World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War

Book Description

“The end was near.” —Voices from the Zombie War

The Zombie War came unthinkably close to eradicating humanity. Max Brooks, driven by the urgency of preserving the acid-etched first-hand experiences of the survivors from those apocalyptic years, traveled across the United States of America and throughout the world, from decimated cities that once teemed with upwards of thirty million souls to the most remote and inhospitable areas of the planet. He recorded the testimony of men, women, and sometimes children who came face-to-face with the living, or at least the undead, hell of that dreadful time. World War Z is the result. Never before have we had access to a document that so powerfully conveys the depth of fear and horror, and also the ineradicable spirit of resistance, that gripped human society through the plague years.

Ranging from the now infamous village of New Dachang in the United Federation of China, where the epidemiological trail began with the twelve-year-old Patient Zero, to the unnamed northern forests where untold numbers sought a terrible and temporary refuge in the cold, to the United States of Southern Africa, where the Redeker Plan provided hope for humanity at an unspeakable price, to the west-of-the-Rockies redoubt where the North American tide finally started to turn, this invaluable chronicle reflects the full scope and duration of the Zombie War.

Most of all, the book captures with haunting immediacy the human dimension of this epochal event. Facing the often raw and vivid nature of these personal accounts requires a degree of courage on the part of the reader, but the effort is invaluable because, as Mr. Brooks says in his introduction, “By excluding the human factor, aren’t we risking the kind of personal detachment from history that may, heaven forbid, lead us one day to repeat it? And in the end, isn’t the human factor the only true difference between us and the enemy we now refer to as ‘the living dead’?”

Note: Some of the numerical and factual material contained in this edition was previously published under the auspices of the United Nations Postwar Commission.

Eyewitness reports from the first truly global war

“I found ‘Patient Zero’ behind the locked door of an abandoned apartment across town. . . . His wrists and feet were bound with plastic packing twine. Although he’d rubbed off the skin around his bonds, there was no blood. There was also no blood on his other wounds. . . . He was writhing like an animal; a gag muffled his growls. At first the villagers tried to hold me back. They warned me not to touch him, that he was ‘cursed.’ I shrugged them off and reached for my mask and gloves. The boy’s skin was . . . cold and gray . . . I could find neither his heartbeat nor his pulse.” —Dr. Kwang Jingshu, Greater Chongqing, United Federation of China

“‘Shock and Awe’? Perfect name. . . . But what if the enemy can’t be shocked and awed? Not just won’t, but biologically can’t! That’s what happened that day outside New York City, that’s the failure that almost lost us the whole damn war. The fact that we couldn’t shock and awe Zack boomeranged right back in our faces and actually allowed Zack to shock and awe us! They’re not afraid! No matter what we do, no matter how many we kill, they will never, ever be afraid!” —Todd Wainio, former U.S. Army infantryman and veteran of the Battle of Yonkers

“Two hundred million zombies. Who can even visualize that type of number, let alone combat it? . . . For the first time in history, we faced an enemy that was actively waging total war. They had no limits of endurance. They would never negotiate, never surrender. They would fight until the very end because, unlike us, every single one of them, every second of every day, was devoted to consuming all life on Earth.” —General Travis D’Ambrosia, Supreme Allied Commander, Europe

Customer Reviews:

Great guy gift........2007-10-09

I bought this book for my boyfriend, (a zombie lover) and he says it's a great book for guys like him. It's written very well a very interesting read, unlike any other book you'll buy.

the way the world was eaten.......2007-10-02

Brad Pitt's production company has bought the rights to this book but how he plans on doing the individual stories justice I don't know. This book impressed the hell outta me. It was so well done in the mock-u-mentary style that it had me planning on boarding up the windows if I ever saw someone even slightly limping thru my yard! It had great ideas if you have your zombie survival kit ready and at hand just waiting for the zed's to rise.

Incredible Alternate History Story! .......2007-10-01

I must begin this review by saying, I had no idea what to expect when I picked this book up!! It was recommeded to me by a friend, that knew I'm a sucker for a good zombie story! The subtitle of this book is "An Oral History of the Zombie War". And that's exactly the way it's written. A few years after the Zombie World War, a UN postwar Commission Report was written. The author (unnamed) was upset because the report he submitted was not the report that was presented. All the "human" element was removed. This book is a compilation of that human factor. Divided into sections detailing different aspects of the war, the author gives us a look at what happened through interviews with survivors. We learn a little about the initial outbreak of the Zombie epidemic that started in China and spread rapidly worldwide. We hear horror stories from survivors of the "great panic", and what each had to do in order to be telling the tale today. We learn about different countries and how they chose to turn the tide of the war. And we learn about heroes worldwide and how they stepped up to help their fellow man survive an attack like the world has never seen.

It's hard to review this book, because there are no central characters, no plot lines, no big finishes. It is written as if it is a documentary, detailing events and people all the way down to little footnotes of "historical" fact. And it is indeed chilling. Early on, I had expected this to be a funny book, taking a stab at the paranormal genre. What else would you expect from the son of Mel Brooks, but something of a parody?? World War Z isn't like that at all. It is a well-thought-out and carefully plotted book, that goes into such detail, it's hard to believe World War Z is just fiction!! Each little "interview" tells it's own little story, and Brooks ties them up nicely in his presentation. Not too much drama, but just the facts. Brooks also throws in a lot of political references in how he perceives the world would change if such a catastrophe occurred. Can you imagine a world in which Cuba is the new commerce capital? And yet, he does it so smoothly and believably, it's really hard to see it as fiction! Kudos to Brooks for such a unique and down-right fascinating book!! If there ever IS a Zombie epidemic, I know who's doorstep I'm going to show up on!! Max Brooks can lead us to Victory!!

Great Book - Serious Topic.......2007-09-27

For those of you thinking this will be a tongue in cheek ironic laugh of a book, let me tell you that this is not the case. It is writen in a serious, insightful and journalistic style, perfect for the topic. He has great ideas about how all this might take place, and there are some truly moving parts of this book, as well as the horrible and violent. Do you like end of the world scenarios? Grab this book!

"World War Z".......2007-09-27

The road to zombies is, evidently, a more slippery slope than I'd realized. Recently, I was in a Hamilton-Gibson ten-minute piece in which I played a dead person. The character opposite me was a bloody dead guy. At the opening night party, several of us got to laughing about how there just aren't enough plays where an actor gets to be a bloody dead guy. How we need some quality theater written about zombies. Imagine the witty dialogue-- Zombie #1: Mmmnnnggghhh! Zombie #2: Gnnrrrrrrr! There's some quality literature! Ha ha ha ha ha ....

Who knew how soon I would have to eat those sarcastic words (better than eating flesh, giggle-snort). On September 6, Max Brooks published his novel World War Z. "Z" in this case, is short for "Zombie". I started reading it soon after, thinking it'd be funny. I mean, zombie movies are mostly pretty cheesy, right?

I've never seen Romero's "Night of the Living Dead", or any of the films that followed. Certainly, I've read my share of Stephen King, and watched my share of slasher flicks. As a teen, I have to being somewhat scared by Freddie Kruger. But I was never a Goth girl, never into Anne Rice, and only watched "Resident Evil" because my boyfriend at the time had played the video game and wanted to see the film.

I picked up this novel because I thought it ironic to have just been joking about "zombie literature", and because I like survival stories. There are two post-apocalyptic, society-is-utterly-changed-by-sudden-catastrophe books that moved me and stayed with me over time. One is Stephen King's novel, The Stand (and for goodness' sake, read the book; don't see the mediocre movie!). The other was Whitley Strieber and James Kunetka's War Day. Both amazing stories came from sources I'd not expected. Third time's a charm, I guess.

World War Z surprised me. The writing grabbed me, and not the cheesy way a ghoulish hand from under the bed grabs the stupid heroine in a horror movie. I found the structure of the novel intriguing: Brooks shares the story of World War Z by "interviewing" the survivors ten years after "the Crisis" has passed. The interviewees are people who were, at the time, doctors, children, government officials, military grunts, cyberpunks, pilots, gardeners at fancy international resorts. They are Americans, Chinese, Russian, Mexican, Korean, British, French, Australian. While this style of storytelling is not completely original, it is compelling. I stopped chortling about reading about zombies (of all things! not serious literature, of course!), and started hearing what Max Brooks understands about humanity - as a whole, and as individuals.

I thought he had some profound insights about resilience and depravity, about the bald cruelty of survival tactics and the ridiculous amount of luxury we think of as necessity. Most of all, as someone who has fought my own version of life-or-death demons, I really agreed with what Brooks says about hope. Pick the book up yourself, and see if you don't find it hard to put down. Max Brooks may be a bit odd - he is the son of Mel Brooks, the director of many tongue-in-cheek films - but the writing here hits many issues right on the head. That's the only way to kill the undead, or the critics, if you can tell them apart.

Author of "Hobo Finds A Home" and Editor of "Of A Predatory Heart"

History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

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Calculations are only as good as your numbers
Pants on fire?
Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
Very Interesting
History as Science Fiction

History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
Manufacturer: Mithec
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 2913621058

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Oral & Intravenous Bisphosphonate-Induced Osteonecrosis of the Jaws: History, Etiology, Prevention, and Treatment

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Oral & Intravenous Bisphosphonate-Induced Osteonecrosis of the Jaws: History, Etiology, Prevention, and Treatment
Robert E. Marx
Manufacturer: Quintessence Publishing (IL)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Dentistry | Medicine | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0867154624
Release Date: 2006-12-01

Product Description

Since it was first identified in 2003, bisphosphonate-induced osteonecrosis has come under growing scrutiny by medical and dental specialists alike because it affects cancer patients receiving intravenous bisphosphonate therapy and osteoporosis patients receiving oral bisphosphonate therapy and yet its presentation of exposed bone is limited to the jaws. Based on a clear understanding of the disease mechanism and documented outcomes of the relatively small number of cases treated to date, this timely book presents definitive treatment protocols for patients who present at each stage in its progression. Equally important, it offers a simple method for predicting risk as well as crucial recommendations for steps that can be taken to prevent the disease from developing when bisphosphonate therapy is indicated. Finally, a series of comprehensive case histories related to both oral and intravenous bisphosphonates provide direct guidance in managing patients spanning the full presentation spectrum.

Auschwitz: A Doctor's Eyewitness Account

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Great description of events!!
The factory of death.
must-read
This book is the best Holocaust book I've read
Auschwitz:A Doctor's Eyewitness Account

Auschwitz: A Doctor's Eyewitness Account

Manufacturer: Arcade Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1559702028

Book Description

Auschwitz was one of the first books to bring the full horror of the Nazi death camps to the American public; this is, as the New York Review of Books said, "the best brief account of the Auschwitz experience available."

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Customer Reviews:

Great description of events!!.......2007-08-23

This book is great so far. I'm only 4 chapters into it, but I enjoy reading it a lot. It really paints a picture of the accounts involved at Auschwitz. I read this book just before I go to bed and I have a hard time putting it down. If you've read any of the other books I have and enjoyed them and you enjoy reading about real life events, this book is for you!!

The factory of death........2007-04-07

The author was the prison doctor/pathologist for the Auschwitz facility. He did the autopsies on dead prison inmates under the demented Dr. Mengle.
This book is a disturbing story. As part of his duties, he also was a member of the Sonderkommando, the Jewish prisoners that disposed of and burned the remains of the bodies killed in the gas chambers. The author was asked to do some terrible things. He revived a gas chamber child, only to find a German guard later shooting her. He examined two cripples and fed them, only to do an autospy on them later in the day. These are very disturbing stories and show the try crime of the Nazi genocide of Europe's Jews.

I think the forward puts the author under some focus. The author participated in the Nazi's plans for genocide. He saved his skin while others perished. Better to do as the 12th Sonderkommando did. Fight the people that were killing them. This shows the crimes of the Nazis during the war years.

must-read.......2006-12-29

This author skillfully recounts his mind-blowing, horrifying experience as the doctor of the Auschwitz Sonderkommando. He describes the terrible events that occurred during his time at the camp, but also tells about the kindness his fellow prisoners exhibited toward one another in a group effort for survival. It's a riveting tale.

This book is the best Holocaust book I've read.......2006-11-26

This account of the Auschwitz Sonderkommando is the best memoir I have read to date. It was very easy to pick up and read, and was nearly impossible to put down. Dr. Nyiszli is very factual, and gives careful testimony to his time spent in hell. I feel that I've learned more from this one book than I have in all the others I've read combined (as well as my college Holocaust class). Miklos Nyiszli is a hero for bringing this record into the public sphere.

Auschwitz:A Doctor's Eyewitness Account.......2006-10-26

As someone who has read many first-hand Auschwitz accounts, I found this the best. It is a rare look into the everyday functions of a systematic genocide; finely written to include the most interesting information. Also, it includes a personal look into the personality and brutal workings of Dr. Mengele from a viewpoint that no other account can offer.

Average customer rating:

Useful, Helpful, Good Book!
To Our Children's Children - Preserving Family Histories for Generations to Come
Unmining The Gems
Use Professionally
To Our Children's Children

To Our Children's Children Book
Bob Greene
Manufacturer: Doubleday
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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philosophy hope in a jar daily moisturizer

ASIN: 0385467974
Release Date: 1993-02-01

Book Description

A warm, accessible, step-by-step guide to creating precious personal histories from the memories of older people, by the best-selling author of Hang Time and his sister, journalist D. G. Fulford.

Customer Reviews:

Useful, Helpful, Good Book!.......2007-09-01

Not only is this a thoughtfully written and organized book, but this is also a handy little book. It's small size easily fits into a backpack or overnight bag. I put the book and a really good gel pen and a pad of paper into a gallon-sized Ziplock-type baggie so that I can write anytime, anywhere. I always take it with me to the beach and often take it with me on overnight trips, too, finishing one question per trip. I randomly open the book, choose an appropriate question, close the book and start writing whatever comes to mind about the subject.
It is surprising how the questions in the book really make one think back. One time I took my 18-year-old son to the beach with me. I showed him the book, we each chose a question and wrote for over an hour, sitting amongst the grasses in the sun and wind. I discovered he was definitely not too young to write down his history! Yes, I hand-write the entries and then transcribe them later with a word processor. A workbook or journal would be too space-restricting for me, and no way can I do a question per day!
I'm okay with not answering all the questions in the book. It is nice to know that even if I don't get very far in the book, my three children and my siblings will know me a lot better than if I never answered one. If I had no children, I would write anyway because you just never know who would be touched by your life. This is a must-have book for anyone wanting to pass some history down because it makes it so much easier to do. This book made it easy enough for me, the single mom with two jobs, to start a personal history!

To Our Children's Children - Preserving Family Histories for Generations to Come.......2007-06-27

To Our Children's Children Book A stranger told me about this book and I became interested in purchasing a copy. Recently cleaning out my father's house found old pictures, WWII, Boy scouts, VFW memorabilia. I am fortunate to be able to ask my dad a lot of the questions in the book. It is an excellent start to preserving those precious family histories for other generations to come. Now I am taping and writing down the information which will be placed in archivalbe scrap book to be tresured for years to come. Pleas take the time to pick this book up and start own family history.

Unmining The Gems.......2007-06-09

Simple and easy questions to guide anyone through writing details about their life. I interviewed my parents using this book and was surprised at what I learned. Mom, when asked if she lived on a busy or quiet street as a child, said "It must have been a busy street because I remember hearing the traffic light change." That very detail bespoke of an era -- a time when traffic lights had arms that popped up to say STOP or GO and would ding in the process. I've recommended this book to many people and have given it as gifts.

Use Professionally.......2007-05-29

This book (purchased 4) is an excellent guidebook for my customers
whom I film as I video their life histories. Customers use this as a tool
to to revisit memories they'd like to share with their families. Some folks not sure what to talk about, yet when they read through the many questions they really reconnect with how faceted and fascinating their lives' really are!

To Our Children's Children.......2006-11-04

As a member of the DAR, preserving my family's history is extremely important. This book asks questions most people might never think about, such as "can you remember any stories you heard about your grandparents when they were children?" It is important to document our pesonal heritage for our grandchildren, and this book makes that easy. I would highly recommend it. In fact,I have purchased several copies for other family members.

What Was Asked of Us: An Oral History of the Iraq War by the Soldiers Who Fought It

Average customer rating:

What Was Asked of Us
important and painful reading . .
From All Walks Of Life
A Canadian "activist," reports on American Courage???
Finally, a perspective worthy of our attention

What Was Asked of Us: An Oral History of the Iraq War by the Soldiers Who Fought It
Trish Wood , and Bobby Muller
Manufacturer: Little, Brown and Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Iraq | Middle East | History | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0316016705

Book Description

The first bombs of Operation Iraqi Freedom rained down on Baghdad on March 20, 2003. Since then, roughly one million young Americans have rotated through Iraq. Nevertheless, with the facts on the ground being filtered through the media, the military, the White House, and political bias in both directions, we know shockingly little about what the American men and women on the front lines really experience. With this extraordinary book, all that changes. What Was Asked of Us is the first unvarnished, unfiltered, and uncensored history of the Iraq war-straight from the mouths of the men and women who are fighting it. Based on scores of in-depth interviews, What Was Asked of Us takes us from the initial invasion to the present. We meet soldiers who reveal in their own words their greatest triumphs, most devastating defeats, and darkest secrets-like Daniel Cotnoir, a Mortuary Affairs officer who spent his days retrieving the bodies and body parts of fallen soldiers; Seth Moulton a Harvard-educated officer who led a surreal battle amid the graves in an ancient Iraqi cemetery; Travis Williams, a Marine who lost all of his squad mates in an IED attack; and Tania Quiones, an Army National Guard MP deployed to Baghdad, who had to deal with frustrated locals and sexist comrades. They tell us about their lives and careers, their families back home, their days and nights, the Iraqis they've encountered, the fear and the courage and the challenges of fighting a war when the enemy is everywhere and nowhere at once. They tell us things they've told no one, not even their families. By turns inspiring and heartbreaking, What Was Asked of Us is a landmark book, the first time our troops in Iraq have been able to speak at length about their experiences. From the thrilling highs (a spectacular rush by the 3rd Infantry Division into Baghdad) to the devastating lows (an account of what it was like to be a soldier at Abu Ghraib, witnessing the abuse of prisoners), this book lets the troops speak for themselves. As a result, it offers the most emotionally powerful and revealing account of the war and is necessary reading for anyone who cares about our soldiers and our country.

Customer Reviews:

What Was Asked of Us.......2007-06-27

I know I am biased because my twin sons make up two of the chapters but that aside....this is a book everyone needs to read. It lets the men tell in their own words what they did and how they feel. No one can understand what our men and women are dealing with without reading their words. I encourage everyone to suggest this book. It is not an easy read, especially for this mom, but one that will stay with you long after it is read.

important and painful reading . . .......2007-04-07

To say that this book is interesting and/or enjoyable to read is missing the point. This book and the soldiers interviewed are trying desparately through the authors to communicate the devastation of war and in particular this War. We need to listen and learn.

From All Walks Of Life.......2007-04-07

At first I thought this book would be a pro-war book with all the soldiers talking of how glad they were there. But, I found it to be a refreshingly unbiased book of stories from several different soldiers (mostly Marines) who served at different parts of the war. Some were glad to have been there, others were angry that they were there, others were glad they were there but angry at the lack of security and funding available to help the Iraqi people. I was amazed at learning that the humvees had little to no protection and that they rigged parts of other blown up humvees onto their vehicles to better protect themselves. Part of me was horrifed at the conditions of the soldiers, but I was more in awe of what these soldiers were able to accomplish with what little they did have. Amazing book.

A Canadian "activist," reports on American Courage???.......2007-03-03

If you have ever read The Torono Star, look it up on the net and read the editorial page. VERY enlightening. Bascially, American bashing regardless of what administration was in the Whitehouse. To say Canadians have no agenda, including the author, is absurd. The famous "Canadian Peacekeepers," number less than the size of the highschool you graduated from...and that is worldwide. In Bosnia, Canada contributed 12 aircraft. The Italians, hardly a super power, contributed 144. For generations, Canada has slashed its defense budget until they cannot even transport their troops across their own country without help. Is it just that they don't beleive in Iraqi freedom? Well, you may want to ask your best Canadian friend how many men Canada is contributing in Africa, or any other cause where they can get hurt. Or about how the Canadian airborne was disbanded for torture in a time of peace, and deemed "Rotten to the core," according to the Official Government Investigation (a direct quote). Yet most Canadians know far more about how underwear was placed on the heads of terrorists by Americans (oh the inhumanity!), than how their own boys tortured to death a Somali teenager (and took trophy photos) for stealing food. McClean's was the ONLY, the one and only, Canadian news journal that published these horrific photos of Canadian Airborn in the act of murder and torture of a teenage boy...for stealing food. That is why the Canadian Airborn was disbanded in shame. Yet it is stunning that most Canadians have never even heard of this!! (Then again, 52% of Canadians think that "Life, libery, and the pursuit of happiness," comes from the Canadian Charter. Thier own equivalent is in fact "Peace, Order, Good Government,"...if you can even call the BNA "equivalent," to the Constitution of the Unites States). I challenge anyone to point out errors in the facts stated above.

My point? The Canadians have not had a hero since WWII, and never forget their freedom was GRANTED to them by the benevolent crown. They never fought for their independence. They will NEVER have the same view of warfare that Americans have...anymore than your kids have the same view of your heating bill that you have.

The Canadian press routinely bashes Americans while they sit back and let others do the heavy lifting. Their contribution to NATO has been repeatedly cited as inadequate by EUROPEANS, not just Americans. The Toronto Star never even covered that story (although the Globe had it somewhere in the used car ads). When it comes to Canadians covering America, you would be wise to do some research on the strong stench of anti-americanism drifting south before taking ANY Canadian journalist seriously. So much foul to report on in the Canadian military, or what is left of it, and so odd to find a Canadian journalist so focused on America. Be suspicious. A few minutes of web research, and I do NOT mean politically inclined web sites, but rather CANADIAN editorials, will open your eyes.

Finally, a perspective worthy of our attention.......2007-02-20

What happened in Iraq? What's happening now? Is it as bad as some say? Could things have turned out different? These questions are being asked on a daily basis, and it seems only those who don't truly know are the ones giving the answers. It would be nice to hear from someone who's been there, someone who experienced it first-hand. That's exactly what this book brings to the table.

This is not political, so don't expect spin or slant. The politics stops on page one. That in itself is refreshing. Rarely is there any discussion of Iraq without politics quickly becoming involved and, frankly, I've had enough of it. This is different. This is the war from the soldier's point of view. In short, this is Iraq as it really happened.

We see it every time some bonehead reporter sticks a microphone in the dirty, grease-ridden face of a soldier in Iraq and asks that soldier if he thinks the war is right. For a brief second, the soldier has a certain look on his face. It's frustration. It's pity. It's "you-don't-know-what-you're-talking-about" all rolled into one. It's the look of a soldier who knows his job, and does what's asked of him. The "right" and "wrong" can be left up to the politicians. The soldiers don't discuss that until the job is done. Many of those soldiers do just that in this book. And like Wood says, America has an obligation to hear what they've had to say. Until now, we've only heard from the politicians, and it's evident to me that they have no clue what's going on over there. So it's about time we hear from those who do know, and this book fits that mold perfectly.

In this book, you'll get first hand descriptions of the war. You'll hear about the first days of the invasion and the first major battle within the city of Nazariya. You'll hear about the first car bomb attack and the fall of Baghdad. You'll hear about the assault on Fallujah and Najaf, and the heavy resistance our troops met in those cities. You'll hear how the attitudes of the Iraqis changed over time, from one of greeting us jubilantly to despising us for intruding. All of these are truly amazing descriptions that will stir emotion in every reader.

As for the politics, if you want to know what went wrong, and what happened to change the course of the war against us, you'll know by page sixty. In a word, it made me nauseated. Without giving away too much, I'll say that few battles are won by Generals, but they can easily be lost by them. It seems the upper military and Pentagon leadership disappointed our troops in a tremendous way. If nothing else, I'm thankful that this book helped me realize that.

And what about the "anti-war" crowd? How do they affect the troops? Well, it seems the effect is profound. As one soldier says, "people are supportive of the troops as long as it doesn't take any sacrifice from them." How true. It seems that, once again, this nation has forgotten what it means to truly support their soldiers and, once again, we've betrayed them Vietnam-like in so many ways -top to bottom.

My only criticism comes from what seems to be a repeat theme among the soldiers. It appears that many of them disagree with the war and see it as a lost cause. I don't have a problem with that because, again, they're the ones who experienced it. But is that the consensus among the troops? If not, then where is the other side? This could open the book to harsh criticism from supporters of the Iraq War who would call the book political propaganda, and it could potentially threaten the message found within. That would be a shame, because the book is great and highly recommended by this reader. At last, the troops have been given their chance to speak, and we all owe it to them to hear what they have to say whether or not we agree with it. My advice is to put politics aside for a moment and listen to their words.

Fire This Ttime: The Watts Uprising and the 1960's

Average customer rating:

Almost like being there....sort of
F.I.
angry and deeply unintelligent
An Exceptionally Brilliant Work of Intellect and and Heart
A story omitted

Fire This Ttime: The Watts Uprising and the 1960's
Gerald Horne
Manufacturer: Da Capo
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0306807920

Customer Reviews:

Almost like being there....sort of.......2007-09-25

_Fire This Time_ (a play on James Baldwin's title _The Fire Next Time_) documents the history and events before, during and after the 1965 Watts Riot in South Central Los Angeles.

For the most part, the writing is well done, especially when the author describes the events during the six days of the riot.

I had a couple of quibbles. The author does seem to describe many, if not most, of the people and institutions (government departments, media outlets, etc.) and either "progressive" or "right wing". Not that he is necessarily being inaccurate or wrong, but it just comes across as rather heavy-handed.

There are some instances of inaccurate research, though. On p. 28, the removal of the "Red Car" network, causing social isolation in Watts, is said to have happened in 1940. But Watts (and most of the southern part of LA County) actually enjoyed "Red Car" service until 1961. On p. 352, there is a reference to an LA Times article (on bus service) that leads nowhere (I actually checked the back issue of the newspaper, and could not find the article referenced). Some other issues, mentioned in the book, could have used a little more depth (like the Deadwyler shooting, p. 348)

So enjoy his ability to describe an historical event, take his politics with a grain of salt, and double check the references!

F.I........2005-09-21

As usual any book by Gerald Horne, Phd is very concise and intelligent. I have purchased this book and others of social conscience for my children, to see what the real america is all about. This book also shows that nothing has really changed on a subterranian level. The lesson that should have been learnd by the Wastts upheavel, has not made a dent. Unequal economics and the deliberated lack of funding for education and other social programmes are still, IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY allowed and accepted by the powers that be.

angry and deeply unintelligent.......2004-04-20

Poor Gerald Horne does his best to write a history of the Watts "Uprising" -- one of the few such "revolts" that targeted liquor stores as prime military targets. But his thinking is scattershot and he does not use the English language well. Still, some will be satisfied with the facts he has marshalled.

An Exceptionally Brilliant Work of Intellect and and Heart.......2003-03-22

Unequivocally there is no other treatment of urban racial unrest that can compare!

A story omitted.......2001-03-12

Gerald Horne's book, Fire This Time: The Watts Uprising and the 1960s is an extensive scholarly study into one of the United States' most violent riots and an event that characterized the civil unrest of the turbulent 1960s. Originally published by University Press of Virginia in 1995 and reprinted by Da Capo Press as a paperback in 1997, Fire This Time thoroughly examines the causes, conflict, impact, and meaning of the 1965 Watts Uprising. Horne, a noted black social historian, contends in his thesis that the Red Scare retarded Los Angeles' left based liberalism, once a progressive minded center of the working class in the United States. This move away from the left created a "vacuum that would be later filled by black nationalism" and eventually fueled the flames of the riot. Furthermore, this black nationalism manifested itself in the Nation of Islam, cultural nationalists, and the Black Panther party, all of which played a role throughout the uprising.(5)

Although Horne devoted some of his introduction to a brief survey of Los Angeles social history, he never made a convincing argument that the absence of a left based movement brought on by the Red Scare lead to black nationalism. This accusation coupled with the work's emphasis on class struggle gave the book a Marxist slant typical of many of the author's previous works. Instead, a more convincing argument might have been that racist attitudes and behaviors on the part of a white majority in the Los Angeles area resulted in South Central's devastated economic condition thereby leading to black nationalism. In the economic squalor of Watts, African Americans had no other recourse than to turn to themselves when society abandoned them. In essence, racism served as a catalyst for the emergence of the black nationalism that the author writes.

Horne chronicled the denigration of African Americans in Los Angeles by demonstrating the numerous ways in which government failed to treat them as equal. In chapter seven the author portrayed the Los Angeles Police Department as the "principal malefactor, the single offender in angering blacks to the point of insurrection. . . . [It operated] at the behest of the political and economic elites who administered the city." (134) Later, in chapter ten, the voting populous of the State of California betrayed blacks by passing the racially biased Proposition 14. This legislation repealed the Rumford Fair Housing Act in an effort to keep blacks out of white neighborhoods.(224) The remainder of this chapter describes the appalling housing, education, and religious opportunities afforded to blacks in Los Angeles thereby steering them toward black nationalism.

Horne superbly illustrated the importance of black nationalism's role in the 1965 uprising. He explained that due to years of repression and disenfranchisement African Americans had come to be stereotyped as the subordinated, dominated, or "female" race even behind Mexican and Asian Americans.(12) Black nationalism offered African Americans an identity the void of such stereotypes. In addition, black nationalism made no apology for being black and anti-white sentiments in Watts intensified. Organizations that celebrated black nationalism such as the Nation of Islam, gangs, and the Black Panther party grew in popularity along with a new cultural identity. Black organizations established in white society like the NAACP, with their lighter-skinned, middle-class leadership lost appeal.(13) The nonviolent message of Dr. Martin Luther King seemed diminished compared to the rising popularity of Malcolm X and the Nation of Islam.(102) Clearly, by 1965 black nationalism championed the view that African Americans were no longer the submissive race dominated by white society. Blacks tired of the long, slow civil right movement demanded taking back economically depressed neighborhoods for themselves.

The author's thorough academic research of the black nationalistic movement in Los Angeles brought a human characteristic to the story of Watts. The stories, in many cases tragedies, spoke of people affected by the riot and demonstrated an uprising directed against the LAPD and the "well-to-do."(340) A careful analysis of the events that followed the Watts Uprising showed a significant "white backlash" to the violence that propelled Ronald Reagan into the governor's mansion and eventually the White House.(281) Finally, Horne revealed that little changed since the 1965 revolt and the Rodney King Beating Trial of 1992 sparked similar civil unrest.(358)

The author extensively drew on the papers from Governor's Commission on the Los Angeles Riots and transcripts from the McCone panel both governmental studies into the uprising. Horne used records from various city and county agencies along with studies and oral histories from Southern California universities. The most valuable primary sources came from The Southern California Library for Social Studies and Research which is located in what was once the curfew zone and is a depository of numerous historical facts on the Watts community. At this library, Horne collected oral histories from residents in conjunction with the twenty-fifth anniversary of the riot invaluable to his study.(423) Before the extensive notes the book is 364 pages and includes a map of Los Angeles and photographs from the period.

Average customer rating:

No good reason why blacks can't be quarterbacks.

(RAW Rating: 4.5) - On top of their game

Sports is the new Civil War

A very ambitious project, but misses quite a bit in several respects...

Should be Assigned Reading

THIRD AND A MILE: FROM FRITZ POLLARD TO MICHAEL VICK--AN ORAL HISTORY OF THE TRIALS, TEARS AND TRIUMPHS OF THE BLACK QUARTERBACK
William C Rhoden
Manufacturer: ESPN
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Sports | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
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Forty Million Dollar Slaves: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Black Athlete

Triumph: The Untold Story of Jesse Owens and Hitler's Olympics

A Well-Paid Slave: Curt Flood's Fight for Free Agency in Professional Sports

Enough: The Phony Leaders, Dead-End Movements, and Culture of Failure That Are Undermining Black America--and What We Can Do About It

Tailgating, Sacks, and Salary Caps: How the NFL Became the Most Successful Sports League in History

ASIN: 1933060115
Release Date: 2007-01-23

Book Description

An oral history of the fifty-year struggle to level football's playing fieldsLong after Jackie Robinson broke baseball's color barrier, after Texas Western beat Kentucky to shake up the basketball world, America's black quarterbacks found themselves trapped on football's sidelines unable to play the game they loved unless they moved to wide receiver -- or to Canada. A collection of voices young and old, William C. Rhoden's Third and a Mile chronicles for the first time the heroic struggle to topple the sports world's staunchest racial barrier. Filled with personal anecdotes and firsthand recollections, the book includes testimony from NFL greats such as Warren Moon, Doug Williams, Vince Evans, James Harris, Marlin Briscoe, Donovan McNabb, Steve McNair, Daunte Culpepper, and Michael Vick.The NFL's first five black quarterbacks -- Marlin Briscoe, James Harris, Vince Evans, Warren Moon, and Doug Williams -- have come together to form The Field Generals -- a non-profit organization dedicated to teaching and preserving the history of the African-American quarterback. These men have agreed to participate on all levels in the development and promotion of the book.

Customer Reviews:

No good reason why blacks can't be quarterbacks........2007-08-16

Black athletes have been denied the position of quarterback long after other positions in football, as well as other major sports had opened up to them. And all the excuses, such as "The owners don't want a black quarterback", "The coaches don't want a black quarterback", "The players don't want a black quarterback", "The fans don't want a black quarterback". It all boiled down to one thing: racism.

_Third and A Mile_ is a history of the black quarterback. We hear about prospective quarterbacks being shunted into other positions, of excellent quarterbacks in college not being allowed to have the position in the NFL, and of black players going to Canada in order to play quarterback. Things have improved only in the last 10 years or so....

The format is a little different than I expected; instead of a straight biography of each player, each chapter consists of various contributors (current and former players/coaches/sportscasters/etc) making statements about a particular subject; one gets the feeling that you're watching an ESPN sports talk show, but in book form.

(RAW Rating: 4.5) - On top of their game.......2007-05-02

I'm hardly a football connoisseur by any stretch of the imagination, however THIRD AND A MILE is written in such a manner that captivates the reader from start to finish. As a passerby of sports, just having heard the great names such as Warren Moon and Doug Williams, my interest was initially peaked to see what this book was about. Challenged by an avid sports fan to try it because I might like it, I opened the book with a bit of hesitation. Lo and behold, not only did I like THIRD AND A MILE, I can actually say I enjoyed it. This book is written in an easy, conversant manner that flows. Various sports personalities, both African-American and Caucasian and everyone in between from back in the day to the present moment, were interviewed regarding their personal perspective on the challenges faced by Black Quarterbacks in the NFL.

This book initiated by a group of football greats known as the `Field Generals'. These legendary men are Marlin Briscoe, Doug Williams, James Harris and Warren Moon. Not only does the book highlight the struggles of the Field General's rise to prestigious ranks, it also reaches through the annals of time back to when Frederick "Fritz" Pollard led the Akron Pros to a national championship in 1921. Later, he was the league's first African-American coach.

THIRD AND A MILE is an enjoyable, enlightening read because it is a historical piece that is knowledge-filled and chronicles important moments in history, and not just African-American history. Just because Doug Williams was named Super Bowl XXII's MVP in 1988, his extraordinary accomplishments on the field combined with his overall sense of poise regardless of his situation, led him to be admired and recognized as premier athlete of his time. Let's not forget as recently as 2006, when Warren Moon was the first African-American quarterback inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame. THIRD AND A MILE is loaded with information that these comments only capture a few of the highlights the book provides. Overall, the book is a reminder of the seemingly insurmountable odds these men had to endure by mere consequence of their skin color. Regardless if you're a sports fan, a history buff or just looking for a good read, this book offers a historical perspective that is interesting and well-written.

Reviewed by Nedine
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

Sports is the new Civil War.......2007-04-29

A nice compilation of stories & comments illustrating the challenges of becoming a black QB in the NFL over the last several decades.

The Civil War may have earned blacks their "freedom" in the US, but it didn't seem to earn them any respect. 100 years later (5 generations!!!) they were still viewed as 2nd class citizens by many. As black athletes have been able to prove their worth on the athletic field, they demonstrate that they "have what it takes" to succeed elsewhere in life. Sports have helped blacks gain the respect they deserve, however slowly.

I grew up during the period covered by this book. Typically, I found myself cheering for black QBs who were obviously the superior players, but often weren't getting the chance to prove it. But coaches want to keep their jobs, which means they have to WIN. This leads ultimately to more playing time for talented black QBs. Call it evolution if you will.

A very ambitious project, but misses quite a bit in several respects..........2007-03-29

Either the author, the respected W. Rhoden is
completely ignorant of the Canadian Football
League (which has black QBs since the 1940's)
and the Arena Football League or he's just
plain lazy with his research. [...]the NFL pages to see what
he missed. I have always considered the black
QBs that I have seen, as well in many other
non-NFL leagues to be every bit the equal of
the much more hyped NFL ones. Example: Rhoden
completly missed that Willie Thrower of the
Chicago Bears played in the CFL first. The
only thing that Rhoden mentions,or his'guest'
authors, RE: the older CFL (it predates the
the NFL by 11 years!), is of course Warren
Moon, though Chuck Ealey, who helped Hamilton
win the 1972 Grey Cup, thus becoming the 1st
black QB to win a Pro Football League Champ-
ionship, gets to chirp in on several spots
of commentary, which I was glad to see. Joe
Gilliam, Sr., plain and simply a black racist
(note his idiotic remarks v. Terry Bradshaw,
one of the greatest QBs of alltime - 4-0 in
Super Bowls), is the low point. Hey Joe, Sr.,
your son Joe,Jr. was lousy and a drugee,that's
why he croaked at age 50! Rhoden missed a bunch
of fine black QBs like Johnny Walton, Eagles,
Rams, USFL and WFL was a star that deserved a
lot more than just being on the list for his
Eagles days. Rhoden is emblimatic of the brain-
washed "The NFL is God" among the Pro Football
Leagues mindset which is why he doesn't get into
the other Pro Leagues that never thought black
QBs were only just 'athletic' and had no other
good QBing traits. I would rate the book, des-
pite the fine vintage pics of even Fritz Pollard
[half black / half german], as a B-/C+ book. It
could have been better with CFL/Ar.FL coverage
but this ambitious project is still timely and
overdue. Kudos to Rhoden, though I could have
done better. I was about to undertake such a
project once also, despite the fact that I
am not black, but I don't look at QBs as 'black-
QBs' or other-type-QBs.

Should be Assigned Reading .......2007-03-13

My son sent me an autographed copy of this. Warren Moon was at the Army P/X in Fort Lewis, WA. The place was standing room only. We used to watch Moon when he was with the Edmonton Eskimoes. When he went to the NFL, all of Canada was pulling for him, he had SO MUCH to overcome.

Years later I used to tell my son, "Watch this young QB at Syracuse, he'll makle a great CFL Quarterback. Donovan McNabb sure made ME look bad!

Legacy : A Step-By-Step Guide to Writing Personal History

Average customer rating:

A GIFT ONLY YOU CAN GIVE YOUR DESCENDANTS
Gets You Started
Enough questions to last a lifetime
Excellent guide
Strong General Outline

Legacy : A Step-By-Step Guide to Writing Personal History
Linda Spence
Manufacturer: Swallow Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 080401003X

Amazon.com

Linda Spence's Legacy proves to be just that: the creation of a family heirloom that money couldn't buy. Through a series of thought-provoking questions about each phase in human life, Spence helps readers record their personal history, think back to feelings that any number of snapshots could never capture, and reflect upon their lives. What events occurred during your childhood? What did you like most about school? What do you wish your parents had done for you? The text includes sample essays by the author and quotations by other writers to encourage your muse.

Book Description

In this practical guide to capturing those memories that have been stored away, Linda Spence provides the questions that are the keys to unlocking the memories that make up a life. Beyond the vital statistics are the personal stories that tell what it was like, what we did, and why we did it, how we feel about our choices, and what our circumstances were. Through encouraging coaching, shared memories, and open-ended questions, the process of producing a personal history becomes intriguing and engaging. With Legacy the possibilities expand: a personal record is preserved—with its myths, traditions, joys, pains, gains, and losses; a family opens a potential dialogue that will last for generations; the writer has an opportunity for insight and resolution; the culture of a time and place is noted; the tradition of personal story is revitalized, and our present and future find nourishment and knowledge in the past. Either as a gift that can act as a shared experience as the memories are recounted or as a personal way to take account of one’s experiences, often long since forgotten, Legacy is indeed a way to get one’s story down. Linda Spence writes and collects Legacy stories in Mill Valley, California, where she lives and works as a consultant.

Customer Reviews:

A GIFT ONLY YOU CAN GIVE YOUR DESCENDANTS.......2007-07-21

What were you like as a child? What did you think? What did you do?
Not many of us escape these questions from our children and grandchildren.
This wonderful book enables us to leave a legacy of memories and history for our descendants. It gives step by step instructions on how to write
a personal history. The process also brings back many memories and gives the writer a clearer picture of his/her life experiences. At 78 I hope I have enough time to finish my gift to my family. Wish I'd had this book 20 years ago.

Gets You Started.......2006-02-28

This book is a step-by-step guide to writing your life's stories as a legacy for other family members. The author has worked with seniors for many years, gathering their stories and helping them document their life histories. In this book, she presents a simple methodology that anyone can follow to help them get over the hardest step in the process-getting started. In the introduction, she urges the reader to set aside some time and space for writing, in a notebook, on an audio cassette, on a typewriter, or on a computer, whichever is most comfortable and convenient. Then she provides lists of reflective questions to get the juices flowing. The questions are organized by topic, including earliest memories, school life, young adulthood, marriage, children, grandchildren, and later adult years. Interspersed with these questions are quotations from unknown as well as famous published memoirists whose writing illustrates the topic at hand.

Everybody has had life experiences which are fascinating, amazing, or potentially edifying for others. The trouble is, so few of these stories ever get passed on because it's so hard to actually sit down and write them. With this book, Spence makes the task seem easy. Writers can sit down with the book, open to a page at random, and begin writing responses to her prompts. Or they can begin with the first question and work methodically through the book. Each question can easily require an entire essay to answer in full. Once the individual essays start collecting, the raw material is ready to edit into a book. Or, the answers can simply be left as drafts in the writer's notebook to be passed on to others as a legacy. It should be noted that Spence's goal is to help readers to document their life histories in a positive way so as to create a product that can be passed on to other family members, rather than to explore negative memories as a means of self-growth. The book is not about style, grammar, or esthetic qualities of writing. Spence finds it more important for writers to use their own voices naturally rather than to adopt formal stylistic attributes. The book would make an excellent gift for older family members who have stories to tell but just haven't gotten around to writing them down yet.

Enough questions to last a lifetime.......2005-09-05

I am teaching a life history class for the first time and am using Linda Spence's book as part of my curriculum. She literally has hundreds and hundreds of questions to ask which can be a little daunting, but just remember to take only a few at a time and know that not all questions will pertain to you. In the end, the answers will give a lot of good information to your children or grandchildren that you can leave as is or refine in "book" form. This book is also good for audio or video testimonials as you can just answer the questions for a more informal feeling.

Excellent guide.......2004-07-28

I taped 16 hours of memories using Spence's book to interview my 87 year old father. It was a wonderful way of connecting as he lived more in the past as he aged. He was delighted to have my full attention and I enjoyed hearing his life story. The book helped me to organize material for the interviews. Last year I transcribed, edited and published the memoir as a gift for his children and grandchildren. He had seen a draft of it before his death and was thrilled that his life was recorded for posterity.

Strong General Outline.......2004-06-18

As a writer who often gets stuck, I enjoyed the prompts in this book as great starting points. The shared stories are also fun to read - not too long but enough to get me started. I would have liked to see in this book, in the parenting section, prompts for the adult who is facing infertility. While it's impossible for one author to cover every aspect of life, infertility consumes so many people today that I would really enjoy a series of prompts focused on this life issue - it changes lives, dampens dreams, disconnects one from society, and alters the way we approach the American dream.

Please Kill Me: The Uncensored Oral History of Punk

Average customer rating:

Should be called "The American History of Punk: the First 20 Years..."
If you like the style Hollywood gossip rags, this is for you
Insider storis from the girls in the scene
Fascinating cultural commentary
one of the best rock 'n' roll books out there...

Please Kill Me: The Uncensored Oral History of Punk
Legs McNeil , and Gillian McCain
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

History & Criticism | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0140266909

Amazon.com

Though Britain's notorious Sex Pistols shoved punk rock into the face of mainstream America, the movement was already brewing in the U.S. in the 1960s with bands like the Velvet Underground and Iggy and the Stooges. Through hundreds of interviews with forgotten bands as well as the ones that made names for themselves--including Blondie and the Ramones--Legs McNeil and Gillian McCain chronicle punk rock history through the people who really lived it. Please Kill Me is a thrash down memory lane for those hip to punk's early years and an enlightening history lesson for youngsters interested in the origins of modern "alternative" music.

Customer Reviews:

Should be called "The American History of Punk: the First 20 Years...".......2007-05-21

This is a great book. With it's "directly from the horse's mouth" approach, it gives the story as seen from it's original players. And the author's choice quotes are excellent: amusing, and at the same time highly informative.

But, naturally, there are faults.

First: half of the book isn't about the original Punk Rock itself, but about it's predecessors - MC5, The Stooges, New York Dolls & The Velvet Underground. I personally have nothing against these bands, but some of the space taken up by them should be given to what happened after Punk '77.

Second: English punk, here, is a generally considered a farse. That might be half-true about the Sex Pistols, but what about The Clash? The author also treats Punk's political leanings - a major & defining trait of the style - as something "forced". There's also a very real feeling of resentment of the protagonists of the New York scene towards British punk - a feeling that's shared with the author himself. Brit punks are treated here, most of the time, as usurpers...

The third major fault I find in this book is the complete lack of coverage it gives to 80's and 90's punk. Where is Hardcore (Dead Kennedys, Bad Brains & Discharge)? Where is Oi! music? And what about Crossover (D.R.I., S.O.D.)? And Grindcore? And those platinum-selling punk bands of the nineties (Greenday, The Offspring)? The focus is just too narrow.

I repeat: this is a great book, but know what you're buying.

If you like the style Hollywood gossip rags, this is for you.......2006-11-14

A little about my frame of reference. I was a few years shy of being able to fully partake in the punk experience. Nonetheless, a friend and I were into the Sex Pistols, Ramones, and Clash when the scene was going down. So, you know I love this stuff, and merely talking about it thrills me; however, Please Kill Me overall left me somewhat cold. Let me explain why.

First off, the book is nothing more than a gossip rag. 98% of the interviews focus on sex and drugs. What's missing? The Rock-n-Roll! Groupies are given WAY too much time to speak. If you add up the words by interviewee, it seems like 35% is testimony by groupies. There are gleaming occasions though when you get some real pearls. For example, the MC5 tell all about their famous gig in Chicago. Iggy shares how he wrote the "I got a heart full of Napalm" lyric. Bandmates explain how Iggy got his name. But that still doesn't account for the dross along the lines of "I just thought so-and-so was so cute, but then I thought so-and-so was cute." Pretty pathetic. There was some major editing to be done here. I mean, why is there testimony from Bebe Buell about her affair with Jack Nicholson?

Next off, the book limits its scope to a handful of focal bands - and mostly how they relate to New York City. These bands include Velvet Underground, Iggy and the Stooges, MC5, David Bowie, Patti Smith, Ramones, New York Dolls, Dead Boys, Heartbreakers, Television, and the Sex Pistols. I am sure that everyone has at least one favorite punk that was left out, so I don't see the point in complaining about that; however, Please Kill Me sees everything through the lens of the New York City scene and tends to dismiss anything happening outside of New York or, equally, denigrate other scenes as New York derivatives. It could have been that way, but I don't think it is a fully accurate depiction. There is certainly some distorting bias of the editors here.

Next, there seems to be some issues with facts in the book. Several others have mentioned some. For one, I was peeved that Legs McNeil, the author, took a lot of pride in claiming that he was the father of the term "punk" as applied to the culture. It's pretty well documented that Lester Bangs did this about 6 years prior - and Legs was friends with Lester, so the chance to steal the term was certainly there.

If you are a real fan of punk, this book will not be an entire waste of time, but I can't help but feel that there are many better books. I am currently looking for those. But Please Kill Me will, at the very least, give you an idea of the personalities of the focal people. It will not give you insight to the punk movement from a philosophical or artistic point of view. Like I said, it is merely a gossip rag.

Insider storis from the girls in the scene.......2006-11-06

All the interview are so intriguing, but most of the interesting stories are transplanted into rocumentary films like Punk Attitude or End of Century-the biography of the Ramones, let stand one of the authors, Legs McNeil is in these films. So I assume most of the artists talking/being talked in this book; Iggy Pop & the Stooges, velvet Underground, Patti Smith, New York Dolls, Ramones, Richard Hell, Dead Boys, etc, etc...., if they have their own rocumentary films, main stories talked in this book are in them.

But what I found interesting was the stories from the groupies, or girlfriends so to speak, like Cylinda Foxe(David Johansen's ex-girl friend/wife, married to Steven Tyler), Bebe Buell(Todd Langren's ex-girl frined, Patti Smith's friend, mother of actress Liv Tyler)and Connie, who was a crazy street hooker who was with Arther Kane and Dee Dee Ramones. There so many other inspiration to this book, but to me, their stories are something really fresh, giving more atmosphere of the late 1970's New York and its scenes, kind of like, insider story.

Fascinating cultural commentary.......2006-10-26

"Please Kill Me" is a fascinating book that describes the origins of Punk but in my opinion goes beyond that - its a vivid commentary on the art and personalities emerging in the post-hippy era, a sharp inflection point giving birth to two decades of revitalized hard rock and gutter culture (a term I do not employ derisively).

I love the format, noting names emerging and passing with their relevance and influence. While the narrative is formed from disjoint quotes, the history is delivered intact.

I see a number of parallels between this book and "Dear Muffo" by Harold Conrad, which likewise uses anecdotes of dozens of personalities ranging from Erich Remarque to Muhammed Ali to Evil Kneivel to provide a fasinating history of a completely different (yet still fascinating) cultural era. Readers who love the style of Please Kill Me might also like this book.

one of the best rock 'n' roll books out there..........2006-10-15

Short and sweet: This book captures pure, primal rock 'n' roll as it was happening and doesn't leave out many details on what was going on backstage. Quite frankly, after reading about all the bizarre antics Iggy Pop was up to in the heyday of the Stooges, I find it hard to believe that he is still alive and kickin'.

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