5 comments about Godfather of the Kremlin: the Life and Times of Boris Berezovsky.

1. Paul Klebnikov is a modern Russian hero. He was assasinated because he tried to show the world how corrupt Russia had become at the hands of the oligarchs. "The Decline of Russia in the Age of Gangster Capitalism" is well written and organized. It follows not only the "rise" of Berezovsky but also illustrates how the majority of the Duma (Russian Congress) was in fact acting on behalf of the gangsters or were in fact gangsters themselves holding seats in the house.
   It is a reavealing look into the saddest chapter of Russian history. A must read for anyone interested in politics or modern history. It is a shame and loss to us all that Paul was killed. Who knows what other truths he could have recovered had he lived. It is also a shame that in our modern age of information, only a few speak the truth - and if they speak to loudly they are silenced, as was Paul. May he rest in peace.
   If you enjoyed this book, Paul also did an interview called "Theft of the century: Privatization and the looting of Russia." If you google it, you will find it on the net.



2. Everybody should read this book - it helps to put the entire Litvinenko killing in perspective ; the dead Russian spy worked for Berezovsky - given Berezovsky long criminal history it would not be surprising at all that he was directly involved in murdering his own employee as part of his long ongoing campaign to overthrow the democratically elected president Putin and thereby illegally regain control of all of Russia's natural resources including in particular Russia's oil and gas wealth.



3. This book tells a powerful story that most Americans are, sadly, unfamiliar with. Mr. Klebnikov outlines in impressive detail the history of Russia during the very turbulent times of the 1990s. The development of gangster capitalism under the Yeltsin regime in an environment of political corruption was a tragic episode in Russian history and an example of an opportunity squandered. This book outlines the rise of the mafia in Russia in the post-glasnost time period and the links they had to the Chechens and to the political leaders of the time.
   
   While I sometimes became a bit lost in all the details and Russian names with which I was unfamiliar, the story came through well as Mr. Klebnikov built, step-by-step, a solid and well-documented case. This story is an important one for Americans who wish to better understand what happened during this time period and how it affected, and still affects, Russia. From political assassinations to presidential elections - the book tells a compelling and sadly disturbing story.
   
   Since I have several Russian friends, I felt I owed it to myself to become more familiar with recent Russian history. And this book did not let me down. I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in understanding Russia better and I suspect it will in time become a classic for the detailed description it provides of this time period in Russian history.
   
   Highly recommended!



4. I personally witnessed the outcomes of the corrupted rule of the culprits portrayed by late Paul Klebnikov.
   Many Russians believe that the truths revealed in this book were the cause of author's murder.



5. This is a great book by a good author with a fantastic approach to the subject at hand.Even with all the warnings about some of the things being to good to be true ( or bad for that matter) the reality has surface just by watching the news about Russia.I like the fact that the author was able to track all the corrupt corporations in countries like Great Britain,Switzerland and USA.The author mentions names,dates and places with accuracy.Also i enjoyed his explanations and the political and economic ramifications that the corruption in Russia has brought.It is very sad to see how Boris Yeltsin drove Russia to the ground while pretending to be a good president.The Book shows how Yeltsin is as guilty as anyone in Russia of its problems.He was just a mummified puppet with a stupid smile.Anyone with interest in recient history of Russia should read this book.

1 comments about Outsiders Together: Virginia and Leonard Woolf..

1. I have no qualifications to write reviews other than an MLS in library science and I am an eclectic reader entirely of nonfiction with only a few exceptions. Because I read all kinds of things, I am fairly tolerant of style, but I must offer a warning to any potential buyer of this book on the basis of writing style. I'm sure there is excellent scholarship here as you would expect since the author is a college teacher. However, in the first paragraph of the book are found the following words/phrases: tropes ... microcosmic forms of colonization, tyranny or warmongering ... inbuilt hierarchy ... learning toward the metaphor ... traditionally conceived actuality ... etc. Now this style is a shame because the title sounded like just what I was looking for and the two people who are the subject of the book surely should make an interesting study. But with a writing style like this, I can't imagine anyone but scholars would want to slog through the jargon in order to arrive at the content. Sorry to be so critical, but I wanted a study of the people and I didn't find it.

No comments about A Critical Edition of Sir James Perrot's the Life, Deedes and Death of Sir John Perrott, Knight (Mellen Critical Editions and Translations, V. 8).

No comments about Years at the Edge of Existence.

1 comments about The Lioness Roared: The Problems of Female Rule in English History (Queenship and Power).

1. This was a real eye opener for me. I had never viewed Mary from this perspective. She is often portrayed as the lesser of the two sisters; this obscures the tough position in which she found herself. I also learned a great deal about Ann, her times and her marriage. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in a new take on female rulers in Great Britain, specifically, or to anyone interested in the British monarchy generally

No comments about Mrs Jordans Profession IV.

5 comments about At Hitler's Side: The Memoirs of Hitler's Luftwaffe Adjutant.

1. Von Below was Adolf Hitler's Luftwaffe adjutant for eight years, from 1937 to the very end of the war. As such he held many intimate conversations with Hitler and in this well-written (and very well translated) memoir, he claims to have had Der Fuhrer's confidence. That he remained in this job for 8 years is proof enough of that fact. Von Below's portrait of Hitler on the job is very different from the raving single-minded maniac usually portrayed in movies and popular biographies. Von Below claims that if one knew how to approach Hitler one could reason with him and even get him to change his mind. By this account Hitler was a hard-working, dedicated, charismatic and intelligent leader who was often misled by his subordinates. Von Below claims to have known nothing about the mass murders committed by the Nazis. He also claims to have had serious misgivings about Hitler's war strategy; and he writes that he was well aware of the shortcomings of the Luftwaffe. As a pilot himself, I tend to believe him outright on this point, but otherwise I don't know how much of the insight he claims to have had into strategic matters might have been colored by hindsight. In any event, he was never able to convince Hitler although he writes that many times he did express his doubts to Der Fuhrer, who always heard him out. Compare this book with the memoir written by Hitler's pilot, Hans Bauer. Both men, knowing the end was inevitable, stuck it out and for that we must admire their courage and dedication. I don't think they remained with Hitler in Germany's doomed capital because of some lemming-like compulsion to destruction ingrained in the German psyche, but because of their personal devotion to Hitler. And since neither man was an idiot nor a war criminal with nothing to lose, commanding such loyalty from men like these says a lot about Adolf Hitler's personality. Bauer spent 10 years in a Russian POW camp while von Below managed to escape the Russians after Hitler gave him permission to escape from Berlin. For my money this book ends too abruptly. I would like to know what happened to von Below after the war and that is why I gave it only 4 stars. But in summary, this book is a valuable addition to the study of Adolf Hitler and a testament to its author, who I think was a man of honor.



2. Although the book ends quite abruptly, it was a book that I could not put down. One can almost see in first-person Hitlers moods and thought processes. It's as if you were in the room with him. Very, very interesting.



3. Readers expecting a plethora of new information on Hitler will be sorely disappointed. Von Below is a pedantic, careful and very dry reteller of history and his memoirs seem contrived in points and highly self-serving. Many reviews point out that von Below never heard Hitler mention the Jews or the death camps, but this is quite believable. Hitler compartmentalized all personal relationships and why would he mention these any atrocities to his Luftwaffe adjutant?

   Von Below doesn't really tell us anything new about Hitler, and his personal anecdotes are tragically few. He comes up with some pithy observations on Goering and Goebbels, but it's frustrating that he doesn't elaborate more on Hitler, his entourage, or the inner workings at the Berghof, the Chancellory or in various wartime HQ's.

   The book's main flaw is that it ends almost mid-word and mid-sentence. There is no explanation of what happened to von Below after the war, he simply stops the narrative and packs up shop. Very curious indeed. One improvement over the German-language version is the addition of notes, an expanded index and some editorial inclusions. Another weakness is that von Below was never close to Hitler, nor part of his intimate personal entourage. His transactions with Hitler were generally of a military, not personal, nature, but don't expect many fireworks in this dry tome.




4. This book doesn't present anything groundbreaking about Hitler, but it s particularly valuable for its picture of what it was like to live around Hitler for many years. As part of Hitler's personal staff, especially for such a long time, Below's experiences were obviously unique and would be interesting to anyone interested in WWII or Hitler. It present an insider's view of what was going on at Hitler's headquarters. In many cases (he claimed) he was not in the know. Below wrote that it was only later, after the war, that he found out the full extent of the atrocities. This was probably true, as it was with many members of his personal staff, who lived isolated lives with Hitler, who never spoke directly about it. Below does say, however, that he finds it inconceivable that Himmler would have exterminated Jews without Hitler's knowledge. Himmmler would not have informed Hitler about the details, writes Below, but Hitler certainly gave his go-ahead. It's little passages like this one that make this book interesting to read, if one is interested in the subject.



5. Von Below was Hitler's Luftwaffe aide. He details his story through the war years at Hitler's side. Von Below is somewhat self serving here as he tries to portray he had Hitler's ear on many important matters such as equipment and personnel. Perhaps he did, or maybe Hitler used him as a sounding board. It is interesting to read the revelations on Hitler's inner circle. Nothing new in facts are proved by his story. However, we get a better idea on how Hitler functioned during the war years.
   
   Historians will find nothing new in this story. Hitler is portrayed as a hypocrite when he hears about the Katyn Forest Massacre of Polish officers and says that one should expect that from the Soviets. This was during the time when his soldiers and SS were massacring millions. As stated, the author inflates his contribution to Hitler's decisions. Otherwise, this is a nice read.

No comments about Detroit's Corktown (MI) (Images of America).

1 comments about A Soldier of the Queen.

1. I bought this book while in Ireland and have since bought all O'Mahoney's others. This book is excellent because it is brutally honest in all aspects, which at times, makes it difficult to read, yet at the same time, impossible to turn away from. While much of the author's behavior is reprehensable, he does not try to make excuses for it. He really leaves the book open ended as if to say 'this kind of thing happens all the time.'
   
   What makes this book so interesting is that is is the story of a street thug who becomes a soldier at the time of the 'Troubles' in Northern Ireland. This book is highly recommended to anyone with interest in true crime or 20th century Irish history. Its graphic honesty makes it almost impossible to put down.

No comments about Pavie in the Borderlands: The Journey of Theodore Pavie to Louisiana and Texas, 1829-1830, Including Portions of His Souvenirs Atlantiques.