shrimp.

5 comments about Bobke II: The Continuing Misadventures of Bob Roll.

1. Ok it took me 2 days to read it. Not literature, not inspiring, just a good interesting read. Glad I read it.



2. This is certainly not a literary work of art, but I doubt it was meant to be. It does give great insight into the work ethic and desire of a guy who was had a nice cycling career, but was never much more than a working class cyclist. If you enjoy the antics and commentary of Bob Roll, you'll love it. It is pure "Bob" and pure entertainment. I greatly enjoyed it.



3. I love Bobke. I love him on TV, and I will forever picture him, Chris Carmichael, and Lance Armstrong spending a week in North Carolina in 1997 (maybe early 98). They did long rides every day and Bobke basically convinced Lance not to drop out of road racing. We all know what happened after that as far as Lance's career goes.
   
   I wish he'd write about that week. (Maybe he has, but if so I'd have gotten that book I think.)
   
   This book is just a series of diary entries, nothing really to sink your teeth into. I read awhile and then skimmed to the end. Sorry, man.



4. While watching Le Tour De France this year (2007) my wife and I fell in love with Bob Roll. What a character! And when the Tour was over we went into withdrawal...
   
   So we were delighted beyond belief to find we could get our Bobke fix with "Continuing Misadventures."
   
   Is "Bobke II" for everyone? Not likely. Not everyone likes "cowboy poets." But if you kinda sorta grok where Mr. Roll's coming from, this book is a treat!
   
   And whenever my wife and I bike a century now? We plan, to borrow Bobke's phrase, "To finish in good order."
   
   Now... haven't seen anything in VELONEWS recently by Mr. Roll... starting to shake... Is that a little purple elephant on the wall?
   
   Dr. Kirtland C Peterson



5. I found this book very funny and liked it very much.Reading about him and seeing him on tv, he is comical and the book is well written. I found myself laughing out loud at some of his antica.