3 comments about The Princess of Siberia: The Story of Maria Volkonsky and the Decembrist Exiles.

1. An extraordinary, well researched book about the life of 24 year old Princess Maria Volkonsky nee Raevsky who followed her husband Prince Sergei Volkonsky who was banished by the Tsar after the Decembrist uprising into exile in Siberia. The Decembrists were a group of intellectual Russian Aristocrats who wanted to banish serfdom. It was called the 'First Russian Revolution' . I wonder what would have happened if it had succeeded? The second revolution would have not happened, I think? A fantastic book written with care.



2. A fascinating account of the aftermath of the Decembrist uprising in 1825 and the major role taken by Mariya Volkonskaya in creating a livable environment for the families of the exiled rebels. I was impressed by the way in which these aristocrats, led by Mariya and several other wives, adjusted to a harsh climate and inhumane treatment and managed to not only survive but to build their own effective little society. The book will also be of interest to those interested in womens' contributions to 19th century life.



3. a great introduction and account.... a must if you're off to Irkutsk, Chita and Baikal...

5 comments about Principles of Biochemistry: With an Extended Discussion of Oxygen-Binding Proteins.

1. Lehninger's book remains the best single text in biochemistry, at least in English. A fine book for undergraduates, it is also the one volume that you may keep on your shelf for years to come, and the best biochem text for those whose primary specialty is not biochemistry (e.g. medicine, p-chem, microbio). No text is ever a substitute for the journals if you work in the field, but this book gives a sense of the whole discipline that is beneficial for anyone who may become too narrowly fixed on one topic. Its clear writing is also a blessing, both for those using English as a second language, and for native speakers with some affection for their own language



2. the effects of inhibition and cellular localization of succinate dehydrogenase



3. I am student of Agronomy, Ljubljana - Slovenia. This subject is one of the most terrible in our 2nd year, but when I bought this book it was like I found a treasure. I passed the exam at first time and with a good mark. This is the best book I was ever studying from. I wish you to do more books like this one is. My best and kindest regards. All the best in the future, to everyone at the book and to all the readers.



4. This book is good, with many charts and diagrams. But it is also true that this book is a little bit difficult for a beginner in biochemistry.



5. I used it as I studied agromy and gave me a strong ground on this subject. I will probably buy it for my personal library, since I always borrowed it from University Of Chile Library.

No comments about The Glenn Miller Conspiracy: The Secret Story of His Life - and Death.

5 comments about Spooky 8: The Final Mission.

1. i liked the extent of detail and thinking that this book portrayed and it had a great plot and theme.



2. This book was written as a means of therapy and to give closure to his secret life. While every effort was made to be accurate, names, dates, places, and events were intentionally altered (p.ix). It is about a secret side to our government that is kept hidden, one that is not elected but controls our lives never the less. The book begins with an easy job that promised big money. (Shouldn't this be a warning?) The team is introduced by their talents. The job was to place some monitoring equipment at a rural airstrip, then return. But an ambush occurred, and team members were killed. They cleaned up the mess, and escaped (pp.62-4). When the remaining members of the team met at the rendezvous in Colorado, they were warned against using a cordless or cellular phone.

   Chapters 9 and 10 tell of his entry into the world of black operations in Thailand, where he was involved in transporting "military supplies". In Chapter 16 Chance learns these "military supplies" were opium; this was a forerunner for Iran-Contra drug smuggling. In Chapter 17 Chance found out about the history of his black operations. It was to enrich high-level intelligence operations; they were "the biggest drug dealers in the world" (p.221). All the surviving team members wanted was to be let alone, and not hassled in other ways (pp.233-4). The Appendix gives examples of coded memos from the CIA, the Department of Energy, and the Environmental Protection Agency (what a great cover name!).

   A few years before his execution, an excerpt from a letter of Timothy McVeigh was printed in the "NY Times'. It said the Federal Government wanted to recruit him for a secret organization that would execute drug dealers and corrupt politicians in this country and abroad. This book corroborates that statement. The book "Compromised" by Terry Reed tells of higher level drug deals by Government officials. Why were the Spooky 8 teams "contaminated with toxic wastes"? Because they knew too much, and their continued employment presented a future security risk (like that C-5 shot down in 1986 Nicaragua). 1992 was a critical election year. The old saying is still true: "if you sup with the Devil be sure to use a long spoon".




3. I read this book for a school project, after reading the back cover it sound like it was going to be a good action book, which it was for the most part. After getting done reading the whole book it left me wanting more there was simply put no conclusion, and the dialog between characters was ridiculous, it was some of the worst writing I have ever read. I will give him props for the action scenes that is when the authors writing was truly superb. King says this book is based on true accounts of his own experiences, which I do not believe, mainly because the whole plot of the book was unbelieveable, especially the part about the far seers.



4. Hey, everyone - Chance is the real deal, and the book's all true. I know, because I've heard about it from some of the other guys that were on the Spooky 8 team. Sergeant James Frey can attest that the book is a true recollection of the events, as can Sergeants Jayson Blair or Stephen Glass.
   
   Okay, I lied. But so did "Chance". This book would have been a poor excuse for fiction. The fact that it's sold as non-fiction is unbelievable. What an insult to those that actually served in the military.
   
   About the only detail that rings true is in the acknowledgements, where he mentions SFC James D. Cohron, who is indeed missing in action.



5. Every read Clancy's _Clear and Present Danger_? This is that, but not as well written. Good for conspiracy buffs.

5 comments about The Cruise of the Sea Eagle: The Amazing True Story of Imperial Germany's Gentleman Pirate.

1. Having majored in History in college, with an emphasis on WWI and WWII, I was surprised that I had never heard of Felix von Luckner. Now, having read the book, I am astonished. Felix von Luckner was the type of man legends are made of!
   
   A true hero of the German Navy, this book details the adventures of von Luckner as the capitan of the Seeadler (Sea Eagle) and highlights the life of a man who managed to become one of the most feared raiders on the sea --- and who did so without carelessly taking lives.
   
   With sea battles, storms, deck parties, cross-dressing, and more -- this story truly embodies the thought that 'Truth is stranger than fiction'!
   
   I definitely recommend this book. A really great read!



2. This book talks about a time and place that is rarely covered by historians. In World War I the Germans were a far more honorable enemy than in WWII. This story exemplifies that. Imagine a Prussian aristocrat who goes to war determined to uphold the rules of war and maritime law. Captain Luckner ends up capturing and sinking over a dozen allied ships, but only kills one person. And he does it in a captured American clipper ship.



3. The life of Count Felix von Luckner is a worthy subject for a complete biography. He was with us well into the sixties, and is remembered as a German naval officer who fought his part of World War One with as much chivalry as the times allowed. Blaine Pardoe's book introduces a new generation of readers to this interesting man, and his beautiful ship, the Seeadler. The story is told in the typical light journalism of today, and covers the material fairly well. For those who have more than a passing interest in maritime subjects, you are going to be disappointed.
   If you have even a little knowledge of seamanship, Blaine Pardoe's cliched style will set your teeth on edge. Pardoe has the Seeadler's lookout call "Ship Ahoy!" The ship "lists" as she sails, and they sight a four masted brig, when a brig has two masts by definition. A few of these things might be overlooked, but he drops "clangers" on every other page. The Seeadler, a 1500 ton square rigger "pulls up and takes off" like a taxi-cab, while the small craft in the story are described as ships. For all his research, the writer states the Seeadler was an American built windjammer, when she was built in Scotland at Glasgow.
   There is a long tradition of journalist writing laughable accounts of seamanship, and in this style Pardoe follows Lowell Thomas's account of the same story. To his credit, he debunks the old story of the tidal-wave stranding the ship; something that was always hard to swallow. There are a good supply of references laid in with the story too, and for that reason only,the book will stay on my shelf.



4. To an avid history buff like myself, who reads anything he can about the Navel Warfare of WWI, this book was enthralling. I could'nt put it down.
   
   The flashes of insite into the Count's past, and his relationship with the Kiser, had me grinning, while the chase's and bluff's in his repertoire of tactic's had me on the edge of my seat. Derring do, and chivalry were the watchwords he and his crew lived and fought by. Even his captives loved and respected him.
   
   I can't say enough about Blaine Pardoe's book. WELL DONE, well done indeed



5. An interesting book! Some reviewers have commented on some inaccuracies within this tale; however, I believe that is the whole purpose of this book. The author and publisher have stated that many variations of this story exist and this is an attempt to set the story straight. Graf von Luckner is a legend amongst fans of the sea, both historical and fiction. In fact I've even encountered references to him in science fiction for his derring do and sauve nature. This book helps to set the story straight. The author has gone to great pains to even include a section where he has compared many of the myths versus the truth of the ship SMS Seeadler (or Irma or Hero or .....) and Graf von Luckner himself. I do not see this as an attack upon the man or his legend; rather, it makes him more human. This book also took an additional look at some of the other crew members of the Seeadler and their influence upon the cruise, a view which previous books and some articles haven't evenly covered. First Officer Kling had an enormous influence upon the success of the cruise and this book provides some insights to the strengths and weaknesses of him and his fellow officers. The view portrayed by the variety of prisoners and their nationalities also showed how detailed the author researched this legend.
   I was struck by a comment made by the author, paraphrased, he indicated how in our age we would look for the flaws in von Luckners character and trumpet them to the world rather than respect him for what he had done. I do not remember the exact wording but I believe the spirit of his statement is correctly shown. This book portrays a truthful look at a great man with all his faults. I would recommend this for book for all fans of the sea, fiction and non fiction.

No comments about A Southern Soldier's Letters Home: The Civil War Letters of Samuel Burney, Cobb's Georgia Legion, Army of Northern Virginia.

No comments about FAMOUS.

No comments about The Admiral: The Memoirs of Albert Gleaves, Admiral, Usn.

5 comments about The Lost Night: A Daughter's Search for the Truth of Her Father's Murder.

1. William Grimes has always been one of my favorite NY Times reviewers. Although he tends to be negative, when he waxes effusive, I take notice. When I saw this....
   ------
   "As a memoirist, she succeeds BRILLIANTLY. "The Lost Night" is ENTHRALLING, a skillfully narrated story that begins as a tale of detection but quickly becomes something more."
   --William Grimes, NEW YORK TIMES
   
   I figured I'd take a chance. Well, it's been sitting on my nightstand for 6-months now and damn if it's not enthralling. Although I was hoping for a bit of a who-done-it, I couldn't put it down. The descriptions of the messed-up Central Valley(to put it delicately)were terrific. With some sex, drugs, and even some 80s Rod Stewart in the mix, for good measure, it was a joy to read.



2. Lost and Found - a past reclaimed
   
   I finished Rachel Howard's "the lost night" at 3 this morning. From the minute I cracked its spine, the pages turned themselves, inviting me to ignore every routine chore of mine: dirty dishes, daily exercise, even meals (though I did manage to go to work and feed the cat).
   
   Masterfully written, the book tells a riveting story of the murder of Rachel's father when she was only 10 years old. How she handled the loss of this beloved man, her protector and playpal, is a glimpse into how children cope with tragedy of this magnitude. The experience retrospectively defined Rachel, her relationship with her family and also with her stepmother Sherry, her father's third wife when he was murdered. Rachel, the product of divorce, was spending a few summer weeks at her father's home during this time. She was witness to his last waking minutes and remembered details that would replay themselves with increasing vividness as time went by.
   
   But memory is elusive...and selective. The author comes to realize that her memories were circumscribed by the limited frame-of-reference of a young life.
   
   What I found so compelling here is the child's perspective. I have read (and probably own!) just about every true-crime/courtroom/forensic book that exists, yet I never read such an account from a 10-year-old point-of-view. Rachel illustrates the sometimes graphic, sometimes muted terror-of-the-night children of murdered parents are heir to, their wispy and unexpressed--indeed unconscious--suspicion of significant-others, and their necessary dependencies on adults who, often not comprehending the nuances involved, believe that by trotting the kid to therapy, they absolve themselves of the pain of revisiting the circumstances themselves. In Rachel's case, her father's family remained largely silent with her about that night. They may have felt that openly speaking about the murder with someone so young would somehow legitimize it for her. In fact, their passivity had the opposite, and quite damaging, effect on a young mind hungry for assurance and validation.
   
   Palpable throughout Rachel's memoir is its raw honesty. The writing is often brutally introspective, devoid of the self-pity and lachrymose language which the author might easily --and justifiably-have indulged. She is seeking information and answers, and by the last page, I realize she has found those things, and some peace along the way.
   
   Therese Hercher



3. This is a wonderful combination of memoir and true crime. I felt as though I realy got to know the author. Her willingness to examine the fragility of memory and adjust her conclusions accordingly made her more appealing. The change in her attitudes toward the people in her life caused me to re-examine my own feelings toward people in my life. This book is a definite addition for anyone's library.



4. Met the author at a book signing and was impresssed by her impeccable poise and story-telling ability. Then I went home and read the book. Wow. I had the same experience as the other readers. This is an excellent and poignant memoir.
   One feels the you-are-there quality of a little girl awakening in the middle of the night to see her father covered with blood on the floor. The people in her book are like characters in a Dickens novel, yet they are (were) all very real. Howard captures the cultural milieu of Merced California in the mid '80's. Her father loved Rod Stewart with a passion and the lyrics of his songs weave through the true story of a child trying to make sense of what is going on around her.
   The child matures into an adult and becomes a writer! What an awesome contribution to the memoir genre. I do hope that the killer is eventually caught.



5. Rachel Howard tells a compelling story in "The Lost Night," a memoir that reads like an extended episode of crime documentary shows like "48 Hours Mystery." A pre-teen when her father was stabbed to death in what seemed like a botched break-in, the loss haunts Howard until she can find a way to make sense of it. Suspicion surrounds Howard's step-mother, whose brother is questioned by police, but it is eventually cold cased. As an adult, Howard investigates further, a decision which brings her back in contact with both her father's family and her dreaded step-mother (who has since married again and moved away.)
   
   The book effectively sets the scene in California's Central Valley, and Howard successfully plumbs the psychological effects of growing up without a murdered parent. She is candid about many of her struggles with men as a result of the loss, although she is slightly dreamy about her wedding and happy relationship with her husband. (This aspect of the memoir seemed overly one-sided and idealistic.) Her father's murder is never solved, but Howard does find a way to come to peace with it, including an acknowledgment of her own biases against her former step-mother, who makes a memorable reappearance in some of the book's best latter moments.
   
   What we end up learning about in "The Lost Night" is the effect of crime on those left behind, and the mysteries that remain when crimes aren't solved. Although the writing is no where near the quality of classics of the true crime genre, this is a worthy effort and worth a read.

1 comments about War Years With Jeb Stuart (Civil War Paperbacks).

1. Blackford started out as one of General Stuart's staff and then was detailed to the ANV Engineer Corps. He's acerbic, opinionated and occasionally thick-headed (as when he fails to notice, during the retreat to Appomattox, that anything is wrong). He gives a good description of the Battle of First Manassas and accounts of several other battles and campaigns, including Gettysburg. Although Blackford is justly best known as a Stuart chronicler, the most unique information given in the memoir is the description of how the Engineer Corps built the trenches at Petersburg. Blackford's endearing descriptions of his horses add a human touch.