5 comments about The First Scientist: A Life of Roger Bacon.

1. I found Brian Clegg's biography of Roger Bacon to be a good introduction for anyone wishing to understand the great man's life and work, and the times in which he lived. However, this book seemed to me to be too focused on Bacon as a precursor of the Scientific Revolution, and at times I would question the depth (although not necessarilly the breadth) of Clegg's understanding of ancient and medieval science. Whilst the author has obviously done a lot of research, and his admiration for his subject shines through at every page, this is not a truly scholarly life of Bacon that would be of great use to academics. But, having said this, I would still recommend this book for anyone coming at Bacon for the first time.



2. The great thing about this book is it's not over-academic like practically everything else I've seen about Bacon, but rather gives a real insight into the man and his times. If you are at all interested in science, where it comes from and the people who made it happen this book should be on your have-to-buy list!



3. This is an excellent work for historians and science buffs.
   It describes a friar who lived in the 13th century. Roger Bacon
   predicted horseless carriages and telescopes. He is one of the
   first scientists to link science with the experimental method.
   Early in life, he studied astronomy, grammar, mathematics,
   music, logic and rhetoric. He presented a fairly detailed
   earth map. The work describes his incarceration for teachings
   contrary to the orthodoxy of the day. This work would make
   a perfect class project for students in grammar or high school.



4. I really wanted to like this book: Mr. Clegg obviously has a deep respect for his subject and is eager to share it with the reader. Unfortunately, a combination of sometimes sloppy writing skills and a dearth of information add up to a mostly mediocre biography. When I say information is scarce, I mean it: very, very little is known about the specifics of Bacon's life; the vast majority of this book is conjecture. We know Bacon went from A to B to A to C, and that's more or less it--Clegg sees fit to fill in the details again and again. This would be okay if it weren't pure guesswork most of the time. On top of this, particularly toward the end, the writing style becomes strained and stretched out like a college term-paper. It's as if the author is grabbing at straws to convince you that Bacon was indeed the first scientist. It's a shame that these problems overshadow what is otherwise a very interesting book on a very interesting subject from a very interesting time period. I hope one day we'll see a major biography of this strange, precocious man with the proper research to back it up. Until then, The First Scientist will do, if you keep in mind its flaws.
   
   Although I really do love the book design.



5. So little is known about the real life of Friar Bacon that the author is obliged to make up many details of his life, based on speculation and inference. The stories feel like they could be credible, but one is reminded that the subtitle of this book is "A Life of Roger Bacon" not "THE Life of Roger Bacon."
   
   In order to fill out a scanty bushel of facts the author delves into Medieval politics, alchemy, early church struggles et cetera, giving the reader a fairly good grounding in the times of Roger Bacon. Nevertheless, I think it would have been very possible to delve deeper into Bacon's five known works to dissect where he anticipated Renaissance science, where he hewed to Bible-based orthodoxy, and where he went off on flights of fancy. The analysis of his works -- which ARE known -- is a bit light in the loafers.

No comments about History Of Rasselas, Prince Of Abyssinia.

5 comments about Not As Briefed: From the Doolittle Raid to a German Stalag.

1. In my opinion, Not As Briefed is one of the greatest World War Two memoirs ever published. While every valiant hero of that war has a story to tell, few have stories as dramatic as C. Ross Greening. Greening writes his story in a fascinating style, captivating the reader and making real his experiences. His blunt, humorous recollection of events can make the reader laugh or cry.

   Not as Briefed is the story of bombs over Yokohama, bail-outs over China, and a purple heart on the slope of Mt. Vesuvius. It is the story of a pilot who could use his mind to get out of trouble when he spent months running from the Nazis in the Italian alps. Greening made so many brushes with death that readers will wonder if they are actually reading fiction. But Greening was right in the middle of a brilliant history.

   Once captured, Ross Greening put his talents to use in Stalag Luft One, and demonstated one of the finest measures of character ever to touch the thousands of POWs in Barth, Germany. Greening's memoirs are an important reminder of the price of freedom, and illustrate his own love for America that grew as WWII wore on. Not As Briefed is patriotic and moving, and ought to be rated by American readers as one of the finest World War Two documents ever published.




2. I enjoyed this book very much and would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys WWII stories. This book was an easy read and was filled with exciting and touching events. The personal perspective that Ross gave to the war and his situation made the book very informative. This is a book that you will read more than once.



3. The unpublished manuscript of this book was discovered by the author's neice many years after the author's death. The neice, obviously captivated by her uncle's writing and World War II experiences was motivated in spending 5 years putting together this incredible biography.

   Her uncle, Ross Greening, was #11 on the Doolittle Raid. After surviving that assignment, we was transferred to the North African/Italian theater of operations where his B-26 was shot down and his story of evasion and escape from the enemy is what makes Hollywood Movies but don't wait for this to be made into a movie. It is too long and detailed for Hollywood but is a heck of a page turner. It is well written and reads like a novel. But as you read, remember this isn't fiction. This stuff really happened.

   Greening was an art major from Washington State U and uses these skills throughout the book with hundreds of illustrations of the events of this story.

   If you are at all interested in the human side of war, you will love this one.




4. The Doolittle Raid has always been a favorite chapter in history and Ross Greenings account of flying the Hari Kari-er (#11 off the deck of the Hornet) is an incredible new addition. More remarkable is his experience in the N. African and Italian air campaigns resulting in being shot down, capture, escape, capture again and eventual liberation. Because Greening was an illustrator, the book is full of his original work done during the war. In this regard, the experiences and parallels between Greening and Private Robert Knox Sneden of the Civil War are remarkable. Both recorded their respective combat and prison
   experiences in journals and illustrations. The printing of "Not as Briefed" is excellent and Washington State University Press has done an incredible job. One can read 50 to 100 books a year, but it is only every 2 or 3 years that one finds a real gem. "Not as Briefed" is one of those gems. It is a simple and humble recounting of a remarkable life. Kudos to WSU Press and the family of Ross Greening for publishing such an historical treasure.



5. My husband couldn't put this book down and he has read so much on WWII

No comments about Memoirs of Louis XV & XVI.

No comments about The Memoirs Of Madame De Montespan.

1 comments about Prince Albert.

1. James unveils a man of strong feelings - whose marriage to the Queen was one of deep love and devotion though also of many frustrations; whose relationship with their children remained distant and troubles; who was badly shaken by the uproar over an affain between the young Prince of Wales (the future Edward VII) and Nellie Clifden, an actress. And James examines Albert's sudden and enigmatic surrender to illness when, at the age of forty-two and at the height of his success, the Prince Consort lost the will to continue living.
   
   Vividly evoking and clarifying the personalities and events of the Victorian era, and based on new material made available through James' special access to the British Royal Archives, this biography stands out as the fullest, most dramatic and most accurate portrait of Prince Albert ever published. A fascinating historical figure is here restored to us.

No comments about Letters Of Queen Victoria, A Selection From Her Majesty's Correspondence Between The Years 1837 And 1861, Published By Authority Of His Majesty The King; Vol I.

2 comments about Elizabeth I: A Feminist Perspective (Berg Women's Series).

1. Elizabeth I has had many biographers good, bad and nasty. Susan Bassnett has provided a path through a maze of publications with her clear and calm approach that both refutes the many myths about Elizabeth Tudor and prompts the reader to take her consideration and reading much further.

   Bassnett's conclusions of the Mary Queen of Scots relationship are lucid and sympathetic and demonstrate how Elizabeth felt her own position as a female monarch was threatened by Mary Stuart's disatrous attempt to balance rule and personal feelings. The interpretation of Elizabeth's virginity - akin to the holy order of a Renaissance nun - was highly convincing and illuminating. The Essex relationship was the best treatment I've read of it.

   This book should lead readers back to the most accessible collection of Elizabeth I's letters by G. B. Harrison. I would have given this valuable book a greater star rating if it had been longer, but would recommend it to anyone facing the pile of books on this subject for the first time.




2. My review of the book is quite simple. It should be brought back into print. Bassnett treats Elizabeth both as a woman in history, in her own right, and sets her within the larger framework of historiography. Bassnett chips away at the layers of invention that have surrounded Elizabeth and offers a refreshing and novel look at her life and times.

No comments about Die Albertinischen Wettiner.

No comments about Cleopatra.