Consignee

Black Edelweiss is a rare example of a personal WWII memoir written soon after the events (most of the draft was written while the author was a POW during 1945-46) with the emotional and historical breadth of a book written from a much greater distance of time and utilizing a variety of non-personal references. Johann Voss (a pseudonym) has put his life in the SS-Mountain Infantry Regiment 11 (given the name 'Reinhard Heydrich' in 1942) to paper in a way that the reader can truly assess the actions of a single soldier, his immediate platoon members and larger Regimental force rationally without the baggage of bias. This is not to say that the author has created a typical post-war apologetic piece that draws empathy/sympathy from the reader. Rather, Voss draws the reader along in an honest forthright story of his experiences as a loyal soldier within a larger group of comrades who, although fighting for the Hitler regime, did so with heart and passion for comrades, unit and country, but with clear chivalry (or at least as much as can fairly be expected in war) and battle fairness. It is the very nature of when this book was drafted (and little changed by the author later although published 60 odd years after being drafted) ' while the author was still feeling connection to and pride of unit ' that makes this NOT a typical Nazi apologia book. The book was however written at a time when the author was learning (second hand) about the atrocities of the Nazi regime and the SS structure more particularly, and as such the author is able to place his military experiences in perspective of the regime he served. This creates both an honest look at combat and the emotions invoked upon finding for what and whom he and friends served and died for. Emotion is raw and real in this book.

Voss starts and ends the book in third person from the POW pen, but in between weaves an engrossing story of how a young impressionable German is compelled to join an elite SS-Mountain Regiment; how this decision positively affects his life; how he survives the cold and combat of service above the Artic circle, in the Vosges Mountains, and the last days of the western Reich frontier; and how his earlier decision to join this elite group of men affected his life upon realization that his combat unit has been wholesale lumped with the SS of the Endlösung. The stories of regiment combat are visceral in content and quite rewarding. One can feel the cold, stress, fear and adrenalin of the situations.

I highly recommend this book if you want a clear and apparently unembellished, time-unbiased picture of a German combat unit in action. If you want to double your pleasure read Black Edelweiss back-to-back with another Aberjona Press production, Seven Days in January by Wolf Zoepf. This latter book deals exclusively with the SS Nord Division and it's combat both above the Artic Circle and the Lower Vosges and is pitched more from the pure combat history perspective.

As noted in the other reviews, this is one of the best war memoirs around, perhaps the best German memoir of WWII. Unlike so many other accounts written only years after the fact, Black Edelweiss was penned within the first years after the war and not originally meant for publication. I suspect the author, with a strong sense of family, wanted to have something to present to his decedents, something that he had completed as a young man still with the full emotion and confusion of the initial bewildering and catastrophic events that were the fate of his generation.

This memoir is interesting on a variety of levels. One is the account of mountain infantry training the author received as a young volunteer for the Waffen SS. Far from politically indoctrinated fanatics, we see an elite military organization preparing men for combat in modern war. I suspect that the emphasis on political and racial indoctrination was more a product of the pre-war years, when the Waffen SS was seen as a force against potential enemies within the Reich, not after say 1941 when large numbers of new replacements were needed to man an expanding number of divisions fighting in foreign theaters of operations. That and the fact that many foreign volunteers, some from ethnic groups lower on the SS pecking order, where filling the ranks of these formations as well. The emphasis went from "elite order of racial Uebermenschen" to "cadre of the common European struggle against Bolshevism". This latter attitude is mentioned by the author numerous times and obviously was one of his main reasons for joining the organization.

On another level is the sociological perspective of various views common among Germans during 1941-3. He sees his own class in school as divided between the idealists and the pragmatists. Some, like the author, saw the war as a personal challenge and were eager to commit themselves, while others saw it as the business of others and hoped to survive the chaos as best as possible, which is hardly the usual view we have of German youth of that time. Interesting in that the author shows us how universal this conflict of views is. One need only think of the attitudes of the generation of young Americans confronted with the Vietnam War and how they reacted, although in some cases in later life only to adopt the opposite view when it no longer required a personal commitment.

So some of us can respect the author's decision to serve his country as a soldier in wartime. But the branch he chose to serve with was the Waffen SS, part of the larger SS, which was to be branded a criminal organization by the Allied courts due to their administration of the Holocaust among other crimes. The author admits the crimes and the guilt of the SS (he found out about the death camps and other atrocities as a POW after the war), but can't condemn all his comrades, most of whom are dead, as criminals in serving a cause which they believed in, which the author never thinks included common knowledge of the criminal character of the SS. It is a quandary for which the author never finds an answer, perhaps because no answer is possible. That the author saw the Nazis as having perverted all the values that his generation had believed in, of destroying his country in a senseless war while pursuing the most inhuman crimes imaginable is tempered by the fact that he doesn't see the defeat of Germany as a liberation. . . See page 133.

The mistake was in not overthrowing the criminal regime themselves, which was a "disgrace", but in having to have their enemies do it for them. Furthermore, the final outcome of the National Socialist swindle was not inevitable, "All the same one lesson is clear: never again must there be any public authority without active popular control". Page 71.

There are others points the author mentions as well such as the belief common in Germany after the First World War that a new movement which would do away with the old distinctions of class and status, create a Volksgemeinschaft, was necessary for national rebirth. Also of special note are his interesting and gratifying comments concerning US troops in action and his description of Operation Birke, the German evacuation of their Lapland Army from Finland to Norway in the fall of 1944, an arduous trek of over 1600 kilometers conducted in good order under pressure from both the Red Army and later the German's former allies, the Finns. I doubt that this unique military achievement of the Lapland Army will ever be repeated.

This book should be of interest to all readers interested in the Eastern Front in World War II, particularly since it is one of the few accounts available of fighting on the Karelian sector, those interested in the history of the Waffen SS or those interested in a sociological perspective of Germany during World War II.

Stunning simply because its not a grand strategic memoir but rather the tribulations of one person in one small portion of the war. He knows where the SS stands in history and I believe knows that he can stand honorably. I could not put the book down

Above & Beyond has left indelible footprints on my soul. Derek Stockton has, through his characters, explained a moral complexity that has puzzled me since the Vietnam War. I have dark images of my childhood friends committing horrible atrocities on humankind. This story has helped me understand the anguish and torment of my friends and allowed me to come to terms with their acts. It is a story about two men who deal with their painful memories and personal losses, and the choices that set them in a spiritual direction, but it is more too. It is a story about the gift of healing offered by the feminine wisdom of Gabriele and Mikaela that has allowed me the opportunity to exorcise my demons as well. I recommend this book for all who want a good story and for those that seek an understanding of life.

Above & Beyond begins in 1969 in the jungles of Vietnam where the protagonist, Tucker Owen, is engaged in a firefight with the enemy. Many of us in the counterculture did not go to Vietnam, choosing instead to actively protest the war or immerse ourselves in spiritual pursuits. But Tucker Owen did fight in Vietnam, and he brings his vivid wartime experience to bear through the book's opening narrative.

Above & Beyond is fiercely anti-war, despite the battle scene in Vietnam -- and later during World War II as Tucker studies the diaries of Hans Ritter, a young Luftwaffe flying ace whose combat experiences emotionally parallel his own. The diaries unfold the crucial story-within-a-story that serves to heal Tucker's spiritual wounding and devastation.

Tucker's and Hans' roles as males and soldiers are balanced and ultimately enlightened by the presence of Mikaela Englehardt and Gabriele Thalberg in their lives. These young women through their deep and steady love help bring together the polarities of past and present, male and female, friend and enemy, combat and peace in the course of the story.

I wish to congratulate Derek Stockton on what I consider a praiseworthy first novel. Above & Beyond is clearly a labor of love and deserves the widest possible audience. The prose is is stellar and straight from the heart. Mr. Stockton took six years and eleven rewrites to bring the book to completion, an undertaking requiring a soldier's courage and stamina -- not a soldier of one side or the other, but a soldier of humanity.

This is about choices that at one time or other we must make in life. One may not wish that such choices must be faced again in our lifetime; however, many are left with the demons from recent history. The author brings us two characters that had to make such choices between life and death, love or honor and country. The first one during World War II and the second one as a Veteran of the Vietnam War. This is a book about spiritual healing and compassion for oneself when left alone, back from the war, with the dreams of the past.

"I sat down and read/finished "Cause and Conscience" from cover to cover. It was great. It was really good! I can't tell you how well I think you write. I see how you use yourself so well as a writer and I'm very impressed and proud of your ability/agility."

"Your book is astounding! I had no idea. I just loved it. I love these characters! I spent my whole vacation reading your book. Now I'm making plans for spending the weekend reading your next one!"

My wife and I have both enjoyed your latest book, "Cause and Conscience," ever so much! We have talked about it over morning coffee and during tea time repasts, and because I am a typer, it is my pleasure to put together and summarize our thoughts. Your books are fun to read and easy to read. You have a terrific talent for coming up with new situations, new characters and new conflicts that hold one's interest age after page. It is a delightful book. We were also especially impressed by the research you have put into the book to ensure that the scenes and locales have authenticity. We really felt that we were actually in Santa Barbara and in Alaska. You convinced us! And your skill at creating a wide variety of interesting characters is just amazing. It's a real treat to go through the book constantly being surprised by the variety of people and conflicts. In short, we loved the book and admire it deeply.

Ian Callinan is a Justice of the High Court of Australia. That is the equivalent of a Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States or a Law Lord of the United Kingdom. He is also an essayist, legal stylist and story teller of the first order, which "The Coroners' Conscience" makes clear.

The Coroners' Conscience offers everything that the crime voyeur or afficionado could wish for: sex, drama, intrigue and, of course, bloody murder. It is reading recommended for those who are tired of the same plots, set in the same locations and describing the usual suspects. There are characters who anyone can identify with, and the plot is set in the Olympic city of Sydney, perhaps the most beautiful city on earth. And there is a well written if shocking twist in the tale at the end of the work.

It is a pity that lawyers of similar distinction in other jurisdictions do not try and emulate this Judge, who is not just a judge, and was a leading Australia barrister before his elevation to the Court but, also, a writer who can see beyond the purple curtain to the seamier, darker sides of the human psyche.

A great book which should be on the shelves of anyone seriously interested in crime and in the law.

Yet again, Ian Callinan has given Australian crime fiction a new masterpiece. Elevation to Australia's highest court has not blunted his customary penetrating prose for the sake of a banal political correctness. Instead, the pace of the story moves along very quickly, with a plot that directly challenges the conventional wisdom of crime writing.

In "The Coroner's Conscience", this radical jurist weaves a story around the murder of Loiuse Gerson, a one time television beauty who moves into the world of international finance. She meets a grisly and untimely end, and the question turns to "who done it?".

Callinan's cast of characters moves beyond literally the usual suspects, and instead includes in his narrative various characters who are not normally found in the "wanted for murder" category.

All in all, with an Archeresque twist at the end, Callinan's latest is not merely a great crime story, but also an insight into the mind of Australia's most interesting, iconoclastic jurists.

A must for all crime fans. Readers should also look for "The Lawyer & The Libertine".

"The Coroner's Conscience" is a very well-crafted and enjoyable book. Uniquely for a legal thriller, it is predominantly character-driven: the story is not propelled by action but driven by a juxtaposition of the experiences of complex and very believable characters. There is no true hero and no true villain but a procession of ordinary, every-day characters dealing with a coroner's inquest.

The story is well-told in a mixture of present action and flashback style, hiding the story's main question: who killed the victim? As events unfold, a number of suspects become more, then less, then more likely to have done it, as motive and opportunity appear and recede. I could never be sure of the ending up until the last couple of pages, a sure sign of a well-crafted mystery.

The courtroom dialogue is brilliantly portrayed, which is unsurprising as the author is a veteran of the Queensland and Australian bars. His ability to capture the legal process is uncannily good, leaving Grisham in the shade. The psychological portraits of each character are also superbly drawn, matching many traits of people you know in real life. Finally, as a bonus, Callinan captures the character of eastern and inner Sydney in the 50s-70s superbly well, a snapshot of a bygone age.

Most interesting of all, however, is that Callinan is a Justice of the High Court of Australia - the equivalent of the Supreme Court of the United States. As such, this book is a near-unique entity: a work of fiction penned by a sitting judge of an ultimate court of appeal. This makes the book even more fascinating.

I really enjoyed this book and recommend his other, "The Lawyer and the Libertine". A thoroughly enjoyable read, really worth getting hold of. Five stars.

Our ancient selves:
On the turn of the millennium, Naguib Mahfouz, the Nobel laureate, wrote under this heading; "Aside from art and monotheism, we must not overlook the ethical framework of whose birth ancient Egypt was the first witness. In my youth I read a delightful book -- perhaps it was Breasted's 'The Dawn of Conscience' -- that deals with this issue, the writer stating that human conscience first emerged in Egypt. I feel strongly, almost instinctively, that this is true.
Egyptian civilization was beyond any doubt a great culture that encompassed the entire ancient world. The fact that we may have come to know it once more through the mediation of Western explorers and scientists does not make it any less ours. How could it be? It is the heritage of all humanity.

A book of striking impact:
As a teen, half a century ago, in Alexandria, Egypt, my dad used to provoke my thinking with inspiring narratives, which were Amenope's, but had echo in the book of proverbs," have I not written to thee 'thirty,' wherein are counsels and knowledge? (Prov. 22:20) He intended to teach me that wisdom is from the Lord, his revelation as Jesus was spoken of in the eighth chapter of the same book, "For whoever finds me finds life and obtains favor from the Lord" (Prov. 8:35)
James H. Breasted wrote before 70 years, "The Book of Proverbs shows clearly that the Hebrew translator or editor appropriated the ideas chiefly and developed them with penetrating insight into life and superb literary skill, often in language largely his own."

Conscience and Revelation:
"When that experience began, it was a dark day for my inherited respect for the theological dogma of 'revelation.' I had more disquieting experience before me, when as a young Orientals I found that the Egyptians had possessed a standard of morals far superior to that of the Decalogue over a thousand years before the Decalogue was written," from the Forward by J. H. Breasted.
That is why for me the interpretation of Jesus Christ, "On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets," not only genius but miraculously inspired.
J. H. Breasted was my instructor in biblical Criticism, because truth will set you free.

I read this book almost 33 years ago (in the fall of 1968), as one of seven books required for a Humanities class taught at Santa Rosa Junior College by Rabbi Tripp (sic?). I was astonished by the significance of James H. Breasted's thesis, the empirical support for his argument, the cogency of his presentation, and the truly impressive quality of his engaging, erudite, and entirely engrossing style of composition. In brief, Breasted argues (and substantiates with his close attention to ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics and other forms of evidence)that a truly moral conception of the human condition (and the foundations of conscience)emerged first in Egypt, profoundly influencing the Hebrews, who proceeded to moralize the universe. Breasted traces the dawn of conscience to Egypt. Through the (great many) years since then, Breasted's work has repeatedly come to mind, both for the significance of his thesis and the quality of his writing. Because of this, I decided to check with AMAZON.COM to see if Breasted's wonderful book is still available. It was with great surprise that I found that Philip Myhre has written a (properly adulatory)review of this great book only a little more than a month ago, and that his home town is practically next door. Since this indicates that others might seek out this valuable book, I add my assessment: Read this book. You will not forget it.

If you only read one book about ancient Egypt this is it. The morals, the thoughts, the heart of the ancients are here on display. It is a book published long ago but the content is as fresh as if it were published today. If you are interested in Egyptian thought and the incredible civilization and culture they produced, this is a book that must be read.

I read this book in 9th grade for our Holocaust Unit.
The story is of a Nazi Officer the day before D-day in a little town near the coast of Normandy. He is ordered to kill severla of the townsmen, and does. At the end of the war he is tried for war crimes and convicted. After his lengthy sentence he plays soccer on the german national team. In one game he must face the boy he taught to play soccer in that town, Varin. Varin is also the son of one of men the Nazi officer killed. The game is described greatly and brings a very human nature of crowds when faced with villianous opponents. The game is very encapsulating and takes up 50% of the novel. With the game over the conclusion must come to the book and it will sadden even the hardest of hearts to read the actions of these two men whose lives have been twisted togeher to share a single moment.

I read this book in 9th grade, during our Holocaust unit.
The story is about a Nazi officer in an occupied French town on the coast of Normandy on the day before D-day. He is ordered to kill several of the townsmen that day and does. At the conclusion of the war, he is tried for War crimes and convicted. After his sentence he plays soccer on the German national team. In the big game against France he must face the boy he taught to play soccer in that french town, the conflict comes with the fact he ordered the death of that boy's father the day before D-day. The game itself i would say is about 50% of the novel and a great descriptive of the battle between two men who lives have been twisted together through fate. The end of the novel will shock and sadden even the coldest heart. great book that is all i will say is great book. Very short, you could probably read in one night.

What to do if you are a German officer and feel compassion for the people whose town the Nazis have occupied? In this skillfully crafted novel for young teens, Tunis tells the story of a man faced with this dilemma. The climax of the story comes after an explosive soccer game. The officer, who often plays soccer with the young boys in the town, must make a momentous decision. This book effectively helped me see two sides of the war.

This beautifully written book brings to light, in an understated but poetic way, the genius and greatness of the man who, as Gaustad says, "was out to do nothing less than alter the institutional structure of the Western world." It is a measure of our time that many people, especially young people educated pursuant to the fashionable bromides of contemporary social science education, have never heard of this first founder of liberty of conscience and disestablishment of religion in America. In our epoch of attempted "faith-based" governmental initiatives, Gaustad's book reminds us, by constant reference to the writings of Roger Williams, of those principles that, after a bitter struggle of more than a century, came to distinguish this nation from the government-controlled religion and thought of the rest of the world. The life of Roger Williams shows that deeply held religious belief necessarily implies an unwavering commitment to the principle of absolute separation of church and state. Williams' life also demonstrates that at least one colonial leader tried, unsuccessfully, to overcome the tendency of the Puritans to treat Native Americans as less than human or as mere subjects for conversion to Christianity. The tragedy of Williams' life consisted solely in the failure of his decades-long effort to resolve the conflict between rapacious, religiously hypocritical English settlers and the Native Americans. The triumph of his life was his original pronouncement, in this country, of the enduring but often threatened principle that government should be restricted to civil, not religious, tasks. More than a century later, Jefferson and Madison built on the foundation that Roger Williams so nobly established in his writings and in the constitutional documents of Rhode Island.

Gaustad did an excellent job of portraying not only Williams' beliefs, politic and theology but the state of the world that led to their development and need. Very readable, never boring, practical and insightful to William's America as it is to ours. WE could learn a great deal from Williams, even so mamy years later. Gaustad truly brought him to life.

Gaustad's Liberty of Conscience is the second biography of Roger Williams I have read this summer. Perhaps because the first, Covey's The Gentle Radical, was so prolix, I loved Gaustad's work. His selection of historical data, his clear sequencing, and his explication of Williams's own writings make this a delight to read. Seventeenth-century Britain and colonial America and all those names one vaguely remembers are vividly described. The prose is clear and attractive. I came away with a new appreciation of Williams. Gaustad sees him as the first to set forth those principles of religious liberty that were picked up after him by Locke, Penn, Jefferson, and others and which we take for granted today. Toleration is a subject of current conversation within the United States. This biography depicts someone who fought for toleration in a time when people were being banished and even executed for not believing what the political powers said they must believe. It really gives a healthy perspective on our times. I recommend it highly.

As a native Delawarian born in the early 70s, I am not old enough to remember Governor Peterson's term of office, but I am thankful for the legacy he has left our State. His book is an excellent account of his ability to enter the corporate and political arena and remain true to his cause. Whenever I drive north from beautiful Lower Delaware on Rt 13, it's readily apparent when I pass the disgusting oil refineries, landfills, and chemical factories of New Castle County that his diligence in the early 70s held the line against further industrial development and destruction of the Delaware coast. Hopefully, his efforts to revamp the downtrodden waterfront of our largest city, Wilmington, will meet with the same success as his other endeavors. If you want to read about what a politician, a citizen, and a human being should strive to be then read this book. The accompanying CD ROM is also interesting, informative, and very well conceived.

In his foreword Peter Matthiessen writes that this book is an "inspiring account of an exceptionally valuable life of public service." He cites Russ Peterson as very rare and interesting, "an independent citizen who holds fervently to the democratic principles at the heart of our Constitution and applies them to the broader vision of man's place on earth which must deal with 'the global predicament' if our beleaguered world is to survive."

"Far more than most conservationists, Dr.Peterson understood that environmental problems are not separable from social problems - poverty, world populations, the growing and dangerous inequities between rich and poor - all problems to which the Grand Old Party under Regan-Bush was increasingly indifferent."

"Since Russ Peterson for many years was closely associated with large industry, his book is an invaluable resource for all those in the business world who seek to support the fight for environmental and social progress at whatever level."

"Anyone who tries to accomplish something of lasting value for the public good can learn from this inspirational book based on the author's real-life experiences, his devotion to principle." Senator Gaylord Nelson, Father of Earth Day

Barry Goldwater could have saved this country many of its fiscal problems had he been elected President. He lost though, and the government adopted huge programs that are still costing America to this day. Goldwater's brand of libertarian/conservative politics were responsible, compassionate, and not a burden on the American public. The large welfare state, wasteful education programs, inefficient social security programs, and other government controlled entities would not have been created had Goldwater's policies been accepted. He clearly explains why the federal government should stay out of the lives of the people and business, not only because it is for the good of the society, but the Constitution calls for it as well. Goldwater believed in expanding states' rights and letting liberty and freedom with responsibility be the norm in society, not a far-reaching goal. Had his ideas and precepts taken effect with his desired presidency, America would have been a far different, and better, place to live.

Published in 1960 and reproduced in the millions in 1964, when Goldwater ran for President, it is still read widely today. Some people suggest that, since the draft of the book was written by the late Brent Bozell (whose son, Brent Bozell III, is the head of the media-watchdog organization, the Media Research Center), credit for the book belongs more to Bozell than Goldwater.

        Bozell studied Goldwater's writings and listened carefully to his speeches. He wrote this book in close coordination with Goldwater Conscience of a Conservative is pure Barry Goldwater, circa 1960. Those who haven't read it should do so, not only for its masterly distillation of the principles of limited government, but also to gain an insight into Goldwater's great impact on politics in America. This book didn't win the 1964 election for Sen. Goldwater, but it launched the political education of many grassroots activists who eventually nominated and elected Ronald Reagan.

No self-respecting conservative should be without this book. Goldwater lays out the seminal argument for American conservatism. This book became the underground college book of the early sixties, and no doubt is one of the most influential political works of the 20th Century. If you're a conservative today, you have Goldwater to thank for it.

In a time curiously bereft of public heroes, the life and achievements of Professor Archibald Cox of Harvard University stands in bold relief as a reminder of what a man of singular dedication, an ethic of public service, and a lifetime of professional integrity can do to change the course of history. This wonderful biography by law professor Ken Gormley recounts the life and accomplishments of this extraordinary person, a man who stood face to face in opposition to one of the most popular and powerful Presidents of the 20th century and, to his undying credit, never blinked. It is a riveting tale of man whose allegiance was to the simple notion that our nation is one ruled by law and not by individual personality. It also tells the captivating story of man who spent a lifetime serving the American people, living by his principles, and passing them on so memorably as a law professor at Harvard University.

Cox appears everywhere in the pantheon of modern American accomplishment during his more than sixty year career. He first clerked for the legendary Supreme Court Justice Learned Hand in the midst of the Depression before embarking on a course as a pioneer in public labor law, soon to be asked to serve the federal executive, first as a Special Assistant to the National Defense Mediation Board, and then with the Solicitor General's office. Finally, shortly after the end of the war, he accepted a teaching position with Harvard Law School, where he was destined to become a leading legal expert in labor law. It was in this capacity that he eventually became an advisor to John F. Kennedy, a Harvard graduate and the junior Senator from Massachusetts.

When Kennedy won the Presidency in 1960, he appointed Cox the position of Solicitor General, giving Cox the opportunity to argue brilliantly before the Supreme Court as the Government's advocate for civil rights reform. He also worked behind the scenes as a mediator during Harvard's internal student troubles in the late 1960s, trying to mend the huge political, philosophical, and educational issues leading to such dynamic student unrest. Yet all of these accomplishments and lifetime enterprises pale in the face of his later involvement as the Justice Department's Special Prosecutor in that newly created post to independently investigate the troubling issues surrounding the Nixon administrations participation in a wide range of suspect activities.

As such, he was a key figure in the unraveling of the Watergate scandal as well as the subsequent Congressional investigations and impeachment proceedings against Richard Nixon. Instructed to conform, heal to Nixon's dictates or else, to cease and desist from his pursuit of the White House tapes, Cox quite simply refused to be cowed. Of course, he was then fired in the infamous Saturday Night Massacre, in which both Attorney General and his assistant publically refused to fire Cox and themselves resigned from the Administration. Republican toady, Solicitor General Robert Bork had no such scruples or compunctions, and promptly fired Cox. It was this single event of firing Cox that awoke the Congress and the nation regarding Nixon's viability, and this subsequently changed the political equation that eventually led to Nixon's own resignation in August of 1974.

This is an entertaining, absorbing, and quite literate book, one that takes a fond and pensive look at that most rare of human individuals, a man guided by his dedication to principles and the rule of law. It is also a wonderful up-close and personal look at life inside the confines of the well-furnished parlors of privilege Cox has habituated all his life, based on birth, wealth, and, of course, his extraordinary ability. It is a rare open and honest look at the realities of how America works, often on the quite undemocratic basis of where one happens to go to college and professional study, upon who one knows, and by how well one can rise to the expectations and rules of conduct prevailing in the power elite. This is a splendid book about a rare and admirable man, and one most people can learn from reading. I highly recommend it.

An outstanding insight into the life of Cox, which goes far beyond his Watergate notoriety, yet still provides a wealth of info about Watergate, as well.

The legal profession has been sinking ever lower in public opinion polls. Archibald Cox's life and character should serve as an aspirational role model for all lawyers. Cox was a participant in may of the major events of the middle third of the twentieth century, and through quiet integrity and commitment he helped shape the consequences of many of those events. Too often the biographies of quiet men have all the appeal of reading the phone directory, but Professor Gormley brings not only the events, but Cox and his character to life. I read this book as an attorney at mid-career, and it inspired me. We do have heros in the profession. There are those in the profession who find success in achievement rather than acquiring money or exploiting self-promotion. After reading this book, I think that this is a man I admire. To most of the public and to many lawyers, the television sterotype is the legal profession. It is not, but the profession would be improved by each of us learning from great lives. Perhaps as an adjunct to ethics courses and CLE lectures, law schools could include in the first year curriculum a legal biography class and state bar associations could require annually that each attorney read a selected legal biography. This book should be among the first to be read by attorneys, professors and students alike. [Unfortunately, there may be those who would promote the books by or about the hucksters and charlatans as "heros" of the profession].