2 comments about Constance Markievicz: Irish Revolutionary.

1. I have read several biographies of Constance Markievicz. This proves to be the most complete as well as the most enjoyable read. Haverty does an admirable job of tracing Constance's life from her sheltered childhood on the Co. Sligo estate of her Anglo-Irish family, to her years in the Arts Salons of Paris, to her conversion to a revolutionary leading the charge of Irish Republicanism and Labour. The imagery and language of this book, will make this a treat for the reader. Quite informative and well researched, I highly recommend this book.



2. This is my favorite biography of the Countess. It seems to be the most complete and unbiased version of her life that I have read. I recommend this book to any serious student of Irish history.

No comments about Left to the Wolves: Irish Victims of Stalinist Terror.

No comments about Bombers First and Last.

1 comments about Never Sang for Hitler: The Life and Times of Lotte Lehmann, 1888-1976.

1. To date this book is the "definitive Lehmann" biography. Previous books did not have access to sources now available, or were oriented to Lehmann, "The Beloved Voice". They really cannot be compared to this, as they had other agendas in mind. Thus we do no find detailed analyses of her roles or her recordings, something thoroughly done by Lehmann herself and others, but much more about her personal life. There is more space devoted to Lehmann in exile, her pupils, her family life, and a fuller account of her behavior towards the Nazis, and the famous meeting with Goering. Not all of this is complimentary, far from it. This is about Lehmann, an intelligent but fallible human being making her way thru a competitive profession during a turbulent era. But when all is done, Kater does tell us what is that makes Lehmann still a beloved icon by many, even those who know only her records. It is not just the unique vocal timbre, but her ability to personify each piece she sings so that we encounter the "Ewigweibliche" of German song, with her uncanny and natural gift to infuse all she sings with the most deeply felt tones. I can only think of one or two others who can compare with her in this regard. That is what Lehmann's greatness is all about.

1 comments about See You After the Duration: The Story of British Evacuees to North America in World War II: Foreword by Sir Martin Gilbert.

1. Henderson is particularly informative about attitudes and events in America, but it is the anecdotes that warm and wring the heart.
   SUNDAY TIMES
   
   A touching account of the 10,000 British children evacuated to North America in the early 1940s. Among them the author who, aged eight, found himself sailing through torpedo scares to a new life in Boston.
   MAIL ON SUNDAY
   
   His book vividly evokes a lost world of patriotism and stoicism (headline: Aliens in short pants)
   TIMES EDUCATIONAL SUPPLEMENT
   
   The great wartime evacuation will not now be forgotten
   CHURCH OF ENGLAND NEWSPAPER
   
   A thorough account of the mass evacuation of British children to North America - a moving story of courage under adversity...This montage of different experiences produces a vivid portrait of events moods and atmosphere during a fearful time.
   DEVON LIFE
   
   A complete picture of a time forgotten by many - and completely unknown to most. Michael's story also sheds light on the close ties between America and the UK during the Second World War. Michael Henderson's work is personal, informativc and compelling.
   WESTERN MORNING NEWS
   
   So, dear readers, do have a box of tissues at your elbow for both the highs and the lows, but above all be moved by the impressive account of a unique period in our recent history
   NORTH DEVON JOURNAL
   
   He recounts his experiences in an easy to read and very interesting way
   THE EVACUEE
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1 comments about Enrico Dandolo and the Rise of Venice.

1. While Madden's history of one of the most significant Doge's in Venice is interesting, it lacks a certain something. The first half barely touches on Enrico Dandolo, instead focusing on his father and the actions of Michiel and Ziani. While the most interesting event in Dandolo's life (the Fourth Crusade) is covered in detail, anyone seeking a full picture of Dandolo's life will be disappointed.
   
   Still, this is well-written and an incredibly interesting read, and I recommend it to anyone who would like to know more about the man behind the Fourth Crusade.

5 comments about Most Secret War (Wordsworth Military Library).

1. Everything I have read by Jones so far has been 5-star. He is lucid, literate, articulate, has much to tell and tells it unpretentiously and clinically, but without sacrificing anything in passion or wit. He is in no way a braggart or poseur, but does not let inappropriate modesty inhibit his telling of what is to be told. His warmth and humour leaven the narrative and add to the perspective without ever cheapening the subject matter. At the same time a proper British reserve (no cliche and no sarcasm, this is precisely what I mean) plus his respect for confidences, not to be betrayed even by untoward hints, move me to wonder how much more he could tell if only it were tellable.

   The books are written with a naturalness which belies their density of information. Only an expert in the subject matter (which in this case means a qualified scientist and a good deal besides) could have written them. They are part of the tradition of the finest 20th century British non-fiction. There has been a great deal of rubbish in that genre of the period, both in content and in style, but it has included the likes of Peter Medawar, John Maynard Smith, George Orwell, John Masters, Churchill, and of course, R.V. Jones. On the one hand Jones' books are refreshing reading in an age of faction and pabulum; on the other they are precious historical material which gives the lie to much questionable stuff which otherwise would go unquestioned.




2. This book is also known as the Wizard War.
   The author as a relatively young man was the technical intelligence director for the British Royal Air Force in WW II. As such he was involved in the development of active, passive, and counter measures to thwart the German Luftwaffe.
   Developments included radars, anti ship missiles,jet engines, defense against buzz bombs, and the jamming of radio navigation systems used by the Germans.
   After the war the author returned to Scotland to become a university professor. He returned to service during the Korean War period. His other book Reflections on Intelligence reveals him to be a man of erudition and covers and fills in some of the gaps in the story told herein which could not be revealed at the time this book was written.
   Another one for the complete shelf of intelligence classics.



3. I originally purchased this book in 1979, a year after it was first published. I have had to buy it again because my original paperback simply fell apart. Thoughtful, thorough, witty and absolutely fascinating, R.V. Jones is one of the people I would most have liked to meet during my lifetime (he passed away in 1997). I can't recommend this book highly enough.



4. Dr. Jones is wonderful storyteller and surprised me with how humble he is, given his amazing achievements during the war. Not once did he fail to credit all those that helped him and constantly reminds the reader that the "true heroes" were those who risked and lost their lives, both on the front and acting as support for his efforts (e.g. photographic reconnaissance).
   
   The story itself gives one an insider's view of how desperate the British situation was in 1940 and how a nation pulled together, despite petty rivalry and bureaucratic obstacles, to fight The Blitz and turn the tide in the air war.
   
   Being an electrical engineer, I was also intrigued by the history of RADAR (RDF to the British) and remote targeting, and how it was employed differently by the British and Germans. However, I cannot say how a non-technical reader will like this.



5. Dr. Jones was an Oxford physicist from a military family who found himself in charge of English scientific intelligence during the Second World War. In this capacity, he led the effort to identify new German technologies and tactics, and then devise countermeasures.
   
   Among his accomplishments were sending a raiding party across the Channel to dismantle and bring back a complete German radar station, anticipating and foiling the navigation systems the Germans devised for their bombers, anticipating and devising limited countermeasures to the V1s and V2s, exfiltrating Niels Bohr from Copenhagen and analyzing German effort to develop atomic bombs.
   
   Dr. Jones certainly lived in interesting times, but unlike the much quoted Chinese curse, which continues that one may have powerful enemies, the powerful men in his life, most notably Churchill, had complete faith in him, and with good reason.
   
   This is an incredible book, which I heartily recommend to anyone with an interest in military history or science.

2 comments about The Juderia: A Holocaust Survivor's Tribute to the Jewish Community of Rhodes.

1. This book is not easy to read. Laura Varon goes into excruciating detail about the horrors she faced at the hands of the Nazis. But it is an important Holocaust memoir, one that should be read to realize the atrocities that took place five decades ago. It cements in history the details of the lost Jewish population from the Greek island of Rhodes.



2. This well written book covers a personal view of the early, happy days on Rhodes, to the occupation, and subsequent deportation to Auschwitz of the Jews. Understanding what life was like for the Sephardim in the camp, and what the moment of liberation, and aftermath felt like. All this through the eyes of a "Rhodeslis" survivor. A tremendous and powerful story, one that will make you sad, but one that needs not to be forgotten.

No comments about The History of Ireland, from the Earliest Kings of that Realm down to Its Last Chief: Volume 1.

No comments about Bob Geldof: The Rock Star Who Raised $140 Million for Famine Relief in Ethiopia (People Who Have Helped the World).