Book Description
"A Tourist's Best Friend!"
-Chicago Sun-Times
"Indispensable"
-The New York Times
Companion podcast available on Frommers.com
Five Great Features and Benefits offered ONLY by The Unofficial Guide®:
- Exclusively patented, field-tested touring plans that save as much as four hours of standing in line in a single day
- Tips, advice, and opinions from hundreds of Walt Disney World guests in their own words
- Almost 250 hotels rated and ranked for quality and value, including the top non-Disney hotels for families
- A complete Dining Guide with ratings and reviews of all Walt Disney World restaurants, plus extensive alternatives for dining deals outside the World
- Every attraction rated and ranked for each age group; extensive, objective, head-to-head comparisons of the Disney and Universal theme parks
Sample Rating:
Ride Name: Soarin'
Appeal by age : Preschool, Grade school, Teens, Young adults, Over 30, Seniors
What it is: Flight simulation ride.
Scope and scale: Super headliner.
When to go: First 30 minutes the park is open or use FASTPASS.
Special comments: Entrance on the lower level of The Land pavilion. May induce motion sickness; 40" minimum-height requirement; switching off available (see pages 266-268).
Author's rating: Exciting and mellow at the same time; Not to be missed.
Duration of ride: 4 minutes.
Loading speed: Moderate.
This guide is a completely independent evaluation of Walt Disney World and has not been reviewed or approved by Walt Disney World or the Walt Disney Company, Inc.
Customer Reviews:
Great for pre trip planning........2007-09-20
I bought this book after picking up an older version for 1 in a bargain bin of a book shop. It is a brilliant book to have when you are in the planning stages of your holiday. It has incredibly detatiled sections on hotels, transportation, dining and ticket options. I liked this book because it was unofficial and gave an honest opinion rather than the 'Disney line'. The criticisms were fair and measured in my opinion and not 'anti-Disney' like some reviewers have said. I really liked the fact that it rated each attraction with ratings for different age groups, this was very helpful for me as it was just me and my husband (late 20's) we were able to avoid the real 'kiddy rides'. Also I found the ratings for our age group to be pretty spot on.
The amount of detail in this book is also a con as well as a pro. I really would not reccommend this book if you already have everything planned and booked. This book is too heavy to bring to the parks, so I would suggest getting a smaller book to synopsis the rides. I found that I read this alot before I went and barely looked at it while we were there.
When you purchase this book, you also get free subscription to the website which has a lot of additional touring plans and also a great 'Best Days' calender which gives every day of the year a mark from 1-10 for crowds (10 being maximum capacity). It also tells you which are the best and worst parks for crowds on any given day based on historical entrance and also special events such as Extra Magic Hours or special parties. I fould this very helpful in avoiding the worst of the summer crowds.
Great Disney Resource.......2007-09-06
I hadn't been to Disney in 2o years and would have wasted a lot of time if I hadn't read this book. We got tickets to eat breakfast with Cinderella thanks to this book. We got to ride Dumbo before the park had been open 10 minutes because of this book. It helped us have the best vacation ever! I won't go back without ordering the newest edition!
Insights and information.......2007-08-28
I went thru this big book before going to Disneyworld and my husband thought I was mental - until we actually got there.. and indeed we managed to have a lovely day at Disneyworld in mid August, we saw all that we wanted, the kids (5 and 8)loved it and we spared SO much time I cannot measure. We knew where and when to go, we skipped attractions that the kids would not have liked and really enjoyed the day (and I mean, it was almost 100°F, no joke). I had another guidebook but the Unofficial guides gives sound advice and insights.
And it was fun reading it, too!!
I would not go without.
Great unoffical guide of WDW.......2007-08-26
Great reference book to Walt Disney World, I am going their in October and this book has given me a lot to think about and has already guided me as to what to do and not to do. I would recomend this book to anyone planning a trip to WDW!
A very thorough book.......2007-08-26
The book was an excellent guideline for my trip to WDW. I highly recommend it.
There are, however, a few things that I would have liked to see. First, the book should rate rides by 'Couple' as well. Several rides were highly-rated by adults (who probably have kids and so enjoy the rides as well), but I did not like the rides at all and thought that they were too childish for me. So a rating for couples or adults without kids would have been nice. In addition, the ratings for various hotels is not really correct. I stayed at the Dolphin and the hotel did not match the ratings in this book. Which is fine I guess because with rooms it can be a hit or a miss especially with such large hotels.
Other than that, the book is excellent. The touring plans are also dot on - when I followed them, I was done with everything major by noon.
Amazon.com
Since the 10.5 million images in National Geographic's possession won't fit in a book, the 250 in this moderately glossy, minimally costly collection will do nicely. Through the Lens is a stunning collection of photos judiciously apportioned to represent the regions of the earth, the sea, and outer space; humans and nature; and even the history of the medium--a few historic black and whites contrast dramatically with the eye-popping modern color shots that dominate the book. As ever, the esthetic key to their impact is the use of big, emotional pictures with witty little captions, and whenever possible, startling juxtapositions. A Boston matron's faux-fur coat looks just like her pet Dalmatian (the caption identifies them as "spots fans"). The world's widest street (in Buenos Aires) by night looks great next to a grassy highway overpass for grizzly bears in Alberta. The famous green-eyed Afghan refugee poses in a purple burkha with her 1985 National Geographic cover. A Moscow shopper tries on a snowsuit, oblivious to the huge face in the ad on the wall behind him, whose nose he obscures and smile he bisects. A fuzzy shot of a 1907 inventor testing a multiwinged "Katydid" flying machine contrasts with a crisp 1974 shot of Skylab soaring far above fluffy clouds. Often, what's striking is the juxtaposition of ideas. An Arctic wolf making an impossible leap between ice floes arcs in midair, only its reflection hitting the frigid water. A 1935 Model T "surfs" a steep dune in White Sands, New Mexico. Chorus lines of stuffed cane-toad corpses with surreally clothespinned snouts perform on a taxidermist's shelf. Newborns are lined up like bread loaves in Shanghai. A woman in a white chador sits in the Tripoli airport, the white lines of fluorescent ceiling bulbs radiating behind her head like a saint's halo. This isn't the fanciest photo book of the season, but it certainly is a good deal. -Tim Appelo
Book Description
For more than 100 years, National Geographic has set the standard for nature, culture, and wildlife photography. Now, in Through the Lens, 250 spectacular images—some famous, others rarely seen—are gathered in one lavish and beautiful volume.
Through the Lens is divided into geographical regions—Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East, the Americas, and Oceans and Isles—with a special section devoted to space exploration. Each geographical section features an outstanding array of photographs that exemplifies the area's unique people, wildlife, archaeology, culture, architecture, and environment, accompanied by brief but informative captions. From Barry Bishop's heroic Mount Everest climb in the 1950s to the glorious wildlife of Asia and Africa, from ancient Maya culture to the Afghan girl found 17 years after her piercing green eyes captivated the world, these are some of the finest and most important photographs ever taken.
Featuring master photographers from the late 1800s to today, including Frans Lanting, David Doubilet, David Alan Harvey, Jodi Cobb, William Albert Allard, Nick Nichols, and Annie Griffiths Belt, Through the Lens is an extraordinary photographic celebration of some of the greatest the world has to offer.
Customer Reviews:
Nat. Geo. Greatest Pix Review.......2007-03-25
I fancy myself to know a good photo when I see one and I was humbled by the really great photos in this book. I suppose it all depends on what you like, but since these are the pix they chose to include and I think they are great, either they or I agree with each other. Buy it. It will amaze you and when you leave it out for discovery, it will amaze your friends!
christmas.......2007-01-15
this item was given(sent)to someone else for christmas...National Geographic has always been a 5star item and I doubt it has changed through the years...the ordering/shipping process was 5star as always on Amazon
Disappointed!.......2007-01-07
The front jacket was beautiful and caught my eye. Being an artist I wanted beautiful photos for source material. What a let down when I received the book! The photos were not even worth flipping through. Many were in black and white. Not the quality I expected from National Geographic. If you want beautiful stunning photos don't order this one.
Amazing!.......2006-12-13
The book was in excellent condition and made a wonderful gift for my friend's birthday. I was extremely pleased. This book is even more amazing than the description can convey. An excellent coffee table book.
Incredible photos.......2006-08-22
The 250 photographs in this book represent the best of the travel, cultural, geographical, and scientific photographs ever taken. Savor these photos, learn from them, or just appreciate them for their beauty. National Graphic sets the standard for photography outdoors, and this book sets the standard for photographers. You can glean an entire photographic education just from studying the images in this book.
Book Description
"A Tourist's Best Friend!"
-Chicago Sun-Times
"Indispensable"
-The New York Times
Five Great Features and Benefits offered ONLY by The Unofficial Guide(r):
* Exclusively patented, field-tested touring plans that save as much as four hours of standing in line in a single day
* Tips, advice, and opinions from hundreds of Walt Disney World guests in their own words
* Almost 250 hotels rated and ranked for quality and value, including the top non-Disney hotels for families
* A complete Dining Guide with ratings and reviews of all Walt Disney World restaurants, plus extensive alternatives for dining deals outside the World
* Every attraction rated and ranked for each age group; extensive, objective, head-to-head comparisons of the Disney and Universal theme parks
Sample Rating
Soarin'
Appeal by age Preschool Grade school Teens Young adults Over 30 Seniors
What it is:Flight simulation ride. Scope and scale:Super headliner. When to go First:30 minutes the park is open or use FASTPASS. Special comments:Entrance on the lower level of The Land pavilion. May induce motion sickness; 40" minimum-height requirement; switching off available (see pages 266-268). Author's rating:Exciting and mellow at the same time; Not to be missed. Duration of ride:4H minutes. Loading speed Moderate.
This guide is a completely independent evaluation of Walt Disney World and has not been reviewed or approved by Walt Disney World or the Walt Disney Company, Inc.
Customer Reviews:
Invaluable Disney World Guide.......2007-05-20
My first experience with the Unofficial Guide was back in 1993, when I was 16 and my parents took our family of five to Disney World around the holidays. My mom had bought the Unofficial Guide then to plan virtually all of our events and to this day (14 years later), I still remember how easy it was to hit all the favorite rides with relatively short lines.
It was for that reason that I ordered the 2006 edition of the Guide when it came time to take my family of three to Disney World while I was home on leave from Iraq in April of 2006. I was pleased to learn that it not only covered Disney World, but the Universal (and other) parks as well.
The trick to getting the most out of the book is convincing everyone in your party to follow it! We spent the first day at Universal's Islands of Adventure and had no problems, whatsoever, hitting all the great rides (that our 4-year-old was tall enough for) with short lines. That is, until my wife decided to get spontaneous and took our son in line for the Pteranodon Flyers ride, which wasn't on the tear-out plan at all. This ride gave new meaning to "Tourist Trap" - they spent about 1 1/2 hours waiting in a very slow line for an anticlimatic 60-second ride. It was a "there's 90 minutes of my life I'll never get back" event. When we got back to the hotel that night, I looked up the Pteranodon Flyers ride in the book and found the description matched exactly what we experienced with warnings not to waste any time on it.
My wife was much more inclined to follow the Guide's advice for the rest of the trip, and as a result, it was an awesome vacation. Thank you Mr. Sehlinger!
this guide used to be easy.......2007-05-14
This guide used to be easy to read, and use. Now it seems like a confused overwritten GUIDE.
If you are only buying one guide... this is it!.......2007-03-09
I was very pleased with this guide. Due to an extremely low volume of visitors during our vacation, it was not necessary for us to use the touring plans. I was certainly prepared though! I read several guides before our trip and thought this was by far the most informative. If you are easily overwhelmed, this is NOT the book for you. The authors packed loads of info into one book. I was the star pupil on the shuttle bus when the driver gave us a quiz!
THIS IS THE ONE!!!.......2007-01-17
THIS IS THE ONE!!! DO NOT PLAN A DISNEY TRIP WITHOUT IT! The time and $ this book will save you will make its cost be totally irrelevant.
We started using our first version of this "Doing Disney Bible" about 9 years ago, when we first went to Disney. We have gone back to Disney five times since then, and have always purchase a revised edition of this same book! (Need I say more.) It will make your stay as pleasant as possible, given any time of year or condition that you may encounter. We purchase the revised edition each time, because, amazingly, so many things change at the parks, and therefore, so do their recommendations.
Due to their layout, It is so easy to pick and choose the information that is important to you. I WOULD NEVER WANT TO GO TO DISNEY WITHOUT THIS BOOK!
This book is a lifesaver!.......2007-01-10
We used this book religiously, following all its tips about how to see rides in the different parks. It also helped us decide which area to get a motel in, and what restaurants to eat at. When you only have a limited time to spend in each park, and especially when it's during the busy season, this is the book to use. It made our trip to Disney World fun, even when it was over 90 degrees out!
Book Description
Following the tremendous success of his first book on the subject, The Queens of Burlesque, Len Rothe has again pulled from his collection of original photographs of entertainers this delightful selection of over 100 images of Burlesque stars. Together with a revealing text that introduces burlesque to today's new audience, these photographs retain the surprise and teasing elements that endeared the dancers on stage in the heydays of burlesque shows, before television. In theaters throughout America, striptease dancers entertained grateful audiences. Here are Tempest Storm, Scarlett O'Hara, Lili St. Cyr, Georgia Sothern, and Zorita and her doves. With this book, they look out again with timeless beauty and show you the Bare Truth.
Customer Reviews:
Beautiful Women from a bygone era.......2003-07-23
Rothe presents a wonderful photographic collection of some of the great stars of burlesque's golden era. Most of the photos appear to have been promotional photos for display on marquees or in hallways of burlesque houses. All of the women are beautiful and must have been fabulous to see in performance. Rothe worked in the entertainment industry and it would be interesting for him to record his memories of these women. But until then, these photos will serve as reminders of a generation of beautiful performers.
Book Description
A baseball player who ran the bases backwards, an indoor hockey game cut short due to fog, a basketball player who scored for both teams in the same game, a football quarterback who passed the ball to himself, a golf tournament with only one holetruth is stranger than fiction, especially in sports! Today show regular Len Berman showcases the funniest and most amazing stories in the history of sports in this collection taken from his popular Spanning the World TV segments. Sports fans of all ages will love reading and sharing these bizarre tales.
Customer Reviews:
a good read-one time through.......2007-04-10
Don't get me wrong, theres some hillarious stuff in here, but not enough of that sort of thing to balance out the far less interesting anecdotes. Books feels padded, though a pretty good bathroom book.
Good,.......2006-07-27
This book is a very interesting and funny bunch of sports stories. There is a story about a animal running onto a college football game and scoring a winning touchdown! There's a story about a guy who ran through a plywood wall to get a baseball! There are a great amount of stories sure to crack you up! My only problem is that they don't have any stories about soccer. If you like sports, you should definitely buy this book!
Made my son a reader!!.......2005-11-03
Usually it's a struggle to get my 10 year old son to read. He could not put this book down and has spent the last few days reading it aloud to me and citing different stories. Now he wants me to look for similar books. A success!!
Average customer rating:
|
Essential Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe - Update 89, Vol. 1 (Marvel Essentials)
Peter Sanderson ,
Peter Wohl ,
Marcus Mclaurin ,
Glenn Herdling ,
Len Kaminski , and
Various
Manufacturer: Marvel Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 General
| Comics & Graphic Novels
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Graphic Novels
| Comics & Graphic Novels
| Subjects
| Books
Superheroes
| Graphic Novels
| Comics & Graphic Novels
| Subjects
| Books
History & Price Guides
| Comics & Graphic Novels
| Subjects
| Books
Marvel
| Publishers
| Comics & Graphic Novels
| Subjects
| Books
General
| World
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Art
| Encyclopedias
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Encyclopedias
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
History
| Encyclopedias
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Encyclopedias
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
History & Criticism
| Science Fiction
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Essential Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe - Deluxe Edition, Vol. 3 (Marvel Essentials)
-
Essential Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe - Deluxe Edition, Vol. 2 (Marvel Essentials)
-
Essential Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe - Deluxe Edition, Vol. 1 (Marvel Essentials)
-
Essential Defenders, Vol. 2 (Marvel Essentials)
-
Essential Ms. Marvel, Vol. 1 (Marvel Essentials)
ASIN: 078511937X |
Book Description
Origins and updates of the eighties' elite in one easy installment! Trace major revisions to major characters like Archangel and Vision, the Red Skull and S.H.I.E.L.D., the Hulk and Hobgoblin, and who knows who else! Featuring the debut stats of Apocalypse, Sinister, Venom and more! Plus: Marvel's first go-round of profiles for herodom's best supporting casts! Collects Offical Handbook of the Marvel Unvierse - Update '89 #1-8.
Average customer rating:
|
Aristocracies of Fiction: The Idea of Aristocracy in Late-Nineteenth-Century and Early-Twentieth-Century Literary Culture (Contributions to the Study of World Literature)
Len Platt
Manufacturer: Greenwood Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
| Classics
| Comic
| Contemporary
| Literary
General
| Criticism & Theory
| History & Criticism
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Movements & Periods
| History & Criticism
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
| Arthurian Romance
| Beat Generation
| General
| Gothic Revival
| Medieval
| Modernism
| Postmodernism
| Renaissance
| Romanticism
| Surrealism
| Victorian
General
| British
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
19th Century
| England
| Europe
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Culture
| Sociology
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| World Literature
| Humanities
| New & Used Textbooks
| Stores
| Books
Look Inside History Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Fiction Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
ASIN: 0313316732 |
Book Description
From 1890 to 1920, the British aristocracy faded in historical importance. The culture of that period often presented aristocratic characters and typically sought to conserve aristocratic values. The fall of the aristocracy triggered astonishing literary responses. In literary works, aristocrats were transformed into warrior heroes, Scotland Yard detectives, swashbucklers, diseased degenerates, and Gothic monsters. This book explores the centrality of aristocracy to late Victorian and early-20th-century literary culture. Included are discussions of such writers as Marie Corelli, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Henry James, George Bernard Shaw, James Joyce, H.G. Wells, and Virginia Woolf. The volume looks at major canonical authors as well as some forgotten figures from popular literary culture. In doing so, it establishes links between different types of literature of this period and challenges some important standard views on such topics as Shaw's socialism and Woolf's commitment to the common reader. A significant new addition to historical approaches to literature, this volume raises central questions about cultural processes and the nature of cultural value.
Book Description
From the publishers of The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World
"A Tourist's Best Friend!"
—Chicago Sun-Times
"Indispensable"
—The New York Times
The Top 5 Ways The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World(r) with Kids Can Help You Have the Perfect Trip:
- Comments and tips on Walt Disney World from surveys of more than 12,500 families
- Advice on how to prepare mentally, physically, and logistically for your ideal Walt Disney World vacation
- Information on which attractions frighten kids and why
- When to go, where to stay, and how to beat the crowds
- How to keep your family happy on vacation and how to return home rested and relaxed
Sample Rating
Dumbo the Flying Elephant
Appeal by Age Pre-school Grade school
Teens Young adults Over 30 Seniors
What it is Disneyfied midway ride. Scope and scale Minor attraction. Fright potential A tame midway ride; a great favorite of most young children. Bottleneck rating 10. When to go Before 10 a.m. or after 9 p.m. Author's rating An attractive children's ride; .... Duration of ride 1.5 minutes. Average wait in line per 100 people ahead of you 20 minutes. Loading speed Slow.
Customer Reviews:
Make your Day!.......2007-05-11
The unofficial guide to Walt Disney World with Kids.
This guidebook is full of information, funny in tone yet a real tool for anyone who understands that planning is the most essential step when preparing to travel. When I started to read The unofficial guide to Walt Disney World with Kids, I felt overwhelmed by the density of the information because it was not immediately clear how to approach it. Clearly I was not going to read every single word. After all it IS a guide book. But to determine its value as a guide book meant not only that it be well researched and relatively timely; but also that its content be accessible for the enjoyment of a wide cross section of prospective readers who travel with kids--grandparents, single parents, blended families.
Notwithstanding fluctuations in Disney prices which could affect the accuracy of fees mentioned, the essential information compiled by the authors can withstand the test of time. They have done all the research and walked at least a mile in the reader's shoes: compiled websites, identified pertinent telephone numbers, reviewed budget, weighed housing options inside and outside DW, and considered babysitting options. They have even included a selection of dining options with commentary prepared by travelers others than the authors. All this while holding the reader's hand on a visit to each of the theme parks. Each park and even the characters inside the park are discussed with clip out touring plans included. I especially liked the discussion of age appropriateness as it relates to attractions, a concern for mixed age groups.
There's more than enough information for a huge variety of people to wrap their heads around. And not just those traveling with kids. I thought the funny images of Liliane, juxtaposed with Bob on a bicycle and the input from the teen (Idan) and tween (Ian) make this a book that all ages can use to prepare for a trip to Disney World. I mean, really, what`s not to like?
Moe than a travel book - a fun read.......2007-05-05
I have never had any desire to visit Disney World, until I read this book. In addition to the many choices you have for hotels and dining, I particularly found the "tips" to be very useful. As far as the prices - I never rely on published books: it has been my experience that prices are hardly ever the same no matter how "fresh" the book.
What I particularly liked about this book was the fact that you can engage a child to read through it with you, as you plan your trip. They can read the passages written by the kids in the book. This is a fun way to get your kids involved in planning the trip.
A great read even if you don't go to Disney World. Travel books should not be a step-by-step guide to what you should do on vacation. One should explore and decide what is appropriate on one's own. A travel book should be entertaining and kindle the desire to visit a place. This is just that kind of book!
Great book.......2007-05-01
I've used versions of this book every year for the past 5 years and it has proved invaluable. I have always found their information up to date and if it isn't it's because Disney is constantly changing their rules/hours/number of days to call in advance for reservations etc., etc., etc. It has definitely helped me find the best hotels, restaurants and things like tips on where to sit for parades and what time to get there (and if you've ever been to a parade at Disney, you know just how rough it can get).
As far as ride reviews, all kids are different as to how they react to rides. They also have a website you can subscribe to to get up to the minute info and it's cheaper than many other similar sites. As far as who writes the book, one review was so off base. They have many researchers, former Disney employees, they solicit opinions from the public. It is not just one woman and 2 kids as suggested, which of course would be ridiculous. I mean what publisher would put out a book like that?
Bottom line, a great book I've used for years and you can't beat the price.
Unreliable.......2007-04-25
Very thin about attractions, shows or other things of interest to kids and parents. More of a book about parenting methods and the authors thoughts about whether or not your family should go to Disney. According to its Introduction it's written by a woman who lives in New York City with opinions from a 16-year-old boy in New York, a 12-year-old boy from Tampa and a 8-year-old in North Carolina. Why these people would be qualified to write a book about Disney World it doesn't say. At first glance there seems to be good information in here, but whenever I knew about a particular thing I noticed this book doesn't know what it's talking about. For example, though my copy is the 5th edition, published 2007, I learned the hard way that the ticket prices quoted for the Cirque du Soliel show are two years out of date. Also the book says the resorts within walking distance of Epcot are "a long way away." We stayed at the Beach Club. It's right next door! Big parts of this book are simply lifted from the regular Unofficial Guide, The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2007 (Unofficial Guides).
A more reliable kid-focused book is Birnbaum's Walt Disney World for Kids, by Kids 2007 (Birnbaum's Walt Disney World for Kids By Kids).
A better book about Disney World is The Complete Guide to Walt Disney World.
Outdated, too many parenting tips, not enough park tips.......2007-03-29
I tried to read this book, but ended up returning it... I couldn't find a lot of good Disney information. It read more like a "Tips on Parenting your Child" rather than a "How to Enjoy Disney World with Kids" kind of book. In particular, the information about Cinderella's Royal Table is very outdated. They now open reservations 180 days before your scheduled visit (the book says 90) and the only open a percentage of them them. A large percentage, granted, but they hold some tables which they gradually release over time. It's no longer a Mad Telephone Dash at 7AM EST and several prayers to your chosen diety to get a table on your chosen day. This bad information was the last straw, and why I returned the book.
Book Description
Len Deighton brings to bear all the skills of a best-selling novelist in this compelling study.
In Blitzkrieg, Len Deighton turns a searchlight on the rise of Hitler, the lightning dash of his armies to the Channel coast in 1940 and on the debacle of Dunkirk, where — in a mistake that was to trigger his eventual downfall — a quarter of a million British troops were allowed to escape.
Customer Reviews:
Interesting and insightful.......2006-05-26
Len Deighton is one of my favorite fiction writers; he is particularly at home writing novels about Germany in World War Two. Thus, when I came across a scholarly work by him on the same subject, I snapped it up and read it with great interest.
This is a very interesting book. It appears to be well-researched, although some reviewers have been critical of numerous details in the book. I am not in a position to judge how valid these criticisms are.
That aside, there is no doubt that this book takes a hard look at its subject: the Blitzkrieg method of warfare. I came away from the book with the conclusion that Blitzkrieg, at least in the 1940s, really only works when one side has a far greater degree of preparedness for war. In France, perhaps the purest example of the Blitzkrieg, the French were bereft of elan or enthusiasm for the war, and its Army was infected with defeatism, bad tactical doctrine (strictly defensive, with no thought of attack), and bad leadership (the elderly General Gamelin, the Commander-in-Chief, was holed up at a luxurious chateau that did not even have radio or landline contact with the rest of the Army!). The German Blitz succeeded because the Germans took chances such as wildly extending their flanks and supply lines--these chances worked against an enemy who was slow to react and burdened with bad tactics, intelligence, and leadership. In short-they worked against the French. It took the Russians, and later the Anglo-Americans, to show the Germans how to fight tank battles.
Deighton also makes a convincing case that the Wehrmacht, although inferior to the French as regards equipment, carried the day due in part to inspired tactical leadership by Guderian and other German commanders (Rommel was one) and much sounder tactical doctrine. No surprise here.
Overall, an interesting look at the early portion of World War Two on the Western front.
Very sloppy research.......2006-04-19
The chapter on the opening campaign of WWII in September 1939, had me asking whether I was reading one of Deighton's works of fiction.In just 2-3 pages he made several ridiculous statements that defy logic. He repeats the fairy tale that Poland's airforce was destroyed on the ground. This is a mistake many authors who churn out books without regard to check facts make. All Polish air force planes were moved to secret war time fields on Aug 30, 31 ,1939. A second unforgiveable error was the repetition of the Nazi slander that Polish cavalry attacked tanks. My father was in the Polish cavalry and he told me this assertion was Nazis propaganda designed to make the Poles appear to be of low intelligence and thus less human.If Deighton were not lazy and would've consulted various works in English on the Polish Campaign of 1939,he would have stumbled on the truth. A third false assertion was that the reason the Polish army was caught in the middle of mobilization, was because they did not believe the Nazis would actually attack. The Poles were caught in the middle of mobilization because the British and the spineless French,made them delay mobilization in the hope they would "provoke" Hitler.
British writers tend to portray other nation's militaries as incompetent to hide the fact the British Army in WWII was second rate.I have news for Deighton ,the Polish soldiers up to the noncoms outfought the Germans in the 1939 campaign. I can prove this statiscally. There are several books which use statiscal models to give the average soldier of each opposing army a rating based on how many casualties were inflicted on the opposing army.
"Sir" John Keegan doesn't like these models because they show the British inflicted .65 casualties on the Germans for every casualty the British suffered in selected battles.
Really good.......2003-03-02
This is a well-written, well-researched, "quick read," chock full of interesting details, many of which I was unaware of, despite 40 years of reading World War II history. Deighton, author of many engrossing spy novels, uses his considerable story-telling technique to carry the reader along in a story in which its history is well-known, and the end familiar to all. Nevertheless, the book will hold your interest and add greatly to your knowledge of the subject. Imagine the satisfaction you will receive at cocktail parties when you put that smug know-it-all in his place when you correct him and state that the Wehrmacht was actually INCREASING the use of horse-drawn artillery, rather than motorized carriers. You can just sense that comely blonde off to the side of the room begin looking at you with growing interest!
The Book Moves as Fast as the Battles it Covers.......2002-04-07
I found this book very enjoyable. It was full of interesting facts and moved as smoothly as the fiction the author writes. It starts with a good overview into what took place in Germany to lead them up to the 1939 attacks. It provided an easy to grasp view of the tactics that the German armor forces used to such devastating effect. I also think this work shows the benefit of training and strong leadership, many times the Germans did not have the type of numbers that are generally thought of as needed to attack fixed forces. The additional drawings and diagrams make the test easy easier to understand. This book moves as fast as the battle it describes, it is well worth the purchase price.
Clear-eyed precis of the rise of Hitler.......2002-01-03
This book is the clearest precis of Hitler's rise that I have yet to read. From the end of WWI to the co-opting of the Center Party in Germany to the fall of France, this has it all. It is eminently readable, lucid and cogent.
Average customer rating:
- One of Deightons best
- Life "Over There" during World War II
- A real bomber!
- Teenage reading revisited
- A Good Novel about Fighter Pilots-Also a Romance
|
Goodbye, Mickey Mouse
Len Deighton
Manufacturer: Alfred A. Knopf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
British
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
| 18th Century
| 19th Century
| 20th Century
| Classics
| Contemporary
| General
| Historical
| Humor
| Letters & Correspondence
| Middle
| Old
| Poetry
| Renaissance
| Shakespeare
| Short Stories
Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Faith
-
SS-GB: Nazi-Occupied Britain 1941
-
The Ipcress File
-
Funeral in Berlin
-
Spy Sinker
ASIN: 0394512596
Release Date: 1982-10-12 |
Book Description
ENGLAND 1944
In Goodbye Mickey Mouse, Len Deighton has written his best novel yet: a brilliant, multidimensional picture of what it is to be at war ... and what it was to be in love in the England of 1944.
Customer Reviews:
One of Deightons best.......2005-11-10
In Goodbye Mickey Mouse, Len Deighton has written his best novel yet: a brilliant, multidimensional picture of what it is to be at war ... and what it was to be in love in the England of 1944. One of Deightons earlier and one of his best.
Life "Over There" during World War II.......2005-04-16
This is a terrific book about life in England during World War II, and some of the men who fought it. We meet the American officers at an Army Air Force fighter base, and learn what life was like for these flying warriors and the women they loved. From the high tension of flying combat missions to the rowdy parties where the men try to forget their fears, we get a glimpse of how the war affected these men and how they tried to cope. The characters are vividly portrayed, and we find much to like and dislike about all of them. In the end, they all show themselves to be falible humans. The ending provided a bit of a surprise, further illustrating the unpredictability of war.
A real bomber!.......2003-03-09
I was flattened by Deighton's "Bomber" and was so excited to read one of his about fighter pilots. I was disappointed by this book, maybe my expectaions were too high. More of a historical romance really, read: Harliquin with more research. The detail of the Mustangs was bullet-proof when Deighton gets around to it but there just wasn't enough action in the novel. Slow-paced and torturous to finish in the end, the climax losses it's shock because by that time you just don't care who survives. There is almost too much depth in the characters in that it becomes a real bore. If you like stories about wartime life not involving a lot of combat then this would be a great book, but it wasn't for me.
Teenage reading revisited.......2002-03-25
I'd enjoyed Len Deighton's books before: I read "Bomber" as a teenager and was deeply impressed. I'd also read his fiendishly involved spy stories ("Only When I Laugh, The Ipcress File"), so I was favourably disposed to this one, a WWII story about a couple of American pilots in 1944 UK, and their lives and loves, and deaths. I enjoyed the story - as others have observed, the technical detail about fighter planes is incredible; it gives authority and power to the writing, without swamping the reader. Not only planes, but other details of American and British lives in 1944 southern England. Just as vital to the plot is the relationship between Colonel Bohnen and his estranged son, Jamie Fairbrother, a pilot. I found the male characters deeper, more carefully drawn and more interesting than the women, but that may be a failing in all Deighton's books. One of the most interesting scenes for me was when the fathers of the 2 lovers meet: Victoria Cooper's father is a psychologist, and makes these observations on parenthood: "After fifteen years or more of caring for a child, parents find it difficult to relinquish their role. There's a temptation to cripple the child and thus keep the child dependent...All parents are tempted to destroy their own children, Bohnen. It's a fact of life."
The dogfight scenes are riveting and highly satisfying, with Deighton wandering into the pilots' feelings and thoughts as they fly and fight. Little political comment, though, or overview of the war, despite Colonel Bohnen's high-up position.
The ending was a shock, but I felt it did little to add to the story - it was a gimmick. And the dialogue is pretty flat. But a satisfying read overall, so 3 stars.
A Good Novel about Fighter Pilots-Also a Romance.......2001-04-10
Len Deighton is one of the great writers of aviation fiction and nonfiction. He spends a great deal of time researching his stories and it shows in the final product. His novel 'Goodbye Mickey Mouse' is not a great book, but it is a good book. Deighton, in writing the book, seems to have been as interested in portraying the love lives of American aviators in England as he was in depicting the air war over Europe from the point of view of P-51 Mustang pilots. The result is a somewhat trite love story--brash American fighter pilot tamed by straightlaced English lass. The other love story in the book is a bit more interesting because it is more original. The title character, Mickey Morse, falls for an older married English woman, and this threatens his dream of becoming a celebrated fighter ace. There are some good plot twists in the book, and most of the characters are interesting, but the best segments of the book are when Deighton focuses on the flying and the military politics. This is where he shines as an author. The romance element is no better-or worse-than what you find in any book on a newstand rack and read to pass time on a plane or on a trip. The most intriguing character is the main character, Mickey Morse (known as Mickey Mouse), who grew up at a gas station in Arizona and is trying to improve his chances in life by becoming a famous fighter ace. He hopes to get a job working in the air industry after the war. However, he is blinded by love for the older married woman, with serious repurcussions. His friend, Jamie Farebrother, is the privileged son of a business tycoon who has become a general to help run the war effort. His father, who is estranged from the son but trying desperately to develop a relationship, is also an interesting character. The British characters are less well-drawn, which is rather surprising because Deighton is British. They tend towards cardboard cutouts and stereotypes. Even Jamie Farebrother's love interest Victoria is lacking in depth. That having been said, "Goodbye Mickey Mouse" is one of the best books I've read for getting a feeling for what life was like on a fighter base during the war. As a historian researching the American air war over Europe, specifically the 8th Air Force, the book provided me with some valuable insights. To be fair, I am not a big fan of romances and that element of the book didn't appeal to me; however, I think most people might enjoy the way Deighton develops the romances in the novel, and the way he weaves them together. Some of the plot twists are a bit improbable, but hey, this is fiction, where the author, especially if he is established, can get away with that kind of thing. Overall, an entertaining book, well researched, but lacking in depth of characterization as well as probability.
Books:
- The Very Busy Spider
- The Violence of Green Revolution: Third World Agriculture, Ecology and Politics
- This Moment on Earth: Today's New Environmentalists and Their Vision for the Future
- Tortricid Pests (World Crop Pests)
- Veterinary Guide for Animal Owners: Cattle, Goats, Sheep, Horses, Pigs, Poultry, Rabbits, Dogs, Cats
- War and Nature: Fighting Humans and Insects with Chemicals from World War I to Silent Spring (Studies in Environment and History)
- Wilderness and the American Mind, Fourth Edition
- World Agriculture and the Environment: A Commodity-By-Commodity Guide To Impacts And Practices
- You Can Farm: The Entrepreneur's Guide to Start & Succeed in a Farming Enterprise
- A House in the South: Old-Fashioned Graciousness for New-Fashioned Times
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Pocket Guide to Digital Prepress
- Never Suck A Dead Man's Hand: Curious Adventures of a CSI
- History: Fiction or Science
- Looking Backward: 2000-1887
- Juice Fasting and Detoxification: Use the Healing Power of Fresh Juice to Feel Young and Look Great
- Molecular Biology of the Cell, Fourth Edition
- Not Fade Away: A Short Life Well Lived
- Visionaries and Outcasts: The NEA, Congress, and the Place of the Visual Arts in America
- Licensing Parents: Can We Prevent Child Abuse and Neglect
- Kangaroo Island wildflowers illustrated
Birnbaum's Walt Disney World 2007 (Birnbaum's Walt Disney World)
PassPorter Walt Disney World 2007: The Unique Travel Guide, Planner, Organizer, Journal, and Keepsake! (Passporter Walt Disney World)
Birnbaum's Walt Disney World for Kids, by Kids 2007 (Birnbaum's Walt Disney World for Kids By Kids)
Fodor's Walt Disney World® with Kids 2007 (Special-Interest Titles)
Hidden Mickeys, 2nd Edition : A Field Guide to Walt Disney World's Best Kept Secrets
