history

I consider myself a lifelong student of Russia and the former Soviet Union, having read and studied a huge number of books and reports on the subject. But Ryszard Kapuscinski's Imperium is superior to everything else I have read and imagined. He is a keen observer and a superb writer; he has traveled to cities and regions where even the most hardened Russian reporters didn't go. His prose is gripping and the translation is excellent. Reading this book is a rare pleasure. I recommend it very highly to all those who want to understand what Russia is and why the Russians are the way they are. They are very different from the rest of the world and Kapuscinski unravels the mystery better than any body else. Having studied Eastern Europe for more than 50 years I can say this with a great deal of confidence.

I've read this book several time since I first chanced across it in the library several years ago. Kapuscinski's vision is unique since it is essentially unclouded by idealogical or political bias. His outlook is more cultural than political and he breaks apart the image (so prevalent in the U.S.) of the Russia is/was a monolithic and homogenous bastion of Marxism.The truth (not surprisingly) is much more complicated than that.

Imperium reads like a travelogue across the sweeping expanse of that was once collectively called the U.S.S.R. Kapuscinski shows that the "republic" was never more than a far-flung and disparate collection of principalities yoked by violence to form a unified front. Underneath this exterior he reveals the ethnic, cultural, and religious tensions that have always threatened to rend the region apart, and now seem destined to set the various factions against one-another.

All of this underscores the fact that Kapuscinski is one of the great writers of our time (although, regretably, his output is pretty limited). His writing transcends genre and is timeless and well crafted enough to draw the reader in no matter what the subject matter. Because he seems to have little to prove his vision is less self-conscious, less affected, and more mature than the most of the batch of current fiction writers.

Read this book. Read it for the history. Read it for the story-telling. Or read it for the power and grace of its language. Any way you read it, you'll be better for it...

I can add little to earlier reviews other than to comment that Kapuscinski takes a refreshingly unique angle in trying to make sense of USSR/Russia. He was obviously touched by visits to the Caucausian region and these are the most emotional chapters of the book. Don't expect a travel book. Kapuscinski approaches the book from a human perspective rather than from a structural/physical geographic angle. In that respect its a book about people and their daily lives within a specific regime that so obviously turned sour from its early existence. A great book. The only way to do it justice is to read it.

A must have for anyone who loves this movie. Mr Cox has come up with an amazing amount of fresh new material about this movie. Interveiws with cast members, behind the scenes antedotes and an incredible number of never before seen photos. I've been studying the film for years, being a big fan of both Capra and Stewart, and thought I knew it all. What a revelation! This excellant book is now a treasured part of my collection. Thank You, Mr Cox!

I have always loved the movie and now I love the book. Great insight on every page. I have several other books on Wonderful Life. ...This one is now my favorite. I learned so much new information the other books didn't include. It is impressive in design and content. Everything Wonderful~ Down to the last cornflake! MANY great photos. A COLOR section! If you're a fan of the film like me, (and who's not-?) this is the book for you. HEE HAW!! Very exciting new information on the cast and making of. Did you know Snow White sings-? Yes, and how. Read all about Adriana Caselotti (Voice of Disney's Snow White.) I never knew her voice was heard in my favorite movie; in my favorite scene. (Also Jimmy's.) Such a treat and full of Life's Wonderful Surprises. ... I'm getting a nice batch for family and friends. My holiday shopping is over! HEE HAW!! How 'bout yours-? A beautiful book from cover to cover. HOT DOG!!

:-D

!woo-hoo!

Incredible!!

I loved the short story about SNOW WHITE!

((((Raymond Savage))))

must have trivia for every hollywood knowledge-nut!

~ WITHOUT A DOUBT ~

I have read several books describing the heroism of the 101st lift and infantry units in I Corp and felt the contributions of these guys was beyond measure. I work with Behavior Disordered high school students and experimented with one chapter of "Wild Bill's" book in class. The impact of his message and graphic style genuinely moved these kids and led to a two day discussion on: devotion/committment, loyalty, sacrifice, trust/risk, communication, training, fear/bravery and HONOR/INTEGRITY. "My boys" think W.T., Wild Bill, Walkabout, Turk and all the others are GODS. Thank Mr. Meachum for sharing so openly and writing so damn well!

I Corps, in 1968 and especially Northern I Corps, was an area that could be called "Ground Zero"in the Vietnam War. The presence of large concentrations of Liberation troops and NVA in the Laos/Vietnam border area was huge. They were well trained, well equipped and possessed mobile anti-aircraft weapons which were devastating for helicopters of the Kingsmen and the 101st Aviation Battalion. "Lest We Forget" is a great story of "cheating the odds" while flying exclusively for the grunts and LRP's for the 101st Division. However, let us start at the beginning....the bloody beginning.

Bill Meacham, alias "Wild Bill" Meacham, began his year long tour in Vietnam assigned to the 17th Assault Helicopter Company at Long Binh. Even before he sat in a cockpit for his in-country orientation, he was tapped to be the investigating officer for a gunship incident deep within the jungles of III Corps. The distasteful job led Bill to realize that Vietnam was truly a dangerous place and he was knee deep in "reality."

The very first month with the 17th, Tet of 68 erupted everywhere across Vietnam. Bill came face to face with NVA, in the wire, all-around the 17th compound for a bit of nighttime excitement. Never one to sit idly by and let himself be killed, Bill took the aggressor group under fire, killing almost a squad as they raced across the 17th's compound. The onslaught was finally halted and the story of Tet 68 became one of slaughter for the enemy. However, the US media never really saw it that way. Bill Meacham couldn't believe he was knee keep in ground combat. He was supposed to be a helicopter pilot!

The nick name "Wild Bill" was not yet coined for William Meacham as the 17th Assault Helicopter Company was uprooted and shipped to I Corps. There they would join and be re-designated, Bravo Company of the 101st Airmobile Division's 101st Aviation Battalion. Still proudly know as the "Kingsmen", the unit faced new challenges and threats within the mountains and weather of North I Corps. And, for the next year Bill and his buddy W.T.Grant would slowly but surely be consumed by the "meat grinder" as they experienced days and days of the same old thing....bad weather, NVA and long, long hours of flying.

It didn't take "Wild Bill" Meacham long to realize that he was best suited to working closely with the LRP teams of the 101st Div. He and W.T. Grant made many good friends and comrades with the LRP's as they concentrated completely on the tricky and specialized work of the LRP units. Their flying skills were quickly recognized by the LRP's as "just what the doctor ordered" and they were assigned almost exclusively to fly for the them. Together Bill, W. T. and the LRP leaders formulated many techniques which proved to be most effective in getting the job done, yet keeping everyone as safe as possible, under hazardous conditions. Higher HQ's basically left them alone to performed their missions almost in their own world. That is not to say they had it easy, just that they were very good at the job. No one within the LRP leadership wanted anyone else...they were the best!!

"Lest We Forget" is a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Throughout the book, William Meacham allows the reader to "tune in" on the radios and tactical frequencies to hear the tension and terror from the LRP's on the ground. He also lets the reader hear the commo between he and his wingman, Grant. You will "feel" the sweat dripping from inside his helmet as it burns his eyes. Your gloves will become wet as he hoists LRP team members out of the jungle with a 120' long rope, called a McGuire Rig. You will ride to the hot PZ to extract the "whispering" LRP teams as NVA watch and fire from a tree line only yards away. Yet, most will be extracted safely! "Wild Bill" Meacham will live to fly another day! What a ride! What a book! What a story!

Tom Payne
VHPA
Sec/Treas.

This is an excellent book. It will bring you to tears, it will have you laughing so hard you will fall off your chair. This book is hair raising, it will curl your toes. This is one mans account, that of a helicopter pilot in Vietnam and his adventures. It is very interesting reading.

This noevl The Kid from Tomkinsville, is a very interesting book. The author John R. Tunis tells us about Roy Tucker, a young man from Conneticut trying out to play for the Dodgers.

When I was in junior high, I was addicted to reading juvenile sports fiction. Shortly after beginning seventh grade, I went to the alphabetical beginning of the fiction section in the school library and began moving down the alphabet. As I went, I examined the books and read all that were sports related. In a little over two years, I had read every sports fiction book in the collection. Of all those books, the Kid From Tomkinsville was one of the most memorable.
While the background of the 1940's made the presentation difficult for someone in their early teens in the 1960’s, the descriptions of baseball more than made up for it. Roy Tucker is the title character and an excellent pitcher. However, immediately after one of his best games, he slips and cracks his pitching elbow. This finishes him as a pitcher and the main theme becomes his quest to come back as an outfielder.
He is initially very effective and believes success is assured. However, he soon begins to struggle and doubts creep in. The description of all of this is a combination of one of the best baseball stories as well as one of triumph as a combination of talent, hard work and persistence lead to his success. I still remember the scene where his manager comes to his room and tells him the problem is that he is playing for himself and not for his team.
John Tunis is one of the best writers of sports fiction that has ever lived. He makes baseball exciting, even when all the action is taking place off the field. While our society has moved on to a point quite different from the time period of the story, baseball is still a game where strategy, preparation and dedication can triumph over athletic ability. That has not changed, and the descriptions in this book will continue to keep the attention of baseball fans for decades to come.

I read this book the first time back in the mid-80's in high school. I had a burgeoning love of baseball and fell deeply in love with Tunis' works. The point I got from this story is that there is always another door to get to your dream.

What enables a company to soar in the midst of mergers, reorganisations and technology change? In their book, Learning to Fly, BP Consultants, Chris Collison and Geoff Parcell, share their secret for delivering more with less and positioning the company for future success. What's more important than the company's size, holdings or product lines? It is the use of Knowledge Management (KM) to adapt what others have already learned and dynamically capture and share the explicit and tacit knowledge of your work force as it evolves.

Learning to Fly is both a reference book and a blueprint. Part One: Overview sets the context for and defines knowledge management.

Part Two: Tools and Techniques describes six very useful tools for managing knowledge. I found their inclusion of real-life examples like BP's "Connect" project tremendously helpful in understanding what is involved in building buy-in for a searchable intranet knowledge directory through which all staff can search for people with relevant knowledge and experience.

In Part Three: Today and Tomorrow, the authors share practical advice about embedding knowledge management in the organisation. Appendices guide the reader to resources for inspiration, people and technology. Internet style pages enable easy navigation through and between chapters.

The book has received critical acclaim from a number of industry leaders. It will undoubtedly be received by those of us in the trenches with the same enthusiasm!

A uniquely entertaining book, Learning to Fly is written with the right blend of theory and practice. From the start, Collison & Parcell build an honest and caring relationship with the reader that takes you on a journey of understanding the why and the how of knowledge management (KM).

The Chris & Geoff hit on many key issues imperative to a successful knowledge management implementation -

·KM should be focused on business results for business objectives. Emphasizing the importance that organizations don't loose sight of why they are doing KM.

·The explanation of KM as an unconscious competence is an excellent model for organization to use for a self-assessment and then strive to achieve.

·Applying KM holistically through the model of learning before, during and after. Proving that building a learning organization is at the heart of KM.

Learning to Fly does it right! I particularly enjoyed the book's creative layout and the way the lessons learned and proven ways to institutionalize KM in any organization are related through thought provoking stories and reflective exercises.

Very down-to-earth, applicable guidelines for building a learning environment within an organization. Focuses on tools and techniques and difficult issues of embedding habits of sharing/learning.
I've read a lot of knowledge management books and this is the one our organization is using as a "starting point" for our efforts.

The thought of joining the Legion has been at the back of my mind since I was in high school. I have read every book and magazine article about it I could get my hands on. Evan McGorman's account is by far the most interesting and candid that I have found. It is mainly an account of his five years service in the Legion's parachute regiment, but he has thrown in much useful information for someone who is genuinely considering enlisting. Items such as where to join, what happens to you during the selection process, and the physical requirements demanded of a Legionnaire will all be of interest to the prospective recruit.

The main thing I got out of this immensely readable book, however, was how much like any other Western army the modern Legion is. Work details, spartan living conditions and not a lot of training seem to be the lot of a Legionnaire today. This book dispelled much of the romance I had for the Legion and managed to do what countless other works had failed: end my fantasies of absconding for a life in the Legion.

Mr McGorman has a fluent style which kept me reading from cover to cover in one night. His descriptions of the life and challenges of a Legionnaere are detailled . He starts of with the first long and boring days in the Legion and continues through training and his tours till his last days there with great tips of 'do not's' and 'do's'. He takes care of a few mysteries surrounding this elite force and sets a few heads straight. Nevertheless this book can be counted as advertisement for the Legion , and after reading it I was left wanting more. ( my whife disallowed me to join, though...!) I recommend this book highly to everyone thinking about joining the Legion, just beeing curious about this famous part of the french army or interested in one of the last adventures for men only!

Well written. A must read for anyone who is thinking of joining.

I was a kid in China during World War 2. (I was born in 1935. The brutal Japanese invasion of China began in 1937.) I know it's "incorrect" of me, but I find it hard to sympathize with the Japanese or with those who sympathize with the Japanese. Yes, they suffered, as is clearly shown in this book, but what about the horrendous suffering they inflicted on others?

I still remember vividly the day in 1945 when the news came thru the radio that America had invented a bomb, only the size of a man's fist (so the story went), which was so powerful that just one of these bombs can wipe out an entire city, and America had just dropped one on a Japanese city! I still remember the wild rejoicing. We all assumed that America, the country of miracles, would make hundreds of these bombs and drop them all over Japan and wipe that country off the face of the earth.

To this day, every August 6th, I celebrate Hiroshima Day.

World War Two was the most significant event of the 20th century. This book vastly increases one's understanding of that war. After reading it, you will feel as if you had sat down with dozens of Japanese war survivors, who share their memories of that conflict.

Some of the interviews do not ring true--such as the Japanese officer who says they killed only a few hundred Chinese civilians in Nanking.

Other interviews make one understand why the Koreans hate the Japanese.

As an American Nisei (2nd generation) Japanese american, my parents experienced the terror of the civilian firebombing at the end of World War II. Since they, as many, are reluctant to talk about it, this book helped me to capture some of their experiences and come to a greater understanding of an extremely difficult time. The irrefutability of oral history as the direct retelling of recollection and experience creates a context for telling these heretofore untold stories. It provides a sense of the greater story in a way that documentary and narrative historiographic contexts told from the perspective of the "winner" are unable to capture.

Another Putnam book with excellent quality information of Japanese aircrafts during World War Two. perhaps Zero or Zeke was the most famous Jpanese fighter of World War Two. The Zero was not the only Japanese fighter, nor the best on but one of the best fighter Japan designed. Although the total number of aircrafts manufactured by Japan is much less than US, Japan didia great job in military aircraft design. This book covers fron-line, prototypes and experimental aircrafts with detail technical, historical and perforamnce data. This is the most important book for whoevery wants to know Japanese military aircrafts or thew air warfare of Japan with China, US and other countries with colones in the Pacific area.

Another Putnam book with excellent quality information of Japanese aircrafts during World War Two. perhaps Zero or Zeke was the most famous Jpanese fighter of World War Two. The Zero was not the only Japanese fighter, nor the best on but one of the best fighter Japan designed. Although the total number of aircrafts manufactured by Japan is much less than US, Japan didia great job in military aircraft design. This book covers fron-line, prototypes and experimental aircrafts with detail technical, historical and perforamnce data. This is the most important book for whoevery wants to know Japanese military aircrafts or thew air warfare of Japan with China, US and other countries with colones in the Pacific area.

Much in the same way that William Greene is the expert on German Aircraft of WW-II, Rene J. Francillon has researched this subject (off and on) over a period of about 30 years. The orignal edition of this book came out in the 1970's and has been updated as information from the files of the US Department of Defense has become declassified and "Pubic Domain".
One of the most interesting of the facts that one may come across is that many talented German Aircraft designers TRAINED Japanese aircraft design engineers during the 1920's and early 30's, because the Germans were prohibited by the Treaty of Versailles to engage in the design of war planes in their own country. This led to a close working relationship between German and Japanese warplane designers and a great deal of commerce between the two countries in war time designs.
Someone may eventually write a refernce book on this subject. I would if I had time.
Bob Clark
President
International Military Technology Historians
fsearch@yahoo.com

I got this book as a Christmas gift along with a painting by the artist. He's a good artist. Make no mistake about that. But you'd better be an ardent gamer to really enjoy his subject matter.

Journey of the Imagination is a wonderful table top book. It is a beautiful discussion peice. James Christensen's art is filled with passion that is vibrant and thrilling. Every piece of art is amazingly detailed and done with brilliant colors that thrill the eye. This book has a mixture of his fantasy art and his allegorical artwork. I prefer his fantasy art, but both are great and done equally well. This book is a must have for any art lover, especaially those who love fantasy art. My only complaint about this book is that it does not include "Sisters of the Sea"--Christensen's mermaid painting. However, you can get that one in Voyage of the Basset by Christensen. While the two books do double up on a few art pieces, each stands on its own merit and anyone who loves his art must have both.

James Christensen's art can be funny on one page and thoughtful on the next. Christensen has the uncanny ability to take you into his pictures -- even when there are fish floating about. One of my favorites is "Lawrence Pretended Not to Notice That a Bear Had Become Attached to His Coattail". Yes, that's the title. There is a cute story on the same page. A grade school student attempts to find the theme in this piece - with only partial success. This book will remind you that heartwarming is more than an adman's phrase. After all, when was the last time you actually opened one of those fancy art books you've got on your coffee table? This is one you'll _read_.

What is the boundary between cognition and mere philosophy of language? What is the role of language in cognition? What is the platypus' place in a mammalian dominated world? These are just a few of the probing questions that Umberto Eco asks and brillantly answers in Kant and the Platypus. There should be no cognition issues involved in the purchase of this book: it simply is a must-own.

I am a student at Rutgers University and this novel is the crown jewel of the philosophy program. Enchanting and mystical, this book is to the field of philosophy of language what the Bible is to Christians. Umberto Eco is to philosophy of language and cognition as Henry Kissinger is to foreign policy. Kant and the Platypus is as easy to read as USA Today, but is as powerful as a yoga session. You simply must own it.

This is a layman's introduction to semiotics. These essays make me feel as if I were watching a TV show (probably the Roseanne show) on semiotics. Where is the intellectual substance I ask? When have semioticians given up the pursuit of semiotic research merely to be branded as "semioticians for the masses"?