No comments about SUETONIUS Vol.II The Lives of the Caesars, II: Claudius. Nero. Galba, Otho, and Vitellius. Vespasian. Titus, Domitian. Lives of Illustrious Men: Grammarians and Rhetoricians. ..Passienus Crispus (Loeb.

1 comments about James Polk and The Expansionist Impulse (Library of American Biography Series) (3rd Edition) (Library of American Biography).

1. Between the end of Andrew Jackson's presidency in 1837 and the beginning of Abraham Lincoln's in 1861 there was a 24 year period of presidential mediocrity. Eight presidents served during this era, four of them for less than a single term, forming a roster of forgettable names: Martin Van Buren, William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, Zachary Taylor, Millard Fillmore, Franklin Pierce and James Buchanan. Only one man in this era of mediocrity stands out at all: James Polk.
   
   What makes Polk stand out from these others is that he actually accomplished something noteworthy. During his presidency, the U.S. warred with Mexico. This war was significant not only because it marked the first time the U.S. fought a war in foreign territory, but more importantly, it resulted in the U.S. acquiring a vast amount of land, including California and New Mexico (it also forced Mexico to recognize that Texas was now part of its northern neighbor). In addition, Polk was able to more peacefully obtain what would become Oregon and Washington from England.
   
   The acquisition of Mexican land was controversial during the war and even remains the source of argument today. Long before the controversies of weapons of mass destruction, there were the debatable origins of the Mexican War; Polk was determined to acquire land and set up things to force a conflict. Besides the somewhat dubious origins of the war, the result for the U.S. was also filled with negatives; the new territories would exacerbate North-South conflicts (particularly about slavery) and - though temporarily alleviated by the Compromise of 1850, would eventually lead to the Civil War.
   
   Sam Haynes has written an excellent if brief biography of Polk. In just over 200 pages, he reviews Polk's entire life, focusing on his one term as president. Haynes remains reasonably objective, with as much praise for Polk's better qualities as criticism for his deficiencies. If you are interested in Polk or this era of American History, this is a good introduction.

5 comments about Restavec: From Haitian Slave Child to Middle-Class American.

1. Restavec is an excellent look into Haiti's secret slavery. It's an honest look at what is sadly going on in Haiti today, even though the author is writing about his past. The author is to be commended for writing this autobiography, for exposing and expressing the senseless, brutal and humiliating acts towards him. Reading this book, grabbed my heart and attention and has made me want to do something to help the children in Haiti that are currently oppressed. It was a really quick and easy read. A page-turner and I'm glad I read it.



2. I loved this book. I thought it was excellent, touching, compelling, and educational. The tales in Mr. Cadet's life are certaintly unforgetable. I cried, laughed, and lived with this book as I traveled with Mr. Cadet and his life experiences.
   
   This book is a must read.



3. I got this book in the mail on 7/12 at 6:00 pm. I could not stop reading it, even though I had a social to attend (took it with me) and finally fell asleep around 12:30 am. Woke up at 4 to finish it. I could not put it down. To think that what I read is all true is just overwhelming. I am encouraged by his triumph over his life struggles, but still understanding of his daily battle to fight feeling of insecurity and inferiority.
   
   If you need a new appreciation for life or a reason to strive for more, read this book. Someone who has suffered greatly has had enough victory to encourage you to do better.



4. After hearing Mr. Cadet on Oprah, I didn't stop until I ordered his book. I could not put this book down once I started reading it... it was truly a book filled with so many graphic details and the emotions that were evoked were feelings of anger, pity, empahty and sympathy that I never knew existed within me. While, I am not from Haiti I just couldn't help feeling such empathy for the children and people of Haiti who were/are exposed to this type of existence. In 2007 it amazes me that slavery, in any form, exists in the world. This book haunts at the reader to examine him/herself and see what can he/she contribute towards the world whereby the end result will be equality for all mankind. My heart goes out to all of the Jean Robert-Cadets in the world. At the same time I wonder how could his father have loved his mother so much that he would allow such treatment of his child, especially, once he was made aware of his circumstances. As for the people who contributed towards the hell of a life that Mr. Cadet experienced as a child and took that luggage into adulthood...they should know that Karma is alive, well and active.
   This book, touches any and all emotions of the reader, it enlightens and paints a vivid picture of what some children have to endure on a daily basis. This book is definitely a wake up call for all people of the world to come to our senses and treat people with dignity. It brings home the fact that we are all products of our environment and we must cherish our most prized possessions, our children of the world. We, as adults, must realize that they are innocent and it should be a reasonable expectation of them to think that at the very least we will provide and protect them. I applaud the steps that Mr.Cadet with the assistance of God and his wife is taking to conquer the strong holds that his childhood put upon him.
   Keep the faith Mr. Cadet and break the cycle. Life is too precious to not live it to the fullest. Continue to look towards the hills from which cometh your help...
   
   I have been educated and taught a lesson that will never be forgotten simply from reading this book. This lesson that one will get from this book crosses all color lines. We as a people have to raise up and do to others as we would want done to us and our love ones.



5. reader will find it difficult to read parts of this book describing the authors childhood as a slave in Haiti. Hopefully your awareness of the real situation for children in countries other than the US wil prompt you to try to help change their situation. inspiring story of overcoming in the face of huge obstacles.

5 comments about Barbara Jordan: American Hero.

1. I'm glad that Jordan is not hear to see how the gov't of the people, for the people, by the people has been so completely perverted by special interests and neo patriots, such as George W. Bush and John Ashcroft. I was only a boy, when like many, I was captivated by this incredible person. She gave me hope that govt could actually serve the people. This book does a great job to capture her spirit and remind us that govt was once a tool and not force for opression.



2. This was a very inspirational book. Barbara Jordan's life was really incredible and the reason she accomplished as much as she did had to do with her innate abilities as well as her willingness to deal with the enemy. She kept her overriding goal utmost - the welfare of the people of East Texas.

   Lots of what she experienced and spoke out against we see today. We could really use her moral voice of authority. She is missed.




3. This is a well written and effective biography of one of America's most amazing personalities. Mary Beth Rodgers tells Jordan's story with the advantage of being an insider; her access to those who knew Jordan well shows in her insightful and complete telling of Jordan's life.

   Jordan is widely remembered by her public persona, the booming orator from Texas - the intellectual constitutional scholar who presided over Nixon's impeachment. But element that makes this biography compelling is Rodgers' depiction of the wheeling and dealing that allowed Jordan to cross barriers and operate effectively in the good-old-boy white male backrooms of the Texas Senate. We get to see Jordan the idealist armed with the constitution in our nation's capital, but we also get to see Jordan the pragmatist cutting deals over a scotch in Austin Texas.

   An effective biography of an amazing American figure.




4. Too often the reviews of biographies and history books end up reviewing the actual person or subject rather than the book. Barbara Jordan was a great, great woman. There's no doubt about that. Of all history's politicans, religious leaders, civil rights advocates, political figures and intellectuals, she is the one person who truly shows us all how we should handle the issue of race in this country.

   This book honored her. It was truly a great read. Descriptive, informative and thought provoking. Whenever I ask someone about Barbara Jordan, they always respond with something like, "Wow, have you ever heard her speak?" I was born too late to hear her more popular speeches. But, the author's effective use of excerpts from Jordan's speeches makes me feel like I was right there watching her. This well researched book gave me a deeper understanding of the events of the Nixon impeachment process, the Carter Administration, politics in itself and the plight of both African Americans and women in government. I really enjoyed this book and I highly recommend it.




5. IT IS THE BEST BOOK EVER!

No comments about U.S. Military History For Dummies (For Dummies (History, Biography & Politics)).

3 comments about Nicholas I: Emperor and Autocrat of All the Russias.

1. This is a superb, well researched, highly organized, and very readable biography of an important Russian emperor. The author provides an indepth description and intelligent analysis of Nicholas' personality and character, the emperor's orientation to autocratic rule, Russian political, economic, social, and cultural history during his reign, and the importance of the political, economic, and social influences of Western European nations on Russia. Lincoln goes much beyond just presenting a chronology of events, by explaining why historical events happened as they did. The final epilogue nicely places the reign of Nicholas in the broader context of Russian history that preceded his reign and the events that would unfold subsequent to his time. My only slight criticism of the book is that maps were not included. Nevertheless, it is one of the best historical biographies I have ever read. Lincoln's larger worker, The Romanozs is equally terrific.



2. I would like to ask every person who read this book to help me find the german version of it. It would be very important for my father to have it. Maybe one of the readers knows where to find it. Thanks for your help...



3. Nicholas I has always had a bad press in Russia as well as abroad. The Russians considered his regime to be harsh, riddled with contemptuous foreigners, in short 'un-Russian'. This image was created by exiles such as Herzen and Bakunin, and reinforced in communist times. In the West, Nicholas rigorous opposition to political novelties like constitutions and republics did little to improve his public relations. Lincoln sets out to make clear what made this remarkable man 'tick'. He does that by commencing his biography with the Decembrist revolution, which gave a clear indication of the new tsar's state of mind. Time and again, the two key elements of Nicholas' reign are called to mind: autocracy and legitimacy. Lincoln has produced a convincing, and very well-written, biography of Russia's most important tsar of the nineteenth century. I am uncertain whether this or Nicholas V. Riasanovsky's _Nicholas I and Official Nationality in Russia_ is the best biography of this man, but Lincolns extensive references appear to tip the scale in his favour.

5 comments about Memoirs of a Warsaw Ghetto Fighter.

1. I am disappointed in this book. The premise is good, and the author lived through it. However, this is a very uneven book. Even the author admitted he skipped around alot. There are so many Polish and Jewish names thrown in, I was wondering who the heck was who. The film made much better sense. I could have even rated this book a two star, but since this is the story of a brave man, I gave it an average rating.
   
   Kazik is a Polish Jew from Warsaw who saw his family imprisoned in the Warsaw Ghetto. As a way of getting even with the Germans, he joined both the Jewish and Polish resistance. He was essentially a courier, who went from place to place organizing things. His story is the overview of NBC's Uprising. I liked the movie. His book was not as good, even though the movie is based on his book. Essentially he throws a lot of memories together, and states this was the story of the resistance. I think this author is a brave man, but his writings leave a little bit to be desired.



2. A good book written by one of the few survivors of the uprising. The author tells a harrowing story about what seemed to be a hopeless situation for the Jewish fighters as the Nazis decimated the ghetto around them with bombing and fire. The Jewish resistance fighters held off the Germans longer than the Polish army did. The author freely admits that he is not a writer and the story gets a little rough in spots but overall a good book from an insider who was there and lived to tell his heroic story.



3. The author is sincere and spontaneous in telling his personal experience. The description of events, places and facts is also very well. But from the very beggining it is clear that the author is not a writer (or, at least, not a good one.)
   I am convinced that it is not only a plain true story what captivates the reader but, more than anything else, the way it is told. This book is a good example of that difference.
   Nevertheless, an applause for Simha Rotem, an extraordinary human being that not only fought hard to survive himself, but also to save the life of others.



4. Kazik was a 19-year-old Jewish lad who survived the Nazi terror and systematic mass killings of Jews, the Warsaw ghetto uprising of 1943 and the Warsaw uprising of 1944.
   He was also led many fighters out of the ghetto through the sewer, and he was responsible for the care of many Jews who were hiding in Polish homes. Kazik also managed to find shelters for his parents and his two sisters, and after the war he was one of the very few Jews whose parents were still alive. After the war, Kazik, his sister Raya and parents all immigrated to Israel. Kazik's other sister, Dina, was killed during the Warsaw ghetto uprising. Kazik didn't at that time know that his sister was in the ghetto.
   
   I found the book interesting and heart gripping at the same time. It is amazing to read how Kazik manages to stay alive, and always seems to stay one step ahead of the Nazis and their helpers.
   
   Kazik writes how he found one thing difficult when he arrived in Israel: When he told people that he was one of the very few survivors, it seemed like some almost blamed him for having survived. Kazik tells how people kept on asking him about people who had died, but never about those who had survived. This made him reluctant to talk about his past.
   He writes about how one man told him that he (= Kazik) screamed every night in his sleep.
   If Kazik had made a volume II about his life after the war, I surely would have read the book. His history is fascinating, and I hope his life was mainly a happy one after he immigrated to Israel.
   I liked this book, and I found Kazik's story very interesting. Kazik tells us that he is not much of a talker, and that it was therefore difficult to dictate this book to the writer. Kazik may not be a talker or a skilled writer, but his story is one it is hard to forget.



5. Memoirs of a Warsaw Ghetto Fighter, written by one of the surviving members of the ZOB was a well-written account of not only life as a resistance fighter but also what life was like for the few that fought in the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. This is an easy read and I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in learning more about this period and what the Jews and all victims of the Nazis had to endure.

5 comments about The Knock at the Door: A Journey Through the Darkness of the Armenian Genocide.

1. In straight forward simple language Margaret Ahnert brings us into her family history and the horor of the Armenian Genocide through stories told to her by her mother. At times charming, at times moving, at times shocking and revolting, her words come across as a personal private conversation. Though a compelling story it sometimes felt repititious and the writing less than poetic or polished...perhaps that is what makes the read feel natural and intimate.



2. I am 3rd generation Armenian and everytime I read another story of a poor Armenian suffering from the hands of the genocide, my heart goes out to my fellow Armenians. I applaud this author and her parents for what they endured living and suffering through the genocide. A must read and it's about time we make the Armenian Genocide known to the public.



3. It is the best book I have read about the Armenian genocide. Wonderfully written and hard to stop reading until the end. Its narrative form keeps the reader immersed in the story taking you through her mothers ordeal for survival during troublesome and dark days in history of the Armenian people under the Ottoman Empire.



4. 
   Very few books come my way I read in 2 days. This was one of them. I knew very little of the Amenian Genocide before I read this book. It is a history lesson you will not learn in a classroom. My late godmother was half Armenian,she once told me the story of the Armenian Genocide will make you cry. It did. What the Armenian people went through was horrofic. Anyone of Armenian descent should hold there head high. There forfathers endured alot of grieve, heartache,torture.



5. Very well written book about a human tragedy.
   
   Octavio TejedaThe Knock at the Door: A Journey Through the Darkness of the Armenian Genocide

5 comments about Three Dog Nightmare: The Chuck Negron Story.

1. The book takes us from Chuck's beginnings as an insecure kid who played hookie from school to spend the day at home alone rather than face class, through his basketball years, to his life as the guy we all knew (or thought we knew). Everything from an exploding penis from too much groupie poking, to the nightmarish world of total heroin addiction (which lasted a full 20 years), I found his story quite readable, and rarely boring. I don't think I skipped over a word in the book. As has been said before, it is an absolute wonder that the man still breathes.



2. Three Dog Night was one of my all-time favorite groups so I decided to read Chuck's story. I had no idea that his life turned out to be so chaotic, to put it mildly. Chuck talks about his story from a teenager, to doing drugs sometimes, to becoming a full-blown heroin addict, to the point where he was using just to keep from being sick. He has an amazing memory for detail, for about 70% of the book details his drug-using days. He is truly a success story, encouraging others to get clean and speaking to groups for free. Getting clean helped him realize how much he loved to sing and performs currently with a band of his own. I'm sorry to see that all members of Three Dog Night are currently not on good terms, for they were truly a fantastic group! I liked the book because he confronted the reasons why he did what he did - using drugs, and as a result, alienated his friends and family; he didn't make excuses for his behavior - he took full responsiblity for it and didn't blame anyone for his actions. He was an addict who succumbed to drugs and was lost for many many years till he entered a 9-month rehab program that finally brought him back to life. The book was very well written and is truly a success story.



3. Three Dog Nightmare The Continuing Chuck Negron Story is the most powerful and incredible story you will ever read. If you think living the life of a famous Rock and Roll Star is all glamorous you are so wrong. If you or someone you know is a drug addict or alcoholic and you think all hope is lost. Then you definitely need to read this book. The fact that Chuck Negron lives today to tell his story is a true miracle. The courage and strength that it had to take to open up his life in this book makes him the most respected person I have ever had the pleasure of knowing and meeting.
   I get so upset with people that make comments like oh look how they wasted their lives on drugs and alcohol. Why do they do that, Why don't they just quit, how could they do that in the first place. Because it isn't a choice. It's an addiction and it only takes some people one time to try it before they are hooked. Most people don't know that it can also be genetic and handed down from a family member like a father or grandparent. It's part of your chemestry make up from the day you are born. Even if your own Mother and Father never drank a day in their life. How much do you really know about your family history?
   
   Chuck does a great job in this book explaining what it really means to be a junkie. He also explaines the difference between some people that can be social drinkers and the difference between those that have additive personalitys. Those are the ones that get hooked and get hooked fast! Again that can all be caused as a part of your genetic make up by being born with and addictive personality or born an alcoholic.
   
   If you don't think so, ask someone you know that smokes ciggerettes and has cancer or lung disease and ask them why they don't quit or why did they do that, or how could they mess their lives up like that. I'll tell you why, Cause Nictoine is a drug and it is an addiction. The addictivness of it is no different then the addiction of any other drugs or alcohol. I know cause Im addicted nicotine in ciggerettes and I have lung disease. It's not a choice once your addicted. It's pathetic that I still smoke to this day and I can't quit. I've tried hypnosis and everything. It's not just a physical addiction it's a physcological addiction.
   
   It's always easy for people to judge when they have never walked in another person's shoes. What our country really needs is alot more awareness and education on drugs and alcohol addiction. Most people don't even know that you can be born an alcoholic and never drink a day in your life. Your born with it. They can even do brain wave test on children to see if they are born alcoholics and most people don't know that either. That's why we need more education and awareness about it. Chuck more then anyone has really made that very clear in this book. He shows just how little people know about it and how little they understand it. Because no one in their right mind that had everything to gain and had everything they could want like he did would ever throw it away for a life like he lived as an addict and a junkie.
   
   I know that God is the only reason that Chuck is alive. He has a purpose in life. If you think it didn't take a lot of courage and strength for him to open his life up to the whole world. Then take a good moral inventory of your own life and see how much you would be willing to tell someone in order to save a life. Would you ever open up your life about something your not proud of that you did wrong to save someone's life? Not to many people would. Chuck has opened a very dark side of his life to the world in hopes of saving others from one of the worst things in life and that's drug addiction. God Bless you chuck!
   
   Just remember that the life that he save's, might be your own or someone you love. So I hope that everyone will read this book so you will know the signs and know what and what not to do to save a loved one. I hope that it will find you wanting to research alot more on it so you will have more awareness and educate yourself on it.
   
   chuck, Thank you so much for opening up some of the most painful part's of your life in this book in effort to help others. You are truly a gift from God and a True Inspiration.
   
   Martina Campbell - 04/06/2008



4. This book should be required reading for everyone. Whether your are an addict, recovering addict, family member or friend of an addict, or even none of the above you should read this. If not an addict this book will help you understand what these people go though, that most are really desperate to get out of this life style and just how hard it is to get out. If you are an addict it will let you know that no matter how far down you fall, if you want it bad enough there is always a way up, there is always hope, don't give up.



5. A most read for all fans and any one in a band. I met Chuck a year after reading the book and had him sign it. What a nice guy.

5 comments about Letters from the Dust Bowl.

1. This book is best read quickly, if not at a sitting, then over a weekend. In that way Henderson's prose gets its power, and it will take you from youthful optimism to euphoria, then to despair, and then to a sort of middle ground in which she makes peace with herself and the land. She's at her best when she describes her mental and verbal battles with intolerant churchmen: she just couldn't buy into the vengeful God of the itinerant evangelists of the time, and she was not shy about expressing her opinions. This book will make the Great Plains and Dust Bowl come alive, not as a scholarly, "objective" tome, but as a woman's journey of the heart. A very nice read.



2. This is trying. The personal letters presented in the book convey a manner with which Caroline uses to overcome life stresses that come with homesteading a difficult land in a fickle environment. The Hendersons live quite alone in No Mans Land. The welfare of the Henderson family depends strictly on their ability to manifest a steady resource of food substances for nutrition and for trade. The letters from Caroline Henderson are written in a very flowery style that worked well in the early half of the 20th century. Digesting the text isn't easy if you've become adapted to the pace of life today.
   
   However, the reader is treated to an infinite barrel of wisdom. Certainly, Caroline had to deal with much more in her life than overcoming writing styles, so it helps knowing this just to get through the book. It is easy to miss what is really going on here. Homesteading requires a harvest of food for nutrition and another harvest of food for the soul. The book talks very little about dust storms. More is spoken of the planted gladiolas, the harvest, the songs of birds, and of Christmas. Letters are torn up in frustration, and rewritten to be positive. Each response to a letter opens with words of thanks for encouragement offered.
   
   This little book is terrific - the kind of book that changes lives. If you enjoyed Victor E. Frankl's "Man's Search for Meaning" you might also love this. Though not analytical and direct as Frankl, it quietly relates shared personal values. In contrast to Frankl, Henderson lives very much in freedom, but within the shackles of her environoment.



3. Caroline Henderson's letters are historic and illustrative and heart-wrenching. You get to know this truly remarkable person and how life was in this era through her writings and see the progress from youth and hope and optimism to age and despair. Losing her at the end of the book was like losing a dear grandmother. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in studying The Great Depression and The Dust Bowl. I read it as a companion to "The Worst Hard Time" by Timothy Egan.



4. Deftly edited for contemporary readers by Alvin O. Turner, Letters From The Dust Bowl is a collection of letters and published materials written by Caroline Henderson (1877-1965), a woman who lived through the Oklahoma Dust Bowl and the Great Depression. Her articles on the Dust Bowl first began appearing in "Atlantic Monthly" in 1931, drawing the woes of American farmers into the public eye. Her correspondence and articles, which date from 1908 to 1966, offers insight into the daily struggle to put food on the table, and her descriptions of the dust storms that covered the Plains are unforgettable. Enhanced with a biographical essay and precise annotations supplementing this extraordinary compilation, Letters From The Dust Bowl is highly recommended for students of 20th Century American History.



5. Alvin Turner likes to quip that "Letters from the Dustbowl" is the "best written book" that the University of Oklahoma Press will publish this year. Indeed, Caroline Henderson, the author of the columns and letters it contains, may be the most quoted authority on the social aspects of the dustbowl. Her views on Oklahoma farm life were disseminated across the country both in her columns for "Ladies' World," and her "Letters from the Dustbowl," were published in "Atlantic Monthly." In selecting material for this book, Turner told me that he had twice as many columns and letters than would fit. Alvin Turner is the Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at East Central University in Ada, Oklahoma.

   Caroline Henderson moved to a farm near Eva, Oklahoma, in 1907. During the next six decades, she and her husband, Will, endured the hardship of depressions and the dustbowl on their farm, with really only one bumper crop to show for their labors. Turner's overall introduction, as well as his introduction to each section, does well to place Henderson's life in context. She had great dreams for her life, both as a literate woman and as a farmer but by the end of her life, she is disillusioned and considers herself a failure.

   Most of Henderson's farming experience demonstrates that dreams can save a person from an otherwise mean life. In 1917 she wrote, "The fact that we cannot see the end does not relieve us of our obligation to push forward, to gain every inch we can in humanity's forward march." As a young farm wife, she met challenges with inventiveness, and hardship with strong will. Even as crops withered and neighbors moved away, she finds beauty in flowers and friendship in animals. However, too many failed crops and dried-up dreams took their toll on Henderson's optimism. In 1952, she wrote in a letter to her daughter, "Every day seems to bring some new sorrow in these last years of fruitless effort and disappointment." With dreams dashed, Henderson loses all sense of proportion and she reads each setback as catastrophe.

   "Letters from the Dust Bowl" is as heartbreaking as it is inspirational. Al Turner is right; it's a very well written book.