5 comments about Guns Up!.

1. This remarkable book describes the commitment of a young American (17 years) in the Marines in 1968, as a server of the famous M60 rifle gunner. "Guns up" - the order of battle and odf immediate fire - became a classic Overseas Atlantic story of the war in Vietnam. It has all the ingredients for success: good writing, humility, joint commitment ( "team spirit") and even religious faith (not that of George Bush, however, and fortunately).
   
   I found this story in the spirit of the commitment of the elite troops at the French war in Indochina. 7 months of fighting without having set foot in a barrack, living in the jungle: what warrior feat indeed! Embuscades, fraternity, weaknesses of man.
   
   A great book for a superb story.



2. Vietnam another generation, another war,life in the bush;death nearby everyday,war buddies killed.Life as a teenage Marine, either you grow up or die. A great read if you want to know what life as a Marine is.



3. if you want to know what the south end of Quang Nam province was like in 1968-69, this is it. i was there, just like johnny clark; but i was in 1/7. he's done a great job of capturing the feel of the time.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   



4. This is one of the best books I've read. The writer says in the end that some of this is fiction, or that certain characters are made of multiple people he knew, but the bulk of this story is true, regardless of who it happened to. I have yet to know someone who read this book and did not have to fight back tears at least once. I have read this book 4 times now. I recommend it to anyone and everyone.



5. I read this book at the suggestion of a friend (Sgt. Watson from the book). It was one of the quickest page-turners I have ever read. The reader is quickly made to realize the challenges of war as well as the personal sacrifices made by our soldiers. Anyone who is a soldier or knows one will appreciate this honest and well written account of this group of Marines' tour of duty.

5 comments about Winston Churchill.

1. I've never been a big fan of Winston Churchill, but after reading esteemed historian John Keegan's succinct biography of the man, I must say that I like AND respect him just a little bit more. Keegan himself confesses that he never thought much of old Winston until he stumbled across an old recording of his speeches (in NYC of all places) and realized what a gifted and inspirational orator and leader he was. He led his beloved Britain through her darkest hours in modern history, to a victory that was anything but assured. The people seemed to genuinely love him, and his sentiment was seemingly mutual.
   
   His years as Prime Minister during WW2 are the most well known, but Churchill led an amazingly full life, and his life of public service began way back in the late 19th century. Keegan describes how the young Winston, who did poorly in school, but had an undeniable intelligence, educated himself in politics, history and the English Classics. He was a romantic who was in love with his small island nation, and he dedicated his life to it. He was a brave soldier who served in numerous wars, including WW1, and while it would be fair to say he was a little too fond of war, he was no different from the average English officer of the time in this regard. In my eyes, his major fault was his hypocrisy. It just seems hard to reconcile his staunch imperialism with his constant talk about the virtues of freedom and liberty, and how Britain was the main proponent of such things. I would have liked for Keegan to address this point a bit more, but for such a short biography, I can let it slide.
   
   I was intrigued to learn that Churchill and IRA founder Michael Collins were on friendly terms and greatly admired each other. In fact, Churchill apparently had a "gut sympathy for fighters" which is why he had more respect for the Irish and Boers of South Africa than he did for Ghandi and his passive movement in India.
   
   Anyways, the book is extremely well written and entertaining, and I found it to be an overall excellent introduction to the life of one of the most important figures of the 20th century. 4.5 stars.



2. In 1895 when his father died, the sickly and indifferent 21-year-old military cadet Winston Churchill was flat broke, the legacy of a father who was a compulsively extravagent wastrel.
   
   Lord Randolph had been syphilitic since early youth. His mother, American-born Jennie Jerome whose father was a stockbroker and part-owner of 'The New York Times', was always attracted to men other than her husband or her sons (Winston, born 1874, and John Spencer, born 1880). In modern terms, they were trailer trash; in Phoenix, Sheriff Joe would have set aside a bunk in his tent-city jail for Winston.
   
   But, instead of slums, Winston was born and brought up in Blenheim Palace, built 1704-22 and still one of the great estates of England. American ex-presidents get palatial libraries as their memorials; the British rewarded their leaders with mansions and great estates. Blenheim Palace was one of the finest, far better than the estates later awarded to Nelson and Wellington.
   
   Perhaps it was the milieu of Blenheim Palace, but Churchill matured into a man absolutely convinced of the majesty of the British virtues of patriotism, loyalty, courage and fair play. For him, being British meant manliness, courage, tenacity and ultimate moral decency. It resonated with the vigorous American spirit of Theodore Roosevelt and the beauty of the strenuous life.
   
   President George Bush is reported to keep a bust of Churchill in the Oval Office; perhaps as a reminder of the complete contrast to himself. Bush ducked the Vietnam War in the Texas Country Club Air Guard; Churchill eagerly sought war, even though he hated it.
   
   Like Ulysses S. Grant, Churchill was a gifted wordsmith instead of a stumblebum. He free-lanced as a journalist while serving as a British officer and was sometimes earning 20 times his military pay. He never stopped learning, he wanted facts, order, reason. His mother sent him crates of books while he was on duty, and he devoured them all.
   
   Gen. Sir Herbert Kitchener described him as a "medal-hunter" and "self-advertiser" who was "super-precocious" and "insufferably bumptious." It was a good assessment. But, the public loved his books and even the Prince of Wales praised him. Whatever one thinks of Churchill, his career and successes are due to his own effort, intelligence, work and nerve.
   
   In brief, this is the story of a man who might well have ended up as a Soho souse, but instead became the greatest man of the past century. He did it through his own efforts, not because of Daddy's friends, money or ability to pull strings.
   
   This book defines the character of a great man.



3. Doubtless this biography is insufficient to really understand Churchill, but for those who are fairly ignorant of the man, it provides a useful quick sketch, and perhaps a jumping off point for further reading.



4. Let me make clear at the outset that I am no historian. Indeed, I wouldn't even qualify as an amateur historian. I am just your average 30-something fairly ignorant reader living a period of love for more or less recent history. Given this premise, I found this little book quite perfect for what I was looking for.
   
   This is a short, entertaining, and VERY well written biography of one of the greatest men in the 20th century. Because of the serious limits of my knowledge on the subject, I certainly cannot judge on the accuracy of the reports. However, to the best of my knowledge, the author is considered a reputable WWII historian. Indeed I liked this book so much that I also purchased his history of WWII. You can read this book in a day, and it will entertain you like a good novel, while also informing you as few novels would do.
   
   I would not pay too much attention to those reviewers that complain about this book not delving into Churchill's shortcomings as a man or as a politician. This is a very small book, about 190 small-format pages. You can hardly expect a comprehensive treatise from such a book. Also, I suspect that emphasizing Churchill's shortcomings would be like emphasizing Hitler's moments of tenderness with his lovers or with some German children during the Nazi regime. I mean, they surely happened, but it's not what you want to spend pages on, if you have only limited space to devote to the topic, isn't it? Besides, even if the Churchill that emerges from this book is certainly a truly great man, he does not emerge as a perfect great man. To me that was enough, and I am glad I read this book.
   
   I am grateful to the author, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a short, beautifully written biography of this man, to whom I certainly owe something...



5. Publisher's Weekly is entirely mistaken, in their comments above, in suggesting that Sir Winston Churchill once belonged to the Labour Party.
   
   He never did, of course.
   
   Churchill did, however, cross the floor to join the Liberal Party, often making common cause there with his Liberal ally David Lloyd George. He left the Liberals and returned to the Conservative Party (at first, as a "Constitutionalist") in the 1920's...
   
   Alan D. Hyde

5 comments about The Man Who Flew the Memphis Belle: Memoirs of a WWII Bomber Pilot cassette.

1. Bob Morgan was a friend of mine. His lovely wife urged him for years to write a book, yet he always seemed to sluff it off. At speaking engagements, he always pointed out that he was no hero, giving full credit to the other members of his crew, and the many other crews that flew the skies of Europe. Very typical of his generation, and traits that later ones seem to have lost. The crew of the Memphis Belle was thrust into fame by accident, circumstance, chance, or whatever fate chose, much like the flag raisers of Iwo Jima. It forever changed their lives to some extent. Bob almost waited too long to write this, and he couldn't have found a better co-author than award winning Ron Powers. Bob wasn't your average pilot in the air, there was this unruly side of him that was able to express itself somewhat before the bond tours, but certainly was turned loose afterwards. I remember once when he came by to see me and handed me a picture of him flying a B-17 at Oshkosh when he was well into his 70's. He'd run the plane down the runway in front of the crowd, then turned it on it's side, leaving the wing tip only slightly off the ground. Some things never changed. The book would be a great read just for his WWII and war bond experiences, but Bob was a unique individual, no actually a complex individual, and much to my surprise, he held nothing back in his book. Perhaps this is why he waited so late in life to do it, but I'm glad he did. This is probably the most honest and personal WWII memoir that you will ever read, and nothing was held back. The complexity and struggles of Bob as a man would have made this a fascinating book had he never sat at the controls of the Memphis Belle. But he did, and as a result, you get the unique insight into a very unique, and complex man, and this is the treat that you will come away with in this book, long after the story of the Memphis Belle.



2. For those who may not know: In the early days of World War II the United States had no long range fighters capable of protecting our bombers all the way to their European targets. Even so, and unlike the British who flew only night bombing raids which were much safer but largely ineffective, the American fliers were tasked to continue flying higher precision yet much more dangerous daylight missions. As a consequence, the attrition rate for American bombers and their crews was grimly and almost unacceptably high. To bolster morale, a policy was initiated such that any bomber crewman completing twenty-five missions without being shot down and captured or killed would be relieved of duty and returned to the United States. The "Memphis Belle" was the first bomber to successfully achieve that milestone.
   
   Having heard about the Memphis Belle for most of my life, I was curious to read the real story of that famed B-17 and its equally famous 25th mission, particularly from the standpoint of the bomber's pilot. I wasn't disappointed. In fact, the story went far beyond that bomber and its mission and was much more interesting. For through the eyes of the book's author you could almost sense what it was like to experience his life and times and know what it was REALLY like to actually pilot a B-17 into combat. . . Ignore the German fighters. Don't drift. Ignore the flack. Don't let your mind wander. Keep your eyes fixed straight ahead. Keep your plane in formation. Try to relax. Don't let your wings touch. Bomber pilots apparently had a very narrow view of the war.
   
   The remarkable thing to me about the book, however, was that Robert Morgan wrote it quite late in his life. To me, that broadened his perspective, lending much more insight to the story. In fact, I don't think a young Captain Morgan could have written a book with such clarity, honesty, perspective and sensitivity. Bottom line: This is a very good book and not just from a historical point of view.



3. This is a grand story of a B-17 Flying Fortress in the 8th Air Corps early days bombing France and Germany in WW II. More than that, it is the autobiography of one of the most interesting men I have ever encountered. The MEMPHIS BELLE was one of the first planes and crews to complete 25 missions and come home to thank Americans for their home front efforts.



4. Leaving aside the question of historical accuracy (this has been touched on ably by another reviewer) except for one comment - I was a little unconvinced by Morgan's soliloquy's on WW II grand strategy, such as his explanations of how the war in Russia was fought, and other things that he as a 23-25 year old bomber pilot would have known little about and perhaps cared even less. These parts of the book come across as forced.

   Having said that, however, I have no doubt Morgan felt them necessary to put the overall story into context, and they do that well. This makes the book perfect for youngsters or those with no understanding of the larger picture of WW II history, and thus provide this with a broader appeal.

   But the meat of the story is Morgan himself. This is not "just" a story of a WW II bomber pilot, this is a wonderfully told story of Bob Morgan, the man, and a blushingly honest discussion of his many demons - his relationship with his departed mother, his father and siblings, his girlfriends, fiancees and wives, his crew (many of whom were fast friends), his superiors, and a terrific look at how he grew up, trained for war, matured as a commander, lived as a returning veteran, and overcame the evils of a pampered upbringing, and learned the value of hard work.

   The details about his tour with the 8th Bomber Command were especially interesting, and his revelations about the WW II documentary about his aircraft will answer many questions for ardent Memphis Belle fans who always wondered how much of the 1943 documentary was real (apparently, not much), and also records what Morgan thought of the 1990 film with Matthew Modine (apparently, not much).

   His tour in B-29s is also well discussed. This is very much a terrific human interest story which just happens to take place in flak-filled skies. It's certainly more Twelve O'Clock High, with its introspection, than it is Monte Merrick's Memphis Belle, with its cartoon heroics.

   Colonel Morgan is to be commended for his bravery in baring his soul to the rest of us, for trying to make sense of his life in a way that we can all learn, for admitting to the hurt he has caused others, and allowing us to relate to his own hurts. He was a courageous man at 23 - he had to be - but now, of his own accord, I think he is even braver in his 80s for writing this thoroughly inspirational book.




5. I bought TMWFTMB on the strength of the glowing--make that gushing--reviews on this site. Was I ever disappointed!!!

   There can be no doubt that, despite his protests to the contrary, Bob Morgan is an American hero in every sense of the term. The man flew 51 combat missions in World War II. Those of us born since the war owe him a debt that can never be repaid!

   That said, TMWFTMB is riddled with errors! FDR's Secretary of War was Henry Stimson, not Harold Stimson. Curtis LeMay headed the Strategic Air Command, not the Strategic Defense Command. The prototype for the P-51 Mustang was not a Curtiss NA-73, it was a North American NA-73. On a B-29 the bombardier was not "down in the bomb bay," he was in the nose. The superchargers on a B-17 were not under the fuselage, they were under the nacelles (the part of the wing where the engines are mounted). Dana Andrews did not play an ex-pilot in "The Best Years of Our Lives," he played an ex-bombardier. Aviation history has been my passion since childhood but I've never heard of an aircraft called a "Schmitt 110." Perhaps Col. Morgan meant a Messerschmitt 110. The list goes on. After a while I only kept reading to see what gaff would turn up next.

   Lighten up, you say. Little mistakes like these (how many did you catch?) don't matter. I disagree. The generation that fought and won World War II will, sadly, soon be gone. (We will not see their like again!) It will then fall to a handful of historians (myself included) to pass on the stories of their courage and sacrifice. A flop like this makes it all the more difficult to do that accurately.

   I don't place one iota of blame on Col. Morgan for any of this. He is now well into his eighties and can be forgiven for a goof here and there. What I want to know is where was the co-author? Where were the editors and the fact-checkers? They were asleep at the wheel or don't know the first thing about World War II aerial operations or American life in the forties. Col. Morgan deserved to have his story well told. His supporting cast failed him miserably.

5 comments about Kaffir Boy (Super Sound Buys).

1. I'm stumped. This memoir is considered a classic, yet there are platoons of unsung memoirs out of Africa that are far superior. Granted,Mathabane wrote this when he was barely out of high school. But still. The writing is laborious and, worse, many of the scenes, particularly those from his very early childhood, feel embellished. A different shade of James Frey? That said, the book gives a sobering, stark picture of Apartheid-era township life in all its horrors and occasional joys.



2. I really enjoyed reading about this mans triumph to overcome the odds and to follow destiny (getting to America).



3. KAFFIR BOY is a must read for anyone interested in what life was like for a young boy coming of age in Apartheid South Africa. Mark Mathabane describes in vivid detail the horror of poverty and brutality which was a way of life for black children and families living in the squalor city of Alexandria near Johannesburg, the affluent suburb in South Africa. His account is heartbreaking. Yet, Mark was able to do the unthinkable. He was able to escape (thanks to the support of men like Stan Smith), and lived to write about his horrifying experiences. KAFFIR BOY is interesting and important because Mark Mathabane writes in a style as if he is talking directly to the reader, thereby allowing the reader to fully understand what it was like coping with the cruelty and injustice of apartheid.
   
   I thought that parts of the book could have been penned more concisely. Also, it was difficult at times to understand the character of Mark's mother and father. Yet, Mark Mathabane's powerful and profound account/message of life in Apartheid South Africa far outweighs the minor flaws of this book. I highly recommend this book.



4. Stark and poignant, Mark Mathabane shares his autobiography of life under South African apartheid until the miracle of his escape to the United States in Kaffir Boy (Free Press, 350 pages). Mr. Mathabane's story is told in three parts. The first, The Road to Alexandra, offers a description of the appalling squalor and violence found in a black ghetto under fourth-class citizen status. How children learn to survive, let alone attempt to carry on any type of hopeful existence, defies any common understanding of humanity and pulls at the reader's heartstrings. The challenges, frustrations, and sacrifices that confronted Mr. Mathabane and his family are documented throughout the second section, Passport to Knowledge, where education, religion, and tribal affiliations swirl as possible solutions to combat the Influx Control Law and other forms of white-minority separatist rule. Passport to Freedom, the third section, narrates Mr. Mathabane's discovery of tennis and the difficulties of making dreams come true.
   
   Despite the repetition of incidents and the infusion of seemingly inconsequential moments, Mr. Mathabane's autobiography is readable and moving. It is hard to imagine anyone living through the impoverished conditions he describes. Confrontations with his tribal father, local gangs, missionaries, and white authorities suggest hope of a better future is nothing short of a lottery ticket. The most effective sections of the text share Mr. Mathabane's inner turmoil in deciding his place as a black South African and an agent of change. The tumultuous history of apartheid is drawn with an effective narrative voice as violent uprisings and responses are juxtaposed with tender sacrifices and determination. With the assistance of liberal whites, Mr. Mathabane turned hard work and good fortune into a plane ticket to freedom. Kaffir Boy joins Cry Freedom and Master Harold & the Boys as yet another powerful depiction of South African life.



5. I picked up this book after watching the movie "Tsotsi". I was looking for a book about apartheid in South Africa and stumbled upon this one. And I am so glad I did. The author has done a great job in detailing his childhood and the struggle he and his family went through. Half-way through the book I found it extremely depressing and decided to stop. Later that night I realized that people have courage to actually go through and I can't even complete reading the book? People in Africa still go through horrifying experiences...Yes, it was a depressing read but a definite MUST. An absolute eye opener...

5 comments about The Demon-Haunted World: Science As a Candle in the Dark (Bookcassette(r) Edition).

1. I read this book when it first came out and have purchased it for my grand-daughter so that she may have a realistic view of how our universe works and will not be susceptible to bizzare philosphies which have been so rampant on this planet for the last 10,000 years or so.



2. Carl Sagan was a wonderful man, and was one of the first people to get me interested in science. In this book, he looks over claims of alien abduction, crop circles, visions, astrology, and other pseudoscientific claims. A great read.



3. This is a great rebuttal to pseudoscience and superstition. Well-written and interesting. One of my favorites.



4. Carl Sagan was a great man and had a great way of explaining the awesomeness of the universe to the average man or woman. This book is like that. It allows us to understand logical, rational thaught which we sometimes allow ourselves to ignore.
   At the very least it will teach you how to win an argument.



5. When I started reading this book, it seemed to go slow and I thought about giving up. But, as I went on, the relevance of what he wrote made more and more sense. When I was through, I was pleased that I had read it all the way through and now I am a much more critical thinker.

5 comments about The Hiding Place: 25th Anniversary Edition (Corrie Ten Boom Library).

1. Readers know from the outset Corrie Ten Boom survived to help write the book but it's such an intriguing journey to get there. The authors include numerous jewels along the way, stories that stick with the reader long after the book is back on the shelf: the train ticket held by her father until the perfect time, the test of faith by not lying about family hiding under the kitchen table, the fleas having a purpose, the heartbreak of the love of her life marrying someone else, rebuilding the radio while in prison, the astounding respect and love for her father and sister while incarcerated.
   
   Each chapter utilizes powerful imagery to flesh out an application of Eternal Truth ready for internalizing.
   
   The lessons may be applied to every day life since these were not merely `characters' but most obviously real people, with extreme trials to maneuver in life and in death. Ordinary becomes extraordinary, utilizing compelling subject matter with a page turning writing style exhibiting firm faith in the Lord. It's one of those classics that affords readers immediate application to their own circumstances since they can identify with her and her family on so many levels.
   
   Finally a work like this inspires and uplifts. I found myself continually discovering the answer (Grace) on almost every page to such questions as "Why did God let this happen?" and "How did she do it?". The Hiding Place is a classic I enjoy re-reading every few years. I'm amazed at the fresh perspective I have each time. It's timeless.
   
   One of my favorite poetic verses from Corrie Ten Boom, who quoted it often (it was by Grant Colfax Tullar), is the following:
   
   "My life is but a weaving betwixt my God and me;
   I do not choose the colors He worketh steadily.
   Oft times He weaveth sorrow, and I in foolish pride
   Forget He sees the upper, and I the underside.
   Not till the loom is silent and the shuttles cease to fly
   Will God unfold the pattern and explain the reason why.
   For the dark threads are as needful in the Weaver's skillful hand
   As the threads of gold and silver in the pattern He has planned."



2. This is an absolutely fantastic book! This is a lesson in how not to give up. A lesson in how to pursue dreams. A lesson in how to be of help to the less fortunate. A lesson in how to live. A lesson in how to be close to the Father, and always believe in him. This is a must-read!



3. I will not go into detail on this very public site about what this author, and her book, mean to me. Suffice it to say that I would not be alive today, without having heard Corrie's message of God's infinite love.
   
   As a psychiatrist, I have bought, and given away to patients, at least 50 copies of this book over the past two decades. It is more powerful than the strongest of antidepressants.
   
   Corrie ten Boom is a saint. She will not be officially recognized as such by the Catholic Church since she was nominally a Protestant. I say nominally, because her heart, like God's, was deep enough and wide enough to encompass and embrace all people, no matter what "religion" they practiced. Corrie's religion was Love.



4. The Hiding Place should be read by EVERY Christian. Corrie and her sister's testimony in this book is just like reading the Bible's testimony of the new Believers! Need to feel inspired? Read The Hiding Place.



5. This book is beautiful inside and out. The outside is burgundy leather? bound with gold stamped letters. Very classic looking. The story itself is so well written, Corrie ten Boom draws you into her family. To hear how God worked miracles in spite of German occupation and concentration camps, and the lack of money and resources, was very faith building. I highly recommend this book.

5 comments about God : A Biography.

1. I concur with most of what has already been said in the other 5-star reviews. Read it! It will changoe the way you think about the God of the old testament.
   
   PS- The people who gave it 1-star reviews are SCARY



2. This was an interesting book which presents the reader with some challenging views of God. In many ways the author is clearly misguided. However, he does present view that most would have never considered and establishes doctorinal thought of God that is Biblical. Again it is a radical and thought provoking view of God.



3. Jack Miles writes a novel work in God: A Biography. While I read this book for a class, I was originally worried that its common, humanlike portrayal of God would be offensive to my formatively conservative sensibility, yet to my surprise, Miles has written a readable, though meaty, portrayal of God in the Tanakh. God, as he is protrayed in this text has human attributes commonly disavowed in typical Western theology. Each chapter, associated with an Hebrew Bible book focuses on the personality of God and his evolution, if you will, in each of the major narratives. In one of the more notable sections, Miles asks the question Does God Love? In this interlude he contends that "love has never been a predicated of him either as an action or as a motive" (237). The hesed that God is consistenly said to have refers more to loyalty as opposed to love, until 2nd Isaiah, when the juxtaposition of husband(God) and wife (God's people)reveal a changed face of God- his love and compasssion. This text consistently breaks ground in the mind of the reader by revealing God in a fresh, yet scholarly manner. This book is a must read for anyone who is interested in being introduced to God from an "out of the box" perspective that allows for human attributes and reactions.



4. "God: A Biography" is a highly rewarding work of significant literary value. Readers are likely to find this to be impossible to read hastily because of its sophistication and the clarity of its prose which takes a painstakingly thoughtful look at what the Old Testament says about God. This is the sort of book that will make you run to your Bible wondering why you have not taken a closer look at books like Numbers and Kings just for the sheer pleasure of it. I am currently using this book in my church in order to introduce new Christians to the Old Testament so that they can read it in a way that is fresh and open to surprise at God's personal nature and the complexity of his character. Interestingly, this book can be useful for preaching in that it raises interesting questions about the Bible and God that many pastors may not imagine their congregants have. Further, even those with merely a literary interest in religious texts will find that Miles may cause a shift in the assumptions made about the Old Testament.



5. God - a biography, by Miles. He should have spent his time doing something informative and productive. "God - a biography" is an invention of his own mind, full of sound and fury, explaining nothing. In short, it is a deplorable work.

5 comments about One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich.

1. _One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich_, first published in the Soviet journal _Novy Mir_ in 1962, by the Nobel Prize winning Russian novelist Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn is a horrifying account of the life of a Russian prisoner in a Soviet labor-camp as he struggled to maintain his dignity despite facing degrading conditions. Solzhenitsyn (1918 - 2008) was a dissident Russian novelist whose works revealed the horrors of the Soviet gulag and who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1970. This novel focuses on the life of a single individual Ivan Denisovich Shukhov and his daily struggles amidst grinding cruelty and barbaric conditions in a Soviet labor-camp. Solzhenitsyn himself had first hand experience with the labor camps having been imprisoned himself at one time for his dissident writings. This novel is important not only because it reveals the bleak and harsh existence of the Russian zek (convict) often sentenced to labor on spurious grounds by the Soviet state but also because it demonstrates the unfairness of the Soviet system. Solzhenitsyn was an important figure, a dissident intellectual, who spoke out against such oppression while living in the Soviet regime. The life of the Russian zek, often condemned for an arbitrarily long period of time to work in unbearable conditions and in freezing cold while being provided with only a minimal diet, was a stark and harsh existence. Many could not survive such conditions and those who could had to manage to find meaning in an otherwise cruel reality. This novel shows that existence and reveals the bitterness and stark horror of the Soviet state in the process.
   
   The novel focuses on one day in the life of Ivan Denisovich Shukhov, serving a 3,653 day sentence in a labor camp after being accused of being a German spy having been captured by the Germans during the war as a prisoner of war. In a cruel irony of fate, Ivan Denisovich was no spy but merely caught by the Germans and thus is serving a sentence for a "crime" he did not commit. Other individuals at the camp are serving similar sentences for similar charges and with few exceptions none of them were actually spies. Thus, we see the cruelty and unfairness of the system. The day begins with Ivan Denisovich trying to obtain a dispensation from his work duties for being sick; however, since others have already been exempted for being sick he is forced to work regardless of his sickness. As Solzhenitsyn ironically notes, "Can a man who's warm understand one who's freezing?" Ivan Denisovich then begins his day of work spent at a construction site under the harshest of conditions. Food rations at the camp are very scant and much of the story is devoted to describing the manner in which the zeks attempt to make the best out of their minimal rations and attempt to steal or hide away tiny morsels to maintain their strength. The prisoners also are desperate for cigarettes and will frequently take the butts of cigarettes when they can from their harsh masters. A central character in the novel is that of Alyosha who is a Baptist and believes that being in prison is a good thing allowing him to reflect on spiritual matters, a view which Ivan Denisovich does not share. Alyosha has managed to smuggle in a Bible among his things and has hidden it. Ivan Denisovich discusses spiritual matters with him and the nature of God. In another scene it is noted that prisoners are allowed to pick up parcels from their families. In a particularly bitter scene, Solzhenitsyn notes that Ivan Denisovich no longer receives parcels because he has told his wife to not rob the kids seeing as how his parcels go to waste. However, poor Ivan cannot help hoping everyday that one day he might receive something. Another fear among men in the camp is being "put in the hole" and confined to solitary confinement. Many do not survive this treatment and it continually lurks at the back of their minds should they not behave themselves. The prisoners together frequently discuss their sentences and while some maintain that they are nearing the end of their sentences the time does not seem to pass for Ivan Denisovich. Frequently when those who have neared the end of their sentences are simply told that they are to receive a further sentence and thus there is little to hope for in this respect. The book ends by concluding that Ivan Denisovich has had a good day. He has survived another day, he has managed to obtain some extra food and has managed to get some cigarettes, he has not been thrown into the hole and his work gang has done good, he had managed to hide a blade from the guards and not gotten caught, and he has managed to get over being sick. Thus, one of the 3,653 days of Ivan Denisovich's sentence concludes.
   
   This novel is a classic of Russian literature and highly important for what it reveals about the harshness and cruelty of the Soviet state. The late Solzhenitsyn was one of the most important figures in Twentieth century literature and one of the most important Russian authors. This novel really remains one of the most important of Solzhenitsyn and helped elevate him to international recognition for pointing out the cruelties of the Soviet labor-camp. It speaks to the cruelty of man to man and the totalitarian nature of Soviet communism.



2. At the height of his power in the 1930's and 1940's, Joseph Stalin sent millions of the citizens of the Soviet Union into forced labor camps. All it took was a chance word heard by the wrong person and you were sent to a camp. It is not an exaggeration to say that at the time, the entire economy was based on slave labor. This book is about Shukhov, one of the inmates in a camp located in the frozen north. The day described here is a typical day, as he and his fellow prisoners all engage in the daily struggle to survive.
   Simple things such as managing your food allotment, keeping your clothes and footwear intact and just keeping warm are the primary focus of his life. Yet, there is still humanity in him, his pride in doing a good job, having friends and his thoughts for the future. Much of Shukhov's life can be summed up by his trip to the infirmary. After speaking to an attendant there and being judged fit for work, Shukhov thinks to himself, "How can a man that's warm understand a man that is cold."
   This book was a major part of the effort by Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev's program of de-Stalinization of the Soviet Union. It was a sensation in the Soviet Union and also made the reputation of Solzhenitsyn in the west. A basic novel of survival, it also contains a much more powerful message, that of a state policy of economic success through slave labor. The Soviet Union under Stalin was a brutal regime and some of that is captured in this novel.



3. I find it interesting to sometimes ponder, just how extreme can humanity go? What conditions can we put ourselves in and through and still come out on the other side? Solzhenitsyn takes this question and puts it into literary form, if only for the period of one day. Thankfully, unlike the author, many of us will never have to endure something brutal as the Siberian gulag.
   The book follows the psychological perspective of Ivan Denisovich, who is a "zek"(prisoner) who has been condemned to a 10 year stretch for merely having the misfortune of becoming a POW. You get to imagine the siberian cold(they are allowed to not work if it hits -40, which even when it does they just lie and force them to work anyway). You see the internal politics which are part of the means of survival, and just what a piece of hard bread and a bowl of cold, wet oats can mean to a man that is already in hell. It's also fascinating to see how he can still has pride and dignity in his work while trying to make sure each brick is set properly while under the intensity of forced labor. Make no mistake about it, this is a book with strong masculine tones, that i'm suprised doesn't enjoy more popularity under such a banner. The book itself is only around 130 pages or so, and can be read quickly by the determined reader, who would be cheating themselves not to read it.



4. If you have never read One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, then perhaps you should. It is not a thriller. It will not keep you on the edge of your seat.
   
   It will hold you captive however when you realize that for those caught in the Gulag system, every day, moment or second was one lived on the edge, and fraught with danger. The myriad of little details could only come from one who had lived under this system.
   
   You can feel the hunger and desperation in the book, when one man goes missing at the work-site, his fellow prisoners wondering how it will all shake out, and will they all be punished.
   
   The Captain's story is especially poignant. Once a man of power and prestige, now a Zek like the rest. When he is taken to the cells at the stories end, we like the Zeks do not know why or for what infraction. Although likeable he will soon be forgotten as the focus is on getting through the next day.
   
   The book is mild, as it only shows one day, and is not even horrific. Rather it is tense and terse.
   
   Cheers.



5. This book; moving, inspiring, touching, humbling, pathetic. What Stalin did to his fellow countrymen has surely cast him into the lower pits of hell. This book illuminates only a single day of the hell on earth he put his comrades through. The characters strive to make it through the day without dying. They strive to live through the monotony of the toneless days. The horrific lives these people endured is nothing short of a miracle. The pages of this book shall stay with you long after you place it on your shelf.

5 comments about Alexander Hamilton.

1. I fond this book to be pleasantly refreshing in its scope and style. In almost every page is a new insight into the main characters life. A complete course in American History, and a must read among American History enthusiast.



2. I absolutely loved this book. The research and detail was amazing, and I found it to be well balanced. It's not a short book by any means and is in no way a "quick read." It took me a few weeks to finish. The biggest obstacle for me was the language used in the 18th century that is no longer used today. I am an avid reader and a college graduate, but I found many words I had not seen before (such as "hegemony" and "shibboleth"). I ended up buying a small Merriam-Webster Dictionary that I kept handy while reading this book.
   
   I have a much greater respect and understanding of Hamilton than I did before, despite his many flaws. Also, I am much more disappointed and not overly fond of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson after reading this biography. After I read "American Sphinx" by Joseph Ellis, I wasn't that enamored of Jefferson. Now I understand why in more detail.
   
   You'll be amazed at Hamilton's abilities and accomplishments after reading this book.



3. This is a terrific biography of a fascinating founding father, largely overlooked in history books. The NYC vs VA perspective of Chernow is particularly insightful and refreshing. One of the best history books I have read.



4. And he wasn't even born here. This is the amazing story of an incredible intellect. Arriving on the shores of this country, and immediately putting his past behind him, this wunderkind went on to do some truly remarkable things. Here are the main things that truly amazed me about Hamilton:
   
   Our constitution was not a done deal.
   
   The Republicans, led by Jefferson preferred that powers be vested in states: foreign policy, currency and they viewed states' economies as agrarian based.
   
   The Federalists, led by Hamilton believed in a strong central government which subordinated states. They believed in a manufacturing base to the economy. The federal government would determine foreign policy; create a single currency etc. to wit, the Constitution. In order to explain this document to the lay person, Hamilton, Madison and Jay undertook the writing of the Federalist Papers, probably 75% of which were written by Hamilton. The Federalist Papers were published in the newspapers of the day. They worked and the Constitution was ratified. If he had stopped there, Hamilton's contributions to the cause would have been some of the greatest, and I haven't even mentioned his valiant performance at George Washington's right hand during the Revolutionary War.
   
   Hamilton read and studied voraciously and learned everything he could on the subjects of economics and international finance and with great foresight set about to create the American banking system and was appointed as first treasury secretary. This man, almost single-handedly, bequeathed to us the greatest financial/capitalist system the world has ever known.
   
   These two things: defending the Constitution through the Federalist Papers, and the creation of this new financial system seem to me to be so vastly different, require such different skills, that it doesn't seem possible, and yet they come from the mind of one man. That was what blew me away.
   
   We would not be the country we are today, if not for Hamilton.
   
   In his telling of this tale, Chernow paints the revered Jefferson in a less than flattering light. Fearing direct confrontation Jefferson almost always acted through a proxy, most often Madison. He allowed Madison to do all his dirty work, and for years the two heaped bitter and vile criticism upon Hamilton, yet Hamilton never missed a beat. Hamilton won, and they lost, and we are all better off for it.
   
   I won't say anymore except to say that this is one of the best, most complete books on the subject of our nation's founding, that I have read and I highly recommend it. Happy reading.



5. From what I learned of American history as a schoolboy, Hamilton was certainly considered as one of the founding fathers, but he was relegated to the periphery among the founders; and he and the Federalists, according to this teaching, needed to be constantly restrained by the wisdom of Thomas Jefferson or else they would have reverted the country back to a monarchy. After reading this book, I still think there is truth to the need for Jefferson's restraint, but overall, I think that my education was prejudiced and myopic. As the author notes, because Jefferson, Madison and Adams all became President (along with another Virginian James Monroe) and they had many more years to write about events, their legacy gained the upper hand and history has probably skewed their importance relative to Hamilton.
   
   This really outstanding book tips the balance of viewpoint in the other direction. Some have criticized the book because they maintain that it habitually depicts Jefferson, Madison, and Adams in the worst of ways, such as only showing the worst of what they wrote. They may have a point, but the author is showing what Hamilton was up against - sometimes unreasoning opposition; and he makes a very strong case that Hamilton more than any of the founders was responsible for setting up the American government as we know it today. Hamilton recognized, with a force that no one else could exert, that a strong union was the best hope to avoid all the evils and conflicts of Balkanization. No doubt that Jefferson and Madison provided a much needed counterbalance, especially since Hamilton did not recognize the importance of the Bill of Rights; and Washington also provided a needed check to his military proclivities. But Jefferson and Madison in their Virginian politics that favored a sectionalized state-empowered confederacy molded from a slave-based agrarian economy held views that have fallen by the wayside, whereas Hamilton set in motion the means whereby the United States could get a grip on itself and move into the modern age.
   
   It is a fascinating story of a life that leads to a well-known tragic conclusion. It starts in one of most beautiful of places but also one of the worst scenes of human degradation - the sugar trade in the West Indies. The fact that Hamilton's relatives could never succeed in such a place was probably a credit to them, for it must have taken an extraordinary brutality to keep a majority population of slave labor at bay. Hamilton left the place at the first available opportunity, and took advantage of the time and his abilities to make a continuing success of himself during the Revolution and its aftermath. Beside being blessed with a brilliant mind (John Marshall said that beside him he felt like a candle to the midday sun) and being a relentless worker, he showed that he was a man of principle, and all through his life he hardly deviated from that sense of principle. His enemies did not want to separate his personal life from his private life, but there is every indication that he hardly ever wavered in that regard, despite the folly of the Maria Reynolds scandal. Despite all the investigations, no one was able to find a shred of evidence that showed that while he was Secretary of Treasury and setting up the banking system - or any other time for that matter - that he did anything untoward or for his own benefit. In fact, he had to quit his post because he became too deeply in debt to support his family. Yet, the slander followed him everywhere, and a lack of restraint on his part encouraged the attacks. In the end, the need to clear his name and a strong sense of honor - so important to his politics - had set him on an irrevocable course.

5 comments about Worth the Fighting For: A Memoir.

1. Unfortunately this book which I hoped to be a biographical "chapter 2" to his personal journey after his Viet Nam stint, as covered so well in "Faith of My Fathers," this book offers only a sloppy mish-mash of this and that, which causes it to never commit to be any specific type of book. It tries to be part "Profiles in Courage" (which later McCain books "Courage Matters," and "Hard Call" commit to), part "Leaders" (by Nixon), and part autobiography, but sits as an uncommitted, uneven, unsatisfactory read. On paper this might have been a good idea - to tell one's story by also talking about that person's heroes, but in this work all these different types of works get in the way of each other. There is a chapter that goes on ad nauseum about the Keating scandal to be followed up on a piece of fluff over Ted Williams the baseball player.
   This is also probably not the bio that his supporters want us to read during this 2008 election as almost each and every "hero" of his...including his contemporaries...are all dead, which highlights the age issue. I have yet to find a classic bio on this man, but I understand they are out there; unfortunately this book sadly misses its mark.



2. This is a great book by a great man. John McCain's humor, style, and love of life are inspiring in this read. His honor, patriotism, and his words of those who have inspired him, make him one of the most inspiring public figures of his generation. He has a loving awe of what is best in America, and in ourselves.



3. When the 2008 GOP primary began, I was not a fan of McCain. I didn't dislike him. I just had a different preference. I'd always wanted to read Faith of My Fathers and read that one first. It took the reader from McCain's grandfather, to his father, and finally to McCain himself and his experience in Vietnam, where it concluded with his homecoming.
   
   This book picks up with John McCain's return home. He is atypically candid for a politician and presidential candidate. He admits faults where necessary. He takes responsibility when demanded. He defers credit where due. He takes the reader into his personal struggles, in particular the Keating 5 affair. He touches on his failed first marriage -- and takes full responsibility. The reader has the privilege of being a "fly on the wall" as McCain learns from his mentors and teachers. I can't imagine an author being much more transparent. The reader does not come away with a messianic vision of John McCain. Rather, one develops an understanding of whom he is and what influenced him. There is also much history to be learned as he explains how historical figures have influenced him in his career. I was a bit surprised by the profanity used in the book, but it's a part of who he is -- part sailor, part rebel, part patriot, part leader, part humble student, part aspiring executive, part competitor -- and full time, 100% himself.
   
   If you have an interest in politics and/or history, and want a better understanding of who this potential President of the United States is and may be as president then this is THE book. Straight from his own mouth -- warts and all -- leaving it to the reader to make their own educated decision regarding McCain's worthiness for the most powerful job in the world. You may not finish the book as a supporter -- and you may go from pro to con -- but you will have a greater respect for the man.
   
   Highly recommended.



4. Several times in "Worth the Fighting For", the senator notes that he has a quick temper. It is an inspiring book, however, I do wonder how effective he would be in the White House given his self acknowledged temper.
   
   Author of: Mr. NewHeart (New Heart): Heart Attack to Transplant and Beyond
   
   You may preview a free copy of my next book if you Google "david hollar the face of war."



5. "Worth The Fighting For" is John McCain's political biography. In it he briefly discusses his naval heritage and the acquaintances he made through his father, an admiral in the U.S. Navy. He mentions his time as a POW, but most of the references to his naval career involve his service as the naval representative to the U.S. Senate.
   
   McCain does a good job at weaving tales about his heroes into his own story. Generally the book involves a section about a friend whom he admired or an historical figure on whose example he modeled his life, alternating with sections pertaining to political challenges which he has faced. Among the friends whom he discusses are Scoop Jackson, John Tower, Moe Udall, Barry Goldwater and Ted Williams. Among the historical figures he emulates are Billie Mitchell and Theodore Roosevelt and a character in the movie "Zapata."
   
   In the sections relating to his career, McCain talks about issues with which he has struggled, including the Senate Select Committee on POW-MIAs. There he became a friend and admirer of John Kerry, with whom he worked to clear the record on missing POW-MIAs and to normalize relations with Vietnam. Perhaps this was the origin of the proposed Kerry-McCain ticket. He also defended his positions on Social Security, Campaign Finance reform and the Marine deployment to Lebanon. The insight into his 2000 presidential campaign makes for interesting reading.
   
   McCain does not shirk the hard times, providing detailed explanations of the John Tower confirmation hearings and his own involvement in the Keating 5 investigation.
   
   McCain does not mince words in expressing his opinions on people with whom he comes in contact, be they other Senators, witnesses or lobbyists. He is open in discussing his own failings. In this he demonstrates a refreshing approach rarely seen in autobiographies.
   
   Through much of this work, McCain is defending and explaining his own actions. At times he seems to be more overtly self defensive than is found in many autobiographies. Is this a continuation of the "Straight Talk Express" on which he campaigned, or just another campaign biography? I will let each reader decide that for himself. I will say that it makes an interesting read of a type rarely found from active politicians. I am glad that I picked it up. I am confident that you will also.