Ex Machina Vol. 1: The First Hundred Days

Book Description

The first volume of the Eisner Award-winning series featuring Eisner Award-winners author Brian K. Vaughanand artist Tony Harris. Set in our modern-day world, EX MACHINA tells the story of civil engineer Mitchell Hundred, who becomes America's first living, breathing super-hero after a strange accident gives him amazing powers. Eventually Mitchell tires of risking his life merely to maintain the status quo, retires from masked crimefighting and runs for mayor of New York City, winning by a landslide. But Mayor Hundred has to worry about more than just budget problems and an antagonistic governor, especially when a mysterious hooded figure begins assassinating plow drivers during the worst snowstorm in the city's history!

Customer Reviews:

Graphic SF Reader.......2007-09-03

Mitchell Hundred used to be a superhero. That is, until he failed to stop the destruction of both Twin Towers in New York, by terrorists, only leaving one.

He decides to become a politician, and because of hassles and disagreements, gives the party system the arse and runs as an independent.

Play like graphic novel in a realistic setting.......2007-06-08

I haven't been into too many comic books. Mostly because superheros were never really my thing. A friend of mine was telling me about a few comics, and recommended this one to me. Being a bit skeptical I picked it up and read the volume.

The story started a bit slow to get in to. Probably because of my skepticism. However at the end I wanted to read more, and more. Not because of a cliffhanger either. The art is done beautifully, modeled from actual people. It is told naturally, but it seems like they put it together like a play. It is realistic in the sense of a lot of actual things in New York city exist. The way it is told is real. Without a little "magic" in it (no spoilers), you would think it was a true political story.

Meh.......2007-04-05

Some people probably rate Ex Machina versus the universe of graphic novels or comic books, or perhaps even including written sci-fi. This first volume likely stacks up pretty well there. I rate it versus a larger universe, where really great art is ... rare. In this genre, so far, there are, for me, two standouts: Watchmen, and slightly lesser, but still great, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns. This doesn't even come close, and would get, charitably, three stars.

Now, price. I paid $10-ish for the first volume of many, which barely lasted me an hour of reading. You can have the complete sets of the above masterpieces for around $10-15 per. I'm sorry, but I'm not a comic-book guy, so this just feels slightly like a rip-off to me. Minus one star.

Excellent mature comic book.......2007-04-05

A very interesting exploration of the concepts of "hero"/"politician" and of the subtle and not so subtle contradictions within any power structure.
Also very funny!

Ex Machina Vol. 1: The First Hundred Days.......2007-04-04

Good story.
Good pictures.
Why not...it sure beats the cookie-cutter superheroes and the way he uses his power is niffty.
AND he can balance the budget too!

The Hundred Days (Aubrey/Maturin Series)

Average customer rating:

Great reader; poor editing of material.
The Hundred Days
spoilers here; but DONT read other reviews if you haven't read this book
Masterfully Told Adventure
Wonderful, but not as

The Hundred Days (Aubrey/Maturin Series)
Patrick O'Brian
Manufacturer: W. W. Norton & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0393319792

Amazon.com

The year is 1815, and Europe's most unpopular (not to mention tiniest) empire-builder has escaped from Elba. In The Hundred Days, it's up to Jack Aubrey--and surgeon-cum-spymaster Stephen Maturin--to stop Napoleon in his tracks. How? For starters, Aubrey and his squadron have been dispatched to the Adriatic coast, to keep Bonapartist shipbuilders from beefing up the French navy. Meanwhile, one Sheik Ibn Hazm is fomenting an Islamic uprising against the Allies. The only way to halt this maneuver is to intercept the sheik's shipment of gold--because in the Napoleonic era, as in our own, even the most ardent of mercenaries requires a salary.

The Hundred Days is the 19th (and, we are told, the penultimate) installment of O'Brian's epic. Like many of its predecessors, it features a fairly swashbuckling plot, complete with cannon fire, exotic disguises, and Aubrey's suspenseful, slow-motion pursuit of an Algerian xebek. Yet it never turns into a mere exercise in Hornblowerism. Partly this is due to O'Brian's delicate touch with character--the relationship between extroverted Aubrey and introverted Maturin has deepened with each book, and even Aubrey's reunion with his childhood companion Queenie Keith is full of novelistic nuance: "They sat smiling at one another. An odd pair: handsome creatures both, but they might have been of the same sex or neither." Nor does the author focus too exclusively on his dynamic duo. Indeed, The Hundred Days is very much a chronicle of a floating community, which Maturin describes as "his own village, his own ship's company, that complex entity so much more easily sensed than described: part of his natural habitat."

Finally, O'Brian shows his usual expertise in balancing the great events with the most minuscule ones. Other authors have written about battles at sea, and still others have recorded the rapid rise and fall of Napoleon's fortunes after his escape from confinement. But who else would give equal time--and an equal charge of delight--to Maturin's discovery of an anomalous nuthatch? --James Marcus

Amazon.com Audiobook Review

In this, actor Robert Hardy's fourth reading from Patrick O'Brian's celebrated historical novels, series heroes Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin are in very different circumstances from when we first meet them. In Master and Commander, the first of the series, Aubrey is young and full of himself, and through Hardy's performance we can practically hear Aubrey's puffed-out chest. But in The Hundred Days, Aubrey is a commodore, famous throughout the British Empire for his naval exploits, and Hardy reflects the confidence that comes with those accomplishments. Meanwhile, his best friend, surgeon-spy Stephen Maturin, is wasting away as the audiocassette opens, in deep mourning for his recently deceased wife. But soon enough, both are pulled into great adventure again--in this case, Napoleon's final campaign--and the fate of the Empire rests on their ability to stop the fitting out of a new French fleet and to keep a shipment of gold from reaching a mercenary army. (Running time: three hours, two cassettes) --Lou Schuler

Book Description

Napoleon, escaped from Elba, pursues his enemies across Europe like a vengeful phoenix. If he can corner the British and Prussians before their Russian and Austrian allies arrive, his genius will lead the French armies to triumph at Waterloo. In the Balkans, preparing a thrust northwards into Central Europe to block the Russians and Austrians, a horde of Muslim mercenaries is gathering. They are inclined toward Napoleon because of his conversion to Islam during the Egyptian campaign, but they will not move without a shipment of gold ingots from Sheik Ibn Hazm which, according to British intelligence, is on its way via camel caravan to the coast of North Africa. It is this gold that Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin must at all costs intercept. The fate of Europe hinges on their desperate mission.

Customer Reviews:

Great reader; poor editing of material........2007-02-20

We made the mistake of buying this ABRIDGED version of The Hundred Days, not noticing the FINE PRINT. The reader was very good, but the material truncated, choppy, and not "up to snuff." If you are a devoted fan of the Aubrey-Maturin stories, hurry up and read, yes, read the book. There's not a moment to lose!

The Hundred Days.......2007-01-18

Overhelming view of England day to day life during the last months of Napoleon power.

spoilers here; but DONT read other reviews if you haven't read this book.......2006-11-23

I have criticisms of many of the reviews here. Reviewers, type 'spoiler' for gosh sake. Have some decency; presumably review perveyors haven't read the damn thing. Anyway, to answer a few:
Dianna's death was absolutely necessary. Cripes, it sets up the next novel. You can see her death coming books ago.
I too have a problem with Bonden's death; I guess he felt the character tragic, and it was time to die. I think it was a stupid move. Bonden has as much right as Killick to continue on.
I think from some researching that O'Brian WAS ill through much of this book. However, it is still eminently endorsable.
The last two chapters I thought are very well done (O'Brian finishes a book better than anyone). And Jacob is a great character.

Masterfully Told Adventure.......2005-01-22

Patrick O'Brian's capacity to carry off nineteen installments in the Aubrey/Maturin series is nothing short of astonishing. There is no faulting O'Brian's ability to craft a richly detailed and captivating tale combined seamlessly with subtle plot twists and turns. The Napoleonic wars and the escape of Napoleon from Elba provide the backdrop to this incredible tale filled with action and political intrigue that completely captives the reader.

The personalities of the families, friends, and enemies left ashore by Aubrey and Mautrin permeate their lives at sea. If not considered in this light, the death of Mautrin's wife, Diana, would be a meaningless detail. This is also what allows the reader to become intimate with Aubrey and Mautrin, almost as if they are old friends. O'Brian is never callow or derivative. You should not expect these sea-going tales to be filled with swashbuckling adventure of which the singular point is action.

This nineteenth installment takes you across the Mediterranean and the Adriatic, and into combat against the French navy. It also takes you ashore into North Africa to intercept caravans carrying gold. This gold is intended for Muslin mercenaries who are disposed to support Napoleon. This is an outstanding installment to the series and most definitely can stand on its own.

Wonderful, but not as.......2005-01-08

I very much admire Partick O'brien's style and books, and I cannot say that this is even a mediocre book, but it is below his rest, merely for reasons of the plot. It is rather a shock to discover, in the first few pages, that Stephen's beloved Diana has died. At first I was annoyed that we heard about it from a complete stranger, but then I realized that it was really kinder than being with Stephen when he learned of it. I was and am still frusterated with Bonden's curt death, but in the next book there is somewhat of a recompense. As I said, a good book, one worth reading, but not as spectacular as the others in the series.

The Defining Moment: FDR's Hundred Days and the Triumph of Hope

Average customer rating:

The making of a President
FDR at His Best
The Defining Moment: FDR's Hundred days
An Important Remembrance
Intriguing read but some bad points

The Defining Moment: FDR's Hundred Days and the Triumph of Hope
Jonathan Alter
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Presidents & Heads of State | Leaders & Notable People | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0743246004

Book Description

This is the story of a political miracle -- the perfect match of man and moment. Franklin Delano Roosevelt took office in March of 1933 as America touched bottom. Banks were closing everywhere. Millions of people lost everything. The Great Depression had caused a national breakdown. With the craft of a master storyteller, Jonathan Alter brings us closer than ever before to the Roosevelt magic. Facing the gravest crisis since the Civil War, FDR used his cagey political instincts and ebullient temperament in the storied first Hundred Days of his presidency to pull off an astonishing conjuring act that lifted the country and saved both democracy and capitalism.

Who was this man? To revive the nation when it felt so hopeless took an extraordinary display of optimism and self-confidence. Alter shows us how a snobbish and apparently lightweight young aristocrat was forged into an incandescent leader by his domineering mother; his independent wife; his eccentric top adviser, Louis Howe; and his ally-turned-bitter-rival, Al Smith, the Tammany Hall street fighter FDR had to vanquish to complete his preparation for the presidency.

"Old Doc Roosevelt" had learned at Warm Springs, Georgia, how to lift others who suffered from polio, even if he could not cure their paralysis, or his own. He brought the same talents to a larger stage. Derided as weak and unprincipled by pundits, Governor Roosevelt was barely nominated for president in 1932. As president-elect, he escaped assassination in Miami by inches, then stiffed President Herbert Hoover's efforts to pull him into cooperating with him to deal with a terrifying crisis. In the most tumultuous and dramatic presidential transition in history, the entire banking structure came tumbling down just hours before FDR's legendary "only thing we have to fear is fear itself" Inaugural Address.

In a major historical find, Alter unearths the draft of a radio speech in which Roosevelt considered enlisting a private army of American Legion veterans on his first day in office. He did not. Instead of circumventing Congress and becoming the dictator so many thought they needed, FDR used his stunning debut to experiment. He rescued banks, put men to work immediately, and revolutionized mass communications with pioneering press conferences and the first Fireside Chat. As he moved both right and left, Roosevelt's insistence on "action now" did little to cure the Depression, but he began to rewrite the nation's social contract and lay the groundwork for his most ambitious achievements, including Social Security.

From one of America's most respected journalists, rich in insights and with fresh documentation and colorful detail, this thrilling story of presidential leadership -- of what government is for -- resonates through the events of today. It deepens our understanding of how Franklin Delano Roosevelt restored hope and transformed America.

The Defining Moment will take its place among our most compelling works of political history.

Customer Reviews:

The making of a President.......2007-09-15

Using primary sources, overlooked documents, obscure books and oral histories, Jonathan Alter gives us a fairly balanced perspective into the life of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. This in an attempt to try and explain the roots and effects of FDR's amazing `first class temperament'. Alter searches FDR's early life for the answers to this mystery and then moves from nomination, election, New Deal and the changing effects upon the office of the Presidency. Closing out his book is an epilogue wrapping up the text with interesting information on what became of some of FDR's brain trust.

Alter writes a very interesting and informative book. One that is well worth the glimpse into the life and actions of one of America's great Presidents. FDR was a man who is difficult to characterize. It would appear that he didn't truly trust anyone but himself. I'm not sure he ever completely let down the bright and happy mask. Perhaps Louis Howe, his adviser, came closer than anyone to getting inside. We aren't given or perhaps it's unknown how much Sara Roosevelt, FDR's mother, was allowed into her son's thoughts. He keep those thoughts and true counsel to himself creating many times an atmosphere of deception and guile. He implemented policies without much regard for their impact on productivity. Alter discloses that "expanding the pie was not much a part of the discussion". In many areas there wasn't much growth besides public works. FDR certainly was the man of the hour. After the doldrums of Hoover, he was a bright fresh ray of hope and positivity. His first 100 days still hold the standard for future US Presidents. What he accomplished, while not all positive, was truly remarkable. Well worth reading and gaining a better understanding into another of history's great men.

FDR at His Best.......2007-09-12

The Defining Moment, by Jonathan Alter, can be best summarized by its own subtitle: "FDR's Hundred Days and the Triumph of Hope." I seldom "read" the audio versions of histories or biographies because the numerous dates and names are hard to retain, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that this 10-disc, 12 hour and 35 minute presentation is so well read by Grover Gardner that I was able to easily follow the book.

Few of us who didn't live through the troubles of the 1930s realize today just how close the United States came to suffering a literal revolution of its citizens who saw everything around them collapsing while they so desperately struggled to feed their families. Just as the unemployment rate began to soar, workers faced the likelihood of losing their savings to a failing bank system. That was the situation faced by newly elected President Franklin Delano Roosevelt when he stepped into his White House office on his first day in office.

Roosevelt won the "anyone but Hoover" election easily and, while many in his own party did not consider him to be the best man for the job, feeling that he was an intellectual lightweight and physically unable to meet the demands of the job, he turned out to be ideally suited for the situation he faced. Instead of becoming the benevolent dictator that some were calling for, Roosevelt set off in co-operation with congress on a 100-day program that effectively saved both capitalism and democracy for future generations. He accepted a plan to save the banking system, a plan that had been largely drafted by administrators from the Hoover administration, and began to rebuild the confidence of Americans within days of the beginning of his first term.

Within the first 100 days of this first term, plans were in place to put people back to work and the country began to recover from the panic and despair that had cost Hoover the White House. Roosevelt's judgment was not always the best and his political instincts sometimes unnecessarily made enemies of people he could have had as political allies rather than as political enemies. He was adamantly opposed to federal deposit insurance for bank accounts, for instance, because he believed that the weaker banks would fail and that the larger, healthier banks would then follow suit. Fortunately, he was unable to stop congress from passing an insurance bill despite his opposition. Of course, although it didn't occur until 1937, Roosevelt's greatest legacy is the Social Security System which he helped to create. Roosevelt may not have always had a plan, but he understood that action was necessary in order to change the public's perception that its government was unable to cope with the country's problems. Some of what he tried did not work, but enough did, to make Americans believe that things were finally turning around.

The Defining Moment gave me a new appreciation for all that Roosevelt accomplished and for just how close the country came to being changed forever in a negative way. Things were so desperate that many in the government and among the citizenry were prepared to junk capitalism in favor of some variation on socialism or communism. As has so often happened in American history, the right man for the job of president came along at the moment he was most needed. Franklin Roosevelt successfully faced his "defining moment" and the rest is history.

The Defining Moment: FDR's Hundred days.......2007-08-23

There is a reason why all new employees and new president's are judged at 100 days--FDR. He set the standard for action and this book explores how he did so. Excellent read & well written.

An Important Remembrance.......2007-08-04

Outstanding encapsulation of the era that led to the development of a vibrant American middle class and the prosperity shared for some 40 years by more than the greedy few. This era was ended with the rise of Ronald Reagan who ushered in the demise of the middle class and the dark times we suffer through to this day. That's about to change.

Intriguing read but some bad points.......2007-07-08

I am currently reading this and thus far it is really good. Jonathan Alter is a great writer and keeps you captivated. He focuses exclusively on FDR's 100 days and how FDR got his policies implement. He does a great job of showing FDR's approach to policy making. However, Mr. Alter seems to assume that the reader does not know much about FDR because the beginning of the book is more of a review of FDR's early years (ie. the stuff prior to the 1932 election). However, Jonathan Alter does make FDR history accessible to anyone and everyone who is interested. This is a really good jump off point to get into FDR but if you want a really thorough biographical account of FDR, you should read Jean Smith's FDR which came out a couple months ago.

Miss Bindergarten Celebrates the 100th Day of Kindergarten (Picture Puffins)

Average customer rating:

The Kindergarten class is at their best in this one!
Perfect Book!
Miss Bindergarten Celebrates the 100th Day of Kindergarten
100th Day Hooray!
Celebrating Miss Bindergarten

Miss Bindergarten Celebrates the 100th Day of Kindergarten (Picture Puffins)
Joseph Slate
Manufacturer: Puffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0142500054

Amazon.com

From Joseph Slate and illustrator Ashley Wolff, creators of the popular Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten, comes this lively celebration of the 100th day of kindergarten. In honor of this festive milestone, each student must bring "100 of some wonderful, one-hundred-full thing!" to school the following day. That night, we see Adam the alligator making a fort of 100 Popsicle sticks, Brenda the beaver falling asleep over her paper chain of 100 colorful loops, and Christopher the cat lamenting his toppling 100 blocks. Meanwhile, Miss Bindergarten does 100 sit-ups before making 100-day punch (with 100 ice cubes and 100 cherries), painstakingly decorates her classroom, and concocts miscellaneous math-oriented activities. Just before class, "Jessie pokes her polka dots. / Kiki carries tarts. / Lenny hugs a bagful of a hundred candy hearts." The rhyming text bounces through the celebratory preparations of the whole kindergarten class--from Adam the alligator to Zachary the zebra--until the whole class reunites for a party that's perhaps a hundred times more fun than they imagined! Kids will enjoy examining and reexamining the humorous pictures of the animal students battling with various crafts, and they'll adore the loving and purposeful Miss Bindergarten--a Border collie with a heart of gold... and 100 bows on her dress. (Ages 4 and older) --Karin Snelson

Book Description

Miss Bindergarten, the world's best kindergarten teacher, is getting ready for another milestone. Tomorrow she and her class will have been together for 100 days. To celebrate, each student must bring "100 of some wonderful, one-hundred-full thing!" At night, while the students go to work assembling their projects, Miss Bindergarten is working, too, making special surprises for the class. The 100th day of kindergarten is bound to be unforgettable! Children will delight in hearing about this special event, a common cause for celebration in kindergartens today.

Illustrated by Ashley Wolff.

Customer Reviews:

The Kindergarten class is at their best in this one!.......2007-07-03

The 100th day celebration for Miss Bindergarten's kindergarten class is just what you'd hope such a celebration to be...whimsical, thoughtful and joyous. This book is exemplary.

Perfect Book!.......2007-03-24

This book is an excellent choice for a hundred day of school celebration. My pre-k class loved the story and the colorful pages. We still read it several days later and they still really enjoy it! I would definitely recommend it to anyone!

Miss Bindergarten Celebrates the 100th Day of Kindergarten .......2006-02-20

I love reading this to my first grade class. It gets them excited for the 100th day of school.

100th Day Hooray!.......2006-02-19

Excellent book to continue with the Bindergarten series. Mainly deals with the activities on the 100th day, not the "math" concepts of how to make 100. Of course, for any Kindergartner this day and book are a must!

Celebrating Miss Bindergarten.......1999-12-17

One of my 4-year-old's absolute favorites, and educational to boot. The illustrations are especially good. We love Miss Bindergarten!

One Hundred Days: The Memoirs of the Falklands Battle Group Commander (Bluejacket Books Series)

Average customer rating:

A wonderful look at leadership and at combat
One Hundred Days: The Memoires of the Falklands Battle Group...
One Hundred Days -- And Still a Damn Near Run Thing
Exceptional war memoir!
Woodward/Courage 101

One Hundred Days: The Memoirs of the Falklands Battle Group Commander (Bluejacket Books Series)
Sandy Woodward , and Patrick Robinson
Manufacturer: US Naval Institute Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1557506523

Customer Reviews:

A wonderful look at leadership and at combat.......2007-08-10

Woodward had done a masterful job, with his writing assistant, of describing the issues of command, the concern about sending others into combat where they may lose their life, the need to keep in mind what is central about a mission, and so many other thoughts about what leadership means. This book is a study of BOTH (1) management of a large task (be it war, be it a large company or nonprofit, be it of government) when dealing with an adversary compelled to fight you (be it the other side in a war, be it a company fighting you for market share, be it a Democrat or Republican that believes as you do not), and (2) of management of a military war where weapons are wielded by you and weapons are wielded or threatened against you. The real-life drama of uncertainty of events, of certainty of purpose, and of just what went on in this saga is of interest to very many readers. I have British friends, I have Argentian friends, and no matter which side you believe is right (both have their points) this is a good book about a mission one is given and how one needs to carry it out, and the thoughts and second-thoughts that must go through any leader's mind.

Read this as a book about leadership, and you will do fine. Read this as a book about war, and you will also do fine. Read this as a book about both, and you'll get even more out of it.

One Hundred Days: The Memoires of the Falklands Battle Group..........2007-03-10

The book was received in excellent condition. The story is well written and very interesting. Would recommend it highly.

One Hundred Days -- And Still a Damn Near Run Thing.......2007-02-17

As Wellington famously said of the Hundred Days Campaign culminating in the Battle of Waterloo, the Falklands Campaign was a also damn near run thing, according to the Battle Group Commander, Adm Sandy Woodward, in this excellent book. Writing in what can best be called a distinctly British style, Woodward takes the reader into the bridge of the Hermes, his command ship for the Falklands expedition. What we get is a brutally honest, technically detailed, and gripping narrative not only into how the British pulled off a decisive victory, but also the self-doubts and mentally taxing minutia of a Commander sending troops and sailors into harm's way. This book is especially valuable for its detailed description of how navies fight. This is no small task. For example, the reader learns how:

1. submarines track ships and the risks they run to track them and shoot them. The example of the sinking of the General Belgrano is first rate
2. how a routine matter such as cross-decking troops between ships bedevils commanders and can end in tragedy
3. ship's tactics for defending themselves against aircraft (this is particularly helpful. In the US military, we have become so accustomed to air and sea superiority that those who operate on the ground take it for granted. It's not! It must be gained and earned - if need be, the hard way.)
4. The inevitable tension that will arise between sea, air, and land commanders during the prosecution of an amphibious campaign. We get Woodward's side here, but he is brutally honest on when he was right and when he was wrong.
5. The role of destroyers, frigates, aircraft carriers, amphibs, and supply ships, and the risks they ran -- and still do -- to do their jobs.

This is one of the only books I know of that actually explains how modern navies fight, and it is thus indispensable to navy officers and to those who seek to learn more on control of the seas.

Exceptional war memoir!.......2005-07-23

This is an absolutely first-rate memoir by the man who led the British fleet to victory in the Falkland Islands War. Only 50 years-old when he was chosen to lead the battle group to recapture the islands in 1982 (hard to believe this gentleman is now 73!), Admiral Sir John F. "Sandy" Woodward was courageous and competent commander. That being the case, he is also refreshingly honest and humble as he tells his remarkable story.

As the Admiral mentions in the epilogue, many will always regard the Falklands as having been "a pushover war - the mighty Brits crushing the ridiculous Args" (349). But as this book makes clear, it was anything but a cakewalk. The Argentinian sailors and pilots were brave and worthy oponents. The British fleet took heavy casualties: 6 ships sunk (2 destroyers, 2 frigates, 1 amphibious warfare vessel and the transport vessel Atlantic Conveyor with its precious cargo of 10 Wessex and 4 Chinook helicopters). Another 10 ships were badly damaged. Many of these were not sunk only because the Argentinian bombs reguarly failed to detonate. The British, of course, won decisively though, thanks to the professionalism and courage of the British forces. But it was an intense and bloody six weeks.

The campaign was also a turning point in the history of naval warfare. Although anti-ship missiles were first used to sink Syrian missile boats by the Israelis back in 1973, the destruction of HMS Sheffield by the French Exocet missiles fired from Super-Etendard fighter-bombers grabbed the attention of the world's militaries. Newsweek's subsequent cover-story on the incident read "Falklands Fallout: Are Big Ships Doomed?" Many wondered if large warships had been rendered obsolete by the effectiveness of anti-ship missiles. Indeed, the two British aircraft carriers in the South Atlantic were very vulnerable. If even one of them had been put out of commission by an Exocet, it is unlikely the Falklands could have been recaptured. It is very interesting to read about how the British struggled with some of their new high-tech weaponry such as the Sea Dart. It took some failed attempts in battle before the bugs got worked out and they got comfortable with the new system.

Admiral Woodward is an excellent writer. His descriptions of the battles are riveting, especially the moments of calamity such as when HMS Sheffield was crippled by Exocets. You really get a sense of the fear, anxiety and adrenaline. It's as exciting as any Tom Clancy novel without a doubt.

Woodward/Courage 101.......2004-07-21

Into the finest traditions of The Royal Navy ( and any other righteous, but self-anylizing, self-depricating, hero-by-fire war-tested veteran), we are allowed an inside view into a theater-of-war that we, who have never paid the price, secretley covet. Gallentry, selflessness, pride of country, pride of duty, discipline, all seem to be the lost arts of the past, but Woodward and others in this telling instruct us that, to this day,our young men and women rise to the occasion, as in the days of old. What is that extraordinary part of us that is able to trandsend all our own limitations and push beyond to victory, over our enemy and over ourselves? This book may help you to answer that question!

Fun with the Family in Oregon, 3rd: Hundreds of Ideas for Day Trips with the Kids

Average customer rating:

better than most travel guides

Fun with the Family in Oregon, 3rd: Hundreds of Ideas for Day Trips with the Kids
Cheryl McLean , and Chris Cunningham
Manufacturer: Globe Pequot
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0762722908

Book Description

Here's the inside information on all the family-friendly fun to be had in the Beaver State. Fun with the Family in Oregon leads the way to amusement parks, hiking trails, zoos, aquariums, children's museums, festivals, parks, and much more. Written by a parent, for parents, this opinionated, personal, and easy-to-use guide has the best things to see and do to keep the kids busy and happy for an hour, a day, or a weekend - a guaranteed antidote to vacation boredom. This guide includes up-to-the-minute information on family attractions, detailed maps, quick reference icons, age-appropriate guidelines, kid-friendly restaurants and places to stay. (5 1/2 x 8 1/2, 240 pages, maps, icons)

Customer Reviews:

better than most travel guides.......2001-03-21

A great book for anyone with kids in Oregon. It will keep us busy for years. It has details about local city parks to large well-known attractions like Crater Lake. Plus there are extra tips on lodging and kid-friendly restaurants. We found a park with an old train engine in our own city I didn't even know was there.

The Siege of Budapest: One Hundred Days in World War II

Average customer rating:

Beautifully written history
Amazing horror
Budapest
First Rate
Important WWII documentation

The Siege of Budapest: One Hundred Days in World War II
Krisztian Ungvary
Manufacturer: Yale University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Austria | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

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Hungary | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

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All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
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ASIN: 0300119852

Book Description

This definitive history of one of the fiercest battles of World War II describes the siege of Budapest in unprecedented detail. Both Stalin and Hitler demanded victory at all costs, and the cost was extreme: 80,000 Soviet troops, 38,000 German and Hungarian soldiers, and 38,000 Hungarian civilians perished. The book provides the first full account of this shocking battle.

“As a military history [The Siege of Budapest] is unrivaled. . . . Magisterial.”—John Lukacs, New York Review of Books

“An exceedingly dramatic book, filled with fascinating stories, some of them even humorous, and with heart-rending accounts of suffering, limitless cruelty, and amazing decency.”—István Deák, New Republic

"Ungváry has written a dramatic, gripping history of this siege, filling a gap in WWII history."—Choice

Customer Reviews:

Beautifully written history.......2007-06-25

I enjoyed this book cover to cover. Refreshingly free of of the snotty professorial moral outrage present in so many English WW2 histories. Not that the author doesn't convey the horror wrought by both Germans and Russians on the Hungarians- he does so in a calm step by step description of this gigantic siege. I have but two nits to pick out- in this book the siege of Stalingrad is said to have lasted 76 days vs. 108 days for the siege of Budapaest but in real life by any measure the siege of Stalingrad lasted 5+ months or around 150 days. I think the author has confused Operation Saturn (which started in late November 1942) with the whole Stalingrad siege (which started in late August 1942). Lastly- in one section the author states that the execution of Jews down by the Danube River was the most overt and largest mass atrocity in Europe since the early stages of Barbarossa but I think Ukranians, Byelorussians, Yugoslavs and even Czechs would beg to differ on that point. All in all though this is an engrossing and beautifully researched piece of history- far superior to recent works about Berlin and Stalingrad...

Amazing horror.......2007-05-09

When I first started reading this book I was put off to some extent by the dry recitation of the villages , then cities and finally streets that fell before the Soviet onslaught. I kept thinking that better, and more regular, maps and street plans would help me "watch" the events taking place. The narative would have benefited tremendously from an introductory description of the city and its key sites - at no stage did I become "acquainted" with Budapest. Accompanying this "dryness" was a description of warfare that just numbs you with the agony of it all (it reminded me in some ways of the stark realism of "Blackhawk Down" - bullets and explosions and bits of flesh flying all over the place)... And then came the Breakout... I was previously unaware of how dramatic the events around Budapest in 1944-45 really were; it's strange how little is actually reported or written! The futility and sheer horror, of lives wasted and blind ideologies followed, ultimately rises to the surface... and leaves you filled with amazement and horror.

Budapest.......2007-03-14

The book pays little regard to the wider context of the events it deals with, the absolute idiocy of the German command to dispatch a large share of its remaining resources to the battle for Budapest while the Soviets were ready to take Berlin. The maps are illegible. There is no map showing the wider theater of operations. Some of the horrors are described well. Overall an uneven history.

First Rate.......2006-10-10

This is a first rate monograph. It is part of the new work being done on WWII since the opening of the Soviet & East European archives, which now bely the myth that the Battle of the Bulge was Germany's last gasp. This book discusses a serious German offensive, and serious battle, that took place in 1945. Interesting that the offensive had some degree of success before being overwhelmed. Even in its death throes the German Army could pack a real punch. I really like the fact that we are finally in an era where books can be written that give an accurate view of WWII in Europe- giving the War in the east its long deprived attention.

Important WWII documentation.......2006-07-08

The battle for and siege of Budapest has not received the attention it deserves and this deficit was made up by Ungvary. Inasmuch as I participated in the early stages of the battle (Panzer Grenadier Division Feldherrnhalle) up until December, 22 1944 the book was of great personal interest. Although I had the good fortune not to be caught up in that cauldron, after complete encirclement, which led to the annihilation of our division, I found Ungvary's descriptions to have been accurate, with some minor mistakes. For instance: Table 3 lists the Felherrnhalle in the southern theater of operations while we were in the North around Hatvan as depicted in the map.The battle for Vienna lasted only a little over a week, rather than 31 days, because Hitler's orders were disobeyed and the major portions of the army were withdrawn to spare the city Budapest's fate.
That the lack of Soviet infantry at the beginning of the offensive delayed the taking of Budapest was new information. This is a fact our war planners should take cognicanze of. Tanks and planes alone don't win wars. The behavior of the Soviet troops was also depicted correctly as experienced personally during their stay in Vienna and other parts of Austria. All in all a very worthwhile contribution to the history of WWII.

The Night Before the 100th Day of School (Reading Railroad Books)

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The Night Before the 100th Day of School (Reading Railroad Books)
Natasha Wing
Manufacturer: Grosset & Dunlap
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0448439239

Book Description

The 100th day of school is almost here and one student is desperate to find 100 of anything to bring to class. Then all of sudden inspiration strikes, and he comes up with a surprise that makes the 100th day celebration one to remember! This hilarious story of a popular school tradition offers a perfect modern twist on Clement C. Moore's classic poem.

Amiens to the Armistice: The BEF in the the Hundred Days' Campaign, 8 August - 11 November 1918

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Amiens to the Armistice: The BEF in the the Hundred Days' Campaign, 8 August - 11 November 1918
JP Harris
Manufacturer: Brassey's UK
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1857531493

Book Description

The "Hundred Days" campaign during Word War I was one of the greatest victories in British military history. In three months the British Expiditionary Force helped bring the German Empire to its knees. The purpose of this book is to rescue the campaign from relative obscurity.

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The Day Lasts More Than A Hundred Years
Want to escape to the asian steppe?
Decent Central Asian Novel -- But of Limited Interest
Very Interesting
Planet Earth

The Day Lasts More Than a Hundred Years
Chingiz Aitmatov
Manufacturer: Indiana University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0253204828

Customer Reviews:

The Day Lasts More Than A Hundred Years.......2007-02-11

It came on time in great shape.

Want to escape to the asian steppe?.......2007-01-16

I would have considered the author a dissident if I would not have been told in the Introduction that the novel did pass the soviet censure. So what a surprise to listen such a critic but subtle voice of the soviet system. There is also an amazing sense of freedom, for the author joyfully swims between tales of Kazakhs traditions - fantastic -, and a sci-fi story, whose suspense drags the reader all along the book and whose fate leaves you a bitter but unfortunately real taste of human nature. Love and tragedy are not forgotten. This is an amazing little piece of artwork, original in many ways. Recommended for a two-week escape to the asian steppe.

Decent Central Asian Novel -- But of Limited Interest.......2005-07-17

Set mostly in a small railroad crossing in Kazakhstan's Sarozak desert sometime in the latter part of the 20th-century, this novel tells the story of Burrunyi Yedigei's effort to bury his coworker and friend in the ancient cemetery used by the few people of the area. In doing so, Aitmatov mounts a subversive critique of the Soviet system that crushes traditions and unfairly persecutes people. The story is told through Yedigei, a long-suffering worker who recounts episodes from his life along with a old tales drawn from Central Asian folklore. A running subplot involves a nearby cosmodrome (presumably Baikonur), and a joint Soviet-American space station which makes contact with a utopian alien race. This seems to be an attempt to link the lives of insignificant workers with earth-shattering events, or is perhaps an allegory about the Iron Curtain vis a vis the West. Or more likely, Aitmatov is attempting to tell a story in the past (folktales), present (the burial plot), and future (space). Whatever the intent, the space material feels very awkward and anyone coming to the book for science-fiction will be disappointed.

The real core and strength of the story is the insight into the hard lives of the Kazakh rail workers and the way in which Aitmatov uses the genre trappings of Soviet Realist literature to mount a rather subversive critique of life in the USSR. We learn of the post-WWII hardship that took Yedigei and his wife Ukubala to the rail crossing, and of their daily struggle to survive there. There are plenty of other threads, most importantly the arrival of a politically suspect family looking for a place to start over, their friendship with Yedigei, the desire the wife arouses in him (echoing one of the folktales), and finally the Orwellian tragedy that takes them away. Here, Aitmatov is directly criticizing the Stalinist purges in which his own father was executed in the 1930s (the book first appeared in 1980, so he does so from a position of relative safety). There is also a running thread about Yedigei's fierce camel, a barely domesticated proud and fierce beast which is a metaphor for the Central Asian people subjugated under Soviet rule.

The death of Yedigei's friend Kazangap is the inciting event that allows for everything else to be told, as Yedigei organizes the community for the wake and burial, to be done in the traditional way. However, tradition is not what it used to be, and Kazangap's son and relations are less than enthusiastic about the whole matter, long having fled for the modern world of the city. Moreover, the traditional funeral train of camels is augmented by a truck and tractor to assist in the grave-digging. Indeed, the clash of the modern Soviet world with the traditional Kazakh extends even to burial grounds, as the procession is denied access to the old Ana-Beiit cemetery. This relates directly to what is perhaps the novel's primary theme: cultural memory. One of the folk tales recounts how Mongol conquerors tied bands around the heads of captured enemies and allowed them to shrink, turning the wearer into a mindless slave without a memory. This crops up in the space subplot, when two cosmonauts who glimpse the utopian future are doomed to have their minds wiped. All of which relates to the Soviet attempt to eliminate cultural memory in Central Asia (embodied here in the denial of access to the traditional cemetery). This is without a doubt a book of great importance to those interested in Soviet or Central Asian literature, but others will probably not find it that compelling.

Very Interesting.......2004-12-10

This is a great book for people who are interested in kazhak culture and russian history. This novel delves into the mind of Burrunyi Yedigi as he makes a journey to bury his friend in an old cemetary on the steppe. Aitmatov uses these stories to make a stand against technology and point out the importance of nature and culture in every day human life. This is a good read, and I highly recommend it.

Planet Earth.......2002-08-01

I read this book several months ago. I have thought about writing a review many times and have wanted to because it is such a wonderful book. The feeling of being unable to express the book's effect on me has been the cause of the delay. It is a beautiful, heart-wrenching and powerful story and that is all that I will say, because the experience is personal and rewarding.

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