history

Like many other reviewers, I read this book in a few sittings, staying up until the wee hours of the morning, and neglecting my husband and kids (except for reading parts to my 7-yr. old daughter), because I was so involved in Sarah's life. I read it on the treadmill, in the car, making dinner, at work...just couldn't put it down. I love how the story starts, with Sarah's "quaintly uneducated" narrative, watching her prose progress to the likes of a great teacher. I loved all the main characters, especially Jack, Sarah, and Savannah and feel as though I've learned much about life from them. Pioneer women are truly heroes, and I want to know more about them and their incredible experiences.

My eyes have red rings around them today as I totally lost it at the end. I had water coming from every hole in my head and snuck to the bathroom before my husband could see me and make fun of me. I've even begun to cry numerous times just reading these reviews. Jack wasn't perfect but his love and devotion to Sarah and the kids was amazing. I hated the irony of what finally happened to him and was hoping he would stay. The romantic parts of the book were tastefully done, yet I couldn't get enough of those either. I just didn't want it all to end and will reread it immediately, savoring it this time and picking up things I missed before.

Ms. Turner: Thank you for such a riveting work. Please do a sequel! I kept thinking and hoping that Sarah would end up a Professor of Latin at the new University in Tucson. (It was also baffling to me that Sarah didn't explode in anger that her husband opened her test grade, presenting the paper to her as a gift, for her birthday) She's only what, 38 when the story ends, so there's so much left for her to do and share about herself and family! Sam Elliott and Sissy Spacek would have been good for the movie 20 years ago. Now, it's questionable who could carry these characters, but please bring this story to life! Movies are NEVER as good as the books they portray, but bringing this beautiful story to the big screen, even if the movie's not altogether worthy, would be better than nothing at all!

I don't want to ramble on and on about how much I LOVED THIS BOOK, but I've got to say a few things at least. This book was sooo sweet, and was action packed, and made characters seem so real that they jumped out of the page when they spoke. In ways, I know that I can relate to Sarah. I love books with heroes or heroines you can relate to, because they can so easily put your feelings into words. The story is about Sarah Prine, an 18-yr-old Texas-girl who is "pioneering" to Arizona Territory. She suffers lots of hardships, like family memebers dying, friends dying, indian attacks, stuff like that. Well, guarding the wagon train is the handsome(yet one whom Sarah despises)cavalry officer named Captain Jack Elliot who has lost his heart to her. When they settle down in Arizona, Sarah marries an old family friend name Jimmy, entering into a loveless marraige. When Jimmy dies, Sarah is left with her baby named April, when Captain Elliot enters her life again. She finally falls in love with him, and the rest of the book is about their wonderful marraige. But, a word of warning, all you emmotional readers, beware. The ending of this book left me bawling like a baby. It was so heartbreakingly sad!That must mean that the story is really powerful, for I've read lots of saddish books, but this is the only one I ever cried for. I'm not kidding...I literally bawled. Also, I'm glad the book ended when it did, cause I don't think I could bear wondering how Sarah lived on after the tragedy that happens. Anyway, though the ending is really sad, that doesn't mean that this marvelous book isn't worth reading, so READ!

The immediacy of the first person narrative coupled with the author's use of understatement in Sarah Prine's journal thoughts and writings made this one of the best books of the year for this reader. From the first sentence, I was completely immersed in Sarah's world and felt priviledged to meet all the members of her family and to witness her relationship with Capt. Jack Elliot. There are unforgettable men that we as readers all carry in our hearts, and Capt. Jack Elliot certainly deserves to be included among them! These Is My Words is just one of those wonderful, sink-right-in-to-the-book stories...tailor made for a cozy winter weekend reading experience.

How did I not discover this Book before now? I have read all the reviews posted on the Net & realise it was published some Years ago, I have never been interested in War novels but Stumbled on to this in the Russian section in a large Bookstore - read the back cover & took it home. As Sajer himself says throughout the Book -words cannot describe the Horror that these men were catapulted into - forget wether it's true, forget the critics who drone on about facts & details , this is a book that shows the Horror of War & the shocking cruelty that stems from this. Sajer enters the War & from there is caught inexorably in the Guts of the whole machine - he responds in the same way that you or I would under the circumstances , I have read reviews where some describe him as a coward for surviving only because he was the first to hit the ground when the firing started-so would I have been - who but a lunatic would'nt! The Book describes a Man's terrible journey through War - forget wether he was French German or Russian - this story is every Soldiers account of War on the Front, I am going to lend this Book out to a friend & read it again when I get it back. When I was reading the final chapter I could'nt speak the whole story consumed me, I do wish that he had found Paula again or that he met up with Hals after the War - but this was real life , it did'nt have to have a happy ending. Go on read the Book yourself - post your own review, & be forever changed by what you see in your minds eye.......

I've already bought a lot of books about war, including many personal accounts, and this one is one of the best. Mr. Sajer was a half french soldier in the german WWII army. He fought in the eastern front and, with great skill, tell us the story of life and death in Russia. While thousands of personal narratives have been written about the war in the west, the eastern front remains in a distant second place. This book fill a large gap. Based on previous reviews I bought it and I can't stop reading. It is a vivid account of a ordinary soldier life in a wild and bitter enviroment. There is no such a glory or a idealized fight like Rudel's "Stuka Pilot" nor the officer point of view as the excelent Knappe's "Soldat", just a man, like you and me, and his comrades trying to survive the war. I have no words to recommend it.

I've just finished the book & the 150 reviews on this cite. Without going into details about the book (true v. fiction, or pro v. anti nazi), the book made me (and apparently 150 other reviewers) think. With so much fluff bombarding our literary, educational & entertainment senses, why wouldn't you read a book that makes you sit back and think. It was both the fastest read (I too, couldn't put it down) & the slowest as I reread passages over & over again. I've just ordered every used copy I could find to hand out to my friends.

They say the school children aren't taught much about Pearl Harbor and the great battles of World War II anymore and I wonder why. The generation of Americans that fought for all Americans is fast disappearing. Beore that happens books like Flags of our Fathers should be required reading for one of the high school history courses to educate the kids about the sacrifices made by 17-20 yr old boys in 1945. I was16 at the time yet I did not understand how vital the battle of Iwo Jima was to the victory over Japan; of how determined the Niponese soldiers were to fight to the death for the glory of their emperor; how brave our boys were to face the onslaught of all the guns and bullets thrown at them even as they stepped off the landing ships thru the ocean water turned red by the Marines blood. No wonder the few survivors did not want to talk about the night mares they endured for years after returning home. This book along with other stories of WW II should be read by all of us in memory of each man and woman who answered their country's call to defend our lives and the way we chose to live it. Otherwise we might be speaking Japanese or German today.

Born in 1974, I can hardly claim to have experienced the terror and patriotism that surrounded WWII. By all accounts, the picture of the flag raising on Mount Suribachi has always existed for me. In ever history book through school, the six men hoisting the American flag on a makeshift pole atop this sawed-off "mountain" was printed as the epitome of American valor. Little was mentioned about the people or the event that surrounded this monumental photograph. Now, thankfully, we know.

This book is an absolute must-read. At once a biography of each of these six brave men, a history book, a war novel, and a tale of struggle, this book should find its way onto the bookshelf of every American. The lives of these men before, during, and after the battle of Iwo Jima is enough to fill you with great sadness and immense patriotic pride simultaneously.

This book is as relevant today as it could have been had it been published 55 years ago. While it is quite usual to hear words like honor, courage, and commitment strewn about by talking heads that pervade our society and media, it is rare to see these demonstrated by actual human beings. The stories of these men will show that that even under great strain the human spirit can thrive, and that occaisionally our heroes can be taken at face value.

However, as Bradley points out, these men were not heroes for raising that flag on Mount Suribachi. They, like every other American boy who set foot on foreign soil for God and country half a century ago, were heroes for the simple act of being there and doing the best they could.

Buy this book.

My father ran away from home when he was 17, lied about his age, and joined the Marines. He was standing guard duty on the Panama Canal when Pearl Harbor was attacked. He shipped out almost immediately for the South Pacific as part of the First Marine Division. He served on Guadalcanal and Bougainville. That is almost the entire extent of my knowledge of my father's World War II experiences. Although I lived with him until I went away to college, he just didn't talk about it. Reading this book by James Bradley helped me to understand that I am not alone in this experience.

Our fathers' generation fought a war without daily body counts on the evening news, without "embedded" journalists, and without carping from the home front about why they shouldn't be there. They fought it quietly and stoically. They won their war, and the survivors came home to get back to the business of being human. This is a great book with many lessons for a country facing a war against terrorism. May God grant that we fight it as effectively, successfully, and heroically as our fathers' generation fought their war.

One of the best, and most influential, Christian authors of any time, C. S. Lewis's "The Screwtape Letters" is a compelling, and chilling, fictional look at what goes on behind our back in the demonic spirit world.

Screwtape, an upper level demonic spirit, often writes his subordinate, Wormwood, a demonic spirit assigned to misguide and misdirect a human on earth. The letters explain to Wormwood how he would best accomplish his mission of keeping the human our of the Enemy's (God's) hands and ensure that when he dies he goes straight to blazes.

What is most chilling about "The Screwtape Letters" is that, even after all of these years, how much a person can see of themselves in them. Letter after letter seemed to be talking about me directly. Time and time again I saw one demonic trap after another I had fallen into being explained in a letter.

I have to caution you, however. This book is not an easy read. C. S. Lewis did not attempt to write a book that everybody could understand. You will probably have to spend some time re-reading many letters and looking up words in your dictionary and/or concordance for a better understanding of what is being said. This can become quite frustrating, but when you are able to break through and understand a letter you will be able to see how it can apply to your own life.

If you were ever interested in getting a better understanding of how the Enemy and his demonic spirits work, this is a great book to do it with. But be warned: you will learn something about yourself in the process.

"The Screwtape Letters" is the absolute best book I have ever read. It is a very well written book. It really makes you think. C.S. Lewis' style is exquisite. He paints with words as an artist paints with pictures and a musician with notes and rhythms. While still being the best book I have ever read, it is also one of the strangest. Screwtape, an experienced devil, teaches his nephew, Wormwood, how to win a soul over from the so-called "Enemy", who is the Lord Jesus Christ. While he is doing this, he teaches the reader about the techniques that Satan uses to distract Christians away from God. Therefore, he is teaching us how to live better Christian lives and avoid giving in to temptations. He shows us through the example of his nephew, Wormwood, trying to win over a particular Englishmen. He tries to make him think that what he is doing is not sin. Even though, in the end, the man is not won over, we see how so many people go astray without even realizing it. This is an excellent book and I would reccomend it to anyone looking for a challenging book to read.

His Abysmal Sublimity Under-Secretary Screwtape is an old experienced tempter, a highly respected expert in his field. And so, Screwtape takes time out of his hellishly busy schedule to send letters of advice to his nephew, Wormwood, who is shepherding along his first human. This book is a collection of Screwtape's letters, giving sound advice on how a Christian can be steered away from Heaven, and safely delivered to Hell. Along the way, the reader is treated to some of the most profound Christian reasoning that I have ever read!

To put it succinctly, this book is without a doubt one the greatest (if not THE greatest) works of practical Christian living that was ever written. C.S. Lewis's use of a demon giving advice to his nephew is simply inspired, allowing him to mix deep theology and reasoning with upbeat (and offbeat) humor. I loved the book, and I love this audio version of it - John Cleese does an excellent job of playing Screwtape, adding in the emotions the role deserves, and now I can't even imagine anyone else doing it.

This is a great book, one that every Christian should read (or listen to) at least once in his or her life, and maybe even read on a regular basis. I've listened to it five times in a row, and want to hear it some more. This is practical Christianity!

If I were able, I would actually have given "Truman" four and one-half stars instead of five. It's hard to argue with this book's enormous popularity - when it was released in the early 1990's it received generally rave reviews and became the best-selling presidential biography of the decade. And in most respects "Truman" deserves the praise it has recieved. David McCullough is a marvelous writer, as anyone who has read his earlier works (such as "Mornings on Horseback", his splendid account of the early years of Teddy Roosevelt) can testify. McCullough's research of Truman's remarkable life is thorough, and his writing style makes it seem as if you are with Truman on every step of his long journey towards the White House. Truman was the unlikeliest of Presidents - and he may be the last "non-millionaire", non-college-educated person ever to serve in the Oval Office. Compared to many of our great Presidents (a rank which Truman is now accorded, thanks in no small part to this book), most of Truman's life was totally ordinary. He was a farmer who scratched for a living, he adored his wife and was completely faithful to her, he had to put up with a demanding and snooty mother-in-law who thought he was never good enough for her daughter, and he was a failed businessman who constantly worried about paying the bills. Truman's life really took off when he served as a soldier in World War One, and he learned that he could effectively command large groups of men and earn their respect. He subsequently entered Kansas City politics, serving as an honest and efficient county judge (county commissioner) in an otherwise crooked and despised political machine run by Tom Pendergast, the nationally infamous "boss" of Kansas City. Despite the fact that Pendergast was eventually sent to jail, Truman remained fiercely loyal to him, even though it hurt him politically. Truman displayed this trait time and again, and while his personal loyalty was admirable, it also got him into trouble when his friends turned out not to be as honest and open as he was. I won't recount Truman's life here, as other reviewers have done so, but I do have one problem with the book, and that is McCullough's favoritism towards Truman. Although some other reviewers have claimed that the book is "even-handed", I would argue differently. Truman did have his flaws, but McCullough either glances at them and quickly moves on, or he just ignores the criticisms that others have made. One example is Truman's racial feelings. McCullough does briefly mention that in his youth Truman often spoke disparingly of Jews and Blacks, but argues that he "made up for it" by pushing civil rights for blacks and helping create the nation of Israel as President. What McCullough doesn't mention is that Truman's "conversion" to these ideals came in an election year (1948) in which he was the underdog and needed all the minority votes he could get. In the 1950's and early 1960's Truman also made some negative remarks about Martin Luther King and the civil rights marchers in the South, a fact which McCullough never mentions. Also, like many pro-Truman biographers, McCullough makes Truman into the underdog hero of the 1948 presidential election, when Truman shocked the pollsters and experts to defeat the heavily favored Republican candidate, Thomas E Dewey. What McCullough doesn't mention is that Truman's campaign was every bit as negative and divisive as those of later Republican candidates (such as Richard Nixon) who have been much criticized for their "dirty" campaigns. Truman, as has been proven by numerous memos and campaign letters, deliberately made personal attacks on Dewey and made wild, unsubstantiated charges (in one speech he came close to comparing Dewey and the Republicans with Hitler and the Nazis, a speech which McCullough doesn't mention). Truman's campaign deliberately played upon the fears and prejudices of working-class Democratic farmers and workers (just as Republicans such as Nixon played upon the fears of Republican voters). In my opinion, had Truman been a Republican candidate, he almost certainly would today be strongly criticized by historians for his 1948 campaign, but instead he is given the heroic role by McCullough (Truman's opponent, Dewey, ran a campaign that was a model of what most voters say they want - he refused to reply to Truman's "mudslinging", almost never mentioned Truman by name, and gave upbeat, optimistic speeches in which he refrained from personal attacks). In spite of these weaknesses, however, "Truman" is overall an excellent study of how a "common man" who was no different from your average "next-door neighbor" became one of the most important Presidents of the twentieth century. As "Truman" proves, there is a latent greatness in the average, taxpaying middle-class American citizen - a fact which should provide encouragement if this nation ever again faces the crises and problems which Truman himself had to face.

This is the best biography, and one of the best books, that I have ever read! Even at nearly 1,000 pages, this book is a page-turner. Mr. McCullough makes President Truman come alive. Even though you may know the outcome of important decisions-like the firing of General MacArthur or the decision to enter the Korean War-Mr. McCullough's descriptions have such a dramatic sweep and uncanny vividness that the book reads like a great epic novel. The book pulls you into events so vividly that each scene has a movie-like realism. For example, when Truman meets Churchill and Stalin at Potsdam you can see the entire scene, clearly, in your mind's eye and feel the weight of history on Truman's shoulders. This book also illustrates the great character that Truman possessed. While certainly aware of the political consequences of his decisions, Truman always seemed to deliberate over what was right for the country-not what was expedient for him. For this reason, his popularity, prior to his miracle 1948 re-election, was at an all-time low. Yet even if you disagree with him, you respect him for following his principles. The book also shows that only in America could someone like Truman-a failure at business and farming-rise to the highest office in the land during one of the most dangerous times in U.S. history. Another enlightening aspect of this book is how the author contrasts many of Truman's public statements and seemingly bold attitude with his feelings of inadequacy or indecision as revealed in his letters to his wife and family. This book makes the case that Truman was perhaps our greatest 20th century president. If you saw the HBO special, starring Gary Sinese as Truman, don't miss this book!

A very personal picture of a man who was put in the position of having to make some of the most difficult decisions in our nation's history. Love him or hate him, you will come away appreciating how difficult the presidency can be.

Universal Pictures will open its "Seabiscuit" movie, based on Hillenbrand's book, on July 25, two days from this writing. If the movie captures the book's drama, excitement, detail, pace, and above all, its heart, then it will triumph.

Hillenbrand sets the tone of Depression-ravaged 1930's America perfectly: a nation struggling to regain a lost hope and eager for a hero. That the hero happened to be an undersized horse with outsized knees and crooked legs makes the story unusual, but all the more interesting for its improbability.

Seabiscuit was the force around which a trio of unusual figures came together with a common, almost mystical purpose. Seabiscuit owner Charles Howard, automobile seller extraordinaire who developed a passion for horse racing, brought together Tom Smith, an empathic mustang breaker from the Old West who makes Robert Redford's "Horse Whisperer" seem mute by comparison, with jockey Red Pollard, a half-blind, half-crippled ex-prize fighter whose career was going nowhere. This ragtag group took an underperforming, physically underwhelming thoroughbred, the unlikely scion of the great Man O'War, and through years of training, disappointments and failures, drew out the unconquerable heart of a champion, fulfilling the promise which Smith had originally sensed in Seabiscuit. The public response overwhelmed all the news of the day, and a legend was born out of the most unlikely of beginnings.

Hillenbrand writes with clarity and purpose, imbuing all her figures with an immediate presence which transcends history. She has been justly praised from not only the sports and racing worlds, but also by such standards as The New York Times and Washington Post. After reading her book and leaving it feeling ennobled, edified, and entertained, I can only add to the chorus of praise and give my strongest recommendation to all readers who appreciate a compelling story well told.

Let me say a few things up front: I have never set foot on a racetrack, I have watched the Kentucky Derby maybe twice on TV and I have little interest in jockeys, horse trainers or horses in general. For those who think this is a book about a racehorse, think again. It is a wonderful, descriptive work about the underdog, about triumph over adversity, about personality in animals and, most importantly, about a rarely discussed slice of America.

With a keen sportswriters eye toward detail as well as broader context, Ms. Hillenbrand has written a vivid description of an amazing animal, the three men around him and an era in American sports and history. Seabiscuit was a fascinating creature, not only for his deceptive power but for his playful, competitive nature. Ms. Hillenbrand helps us understand this horse as a person - a person you instinctively root for. His owner, a self-made success in the automobile industry, displays concern for the horse as if it were a child. Seabiscuit's trainer embodied the western spirit and had an uncanny bond with the horse - he was a real-life horse whisperer. Finally, the harrowing, rough and tumble life of a jockey during the 1930's is painted here with unsympathetic accuracy, as we learn about the trials of Red Pollard. Seabiscuit was the hub of these three lives and their extraordinary accomplishment on the racetrack.

The book builds toward two climaxes - the match race against War Admiral (which Ms. Hillenbrand desribes in such wonderful detail) and the ever elusive Santa Anita Handicap. Although historical, the book has a novel-like suspense that keeps the uninformed reader rapt and engrossed. This book, which describes the regional split between east and west coast race horses, really describes the potential and scrappy nature of the American west. Thank you, Ms. Hillenbrand, for such a terrific read.

I picked up this book after thoroughly enjoying the film and wanting to learn more, and I'm really glad I did. As fun as the film was, the book is even better. I loved learning about the social history of the 1930s and 40s and an account of horseracing in that era. The things jockeys did to stay underweight! With four years of research backing her up, the writing is vivid -- filled with lively anecdotes and quotes. Hillenbrand is a terrific author, and the races come alive as she writes. This is a fast and fascinating read about a scruffy horse and the three men who joined with him to create an inspirational racing team. It is well-written and exciting, contains pictures, notes, an index, Seabiscuit's official career racing chart, an interview with the author and discussion group questions.

Highly recommended.

Unfortunately, the only copy of The Count of Monte Cristo I could find was the unabridged version in my school library. At the time I was glad I was reading the short version, 1,500 pages seemed a little too overwhelming at the time. But after reading the short version, I found myself wanting more. I could tell when they cut stuff out and it drove me crazy, I kept wondering what I was missing.

I found myself wanting to read this book in the first place because I saw the commercials for the movie on t.v. (Which I know I'm not going to watch because they changed everything.) My mom told me it was a really good book so I checked it out. It took me a little bit to read because of school and chores. But once I picked it up I read 20 or 30 pages at a time. Sometimes more. Alexandre Dumas is a genius. His writing style is so unique. He draws a beautiful picture inside the readers head. All the characters in this book were multidimensional. I'm not used to seeing characters like that.

At the beginning of the book Edmond Dantes was leading a happy, perfect life. He was engaged to the woman he loved, Mercedes. He was going to become a captain. And he had wonderful friends. But before he knows it his wonderful life becomes nothing but misery and pain. Two of his so-called friends, blackmails him and he's thrown into a dank prison for being a Bonapartist. Over the long harsh years ahead of him he plots his revenge on the people who sent him there. . .

I'd love to tell you more, but there aren't enough words in the world to describe the impact this story had on me. I'll just give you a quick overview: This story is mostly about a man who gets revenge on those who made his happy life miserable. He slowly ruins their lives and they don't even realize it's him. No one recognizes him, except Mercedes, but she doesn't let him know for a long time. She becomes a very weak woman, who lives only for her son. But she still loves Edmond and I believe in some ways he still loves her. But he's a completely different person, then. He knows their time has passed.

This book is very well written and has all the elements of a good story. Romance, adventure, revenge, mystery...And anything else you can think of. I'm going to have a hard time reading a book after this one. Other books will pale in comparison, I'm sure. Someday, I'll read the abridged version, but not today. . . Maybe when I'm older and have enough patience and time to read the whole thing. This story will stay with me forever, even if I never read it again.

"The Count of Monte Cristo" is an intriguing tale of retribution. The complex and rivetting plot revolves around Edmond Dantes, a idealistic and principled young man who is unwittingly framed for a serious crime, and sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison. There he meets a man who will change his life...and point him towards freedom and his means of vengeance on those who have wronged him. Without a doubt, this novel is a masterpiece, attaining the balance of true symphony between justice and revenge. The characterization and atmosphere portrayed is rich enough to evoke anyone's imagination. Dumas' attention to detail adds to the ambiance and vivacity of the tale. As a fitting testament to it's nearly be rushed, rather savored. The unabridged version (875 pages) is a must, with its banquet of flavorful scenes - it is a full course meal for any hungry bookworm - the abridged version is merely a buttered cracker. "The Count of Monte Cristo" is one of my most treasured novel and, without hesitation, by far the best book I have ever read! I stand by this opinion so ardently, that I always keep extra copies of it in my bookshelf, in case I meet with someone who will really appreciate it. Avid readers, enjoy!

The Count of Monte Cristo is an amazing story filled with action, betrayal, romance, and vengeance. Edmond Dantes is a young sailor who has everything he needs in life. He has a wife and a large amount of money to start a family. He is betrayed by his friends and sent to the dreaded Chateau d'If, and is imprisoned for life. Edmond thinks his life is over, so he swears vengeance to all who betrayed him. Edmond makes a miraculous escape and puts his plans into motion. He is determined to gain vengeance and nothing thrown in his way will stop him. He adopts the name Count of Monte Cristo and becomes friends with the ones who betrayed him. He gains his vengeance slowly by revealing little secrets about each of them, while revealing nothing at all about him. This is a story of a man who was wrongfully accused, and was able to escape and return the favor to his friends. The Count of Monte Cristo is an amazing book by Alexandre Dumas, and it is also one of his best.

In 1915, Ernest Shackleton boarded the Endurance and left on his attempt to cross Antartica, a feat that had not yet been accomplished. Somewhere in the Weddell Sea, Endurance was caught in the ice. The floes of ice kept the Endurance for nearly a year, during which time, Shackleton kept his men together and alive. Finally, Endurance was crushed by the ice, and the real adventure began. Shackleton and his men, using the lifeboats from the Endurance traveled to Elephant Island. From there, Shackleton and 5 crew members embarked on an 850 mile open sea voyage in one of the lifeboats to bring back a rescue party for the remaining 22 men. The voyage is considered one of the most remarkable voyages in seafaring history.

This is a good book. I really enjoyed reading it. It doesn't flounder about with long-winded descriptions of everyday life, but you get a real sense of what these men went through. This was definitely a more rugged era! Mr. Lansing brings this entire adventure to life and once the final voyage begins in the book, it was extremely hard to put it down!

Whew!! That's the first word that comes to my mind. It surfaced in my thoughts numerous times as I was reading this tale. This book is overwhelming. I had always heard tales about Shackleton and this was a most compelling read. I found myself unable to put it down. It just grabs a hold of you and won't let go. Alfred Lansing did a superb job of storytelling here. It is one of the most amazing tales of human courage and endurance ever written. This is a fabulous story. Sir Ernest Shackleton truly displayed extraordinary mettle in spite failing to achieve the initial objective. His leadership is undeniable. He held a crew together to endure the harshest climate on the planet. That the entire crew survived the venture is testament to the power of the human spirit. The will to survive can attain soaring heights as this tale suggests. Lansing attempts to get into the nature of the different men but he allows their diaries to dictate the writing. This is great because supposition by authors of nonfiction can be fatuous. Drawing excerpts from the diaries of the men is a way to draw upon the incredible human drama and psychology that must have unfolded in this venture. The obstacles encountered by the crew are staggering. The wind, the dampness, the bitter cold and the long months of darkness in the winter seem like more than any man should be able to stand. They slept in wet sleeping bags in sub-freezing temperature; ate unappetizing foods; and still managed to keep their hopes alive. These were not accommodations up to Hyatt standards. One wonders how many people today would be tough enough to triumph over these hardships. The pain, ennui and discomfort must have been staggering. I found myself just shaking my head with awe at numerous passages in the book. These are men who went to Hell and came back alive. That is remarkable in and of itself. This book is a classic account of one of man's most remarkable journeys. Read it and discover for yourself.

I saw a documentary on the Shackleton Voyage on PBS and decided to read the book. It was without a doubt one of the best books I've ever read.

It comprehensively tells the story of the Endurance in such a way that my attention was riveted from the first page until the last.

I would recommend this book to anyone.

I found The Code Book an extremely interesting and informative read. I think Singh did a phenomenal job at bringing together the numerous length of history and presenting it to the common reader in a easy, readable fashion. I am impressed once again at Singhs' ability to create such a organized and clear work like he accomplished in Fermats' Enigma. I knew nothing of cryptography before reading The Code Book, but now I know not only the history, but many techniques of encoding and decrypting as well. The figures behind the process were equally fascinating and I found out about many people that I previously knew nothing about. I found the explanations behind Mary Queen of Scots, the Enigma, the Navajo code, Bletchly Park, RSA, and quantum cryptography to be both intriguing and educational. I would highly recommend this book.

Mr. Singh traces the history of cryptography from its recorded inception in roman times up through current applications. While all of the chapters held my interest it was Mr. Singh's work in chapters 4 through 6 that I feel deserve particular note.

Chapter 4 deals with the war effort at Bletchley Park and the work on the Engima machine. Here Mr.Singh adds an additional dimension by providing some insight into the work of Alan Turning, the development of Colossus, the first (now reported) electronic programmable computer and the unrecognized cryptanalysts who broke Ultra and the other codes of WWII. Chapter 6 brings us up to present day cryptographic issues from RSA and PGP to philosophical issues of personal privacy in modern society with web centric commerce and online book reviews. At each step in the process Singh successfully combines the elements of a technical treatise with a human values and features. For those wanting to go a little further under the hood and look at the processes and algorithms in some of the codes mentioned in the text, several appendices at the end of the book should fill that yearning. I found the book informative and enjoyable to read.

I was looking at this book based on the subject; but, Greg Goebel's review made me want to buy it. I've since read it. I could comment on all of the details of how great this book is but, Goebel said it first and correctly. If you're not sure you want to splurge the extra money, read his review and know it's the truth.

I picked up this book because of the excellent reviews it's gotten, my interest in the entertainment industry, and my appreciation of Bruce Campbell. I'm not a huge Campbell fan, and I always hated the Evil Dead films, but I do enjoy seeing him in films, and I grew accustomed to his work on Hercules and Xena. By the end of this book (which took 2 days), I found myself enamored with Campbell and renting every Evil Dead film and B Movie he's been in.

This novel is more of a tongue-in-cheek biography of Campbell's life than a confessional "tell all" about Hollywood. While Campbell does mention 2 or 3 tidbits about some well known actors in Hollywood, don't expect a "tell-all" book filled with gossip. The second thing this book is not, is a "how-to" guide for beginning actors. Campbell provides some pointers and suggestions for new actors, as well as tips that have helped him, but they are mainly given in context with his experience in the industry.

That being said, "If Chins Could Kill" has a lot of appeal for anyone who's currently trying to get into showbiz or has any interest in Hollywood. Campbell's anecdotes kept me entertained for hours and I found my fascination for this industry increasing with each page. The book reminded me of a better written version of William Goldman's "Adventures in the Screen Trade" It will apeal to die hard Campbell fan, as well as budding thespians and anyone who enjoys watching E! Television.

I was very surprised with the quality of this book. Campbell is an excellent writer and I found myself admiring his journalistic abilities even more than his acting. The chapters are short and flow very well together. The book starts out rather slow as he describes his childhood, but after the first few chapters he meets up with the Raimis and his adventures in film really begin. I found myself appreciating "The Evil Dead" so much more after hearing Campbell describe what went into the making of this cult film. Campbell also does an exceelent job of porvinding an honest look at the struggles of "B" actors. I've always looked on actors as having great jobs: do something you love and then take home a huge paycheck, a notion which was dispelled for me after hearing him break down what happens to his salary after the check is cut.

My only problems with the book, was that Campbell seems to jump from story to story in many of the chapters, and some anecdotes seem out of place. Campbell will be discussing a movie in one paragraph, and then in the very next, will discuss something completely different. This can seem a little unusual with no use of line spacing after paragraphs, but doesn't necessarily detract from the book. Some tales are thrown in this way and only discussed for a few sentences, and seem out of place when looking at the book as a whole. But this also has the apeal of apearing very informal, almost as if Campbell is relating the stories to you in person. Some better quality photgraphs would have been nice, ands more picture of Bruce as well. The book is loaded with pictures but they can appear a bit grainy, and many are irrelevant. This especially seems strange given how beautiful the book jacket is, and the high quality paper used in it. That seems like a wierd thing to say, but this is just one of those books that you just like to feel and flip the pages because it's put together so well.

Overall, I found this to be one of the most entertaining biographies I've ever read, and definately the best look at Hollywood I've seen. Even if you have no idea who Bruce Campbell is and no interest in acting, I'd recommend picking up this book to get an honest, entertaining, inside look at the life of a successful B movie actor.

This is the first book I have ever read, cover to cover, since 1989! I have never been an avid reader, and find it hard to pick up a book and begin reading without losing interest and putting it down. This book, however, was different. From the moment I started reading it, I was hooked! Not only is Bruce Campbell my favourite actor, but he's someone who I respect and admire on a personal level.
As he says in his book, "This book is dedicated to the players on the second string, the B people, if you will, and I cheerfully include myself in that lot."
He is not ashamed to be considered a B actor. A lot of movie stars would rather prefer to be A movie actors or not actors at all, instead of admitting to being B actors.
Bruce's book isn't a promotion of his skills, or even an outright ad for himself, it's just his story of how he's been lucky in life.
I recommend reading this book, as it gives so much insight into the background world of the acting and stage and screen life. When we watch all those Oscars, Emmys and Golden Globe awards, the Hollywood lifestyle seems like the ultimate life! But, as Bruce so brilliantly explains, it's not always 100% class. Actors work hard, and are not the pinnacle of the universe.
I finished this book in less than a week. Usually I never read a Newspaper that quick!
Buy this book! It won't dissapoint!

this book is awesome i brought it and read it in one week acually twice. well this book is great for all you campbell fans you'll know hes so funny and just bruce. buy it read it and when he comes to your area go get it signed!!!!