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.

The Fortune of War (Aubrey Maturin Series)

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Lucky Jack Aubrey takes a back seat to Maturin as War of 1812 breaks out
Best in the Series!
. . . Aubrey & Maturin delayed in Boston- their adventure home continues
The Fortune of War
Another Strong Outing

The Fortune of War (Aubrey Maturin Series)
Patrick O'Brian
Manufacturer: W. W. Norton & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0393308138

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This time it's the War of 1812 that gets in the way of Captain Jack Aubery's plans. Caught en route to England in a dispatch vessel, Aubrey and Maturin are soon in the thick of a typically bloody naval engagement. Next stop: an American prison, from which only Maturin's cunning allows them to engineer an exit.

Book Description

Read by Tim Pigott-Smith
Three Cassettes, Approx. 5 hours

The 6th novel in Patrick O'Brian's hugely successful Aubrey/Maturin Series

Captain Jack Aubrey, R.N.,arrives in the Dutch East Indies to find himself appointed to the command of the fastest and best-armed frigate in the navy. He and his friend Stephen Maturin take passage for England in a dispatch vessel. But the War of 1812 breaks out while they are en route. Bloody actions precipitate them both into new and unexpected scenes where Stephen's past activities as a secret agent return on hime with a vengance.

Customer Reviews:

Lucky Jack Aubrey takes a back seat to Maturin as War of 1812 breaks out.......2006-10-31

For the first five novels in Patrick O'Brian's hallowed Aubrey-Maturin series, Captain "Lucky Jack" Aubrey was the swashbuckling hero and Dr. Stephen Maturin was the mysterious sidekick. Thanks to O'Brian's wonderful prose, this balance worked exceedingly well.

And yet, there was always a sense that there was more to the surgeon-spy Maturin than O'Brian was letting on . . . that he was more than a sidekick, but a serious player in his own right. Of course, this was slightly undercut with Maturin's hilarious inability to master even the most rudimentary elements of the seafaring life, but you still knew that Maturin had a courageous, dashing heart to go with his naturalist's brain.

In "The Fortune of War," Maturin shoves his way to the fore and Captain Aubrey is more or less sidelined with a grevious wound to his sword arm. The War of 1812 has broken out, and the British navy experiences some shocking defeats at the hands of the heretofore contemptible American navy. Eventually, Aubrey and Maturin find themselves going broadside-to-broadside with the Americans, but perhaps since Aubrey is not in command of his vessel (Aubrey and Maturin being saved from certain death after their ship sinks in a fiery accident), Aubrey is forced to watch his ship strike its colors.

Maturin and Aubrey are brought to Boston as prisoners of war, and while Aubrey convalesces, Maturin dives pell-mell back into his life as a spy. Boston is a city of intrigues, and Maturin's history as a spy plays havoc with his attempts to free himself, Aubrey, and the lovely Diane Villiers. Maturin gets to demonstrate that he's got a bit of super secret agent in him, and many readers will be shocked at the violent means Maturin often uses to achieve his ends. He's a far cry from the non-violent physician he is often assumed to be!

Perhaps spending more time on land than any book in the series so far, "The Fortune of War" still offers thrills and escapades galore. For fans of this series, this novel is not to be missed.

Best in the Series!.......2006-06-06

This one has it all! Romantic tension, exploding ships, climactic battle scenes, and (my favorite) ingrigue! The characters, are at their most Jack-and-Stephenesque. O'Brian manages to fit more meaning and emotion into a single simple sentence than any author since Austen and he manages to fit more events into this book than many of his others. Anyone who has gotten this far in the series doesn't need me to urge them to read this one, but I couldn't help but sing its praises.

. . . Aubrey & Maturin delayed in Boston- their adventure home continues.......2006-04-19

"The Fortune of War" continues where "Desolation Island" left the readers hanging in Patrick O'Brian's previous novel. But rather than being rescued and safe, Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin are taken out of the frying pan and put in the fire. Whether it is an exploding ship heading home, the pummeling broadsides of the USS Constitution, or the clutches of the fledgling American intelligence network; Patrick O'Brian gives his famous and beloved protagonists almost more than they can handle.

Aubrey and Maturin spend the majority of this novel as prisoners of war in Boston, while the War of 1812 continues a series of great victories for the newly founded American Navy. Aubrey, severely wounded, is more of an auxiliary character in this novel, and Stephen Maturin comes fully into the foreground as the main protagonist attempting to save his friends. Diana Villiers also returns to the series, and Maturin must deal with his feelings for her in addition to the American agent with whom she is currently associating. The great intelligence coup Maturin achieved in the previous novel has returned to haunt him, as his powerful enemies close in on all sides. . .

This novel is great spy adventure set in Boston, and contains two very well written historical engagements with America's new fleet of frigates- the USS Constitution and the Chesapeake. As a patriotic American, it was a challenging read, as my two favorite literary characters would have been my adversaries if I had been their contemporaries. However, O'Brian writes this story with a well balanced eye to this conflict of interests between the British and American people. Additionally, I have to give a shout out to the USS Constitution, as I am a member of its honorific namesake in the modern American Army- the 1st Armored Division "Old Ironsides", and have spent some great times in her city of origin, & where she can be seen today: Boston. The one drawback of this story is that it has a substantive portion of the adventure on land. Granted, it is still a great story and very well written, but the magic of journeying across the wild and untamed ocean is not present.

While not the best of the Aubrey/Maturin series; I am always eager for more action at sea, "The Fortune of War" is very readable and enjoyable. It is also essential to read in order as the second installment of the first miniseries within O'Brian's larger story arc. Make sure you start with "Desolation Island" first.

The Fortune of War.......2005-06-28

This is the sixth volume in the Aubrey/Maturin series by Patrick O'Brian.
In the first (Master & Commander) I was exposed to a new language and the nautical terms were a bit of a mystery, but now after reading the first six books I am addicted to O'Brian's "voice", style and masterful story telling. I finished this book while on vacation and the ending left me eager to pick up the next one in the series; alas, I had to wait for my return to "civililization" to find #7. This is character development at its best and O'Brian must be among the finest authors of action/adventure novels, especially of the Napoleonic wars era.

Another Strong Outing.......2004-10-12

This is the sixth volume in the Aubrey/Maturin series, and focusses on the War of 1812 - although less than a third of the way through the series, we are now getting quite late in the Napoleonic Wars. The story continues the same voyage from 'Desolation Island', and the events and characters of that book are significant. So it's advisable to read that prior to this, even if you don't read all of the five prequels.

Two naval battles and a desperate longboat voyage are featured, but the heart of the story is Aubrey and Maturin as POWs in Boston, where Maturin's past spying activities are coming back to haunt him. This part of the story is done very well.

The principal complaint is one that applies to all the books in this series, so at least readers will be used to it by now. The books are loaded with contemporary naval terms and slang which O'Brian never stops to explain, leaving the reader to spend almost as much time at sea as the heroes.

The series is generally strong on historical authenticity, but an earlier revewer complains that this volume is an exception. I suspect that is so; from my own knowledge of the War of 1812, the close Franco-American alliance which is portrayed in this book, while it would have made political sense, never really existed. Such errors are unfortunate in an author who normally avoids them, but they didn't spoil the story for me.

American Dynasty : Aristocracy, Fortune, and the Politics of Deceit in the House of Bush

Average customer rating:

Exellent Book!!
Good but ignores or barely touches upon some of their dirtiest secrets
Very Pleased
Excellent Historical Analysis
a friend told me about this author

American Dynasty : Aristocracy, Fortune, and the Politics of Deceit in the House of Bush
Kevin Phillips
Manufacturer: Amazon Remainders Account
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: B000F4LO9W

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Paraphrasing a passage from Machiavelli's The Prince, Kevin Phillips writes, "a ruler can ignore the mob and devote himself to the interests of the ruling class, gulling the inert majority who constitute the ruled." He then says, "Borgia references aside, 21st-century American readers of The Prince may feel that they have stumbled on a thinly disguised Bush White House political memo." These pointed words would sting regardless of who uttered them, but coming from Phillips, a former Republican strategist, they have an added piquancy. In American Dynasty: Aristocracy, Fortune, and the Politics of Deceit in the House of Bush, Phillips traces the rise of the Bush family from investment banking elites to political power brokers, using their Ivy League network, vast wealth, and questionable political maneuvering to obtain the White House and consequently, shake the foundation of constitutional American democracy. Citing the Bush family mainstays of finance, energy (oil), the military industrial complex, and national security and intelligence (the CIA), Phillips uses copious examples to show the dangerous alliance between the Bushes' business interests (huge corporations such as Enron and Haliburton) and the formation of national policy. No other family, Phillips says, that has fulfilled its presidential aspirations has been so involved in the ascendancy of the arms industry and of the 21st-century American imperium--often at the expense of regional and world peace and for their personal gain.

It is hard to tell what offends Phillips the most: the Bushes' systematic deceit and secrecy, their shady business dealings, their cronyism, or their family philosophy that privileges the very wealthy and utterly dismisses all the rest. It is clearly all of these things combined. But at the top of Phillips' list is the dynastic nature of their family power, for it is that concentration of power and influence that strikes at the heart of our democracy. Past administrations have transgressed, albeit not so egregiously, and other political families have had dynastic ambitions. But none have succeeded as thoroughly as the Bushes. Jefferson and Madison would be horrified, and according to Phillips, we should be too. --Silvana Tropea

Book Description

The Bushes are the family nobody really knows, says Kevin Phillips. This popular lack of acquaintance—nurtured by gauzy imagery of Maine summer cottages, gray-haired national grandmothers, July Fourth sparklers, and cowboy boots—has let national politics create a dynasticized presidency that would have horrified America's founding fathers. They, after all, had led a revolution against a succession of royal Georges.

In this devastating book, onetime Republican strategist Phillips reveals how four generations of Bushes have ascended the ladder of national power since World War One, becoming entrenched within the American establishment—Yale, Wall Street, the Senate, the CIA, the vice presidency, and the presidency—through a recurrent flair for old-boy networking, national security involvement, and political deception. By uncovering relationships and connecting facts with new clarity, Phillips comes to a stunning conclusion: The Bush family has systematically used its financial and social empire—its “aristocracy”—to gain the White House, thereby subverting the very core of American democracy. In their ambition, the Bushes ultimately reinvented themselves with brilliant timing, twisting and turning from silver spoon Yankees to born-again evangelical Texans. As America—and the world—holds its breath for the 2004 presidential election, American Dynasty explains how it happened and what it all means.

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"A biting analysis of the Bush family's rise to power from one of today's premier political observers The Bushes are the family nobody really knows, says Kevin Phillips. This popular lack of acquaintance-nurtured by gauzy imagery of Maine summer cottages, gray-haired national grandmothers, July Fourth sparklers, and cowboy boots-has let national politics create a dynasticized presidency that would have horrified America's founding fathers. They, after all, had led a revolution against a succession of royal Georges. In this devastating book, onetime Republican strategist Phillips reveals how four generations of Bushes have ascended the ladder of national power since World War One, becoming entrenched within the American establishment-Yale, Wall Street, the Senate, the CIA, the vice presidency, and the presidency-through a recurrent flair for old-boy networking, national security involvement, and political deception. By uncovering relationships and connecting facts with new clarity, Phillips comes to a stunning conclusion: The Bush family has systematically used its financial and social empire-its "aristocracy"-to gain the White House, thereby subverting the very core of American democracy. In their ambition, the Bushes ultimately reinvented themselves with brilliant timing, twisting and turning from silver spoon Yankees to born-again evangelical Texans. As America-and the world-holds its breath for the 2004 presidential election, American Dynasty explains how it happened and what it all means."

Customer Reviews:

Exellent Book!!.......2006-12-14

A historically accurate review of the Bush multi generational quest for both national and international financial and political power with evidence that politics were a means and wealth the ends; as we continue to see in current events concerning that family today. A must read for anyone who wants at least a basic understanding of how insatiable thirst for absolute power and base, crass greed are at the heart of what and how the United States of America came to be and is currently run. When President Bush said to a group of the richest Americans during his re-election that:"...some refer to you as the 'have mores'; I refer to you as My Base." He wasn't joking; that is his brotherhood, his extended family, the real and only Americans in his world view.

Good but ignores or barely touches upon some of their dirtiest secrets.......2006-11-29

Good stuff here on the Bush Family and their many shady dealings going back to the 1800's. I mean it really is amazing how interwoven this bunch is with so many of the worst elements of the worlds power brokers for over a 150 years. If this book has a weakness its, although it brings up many of the the nefarious deeds and dealings of the Bush crime family, that it barely touches on or completely ignores the worst of the worst that the Bushs have been linked to over the years. It also tries a bit too hard to try to draw a parrellell between the Bush gangsters and European royalty by making them into Americans version of a royal family. Still recomended reading though.

Very Pleased.......2006-08-27

This was an in-depth review of the rise of the Bush family in American politics and business, from a conservative writer no less. I was impressed by the amount of research and will certainly read my books written by this author.

Excellent Historical Analysis.......2006-05-29

Kevin Phillips offers a comprehensive history of the Bush family and its activities at the nexus of US the oil, finance, and national security complex. This is most valuable if one understands the Bush family not as a source of unmitigated evil, but rather as an example of the US class structure at work. What is truly valuable in Phillips's history is the insight it provides into how power is wielded and major decisions are made. The book is heavily footnoted so that the reader can refer to other resources to back up contentious claims or to further explore relevant subjects.

My major concern about this book is its unnecessary anti-Bush bias. This bias may seem subtle to the sympathetic liberal reader or blatant to the conservative reader, but objective readers of either persuasion will agree that it is there. The problem with this is that there is no need for this bias. The true value of the book lies in its explication of how one family has benefited from the power structures inherent in US society.

a friend told me about this author.......2006-04-16

Good book, not the usual Bush~bashing spiel. Rather than having an axe to grind, the author seemed objectively concerned. I'm not really into politics because of all the goofy partisan bickering, but my politically~inclined friend recommended this to me as a book that lacks that aspect.

Ivan Rorick

The Good Soldier Svejk: and His Fortunes in the World War (Penguin Classics)

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the good soldier svejk
Picaresque antiwar classic
Probably My Favorite Book
One of the Two Best Novels of World War I
Spun Our Serial Runs On and On

The Good Soldier Svejk: and His Fortunes in the World War (Penguin Classics)
Jaroslav Hasek
Manufacturer: Penguin Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0140449914

Book Description

In The Good Soldier Svejk, celebrated Czech writer and anarchist Jaroslav Hasek combined dazzling wordplay and piercing satire in a hilariously subversive depiction of the futility of war.

Good-natured and garrulous, Svejk becomes the Austrian army's most loyal Czech soldier when he is called up on the outbreak of World War I—although his bumbling attempts to get to the front serve only to prevent him from reaching it. Playing cards and getting drunk, he uses all his cunning and genial subterfuge to deal with the police, clergy, and officers who chivy him toward battle. Cecil Parrott's vibrant translation conveys the brilliant irreverence of this classic about a hapless Everyman caught in a vast bureaucratic machine.
“Brilliant . . . Perhaps the funniest novel ever written.”
—George Monbiot

Customer Reviews:

the good soldier svejk.......2007-05-23

This is an hilarious novel that was a forerunner to catch 22. We have the Good Soldier Svejk for WWI, Catch 22 for WWII, and to a lesser extent Forrest Gump for Viatnam.

Recommend to those wanting a good chuckle

Picaresque antiwar classic .......2006-11-04

This is a beautiful and inexpensive edition, with the original cartoonish illustrations. The translation is lively and the book can be hilarious, but I bogged down about halfway through--it seems to go on and on, as picaresque novels do, but a bit too much in the same vein for my taste. It was written for serialization, so it's probably not meant to be read at one gulp, and likely I'll pick it up at some point later.

Probably My Favorite Book.......2001-01-12

I first read Hasek's masterpiece almost 30 years ago in a shorter and more Bowdlerized translation. The Cecil Parrot edition is, needless to say, far preferable (it even contains a wonderful introduction including a discussion of Czech profanity as compared to that in English) and I've read it again and again since it came out in 1974. Shelby Foote said somewhere that every year he reads Proust as a sort of literary vacation. About ever 2 or 3 years I reread Svejk to cleanse my literary palate and it's always as fresh and as enjoyable as it was the first time. The dialogue, the characters and the situations in Svejk are, stated simply, the funniest I've ever read. Many other books have many merits in this regard, but none has approached Hasek in the sustained hilarity over 500 pages or more. The secret policeman, Bretschneider, Chaplain Katz, Sergeant Major Vanek, Cadet Biegler, Balloun and Lt. Dub are all memorable characters in their own right, but when they interact the result surpasses anything I have ever read for comedy. The episode involving a character with writer's block during his drafting of a prayer to be recited while administering Mr. Kokoska's pharmaceutical powders for cow flatulence is a classic rivalling Aristophanes or Rabelais. [I realize that sentence is confusingly prolix, so please read the book; it will be worth your while.] The term "laugh out loud" is overused and abused these days, but The Good Soldier Svejk will have you disturbing family and friends with repeated guffawing any time you are reading it nearby. I can't give a text any higher recommendation.

One of the Two Best Novels of World War I.......1999-11-28

Both of the best books on the First World War were written by the losing side...ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT and THE GOOD SOLDIER SCHWEIK tell the same story, but from different viewpoints. Schweik is a wise fool whose main goal is to avoid the greater foolishness around him. Hasek was a modern day Cervantes and this modern day Don Quixote interacts with a gallery of hilarious characters and their stories. I only regret that Hasek died before the book could be finished. Josef Lada's illustrations are a wonderful addition to the book, and it's a pleasure getting Cecil Parrott's translation in hardcover. Note: The earlier translations are not the complete book.

Spun Our Serial Runs On and On.......1999-08-31

OK, I'll admit up front that I only made it through 450 of this 800 page monster. As I was reading this, I saw the pile of unread books mounting alarmingly, and as I had more or less gotten the gist of it, I tucked the ribbon twixt the pages and set it aside. These (never-ending) stories of the Czech WW I soldier Svejk are considered a modern "must read." as they depict the trials and travails of a well-intentioned soldier muddling through the army beauracacy. The book functions as a satire of the war, the leaders, and the army. The problem is, these stories were written as serials, and as such, tend to go on and on and on.... so that Hasek could milk more money from them. In fact, they are unfinished, as the author died before he could dictate the end! So, I suggest dipping in to it, but not soaking too long as the antics don't vary much as the book moves along. Those with an particular interest in Czech culture or World War I might have greater reason to finish it than the general reader.

Weapons Tests And Evaluations: The Best Of Soldier Of Fortune

Average customer rating:

Gun Reviews Backed Up By Real Testing.
Armchair Tactical Operators Unite!

Weapons Tests And Evaluations: The Best Of Soldier Of Fortune
Peter Kokalis
Manufacturer: Paladin Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1581601220

Book Description

For more than 20 years, Peter G. Kokalis has traveled the globe - often risking enemy fire - to bring his readers more exclusives than any other writer on small arms. In this comprehensive anthology of his best articles from SOF and Fighting Firearms magazines, you'll get authoritative reviews and detailed information on dozens of handguns, rifles, SMGs, sniper rifles and shotguns. You'll also travel with Kokalis as he trains El Salvador's Atlacatl Battalion and goes where no Western writer has gone before for his groundbreaking eight-part series examining the weapons of the Chinese army. This is a must-read for anyone interested in modern weapons.

Customer Reviews:

Gun Reviews Backed Up By Real Testing........2007-01-31

A series of articles reprinted from 'Soldier of Fortune' magazine from the 80's and 90's. In today's time the articles are a mixed bag. For instance, there is no coverage of the large number of guns that have come out in the last half dozen years.

For instance there is a lengthy article on the M60 machine gun and its faults. And another on the M60E3 version that is highly praised. In reality, subsequent use of the E3 has shown it to have almost as many new problems as it fixed on the original guns. Most front line units have replace their M60's with M240's.

One nice thing, the author does not hesitate to state his opinions, and his opinions seem to be based on actual testing. As a result this gives a refreshing tone to the articles. You might agree with him or not, but at least he seems to have some basis for his views. So many magazines seem to simply report from the press releases sent out by the manufacturers.

Conclusion. Great reading for us arm chair types. But please put out a second edition to cover the newer stuff.

Armchair Tactical Operators Unite!.......2001-01-29

Kokalis's Weapons Tests and Evaluations is an interesting read for armchair tactical operators. The book is a collection of various stories and weapons reviews that Kokalis wrote during his tenure at Soldier of Fortune magazine. As a collection, the articles date from 1982 to 2000, with many of the articles coming from before 1990. Because of the dates of when the articles were originally written, Kokalis skips many newer designs. At the time, Kokalis professes to be the first or one of the first to review some of the systems (AGS-17, etc).

It is somewhat difficult to review the book without commenting on Kokalis's blatent disregard for journalistic or scientific integrity. As a 'journalist', he tought courses in small arms handling and secured ammuntion and parts. Kokalis makes much ado about following military specifications for the M16A2 evaluation, but admits to changing the specification to evaluate other critera.

The book is a good read, but should be taken with a grain of salt or two. Kokalis isn't shy about his opinions; by the end, it's obvious that he has an axe or two to grind.

Customer Reviews:

The "real" Robert Gould Shaw is in these pages.......2006-04-02

If, like me, you have seen the film "Glory", where Matthew Broderick plays Col. Robert Gould Shaw, white commander of the black 54th Massachusetts Regiment during the Civil War, you will see only a brief a glimpse of who Shaw was in his short life. Broderick does a masterful job of capturing some of Shaw's personality, but if you want to get inside this young man's head and find out who he really was, I highly recommend reading the book, "Blue Eyed Child of Fortune", ed. by Russell Duncan.

This collection of Shaw's letters shows a far more complex and conflicted young man than Broderick was given a chance to play. While his parents burned with the abolitionist spirit of Boston's intellectual elite, Shaw struggled with his own prejudices and his own self doubts throughout his short life. Never an exemplary student, he dropped out of Harvard to work in his uncle's New York firm, but rapidly found the work boring and unsuited to him. Struggling to find his place in the world, the Civil War came along and gave him a sense of purpose and direction.

Enlisting first in the 7th New York Guards, he served until his enlistment was up, and then joined the 2nd Massachusetts, gaining position as an officer. He "saw the elephant" at Winchester, Antietam and Cedar Mountain, was slightly wounded in two of those engagements, and found out first hand about the horrors of war. During winter camp in 1862-63, his father visited with word that Shaw had been tapped by Massachusetts Governor John Albion Andrew to command a new black regiment. At first, Shaw refused this offer on the basis that he felt a strong bond with the men he had fought and bled with, but then changed his mind and accepted the position of Colonel of the 54th Massachusetts.

Returning home to Boston to take command of his new regiment, he was deeply conflicted over whether these men would pan out to be good soldiers, but as time wore on and they proved their worth, Shaw's respect for his men grew, as did their respect for their commanding officer. After three months training, they left for duty in South Carolina after a grand parade down Boston streets. Shaw chafed for some action for his men, and the first that they saw was the tragic raid and burning of Darien, Georgia under the command of Kansas jayhawker Col. James Montgomery. Shaw was outraged at this action and very nearly refused his orders from his commanding officer, but reluctantly had to obey and ask his men to do what he felt was utterly immoral and against the codes of war. He would write letters of protest to his father and to others.

Eventually, in his quest for real action for his men, they were assigned a diversionary action on James Island to allow Union troops to land on nearby Morris Island for a planned assault on Fort Wagner a few days later. Sustaining light casualties in a skirmish, Shaw was impressed that his men were indeed up to snuff as soldiers, and so, a few days later, after a long exhausting march in a storm to Morris Island during which they got no rest, they were assigned to the lead attack column on Fort Wagner on the evening of July 18, 1863.

Sadly, Union intelligence on Ft. Wagner was badly flawed. It was originally thought that the fort held a complement of only 300 men and that after days of relentless shelling by the Union navies, that the fort would be softened up enough to withstand a frontal Union assault. However, most of Wagner's nearly 1500 men were in a massive bombproof riding out the shelling, and so, when the Union assault began with the 54th leading the attack column, they took the heaviest casualties, including the young Col. Shaw, who foresaw his own demise while speaking to Lt. Col. Edward "Ned" Hallowell, his second-in-command, while on a steamer on the way to their assignment: "If I could only live a few weeks longer with my wife, and be at home a little while, I might die happy, but it cannot be. I do not believe I will live through our next fight."

Rather unfortunately, Shaw was right. He was killed upon reaching the parapets of Wagner, a bullet through his heart killing him instantly. His body was stripped and thrown into a common grave with his men, and his father asked, when the Union finally took the fort a few months later when it was abandoned by the Confederates, that his body be left there with his men. Shaw's burial spot now lies somewhere under the Atlantic Ocean, the island having eroded significantly in the past 140 years since Shaw's demise and burial there.

This book will give you a great insight into a very conflicted, complicated and yet reluctantly heroic young man who was just coming into his own at the time of his tragic death. I am sure that he would have shunned the limelight had he survived the war to live to old age and would have been content to live life with his beloved Annie, to whom he was married a mere two months before his death. Annie would never remarry and lived the rest of her life as his widow, dying in 1907. The war would doubtless have made Shaw and given him the potential to focus his life and go on to great things had he lived to do so. Having lived so much of his young life with such rebellion against his mother's domineering apron strings and not quite sure what he wanted out of life, the war gave Shaw a brief opportunity to find out what it was he was made of. In so doing, he achieved the one thing he never dreamed of, immortality.

Read this book if you are eager to know the "real" Shaw. Letting him speak for himself is the best way to know this fascinating man who died so tragically young at the peak of his life. Follow it up with "Where Death and Glory Meet", Russell Duncan's excellent biography of Shaw. By the time you finish these two books, you will feel as if you know Shaw quite well. If you want to know a few of his men, read "A Brave Black Regiment" by Capt. Luis Emilio, a regimental history of the 54th, "On the Altar of Freedom" by Cpl. James Henry Gooding, a black soldier in the 54th, and "A Voice of Thunder", the letters of Sgt. George E. Stephens, another black soldier in the 54th. I just hope that more letters and diaries from this regiment surface and are published someday. Doubtless there are more hiding in attics and other unknown places.

This book comes highly recommended for good Civil War reading of a primary source, along with the other books mentioned that are by Shaw's soldiers. Together, they beat any historian's account of this historic regiment. Read them all if you are interested in Civil War or black history.

best buy.......2000-10-20

it's must have book I love this book

A hero by default.......2000-06-22

Russell Duncan's compendium of letters both exalts and puzzles.The job of editing the letters and setting them in the context of war, family ties, friendships, etc. is thorough and, for the most part, makes them accessible. Let's not forget, though, that the editor omitted some letters that don't support his main thesis: that Col. Shaw was a rich young pleasure-lover who fought to get back to his privileged existence, never changing this outlook throughout the war; he "never fully understood nor dedicated himself" to the cause of Black freedom (pp.1-2). So here we are presented with a young man raised by abolitionists who went to all the hazards of preparing and leading something new, a black regiment, before dying in the middle of it, without understanding what he was about, or dedicating himself to it. It's fashionable to "debunk" the heros of yore, but even those letters we have tell us otherwise, and Duncan reverses his appraisal, back and forth, several times. We should also beware of measuring citizens of other times against a modern baseline on classism, racism, etc. Apart from these problems, found in the introduction and some footnotes, the book lets Shaw speak for himself (he does it eloquently and enjoyably) and the reader can draw his/her own conclusion on ideas, events, and character development.

Bringing War to Life.......2000-03-03

Robert Gould Shaw's letters home are a very realistic look of the Civil War battles by a unique individual with many perspectives. The brutality of battle along with the emotional turmoil from such a young officer bring the war to life. The authors have given us a true picture of a brave officer and the war. As you read the letters of Shaw you want to pull the blankets closer on the cold winter nights he spent in the field. You can share the suffering along with Shaw at the loss of friends. The courage and love of family and devotion of country are evident throughout his premature adult life. God bless the 54th and may Robert Gould Shaw and all that served with him and under him never be forgotten.

Wonderful Insight Into Shaw's Mind.......1999-12-23

The movie Glory is one of my all-time favourite movies, and I've wanted to buy this book for some time but have always put off doing so. When I finally took the plunge I found myself unable to put it down. The amount of research that must have gone into this work is astounding and I commend the author on his effort! Reading these letters (and the introduction) give the reader a profound insight into the Civil War, the 54th Massachusetts and the mind of Robert Gould Shaw. He is a much different person than was portrayed in the movie and in this book we can see his apprehension and uncertainty about the role which seemed his destiny. I recommend this book to anyone who loves the movie or is a Civil War buff. It is a great read and a wonderful education.

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TYPO Central
Good History Lesson for those Looking to work for a PMC
Contract Warriors
Thin in info and thin in thought
Could have been better

Contract Warriors
Fred Rosen
Manufacturer: Alpha
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1592573029

Book Description

The complete history of soldiers for hire.

From Biblical times and the Crusades through the American Revolution up to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, mercenaries—professional soldiers who contract themselves out to the highest bidder—have played a vital role in most, if not all, military and paramilitary campaigns, helping to determine the victors and the vanquished. Contract Warriors reveals their compelling story for the first time.

• Why they fight (and for how much)
• How they fight
• The unique lifestyle of mercenaries both on and off the battlefield
• The spoils and business of war
• The current role of mercenaries in the world's arms trade
• The significance of the mercenary in popular culture and film
Featuring a special afterword by W. Thomas Smith Jr. and his interview with Richard Marcinko, military consultant and author of the bestselling book Rogue Warrior

Customer Reviews:

TYPO Central.......2007-02-23

So far this book has good info, but when there are so many typos that it is almost hard to understand, thats ridiculous. What did this guy pay his publishing company for. it hurts how many typos there are.

Good History Lesson for those Looking to work for a PMC.......2006-03-23

I enjoyed Contract Warriors and its in depth journey into the history of the "Merc". Having worked with many of them, I feel it was an honest and straight forward portrayal of the men who thirst for the work. It is not for everyone, with the pace at which companys are signing them up, I feel this would be a very good read for anyone interested in getting into the field of the "PMC Merc" business. Just remember it's a long way to the top if you want to "ROCK & Roll"......

Contract Warriors.......2006-01-07

Sex sells. And so does the word: mercenary. When I saw CONTRACT WARRIORS in a Washington, DC bookstore it caught my eye. Little credible information has been written about modern security contractors (aka. merc) and private security companies (PSC) who employ them. I am one of those professionals and decided to give Fred Rosen's book a read.

The book cover got my mind turning. It is a close up of a camouflaged face with a pair of eyes fixed on yours. Does it represent the people Rosen will write about? I think not.

The author opens the first chapter with the name, Tim Spicer, who used to head a British PSC called Sandline, and now heads a far bigger one, Aegis Defense, working in Iraq. Spicer's name is familiar to many in this specialized world. Opening with a well known and controversial figure sets the author's tone. But it also limits the scope for the informed reader. The world of today's security contractor is much larger than one person or company.

Rosen's recounting of the `mercenary through time' is his strongest suit. Beginning with Libyan mercenaries during the XXI to XXV Egyptian dynasties (ca. 1100-664 B.C.E.), through Hannibal's march across the Alps, we are lead to the present day mercenary in Chapter 6. A book like this should offer new historical information and I found the 1846 America's "mantle of Manifest Destiny" period, of particular interest. Rosen describes how the Mexican government convinced some US Irish Catholic immigrants to turn on their new country and fight Americans in the name of their religion. The most noted of these was John Riley, who served in a special unit called Saint Patrick Brigade (or San Patricios).

Where the book begins to weaken is in Chapter 8. The chapter offers a jagged presentation of a few companies currently providing services. But it lacks depth which might be sought after by readers. What criterion was used to select these PSCs and not others? For example, it includes a portion of Custer Battles in-house brochures, which makes their marketing pitch for services. The author writes in response, "The brilliant analysis of the situation in Iraq explains what a modern PMC should be doing: identifying and quantifying the risk, offering a solution to a client, implementing it with a clear goal in mind." What he doesn't mention is that Custer Battles was prosecuted for over billing the U.S. government.

Reporting of other companies in this chapter would have been more useful if a business template, or similar device, was used to measure a company against some professional standard. One example would be the code of conduct being promoted through the International Peace Operations Association (IPOA). Focusing in on Iraq, the conflict has been a `comes as you are business opportunity'. The results have been a mixed bag of successes and failures for PSCs. A fresh look through new eyes would have been more practical. Examination of company structures, business plans and due diligence would benefit the reader when separating the good, bad and ugly.

The Special Afterword by W. Thomas Smith Jr. inserts out of context statements and inaccuracies. He says,"In Iraq, for instance, mercs on patrol or conducting other combat operations routinely work 13-hour days, 6 days per week." While he states the work hours correctly, he is misleading in his reference of combat operations vs. defensive security activities.

He states, "Critics continue to voice displeasure over the employment of contract warriors..." and proceeds to quote David Isenberg, a then senior analyst with the Center for Defense Information, in a 1997 monograph titled "Soldiers of Fortune, Ltd.-A Profile of Today's Private Sector Corporate Mercenary Firms." Since I know Isenberg I asked him about the quote. It appears Smith reported what he found useful but changed the context.

Isenberg sent the following in response to our conversation:

"I would note that Smith is selective in what he took from me. For example, he quoted the first part of a graf, but not the second."

Smith concludes this section with an interview conducted with Richard Marcinko, a former US Navy SEAL author of Rogue Warrior and numerous other books. I have personally heard Marchinko speak and think someone else would have been more qualified for the purpose of this interview. When asked one question by Smith, "Why would a merc hopeful contact you for mercenary training, if they are going to be trained by the company contracting them?" Marcinko replied, in part, the applicant can say, "Hey, I'm Dick Marcinko-trained." Then the company will say, "Well, if you are Rogue-Warrior-trained, you must be okay." As a statement illustrating the hype and hucksterism one often finds in the industry it is priceless, but as a serious response to a serious question it is pathetic.

CONTACT WARRIORS is worth the read but holds only limited value for the serious reader seeking to further define and understand the role of modern day security contractors.

About the reviewer: Lyle Hendrick is a former US Special Forcers officer who has worked in Iraq as a security contractor with the Captured Enemy Ammunition (CEA) program, regional security manager for reconstruction projects and is returning as a country security manager.

Thin in info and thin in thought .......2005-07-31

Contractors in war is certainly the topic of today, especially when you tie the war on terrorism into it, which is probably why a book with such little insight, information, and thought was published. Despite the title, the book does not address how mercenaries have changed history and the war on terrorism.

Rosen starts off making the claim that Tim Spicer changed the way "mercenaries" are perceived by creating a business corporation that could function in the legal realm. An interesting thought but, unfortunately, a conclusion he does not support. Instead he presents 96 pages (out of 202) of anecdotal and poorly written history that superficially traces the historical use of mercenaries from ancient times into the 1990s. None of the 96 pages (Chapters 4-7) supports his argument and generally it is a history of the conventional concept of bad-boy mercenaries. He follows with one chapter (8) that's nothing more that a who's-who of today's government contractors, or Professional Military Corporations (PMC). The last chapter (9) is just a description of stereotypical bad-boy mercenaries who were allegedly involved in a plot to overthrow the government of Equatorial Guiana, yet were not working for a PMC. It's almost as if he can make his argument with a, "guilt by association approach;" if he mentions PMCs in the same book and chapter as evil mercenaries then we'll agree with him.

Another problem is sloppy writing. The book suffers from poor transitions, poor editing, and a lack of precise writing. For example, the nation of Colombia is misspelled as Columbia, a common error made by those not familiar with Latin America. Another example is when he states that Franco led the Loyalists during the Spanish Civil War, then says the Abraham Lincoln Brigade fought, "for the Loyalist cause." He then has the Abraham Lincoln Brigade attacking the Nationalists (with whom Franco was associated) - all within the space of a few paragraphs. As if this were not enough, he makes the statement that "killing technology," as exemplified by the atomic bomb, created less opportunity for mercenaries, which, "partially accounted for all the ill-trained men who fought for the Republicans during the Spanish civil war." Although one can figure out kinda' what Rosen is really saying, the fact that the atom bomb wasn't used until 1945, and the Spanish Civil War occurred in the late 1930s creates a bit of discomfort.

A crucial problem with the book is that Rosen never defines the term mercenary in a book in which he tries to link PMCs with mercenaries. In fact, throughout the book he uses the term mercenary so loosely that he even applies it to immigrants who joined their adopted country's militaries. When he applies the term mercenaries to the Rough Riders of the Spanish American War, the only proof he offers is that there were soldiers with "foreign" names on the roles. He also says that Americans working for the American CIA in Vietnam were mercenaries as were Irishmen who served in the British army during those centuries when Ireland was part of the United Kingdom.

It's hard to believe that Rosen is both a journalist and a adjunct professor of criminal justice. The writing, poorly thought out concepts, and a basic lack of the ability to support his thesis with information related to his argument belongs to an undergraduate's research paper - and a bad one at that.

Could have been better.......2005-07-18

This was an interesting book. The writing (and editing) weren't really that great, but I was expecting a bit more substance.

The author gave an overview of mercenary operations over an extended period of history and then gave relatively short shrift to current operations, particulalry in Iraq, where PMC's (Private Military Companies) are making sinful amounts of money out of the ongoing debacle in Iraq.

The author doesn't appear to have an agenda with this book, other than to get published and make money the sad thing is that with a little more homework and fact checking, he could have done something special.

FORTUNE FAVOURS THE BRAVE: The Battles for the Hook, Korea 1952-53: The Commonwealth Brigade in the Korean War

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FORTUNE FAVOURS THE BRAVE: The Battles for the Hook, Korea 1952-53: The Commonwealth Brigade in the Korean War
A Barker
Manufacturer: Pen and Sword
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Book Description

A Korean ridge known as the Hook was the scene of three epic battles in late 1952 and early 1953. Each battle involved a different distinguished regiment: the 7th U.S. Marines and Britain's Black Watch and Duke of Wellington's Regiment. With the 50th anniversary of the Korean War under way, a new generation of readers will be fascinated and moved by these desperate battles against heavy odds.

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Good for a begining but lacking some important pieces
Good Job Montaigne!!!
World War III will begin if the US Invades Iraq
Quick Read-But Very Informative
Hasn't happened.

Nostradamus World War III 2002
David Montaigne
Manufacturer: Llewellyn Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0738702692

Book Description

Did Nostradamus Predict WW III?

Over four centuries ago, the French physician Michel de Nostradamus foresaw future world events, including the French Revolution, World War II, the fall of the Soviet Union, and the end of the Cold War. History compels us to take a serious look at his prediction of a Third World War starting in 2002.

Author David Montaigne interprets the prophecies of Nostradamus, focusing on what is happening now and what will happen in the near future:

Britain and the United States will fight an antichrist whose treachery starts a major warLeaders from Afghanistan and Iraq will lead an Islamic alliance against the WestRome will be destroyed and the Papacy will relocateA traitor will destroy the United Nations in GenevaAmerica, Europe, and eventually Russia will form an alliance against the invaders from the Middle East and China

Customer Reviews:

Good for a begining but lacking some important pieces.......2004-05-20

Although I agree with the other readers who praise this books' revelations and I think possible that we are already in the maelstrom of World War III which is going to last for more than 20 years, some very important prophecies of Nostradamus are missing in this work, like the more than ten quadrants that deal with the appearance and the terrible strike on Earth of a comet near this millenium. The famous quadrant about the "year 1999 and seven months" is also misinterpreted according to my opinion. Nostradamus wrote in a carefuly misleading way and I think that this particular quadrant is refering to the 1999 war in Yugoslavia and the NATO bombing campaign. As we know Operation Allied Force lasted for 72 days. If someone divides this period in 12 "months" and then take the 7/12 of these ("seven month") then he has the exact date of the bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade ("he will bring back the King of the Mongols") from a B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber ("will come from the sky the Great King of Terror"). Before and after this unlucky hit the war was going perfectly for the NATO forces which didn't suffer a single casualty in combat ("Before and after Mars rules happily"). Also the writer does not interpret well the X-74 quadrant which I'm afraid speaks of a fiery comet appearing in our times.

Good Job Montaigne!!!.......2003-01-08

I strongly recommend this book. I like it for two reasons. First, it is very easy to read and follow, the author has a solid argument and some novel theories on the way people interpret Nostradamus. The author is an historian and he has his feet on solid ground. Unlike other books, like "Nostradamus prophecies for America" by David Ovason, Montaigne's book is not limited to reinterpret old quatrains related to events that happened a long time ago. In fact, he is trying to interpret the quatrains before the events described happen. This is very difficult to accomplish and he deserves some credit for trying very hard to get it right. Second, Montaigne describes a sequence of events almost identical to that described by the prophecies treasured by the Holy Catholic Church for hundreds of years, and the few points that he is not very certain about are those very nicely explained in the catholic prophecies (specially those related to the identity and roll of the Great Monarch or Great King and the change in location of the residence of the Pope). I would recommend people to read Catholic Prophecy by Yves Dupont, after reading this book. They both seem to complement each other. It all seems to make sense. Finally, the prophecies do not say that all of the events will happen in the year 2002. They say that the pieces of the puzzle will begin to align themselves in the direction place at that time. If you watch the news today, they all talk about Bush sending troops to the Middle East and Muslim people protesting against the USA. We are getting close to the point when all the things described in the book could happen. Therefore, I would recommend everybody to read the book, pray and prepare yourselves, regardless of your faith. May God bless you all.

World War III will begin if the US Invades Iraq.......2002-12-09

Our Lady Queen of Peace told Irish mystic Christina Gallagher, on October 23, "The Blessed Mother desires that the President of the United States not come forward to order an attack on any country. The consequences of this would be drastic. This is what China is waiting for. One slip of your pen would mark the start of the Third World War. This is not what God desires. . . . There are cells of Al Queda all over the United States and in many other countries. They are plotting their next scare tactics. They have many in mind. They plot against the United States and many countries. Their deepest hatred is for the United States. Their first action is fear followed by terror followed by bloodshed."
If the US invades Iraq, China will invade Taiwan shortly afterwards.
If we do not invade, China will lack the strategic opportunity to seize Taiwan and World War III can be lessened or averted.
Shortly, we will know the truth. Feast of the Immaculate Conception Dec 8th, 2002

Quick Read-But Very Informative.......2002-10-15

I found this book to be very interesting and a fun read. Very quick reading. If you are a Nostra fan, this is the book for you......whether you believe any of it, I guess is up to you.

Hasn't happened........2002-10-06

As of writing - October 2002, none of the things predicted in this book have happened! Also, the obviously pro-American stance of the author is nauseating - but will appeal to bible-belt Americans. He thinks all 3 of Nostradamus' antichrists are going to be Muslim's who will be unfairly attacking the good Christian Godly American's and their allies - Garbage. There is nothing Godly or Christian about our degenerate Western societies. It is far more likely the 'beast' will be America. Especially in view of its current sinister administration and their immoral bullying activities in the middle-east right now. They are the ones unfairly picking on the Muslims, not vice versa.

Written on the Wind (Daughters of Fortune, 1)

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It made me very happy
Should Have Been Good - But It Wasn't
Solid Start to Wonderful Series
Written on the Wind - Daughters of Fortune Series
What a great book!

Written on the Wind (Daughters of Fortune, 1)
Judith Pella
Manufacturer: Bethany House Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0764226088

Book Description

What Costs Will She Risk to Prove Herself?

In Written on the Wind, Cameron Hayes' determination to distance herself from her famous father and establish herself as a journalist finds her back in her beloved Russia, now threatened by Hitler's greed. In Moscow she meets Dr. Alex Rostov, a once-prominent US surgeon who has been forced to return to his Russian homeland. Anger over the politics of war brings Alex and Cameron together, but will tragedy ultimately drive them apart?

Cameron's sisters, Blair and Jackie, have each set out on paths certain to dismantle a family already fragmented by turmoil, within and without. Long-held secrets shimmer just beneath the surface of a family united only in name...will the trauma of war be the catalyst for peace?

Customer Reviews:

It made me very happy.......2006-12-17

It made me very glad that charcters from the series "The Russians" were put into the books. (The Russians is a very good book series you need to read) I thought Written on the Wind was very good and belivable. True it does leave you hanging on the end so I am very excited to get the next book so I can see what happens.

Should Have Been Good - But It Wasn't.......2006-06-26

This SHOULD have been a good book. The story was decent, the characters had potential... But the writing was ghastly, particularly the dialogue. For some reason, Pella shuns contractions and insists on dropping a name of direct address into every line of dialogue. Clunky, to say the best. One expects more from an author as prolific as Pella.

Oh, and would somebody please tell me what the title has to do with anything?

Solid Start to Wonderful Series.......2006-06-15

Pella excels at history. Therefore, it's no surprise that her books tend to contain a lot of it. This makes them both great and a bit slow at times. If you're willing to wait out the fascinating and thorough political intrigue and history stuff, the stories pay off in the end.
Not much is resolved in this book, but that's because it's really only part one of a larger story. Stand alone humph, this book is meant to be read in conjunction with the other 3. I promise things are resolved by the end of the series (believe me I just finished reading the last one about a day ago).
Written on the Wind introduces us to Cameron, Blair, and Jacki - this one's mainly about Cameron and her verbal duels with her father and struggles to make it in the man's world of journalism circa 1940. If you invest enough of your time reading this book, you'll be slowly draw in and captivated by the realistic characters.

Written on the Wind - Daughters of Fortune Series.......2005-07-20

Judith Pella is an amazing author! I have read her work for years now, and she is at the top of my list. Written on the Wind is a spectacular book. Action, romance, faith; just enough of each one to keep you in suspence of what will happen next. The series "The Russians" is my favorite all time series from her. I thought it absolutely fantastic that she intertwined some of the characters from that series into The Daughters of Fortune series. (If you have not read "The Russians" you must!!!! It will help you understand more of the Russian history that is talked about in Written on the Wind.) Daughters of Fortune series is a must read! I can't wait to finish the series! You will fall in love with the characters of the story. She makes you feel like you are a part of the story! Once again, 5 stars!!!!

What a great book!.......2004-01-23

I have to admitt that I had never read a Christian Fiction book before I read "Written on the Wind" by Judith Pella. The main reason that I bought it was that it was set during World War 2. But after starting the book, I was very sorry that it me so long to read it. Ms. Pella is truly a great writer that is able bring the characters to life. She is also is able to show that during war-time faith is something that is needed for survival. This is a book that should not be missed and I look foward to read the other books in the "Daughters of Fortune" series!

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