history

I found this book to be a really fun read. It is well written with great discriptions of what life was like in New York in the 1800's. Equally sad and revealing is this story of one of the last Indians in the New York regions. It is a story of a boy who in the 1920's happens upon an aged Indian who has to to tell his story to someone so that it is never forgotten. The Indian, Joe Two Trees, does in fact have a story that should be told over and over so that we should not forget that at one time he and his people were really the first Americans on this continent. This is a story that should be shared with any children that you have.

The Last Algonquin is a sad but heartwarming story about a man and his attempts to come to grips with his place in the world. The fact that this man, Joe Two Trees, is the last of his tribe of the Algonquin's makes his journey that much harder and more interesting. If you are looking for an official history of the American Indians, this isn't the book for you. However, if you are looking for a deep and touching story of one American Indian, and what we as a nation have lost by ignoring the heritage of American Indians, then you will enjoy this book. Mr. Kazimiroff has done an excellent job of preserving the story given to him by his father and keeping the memory of Joe Two Trees and the Algonquin Indians alive.

Joe Two Trees is the last of his tribe. New York in the early twentieth century is not for him. Or is it? As a native New Yorker with a passion for the past, I loved this beautiful story. Whenever I return home, I can no longer visit the Bronx (especially Pelham Bay) without thinking of Joe and his relationship with Theodore Kazimoroff's father. The writing is lovely, and the story evokes all sorts of feelings at so many levels. It was my Aunt, a former teacher, who told me that I should read this book. It has become one of those novels that I recommend to others regularly.

It is indeed strange how works about terrible events uplift the spirit. The level, the extent and depth of pain and loss that so many have suffered, especially in the century just past, with so many still suffering, often related to religious persecution, racism, or greed beggars one's ability to comprehend: especially those like me, born when I was, in a "new" country, "free" of many of the old ways, but not without some shame in the way those in power have maltreated our Aboriginal people. If nothing else, books such as this amazing volume by Andre Schwarz-Bart are essential reading to get our world in perspective. In the film Schindler's List some of the most memorable and rivettingly horrifying scenes are centred on the character played by Ralph Fiennes as the Commandant of a camp. In his world of the concentration camp, he has absolute power. He kills Jews on a whim, if he has indigestion, for target practice. To him they are insects. One of the most beautiful yet horrible moments in the book is when Ernie, running away, collapses into a meadow, sees the enormity of the sky, experiences emptiness, exercises power over the exquisite insects he encounters, a lady bug he rubs, squashes, and finally annihilates until nothing but dust remains. More and more insects he crushes, until exhausted. He reaches the bottom of the abyss, as a child, but rises to know the glory of love of a girl, at least once. The book has a biblical tone but is a strange and satisying mixture of poetry and unembellished factual passages. A memorable read.

The story explores the spaces where God does not exist. It can motivate the reader to pray for God rather than to Him; and it is a certainty that when God and Ernie Levy meet face-to-face, that God will blink first. The book is a single-catagory masterpiece which reveals the nature of humanity and anti-humanity. It is both a triumph and a tragedy. Ernie Levy is triumphant; God is a tragic failure. Buy the book. Read it. ...

OK, you've read many holocaust books, probably seen several movies, been there, done that.

This one is different, and different in so many ways that you'll never believe you've read one before.

Of course there are not many that start the story in 1105, that's different. There are not many that try to fix the story in a context that is greater than the ending. This one does that, and makes it so strong that you can not put it down.

First the context, the myth if you will. There are in the world 36 'just men' that take on the suffering of the world, that are the reasons God allows the world to continue. There are among these men, some number of 'unknown just' who see the world differently from most of us. That when one of these 'unknown just' dies his soul is so cold that God must hold him in his fingers for a thousand years so that he can open to paradise.

Ernie Levy is one of those men. A thousand years of history, two thousand years of suffering are all concentrated in the story of one boy, the movement of a family from Poland, to Germany, to France, to extermination. It's all so simple. It's all so wonderfully told. The story of a people, the story of a family, the story of a man, the story of the twentieth century, all in so few pages.

I hope you'll take the time to read it.

It is good that someone write about Robert E. Lee's final years after the U.S. Civil War. Charles B. Flood has written a fitting summary of Lee's final years (1865-1870) from the surrender at Appomatax to his final years at Lexington, VA. Lee is portrayed as a silent, thoughtful, regretful, gentleman who may have chosen to rebel against his former army, but still is a proud and dignified man. Flood is to be commended in bringing out the characteristics of the private, distinguished gentleman that Lee was. From his dealings with his family to the students at Washington University, his thoughts, motivations and insights are given with honesty and clarity. This is the definitive work of the last quiet years of Robert E. Lee, and is highly recommended for all U.S. History/U.S. Civil War History enthusiasts.

Lee the last years is a great read on the life of ROBERT E LEE after the war between the states.
My only complaint is that I would have liked just a little more reaction to lee's death around the South,and north ...

Flood has produced a masterpiece that reveals the personality and character of Lee more than any book I've read. Lee's tremendous contribution to society after the war is presented in such an enjoyable, readable manner that each revelation unlocked about the inner man becomes a delight to the reader. I read this book in two sittings because I was so entranced by it. The author does not write from a hero-worship perspective but rather allows the facts and anecdotes of Lee's family life speak for themselves. It is for the reader to conclude that Lee had one of the most fully integrated characters a man can possess--honor, self-discipline, love of his Creator, humility, regard for all people, and an innate sense of fairness and reason. Lee lived only five years after the war but these years were spent performing maximum service to the South and to the US at large. It's a shame that so many books about Lee focus mainly on battle strategies and have the agenda of supporting the lost cause or revisionist view of why the South lost. If you are interested only in battle statistics and strategies, this book may not excite you, but if you want to really know the man himself, don't miss this treasure of a book.

This book is a wonderful collection of stories from every year of the 20th century. The authors of the letters are famous people and ordinary citizens. These letters express every human emotion love, loss, triumph, joy, and hope. This book is a pleasure to read.

My favorite story is about a young woman writing to her best friend about her bad marriage. Her husband is physically abusive to her and her son. She yearns for the courage to escape and become an independant woman which she eventually does. Another story by a young man who actually survived the sinking of the Titanic He writes his girlfriend about his experience of getting off the ship and waiting to be rescued.

There is a letter by a woman in Hawaii to her brother in Ohio. She recounted witnessing the bombing of Pearl Harbor during World War 2. She recounts going to a bomb shelter and depicts the commaraderie among the people of the time.

There is a Dear John letter addressed to Ernest Hemmingway from a nurse who cared for him while he was wounded in World War 1 He loved her but their relationship was a mere fling to her. She lets him down gently. This relationship inspired Hemingway to write the novel The Sun Also Rises. There is another letter written by a young unwed pregnant woman in the 1930's seeking advice from a doctor. Her father has no knowledge of the pregnancy and her mother is dead. She has nobody to turn to and her desperate plea for guidance is very touching.

There is another poignant letter written by the sister of a Vietnam Vet who died from lymphnoma as a result of exposure to Agent Orange. She expresses her disbelief, loss and sorrow to an anti war group. There are several stories written by expectant parents to their unborn children. Each letter is filled with anticipation and hope. Buy this book. You will never be able to put it down.

Great bathroom read and it's thick enough (760 pages!) to count as a legitimate gift. All of the letters are interesting and some absolutely take your breath away (1934 letter from the head of the NAACP trying unsuccessfully to stop a lynching in Florida). Some are hilarious (Groucho Marx writing the Warner Brothers about "A Night in Casablanca" after they threatened him because of similarities to "Casablanca"). I've already given this book as a present to friends, relatives, and my kids' teachers (great gift to teachers!) and have heard nothing but raves. What a treat to find this meticulously researched and beautifully written jewel of a book. Letters of the Century definitely has "legs" (and a cute nose). I expect it to be on the best seller list for a long time to come.

I did not expect to like this book. I had avoided reading it for some time, thinking it would be dull, pedantic, not worth the effort it might take to read it, and generally unpleasant.

I am so glad I found out I was wrong.

It's actually enthralling, well-done, and a worthwhile addition to anyone's library. I am not generally fond of ultra-personal non-fiction, or of the twentieth century in general, but _Letters of the Century_ overcame all of my doubts. The explanatory paragraphs and notes are extremely helpful; the letters are generally of medium length, diverse in subject matter, and uniformly fascinating. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and highly recommend it.

Like some reviewers, I bought this when it first came out in the 70s when I was a kid and a fan of the (edited) rascals episodes on TV. Good stuff as a whole, the only book you'll ever really need on the Rascals. You may disagree with some reviews and some of your favorite rascals films might get trahsed (in my case-Shiver My Timbers). But it does introduce you to the world of the Silent Our Gangs and it's safe to say this book may have created the market that exists for the Silent Gang films that are out on VHS and DVD. In either case-get the book and you'll see what I mean. An addendum may be needed since quite a few of the lost Silent Gang films have surfaced since the 1992 updating of this book (especially Hal Roach's favorite "Your Own Back yard" and the very first Our Gang film from 1922).

Originally published in the late 1970s, this updated (1992) Little Rascals edition has many attractive features. A film by flim synopsis is featured, along with Maltin and Bann's personal reviews of each film. A comprehensive cast listing is included, along with release dates for each film, copious photos, information about Rascal "impostors," and detailed biographies of the major "Rascals." A background of Hal Roach Studios, where the Rascals movies were made, is also included. The updated edition features information about film production costs, and even has a section on the Our Gang Cafe!

If you grew up watching the Little Rascals on television, you will love this book. Thoroughly researched and written, Maltin and Bann have concocted a book for every Rascals fan and movie buff. This is truly one of the best film books of all time. The book's only drawback are the constant gripes about two people: Director Anthony Mack and Rascals wartime leading lady Janet Burston. It is clear that their films are weak, but the constant griping about them wears thin after awhile.

All in all, however, this is a book I could not put down; I am on my third copy, having worn out the first two. Last updated in 1992, this book begs for a 21st Century revision, considering that several "lost" Rascals have been located, along with a few of the previous "lost" films.

A must have for every movie buff. 5 Stars.

This is the most exhaustive treatment available of the Our Gang comedy shorts. The synopses of each episode, the biographies, and the photos are excellent. If you want an entertaining and informative read about this excellent series, this is the book.

The bigger accomplishment is the picture Leonard Maltin and Richard W. Bann paint of the early days of Hollywood. Hal Roach oversaw some of the comedy greats...Laurel and Hardy, Harold Lloyd, and of course Our Gang. We can almost feel what it must have been like to work on the Hal Roach lot in the new and burgeoning film industry. Maltin and Bann are able to evoke the atmosphere, the family of Hal Roach studios. So, more than being just an excellent history of the long running Our Gang series, it is a Hollywood history. Our Gang successfully bridged the silent and talking eras of film, and had as its creator one of Hollywood's seminal geniuses. For this reason, Our Gang is particulary suited to serve as a segue into great film history. This book accomplishes much more than its title implies.

this little book can be read in an hour. its effects on the reader could well last a lifetime. the author will lead you thru a few simple exercises and ideas with a result that may surprise you. if and when you "get it", i.e. his point, its much more than a philosophical concept. there is an actual dawning in the mind of the world and life and conciousness being something more and other than we first thought. you can see and feel that indeed all things manifest in that clear light space above your shoulders, between your ears, behind your nose. when i first read it, the result was a feeling of freedom and lightness that was unexpected but quite joyful. if you have trouble wading thru the maze of modern books on zen and "spiritual experience", give this little book an hour of your undivided attention. it has the power to enlighten and at the very least its an entertaining direct experience of conciousness. "headlessness" has been an ongoing and true aid in my own spiritual journey. try it, you'll like it.

Is the world you experience "inside" your mind or "outside" it?

Puzzle over that little question while you read this underground spiritual classic. Douglas Harding is dead serious (though far from solemn): he wants to show you that you have no head.

You see, he noticed one day while wandering in the Himalayas -- where this sort of thing is apt to happen -- that _he_ didn't have a head. And, in reflecting on the experience afterwards, he worked out a way to bring other people to the same awareness with no need for either abstruse scholarly appartus or esoteric meditation techniques.

All you have to do is turn around the arrow of attention, and try to look back to see who -- or Who -- is looking _out_ from wherever it is you're looking out from. Go ahead. Try it right now.

See?

Well, if you did, you don't technically need the book any more. But Harding is still a lot of fun to read: he has a light touch, a subtle sense of humor, and the ability to compress the keenest of insights into the simplest of prose, so you'll enjoy him even if you've already gotten his point.

And if you _haven't_ gotten it yet, he'll help you to do so. It's really the same point Alan Watts wanted to put across in _The Book: On The Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are_ (which, for my money, is his best work on the subject). Watts wants you to see that the world is your body; Harding wants you to see that the world is your mind; and they're both right.

This is just a charming book all around, and it will grow on you over the years without ever getting old. Buy a copy and keep it; when it wears out, buy another. Pass it out to your friends. Force it on your enemies (and thereby turn them into your friends). I've gone through at least a couple copies of it myself.

Of course, if you're one of those people who thinks spirituality isn't _supposed_ to be fun, and that anything this simple is somehow unworthy of God, you should probably stay away from it for a while. Read Raymond Smullyan's _The Tao Is Silent_ first and (chuckle) lighten up.

Is the world you experience "inside" your mind or "outside" it? Read Harding, and then _you_ tell _me_.

This is yet another wonderful book on enlightenment. It teaches us that when we truly look at who we are, there is really no "self". The "self" is a concept made up in our head and it can be whatever you identify your "self" to be. I recently came across a wonderful book on how this pertains to relationships and our own development. It is called "The Ever-Transcending Spirit" by Toru Sato. It is a spectacular book that helps us appreciate the process of our spirit unfolding throughout life. I'd highly recommend these books if you are interested in understanding your true "self".

Everybody knows that a song on the radio or a certain scent can evoke powerful memories. In a similar way, the author of this book discovered that reflecting on her fashion choices over the years often brought to mind people and events that had been important to her, and vice versa. Ms. Beckerman's story is by turns comical and poignant. Her line drawings are cannily evocative. This is a quick read that will leave an impression long afterward.

Love, Loss and What I Wore is a very unique and moving little gem of a book. Basically it's the story of Ms. Beckermans life from young childhood to mature adulthood told through short yet extremely moving snippets of text and hand drawn pictures of the outfit she wore at critical junctures of her life.

The book works because it is open, honest sympathetic yet ordinary enough to relate to.

The drawings of outfits are one the whole simple and colorful and have an air of distracted affection about them. They relate and interact well with the text. But what sets them apart--and this is a critical element of why the book works so well--is they not only relate to the story but, in any reader, will evoke strong memories of time's and places out of our own lives. Rather than detracting from the book, this flood of memories in fact lend additional dramatic impact to the reading experience.

I have given this as a gift to several women I know and it has been a huge hit with every single one of them. I keep a couple of copies on hand for those time I need a gift and am too short of time and/or ideas to get anything else. This habit has stood me in good stead for quite a while now!

In the end, this stands as a classic case of synergy if ever I came across one. The story by itself would seem pathetically simplistic. The drawings by themselves are nothing to rave about. Taken together, something magical happens, and the result is a whole whose sum is far, far greater then the sum of its parts-a classic case of simple genius.

Love, Loss, and What I Wore is one of my all-time favorites. I pull it out for a nice re-read every year, and keep it on the top shelf so the kids and dogs won't mangle it.

We all lug around stuff that memorializes important episodes in our lives. Beckerman pays homage to that tendency by basing her memoir on the clothes she wore. Her approach is inventive and riveting.

A minor point: I love the size and layout of the book. Almost square, it makes you feel as if you're sneaking a read into someone's diary.

I am really in the debt of Terry Deary. If it weren't for him and his wonderful "Horrible History" series, I would never have been introduced to history. I first read his work when I was only ten. Seven years later, I'm still enjoying his work. Yes, childish, but it is so much fun. I now want to teach, to make history fun to others. I wouldn't have known it possible if it weren't for Deary. Right next to my "Measly Middle Ages" and my "Woeful Second World War" is my John Keegen and William Manchester.

Onto "Measly Middle Ages". I really enjoy this book. Both irreverent and insightful at the same time, this book really shows the reader how horrible the middle ages actually were. I've read several works on the era, and this book nicely fills in the basic details, with out bogging it down with the details that us history dorks love. A great book for kids, a great book for people who both enjoy history and enjoy having fun.

"The Measly Middle Ages" is a really funny book! I can hardly believe it's true, after reading all those "boring history books!" Anywayz, I'll have to try and read the rest of the "Horrible Histories" series. Just can't wait!

I came across Terry Deary completely by accident ~ in a gift shop in Scotland, shoved amongst other more "scholarly" hardcovers. As my graduate area of study is the Middle Ages, I was intrigued and bought the book on a whim ~ and haven't stopped buying Terry Deary's books since! Are the books chock-full of historical facts guaranteed to allow someone to walk away thinking they know everything about the Middle Ages, Greece, Rome, France, or any of Deary's other topics? No, of course not. Are the books a wonderfully entertaining (and illustrated!) way of addressing what can admittedly be a bit of a dry topic? Of course! I say any books that can make someone, young or old, become interested in history should be embraced fully. And, hey, I learn something new from every book I read, which is an added bonus! Further, I think these books definitely appeal to adults who have an interest or education in history ~ much as what "The Reduced Shakespeare Company" teaches us about Shakepeare is true about Deary's treatment of history: the better you know the original, the more funny and entertaining the condensed versions are.

This book is an exhaustive works which contains complete information on just about every old time radio show that was ever on the air. It's written in an entertaining style, which not only brings back fond memories but which makes it fun to read. It's sure to become a collector's item.

If you only want to purchase a single book on the subject of old time radio then this has to be it. The alternative is probably Swartz & Reinehr's Handbook of Old-Time Radio. The latter covers a lot more different series than the Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio, but there is only a brief amount of information on each one. In this John Dunning masterpiece there are comprehensive details on ALL of the major shows, hundreds of them. The reviews range from a few lines up to full-blown essays that detail everything from the history of the show through to the leading stars, directors and even sound effects personnel. Dunning manages to do this in a style that is anything but dull. He manages to make even the most mundane of shows seem worth listening to and his passion for this medium is evident on every one of it's 800+ pages. It isn't a cheap book, but to the old radio show fan it really is worth it's weight in gold (maybe that's a slight exaggeration as this is a BIG heavy book that could double-up as a door-stop). Happy listening! Ned Norris, Webmaster of RUSC Old Time Radio Shows...

John Dunning's book is NOT for the casual fan or a college student who might want to know a thing or two about a legendary comedian or actor. i wouldn't want a person who really didn't like OTR to buy this book because you'll find a TON of information in here that'll blow you mind. however, for OTR fans, there is nothing that comes close to this. To the general public, OTR might be a series of letters. It means Old Time Radio, for those in the know. What i find great is the in-depth nature of the "classics" of OTR: Jack Benny, Fred Allen, Burns and Allen, The Great Gildersleeve, "Fibber McGee and Molly" with Jim and Marian Jordan, Red Skelton, Amos 'n' Andy, Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Eddie Cantor, and several dramatic programs like "Gunsmoke", "Suspense", "Dragnet", and "The Shadow", among many many others. This book is the radio equivalent to the Alex McNeil book "Total Television". Both books offer information on just about everything the mediums have to offer. Dunning also does a break down on the major news organizations and highlights many famed and not so famous news reporters. This section on the news is a sad glimpse into a by-gone era where journalism was a profession and NOT simply a means to harrass and embarrass political or entertainment figures which is so common now. the way Dunning describes it, there was a certain bit of good taste that followed the news reporters and they weren't motivated by tabloid and sleaze. MY HOW TIMES HAVE CHANGED!! Dunning also provides a wealth of information on sports broadcasters of the era, highlighted by the quips and opinions from Red Barber, a legendary sportscaster who had respected opinions of his peers and his profession. Dunning is a bit harsh on the soap opera genre, which is stereotypically synonymous with ANY mention of old-time radio. Well, i should say Dunning doesn't come across as kind and gentle on some soap operas...primarily the LONG-RUNNING soaps from Frank and Anne Hummert. To me, those are the soap operas that define the genre despite others that were on the air {such as "Guiding Light", which hit in 1937 and is STILL airing some 67 years later by way of TV}. Despite Dunning's contemporary approach to the now hilariously campy Hummert soap operas, the look backs are STILL informative even behind his critques of the Hummert's writing style, a mark of professionalism. In one section, Dunning's review of why George Jessel and Milton Berle NEVER had such success on radio is accurate. Jessel's thick accent and style were suited for "live" programs that required little rehearsal and mostly ad-libs. Jessel is much more funny as a guest on other people's shows...Berle, of course, was a visual comedian and he too found radio as a limited format. All in all, the book is fabulous. With regards to "Amos 'n' Andy" and being a fan of old-time radio like i am, i find nothing wrong with this show. i've heard it countless times and i can't think of anything racial about it....UNLESS a person is hung-up on the fact that two white guys played the roles...but even then, a normal student of OTR will shrug that off as simply "that's the way it was" and move on. They won't crucify and protest the show, which, honestly had no intentional malice to begin with. The show was a victim of it's times in television and those same thin-skinnned pious protesters who practice reverse racism destroyed the show for the TV generation. For that, those responsible that couldn't laugh along with stereotypical humor should be ashamed. However, get this book...it'll teach everyone how to look at OTR even in these ridiculously politically-correct times.

Don't get me wrong, I plan to love this book a lot more when I have a daughter of my own who will (hopefully) be as enchanted with the Little House series as I was and still am. I vividly remember all the scenes involving food in the books and how much rich detail Wilder put into each description. As a very young cooking enthusiast with a runaway imagination, I saw myself plucking chickens and running around in calico trying to find a place in the taffy pull.

For these reasons, I practically grabbed the book from one of my eight-year-old students' hands when she showed her library copy of it to me. I loved the pictures, the story excerpts, the idea that someone was dedicated enough to do the research and find out as much as she could about how the Wilders and the Ingallses created these unique and hearty meals. It serves as a fantastic book to curl up with and picture yourself turning a spit or making a savory pie with blackbirds (erm..), but it doesn't inspire me to get off the couch and turn a spit, or rather, construct some kind of spit-like apparatus in my kitchen.

Maybe farther down the road I'll have the room in my apartment and time in my life to devote the effort to this book that it deserves. It is a treasure to me, but you won't find its recipes on my table. I know for a fact, however, that if my mother had owned it when I was a little girl, we would have done all we could to make these authentic meals.

If only Barbara M. Walker would put out a "Little House for the Little Apartment" cookbook companion.

The little house cookbook is a collection of foods and recipes mentioned in Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House novel series. This book is chock full of fantastic recipes, anecdotes, and stories. The author translates the recipes for modern cooks, and includes historical background and information on each recipe's origins.

This book will be great for young readers, or for readers interested in learning more about the time period and the foods that Laura Ingalls enjoyed. The illustrations done in graphite pencil were cute and charming.

Overall, an excellent book, sure to delight young and old!

You can dip randomly into this book, and any page you land on will take you back to a simpler time. It is far from just a cookbook, it's about a way of life that was a hard existence, but one that many of us dream of. Whether you are already a "Little House" fan, or are new to the series, this book can be enjoyed by all "wanna-be 1800's pioneer women." Every time I start spending time with this book my family gets bombarded with home-made, "stick to your ribs" meals. Fast food becomes a nasty word during these times, and my home cooking reigns supreme! Be warned ~ you will always be hungry after reading this book! It is full of excerpts from different "Little House" books, and Laura Ingalls Wilder had a way of describing food that could make the best of us break down and drool! This book has become a dear keepsake to me. Cooking along with the recipes warms my kitchen, but most of all, this book warms my soul!