history

Child abuse is a subject many people would prefer not to think about. This account of the life of Mary Ellen Wilson will change that way of thinking. This story will open your heart to a little girl who, for much of her childhood had no friends, no hugs, no kisses, no bedtime "I love you" moments. The book will take you from the beginnings of a love story, through death, child abuse, hate, compassion, rescue, and survival. It's a must read for anyone who thinks that one person cannot make a difference in the life of a child. Thank you, Mr. Shelman and Dr. Lazoritz for bringing Mary Ellen into our lives...may the doors of our hearts be opened as a result.

This is a stirring book which holds a reader's attention from the first page until the last. As the true drama unravels, readers learn of the atrocities which were inflicted on an innocent little girl. Readers also learn of the birth of child protection in America as it unfolds through the efforts of a few determined and dedicated individuals. This is a "must read" for anyone with a heart for children and compassion for victims of abuse. Until now, this story was a missing piece of our history, yet it is now available for us to read about and learn from. Lazoritz and Shelman have shed light on this once overlooked part of our history, and they have indeed brought little Mary Ellen Wilson "Out of the Darkness". This is an extremely well written book, and its pages are packed with truth, spirit, and drama. Once read, it is a story you will never forget. Little Mary Ellen Wilson scampers through the pages as her story is told. Readers feel, hear, see, taste, dream, hope and live Mary Ellen's story as the authors reveal her life using words of truth filled with strokes of compassion. While growing up, little Mary Ellen Wilson had no toys to play with or books to read. Her life was a living nightmare. But now, Mary Ellen not only has a book, she has an audience. We must give this child and her book our full attention so that we learn from history's mistakes and strive to protect our children from the evil of child abuse. Lazortiz and Shelman have cause to celebrate in this masterpiece book. Mary Ellen's story will touch many lives through the pages of this book.

I met Eric Shelman while training to become a sexual assault nurse examiner (S.A.N.E.). He was a speaker during the training. Eric was such an insightful, enthusiastic and educating speaker, that I decided to read his book. I found all of his best qualities as a speaker in this book. This is a story you won't forget. As a S.A.N.E., the message I most want to bring to the survivors of abuse and assault who I tend to is one of the great human ability to overcome terrible things. This book is a great illustrator of that quality we all have inside ourselves. Thank you, Eric!

When I got the book I was already an able flyer in the online sim world. With help of the book I have become a good (but not the best ;-) ) virtual pilot.

I don't think it's strange that people are enthousiastic about this book. Although the reading itself is pretty dry, the message behind it is very exciting. The book starts with simple BFM (Basic Flight Maneuvers) that are the base of all maneuvering in combat. The writer then moves on to other topics like ACM (Air Combat Maneuvers), Energy management, use of missiles, use of guns, and various smaller topics.

All topics are clearly explained with schematics and descriptions of actual combats where specific tactics were used. As a World War 2 simulator fan I enjoyed the part on Gunning and energy management very much together with the ACM topic. For fans of modern warplanes the section about missiles is very interesting too.

In all topics multiple scenarios/tactics are described, with their respective answer to them. There is an answer to every tactic. This doesn't mean however that there is a step by step handbook on how to fight in the virtual (or real) sky. There is none, because all situations are different, and every pilot and plane hasd their own strong and weak points. The Writer of this book stresses this often, and makes you understand that Air Combat is truly an art which you can master with practice, dedication and help from this book...

This book not only chronicles historical aspects of air combat but provides an exceedingly in depth study of how to fight and survive in an air combat arena. Very well researched, Mr. Shaw includes the technical aspects of air combat with discussions on weapons (guns, radar missiles and heat seeking missiles) along with how to employ them. There are well drawn diagrams that feature fighter aircraft from all eras to illustrate his very descriptive account of an air-to-air engagement. He includes the tactics involved for energy fighting, angles fighting, and multiple aircraft engagements. Mr. Shaw also covers dissimilar aircraft combat and how to employ the strengths of one airplane against the weaknesses of another. Fighter Combat's contents are highly applicable not only to the fighter pilots that practice this trade day in and day out, but to the masses of flight combat sim flyers out there. "Fighter Combat" is rich with information. Its contents rate an 10+ score but the readability is lower with an 8 owing to my overall score of 9 for this volume.

This book is a truly outstanding source of information on fighter combat. It reads as smoothly as a school textbook. There are no pictures. The text is not entertaining. It is in fact rather difficult to digest and requires scrutiny of diagrams, cross-referencing of previous chapters and overall concentration.

However, for those of us, who are sufficiently persistent, the rewards are great. The book presents a comprehensive overview of variety of tactical concepts and how they relate to variables such as aircraft performance, weapons payload, environmental conditions, etc. The scope of the book expands from discussions on dogfight techniques, to mutual support within fighter sections, to divisional tactics and fighter missions.

The only incomprehensible thing is the presence of hundreds of quotes. They are randomly dispersed throughout the body of text and they don't relate to the discussions, which they are attached to. All they do is add some historic flavor and the sense that, no matter what you do, some famous ace will have done the same thing.

In conclusion, I would like to add a note for the simmers - this book can improve your game immensely if you are using highly realistic flight simulations such as IL-2 or Lock On. If you are playing games with simplified flight models, the lessons learned from this book are likely to be a detriment rather than an asset. For example, if you are trying to get your bandit in a 360 degrees nose to tail turn so that he can bleed off his energy and let you zoom up for a pitch back and rolling scissors, you'd better try to do this in a sim where your opponent loses speed throughout the turn...

As a management consultant I found this book very useful indeed - much of it is directly applicable to shop-floor and pressure-politics situations - the 20-page cartoon "rulebook" at the end is more than worth the price of the book itself - buy it! And if you have the guts, apply what it says, too: It's been known for some time that organizations are designed according to "command and control" principles that very poorly match how humans are really built to behave. More complex self-ordering behavior is always observed when any lack of hierarchy exists, and the hierarchies that do emerge tend to be more effective than those that were designed by managers with experience in previous eras. Semler just chose to trust it more than, say, Tom Peters. Prof. Nicholson, head of London Business School recently wrote (in the Harvard Business Review) that Semler's model was the only one to really respect "stone age nature" of human behavior (the many insights from evolutionary psychology that tell us that we're far more often feeling our way through decisions than thinking our way through).

Workplace democracy is not an "experiment" nor a threat to productivity, it's a working fact in a hundred mature industries in a dozen countries - we have applied Semler's principles to systems integration, software development, finance, etc., and his experience is well worth spending a few hours on.

This is one of the finest gifts I have ever received in my life, and from one of the finest gentlemen I have known so far!

A wonderful book to read and an insightful journey into the entrepreneurial experience of a man who is not only a good leader but a wonderful human being too - Ricardo Semler. It is really difficult to carry business and personal life on the same track and yet not mix them together. This was exactly what Mr. Semler has done to his business making sure his employees get benefited too.

There are a lot of multinationals working somewhat on the thoughts and ideas of Mr. Semler but no company achieved the status that Semco enjoys. A company where all human values are respected, where workers are not questioned, where there are no set times to enter office, where there are no dress codes, where employees decide there own salaries, where adults are treated like adults and given the respect they deserve - that is what Semco is all about.

There are unions of workers almost in all organizations - and they are in Semco too, but with a difference. The rules set for unions are absolutely humanistic and makes sure that the decisions of Unions are respected too. This we see in action when the union goes on strike. The rules Semco follows are somewhat different from other companies. These are as follows: -

1.Treats everyone as adults 2.Tell the strikers that no one will be punished when they return to work. Then don't punish anyone. 3.Don't keep records of who came to work and who led the walkout. 4.Never call the police or try to break up a picket line. 5.Maintain all benefits. 6.Don't block worker's access to the factory, or the access of union representatives to the workers. But insist that union leaders respect the decision of those who want to work, just as the company respects the decision of those who don't. 7.Don't fire anyone during or after the strike, but make everyone see that a walkout is an act of aggressiveness.

This is just one example - there are a lot of other things, which makes Semco a real Masterpiece. Semco is a smorgasbord that signifies all possible qualities of a successful business with complete humane values incorporated in its decision-making.

I would suggest this book to every senior personnel in any industrial set-up, to every entrepreneur, to every management student, and to all those who love to read real management and successful stories.

This is in deed a great book and I would suggest it as a must read for even those who are not related to business, because it also teaches the humanistic side of any company whatsoever the business conditions are.

A must read for anybody who loves to read.

Happy reading!

I have only reached half-way through this book but am writing this in case I forget later. I have read a few business books and few have touched me as much as Semler's open and somewhat naive style. I am building/managing multiple businesses and this book gives me the guidance to handle people in the right way for effective results. Read the other reviews - nuff said.

This book is somewhat similar to _Storming Heaven_ by Jay Stevens in that it is an objective history of the psychedelic drug movement. However, the emphasis of this book is focused more on the dark side of these new drugs, and the diabolic experiments conducted by the U.S. government with mind-altering drugs. This discussion goes far beyond LSD, and extends to STP, Ditran, and the infamous BZ (AKA Jacob's Ladder), which the government used on soldiers to see if it might make them more effective fighters. Of course the results of the BZ experiments were disastrous; looking back on it would almost be funny if it weren't so darn tragic. Nonetheless, _Acid Dreams_ is a riveting and disturbing account of the CIA's misuse and misapplication of mind control drugs. The authors provide many amusing anecdotes regarding the CIA's activities, such as slipping acid in each other's morning coffee just to see how they react, and so on and so forth. Inevitably, some General or high-ranking official would have a bad trip, causing him to call for an end to such experiments. Overall, this book is an interesting and entertaining read, and I recommend it to fans of the genre.

This is surprisingly one of the best books I have read. The authors give a colorfully accurate account of the events that occured decades ago, all of which still echo into our current era. It covers the origin of LSD, as a drug the CIA funded research on for use as a tool for mind control applications using civilians and military personnel as test subjects. At the very outset, it was obvious that the CIA was well aware of the potential power of this substance in its ability to wreak havoc on the collective psyche, to shatter current assumptions and threaten cherished ego boundaries. Yet, eventually it became available to the masses who would come to extol it's use religiously and otherwise.....giving rise to the groundswell of counterculture in the 60's. This book, more than any other source I have encountered, explores the underlying causes of the demise of the cultural/political/self re-evolution of that time and gives us pause to reflect on the politics of consciousness - to see who really won The War Of The Mind. Proof again that truth is stranger than fiction. Be informed.........read this book.

If you are considering purchasing this book, be aware of a few things. First of all, this book is not just about LSD and the CIA. This book is about the origin of use of many hallucinatory and mind-altering chemicals, and the impact that these chemicals, namely LSD and to some extent Marijuana, had on the ensuing counter-cultures of the late 60's and early 70's. Connections between the CIA and LSD are mentioned early in the book and referred to occasionally after that. Although, there does seem to be an underlying message in the book that maybe LSD usage in the public wasn't exactly accidental. Overall this book is very well written and does an above average job of providing reliable sources of the information. On the other hand, their are many instances where the authors use this book to express their own political ideations and personal opinions. Nevertheless, for the most part the reader is provided with a fairly in depth view of how mind-altering chemicals played a significant role in much of what was going on during this time period, including music, the Vietnam War, the hippies, art, and the intrinsics of many aspects of the U.S. government, namely certain intelligence agencies.

I'd like to start out with my favorite quote from Michael Modzelewski, "Sometimes you have to lower your standard of living to reach a higher level." I have sailed the inside passage via cruise ship 5 times and every time I read "INSIDE PASSAGE" brings back all the wonderful memories and magical moments I have experienced in this wild and untamed wilderness.
Michael lived with killer and humpback whales, bald eagles, Kwakiutl Indians on the surrounding Islands, Tuffy the cat, Cottonwood the ridgeback dog, and my favorite raven named Blackie! On page 59 is a hilarious story about Blackie!! Michael lived in Will Malloff's 12x34 ft. home with no t.v., indoor plumbing, electricity,no car or grocery store. No traffic jams,pollution or noise of any kind, and all you can eat fish in the sea was the trade off! You will learn what Michael needed to do to survive 18 months on Swanson Island.
This is one of those books you read over and over and underline everything. I'm going to close with another of Michael's quotes,
"I touched the whale; she touched me; and what passed between us changed me forever." Reading this book and meeting Michael changed me forever. This book inspired and motivated me to take some risks in life, to travel, and to dream big because dreams do come true,look at Michael's!

After reading Inside Passage,I felt my soul was baptized by the beauty of Alaska and the author Michael Modzelewski was the minister who administered the baptismal ceremony for many poor polluted souls. My outlook of life has been changed since then. Every day and every minute I live is full of beauty and purity like Alaska's blue sky. I would like to live in inside Passage every summer!

Michael Modzelewski is transparent in INSIDE PASSAGE. The northern wilderness glows and shows through him, as he give shape to nature with amazing words. I've read this book 4 times now and each time I am dazzled by his heartfelt experiences.

The Last Battle, the second book of Cornelius Ryan's World War II trilogy, is a vivid and haunting account of the last days of Hitler's Third Reich and the fall of Berlin. As in The Longest Day (1959) and A Bridge Too Far (1974), Ryan weaves his narrative tapestry with meticulous research and eyewitness accounts of military and civilians on all sides who were caught up in the cataclysmic events of that terrible spring of 1945.

It is April, 1945, and Germany is tottering at the edge of defeat. On the Western Front, General Dwight D. Eisenhower's Allied armies have crossed the Rhine, the Reich's last natural defense against invasion from the west. Now, sensing that victory is near, American, British, Canadian and other Allied divisions are racing for the Elbe River and beyond - with Berlin as the long expected prize.

In the East, millions of Soviet soldiers have swept into Germany from the Baltic states and Poland, storming into the Nazi heartland with blood and fire. Urged on by their thirst for revenge and the orders of Red dictator Joseph Stalin, the Soviet Army also races west toward the German capital. Here the dying Third Reich will stand or die in its last battle.

Ryan deals here not only with the fall of Berlin, but he also explores in detail the very complicated political and military issues behind Eisenhower's most controversial decision of the War: the Western Allies would not cross beyond the Elbe River to capture Hitler's capital. Though Ryan's tone is impartial and he delves deeply into the wrangling between President Roosevelt, Prime Minister Churchill and Premier Stalin, the reader is still left with the impression that the plans dealing with Germany's postwar fate sowed the seeds of the Cold War which followed V-E Day.

The Last Battle, although longer and far more complex than The Longest Day, is a very human story that keeps the reader involved. One feels the suspense of the frantic Allied advance eastward, cheering the "Amis" (as the Germans nicknamed the Americans) on even though it will be the Red Army that gets to Berlin first. The German participants, military and civilian alike, are depicted fairly and without the expected "victor's triumphal" tone that would have painted all the Germans as Nazi villains. Indeed, one can feel sympathy for Berliners who - with the exception of Hitler and his most loyal followers - would rather be at the mercy of the British and Americans rather than fall to the feared Russians. It must be said, however, that although Ryan wrote this book during the Cold War, he is fair and balanced in his reporting of the Soviet advance to Berlin.

Before Stephen Ambrose took center stage as the best current historian of WWII, there was Cornelius Ryan. Mr. Ryan wrote a trio of classic books about WWII: The Longest Day, A Bridge Too Far, and this book. The first two were made into movies, and are commonly known. They cover two of the most important European theatre campaigns that involved the US and British forces. If you have not read either one of those books, I highly recommend both of them.

The Last Battle is the least known book of the trio. None the less, it is a classic. In it, Ryan gives a gripping account of the battle for Berlin. He does an excellent job of introducing the scenario that lead to this truly horrifying and desperate battle. Just like his other books, he weaves a captivating narrative that takes the reader from the planning sessions of the Red Army, to Hitler's bunker, on to the streets of Berlin where the battle was actually fought. He covers this conflict from many angles (Generals, soldiers, civilians, Germans, Soviets, etc.) and gives the reader an accurate account of what happened during this battle. As always, the amount of research and personal interviews he did for this book are quite impressive.

Mr. Ryan does an excellent job of building the battle drama into the fury that erupted when the Soviets finally rolled into the city of Berlin. The payback that the Red Army gives the Wehrmacht, the city, and the civilian population of Berlin is a real eye-opener. If you have never read anything about this battle (like myself), you may be shocked when you learn the details. As Ryan points out, the Soviets saw this campaign as the one opportunity to avenge their losses on the Eastern Front (especially in places like Stalingrad), and they took full advantage of the situation (to include many heinous acts against innocent civilians). Just like when the British and Americans bombed Dresden, the Soviets wanted to teach the Nazis, and the German people, a lesson they would never forget.

I first bought this book because of the author. I had some interest about the battle because I visited Berlin as a young man back when the wall was still in place. Once I started this book I became totally engrossed with it, and finished in a few days. I highly recommend it to any Cornelius Ryan fan. If you liked his other books, you will definitely enjoy this one also. Also, this book is great for anyone wanting to learn about the battle that sealed the fate of the Nazi regime.

I orginally bought all three of Ryan's books at the same time since his book "The Longest Day" was the basis of the movie "The Longest Day", and the reviews of all three books were very good. I decided to read "The Last Battle" first, since my strong interest in WWII is dealing with the Americans, British, & Germans; the Russians have held little interest to me. With that in mind, I figured this book would be the least interesting to me of the three books.
Boy, was I in for a surprise! "The Last Battle" was a very interesting and very well written book about the battle for Berlin. The book takes turns telling the story from all sides; the Americans, the British, the Germans, & the Russians. The book is so very well written that it just keeps flowing, very smoothly. The book is hard to put down. Inaddition to telling the story of the military side, you also get the horrible stories of what it was like to live in Berlin as a civilian, during its final battle.
If you read some other reviews for this book, they all say the same thing: this is a great book, very well written. You wiil not be disappointed!!

An experience of organic change can enter one's presence upon inner recognition (resonance) while reading, since the "Miraculous" is now as it always has been, yet is explained here in concise language representing a living tradition. Not a psychology, a religion, or a science, the in-the-moment practice outlined in text and diagrams, reaches our depths if upon our approach we open our minds, hearts, and the sensation of being in the moment while reading. A book to live by and refer to with renewed attention indefinitely.

An experience of organic change can enter one's presence upon inner recognition (resonance) while reading, since the "Miraculous" is now as it always has been, yet is explained here in concise language representing a living tradition. Not a psychology, a religion, or a science, the in-the-moment practice outlined in text and diagrams, reaches our depths if upon our approach we open our minds, hearts, and the sensation of being in the moment while reading. A book to live by and refer to with renewed attention indefinitely.

This is that once-in-a-lifetime book, the kind you'd like to find in that ancient, out-of-the-way used bookstore that you wish existed. Every chapter in this book, every page, unfolds a new enigma, and Ouspensky writes so well, like a master suspense novelist, that you find yourself drawn to read on no matter how unusual some of the teachings get. Indeed, some of the material in the book seems nonsensical--but if you're patient, the nonsense is immediately followed by a watershed of wisdom, wisdom of a kind I've never read before. Highly rewarding, rich with unique insight, I eagerly recommend this to any seeker of Truth who keeps an open mind.

Gonick is not attempting to be the overall scholar that knows all and sees all about history. That is not the point of his "Cartoon History of the Universe" books. This probably is not the best way to read history, but it is a great introduction to that subject.

In Volume II he begins with the defeat of Alexander the Great in India, which never mentions his presence in any of their historical documentation of the time, and ends with the beginning of the "Dark Ages" and the appearance of visitors in a "surprising" direction between Europe and China.

None of this is a mystery, of course, it can be found in your history books, but most of it is a mystery to lay people because history books are inaccessible to most, and too dense in their materials.

And that is the point of the Gonick books: to give the average,on the street person a grasp of some sort of the history of the world. In the days where we seem to be trying to repeat some of history's mistakes (or maybe rectify them) this is a good way to find out just what those events were.

One of the best books on history! I love this book! It has everything you will ever need to know about this timeframe. Just because I'm young doesn't mean it's geared for young people. If you know a lot or nothing about the period of time he covers, you will still understand, laugh, and learn.

As with Larry Gonick's other guides he manages to pull off the trick of being both amusing and edifying. He also has the artistic flare for painting history in broad yet revealing brush strokes.
The second instalment of his history of the Universe covers ancient India, China's early years and Rome from its mythical founding to its very real collapse.
Gonick is not afraid to offend. His depictions of Jesus, Krisna, Buddha and Confucius are all less than entirely flattering. While he is not the sort to be disrespectful through ignorance, Gonick will not fail to pick out the more obvious weaknesses of any institution or historical figure he comes across. He even takes a swipe at one of Afrocentrisms unjustified claims. Although in the end he pays due recognition to the achievements of each of these figures it is possibly best to avoid this book if you are the sort to yell "Blasphemy!".
Anybody else who has a sense of humour and an interest in history should get their hands on this book immediately.

This book is one of the best in Christian literature. The main point the author brings across is that we can put all our trust in God and live in perfect peace knowing all is within God's abounding providence. I found it to be a blessing to read and I will probably read it over again and again in the future. It is full of spiritual insights and appeals to the mind as well as the heart. Hannah W. Smith maintains a victorious and glorious Christian life is not only attainable but God's purpose for us. Do yourself a big favour and read this book through. You will thank God afterwards.

Another great book is Brother Lawrence's "The Practice of the Presece of God". Both of them are life changing.

A remarkable first hand book that gives you insight in how to actually surrender yourself to the Lord, and how to fully come to know Him and experience Him in your heart. Through this you will find true peace in your soul. God is using Hannah Whitall Smith to deliver an important message. A must read for any Christian wanting to grow in their love relationship with Christ.

I highly recommend this book. I read it while stationed in Iraq and it encouraged me very much in that situation. It is thoroughly orthodox in its theology and praxis and has nothing to do with modern "psycho-babble" as one other reviewer mistakenly suggested. The book was written over 100 years ago. If it was written today the author most likely would use the term "joyful life" in the title rather than "happy life", but it's clear that her meaning is a happiness that comes from the Lord and is not based on circumstances (which nowadays we would probably call "joy"). Mrs. Smith's secrets to the happy/joyful Christian life are: surrendering all to the Lord, trusting implicitly in the Lord, and immediate obedience to Him. Hard to be more orthodox than that. She gives many anecdotal stories to help the reader understand how much God loves us and how surrender, trust, and obedience result in our abiding more deeply in Christ and consequently having joy in all circumstances.

Grant here gives a consistently interesting account of his role in many of the major campaigns of the Civil War. His prose is clear and his accounts of battles and strategies quite readable, even to those without particular expertise in military history. He sticks to the story, making few attempts to even scores with his numerous critics in the Army or the press.

One thing that should be noted is that these 'personal memoirs' are in many ways remarkably impersonal. There is only a quite brief account of Grant's youth, and his wife, to whom he was apparently quite devoted, is barely mentioned. Grant tells the story of his career as an officer with increasing levels of responsibility, but says little about himself. Also, the memoirs end with the assassination of Lincoln, and do not at all discuss his presidency.

The edition I read was lacking in maps, which was a serious drawback, however it was a different edition than the one discussed here. Because so much of the book focuses on the tactics of specific campaigns, a good set of maps is a very valuable addition, and would be advisable to check for in any edition you consider reading or buying.

Grant's memoirs are a must-read for any serious student of the Civil War. While praise is heaped upon Confederate generals such as Lee and Jackson, Grant's legacy has always been a little more uncertain. His reputation has been associated with allegations of drunkenness, and with an apparent unflinching ability to send men to their slaughter which this book helps to dispel.

Lincoln loved Grant, as he was the first Union commander who seemed willing to fight it out with Lee's army, and who enjoyed any consistent success. When one considers Grant's predecessors at the helm of the Union army, one can understand Lincoln's enthusiasm. You had McClellan, who never read an exaggerated report of the enemy size he didn't believe; "Fighting Joe Hooker", flanked and embarrassed at Chancellorsville; Burnside, who foolishly sent wave after wave of Union soldiers across the Rappahanock to attack an impregnable stone wall at Fredericksburg; and Pope, who was soundly beaten at Manassas. Meanwhile, Grant caught Abe's attention with his successful siege of Vicksburg in the summer of 1863, as Meade was beating Lee at Gettysburg.

Reading Grant's Memoirs is a fascinating experience, as the war, at least that part of it involving Grant, comes to life in the hands of a thoughtful commentator. Grant was obviously there, and he shares informative communications with his inferior officers (such as Sherman) and with the President. Grant sent many men to their doom to be sure, (the Wilderness campaign comes to mind as being especially bloody and ineffective), but overall you get the sense that Grant was respected by his men, who were happy to be marching forward and not backwards after a battle. He restored a sense of pride and accomplishment that was sorely lacking in the Union rank and file. He gave cogent reasons in his memoirs for the actions undertaken, sometimes admitting mistakes in humble fashion, and sometimes explaining why a siege would accomplish the same overall goal without unnecessary bloodshed.

My only regret is that Grant didn't live long enough to write a companion memoir about his presidency, which was clearly outside the scope of this book. Readers who have gotten this far in the Amazon review process are no doubt aware that a broke Grant, stricken with painful throat cancer, wrote out his Memoirs of the Civil War right up until the end of his life to provide financially for his family, finishing the book days before he died. We should all be grateful that he was able to preserve these pages for prosperity, they are truly a model of military memoirs that I consider an extremely rewarding reading experience. When one considers the circumstances in which Grant composed this work, the end result is nothing short of miraculous.

I have never been much of a Civil War fan, but after reading "The Killer Angels" by Shaara, a historical fiction about Gettysburg, I was interested in following up with some non-fiction about the most important event in US History. This book kept me turning the pages from end to end. Despite its bulk (some 618 pages) I simply couldn't put the book down, as Grant's matter-of-fact description of the events that surrounded him was completely engrossing.

Grant was not an extraordinary man or brilliant tactician, his soldiers did not have the same obsession with him that the South held for Lee, he simply saw the war for what it was, a campaign against a rebellion. He looked at the entire war in its entirety, from battlefront to battlefront, and he repeatedly used that to his advantage. Many times he makes reference to deploying troops to no clear end other than to occupy an enemies flank, this often as a junior with no authority over the battle as a whole. Grant was a man of action, who realized he had to take a step in order to walk a mile. He took the battle to the enemy, divised clear and necessary steps which were needed to win the war as a whole. He was a general who did not just see the war as independent sets of battles, but saw those battles as a means to ending the Civil War.

One of my favorite parts of the text was watching the scope of Grant's vision widen. Starting with his actions in the Mexican American War his vision is very limited: he sees only the immediate battle, and his descriptions focus on minutiae reflecting his low rank. His vision escalates with his rank, until the end of the book, with the surrender of Lee, he sees and describes the entire army, and battles that would have once taken chapters to described are now dismissed in single sentences.

My one disappointment with the book was that it ended with the surrender of Lee at Appomatox. I would have liked to learn more about his actions after the war, and especially learned more about his presidency. I wish that there were similar autobiographies by other presidents, and certainly feel that this one elevated my expectations of all other autobiographies!

Favote Excerpts:

"It is men who wait to be selected, and not those who seek, from whom we may always expect the most efficient service." - Grant (page 368)

"All he wanted or had ever wanted was some one who would take the responsibility and act, and call on him for all the assistance needed, pledging himself to use all the power of the government in rendering such assistance." - Grant on Lincoln (page 370)

"Wars product many stories of fiction, some of which are told until they are believed to be true." - Grant (page 577)

"To maintain peace in the future it is necessary to be prepared for war." - Grant (page 614)

"The war begot a spirit of independence and enterprise. The feeling now is, that a youth must cut loose from his old surroundings to enable him to get up in the world." - Grant (page 616)