history

i read this book in third grade. i don't remember alot of it, just an amazing, captivated feeling. i couldn't put it down. i am in 7th grade now, and lost my mother's copy a long time ago. PLEASE PUT IT BACK IN PRINT!

This book was my very favorite, first read ages ago when I was 11 or 12. I related to the main character since I was a member of large family that struggled somewhat to make ends meet. This book validated the feelings I had, needs for privacy, comfort, and an outlet for the imagination. It also teaches a valuable lesson about the importance of family, and finding satisfaction within one's situation in life. I think of this book as a timeless classic, to provide enjoyment and inspiration to every generation.

I read this book for the first time when I was in 5th grade. It made me want my own round tower library with window seats and velvet drapes! I am now married to an architect, and he wishes I had never read this book, because in planning our own house, my biggest requirement is a round library, with deep window seats, and (maybe) green velvet drapes to shut out the world. A totally awesome book about escaping into imaginary worlds with reading (something I am still prone to do)a wonderful book.

Beverly

I've read Gustav Hasford's "The Shorttimers," and Tim O'Brien's "The Things They Carried." Both are excellent books and I heartily recommend them, but neither I think can compare to James Webb's classic "Fields of Fire."

Webb's book is from the James Jones school of realism. The book has the stinging ring of authenticity and no wonder, Webb was a Marine officer in Vietnam himself and won the Navy Cross, a Silver Star and two Bronze Stars so he definitely knows of what he writes.

But this isn't just a book written by an officer about officers. His portraits of the enlisted men are just as real and are full blooded characters. Some are tough, mean and unlikeable, but hey, that's real life for you.

And just like real life, you'll find yourself bonding and getting close to these characters and when some are killed, you are affected.

Be warned: "Fields of Fire" isn't a happy story. The ending is tragic but given the setting of the story, it's entirely appropriate.

Mr. Webb has done himself and the Marines who served in Vietnam a great honor.

Semper Fi Mr. Webb.

I cannot praise this book high enough, but I can try.

About a year ago, maybe more, someone in my apartment building threw out a bunch of books. As an avid reader, I went through them. Fields of Fire caiught my eye, and I read the blurb. Vietnam had always intrested me, as it was so fantastically differant from any other war. Also, I thought that it would help me to get to know my uncle, who was in Nam, and I did not know well.

To be honest, I did not have high hopes, but started into it anyway. I couldnt put it down.

Recently, I was digging through my library, and came upon it again, joyfully, and have been re-reading it once more. A fantastic, well-writen, realistic novel, it allows you to experience the life, sympathize with the grunts, and shake hands with the charectors, who are done so realistically, it's almost frightening.

Realistic enough that it's a sad ending. As someone in a previous review said "Everyone ends up casualties." Ironic as well. The people you love die, and the ones you hate eventually turn into people you like.

A terrifying glimpse into the past for a junior in high school. And yet, at the same time, a growing experience, which allows you to perhaps view things mroe realistically. A must read for studying the time period, or if you are just in the mood for a good novel.

As my copy proclaims upon the cover "One of the great war novels of our generation." Very true. I commend James Webb, and eagerly search for his others books, though still hold this close to my heart.

Mr. Webb was among the first to tell of the war from the gritty, unglamorous viewpoint of the field Marine, the grunt. The book chronicles the operations of a rifle platoon operating in Vietnam at the height of the war, and the story circles around a young lieutenant who strives to survive and serve his rowdy band of drafted Marines while still completing the mission. Webb has an unusual writing style, but it works well within the story, especially the "street" style dialogue of the young combatants that depicts the manner in which Vietnam era Marines spoke. Unlike shelves of blase, feelgood snorers of military fiction out there, this book stands apart as one of the truly great war novels of all time. It is a must read for anyone who served or is currently serving.

Wladyslaw Szpilman's memoir 'The pianist' is spell binding. It was hard to put the book down, once I started reading it. I have already read it 3 times. There is so much detail in Szpilman's writing that it is hard to grasp it all in just one reading. Szpilman's son writes in the Foreword that his father was not a writer; he was a musician. However, this is one of the best nonfiction books I have ever read.

The book is an honest, detailed, and detached observation of an important historical period 1939-1945, from Szpilman's perspective. His story of survival is not only inspiring, but also amazing. Szpilman came close to death several times during this period, but every time he somehow survived- sometimes by instinct, or luck, or kindness of many people, and most of the time through his self discipline and the will to survive. He survived the loss of his entire family, bullets from German soldiers, starvation, cold, jaundice, carbon monoxide, burning buildings, sleeping pills, and the German death train. He was meant to live, and tell his story. Szpilman tells it just the way it happened, with feelings, but without melodrama. There is subtle humor, vivid word pictures, and detailed accounts of places, people, and events. They are a testimony to his ability to observe and to communicate. He kept with him a pen and his wristwatch throughout his hiding, and he wrote immediately after the war, so his accounts are fresh and accurate.

When I read the book, I had already seen the movie twice, so there was no real suspense. Yet the book held my attention as much as the movie did. The movie complements the book, in a way. The pictures come alive in the movie, but some events and things decribed in the book are even more horrifying and shocking than what the movie shows. To realize that these things actually happened is a sad statement for humanity.

A fascinating portion of the book is at the end. There are excerpts from Captain Wilm Hosenfeld's diary and they reveal the kind and moral person behind the German uniform. The excerpts do not include Szpilman, however, because the last entry was made before he met Szpilman. The Epilogue, written by Wolf Biermann- a German writer - upon Wladyslaw Szpilman's request is an important part of the book. Szpilman looked for his savior almost immediately, and he even contacted a powerful Polish person to help him, when he discovered in 1950 where Hosenfeld was. Unfortunately his efforts were unsuccessful in rescuing him from the Russian POW camp.

I would have liked to see more pictures in this book. There is a picture of Szpilman with his siblings, and two by himself- one before and one after the war. There is a picture of Captain Hosenfeld, which was given to Szpilman by the officer's widow, when he visited her in 1957. Some family pictures would have made this book even more interesting. However, the lack of them does not lower the value of the memoirs.

For anyone interested in the history of WWII this book is a must read. Even without such an interest, this is a great inspirational book for anyone who cares, and I highly recommend it to all.

Wladyslaw Szpilman's memoirs 'The Pianist' became quintessencial to those who want to read about nazi holocaust in Poland. But, rather than that, the book tells a story of a man whose only desire was to survive, against all odds. That's when the book gets an universal interest. His memoirs written fresh right after the war are from his heart. His words have an effect on those who read it, that it is impossible to forget this book. He seems to have put his hate aside and written this book in the best form possible. Moreover, this new edition with some pages from the German officer Wilm Hosenfeld's diary are specifically clarifying and show that not every German officer accept Germany's politics, but they didn't have many options too.

Szpilman used his passion for music to survive and with his memoirs it is impossible to forget one of those most shameful peoriods of history. It is a pitty his book was 'lost' for so many years, but thankfully it is back now, stronger than ever. This is a book that must be read over and over again, so that we don't make more atrocities like those commited to Szpilman and all other Jews. Congratulations to Roman Polanski who made a brilliant movie from the book.

Its been years since I have read such a lovely and complete book. A story albeit very poignant and gripping offers so much more. It takes the reader through the struggle and triumph of one man, Szpilman, who defied fate and destiny and survived during the most toughest of times in the ghetto in Poland and the darkest in human history - the holocaust ! His writing is simplisitic and without any of the unnecessary exploration of character or literary verbosity..he tells it as he saw it and as he lived it! It is far more engrossing than any murder mystery because you want to know how he beat the odds and about how he survived without any martyr-like tactics. Miraculous though it might be..it gives way to a subtle yet knowing feeling that there is still someone up there, who can change your destiny and bless you with luck just when you have given up hope.It is a spiritual inspiration and exploration. An ordinary man with an extraordinary tale to tell..god bless him and the german officer, who showed that you can still wield power by saving lives and not by merely taking them!!

If you are at all interested in the U-Boat war in the North Atlantic during World War II, then this book is for you. Werner tells the story of his wartime career in gripping detail. What I found most interesting about the book, however, was not so much the descriptions of combat (although those are certainly interesting enough), but rather the fascinating glimpse into ordinary life in Germany and occupied France during the war, as described by Werner when he recounts his leaves and furloughs and visits home. Likewise, Werner's story of the brutality of French treatment of German POWs at war's end is also very eye opening. Aside from that, there are plenty of Asdic pings, depth charge runs, torpedo fan shots, and silent runnings to keep even the most demanding submarine fan enthralled for hours. Immerse yourself in the excitement and the horror of World War II under the waves with the words of a true master. Highly recommended.

I am an ex-submariner in the U.S Navy with eight strategic deterrent submarine patrols in the North Atlantic and I can only imagine the absolute courage and patriotism shown by the men described in this book! Captain Werner describes what is truly a life of adventure bordering on madness as he and his crew dodge British and US aircraft and destroyers in the most dramatic cat and mouse game of all time.

The book follows Werner's career as a U-Boat officer that starts at the beginning of WWII. He talks about the initial glory and successes of the German U-Boat campaign against the British and he follows the war as the tide changes against Germany. Werner describes reports of boat after boat being sunk and most of his fellow commanders being killed at sea and he shares his thoughts as he continues to bring his boat to sea in spite of almost a guarantee of being killed.

I can't recommend this book strongly enough. It is the BEST submarine saga that I have read to date and it is also a tribute to men who have gone to sea in defense of their country.

This book is amazing. You won't be able to put it down!!

I cannot believe the amount of time and attention to detail that went into this book. Perusing these pages, you will learn how to do just about everything...at least, everything that's truly useful when the chips are down. That's about the only way that I can describe the scope of this tome.

Wilderness survival techniques, aromatherapy, acupressure, meditation techniques, exercise programs, knot tying, and even jokes and magic tricks are just a few of the subjects described and amusingly and richly illustrated within these pages. The whole book adheres to an "ancient wisdom of the Orient" theme, and it's hard to tell whether "Zeek" (the author/illustrator) takes this seriously or not. It doesn't really matter, though, as the advice given is generally very useful. Some fringe topics are covered (the existence of "chi", enemas, fasting, etc.) but at least the author concedes that with health matters, it's best to seek the advice of professionals.

Keeping with the Asian wisdom theme, there is a strong focus in this book on the martial arts. As a martial artist myself, I appreciated this focus and hope that it will inspire readers to investigate a style or two with a qualified instructor. But one need not be a karateka to draw more than enough inspiration and information from these pages, on a wide variety of topics.

This fascinating, unusual book is jam-packed with detailed illustrations on every page. Put a copy on your coffee table or in the bathroom, and your guests are sure to take a genuine gem of wisdom home with them, if they don't take the whole book.

This review is gonna be more of the same thing the other reviewers have said; this book is amazing. It has EVERYTHING. It teaches you the basics of everything you need to know to live as a human being on Earth... especially if you're a traveler.

If you want to have the health and fitness of a Shaolin monk, the practical survival knowledge of a special forces soldier, the outdoors skill of a wilderness explorer etc. etc. etc., this is your handbook of life.

CPR, survival, self-defense, Asian health secrets, sexual health & prowess, dream interpretation, handwriting analysis, acupressure, herbal remedies, disaster preparedness and survival, protection against radiation, hunting and fishing for survival, cooking, natural beauty secrets, fitness and working out, yoga, slimming and dieting, jokes, magic tricks, horticulture, vermin control, sailing, knotwork, medical diagnosis, martial arts...... I could go on & on.

And this book has awesome comic-like illustrations ON EVERY PAGE!! This is such an incredible book. I should read it every day. I'm really glad I got a copy and it's one of the best investments I've ever made.

I'd give this book ten or more stars if I could. The amount of knowledge presented in this book is staggering so I won't even attempt to list them all. The only thing you need to know is to buy this immediately. Better yet, buy multiple copies and give them out as presents to loved ones. Zeek has given the world a true gift with this basic manual to living on this planet. Thank you Zeek. You have absolutely nothing to lose and so much to gain by giving the book a read.

Those who forget the mistakes of history are condemned to repeat them, and unfortunately the disaster of alcohol Prohibition in the 1920s occurred too long ago for most of us to remember it. Fortunately, Drug Crazy builds a bridge to that time, from whose lessons we can draw guidance today. That the Prohibition experiment (which was at least started and ended democratically, with Constitutional amendments) caused so much damage--especially crime, including the highest murder rate in US history--is a tragedy, but that we have not learned from that tragic experiment and are repeating the mistake on an even greater scale...that is indeed a crime. Drug Crazy goes on to trace the tragicomic escalation of the Drug War from its racist origins to its current heights of madness. This well-researched book is highly recommended for understanding how self-righteous and self-serving bureaucrats got us into the Drug War, and how we can get ourselves out.

Those who forget the mistakes of history are condemned to repeat them, and unfortunately the disaster of alcohol Prohibition in the 1920s occurred too long ago for most of us to remember it. Fortunately, Drug Crazy builds a bridge to that time, from whose lessons we can draw guidance today. That the Prohibition experiment (which was at least started and ended democratically, with Constitutional amendments) caused so much damage-especially crime, including the highest murder rate in US history-is a tragedy, but that we have not learned from that tragic experiment and are repeating the mistake on an even greater scale...that is indeed a crime. Drug Crazy goes on to trace the tragicomic escalation of the Drug War from its racist origins to its current heights of madness. This well-researched book is highly recommended for understanding how self-righteous and self-serving bureaucrats got us into the Drug War, and how we can get ourselves out. An appendix provides a long list of activist and related organizations, with web sites.

This book should be a real eye-opener to the average citizen.

It is an easy read of only 240 pages, so even the most time-pressed will be able to get through it in a week or two of spare moments.

Mike Gray takes us through the past 90 years of the American drug war and also parallels it with the alcohol prohibition of the 1920's.

Some has expressed disdain over the author's lack of detail on a solution to the status quo. The purpose of this book appears to focus mainly on what is wrong with the current situation -- an example of what not to do. He does call for reform of drug laws and policies, and it's up to the reader to realize that the solution is not too far off from the solution of the alcohol problem during the prohibition era -- to repeal prohibition.

Buy it. Read it. Get all your friends to read it.

While you're still fired up over it... write a letter to your local congressperson expressing your feelings... well, maybe you should write the letter after you cool down a little -- but not too much.

Jacob's Rescue is a sad and adventurous book based on a true story about a little Jewish boy named Jacob and his life during the Holocaust. This boy had to live with a family of people he didn't even know, had his name changed to Genyek, and had Nazi soldiers on his tail. Jacob doesn't mean to cause any trouble but because of him the Roslans had Nazi soldiers search their house many times, and he partially caused one of their own kids to die. I liked this book because it was very exciting and it always left you wanting more.

I really liked this book. It was cool. I liked this book because it was very exciting. It kept me in my seat and made me keep reading. This book was also very historical. It told you about the Holocaust and how a Polish family hid two jewish boys. At the end the nazis are driven out of Warsaw and then Poland was safe again!

We are the most excellent and often noisy class of 5T from Holland Elementary School in Holland, MA. We read Jacob's Rescue for literature study in our unit on the Holocaust. The book we just read is about when a Polish family tries to keep alive three Jewish brothers during the Nazi occupation in World War II. The story is about a boy who was saved, along with his brother, from the Warsaw ghetto. They lived with a family, but they still felt scared of the Nazis. The book tells about the terrifying encounters with the Nazis. There are several reasons why we liked this book. It tells in great detail what happened to regular people during the Nazi occupation. We liked the part about when the family fled Warsaw because we were glad that they were able to escape to safety. We liked Jacob's Rescue because it was an emotional and realistic book. It made some of us cry when people died. It made some of us shout for joy when people got away from the Nazi invasion. Some of us had a few criticisms of the book. Because the book was so realistic there was a lot of violence and death. Some of us did not like that. People were blown up, people lay in puddles of blood, and a dead dog was dragged away to be someone's dinner. Some of us also felt the pace of the book was too rapid; the book lacked detail because it moved too quickly. At one point they skipped two years in Jacob's life. We got a little confused about characters' ages at different points in the book.

I am a college student, well versed in mathmatics and physics, and I stand in awe of the manner in which Hawking presents the most difficult concepts of science in a way that a layman can understand. This book should be required reading for all students of astronomy, physics, astrophysics, and even geology. Hawking's ability to explain abstract concepts in a clear, concise manner, without resorting to higher mathmatics is uncanny.

If you have ever wondered about the nature of our universe,and thought that it was beyond you, then this book is a must read.

For someone like me, who is lazy, but interested in physics, this book is superb. It does away with all the mathematical nitty-gritty to leave the mind-bending ideas intact. In this way, one can get a grip on how the universe works without needing to know hard maths which would take years to learn.

Reading this book gives you a powerful insight into the most fundamental aspects of existence, such as what is the universe's eventual fate, and does there need to be a god to create it? If you're interested in big issues like this, Stephen Hawking gives you ample food for thought. He is like a supplier of hard fact into the realm of philosophy, which is otherwise completely theoretical. With these hard facts and well thought out scientific theories, big questions like the meaning of life and the existence of god can be more meaningfully discussed; actual scientific evidence can be cited to support arguments about whether a Creator God is needed in this universe. With the t! heories Hawking writes about, maybe one day the creation of the cosmos could be attributed to a natural force, say, like gravity. A creative force. But then, that leads onto the question, what created the creative force?.....

Whatever, A Brief History of Time is a brilliant achievement, containing fascinating large-scale science that piques the reader to think of 'higher things'. Absolutely fantastic!

When i first got this book, I thought i would never understand a single word he is saying but at last i realise that his book was so simple yet so powerful.I brought me to realise the universe is nothing yet it is so vast.

Ann Rinaldi puts forth nothing but her best in all her books, especially In My Father's House. Rinaldi's main character is Oscie. She is young, free-spirited and interesting. Oscie is trapped between her world of luxury down South and the war taking place on her front lawn. This book is full of excitement, danger and sadness. Evertything from sisters drowning, war happening and Oscie's tutor causing a riot because she was from the North is right in the pages of this wonderful book. I loved it! It was suspenceful, sad , happy,and interesting all at the same time. It tells a lot of truth about the Civil War. If you are a big fan of Gone With The Wind it is inevitable that you will enjoy In My Fathers House by Ann Rinaldi.

In My Father's House was the first book I read by Ann Rinaldi. It got me started on a long string of her books. This book is about a strong-willed young girl named Oscie Mason who happens to be the only one in her family who has the guts to stand up to her strict step-father. And yet, even though they have their fights, it seems that there is a mutual respect that they gain for each other in the end. There is a strong flow of romance throughout the book, (which is ALWAYS good) and I enjoyed the Civil war setting. It depicts the tragedy of the deaths of the war well and throughout the story, the war seems to follow Oscie wherever she goes. So between the war going on outside, there is a war going on in her household and it becomes Oscie's job to hold everyone together. I loved this book, I definitely believe that you will too!

I am a female... and I wanted to say that this book showed me the civil war from a perspective I'd never seen before. It wasn't all history like a school book or something; most of it was plot, but it was educational and a lot of fun to read!

Owen Parry brings into view the hidden agendas behind the forces of war. He depicts Washington, Philadelphia, and even Pottsville (my home town) in 1861 with the unique perspective of the quietly heroic Abel Jones, a man whose past experience and happy home life argues against his joining the Army. But also a man whose moral (albeit somewhat rigid) code and sense of responsibility for others brings him back into the battle. One sees from Jones' eyes the many sides of prejudices (including his own) characteristic of the time; the hypocrisy, degradation and moral bankruptcy of those who seek to use war to satisfy their own ends, and the vulnerability of the innocents. I highly recommend this book to those looking for a more realistic portrait of behind-the-scenes Civil War America, and for a rather good Victorian mystery. I think John O'Hara (the late author) would like Parry's book very much - and would recognize some of the antecedants to the characters so vividly portrayed in his mid-twentieth century novels and short stories about society in Philadelphia and Pottsville (or, as he called it, Gibbsville). I look forward to Parry continuing to follow Abel Jones' life after the Civil War. The mention of Pinkerton and the Molly Maguires offers me hope that in the futureI will be able to revisit the sad history of the war between Anthracite coal miners and mine owners and see, through Abel's eyes, the underlying agendas of those involved.

This is a true gem of a novel that is a masterpiece of two genres, mystery and historical fiction. It is a superbly written, skillfully plotted novel set during the early stages of the Civil War when the North still hadn't realized the enormity of the situation it faced. Owen Parry brilliantly brings to life the era with his detailed and unglamorous portrayals of Washington and Philadelphia.

Abel Jones, a wounded Civil War hero, is as interesting a protagonist as any I have ever read in mystery fiction. He has to find his way through corruption, racism and deception to get to the bottom of the murder of a well-loved abolitionist. Along the way, he meets up with several notable figures from the war, including General McClellan and Abe Lincoln himself. There are several twists and the plot moves along at a perfect pace, all leading up to a powerful conclusion.

I have read many Civil War books, both fiction and nonfiction, and this easily ranks along side such memorable favorites as The Killer Angels and A Stillness at Appomattox. If you are a fan of mystery and/or historical fiction you must read this novel.

This well researched and compelling book creates the atmosphere of Washington, DC during the first part of the civil war. The mystery is interesting enough to keep the reader occupied, but it is the description of the times that really engages you. The hero is a man of modest stature and clearly not a genius, but his stiff moral code and unwavering devotion to duty make him a man to admire. Not the most entertaining dinner companion, but a man you would want at your back during a brawl. The author presents the mindset of people of the times. Nationalities are sterotyped, but the author manages to mix in soem humor that lessens the sting. Enjoyable.