5 comments about Any Given Day: The Life and Times of Jessie Lee Brown Foveaux.

1. I have mixed feelings about this book, because on one hand you can learn some neat stuff about the way things were in the early part of the XX century. On the other hand, this book would have greatly improved if an editor had removed the extra weight included in the story. I can see this being a very fascinating memoir for her family members, but once you take this to the general public, the array of names and places and the personal messages to all grandchildren at the end of the book become too much. Nonetheless, it was interesting to read about the trials and tribulations of this woman, married at 20 to an alcoholic. Why she continued having children (eight in total) after she discovered her husband was a drunk i'd never be able to comprehend. She tries to explain how she felt during those years, and at times she is successful and at times she cuts her thoughts short and does not go any further with her analyses. It's a pity because she does have some engaging, albeit sometimes bland, perspective on issues like alcohol, politics, the military, war, family, sex, etc. Don't expect big depths on this book, which by the way is a very easy and fast read.



2. Nobody who reads this book will ever feel overworked or under appreciated, in quite the same way again. We have it so much easier today; and complain MORE !! My Mother is nearing the age of this remarkable woman, and we are hoping to get her to write her memories for us too; before they fade from her mind. She has been reluctant to start, due to the fact that she is not a professional writer. For her birthday this year, Mom is getting a copy of this book; and an audio tape, to listen to, and hopefully get inspired. My Mother has been a Nanny, earned a Master's Degree in Education, driven a Taxi and Limos for Official at United States Steel(during WW II), made bombs in a munitions plant, ridden Harley-Davison motorcycles, served as a Missionary for her church (where she met and married my Father), taught elementary school, raised two daughters, and still babysits their various off spring, while making beautiful quilts. Please God, let Jessie Lee Brown Foveaux give her the courage to tell us all about her adventurous life, too!!



3. Jessie Lee has, in the simplest of prose, given us a glimpse into the life of an "average" woman. Her life is not filled with exotic trips or dinners with Presidents, but with the struggles of everyday life. Her rocky marriage to an alcoholic will give inspiration to many young women of today. Her memory is incredible and details abound of a life that began at the beginning of this century...this is an interesting book to read as this century comes to an end.



4. Jessie Lee's incredible memory and stoically poingnant style take us all back in time, beginning with her childhood which was poor in material possessions but rich in love. Through her eyes, we see not only her family history but the history of a burgeoning nation unfold. She meets life's difficulties head on, from the untimely death of her mother to a difficult marriage and single parenthood. Her words do not plead for sympathy, just straightforwardly relate her amazing life and times. This is a must read for scholars of the 20th century and for those with a bent for human interest stories. Jessie Lee's voice is one of the precious few left from her generation.



5. I really enjoyed this book. I'm from Kansas and she talked about areas that I'm familiar with. I felt she did a very good job telling her story about the hell she went through with her alcoholic husband while raising her many children virtually by herself. I would like the opportunity to meet this wonderful woman.

5 comments about War Letters: Extraordinary Correspondence from American Wars.

1. This book is a great read. It is refeshing to be able to read words, thoughts and dreams from people as they perform such honorable duty overseas. This book is powerful and should be required reading for all, especially Americans.
   
   Some anti-war activist may think it is "pro-war" but it isn't just that. This book reveals personal thoughts and challenges faced by American military personnel in wars from the Civil War until the later conflicts in the 20th century. It is pro-war, anti-war and everything in between.
   
   This book reminds me of the sacrifice that so many make for their country. It is a great tribute for those who have served.



2. i only gave it three stars because many of the stories were more about patriotism than about the war themselves. Of course every book has its bias so its still a useful and moving read when taken with this grain of salt.



3. I received this book as a gift because my family knows I love reading personal histories from those who lived it and "War Letters" seemed perfect for that. I enjoy learning what life was like for the average citizen in an era, whether its someone riding the Erie Canal in 1840, a foot soldier in the American revolution, or a journal from the Civil War.
   
   This is a remarkable book and taken individually there are many, many heart-rending emotional stories that probably need to be read by many people. It does in fact put a personal face on war. Because it is a collection of letters, the book is easily read in short spurts; you don't want (and shouldn't) read this book quickly.
   
   I only gave the book 4 stars because I actually found it hard to read. While the personal letters (the spelling, mannerisms of the authors) help tell their stories, it also keeps the book from developing any flow. Some letters are agonzingly slow to read and understand. I'm certainly not faulting the authors or their stories; but if you're looking for a great, well-written, smooth-flowing story that you can't put down, this isn't it.



4. I actually read a review about this book and gave it as a gift to my sister-in-law who teaches high school history. She LOVES it and told me it was an amazing collection of actual letters. She said all of the teachers that she works with have been borrowing it!!



5. This book is awesome, I have read it numerous times. My heart goes out to the letters writers and receivers... I urge you to spread the word of this book... It will really open your eyes to see that Military Personel and their signifigant others are real people, with real feelings... I really look forward to another book like this coming out. I will definately buy it.

5 comments about Colors of the Mountain.

1. This book really taught me about what cultural impacts Mao Ze Dong had on the Chinese population. It was an amazing book and I suggest everybody read it.



2. This review refers to the abridged audio version of this book --
   
   UGH. I am fascinated with books about China and life under Mao. However, I couldn't get through the first tape of this book, for two reasons.
   
   One was the reader, Daxing Zhang. His stilted, halting and monotone delivery made it unpleasant to listen to. He evidently is not a professional narrator and it shows. Even a great book can be ruined by a poor reader.
   
   And, believe me, this doesn't even come close to being a great book.
   The storytelling is dull and self-pitying and the language is, in turns, overblown and cliched.
   
   My biggest problem, however, was the author's attitude. Don't get me wrong: I abhor what Mao and his "cultural revolution" did in China. But it's more than a bit ironic when someone from the upper classes (the author's family were landlords and owned several buildings) complains when their property, power and status is taken away.
   
   The author's stated contempt for farm work, for instance, shows the type of elitist attitude that spurred the revolution in the first place.
   
   Never once (at least in the part of the book I managed to listen to) did Da Chen appear to have any empathy for the working classes that were oppressed under the pre-revolution days.
   
   Again, I must emphasize that I do NOT agree with the goals of or methods used by Mao's Communist regime, but nor can I generate a great deal of sympathy for once-rich whiners who feel, for the first time in their lives, the sting of poverty and disenfranchisement.



3. I read a lot of memoirs precisely for what I received from this book, inspiration. The sentence that galvanized me was this one, "I had been studying an average of fifteen hours a day for the last ten months."
   
   Other reviewers have explained Chen's story, so I won't reiterate it. But I will say that when I think about what this man accomplished in pursuit of his dream, I realize once again how easy it is to excuse our failures as a matter of fate or luck.
   
   Da Chen teaches us otherwise.



4. One wonders why the communist system was swept into the dustbin of history. Da Chen tells you why. Intellectuals were purged in Mao's society and people learned very little. In fact, school was not even required of everyone. Only after Mao joined Lenin in a masoleum did intelligence and ability matter much.
   Da Chen relates his early life story about his early Chinese childhood in the rural south of China. He was discriminated against because he was a son of a former landlord. Peasants lorded it over him and his family. Da Chen relates his experiences of the Cultural Revolution and how the school system was devastated by the purges and reeducation.
   Da Chen escaped this poverty by using his intelligence to shine in the reform education system after Mao's death. He received a state education in English and went on to emigrate to New York. A nice rages to riches story and the tyranny of the Communist system.



5. Chen Da's bestselling COLORS OF THE MOUNTAIN is one of the more entertaining memoirs I've run across in recent years.
   
   In this volume, Chen recounts his life, growing up amid the chaos of the Cultural Revolution, through his acceptance into college. In the writing of autobiography, certain liberties are par for the course (memory is never impeccable), but I was overall rather impressed with Chen's determination, and his detailed, direct way of attempting to illuminate the day-to-day texture of life in an out-of-the-way part of China.
   
   Chen's approach is gentle - both accessible to Western audiences, and attentive in its' detailed depiction of his family's life, accomplishments, and the troubles those accomplishments brought (during the Cultural Revolution years); the occasionally mentioned poems of his grandfather were one of Chen's major motivators, and their eloquence was the model this entire memoir was constructed upon.
   
   Perhaps not the most literary, or the most historically rigid autobiography, but definitely one of the warmest.
   
   -David Alston

5 comments about The Other Side of Deception: A Rogue Agent Exposes the Mossad's Secret Agenda.

1. This is a very worthwhile read but not as fulfilling as the original blockbuster 'By Way of Deception.'
   
   The ending is pretty weak, we are supposed to believe that Victors (book author) old friend send a kidon (Mossad assassins) group to 'take care' of Victor. It is also my opinion that the author over stretched when he vouched that Bush Sr had nothing to do with the Iran-Contra affair. Read 'Compromised' for a believable account of the involvement of many 'well placed' individuals in the Iran-Contra affair. Nevertheless, I find most of the book to present itself as being fairly credible.
   
   More thrilling stories of almost impossible levels of Mossad skulduggery. I'm sure most readers will find themselves very thankful for the fact that the Mossad is, mostly, thousands of miles away.
   
   The Mossad is simply too important to not get educated about. This is another good insider account by Victor Ostrovsky.



2. For a thinking person, the revelations in this book should spawn probing questions about the Mossad's part in geopolitics from pre-9-11 to 2004. Ostrovsky outlines how the Mossad, unlike any other secret intelligence service in the world, uses the vast Diaspora as "assets" to do their bidding. It is organized so that the Diaspora (over 50,000 strong) become temporary Mossad agents on an as-needed basis.

   This structure accomplishes two things:
   (1) By playing on the 'help the homeland' aspect of requesting help for Israel from the Diaspora through whatever the 'asset's' position or job skill can produce, it naturally compartmentalizes the significance of a job, and reduces costs. The Mossad has only 1200 agents worldwide, but calls on the considerable PR skills of the B'nai B'rith, JDL, and ADL to advance its aims on an as-needed basis. Ostrovsky shows in event after event how this is by design.

   (2) The Mossad can get away with meddling in the politics of foreign countries by labeling as "anti-semitic" any objection to its methods; or similarly, by labeling as "anti-semitic" any objections if its gets caught. Again, Ostrovsky shows in example after example how this is by design.

   The recent 2004 scandal in New Zealand is a case in point. This involved Mossad agents caught stealing New Zealand passports from paraplegics. Or the more disturbing US-based AP reports from Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida in the last five weeks in which Israeli agents were caught near nuclear sub and fuel stations, or trying to enter federal installations. The only reporter willing to follow up these stories is Daniel Hopsicker, a respected journalist, of online MadCowProd News. When you realize that these agents caused an entire Navy Sub station with nuclear missles to close down (May 20, 2004) because sniffing dogs discovered bomb material in their moving trucks, it makes Ostrovsky's detailed warning about what the Mossad is doing in the US all the more alarming.

   I think the information I found the most distressing was how the Mossad uses US national print and broadcast media and reporters as assets. This a propaganda machine that at this time can only lead to more US sons and daughters coming home from Iraq in body bags. I say this because Ostrovsky is adamant in this book, published in 1993 or 1994, that it has been the Mossad's express policy for years to get the US into war with Iraq.




3. This is an excellent book, probably one of the best ones I have ever read. In my opinion it says the real story about israeli intelligence, how they think, how they act, and how dirty they play with everybody, even with people who have helped them. You MUST read this book.



4. Without becoming one, that is.

   Alongside the author's previous "By Way of Deception." This book, also a best seller, contains a depressing and chilling expose of The Mossad, Israel's intelligence service.

   Unlike any other 'true espionage account' you might have hitherto read it is, as the saying goes, impossible to put down. Absolutely riveting. Though by the end the question is not 'Who are the good guys?' It's more like ' Who in The Middle East is NOT completely insane ? '

   Ostrovsky was a former colonel in the Israeli armed forces before he joined Mossad. No one contends that he was a field officer, well connected and in the know. He was fired after a fracas in Cyprus, in which he contends he was forced to take the fall for his incompetent superiors. This would never have happenned in the Israeli Defense Forces, not without a proper hearing. However The Mossad, as he never tires of telling us, is a law unto itself.

   According to the author it has become a 'rival state' comprised of good ole boys answerable only to the Prime Minister--at least in theory. In fact, it answers to no one.

   Dissatisfied intelligence officers who have been, rightly or wrongly, given the boot writing scathing memoirs is not news.

   However if, say, a CIA operative turned 'liberal' upon termination of employment alleged ONE TENTH of what Ostrovsky alleges, the scandal that would follow dwarf Watergate and Iran/Contra combined.

   Among a few:

   * The Mossad regards anyone in Israel who believes in peace with the Palestinians, or withdrawal from the occupied territories as little better than a traitor. It has sold arms and provided information to fundamentalist extremist Muslim groups via third parties in order to undermine the stability of Arab States and the credibility of their leaders with The West. Anything to keep the conflict burning.

   * The Mossad planned to assasinate president George Bush Sr at the Madrid peace talks in 1991, due to his policy of pressuring Israel to the negotiaing table by freezing their loan guarantees.

   A special Kidon (bayonet, i.e; hit men) unit took three Palestinian extremists from Beirut and set them up. The Mossad was to kill the 'perpretators' in the ensuing confusion after they had shot the president. Due to inside info Ostrovsky obtained, he was able to blow the whistle and the plan was cancelled--as were the three Palestinians, at the Nes Ziyyona facitlity, an ABC (atomic, bacteriological, chemical) warfare lab where the author contends top epidemiogical scientists routinely use enemies as human guinea pigs.

   * The Mossad, did indeed murder their billionare operative Robert Maxwell, let Jonathan Pollard hang out to dry, and (ready?) assasinated Israeli general Yekutiel Adam a.k.a. "Kuti" because he had been appointed its head and they didn't want an 'outsider' taking over.

   Now if all this---and much more---sound like the ravings of a lunatic, he's an extremely meticulous and detailed one.

   Still, one wonders if the Mossad is a loose cannon, why Ostrovsky chose to trust anyone in it, after fleeing Israel.

   He tells us that after getting sacked he got news that he was about to be made a liason to South Lebanon (as good as a death sentence) and a certain Ephraim---a higher ranking officer saved him by helping him escape to the U.S.

   Whereupon Ephraim called in the favor qnd talked him into 'reforming' the organization by doing everything possible to undermmine it, thus bringing 'liberals' like Ephraim to power.

   If we're not through the looking glass yet, here we go: The undermining consisted in Victor volunteering his services as an ex-Mossad agent to The British, The KGB, The Jordanians (!) and The Egyptians, among others.

   The KGB didn't bite because they had a mole inside--however their refusal confirmed Ephraim's suspicions--he uncovered the mole and became a hero. The Brits were more accomodating, but cheap. The Jordanians--well, you've got to read that chapter, suffice it to say that according to Victor he had to fly to Jordan, whereupon things got very James Bondian and even more surreal. The Egyptians threw him in a cell.

   In the end, Ephraim does take over but then he tries to assasinate Victor, to tie up loose ends.

   Compelling, well documented, and absolutely nuts.




5. This book is a factual account of events as they occurred before the publication of his first book (Chapter 28). The Prologue gives his family history, and why he joined the Mossad. Chapter 1 tells how a NATO sleeper cell was used to create atrocities that could be blamed on Communists, and destabilize the left leaning Belgian government (pp,4-5). Chapter 2 tells how they worked with an American company that had desired technology (p.10). Chapter 4 explains how the Jordanian peace initiative was stopped. In Chapter 6 Victor was kicked out of the Mossad, and immediately recruited into a secret organization. Chapter 8 tells how a new head of the Mossad was stopped from taking office. Chapter 9 tells of his secret mission to the KGB to offer himself as a spy (Chapter 13). This would expose a suspected mole.

   Chapter 15 explains how Libya was blamed for a discotheque bombing in 1986. The US retaliation kept Libya "out of the picture". Victor then learns how turmoil was created between Kuwait and Iraq. Chapter 17 describes the safe house system in London. Victor traveled to Jordan to advise them on detecting moles. Chapter 21 tells of "humanitarian assistance" to blacks in Soweto, using a Baltimore hospital for cover. Were they testing medications and diseases? Victor explains the Pollard affair, why Pollard knew too much. Pollard's information was traded to the Soviets to release Jews; Pollard was used and then flushed! Chapter 22 tells of his visit to Egypt, and their interest in Robert Maxwell. Maxwell bought media to influence public opinion, and to provide a cover for assets in other countries; page 204 tells how this worked.

   Chapter 23 tells how background information was obtained from strangers (p.208). The Vanunu affair is explained (p.209). In Chapter 25 Victor decides to write his book on the Mossad. Operation Hannibal sold military supplies to Iran. Page 228 tells how Kurt Waldheim was branded as a Nazi! Page 231 explains how a politician was smeared and defeated. When this politician tried to clear himself, he was lured to Geneva and given a heart attack (pp.234-5). In Chapter 26 Victor travels to Paris to tell the French secret service about the Mossad's links with fascist elements (p.242). They later asked Victor to investigate the leading advocate of privatization in the US (p.244). This member of the Libertarian Party sought to destabilize a French South Pacific island.

   Chapter 27 tells about the propaganda campaign against Saddam Hussein (p.247). Iraq targeted Iranian cities using information from American satellites. Pages 250-1 tell how a reporter (who knew too much) was lured into a fatal mission. Then there is the planted story of Iraq's "weapons of mass destruction". Page 259 tells of the safest sanctuary around - an airport! Chapter 30 tells of President George Bush's visit to the Madrid peace talks, and the failed assassination attempt. Chapter 31 explains Robert Maxwell's partnership with the Mossad, and why he had to be silenced. It was not that he knew too much, but that he began to talk too much under pressure of bankruptcy. Chapter 31 ends the book with his tour of Europe to promote his first novel. A problem occurred in Belgium; Victor knew of the corruption of the Belgian police force. Victor then realized that his connection in the Mossad was no longer reliable (p.290).

5 comments about They Made America: Two Centuries of Innovators from the Steam Engine to the Internet Revolution: Two centuries of Innovators.

1. 
   Harold Evans who wrote They Made America seems to have left out a very important person, Nicola Tesla. I believe he was the inventor of AC electricity, the alternating current. Edison was only interested in DC, and was adamant that direct current was the right way to go. It turned out that he was wrong. DC is very limited. Without AC electricity could not be moved over long distances.
   
   I think I understand the reason why Tesla is omitted from this and other lists of the greats. In his elder years he got a little crazy. He was also considered somewhat of an egotist in general, which he probably was. He challenged Einstein's theory of relativity, and other modern theories, and claimed that you could not produce energy from matter. "Atomic power is an illusion" he frequently declared. He also claimed to have a "dynamic theory of gravity" which was never published.
   
   This is a very poor reason to ignore his genius but I can't think of any other reason for it. At least the unit of magnetic flux density was named after him so some people thought he was great!
   
   Ronald Fischer
   3050 Beckley Dr
   San Jose, CA 95135
   (408)238-6296



2. This is an excellent book for gaining general information on the lifes and times of America's inventors. Suprisingly, a good deal of information about each subject is tightly packed and woven into each chapter. It is by no means, however, an indepth and intricate look into each innovator. You will need to do more research for that.
   
   Overall, I highly recommend this book for anyone trying to gain some knowledge on a particular person, or about a particular invention. It is a great starter book for history enthusiasts as well.



3. I rented the audiotape version from my local library and was hooked. I gave this book to my father for Christmas. Excellent insight into the influential Americans, and a great dose of our country's history at the same time.



4. very interesting - everyone will find something inspiring - whether you are an entrepreneur, a manager, an inventor or just looking to be inspired.



5. This book is a number of short stories about successful business people, everyone from Robert Fulton (Steamboat Services), Isaac Singer (sewing machines), Charles Goodyear (rubber), Levi Strauss through to modern day people like Ted Turner, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, and Pierre Omidyar (eBay). The book is perfect for my personality type - it is a number of short stories so it didn't take long to read. There is a summary on page 465 of the book that gives 10 lessons that can be learned from history's innovators:
   
   
   1. Make no assumptions.
   
   
   2. First isn't always best.
   
   
   3. It is okay to steal. (They don't really mean steal; they mean that more innovations come from borrowing in combination than simple invention. Henry Ford said, "I invented nothing new, I simple assembled into a car the discoveries of other men behind whom were century of work."
   
   
   4. Diffidence would do it. An idea may only work when pushed to the limits.
   
   
   5. Nothing works the first time. In an impatient society we expect instant results and quarterly earnings make things worse. It takes a strong person to persist and think long term.
   
   
   6. New ideas disturb.
   
   
   7. Cross pollination works. Taking ideas from other industries and applying them to a different industry is often a great way to cross-pollinate.
   
   
   8. Success is risky. We all know that entrepreneurs take risks and we all know this is all part of the greatness of our system.
   
   
   9. When one plus one equals three, this talks about innovations flourishing in partnerships provided the psychology is right.
   
   
   10. Plaguing into networks. Isolated innovators may be successful but most of them are well connected and network well.
   
   
   Overall I found this book to be highly inspirational and a must read for any business person.

4 comments about Jumping the Line:The Adventures and Misadventures of an American Radical.

1. A fascinating book written by a veteran of the Spanish civil war that strips it of both the idealism of the left and dismissal of the right.
   
   While only roughly half of the book covers the Spanish civil war and the authors participation it is as a previous reviewer points out the "American Orwell" Herrick writes with the bitterness of a man whose ideals had been betrayed and who had seen for himself the betrayal of many of the men who went to fight for what they felt was the freedom of the Spanish people against the tyranny of dictatorship and fascism.
   
   What many of them found was the growing Shadow of the 'dictatorship of the left' in the form of Stalin-ism ever encroaching upon them. Already men had began to be silenced by the Russian backed leaders of the Brigade and every day republican controlled land began to resemble tyrannical Stalinist Russia as its lackeys in Spain seemed to be far keener on dispatching left wing opponents in Spain than fighting fascists (It is well documented the destruction of the CNT and POUM by the Communist party)
   
   Herrick also details the rise of military leaders placed in positions of power for little more than cosmetic reasons, to create an image to the world. One a University professor the other an African American. Concerning the second man it is particularly moving in that far from as some more cynical historians have painted him he was a simple man who resigned himself to 'follow party orders' while knowing full well his own shortcomings as a less than competent leader (This was later to prove true with a disastrous attack let by him that lead to heavy casualties) It is also interesting how one of Herricks friends another African American attempted to lead a protest against his appointment and how Herrick commentated on that he could as if anyone else did it would be perceived as 'racist'
   
   The arguing, the incompetence and pointless political debates are all examined in full here. A fascinating read, this may be in many ways similar to Orwell's biography but the book "In red and green" is one I would also draw comparisons to. Especially in that book the part where Irish republican troops discuss shooting their commanding officer because he had once served in the Irish republic during the black and tan wars! (This in spite of the fact that he was now a committed anti fascist and ironically Jewish! Well, Ryan did go on to support the Nazis)
   
   A fascinating insight into one mans history on the left during the first half of the last century. After reading the books of Orwell, In Red and Green and Jumping the line you will come to the conclusion that it was no surprise that Franco won, the only surprise in fact being that he took so long to do it.



2. "Jumping the Line" is a hobo phrase for "riding the rails," or hitching a ride on a freight car. It also brings to mind crossing boundaries, maybe even switching sides. Herrick has done both. Beginning life as a rail-riding hobo, Herrick developed an awareness of the plight of the downtrodden and eventually became not a member but employee of the American Communist Party. Herrick was hard-working element of the Party and an able union organizer and cell initiator. Willing to put his life on the line in backing his beliefs, Herrick traveled to Spain with the Abraham Lincoln brigade to fight the fascists in the Spanish Civil War. Comintern, the International Communist Party, hoped this effort would lead to a home for Communism in Spain. While Herrick's soldiering was brief (he quickly took a bulled to the neck, nearly crippling him), the Communist atrocities and double-dealing there made him see the Party in an entirely different light. Returning to the States an anarchist at heart, Herrick had a wife to support and was tied to the Party for a paycheck. His outspokenness about the Stalin-Hitler pact led to his dismissal and his full emergence as an anarcho-social democrat. Appearing in these pages as Herrick formalizes his distrust of all power is such figures as Emma Goldman, Cole Porter and Herrick's former employer Orson Welles. This fascinating work is historically enlightening and a textbook in the formation of practical anarchism from an adventurer-author struck from the same mold as George Orwell.



3. "Jumping The Line" is a brutally honest and frank account of William Herrick's life on the American Left - as a young Communist who quickly became disillusioned with the excesses of Stalinism and of Soviet Anti-Semitism. An early volunteer in the Abraham Lincoln Battalion fighting Fascism in Spain, Herrick was badly wounded in the first major battle fought by the Lincolns at Jarama. Transferred to a hospital, Herrick witnessed firsthand the betrayals and backstabbing policies of the Soviet Secret Police and their minions. In one horrific episode, Herrick recounts how, as an "unreliable" he was forced to be involved in an GPU\International Brigade execution of accused "Trotskyist" civilians, an event that has haunted him to this day.
   
   Returning home, Herrick then suffered the emotional wound of the Hitler-Stalin Pact, and being Jewish, promptly broke with the Party - courageously demonstrating as "a veteran of the Spanish Civil War - victim of the Hitler-Stalin Pact. He went on to adventures serving as a majordomo of sorts for Orson Welles - and some of the tales told here about "Citizen Kane" are quite hilarious. Herrick once told Life Magazine that his reasons for going to fight Hitlerism in Spain were that "As A Jew I know what Hitler is doing to my people".While he later admitted that it was the Party who instructed this to say the aforementioned remark, his pride and emotional attachment to his people clearly stands out in "Jumping The Line" as well as his "no prisoners taken" attitude towards both Fascism and Communism. This is indeed a memoir that Jews and all interested in the Spanish Civil War worldwide should read and while Herrick is a man who will admit his faults with candor, he is nonetheless a brave man and excellent writer - "Hermanos" is also strongly recommended by this reviewer.



4. This book is, very simply, the best memoir ever published by an American volunteer in the Spanish Civil War. It is a relentless autopsy on the murdered idealism of the young Communists who went to fight the fascists in Spain but ended up serving as hard guys for Russian dictator Josef Stalin and his secret police. It also shows clearly that the native supporters of the Spanish left were out for more than just a repudiation of fascist aggression: they were fighting for a social revolution, based on the labor movement, of a kind Stalin hated and feared much more than he did the fascists. This book also stands as a uniquely truthful and beautiful account of the lives of American and international Communist cadres; Bill Herrick speaks for every comrade who risked his or her life fighting for the world revolution in the 1930s, only to be brutally betrayed by Stalinism. It is extremely doubtful that a better book about the appeal of revolutionary Communism or the experience of its youthful militants will ever be written, at least in English.

5 comments about ALL'S FAIR LOVE WAR AND RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT: "Love, War and Running for President".

1. The love affair of the Ragin'Cajun and the hippie-turned-conservative, the election of '92 with him running Clinton's campaign and she stumping for Bush sr., a cast of thousands; and it reads like a novel.
   
   Wonderful insider view of politics, told in alternate blocks by the two, with writer Peter Knobler keeping the flavor of each's speaking style. Amazingly the pair was able to keep their work out of their personal life, marrying a year later with a jazz band procession through New Orleans's French quarter, naming their first daughter Matalin Mary, called Matty to acknowledge Mary's stature). Intimate looks at the candidates, with James's high regard for Hilary, Mary seeing Bush sr. as warm and personable.
   
   A must-read in this election year!



2. I can boast of having a copy of this book kindly sent to me by James Carville when it was first published. It's no exaggeration to say it's amongst my most treasured possessions.
   
   There's no denying that James brought the role of the politial consultant into the public eye. Sure, there had been people like Roger Ailes before him, but they'd tended to be shadowy figures, working behind the scenes and known only to political insiders. Carville started the cult of consultant-as-celebrity and his relationship with Matalin - an equally intelligent, equally interesting, but naturally less ebullient figure - whilst both were working for opposing Presidential campaigns catapaulted them both into the public mind.
   
   Perhaps because it was written at the time, the book doesn't have much to say on the subject of consultant-as-celebrity. Of course it was written pre-Stephanopolous / Morris / Rove et al, but it'd be interesting if Carville and Matalin re-issued the book with an epilogue. I for one would like to read their reflections on the trend.
   
   Without Carville and Matalin it's doubtful there'd have been as much focus on the role and influence of Morris and Rove, for instance. Certainly the film "He said, She said" would probably not have been made. Perhaps even "Wag the Dog" mightn't have got off the ground. But have things gone too far when a series like "K Street" makes consultants and politicians players in an imaginary drama?
   
   But for an insight into the Clinton years that's less about the personal and more the political, this is an excellent, lively read. In many ways it comes closer than James's other books to giving an insight into the campaign techniques that made both Carville and Matalin the most successful consultants of their day, as it charts their day-by-day activities.
   
   A cross between campaign diary, a love story and a political how-to manual probably wouldn't work with anyone but the authors at its center. But with Carville and Matalin, it serves to provide a unique way of looking into the inner workings of two Presidential campaigns.
   
   There's probably no other book quite like it - certainly all that comes to mind is Joe McGinniss's "The selling of the President" - for mixing personal observations with professional insight in the midst of a high level political campaign.
   
   It's a book well worth adding to your library, whether you're a political junkie or a romance reader.



3. Ever since I saw the documentary "The War Room," I have been a huge fan of James Carville's. It also helps that I am a big liberal Democrat. However, for the longest time I did not know that he was married to Mary Matalin, a longtime top Republican strategist. I also was unaware of the fact that they were more or less opposite numbers in the 1992 campaign, when Carville worked for Bill Clinton, and Matalin for President George H.W. Bush.
   
   This book shows the inner workings and machinations of both the Clinton and Bush campaigns in 1992, from the viewpoints of Carville and Matalin respectively.
   
   The book is written in turn; first Carville tells a little of what was happening in the Clinton camp, then Matalin offers the contemporary perspective of the Bush camp. This style works really well. At some points it develops into quasi-conversation, as if they were speaking to each other. There is ample room for the airing of their own personal views of what was going on as well.
   
   There were two overriding themes in the book: the way Carville ran Clinton's operation, best known as The War Room, clearly changed the way political campaigns are conducted in this nation, and, partially because of the innovations of The War Room the Bush effort was off its game big-time. At times it was amazing to see the sheer ineptitude of the Bush campaign, such as when Mary Matalin describes how the White House and the Bush campaign were unwilling or unable to effectively coordinate their activities until the Republican convention.
   
   There is also a lot of discussion of how the media, especially television and newspapers, influence the way a campaign is run these days. Predictably, there is a healthy amount of negativity expressed toward the press, especially Matalin's railing at the so-called liberal media, even though Carville makes some good arguments that Clinton was not receiving the best coverage, either.
   
   A must-have for anyone interested in the nuts and bolts of political campaigns, especially for people who want to get involved in the higher operations of politics.



4. I know that this is the first book I have ever read with two senior people on the opposite sides of a presidential campaign combining on one book. As far as I know this might be the only one out there like it. Just the fact that both sides of the total campaign were discussed point by point would be enough to give this book a high rating, but these two authors (and probably the added professional writer) helped to make this book a very entertaining read. The authors struck the right balance between the exciting blow by blow of the campaign and the day to day decisions that most people would find dull. It was just so interesting reading both sides of each issue as it came up in the race. Reading how each side perceived a situation and then reacted gave the reader a rich understanding of how the campaign played out.
   
   The one area that I found a bit annoying was the rabid partisanship of Mary Matalin. I actually thought that James Carville would be the rip it up partisan trash talker that was going to spell out the red meat attack on every issue. Now I tend to lean a little left so I at first thought it was just my liberal sensitivities getting a bit out of joint, but the more I read and tried to be fair I really got a negative view of Matalin. It is one thing to attack Clinton, heck stand in line, but the over blown attacks on average Democrats was a bit much. It just made me doubt much of what she said when balance was required and it eliminated any sympathy I should have had for her being she was on the losing side.
   
   Another area I found interesting was how much she truly respected and adored President Bush. Now this might be a symptom of any campaign worker, but make no mistake about it, Mary held her love for the candidate front and center. With this being said it is understandable that she would take the loss hard and find some avenues to place a little blame, but her dislike of the press was only surpassed by Bill Clinton himself. Every bad decision or misstep on her side was somehow laid at the feet of the press for simply reporting the event. If Clinton was leading in the polls then Matalin made the claim the press was favoring Clinton. It got to be so pervasive that it took on the appearance of the town drunk arguing that he does not have a drinking problem. It might have been an underling factor as to why the Bush team did not pull it out at the end. Overall I really liked the book and if you are a political junkie then so will you.



5. Even though the Clinton vs. Bush campaign was 12 years ago, this book is well worth a re-visit. The book is relatively long but I found every page of high interest.
   
   Mary Matalin's sections on the Bush re-election were wonderful reading and I am an avowed liberal. She perfectly captured the patrician nobility of Bush Senior and the campaign that destroyed itself. From the disasterous reign of John Sununu as Chief of Staff, the tragic death of Lee Atwater, the paralysis of Margaret Tutwiler, the insanity of Ross Perot, the mean-spiritedness of Patrick Buchanan, the shrill defeatism of Rich Bonds, and the often confused and muddled voice of an out of touch President, George Bush, the characters are vividly drawn and almost sympathetic.
   
   Carville on the other hand is masterful in his analysis of the consciousness of the American Everyman. The strength of Carville's strategy is common sense played offensively. He respects the middle class American sense of irony and skepticism trying to move toward optimism and problem solving.
   
   Even though the book is 478 pages long, it is really a fast read. Both Matalin and Carville are witty, strategic professionals with years of experience. I didn't get the book to read a sappy love story and I was glad the book focused on the considerable professional experiences of this couple rather than on their fledgling romance.
   
   Carville's desciptions of Bill Clinton do the man justice as a flawed but brilliant leader. Matalin's desciptions of George Bush do the man justice as a man who believes his class, gender, and race was destined for leadership but he just can't navigate the reality of the average American experience.
   
   Where both Matalin and Carville converge is in their perspectives on Patrick Buchanan, a mean hateful old man, and Ross Perot, a crazy old man.
   
   Besides a blow by blow detailed story of the Clinton vs. Bush campaigns from beginning to end, the book is full of political wisdom and strategy.

5 comments about Anything Goes! What I've Learned from Pundits, Politicians and Presidents.

1. Everyone else wrote an interesting, well thought-out review, but April Safara seems to be a total moron. Her review would even receive a failing grade in a fourth grade lit class. I'm surprised she was even able to read the book at all, considering how poor her literary skills are. Looks like you need a refresher course in Writing 101! Moron.



2. Larry King is usually the background noise during dinner time in my (single) household so I pretend that I know him rather well. So when I started the book I expected the wise and experienced uncle to provide some wisdom and tell me about invaluable experiences. Well, it did not live up to that, especially in the first half of the book. But every now and again - moreso towards the end - I could hear him saying what he was writing. Much in the beginning just does not sound like him.

   The books offers a great overview of what moved the media during the 90ies: so, here is your entertaining history lesson - not entirely comprehensive but certainly the basics for the media small talk. He does not show off, he is honest with himself and he displays the very down-to-earth side of himself. Maybe it just lacks more wicked, unheard-of experiences that I expected to get a better rating. You got to have this "wise uncle at 9 PM EST" with him to like the book.




3. This book reminded me of a collage term paper being done at the last minute when you increase the font size and margins to try and stretch the meager text to the length requirement. I have never been a big fan of his interview show, but I was hoping given the amount of time he has been at it, he would have some interesting "during the break" type of stories from his guests. It turned out that this was not the case.

   I would like to say that I enjoyed this book or at least found parts interesting or well written, but that would not be honest. I had to keep reading given it was the only book I had on a 9 hour flight. How can someone that has interviewed so many interesting and influential people over the years have this little to say? Thank goodness for the professional writer he hired or who knows if we would have even had complete sentences to read. Overall the book was dull, no insights and barely anything interesting.




4. Well never having read a larry King book considering he wrote so many this book was great. It gave you inside edge on what larry king has seen, heard, and talked about in the years of his careers. It's was great reading about all the people he talk too. I would definely recommand this book to a friend.



5. Kudos to Larry King (and Pat Piper) for their riveting account of the rich, famous and powerful during the final, tumultuous decade of the late (and unlamented) century. While "Anything Goes" provides fascinating insight into the lives of Washington's movers and shakers, it also gives a good glimpse of the talkmeister king himself, just a "poor kid from Brooklyn" embued with a rare gift of knowing whom to talk to, when, and what to ask. "Anything Goes" is a great chronicle of one of the most topsy-turvy periods in American history. It's also enormously entertaining.

5 comments about Desire of the Everlasting Hills: The World Before and After Jesus.

1. Cahill is a comparative cultural historian, and as such, views the history of Judaism and Christianity through secular eyes, yet is faithful to how adherents of each understood their faiths. I recommend this book with enthusiasm, for the historical context in which Cahill places Judaism, the advent of Jesus and the evolution of the Church, for the cogent analysis of why Jesus had such a radical impact, for his descriptions of the early Church and his ability to unpack Paul's theology into terms the secular world can understand, terms that perhaps many Christians might benefit from considering. However, be advised that Cahill does not adopt a "sola scriptura" approach to his analysis, and therefore does not esteem scripture as might a Christian author for a Christian readership. I do not let this offend me, for my reverence of Scripture is well-establlished, and I feel Cahill's work can benefit us who believe in our witness to those who don't by his very reasonable approach to understand what Jesus is about and why the world reacts to Him as it does.



2. Part of my high regard for this book is based on timing. My own frustration with other men speaking with such over-whelming certainty about God, Christ, life and death had reached a peak, shortly before I picked up this volume. I agree the opening chapters setting the scene about the Greek, Roman and Hebrew world before Christ were at times a bit dense for me (and I generally read alot of history). But from there on out I practically inhaled it. Mr. Cahill managed to both deflate alot of what I believe needed deflating and strongly reafirmed feelings I wasn't even quite sure I had. It works and I'm glad I read it. One side issue: I've seen hundreds of images of the crucifixtion but, I never really "got it" until reading Mr. Cahill's description. He made it more real and more awful than even Mr. Gibson's film. After reading some of these other reviews I'm reminded how polarizing an issue faith/religion can be. But after reading this volume I felt energized about my own personal leap of faith. Thanks Mr. Cahill.



3. Though I might read this but as it turned out, I didn't...it is still around here somewhere....



4. I loved this book because it challenged the picture I had of Jesus in my head but didn't challenge my beliefs of Jesus. It added a deepening and understanding of the divinity of Jesus. I love Cahill's books and not just because I'm Irish and we saved western civilization.



5. This book is not up to the quality of How the Irish Saved Civilization. Too much of his writing is merely quoting sources. Actually it is rather boring.

5 comments about Mark Twain.

1. 
   This is an excellent biography for many reasons.It is written in very simple language and makes a fast paced read.There are a multitude of excellent and relevant photos of Twain,all the members of his family and at many stages of their lives.There are numerous pictures of where Twain lived and homes he had.Also, many pictures of family life.He lived such an interesting life ,it takes a lot of pictures to make one see what it was all like.The pictures are so good that it would be impossible to convey the same thing in words alone.Along with the personal photos, there are all kinds of illustrations from every aspect of his life.The book contains 275 illustrations,and every last one is a real gem.The book is based on a film that was aired a couple of years ago and undoubtedly will be shown many more times;keep an eye out for it.
   The book does an excellent job of showing Twain as a person and all the things that were important in his life;and there were so many.
   The one thing that is really explained is why "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" is possibly the first,greatest and most important novel in American Literature. If you hadn't thought about it,this book might convince you.
   I read a lot of biographies,but I have a hard job in trying to think of one that was as well done as this.As good as the text is,I believe it is the wonderful photos and illustrations that puts this book over the top.
   If you are a lover of Twain's work and life,you should make every effort to get hold of this super effort.



2. The book is confusing. What is the reader supposed to believe? Clemens was a genius, or, Clemens was an imbecile? "Mark Twain an Illustrated Biography" starts with a preface that says: Sam Clemens was a "genius." Next comes the prologue, which states "his own overreaching drove him and his family into exile oversaes."---That statement could not be farther from the truth. A book that starts by rejoicing in Twain's genius and, then proceeds completely to ignore Twain's genius and portray an imbecile is confusing.To understand the confusion and, put the narrative on page 177 in context, review this sentence: "When she died, she was only twenty-four years old." What is the purpose of the word "only" in that sentence? Putting "only" in the sentence confuses facts and, by that confusion makes a biased sentence. Susy was twenty-four years old: An age by anybody's standards where she is old enough to be responsible for her own health. By combining that sentence with "only" and the pictures of a young Susy on pages 87, 94, 99, 103, 105, 119, 132, 146, 150, the book alleges that Susy was very young when she died, which is not true.It was the family publishing business alone that went bankrupt, not Clemens, a fact previously canvassed on page 157 but by page 177 forgotten; The financial recession of 1893, which was responsible for making the tour necessary and separating the family, was not Clemens fault and he would have to be an absolute fool rather than a genius to think otherwise, a fact previously canvassed on pages 155 & 156 but by page 177 forgotten; Clemens knew that he was in no way whatsoever responsible for the death of Susy; When Susy died, she was not the first child that Sam and Livy had buried; What Sam includes in his letter on page 177 are emotions experienced after losing their first child a son, not emotions consistent with losing their second child Susy. Canvassed initially, the book describes how Sam becomes inured to death by experiencing so many deaths in his life. Then on page 177 it is as if death is a brand-new idea, which Sam, has no familiarity with at all? It cannot be both ways, either he was inured or he was not.Sam's writing was so powerful that he easily conveyed feelings that he did not feel; Sam's writing conveys feelings that he does not feel to relieve Livy's feelings of responsibility and grief: Clemens is magnanimously taking responsibility for things that he knows he is not responsible for to soothe his ailing wife (Sam wrote a similar letter after the death of his brother Henry, see page 20, only an idiot would believe himself responsible for too much steam when he was not even on the boat with Henry.); Livy had been diagnosed with heart problems, which forced the family move to Europe in 1891, a fact previously canvassed on page 145 where it incorrectly states "They [doctors] recommended rest and treatment for Livy in Europe," the facts being rather that Livy was "ordered" to Europe by her doctors, but by page 177 the facts after being distorted are forgotten and without thorough study or instruction, the facts are presented with a vagueness that makes' them impossible to understand.Unequivocally, Clemens in 1906 stated for his autobiography, [Edited by Charles Neider, page 428], Livy was "ordered" to Europe by her doctors. If Clemens knew, Livy was ordered to Europe in 1906, it's only fair to assume he knew Livy was "ordered" to Europe when he wrote that magnanimous letter on page 177 taking responsibility for things that he knew he was not responsible for in 1896. And just as fairly, without any assumption, we may know that Clemens knew he did not cause the financial recession of 1893. Sam's stay in Europe, which he loathed and called exile, was never exile at all, but concession to his love for his wife, Livy, and the requirements mandated by her heart trouble.In all honesty, Clemens was being magnanimous when he wrote "Reproaching myself for laying the foundation of all our troubles. . . . Reproaching myself for a million things whereby I have brought misfortune and sorrow to this family."---found on page 177. Clemens was being far from honest, unless he was responsible for the financial recession of 1893, responsible for Livy's heart problems that forced the families move to Europe in 1891, and responsible for Susy's health when Susy was of an age to be responsible for her own health and had been living on her own separated by half-a-world from Sam and Livy for most of a year.For an entertaining book that does not confuse these important issues I recommend: MEET MARK TWAIN, published by Xlibris.



3. I wonder how many people could have led the life that Samuel Clemens did and kept their sanity. He went from riches to rags (even though it was his own fault...he spent money like it was going out of style and made some horrendous investments), which forced him, at the age of 60, into making a 10 month long physically and mentally draining around-the-world lecture tour. The tour enabled him to pay off his debts and regain his financial footing. Unfortunately, money was the least of his problems. The authors do not specifically state it, but it is clear (to me anyway) that Clemens suffered from manic-depression. At various times, and not coinciding with anything bad going on his life, he considered suicide. He had lifelong moodswings, as well as a volatile temper. (His daughters were afraid to be alone with him, as his behavior was so unpredictable. They made sure to visit him as a group.) The authors recount one incident where Clemens, angry over a missing button, opened an upstairs window and tossed all of his shirts out into the street. Saddest of all, Clemens outlived almost all of his loved ones. His beloved wife, Livy, who was almost 10 years younger than him, predeceased him, as did 3 of his 4 children. His one surviving child, his daughter Clara, suffered a nervous breakdown when Clemens was almost 70. A heavy load to bear, indeed, but somehow Clemens bore it and carried on. One thing that helped was his worldwide fame. Clemens was hungry for fame, even as a young man. He became well-known early in life, and remained famous and popular right up until he died. (He was a bit of a "ham." He would purposely time his walks for when people were emerging from church, and would then saunter past in his trademark- pun intended- white suits.) This book is an absolutely perfect blend of narrative by the authors, liberal excerpts from Clemens's many writings, "guest essays," and page after page of terrific period photographs. (The research done for the photographs, alone, must have been backbreaking.) The narrative and essays made this a good book. The addition of the excerpts and the photos turned it into a great book. The excerpts are not just from Clemens's well-known works, either. He was once asked to address an organization which consisted of descendants of the Puritans. The written text is reproduced in the book. Twain skewered the original Puritans for killing Native Americans and for kicking everyone who wasn't a Puritan out of Massachusetts, even though, as Clemens makes sure to emphasize, they left England under the banner of religious freedom. (You have to think that when the organization invited Clemens to speak, this wasn't quite what they had in mind.) One of the many interesting items included in the book is a list of the famous sayings "Mark Twain" supposedly uttered....but didn't. (He was so famous that it was assumed that anything clever originated with him.) Unfortunately, one of my all-time favorites was included in this list: "When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years." On the bright side, he DID say "The rumor of my death has been greatly exaggerated." One caution: the excerpts will make you want to read or re-read all of Twain. I've already ordered a copy of "The Innocents Abroad" as somehow, in my youth, I missed that one. Hats off to Geoffrey Ward, Dayton Duncan, and Ken Burns for this wonderful book!



4. This illustrated biography of one of America's most memorable and beloved authors holds quite a few surprises for the unsuspecting reader. Anticipating anecdotes from Mark Twain's life that would portray him as a kind, altruistic, and loving man, I was shocked to learn he was also an irrascible, guilt-ridden, tight-fisted lover of alcohol and cigars who was often looking for ways to get rich.

   He was born in 19th century Missouri and raised during a time when major political, economic, social, and cultural issues were forging America's identity. The rugged 19th century also molded Twain into an outspoken critic of those forces, providing him with an unending stream of material for his cogent and waggish observations.

   Amid a collection of excerpts from his novels and speeches, articles and essays, as well as numerous pictures and illustrations, the authors present an insightful analysis of the man best known for writing TOM SAWYER and HUCKLEBERRY FINN. What becomes obvious is the relevance, creativity and importance of all his work, not just the books we were assigned in high school.

   This book is a treasure; the kind of book that can be referred to often. It can give food for thought for hours of reflection. It is Highly Recommended.




5. Mark Twain: An Illustrated Biography is an informative survey of Twain's life which gathers material from a variety of published and unpublished sources, from his novels and lectures to his letters and photos. Students and fans of Twain thus receive much more illustration than in competing titles, in the form of vintage photos and color ads and drawings, along with a lively biographical sketch surveying Twain's life and times. Highly recommended; much more accessible than most.