5 comments about Six Wives: The Queens of Henry VIII.

1. I really enjoyed this book. I'd have given it a full five star rating if the author had not asked the same silly questions over and over again, and if he had written a little more on the later wives like Anne of Cleves and Katherine Howard. However the book was very informative and interesting and I recommend it to those who wish to know more about the wives of Henry VIII.



2. I agree with another reviewer who felt that this book sets a tedious pace that is frequently bogged down by constantly rehashing the ups and downs of Henry's divorce trial, first from Catherine of Aragon's point of view and then Anne Boleyns. While the amount of material regarding Catherine of Aragon is enormous the writer does stop often to compliment himself (tasteless) and by the time Anne Boleyn comes on the scene the reader is exhausted.



3. I agree with unsolved fan and J.A. Miller, this book was by far the best book about the wives of King Henry than any others I've read.
   Starkey presents facts in such a way as to keep the reader thouroughly engaged, and looking forward to reading the next chapter.
   This book is quite fascinating. I've learned so much more from Starkey's book than from any history course.
   I recommend this book to anyone wanting to learn some of England's history and, to enjoy doing so.
   I wish he had spent more time on Katherine Parr, who seems to have been the most influential in bringing about reform in the churches of that day. That wife, Henry's last, was probably the most interesting and of a deep-thinking mind, than all his other wives, except for Catherine of Aragon, his first.
   I also totally disagree with the popularity of Anne Boleyn, now, in the movie theatres. Boleyn was not as worthy of attention and study, as are Catherine and Katherine.
   READ THIS BOOK! You'll be glad you did!



4. There have been numerous books written on the lives of Henry VIII's wives both as a complete history and on an individual basis. Starkey's book is an interesting read if you want to have a very in-depth understanding of just how incredibly political each of his marriages were. There are complaints that most of the book is spent on Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn but in looking at the history of these two women, they were the beginning of the making of Henry as well as England's history to come. Catherine of Aragon has been painted in some books as being a complete victim to be sympathized with for the harsh cruelty of Henry while he pursued Anne Boleyn. Starkey is not the first to intimate that she was actually a political machinist in her own right but he likes to present himself as being the first. Catherine's situation is no different than any other woman's reaction to "the other woman" so to imply that Catherine was not so obedient and submissive as she appeared is merely to say that perhaps she was at one point but came into her own as she progressed as Queen of England. That's psychology 101. Regarding Anne Boleyn, there's really nothing new painted about her specifically but there's a great deal of information presented about the true complexity of the divorce proceedings. This is truly the first book I've read that goes into just how many people were involved, what they actually did and how the hand-offs took place from person to person. In other works, only the most prominent figures in the picture are brought to light. The other wives did figure prominently in Henry's marriages from a very political standpoint. However, many authors outside of Starkey have indicated that there is little recorded information on each the successive wives especially in regards to Anne of Cleves. The one extreme criticism I have for Starkey and all the other authors regarding Catherine and the "consummation" of her marriage is the supposed evidence. Starkey follows the same path as all the others. I was hoping to see something more plausible. Every author states that the marriage must've been consummated based on two points of evidence. Arthur's boasting the following day of marriage being thirsty work and that he'd been amongst Spain and Catherine's silence on the subject. Why is it that every author does not take into consideration that Arthur was a 15 year old boy who carried the weight of an empire and was expected to perform his marital duties and therefore may have bragged because he couldn't state the other possibility....that he didn't perform? Regarding Catherine's silence on the subject and the question of "why didn't she complain?", she was a born princess. What princess/Queen who was 17 years old, in a foreign land and married to a King would complain that the marriage had not been consummated? To do so would be the equivalent of denigrating and humiliating her husband and a nation. The question is always left that only God knows whether the marriage was consummated or not. I beg to differ. There is one other person who would know if Catherine was a virgin and that would've been Henry. He was not sexually ignorant when he made Catherine his wife and where were his boasts? I recommend this book more for the political information surrounding the wives and what raised them and who truly took them down. Henry may have had final say but his court was very powerful in manipulating him. This book points this out more than any other out there.



5. I have never been able to put a book down before on Henry the VIII and his wives. After struggling to finish this book of exhausting but uninteresting detail, I thought I would sell it on Amazon, a first for me. But then, after checking, I learned it was only going for 87 cents. Why am I not surprised?

5 comments about Sala's Gift: My Mother's Holocaust Story.

1. Excellent book. meticulously researched. Easy reading. I wasn't aware some Jewish people were slaves. I recommend this book. It was an honor to Ann Kirschner's mother.



2. The story of Polish Jews who were lucky enough not to be sent directly to the death camps, yet unlucky enough not to make it onto Schindler's list or find some other long-term refuge. Writing mostly about her mother's family as they lived for six years on the precipice, Kirschner produces something amazing: an important piece of scholarship that never feels like a historical tome. Rather, it stands on its own as a deeply moving, character-based story that will leave you wanting to revisit passages about remarkably brave and beautiful people -- some survivors, some not -- who were nearly forgotten by history. Despite Kirschner's proximity to the story, she never forces herself into the narrative; rather, she weaves personal elements into the story only when they can add a new and critical dimension. The result is a book that deserves to be dog-eared and passed around repeatedly.



3. Ann Kirschner meticulously weaves the story of her mother's survival with the overwhelming accounts of the Holocaust...a fine balance between biography and history lesson.



4. This is a very moving tribute written by a daughter about her mother. It is also well-researched and well-written, shedding new light on the movement of mail through work camps and even concentration camps. Sala's story of survival and redemption is remarkable, and the reader can well imagine the emotional roller-coaster the author must have experienced uncovering her mother's story.



5. I was so moved by this book I will include share my heartfelt comments to the author.
   Just want to THANK YOU for such an amazing book! Your decision to share your mothers personal life with readers who benefit so from your investment of labor and emotion is generous and to be admired! When you were complete it must have looked like E=Mc squared did to Einstein! Simple on the surface with the complexity of the universes author within. My highest regards to you and Sala Kirschner.
   Glenn from Tampa Fl and sometimes Lake Tahoe Nv

4 comments about Davy Crockett: His Own Story.

1. My children and I have thorougly enjoyed our reading aloud of "Davy Crockett: His Own Story". Written by Davy himself you feel like you are standing along side this great man of courage, determination, and heroism. We were rivoted by the honoring way this man lived his life. An awesome model for boys to emulate!



2. 
   A great read: True, I may be prone to some bias, as Disney's first (and highly idealized) broadcast of "Davy Crockett: Indian Fighter" made its indelible print on me when I was several months shy of four years old. But Crockett's own story is a splendid, vivid, and revealing piece of work that belongs on the shelf of every student of its era. As a veteran reader of such material, and a much-published college and university educator, I commend the publisher of this work for its civil large-print edition (some of Bertrand Russell's best material is done in the same format) of this volume. KN



3. I bought this book specifically because Davy Crockett himself was the author. I thought it would contain his entire autobiography, but the book ends before he goes off to Congress. The book and type are also much larger than I realized they would be. This book is more suitable for younger children. As an adult, I am quite disappointed.



4. Davy Crockett is a legend -- and Crockett knew this while he was still alive. Throughout this autobiography, he is careful to conform to his public image, while being willing to clarify some of the tall tales being told.

   Some have doubted Crockett's authorship, and he certainly used fellow congressman, Thomas Chilton of Kentucky to edit and assist in the manuscript preparation. However, the book is the work of Crockett and he wrote it in 1834, two years before the Alamo.

   Reading about Crockett in his own words (even though they may have been edited or enhanced by another congressman) is a delight.

   Well worth one's time.

5 comments about The Agricola and The Germania (Penguin Classics).

1. Tacitus' Agricola and Germania are among the two most-cited sources on Roman Britain and on the ancient Germans, respectively, and anyone with an interest in the Classical World should have a copy of this book.
   
   The Agricola is our primary source on Cnaeus Julius Agricola-governor of Roman Britain in the late 1st Century AD who is known to history primarily for the defeat he inflicted on the Caledonians at Mons Graupius in AD 83, and for his planned conquest of Ireland. Reading Tacitus' account, however, we find that his legacy in his own times was more for bringing justice to southern Britain, where previous Roman governors had abused their authority and driven the tribes to revolt.
   
   I can't imagine that we can take everything in the Agricola word-for-word, as Tacitus' account is naturally biased-Agricola was his father-in-law, and Tacitus does not speak a single negative word-not even the slightest criticism of a minor feature-of him.
   
   The Germania is also biased in that Tacitus is portraying these wild tribes as `noble savages'-claiming they never lied or indulged in improper sexuality, and had no love for money or fine clothing; in all, the Germania is as much an attack on the decadence of the Romans of Tacitus' generation as it is an account of the peoples of Germany in the 1st Century.
   
   After giving an at times rather humorous account of Germanic culture and customs, Tacitus looks at all the major tribes and their unique features-such as the bizarre hairdos of the Suebi, the strange religious rites of the tribes worshipping the Goddess Nerthus, and the customs of the Harii, who painted themselves black and only fought battles at night.
   
   Overall, this is a must read for a student of the Classical, especially Roman world, showing much about the culture and worldview of both the Romans and their Germanic contemporaries, and how these were perceived by a fairly typical upper-class Roman writer.



2. I enjoyed this translation greatly. The translations are easy to read in Modern English, are not pedestrian, and keep the reader's attention as no doubt the author was hoping to do when he wrote the original in Latin.
   
   The first part, Agricola, is an account of Tacitus's father-in-law's life and political struggles. It shows the timeless tensions between great people and state powers, with a uniquely Roman outlook. I couldn't help thinking that this would make a great movie.
   
   the second part, Germania, is an account of the Germanic realms in the time of Tacitus. While some parts of Tacitus's account have been impeached in modern times, it still represents an extremely important work relating to Germanic studies. Furthermore, when combined with more recent developments in the study of orality, a new dimension to the work opens up.
   
   I would highly recommend this work.



3. Tacitus was truly a master historian, and both of these books breathe colorful, exciting life into a by-gone era. "The Agricola" is an entertaining (often gripping) biography of a great Roman general, one that is in turns powerful, exciting, inspiring (read Calgacus's speech to those troops making a last stand against the Roman army), and finally heartbreaking (the conclusion when Tacitus pays tribute to the father-in-law he so clearly loved). "The Germania", on the other hand, is more of an anthropological survey cum social commentary; even while Tacitus provides contemporary readers with a fascinating look into the cultures of ancient Germanic tribes, he simultaneously levies some of the most poignant criticisms ever penned about a civilization in decline. A truly great book.



4. This book includes the writings of the ancient Roman writer, Tacitus, as he follows the campaigns of Agricola into Anglesey and northern Scotland. He also follows closely the campaigns into Germania, a country as untamed as Scotland.
   
   The reader is given a vivid look into an ancient world, but through the eyes of the conqueror and not the conquered. Still, this is a masterpiece of information about a lost time. The translation was done very well by Harold Mattingly and his introduction sheds light on Tacitus' life and literary career, the governorship of Agricola and Rome's political backgroud in an everchanging empire. The two maps of Roman Britain and Germania were an added surprise.
   
   I was a little disappointed that Tacitus did not give more descriptions on the native tribes of Scotland in The Agricola. For this reason, I felt that The Germania stood out much more. His vivid descriptions of the German tribes and their religious beliefs was wonderful to read.
   
   I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in Roman history and/or the native tribes of Scotland and Germania.



5. This edition brings Tacitus' biography of Agricola (his father-in-law) who consolidated Roman rule in Britain. It also contains his geographical, historical and anthropological survey of the ancient Germanic tribes.
   
   An introduction by revered British archaeologist Harold Mattingly provides an useful overview of Roman history and a balanced evaluation of the relevance of these works.
   
   Agricola is interesting for its description of battle strategies used to consolidate Britain, especially the final one, although it is sketchy, eulogistic and a little simplistic.
   
   Germania is more interesting than Agricola and provides rich insights into the customs of various Germanic tribes during first century AD. It particularly brings out the strengths and weaknesses of these tribes from military point of view very well and is prophetic in its anxiety about the power of these ancient people (Rome was repeatedly sacked by German tribes after Tacitus' death).
   
   The best part is that these works are so small (running into 40/50 pages each) and yet give such a good overview of history that they make effortless reading (which is further eased by a plain writing style - free of jargon).

5 comments about To See You Again: A True Story of Love in A Time of War: A True Story of Love in a Time of War.

1. An avid reader of historical fiction and non-fiction, especially pertaining to the Holocaust, I found Betty Schimmel's story to be a strong, engaging read. The story of her survival in a concentration camp as a teenager is nothing short of miraculous, as well as the way she rebuilt her life in the years following the war's end.
   
   However, the one thing I *didn't* care for was Schimmel's romance with Richie Kovacs -- the key plot description on the back cover and the situation referenced by the title. Essentially, Richie is young Betty's first love. The two meet when she is only twelve, and their relationship intensifies by the time she is 14. When wartime relocation of Jews caused the couple to become separated, Richie is the only thing that keeps the traumatized Betty going. If only they could find one another, she believes, they'll have their storybook wedding and live happily ever after.
   
   Soon after the war's end, Betty meets Otto Schimmel, another young Holocaust survivor who begs her to marry him. She agrees -- largely because her family adores him, and she believes Richie is dead.
   
   As the years pass, Schimmel remains emotionally withdrawn from the marriage. Her husband slaves away, working endless hours trying to earn enough money to give her and the children a good life, but Schimmel seems to act like she's doing him some kind of favor by sticking around. Otto Schimmel is not Richie Kovacs and never could be, so obviously he's not worth any love or affection.
   
   Eventually, Schimmel does realize that her relationship with Richie is in the past, and that she has a good man in Otto. But overall, her "reminiscing" about Richie tends to take on the feel of sappy teenager, not really looking at reality. Perhaps Richie Kovacs was indeed Betty's "one true love"; or, more realistically, she simply idealized him, because he symbolized the happy life that was so horribly snatched away from her.
   
   Regardless, Schimmel's memoir *is* written in a strong, clear voice, and is truly a story readers are bound to remember for years to come. It would just be much better without focusing upon the Richie angle so much.



2. I have never ever read a book that touched my life like this one, I read this over 12 months ago now and it still has a place in my heart, I wanted the end to be different but I could understand why she did what she did, loved it that much, I am going to visit the area, to anyone thinking about reading this, don't think no more, it is the best book you'll ever read.
   
   Love Amanda



3. What an amazing true story. Incredible, I could not believe how Betty's life has unfolded. I truly great story to read and I highly recommend it.



4. I have read most of this book and it is amazing! Before i read or even heard about this story i met otto and Betty. Their stories are truly amazing and i believe it is wonderful that they are sharing with the future.



5. I am a high-school student in Arizona. We had to read this book for school, and the Schimmels came to our class to talk about their experiences as Holocaust survivors.
   I didn't really care that much about the Richie love story once I met them in person. Mr. & Mrs. Schimmel are people devoted to each other and, no matter how it happened, found an incredible love story of their own. I hope someday to have a relationship like theirs is now.
   Their survival really made a difference to the world, since they are here to tell their story. There are a lot of people my age that think the Holocaust never happened. I know it did because I met people who lived through it and spend all their time telling students about the war. It was really touching, and a lot of us were crying hearing about all the terrible things that happened to them and we were all thinking about how we might have been in the same situation.
   I guess the best part of the book is what people will do to survive, but the really cool thing is that Betty took the time to write it and tell everyone about her story.

5 comments about Two Lives of Charlemagne (Penguin Classics).

1. So much emphasis is placed on the Italian and northern European renaissance of the 14th-17th centuries that the Carolingian Renaissance of the 8th-9th is nearly ignored. Yet a good case can be made that it was this earlier renaissance that was the more essential. True: it didn't give rise to anything like the sheer creative brilliance of its successor. But it did preserve and pass on tradition. Were it not for the scholars patronised and encouraged by Charlemagne and his intellectual sidekick Alcuin of York, most of the Latin literature we have today would've vanished.
   
   Charlemagne was a remarkable guy--warrior, consolidator of empire, patron of learning. His complexity is gestured at by the two medieval biographies collected in this volume: the first, written by a man who lived at Charlemagne's court for the final twenty-three years of the emperor's life and who wrote his account from memory scarcely ten years afterwards; the second written for Charlemagne's great grandson by a monk who collected anecdotes for an unfinished biography. Einhard's account (the first one) focuses on Charlemagne's wars, political affairs, and personal life, and is especially good at describing aspects of the Renaissance Charlemagne and Alcuin launched. His account is written after the style of Suetonius' Lives of the Caesars. Notker's account (the second) was to have three parts: Charlemagne's piety, his wars, and his private life. Only the first part was completed, and the book ends in mid-sentence somewhere in the second. Notker's biography is pleasant enough to read, but has little biographical value.
   
   David Ganz's translation and commentary supercedes the early Lewis Thorpe Penguin edition. I must say that I prefer Thorpe's translation, although Ganz's introduction is more informative, and his translation includes helpful marginal notations.



2. Charlemagne occupies a position of central historical importance in the west. His rule was contemporaneous with Harun al-Rashid, the greatest Abbasid Caliph, and he presided over the great Carolingian revival-led by Alcuin and other learned monks.
   Understanding the Franks during this historical period is vital to understanding the dynamics of the middle ages. One problem is the lack of reliable source material. These two sources do much to help us in this regard.
   Einhardt's narrative is terse, well written, and fast paced. He cuts the fat and keeps the beef. Only problem is, he is biased from the outset. The cardboard picture of Charles we get from his narrative is lacking illumination. Compared to Notker, however, it is the more reliable source.
   Notker's story is a series of tales, digressions, and fantasies; all written with an overly verbose, confusing style. Charlemagne seems more human and vivid in this account, but he still lacks complex, three-dimensional qualities. He is described as tireless, fearless, pious, unconquerable, etc. I do not think a bad word is spoken of him. The story also lacks a thread to tie it together. There are some entertaining tales and tidbits, but often they wonder into obscurity.
   
   It is dissapointing to have these two "lives" of Charlemagne without being able to understand him. He still remains a mysterious figure. If you want his illusiveness to disapear, you will be very dissapointed. If you want to understand the mind of the medieval era, and some facts besides, these two accounts are great places to start.



3. When I first read Lewis Thorpe's translations of Charlemagne's biographies by Einhard and Notker the Stammerer, it was clear that these were of differing value in assessing Charlemagne as man, king, and emperor. Einhard, who was a monk and in effect Charlemagne's private secretary and thus close to the Frankish king, gives a lucid, fairly-detailed, and down-to-earth description of Charlemagne as man, ruler, and father. Even allowing for the fact that he was writing about his late lord and may have indulged in a little licence in praising the Frankish emperor-king, the reader does get some genuine and valuable insights into Charlemagne as a man and ruler and the times in which he lived. He covers all the great events of Charlemagne's reign, including Charlemagne's military expeditions and exploits such as the bloody 32-year war against the Saxons. Einhard can also be on occasion mildly implicitly critical of his late lord, such as when he wrote that Charlemagne tended to dote on and be over-protective of his daughters. In comparison, Notker the Stammerer's life of Charlemagne is a much less biographical account of Charlemagne's life and times and is far more fanciful and inclined to medieval myth and legend. However for all that, the stammering Notker's life of the great man is still enjoyable and interesting to read and a useful, if rather garbled, example of medieval literature. I would recommend to anyone to read Lewis Thorpe's eminently readable translations of the two lives, especially Einhard's, as it does, I repeat, give some real insight and understanding of one of the great historical figures of medieval and Western history.



4. The title of this book (i.e., "Two Lives") is not at all misleading if you understand the translators' understanding of the word "life" -- it's the medieval use (from the Latin, "vita", as suggested by the title of one of the "lives," Einhard's Vita Karoli Magni, or the Life of Charles the Great). Although Notker chose to write the Gesta Karoli (or "Acts of Charles"), the idea of it being a chronicle of Charlemagne's life is basically the same as Einhard's. The main difference is that a Vita is frequently written about a saint, whereas gesta are reserved for secular subjects; a little-known fact is that Charlemagne was canonized because of the efforts of Emperor Frederick Barbarossa and Henry II of England, in the 12th century. In any event, the vita can be construed as "fiction" in a modern understanding of history, but certainly not in a modern expectation of a novel... if you're looking for some salacious fluff, this is not the book for you. If you're looking for insight into Charlemagne's life and/or the late-8th or early-9th centuries, then this will be an ideal choice.



5. The pairing of these vastly different accounts of the life and deeds of Charlemagne presents the reader with information about change of perception of the great emperor overtime. Charlemagne, in the many centuries after his death in 814, changes from a historical person into a legendary King Arthur-esque figure, a model chivalric knight and one of the Nine Worthies (a Medieval list of the most chivalric knights of all time), his paladins analogous to Arthur's Knights, and the subject of the first chansons de geste.
   
   The first source, commissioned the request of Louis the Pious one of Charlemagne's successors, was written by Einhard, a monk, historian, and a dedicated servant of Charlemagne. His Life of Charlemagne, written between 817-830 is clearly in the vein of the famous Roman historian Suetonius' The Twelve Caesars (a text that existed at the monastery where the author worked). The work is brief, to the point, and for the most part does not include tangential information, and is biased. The bias is completely understandable and the introduction to the text points out where and why. His chronicle was written to make Louis the Pious' famous father look good. For example, one of the morally stained aspects of the Charlemagne's reign were the actions of his unmoral daughters, which Einhard carefully does not tell us about. Einhard, in short, sometimes deliberately obscures the truth. However, what is so appealing about Einhard's text is the fact that his most of his information was based off of 26 years as a servant of Charlemagne and his court, and information that he includes of actions before Charlemagne's reign most likely was gathered from sources and documents which he had access to. Lastly, Einhard's attempt at stringently following the model of Suetonius Twelve Caesars makes him connect the characteristics of great emperors such as Augustus to Charlemagne, obscuring Charlemagne's actual habits, personality etc...
   
   The next chronicle, written 70 years later by a self described lazy, toothless, stammering, monk who could be either, Notker the Stammerer, or the Monk of Saint Gall, or both in one person, is completely different. The introduction states immediately what most reader's minds will skip. I quote "Our first danger is that when we put De Carolo Magno side by side with Vita Caroli we may be comparing it with something quite dissimilar; and our second that we may be criticizing both Einhard and the Monk of Saint Gall for failing to achieve what they did not set out to do." Einhard, wanted Charlemagne to look good, this monk wants to give his fellow monks fables, stories, semi-historical events, moral tales concerning bishops and churchman, that are all connected merely by the presence of Charlemagne in each. Moral tales are the most predominate. This is illustrated by these chapter headings: the bishop who bought a stuffed mouse, the bishop who gave Charlemagne cheese to eat on Friday, the bishop who thought himself divine, the bishop who dreamed he had sex etc... In the section where the monk talks about Charlemagne's extensive military adventures he is more concerned again, with short tidbit tales that have nothing to do with the military campaigns: the two illegitimate children who fought bravely for Charlemagne, the two brave soldiers, etc... Charlemagne has begun his journey to the realm of legend a mere 70 years after his death. Notker the Stammerer is writing for the entertainment of his fellow monks and in so doing explains the perception of Charlemagne over time.
   
   The introduction is extensive and to the point, it does not merely summarize but explains. The notes do not merely present trifling material but ADD extensively to the text. The two vastly different texts do not rehash the same material but rather explain the same person in vastly different ways for vastly different purposes: one, using historical fact, the other using semi-historical stories and anecdotes concerning the moral behavior of bishops. These are very good sources for research and for the casual historian.

5 comments about Hard Call: The Art of Great Decisions.

1. John McCain is quite an interesting man, and this first person account was fascinating. I was surprised to read that McCain puts aside 35 minutes each day to tap dance, and follows a diet consisting entirely of tangerines. And who would have thought McCain wears the very same pair of "lucky" underpants every day, except for his "Sunday pants." I was hoping that McCain would have gone into more depth about his year-long relationship with Edith Piaf in the late 1930s, but I guess there's always the next one! Great book!



2. With all of the biased coverage of news these days, it is important to find information to give balance to the whole picture. This book, with its choices of material, is an excellent example of what a person needs to read to help form opinions and delve through all of the "stuff" that bombards us daily. Add it to your list of "must reads" today, and enjoy it all!



3. John McCain's "Hard Call: The Art of Great Decisions" reveals the essential character qualities required to make the "Hard Call" by retelling stories of great decision makers, past and present. I learned many new things about the character of people like Winston Churchill, Ronald Reagan, Abe Lincoln, and many others. As McCain illuminates the character qualities each of these people displayed in their great decisions, we get a glimpse at the character of the author as well.



4. Certainly the timing of this book's release and its review of tough decision making are not coincidental to John McCain's presidential campaign. This does not detract from its value. As do Barack Obama's books (for example, Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance), it tells us what a political leader wants us to know about his view of the world. To McCain and Slater, decision making is characterized by Awareness, Foresight, Timing, Confidence, Humility and Inspiration. These qualities are examined through 20 case studies, including Gerald Ford's decision to pardon Richard Nixon and the efforts of Menachem Begin and Anwar Sadat to achieve peace between their countries.
   
   The book's structure presents some choices. First, it can be read as ordered, with a discussion of each aspect of leadership followed by historical examples. It runs a little long this way, though. I listened to it as an audio book and felt like I was trudging though history on foot. Worth the walk, but quite a trek.
   
   Readers with more selective interests might sample just the stories that intrigue or that fill gaps in their historical knowledge. It is worthwhile to learn about the history of Liberia or experience another perspective on Alexander Graham Bell's inventiveness. Each of the 20 decision scenarios is a self-contained story, which facilitates such picking and choosing.
   
   Finally, readers eager to examine John McCain's leadership style can confine themselves to the book's introduction, and to the introductory chapters in each of the six sections. These chapters point to the kind of decisions he admires, what he has learned from them, and how he--and we--can make decisions like them. Whether you agree with him or not, his brand of decision making is made plain to be understood and evaluated.



5. McCain has never tried to work through a tough decision. His own autobiography describes (although the description is watered down) his duplicity that got American service men killed. If you want to buy a book about hard decisions then buy it from someone who has made one.

5 comments about Faith of My Fathers.

1. Partly in an effort to better understand the presidential candidates in the 2008 election, I ordered this book on tape. Although it was a little tough getting through the technical military equipment descriptions (not having a military background myself}, it was great to hear it read by John McCain. When finished, I felt I had a much better insight into the man, his family and his service to this nation. There is no doubt in my mind he is a true American hero deserving of our respect and gratitude. Apparently, enough American voters decided they were willing to take their chances on someone else, that I will never know if John McCain would have stood by his principles as President. That saddens me, really, because McCain would have been in a unique position to "clean house" in Washington, D. C. with the help of a proven reformer at his side. However, I would definitely recommend Faith of My Fathers - particularly to those who served in the Navy or are military buffs.



2. Even as a woman, I enjoyed reading Mr. McCain's book about his military career and his imprisonment in Vietnam POW camps. He is an extraordinary man. He is not the only war hero, but anyone who could endure what he went through has my respect and admiration. I like SPUNKY!!



3. moment on earth. And that is the honor we earn and the love we give if at a moment in our youth we sacrifice with others for something greater than our self-interest."
   
   Whatever ones politics, it'd be difficult to argue with the contention that John McCain is, militarily, a man of honor. He followed in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, both well-respected Admirals whose career highlights he recounts in the first fourth of the book, by choosing service in the U.S Navy. McCain's own military path was a bit rocky. His performance at the US Naval Academy, which earned him a spot near the rock bottom of his graduating class, can be summed up by his feelings about one of the (many) unsavory experiences students were subjected to as Plebes (p 121) "We were ordered to supply encyclopedias of obscure information to any silly son of a [female dog] who asked a question." After (his Class of 1958) graduation, he became a pilot. Of that period in his life, he writes, (p 153) "I drove a Corvette, dated a lot, spent all my free hours at bars and beach parties, and generally misused my good health and youth." But faced with heading off to the (eventually) most unpopular war involving the States, he didn't flinch, (p 162) "I wanted to go to Vietnam, and to keep faith with the family creed."
   
   At the age of thirty-one, on October 26, 1967, his plane was shot down over Vietnam. After ejecting, he parachuted down, landing mere blocks from a POW camp. Compounding his already severe injuries, his captors supplied a few of their own. In the last half of the book he writes about his one thousand, nine hundred and sixty-one days spent in captivity, including: details about the monotony of daily life (he spent two years in solitary confinement), interactions with other POWs, and mistreatment by the guards. Although he readily admits that due to his importance as a potential tool of propaganda and political bargaining chip, he likely received less severe torture than some of his fellow POWs, he received some of the worst punishment after refusing an offer of early release. That same day his father (p 238) "assumed command of all U.S. forces in the Pacific." On March 14, 1973, at age thirty-six, he was released.
   
   Faith of My Fathers is a painfully honest "family memoir" about a defiant, nonconformist, imperfect man, two of his famous forefathers (of whom he was plainly proud), and those things that helped him get by during his years as a POW in Vietnam: the courage and strength of his fellow prisoners, his faith, and (I believe) his desire to uphold the McCain (military) family honor. Also good: The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien, Flyboys by James Bradley, The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara, and 1776 by David McCullough.



4. This book is a great review of McCain's life up to the point where he gets over the huge conflict of being a POW. The beginning of the book was very slow and uninteresting, but as you move further on he really gets his voice. Actually, only a few of the stories about his grandfather and father were really worth reading. When the story got down to McCain's life then it really got interesting. He definitely was a hellion throughout his childhood: A true leader of the rebellious crowd. Don't get me wrong, he also demonstrates that he has a knack for leadership and skilled in many aspects of the military lifestyle. The story truly begins when he gets shot down over Hanoi. His descriptions of the events that follow him landing in the lake are enthralling. It is an amazing story that I am sure affects a lot of his actions to date. I only wished it gave a little more detail about his life after the affects of being a POW.



5. This book is an inspiring read that is both honest and open as well as compelling. I highly recommend it as a reminder of the sacrifice made by so many who serve our nation in the military, as well as a door by which to better understand what make Sen. John McCain who he is. It is one of those books that you don't want to put down.

5 comments about Born to Rule: Five Reigning Consorts, Granddaughters of Queen Victoria.

1. I learned alot of new facts about the Spanish,Greek and Romamian monarchies. Alot of repeat facts on Nicholas and Alexandra.



2. A very good biography on five granddaughters of Queen Victoria who became queens. One of course the well known Alexandra of Russia, the others Maud of Norway, Sophie of Greece, Ena of Spain and Marie of Romania. Its the latter four queens that I bought this book. I knew very little about any of them. Each of them were very interesting in their own rights and events in their lives the author goes in great detail about each one of them from childhood to death. A wonderful read.



3. While her sources are impeccable, Gerlardi would have benefited from some serious editing. At times, this reads like a poorly written high school history report-choppy sentences, vague pronouns, and incomplete, abruptly transitioning paragraphs. There is a disconnect between the granddaughters' stories as she has written them, and I agree with other reviewers that a different format-a section for each, with timelines or other graphics to show their overlapping lives-would have been a much better way to tell their stories. I read this immediately after reading FOUR QUEENS by Nancy Goldstone. That book, which has its flaws, is superior to BORN TO RULE.



4. This was an easy and quick read. In addition it gives glimpses into the lives of 5 extraordinary women that are often overlooked by history teachers and professors. Read it! You will not be disappointed!



5. Fascinating topic but I agree with other reviewers who found the writing poor. It distracted from a what could have been a very powerful look at a pivotal time in the history of the western world.

2 comments about Woodrow Wilson: Princeton to the Presidency.

1. In this elegantly written biography, Maynard explores Woodrow Wilson's time at Princeton (as a student, faculty member, and university president), detailing the triumphs and defeats that did so much to shape the future president's personality and perspective. To anyone interested in Woodrow Wilson...or Princeton...or the history of higher education in America for that matter, Maynard's book is indispensable.



2. Dr. Maynard (on the faculty as Lecturer of Johns Hopkins as well as Princeton at the time his book was released) has written one of the more truthful, composite portraits of Woodrow Wilson. It is refreshing to see the depth of research, with references to older historians and Princeton alumni, who verify Wilson as the uncompromising and egotistical college president. The damage that Wilson did to Princeton continues to this day. And not only is it revealed that Wilson and his father were "a good hater" (to quote them both) but his first wife Ellen also had a terrible temper; and there is plenty of evidence.
   
   I was disappointed that the author did not go into Mary Peck's affair with Wilson more thoroughly; he also completely ignored the affair Wilson had with a Princeton professor's wife. Maynard's treatment of Wilson's doctor, Cary Grayson, was too kind; Grayson was a major player with Wilson's second wife, Edith, in the cover-up of Woodrow's almost total incapacity as president, due to his last stroke. Although, because of his art education at Princeton and the University of Delaware, he devoted many interesting pages to the proposed architectural design of the Quads.
   
   Nevertheless, the book is a page-turner. It almost reads like a novel...because in this case, the truth about Wilson seems almost stranger than fiction. This book brings more evidence to light about the truth of Wilson as a racist, a liar, a man who could not compromise, a man with tunnel vision, a man who didn't know how to raise money for the college, and a man who constantly bickered with the trustees over the Quads and almost everything else he wanted to introduce to the campus. He would not compromise on any issue, whether academic or political. And he couldn't keep friends; as his own father was quoted as saying, "I never had a friend who was faithful to me." Like father, like son.
   
   We see a picture of Wilson living with a tortured ego in a psychological "twilight zone" who could not be a friend with anyone who disagreed with him about anything. He had an exaggerated sense of self-importance and a craving for domination in everything.
   
   The author, as a former student of Princeton himself (B.A. in Art History), covers the preceptorial system Wilson brought to Princeton, which is still advertised on their website, as Wilson's "brainchild," although I do not believe it facilitates excellence in education; it pressures students to "BS" their way through the course material. And the Eating Clubs Wilson opposed, are still there, albeit, they are now co-ed and less in number. Wilson wouldn't agree, but fraternities would have had a better socializing effect on students than these Clubs.
   
   I wondered if the author would still have a job at Princeton after such a tour de force. So I was not surprised that he ended the book with what amounts to a three paragraph apology for Wilson, in which he attempts to vindicate Wilson's twisted educational vision for Princeton, by stating "Princeton University itself has finally come around to the blueprint that Wilson put forward one hundred years ago..." The author closed his book saying that "history would prove him (Wilson) right," confirms the author's vested interest as a former student and now on the Princeton faculty. A good read, but with that vested interest, one has to wonder if all the drama and fireworks presented for the previous 340 pages, is a chimera covering his own loyalty to Princeton...just putting a good face on Wilson's rocky road from Princeton to the presidency.