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

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.

Average customer rating:

Beautiful mix of psychology, dreams and horror
atmosphere is not enough
Well written but depressing
Excellent sequel to "Silk"... beautifully written
a different direction

Murder of Angels
Caitlin R. Kiernan
Manufacturer: Roc Trade
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0451459962
Release Date: 2004-09-07

Book Description

Ten years ago, Niki Ky and Daria Parker saw something unspeakable in an old house in Birmingham, Alabama. Daria has denied it, escaping into a frantic music career and various addictions. But Niki has not had so many distractions. Diagnosed schizophrenic, she's lost years in a haze of therapy and anti-psychotics.

But now, Niki's dead lover, Spyder Baxter, is calling to her from another world-an alien, impossible place where Niki is known as a Hierophant, a feared prophesied sorceress who can open a portal between worlds. And Daria will finally have to face what really happened ten years ago, if she's to help Niki save a world...or destroy it.

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful mix of psychology, dreams and horror.......2007-07-28

There was quite a lapse between my reading of Silk, which I loved and Murder of Angels, but this story did a fairly good job of jogging my memory so it didn't matter, and I would reccomend it. That said, there were a few things nagging at me after I finished this book.

Was Spyder's world a real world at all? Due to the connections of characters that linger between worlds I would say yes, but the last scene with Daria and the little girl (the 'moment' from Spyder's past) and the revelation (drawing) in Spyder's ancient notebook that Daria finds, made me wonder.

I loved the idea that Spyder's own psychological disfunction/delusions?, stemming from the abuse from her father, colored her entry into the dream world and even infected a primal demon/force (the dragon) that exsisted in this dream world, But, due to the revelation of the drawing in Spyder's notebook it seems that this world would not have exsisted without Spyder to begin with or did she somehow have some precognitive knowledge of this world to begin with as a child?

The above is never explained.

I also wished there might have been more on Theda. Emotionally, she was an incredibly realistic character. Her anguished scream at the end at what she had become, at what had actually happened to her, or maybe just that she wasn't able to destroy the world that she hated, was extremely moving to me.

Another wonderful point was that Spyder's belief system regarding the angels wasn't simply pulled out of a hat, but based on an actual mythology that she simply tweaked for her own purposes or perhaps knew the truth of.

Her characters which are on the fringe of society, who *know* things and are in touch with things that the majority is not, very much reminds me of Peter Straub's Shadowland, but her world is much more realistic and sad.

With all that said, I loved the book. Kiernan's characters are usually unseen elswhere in literature and she paints them beautifully. Her dreamworlds with the ghosts and talking birds become real to me when I'm reading her words and in the end that's all that matters.

atmosphere is not enough.......2006-08-07

My first mistake was in deciding to tackle this book even after discovering it was a sequel, yet I did so after having been assured that reading the book's predecessor was not a prerequisite to enjoying the follow-up. The first 100 pages were wonderfully creepy and atmospheric, and I seemed to be piecing together the plot and filling in some of the blanks that came with not having ready "Silk". But the book shifts from horror to a rather lame SF/fantasy and the plot becomes increasingly intricate and confusing, and the characters' allegiances and motivations are all difficult to fathom. My second mistake was reading it to the end after suspecting that my time was being wasted, yet I persevered only to find the ending was hurried and slipshod. By the final page, I really didn't care about the characters and the fact that they all were dead (in this world anyway). The author is undeniably talented but this book just didn't do it for me...

Well written but depressing.......2006-05-23

Perhaps I needed to have read Silk, first. But I found that this book, while containing some excellent wordsmithing, made me unutterably depressed. Enough so that I gave up on the book before I finished it.

The author has an excellent control of setting, character, storytelling... and she communicated the depression and despair of the main characters with skill. But I don't necessarily *want* to be depressed.

I grabbed this book before a plane flight. By the time the peanuts and juice arrived, I had given up on the book, and I dragged out my laptop computer. ("Ah well, I probably should get some work done anyway" is not my response to a great book -- "just a few more pages..." is more common.) And then I bought another book in San Francisco to tide me over on the way home.

I'll make a point of looking for Kiernan's other novels. But this one didn't work for me.

Excellent sequel to "Silk"... beautifully written.......2006-03-05

If you enjoyed "Silk", you won't be disappointed with this work. It meets or exceeds the quality of it's predecessor. As always, Kiernan compellingly meanders through beautiful and creepy realities and experiences telling the tale of Niki, Dar, and Spyder. One has difficulty not taking pleasure from Kiernan's writing. Passages like the following one pepper the work in such a way that you cannot help but underline them: "Ahe she drew another deep breath, a sip of water from the bottle on the floor beside her feet, and started talking, letting the past drain like infection." As with all her work, I highly recommend it.

a different direction.......2006-03-04

knowing miss kiernan's fondness for science fiction, i finally really saw the influence in this book. the red witches and (literal) journeys across created lands threw me off a bit, yet the story was every bit as dark, as liberating, and as heartbreaking as i've come to expect.

my favorite novels thus far are threshold and low red moon, yet i've always wondered what happened to the survivors from birmingham. niki and daria's relationship, i feel, reflects the relationship between spyder and niki herself, only this time she's not the one helplessly watching someone unraveling. daria is thrust into the role of caretaker and lover, which is (seems to me) formed more out of convenience and a sense of responsibility, not out of romantic, head-over-heels love.

i really did like this book, as the author does a fantastic job of creating these barren landscapes. the characters are likable, although i thought niki was so much stronger after crossing the dog's bridge (before, i almost wanted to shake her by the shoulders and tell her to snap out of it)...some of the characters, such as esme chattox or theda, i would have liked to see more of, and i don't know if they'll ever show up again. and i'll probably understand it much more when i read it a second time, but i almost had a difficult time identifying the purpose and the antigonist...but as i said, these things are much easier the second time around, when you're not reeling from the shock of an event.

one thing that i can always count on when reading a caitlin r. kiernan book is that by the time i turn the last page, i've cried (and in some cases, bawled) at least once. these resolutions do not come with happy endings.

Average customer rating:

shame...
great
Has issues but it's still good
Angel: Haunted
In a house of its own

Haunted (Angel)
Jeff Mariotte
Manufacturer: Simon Spotlight Entertainment
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0743427483

Book Description

Even if it takes an eternity, he will make amends...

FEAR FACTOR

Cordelia's getting her first big break -- as a contestant on yet another twist on "reality programming." The catch? She has to spend five days and four nights in a so-called haunted house. Not a problem for a girl who lives with a ghost and works with a vampire (and even managed to graduate from Sunnydale High School in one piece). She's a shoo-in.

But there may be more going on behind the scenes than Cordy anticipated. On her first night, she's wracked with a vision -- and it's one of the applicants who didn't make the final cut. Through subtle on-air clue-dropping, she manages to communicate the scenario to Angel and Co., who are instantly on the case.

But as Angel, Wesley, and Gunn seek the missing actress, paranormal activity in the house heats up. Once Wolfram and Hart is added to the mix, Cordelia has to wonder which she would rather hold onto -- her ticket to certain stardom...or her life...

Customer Reviews:

shame..........2007-02-07

this novel was maybe one of the worst books i have read about Angel. i was very excited to read just an Angel book that wasnt a crossover with buffy. and i am dissapointed. im not sure if its because its a young adult book or because the author just doesnt know how to capture the characters in book form. either way its to bad i wasted my time on this. i hope other Buffy books will be better but i prolly wont read another one of these Angel books. i have read other buffy verse books and have been happy. Queen of the Slayers was damn good and Monster Island the Angel/Buffy crossover was also good. but this book never captured the personallity of the characters and it felt like really bad fan fiction.

great.......2004-06-22

this is the first angel book i've ever read and i can tell you it wont be the last these books are great!!!!!!!! they really bring the characters to life and they dont make them to different to the tv characters. the writer jeff mariotte is wonderfull he really knows what he's writing about. even though i'm a huge charmed fan i have to say these books top those as they're longer you can really get into them and an intrieging plot can be set up.

even if your not an angel fan but just want something griping and exciting to read. this is the book for you.

Has issues but it's still good.......2003-11-04

Cordelia thinks she has found the key to her inevitable stardom when she's cast in a reality TV show. Unfortunately, the hook of the show is that she, and the other constants, must survive five days in a haunted house. Cordy figures this will be an easy win because this is hardly the first time she's had to sleep in a haunted house. However, the first night in the house Cordy has a vision of a girl in trouble, but with few ways to get information to Angel and the others the girl's chances don't look good.

I know this book sounds like it's Cordy-centric but in fact equal time is given to all the main characters. This is good in some ways and bad in others. Gunn's storyline does have some interesting moments and Wesley's was pretty funny at times but other than that the rest of the boys' attempts to solve the mystery are pretty dull. Cordy's storyline was by far the most interesting but it's not really given enough time to be as good as it could have been. Also, many of the original characters weren't really necessary and made the novel feel even more disjointed. Overall this is a fairly decent Angel novel but I've read better by this author.

Angel: Haunted.......2002-11-07

This book was great!Cordelia has a vision while at the house and has to give clues to the gang threw the show. Gunn's gang find out that a women's body was dumped with no identification marks what so ever. What's the deal and are the two related? You have to read to find out. This book had me from the first page, I couldn't put it down. The story with Cordelia in the "Haunted House" was what had me keep reading. I also love the fact that it showed Angel, Gunn, and Wesley all doing their own thing to figure out the case. This is one of the better Angel books I have read and I recommend it to everybody!

In a house of its own.......2002-08-02

If you are an Angel fan, then this book is definately for you. Cordelia wins a contest to spend a week in a mansion for the show "Fear Factor". After a painful vision her first night she begins to belive that this house is more than just a stage setting. With no communication allowed to the outside, how is she possibly going to inform Angel and the gang about her vision? With some quick thinking (not going to spoil everything for you)she gets her message across and the boys come running.

The action was well written and although this is supposed to take place in the 2nd season on Angel, there are already undertones to how ANgel and Cordelia really feel about each other.

I have read every book in the Angel series and this one was by far my favorite. A sure treat for any Angel fan.

Average customer rating:

Strong entry in House of Winslow series

Excellent!

The Golden Angel: 1922 (The House of Winslow #26)
Gilbert Morris
Manufacturer: Bethany House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Flying Cavalier: 1914 (The House of Winslow #23)

ASIN: 0764229702
Release Date: 2006-08-01

Book Description

Living in Africa is an adventure for Erin Winslow, yet she longs for even more excitement. She meets a pilot and persuades him to teach her to fly. Before she realizes it, she has fallen in love with him. But a devastating discovery leaves Erin deeply hurt, and she flees home to America. Erin hopes to find a job as a pilot and nurse her wounded heart. When no one will hire a woman, she finds work in a caf. That's where Quaid Merritt, stunt flyer, steals into her life, reigniting her dreams about flying. She and Quaid travel across America, thrilling crowds with daring aerial acrobatics. When Hollywood producers come calling, Erin has some important decisions to make-about Quaid, and about her future.(House of Winslow Book 26)

Customer Reviews:

Strong entry in House of Winslow series.......2005-10-06

This was a good strong entry in the House of Winslow series and helped to make up for some previously weak entries. Erin Winslow who grew up in Africa searches for something more in her life. The character of Stephen is more of a plot device than an actual character, but Quaid is strong and well worth reading about. I would have liked more in depth about his struggle with alcohol though. Morris has finally learned to get the reader interested in the next book by introducing characters in this one. Amelia is an intriguing character and I looked forward to reading the next book in the series that focussed on her and her brother.

Excellent!.......2002-04-27

This was the first book I read by Gilbert Morris and I absolutely loved it! It has just enough romance and adventure to make it great for all types of readers. It shows that if we trust in God and allow him to lead our lives, everything will turn out okay. I can't wait to read more!

The Killer Angels (Random House Large Print (Hardcover))

Average customer rating:

If you have the slightest interest in the Civil War, don't fail to read the late Michael Shaara's book "The Killer Angels"
Glorifies Battle, but Does So Compellingly. . .
excellent book, even if you are not a buff
Historical Fiction at it's Best
Great book!

The Killer Angels (Random House Large Print (Hardcover))
Michael Shaara
Manufacturer: Random House Large Print
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0375433104
Release Date: 2004-05-11

Amazon.com

This novel reveals more about the Battle of Gettysburg than any piece of learned nonfiction on the same subject. Michael Shaara's account of the three most important days of the Civil War features deft characterizations of all of the main actors, including Lee, Longstreet, Pickett, Buford, and Hancock. The most inspiring figure in the book, however, is Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, whose 20th Maine regiment of volunteers held the Union's left flank on the second day of the battle. This unit's bravery at Little Round Top helped turned the tide of the war against the rebels. There are also plenty of maps, which convey a complete sense of what happened July 1-3, 1863. Reading about the past is rarely so much fun as on these pages.

Book Description

A reissue of a Pulitzer prize-winning classic, and now the major motion picture GETTYSBURG. As a result of these acclamations, this book is considered one of the greatest novels written on the Civil War.

Customer Reviews:

If you have the slightest interest in the Civil War, don't fail to read the late Michael Shaara's book "The Killer Angels".......2007-10-04

If you have the slightest interest in the Civil War, don't fail to read the late Michael Shaara's book "The Killer Angels". It won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1974.

For some reason this book had never crossed my path. It wasn't until Father's Day this year that I was even aware of its existence. My 27 year old son gave me a DVD that had both Gods and Generals and Gettysburg on it. In reading the jacket of the DVD I saw the movie was based on this book. After watching the movie, I headed off to the library. I was not disappointed.

This volume shows both the courage and determination of the Union and Confederate soldiers. It examines the story from both viewpoints. You are told the story through the key leadership of the battle. You will read about Robert E. Lee. You will learn what his decisions were based on. You will see why he was so beloved by his army. The book allows you to be present as Lee struggles with decision after decision from his headquarters. You can feel the frustration of Longstreet as he tries to convince Lee that defense is a better choice. You will get a picture of the flamboyant Pickett. You will feel Lee's and Longstreet's frustration with J.E.B. Stuart. I met a new hero in the book - Joshua Lawrence Chamberlin as I read about the 20th Maine Regiment and Chamberlain who with a bayonet charge on Little Big Top held the end of the Union line. Another new hero I encountered was General John Buford. You will experience his anguish as he decides to engage Rebel forces. He knows that he was seriously outnumbered. He is determined to save the only high ground in the area.

I was emotionally involved in the book from the beginning to the end. This is the book that blurs the line between historical fiction and creative non-fiction. It is simply great reading. While the movie was good, the book is great. Michael Shaara had the vision, did the research, and wrote one of the best books ever. Thank you!

Glorifies Battle, but Does So Compellingly. . . .......2007-10-01

I am not a civil war buff, but I enjoy historical fiction, and I decided to read this book for its Pulitzer Prize and what it might teach me about the Battle of Gettysburg. On these fronts it delivered as advertised. Although the book is about 90% brooding and waiting for battle and only 10% battle, the writing is compelling enough to hold one's interest through the brooding and to teach me more than I ever knew about the strategies, generals, turning points, blunders and significance of Gettysburg --- or at least the author's views on these points.

Nonetheless, I found myself consistently detatched from the characters and the action. The story is told exclusively from the perspective of the officers in the battle and, for the most part, from that of the southern officers. This is not to say it has a southern bias; indeed blame is placed on Southern hero Lee and the book elevates Southern "scoundrel" Longstreet. It is just that, ultimately, I was not capable of sympathy or admiration for their bravery, honor and nobility, in which the book invests heavily. My own views about slavery and the south are just too strong. Its like reading about the qualms and struggles of German aristocrats in the Nazi army. Interesting, but they are so fundamentally on the wrong side that neither admirable traits nor understanding of their perspective can produce empathy, redemption or even forgiveness. And, as to the horrors of war and soldiering, the gritty, more soldier oriented view of, say, a Cold Mountain, remained foremost in my mind.

excellent book, even if you are not a buff.......2007-08-12

I remember seeing the movie "Gettysburg" when it first opened
in the early nineties. It magnificently brought to life the "glory"
and tragedy of thousands of men in a napoleonic charge. The
book matches the movie in that respect, but it also provides
insights into the motives of several of the main participants in
a way that a movie cannot (mostly generals Lee and Longstreet
on one side and Colonel Chamberlain on the other). My understanding
is that the book is as true to history as a novelization can be.
However, it is also extremely readable - I wish somebody pointed
me to it when I was reading about the civil war in highschool.
I am looking forward to reading Jeff Shaara's two books that
complete the trilogy.

Historical Fiction at it's Best.......2007-07-28

Ever wonder what it was really like those 3 days in July at the Battle of Gettysburg? Was it hot, what did the men wear, what did they eat, how did they pass the time, who were the leaders of the regiments? Good historical fiction brings characters to life. Great historical fiction like that of Pulitzer Prize winner Michael Shaara makes you believe you are there.
You've learned about the battle in school, now read Killer Angels and feel what is was like to be part of the battle. Read about Robert E. Lee, what his decisions were based on and why he was so beloved by his army. Be present as he struggles with decision after decision from his headquarters. Feel the frustration of Longstreet as he tries to convince Lee of another course. Learn about the flamboyant Pickett and the egocentric J.E.B. Stuart. Go to the Union camp and read about the 20th Maine Regiment and Chamberlain who with sheer determination hold the precious ground on Little Big Top with a bayonet charge. Imagine and feel Buford's decision to engage Rebel forces, knowing that he was seriously outnumbered but determined to save the only high ground in the area.
I was mesmerized and emotionally involved in the book from the beginning to the end. It isn't just a story of a battle, it's the story of our nation and the men who fought and died for what they believed in. A great novel!

Great book!.......2007-07-03

THe Killer Angels makes the battle of Gettysburg come alive for the reader. Shaara takes historical facts and injects the human dimension which makes the novel both educational and a page turner. Highly recommend that people of all ages read this masterpiece and immerse themselves in the most turbulent period of our nation's history.

The City of Falling Angels (Random House Large Print (Hardcover))

Average customer rating:

The City of Falling Angels
Life in the City of Venice
Only 'ok'.
Immensely enjoyable, but not up to Midnight in the Garden standards...
Gave up after 103 pages

The City of Falling Angels (Random House Large Print (Hardcover))
John Berendt
Manufacturer: Random House Large Print
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0375435387
Release Date: 2005-10-04

Amazon.com

Past Midnight: John Berendt on the Mysteries of Venice

Just as John Berendt's first book, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, was settling into its remarkable four-year run on The New York Times bestseller list, he discovered a new city whose local mysteries and traditions were more than a match for Savannah, whose hothouse eccentricities he had celebrated in the first book. The new city was Venice, and he spent much of the last decade wandering through its canals and palazzos, seeking to understand a place that any native will tell you is easy to visit but hard to know. For travelers to Venice, whether by armchair or vaporetto, he has selected his 10 (actually 11) Books to Read on Venice. And he took the time to answer a few of our questions about his charming new book, The City of Falling Angels:

Amazon.com: The lush, cloistered southern city of Savannah was the locale of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Venice, the setting for The City of Falling Angels, is vastly different. Was it the difference itself that drew you to Venice?

John Berendt: Savannah and Venice actually have quite a lot in common. Both are uniquely beautiful. Both are isolated geographically, culturally, and emotionally from the world outside. Venice sits in the middle of a lagoon; Savannah is surrounded by marshes, piney woods, and the ocean. Venetians think of themselves as Venetian first, Italian second; Savannahians rarely even venture forth as far as Atlanta or Charleston. So both cities offer a writer a rich context in which to set a story, and the stories provide readers a means of escape from their own environment into another world.

Amazon.com: I enjoyed your rather declarative author's note: that this is a work of nonfiction, and that you used everyone's real names. In your previous book you did use pseudonyms for some characters and you explained that you took a few small liberties in the service of the larger truth of the story. Why the change this time?

Berendt: When I wrote Midnight I thought I would do a few people the favor of changing their names for the sake of privacy. But when the book came out, several of the pseudonymous characters told me they wished I'd used their real names instead. So this time, no pseudonyms. As for the storytelling liberties I took in writing Midnight, they were minor and did not change the story, but my mention of it in the author's note caused some confusion, with the result that Midnight is sometimes referred to now as a novel, which it most certainly is not. Neither is The City of Falling Angels. In fact, I dispensed with the liberties this time and made it as close to the truth as I could get it.

Amazon.com: In The City of Falling Angels, a number of fascinating people serve as guides to the city, each with a different idea of the true nature of Venice. Who was your favorite?

Berendt: I don't have a favorite, but Count Girolamo Marcello is certainly a memorable, highly quotable commentator. "Everyone in Venice is acting," he told me. "Everyone plays a role, and the role changes. The key to understanding Venetians is rhythm, the rhythm of the lagoon, the water, the tides, the waves. It's like breathing. High water, high pressure: tense. Low water, low pressure: relaxed. The tide changes every six hours."

I nodded that I understood.

"How do you see a bridge?" he went on.

"Pardon me?" I asked, "A bridge?"

"Do you see a bridge as an obstacle--as just another set of steps to climb to get from one side of a canal to the other? We Venetians do not see bridges as obstacles. To us, bridges are transitions. We go over them very slowly. They are part of the rhythm. They are the links between two parts of a theater, like changes in scenery. Our role changes as we go over bridges. We cross from one reality ... to another reality. From one street ... to another street. From one setting ... to another setting."

Once I had absorbed that notion, Count Marcello continued: "Sunlight on a canal is reflected up through a window onto the ceiling, then from the ceiling onto a vase, and from the vase onto a glass. Which is the real sunlight? Which is the real reflection? What is true? What is not true? The answer is not so simple, because the truth can change. I can change. You can change. That is the Venice effect."

I was not terribly surprised when he later told me, "Venetians never tell the truth. We mean precisely the opposite of what we say."

Amazon.com: Now that you know Venice well enough to be a guide yourself, what would you say to a visitor looking for insight into the character of the city?

Berendt: Tourists generally shuffle along, on narrow streets so crowded as to be nearly impassable, between the major sights of St. Mark's Square, the Rialto Bridge, and the Accademia Museum. All you have to do is to step off these heavily traveled alleyways, and in a few moments you will find yourself in quiet, much emptier surroundings. This is more like the real Venice. Another thing to do is to go into the wine bars where Venetians stand around drinking and talking. They will very likely be speaking the Venetian dialect, so you won't be able to understand them, but you will get a sampling of the true Venetian ambiance enlivened by the pronounced sing-song rhythm of the language. I'd also suggest stopping someone in the street and asking for directions. Almost invariably, you will be rewarded with a genial smile and the instructions, Sempre diritto, meaning "Straight ahead." This will only leave you more confused, because when you attempt to follow a straight line, you will be confronted by more twists and turns and forks in the road than you thought possible, given the instructions. This is part of what Count Marcello described as "the Venice effect."

Book Description

It was seven years ago that Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil achieved a record-breaking four-year run on the New York Times bestseller list. John Berendt's inimitable brand of nonfiction brought the dark mystique of Savannah so startlingly to life for millions of people that tourism to Savannah increased by 46%. It is Berendt and only Berendt who can capture Venice--a city of masks, a city of riddles, where the narrow, meandering passageways form a giant maze, confounding all who have not grown up wandering into its depths. Venice, a city steeped in a thousand years of history, art and architecture, teeters in precarious balance between endurance and decay. Its architectural treasures crumble--foundations shift, marble ornaments fall--even as efforts to preserve them are underway.

THE CITY OF FALLING ANGELS opens on the evening of January 29, 1996, when a dramatic fire destroys the historic Fenice opera house. The loss of the Fenice, where five of Verdi's operas premiered, is a catastrophe for Venetians. Arriving in Venice three days after the fire, Berendt becomes a kind of detective--inquiring into the nature of life in this remarkable museum-city-- while gradually revealing the truth about the fire. In the course of his investigations, Berendt introduces us to a rich cast of characters: a prominent Venetian poet whose shocking 'suicide' prompts his skeptical friends to pursue a murder suspect on their own; the First Family of American expatriates who lose possession of the family palace after four generations of ownership; an organization of high-society, party-going Americans who raise money to preserve the art and architecture of Venice, while quarreling in public among themselves, questioning each other's motives and drawing startled Venetians into the fray; a contemporary Venetian surrealist painter and outrageous provocateur; the master glassblower of Venice; and numerous others--stool-pigeons, scapegoats, hustlers, sleepwalkers, believers in Martians, the Plant Man, the Rat Man, and Henry James.

Berendt tells a tale full of atmosphere and surprise as the stories build, one after the other, ultimately coming together to reveal a world as finely drawn as a still-life painting. The fire and its aftermath serve as a leitmotif that runs throughout, adding to the elements of chaos, corruption and crime, and contributing to the ever-mounting suspense of this brilliant audiobook.

Bonus feature includes an exclusive interview with the author!

From the Compact Disc edition.

Customer Reviews:

The City of Falling Angels.......2007-10-08

This is a book I could not put down. I suggest this to anyone who is planning a trip to Italy (or not!)

Life in the City of Venice.......2007-10-03

In 1996, a fire started in the Fenice Opera House in Venice, Italy. And not just any fire. A fire that would consume not only most of the beautiful building, along with it paintings, frescoes and history in this last of it's kind building. No, this fire consumed almost a decade in the life of Venice. How did the fire start? Was it arson? Was it negligence? Who had the most to gain? Was it the Mafia or was it the contractors that were working on the remodeling? These are just some of the questions that drew John Berendt to extend his stay in Venice and try to capture the city and it's people in print.

In the course of the investigation, Berendt introduces us to many of the citizens of this city. We meet Archimede Seguso, a renowned glass maker, that watched the Fenice burn and then created over one hundred glass vases to memorialize it. Of course, most of these pieces still haven't been seen by the public because they are tied up in a litigation of a weird brotherly feud. We meet the Rylands - Jane, an American Expat and her British husband that waylaid a poor old lady and took her incredible achieves for their own profit. The woman was Olga Rudge, the famous Mistress of writer Ezra Pound, who's writings and letters were worth a small fortune. And we meet members of the Save Venice foundation, a non-profit organization that was created to help restore buildings and art in the city of Venice. But an implosion of the group was caused by mixing too many people with large egos wanting the Title and prestige involved with this organization.

I will readily admit I had high hopes for this book. I thought Berendt's Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil about the city of Savannah, Georgia was fantastic! He did such a wonderful job describing the beauty of the city, as well as the eccentricity of it's people. Not so much with Venice, although he certainly tried. Maybe it's the fact that I just don't understand the Venetian culture the way I do culture in the US. Or maybe this book was more about the glitterati instead of just the average folks. Either way, it fell short for me. I really didn't get a chance to CARE about the people in this book. There were too many exceedingly shallow people that cared more for their titles and their parties than they did about anything else. The back story of the Fenice fire just seemed to get lost in it all. And since reality is never as cut-and-dried as fiction, we still don't know what really happened that night at the Fenice.

I did enjoy learning more about Ezra Pound and Olga Rudge. And I was intrigued about the side story of the poet Mario Stefani, a man that took his own life during this time period. But reading about the Save Venice Organization and their constant bickering over whose name would be at the top of the stationery and who got the best seats for a gala rather turned my stomach. As did the story of the Rylands and how they swindled a poor elderly woman AND her family out of their birthright. Maybe my expectations were just too high for this one. Venice is a beautiful city, one I'd love to visit some day. But this book didn't do much for me! Like a Seinfeld episode, it was a whole lot about nothing.

Only 'ok'........2007-09-19

I prefer books with a strong plot. This didn't really seem to have a strong plot and the pieced never really seems to come together as strongly as I had hoped. It may just be the style of this author... and if you like that type of style this would be a book for you.

Immensely enjoyable, but not up to Midnight in the Garden standards..........2007-09-03

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt is one of my favorite books, so I decided to read his latest, The City of Falling Angels. While the formula for both books is pretty much the same, Midnight is a much better book--only because Savannah is a much more quirky city than Venice, Italy.

As with Midnight in the Garden, Berendt combines many elements to create The City of Falling Angels. He provides a little history of Venice. He interviews dozens of colorful characters. And he focuses on a possible crime. In Falling Angels, this is the burning of Venice's famous opera house, La Fenice. As far as history, I felt the author could have provided a little more information about Venice's rich past. Venice has many interesting characters, and Berendt did his best to seek them out. He interviewed Murano glass blowers, city officials, American expatriates, artists, and even a man who considers himself a culinary expert. His specialty is making the world's best-selling rat poison. He also looks into the many famous Americans who made Venice their home, including Peggy Guggenheim and Ezra Pound. But the characters in Venice fell short of Savannah's eclectic bunch including The Lady Chablis, the Voodoo priestess Minerva and antiques dealer Jim Williams. Also, the Fenice fire didn't quite have the drama as the murder in Midnight in the Garden

But I still enjoyed The City of Falling Angels immensely, and John Berendt is a fine writer with a keen eye when it comes to describing places and sites that he visits. After witnessing the opera house fire, glassblower Archimede Seguso goes to his shop and starts creating glass vases like he's never made before. "Against an opaque background as black as night, he had set swirling ribbons of sinuous diamond shapes in red, green, white, and gold, leaping, over-lapping, and spiraling upward around the vase. He never explained what he was doing, but by the second vase, everyone knew. It was a record of the fire in glass--the flames, the sparks, the embers, and the smoke--just as he had seen if from his window..." As for why he chose this city, "Venice was uniquely beautiful, isolated, inward-looking, and a powerful stimulant to the senses, the intellect, and the imagination....Because I could not imagine a more enticing beat to assign myself for an indefinite period of time."

I don't think that The City of Falling Angels is going to do to Venice what Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil did to Savannah. However, after reading The City of Falling Angels, I'm certainly considering a trip to Italy.

Gave up after 103 pages.......2007-09-01

If a book cannot grab me within the first 100 pages, then I have to stop. Not only that, but it was due at the library, and there is a waiting list (why?). I just have little time, and so many other books to read.

I will say that what I did read was somewhat interesting, and the writing was good. I just wasn't that interested in the story - at least at 100+ pages. It must get better, but I wish that I was made to care earlier in the writing.

Sorry if this wasn't very helpful, this review is more of my opinion than a critique.

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Angel in the House
Coventry Kersey Dighton Patmore
Manufacturer: Hard Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 1406956015
Release Date: 2006-11-03

Book Description

Once more I came to Sarum Close, With joy half memory, half desire, And breathed the sunny wind that rose And blew the shadows o'er the Spire, And toss'd the lilac's scented plumes, And sway'd the chestnut's thousand cones, And fill'd my nostrils with perfumes, And shaped the clouds in waifs and zones.

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Amazing photos!
An easy-to-understand guide to giant pandas
Pandas Forever!

Pandas (World Life Library)
Heather Angel
Manufacturer: Voyageur Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Ecology | Science & Technology | Teens | Subjects | Books

General | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0896583643

Amazon.com

This beautifully photographed book covers the panda's home and habits, feeding behavior, breeding, and survival in the face of human encroachment and deforestation. The author traveled to remote areas of China to photograph the elusive, endangered giant panda--it took her eight trips to find one. Her photos of both giant and red pandas in the wild are incredible, both fortifying and belying the image most Westerners have of cute, cuddly zoo animals. This is a fascinating introduction to a disappearing species.

Book Description

This top-selling series introduces the wild creatures of the world and examines the natural world. Good general introductions for ages 10+, these volumes contain the knowledge, personal experiences, and research of leading naturalists and scientists, accompanied by stunning photography. Unless otherwise noted (*), all volumes are sturdy paperback.

Customer Reviews:

Amazing photos!.......2007-05-14

The pictures in this book are adorably charming. They depict a little of these wonderfil bears, the pandas. The text flows easily and gives great information. to the reader. A must-have for every pandarazzi!

An easy-to-understand guide to giant pandas.......2005-11-20

This book, with lots of pictures of the cute black-and-white aniaml, makes a great coffee-table book, but it's also packed with easy-to-understand materials, facts, about the giant panda.

The author is a British marine biologist-turned wild life photographer who has traveled to southwest China many times to photograph wildlife, including the giant panda. The photos in the book are from her collection, and most of the pandas featured are young ones who tend to exhibit an insatiable curiosity about the world and about bamboos. In one word, the pandas are just cute.

But this is a not a picturebook. It's a book about pandas, their history, their homes and habitat, and their various behaviors. At the time of publication it had not been decided what family the giant panda actually belonged to -- it was not until 2002 or so that DNA analysis "conclusively" concluded that the panda is actually a bear. Other than this, the book gives accurate facts about aspects of the panda. There is also a short chapter, and a couple pictures, on the red panda, aka the lesser panda.

I recommend the book to anyone interested in facts about pandas because it tells you pretty much everything about these cute creatures as well as presents the materials in an easy-to-understand manner. The author writes clearly, and the pictures of pandas enhance the reading experience.

Pandas Forever!.......2000-08-18

Being a huge fan of the Panda, I am a very biased reviewer. However, I thoroughly enjoyed this book about my favorite animal. The details and histories of the panda were not the best that I have ever read, nor were they the least filled with information.

Book Description

Originally published in 1902, A Dog Day is the diary of a day in the life of a less-than-well-behaved dog who, nonetheless, charms an entire household. This roguish hero tells the story of a rather eventful day in his life in his own voice-captivating old and young alike with his wit and ability to get away with virtually every canine crime imaginable without punishment. Stealing food, muddying the house, and attacking the household cat are all in a day's work for this mischievous yet lovable dog, who always manages to get off scot-free.

Customer Reviews:

a dog lover's classic!!.......2001-07-25

A long sought-after favorite of collectors is back in print!! Cecil Aldin is known for capturing the personality of dogs perfectly in his illustrations. If you're unfamiliar with his work this book is a charming introduction. A must-have if you love dogs, and especially if you collect dog books.

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House of the angel
Beatriz Guido
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000K81MX6

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