history Books

This is a delightful read - not about how to fix or cure someone with autism, but about loving someone with autism and doing one's best to help them get along in a world filled with the rest of us. Paul Collins skillfully weaves in snippets of history, helping the reader recognize the roles autists have played in our world. Bravo!!

This is my favorite book on autism, period. I adore it.

I am a 30-year-old mom with Asperger Syndrome, my 11-year-old daughter has Autism. As such, I have sought books to keep on hand to give to friends who may be interested in reading about autism. I wish I could afford a whole shelf full of this one!

Paul Collins writing is insightful and deep and it flows well - leading from one chapter into the next, it's a difficult book to put down. This book talks about the author's expolration of the history of autism, and individuals who have lived or are living their own unique lives. At the same time as he's following these leads to find out more about his autism, his own son is diagnosed. It's a beautiful story because of the twists and turns, and because of the lives of people it illuminates so graciously.

I was given an assignment in my graduate Humanities class to recommend one chapter of a book for the whole class to read. I knew immediately it would be this book, but had to think about which chapter. After much deliberation (there are many beautifully written stories that flow together in this volume), I selected Chapter 16. The passage where he sits on the steps of a church to cry after meeting the man with the painted lightbulbs illustrates how this book speaks on what it means to be human, it isn't just a book on autism.

Always eloquent, never condescending - if this is the first book you read on autism you'll start with a deeper understanding. Don't bother reading books that bog you down with those who "suffer from autism" - this book, instead, is about human beings.

You won't find the rage at autism that so many parents have experienced, or the accounts of scientific and medical detective work that other parents have undertaken. What you will find is a collection of stories of people in both relatively ancient (Peter the Wild Boy) and relatively recent (Henry Darger) history who might have been diagnosed somewhere along the autism spectrum, interspersed with his experiences of his son, Morgan.

Another way this book is different from a lot of books written by parents of children with autism, is that Collins uses this collection of stories to look at Morgan's life in its totality, thinking what Morgan might be like at age 40, or age 70, instead of focusing on today's trials and opportunities. Collins thinks a lot further into the future than most parents. On the other hand, using history to think about autism, may not be the best way to go, as quite a bit of research into autism and related disorders is currently under way.

If you've already read some books about autism, you might think "Been there, done that" as you read about important people in the autism community like Simon Baron-Cohen and Temple Grandin. On the other hand, this book is unusually free of the anger, drama and tragedy of many books on this topic. Another thing that is useful about this book is to reflect that autism has most likely been around for a long time.

The book is easy to read, and is extensively documented if you wish to go further along the path Collins is treading.

Not Even Wrong: Adventures in Autism was written by historian Paul Collins, the author of Sixpence House. Apparently Collins and his wife don't have enough sense to be devastated that their happy, healthy son Morgan is suffering with a tragic disease. The kid bounces around exuberantly playing verbal games with numbers and letters, banging on the piano, reading everything in sight, and interacting with his nanny and parents in his own way. He's as happy as Mandy West in Paul West's old classic Words for a Deaf Daughter and just as oblivious that he's actually living in a hellish prison and that there must be a real child in there struggling to get out, etc., etc., ad infinitum, while the parents think he's simply a bright kid with many interests. Who cares if he doesn't answer when you ask his name or play along with dumb "look at the funny monkey" games when there's a much more interesting talking computerized camera in the same room?

In short, the parents don't see anything wrong with the kid, because there isn't anything wrong with the kid. He's just more interested in music, math, reading, and audio equipment than people. A phalanx of experts try to convince Collins that Morgan's in need of vast amounts of therapy to bring him up to "normal", but Collins sensibly doesn't buy it even after he is made to understand that two-year-olds generally have more interest in the above social interactions.

Like Paul West citing stories of famous deaf people, Collins goes back in time to look at historical figures who may have had conditions similar to autism, which the shrinks finally talk him into believing his son is at least sort of, kind of, on the spectrum. He spends a lot of time on Peter the Wild Boy, gets into a bit of Henry Darger and others, and presents us with an endless array of fascinating trivia. Thirty years ago, the obviously devoted Collins would have been targeted as one of those too-intellectual "refrigerator parents" who forced their kids to withdraw into a shell of autism. He talks about Bruno Bettelheim, too -- the guy who faked a psychology degree and promoted the theory that all autism was caused by abusive parents. Bettelheim defrauded the psychiatric community and the public for years, while brutalizing hundreds of children at his Orthogenic School.

Collins looks for (and finds) a way to help Morgan communicate without murdering who he is, using techniques such as PECS picture cards. He also finds an autistic school where the kids are permitted to learn through their own ways and interests. The book ends in almost a parody of the old sunburst-through-clouds, ohmygod-it's a breakthrough fashion when Morgan notices Collins has left the room and yells "Daddy" to bring him back. So those who believe in the sickness/cure paradigm get a Reader's Digest condensed version of what they want, and Morgan remains jolly well autistic.

The book repeatedly and convincingly gives the message that it's a mistake to try to force we autistics to behave as something other than our true selves. Parents of other autistic kids tell Collins about how their kid went through the pink monkey routine when they were mainstreamed, but did fine in an autistic school where they were allowed to communicate in their own way. Simply letting autistic people be autistic is such a revolutionary idea! But I think it will be accepted, along with ideas such as autistic culture, in the very near future.

It is easy to forget that just a few years ago, autism was still being classified as a mental illness (in the DSM-IV, it still is). Part of this confusion is caused by the fact that some psychotic children (made that way by abuse or other toxic life circumstance) behave superficially similar to autistic (cf. Mira Rothenberg's Children with Emerald Eyes). The Journal of Autism used to be the Journal of Autism and Childhood Schizophrenia and the two conditions were constantly being mistaken for each other. Now it is generally acknowledged thanks to Bernard Rimland and others that autism has a biochemical and/or neurological basis and is not a response to child abuse. (I believe it is only a matter of time before multiple personality is similarly demystified.)

As of 2005, most mainstream services for autism are still dedicated to the propositions that autism can and must be cured, and that until that day, autistics must be trained to behave as close to non-autistic as possible. It'll take a while to change, but I believe it will change. And I will live to see it, and so will you. Thank you, Paul Collins, for bringing that day a little closer.

This book was difficult to put down so, even with a 4 year old to look after, I read it in 4 days. I haven't had that experience with a book in a long time! "Not Even Wrong" is extremely interesting and informative on the subject and history of autism and the author's own personal experience with his autistic son is a tender and heartfelt thread binding it all together. Not only did it give me a much better understanding of autism but it had a profound impact on my understanding and respect for the unique way my own mind works, as well as the minds of those around me. By taking a respectful look at the extreme differences of the autistic mind, it helps a person become more accepting of the subtle differences we all have between us that, if we work with what we've got instead of trying to fit a mold, make us so unique and interesting. Along with his talent for describing history, Paul Collins has put his heart and soul into this book.

I have come to the conclusion after rereading Notre-Dame of Paris that I must be a terribly shallow person. I expected to love it. This was one of the first classic novels that I read as a child. I loved it then. Critics love it. How could I not love it now? I'm sorry, dear readers, I am surprised and grieved to tell you that it bored me to tears.

It seemed to me now as though it were written to teach freshman literature students about place as character. Or was intended to assist a third year intensive study program on Paris in literature. The symbolism seemed large and forced and the philosophizing easy and obvious. The digressions about architecture weren't long enough to do anything except distract me from the story. I was interested in the story itself, but found it quite choppy and hard to read with all the jumps and interruptions. In fact, the bit that I liked best was the "Note Added to the Definitive Edition" included at the front of the book.

How disappointing.

Anyhow, I'm sure that this is going to earn me large brickbats thrown at my head, but I can't help it. I just didn't like it this time around. So there you go. I don't want to discourage anyone from reading it, since this is one of those books that one is simply meant to read. But I at least wanted to post this review and let any other dissenters out there know that they were not alone. I'm going to pick up another Hugo and see if it is just his style that irritates me unduly. I've given it three stars because it seemed cowardly to give it more. On the other hand, it seemed wrong to give a book of this stature less.

Feel free to tell me why I'm wrong in the comments.

(The Penguin Classics edition seems fine, by the way. The introduction is helpful. The translation by Sturrock seems good enough-- if perhaps overly peppered with archaic words. Blessedly, the notes were left as footnotes and not as endnotes.)

The book is brilliant. The caracthers are complex, except for that La Esmeralda, the city of Paris is beautiful describe and the chapter about architecture and litetarute is fascinating. Victor Hugo's style of writing is elegant and his sense of humour, sometimes really ironic, is unique.
The only low point of the book is La Esmeralda caracther. She is shallow, the typical "please rescue me" heroine and i kept asking myself praticatly the whole time i was reading it: HOW CAN SOMEONE BE SO STUPID???????? And by the end of the book, every time she said "my phoebus" i felt like slaping her. And i didn't think her love for "my phoebus" was bliding her so she couldn't see what he was really about. I think she was that dumb and stupid to not see what was right in front of her. Love isn't blind. Love is the opposite. That's why Quasimodo's love for her is so great. He is aware she doesn't love him, she doesn't even like him, she just keep on thinking about "my phoebus", he sees all that and still he loves her. That's love. What she felt was due to her stupidity.
When la esmeralda, hiding from the people who wants to hang her, hears phoebus' voice and yells "my phoebus" (it seemed that the only sentence she could say most of the book), and is found out, i thought: "she deserves to be hung, how can someone be so dumb??????".
I 'don't give 5 stars because of her.

Forget singing hunchbacks and chivalrous captains, dancing on rooftops and merry parades, and embrace the real Notre Dame of Paris. Poor, deaf Quasimodo, doggedly loyal to his vicious and stern master, delighting in his pealing bells and as flawed as every other character in the book makes a frightful counterpoint to the beautifully innocent La Esmeralda. The tale does not begin with them but events spiral around these two in a vortex of complicated plots and duplicitious people, drawing closer and closer to finally end with the two unfortunate souls. It is a single-sided Romeo and Juliet, a daisy chain of ill-conceived romance and misbegotten loves that ensanare everyone they touch. Every character has a story, from Gringoire the poet of the streets to Claude Frollo, the very model of severe ecclesiastical virtue and his miscreant brother, and even the city itself is described in occasionally agonizingly minute detail. They are at times loveable, at times odious, and forever utterly enthalling.

Victor Hugo, the French poet and writer, who wished to change how novels were written and read, wrote The Hunchback of Notre-Dame in the beginning of his career. In contrast to Les Miserables, which is his more celebrated work, and was written several decades after the Notre-dame novel, the present piece is not only laced with more humor and romance but also stands out as a piece where the young poet in Hugo pours out a ravishing range of similes. Just for the pure magic of his metaphors and similes that make all his descriptions so poetic, so powerful Notre-Dame is worth reading.

The story itself reads like a fanciful movie, an ugly hunchback, Quasimodo is brought up by a Priest Frollo, the archdeacon of Notre-dame. The hunchback is hence attached like a dog to his master to him. The English title of Hunchback of Notre-dame is a misnomer, for the original is called Notre-dame de Paris, and English title lets us assume that it is the story of Hunchback as hero, while the original title asserts it is story set in Notre-dame and has characters who reside in it, or live in its shadows. The Priest Calude Frollo, leaving his pursuit of science and philosophy meanders to a path of unrelenting lust for the gypsy dancer, Esmeralda. A writer, Pierre Grigorne, gets into a set of bizarre circumstances, where a token marriage attaches him to the gypsy. Phoebus, captain of King's Archers is the object of the affection of Esmeralda herself.

Besides these characters, there is a madwoman who lives in confinement, pining for her lost child, who was carried off by gypsies, and hates Esmeralda. There is the goat Djali, who performs tricks with Esmeralda, Jehan who is Claude Frollo's irreligious brother, King Louis IV - who interacts with Claude on issues of science, and the most important character, who lurks like an existence all though, is the Notre-Dame itself. The romances criss cross through a series of interesting episodes and drama, and that forms the crux of the story that I won't divulge here. Readers will benefit by discovering surprises and mystery for themselves, in process getting enchanted by a story that has been a popular read for centuries now.

What makes this novel a masterpiece, besides the poetic descriptions, is
Hugo's description of the cathedral of Notre-dame and the city of Paris, and his discussion of how the arrival of printing press signaled an end to the importance as architecture as the expressive art of intellectuals. The views of the author expressed in these pages and pages of delightful reading provide the reader not only with historical and architectural perspective on the buildings in Paris, but also gives us a word image of buildings, roofs, rooms, carvings, modernism, and more. In his commentaries and comparisons between writing and printing as form of expression in contrast to architecture, Hugo unmasks a wide array of issues that arrival of every new media (TV, Cinema, Internet, Digital Photography) bring. How existing precepts and concepts are revised, how adaptations occur, how each age has its own expression through any of these means- and all Hugo says so passionately about architecture or literature allows us to feel the essence of why we make monuments of stones or words in the first place.

Victor Hugo had great skill in developing characters, and describing their lives over an extended period of time, capturing how situations and people led to certain choices, behavioral changes and thought process of each. His ability of doing this, in a very detached manner, where narrative is like a camera floating into a room, and staying long enough for a distant observer to watch and identify traits of every person present there, makes him a great novelist. The novel, like all classic reads, looks formidable in size, but can be read at a formidable pace, especially after the first half of the novel is over.

Besides the merits of the novelist, and the beauty of his wordplay, the story itself is a charming one, and has been brought to screen versions many times. Reading Hugo's two major works allows one to get the same keen insight into French society of the respective times, as does Thackeray and Dickens novels for England and Tolstoy in Russia. Reading any of these masters takes time, but trust me, it is worth the patience and the effort. Recommended highly.

If you peruse through all the reviews of this book, you will notice that not one review is less than five stars. There is a reason for that. This is a phenomal book. As many have pointed out, to call it "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" is a fallcy; Quasimodo is NOT the main character; he is barely even a secondary character and I might even go as far as to call him a tertiary character. Esmerelda is really the main character. Hugo wrote the book to attempt to get Paris to restore Notre Dame cathederal and, as many reviewers have already pointed out, the cathedral really is the focal point. But the story is phenomenal. So dark and terribly sad. Hollywood has tended to butcher this story. Not one version tells the story as Hugo intended. Forget all the movie versions and just read the book. The experience is MUCH richer and MUCH more rewarding intellectually than any of them.

thank you for sending opera for dummies. it helped me write an
installation of officers for an Opera Guild. it was well-received.
it supplied the opera terms that were appropriate to my installation
and the title added a light touch for members who are well-versed in
opera. written by pat scofield, spouse of george

As you see in many of the other reviews, this is a great guide that will introduce you to opera without overwhelming you. I am new to opera, and this book gave me what I was looking for - a great understanding of opera terms, a history of the composers, and best of all, a scene-by-scene overview of 70+ operas (I didn't even realize there were that many operas!). The writing is informal, easy reading, and full of witty comments and references to the modern era. And don't forget the music CD (which I only played on my car stereo, not on my computer). The music and singing is really gorgeous, and a real treat when paired up with what you learn in the book.

If you are just stepping into the wacky, wonderful world of opera, you can't go wrong this book and CD combo to jumpstart your learning.

This book has a different "dummies" approach to opera, which is very entertaining. This is excellent, easily readable and very comprehensive. The "50 big cahunas" gives a good introduction to these operas.

Pogue and Speck provide a wonderful, humorous, and accessible text in "Opera for Dummies."

I just wish they or IDG (publishers) would stop pumping the "free CD" on every page. Readers don't need reminding, after the dozenth time, that a CD is included with the book ... besides at [$$] (retail) for book and CD, it's NOT free, we paid for it. Also the multiple reminders of their "Classical Music for Dummies" is nearly as annoying.

That said, I found the book highly entertaining and educational.

This is a great book. But there's nothing "dumb" or "for dummies" about it. Any person who is bright and has a sense of humor and who is just beginning to be interested in opera will find this funny, clever, irreverent book to be fascinating. Plus, the included CD is of high quality and has a great selection of tracks.

In sum, this book (while being not as hefty or as chock full of information as competing introduction-to-opera guides) is an intelligant, useful, user-friendly welcome to the universe of opera. The genuine passion of the authors shines through, a trait not found in many of the more traditional guides. All in all, "Opera for Dummies" is not at all for dummies, and is a "must-have" item for the opera beginner.

In June of 2006, I reviewed Champion Hill: Decisive Battle for Vicksburg, which I stated was "unequivocally, the best non-fiction narrative of a Civil War engagement that I've ever read." PEA RIDGE steps forward front and center to join that most excellent volume at the head of the rest.

The Battle of Pea Ridge, fought on March 7-8, 1862 in the northwest corner of Arkansas, was the decisive Union victory in the Trans-Mississippi theater of operations. It assured Federal control of Missouri and, for all practical purposes, eliminated the Trans-Mississippi as a significant factor in Confederate war strategy.

The confrontation between the Union army, commanded by Brig. Gen. Samuel Curtis, and the rebel force, commanded by Maj. Gen. Earl Van Dorn, is lucidly described by authors William Shea and Earl Hess. Most importantly, in my opinion, the narrative is supported by a series of superlative battlefield maps that remain completely congruent with the text throughout. At no point should the reader become confused or otherwise lack a clear understanding of the maneuvers on the field by the units involved, generally defined down to regimental level.

PEA RIDGE is further elevated by the personality portraits drawn of the principal commanders, chiefly Curtis, Van Dorn, and the erratic U.S. Brig. Gen. Franz Sigel. It's the effort the authors take in this regard that transforms the book from a dry read to one that's to be savored.

The volume is liberally sprinkled with black and white photographs of the various unit commanders and views of the present-day terrain as can be seen by visitors to the Pea Ridge National Military Park. An Appendix also incorporates a complete Order of Battle that includes known losses, i.e. killed, wounded, and missing.

Sherman's March to the Sea is famously notable for the fact that he severed his army group from its supply base as it cut a swathe through Georgia to the Atlantic. What PEA RIDGE emphasizes, and which I didn't know and popular Civil War history has pretty much ignored, is the fact that Curtis successfully took that same daring risk with his Army of the Southwest - the first Federal army to do so - in the summer of 1862 on a march of several hundred miles from Batesville, AK to the Mississippi River.

PEA RIDGE is a book eminently worth the attention of any serious or casual student of the War Between the States.

Why Pea Ridge? This book explains it all in a readable and interesting way.The Conferate army is riding an offensive "high" in 1862 with their armies seeking battle both east and west.At Pea Ridge in March 1862,during a particularly harsh wet,muddy,winter,Confederate General Earl Van Dorn leads his army of the West,approx. 14,000 men, into attack. Opposing Van Dorn is Union General Curtis', Army of the Southwest, of approx 10,500.The stakes are control of the "west of the Mississippi" states and territories with particular interest in taking St. Louis.The armies collide at Pea Ridge where Van Dorn riskily divides his army in an attempt to blow the Union army off the ridge.
The union General Curtis, is outnumbered but has the interior line of supply and his army is somewhat better equipped than Van Dorn.A joker in the deck for Curtis' army is the "foreign factor",that is recent immigrants from Germany who settled in St. Louis,led by their German generals. These FOB Germans comprise a full quarter of Curtis army.Since the German generals are obvious political appointees(in order to get German immigrants to enlist),it is obvious that General Curtis is not convinced of their reliability.During the campaign however the Germans come through for the union however with some"reservations" that are well explained in the book.There are virtually no railroads in the area and roads here are primitive to non-existent quagmires.Cur ships everything by boat or wagon train,the confederate supply situation is even worse.
After an intense 2 day battle which cost the Union about 1500 casualties and the Confederates about 2000,Van Dorn is whipped and heads out. Why? This question is answered well in the book.Apparently Van Dorn in his rush to battle has forgotten to keep his ordinance train close and runs out of ammo.(Something that simple after all those complex and daring combat maneuvers?)Van Dorn's Army of the West is no longer much of a factor after this and what is left after desertions is finished off at the disastrous attacks on Corinth,mississippi in 1862,shortly after Shiloh.
There are alot of "soldier stories" sprinkled throughout the book which add to the readability and human interest and I came away thinking the American Revolutions' Valley Forge winter couldn't have been worse for the common "GI Joe"soldier. Then to have to fight a completely savage battle during it.Pea Ridge National battlefield belongs to the men who fought there and this book should be the official manual of the park. It's just great reading.Also there is a chapter devoted to the aftermath of the battle.General Curtis ranks right up there with Sherman and Sheridan after his victory at Pea Ridge although he never received much recognition for it.The hard riding, Indian fighting, daring confederate combo of Van Dorn,Mccollough,Macintosh,and Hebert are overcome by the methodicalness of Curtiss.

I just finished reading Pea Ridge (called Elkhorn Tavern by Southerners), and was impressed with the treatment of the common soldiers' struggles both in and out of battle. The authors do a good job there. The maps are ok, but could be better (more).

What I find unfavorable (yet again) is the treatment of the South in general. The book is written from the 'all conquering, righteous Union' point-of-view. Take for instance the fact that Missourians fought on both sides. In the book the ones who fought for the North are labeled as "loyal". Are the ones fighting for the South disloyal? No! they were loyal to their state and the Confederacy...
While this book seems to be the 'best' coverage of this neglected battle, it still radiates with the current political correctness we all have to endure. Just tell things like they are (or were in 1862).
A good book, but could be better.

This book is a model for clarity in histories of the Civil War. The author describes troop movements and strategic decisions in an accessible manner. The meaning of the Pea Ridge campaign is made clear. In this book, you can follow the battlefield and get a sense of where people were at any given moment.

The South lost the West in this battle; the battle pre-saged many of the tactical innovations of the Civil War. This "sideline" battle is revealed as more important than most realize, an early indication that western battles would yield Union victories.

Even among Civil War buffs, Pea Ridge is pretty much a forgotten battle. Shea's book remedies that with clear, readable and moving narrative and keen analysis of the largest Civil War battle fought in Arkansas (and depending on which numbers you believe, the largest fought west of the Mississippi). Even more importantly, the book provides compelling reasons why Pea Ridge should NOT be a forgotten battle. He also spotlights the brilliant performance of Samuel Curtis, perhaps the Union's most underrated general, as well as the less-than-brilliant work of Confederate General Earl Van Dorn, who had all of Jeb Stuart's style but not of his skills.

Lots of neat info on Cap and Ball Revolvers. I expected the good load and accuracy info, gunsmithing tips, and model reviews, but I was surprised how much I liked the historical info and writing style. Great book.

Well-written, lots of information about caplocks during their brief but important period of use. I was not disappointed in the reason for purchase which was the honest reviews of modern replicas. The only reason for 4 instead of 5 stars are the pictures and awful Old English font used. A 19th century one would have been better. Maybe in the 2nd edition they will make some changes.

Good Job MEC


A very good book that gives valuable information on black powder pistols and their history. The author does a superb job on keeping it straight giving the latest and greatest. Along with the past of shooting pistols and percussion revolvers.

I am pleased with the book with one major exception. The book's promotional material here on Amazon shows large color pictures. Copy these for your viewing pleasure because that is all you are going to see. The book in a smaller format and everything is printed in black & white. The diagrams of the pistols parts, text in the pictures, etc are too small to see and be useful. The textural information however is VERY good. This is the only book I have found on the subject but it's presentation could be improved upon.

This is a fun little book, obviously a labor of love by the authors. The coverage of performance is not all-inclusive, but the historical information is interesting and you can infer the authors' preferences for certain brands of reproductions. They missed the Rogers & Spencer revolver, though there aren't many of them around. I like the R&S grip and it's a solid design, so too bad they didn't cover it. The book does cover the Colts and the Remington New Army pretty thoroughly, along with a few others that were of less interest to me. It steered me away from the Walker and Dragoon Colts and convinced me I had to have an 1851 Navy Colt, though I bought a .44-cal version that's compatible with my other cap-and-ball revolvers. The authors didn't test the .44-cal, only the more-common .36-cal.

What this book needs more than anything else is copy editing. There are many consistent misspellings, which detract from the pleasure of reading it. That's why I gave it only 4 stars. Perhaps the authors can find a friendly local English teacher to clean up the manuscript before the next edition.

Just a comment about the reviews of this great book. Without rehashing the accolades and criticisms: If you think the character portrayal was disrespectful to "the Few," you have obviously, never spent any time in a tactical aviation unit. The dynamics of the young pilots' relationships with each other was pretty close to reality.

This book is spot on if you want to know what squadron life is like! (minus the chateau of course)

I looked for this book after catching the end of the miniseries on TV. I guess the author broke a lot of "rules" about characters and probably other things, too, but I loved it. You might be introduced to a character, learn all about him, and find him dead two pages later. This gave me a sense for what it might have been like to live through those harrowing years. The readers, just like the aviators themselves, don't know who's going to make it through. An absolutely fascinating drama. Highly recommended!

Having grown up "over there" reading this book makes you wonder how indeed we did win the Battle of Britain. Great book.

This is one of my favourite books ever, perhaps rivalled only by Robinson's other masterpiece, "Goshawk Squadron", both of which I have read and re-read again and again over the years. The writing is simple, subtle and brilliant, the dialogue sparking and witty, the atmosphere vivid.

Was this what life in the RAF was really like at the start of the Second World War? The author's unemotional writing carries with it a gritty and entirely convincing sense of reality; you cannot help think that this is really how it was.

From the opening sentence to the final full stop, Robinson delivers a tense and entertaining story whose characters spring to life from the pages. If many of his personae are necessarily only lightly sketched and interchangeable, others are multi-dimensional portraits that remind me forcefully of the kind of people I went to school with or suffered under as a pupil. (I served my time in a British Public School. By the 1960s we were living in 1890).

We meet Ramsey, headstrong and impatient, but he is in such a hurry that we have little time to get to know him. Fanny Barton, an athletic but uncertain New Zealander suffers from social insecurity and a nervous introspection that drives him to hasty and poorly considered decisions. Lord Rex is confident and breezy, but his aristocratic charm disguises an unpleasant ruthless arrogance, and sometimes callous cruelty. Despite his experience as a pilot in the First World War, the much older adjutant Kellaway comes from an earlier epoch, and ideas of gallantry are not completely erased. Skull Skelton, the intelligence officer, by contrast, sees the folly of war for what it is - and gains few friends from his outspoken views. Moggy Cattermole is thoroughly unlikeable from the beginning. When we meet him he has just stolen a giant gollywog from someone by punching him in the eye. As the story progresses his unusually ugly character is slowly revealed to the reader. By contrast, Chris Hart III is an upright, cynical, war-weary American, viewed by some as an unwelcome colonial intrusion into a thoroughly British war.

On the ground, Robinson evokes the colours and scents of wartime France and England, and mercilessly - but without fuss - shows us the muddle, misconceptions and incompetence of the administrative machinery of 1939 and 1940. He lets the reader see the unthinking class snobbery of the young pilots, making us reassess these otherwise often likeable individuals and realise that by upbringing they must in many cases have been blinkered and insufferable, arrogant self-anointed masters of the universe. But you cannot dislike these pilots. They live intensely and with gusto, and the reader is swept up into their funny, unscrupulous, devil-take-the-hindmost world where a quick turn of phrase and disregard for personal safety are badges of honour.

By the outbreak of the air war in 1940 the Spanish Civil War had convincingly demonstrated that large formations of fighters were horribly vulnerable to attacks from an enemy using more flexible tactics. The RAF ignored the lesson that the Luftwaffe had taught the Spanish Republican Air Force and stuck to the outmoded air gymkhana for no reason but doctrine. Robinson shows in this book how the RAF gradually came to accept that doctrine does not win air battles.

In the air, Robinson immerses us in a vast and frightening arena of battle. His descriptions of flying a Hurricane are so well executed that the reader can almost feel the vibration of the airframe and smell the hot oil and hear the exhilarating roar from the Merlin engine. In some books you can predict which character will live and which die; in this book you get the feeling that you had better not get too attached to any of the jaunty, interesting individuals that inhabit its pages. Death is as unexpected and final here as it must have been to the young men and women who saw these events at first hand. Robinson delivers battle in the air with a mastery that leaves the reader shocked and shaken as death scythes in from below, from behind, from nowhere, in an abrupt shuddering blur from the empty sky.

I have read many war novels. "Piece of Cake" has few rivals.

The Battle of Britain. Dashing, fearless young patriots out of Shakespeare take to their machines to save Albion from Nazi bombers. Battling hopeless odds and a vastly superior enemy, these lions of the sky prevail against evil, save democracy, and land back at base in time for their tea.

Or not.

Derek Robinson's "Piece of Cake" has to be one of the most brutally cynical, myth-debunking pieces of historical fiction ever put to pen. In its 650+ pages it methodically, and at times gleefully, ravages the heroic sterotype of Britain's fighter pilots cemented by the hundreds of books, movies, and documentaries which have come out since the war. In the language of the book, it puts paid to all that bumf and tells the truth --or rather, Robinson's version of it.

"Cake" is the story of Hornet Squadron, a rather average collection of fighter pilots flying Hurricanes, between September 1939 and September 1940. It details their involvement in the "phoney war," the Battle of France and lastly, the Battle of Britain. From the very first chapter, when a number of the pilots wreck their car while driving home drunk from a pub, then steal a tractor, and finally horses, to get back to their base, the reader begins to realize that we few, we happy few, we band of brothers, is nowhere to be found here. With the occasional exception, Hornet Squadron is a collection of snobbish, selfish, sophomoric, not-too-terribly bright adrenaline junkies who joined the RAF in the hopes of blowing things up without legal consequences. It's a case of be careful what you wish for, times two.

For a story with so many characters -- the squadron has more than a dozen, and chaps are always getting knocked off and replaced -- Robinson does a terrific job of keeping them all fresh and distinct from each other. Each reader will have his own favorite "good" guy -- goodhearted flight leader Fanny Barton, the cold-blooded American volunteer Christopher Hart ("CH3"), the crazy as a loon Flash Gordon, or possibly the non-fighting duo of "Uncle" Kellaway (the squadron adj) and his sidekick, an Oxford don turned intelligence officer "Skull" Skellen, who spend a lot of time arguing about squirrels. There is no question about the squadron's biggest bastard -- not since "GoodFellas" Joe Pesci/Tommy DeVito did I hate somebody as much as Lance "Moggy" Cattermole, the big, smooth-talking sociopath who seems to enjoy tormenting and using his squadron mates even more than he likes to machine-gun German pilots as they hang helpless in their parachutes. Robinson takes positive delight in showing how how Hart's theory that "up there the world is divided into bastards and suckers" also applies on terra firma.

"Piece of Cake" was a contraversial book not only for its thoroughly unglamorous depiction of the RAF jocks but because it expands on the touchy and undiscussed issue of the RAF's kill claims. The pilots, who in fairness can hardly be blamed for making mistakes given the nature of air combat prior to the installation of the gun camera, claimed about 2.5 German aircraft destroyed for every one that actually was. The vastly overstated statistics issued by the RAF made their way into the postwar literature and contributed to the mythos surrounding the battle. In point of fact, the Germans had about 900 fighters to the Brits 600, and the Me 109 was badly hampered by its extremely short range and the necessity to try and protect the bombers. The odds were somewhat closer than the Brits care to believe.

"Piece of Cake" wasn't written to disparage the courage of the British pilots or denigrate their accomplishments, but to show them for what they were -- young, often immature officer-boys of varying character who sometimes died stupid and futile deaths. In other words, human beings at war. In this sense, Robinson does the RAF a favor, for heroism is much more impressive when it comes from real people rather than Hollywood cartoons. After all, peacetime flaws often make for wartime virtues. Or as Hart says to Fanny Barton about Moggy: "He really does like killing people. You don't know how lucky you are to have him."

This small gem was first published in 1985 as the embers of Vietnam had a decade to cool. Lt. Col. (at the time of the book's publication) McDonough had spent nearly six months leading a infantry platoon as a freshly minted 2nd Lieutenant out of West Point. And in that time, he would see war in all it's horror, sordidness and stupidity. But he would also see the bonds between soldiers (particularly the infantry), the camaraderie and the sacrifice.
But McDonough's greatest achievment isn't that he just wrote about his combat experiences in Vietnam. It's that in describing his experience, he went beyond the boundaries (if it can be called that) of Vietnam and managed to catch a universal truth facing all small unit commanders not just in Vietnam, but in war, any war.
A World War II veteran can read this and relate to McDonough's experiences. And small unit leaders in Afghanistan and Iraq will especially relate to it.
I don't know if this book is required reading at the military academies, but it should be. It's been hailed as a classic of small unit leadership and will likely continue to be. All small unit leaders should be required to read it.

In 1991, I had the privilege of being a student at the School of Advanced Military Studies at Fort Leavenworth under the direction of then Col James McDonough. A man of deep reflection, he was also passionate about soldiers and ensured that everything we did as students in teh study of warfare and campaign design kept them in mind.

Now I am a university professor offering courses in US military history. Part of what I do is to expose my students to leadership and battle at the small unit level. There is no better book for that purpose concerning Vietnam than McDonough.

Every student takes something different away from this book because, unlike many assigned books, they read it. The book captures you right from the beginning. You really can't put it down. And, it contains more lessons about life and leadership than I can express here.

Knowing the author personally in 1991-1992 is special, for I saw in him then the character that had developed from his time in Vietnam. He tells it like it is, he means what he says, and he stands by his word. His book is more than just a memoir, it is therapy for a man who must live with the past, both for better and for worse.

James McDonough provides an in-depth look at infantry platoon operations in Vietnam. This is a must read for anyone who intends to pursue a military career. The book is very graphic, but also very succint and to the point. McDonough doesn't waste time with superfluous details, every word is well chosen and critical to the telling of the story. Once you begin reading, you will not want to stop. It is a quick read, and well worth the time it takes.

Platoon Leader was an excellent read, and one I would recommend for all those enjoy military reading. I would especially suggest it to all junior military leaders. Entertaining and well written, the author discusses at length his role as a leader, and what he views as good and bad leaders. The aspect of the book I enjoyed the most was it allowed the reader to see leadership, on a small-unit level, working in real-world combat conditions. Unlike many books leaders read for professional development, it shows how leadership works when employed and doesn't just philosophize about leadership principles.

As a junior officer I have an entire list of professional reading that I am trudging my way through, but so far McDonough has been by far the most enjoyable and has made the biggest impact on my own leadership style. Both Platoon Leader and Defense of Hill 781 are great books, but Platoon Leader is so far the best military memoir I have read. It has been over a year since I read this book, but the three things that have stuck with me are:
1. Do the right thing, at the right time, for the right reason.
2. Death in a combat zone is more about just being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Sooner or later your luck runs out, but you have the duty to your fellow soldiers to do everything in your power to protect them.
3. The stealing of a bottle of soda from a grandmother leads slowly but inevitable to the rape of her granddaughter. If you let your soldiers steal at all you are setting the stage for what atrocities they will commit later. You must always be vigilant in your discipline.

While I do not have combat experience, I am currently serving in Iraq and know second handedly that these concepts still hold true.

Other than the leadership aspect of the book, Mcdonough is just a great story teller and is able to make the book engaging and addicting.

Wow, What an Amazing Book
Hi, the book I'm reviewing is Poppy and Rye. The authors name is Avi. The location were the book mostly takes place is the brook. Another location is the beaver's lodges which you will find out were that is later in the book.

Things from the story
One of the very important things is when Poppy the mouse was about to make a trip to Ragweed's old house so she could tell Ragweed's parents why Ragweed would never return. Poppy called her best friend Ereth the porcupine old because she was apologizing because Poppy had been begging Ereth to come with her. Then Poppy said she was sorry for not respecting the elderly. Then Ereth got the impression that Poppy was calling him old. Another thing was when Poppy and Rye met. They met when Ereth was sleeping and Poppy was supposed to be sleeping. Poppy was dancing with a daisy and Rye asked if he could join. There's a beaver who's named Cas and he's got plans to make the brook into a lake. They have also captured Rye! What will happen to him????

Things I Liked
Some of the things I liked about this book are that the author gave so many details for example: the author described the grass in Dimwood as moist, the trees leaves delicious and the stars dancing in beauty and grace. When I read this book I couldn't stop reading until I figured out what happened to the character that was in distress. The book is a very good book. I also liked how the mice were braver than humans at times
For example: a 3 inch tall mouse has the courage to go in a beaver lodge when the beaver's are 2ft. and have giant tails. I thought it was pretty much fiction but, it was still fun to read.

My Ratings
I give this book, without a doubt, a 5 star rating because it's just a great book. I think this book is meant for kid's ages 9-13 years old.

The book was a gift and it came in time for Christmas.

Struggling to find her love Rye, Poppy (a mouse) has to stop the beavers from making dams. She also has to stop them from turning the beautiful little pond to a big and dirty lake. Rye (a mouse) is trapped inside a dam and cannot get free. So Poppy is not only trying to stop the beavers and set free Rye, Poppy has a wild adventurer with her friend the porcupine, Ereth to tell Ragweed's parents (Rye's brother) is dead. Can Poppy stop the beavers as well as set free Rye and deliver the news? To find out, the call number is AVI and the author and illustrator is Avi and Brian Floca. You need to read this book along with the other great adventures with its series. "Ragweed," "Poppy,' "Poppy and Rye," Ereth's Birthday" and "Poppy's Return." This author has written many great books especially this one. So please, read this book. "Poppy and Rye" is a book for anyone. It has adventure, describing and wow words and many more! Here are some describing and colorful weird words said by Ereth. "Oh, fox flip," the porcupine growled. "Sticky roach toes," Ereth muttered. "Crabgrass up their snoots," Ereth snapped. Avi has a great word choice that makes you picture everything but with words. He really uses his imagination when it comes to writing words. This book I think everyone should read. So please try it!

An absolutly stunning childrens book, Avi makes it an exciting and addicting read. Very powerful read aloud to young children. It is the best book in the series, in my opinion. I highly recomend it.

Poppy has done it again ! Not onley does she save Ragweed's brother ,Rye , from a nasty batch of beavers ,
but she also saves Ragweed's family as well. I'd say this book is for someone who likes animals that's
proabaly why I like it so much.

Consistent with postmodernism's morbid taste for irony of every stripe, this book is itself to be read most ironically. For, though Glenn Ward clearly didn't intend to do so, he here brilliantly exposes postmodernism as the fundamentally anti-philosophical, decadent, thoroughly nihilist sigh of defeat that it is. If you have any doubts about the utter bankruptcy of what has come to be known as postmodernism, this book should dispel them all. Highly recommended.

P.S. For more amusing and devastating exposures of postmoderism's silliness, see The Sokal Hoax: The Sham That Shook the Academy and Fashionable Nonsense: Postmodern Intellectuals' Abuse of Science. Also see the website, The Postmoderism Generator. For antidotes to this nonsense, begin with E.F. Schumacher's excellent Guide for the Perplexed and James V. Schall's Another Sort of Learning.

The book provides a comprehensive, yet cautiously and circumspectly written, overview of the philosophical tradition that constitutes "postmodernism." It is the ideal introduction and orientation to the subject, and like a good map, facilitates further study in greater depth. It managed to answer all of my questions and illuminate all of the references to postmodernism that I have been tripping over in various other works. That is what I bought it for and that is the service it has provided. It does not "dumb down" the material, but distills its essence. It is, of course, as superficial as any introductory overview of any field, but it is certainly comprehensive. An excellent topographical map of the terrain! Recommended.

This book has a lot of information in it. I am using it in a class.

Being heavily interested in art, I fell in love with the philosphy of postmodernism as it is an issue, and a period, in which we live. While philosphy is often incredibly dense, this book helps lure you in as it gives a simple, unbiased overview of different aspects, reasons, and affects of postmodernism. It draws on several different critics of postmodernism and branches out to discuss the cultural, architectural, artistic, political, and self-developmental issues. After reading this, I find it hard to objectively view everything in life as I somehow draw connections back to postmodernism. The book also gives suggestions for further reading if you're interested in a certain viewpoint and would like to explore it in greater depth. Unfortionately, there are some issues in the book that you wonder why people would actually waste their time studying as they are rather pretensious, but nonetheless, it is a nice, easy, broad introduction into an boundless area of study.

I had always heard the term "postmodernism" and never really put much thought into it. However about four years ago, while I was working on my masters in social sciences the term was brought up again and again. After reading many philosophy type books, I thought the concept was grasped. Consequently, the notion of postmodernism was still nebulous, evasive and elusive. I can recall asking my advisor in my graduate program what defines a postmodern theorist. He simplistically stated that a postmodern theorist will claim he/she isn't a postmodern theorist. Also postmodern theorists tend to not agree with one and other.

Ultimately I felt quasi-comfortable about my knowledge in postmodernism, yet I had a thirst for more. This led me to look for a book on the topic and to "Teach Yourself Postmodernism". I have to say that I am very pleased with the content within the pages of this paperback by Glenn Ward. This book spoke of postmodernism in terms of architecture, art, music, film, history, politics, fashion, languages/words/text and psychology (to list a few). Another thing that I liked about this book is it provided many lucid and tangible examples when discussing concepts. For instance, the movie Blade Runner was used as paradigm of postmodernism.

Modernism was also tackled in this book, mainly because there can't be postmodern without modern. The book also is reader friendly. However, there were some aspects/points that were totally over my head. I reread many components several times and grasped it and other things were just way too abstract for me to clench.

Other cool parts of this book:

* Ideas are broken down by chapters
* Theorists from both modern & postmodern are reviewed
* Books on similar subject matter within a chapter are provided
* There is a chronological list dates of postmodern history
* A glossary of key terms used throughout the book
* As noted prior, many lucid examples of postmodernism

Overall, I felt like this was a great book to learn about not only postmodernism, but society and really the world people live in. The book is only about 232 pages, but Glenn Ward packed a great deal of information in this book. I would be really interested in reading another book by him, just based off this one. After finishing this book, I feel like I have a more solid understanding of the complex perception that is postmodernism.

I agree with the reviews below that the autobiographical portions of QUARTERED SAFE OUT HERE constitute an outstanding memoir of the jungle fighting in Burma. Fraser excels at capturing the nuances of day-to-day existence in an extraordinary situation. I loved the way he recreates the regional dialect of his fellow soldiers, enumerates the items in his backpack, and describes the combat as a matter-of-fact, exhausting business of sights, sounds, and smells, which culminates in the deaths of a few British soldiers and a great many more Japanese.

My reservations come because of the passages devoted to lambasting what Fraser sees as "politically correct" postwar critics. These make up perhaps only 5% of the overall narrative, but they recur regularly, and I think they're too much. In them, Fraser clearly has an axe to grind. He stops being the delightfully ambiguous author of the Flashman books who realizes that his protagonist is simultaneously a coward and a hero. Instead, he's grumpy grandpa snarking through a holiday party about the in-laws he doesn't like. It's a letdown. The book would have been better had he downplayed or deleted those portions, because the combat narrative is strong enough to stand on its own and make its own points, the way E.B. Sledge's gut-churning descriptions of Peleliu and Okinawa in WITH THE OLD BREED stand on their own.

I love the Flashman books, and I'm very fond of 95% of QUARTERED SAFE OUT HERE. But the denunciations flaw the book.

I write this, by the way, as the son of a Pacific war veteran who never forgave the Japanese, either. But somehow Dad managed not to interrupt his war stories to unload on modern critics. I wish Fraser had done likewise.

George MacDonald Fraser has written one of the few memoirs of the Burma campaign penned by an enlisted soldier. The author served with the famed 17th Indian 'Black Cat' Division at the capture and siege of Meiktila, through the battle of Pyawbwe and saw a final skirmish with remnents of Japanese forces at the Sittang Bend. His description of the life and attitudes (much of which would now be termed politically incorrect) of the average British soldier fighting in Burma is priceless. What I found particularly enjoyable is how he kept the conversation of his fellow soldiers in the vernacular of their home in Cumberland. Some may find it difficult to follow but it lends a definite air of authenticity. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the Burma campaign or wanting to read a great war memoir.

Even when you want them too...

Ok, just kidding. But that is the sort of cynical joke old Fraser would appreciate.
Old soldiers tales are a neglected genre but one thousands of years old, a genre that has produced such classics as Anabasis, and Seven Pillers of Wisdom. While Quartered Safe Out Here does not rise to that level, it is a gem in it's own right.
If there is one word that describes this book, it is authenticity. Fraser sounds like an old soldier. The book reads, not like an intellectual telling of the strange customs of His Majesties Servants, but like what you would expect a veteran telling tales at a pub to sound like. A comparatively well educated, Old Soldier, but an Old Soldier nonetheless and no different from others.

In this book, Fraser tells of his service with the Border Regiment. These are as he puts it, "A martial race of men"; with the fatalistic acceptance of bloodshed, grimly practical outlook on war, and piratical spirit of the Anglo-scottish frontier brigands of yore. As well as the constant grumbling which sounds most soldierly. Fraser mixes with his comrades well. He is often harsh in his outlook, but he does not glorify war and certainly does not pretend it is enjoyabale. Nor does he display the fashionable horror at war which in some writers seems to be an obligatory assurance to the reader rather then an expression of a writer's true outlook. War is a job to Fraser and it was as well that it be done right. He seems to have a rather grim personality and a cynical sense of irony which may grate on some, but sounds like one made coarse by the stress of battle. In other words he sounds believable. His means of narrative is also believable. He gives scenes as they appear in his memory, some banal, some humorous or carrying a bit of pathos. And sometimes even a minor degree of romance(yes, statistically it has to happen like the movies SOMETIMES)as when he hears a man singing the regimental song during an assault on a Japanese position, and comments that he really did hear it sung in battle and that was something worth telling about. Of course Fraser follows by telling how one of his comrades told the singer to shut up. So much for romance.

Those who are uneasy with the values of previous generations might find it hard to take. Fraser is comfortable with his dislike of the Japanese, approves of the British Empire, and has an innate dislike of change and though some readers can accept that not all will. Like Tommy Atkins in Kipling's poem, he could be a rude fellow sometimes but he was there when he was needed and our generation owes something to him.

In any case it was a well written work, that shows a convincing picture of what it was like to do service in those times. Many writings have been written which told of the lives of soldiers. This one tells what it is to be a soldier. And tells it well and enjoyably. To think of Quartered Safe Out Here as giving profound messages would be wrong. Fraser is not shy about his opinions but his opinions, whatever their value, have been heard before and are not either more or less valid because of his experiences. Rather, Fraser gives an authentic picture of what it was like. You can feel your feet ache from the endless marching, feel the weight of your knapsack on your back, smell the smell of death and experience the many and various fears that constitute a soldier's life. It is a great book and well worth your time.

If you're looking for history that lives, for a first-hand account of what war is really like - or can be - or for an often poignant, often entertaining, occasionally shocking reminder of the bravery and courage of soldiers who have barely escaped childhood, you'll have to look long and hard for better than this.

Fraser gives us 'the other side of the coin' - there's no chest-beating 'War Is Bad' sentimentality here, no complaining, no self-pity. He brings vividly to life a group of comrades who fought because they believed in something, who would have carried on fighting if asked to, and who died, forgotten or demeaned through revisionist histories, for the freedoms and rights that we enjoy today.

But he gives us even more: as you'd expect from such a classy best-selling author, he gives us a riviting, fast-paced soldier's tale, something that were it not true would easily sit with any novel on the shelves of your local bookshop. He gives us something which, when all's said and done, is absolutely readable. And for that, as much as anything else, you should want to buy this book.

It is not often you see this many reviews all of which are 5 stars so when one does you pretty much know that this is a special book. All the reviews for the book are spot on. It rings of authenticity, something that it is usually difficult for a writer do but when you finish this book you have a feeling about this man and his experiences with Nine Section that, at least for me, I never felt before and I have read many military history books. Nine Section is 10 men, like an American army squad led my a non-commissioned officer who is more of of the men rather than an officer. There is no big picture here, just what faced this one small group of men in a very difficult time and place.

Fraser's description of the 50th anniversary of VJ Day and his reluctant participation was very moving.

His commentary on the "spirtual hypochondria" of the modern world was absolutely accurate. (pg. 89-90) I loved his comment on intrusive modern television journalists when he said, "I can regret, though, that there were no modern television "journalists" transported back in time to ask Grandarse (a Nine Section soldier): "How die you FEEL when you saw Corporal Little shot dead?" I would have like to his his reply."