5 comments about Luckiest Man: The Life and Death of Lou Gehrig.

1. Looking through the glass of hindsight, everyone just flat out looks better. Life is funny that way. If you were mean in reality, history may classify you as "gritty." If you were thoughtful, history may remember you as "genius." Or if you were fat, you may be labeled as "stout and strong." The story of Lou Gehrig is not necessarily an example of this. In reality I will never know. The author will probably not know either. Lou is painted as larger than life in "Luckiest Man." He was thoughtful, kind, humble, and amazing. Not only that, but he brought to the public the story of ALS and its affects. It became real and tangible to the whole world. His personal health tragedy no doubt amplifies his kinder qualities, as it would in most people's remembrance. Not to say it is undeserved, but in this book, it seems exaggerated. Gehrig is not really made into a real person. He is made into a monolithic figure. In baseball, he was one, but in his personal life, he would have hated this.
   
   I have always had a soft spot for heroes, especially heroes in baseball. No doubt Lou Gehrig is a hero in this regard. He played in the shadow of one of the largest figures in history, Babe Ruth. Not only did he thrive, but he made a name for himself that, in my opinion, out shined Ruth on the field. No one could outshine him off of it. I have no doubt that if the opposite had occurred, Ruth would never have made it in Gehrig's shadow. His accomplishments, unlike his character and personality, are in black and white. His statistics say it all. Amazing in his steadfast play, he also shone when it counted most, the World Series. Back in those days baseball meant something to everyone, and he had the privilege of playing and delivering in those times.
   
   Gehrig was a great role model, and a great player. His character and approach to the game are things I would teach my children, and plan to. These type of stories may not be completely true, but sometimes it is the legend and myth that build from simple beginnings that can shape our lives and build on our own morality.



2. I'm a Yankee hater, but I loved this book. I always found the story of Lou Gehrig to be an inspirational one. Jonathan Eig did a great job of not only telling Gehrig's story, but also making you want to root for Gehrig to survive. At times I found myself forgetting that he dies in the end, only wanting to read more about his amazing feats on the ball field. A great book that everyone should read.



3. Lou Gehrig has always been an interesting subject for me. I'm a so-so baseball fan, but I am a fan of individual's who appear to have the same values and morals that I hold.
   
   Jonathan Eig does a very nice job in this book of focusing on Gehrig's baseball qualities and his qualities as a man. I really enjoyed the book that gave a tremendous insight into how Gehrig acted behind closed doors.
   
   A few things that really interested me:
   
   I didn't know he was nearly that good of a baseball player. If ALS wouldn't have ended his career he might have gone down as the greatest first baseman ever. Eig did a very nice job in citing statistics and comparing those to other players in Gehrig's era and in the modern era.
   
   I also didn't know that a number of times Gehrig would play an inning or two and get credit for a game. I appreciate the fact that the writer didn't get caught up in the legend of Gehrig and pointed out the streak and how it lived basically because of the manipulation of Gehrig and Yankee manager Joe McCarthy. That definitely diminshes the accomplishment of consecutive games played in my mind... not by much because Gehrig did play with a lot of injuries and issues.... but it does diminish it. It also puts that much more of a wow factor into the consecutive games streak of Cal Ripken because I believe he had to play 5 innings to get credit for a game.
   
   That said, Eig did a really nice job in pointing out that Gehrig really was much more than just "An Iron Horse" at first base. The stats, the clutch hitting, etc. were well documented by Eig.
   
   I also liked the detail that Eig provided on ALS and Gehrig's final years. As I was reading the book, I was thinking we are sure flying through his playing career and there is a whole lot of book left here. That was because Eig wanted to take some time to describe in detail Gehrig's final years and he did a very nice job.
   
   I would suggest this book to anyone wanting to know more about Gehrig, Yankees history, or if you just want to read a great account of a man who should be well-admired for his work ethic and moral values.
   
   A great book and great subject matter.



4. Author Jonathan Eig has written a fantastic character study of New York Yankees great Lou Gehrig, a shy, Momma's boy who always followed the rules and didn't want to let anyone down. A proud man, Gehrig always handled himself with class. He had few equals on or off the field.
   
   Eig paints a sensitive portrait of Gehrig while discussing his relationships with his mother, his wife, Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio and his other teammates as well as Yankees management.
   
   Never considered colorful enough to merit the press' attention, Gehrig played in the shadows of Ruth and DiMaggio.
   
   Thanks to locating letters between Gehrig and his physicians at the Mayo Clinic, Eig is able to shed light on the relationship the Yankee great had with his physicians, what the doctors told him about his disease (ALS) and how he handled it.
   
   After reading Eig's biography, you'll have a deeper understanding of Gehrig, the man, and a better appreciation of Gehrig, the baseball player.



5. I read this book while in middle school and it inspired me. Yes even a Red Sox fan enjoyed this book. This is not a book about a Yankee or baseball but a story about an amazing person.

No comments about The Every-day Life of Abraham Lincoln (Large Print Edition): A Narrative and Descriptive Biography with Pen-Pictures and Personal Recollections by Those Who Knew Him.

No comments about Maria Mitchell: Life, Letters, and Journals (Large Print Edition).

5 comments about I Ain't Got Time to Bleed: Reworking the Body Politic from the Bottom Up.

1. The title of Jesse Ventura's memoir is taken from his famous line he delivered in the movie Predator. It is a great mantra for a former Navy SEAL, pro-wrestler, and man-of-the-people elected official. Once you get through the first chapter that explains Ventura's views on the issues of the day, the rest is an absorbing, humorous, truthful, and motivating memoir of a true tough guy who can put his money where his mouth is.
   
   Jesse tells all in this memoir. When he was a young man, he worked hard, and played hard. Drinking and sex are included here. My eyebrows went up a few times. It is clear he is not covering anything up in order to look squeaky clean.
   
   Anyone who reads this book will wish there were a million more Jesses holding political office, instead of the Democrat/Republican factory of career politicians who are addicted to power. I never seriously considered the validity or need for a third political party until I read this book.



2. This work is written in a simple and uncomplicated conversational
   style. The author discusses the desirability of raising money
   modestly and the judicious use of television time in campaigning.
   Governor Ventura is in favor of term limits, legal reform,
   low taxes and the consumption tax. The beauty of the consumption
   tax is that it penalizes excess consumption and frivolous
   purchases. The author would have the government refund budget
   surpluses. In addition, people should not be driven off their
   land due to increasing tax valuations. New York's Harlem is
   becoming unaffordable to people who've lived there for generations.
   
   The author urges us to improve public education and basic
   literacy. He asks that we make math/science relevant and
   involve parents in the schooling process. Reduced class size
   and student work-study programs provide additional enhancements to the learning environment. The internet is a tremendous
   tool for learners according to the author.
   
   Ultimately, Americans are pioneers and visionaries. This is our
   basic strength as a country. To continue prospering, we should
   build upon these strengths.



3. The Jesse Ventura story is an example of the American Dream where an average man can push himself into places that he never would have thought that he would go.
   
   Ventura was a Navy SEAL in Vietnam, then became a professional wrestler, wrestling commentator, radio host, Mayor and then Governor of Minneapolis.
   
   Ventura writes pretty well and tells it the way he thinks it is (which is ok, everyone should have an opinion).
   
   Perhaps the only point that I would like to make is that it appears a very political book - not as in discussing politics (from which he makes some good points) but the rhetoric about not running for President. He mentions it a few times throughout the book, almost as if he wants us to think about him in the role and to start to generate support for the White House bid. It just seemed to me to be a little self-serving. That is a minor point though and could be just my imagination.
   
   All in all, a readable book and worth the time.



4. Jesse the Body had an unconventional career before being a politician, so he's able to take risks in disclosing his background and ideas in a manner very refreshing in today's political arena. Jesse starts with his background in the Navy, moves on to his life as a wrestler, and lastly the motivation behind his entrance into politics. The pop-autobiography shows a few more warts than most in the genre, perhaps due to Ventura's security with his persona and life. All in all it's a very fun ride!



5. Jesse Ventura has had an interesting life, and he wants to tell you about it. He has been a US Navy SEAL, a professional wrestler, and surprisingly, a Governor of Minnesota.
   
   Ventura is a six feet four inches tall and has been an athlete for a long time. He seems to be physically imposing. However his autobiography makes him seem like an intellectual light weight. He became Governor as part of the Reform party. Ross Perot had caused a surge of interest in an alternative to the Democrats and Republicans.
   
   Despite having served as a Governor he offers us few political insights. We learn that there are too many laws, and that people need to be responsible for themselves. I don't think we needed Jesse for that. You would think a political outsider might be able to offer some fresh perspective. The only thing I found surprising about the book is that Ventura seems astonished by gotcha journalism. What did he expect?
   
   I was hoping for more. In the end there is nothing much to the book.

5 comments about Edith's Story.

1. I've read a number of accounts by Jews who were hidden by heroic friends and strangers during the Holocaust. But Edith Velmans' story stands out. I found myself totally drawn into her idyllic teenage life in the Hague as war slowly began to overshadow the sunshine of her youthful pusuits. She lovingly paints a warm but realistic picture of her community and family. I was especially touched by the letters she shares from her parents. Velmans also relates her psychological adjustment of going into hiding and taking on another identity, something other accounts have rarely mentioned. Yet through it all, Velmans captures the fact that despite the agony of going through such a painful experience, she emerged with her courage intact. I highly recommend this book, especially for teachers in search of good reading material for high school students studying the Holocaust. But anyone would enjoy this book. I read it one evening, unable to stop.



2. This book may not have the deep poignancy of Anne Frank's diary, as its author tells her story from an adult vantage point. But it does offer a vivid picture of day-to-day life as a jew in hiding in Nazi-occupied Holland. I readily felt Edith's anxiety, as she attempted to pass for a gentile, far from friends and family, and not knowing what had become of those she loved. The story also has a deep honesty -- it is clear, for example, that she often found the family who saved her difficult, and that she felt resentments as well as gratitude. I'm sure that this is, in fact, how it felt, and am grateful to Edith Velmans for the straightforward telling of her story.



3. This book is an absolute treasure. It is a very moving account of an adolescent Jewish girl's life in Holland as the Nazi regime moved in and took over. The book contains some of her actual diary entries written as a teenager along with her present-day adult comments to help put the entries into perspective. I would highly recommend this book to everyone, but most especially to young people. It's a gripping story of a girl from the past with great courage and love of life.



4. Edith's Story written by Edith Velmans is a true story about courage, love, and survival during WWII. Edith's family is Jewish living in Holland during WWII. Her eldest brother Guss moves to America before the start of the war. The rest of the family does not want to leave. They don't believe Hitler will actually start rounding up Jews. They soon find out they were wrong. They first have to sew the yellow stars of David on all of their clothing. Then they are not allowed to go to the same school with non-Jews. Things keep getting worse and worse. Especially when Edith's mother has to go to the hospital and get her hip operated on. Her family soon decides to find places where Edith and her older brother, Jules, can go into hiding. Jules goes to live with a farmer up north and Edith goes to live with a family were she plays the part of Netti. A friend whose parent's have fallen ill and cannot take care of her. The rest of the story is about how Edith takes all of her courage and love to survive the war and worse the braking apart of her loving family.
   I loved the book Edith's Story. It is the most loving heartwarming book I have ever read. For someone to have that much strength in such an awful part of history like Edith is amazing. This was a very good book. I normally do not like to read Holocaust books but I enjoyed this one a lot. This is a truly moving book with so much great hope in it. I recommend this book to any one because it is a wonderful story.



5. I read this book in one sitting! I have read many books on the Holocaust and this is one of my favorites! Edith gives a detailed look into the life of a young girl who survives WWII, this book made me very emotional, which I think all great books should do. Enjoy!

5 comments about The Sacred Journey.

1. Perhaps the best thing about Rev. Buechner's book is that, in reading about his early journey toward finding Christ, it really will, as so many have noted, help you reflect on your journey. Buechner writes about how our lives are like novels, that they have a structure and a meaning, and indeed, they do, if we take the time to delve into them and try to process them. God, of course, is the Author of that meaning, and as Buechner finds meaning in his life, so too can we find meaning in ours. This is one I am sure I will read again and again. (Fair warning -- the cover photograph will come to haunt you as you read about what happens to Buechner's father!)



2. The mystery of our lives. The oddity of memory. The things that make us who we are. Frederick Buechner explores all of these topics in the first volume of his autobiographies, "The Sacred Journey."

   Slowly--word by word and line by line, Buechner has won my respect as an author. How he unravels the story of his own life, how he makes the past breathe, gives it life...it has all combined to deepen my esteem for him. He is one of the greatest living authors.

   Buechner's honest search for something universal in his story has captivated me. We all stand, in one way or another, in the shadows of our own lives. Alone, we cannot even comprehend the whole of our own journeys. The value of Buechner's excavation of his past is that when others view it, it may help them see the importance of their own journey.

   In spite of the author's uncertainness about writing them, I have found Buechner's autobiographies to be of great value. I am thankful for the man's openness, courage and skill (they are fun to read).

   I give "The Sacred Journey" my wholehearted recommendation.




3. I have read The Magnificent Defeat, Godric and the meditation book, Listening to Your Life. I've read other books by Richard Rohr that have blown me away in how they've illuminated Christianity for me but I've never read anything quite so beautiful, so rich with humanity as this slim little volume.

   It is rare that words fail me but it seems that anything I could say about this work wouldn't do it any justice at all. It's not about Christianity, it's about looking into your life, listening to all the strangeness, horror and wonder and perchance finding what God might be saying.

   and still my words fail. Read this and take the journey yourself. You'll see what I mean.




4. check out doug thorpe's comments on this book; he's a Seattle Pacific University muse, so his words must be golden. here's my two cents:
   
   the writing style of the sacred journey seems deceptively simple, even hypnotic, and buechner has done a masterful job at piecing his memories together into a meaningful (and occasionally preachy) message. in fact, he provides a first-rate example of how to do exactly that which he suggests, pour over one's past for surprising glimpses of God's grace-filled touch. if nothing else, buechner sure knows how to write a stirring introduction.



5. This book talks about Mr. Buechner's life. It is a bit scattered at times as he can take one sentence and make an entire paragraph, but overall is a good look at how places and memories make up our lives.

5 comments about Just As I Am: The Autobiography of Billy Graham (Walker Large Print Books).

1. This is an excellent autobiography about the world's most famous evangelist Billy Graham. It will take you through his life and through his ministry. Great book about a great evangelist!!!



2. This book was a "Masterpiece" of a book and I enjoyed every bit of it. I could clearly see that God uses the foolish things of the world to shame the wise for his glory. It will inspire and strenghten your faith in Christ Jesus our Lord.



3. Let me first preface this by saying that I've never actually heard a Billy Graham message but was curious to learn about him given his wide influence both in the religious and political realm. It's obvious why he is so popular he has a great sense of humor and a way of telling storys that while amazingly simple does not insult the intellegience of the listner. Also the fact that his life was good material to work with didn't hurt at all. He's a fascinating character while on one hand he is a throw back to the old school evangelists like Billy Sunday who preached with exuberant energy and strength against the evils of such things as alcohol and secularism but on the other hand he hurdled christianity into the future in the way he worked with several different church denominations and revolutionized evangelism through mass media a feat that has never been equaled sense. Perhaps the most interesting thing about Billy Graham is how such an immedeatly plain spoken individual made such headway with the secular media and goverment heirarchy this is something Billy Graham himself admits belwilderment to on the back cover of the book. His popularity would explain somewhat his influence in government it's clear that politicians thought and rightfully so that his views represented those of a lot of Americans. However there is never really any explanation as to why or how for example he became the first minister to speak at the London School of Business he himself admitted that he wasn't the most intellectual of his peers. Perhaps it is as Billy Graham claims the power of the gospel.
   A couple of the things I admired were Billy Grahams honesty when it came to dealing with such things as money and women. I also personally liked the fact that he didn't try to pretend he was more pompous than he really was he's open about experiences that some ministers would no doubt be embarassed by such as going to movies with a lot of nudity at young age, being hit on by a girl in high school, and acting like a bumbling fool around presidents Truman and Eisenhower. As some people on here have alluded to already it does sort of seem like he was an absintee father. I was a bit disturbed by this as a Christian I think God calls married men to be husbands and fathers first and foremost. I have to admit though I think a lesser man wouldn't have disclosed such details as his young daughter not being able to recognize her mother.



4. i'm very excited with this purchase. I received the product in very well condition and in good time.



5. Unless Billy did a fantastic job in hiding all of the difficult and trying times of his life (as I suspect in the case of his troubled relationship with his son Franklin), WHAT A LIFE this man had!!! Who would not want to have what he had: travels; meetings with the rich, the famous, the wise; success; financial stability; a loving wife; great kids; and most of all, the honor and privilege to lead millions to Christ. Can you imagine the party they'll throw in heaven when he gets there? However, the book was very mediocre in my view. Very seldom the author opened his heart and expressed his true feelings...Lots of anecdotes, details, insignificant (to the reader) stuff; it was not a total waste of time, because you always get the feeling that this man loves his Lord and truly wants to serve Him. Not much to say against that...I just wish he could have made deeper remarks about people and events in general.

5 comments about Lincoln - Volume 1.

1. Well written book with great detail. The depth of research must have been great to give this reader a special feel for each progression of Lincoln's amazing journey though life. I'm really enjoying this book.



2. David Donald's Lincoln is packed full of relevant (and irrelevent) facts. I was surprised that a biography of 600 pages on anybody, especially Abraham Lincoln, could contain so much information. It usually takes authors two or three volumes to say as much as Donald does in one.
   
   Just like life on the western frontier, this biography begins slowly. This provides a good place for those interested in getting the author's take on Lincoln as a person. A portion of other people's lives that is usually covered in two to three pages is covered in great depth. In approximately 150+ pages, Donald gives us a look into Lincoln's early life, his time as a moderately successful Lawyer in Illinois, and his unsuccessful political career. For those looking to learn more about Lincoln's Administration, I would recommend skipping to Chapter Eight, where the book gets much more exciting.
   
   Once begun, Donald sets an exciting (and still fact-filled) pace that does not let up until the end.
   
   While this is a great biography, the subject will always be fiercely debated. Lincoln's Administration led during the greatest upheaval our nation has ever seen. Therefore the literature will vary immensely. For some (like Mr. Donald) Lincoln was mostly passive, and reacted to events as they came; for others he was a great leader with some less than great subordinates; and to still others he was a usurper who limited individual rights and constantly ignored the constitution.
   
   Mr. Donald does an excellent job of providing a balanced review of Lincoln, both as a person and as President. Too many biographers prefer to keep out negative aspects of their subjects, hurting the overall integrity of their work, but Mr. Donald is willing to admit fault in his man.
   
   I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the American Civil War era. I must again warn the reader that this is a hotly debated subject, and taking one opinion is not sufficient. I strongly suggest looking at other writers' take on the subject as well.



3. I have a read a lot of biographical works on Abraham Lincoln. I found this to be the best and most balanced view. If you read biographies or other works related to Abraham Lincoln, you must include this book. It is required reading and was written by one of the - if not the - preeminent scholar on Lincoln.
   
   I would also recommend you to other books, in addition to this one, if you desire to learn about Abraham Lincoln. Reading a variety of biographies about Abraham Lincoln will give you an overall and better picture than one book can alone.
   
   However, having said that, this is the best Lincoln biography. It is excellent.



4. This is a biography of Lincoln. The problem in writing a biography of Lincoln, of course, is that so many thousands of books on Lincoln have already been written. How do you say anything new and useful about the man, about whom more words have been written than anyone else in American history?
   
   Donald deals with this problem by adopting an unusual biographic strategy. In most biographies, of course, the writer is writing both the life of the subject and at least to some degree larger history. To put the life into context, as a rule, the writer needs to explore the larger issues with which the person was concerned.
   
   Donald very deliberately does not do this. He says in his introduction that is not a general history of 19th century America and it is not. He says that he will focus only on Lincoln himself, and he does. He does not, for example, give us a detailed description of any of the Civil War battles. Lincoln was not present at those battles, so they are not described. His focus is exclusively on Lincoln, the people around him and the events in which he was directly invovled.
   
   The result is odd, but it works. You get very little about the overall strategy of the Civil War. You get next to nothing about Congressional politics in the Civil War. You get virtually nothing about the Confederacy. Instead, you get this kind of reality-TV approach, where you feel as if you were following Lincoln around.
   
   In line with this approach, Donald offers a minimum of interpretation. He presents no arguments about Lincoln's signifigance or role in history. The thesis of the book, if you can call it that, is a very understated argument that LIncoln saw himself as the passive instrument of events, rather than the active shaper of them. It is more a theme, a literary device, than an argument.
   
   The book, in short, takes a minimalist approach to the subject. It works, simply because there is so much written on LIncoln. Out of the vast oceans of material that one could cover, and out of the oceans of argument one could make, Donald sticks tight to the subject and lets events speak for themselves. The end result is that he is able to write a very full biography, on his own odd terms, and keep it just under 600 pages of text. I found the book kind of cold emotionally, but nonetheless very gripping and very informative. I would not call it a definitive biography of Lincoln -- it is too short and self-consciously limited for that -- but, as one volume biographies go, it is very, very good.



5. I read this book a couple of years ago. I've heard it described more than once as the "definitive" Lincoln bio, but it's not the most readable. I don't insist that the history I read be easy and light, but this book was a bit too dense and detailed for me. Parts were interesting, but I got majorly bogged down in the middle. There have to be Lincoln bios out there that would be of more interest to the general reader.

5 comments about The Sacrifice of Tamar.

1. the book in itself has a good story line yet it is too predictible and also has some parts where you just "get lost" in it...
   being from israel also didnt help me understand some of the complex terminology of the book which made the reading a bit more harsh then fun.



2. 
   Tamar Finegold has a secure and predictable life , as wife of one of Brooklyn's leading ultra-orthodox rabbis , but when she is violently raped by an intruder , all of this is thrown into turmoil.
   She turns to two childhood friends , but keeps the secret from her family , until years later , a strange turn of events forces her to confront her past.
   
   Naomi Ragen's books deal with the struggle of Jewish communities and the various threats and dilemmas that face them.
   I had previously read The Covenant and The Ghost of Hannah Mendes.
   
   This book shows both the tranquility and beauty of religious life and the dilemmas faced. It is beautifully written and shows how Tamar deals witht he trauma of her rape by an intruder and how her life and that of her family develops, as well as that of her two friends, one who has wisely embraced all that is good in Judaism , and one that has divorced herself from her roots.
   A very compelling and easy read , that gives us a rare insight into ultra-orthodox communities and their ways of being and thinking.



3. This was the very first book that I've read by the author, and I thought that it was absolutely amazing! This was such a compelling story, I read it all in one night. I've read other reviews here, and I totally disagree that Tamar's rapist was black simply because the author was trying to re-enforce the image of a "black criminal" or because she is racist herself. I think the fact that he was black was very essential to the plot. Had he been white, then Tamar would have had an option to pretend that the baby was her husbands. No one would question it, her husband would never suspect it, Tamar alone would know the terrible secret. Because he was black this was obviously no longer an option.
   In the begining of the book Tamar is seen as good but extremely weak woman. Ever since she was a child the decisions which directly affected her life, were made for her. First, by her parents, then by her husband. She has choices when faced with pregnancy, but can't decide herself, and still choses to do nothing. Her faith seems to be rewarded at first, but we see how that affects the rest of her life. I loved her transformation into a woman who truly accepts herself and takes control of her life. I would highly recommend this book.



4. From the first page to the last I found this book to be a wonderful yet sad story. I'm generally not a fast reader, but this one went very quickly - I just didn't want to put it down. There were a few slow parts, but all in all I think it's a wonderful choice.



5. I absolutely loved and HIGHLY recommend this gem of a novel!
   
   The story of a young ultra-religious girl in 1950s Brooklyn having to deal with having been brutally raped by a African American man and unable to tell anyone or deal with the consequences, was gripping, intriguing and an extraordinary premise. Yet this book is about so much more....it is about friendship, beliefs, tradition, family loyalties, truth, honor and love.
   
   It is a book that will stick with you a long time after reading it and hopefully you'll feel as compelled as I to pass it along to friends/family.
   
   Despite its predictabilty, I would consider this a "must-read" and recommend it highly. For those of us who grew up Jewish, or at least familiar with Jewish culture/traditions, it will be extremely compelling and relatable....(I was proud to recognize/understand all those yiddish words I heard growing up!) However, I hope it finds a universal readership, across cultural and religious lines, as I believe it is through learning about other people/cultures, that we become a more tolerant society.

3 comments about Demon of the Waters: The True Story of the Mutiny on the Whaleship Globe.

1. I highly recommend this book to all who like to read about toll ships and see adventures.
   Painstakingly, masterfully written, book embraces detailed description of whaling ships and their role in making many Nantuckers rich, as well as many aspects of human life during the "golden" era of whaling for oil industry. But not only this.
   We have many historical details about early Pacific navigations and about competition for dominance in this region between France, Britain and Americans.
   We will learn with fascination how white sailors encountered first time and clashed with other cultures and tribes of Pacific islands; also, how the toll ships were build on Nantucket Island at the beginning of the 19th century and who was involved in those projects.
   And of course the main theme - gruesome events on the deck of the "Globe" and on the Mili atoll (Marshall islands), where two cultures met suddenly by surprise and got stunned - beautifully woven into the whole text.
   Masterpiece, Mr. Gibson, no doubt. It should be considered as continuation of "In the Heart of the Sea".



2. Grab this book! You're in for a wild ride!
   
   Demon of the Waters stands out from the rest of the books I've found in the whaling adventure genre. Gibson's research is unsurpassed. He provides such varied information on whaling to satisfy anyone's appetite for adventure and knowledge, providing background on how he came across the story of the Globe mutiny and what he discovered during the course of his quest to get to the root of the story as well as the history of whaleship making in Nantucket's heyday. Unlike many other books of this type, the author doesn't bog you down with chapter after chapter of excruciating biographical detail of every crew member aboard the ship. He skillfully chooses to include the relevant information that is pertinent to the story. The mutiny on the Globe is strikingly depicted; the story is unfathomable and never lacks for an unexpected twist. It will haunt you for many days after you finish the book!
   
   I much appreciated the chapters on the nitty-gritty of whaling terms and slang, and what went on step-by-step in felling a whale. Gibson merges thorough research with an incredible tale to create a must-read for any fan of whaling and adventure.
   
   Advice to future readers: notice that the middle section of the book contains illustrations and pictures. I discovered this a little late and would have liked to have noticed it earlier to aid my understanding. I wish Gibson would have referenced them in the text. Overall, an EXCELLENT whaling book. I HIGHLY recommend it. If you enjoy true tales of whaling adventure, I also recommend Nathaniel Philbrick's In the Heart of the Sea, Neil Hanson's The Custom of the Sea, and Robert Blackwood Robertson's Of Whales and Men.



3. I read a glowing review of this on Salon. Later, looking at the Amazon website, I read a less flattering editorial review. I'm not sure either reviewer actually read the book. The story that it is ostensibly about is that of the mutiny on the whaleship Globe. The author of the mutiny was a sort of 'romantic' sociopath type (they're never particularly romantic when you know enough about them) whose plan was to go ashore and make himself king of some savage tribes. This story was scandalous in America when it happened; sort of the O.J. Simpson trial of the 1820s. There are easily a half dozen or so books on the topic.
   
   This one is by a rare book dealer who found a new manuscript relating to the mutiny; quite a lot of the book is dealing with his discovery of the new manuscript, and checking out various supporting pieces of evidence. It was the author's "find of a lifetime." He also had a fascinating interview with a tribesman of the island where the mutineer hoped to make himself king. This interview was appropos of nothing, really, but it made me happy to be an American (which is probably why it was included). Anyway, this book was quite fluffy; serves me right for buying something because Salon magazine said so. The magazine was never for mighty intellects, but post IPO, it has become pretty horrid. This book probably had the material for a couple of amusing magazine articles, but it wasn't worth the $25.