No comments about The Falling Angels.

5 comments about Edward I (The English Monarchs Series).

1. Edward I (Yale English Monarchs) by Michael Prestwich is an extremely well researched, cross-referenced and influential book on the subject of early Plantagenet history. Drawn on the original records of the age (late 13th, early 14th century) is portrays different achievements of the productive reign - Edward a Lawgiver, Edward a Warrior in Scotland and France, Edward a Family Men, Edward a Diplomat, and ... of course Edward loosing his temper. Especially well presented are the accounts of the Household and Exchequer, and a review of Parliamentary activities of Edward. Books somewhat dry tone is justified by extensive reference collection. A great first scholarly introduction to one of the most important reigns in British history.



2. This books is so rich in historical fact and details, drawn from medieval records of that period. For someone wanting more than the superficial, this book supplies it, showing Edward in a scholarly fashion rather than the usual pro or con look. It's very details in what it cost to run Longshanks' kingship, right down the wars against Wales and Scotland.

   Very balanced in presentation and offers us a deep insight into the man who remade England, conquered the Welsh and Irish, fought France and faced the rise of William Wallace and Robert the Bruce.

   Highly recommended.




3. Along with J.R. Maddicott's biography on Simon de Montfort, I would put this biography as one of the best biographies written for historical figures of this time period. Good thing is, they both compliment each other well.

   Michael Prestwich's work proves to be superbly researched, highly informative and above all for me, very readable. It does help to have some previous reading on the subject since Edward I had a long career from his teen age years and it kept going until he died. The thick book covers all aspects of Edward's long and colorful life in richness of details and facts.

   In this book, you will not see Edward Longshank of that movie, Braveheart, which probably did its outmost to ruined the reputation of this great ruler. In this book, the reader will understand why many regards Edward I as one of England's greatest rulers, easily in the top five, maybe the top three!!

   I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys this subject and had read on this material before. Good background reading would be helpful in getting the most out of this book. Written by a great scholar for other scholars or "scholar want to be".




4. At times I was very pleased with Prestwich's biography of Edward I. The detail is very precise and complete, leaving you with a very close inspection of Edward I. But this could be one of the reasons I didn't particularly care for this biography. Prestwich went into way to much detail of absolutely every aspect that touched Edward I the slightest in any way. If two kings were going to have a duel or a battle this would be described since Edward wrote a letter of conciliation to the two kings. Furthermore, whole chapters would be devoted to people that worked for Edward I, which meant the chapter was just a continuous list of names.
   
   His descriptive abilities are very dry, leaving the reader uninterested. This biography is a very scholarly, detailed work for someone looking for an exhaustive look at this important English king. This is an amazing task he accomplished, but also casts a negative shadow because it seems that he didn't really know what to write about so he simply wrote about everything. I never thought I would not care for a biography because of too much information but, alas, Prestwich has done it. Unfortunately, biographies need to have more of a structure behind them, more of a game plan.
   
   I would recommend this book to those looking for an exhaustive portrayal of Edward I. Even for those looking for information on Edward I I would recommend, but would advise to not try and read the whole thing, as this may kill your desire to read anything from this book, but instead pick and chose the chapters that interest you. So, to sum it up, a great detailed biography with too much detail. A book meant to reference, not read.
   
   3.5 stars.



5. I absolutely loved this book. Edward I, who of course is my favorite ruler of all time, was fairly covered in this scholarly work. I highly reccomend it to anyone interested in the life of a wonderful king.

4 comments about Stakeknife: Britain's Secret Agents in Ireland (History of Ireland & the Irish Diaspora).

1. This is an interesting book, that shows the cunning and skill of both British Intelligence and the IRA. The first part of the book examines how in the late 1980's, British Intelligence (MI5) was frustrated by thier inability to defeat or even weaken the IRA. British Intelligence decided to work with the Army to recruit Loyalist terrorists as a "secret army" against the IRA. As the book shows this idea backfired with horrendous consequences. the plan fell apart when The amateurish UDA and UVF members recruited by MI5, proceeded to kill only a few IRA/Sinn Fein members while killing dozens of innocent civillians. The book looks at how the IRA responded with a vicious assassination campaign of thier own against the UDA and UVF, which led to the deaths of dozens of Loyalists and many civillians who were caught in the crossfire.
   
   The second part of the book deals with a top level IRA "Internal Intelligence" man named Freddie Scapaticci, who was recruited by the British Army in the 1980's. The book explains how this was done, and how other people within the IRA were recruited. The book also shows the other side of the intelligence war, focusing on the IRA's ability to root out and kill many top level informers, while missing a few like Scappaticci. The author also points out that the cell structure of the IRA, allowed for even high level spies like Scappatici to do only moderate harm to the overall organization. It is a good book about the tactics and skill used by both Britian and the IRA during the tragic conflict in Northern Ireland.



2. Martin Ingram is the pseudonym of a former member of the Force Research Unit of British Intelligence. His coauthor is a journalist. Ingram, who was the insider, provides most of the information about British activities.
   
   Ingram spent quite a few years in Northern Ireland. He took part in the events he decries. He appears to have decided that what he and his fellows did was wrong regardless of its success for moral reasons. He seems to think they should be punished but because he is a whistleblower, he should be let off the hook instead of facing charges for violating the agreements he made to keep the secrets he knew.
   
   Ingram and others like him were ultimately successful because they were willing to do things the IRA never thought they would. By taking advantage of the preconceptions of their enemies, the FRU and other intelligence groups were able to infiltrate the IRA and destabilize it from the inside. This book tells that story. It would be worth five stars if it weren't for both authors attempts to play on morality.



3. This book could have been great, sadly it was written by a self agrandizing propogandist, who is obviously trying to cover up the massive failings of the British Army against the IRA.
   
   The book details one of the few members of the IRA (Freddie Scappatici) who British intelligence actually managed to turn into an informant against the IRA, (According to military analysts, some 70% of IRA informers were exposed and executed by the IRA's Internal Securities Units).
   
   Scappatici (code name: Stakeknife) was the second in command of an IRA Internal Securities Unit, but made a habit of playing both sides of the field. According to the book, he passed information about IRA operations to British Intelligence, but also killed IRA informers, British Soldiers and Loyalist paramilitaries at the same time.
   
   The British and Irish Governments have disputed much of what is in the book, even though it tends to be "Pro British", one should consider that when thinking of buying it. The writer of the book goes by the name Martin Ingram (a false identity). He is supposedly a former British Army intelligence agent, but this claim has been disputed by the British Army and MI5. The book deatils "Stakeknifes" contrabutions to helping Britian finally get a handle on the IRA in the early 1990's, but also admits that the IRA's infamous "cell structure", allowed it to continue highly successful operations, including the extensive bombing of British economic sites from 1990-1997. In the end the book admits that the British Army and Loyalist Paramilitaries were unable to defeat or substantially degrade the IRA's military capability, thus leading to the Irish peace accords of the late 90's, and the GFA agreement in 1999.
   
   The book isn't horrible, but it could have been much better in the hands of a credible author.



4. Other reviewers have been very critical of this work, citing the author's lack of impartiality on the topic. I found the work to be well written and intriguing to say the least. I have long been interested in the "Informant War" waged between the IRA and the British intelligence and this book is an important part of that history. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the work was the detailed look at the IRA's "Nutting Squad" (because they put a bullet through an informer's head or "nut" after interrogating them). To date, this is the most relevant work about the Nutting Squad and its deputy commander, Alfredo Scappaticci or codename "Stakeknife", who the author of this book convincingly exposes as an agent for the British. If you want to learn about the intelligence war that raged hot between the competing factions of The Troubles, and specifically the IRA's efforts to squash informants in it sranks...this is the book. I learned a lot from it.

2 comments about Jennie: The Life of Lady Randolph Churchill : The Romantic Years 1854-1895 (Jennie).

1. This book fulfills every question one might have about the Churchill family. The trials of love are heartwrenching. It is a wonderful thing to see how Winston was formed through the actions of the people around him. Jennie is a lady not to be forgotten in British and American society.



2. I truly enjoyed this fascinating biography of Jennie Jerome Churchill, an American woman who married a British gentleman. She may be best remembered by history as Winston Churchill's mother, but this was a woman with a mind and life of her own. And a life well worth examining. Through trials and triumphs, she reveals her strong and lusty character.

No comments about Saint Francis Celebrates Christmas.

No comments about All Will Be Well.

5 comments about Stalin in Power: The Revolution from Above, 1928-1941.

1. Tucker's careful storytelling hews to historical facts and grippingly narrates Stalin's creeping domination of the Soviet idea. This book is complete. A must read for all interested in recent Russian history.



2. Neither Stalin, the collectivization crisis, nor the terror suffer from a dearth of good and serious studies. Yet despite the crowded field, Tucker's "Stalin in Power" is by far the best treatment of all three complex events. No other book sets out as credible, well-researched and well considered a theory of the workings of Stalin's mind. The great challenge presented by the Soviet thirties is the comprehension of the real logic behind what appears from the outside as mass irrationality. Most writers' personal models of depth and social psychology are inadequate to the task. Tucker succeeds, by a significant margin.



3. This is an excellent biography of Stalin, the middle book in a proposed trilogy. Tucker weaves events in the Soviet Union around the twisted, paranoid personality of Joseph Stalin, former seminary student. What I found to be the most intriguing was how every time Stalin changed his mind about something, everyone had to fall in line or risk being labeled a "wrecker" or "counter-revolutionary." Stalin was not particularly brilliant, and he was not Lenin's choice as a successor, but he had a genius for bureacratic maneuvering that put him in the powerful position that he held for years. For all his paranoia and all the damage he did to Russia, it is amazing that someone didn't actually knock him off. It is a chilling reflection on how obsequious even the best of us can be when motivated by fear.



4. Over the years, I have read a number of books on Stalin, some good and some awful and I am convinced that this book, along with Professor Tucker's other work, "Stalin as a Revolutionary" is the best work on this subject (Adam Ulam's work would be the best one volume study of Stalin).
   
   What sets this book apart from the others is Tucker's first rate understanding of Stalin and the world in which he operated. Only someone as stubborn as Stalin could have imagined he was creating paradise on earth while at the same establishing one of the most hellish regime's in world history and Tucker captures him in all of his evil. Even though he is a widely respected actademic, Tucker writes in such a way as to make this 20th century monster understandable to expert and beginner alike.
   
   The only complaint that I have is that Tucker has yet to follow through with the next part of Stalin's career. It seems to be truism of late that no one can complete a multi-volume work on one of the leaders of World War II. Kenneth Davis was unsuccessful in his magnificent FDR biography as was William Manchester in his attempt to capture Churchill in his series of books on the great prime minister. I am only hoping that wealth of material that has become available with the fall of communism and the Soviet Union does not hamper Professor Tucker's efforts.



5. Reading this book gives one insight not only on Stalin but also on the political system that he constructed around his personality. Its effects are still being felt in today's Russia--much of Stalin's struggle with his identity and place in the world was and still is mirrored by the Russian state itself. Tucker is a masterful storyteller; one comes away with a great sense of both the historical moment and the political weight of the subject matter. This book should still be required reading for anyone who wants to understand the Russian political system.

5 comments about Blood-Dark Track: A Family History.

1. O'Neill's "split" background led to an interesting life and a fascinating family history. Great read. Would like to get my hands on his other books. Picked up this book in February and missed his book signing in Dublin by hours. Would really like to know how long it took him to intricately research the book.

   must read for Irish history buffs, Turkish history buffs, or WWII.




2. This is one of the finest books published in many years. On the surface the book tells the stories of O'Neill's grandfathers. Both stories are of interest, both touch on historical events of interest; but it is the softness and absolute intelligence of O'Neill's voice that makes this book a classic. In relating the experiences of his grandfathers, O'Neill takes us through his own intellectual struggle as he attempts to apply the rational tools of the barrister/philosopher to the world of strong ethnic identities that haunted him from the world of his grandparents. If this were not enough, O'Neill treats us to a rather fine sense of humor -- again, never obvious but always there and always effective.



3. This is a brilliant book. The author searches for the reasons why his two grandfathers - one Irish, one Turkish - both ended up in prison during the Second World War. His Turkish grandfather, Joseph Dakad, was interned by the British in Palestine on suspicion of spying for the Germans. His Irish grandfather, Jim O'Neill, was interned by his own government in the Curragh as a member of the IRA. By subtly intercutting the two stories, the book looks at nationalism in two very different contexts - the polyglot post-Ottoman culture of Turkey in the years between the two world wars, and the hidden story of Irish republicanism between De Valera coming to power and the resumption of The Troubles in 1966. In searching for the reasons why these two very different men were interned, O'Neill illuminates the unspoken ideas of nationalism and individuality that permeate (like DNA)the two sides of his family. While he sifts through British intelligence reports on "undesirable" activity in Jerusalem, and discovers who really murdered Admiral Somerville in West Cork in 1936, O'Neill's book is shot through with contemporary echoes of his grandfathers' ordeals. As the author watches Bernadette Sands reject the Good Friday Agreement in the name of Ireland's republican martyrs, and questions Yitzhak Shamir about the morality of political assassination, we realise that the ghosts of these men still haunt today's headlines, and our ancestors can assume the power of an unconscious force over our political reflexes.



4. "Blood Dark Track" provides a fascinating background into the history of both Ireland and Turkey during the first half of the Twentieth Century. These two very disparate regions actually have more in common than we would initially suppose: neutrality during WWII, an antipathy to British Imperialism, persecution of religious minorities, and layers upon layers of history underlying bloody Twentieth Century history.

   These areas also combine in the persona of the author, Joseph O'Neill, who has provided an intriguing personal narrative of his own family. His father's side, Catholic, poor, and Republican from Cork; his mother's, Catholic, bourgeois, and apolitical from Mersin (a coastal city near Syria). Their meeting is as fortuitous as it was unlikely.

   The author deftly melds the pieces into a coherent whole, despite geographic, cultural, and temporal distances. Because of the personal connection of the author to events, people, and places, it reads more like a novel than a history.

   Informing the story is the author's discovery of his grandfathers, both as family and as characters in two distinct, though subtly parallel, historical contexts. I was surprised to find the story so gripping that I finished it in three days.




5. I simply could not put this book down. Much more than an entertaining portrait of early 20th century life in some remote places, this is a highly informative social and political history and a compelling reflection on nationalism, patriotism and the fears, violence and intrigues which sometimes accompany them. Mr. O'Neill obviously has talents for both research and scene-painting, and his writing is both literate and engaging. After 340 pages, I was sorry to put the book away. But I feel wiser now that I have made the journey with Mr. O'Neill.

5 comments about Fifty Dead Men Walking: The Heroic True Story of a British Secret Agent Inside the IRA.

1. I liked this one! It shows how McGartland, an intelligent soul, was plucked from his lifestyle by British Intelligence to became "Agent Carol", the government's best informant in Ulster for decades.



2. The moment I started to read this book I couldn't put it down. I read it in a day and even now months later I remember it like I read it yesterday. The images Martin McGarland created will stay with me for a very long time. This book is not only an education into the troubles in Ireland it is also a testament to the strength and courage of an amazing man. I would recommend this book to everyone and anyone.



3. The moment I started to read this book I couldn't put it down. I read it in a day and even now months later I remember it like I read it yesterday. The images Martin McGarland created will stay with me for a very long time. This book is not only an education into the troubles in Ireland it is also a testament to the strength and courage of an amazing man. I would recommend this book to everyone and anyone.



4. Tremendous book . I had Read It Several Years ago , When i was in the Uk, saw it on Amazon , and read it again .
   Martin Mc Gartland is a tribute to the Irish People .
   A young man who became an agent for the special branch, knowing that if he was found out by the IRA it would mean Torture , then certain Death.....
   He was known as 'agent Carol' and gave vital information which saved many lives both protestant and catholic.
   His title of the book "Fifty Dead Men Walking" is an understatement , i truly believe he saved alot more than fifty.
   It is an essential read, and also to read his second book "dead Man Running" Thankyou Martin , for all you have sacrificed.....



5. Was it worth it Martin? Hero is no word for a hood turned tout.
   
   Recommended reading would be a book called "Ten men Dead" about real men and real heroes who suffered at the hands of Thatchers Government and the RUC, a far more truthful account of the troubles.

5 comments about Henry I (The English Monarchs Series).

1. Learned scholars tend to have all-encompassing analysis in their books, and this book is no exception. In my opinion, the last two sections of this book are not geared for a history buff such as myself and are dry and dull material; I know that scholars feel they have to be complete in their analysis, but the difference with books geared for history enthusiasts is that these books are exciting to read, from the first to the last page, and this book falls short in this regard, but to be fair about this, I think the majority of this book is exceptional and compares with any historian in my vast collection; the law and governance section was interesting to a degree but was dry as well. This book is complete in detail and goes beyond the perspective that historians employ on their readers.



2. This biography follows the typical outline of books in the
   English Monarch series, namely a set of chapters describing
   the life chronologically, followed by a set of chapters
   discussing key topics (in this case, on topics such as
   administrative reforms, and relationships with the church),
   followed by a concluding chapter which discusses the end of the
   monarch's life and sums up contributions.

   What makes this biography outstanding is the tone: Hollister
   kept the tone slightly informal and and active -- as a result
   the chronological sections are lively and the topical sections
   feel like an informed but informal seminar.




3. I will admit right up front that I was a student of Warren Hollister and loved him dearly. That being said, this is a grand book that has come to light in the face of great adversity. Despite the destruction of many of his initial notes in a fire and despite his own untimely death, both his own research, his love of detail, and the kindness of his friends have surfaced in this volume.

   The best book to compare this to is W.L. Warren's "Henry II". Like that book, this is an attempt to get down in concrete fashion all the hard facts of an incredible monarch; in some ways Hollister is arguing against Warren in that Hollister is showing that many of the significant legal changes generally credited to Henry II, such as the expansion of circuit courts, actually had their origins during the reign of Henry I.

   This is a methodical work; it is not light reading nor is it meant to be. It is, literally, the work of a lifetime, one historian's ode to a great figure from history. Yet it is not truly a panagaeic either; Hollister shows Henry's warts as well as his glories. The point is that in many ways this is Old School History. It is about kings, courts, wars, laws, and all the rest. It is not a stylish book with a lot of witty turns of phrase (though there are some). First and foremost this is a book of careful argumentation, a book that pushes even more strongly than in the past C. Warren Hollister's unflagging belief in the 12th Century Renaissance.

   Warren was a great and charming man, endlessly hospitable, always kind, and a man who had a true care for his students. In each of them he planted a respect for documents -- how much can be inferred, more importantly how much cannot, how to honestly show what you have learned, and how to both back that up and prove it. I know he would have wanted to clean up passages of this book, tighten his arguments here and there, add several more footnotes. But it is because of the respect and love that Warren showed his many students, his family, that this book is here today.

   May this work serve as a fitting epitath to a great and generous heart, as well as to a fine historian.




4. I read Hollister's Henry I recently and I must highly recommend it to anyone interested in the history of the English monarchy. I knew virtually nothing about Henry when I first began to read this book (as he is one of the less famous English rulers amongst the general public), and came away feeling as if I actually had met the man. Hollister's style is colorful and easy to understand and follow-even his more analytical chapters on the church and the sources he used are interesting. If you want to learn something about a underappreciated figure in medieval history, give this biography a try. I am sure you won't regret it.



5. In my book, "Astronomical Symbols on Ancient and Medieval Coins", I devote an entire chapter to the astronomical symbols that were depicted on medieval English coinage as signs of divine right to sovereignty. As part of my research, I read numerous books on medieval English history, and I found that Hollister's book, "Henry I," was especially useful.
   
   Not only were there many items of interest that added to my understanding of the history of his reign, but of all the books about Henry I that I read, Hollister's book was one of the most interesting reads. He really brought together an amazing amount of information.
   
   I highly recommend this book to all who are interested in English history.
   
   Marshall Faintich