5 comments about The Revolution: A Manifesto.

1. REQUIRED READING: This book reveals the lies every American suspects of their government. Other than the Constitution which is being destroyed, this book is an education of protecting our liberties.



2. Mr. Paul is undeniably one of the rare rational voices from Washington. He was extremely effective in this presidential race and created a stir due to the innovative and sensible solutions he had to offer. His ideas about freedom and liberty resonate with many Americans. And he explains very effectively and coherently that these are the very ideals espoused by the founding fathers and the framers of the Constitution, but have been repeatedly ignored to the extent that the US has lost its strategic advantage as one of the greatest nations in the world. Even though one might not endorse all of Mr. Paul's ideals he has to be given credit for offering fresh insight and unique/creative solutions to the challenges that the US faces at home and abroad. He is one of the very few in the Congress, who take the government head-on with regard to the interventionist foreign policy. This book offers the most impressive analysis of the factors that have led to the recent economic meltdown. It was written before the current crisis, but it raises the red flag. I am not sure that I would go as far as calling him the `Thomas Jefferson of our day', but he surely does come close!



3. We are about to elect a president that played a role in the root cause of our financial predicament. Obama was in league with a group called acorn whose primary goal was to get funding for low income homeowners. Calling upon his egalitarian God and disciples, he was able to arouse his almighty spirit of compassion no official dares cross. Anyone tempted would be labeled racist, bigot, etc. Obama stands to gain his reparations either way. I said it years ago and I'll say it again, the egalitarian god trumps all Gods, laws, traditions, and reason.
   
   Yes the fed started the mess in the early 90s by gerrymandering the rate. But Greenspan knew this was the only way to avert recession since inflation now devoured the two income wage earner. Wall street pigs knew this would be the last sloping hence the feeding frenzy. There is no turning back from this one unless housing takes a dramatic dive which will also cause unimaginable pain. We might do well to study Argentina. But this country had a hedge. Where is Amercias?



4. Warning this book is the equivalent of waking from "The Matrix" (1999), and seeing the true nature of reality. From the prolog forward to the very end Ron Paul holds nothing back and for those few folk being introduced to this reality and how we have strayed from the constitution, can be a real eye opener.
   
   The message is simple but it is the implantation that can get a bit complex as there are no two sides to this story as those that manufacture politics today.
   
   The real strength of the book is that even though one day the details may be dated that we go beyond theory and point to real situations and existing people instead of just theories and what ifs.
   
   I bought the book; I also bought the CD's as they help enforce the book during my daily commute. We also use them for discussions at work.
   
   This book has many truths that are not just for the radical or inspired and will be a useful reference for your library in the years to come.
   
   A few related and complimentary ideas can be found in:
   
   The Constitution of the United States of America, with the Bill of Rights and all of the Amendments; The Declaration of Independence; and the Articles of Confederation by Thomas Jefferson, Second Continental Congress, and Constitutional Convention
   
   For a New Liberty by Murray N. Rothbard
   
   The Capitalist Manifesto by Louis O. Kelso and Mortimer J. Adler
   
   The Constitution of the United States of America, with the Bill of Rights and all of the Amendments; The Declaration of Independence; and the Articles of Confederation
   
   For a New Liberty
   
   The Capitalist Manifesto



5. Ron Paul is unique in American politics - honest, incorruptible, principled. His book succeeds on two fronts.
   
   First, providing a readable account of the problems that we face as the ruling elite shred our Constitution, destroy our economy, and drag us bleating into a police state.
   
   Second, giving us a blueprint for stopping the decline and taking back our lives and freedom from those who would rule.
   
   Dr. Paul has shown the way. The next step - actually voting out the corrupt politicians, turning away from the single-party Republicrat institution - is up to us.

5 comments about Angler: The Cheney Vice Presidency.

1. As is evident from the other reviews here on Amazon, this book provides a history of Vice President Cheney's vice presidency into the start of 2008. Gellman has excellent sources, and was therefore able to get impressive detail of some events not previously told - - most notably the Alberto Gonzalez hospital bed confrontation over domestic surveillance.
   
   The overarching theme of the book is that Cheney was too clever by half. He was too uncompromising, or "principled," early on, and smart enough to get what he wanted much of the time. As a result, Cheney created a backlash against himself. By 2008, he was worse off than he would have been had he been more compromising early on. That theme emerges only gradually, however, and I would have liked to see it presented more forcefully throughout the book.
   
   The first part of the book, in which Cheney uses his knowledge of how bureaucracies work, is the most interesting and important. Gellman documents how a talented player can get his way, and how Cheney kept important decisions away from President Bush without Bush's knowledge. This part of the book should be required reading for presidents and other high officials - - how do you make sure that you're getting the information that you want? Bush clearly failed this task until about 2006 or so.
   
   I found the middle part a bit uneven, with some stories focused on minor details instead of the bigger picture. Fortunately, the narrative picks up again as the backlash against Cheney begins to trim his sails.
   
   Overall, this is an impressive "first draft of history," as some people call journalism. A little more time to reflect, and to strengthen the overall arch of the story, would have served Gellman well. But who am I to complain? He won the Pulitzer Prize for this book, after all.



2. Dick Chaney, perhaps the most powerful man ever to hold the office of Vice President, began as President Bush's personal shield, confidant, mentor and ideological soul mate. However, this tidy arrangement, predictably, was to go horribly awry. As this timely book reports, Cheney's experience as a master wheeler-dealer of behind the scene backroom bureaucratic negotiations and Machiavellian manipulations, proved overtime to be more a liability than an asset to the Bush Presidency and appears especially likely to leave an indelible if not a very ugly stain on the 43rd president's legacy.
   
   The book, well written and skilfully organized, began as a series of Washington Post Articles. It gives a careful account of Cheney's rise to power, and then captures in almost overly melodramatic terms the best and the worst of Cheney's role as VP: Undoubtedly the best of times was during the early days of the Bush's presidency when Cheney's role throughout the first campaign was heavily relied upon and was then both respectful and circumscribed; a time in which Bush relied on Cheney's political instincts as well as his policy advice. The crescendo of the book is when the worse came: toward the end of the Bush Presidency, in a series of vice presidential missteps best exemplified in the "shootout" at justice over the wireless wire taps, in which Cheney all but arrogated Presidential power unto himself, keeping the President in the dark and "single-handedly" precipitating a revolt by Justice Department lawyers.
   
   The upshot of the book is that Cheney, remains a truly scary figure in the annals of American Presidential history, not just because of his Svengali like influence over our "not too bright President," but also because he was in his own right a devious spin-miester and die-heart ideologue who lacked no compunction are moral restraints about end-running the President, and then manufacturing "after-the-fact" rationalizations and justifications to cover his machinations and to cover-up even the most excessive and improper of his actions - such as his hidden hand in the Valery Plame incident. His utter lack of sensitivity to the meaning of the Constitution and the notion of a balance of powers among co-equal branches of the government is so aberrant as to border on being treasonous.
   
   In the run up to the 2008 election, where questions about the current VP selections has caused the U.S. electorate to collectively hold its breathe, the Dick Cheney experience is a cautionary tale about the possible harm a weak selection of a VP can have in undermining the political process and American political institutions. Bart Gellman, in not taking sides, or completely "throwing Dick Cheney under the bus," when it would have been so easy to do so, has done this nation proud. Five Stars.



3. As a reader with advanced degrees in Political Science and Public Policy, and 20 years of employment in senior government service, this is the best expose with the required restraint and research that I have read in 30 years. A MASTERPIECE.



4. It may be the plethora of books about Cheney and the Bush administration in recent years that puts this book in the shadows, but author Barton Gellman at least has offered a good look at what the Cheney years have meant to the United States. That those years continue to this day, is left out in the analysis.
   
   Gellman gives a decent picture of Cheney, but nothing much new emerges in his assessment which the avid reader doesn't already know. Cheney, true to form, is genuinely concerned about the American people after 9/11. It all goes downhill from there. One comes to understand Gellman's description of Cheney's determination and, indeed, the author's own description of the chapter entitled "U-turn on Constitution Avenue" is one of his best. But the final few pages in which Gellman mawkishly spews Cheney out as a feeling guy...well, that's too much to take.
   
   "Angler" has some points but there are better books on this subject out there.



5. Prior to 2002 I used to have a great deal of respect for Dick Cheney. He did a great job of running the 1991 war with Iraq. His 2001 energy plan was well researched and professional even thought some people (including myself) felt it should have been more oriented to renewable energy.
   
   However, since September 11, 2001 Dick Cheney has strongly promoted some totally disastrous policies such as the decision to go to war with Iraq.
   
   This book contains some truly stunning accusations. It suggests that Cheney's role in picking himself as Bush's running mate when he was in charge of finding a running mate for Bush in 2000 had serious ethical breaches. There is a suggestion that Cheney was less than candid about his health problems.
   
   The author suggests that Cheney knowingly lied to Dick Armey (House Majority Leader) about intelligence concerning the (nonexistent) relationship between 9/11 terrorists and Saddam Hussein.
   
   There is more disturbing material concerning Cheney's alleged role in encouraging the use of torture against terrorism suspects and the use of domestic wiretapping.
   
   It is interesting that Gelman knocks down one of the most popular accusations against Cheney, the notion that he wanted to use his office for private financial gain or the benefit of the oil industry or his previous employer, Halliburton. In a recent interview with Harper's magazine, Gellman states, "There's no venality here. Cheney was not trying to aggrandize himself, to steer money to friends, or to set himself up for higher office. He simply believed that the stakes were high and he was more capable than others. He saw the world, he believed, as it truly is and was prepared to do the "unpleasant" things that had to be done to safeguard us. Cheney is a rare combination: a zealot in principle and a subtle, skillful tactician in practice."
   
   I can't vouch for the accuracy of all that's in this book. It may be true. It may not be - although the reporter is a very professional journalist.
   
   What I can say is that this is a serious book that should be read and considered by American citizens. This is a book that should be read and debated by Amazon readers.
   
   This whole situation is very depressing story about a talented man who did a lot of good in the past but went in a truly disastrous direction since 9/11/2001.

5 comments about Sarah: How a Hockey Mom Turned the Political Establishment Upside Down.

1. 'Sarah' is a friendly review of Palin's early political life and fills in a lot of gaps not mentioned by current the main stream media. Untainted by national politics as it was written before her rise on the national scene it is factual and emphasizes the populist appeal of Sarah Palin.



2. She's pictured as a "Finally," Finally, the liberal/Moderate Republicans have screwed up their agenda by nominating a great Conservative, real, honest-to-goodness, lady.
   
   She is viewed to be the future of our country and the return to Republican Conservative principles. The liberal/moderate Republicans were taking us into creeping socialism, as was the contemporary Democrats, only a little slower.
   
   Be forwarned, all those who wanted business as usual. She's expected to find, prosecute and jail those responsible for corruption and unethical wheeling and dealings.
   
   What do you think?
   
   G.b., Joseph Michael Wasik



3. Its pretty scary to think of her as a president . Which is allot more likely if McCain wins than Biden being President if Obama wins , due to McCain's advanced age and medical history , McCain winning is just scary .



4. What a great piece written before Sarah Palin's rise on the national scene. The author writes about a true patriot whose rise to fame was based around her love of her family, her community and then her state. Now her rise in the national light comes as a result of those same qualities. So different than the politicians who are all about themselves and won't make any waves.
   Sarah Palin is what this country needs.



5. This Book is about a down to earth woman who is destined for Political responsibility. And a great book to read.

5 comments about The Obama Nation: Leftist Politics and the Cult of Personality.

1. It is more than a little unsettling that a partisan hack piece, such as this book of little journalistic merit, can get published. Savaging a candidate in a pseudo-scholarly format may fool some, but only a small amount of independent investigation puts the lie to Mr. Corsi's "research". Please, if you must read this drivel, simply remind yourself that it is simply a fictitious account of a man whom the right-wing hacks want to destroy.



2. The african-born, Hawai'i bred phony Barak
   Nobama wants to be Pres. The problem is we
   are ending an eight year bout with another
   99-i.q idiot. Can we afford another? I think
   not. This expose is well timed and knowing
   that an outstanding Constitution Party aut-
   hor wrote makes me beleive the contents. Bravo!



3. This is a fantastic read and documents Obama's past. A must read for anyone who is looking for facts, not media biased coverage, of Obama. The references are clear and consise, allowing the reader to know where the information came from and frankly helps underscore connections inside the USA, ie William Ayers and Rezko, and outside the USA.
   Make no mistake the biased media calls Obama a supporter of populism, which is simply political correctness speak for a socialist. And also make no mistake, the Kenyan's detaining Corsi is just a tip of the Chicago "thug" approach to politics. Obama won his first election by "eliminating" the opponents and now Obama's Kenyan friends are trying the samme approach of eliminating free speech via intimidatation.. Thank God we live in the USA with Free Speech ....



4. I would give this book negative stars if that was an option. I was completely appalled in reading this book of all the lies and cruel accusations that were swung in Obama's direction. No politician in perfect, as we all know, but Corsi's borderline racist descriptions of the man are inaccurate and incredibly bias. [...]



5. Notice the history of the author. He wrote the entirely discredited fabric of lies about John Kerry's heroic service to his country. All the effort to describe his so-called research and accuracy is itself a lie. Keep in mind that the author, a Kenyan, is of the opposing tribe to that of Obama's father. This is a panicked attempt to discredit a man of great stature and integrity.

5 comments about Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance.

1. This amazingly frank memoir bares the soul of a confused and deprived, then ambitious and determined, man of his times. The multi-racial, multi-cultural, migratory experience of Barack Obama both reflects and defines the post-modern secular society that the United States has become in the 21st century. This masterfully told tale transcends the senator's own life to illustrate the trials and pain of the racial divide that persist both here and abroad. It portrays the chronically sad consequences of tribal and colonial history for Africans, Europeans and Americans.
   
   By turns troubling yet hopeful, morose yet humourous, depressing yet inspiring, this book probes your emotions and challenges your worldview. Obama weaves an incredible tapestry of characters, places and moods with language more befitting a poet than a politician. His look inside himself is as deep and penetrating as his thoughts about the human condition. Although not everyone will agree with his conclusions, no one can deny his convictions.



2. This is typical shameless garbage that the criminal elite use to promote themselves and their underlings. And don't be ridiculous and think that slick BHO even wrote this book. None of our phoney, criminal, deviant, controlled "leaders" ever write any of the shameless books that are attributed to them. Why do we continue to be so naive and foolish? Why do we continue to think that we live in any sort of democracy?
   
   What can be said for sure about BHO is that he is an attractive man who can spew forth what is written for him in an eloquent manner. Oh, and he has nice white teeth. That's it folks, and I could care less what Oprah and all those little Hollywood turds gush about him, because BHO is a manufactured cut-out of a candidate who will be completely controlled by all the usual suspects. But, don't think just anyone could do what BHO does. He has a small army of helpers creating his image, dressing him, booking teeth whitening appointments, and white washing his past - especially on the internet. He has obviously had quite a bit of training in public speaking, but not just the "normal" type that you and I might sign up for. No, no. What he's been well trained in (as was Clinton, Reagan, and many others) is neurolinguistic programming (NLP) and subtle hypnotic/subliminal speech patterns. Of course it also helps a great deal that everywhere he speaks is "specially wired" for sound, which affects the audience in ways they probably couldn't comprehend or believe. This type of frequency manipulation of brain waves and body rhythms has been perfected for well over 2 decades. But, that's getting off topic...
   
   In regards to this book, ... *** news flash *** After having spent about 5 minutes writing the above, I pushed "publish review" to get the process started and went for about a 3 minute bathroom break and then returned to finish writing, and when I returned there was already 3 "not helpful" votes registered for this review in that very, very short time frame. And you say you don't believe that a small army of "trolls" patrol the internet trying to misdirect and neutralize on behalf of the criminal elite??!!
   
   Anyways, the amount of misdirection, inconsistency, undocumented statements / claims, and total shameless introspective pyscho mish-mash in this book is gut wrenching (in a bad way). But for a sane person searching for the truth, here are some questions to ponder: where was his father born in reality? how many wives / offspring did he have? as a "poor goat farming" family, how did he get the expensive initial education that he did? what are the connections to the Ford Foundation and the Rockefellers? where was BHO's mother born and why is there no records for the first 10 years of her life? if she was schooled in Lebanon initially, why? why can't the BHO Team produce a birth certificate from the State of Hawaii if he was born there? why did the BHO Team finally release a "document of live birth" that was shown to be a forgery? where was BHO born then? why was BHO's "maternal grandfather" working for the Rockefellers? why is there essentially no evidence that BHO went to Columbia University and why does he refuse to release transcipts in order to prove it? what is the connection of Indonesia to BHO really? And these are just a few questions a great researcher by the name of Don Nicoloff brings up in his writing for the Idaho Observer.
   
   Here's my personal take: BHO



3. Out of all the autobiographies I've read of prominent men and women, and particularly those wih political ambition and desire for high office, I don't think I've ever read anything as frank and straightforward as this book of Obama's. Writing about oneself is difficult for most people most of the time, and here, describing one's childhood (or bi-racial childhood as Americans often say) involves displaying whatever conclusions you've reached as you assenbked your emotional and intellectual self, in different parts of this country, and in Indonesia, and that must surely have been profoundly difficult.
   
   Considering the high level of education Obama's achieved, that the book is written well should be no surprise. But what is so amazing about all this is that currently the election campaign of Obama's Republican opponent is attempting to encourage the voting public that there is an impenetrable veil of mystery surrounding candidate Obama; mystery about his morals, his political affiliations, his religious obligations.. It seems obvious to me that anybody in this country or this world could find the man revealed with maximum clarity simply by reading this exceptional book. The latest Republican hocus-pocus is nonsense. It depends on the shameful racist tradition that says no white person can ever accept any level of intimacy -- certainly not an equitable one -- with any person of color, and that understanding would be a breach of caste.
   
   We will be reading this splendid book for many years, both as adults and as students and children. It will become a young people's library classic.



4. ok first off I am not in favor for Obama's political ideals, lets just get that out of the way now. This Book was Sooo Boring. I wanted to know more of the man, and what better way the by his own words. I think I found out more stuff about him before he was alive. He talks about the great life of his family and the web of emotions connected to the race differance between his father and the mothers side. He also goes on about the "true love" connection of his father and mother ...BEFORE HE WAS CONCIEVED... sorry but if I was to write a book of my own life and the connection I had with my father, I'd might start with my earliest memory. He talks of stroking of hands and gazing of eyes like he was there. People might call this filler and/or juicing the story up, I call it packing a troubled past up with white lies to make it look presentable.
   Saying that I find much of his ideals and "black" reactionary remarks in the book racist and selling out the "we can do it" idea to a self-victimizing hate speech.



5. This is the most compelling story that really resonates with me. Barak Obama's life connects with a little bit of everyone no matter your race or background. In his book, Barak Obama articulates the near and distant relationships specifically with his grandparents and estranged parents, which ultimately shaped his character to what it is now; open, inclusive and inspirational. After reading this book, I knew that this was no ordinary man. If an ordinary man he is certainly destined for extraordinary things. He is genuine and open about his past even the troubling part he tells about his youth. You Must Read! I was spell bound, once you start reading you won't stop until finished. Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance

5 comments about Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln.

1. It is simple and easy to follow language. Life of Lincoln is excellently portrayed in a chronology of events.



2. Considering the plethora of materials about Abraham Lincoln available, it is with pleasure that I report that this book approaches Abe in a brilliant new way. Delving comparatively into the backgrounds of Abe's rivals for the nomination for President, the author simultaneously draws the reader into the world that Abe inhabited and makes clear what strokes of genius brought him the nomination. Many of the brilliant moments leading up to it and from it therefore make total sense. What a wonderful book.



3. Whenever I read about Lincoln and his time I'm always amazed at how much information historians are able to gather in the finest detail through letters and records and quotations, etc. Books like Team of Rivals are so special for lovers of history like me because they go beyond the textbook achievements of the likes of our presidents, scientists, inventors or war heroes and examine who they are as people. Their personalities, their weaknesses and strengths, their philosophies. Having read Team of Rivals has given me new insight into why Lincoln is considered one of our greatest presidents if not the greatest.
   
   Part of his genius and selflessness was that he surrounded himself with his political rivals to not only heal the wounds of a bitter political race, but so that Whigs and Democrats could reach common ground on the essential issues. And after having read this book I now have such a deep respect and reverence for Edwin Stanton (Lincoln's secretary of war) and William Seward (Lincoln's secretary of state whom I feel deserves the same amount of credit for the fight against and abolition of slavery as Lincoln as does Stanton for the Union's victory of the Civil War).
   
   Team of Rivals also provides a great wealth of information into the private lives of the Lincolns, the Sewards, and the Chases in particular with tragic stories of personal loss. And it is clear that one of the major things to be admired about these people of the mid nineteenth century was their incredible ability to go on living and carry on with the responsibilities of life in the wake of losing children, wives, brothers and sisters so easily to diseases and certain conditions modern day people take for granted. Those who love Lincoln and American history will undoubtedly love this book.



4. It's a long, deep, and ultimately engrossing book about the 16th president and his cabinet. The book has a very strong, almost simplistic, point of view about its focuses. Lincoln is a kindly man always with a story to tell and with an almost preternatural grasp of politics. Seward is the loyal consigliere and companion. Chase is the scheming power-hungry plotter pushed by his scheming power-hungry daughter. Bates is the kindly old guy who no one else really cares about. Stanton is the hard-working, hard-driving guy who never lets the President down. Mary Lincoln is the batty, jealous wife. Everyone comes across as a one-dimensional archetype once they start the Administration. Most of them seem like more interesting people BEFORE Lincoln gets elected.
   
   The book is engaging--it has to be with over 750 pages of text, not including notes, index, etc. But I am no Lincoln expert. I suspect the sketches that are drawn are overly simplistic, but without having seen an alternate account, and not being a Lincoln scholar, I hesitate to state an opinion on the accuracy or the perspective Kearns provides. I can say the book is immensely readable and I enjoyed it greatly.



5. LEARNING from HISTORY... One of our limitations as a nation is that we don't seem to learn from history. Doris Keanrs Goodwin's book THE TEAM OF RIVALS was written before the current election but provides many lessons that are still relevant in today's political situation. First is the conditions that Lincoln had to deal with when he was elected and when assumed power. We think that times today are unique and troublesome, but can you imagine taking over power and having the country divide and a new nation formed..neither McCain nor Obama could imagine or are prepared for this type of division.
   Second, it is interesting that LINCOLN choose his rivals to help him lead and was willing to deal with the consequences of this decision. McCain clearly has followed the Lincoln example and is likely to choose his rivals to help him serve...when he is elected.
   
   Overall we can learn from history and if we are smart avoid making the same mistakes... THANK YOU Ms. GOODWIN for the opportunity to do this because of your easy to read, highly researched and presented HISTORY LESSON.
   
   Bill Rothschild, author of THE SECRET TO GE's SUCCESS...which tries to do the same for American businesses.

5 comments about Infidel.

1. Ayaan Hirsi Ali takes the reader on a journey. A journey of discovery from obscurity to fame, from the muslim brotherhood to atheism, from the backbreaking yokes of third world tribalism and feudalism to Western philosophy and the Enlightenment. Ms. Ali did not intend for this to happen. It all happened TO her, and she lays out her case for turning her back on her family, her cultural heritage and her religion in a brutally honest, often heart-wrenching manner. If the West has any doubts about what the leaders of the Islamic world are up to, they should be put to rest after reading this book. Islam is not a curious group of friendly, smiling, quaintly dressed members of the local mosque just down the block. It is an insidious disease that is slowly spreading throughout the world. Just as any dictatorial regime will maintain that its mission is peace and harmony with all men, Ms. Ali warns us not to be fooled by any faux ecumenism coming from muslim leaders. As she points out, the Koran is clear, Islam is man's only hope for salvation. And you shall either believe or be cut down by the sword of Islamic justice. Muslims do not wish to live peacefully side by side with members of other religions. Muslims cannot tolerate Western freedoms and values at all. The only coexistence muslims are interested in is the one where they are in charge. And it is the duty of every muslim to ensure the coming of this new Caliphate. Read Ms. Ali's book and learn the truth about the Islamic agenda from a woman who has traveled farther than most of us on her journey of discovery. Discover her passion, and discover the truth.



2. I am certainly not one to gush over books. Authors are human, and write from their own biased perspectives. But every so often a book comes along that gives my own biased perspective a nice swift kick, and that definitely applies here. When it comes to religious beliefs and practices, I confess that I am one of those civilized types that gives every organized religion the benefit of the doubt. Or, I should say, I WAS one of those types until I read this amazing and thoroughly chilling tale. Ms. Ali, thank you for "opening a vein" and bleeding your story onto paper for us...I can only imagine what it has cost you.



3. It takes a lot of courage to stand up against the views of your family, community, country, religion. Not many people would put their own lives in danger for the benefit of helping others. Ayaan's story is unique and her style very easy to read. It is very inspiring!



4. This was a very interesting read and I was intrigued by the author's life from childhood until her escape to the Nethelands and subsequent involvement in politics there. However, I question Ali's complete disavowel of Islam and wonder if she, instead, should be condemning the oppressive cultural behaviors of Muslim extremists instead of the religion as a whole. For this reason, I would have liked a more in depth analysis of the positions that, ultimately, led to her leaving the Parliment and the Netherlands.



5. Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali was a great read. I was overwhelmed by her courage in moving out of a culture she had grown up in because it stifled her sense of self as a women and as an intellectual person who couldn't bear the restraints that her culture had put on her. To give up family and home and be any alien who had to get a whole new life together and then to shine in her choice, makes it a must read for any woman in that kind of situation. I was so impressed I want to read more of her works.

5 comments about Georgiana: Duchess of Devonshire (Modern Library Paperbacks).

1. A very good book, in dept knowledge of the author on the subject. Only one observation in that the print is a little bit small for my liking. Apart from that it's enjoyable reading.



2. After finishing "Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire" by Amanda Foreman, I have come to the conclusion that the flaming youth of the 1770's and 80's were just about as wild a bunch that could be. It seems that the generation of aristocrats who came of age in the decade and a half immediately before the French Revolution liked to live life at the edge. Fashions were extreme, homes were elaborate, and fortunes were gambled blithely away. Traditional morals and religious practice were given a public nod while being privately cast aside. The "sweetness of living," as Talleyrand nostalgically referred to the "ancien régime," was to be replaced by the wars and successive revolutions of the next two centuries.
   
   The decadent old world, which would soon be turned upside down, was in England presided over with glamor and opulence by Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire. In France, Marie-Antoinette was perceived as being the queen of the fashionable whirl, but she was never so popular in society and genuinely influential in politics as was her friend Georgiana in England. Also, Marie-Antoinette's domestic life became calmer after the birth of her first child at age twenty-two. With Louis XVI to steady her, she eventually gave up gambling, and became the strong and courageous queen who was able to face the upheavals of the Revolution. Furthermore, Louis did not indulge in chronic infidelity as did the Duke of Devonshire. Georgiana, on the other hand, went from one personal fiasco to another, hardly ever letting up until she was in her forties, and even then died with enormous debts.
   
   The book gives a detailed account of the vast political influence wielded by ladies of high society in the days when women could not vote. The assortment of characters depicted by Reynolds and Gainsborough were finally given personality for me in Foreman's well-written biography. My trouble was with Georgiana herself. I could not grasp why she was so psychologically needy, what with the drinking and all night parties and spending and inordinate attachments to her friends. She had come from a loving family, although they were not perfect, but at least they cared and actively intervened in her troubles. Her husband did not love her, clearly, but many women were in loveless marriages. Unlike Marie-Antoinette, Georgiana could not seem to get her gambling under control. I do not understand why such a charming, intelligent and popular woman would be so insecure. Part of this is because I am so used to reading and writing about people who had extreme traumas and upheavals, such as Louis XVI, Marie-Antoinette and their immediate family. Most of poor Georgiana's troubles were of her own making and completely avoidable. While she is a fascinating character, adored by the common folk for her ability to mingle, she is a bit puzzling.
   
   For one thing, it was so odd for Georgiana to tolerate Bess Foster's presence in the Duke of Devonshire's bed for all those years. Georgiana was such a bottomless pit of emotional need that she insisted on keeping Bess as her friend no matter what. As for Bess, she wanted everything Georgiana had; she wanted to be Georgiana. In the end, she had her way, and became the Duchess of Devonshire, but she was never loved the way Georgiana was loved. Georgiana's daughter Harriet described Bess thus: "...More perverted than deceitful...I really believe she hardly knows herself the difference between right and wrong now." (p. 308) Foreman says that Bess' version of events in her diary "was more fantasy than truth." (p.177) This is why I take it as a grain of salt when anything Bess wrote in regard to Count Fersen and Marie-Antoinette is given as evidence that they had an affair.
   
   The person I find to be most sympathetic in the biography about Georgiana is her long-suffering mother, Lady Spencer. I do not blame Lady Spencer one bit for having the governess as her spy. After all, she had to keep track of the various illegitimate children who were being smuggled into the Cavendish nursery, after being born and fostered out with utmost secrecy. Between Bess Foster and Georgiana's sister Harriet, I lost track of which child belonged to whom. And then Georgiana herself, fleeing to France to give birth to little Eliza. At least the children were not abandoned or destroyed; each was given care and love. For Lady Spencer to try to supervise the situation, and attempt to have Bess thrown out, was basic prudence. She was the only responsible adult in the clan and how her daughters carried on must have broken her heart.
   
   I wish I could have understood why Georgiana plunged into the affair with Charles Grey, Eliza's father. Her life was already a mess, what with the heavy drinking and gambling; her involvement with Earl Grey served to further complicate matters. The affair seemed to come not so much from a great love but from sheer recklessness on the part of someone who had totally lost control of her life. However, the book does not capture any sense of passion. Perhaps that is because so many of Georgiana's letters were censored or destroyed by her Victorian descendants, quite an editorial feat in itself.
   
   To Georgiana's credit, she often displayed genuine remorse for her disordered ways and tried to amend her life. Her failing health eventually forced her into a simpler, calmer existence. Her oldest daughter wrote that she was the best of mothers. The Duchess was devoted to her family, no question about it, while struggling with so many addictive behaviors, so many demons. Tormented she was, without a doubt. I only wish I understood why.



3. disappointed-- narrative is hard to follow, maybe it's the small print. I was hoping that Georgiana would jump out at me -- but she still seems distant. Well-researched.



4. Georgiana Spencer Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire, was born in the eighteenth century and died in the early nineteenth century, but her life was very modern in many ways. She was an open activist at a time when women were supposed to stay behind the scenes, a bold and flamboyant hostess who used her social prestige to advance her political agenda, and a beautiful but ultimately self-destructive woman whose emotions helped shape British history.
   
   Georgiana was born into one wealthy and powerful aristocratic family and married into an even wealthier and more powerful one. The Cavendishes were bastions of the Whig oligarchy, which governed Britain almost continuously through the eighteenth century until the 1760s, when King George III forced them out of power. In opposition the Whigs became the progressives or liberals of the day, calling for curbs on the King's powers, protection for the liberties of the people, and for progress and social reform (with the ultimate aim of regaining power for themselves, of course). Georgiana was married to the Duke of Devonshire, who was retiring where she was outgoing, far more interested in living a quiet life with various mistresses than in helping to advance the Whig cause. Georgiana, frustrated with a husband who did not appreciate her, threw herself into politics, becoming a friend of Whig leaders like Charles James Fox and campaigning openly for him and others.
   
   Georgiana's private life was complicated. She and her husband were involved in a years long menage a trois with Lady Elizabeth Foster, who was simultaneously Georgiana's best friend and the Duke's mistress and mother of his illegitimate children. Georgiana was addicted to gambling and lost enormous sums which she feared to reveal to the Duke. Eventually Georgiana herself had a love affair which nearly caused her marriage to end and forced her temporarily out of sight. Although she returned to political life after some years, her health broke down and her influence remained diminished.
   
   Amanda Foreman has produced a work of great scholarship which reads like a novel. Georgiana's life is so fascinating that I've read this biography several times just to see what she would get up to next and how she would get out of one scrape after another. Foreman makes the good point that Georgiana epitomized many women of the eighteenth century, who were far more active and involved in politics than is generally supposed, as well as being a harbinger of the kind of power base to which women in the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries still aspire.



5. I was never a biography fan until this book. Foreman does a dazzling job of bringing Georgiana to life. I could read this book over and over again!

5 comments about Sarah Palin: A New Kind of Leader.

1. The Bible does NOT say that children and family are #1. It SAYES that GOD is #1. It SAYES for women to obey their husbands AND for husbands to respect their wives. It sounds like Palin's husband not only respects her but supports her!
   
   S Mills...stop putting words in GODS mouth!!! Stop and read your Bible for a change. His words are right there!
   
   Also with their father, brothers and sisters, her child is not going to be starving for attention. I don't see people like you speaking up about a child missing his/her FATHER when it is a man running for office.
   
   You should stop acting like a hypocrite, and more like the Christian you claim to be! If you are truly concerned for her children, pray for her, don't insult her! You sound like a Democrat using religion as an excuse. Especially the way you keep reposting the same review.



2. I believe this book explains Sarah Palin and how she is down to earth. She is a very honest person and would be a great leader. I would recommend everyone read this book and I believe you will then agree with me!



3. 
   A very well written and informative book. A must read for those that want the truth about Sarah Palin.
   ****
   
   
   From an American hero in the lower 48' an urgent call went out to the governor of a far northern state, "Our country needs a great VP, will this position you fill?"
   A quick answer came back from the governor of a state known for its Permafrost, "Yes, I will."
   
   The two stood in unison, one a Vietnam vet, the other a soccer mom, known for her true grit.
   
   A campaign was raging, one to decide the vote. Would it go to a man of courage, or to one known for his association with those who support violent revolt?
   
   The American people watched as this new VP candidate took the stage, "Who is she, what does she stand for? For our troubled country can she turn a new page?"
   Without a moments hesitation Sarah went into battle, challenged by a biased press. After all, they said, "She's a woman and even wears a dress."
   
   To defeat the accusations, many of them morally sick, she countered with a question, "What's the difference between a soccer mom and a Pit bull? Lipstick!"
   
   Mainstream media still refused to accept her as a viable VP choice, using lies and innuendos in an attempt to silence her voice.
   
   Her chance to prove them wrong came with a vice-presidential debate. A nation watched with apprehension as she spoke with surety and articulateness, giving intense support to her running mate.
   
   History will reflect how effective she was. However, this much we know we need more Sarah Palins'. Moreover, yes, she has proven Alaska has more to offer than ice and snow.
   
   Written by,
   Richard Neal Huffman
   Saint Joseph, Michigan, USA.
   (Author of, Dreams In Blue: The Real Police)
   
   
   
   
   Dreams in Blue: "The Real Police"



4. For better or worse, Sue Katz is going to be a force to be reckoned with in American politics for years to come. Hilley's book is for fans, and there's nothing wrong with that. For a more critical look by a longtime author, activist, and blogger, I heartily recommend Thanks But No Thanks: The Voter's Guide to Sarah Palin, which is available both in paperback and in a Kindle edition as well as bulk orders at the Thanks But No Thanks web page (just google PalinVoterGuide).
   
   Stephen Windwalker



5. Conservative Evangelicals have promoted God & family first. Biblical teaching has always been that a Christian woman's primary role is first her God then family. A woman's Ministry & Mission is to raise & nuture her young children and honor her husband who is the head & Priest of the family. Yet with Sarah Palin it is suddenly alright to do the opposite! Yet this brand of Feminism had long been opposed by Rightwing Evangelicals who won't even allow Women Pastors or Elders their teaching proclaims that no woman should rule over men! (They Read to us chapters on Jezebel who took the Kingdom from Ahab & destroyed a nation)
   What hyprocrisy that this woman is all of a sudden applauded for acting like the Feminist they blame for bringing this country to a moral ruin!!!!! She has young children which could not possibly get their mothers full nuturing & attention while she in on a quest for power & attention). A Christian woman's young children have first place according to Biblical principles when a woman has finances should stay home & raise them herself). No wonder teen pregnancies, drugs and divorce is just as high in Christian homes as non-Christian when there is no difference in how we behave,what a sham Conservative Evangelicals organizations must appear to the world !!!! Was it Abe Lincoln that said you can fool some of the people some of the time but not all of the people most of the time.Half of America is not convinced on anything that comes out of this opportunist mouth!

5 comments about The Age of Turbulence: Adventures in a New World.

1. This guy breathes economics and shares several thoughtful insights into how the global economy is affecting American politics. Pair this book with The Power of Productivity and you'll definitely have a better picture of how the world works.



2. I'm about halfway through the book and find it fascinating. I am not an economist nor a policy wonk, but his interfaces with administrations from Nixon to the present, make for a deeper understanding of why the economy functions the way it does.



3. A must read for anyone interested in economics in general especially economics at the macro level. Especially with current economic crisis changing rules and shaking faith in 'laissez faire' capitalism.
   
   People now blame him for the crisis, I think it is not the individual but the ideology that did us in to this mess. History will judge him for years but this is a must glimpse in the life and mind of an intellectual who played a towering role as world's central banker.
   
   In the end, free markets don't work with proper legal framework put in place. One would argue US has the best legal framework to support free markets but I would say it was the loopholes which created absence of it and then it was free for all take what you can get looting. I would think Mr. Chairman will agree with this, although what level of regulation can we put in place and who will decide when is the right time to put a brake is debatable. The party lasted long on the street after easy fed money was gone but the liquidity in the global market allowed the party to continue. Potentially he could have ended the carry trade party earlier but again all this can be said with benefit of hindsight.
   
   The book is a great auto biography of an important intellectual of our times written in very accessible style language and representation. A necessary read in our times and may be for future generations to avoid the similar if I may "Irrational Exuberance!".



4. What amazed me about this book was how little the book talked about economic policy and its underpinnings. Why did the fed do what it did during Greenspan's tenure? If you are looking for answers to that sort of questions, you will get nothing from this book. In fact, it is not clear if Greenspan even has a framework for monetary policy. For instance, he does not have great regard for Keynes' work, but almost everything he did would appear to be Keynesian. No explanations are offered. I found Alan Blinder's book a lot more illuminating on substantive issues.
   
   What you will get from this book is a lot of commentary on personalities of powerful politicians---a subject for which the author demonstrates more passion than any other. This is perhaps the book's redeeming feature: it is admittedly somewhat interesting and perhaps gives us a glimpse into why really Greenspan was one of the most powerful people in Washington for such a long tenure.
   
   It did get me thinking very differently about fedspeak though: I was constantly reminded of Peter Sellers in "Being there", as I read the book. Perhaps for that insight alone, my money was well spent on the book.



5. People who are very knowledgeable about a subject seldom have the skill to communicate their knowledge to the general public. The ex Federal Reserve Bank chairman Mr. Alan Greenspan is one of those rare individuals. No doubt he has great wisdom , theoretical and practical knowledge of world economics, business, investment , finance and politics. But more important he very clearly explains these topics in his masterpiece called The Age of Turbulence not only to the general public not specialized in these subjects but also to professionals and experts. That's right even students and professors of economics and business, investment counselors, businessman, investors etc. have a lot to gain from reading or listening to the CD of The Age of Turbulence. The reader does not have to agree with everything Mr. Greenspan says and that does not reduce the benefit to be derived from reading the book or listening to the CD.
   
   In the Age of Turbulence the author explains very clearly and in a non boring way without using too much technical jargon the economic, political, social, business, financial and technological developments in major countries in the world, not just in the USA, from the end of the 19th century until 2007 and the likely prospects until the year 2030, not like a clairvoyant but different scenarios depending on various conditions. He places these developments within the context of various economic ideologies and analyzes how they compare in explaining world socioeconomic and political developments. Subjects he covers are very wide and encompass just about every major socioeconomic and political issue that have shaped the world history and are likely to impact the near future. His approach is not a doomsday prediction ; he doesn't just talk about the problems. He criticizes applications where necessary but also presents his opinion about what should be or should have been done or not done to prevent or solve specific socioeconomic crises.
   
   The narrator in the CD,Robertson Davis, also deserves credit, because he speaks very clearly. So if you are involved in economics, business, finance, investment, politics and consumption in anyway anywhere in the world, not just in the USA, and that means just about everybody, you can not afford to not read / listen to The Age of Turbulence.
   
   I listened to this CD and I was writing this review in September 2008 just as the financial hurricane that was taking place at that time in the USA had swallowed several famous investment banks and its effects rippled across the world. The crisis was still continuing as I was writing this review. This is a time when we all really need to digest Mr. Alan Greenspan's wisdom from his book.