5 comments about Churchill.

1. THE ONLY THING YOU CAN DO AMAZON IS TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT WHEN YOU GET YOUR BULK SHIPMENTS OF DVD'S, THAT THEY ARE NOT DEFECTIVE.
   OTHER THAN THAT YOU ARE TERRIFIC.



2. Just excellent! Paul Johnson does a masterful job of illuminting the man who saved western civilization.



3. This is one of the very best biographies I have ever read. It's got just the right amount of detail, moves briskly, and is incredibly well written. The author brings his personal knowledge of Churchill in with a light hand, and doesn't shy away from advocating why he believes Churchill saved Europe and possibly the world. I loved the Epilog, with the examination of why and how Churchill was such an effective person. Very uplifting and positive. A fitting tribute to the man.



4. Johnson gives someone unfamiliar with Churchill a wonderful description of the action packed and extraordinay life of possibly the greatest leader of all time, and certainly of World War 2. Churchill was also a prolific author who wrote perhaps the definitive books on both World Wars. Few know that he had more words published than Charles Dickens, and that his Nobel Prize was for Literature. In addition he was a talented painter and a visit to his beloved home "Chartwell" allows the visitor to view hundreds of his works.
   
   Johnson amazingly gives the reader a good view of Churchill the man, the leader, and the icon, all in only 166 pages. There is enough here to give even the most devoted and well read Churchillian new information. A terrific achievement.
   
   Highly recommended



5. We're pretty North American-centric here in the U.S. Watching the Winter Olympics reminds us that we Yanks are hardly the center of the universe. Plus, I've always felt a tad guilty that my reading list had never included anything on Winston Churchill. No more guilt.
   
   Paul Johnson's 166-page chronicle of Churchill's amazing life and leadership has received excellent reviews. The page count also works. The author's masterful scan of Churchill's 90 years (1874 to 1965) includes insightful detail, laugh-out-loud sidebars and absolutely relevant commentary on leadership and politics, war, success and failure (lots of failure).
   
   If you're under 40, don't skip this book--thinking it irrelevant to our Twitter times. Churchill was a member of Parliament for 55 years, 31 years as a government minister, and almost nine years as prime minister. He served in the trenches of (and reported from) 15 battles, was awarded 14 campaign medals, "had been a prominent figure in the First World War, and a dominant one in the Second."
   
   And get this: he published nearly 10 million words, including his 880-page book, The World Crisis: 1911-1918. His five-volume War Memoirs book deal in 1947 paid him $2.23 million ($50 million in today's dollars). And in his spare time, Churchill painted over 500 canvases. In 1953, he received the Nobel Prize for Literature.
   
   He overcame family challenges. His cousin noted, "Few fathers had done less for their sons. Few sons had done more for their fathers." Yet the author writes, "Among all the twentieth-century ruling elites, the Churchills must be judged to have had the most successful marriage."
   
   In the epilogue, the author includes five specific ways that leaders can learn from Churchill. Number 2: "There is no substitute for hard work." Yet, this giant of a world leader "also manifestly enjoyed his leisure activities," including his painting, which created a sanctuary-like retreat for his mind and body. He worked 16-hour days (often with full working mornings in bed--to conserve energy). "The balance he maintained between flat-out work and creative restorative leisure is worth study by anyone holding a top position."
   
   He knew the value of face time. He forced himself "to travel long distances, often in acute discomfort and danger, to meet the top statesmen face-to-face where his persuasive charm could work best."
   
   Speaking of charm, the writing enticed me page after page. Churchill's famed oratory: 111 words per minute, "with Gladstone's 100 as the standard." After touring Africa, he wrote My African Journey (completed on his honeymoon): "...full of schemes for industrializing Africa and harnessing the Nile." His politics: "Churchill was carried forward by intellectual conviction, but his reverence for tradition acted as a brake."
   
   He ribbed others, including the Labour Party leader, Clement Attlee. "Yes, he is a modest man, but then he has so much to be modest about." And this: "An empty taxi drew up outside the House of Commons, and Mr. Attlee got out."
   
   He popularized (if not invented) the terms "cold war" and "iron curtain." Dependent on U.S. help to win World War II, he became a student of FDR and wrote more than 1,000 letters to him. With pen and cigar (up to 12 a day) he was a brute force writing factory. He documented all verbal orders in writing, and his results-driven memos began with the famous headline, "Action This Day."
   
   "So did the endless series of brief, urgent queries: `Pray inform me on one half-sheet of paper, why...' Answers had to be given, fast." (This from Johnson's insightful list of 10 ways that Churchill saved Britain. Number 4: "a personal example of furious and productive activity.")
   
   All of this, and more, in just 166 action-packed pages. This is a fantastic book!

5 comments about The Tudors: The Complete Story of England's Most Notorious Dynasty.

1. I truly enjoyed this book. Well- researched and presented.
   
   The short background chapters that provide an overview of the core topic in each section are very full of insight.
   
   I especially like the lack of sensationalism about henry viii in this book. It is fascinating to read, yet has an almost somber tone to it.



2. I've read a few books about the Tudors, and they tend to get repetitive. Let's face it, there's only so much information on that era that survives, so a new perspective can be hard to come by. So much to my surprise, I did actually learn new things by reading this. The author portrays the Tudors in a more negative light than other books I've read, and that lends an interesting perspective. Many authors come across as thinking the subjects of their books are the greatest people ever and downplay any negatives they may have. Meyer does the opposite. I'm not even sure he finds the Tudors admirable in the least. He isn't shy about expressing his opinion on the people who appear in the book. If you're strict about history, that could be off-putting, on the other hand, his biases are out there for everyone to see and evaluate accordingly.
   
   One thing this book is NOT is the complete story. The bulk of the book is about Henry VIII. Henry VII is mentioned only in passing and only as the father of Henry VIII. I can understand why the sections on Edward VI and Mary I are shorter--their reigns were shorter, but Elizabeth I, who ruled longer than any other Tudor, barely figures into the story until the last 200 or so pages. And even then, she doesn't seem very present--the author focuses more on the men around her than the Queen herself. I got the impression the author got bored with the book about halfway through and started rushing. Large clumps of time are covered in a few pages (this happens throughout the book, not just the latter parts), while some events are covered in excruciating detail (this happens almost entirely in the Henry VIII parts).
   
   Each chapter is broken up by a brief "background" chapter. These will be a like 'em or hate 'em thing. I liked them--they provided good information about life in England beyond the Tudors and broke up some heavy reading. I can see why people would hate them, though, as they don't flow into the text naturally and often bear little relation to the chapter before or after their location in the book.
   
   Overall, I did enjoy reading it. Meyer has a nice writing style* provide some much-needed balance on the subject. If you've read other books about the Tudors, this would be a nice contrast to those and chances are good you'll learn something new. But it's probably not for someone who knows little about them--you'll wind up hating them and not read another thing about them, which would be a shame. The Tudors, warts and all, are a fascinating subject.
   
   *My copy was an unproofed review copy, so I'll refrain from dwelling on the typos, bad sentences, etc. that plagued almost every page in hopes his editor was a darn good proof-reader.



3. Although I mostly enjoyed this book, I have to take issue with the tagline of the title -- this is not the complete story of the Tudors; in fact, the book assumes you know the basics. As just one example, Elizabeth's execution of Mary Queen of Scots is only mentioned after the fact, in passing.
   
   Meyer doesn't much like the Tudors, particularly Elizabeth, and in the introduction he states that part of what he wants to do is to deflate to some extent the glamorous image that this dynasty has built up over the centuries, and to show how they were responsible in part for the positive image of themselves that has come down to us over the centuries. But mostly what Meyer wants to do is examine religion during the Tuodor era and how it relates to matters of state and the creation of Renaissance England.
   
   Meyer is at his best when discussing Henry VIII. There is a chapter early on in which Meyer tries to sum up the events giving rise to the reign of Henry VII and to how Henry VII changed the government of the medieval English state, but it is entirely confusing, even if you already know much about the history of the Tudors. If you don't know anything about the era, the names will be impossible to follow. Once Meyer really gets cooking, however, about Henry VIII, the book starts to become very interesting. He goes in depth into the workings of Henry VIII's government and finances and explores in great detail how Henry's position on religion changed over time under the influences of Cardinal Woolsey, Thomas Cromwell and others, and conversely, how politics shaped the state's religion.
   
   Meyer challenges some of the characterizations of Henry, pointing out what a truly awful man he became and what the cost was for much of England's nobility and for its religious leaders and institutions. He continues to examine the motivations of the nobility, in particular, during the brief reign of Edward VI and the even briefer reign of Lady Jane Grey.
   
   Meyer presents a much more sympathetic view of Queen Mary than is generally held, examining the conflicting pressures that were exerted upon her during a reign in which the Catholics and Protestants were very much at odds. It is when Meyer gets to Elizabeth, however, that the book really begins to break down.
   
   Doubtless, Elizabeth was not a very nice person, but Meyer clearly loathes her. It also seems like the author may have had deadline pressure when he got to the section on Elizabeth as his tendency in later parts of the book is to make very broad conclusions that seem personal in nature. He is of the opinion that Elizabeth's primary interest as Queen was her personal survival and that this led to her inability to make decisions. He presents a fairly compelling case, but it would have been much better work were it more balanced and were his personal dislike of her less on display. As it was, my reading pace in the latter half of the book slowed tremendously and while the first half of the book, which is devoted to the reign of Henry VIII merits five stars, the coverage of Edward VI and Queen Mary slips to four stars and by the end of the book, the writing barely merits three stars, despite the wealth of useful information.
   
   All in all, there is much to like about this book as it does present an alternative and probably more accurate view of the Tudor monarchs, particularly the intersection between government and in religion during their reigns. The complete story of the Tudors, however, can not be told in one book, and if you're looking for much of a personal glimpse into the lives of people during this era, you'd do better to look elsewhere. But if you are interested in church and state in late medieval/early Renaissance Europe, this book is quite worth a read.



4. Meyer, a journalist and Literature professor, should know better. Leave history to the historians, and particularly, leave modern interpretations of people with even pre-Enlightenment values to authors of historical fiction. Reasons not to buy this book, much less waste your time reading it...
   
   1. The narrative is dull, tedious, and frustratingly interrupted by grossly brief surrounding histories (such as interludes about the state of British schools in the 16th century). Any decent author would weave the necessary bits into the story itself, instead of attempting a lax history of the entire 16th century.
   
   2. Sources, sources, sources. The most prominent, reliable, and unbiased historian on this era and dynasty, Alison Weir, is blatantly absent.
   
   3. Don't be fooled by the title. More than 50% of this "history" is devoted to Henry VIII. Why? Meyer states that there simply isn't enough info about his father, Henry VII, so dimisses him by devoting a mere 10 pgs. In return, he launches into nearly 250 pgs of the tedious political backdrop of Henry VIII's reign, before even arriving at his marriage to Anne Boleyn!! Edward and Mary (Bloody) are glossed over, and significant events, such as Seymour's attempt to kidnap Edward VI, are conspicuously absent. Elizabeth's reign is described as a protracted, successful attempt at self-preservation. Reductionist at best.
   4. Meyer commits the fatal flaw of pseudo-historians; using a 21st century lens to capture 16th century ideologies, motives, and acts. While always tempting to apply Freudian theories to say, the question of why Elizabeth I never married, and admittedly, Meyer is probably correct in describing Henry VIII as a narcissistic, spoiled inept ruler who later brutally justified murders to assuage his ego, any astute reader can come to that conclusion based on the facts alone.
   
   Suggestion: Buy a few histories of these individual monarchs, Weir's work being recognized as the most accurate, thoroughly researched and best written, and let Meyer continue to capitalize on the recent popularity of the Tudors with someone else's dime.



5. "The Tudors: The Complete Story of England's Most Notorious Dynasty" offers an overview of Tudor England -its monarchs, influential personalities, and crises- for those who would like to understand the era and its famous kings and queens but who don't want to read half a dozen biographies of every major figure. If you want that degree of depth, you will find no shortage of material. But G.J. Meyer tries to bring the major points together in this single volume for the more casual Tudor buff. He covers three generations of Tudor monarchs over 118 years, beginning with a lively account of Henry Tudor's defeat of Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485, after which he would be Henry VII, through the reigns of Henry VIII, young Edward VI, Mary I, and Elizabeth I, who died in 1603.
   
   Fewer than ten pages are dedicated to Henry VII's reign, though more address his background. The first 20 years of Henry VIII's reign get another ten pages. About half of the book is about Henry VIII, concentrating on the events leading to his break with Rome, his pursuit of an annulment from first wife Catherine of Aragon, his battle with clergy over the Act of Supremacy, and Thomas Cromwell's role in it all. Meyer covers the boy-king Edward VI's brief reign, his efforts to promote Protestantism, and Edward Seymour's government. The author takes a more favorable view of Mary I's rule than it seems to merit. Finally, about 140 pages are dedicated to the reign of Elizabeth I, concentrating on foreign interventions, religious persecution, her "favorites", and minister-in-chief William Cecil.
   
   Every other chapter departs from the main storyline to explore some "background" feature of Tudor England. These digressions address subjects such as: the War of the Roses, the Reformation, the Tower of London, monasteries, Renaissance popes, Calvinism, education, the Turks, and the poor. I appreciate that the author is trying to give the reader a more complete picture of Tudor England, the background against which political events played out, without referring us to volumes of social and economic history. Some of the background chapters are good, but others are so cursory as to be misleading. And they interrupt the flow of the story. Fewer background chapters and more depth might have been better -or just omit the weaker chapters.
   
   The author would have done well to shorten the book by being more selective with the background chapters, trimming some detail, and restraining some of his opinions. And he needs to give some indication when his facts are in fact hotly debated. Meyer is downright snarky toward Henry VIII, who deserves it, but I found his tone too flippant at times. Some chapters are overloaded with detail while others skip important topics. It makes for a bumpy ride through the Tudor dynasty. Meyer doesn't think much of the most famous Tudors. He presents Henry VIII as a murderous megalomaniac and Elizabeth I as indifferent and childish. Some debunking is in order, and I like the idea of a overarching Tudor biography or history. But "The Tudors" is too casual and uneven for my taste and, I suspect, too long for the casual reader, whom I believe is the intended audience.

5 comments about Angela's Ashes: A Memoir.

1. Great novel. Makes you realize things about your own life, while giving you a fun read.



2. The memoir Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt takes place in Brooklyn, New York and in Limerick, Ireland in the 1930's and 40's. The protagonist, Frank McCourt, is the oldest of eight children. His parents are Malachaly, who is described as "shiftless, loquacious, and alcoholic," and his mother, Angela, whom McCourt calls, "pious, big-hearted, and overwhelmed." The big Irish family soon has to leave their home in Brooklyn and moves to Limerick after the tragic death of their beloved daughter, Margaret, just as the Great Depression takes hold in America. Their home in Ireland isn't ideal to the family; their rented flat is a complete rat's nest and they share one bathroom with all their neighbors. For years, the family only eats bread and tea because that is all they can afford on their welfare money, when Mr. McCourt doesn't take it all and use it to get drunk. Eventually, the kids have to steal food just to get through one more day; they even become beggars on the streets at times. Life in Ireland for the family is very brutal and harsh as the Great Depression and their own father's self-destructiveness swallows up their hopes as well on the other side of the Atlantic.
   Though the storyline is sad and heartbreaking, Frank McCourt does an amazing job brightening up the memoir at times. "Mam turns toward the dead ashes in the fire and sucks at the last bit of goodness in the Woodbine butt caught between the brown thumb and the burnt middle finger. Michael . . . wants to know if we're having fish and chips tonight because he's hungry. Mam says, Next week, love, and he goes back out to play in the lane." This is an example of McCourt taking a deep and dark moment and using humor to lighten it up. This moment is very symbolic to Angela's dreams and shows how the family struggles for food on a daily basis. As I was reading this passage (insert a comma here) I tried figure out why the title is Angela's Ashes, I think I've figured it out but I won't ruin it for you. While reading Mr. McCourt's remembrance, it was clear money was always an issue for the family, but after finishing the book, I realized that money wasn't the real conflict. Family, loving one another, and being together are the true conflicts that the family endures the entire book. The father is unable to find a job in Ireland and travels far away to work, he promises to send money but he is never heard from and trying to feed eight hungry children is difficult for Angela. This broken family sticks together and battles their miserable lives in multiple homes that they stay at throughout the town of Limerick.
   At first, this book was both depressing and sad, but as I read through it, I saw more than that and discovered that it has more of a deep and a more underlying meaning than I thought it would. From reading this compelling memoir, I got a better understanding of how life can be so cruel but yet the McCourt family managed to carry on with little food and thin clothing during harsh winters. At one point, I got sucked into the book and I felt like I was one of the eight kids searching through dumpsters trying to find any scraps of food, and yet I managed to laugh at the funny and naïve things the younger kids say. I don't think I've read a tome that has ever made me feel so many different emotions. As one reviewer wrote when McCourt's book came out, "It brings tears and smiles together as close as they can ever be."



3. This is absolute heaven, to hear Frank McCourt read his own life story with that glorious accent! My favorite nonfiction book of all time, and favorite audiobook.
   
   However, BUYER BEWARE; I ordered the unabridged version, and was sent the abridged version. When I returned it to Amazon, I only received $1.99 out of my $10.00 purchase price. So, absolutely have this in your collection; just make sure you get every delicious word in the unabridged format.



4. What can I say that hasn't been said countless times about Angela's Ashes. I see now why it has all the fans that it does. I wish McCourt were a Chicano so I could claim him. Or maybe say I too am Irish. That's what I would say, that he made me feel Irish. If not for the "brogue," his story is not that different than what many of us go through growing up poor, and that includes many of us who are born and raised here.



5. I read this book many years ago, and I still find myself thinking about it from time to time. This was a wonderful, yet morose, novel. This story lays out a compelling story of how Frank (barely) survived childhood in the hands of poverty and alcoholism. Frank's story just gets more and more depressing as you read, but his need to survive is unquenchable.
   
   Truly, a wonderful book!

5 comments about The Six Wives of Henry VIII.

1. Was wonderful reading!! I enjoy almost everything about the Tudors. This was one of the most comprhensive readings on them that I have ever seen. Gave lots of tidbits not known before. Very heavy paperback but had it entirely read in about 2 1/2 weeks.



2. Very informative. I dont know if I was the only one that felt this way, but you do see a difrent side of the King ... Not of a monster as many historians put him out as but of a man, a king doing what he thought was right to protect his legacy and his heart...... Anyways .... I truley enjoyed this book ... its a long read but a very well documentation of King Henry and his six ladies....



3. I have never been much of a reader, but this book is AMAZING! The author provides unbelievable amounts of well-researched detail without letting the plot drag a bit. Henry and his wives have made a reader out of me!



4. Alison Weir can serve up a historically accurate account that entertains as well as informs. I still wish I could kick Henry in his well-upholstered backside.



5. I have loved every book by Weir that I've read. She's an excellent author who doesn't stray from the facts and keeps the content clean.

5 comments about The Children of Henry VIII.

1. The title of this book is a bit misleading. While Weir does her usual fine job of elucidating characters and their times, calling this "The Children of Henry VIII" is a bit misleading, since Lady Jane Grey's nine day reign is included. Her story as a child until her brief reign is also told. This makes a great deal of sense historically, since she was labeled sovereign by some lords upon the death of Edward VI and before Mary's supporters drove Grey's "handlers" from power.
   
   The book does a nice job of outlining the personalities, experiences, and beliefs of Edward, Mary, and Elizabeth, the children of Henry VIII as well as Lady Jane Grey, also of royal blood. Edward's reign after his father's death was brief, with his death from tuberculosis in his middle teens. Weir outlines his personality and his positions on issues of the day. He never ruled as full sovereign because of his age, but many thought him promising material. He was strongly supportive of a more radical religious stance, moving further from the Catholic Church. The story of efforts by his Council members to manipulate him and compete with one another for influence through him is well told. When his health began deteriorating, with Mary the heir to the throne, some of the nobles realized that they could be in serious trouble, given her know adherence to Catholicism and to her anger at her poor treatment by some of those nobles.
   
   Hence, the coup that placed Grey on the throne, even if only for a short while. It was an effort surely doomed to fail. When troops flocked to Mary to support her claim on the throne, the conspirators were defeated. The sad ending of Jane's life is spelled out. Mary did not want her death, but she served as a symbol for those who did not want the return of the Catholic religion. Thus, she was disposed of as an effort to defuse unrest.
   
   Far more troublesome, as discussed here, was the prickly relationship between the sisters--Mary and Elizabeth. The latter ended up in the Tower of London for awhile, sometimes sure that she was to experience her mother's fate (Anne Boleyn was her mother). Mary's marriage to Philip of Spain and her inability to produce an heir; her efforts to return England to Catholicism and the ensuing burnings at the stake for heresy (she was later referred to as "Bloody Mary").
   
   And, with her death, the book ends with Elizabeth learning that she was now Queen.
   
   This is a standard Alison Weir work, which for me means a well written story, with plenty of details of the main focal characters and the contexts in which they found themselves. There is a nice genealogical table at the end, to see how Jane was related to Edward, Mary, and Elizabeth. Another good product from Weir's pen.



2. I loved this book because Weir is an excellent writer and I appreciate that she doesn't delve in to the speculations around their lives.



3. Perfect copy as promised; excellent communication and fast shipment. I wouldn't hesitate to buy again; couldn't be happier.



4. I loved the book, and i think it would make a splendid film script too! However i bought the paperback and that ruined part of the pleasure : nasty paper and tiny font. For those of you who care about that sort of detail, spend the extra money and get the hard cover.I really regret i did not.



5. Most books you read about Tudor England was either about the sex life of Henry the 8th or a psychoanalysis of either Henry or Elizabeth. I can't tell you how refreshing it is to read a book on Tudor England that actually accomplishes what it sets out to do and good for the author for actually giving biographical information about all of the children and future monarchs.
   
   I don't know how many books on the period I've read that basically said "Edward came to and he was sickly child who soon died." He was followed by his sister Mary who everyone hated but thank the good protestant God Elizabeth soon came to the throne and England entered a golden age. The author even included information on Lady Jane Grey who always gets overlooked by everyone.
   
   Bottom line-A pleasure to read I will be looking for more by this author.

5 comments about 'Tis: A Memoir.

1. I had Frank McCourt's memoir, Angela's Ashes, on my bookshelf for months before I read it. I enjoyed it so much that I purchased the next two books he wrote, Tis, and Teacher Man. I just finished Tis and was so sorry when I finished the last chapter and wanted to read it again. Part of this stems from being a historian and Irish, I am sure; reading about an Irish man in the 1940's and 50's put my own parents lives in a different perspective for me. I would greatly recommend this book!



2. I wanted to love "Tis" after devouring "Angela's Ashes", but it just feels like this book was rushed off to the printers too quickly. Editors were counting on readers being piqued by McCourt's suffering and ignoring the lack of flow in the writing.
   
   "Tis" contains some great vingettes about McCourt's life as a new immigrant in New York City in the early 1950s, but there is no cohesive vision as to how the story connects (if at all) to his early years in Ireland, or what period of his life McCourt is trying to span by writing this book. For instance, McCourt starts with an almost day-to-day existence early on when he arrives in New York, and then jumps around to his relationships, friendships, and birth of his daughter 10-12 years later, with his entry into teaching an almost negligible sidenote.
   
   I don't know if I lost interest, or if the writing was less focused, but the last 50 pages of "Tis" were a real drag when the whole book had so much promise. The writing of "Angela's Ashes" was too good to make Frank McCourt just a flash in the pan, but I just really wish an editor had looked at this manuscript critically without seeing dollar signs.



3. I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'Tis. I appreciated Frank McCourt's candor about his own shortcomings. He does not sugarcoat any of his experiences and his life was clearly difficult when he first arrived in New York City with no high school education. However, he never feels sorry for himself; there is a lightness and a sense of humour to his descriptions of hardship, much like in Angela Ashes. My one criticism is McCourt's habit of constantly repeating things that he wrote earlier in the book. While I understand that this is a stylistic theme, I think it should have been used much more sparingly. 'Tis is nowhere as good as Angela's Ashes, but it has its merits and is definitely worth reading.



4. I wasn't expecting anything. It's difficult to follow up on something as powerful as Angela's Ashes. But then again, he had the opportunity, so why not do it? Most authors will tell you how hard it is to follow up on a hit. It was still entertaining.



5. I really enjoyed "Angela's Ashes," and like this book even more. You basically could combine the two into one big book, as one is just a continuation of the other. Both are written in McCourt's unique style and both are a pleasure to read. I think "Tis" gets the extra star from me because, whereas "Angela's Ashes" really kept you feeling bad for the boy throughout, "Tis" is a story of hope and promise. Much happens to Frankie McCourt once he gets to the U.S. and the life he leads here keep you both interested and wondering just how he would be able to turn his fortunes for the better.
   
   This, as was "Angela's Ashes," is a very honest book. In no way does McCourt attempt to cover up his flaws or missteps. In no way does he try to paint himself a hero. You get the real deal here, and many times I found myself closely relating to what he was thinking at any given moment.
   
   I highly recommend this book.

5 comments about The Search for God and Guinness: A Biography of the Beer that Changed the World.

1. My latest book was Stephen Mansfield's The Search for God & Guinness. This book provids a fascinating look into the history of beer and the Guinness company. Mansfield draws the reader in with intriguing tales of the initial uses for beer, how its popularity grew, and more importantly how the Guinness company was decades ahead in its excellent treatment of its employees. Mansfield writes- "...what distinguishes the Arthur Guinness story is not just that he brewed good beer and sold great amounts of it. What distinguishes his story is that he understood his success as forming a kind of mandate, a kind of calling to a purpose of God beyond just himself and his family to the broader good he could do in the world."
   
   Overall, the book was good. There were times when Mansfield dove deep into the history of various time periods and seemed to go on tangents that were not related to Guinness or beer. However, overall, the reader is left with new information, a better sense of history, and a thirst for a taste of Guinness.



2. To be honest, when I first received a copy of The Search for God and Guinness I was not all that excited about it. I love God and I like beer, but I am not a big reader of biographies, preferring "more practical" books on leadership, spiritual issues, or social media. So, it sat on my bookshelf for several months.
   
   When in finally cracked it open I was sorry I waited so long to read it.
   
   In the Search for God and Guinness, Stephen Mansfield tells the story of the Guinness family starting with Arthur Guinness, founder of the famed brewery, and continuing through the Guinnesses of today. While the book recounts the amazing rise of one of the must successful breweries in the world, what makes the book and the Guinness family fascinating is the accounts of their character, faith, and generosity.
   
   Because of their commitment to excellence and innovation in brewing the Guinnesses became exceptionally wealthy and influential. But rather than selfishly squander it on themselves, they were exceptionally generous with the pay and benefits they gave their workers and they demonstrated an unusual commitment to improving the conditions of the poor in Ireland and Great Britain.
   
   Stephen Mansfield concludes the narrative portion of The Search for God and Guinness with this line.
   
   That part of the heritage will only live when men absorb it from the Guinness story and embed it in fertile fields of their own.
   
   Clearly, he wrote this book not just to tell a fascinating story but to inspire leaders today to follow in the Guinness tradition.
   
   I highly recommend The Search for God and Guinness, especially if you lead or own a business.
   
   For my full review, discussion, and a chance to win a free copy of the book go to:
   [...]



3. The title seems odd, but it fits. This book is as much about the author's search as his findings. He comes from outside the "beer culture". It would be as if I wrote a book on Starbucks, since I don't drink coffee. What I really think he wanted to write about is the philanthropy of Arthur Guiness, and his subsequent lineage. What he is excited to write about is how Arthur was very influenced by Charles and John Wesley, the founders of Methodism and its "social gospel", and evangelist George Whitefield. He's on safe ground here, as most books on Guiness and beer would fail to bring in these topics. However, then he has to almost apologize for the book to his fellow Protestants who are not merely moderate drinkers but abstainers. There follows an intriguing history of brewing and the place of beer in society. Earlier Protestants like Guiness viewed beer not as the curse, but the answer to the problem of drunkeness from harder gin. Not surprisingly, he quotes an author from 100 years ago, G.K. Chesterton, who could always be counted on to stand up for pubs and beer, and he gave us this quote, among others: "We should thank God for beer and burgundy by not drinking too much of them."
   
   The book from then on repays careful reading, because it offers glimpses of little known history. 90 per cent of Dublin's population was Catholic, Mansfield notes, but they only owned 10 per cent of the land. Why? the reader immediately asks. Because when Henry VIII took created the Church of England, there was nothing to create it from but stolen Catholic churches and monasteries, Catholicism being then conveniently outlawed. The Irish church was the Irish equivalent of the Church of England (Anglican Church). Guiness, whose workers were all Catholic, was a model employer who opposed the anti-Catholic laws in Ireland, we're told, and even went so far as to rebuild St. Patrick's Cathedral. If only he could have gone further, and given it back to the Catholics.
   
   Mansfield mentions the Englisn Quaker Cadbury, a total abstainer who invented a famous cocoa drink as an alternative to alchohol, and created a utopian British village for his workers. Lever, a soap manufacturer, also was known for providing similarly well-designed housing. However, the same Chesterton mentioned earlier, wrote a poem in favor of beer which has the line "Cocoa is a Cad"-- an obvious reference to Cadbury's anti-pub stance. The Ball And The Cross, Manalive, The Flying Inn (Collected Works of Gk Chesterton) Guiness provided free medical care and on site doctors for his workers. In England this went further, with inspectors regulating every aspect of the life of the poor. Eventually this led to the eugenics movement and forced sterilization in England, America, and around the world. In America, Margaret Sanger's original goal, for instance, was entirely ethnic: to limit the numbers of Jews, blacks, and Irish Catholics. Eugenics and Other Evils : An Argument Against the Scientifically Organized State
   
   As Mansfield notes, during the Irish potato famine, the British government "did nothing" to help, prompting "A Modest Proposal" from Jonathan Swift, a rector at St. Patrick's Cathedral, and the author of Gulliver's Travels, with the bleak and sardonic proposal that the Irish poor eat their young. A bit farther afield, Mansfield decries the split between the sacred and profane that he says Catholics created, and Martin Luther healed. The puritans, he notes, would hoist a cold one, as would the German reformer. Chesterton, on the other hand, would say it was the other way round, noting that the puritans outlawed the celebration of Christmas, and Martin Luther closed the monasteries which were the breweries of the day.
   
   Mansfield says the available info on the Guinesses is rather sketchy, but by the end of the book, there seems to be quite a bit. I looked for apologist and writer Os Guiness in the last chapter on twentieth century Guinesses, but he was not among those present. Is he not in the lineage? The question will have to wait. All that said, Mansfield piqued my interest enough to want, well, another pull at the tap. I'm ready to relax with a tall, cool one, maybe a Harp lager, whenever he wants to tell the rest of the story.



4. Fairly recently I heard a story about the founder of the Guinness brewing company being an evangelical Christian. I was not sure what to make of it, so when I encountered Stephen Mansfield's Searching For God and Guinness, I had to read this book. One of the things that I appreciated about the book was that the author did not rely on the myth, even if it was a heart-warming myth. The author has done his research and presents to us an interesting and inspiring story of a family that tried to make a difference. The story begins with Arthur Guinness, who eventually gets his own brewery. The story is not about the beer he brewed but about the ways he treated his employees. His evangelical faith shaped everything he did and it definitely showed in the culture of his company. He took care of his employees in a way that would shock many people today. The book continues with Arthur's successors, as they faced changing times while trying to be faithful to the original vision of the company. There basically were two lines of Arthur's descendants, those who went into the brewing industry and those who went into Christian ministry. Still, the author is quick to point out that some of those who went the brewing route, were just as active in Christian ministry as they used their influence and wealth to help those in need and to promote the cause of Christ. In some ways, the title of this book is misleading. Yes, God and faith pop up throughout the book, but really the book is about the Guinness family, their brewing adventures and their attempts to promote a generous lifestyle. After reading the book, it almost seems as if the title of Searching For God and Guinness was intended to draw Christian readers into getting a book about beer that they might not normally read. It worked for me so it was perhaps not a bad idea. Still, this was a very good book. It presents a family that struggled with what Christian faith looked like in the business world and what it means to be responsible with the gifts and wealth that come our way. Whether or not you are a beer drinker, this book is well worth reading.



5. Beer and the Bible have been controversial companions on American shores for some time. Having moved here from the UK, and having often shared theological discourse with the vicar over a pint at our local pub, I never could quite connect with the concept that Christian's should not drink alcohol. I've come to see that Prohibition was the major change in thinking, and that generations on we are still feeling the impact of a dry nation.
   
   Mansfield has set out to provide us with a history of the Guinness family, their empire and legacy, and along the way has created much more. For my money, the opening chapter on the history of beer pre-Guinness is worth the price of admission alone (though may it be noted this is a review for Thomas Nelson's [...] program, and so I received my copy at no cost to me). To see how beer was championed as the healthy choice, the cure to the ailments of hard liquor, and to see the church being the chief brewers and distributors - now that's a story worth telling!
   
   But even more so, the story of Arthur Guinness & Sons is a fine remedy to the concept that ministry is something done exclusively by clergymen. The most impressive factor in Mansfield's work is the vision with which he presents the Guinness story - it is the tale of a man following God to do what He has called him to: brew good beer, and impact his employees and city by being a good steward. Here is a rare life, writ large, to show us that faith is not to be separated from endeavor; that our endeavors are not merely informed by faith but that faith breathes life into the work itself.
   
   The writing is easy but full-bodied, much like the beer it addresses, and though there are some sections that are a little too heavy on the historical data for my liking, the stories of assorted people and their part in the history of this grand ol' brewery cause a cheer to well up within the reader and a strong desire to raise a glass of the dark stout in celebration of a man who changed the course of history for his city by pursuing a God given passion with integrity and determination. May we learn the lesson well!

5 comments about Patrick: Patron Saint of Ireland.

1. Thanks so much for the beautiful book so quickly. I am trying to collect all of Tomie de Paola's titles that I can.



2. My children love stories of the saints and Tomie DePaola does a great job sharing St. Patrick's story in simple and moving language complemented by his classic illustrations. We have read this book over and over and I am sure we will use it as a backdrop to celebrating St. Patrick's feast day in March!



3. This is a very lovely presentation of the life of St. Patrick. I used it for a vacation bible school group of 2nd and 3rd graders. They easily understood the story and really loved the pictures.



4. I have always enjoyed the picture books of Tomie dePaola. His unique illustration style is immediately recognizable and is reminiscent of religious icons found in Catholic and Orthodox churches.
   
   Not surprisingly, dePaola often tackles Christian themes, making them accessible for younger readers and their parents. Among my all-time favorite children's book is his "The Clown of God," which I have enjoyed reading to children prior to Christmas.
   
   "Patrick: Patron Saint of Ireland" is another such book. The simple narrative mainly addresses Patrick's early years as a British boy, captured by the Irish to become a slave shepherd in Ireland. After many years alone in prayer, he escapes, but eventually is called in a dream to return to Ireland to spread the love of God. After religious studies, becoming a missionary and then a bishop, he finally returns to Ireland, setting up churches, but not without opposition from some of the local rulers.
   
   What I appreciate about this version of St. Patrick's story is the dependency on historical fact in the main narrative. The book concludes with six one-page summaries of the better-known legends of Ireland's patron saint, such as driving out the snakes, and his use of the shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity. Refreshingly, these legends are briefly, but affectionately, told without judgment. It is left to the reader (or the parent) to decide what to make of them.
   
   The author concludes with a one-page epilogue, lovingly explaining how he was introduced as a young child to St. Patrick by his Irish Catholic grandparents.



5. This book is fine if you are Catholic, but I was hoping for something more accessible for non-Catholics. For example, the legend of the shamrock is not very meaningful if you are not already acquainted with the trinity or Jesus or the Holy Spirit, etc. This would definitely not be a book to use to teach anything about the Catholic faith to non-Catholic, non-Christian children, which is what I was hoping to use it for.
   
   I like how dePaola has a section at the end for the legends of St. Patrick, separating these from the biography. I was raised an Irish Catholic and I was hoping to be able to share some of that heritage with my own children through this book, but in the end, all of the miracles and mumbo jumbo are too hard to swallow. My daughter was confused about which parts of the story were "real" and which were "for pretend." I think it was a little too much for her to choke down. I had to try to explain to her what baptism is, but she just stared at me blankly.
   
   The illustrations are quite lovely, and I would recommend this book highly for all Catholic school libraries.

5 comments about Angels in My Hair.

1. First, I want to say that I bought the audiobook version of this title, and I was enchanted by the narrator, who has the most pleasant Irish accent I have ever heard. (Her name is Sile Bermingham). I think my experience of this book was very enhanced by hearing it read by Ms. Bermingham.
   
   I very much believe in guardian angels, and in Archangels, but I was a bit taken aback that Ms. Byrne would have the incredibly casual relationship that she describes with the Archangel Michael. I think it is possible, but I am wary.
   
   The thing that disturbed me the most about the book were two incidents where Lorna was told by her angels that accidents could be avoided if people just "listened to their angels". She describes a very traumatic accident which a young child experienced in a department store. Lorna wrote that the incident would not have occurred if people had paid attention to their angels.
   
   I believe that God could have prevented this traumatic event with the child, whether or not the angels were being "paid attention to" by people in the store. If I were to believe that horrible events occurred because I missed a cue from my angel, this would be a very great burden to carry around with me. I do believe that angels can give us leadings and warnings, but I believe that if individuals somehow miss the warning, God can intervene and prevent the accident.
   
   So I am rather ambivalent about this book, although I enjoyed it tremendously. I would recommend it, but not as a book that is "the bottom line" about angels and how they interact with human beings, but rather as one person's experience with angels.
   
   Janet



2. If you believe, as I do, that God almighty is the Creator of heaven and earth and Jesus Christ is his only begotten Son who suffered died and was raised from the dead for our sins then this book will NOT bring you closer to God. What does not bring you closer to the one true God, will always move you away from God, especially a so called spiritual book. This book mentions the Holy and Sacred name of Jesus exactly ONCE and only in passing (cf. page 224). Never does Lorna or any angel mention Jesus and certainly nothing of the Triune God. Jesus is not mentioned even when Lorna eventually meets the most magnificent of all "angels" who is the "Queen of Angels" and "Mother of God"! Apparently Catholic, Lorna mentions going to Mass and even though the Mass is totally Christ centered she does not use even this as an occasion to discuss Jesus. It seems the book and/or the angels goes out of the way not to even say the name of Jesus! In addition, there are only two references to the Bible----both are minor. Lorna credits the angels with saying in effect; all religions are equal - because all our souls are the same. Duh... No distinction for those who worship cows, multiple gods or any other bizarre belief. This is not only shallow, but obviously dangerous theology and just another version of new age feel good rubbish. Another good example of one falsehood begets more falsehoods until there is no truth and the Scriptures are thereby confused until it is disregarded entirely. Why should we believe Lorna over the Bible? Because it sounds good? Before Eve disobeyed God she would have no doubt said the same thing! Could Lorna be another Eve? Does this give us a clue as to why the angels had nothing to say about Jesus? Half way through it I had to force myself to finish it. I kept thinking that there must be something more coming. Regrettably there was only more of the same.
   
   I firmly believe that Angels are real, extremely important, necessary, helpful to each of us and used by God as His messangers. In this case there are no meaningful messages from God. Lorna often stresses the need to listen to our guardian Angel . I strongly feel I have done so in this review.
   
   There are several deaths discussed and every body goes straight to heaven. That is nice and probably makes every one feel good, but is that realistic from all we know from the Bible? Does that really give us comfort? If so, only superficially and nothing sustaining for me. If we all to heaven what purpose is this life here on earth? Why are we not just created in heaven? Why would God give us this journey? Of course, you find no answers here to these questions. For this you need to turn to the Bible. Lorna has no message like "repent and reform your life" or "love God and your neighbor as yourself." Critical messages, certainly old, but one we clearly can not hear too often, especially if it comes from an Angel of God. Lorna gives no message of conversion, but rather an all too subtle message to live as you are.
   
   Assuming she has been given the unique gift of seeing and talking with angels, it is not just for her benefit, but for her readers, not merely to entertain us, but to teach us something, it teaches us really very little and much of which it does is contrary to the Bible. Her one specific encounter with the devil is sort of cartoonist. No lesson for us there, except that God is always on our side, not some thing I ever questioned. While on p.245 she says: "I am in constant battle with the devil". That bare statement, with out any details rings hollow, especially when she frequently goes into minute detail on really mundane occurrences in her daily life. Most of the what the angels have told her is merely future events of her life with no apparent purpose even to the point where Lorne said to the angels, "Why are you telling me about the impending death of my husband"? (or what ever they were telling her). There was no good reason except that they will one day want her to write about this. There is also nothing said about what the angels told her to write. Did they dictate to her what she should write? Was there more she was not allowed to tell us? No comments on these questions. They told her through out her life that she could not tell any one about her unique gift. Eventually they say she could write about it without any real reason as to why she should tell her story now rather than when the events took place. They did tell her that her book would be a best seller, but said nothing about what she should do with the millions she makes from this book.
   
   When some one was murdered she commented this untimely death could be "retaliation from some act in a past life, but this is not always true" implying having a past life is a given. She does not say if this bit of information came from an angel or from her fertile imagination. Such a view is clearly at odds with Scripture. See:
   Hebrews 9:27
   "And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,"
   
   If you believe the Bible, you believe that we have one life as humans on earth. Humans have an eternal soul, and our afterlife will either be spent in heaven or hell. There is no such thing as "past life regression". This would be considered occult activity, and a deceit of Satan.
   She also makes a bare statement about babies as spirits waiting in heaven to be sent to earth and they get to choose what kind of life they will have while on earth. I guess some of them choose to be serial killers or the Hitlers of this world. Again, like her past life regression statement, Lorna gives us no basis for this statement - possibly from another book she read or did an angel give her this wisdom? She uses this to excuse the sin of abortion saying the baby never holds it against you! Nothing said about God holding you accountable? This makes no sense and is not supported any where in the Bible. It is clearly New Age claptrap and not worthy of real Angelic wisdom or belief.
   
   Bottom line one should ask is this from God or not? The Devil is the master of deception. He is the Lord of Chaos. He twists and distorts all good things. May be I am too skeptical, but there is just too much that does not seem to be from God. Our battle is not against flesh and blood, says St. Paul. If you don't know your enemy and his tactics, you are bound to lose
   
   "The justice of God has been manifested through faith in Jesus Christ" (cf. Rm 3, 21-22).



3. I have studied metaphysics for many,many years and I believe in divine intelligence and the angelic kingdon.However, I don't believe in the jewish/christian images of God, angel, heaven and hell, and Satan that were used in this autobiographical novel. I found the story of her life quite interesting but her interaction with God and the angels was really over the top. I will attribute this to a very vivid imagination since I am not qualified to diagnose what might be a very serious mental problem. On a more positive note, I do believe in asking our angels for help and so for those readers that are comfortable with the more fundamentalist approach to spiritual things this book might provide great inspiration and motivation but to me it is not credible.



4. "The sedge has withered from the lake
   And no birds sing" (John Keats)
   
   That is what the world today has become for most of us urbanites. We are starved for inspiration, for excitement, for something to be passionate about as we sleepwalk through our cushioned drone like existence. Then along comes someone like Lorna Byrne, a woman who has lived a very ordinary, humdrum and trial ridden life in extraordinarily rich, varied and vividly colourful ways, (a woman a la Susan Boyle), Ways which remind us of Christmas magic, all year round, of angelic beings waiting upon us and attentive to our slightest wish, of their eternal support and protection, of life and love everlasting. That is what this book is about, it deals a body blow to the cynicism and general lack of trust in institutions and authority figures that pervades modern (both Eastern and Western) society today.
   
   This book has been a long way in the making. Lorna Byrne has not had an easy life by any standards, despite having seen angels all her waking life. She was born dyslectic and therefore, not singled out for parental focus and attention. She was left more or less alone for most of her childhood, as long as she helped out with household chores. Financial adversity made itself felt, in no uncertain terms in her life, and over long periods of time. That she, a formal dyslectic, and a relatively uneducated woman could write a book that would top the bestseller lists, is testimony to the innate strength of the human spirit, which, knowing no boundaries, can surprise again and again, operating as it does, in tandem with universal forces. This book reminds us once again of a time when we too felt the same way, when we felt the magic of our childhood, when the sun "did not come a wink too soon, nor brought too long a day", to quote Thomas Hood.
   
   What is so remarkable in this book is the ease with which the author allows herself to be led and guided by the angels, despite having misgivings at times. Most of us, even those who believe in angels would balk at the thought of our identity being compromised. Is it possible that this is the reason why all of us do not overtly see our angels? Why their guidance has to percolate through several layers of filters before coming through to us.
   
   For those of us who are looking for answers in life, for those looking for a "sneak peek" at what happens behind the scenes, this is the book for you. It will inspire you to revive your faith in the Love of God and the Angels. The author provides the same picture of angels and archangels in the context of her own life, as Doreen VIrtue does, (in a more scholarly manner) in her many books on Angel Therapy, that is "call the angels for anything and everything, they are available 24/7". Lorna Byrne even says that the all pervading sceptical outlook of the human species has made the angels feel "Unemployed".
   
   This book is a fast and truly captivating read, I found it hard to put down! It was also "infectious", my husband picked it up and found it riveting as well.
   
   Strongly Recommended.



5. It has been months since reading this book and I still find myself thinking about it. It was a fascinating read and the first book I've read pertaining to Angels. I left the book feeling like I had severely underestimated how involved Angels are in my life and have since turned to more angel books to educate myself further. However, I still can't get Lorna out of my head. Is she for real? Is her story true? Does she really talk to archangel Michael one-on-one? Her straight-forward, take-it-or-leave-it attitude makes me feel like this woman is truly the real thing. That-and the fact that reading this book awakened something deep within my soul. A very worth-while read.

5 comments about The Endurance: Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Expedition.

1. Explorer Ernest Shackleton didn't know when he named his boat "The Endurance" that he would be foreshadowing a survival experience for the ages. The story of his nearly two years of survival in the Antarctic and southern polar areas is one of endurance and fortitude in the face of unimaginable physical hardships.
   
   The text and the photos evoke the many emotions and thoughts that must have occurred to Shackleton and his men: loneliness, fear, raw beauty, untamed nature, comradeship, dirt, exhaustion, hopeless, and triumph. This book, more than any other I can think of, makes the case for having photos accompany non-fiction works whenever possible. The photos are stunning, especially when it's considered that they were done with glass-plate technology that had to survive the incredible journey to safety of Shackleton and his men.
   
   A recap of the tale. Unlike some polar explorers, Shackleton was well-prepared when he went on his fateful journey in 1914. He'd held the record at one time for the overland voyage closest to the South Pole -- and almost perished on the journey -- and so he knew what to do and not to do to overcome the harsh conditions. So when he set out to make the first crossing of the Antarctic ice cap, he was ready for spending a long time on the unforgiving ice. However, due to bad luck of setting sail (yes, sail) in a wood boat during a year when the winter storms came early, he was trapped on the ice with 22 men and their dog teams.
   
   After they wintered on the ice, living in the boat for a while and then on tents when the boat sank, Shackleton and his men truly began to suffer as they tried to find a way home. First, they tried to walk. But the terrain was so rough and they had to carry so much stuff for the long walk that they were averaging 1.5 miles per day. Then they sat on ice floes, waiting for the water to clear so that they could sail their lifeboats through treacherous waters without being crushed. And then in three boats of less than 30 feet length, they sailed several hundred miles through gales and storms over six days, only to land on one of the most isolated, desolate spots of rock in the world. From there, Shackleton set sail again in a single boat with a crew of five, and they went more than 800 miles to a speck of an island, where there was a whaling station. Of course, he landed on the opposite end of the island and had to walk over ice-covered mountains thousands of feet high in order to reach the station and ultimate rescue.
   
   It's simply impossible to imagine living in a tent on an ice floe, with 80-mph gales blowing for days, and eating penguin or seal stakes every day for months on end. It's impossible to imagine not having a hot bath for more than two years, or enduring a ride in a waterlogged boat for in icy waters for six days, especially after already having been worn down by more than year of living in sub-human conditions. But Shackleton and the other men did it -- apparently with mostly good cheer and optimism.
   
   
   



2. The Endurance: Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Expedition (Alfred A. Knopf 2008, original printing in 1998)
   
   The story of the trek of Ernest Shackleton and his crew across Antarctica in 1914-1915 is told in this magnificent biography in a manner so that the reader feels a part of the crew. The trip was undertaken in the wooden ship Endurance with sails billowing and steam engines throbbing on its way into the icy domain of South Georgia and the South Pole. It was not the first mission to the frozen world.
   
   Danger vested immediately as the ship was consumed by the icy forces of raw nature and the crew, including 69 sledging dogs and a cat named Mrs. Chippy, was on its won with no means of escape. The adventure was captured with the artistic photography of Frank Hurley, with many previously unpublished photos prominent in this story.
   
   Endurance was entombed by ice in the early months of 1915. The story touches on the lives and feelings of the crew, as well as the amazing leadership of Shackleton. He seemed to prize optimism in his men, which he referred to as "true moral courage." The reader is there with these brave souls, anticipating each step in the process with the enduring question of whether they will survive to return to England (and World War I) -- boiling whale blubber, catching penguins for food, tending to the parasite infested dogs, addressing the aches and fears of the crew, giggling at the antics of the dogs, or the seeing the natural beauty of the icescape.
   
   By August of 1915, the blocks of young ice were grinding on Endurance, eventually breaking it up and sending crew and dogs on their way, even teams of men pulling the life boats. In April 1916, the team finally came to land at Elephant Island ending their trek across thin ice. The n Shackleton led a crew across 800 miles of ocean and ice back to South Georgia. Rescue of the men and dogs on Elephant Island finally occurred in August 1916.
   
   Caroline Alexander has an amazing skill of blending diary detail and pictures to allow us readers to enjoy the optimism of the beginning, the agony of the shipwreck, the leadership of Shackleton, and the strength of character to endure the way forward. I felt as if I was on the journey, relieved at last to be on my way home with not a life lost! Simply Amazing!



3. This was a book that I thought would be an interesting adventure, but what I got was so much more! It was the story of a Captain, who you can only grow to respect, that led his men through the toughest of situations with the fairness and heroicism of a true leader. Written in textbook style, it is a book that, surprisingly, you will not be able to put down.



4. This expedition was a failure in that Shackleton and his fellow explorers never accomplished the intended exploration. But this is a monumental story of survival I haven't read anything like this since, I believe, I was in my teens and engrossed in the arctic and antarctic explorations.The ship which carried the men to the South polar region was aptly named although the ship itself was ultimately lost in the wastes. Personal journal accounts and photographs taken during the ordeal are liberally used to tell us this story which is as enthralling as any fiction and yet is totally true. The fact that no human lives were lost during the months these men were trapped in the ice is of course incredible. This would be a great gift book for those armchair adventurers on your list.



5. A dear friend gave me this book when it was released and I became hooked on all things "Polar". The Frank Hurley photos alone are worth the price of the book. If you really want a treat, check out the photos under a magnifying glass---there are many interesting details missed with a casual glance. This is Ms. Alexander's best work (I read The Bounty a few years ago, and while a nice read, it pales in comparison to this gem.) I've given at least a half-dozen copies of this book to friends and family. And, while it may have the dimensions of a coffee table book, please read it if you have it; the prose is tight---and the Hurley photos. This book would be an excellent gift to a young person, as the photos are spectacular, but more importantly, the example of leadership of Sir Earnest Shackleton (a true leader) is inspiring to say the least.
   Very highly recommended.