history

I love the Volkswagen story. My family had nothing but Volkswagens growing up. It was my first car like so many others. I have a collection of Volkswagen books that are lovely pictorial salutes to the cars. And I loved reading another book, Small Wonder, about the Beetle from conception to about 1970. Kiley does a very good job of covering ground that has been gone over before in order to get you to the early 70s when the company really began to fall apart. Then, he is the first to really go into inner workings of the company from that point on to where the company almost went out of business in the early 1990s. And then into the fabulous comeback more recently. I work in the marketing field, and have been a student of VW's marketing story. So, besides loving the subject, I learned a lot here too. Extremely worthwhile book for VW lovers as well as for anyone with something to sell to the public.

I'm an avid VW driver, and when I saw this book I had to read it. It's great! The VW story is incredible, I never would have guessed that there was so much interesting history there.

The references to the advertising brought back some good memories. I remember each ad and how great they were.

A dfinite must read!

J.

I'm a die hard VW loyalist now. So when I saw this book I had to see what it was all about. Incredible story! Very well written!

It was incredible to read about all the things that went on within and without the company, it helps to understand the car a lot better :) If you're at all interested in VW's or car company history in general, this is a must read.

If you are wondering where the foundation of John Piper's God-centered theology may be found, this book is a good starting point. In it, Piper reintroduces a theological masterpiece that is almost three hundred years old - "The End for which God Created the World" by the New England Puritan pastor, Jonathan Edwards. Piper's own book-length introduction describes the impact Jonathan Edwards has had on his own life, suggests the relevance that this book will have to our own culture, and provides a brief, but helpful sketch of Jonathan Edwards' life. The work by Edwards is then carefully broken down into numbered paragraphs and is accompanied by Piper's helpful footnotes. Edwards' thesis is simple - God's ultimate aim in everything He does is to uphold and display the glory of His name for the joy of His people. This thesis is worked out with iron-clad logic (be prepared to think!) and meditation on dozens of Biblical passages. If yours is the prayer of Moses - "show me Thy glory" - then this is the book for you.

This tremendous book is divided into 2 sections the first is somewhat of an introduction by Piper to the second part which is "The End For Which THe World Was Created" by Jonathan Edwards. While Piper is always a "deep read" he is likewise an accurate shot. His insights and command of the simplicity of the sovereignty of God are a blessing tothe church today.

Jonathan Edwards, primarliy known for his sermon, "Sinners in the Hand of An Angry God" goes beyond his sermon and eloquently states that we are here to fulfill a purpose... to glorify God and yet that one singluar purpose is the essence of our own joy and peace. What a place of rest this is.

Regardless of all the wonderful things Piper has written and, I love them all... this may well turn out to be one of Piper's greatest acomplishments: the reintorduction of Jonathan Edwards to the church.

I won't repeat the sentiments of the great reviews on this site, though I agree with them completely. I will say, however, that I am a fan of Piper and I am very pleased that there is a man bold enough to make a case for the great works of Edwards in a sub-culture fraught with mindless emotionalism. Had it not been for this book I wouldn't have known the vast, rich thoughts of Jonathan Edwards and the beautiful revelations of his soul. What an amazing thinker and a passionate lover of God! I would encourage any interested reader to pursue other works by Edwards (http://www.jonathanedwards.com). You won't be disappointed.

A brilliant, highly accessible account of the history of the POWs in Southeast Asia. The text is very readable and concisely written. The photographs alone speak volumes and the maps provide a nice illustrative point of reference.

Before you read any other POW-related book, take the time to read "Honor Bound" cover to cover. Not only will you feel you are getting to know these men - heroes all - personally, you will gain a brutally clear perception of the conditions these men were forced to endure and the way they managed to maintain their honor and dignity in the face of such terrible adversity. The human element is very strong.

This is not, mind you, a book for the weak-stomached. The book is unflinching in its cataloging of the various tortures the POWs underwent, the often rancid food they were forced to subsist on, and the day to day challenges their captors and the climate inflicted upon them.

Surprisingly, however, while the reader is horrified, he or she will leave the book strangely uplifted. It reaffirms one's faith in the human spirit and humanity in general.

After reading many individual POW memoirs and similar material, it was immediately evident to me that Honor Bound is the premier and defining work on American POW's in Vietnam. For its sheer scope and immensity, this is the best reference material ever composed on this subject.

Beginning with history of French occupation in Vietnam and the follow on role of United States involvement, an intimate portrayal is drawn of every aspect of captivity faced by U.S. personnel. In minute detail, Northern and Southern Vietnamese POW camps are put under the microscope revealing the harrowing physical and psychological experiences that affected U.S. servicemen in appalling conditions which equated to a daily battle for survival. Also examined is the known information on captivity in Laos which continues to be controversial even today due to the unknown fates of many Americans still missing in that country.

Complimenting the brilliant narrative which leaves nothing to the imagination, Honor Bound contains dozens of excellent photographs, prison maps, generous footnotes, and several appendixes containing Vietnam war data and prisoner information. This book is a lasting tribute to patriots, heroes, and even legends who gave and maintained their very best in continual times of the absolute worst. I highly recommend Honor Bound to everyone interested in accounts of POW captivity. A superb, powerful, and very satisfying reading experience.

This book tells the story of Vietnam from the background of the war to the release of the prisoners in 1973. It is told dispassionately, but it brought me to tears many times. It stays in my mind: what these men went through, how they survived (or not) mentally and spiritually, the differences between the prisoners in North Vietnam and South Vietnam. It is an amazing book, and should be required reading for anyone studying that era.

This book's true value rests in its spotlight upon Neville Chamberlain, a man truly ahead of his time and a genius of world geopolitics. When faced with a terrorist threat from Germany, Chamberlain's very first thought was, "Why does he hate us?" Chamberlain then based his every succeeding action upon the premise there must have been something wrong with his own society and way of life, and he went out of his way to appease the terrorist, to give him more time, to allow inspectors to do their jobs and so forth. Contrasted with all the savages who suggest that the German terrorist should have been killed early in the game, Chamberlain's exemplary diplomatic behavior (consulting others, forming a coalition to sit and observe, and so on) was the prototype model for the sort of diplomacy that a significant number of people today believe is the way to deal with aggressive terrorists. We saw exactly how well that strategy worked for Chamberlain, thanks to Winston Churchill's excellent chronicle.

Winston Churchill, in addition to his well-deserved reputation as a great war-time leader and statesman, also has a well-deserved reputation as a prolific author and historian. His six volume history of the Second World War, recently re-issued and now readily available, part history, part memoir, is a must read original source for any student of the War.

Obviously, what makes Churchill's history of the War unique is his involvement in so much of the narrative. He is alone among the great leaders in recording his experiences of this period. But this work is not merely a memoir of his role in the War but rather a complete work of historical scholarship in and of itself. In this book, volume one, Churchill covers the period from the end of the Great War in 1919 until the invasion of France and the fall of the Chamberlain government in 1940. The book is divided into two parts, the first "From War to War" briefly covers developments in Britain and Germany during the twenties that relate to the rise of Hitler and the growing menace of Germany in the thirties. The bulk of this section is devoted to the folly of Britain and France in allowing a toothless Germany to reach military parity with and then greatly surpass the abilities of the two Democracies. Churchill covers all the major events and gives his views on them, including his exclusion from the government and his frustrating inability to affect the course of events. His criticism is surprisingly muted, however. In his characteristic way, Churchill allows his adversaries' own words of folly to speak for themselves. His criticism after the fact his actually a good deal tamer than his speeches to Parliament during this period. Some of this may have to do with the fact of his reconciliation with Chamberlain after the beginning of the War.

The second part of the book, "the Twilight War" covers the period from September 1939 until the invasion of the West in the Spring of 1940. With the mind of a military thinker, Churchill details the naval challenges to Britain from he very start of the war, including the need to protect merchant shipping and the need to secure England's northern Baltic ports. In this section as well, Churchill chronicles the political and diplomatic difficulties of the early part of the war. Included of course, in his typically understated fashion, is the story of his return to power, first as First Lord of the Admiralty then as Prime Minister after the fall of the Chamberlain government. It is on this note that the book concludes, saving the story of the Fall of France and Britain's lonely stand for the second volume.

Churchill's way with the pen is incomparable. His use of the written English language is remarkable. As a history, this book is comprehensive and excellent. He makes much use of original sources, particularly regarding German actions. Its only weakness as a history is the lack of Churchill's detachment from the events of which he writes. But this weakness of the book as a history is its strength as a biography. Churchill's insights into the times in which he lived and the famous people with whom he dealt are invaluable. In this book, his description of Molotov as a perfect robot is priceless. Churchill states that the theme to this volume is "How the English-Speaking people's...allowed the wicked to re-arm." It is a lesson also covered in Manchester's "The Last Lion Volume Two-Alone." It is a lesson still invaluable today.

As with virtually everything he did in life, Winston Churchill wrote his six volume history of the Second World War with many goals: As the Prime Minister of Britain (and--equally importantly--a member of the "right" class), Churchill had access to volumes of original documents. As the Prime Minister during the War, he was in a unique position to understand the relationship of those documents to real events. As a central actor, he had a huge incentive to prepare the first draft of history...to place himself in the best possible light. As a conservative politician out of power when he wrote, he sought to warn the world of the looming communist menace. Finally, as a long time practitioner of written English, he had an unparalleled command of the language. In this volume, Churchill successfully blends together all of these personas to create an absolutely riveting history of the prelude to the Second World War--from the close of World War One to the invasion of Belgium.

Churchill's mastery of English is reason enough to read this book. For example, in describing the British government's constant debates over what to do about German rearmament, Churchill says the British were "frothing pious platitudes while foeman forge their arms". Very seldom do I have to turn to a dictionary while reading, but Churchill sent me there regularly.
But do not think that this is just a book to be read to enjoy his use of language. His detailed account of how we got into the Second World War, and how we might have avoided it, is incisive and persuasively argued. And always watch for the subtext--his warning that the appeasement on Germany was then (in the 1950's) being repeated in the appeasement of the Soviet Union.
Churchill's weakness flows directly from his strength. As a prime actor, he saw (and describes) the war entirely from the "balance of power", or large political perspective. The plight of the Jews in Germany is barely mentioned. He pays virtually no attention to the internal politics of the U.S.--which ultimately proved decisive in the war. And he virtually ignores the growing war in the far east.
With that limitation in mind, this is a book everyone interested in understanding the Second World War--and everyone who enjoys the creative use of the English language--should read.

This is an imperative book to read,especially at these times that this tragedy is being denied,trivialized and minimized by many,particulary in Europe.
The author recorded first hand testimonials and suddenly the abstract figure of 6,000.000 (Jews who perished at the hands of the Nazis became)becomes a personal record of suffering.
The sadistic cruelty is beyond description.Who was more udehumanized the Nazi officer who trained his dog to bite the testicles of his victims and making fun about it or the many guards who crashed systematically babies heads to dead in front of their mothers?
How was it possible for those thousands of torturers to go back to their homes and express love to their wives and children and their parents and go back to their "job".Insane.
On the other side there are testimonies of bravery and faith of the victims.
At one point my wife ask me why I'm reading this book who challenge my emotions.The answer is,after reading of those who didn't lose their faith in God it stregthen my own faith.

Of the thirty books I have read on this subject, this one book tells the reader most of what they would ever want to know about this historic event. The book is logically laid out from the seeds of antisemitism to the "Final Solution." After reading this book, I visited some of the places mentioned and felt the power of these places through Gilbert's words. An outstanding read!

When one of the world's most eminent historians takes on the single most amazing phenomenon of the century, the Holocaust, it gives one pause for thought. So here we have Sir Martin Gilbert, a noted Holocaust authority, writing masterfully about the events leading up to and including the systematic persecution, deportation and murder of the Jews of Europe. His stirring and singular narrative is regularly punctuated by a number of poignant and shocking eyewitness accounts of many who lived through those numbing events. The test is extremely approachable and easy to read, so that the non-historian can appreciate the breadth and scope of his recounting of the events during the 12-year reign of terror levied by the National Socialists in Nazi Germany.

His approach is chronological, much like that employed in his best-selling three volume series on the 20th century. While he relies heavily on established secondary sources for his documentation, the power of his prose and his well-organized approach makes this an entertaining and educational tome to venture into. Although nowhere near as comprehensive as some other tomes such as Klaus Fischer's "History Of An Obsession", he does trace the centuries' long tradition of anti-Semitism culminating in the official state sanctioned approach codified in the institutionalized Nuremberg laws. In all this, Gilbert brilliantly employs survivor's recollections to paint the atrocities in the hues and colors of real human beings, ordinary and identifiable individuals caught in the insanity of the Third Reich. Furthermore, he pursues their individual identities and humanity by giving the reader information on the postwar futures of these people.

So much has been written about the Holocaust that it is difficult to imagine much new or novel to arise some fifty years after the end of the war. Yet the stage always remains open for the unusual display of finely crafted historical perspectives and brilliantly executed prose. The brilliance in this dazzling book is, as Oscar Schindler would have said, in the presentation. Although I have read a number of other books about these times and events that were more detailed, more graphic, or more comprehensive, this is without a doubt the single most impressive, cohesive, and authoritative volume I have read to date regarding the Holocaust in its enormity, and placed in an understandable and comprehensible context. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in owning the single best one-volume book summarizing and explaining the realities of the Holocaust.

Of the early Aubrey-Maturin novels, this is my favorite! O'Brian has dug deeply into historical reality to place his characters in the middle of the War of 1812, making real-life sea heroes like Bainbridge, Lawrence and Broke come alive in their scenes with Aubrey. What's more, O'Brian finally lifts the veil off Maturin's espionage, as Stephen's previous activities have blown his cover, and enraged the U.S.-based French intelligence officers who hope to make him pay big-time. Less talk, more action than in earlier books, as French and American spymasters hunt down Maturin in Boston. Yet he has time for another coup, and Aubrey recovers from serious injuries to show amazing resourcefulness and courage in engineering Maturin's escape. Regarding the obligatory-and-thrilling battle scenes, American readers will cheer the USS Constitution's capture of HMS Java, and mourn anew the bloody defeat of Lawrence's USS Chesapeake by the determined Captain Broke of HMS Shannon. O'Brian does an excellent job of describing just how seriously the little US Navy humiliated the Brits during the Second War of Independence. Finally, O'Brian plucks the romantic heartstrings with grace as he renews Maturin's and Diana Villiers' relationship (which I'd earlier found unconvincing) in a most unusual fashion.

The Aubrey/Maturin series seems to get even better with each installment. The Fortune of War begins with Lucky Jack bringing his ship into port after the events of Desolation Island and reaches a thunderous conclusion with historical battle between the Chesapeake and the Shannon. In between O'Brian provides the reader with naval disasters, naval battles, cloak and dagger, tense escapes and even a cricket game! All this is set against the backdrop of the opening months of the War of 1812. The reader lives through unexpected reverses at sea and unanticipated successes on land in what is a tragic and senseless war.

In The Fortune of War Aubrey and Maturin spend much of their time in the United States where Louisa Wogan and Diana Villiers of early books reside. The reader gets an excellent feel for the period and place. Interestingly, in what appears to be a nod to modern readers, O'Brian cites the low taxes in the USA. Also, many modern readers might be surprised to read how unpopular "Mr. Madison's War" was at the time. Ironically what was a nasty, vicious war on the Canada/US border was a gentleman's war at sea. Officers were paroled and free to roam the streets in an enemy city. Ships' captains could write courteous letters to enemy captains inviting them out to engage in bloody naval conflicts. Perhaps the greatest irony was that the two societies with the freest men were engaging in a wasteful conflict while a tyrant was running roughshod over Europe.

Perhaps the most interesting perspectives for the naval buff are O'Brian's explanations of initial American successes at sea and their affect on British morale. According to O'Brian American frigates (the largest class they had available) outgunned their RN counterparts. Furthermore, many of their officers and men had learned their gunnery skills on RN ships. However, the RN was also the victim of some its own policies and past successes. The restrictions on the use of gunpowder in practice left Captains without independent means the opportunity to maintain crews with a high level of fighting efficiency. Furthermore, the systems of privilege and patronage had put a number of excellent captains on shore and poor or mediocre captains at the helms of fighting ships. Nelson's successes were also a problem. His approach to attacking French and Spanish ships was inadequate for better trained American crews. For the RN, which had a magnificent track record for decades culminating with Nelson's victory at Trafalgar, the few relatively insignificant tactical losses to the Americans were devastating to morale. Aubrey's reaction demonstrates this thoroughly. The fact that ships like the Constitution were severely damaged and out of action for long periods after victories did not satisfy. Nor did the victories on land in Canada.

The Fortune of War features some of the best action sequences that O'Brian put on paper. In particular, the historical battle sequences are riveting. The reader also gets to see the good Dr. Maturin as a man of action. Somewhat surprisingly the gentle doctor can be quite ruthless when the need arises. Rescued from torture by Jack Aubrey earlier in the series, it is now Maturin who plays the role of rescuer.

O'Brian has succeeded in providing his most action packed novel to date without sacrificing any of the use of language and insight into human nature that have been constants in the series. This is the best entry to date in what may be the greatest historical series written.

Patrick O'Brian's "The Fortune of War" is yet another riveting installment in his Aubrey/Maturin series of novels. Offered command of the Royal Navy's fastest, most heavily armored, frigate, Jack Aubrey races home with his old friend Stephen Maturin across the Pacific aboard a small vessel which sinks off the coast of Patagonia. Rescued by HMS Java, they are captured by the Americans when Java surrenders to US Navy frigate USS Constitution after a brief duel between both ships. Soon they find themselves in the United States, reunited with Diana Villiers, Stephen's old flame, and involved in some espionage on the streets of Boston. Stephen's past as a British secret agent working against Napoleon will soon haunt him. Eventually they will witness one of the bloodiest engagements between the British and American navies; one of several notable single ship duels fought during the opening months of the war.

Though far from an all-encompassing movie guide, it is still well-worth the price of admission. I didn't always agree with the choices they made (I mean, Andrea, come on! "My Fellow Americans"???). But I enjoyed every page of the book and found it to be among the wittiest I've read this year. My one complaint? It was too short. I wished there were more!

At last, at last.... movie reviews that are smart AND unpretentious. My favorite thing about this book is the way that the girls respectfully, no gleefully, disagree with each other. When I got to the chapter about horror movies, I felt an old familiar sense of embarrassment as Andrea described the thrill of renting all the goriest movies available with her girlfriends in junior high. I am a big fat chicken when it comes to scary movies. Just can't handle them. And then, voila, I turn the page, and there is Sibyl's essay "I Am a Big Wuss" confessing to just the same! What fun.

At first glance, this is a book you think you might want to pass up, but it's the perfect guide! These four girls have very different tastes, but each of them have a lot to offer. With little side-bars, and essays, this book is as fun as they come! They have made some very good recommendations for me. If it weren't for these four, I wouldn't be able to expand my horizons. But they're the type who make you open your mind. I mean, I hadn't even heard of 'Gas, Food, Lodging' before this book and let me tell you, it's a good movie! So get this book and see what these girls have to say. You might find a gem of a movie that you enjoy just as much as they say you will.

I read this book several years ago, and as I read recently Sebastian Unger's book "The Perfect Storm" I kept thinking how much more vivid were Mowat's descriptions of the perils of Atlantic Ocean ship salvage. Mowat knows the sea like a seaman (see his other books), not a blowfish journalist like Unger.

I first discovered "Grey Seas Under" about 15 years ago, appropriately enough as Able Seaman on an Ocean Salvage Tug. I was immediately enthralled. Out of the many books on the sea I have read, this one remains very dear to me (not that you have to be a mariner to enjoy it). Grey Seas Under is the true story of the ocean salvage tug, FOUNDATION FRANKLIN and the brave men who battled the North Atlantic to save hundreds of ships and thousands of lives. Farley Mowat, a master srory-teller, passionately desribes the exploits of FOUNDATION FRANKLIN with geat admiration and humor. Grey Seas Under is a true masterpiece saga of the sea. I've read this book probably 6 times in the last 10 years and I'm sure to re-read it for many years to come. I cannot recommend this book enough. I also highly recommend "The Serpents Coil" also by Farley Mowat, another first-rate tale of the sea.

The ocean-going salvage tug, 'Foundation Franklin' was more than a match for the worst the North Atlantic could throw at her, including Force 10 hurricanes and Nazi U-Boats. Perfect Storm, eat your heart out! Here is the real book about the great-hearted men and their staunch little ships that survived blow after blow from the Atlantic and bobbed up for more.

If the author, Farley Mowat is sometimes guilty of over-the-top prose---well, he lived and worked on the Franklin, and he loved her sturdy lines, her jaunty roll, and every rivet that held her together while she rescued ships that were Goliaths to her chubby, little Baby Huey. No work could have been more dangerous; none required a higher degree of seamanship and courage than dropping a line on a berserk, lunging, steel-hulled freighter, and then towing her through the maw of a mid-December gale, or the shoals and 'sunkers' of the Newfoundland coast---something the Franklin did so many times that her crew lost memory of all but their most freakish or man-killing expeditions.

"Grey Seas Under" will give you an interesting perspective on the true maritime heroes of World War II. Farley Mowat doesn't pull any punches when he describes the tension that existed between the expert seamen on the ocean-going salvage and rescue tugs, and their relatively 'amateur' counterparts on Canadian and American naval warships. Some of the funniest scenes in the book involve convoys of merchant ships under the 'protection' of corvettes and destroyers. Once a U-Boat had been sighted and the merchants steamed for cover, it was up to the Franklin to rescue the ones that ran into each other or shoaled themselves. Usually, the tug had to perform her duties without any cover from the warships.

"The days the salvors (tugboat seamen) spent tethered to fat and crippled merchantmen, crawling along on a straight course at a speed of two or three knots like mechanical targets in a shooting gallery, were the kind of days that would drain the courage from the most heroic man alive...The Germans knew, that for every rescue vessel sunk there would be a score of crippled merchantmen who would never make safe port."

This is a great book about men against the sea, even though the language gets very nautical at times. Read it and you will learn all about Lloyd's Open Form, and the tricks that wrecked merchant masters play to cheat tugs out of their salvage fees. You'll learn to tell the difference between 'Monkey Island' and the poop deck---and the difference between 'brass monkeys' and true seamen. You'll thrill to the dangers of sunkers, beam seas, and Arctic white-outs. You'll bite through your pipe-stem, just like the Franklin's captain did during those tows when his sturdy little tug steamed back into port with barely enough coal in her bunkers to "cook a pot of beans."

Someone ought to make a movie out of "Grey Seas Under." It's got everything---romance (between man and ship, at least); life-and-death adventures; heroism; humor; and the treacherous ice, wind, and sea of what the author respectfully refers to as 'the Great Western Ocean.'

This book is required reading in the Near Eastern and Judaic studies department at Brandeis University which has one of the best Israel/Judaic studies programs in the country.
This is the only book that extensively examines the Jewish State entirely in its modern political context, while simultaneously covering world Jewry and the Middle East conflict. Howard Sachar is a renowned scholor who has written much on the topic.
As someone who has traveled to Israel several times, WORKED on a kibbutz for a long period and studied both the country, the region and the interaction between the two; I can tell any critic that this book is highly critical of the Likud party and Israeli irridentism. The West Bank settlers are NOT treated kindly by Sachar and anyone who finds this book unbalanced did not read beyond the first few hundred pages.
This book made me re-evaluate my political position and recognize the many shortcomings of a place I adore.

Sachar's tome A History of Israel is both complete and a great read. Not being a formal teacher or student of history (this is just a hobby), I wanted a complete book that presented the issues of the Middle East objectively and completely. Sachar's book does that very well.

Although some parts of it can be difficult to get through, particularly the economic issues, the book is simple to read and not overly convoluted. It presents the history of this important country in a very thorough manner, barely missing any important issues.

Perhaps my only criticism is that it is somewhat one-sided. It deals with Arab issues well, but since it is a history of Israel, it focuses more on the Israeli side of things. It certainly is not a book about the emotional trials of the refugees -- instead it is meant as an objective documentation of fact. People looking for an op/ed piece will not find it hear. It does, however, manage to present the major mistakes Israel has made as well as many of the shocking atrocities committed in the name of the Jewish state.

I was looking for a book to answer the question -- where did this conflict start? Where did Arabs and Jews go wrong in their relations that has led us to this point? A History of Israel answered this question and many, many more. It is by far the best book about Israel that I have read and I recommend it highly!

Besides being the heaviest book I've read in a very long time, A History of Israel, by Howard Sachar, is probably among the most useful anyone will find on that subject. Let's face it, in today's world the subject of Israel still comes up a lot, far more than one might expect for such a small country. And in an atmosphere in which fifty seven percent of people polled list Israel as the greatest threat to world peace, an educated person cannot afford to be ignorant on the matter.

Israel is a great country. And like all great countries (like most countries, actually) it has a right to exist. Its history extends back quite some time before its founding. If you doubt this, or know someone who does, than the early chapters on Zionism and Jewish migration into Palestine will be invaluable. Want to know just how the Jews came to inhabit the land? Was it a land grab? Theft? Acquisition by conquest? The answer is no, and you can get the details here.

What is Israel like? What is its culture? Economics? Daily Life? How about religion? They're Jews, but how devout are they? What power does the rabbinate have? What arts and sciences flourish, or fail to, in Israel? These are also covered, often, and in detail.

Israel has fought five major wars in its short life. Why? Who started them? How did Israel respond? Did these wars exist in a vacuum, or are they part of an ongoing antagonism against Israel from its Arab neighbors? What actually happened in the Six Day War? Just how did the occupation come to be? All of these issues are examined in detail.

Who runs Israel? What is the party structure? What do they believe? How does Israel relate to other countries, and how has this changed over the years? What about the United States? Is Israel really the fifty-first state? Again, these are all issues dealt with in detail.

The operative word here is detail. With over a thousand pages of small font text, Sachar can cover everything he wishes and go as deep as he desires. This is a history text, not a polemic essay. The point is to show Israel for what it is, avoiding the pitfalls that await anyone writing about the most controversial country every to exist. To the extant that Sachar has taken any sides, it would probably be with the Labor party and against the Likud party. As far as Israel's relations with the Arab countries go, he has stated things as they happen. It may be a surprise to many, but Israel has a really good record vis-à-vis the treatment of Arabs and they owe no excuses to anyone over their presence in the world.

So although the book is formidable and very, very long, it is clear and relevant to today's world. If you'd like to get past the shouting and name-calling and really find out about the country, this is the place to look.

Reviewers are too loose with the praise, "You've never read a book like this one!" But you have not, indeed, ever read a book like David Malouf's An Imaginary Life. He gives us the great Latin poet Ovid in a barbaric village on the shores of the Black Sea, exiled from Rome for offending the emperor Augustus. And here he mets a strange boy, a boy who seems to have never had any human contact before. Ovid "captures" the boy and begins to "humanize" him, but this is only the beginning of the tale, because the wild boy has something to teach Ovid as well. By no means a typical tale of "civilized man" meeting "feral child" or "noble savage," An Immaginary Life shows us Ovid, the poet of amoral seduction, learning to love like a father and to find, in his primitive surroundings, a form of life he could never have discovered in sophisticated and decadent Rome. In other hands, the story might have been "mere" fantasy or science fiction. In poet Malouf's hands, however, An Imaginary Life is a new Odyssey, but one in which the destination is not the much-longed-for home, but an entrance into another world.

"An Imaginary Life" is one of the most mesmerizing books I've ever read and it's certainly the most poetic and beautiful. There isn't much of a plot in this book nor is it a character study. To me, it's more akin to a long prose poem (and Malouf is also a poet as well as a novelist), though it really isn't a prose poem, either. "An Imaginary Life" is a poetic flight of fancy, an impossibly beautiful reverie and a dazzling story of "what might have been yet could never be."

Most of the events this book relates are, of course, imagined. We know that Ovid was exiled and we know to where, but about what happened during that exile, we know nothing, not even the date or exact place of Ovid's death.

Malouf has used this absence of known facts regrding Ovid's exile to weave a gorgeously ephemeral portrait of a man and a boy who, together, find the wellspring of both humanity and love, something neither could have done alone, despite Ovid's reputation in Rome.

While the storyline of "An Imaginary Life" isn't particularly mesmerizing on its own, Malouf's lush, poetic prose makes it so. This is a short book, really more of a novella than a novel and I can't imagine anyone not reading it in one sitting. One sentence simply flows into the next and I was riveted from the first page to the last.

Highly recommended to anyone.

This is an extraordinary, fascinating, and deeply moving book. Malouf brilliantly takes Ovid's exile to the furthest outpost of the Roman empire and makes of it a beautifully written, beautifully executed meditation on imagination and "what it is to be human." It is a strangely liberating book, for, to quote the text, "We are free to transcend ourselves. If we have the imagination for it."