5 comments about Eyewitness Auschwitz: Three Years in the Gas Chambers.

1. It is hard to read this book because the subject matter is so grim. It is not written especially well but the unique view of the author makes this an important document. It is clear that the Nazi plan developed over time and it was truly a murder machine. This story from inside the machine is sad and ultimately worth reading and remembering.



2. This book was extremely slow. At times it was alright but there are much better books out there about the Holocaust and World War II



3. Nobody should be critical of the writing "style" of this book. The man who wrote it doesn't claim to be a professional writer. He relates his own eyewitness accounts of the most horrific scenes, worse than any fiction imaginable. The book details the planned and cunning killing of thousands upon thousands of living human beings, and the struggle by the SS to dispose of the mountains of remains. A terribly sad and unforgettable book. Thanks to Mr. Muller for sharing this horror with the world. Read it if you can. The world needs to experience this, and remember it, forever.



4. This book is so amazing. It really brings you to that time period and what he went through every day when he was there. I love this book.



5. An outstanding account of one man's experiance. I liked the way the story was told with more of a narative perspective rather than a dramatic one. I think this allows you to feel your own emotions rather than the authors. I intend to visit soon and see it 1st hand. May we never forget.

5 comments about Storming Las Vegas: How a Cuban-Born, Soviet-Trained Commando Took Down the Strip to the Tune of Five World-Class Hotels, Three Armored Cars, and Millions of Dollars.

1. 
   I bought this for my husband, but as we travel around I have enjoyed listening to it immensely. Very good story.



2. This book moves from cover to cover, with an unexpected twist at the end. I understand the movie rights have been sold, but no way will this story fit into a two hour movie. It's a mini series.



3. Great book on a little known robbery spree in La Vegas in the 90's. The book is very good at setting up the character's backrounds and life stories.



4. This is an amazing story, with details little known even in Nevada.
   The writing could be better, but it's still worth reading.



5. The cover blurb got me to buy this book; it led me to think I was going to read some sort of real life "Ocean's 11." But it's not. The author recounts a series of what amount to snatch-and-grab armored car heists as well as a botched cashier's cage robbery at the Bellagio. The robberies are not very interesting, and the characters aren't very interesting either. There's too much luck, incompetence and happenstance in the events, all of which diffuse any drama. Added to that is the fact the author can't decide in which tense to write the book -- he jumps from present tense to past tense, in a rather disorganized way, while providing lots of extraneous detail. This would have been much better as a 40 or 50 page section of an anthology crime book, but at this length, it's bloated. If the subject interests you, check it out of the library...it's certainly not good enough to warrant a place on your bookshelf.

No comments about The Wishing Year: A House, a Man, My Soul A Memoir of Fulfilled Desire.

1 comments about Sunday Afternoon on the Porch: Reflections of a Small Town in Iowa, 1939-1942 (Bur Oak Book).

1. I received this book as a Fathers Day gift and once I opened it, I did not put it down until I read it and looked at all the pictures.
   Since I was born in 1929 in a small Pennsylvania town, I couldn't help remembering seeing and playing with similar people that were depicted in the book. During that era, in the early forties, I delivered meats and groceries on a bicycle for the local store. The food prices reflected in the pictures, brought back memories of the cost of those groceries. A family of five, was able to live on $10 to $15 dollars a week food bill.
   This book is a legacy to the life of Everett Kuntz
   Jack Vax

5 comments about Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time: The Historical Jesus and the Heart of Contemporary Faith.

1. Here is a book that I can say that I really enjoyed. At it's simplest, the book explains that one cannot take the New Testament literally and instead one must focus on the deeper meaning of what is said. The only other book in recent days that I have read which said something similar was The Rozabal Line, in which the resurrection of Jesus was explained as being the departing of the soul from the body to eventually merge with the divine infinity. I have always found it difficult to understand certain basic tenets of Christianity such as the virgin birth and the resurrection. Borg's book puts these events in context and allows Jesus to emerge as a human being. In fact, I end up loving Jesus rather than worshipping him. We need more books like this one in order to ensure that the vast majority of the Christian flock do not go astray because of a continued disconnect with the religion.



2. This book is part of a trilogy of short volumes on the same basic theme: understanding our hidden assumptions about God and Christ. If you like this one, you may also want to read Borg's "The God We Never Knew" and "The Heart of Christianity." You'll find considerable overlap among these three books, so skim along if need be.
   
   Marcus Borg first published "Meeting Jesus Again" back in 1995. Twelve years later, it's still a hot seller for three good reasons:
   
   1. The basic message is deeply provoking: How we "think about" Jesus has a profound impact on our personal faith and our overall relationship with God. Is Jesus the "King of Kings, Lord of Lords"...or was he a rabble-rousing prophet fighting against the authorities? Was he a "spirit person" with a special connection to the divine...or an ascetic martyr like John the Baptist? (Insert about a dozen other choices based on your own tradition.) How you answer those questions will ultimately define your own belief system -- like it or not.
   
   2. Borg invites us to find answers that go beyond the tired cliches of established religion. This is both refreshing and frightening for many people because it makes us realize that the "official answers" aren't really answers at all -- just slogans. As a friend of mine says, "We're so focused on why Jesus died that we forget to ask why he lived..." Personally speaking, I'm tired of popular preachers who dwell on the crucifixion as some sort of cosmic "get out of jail free card" -- as if the rest of Christ's ministry doesn't really matter. That's the easy way out. (Joel Osteen, are you listening?)
   
   3. Finally, Borg forces us to see Jesus in an entirely new light. For me, that means Jesus is challenging all of us to move beyond the familiar Pharisee mentality (characterized by purity, obedience, self-defined righteousness, us vs. them thinking, etc.) in favor of an authentic relationship with God. This may sound like a small thing, but it's really quite Earth-shaking when you confront the implications.
   
   BOTTOM LINE: Who really cares what ritual or prayer or doctrine you follow? What really matters is your moment-by-moment openness to the presence of God. The rest is personal preference or just plain window dressing...in my humble opinion. Read the book and decide for yourself.



3. This book treats scripture with great respect. It also invites the reader to use one's common sense in seeking to understand the Jesus story. Faith + common sense is a powerful combination.



4. In 1995, when I was struggling with some of the latest historical Jesus research as a way of re-imagining Jesus, a colleague suggested that I should read this book by Marcus Borg. I was finding that much of the language used to describe Jesus had been imported by the gospel writers from language applied to the Roman emperors and, therefore, to be seen as adjectival descriptions, not ontological. I needed a new perspective for understanding Jesus. I trusted her enough to do exactly that and I was delighted with what I found. When I read about Borg's story, I felt as if his story was my story too. Who had told him about me??? My early faith journey was a replica of that of Borg. Childhood, college, seminary, ministry and beyond. Although I am not the writer he is, I could have set down much of what he says. But the most striking part of Chapter One is what he entitled "Beyond Belief to Relationship." This is true for me because I was raised on a brand of faith that emphasized correct belief. If you strayed from those guidelines then you had moved beyond the boundaries of acceptable Christian life. If dogma and correct belief are important to you then this book will be upsetting and disconserting.
   
   But I think that my pilgrimage was one from "faith in the Book" to "faith in a person." If your perception is rooted in a book (whether that book is the Hebrew Bible, the Christian New Testament, the book of Mormon, the Constitution or the book of Islam and 'strict constructionism' or 'papal infallibility' or 'biblical infallibility') the person looks for the rules found in their book, moral guidance in statements, and becomes like that which is at the center of his values. In this case like a judge interpreting case law with a shaking head and a wagging finger of disapproval because some disobey their book. If, however, the center is a person then you look at the behavior of that person and who he associates with and what are his characteristics. When Borg points out the parallels between images of Jesus and images of the Christian life, he is at his best. His description of three "macro-stories" in scripture and how they shaped the message of Jesus helps anyone who is seeking a new grip on faith. In fact, since I have read other works of Borg, the move from what he calls "the earlier paradigm" to "the emerging paradigm" is exactly what has changed my vision of Christianity. I say to all who are on a quest for a vital and fresh perspective then this book is a helpful point to begin your pilgrimage. The book is 14 years old but it is an insightful read.



5. A very interesting view of Jesus. I highly recommend it if the old paradigm is not working for you. Who was Jesus really? What was the core of his message? Now what? This book answers those questions, and goes beyond. A great book on the historical,and spiritual, Jesus.

3 comments about The Training Ground: Grant, Lee, Sherman, and Davis in the Mexican War, 1846-1848.

1. Did you know that George Pickett would become "something of a cult figure for graduating fifty-ninth in a class of fifty-nine and then later led one of the most famous cavalry charges in the history of modern warfare"? On page six, this book imparts the astounding historical fact that Pickett's Charge was mounted. 145 years, millions of words, hundreds of book, thousands of prints and paintings but Martin Dugard found the truth. However, there is no footnote proving that Pickett's Division road to battle on July 3, 1863. Without that little detail, I will continue to think they were an infantry division and the men walked both ways.
   The dust jacket says Dugard is a "bestselling author of non-fiction", while that may be true, he is not a historian. The book has multiple direct quotes and no footnotes to support them. At the end of the book is a section entitled "Selected Notes and Biographies" that is designed to make the book appear to be a serious history.
   The book is readable but neither a history of the War with Mexico nor a history of the men involved. This is a series of stories, strung together about men who would be generals in another war. At best, it is a readable introduction. At worst, it is full of errors, misquotes and misstatements.



2. A history book that you cannot put down. Dugard impeccably details the landscape of war and the tremendous strength, loyalty, leadership and courage of young men faced with insurmountable circumstances. The writing is fluid, informative, and rich. One of the many strengths of The Training Ground is the manner in which the chaos and brutality of war is contrasted with individuals and how their lives are forever affected. I've heard the term "page anxiety" used with history books. There is none to be found here. I found this book bold, informative and told from a perspective lacking in its genre. An exellent, excellent read.



3. I was very disappointed with The Training Ground. It is a good read but you can't trust it. There are numerious factual errors. On page 160, Mr. Dugard states "He (Abraham Lincoln)was born in Kentucky and lived there until moving to Illinois at the age of 22." Maybe Mr. Dugard considers the 14 years that the Lincoln family spent in Indiana as just passing through? The Lincolns moved to Illinois when Abe was 21 and they had lived in Spencer County Indiana since he was 7.
   When I started the book, I hoped to learn more about men that I knew mostly from the Civil War. The farther I got into it, the more I felt a need to double check Dugard's statements

5 comments about Becoming Jane Austen.

1. I was skeptical about this book when I got it. But I ended up loving it. The information is presented in a way that makes it very interesting. You get to know more than just Jane, you get to know her family and friends too. I would recommend it to any Jane fan.



2. 
   If you are looking for every detail of Jane Austen's life and works, this is the book for you. For me, there was so much detail that it made for slow reading, but if I was an Austen fanatic (instead of an enthusiast), this would be the book for me.



3. A well-written, well-researched biography of our beloved, complex spinster. While the book doesn't annoyingly dwell on its far-fetched claim to be the "true love story that inspired the classic novels", it does often try to make some leaps of faith (most notably the weight it places on the character names of novels as evidence). Some of the interpretations of her novels are equally improbable. But this is an engaging, interesting biography woven with Jane's letters and her novels. It is the story not only of her life and her times, but also of the people who surrounded and influenced her. It is a story of how she saw the world, of her complex character, and how the woman in love with marriage chose her novels to be her children. Well worth the read. Grade: B+



4. I bought this book because I'm preparing to teach a Jane Austen class. Spence makes some interesting points and does a good job of backing them up. I don't think we can take everything as fact, but he does support his arguments very well. Unfortunately, there is so much left up to guesswork when it comes to Austen. When it comes to Austen biographies, this book is very easy and enjoyable to read. It reads more like a novel than a biography. The movie that is based on this book takes a few more liberties than the books does. Considering all of the books that I have used in preparing my class, this is one of my favorites.



5. I really enjoyed this one! I read it right after taking a course on Jane Austen's novels, and still learned even more. This book really helped to point out the parts of Jane's life that made it into her books. It is a great read for a Jane Austen fan.

5 comments about The Woman Who Can't Forget: The Extraordinary Story of Living with the Most Remarkable Memory Known to Science--A Memoir.

1. We all have days we wish we could forget. If we think back, I'm sure we also have memories that have escaped us from long ago which we wish we could remember.
   
   Jill Price is a unique person, the first, who can honestly say she can't forget a single day, and has little or no problem with those memories the rest of us cling to.
   
   Jill has a memory condition called "hyperthymestic syndrome" and believe it or not she can recall headlines, deaths, birthdays, holidays, tragedies, worldwide news, and even her own everyday activities from every single day of her life since she was just 14 years old.
   
   In a recent interview with Diane Sawyer, Jill gave the dates and days of the week certain events happened that Diane called out at random from the death of Elvis to the date of Reagan's first inauguration. She is not always 100% right, but is usually not off by more than 7 days. Imagine being able to recall every single Christmas you've experienced, and all from memory.
   
   Jill's story is extraordinary. As you read her memoir, you'll ask yourself, "is this a curse or a blessing?" Is it a gift you'd want to be blessed with? Jill has adjusted well to it. Her life has been unique. She has loved and lost. Scientists have studied her, but through it all she has learned to cope and adapt to this bizarre wonder.
   
   You will be touched by her words, and you certainly won't forget them!



2. This is a fascinating glimpse into the world of a person who has a perfect memory. If you feel the slightest bit skeptical about this, Jill Price was put through intensive testing, along with several other people. Not only could she recall exact dates but the tiniest bits of info about what happened on those days, including what amounted to her entire life, way beyond the norms of human memory. She'd also kept a diary for years.
   
   Other people were also tested and diagnosed with this special, probably rare, condition...and this is what makes this book so interesting. Even though Jill Price isn't the only person known to have "perfect recall or memory", her personality is unique. She tends to see her inability to forget as a curse as much as a blessing, one that often haunts and torments her.
   
   I'd read books about other people with a similar condition but they were autistic, sometimes called idiot savants, and often lacked basic skills that were considered normal. Jill Price was the first person who seems normal in many ways but also has this extraordinary memory. I couldn't help wanting to know how a child copes with this and grows up being so different from those around her. This book was a fascinating biography as well as illuminating about the mysteries of memory, recall and the advantages of those with average abilities to remember things. Until I read this book, I often rued my inability to remember a person's name, face or a particular movie title. I've changed my perspective.
   
   Sometimes being able to forget can be a blessing.



3. Most of us take the ability to remember for granted in a sense. We are fascinated by those who can remember well, and bemoan the loss of our own memories, often attributing such things to the ravages of age. And having seen the horrible effects of Alzheimer's firsthand through my late Grandmother, watching someone slowly robbed of their very soul as their memories are eaten away is a slow and painful process I pray no one ever has to witness. But what we don't realize that some things are best forgotten, or at least dulled by the passage of time. It is in much of that which we forget that allows us to evolve and grow. Just because we don't remember the particulars of an event doesn't mean they don't have lasting effects on us that, ultimately, make us smarter, stronger human beings. But imagine if you never forgot those things...
   
   When I first saw Jill Price's story on ABC's 20/20, I immediately purchased and downloaded the book to my Kindle Reading Device because it seemed like such a fascinating story. Price suffers from the first documented case of "hyperthymestic syndrome", which refers to the continuous, automatic, autobiographical recall of every day of her life. On the surface one would think that such an ability is a gift, a blessing that every unsuspecting person wishes they had been given.
   
   But as Jill Price takes us through her life journey, we discover the bitter that inevitably goes along with the seemingly sweet. Her syndrome is great in that it allows her to forever relive the most wonderful moments of her life, like meeting and falling in love with her one true love. But imagine when that also means the inability to escape the most embarrassing or painful moments of your life, like the sudden death of this very man of your dreams. Price's memory are vivid and potent, carrying with them not only the clear visuals of every recorded event, but the feelings, sounds, and smells of the moment as well. Childhood fears, though adulthood allows her to put rational perspective upon them, are still as powerful as when she was a child. And although she has the ability to call upon whatever memory she wishes at the prompting of a date, the memories also can come upon her unbidden, and cannot simply be dismissed the way one would change the television set if you don't like what's airing one channel.We've all heard of people who dwell on the past, as well as those who only live in the now. But for Jill Price, there is little distinction between the two, and the only thing more extraordinary than the life journey she's traveled so far is the fact that she's seemingly come through it sane and whole.
   
   The book is not only a great biography about a woman dealing with an extraordinary ability that she's only recently found scientific explanations for, but Price also provides a lot of background information about how the mind and memory work, and how they play such vital roles in the people we become.
   
   I found it a very compelling read, and I think you will too.
   
   - Gregory Bernard Banks, author, reader, reviewer



4. A good book written by a normal person who has an extraordinary gift/curse. There is a lot of information and insight into the different kinds of memory, both theory and fact- not to mention this woman's unique version and experiences.



5. Seeing this fascinating woman's story lead me to the discovery of my life: how anyone can improve brain function without medicine or surgery that starts working immediately and only improves as you practice. When Jill Price, "The Woman Who Can't Forget" was cat scanned, we learned one area of her brain was used more than other persons used it. When she was 8, she TRAINED her brain to organize memories by date, just by telling her brain to do so.
   
   All of us have more than one "channel" of brain thoughts going simultaneously. My real time thoughts are interrupted constantly over the two survival techniques humans require: where are we getting our next food (for survival of the self) and where are we getting our next sex (for survival of the species). In addition I had interruptions from negative thoughts of remembered experiences and regrets. When these memories are of painful events, they can interfere with or disable normal function.
   
   The solution? TELL YOUR BRAIN TO OPEN ANOTHER CHANNEL. That's it. I had already used this technique to solve lifelong inexplicable questions. I would tell myself before I went to sleep to send me the answers in a dream or daydream. And it worked! I once got the answer to a problem that arose before I was old enough to verbalize what was happening -- right in the middle of a busy expressway!
   
   After reading Jills story, I told myself to open a "happy" channel. Whenever a negative thought arose, I immediately replace it with a happy thought (too personal to give examples). You can have two (maybe even more) channels open at all times if you practice for "being here now", the past, overcoming the past, and the future - simultaneously as you direct. Try it, youll like it -- and thank you Jill!

5 comments about The Jefferson Bible.

1. First, and foremost from my perspective, I liked that Jefferson focused on the man Jesus and what He taught.
   As I travel my spiritual path, my focus is also on the man Jesus, what He taught, how He lived and most of all how He treated others. Much could be learned and differences could be made today in our society if this were so. The four gospels were interwoven throughout the book which makes it easy to follow, I only wish the print had been larger. I was disappointed it was so very small and this made it much more difficult for me to read.



2. This bargain is an impoprtant piece of American history. Jefferson was a diest, which they viewed God as like a fine clock maker and made the government intself, not the constitution. They got rid of anything supernatural from the Bible. It stands along side the King James Bible and the 1611 edition of the King James, the works of Martin Luther as one of the most important reads for a Christian in American history. I liked it a lot, but it's too skimpy a volume to be a classic, but it is famous.



3. I have long believed that the way Jesus said to live was more important than his immortality (or mine). I knew our "Founders" didn't base our constitution on "Judea-Christian values", as is frequently proposed by some
   political/religious leaders, but on principles of the Enlightenment which they believed would bring a new kind of government, free of religious oppression, first to America, and then to the world.
   
   The only books on the subject are very large, very scholarly, very informative, but... how nice to have this little book on my coffee table where curious minds can explore the thinking of one of America's most forward looking leaders, and read just the words of Jesus, without the mythology attached to his death by future theologians.
   
   The preface, the introduction and chapter about Jefferson's contemporaries is a history lesson every
   American should review. No-one who has visited my home has found it in any way offensive, but all
   find it enlightening !



4. The best study of the "social & moral" teachings of Jesus
   is this version of the Jefferson Bible.
   It has red-letter text for the quotations of Jesus,
   and cites the NT passages from which they are taken.
   It is in the King James version,
   so you may want to use [...]
   for the modern English translations of the Jesus quotations,
   which will give the poetry of the KJV new life.
   Taking out all the Theology & Eschatology
   was a brilliant inovation by Thomas Jefferson.



5. I was curious as to what & how the new Testament was "edited" by Jefferson. The description of miracles was minimised. Dialogues focussed on exposition of morality & basic belief. I wonder as to leaders/ advocates of several organised faiths reaction & agreement with the corpus of Jeffersons "ommisions"

5 comments about Truth & Beauty: A Friendship.

1. The reason I even looked at reviews for this book is so that I could gage how trustworthy other book reviews on here are and how seriously I should take them. Now that I look at the negative, totally ridiculous critiques of Truth and Beauty, I'm never trusting another sour review on here again! When somebody asks me, "What's your favorite book?" I used to say something by T. Capote or M. Angelo, but now I reply, without hesitation, "TRUTH & BEAUTY by Ann Patchett!" Seriously. This book is awesome and I'm annoyed even reading other bad reviews on here about it. Patchett writes in a way that makes me stop, re-read the page, and then say to myself, "Damn, this is great stuff! Why didn't I think of something like that?" I think if you are an aspiring writer, or just somebody who appreciates intelligent, well-written prose, then you should read this one. Do not trust the other reviewers on this page - they're probably the kind of people who'd give a Harlequin novel 5 stars.



2. Readers will likely recognize the author's name from her previous novels, including Bel Canto, which won the PEN/Faulkner Award, and The Patron Saint of Liars, a New York Times Notable Book of the Year. Readers also may recognize Ann Patchett from her articles that appear in such publications as Gourmet, the New York Times Magazine, and the Paris Review. No doubt, some readers will recognize Patchett's friend, Lucy Grealy, as the author of the critically acclaimed memoir, Autobiography of a Face.
   
   Truth & Beauty is the story of the friendship shared by Lucy Grealy and Ann Patchett. It is at once tender, heartwarming, heartbreaking and complex. Truth & Beauty is neither the story of Lucy nor the story of Ann, but of the parts of each life that were shared. What one lacked, the other offered for the relationship. What one shared, the other reached out to receive.
   
   Ann and Lucy met in the early 1980s while attending college. At the Iowa Writers' Workshop, they began a friendship that would become a lifelong process. This is no ordinary friendship. It is one riddled with emotional upheaval, creative successes and disappointments, health crises, and ultimately the lecherous hold of drug abuse.
   
   This is a phenomenal look at the way in which two exceptionally creative people lived, loved, wrote, and grappled with the realities of life. It is also an extremely sensitive description of the way a woman wrought with illness, despair and depression can one minute create beauty and the next minute search for ways to destroy herself.
   
   Truth & Beauty is the story of two friends who loved one another through the best and worst of times. It is a portrayal of loyalty and devotion over more than twenty years of friendship, and a haunting, heartbreaking portrait of the belief in the invincibility of one who lives so largely despite their diminuitive size. Only to find that no one is invincible...no one.
   
   by Lee Ambrose
   for Story Circle Book Reviews
   reviewing books by, for, and about women



3. I'm giving this book 3 stars because I like Ann Patchett's writing very much, but the story isn't as interesting to me as a woman in my mid-40s as it would have been had I read this in my 20s. In my 20s, this would have been a grand sweeping tragedy - a life changing book, a standard by which to judge loyalty and friendship. In my 40s, I went "eh." I read this as the story of two highly dysfunctional people in a suffocating relationship. It feels like Patchett wrote it as a way to exorcise her grief; and also perhaps examine her own less than healthy behavior. It did make me want to read more of Patchett's fiction. I picked up a copy of Patron Saint of Liars and am going to give that a try next. Part of me wants to say, Ann just forgive yourself already. We've all been there and done that. Maybe not in such an extreme way or for so many years... but we've all been sucked in by a charming selfish user. Learn a lesson and move on.



4. I don't like memoirs, but I read this one in one day. The two writers Anne Patchett and Lucy Grealy meet at Sarah Lawrence and later are roommates while pursuing Master's Degrees at the Iowa Writer's Workshop. Fate deals them both great success as writers, yet their personal paths take completely divergent courses. The bond of friendship spans two decades and countless heartbreaks. Anne Patchett does portray herself to be the 'saint' in this friendship but you would almost have to be to endure the suffering that being friend to Lucy Grealy demanded. The themes of friendship, art, loneliness and love are rendered with realism and depth. Patchett's obvious love for writing and her poet friend is shared in this gift of a book.



5. wonderfully written. if you put a gun to my head and ask who was a better writer, patchett or her friend lucy grealy, the friend that makes completes this companionship, i'd say grealy. much more forceful, passionate and wild writer, hence grealy is not alive now, but patchett is. good book however. check out grealy's writings too.