Some of the strongest passages in 1776 are the revealing and well-rounded portraits of the Georges on both sides of the Atlantic. King George III, so often portrayed as a bumbling, arrogant fool, is given a more thoughtful treatment by McCullough, who shows that the king considered the colonists to be petulant subjects without legitimate grievances--an attitude that led him to underestimate the will and capabilities of the Americans. At times he seems shocked that war was even necessary. The great Washington lives up to his considerable reputation in these pages, and McCullough relies on private correspondence to balance the man and the myth, revealing how deeply concerned Washington was about the Americans' chances for victory, despite his public optimism. Perhaps more than any other man, he realized how fortunate they were to merely survive the year, and he willingly lays the responsibility for their good fortune in the hands of God rather than his own. Enthralling and superbly written, 1776 is the work of a master historian. --Shawn Carkonen
With his riveting, enlightening accounts of subjects from Johnstown Flood to John Adams, David McCullough has become the historian that Americans look to most to tell us our own story. In his Amazon.com interview, McCullough explains why he turned in his new book from the political battles of the Revolution to the battles on the ground, and he marvels at some of his favorite young citizen soldiers who fought alongside the remarkable General Washington.
The Essential David McCullough
John Adams |
Truman |
Mornings on Horseback |
The Path Between the Seas |
The Great Bridge |
The Johnstown Flood |
More Reading on the Revolution
The Great Improvisation by Stacy Schiff |
Washington's Crossing by David Hackett Fischer |
His Excellency: George Washington by Joseph J. Ellis |
Washington's General by Terry Golway |
Iron Tears by Stanley Weintraub |
Victory at Yorktown by Richard M. Ketchum |
Book Description
In this stirring audiobook, David McCullough tells the intensely human story of those who marched with General George Washington in the year of the Declaration of Independence -- when the whole American cause was riding on their success, without which all hope for independence would have been dashed and the noble ideals of the Declaration would have amounted to little more than words on paper.
Based on extensive research in both American and British archives, 1776 is the story of Americans in the ranks, men of every shape, size, and color, farmers, schoolteachers, shoemakers, no-accounts, and mere boys turned soldiers. And it is the story of the British commander, William Howe, and his highly disciplined redcoats who looked on their rebel foes with contempt and fought with a valor too little known. But it is the American commander-in-chief who stands foremost -- Washington, who had never before led an army in battle.
The darkest hours of that tumultuous year were as dark as any Americans have known. Especially in our own tumultuous time, 1776 is powerful testimony to how much is owed to a rare few in that brave founding epoch, and what a miracle it was that things turned out as they did.
Written as a companion work to his celebrated biography of John Adams, David McCullough's 1776 is another landmark in the literature of American history.
Download Description
"In this stirring book, David McCullough tells the intensely human story of those who marched with General George Washington in the year of the Declaration of Independence -- when the whole American cause was riding on their success, without which all hope for independence would have been dashed and the noble ideals of the Declaration would have amounted to little more than words on paper. Written as a companion work to his celebrated biography of John Adams, David McCullough's 1776 is another landmark in the literature of American history. "
Customer Reviews:
Success was not guaranteed.......2007-10-01
Looking back on the American revolution of 1776 we sometimes
make the mistake to think success was guaranteed.
In David McCulloughs splendid book 1776 we clearly see
that it was not.
Its the gripping tale of american patriots like Nathanael Green,
age thirty three, who knew nothing of war except what he had read in books, and twenty five year old bookseller Henry Knox - who joined the
cause with George Washington to fight the biggest army in the world.
A weird assembly - the cause of liberty being led by a slavemaster
(Washington had more than 100 slaves). Still, in the end he is the one
who overcomes all bad odds and makes independence real.
In december 1776 leading a down and out army of some 3.000 to surprise attack Christmas night on hessian forces in Trenton and later Princeton. Turning the tide.
Having narrowly escaped the british and certain defeat in Brooklyn,
where the american army eventually only escaped over the East river,
because of the curtain of night concealed them and later a heavy fog.
Had they been spotted by the british - defeat would have been certain.
At Kips Bay Washington finds his troops in panic. Turned cowards
in front of the enemy. When no one obeys and only runs in panic,
Washington throws his hat to the ground, exclaiming in disgust:
"Are these the men with which I am to defend America".
As he and his defeated men are chased through New Jersey
by the british, thousands of the good people in New Jersey
flock to the british camps to declare their loyalty.
Washingtons followers reduced to a pitiable collection of ragged,
dispirited mortals that ever pretended to the name of an army.
As the sick and elderly were being abused, raped and murdered by british and Hessian forces in the New Jersey countryside - Washington forces quit in large numbers and return home.
And still, Christmas night, Washingtons men attack Trenton and conquers
1.500 Hessians - and turned the tide.
In McCulloughs word- Washington was not a brilliant tactician,
not a gifted orator, not an intellectual. At several crucial moments
he had shown indecisiveness and mistakes in judgment. But he
never forgot what was at stake and he never gave up.
What a story 1776 is. It makes sense that one book can't follow
event all the way to Yorktown or from the beginning with the Boston teaparty.
Simply 1776 has so much drama - that it is more than enough
for one book. But I will look forward to sequels. 1775, 1777 etc.
The John Adams book was more complete in the sense that we got both the begining and the end to the story, so that got five stars. Here I missed something on what happened after 1776 - but then again, I am sure the author is busy working on sequels !
-Simon
It Can't Be Said Enough, Excellent, Superb, One of the Best.......2007-10-01
There has probably been enough written about this book to fill more pages than the book itself. Of all the military books I have read, this book more than any other brought the information alive. The way writing was beyond excellent and the information presented in an engaging manner. Obviously this book represents General Washington and the American cause in a positive manner. That's not to say that it glosses over any of Washington's mistakes. On the contrary the author is quick to point out the general's mistakes and weaknesses. But as history would prove, Washington did enough right to survive 1776 and all the events of that dramatic year to keep an army in the field. Keeping the Continental Army in the field was most likely the single most important achievement of George Washington's tenure as Commander and Chief, during the war years. The book gives you insight into the lives of both officers and enlisted while maintaining it's focus on the overall impact of the decisions made during each chapter. It's difficult to write a review for a book that has already won the Pulitzer Prize. All this reviewer can really say is that all the accolades this book has received were very much deserved
1776: A ROLLER-COASTER RIDE!.......2007-09-21
David McCullough's book "1776" chronicles the first major year of fighting in during America's war for independence. The strength of this book is how McCullough gives the reader a humanistic portrayal of all the key players of the American Revolution. His accounts of key battles and events are exciting and dramatic, rivaling the best of historic fiction. This book will keep you glued until the very end. I highly recommend it!
Grade: A
Wonderfully engaging and informative.......2007-09-20
This was the first book I've read by David McCullough. After reading this book I can see why it was a bestseller and why McCullough won all those awards. After finishing this book I immediately went out and bought another one of his books. He's a superb writer who really got the balance between being informative and being engaging.
If you think that history is boring (or if you associate it with memorizing lists of names and dates the night before your final), think again, because this book isn't like your average textbook. In fact, it's not a textbook at all, although I wish textbooks were written more like this.
This book talks about one of the most crucial times in our nations' history, 1776. This is something that every well-educated American should understand and be familiar with. Or, for that matter, any American who considers themselves a patriot or an informed person. The 4th of July isn't just a day for barbecues or a day to see fireworks, but it represents a very significant event in our country's history.
This book belongs on the shelf of every American. I firmly believe that this book will stand the test of time and go down as one of the great books of our time. It really makes the time period come alive; I often felt like I was there. This is a wonderful book and I unequivocally recommend it.
McCullough Does it Again.......2007-09-16
This was a Great Book written by a Great Author. My only regret was that it didn't go on and on. Like a great movie, it leaves you wanting more. When I purchased the book I thought it would be about the whole war but it is really just what the title says, about the year 1776. I now thirst for the "Rest of the Story" and will be diving in deep to find it. It is written as a Novel just like all of David McCullough's books and I highly recommend it. I am going to read this to my children as I know it will get them interested in history. Thanks again David.
Book Description
Over 200 creeps, critters, and creatures to keep players on their toes. From Aboleths to Zombies, the Third Edition Monster Manual holds a diverse cast of enemies and allies essential for any Dungeons & Dragons campaign. There are hundreds of monsters ready for action, including many new creatures never seen before. Plus, all monster entries include character stats so for the first time players can play as the monsters. Dungeon Masters and players alike will find the new Monster Manual an indispensable aid in populating their Third Edition campaigns.
Customer Reviews:
How to make a better Monster Manual.......2003-07-18
A: Include all monsters from the previous edition's manual
B: Introduce a few new and interesting monsters (10-40 would suffice)
C: Make the layout flip-friendly for rushing GMs
D: Make sure the monsters go beyond combat statistics (as in their habitats are listed, form of society, mating and etc. Like a National Geographic Mag.)
I think if at least one of these is followed, it's worth the same as the original. If all are followed, it's a goldmine. I have the great annoyance to tell you that none of these were followed.
There are 1/3 the number monsters in the new manual as the old one (I hear that if you add this manual, 2, and the Monsters of Faerun books together you get almost as many as the old 2nd edition MM.) I believe that the creators argued "The original MM only had 40 monsters in it!" My answer to this is simple: the first edition didn't have 25+ years of books and two editions in front of it to help.
The new monsters (which ended up drowning out old favorites) are way too underpowered or overpowered, lack depth, and generally seem a little too sci-fi (remember, this is a fantasy game)
The layout definately sucks, it took me an hour to find anything. One monster a page is definately a better road to travel.
Last but not least, the monsters BARELY go beyond the numbers. I suggest you either buy all three of the above mentioned "Monster Manuals" (have fun shuffling books!) or just play 2nd edition AD&D.
Tons of Monsters...Yet Lacking.......2003-06-07
The Third Edition (3E) Monster Manual is a great purchase for any DM. It has a good amount of monsters, pretty descriptive stats, yet...it seems one caliber less than the 2E Monster Manual.
On one hand, the 3E Monster Manual delivers over 200 monsters to terrorize your campaign setting. They have some awesome new monsters. My personal favorite, is a devil, and is known as a Kyton. He is demonic humanoid with hundreds of chains drooping from his body, and his mode of attack is flailing those chains. Pretty hardcore.
On the other hand, the 3E Monster Manual doesn't seem to give enough. Some of the monsters just plain [are bad], and they aren't unique in any way. Also, the amount of creatures do not come near the amount that were in the 2E monster manual, which is frustrating.
On the FINAL hand, It is a must for any DM playing 3E. It isn't a bad book at all...it just seems lacking. The monster stats are good...the amount of monsters are good...but don't expect much more. (If they had 3.5 stars I would give this book 3.5)
Content: Meh... Book Quality: HORRIBLE.......2003-02-04
Being someone new to the Dungeons and Dragons scene, I had great hope and joy when I opened my amazon.com package containing the Player's Handbook (PHB) and the Monster Manual (MM).
First note: all the D&D books are quite hard to understand without playing first. That would be why you buy the "Adventure Game" using the same ruleset. The MM is the shortest of the D&D books, which makes sense, as it mostly talks only about monsters. The content is hard to understand first hand, however it is quite detailed.
Now, we go onto the quality of the book. Both the DM Guide and the PHB have a hard cover binding and high-quality full-colored pages. The MM has this too, but in my recent experiences, the binding at the spine (the binding that is holding the pages together) is quite loose. So loose that in fact, one player of mine has all the pages completely out of the binding. True, out of 12 NEW MM's that I have seen, all of them had an extremely loose binding, especially with the pages in the back. You can see the rope that is holding the pages together there. Just note: a lot of the pages in this book will fall out with heavy use. something not too normal with hardcover books.
My suggestion, since you are looking at this, is to wait until July 2003, where a new, revised MM will be avaliable. That MM will have 108 more pages, and hopefully a better binding with that many pages. All the D&D core rulebooks are being revised and released in July 2003 (at the end of the month). If you want the D&D books right now, then I suggest the Player's Handbook, the Dungeon Master's Guide, and the Monster Manual II. The MM II will not be revised, and was released recently, so it will be easier to understand. If there is one rulebook that you should not buy, it would be this one. Wait for July 2003 and reap the rewards.
Least of the Three.......2003-01-08
The Monster Manual is labelled a core rulebook, and it truly is. Without the description and rules within, a DM would be hard-pressed to create the creatures necessary to challenge her players at various levels. The book is beautiful and well-laid-out, as you would expect from the other core books. The rules section in the front is short and concise, as most of the rules have been explained in the previous two books.
Therein, actually, is my biggest complaint about the book. I feel that, unlike the DMG, far too little explanation is given in the MM about how to create new monsters and balance them against each other. Even sketchy guidelines like the magic item creation rules in the DMG would have been a wonderful addition to the book. As it is, you can only create a monster, then compare it to all the other monsters of a comparable skill level, and guess whether yours is about right. It's a good metric, but it's cumbersome.
The third core book, I feel, has too much in the way of tables and not enough in terms of flavor text and rules explanation. While still a great resource for what it is, I think it is lacking the flare that made the first two core books a pleasure to own.
great.......2002-10-01
i dont accutully want to rite a revew, just to rate it
Book Description
It is one of the great questions of American history--why did the Southern states bolt from the Union and help precipitate the Civil War? Now, acclaimed historian William W. Freehling offers a new answer, in the final volume of his monumental history The Road to Disunion. Here is history in the grand manner, a powerful narrative peopled with dozens of memorable portraits, telling this important story with skill and relish. Freehling highlights all the key moments on the road to war, including the violence in Bleeding Kansas, Preston Brooks's beating of Charles Sumner in the Senate chambers, the Dred Scott Decision, John Brown's raid on Harper's Ferry, and much more. As Freehling shows, the election of Abraham Lincoln sparked a political crisis, but at first most Southerners took a cautious approach, willing to wait and see what Lincoln would do--especially, whether he would take any antagonistic measures against the South. But at this moment, the extreme fringe in the South took charge, first in South Carolina and Mississippi, but then throughout the lower South, sounding the drum roll for secession. Indeed, The Road to Disunion is the first book to fully document how this decided minority of Southern hotspurs took hold of the secessionist issue and, aided by a series of fortuitous events, drove the South out of the Union. Freehling provides compelling profiles of the leaders of this movement--many of them members of the South Carolina elite. Throughout the narrative, he evokes a world of fascinating characters and places as he captures the drama of one of America's most important--and least understood--stories. The long-awaited sequel to the award-winning Secessionists at Bay, which was hailed as "the most important history of the Old South ever published," this volume concludes a major contribution to our understanding of the Civil War. A compelling, vivid portrait of the final years of the antebellum South, The Road to Disunion will stand as an important history of its subject.
Customer Reviews:
Mixed Feelings.......2007-09-19
I was a little bit disappointed because the book lacked a fair bit of context. For example, I know that a Senator from South Carolina preferred his slave concubine to his wife, but otherwise I would have to read another book to really understand what was going on. So, I appreciated the mini-biographies of the players leading up to the war, but I felt that there was a huge hole in my understanding of 1854 - 1861.
Good, but flawed.......2007-07-08
Freehling's research is quite good, but his analysis often seems flawed. Like so many Civil War researchers, Freehling generally seems to blur the distinction between what issues caused the conflict and what issues motivated Southerners to actually join the army and risk their lives in the fight. While slavery was certainly a prominent, but hardly exclusive, cause of the war, it seems to have played a relatively minor role in motivating the bulk of the Southerners who actually died fighting. Freehling's error is a common one, but it detracts from an otherwise interesting book. Still, the book is worth reading for people interested in the period -- just be sure to complement your reading with other books to get a more complete set of perspectives.
What a shame..........2007-06-06
No matter how good your research is, you get a 1 star if your writing is poor!
A Proof of Genius.......2007-05-12
Seventeen years ago Freehling's Road to Disunion Vol. I was published and we Freehling fans have been impatient for this book to come out. It has been along wait but worth it. Professor Freehling has outdone himself on Road II. If there is a problem with this book it is that you can't afford to "skip" a paragraph because you think you know all about the subject. You find a fact, a thought, or a conclusion you never thought of before. Thid book is surely the crowning jewel in Wm. Freehling's bejeweled crown. Thank you, Dr. Freehling.
Barrie W. Bracken, Researcher
Wonderful part 2.......2007-04-12
If you like Freehings Road to disunion volume I: Secessionists at bay, then you wan't be sorry getting volume II. It is written in the same style and with great analysis. You can just pick this up where you left part one. Just like volume I had many topics and events that have not been included in other antebellum histoybooks, this volume offers a lot of fresh insights about the storming 1850:s that other books miss. This book must be considered, if not the best general history of the south during theese years, one of the top 3 best. If you are interested in the pre civil war era...don't miss this book!!
Book Description
Complete Mage™
A Player’s Guide to All Things Arcane
Skip Williams Penny Williams
Ari Marmell Kolja Raven Liquette
Arcane Power at Your Fingertips
Every sentient creature is born with some potential to work magic. However, true mastery of arcane magic requires skill, practice, and power beyond the reach of common folk–specifically, the power to harness raw magic and shape it into a desired effect. You are among those gifted few who have learned to channel arcane magic, shaping it to serve your creative or destructive whims.
This D&D® supplement is intended for players and Dungeon Masters. In addition to providing the definitive treatise on arcane magic, it expands the character options available to users of arcane magic, including bards, sorcerers, wizards, assassins, warlocks, and wu jen. Herein you’ll find never-before-seen prestige classes, spells and invocations, magic items, alchemical items, heritage feats, and reserve feats (a new type of feat that grants special abilities to those who remain charged with magical power). Alternative class features give other character classes–from the barbarian to the rogue–a little taste of what it’s like to be an arcanist without sacrificing their core identities.
For use with these Dungeons & Dragons® core books
Player’s Handbook™ Dungeon Master’s Guide™ Monster Manual™
Customer Reviews:
Great product.......2007-09-06
This book really enhances the D & D system. It gives the various arcane classes alternatives on how they came into their abilities
Generally ok, with a few very nice additions.......2007-05-13
Reading the first chapter, I was pleasantly surprised to see how the fundamentals are laid down; a quick overview of the differences between arcane magic, divine and innate magic. Then some slightly more in depth than Player's Guide articles on the various spellschools and finally very nice to read the various archetypes. I especially liked the miniguides that accompanied the archetypes, which explain why you should or shouldn't select certain spells or feats. Very nice for me anyway, because I'm not too experienced and the thought processes described really helped me think for myself.
An intriguing chapter 2 'Character Options' has a section 'Alternative Class Features' which describes how you can modify and augment some specific class. For example there's an alternative class feature called 'Spell Sense' for barbarians or rogues that allows you to swap the trap sense class features for an extra dodge bonus to your AC against spells. It adds some more options for you as player.
Then there's a section about a new type of feat: the Reserve Feat. Ofcourse the other types are still described - like heritage and tactical feats - and added feats for, but reserve feats are feats that provide secondary effects for spells you carry. For example "Acidic Splatter" allows you to cast a lower level orb of acid as long as you have an 2nd+ level acidic spell available to cast. There are various kinds of secondary effects for different feats way (including traveling plains at will). In addition to this secondary effect, most reserve feats add an extra competence bonus for castingtype-related spells. The general idea behind reserve feats is to be able to use your innate magical potential in more encounters without using your spell slots with every cast. It's like there suddenly many shades of gray between the extremes 'cast a spell' and 'don't cast a spell'. Also, they can't be countered, fail, ignore spell resistance and don't need any components.
Then there are ofcourse a handful of prestiege classes and a basket full of new spells as well as some items. I won't go into those; you can probably find those reviews anywhere on the Internet already. Plus, I'm not the guy for that anyway.
Finally there's the chapter for DM's that contains a list of hundred arcane based adventure ideas, and describes various arcane related game facets such as magic item shops, mercenary spellcasters, crafting, creature born of magic experiments and whatnot. In addition, there are the 'magical locations' as treasure, which basically states a magical location somehow made available to the player characters that in itself is the treasure because of the specialness and rewards that come from it. There are a number of predescribed magical locations ready for you to use accompanied by some maps.
Conclusion:
All in all, not everything is new and half of the book is the usual fluff. But combined with the various new features and options it makes for a nice book to join your collection. No unusual well writing or rich background history and characterization (though the archetype section does provide some), just straight up information... mostly.
Complete Mage: Ok but not great.......2007-03-23
Some new spells and feats but a lot is just fluff.
Worth it.......2007-03-22
Sincerely I hoped not too much for this book. There was a Complete Arcane already, and much more about wizards/sorcerers in other books. But it suprised me with some new concept, mostly in the feats section. The reserve feats are good for wizards to add them more "long-term usability" in adventures, and tactical feats have their - albeit more special - uses as well. Some prestige classes are good extensions too (master specialist for example), so all in all its a much better book than I anticipated, maybe better than Complete Arcane was.
Good Book.......2007-02-18
I have to admit I am a bit weary of all the splatbooks that WOTC keeps pumping out. But I perused this one in the bookstore first then bought it online. It's not as good as the complete arcane was, but its got interesting feats, prestige classes and spells for the players. A good buy overall if you are currently playing a mage or want to play on in the future.
Book Description
W. E. B. Griffin's iconoclastic OSS heroes face a historic challenge in the brand-new volume of the New York Times-bestselling series.
Critics and fans alike welcomed the return of the Men at War series with The Saboteurs. Now Canidy, Fulmar, and colleagues in the Office of Strategic Services face an even greater task-to convince Hitler and the Axis powers that the invasion of the European continent will take place anywhere but on the beaches of Nazi-occupied France. "Wild Bill" Donovan's men have several tactics in mind, but some of the people they must use are not the most reliable-are, in fact, most likely spying for both sides-so the deceptions require layer upon layer of intrigue, and all it will take is one slip to send the whole thing tumbling down like a house of cards. Are the OSS agents up to it? They certainly think so. And then the body is found floating off the coast of Spain. . . .
Filled to the brim with action and character, The Double Agents is irresistible storytelling from a military master.
Customer Reviews:
The end of W.E.B. Griffin?.......2007-10-07
No action = no thriller = no good.
Add me to the legion of Griffin fans who found trying to get through this one to be pure drudgery. Being one of the devotees who have read everything this man has published, how could I not read it, even with the initial negative reviews? If the torch is being passed to junior, I'm afraid that this could be the end.
Double Agents.......2007-10-01
First W.E.B. Griffin book that I haven't thoroughly enjoyed. Something missing as compared with his other books. Half the book was a rehash of the "Man Who Never Was" book written 40 years ago, about a great deceiption to help convince the Nazis that the Allies weren't going to land on Sicily after pushing the Germans out of North Africa. The rest of the book lacked the usual flow and seemed very disjointed. First Time Ever I'd have to give a W.E.B. Griffin book a do not bother to read recommendation.
Worst W.E.B. Griffin book yet..........2007-09-29
Never have so many pages told so little story. Perhaps the worst part of the book is the incessant back stories that fill page after page. I realize there are people who will pick up the sixth book in a series without reading the previous five but seriously every time a reoccurring character comes into play we're treated to pages of 'what has gone before' and if that character thinks of another player in the story we get THEIR back story too. Even a CAR got more than a page of back story. I found it to be mildly insulting. I will give Griffin points at least for not pulling complete chapters out of previous novels to flesh out this book; something he's done too often in the past.
The story is slow paced. In some places PAINFULLY slow paced. The entire Whitbey House arc of the story with actor/soldiers David Niven, Peter Ustinov and author Ian Fleming which takes up approx. half of the novel could have been trimmed down to a couple chapters without losing anything important.
I was disappointed, once again, to see the issue of the German submarine pens has yet to be resolved and only received a brief mention in this novel. We've been waiting for several books for this to finally happen and I now wonder if it ever will.
Alcohol, another of Griffin's favorite plot devices, once again plays a major part of the story. I'm honestly amazed we were able to win the war as apparently the majority of our military leadership was as drunk as they could get as often as they could lay hands on a bottle.
All in all this was a very disappointing read and makes me wonder if future novels from Griffin and his son will be worth bothering with which truly saddens me as I've been a long time reader of his work.
Horrendous. Simply horrendous. .......2007-09-17
Wow.
I almost NEVER throw in the towel when reading a book, no matter how bad. Hey if I start, I want to see it through to the end.
But about 2/3 the way through the story was still struggling to find it's feet enough to actually get started. In the last 1/3 of the book there was simply no way the story could kick off, become engaging, and wrap up nicely. So I threw in the towel.
The dialogue is especially bad - long long drawn out conversations that are stiff beyond belief, sharing very little information with ther reader. You know within a few sentences what the next 15-20 pages are going to ramble about.
The book has the vibe of a term paper written by an uninspired high school student who has 2000 words to write, and only 500 on paper. Just because they stretch those 500 words to 2000 doesn't make for quality content.
This is an absolutely worthless book, that has tricked us into thinking it was written by a famous author, rather than a famous author's son. This is not meant to be rude or hateful - this is simply a realistic assessment.
Popcorn while waiting for the plane.......2007-09-13
What with shoe searches and all, we have to get to the airport earlier and earlier and now we can't even smuggle a couple little bottles in our carry-ons or a knife to cut some fruit. Oh well, kill some waiting time reading the Griffins. No pretense to great literature here and the historical spatterings have descended into trivia. This tale of the second man who never was is a fanciful concoction unworthy of the dry martinis stirred up in it. Maybe we need nore old-fashioned Eastwood style in your face Kelley's Heroes if the Griffs are going to do comedy. This was a bit too close to Marx Bros seltzer epics. Then it was topped off with a screen romance amnesiac "Oh, that's who I am! Oh I must have been bombed by the blitz or blitzed by the bomb." Oh well, we all know what to expect, once we expected better stuff, but this really is pop history and patch work at that. It will pass the time.
Average customer rating:
- Gienapp Let-Down
- magnificent!
- My Captain!
- Abraham Lincoln And Civil War America
- Abraham Lincoln in one slim volume.
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Abraham Lincoln and Civil War America: A Biography
William E. Gienapp
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
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American Journey, TLC Edition, Volume 1, The (4th Edition)
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This Fiery Trial: The Speeches and Writings of Abraham Lincoln
ASIN: 0195151003 |
Book Description
While the heart of the book focuses on the Civil War, Gienapp begins with a finely etched portrait of Lincoln's early life, from pioneer farm boy, to politician and lawyer in Springfield, to his stunning election as sixteenth president of the United States. We see how Lincoln grew during his years in office, how he developed a keen aptitude for military strategy and displayed enormous skill in dealing with his generals, and also how his strategy evolved from a desire to preserve the Union into one of emancipation and total war. A former backwoodsman and country lawyer, Abraham Lincoln rose to become one of America's greatest presidents. The biography offers a vivid account of Lincoln's dramatic ascension to the pinnacle of American history.
Customer Reviews:
Gienapp Let-Down.......2006-11-08
Bill Gienapp was a brilliant historian, and his work "The Origins of the Republican Party, 1852-1856" is a pillar of American political history. Unfortunately, his final work, "Abraham Lincoln and Civil War America," is a tremendous let-down. It is perhaps one of the worst examinations of Lincoln's life, and has almost nothing to do with "Civil War America." Essentially, it is an unqualified love poem to Lincoln, and strives only to prove his greatness -- there is no critical analysis at all. Lincoln is given credit for every political and military success 1861-1865 and is absolved from blame for all his mistakes. In reality, Lincoln was a complex personality and his public career was much more tumultuous than Gienapp proposes. It is disappointing that Gienapp, a man who dedicated his life to exhaustive, nearly flawless historical research would resort to such frivolous, uncritical "pop history" at the end of his tragically short life. Skip Gienapp's Lincoln and, instead, read Stephen Oates's "With Malice Toward None" or Don Fehrenbacher's "Prelude to Greatness: Lincoln in the 1850s."
magnificent!.......2006-06-27
A short, but very well biography of Lincoln. It counts only 250 pages, but it gives an excellent overwiew and superb analyse of the life of AL. The bibliography is also very interesting. One of the best books about the 16th president. A must for a Lincolnhistorian.
My Captain!.......2005-04-04
A good short, solid political biography. While Lincoln and the Civil War is its focus, by no means is this a battle history: Gettysburg is described in one paragraph.
Professor Gienapp has written a book that will introduce one to, or remind one of, the long and trying path traveled by Abraham Lincoln toward ultimate greatness.
Abraham Lincoln And Civil War America.......2002-03-23
William Gienapp's Abraham Lincoln and Civil War America answers a longstanding need for a biography of Lincoln manageable in size, accessible in style, and wise and balanced in content. Lincoln appers on every page of the book and is never lost sight of in the welter of events. He emerges from the text a real believable person, an individual and persuasive assessment of Lincoln's leadership abilities, the finest such appraisal avilable anywhere.
Abraham Lincoln in one slim volume........2002-03-10
This book is a welcome addition ot the already crowded Lincolnia bookself. The author is the presumed successor to the retired David Herbert Donald at Harvard University. Gienapp has produced a highly readable and concise version of a Lincoln biography that can be completed on a moderately long airplane trip(and it's quite portable unlike most hardcover books). While relatively short,this book is a sufficiently thorough treatment of the Civil War Lincoln. I especially enjoyed the author's analysis of the politician Lincoln who mastered his rivals, both Republican and Democrat. This a good book for either a new Lincoln /Civil War "buff" or a good refresher for a scholar of the times.
Average customer rating:
- A Terrific Page Turner!
- Weakest Boyd I've read
- he's my favorite contempo writer
- A real page turner
- a surprisingly good read
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Restless: A Novel
William Boyd
Manufacturer: Bloomsbury USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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The Foreign Correspondent: A Novel
ASIN: 1596912367
Release Date: 2006-10-03 |
Book Description
It is Paris, 1939. Twenty-eight year old Eva Delectorskaya is at the funeral of her beloved younger brother. Standing among her family and friends she notices a stranger. Lucas Romer is a patrician looking Englishman with a secretive air and a persuasive manner. He also has a mysterious connection to Kolia, Eva's murdered brother. Romer recruits Eva and soon she is traveling to Scotland to be trained as a spy and work for his underground network. After a successful covert operation in Belgium, she is sent to New York City, where she is involved in manipulating the press in order to shift American public sentiment toward getting involved in WWII.
Three decades on and Eva has buried her dangerous history. She is now Sally Gilmartin, a respectable English widow, living in a picturesque Cotswold village. No one, not even her daughter Ruth, knows her real identity. But once a spy, always a spy. Sally has far too many secrets, and she has no one to trust. Before it is too late, she must confront the demons of her past. This time though she can't do it alone, she needs Ruth's help. Restless is a thrilling espionage novel set during the Second World War and a haunting portrait of a female spy. Full of tension and drama, emotion and history, this is storytelling at its finest.
Customer Reviews:
A Terrific Page Turner!.......2007-10-04
I'm new to this author so I didn't know what to expect, especially when I read that the story was about espionage that took place during Nazi Germany. Robert Ludlum has always been my favorite author for stories during this period, but I must say William Boyd ranks right up there with Mr. Ludlum. The story was a thrilling read and the research was apparent in the details that the author ensured was portrayed in the story. Once I started reading the book it moved along at brisk pace and soon I found myself reading page after page. I could hardly put the book down. Just a terrific page turner and a super read.
Weakest Boyd I've read.......2007-09-21
This is a well enough written book, as one would expect from William Boyd. That said, its the weakest Boyd I've ever read. This time his portrayal of real life characters in interesting times and extraordinary circumstances falls flat. I found it very hard to care even a bit for the daughter's story. I found it only a little harder to care for the mother's pretty-girl-turned-murderous-spy plot. Even the wartime situations the mother is involved in and that lead up to the climax of the novel are very far from enthralling. Its almost as if this is a novel without protagonists, since the protagnists themselves and the plot around them is so uninteresting. Emphasizing all this are the surrounding characters (ie the Iranian english student, the estranged german father of Jochen, his brother and Ilse) who not only add nothing to the plot but provide no really interesting subplots of their own (actually, to the contrary).
Boyd can be wonderful. But for wonderful Boyd please go for "An Ice Cream War".
he's my favorite contempo writer.......2007-09-18
i have read all of william boyd's novels, his short stories, screenplays and most of his essays--he's far and away my favorite contemporary novelist.
"Restless" is brilliant; it's right up there with his best novels, "The New
Confessions," "Brazzaville Beach," and "Any Human Heart."
the only ones that don't come up to scratch are "The Blue Afternoon" and
"Armadillo."
if you like Ishiguro, Amis, McEwan, or the divine David Mitchell, you will LOVE Boyd's stuff.
just get it!
A real page turner.......2007-09-15
Ruth is a single mother who teaches English as a second language in Oxford, England. One day her mother hands her the first installment in her autobiography, and Ruth discovers that everything she thought she knew about her mother's background is a lie, and that her mother was actually a secret agent by the name of Eva, who worked for the British immediately prior to and during WW2.
From here, the book alternates between Ruth's life in the present day and her mother's story during the war. Like Ruth, I found myself caught up in the spy saga and hungry to see how it developed. William Boyd has done a great job of creating a plausible and intriguing storyline for Eva - more John le Carre than James Bond. While he captures the isolation of Eva's world and the mundane elements of her job, the story also builds with genuine tension and pace. Ruth's life, on the other hand, is more prosaic, but as she gets caught up in her mother's story, she loses her jaded view of the world and starts to see potential intrigue in the people and events around her.
This is an easy book to read and I enjoyed it very much. The details about Eva's training and life as a spy felt real and fascinating to me. The twists and turns in her story kept me hooked without feeling contrived or false. As I read the book I could feel it building towards some kind of climax but I had absolutely no idea where it would go. The mother's and daughter's stories eventually intersect in a way that I found very satisfying. I thought it was a great read from start to finish.
a surprisingly good read.......2007-09-13
I haven't read anything by William Boyd in quite a few years and can't recall which of his earlier books I did, in fact, read but I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed this book and was wondering if any of his earlier books go into similar territory.
I thought the technique of shifting back and forth between Eva's wartime adventures and the current period (though the whole book is evidently a flashback to the 70's)when she reveals her exciting past to her daughter was very well done and made this a compelling read. In some respects, this book reminded me of several of Alan Furst's or Ward Just's novels. Well researched and with a real element of suspense.
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