2 comments about Chance Witness.

1. Another autobiography/ethnography of a 20th/21st century man - beautifully written, descriptive, reflective - a gentle voice in a world of harsh realities. I find his voice honest and intentionally frank - he wants to tell us how it was, and does his best to do this with complete honesty; he trusts us, his readers, to hear honestly, to reflect with our verity, to compare our vision of truths, and he challenges us - to be as accepting as he is, to struggle with the difficult concepts (as we all do) and to dispel all doubts that might occur (whether these doubts spring from our own stuff or his writing).
   He shares his life experiences generously, asking for and providing acceptance. I found his views interesting & informative and his experiences courageous, revealing and alive with humanity.
   If you like reading your valued friend's up-market journal (with permission), enjoyable and revealing.



2. He writes very well, sometimes poetically. His views are original and his range of enthusiasms and the challenges he embraces are stirring. There is a lot of honesty in this biography, but I think he deludes himself when he says on page 452 that he regrets hurting anybody: he thinks his sketches of people are merely witty, but they are often cruel and must hurt, especially people whom he knew as friends. And I was surprised to discover, for all his self-denigration, so much vanity in him.

No comments about Daniel Boone.

5 comments about Further Up the Organization (Bookcassette(r) Edition).

1. I did not clearly understand what I was going to receive therefore I felt cheated by the end product. I thought Further Up the Organization was a separate book however, I must have been very confused because that is not what I received from you. I will read more carefully next time.



2. Futher Up the Organization is a management and leadership classic - written by a short-attention span CEO *for* other short-attention span executives and managers. The fast-read format of the book is great at supporting it's purpose - getting leaders to take action, get out of their best employees' way, and make things happen through wise use of people, time, money, and company resources.
   
   Opinionated, sharp, and sometimes hilarious, this book is easy to pick up almost anywhere and generate a real "A-ha!" moment within minutes.
   
   Putting the book down and getting back to work may be more challenging!! A really great find. You'll enjoy it. I guarantee it!!



3. There are many books out their on how to take over the world, but few that contain any realistic approaches to effective professional conduct. Although the author is a little brash and self-promoting his insight and practical assessments of the work environment are a fantastic reference/guide to sound corporate conduct and management.



4. I first read Up The Organisation by Robert Townsend in 1984 when I was still in college. It started to help me establish my very own management style and ways of doing things. I lent the book to a good friend of mine 2 years later and have never seen the book again.

   Then in the 90's, I were so happy to find Further Up The Organisation, an updated version of the one I lost and I bought 2 copies. So far I have only worked for 2 organisations during the last 14 years but have received 6 promotions so far, now already the Chief Executive since 1995 at the age of 32. Thanks to Robert Townsend.

   The books offer solutions on various subjects at work, but more importantly stimulate the readers to agree or to disagree to the ideas and prompt them to think or re-think how and why they are doing that way.

   Until a few years ago, everytime when I was in a bookstore, I would go to the relevant section to look for further updates of the book.

   The publisher should re-print the book and sell them again.




5. As a member of the up and coming CEO's of the world (my plan), Further Up The Orcanization is an execellent piece of stimuli for those of us who like to engage our brains in the big picture. If you are one that is fortunate enough to be able to see the forest through the tree and understand how the total solution is the right solution then this book is for you.

   It is easy to read and fast. The topics are arranged from A to Z with a one page snap shot of the "answer" to business question and organization issues. While other books attempt to help you understand everything from your inner business self to business lessons through the eyes of a piss ant (remember those who can't do teach, or in most cases write books on the subject), Townsend's book should be considered the manual. Be ensured that if you follow these simple practices your company will be on the way to the top 100 (the company I work for lives by this book and we are ranker number 5 by Fortune this year, our first year under review).

   For those fortunant enough to be stepping out on your own, this book is a reminded and a refresher for you to being successful. Interesting that a book writen first in the early 70's then updated in 85 still holds so true for today, ie not a business fad book. After all the bible is still on the best seller list.

   Good job and thanks to Robert Townsend.

   Terril Perrine

5 comments about In the Company of Heroes : The True Story of Black Hawk Pilot Michael Durant and the Men Who Fought and Fell at Mogadishu.

1. I recently purchased this book, and I wish there were words enough to relay just how great it is. In the Company of Heros illistrates brilliantly the account of Night Stalker pilot Mike Durant, and his experience in somolian captivity. Mr. Durant may be a pilot by trade, however his story and how he tells it are amazing. This book is a great buy for anyone, but it is a MUST READ for any Army aviation pilots or aircrewmen.



2. The book, In the Company of Heroes by Michael J. Durant, describes the life of a prisoner of war in Somalia. The fact that the officer actually was the prisoner, makes the book an autobiography. Durant wrote this book in hopes of bringing his life and death situations as a prisoner of war, to the real world. He wanted to explain how difficult life truly was and the experiences he went through on a day-to-day basis. He wanted everyone to see eye-to-eye on ideas such as war. By writing this book, those hopes can be expressed. This shows that there are many hardships but you have to persevere no matter how painful it may be.
   Michael J. Durant was born on July 23, 1961 in Berlin, New Hampshire. He then went on to enter the U.S army in August 1979. Michael was Chief Warrant Officer 3 in the United States Army 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment. In the war, he was captured and held prisoner on October 3, 1993. He was very high up on the list of positions in the army. The importance of his job also came with many responsibilities. For example, he had to learn and teach how to fly helicopters. Up until the war in Somalia, he led a pretty normal life. He has a wife named Lisa, and a son named Joey. Devastated to leave his family, he got prepared to fight for his country, which is something he was meant to do. His adventurous character has led him to do great things.
   Michael J. Durant did a fantastic job writing this book. He tells the story with great detail. This true story implants extreme images in your head. Coming from a first hand source, the story is even more meaningful. It makes you feel like you were actually there.
   Many positives were found throughout the story. One example would be how it shows Durant's life before and after he encounters his captivity. It was interesting to learn about the daily struggles he had to go through in order to survive and how different his survival instincts were before the war. The book is very suspenseful and keeps its interest throughout every chapter. The only negative would be that the book is long and at certain points, difficult to read for younger people.
   I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves suspense, intensity, and life or death situations.



3. A riveting true story, well written. If you didn't already respect the skill and bravery of the US armed forces, you will after reading this book.



4. Excellent,excellent book. I'd recommend reading Black Hawk Down first for an overview of the battle, but even if you don't, either way, this is a great book. Mr Durant just tries to tell it like it is, how it happened, and tell the stories of his fallen comrades, who are the "heroes" from the title.
   
   I was in the 101st, in fact I was at Campbell when Durant was flying non SOG missions, and I went to Panama, so his career flashbacks were cool to read as I could relate. But even for someone who may not have been there, the flashbacks provide a backdrop for who he is, who the Night Stalkers were, and the mentality of these SOG operators.
   
   Fantastic read, highly recommend.



5. Durant's story takes us from Black Hawk Down and gives us a persalized look into his ordeal in Somalia. But he also gives an itimate look into the lives and beliefs of his captors. This is must read book for anyone interested in the survival of the human spirit.

5 comments about Nietzsche In Turin -An Intimate Biography.

1. Subtitled "An Intimate Biography," NIETZSCHE IN TURIN by Lesley Chamberlain might be considered a new age treatment of a life dominated by the urge to write, as exhibited by someone torn by his appreciation of the power of music to make things clearer in a far more artistic fashion, driven by a personal rivalry with Wagner that assumed more importance than his personal relationships, and suffering from a disease which would deprive him of his ability to behave. Big philosophical issues are avoided as thoroughly as Nietzsche is pictured trying to avoid having contact with anyone who would want to discuss Hegel as he takes his daily walk in a city which "has a long reputation for magic and a disconcerting number of writers, from Tasso to Rousseau, J.M. Symonds to Primo Levi, have become depressed or gone mad there." (p. 211). The final chapter, "Collapse into the Beyond," is close to "The role syphilis played in heightening his pronouncements may be glimpsed through a comparison with his fellow sufferer, and ultimate madman, the French writer Guy de Maupassant." (p. 201).

   I frequently wished that the book had an index. There is some discussion of Nietzsche's appreciation of the artists of his time, but the names show up as substitutes for some picture, as when Nietzsche, in his autobiography, ECCE HOMO, mentioned the autumn of 1888 as like "a Claude Lorrain thought of into infinity, each day of equal, unbounded perfection." (p. 187). This is so similar to a comment in his letters of October, 1888, about "the leaves on the trees are a glowing yellow, sky and great river a delicate blue, the air of supreme purity - a Claude Lorrain in a way I had never dreamed of seeing him" (p. 167), with a note that only specifies "18.10.88, 19.10.88, 30.10.88" (p. 244), that I wonder if searching the web might give me more information about this artist, and more quickly than looking through the rest of this book.

   NIETZSCHE IN TURIN ends with a Bibliography, pp. 253-256, which provides the sources for much of the information in the book and its notes. An American professor has written a biography called YOUNG NIETZSCHE, but NIETZSCHE IN TURIN cites a book from 1912, THE YOUNG NIETZSCHE by Elisabeth Foerster-Nietzsche, which must have at least 330 pages, as the more recent book does not. Page 330 recorded that "Fritz knew only too well how characteristic it was of all three of us in the first flush of our indignation to say and write sharp and unpleasant things which a day or two later we scarcely remembered having thought or written." (p. 239, Chapter 8, note 18). THE SCIENCE OF JOY is also used as the title of a book by Nietzsche known by other translations into English, and THE SCIENCE OF JOY makes so much sense in a new wave understanding of the world that it might lead readers to the conclusion that all of Nietzsche could be understood best in that way.

   Nietzsche originally moved to Turin in April, 1888, but this book provides a comparative chronology for philosophical breakthroughs from 1819 to 1930, when Sigmund Freud wrote CIVILISATION AND ITS DISCONTENTS. A far better translation of Freud's title is given somewhere in the text, but not in the Bibliography, and Freud appears offhandedly in the notes often enough that even an index might not clarify how much this book depends on how Freud is affecting new wave thinking recently. Names of people that Nietzsche wrote to in 1888 often appear without any explanation of who they were, and events in 1882 involving Lou frequently appear as explanations for the major forces driving Nietzsche's thoughts as he attempted to turn himself into the culmination of all history, drama, and the ultimate music critic. Even closer to perfection, Nietzsche is described as "delighted in 1888 when Carl Fuchs, well placed in Danzig to know Polish, told him that the name Nietzsche could mean `man of nothing.' " (p. 123). Trying to be Polish, in the April '88 outline of his life that he sent to Brandes, who had begun to lecture on Nietzsche's work, "gave him strength against the world which rejected him." (p. 123).

   NIETZSCHE IN TURIN is so sympathetic that it is no surprise to find, "Here is the moral underside of life, in which the good are destroyed by their own goodness: an excess of sympathy." (p. 105). Self-reflection predominates so much that the author pictures herself writing in Turin in the autumn of 1994, hardly modernized by the 106 years which had passed since Nietzsche was putting himself into an autobiography with unusual glee. The world could hardly appear more sane to Nietzsche now, though I think he could have found much better examples of music now, if he was willing to look beyond operas, musical comedy, and what anyone considers classical music. Chamberlain seems more concerned about how "Psychotherapy has become incorporated into the Welfare State. How Nietzsche, with his sensitivity to language, would have baulked even at that name, which might be translated back into German as *der Mitleidsstaat,* and given a Nietzschean reading as the state that killed God." (pp. 105-106).

   I read this book looking for things that could remind me of "Harold and Maude," a movie about age and youth in which the young man had an uncanny ability to fake death. What was not even suggested by the plot in that movie was a comic ability to fake the death of God, an accomplishment that Nietzsche might be given credit for, if anyone could figure out precisely how that could be done. This book did not apply itself to that problem, and most readers might not be surprised that such an attempt is missing, but something might still seem to be lacking.




2. Nietzsche's writings have been interpreted, misinterpreted, translated, mistranslated and mutated to serve many individual interests - from the evils of the Third Reich to the man's only sister, 'editing' his work to suit her personal, social and political gains. Like Freud, Nietzsche has been used and abused as a platform in the creation of 'new' philosophies, some citing his work as inspiration, while others, in a fit of intellectual dishonesty, claim his ideas as their own. It has been said many times that he is the most misunderstood philosopher of the modern age. From my readings and experience, this claim is not far from the truth. This brilliant book, however, in a single brush of elegance and heart, re-examines Fredric Nietzsche and his work in a gentle, unpretentious though concise way, and attempts to introduce or re-introduce readers to this intriguing, inspiring and highly complex mind.

   Chamberlain writes with passion and intuitive insight about the last sane year of Nietzsche's life while he lived and worked in the beautiful city of Turin. This was more than any other a happy and productive time in the professor's life. This is much more than a biographical narrative, but a brave exploration by Chamberlain into the sights, sounds, thoughts and relationships of this fragile though contradictory philosopher. This book is not so much a cerebral approach to the man and his thought, but an emotional, visceral appraisal of a unique thinker striving to understand the human condition.

   Of the many biographical narratives about Nietzsche's descent into madness, Chamberlain is the most sensitive without the sentimentalism or coldness similar to the many other descriptions I've encountered. It strikes at the heart with precision and leaves a lasting impression.

   If you are a philosopher or merely interested in a unique approach to telling the story of a thinker who has shaped modern philosophy in the twentieth and twenty-first century, read this text. It will be well worth the time, money and effort.




3. I have to begin this review by saying that after sporadically reading Nietzsche over the last fifteen years, I still consider myself an amateur philosopher. Like most that appreciate his work, I have recognized the impact that his pen has had in my life. Still with that said, I lack the experience or ability to compare and contrast him with other philosophers, ideologies or viewpoints. I do believe that Nietzsche left the world a very human energy, a connection if you will that flows through his many words right into the hearts of those who feel they understand him the most.

   This is the first biography of Nietzsche that I've read that seemed to capture the essence of a very human man. Chamberlain's account is warm, sensitive and wonderfully written. To me, it depicted a brilliant man whose philosophies were all encompassing, not limited to classical thought and who battled disappointment, brilliance and physical handicaps.

   As a layman, who has admired Nietzsche for many years, I recommend this book to those who are interested in learning more about a wonderful and often misunderstood philospher.




4. The book does not claim to be an introduction to Nietzsche's philosophy. It is important to remember that Nietzsche said there "are no philosophies, only philosophers." Chamberlain does an excellent job of describing the last year of Nietzsche's life, from the cheerful moments to the most painful. It helps all those studying Nietzsche to know more about the life of the great man.



5. I found Lesley Chamberlain's book to be a thoughtful, sensitive, and insightful exploration of Nietzsche's often heart-wrenching life. Many times it touched chords which resonated what so deeply moves me both about Nietzsche's philosophy and his struggles to master himself in life. With this book Lesley Chamberlain breaths new life into this misused and ill abused philosopher. I recommend it to anyone with an open heart and interest in the relationship between Nietzsche the man and his philosphy.

No comments about West With the Night: Library Edition.

2 comments about Paul McCartney (Beatles).

1. Is there any possibility of giving this book zero stars? What a
   tedious and most forgettable read! I completely agree with the previous
   customer comment; this book has more to do with the business peripheral
   to Paul, not Paul. But in addition to that, Alan Clayson's writing style is
   absolutely torturous.
   
   The entire book is composed of weak, endless, one-sentence paragraphs
   that meander across perhaps five subjects, adding clause upon wandering
   clause, dropping name over unknown name. By the end, you have no clue
   what in the world you have just read. I had to read and re-read it
   until I could decipher the text's meaning. Alan, do yourself a favor
   and brush-up on your basic writing skills.
   
   I learned more about Paul in one 45 minute interview with Larry King
   than from this effort by Clayson. This book, unfortunately, is a
   complete waste of time, and makes Solzhenitsyn's "Gulag Archipelago"
   feel like a light and happy read.



2. The author explains at the start of the book that he was obliged to write it as part of a contractual agreement to deliver seperat books on each of the fab four. He clearly has no empathy with McCartney and treats him as a run of the mill songwriter and performer with a knack for commerical success. The problem is that this renders any subsequent analysis half hearted and also leads him to write far more about McCartney collaboraters such as Denny Laine than of McCartney himself. So we never get under the skin of the artist nor come any closer to understanding the creative tension and impact of his music. I can only reccommend for the completist who wants to get a reference to secondary Macca sources.

2 comments about The Fighting Pattons: Library Edition.

1. I served in the 2nd Armored Division during MG Patton's tenure. He was an inspiration to many of us. The stories are true and very accurate. I am sure there are a few more that are not in the book! BB



2. The Generals Patton, father and son, served their country for 79 years, altogether, in careers unsurpassed by any other American military family. General George S. Patton Jr's life, in particular, has been examined microscopically, but the section of this work which recounts his career is enhanced by comments, for the first time, by his son and daughter.
   That alone would make the book worthwhile, but the bulk of the work tells the story of Major General George S. Patton (1923 - ), himself a fine fighting general and one of the best trained officers ever to wear the uniform. Like his father, he was a scholar of his trade who understood that skillful audacity accomplishes the mission with minimal casualties.
   Very readable, with invaluable comments by Major General Patton interspersed; photos, bibliography, and index. Highly recommended.

   (The numerical rating above is a default setting within Amazon's format. This recviewer does not employ numerical ratings.)

5 comments about A Good Life: Newspapering and other Adventures.

1. Mr. Bradlee's book is a crisply written and most entertaining look at his family life and his life in journalism, from the period leading up to World War Two on through the Watergate Era. This is autobiographical writing at its best; honest, informative, funny, sad, hopeful, and never boring. I learned a lot from reading this book. I hope high schools and colleges are using this fine work as part of any course on post-WW2 U.S. history.
   
   A great book by a great writer.



2. Ben Bradlee and wife Tony lived on the same side of the same Washington, D.C. block as Senator John Kennedy, which is how they became friends with him and Jackie. After JFK's election to the Presidency, their friendship continued. He invited the Bradlees to Camp David, the family compound at Hyannis and for private dinners. At one glamorous White House function, Kennedy sat between Tony Bradlee and her sister Mary, who was also his friend. How close the two were was revealed much later.
   
   Some time after Kennedy's death, Mary was walking along a D.C. canal when she was grabbed from behind. Her assailant stuck a gun under her chin and pulled the trigger; she died instantly. Shortly after the funeral, Mary's best friend phoned Tony Bradlee, inquiring after Mary's personal diary, which she said had been promised to her. When the Bradlees went to Mary's home to locate the book, they encountered inside it the friend's husband, a CIA operative known as "The Locksmith." He said his wife had sent him to retrieve the diary.
   
   When they eventually found it, Ben and Tony were appalled to discover details in the diary of sister Mary's affair with JFK, one that lasted from early 1962 until his Nov. '63 death. They innocently handed the book over to their CIA friend, who promised to destroy it, and never at the time considered the implications of the two violent deaths and an interested CIA.
   
   This is just one of many remarkable stories in Ben Bradlee's A GOOD LIFE. From his teenaged recovery from polio, Harvard graduation, service on a WWII destroyer in the hazardous South Seas off Guadalcanal, City Editorship of a New Hampshire paper, a brief stint at the Washington Post then as a Paris-based foreign correspondent who traveled all over Europe and the Middle East, to a job as assistant to the American ambassador in Paris, to Newsweek and again the Washington Post, Ben Bradlee's "good life" was a full and eventful one, as well. A most fascinating and well-written autobiography. Highest recommendation!
   
   
   ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN, by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, details their investigation as Washington Post reporters under Ben Bradlee of the biggest Presidential scandal in American history, that of Watergate, which led to the resignation in disgrace of Richard Nixon.



3. Here's the magic mathematical formula for writing your very own version of "A Good Life." Even better, you don't have to set foot in a newsroom:
   
   ("I banged famous chick")x 51 + ("I met famous person") x 2,453, divided by the number of times you tell your boss how things should be done ("0"), and - viola (an allusion to your time in France) - you've got your own self-serving autobiography! And it doesn't come larded with any of Bradlee's prose, something which should be apparent from the formula.
   
   Good luck with your work!



4. Ben Bradlee's book, "A Good Life: Newspapering and Other Adventures", is a warm, candid and entertaining look back over a remarkable career and personal life. His writing is honest, revealing and to the point. He indeed has had an interesting life. The Watergate and the Pentagon Papers experiences are covered in detail. I became interested in reading this book after reading the book "All the President's Men" and watching the movie of the same title. I would highly recommend this book! Ben comes across as an smart, honest and decent man who worked very hard to earn his achievements.



5. As Executive Editor of The Washington Post from 1968 to 1991, Ben Bradlee not only printed history, he also made it. Momentous events were covered, careers fashioned, reputations ruined and social movements spotlighted. Bradlee was at the center of all this, directing his reporters, dictating policy and discharging journalistic shells whose recoils are still felt even today. Yet Bradlee was not above or beyond the common man. I remember, as a young bodybuilder uncertain of my future, applying for a position on the Post. Unfortunately, my qualifications were insufficient to meet the standards expected of journalists. However, I still have Mr Bradlee's courteous rejection letter which is worth citing:
   
   'Dear Schwarz
   
   My name is Ben and I'm an alcoholi... hang on... wrong place... let me start again.
   
   Dear Schwarz
   
   Having read your application, in which you admitted to an addiction to Teetotalism, I have no choice but to reject it. The tradition of Common Journalistic Insobriety has taken decanters... let's get that right... decades to establish and your flagrant? flagon?... no, I was right the first time... flagrant disregard for such tradition proves that you aren't fit for either a by-line at the Post or a bar stool in the Journalists' Club. In short, a pen and pad are not compatible with Perrier Water.
   
   I hope you will receive this letter in the spirit in which it is soaked.
   
   Yours sincerely
   
   Ernest Hemmingwa... no, that's not it... where did I put that bottle... Johnnie Walker... no... it's... Richard Nixo... hey Woodward, make mine a double!...'
   
   'A Good Life' is also a very entertaining read.

No comments about Lew Wallace (Young Patriots) (Young Patriots Series).