No comments about Tocqueville and the French.

No comments about Biographical Dictionary of Central and Eastern Europe in the Twentieth Century.

No comments about What History Tells: George L. Mosse and the Culture of Modern Europe (George L. Mosse Series in Modern European Cultural and Intellectual History).

No comments about St Brendan (Celtic Saints).

No comments about Edith Thomas: A Passion for Resistance.

3 comments about Queen Emma and the Vikings.

1. Queen Emma and the Vikings opens a window on a time and a queen that is not often discussed. Emma was an extraordinary woman who married two kings, one an unlamented bumbler, the other a conquering Viking was mother to two more and lived through five kings altogehter. She was a survivor and no matter what life in her brutal era threw at her she triumphed.
   
   Harriet O'Brien is a very talented author who took what could have been a dry, threadbare history and made it a thrilling read. I really loved it.



2. There are a couple of facts we need to remember when reading this particular book. First, and this is important, it, the book, is not a Doctorial Thesis and it is not written as such. This is a popular historical work, meant to inform, but at the same time, to entertain. Secondly, I too, like a couple of other reviewers, was a bit disappointed that more was not written about the main character, Emma, her personal life, etc. This leads to the second fact we must remember. Source documents from this era, in particular personal histories, are very, very hard to come by. Most documents from this time have simply disappeared, have been destroyed, or are lost in some historical black hole. This being said and this being remembered, as the book is being read, might help.
   
   The author has given us a fascinating look into the life and politics during the latter part of the first century. A very troubled time for England, and indeed, most of Europe. True, she, the author, does not go into the depth of her subject as many of us would like, but as I have stated, the author had very few source documents of refer to. This work is done in the "popular mode," and is quite readable. The author has taken great pains to let us know when she is stating documented facts and when she drifts into the realm of speculation. This is important to understand what the author is trying to do. I found the author's style far from dry, considering the subject matter. Queen Emma was indeed a complex and fascinating woman and the author has gone to great lengths to bring this across.
   
   This is one of those book I like to call a "tickler," or "seed book." It gives information to those who are interested in a subject, but not fanatical about it. My primary interest is in New World History, but I do like to know where we came from. Works such as this give me as much information as I need for my purposes. Granted, if I were doing a research paper, or was extremely interested in the subject, I would indeed want more. As it stands though, this work gave me a wonder glance into those days and times. Now that I have this information, I find I do have an interest and this work has "tickled" me into checking other works out. This is a good thing. Perhaps one day I could land a nice juicy government grant, travel to England, and check out some of the source documents myself. Would not that be fun!
   
   All in all, I found the work to be very well done, enjoyable to read and quite helpful. I do recommend this one for any individual interested in those days and times and the Queen Emma.



3. A fantastic read. England before 1066BattleofHastings. Queen Emma is quite a character, a survivor, almost on par with my alltime favorite Eleanor of Aquitaine. Ms O'Brian's research is implecable, her narrative gripping, the wealth of detail, considering the lack of primary sources, is impressive. I wish all history books were this well written.

2 comments about Monro, His Expedition with the Worthy Scots Regiment Called Mac-Keys (Praeger Series in War Studies).

1. Bibliography of English Military Books says Robert Munro, a cousin o Robert Lord Foulis had in his youth served in the Scots guards of the King of France. In 1626 the ninth year of the Thirty Years' War he took service with the Scots Regiment under Christian IV of Denmark. He quitted it in 1633 to beat up recruits in England, but before his return his regiment had been cut to pieces at Nerlin. This book is the first regimental history, contains a store of first hand information on soldiering in the 1600's and is highly readable. The book was exceedingly rare as it was printed in only a few copies for friends of Lord Rhees.

   For scholars on a budget, Pallas Armata Press, the vanity press of THE PIKE and SHOT SOCIETY, offers a reproduction of the original for 11 pounds from Gareth Simon 98 Priory Road, Tonbridge Kent, TN9 2BP England. Their catalog lists over 100 reprints of 16th and 17th century military works.




2. regarding the PALLAS ARMATA series of reprints, I am the publisher and can be EMAILED AT Gareth_Simon@londonelec.co.uk

1 comments about Catherine the Great (Profiles in Power).

1. That this book is part of the same Profiles in Power series as Hartley's Alexander I and Carwardine's Lincoln simply boggles the mind. Was the editor on vacation?
   
   The best part of the book is the cover, featuring a painting of Catherine. Unfortunately, the book is not even worth opening.
   
   Academics like what is called a "review of the literature," in which they survey what has previously been written on a subject. This book is nothing but such a review. The book is very short with short chapters with a massive bibliography at the end of each chapter.
   
   Just what is the author's take on Catherine? Well, there isn't one. He just reviews and reviews.
   
   This book undermines the credibility for reading Profiles books in the future.

2 comments about Oral History Series - A Stranger's Supper: An Oral History of Centenarian Women in Montenegro (Oral History Series).

1. This is an exraordinary book that reminds women everywhere of the unbelievable struggle of our ancestors to survive. The women in this book could have been from anywhere in a different time, enduring the worst that the world had to offer, yet they emerge from these pages with a unique strength and dignity in spite of it all. I'd highly recommend this book, not simply as an athropological study, but to anyone seeking where they came from. Because this is a book about the history of us all.



2. This book consists of interviews with about a dozen CENTENERIAN women (women 100+ years old!) in Montenegro compiled in 1990 by A Serb-American. One woman is a Serb muslim, the other a Catholic Albanian and there's a Muslim Albanian and the rest are Serb women.

   The women all think back to the Balkan Wars, WWI and WWII. This book shows what Serbs were really about at the turn of the century and what the forces that invaded Serb Montenegro (Turks, Austrians, Germans) were really like.

   You hear detailed stories of wars, death, hunger, torture, decapitation. You think the Balkans are a scary place on the news now? Listen to a dozen women 100+ YEARS OLD tell you about how bad it was when they were young.

   Only in this book, you get to hear about the cruelty inflicted ON SERBS not by Serbs for a change. Those called "Turks" are in fact Serbs whose ancestors converted to Islam, today's "Bosnian Muslims" and "Austrians" refers to Croats and these same
   "Turks" who - together with the Austrians descended on Serb Montenegro in WWI.

   The book also talks about how patriarchy made life a grueling nightmare equally for all the women: Serb, Muslim, Catholic Albanian and Muslim Albanian women. You honestly have to read it to believe that women were actually treated this way by husbands and other family members. It is the ugliest side of Balkan life told by those who experienced it personally. The women are so candid, frank and forthright that you really get into their head and sort of grasp the outdated mentality with which they saw the world until their very last days. These women were young when the greatest technological marvel their mountaineer society could ever see was the wonder that is the sowing machine.

   Made me so proud to be a Serb.

5 comments about California Dreaming : A Smooth-Running, Low Mileage, Best-Priced American Adventure.

1. It's the kind of book you have to renew after three weeks at the library---to go through again....Funny in kind of a non-neurotic, non Spaulding Gray style....If you've ever lived in California, it adds to the fun. This book was just a pleasure to read, to get myself out of myself...Informative about the used car buz....funny, realistic and enjoyable.....

   I was here again, buying a copy of the book, looking at the reviews, agreeing with this one, and discovered it was mine.....
   Oh Scooty!!!!




2. A highly amusing look at California from the vantage point of a Scottish visitor: the criminally underfunded public institutions, the money-grubby dot com crowd, the veracity-challenged used car dealers, all against a backdrop of perfect sunshine.



3. It's a tale of the author's travels from Scotland to the Silicon Valley. Originally, Donegan came to the Bay Area was to work at a friend's business, but after finding that opportunity to be less than desirable, he supported himself and his girlfriend in one of the most American of occupations, a used car salesman. What really makes the story unique is that this story of chasing the American dream is retold through the perspective of a Scot, and a pretty clever and witty one at that.

   I actually have more in common with the author than most, as I too came to the Silicon Valley to start a sales career about a month after Donegan came. I came from the Midwestern United States, which isn't a whole lot like California either, so I could relate.

   While I had a special pleasure of knowing the euphoric Silicon Valley circa 2000 and the various places Donegan refers too, everyone is going to have blast reading this book. The author begins to wrestle with his conscience, as he slowly becomes the sleazy salesman he once despised. The fact that he becomes more successful as he gets sleazier becomes troubling. But this is likely to be the most fun you've ever had watching a man struggle with an ethical dilemma.




4. While I did finish reading this book, I'm not sure why. I didn't find it very amusing.
   
   For its length, one doesn't really learn very much about the used car business, the author, life in California, or much else.



5. Have you ever met a used car salesman with a conscience? British journalist Lawrence Donegan tries to put his ethics behind him when he turns down the chance of a hot corporate job to find the 'real America' by selling used cars. This is a very funny book and yet poignant as well. It's beautifully written and you find yourself quickly absorbed with Donegan and the bunch of cohorts who work alongside him, trying to pounce on anyone who dares to walk on to their used car lot. Definitely recommended.