2 comments about Through the Burning Steppe: A Wartime Memoir.

1. This is a wonderful piece of writing. It is is written in clear and sparkling prose, testimony to the way in which Ms. Kozhina carries on the great Russian literary tradition of such writers as Gorky, Chekov, and Turgenev. The book, in its simplicity, yet power, reminds me of that great French movie, "Forbidden Games", about children orphaned during World War II. Time after time, as I read through the book, I would stop and look at the picture of the author; in a way I was unable to believe that one could go through such terrible times as she describes, and yet still survive with such great depths of humanity. This is literature at its very best!



2. Elena Kozhina's Through the Burning Steppe: A Wartime Memoir is so much more than a highly compelling narrative of the horrors and heroism experienced by a young Russian girl and her mother during World War II. It is also a revealing glimpse into the realities of life in the Soviet Union, not just during the war, but from its earliest years to its final decade. It is a chronicle of a young person's growing literary, artistic and cultural awareness. And it is, ultimately, a timeless story - not simply of good and evil, or of simple joys amid enormous tragedy, but also of human frailties and strengths, of ruthlessness and compassion, of islands of clarity in a sea of complexity. This gem of a book packs volumes of interest - and of insight - into its fewer than 200 beautifully written pages. I recommend it highly.

5 comments about A Pirate of Exquisite Mind: The Life of William Dampier: Explorer, Naturalist, and Buccaneer.

1. Ok, so there is no doubt that this book is a excellent read. It really is like 'The Pirates of the Carribean' but in written form and it all really happened! Swashbuckling adventures, gripping, perilous cliffhangers, monstrous storms, wild, and sometimes dangerous natives (but mostly friendly). In short, I am very glad I bought this book.
   
   But, I don't think I completely agree with the authors portrayal of our hero, William Dampier, as a forgotten hero who deserves better than he got. Certainly, he was an extraordinary man, of immense energy, life force, talent, a pioneer in innumerable fields and respected highly by the educational elite of his, and many in our, day. But he was not a good man all the way.
   
   He left his wife for years on end, without much of a shadow of a hint of remorse (leaving the first time very shortly after their marriage for 12 years and almost no mention of her during those 12 years till he gets back, stays a while and takes off again!). He partook in attacking and stealing treasures from merchant ships that were in no way threatening him or his crew (I understand many did this but it's no excuse). It doesn't make it excusable just because others in his day also did this and the authors lightly dismiss this under those pretences. It was still wrong. He stole and plundered, A LOT, for a living. It almost, but not quite, overshadows his achievements. And the 'not quite' is probably the reason why he is a little less dismissed as a pirate.
   
   All in all a good read, but he's no angel.



2. No many people knows about William Dampier even though his life is totally impressive. As a person looking for an opportunity to make a living, Dampier took his life as a buccaneer to develop his passion as explorer and naturalist. He didn't attend Oxford, nor Cambridge, but his accounts reminds me of Joseph Banks, accounts that were of much use for navigators and naturalist in the coming years, including Cook and Darwin.
   He survived three voyages around the world, but those voyages let him know fascinating places and cultures. I was especially delighted on the description of Juan Fernandez Island (In the coast of Chile), the use that pirates made of this island and the story of the Moskito indian and Alexander Selkirk, both castaways here. A book worth reading!



3. 
   This account of the life and times of William Dampier is refreshingly detailed. The authors successfully described the 17th Century world in all of its gritty reality. With these hard and unforgiving times as a backdrop, the reader can realize what Dampier was up against and how only an exquisite mind could accomplish what he did, under those circumstances.
   
   I heartily recommend this read for anyone interested in seafaring in the 1600's.



4. This book was first brought to my attention when it was being discussed on NPR. Diana Preston sounded like she was actually gushing when she talked about William Dampier. After reading this book, one can certainly understand why. While there are many gaps in the historical record - we know virtually nothing about Dampier's personal life, Diana and Michael Preston weave what is known into a highly enjoyable narrative that moves at the speed of an action novel.
   
   William Dampier, a Scot, was a fascinating person. Like so many young unattached men of his time, he naturally turned to the sea as a means of livelihood. Like most sailors, he was a keen observer of the world around him. However, unlike many of his peers, he documented those observations, kept his papers in good order, and published his observations as sort of a half scientific journal/half travel story. He became sort of a folk hero to the large portions of English population who were wealthy enough to own his books, but not to experience the larger world first hand. His keen scientific observations deeply influenced meteorology, biology, and cartography for the next two hundred years. His charts were still in use as late as WWII.
   
   Today, it is difficult for a layperson to be taken seriously by scientific community. Thus a common sailor and buccaneer who is also at the cutting edge of scientific study seems somewhat incredulous to the modern reader. Yet, in this sense, the 16th and 17th century scientific community was a bit more egalitarian then the current one. Yet this is a world where slavery was accepted as a fact of life and basic human dignity, especially for non-whites, was a luxury vice a fundamental right.
   
   Likewise, Dampier himself was a case study in contradictions. A keen observer and analyst of the natural world, he seems completely unable to understand human nature. A gifted planner, navigator, and tough fighter; he fails at every leadership role that life thrusts upon him. Despite the fact that he was almost a folk hero at the time of his last expedition, he is more or less forgotten to the modern world with the exception of Western Australia. He was, after all, the first Englishman to visit Australia - sorry Capt Cook.
   
   This book will appeal to anyone who is interested in the age of exploration, the history of science, or British history in the late 17th Century. The main drawback to this book is that there is very little insight into William Dampier's personal life. For example, the authors do not know when Dampier's wife died or much about her life when he was not at home. Regardless, this is a history book that is as readable as any novel.



5. This book was first brought to my attention when it was being discussed on NPR. Diana Preston sounded like she was actually gushing when she talked about William Dampier. After reading this book, one can certainly understand why. While there are many gaps in the historical record - we know virtually nothing about Dampier's personal life, Diana and Michael Preston weave what is known into a highly enjoyable narrative that moves at the speed of an action novel.
   
   William Dampier, a Scot, was a fascinating person. Like so many young unattached men of his time, he naturally turned to the sea as a means of livelihood. Like most sailors, he was a keen observer of the world around him. However, unlike many of his peers, he documented those observations, kept his papers in good order, and published his observations as sort of a half scientific journal/half travel story. He became sort of a folk hero to the large portions of English population who were wealthy enough to own his books, but not to experience the larger world first hand. His keen scientific observations deeply influenced meteorology, biology, and cartography for the next two hundred years. His charts were still in use as late as WWII.
   
   Today, it is difficult for a layperson to be taken seriously by scientific community. Thus a common sailor and buccaneer who is also at the cutting edge of scientific study seems somewhat incredulous to the modern reader. Yet, in this sense, the 16th and 17th century scientific community was a bit more egalitarian then the current one. Yet this is a world where slavery was accepted as a fact of life and basic human dignity, especially for non-whites, was a luxury vice a fundamental right.
   
   Likewise, Dampier himself was a case study in contradictions. A keen observer and analyst of the natural world, he seems completely unable to understand human nature. A gifted planner, navigator, and tough fighter; he fails at every leadership role that life thrusts upon him. Despite the fact that he was almost a folk hero at the time of his last expedition, he is more or less forgotten to the modern world with the exception of Western Australia. He was, after all, the first Englishman to visit Australia - sorry Capt Cook.
   
   This book will appeal to anyone who is interested in the age of exploration, the history of science, or British history in the late 17th Century. The main drawback to this book is that there is very little insight into William Dampier's personal life. For example, the authors do not know when Dampier's wife died or much about her life when he was not at home. Regardless, this is a history book that is as readable as any novel.

No comments about Philip II of Macedonia.

2 comments about Simon Kenton: Kentucky Scout.

1. Being an avid Simon Kenton fan, I was really looking forward to this book but found it quite boring. I suppose after reading Allan Eckert's "Frontiersman", any accounting of the life of Simon Kenton pales in comparison.



2. Among historians in Kentucky the name Thomas D. Clark is almost as important as Simon Kenton. Clark has had a remarkably long and fruitful career as a historian in Kentucky. Too many historians after a long career of teaching and writing history will retire into anonymity, but not Thomas Clark. Many years after the age when most people retire, Clark wrote a book about a frontiersman who first came into Kentucky when it was known as the Hostile West. This story of Kenton will not only come alive for adults, but could also be enjoyed by younger readers due to the audience that Clark had in mind when putting this history together. When first learning about the history of our nation, Kentucky students learn about the great military leaders of Virginia, and the men of the North East who dared to dream of being great political leaders, etc; It is hard to find a book that a young reader can sit down with and read about a person who will forever be known as a great Kentuckian. The life of Simon Kenton was not polished up by Clark and made into a politically correct story that will fit perfectly into our historical revisionistic modern textbooks. Clark doesn't cover up the fact that Kenton killed Indians, stole horses and guns, and took land away from people who certainly had rights to this beautiful hunting ground; this is REAL history, and it is written for an audience that may not otherwise hear this story. All young people, not only those who live in Kentucky, should learn about the life of Simon Kenton. Like Simon Kenton, Thomas D. Clark will forever be known as a great Kentuckian.

No comments about Xenophon, VI, Cyropaedia: Books 5-8 (Loeb Classical Library®).

5 comments about President Nixon: Alone in the White House.

1. Richard Reeves is a fair author. Having read his previous book on President Kennedy, I was interested in his take on Nixon. This book is not a bio, nor is it a political history per se. Rather this book, like the Kennedy and Reagan books, weaves a path through the first four years of Nixon's presidency. The age old question will always remain: how a guy as smart as Richard Nixon, and he was smart, got caught up in a bevy of intrigue, black ops, and paranoia.



2. This is a solid work of Presidential scholarship. I appreciated its "worm's eye" view because it allows for the presentation of a great many primary source materials and documents that are invaluable for summing up the bizarre man who was President Richard Nixon. Reeves reveals a fair amount of personal bias and dislike for his subject here, but, fortunately, the intrusions of his point-of-view are not ubiquitous. Reeves seems to unquestionably believe that busing was good for blacks and it appears that he has an affinity for most government programs; a stance that is totally unwarranted. That being said, the work remains well-organized, clear and valuable. Reeves is a biographer and journalist so, unlike some of the other reviewers, I was glad that he did not share with us his psychological observations of the President. In all likelihood, they would have been ungrounded. Alone in the White House is a good, but not great, book.



3. Mr. Reeves look at the Nixon presidency from the vantage point of the President himself provides the reader with a fascinating look at one of the most compelling political figures of our time.
   
   To paraphrase Bob Dole, it was a miracle that Nixon ever made it to the pinnacle of political power. From the very first day in office, we are given the picture of a man who is both elated that he has reached his destiny, but at the same time is unable to savor the moment. Although the book does not deal with RN's life, Reeves does a masterful job at painting a portrait of a man embittered by the cut and thrust of politics. We see a man who has his eye on his enemies, real and imagined, and who is bound and determined to triumph over him.
   
   Reeves does indeed show us the "who, what, when, where..." of the Nixon presidency, yet resists the temptation of playing amateur psychologist and does not address the "why" of Richard Nixon.
   
   Instead we are treated to a story of a man who was truly "alone in the White House." However, this title is misleading, for Nixon's penchant for solitude, and secrecy are only part of the story. A better title for this book would have been "President Nixon: The Remaking of the Presidency," because that is exactly what he set out to do.
   
   Reeves presents a balanced look at RN. We see him at his best; statesmen, "architect" of foreign policy, strategic thinker, and visionary for a stable world order.
   
   We also get a look at the man at his worst; the many "horrors" of Watergate, his pathological Jew-baiting, his thin-skinned reaction to the press, his obsession with being seen as a "man of the people," and on and on. In sum, there is much to dislike about Richard Nixon; there is also much to admire.
   
   After reading a book like this, one has to wonder what would the Nixon legacy have been if he chose not to cover up Watergate and lanced the boil, dug deep, and plowed ahead to finish his second term. Reeves' book shows all too clearly, and poignantly, that "the Old Man" was incapable of doing anything but he did at the time, which is a shame. RN's legacy is that he left a stain on the body politic that has engendered a cynacism toward politics.



4. Reeves delivers an exciting and wonderful book that chronicles Nixon's presidential years. This book begins with Nixon entering office and ends on the day he leaves office. It goes day by day through the presidency and gives you a good sense of what the Nixon administration was thinking and what was happening in the country at the same time. From foreign policy with China and Russia to domestic problems like Kent State this book covers everything you would want to know about the Nixon Administration. It is easily five stars. The book is very readable and is a great reference guide for those who just want to learn about Nixon or those who want to study his administration in depth.



5. I found this a fascinating look at presidential power and gave me further insights into Nixon and the power structure that existed around him. I remember the days of Watergate but this gave me new insights and background information about what actually went on. It's truly a slice of living history. Also the similarities between Vietnam and Iraq are almost frightening...perhaps some of those in command should read this too.

2 comments about Subversive Southerner: Anne Braden and the Struggle for Racial Justice in the Cold War South (Civil Rights and the Struggle for Black Equality in the Twentieth Century).

1. 'Subversive Southerner' is a must-read for anyone interested in southern history or in the social and cultural upheavals of the 50s and 60s. It's a riveting story of personal transformation and courage in the face of unrelenting persecution by authorities, and a reminder of how fragile and how precious are our civil liberties. Anne Braden is a heroine-- dedicated, single-minded in her pursuit of civil rights, but compassionate and always interested in individuals. There's plenty of bombings, arrests, and HUAC subpoenas to keep you turning pages,and lots of quotes, oral-history style, from major figures from the 50s and 60s. It's well-written--Fosl is an expert interviewer and very good writer.



2. Anne Braden courageously opposed the Dixie segregationist establishment. She was born Anne McCarty in 1924 in "Louisville where white folks lived." Her earlier concerns were conventional and non threatening to the social mores of her Jim Crow society. Anne mostly worried about being attractive to boys during her high school years and was even willing to play dumb so as not to alienate them. She underwent a dramatic change in her early adult years while attending college and earning a living as a journalist. The Southern newspapers of that era barely considered a murdered black person worthy of mention. Blacks could fight and die in our wars, but were refused entrance to the voting booth. White criminals were afforded more respect than virtuous and law abiding Afro-Americans. The usual definition of a liberal Southern politician was someone who dared speak out against lynching while remaining firmly loyal to the principle of segregation. Anne ultimately could not make peace with the prevailing zeitgeist. She marries Carl Braden, a man named after Karl Marx. The Bradens soon partner with such luminaries like James Dombrowski, Bob Zellner and Martin Luther King. The latter remarked upon her dedication in his famous "Letter From a Birmingham Jail." Heroic self sacrifice and the constant risk of violence became an everyday reality. The odds were probably no better than fifty-fifty that the Bradens could escape being murdered.
   
   What does the Cold War have to with Anne Braden? Why did the author choose the title "Subversive Southerner?" Catherine Fosl points out the insane eagerness of the segregationists to brand those advocating civil rights as traitors to the United States. In their peculiar way of looking at the world, combatting Jim Crow was the same thing as aligning oneself with our nation's enemies. The Bradens, however, did flirt with Communism and this made it easier for their foes to justify harassing them. A number of prosecutors seeking political power relished the opportunity to put them behind bars for alleged acts of sedition. Anne's relationship with avowed Communists extends to the point where the well known radical Angela Davis even writes the forward for this book. Should we therefore condemn her? Not in the least. Fosl presents a persuasively well put together argument that Anne Braden deserves to be cut some slack. There is no evidence whatsoever hinting that the still living Ms. Braden ever adhered to any orthodox interpretation of Communist doctrine. She seems naively oblivious to the logical consequences of these horrifying set of beliefs. Sadly, mainstream political conservatives did virtually nothing to combat racism in the Old South. Anne Braden was therefore compelled to cooperate with those willing to fight along side of her. She and her late husband were primarily activists and not armchair philosophers. One also does not have to agree with all of Anne Braden's more recent political proposals. Some of these efforts might indeed leave something to be desired. That is beside the point. Ms. Braden definitely has done far more good than inadvertent harm. Catherine Fosl is to be congratulated for making sure that Americans don't overlook her enormous accomplishments. It would be shameful not to honor Anne Braden while she is still alive. I strongly urge you to read this superb biography of one of our greatest American heroes.

5 comments about Forgotten Voices of the Great War: A History of World War I in the Words of the Men and Women Who Were There.

1. This is mostly from interviews from British and Australian troops who lived through the war. It is amazing to hear what they went through, in wars since the warriors were almost spoiled in comparison. I have read everything on Vietnam and world war 2, here they lost more men in one day of one attack then in the whole 15 years of Vietnam. That they could continually follow the orders that were nothing less than suicidal are beyond me.
   
   I recommend for anyone interested in first person stories of this or any other war to educate yourself on what it was like with this book.



2. A fantastic read. This is not a story book this is real thoughts from real people in a very real war.
   This book really takes you into the minds and souls of those very very brave men & Women.
   Excellent. The only reason I did not give this 5 stars is that the book could have been longer. My only grievence. Thanks to the brave who lost their lives. Long may their memory live.



3. Detailed descriptions of great battles and campaigns and after battle reports are good and certainly worthwhile, but this work is just as important, if not more important in some ways, than the first mentioned. This is a collection, taken primarily from original tapes, of the recollections of those who were actually there. As one reviewer has already pointed out, most of these observations were made by those actually in the trenches, actually working on the home front, and not just the recollections of Generals,leaders and journalists. This is quite refreshing and informative. The author has, as much as possible, kept the recollections in chronological order and has given us a brief history before each segment. Some of the recollections are quite mundane, but in being so, make them that much more special. The many black and white photos added much. The only problem I had with the book was that each nationality represented here have used their own colloquialisms, many of which I had never encountered before. But...this actually, in the end, was an advantage for me personally, as it forced me, due to pure curiosity, to do further research and find out just what they were referring to. I learned much this way! Most, if not all, of this generation is gone now and we are quite fortunate to have records such as this. I hope there are more to come. Overall I highly recommend. I collect books from and about this era and recommend you add this on to your collection.



4. I thought the book was out standing of being told from the prospective of the common soldier and the ironies of war. this was an important work as to the feelings of the soldiers and not nesserly of the high command. very enlightning Norm Miller



5. Max Arthur's book covering the Great War is quite unique in that its content is nearly all first-hand accounts from people who experienced the horror of the Great War. The author has utilized a number of tape recorded interviews conducted by the Imperial War Museum in 1972. Many of the tapes from the Imperial War Museum Sound Archive had been forgotten and left unheard for years.
   
   Now Max Arthur has put together many of these unheard voices from the Great War to produce this spellbinding and captivating book. I must admit that I was reluctant to buy this book as I was worried that a book full of short accounts would be too disjointed and really not detailed enough to satisfy my interest. I can honestly say that I truly enjoyed reading this book.
   
   Each chapter of the book was a year of the Great War and was commenced by an introduction by the author offering a brief run down on the major events of that year. Then we heard from the men and women who participated in these events, from both sides of no-man's land. The author has concentrated mainly on the Western Front and Gallipoli and has tried to run the oral segments in chronological order.
   
   I was really taken by these segments and I found it hard to stop reading. The accounts from these soldiers and civilians alike were at times humorous, strikingly direct, horrifying and on many occasions quite sad. I was really taken in by these accounts and I don't think that any World War One library would be complete without this title sitting on the shelf. I can honestly say that I learnt quite a few things from this book and I would place it along side such works offered by Lyn MacDonald. Well done to the author and the Imperial War Museum for allowing these veterans, many now long dead, the last word on their experiences in the Great War. This is a great book, you won't be disappointed.

2 comments about Jesse and Frank James: The Family History.

1. I am being charitable to have given this book a 1 rating. If you want a reliable book, try to find BACKGROUND OF A BANDIT: THE ANCESTRY OF JESSE JAMES by Joan M. Beamis and William E. Pullen. Otherwise this will have to do. Steele's book has a chapter on the "Tennessee James Family" that should be taken with a barrel of salt. There are plenty of James families scattered across the country, but it's a subject of question as to whether there is any relationship with Jesse James of Missouri. I have heard that the errata in this particular book would be substantial.



2. This is an execellent resource book for James family researchers. All background information appears in order. Very detailed and full of family knowledge. A book worth investing in for any James Family historian.

5 comments about Sacagawea Speaks: Beyond the Shining Mountains with Lewis and Clark.

1. Imbued with a lyrical talking style, each page offers morsels of everyday tribal life, as Readers listen to Sacagawea's memories, stories, explanations & interpretations. From how the white men misunderstood the hand sign which described her tribal name, to how the First People spoke to each other. From when Sacagawea is taken prisoner by a warring clan, to when she, as wife to the expedition scout Charbonneau, is delivered of her son. From the contents of Thomas Jefferson's Medicine Chest, to the animals they came upon on & the uses for their hides. From full page photographs of the daunting & beautiful landscape over which they trod, to the expedition's supply list.

   Complete with a Shoshoni vocabulary, quotations from the Lewis & Clark journals, interpretive notes, a timeline, biographical sketches of Sacagawea, her family & members of the Corps of Discovery, together with over 100 photographs & illustrations, SACAGAWEA SPEAKS is an awesome experience! Eloquent, elegant, filled with information & quirky historical footnotes.

   All that is missing is a CD of this author speaking her story.




2. Sacagawea Speaks: Beyond The Shining Mountains With Lewis & Clark by historical interpreter and story teller Joyce Badgley Hunsaker is a superbly illustrated coffee-table book that combines extensive historical research, eye-witness history, participant journal entries, and more in order to present the story of Sacagawea, the Native American woman who traveled alongside the famous Lewis and Clark expedition. Stunning color photography of landscapes and historical artifacts, timelines, Shoshoni vocabulary, and much more round out this beautiful and absorbing preservation of a piece of American exploratory history as showcased from the truly unique perspective of a Native American woman.



3. Just when you think there is nothing else to be written about Sacagawea, Joyce Badgley Hunsaker's book Sacagawea Speaks goes to the top of the list. This is a magnificent book brimming with artifacts and illustrations to support the well researched text, and little known facts about Sacagawea and her Lemhi Shoshone people that helped me understand her in a way I never had before. This is a book to keep on your coffee table for the entire Lewis and Clark bicentennial 2003-2006. You and your visitors can open it up to any chapter or sidebar and be immediately taken back in time, enjoying the story because of its rich details and friendly style and poring over the illustrations. A beautiful volume that young and old will want to read and reread. I was delighted to find it.



4. The narration in this book is nothing extraordinary, but it is indeed the LOOK of the book that makes it so special. Gorgeous photography and other artwork that really bring the topic alive and make this book stand out. Also, a very nice discussion of each of the Corps of Discovery members at the end of the book. This one's a keeper!



5. As a reader and relative of Sacagawea,I couldn't be more pleased with this book in both content and presentation. I feel that Joyce Hunsaker has gotten to the heart of this woman,and her place in the Lewis and Clark Expedition. She's presented us with a wonderful gift. The photographs, charts, maps, Bodmer and Catlin paintings included are the best and most complete I've ever seen. Even the footnotes are fascinating! You honor my family, and all of us in America, where the world lives, Joyce. Mitakuye oyasin!