Prologue
The door to Dr. Hannibal Lecter's memory palace is in the darkness at the center of his mind and it has a latch that can be found by touch alone. This curious portal opens on immense and well-lit spaces, early baroque, and corridors and chambers rivaling in number those of the Topkapi Museum.
Everywhere there are exhibits, well-spaced and lighted, each keyed to memories that lead to other memories in geometric progression.
Spaces devoted to Hannibal Lecter's earliest years differ from the other archives in being incomplete. Some are static scenes, fragmentary, like painted Attic shards held together by blank plaster. Other rooms hold sound and motion, great snakes wrestling and heaving in the dark and lit in flashes. Pleas and screaming fill some places on the grounds where Hannibal himself cannot go. But the corridors do not echo screaming, and there is music if you like.
The palace is a construction begun early in Hannibal's student life. In his years of confinement he improved and enlarged his palace, and its riches sustained him for long periods while warders denied him his books.
Here in the hot darkness of his mind, let us feel together for the latch. Finding it, let us elect for music in the corridors and, looking neither left nor right, go to the Hall of the Beginning where the displays are most fragmentary.
We will add to them what we have learned elsewhere, in war records and police records, from interviews and forensics and the mute postures of the dead. Robert Lecter's letters, recently unearthed, may help us establish the vital statistics of Hannibal, who altered dates freely to confound the authorities and his chroniclers. By our efforts we may watch as the beast within turns from the teat and, working upwind, enters the world.
Chapter 6
Lothar heard it first as he drew water, the roar of an engine in low gear and cracking of branches. He left the bucket on the well and in his haste he came into the lodge without wiping his feet.
A Soviet tank, a T-34 in winter camouflage of snow and straw, crashed up the horse trail and into the clearing. Painted on the turret in Russian were AVENGE OUR SOVIET GIRLS and WIPE OUT THE FASCIST VERMIN. Two soldiers in white rode on the back over the radiators. The turret swiveled to point the tank's cannon at the house. A hatch opened and a gunner in hooded winter white stood behind a machine gun. The tank commander stood in the other hatch with a megaphone. He repeated his message in Russian and in German, barking over the diesel clatter of the tank engine.
"We want water, we will not harm you or take your food unless a shot comes from the house. If we are fired on, every one of you will die. Now come outside. Gunner, lock and load. If you do not see faces by the count of ten, fire." A loud clack as the machine gun's bolt went back.
Count Lecter stepped outside, standing straight in the sunshine, his hands visible. "Take the water. We are no harm to you."
The tank commander put his megaphone aside. "Everyone outside where I can see you."
The count and the tank commander looked at each other for a long moment. The tank commander showed his palms.
The count showed his palms. The count turned to the house. "Come."
When the commander saw the family he said, "The children can stay inside where it's warm."
And to his gunner and crew, "Cover them. Watch the upstairs windows. Start the pump. You can smoke."
The machine gunner pushed up his goggles and lit a cigarette. He was no more than a boy, the skin of his face paler around his eyes. He saw Mischa peeping around the door facing and smiled at her.
Among the fuel and water drums lashed to the tank was a small petrol-powered pump with a rope starter.
The tank driver snaked a hose with a screen filter down the well and after many pulls on the rope the pump clattered, squealed, and primed itself.
The noise covered the scream of the Stuka dive bomber until it was almost on them, the tank's gunner swiveling his muzzle around, cranking hard to elevate his gun, firing as the airplane's winking cannon stitched the ground. Rounds screamed off the tank, the gunner hit, still firing with his remaining arm.
The Stuka's windscreen starred with fractures, the pilot's goggles filled with blood and the dive bomber, still carrying one of its eggs, hit treetops, plowed into the garden and its fuel exploded, cannon under the wings still firing after the impact. Hannibal, on the floor of the lodge, Mischa partly under him, saw his mother lying in the yard, bloody and her dress on fire.
"Stay here!" to Mischa and he ran to his mother, ammunition in the airplane cooking off now, slow and then faster, casings flying backward striking the snow, flames licking around the remaining bomb beneath the wing. The pilot sat in the cockpit, dead, his face burned to a death's head in flaming scarf and helmet, his gunner dead behind him.
Lothar alone survived in the yard and he raised a bloody arm to the boy. Then Mischa ran to her mother, out into the yard and Lothar tried to reach her and pull her down as she passed, but a cannon round from the flaming plane slammed through him, blood spattering the baby and Mischa raised her arms and screamed into the sky. Hannibal heaped snow onto the fire in his mother's clothes, stood up and ran to Mischa amid the random shots and carried her into the lodge, into the cellar. The shots outside slowed and stopped as bullets melted in the breeches of the cannon. The sky darkened and snow came again, hissing on the hot metal.
Darkness, and snow again. Hannibal among the corpses, how much later he did not know, snow drifting down to dust his mother's eyelashes and her hair. She was the only corpse not blackened and crisped. Hannibal tugged at her, but her body was frozen to the ground. He pressed his face against her. Her bosom was frozen hard, her heart silent. He put a napkin over her face and piled snow on her. Dark shapes moved at the edge of the woods. His torch reflected on wolves' eyes. He shouted at them and waved a shovel. Mischa was determined to come out to her mother—he had to choose. He took Mischa back inside and left the dead to the dark.
Mr. Jakov's book was undamaged beside his blackened hand until a wolf ate the leather cover and amid the scattered pages of Huyghens' Treatise on Light licked Mr. Jakov's brains off the snow. Hannibal and Mischa heard snuffling and growling outside. Hannibal built up the fire. To cover the noise he tried to get Mischa to sing; he sang to her. She clutched his coat in her fists.
"Ein Mannlein . . ."
Snowflakes on the windows. In the corner of a pane, a dark circle appeared, made by the tip of a glove. In the dark circle a pale blue eye.
Excerpted from HANNIBAL RISING by Thomas Harris Copyright © 2006 byThomas Harris.
The Hannibal Lecter Books
Red Dragon |
The Silence of the Lambs |
Hannibal |
The Hannibal Lecter DVDs
Manhunter |
Red Dragon |
The Silence of the Lambs |
Hannibal |
Book Description
HE IS ONE OF THE MOST HAUNTING CHARACTERS
IN ALL OF LITERATURE.
AT LAST THE EVOLUTION OF HIS EVIL
IS REVEALED.
Hannibal Lecter emerges from the nightmare of the Eastern Front, a boy in the snow, mute, with a chain around his neck.
He seems utterly alone, but he has brought his demons with him.
Hannibal’s uncle, a noted painter, finds him in a Soviet orphanage and brings him to France, where Hannibal will live with his uncle and his uncle’s beautiful and exotic wife, Lady Murasaki.
Lady Murasaki helps Hannibal to heal. With her help he flourishes, becoming the youngest person ever admitted to medical school in France.
But Hannibal’s demons visit him and torment him. When he is old enough, he visits them in turn.
He discovers he has gifts beyond the academic, and in that epiphany, Hannibal Lecter becomes death’s prodigy.
Customer Reviews:
Funniest one yet! Nabakov could not have done better.......2007-10-02
One of the top ten funniest books I've ever read: rarefied European nobility, Japanese aesthetics, post-adolescent crush, brutal crude enemies, and sweet sweet hot-blooded revenge. This is a comic book.
There is a rule in writing novels: start as close to the ending as you possibly can and push the action. There is a rule in filming monster movies: don't show the monster until you absolutely have to. There are rules about heroes and anti-heroes too, but they have become so hopelessly muddled in our post-post-post-(ideological zeitgeist of the day) that even the term "hero" is suspect [deconstructionists, hold your glee, I am *not* on your side].
Harris was clearly in a bind. Folks want more Hannibal, and those cases of Petrus cooling in his Long Island cellar aren't getting any easier to come by in this gilded age. But what to do? How to show the monster? But the monster is more powerful *not* explained! If you explain the monster, you've brought everybody backstage and showed them how the fog machine works. Honestly, isn't Michael Myers the unexplained killing machine in the first Halloween movie so much more interesting than the lame back story they finally cobbled together about him?
Thomas Harris was in trouble. Showing the monster means damning the monster to withered force. Sunlight on the vampire.
Solution: make it subtly out-of-cannon like the alternate universe comic books so popular nowadays. Hey, why not even make it a comic book? But Harris clearly got bored with that process and then proceeded to disguise the comic book for his own amusement.
In the words of Anthony Hopkins, "Okey Dokey".......2007-09-30
For a piece of entertainment literature, "Hannibal Rising" wasn't a total waste time.
In my opinion, it was certainly better than "Hannibal", which was too far over the top.
This book does, however, lack the good vs. evil race against time sleuthfests that made "Red Dragon" and "The Silence Of The Lambs" such compelling reads (if you liked those two novels, you should check out The Alienist: A Novel by Caleb Carr).
What we have here is an at least somewhat plausible explaination of how Dr. Lecter acquired his appetites, for both the aesthetic and the horrific.
Of course, as others have noted, given what we know of the character, there was only so much Harris could do with this prequel.
Maybe the handful of people who start off with this book would give it higher marks.
Plus, there is the gap between "Hannibal Rising" and "Red Dragon" that Harris could flesh out, so there's hope, or at least another novel possible.
p.s. As far as actors are concerned, Brian Cox did an excellent job portraying Lecter in "Manhunter". The Lecter character wasn't the focus of this early film, but Cox's performance was memorable.
PayBack Time.......2007-09-23
The was a wonderful book. I didn't detect any false notes at all. I just might re-read the other few books which I read a very long time ago. There was just so much beauty described in a fanciful way. But it was not described adequately why a brilliant mind would become hatefilled forever after it extracted the venegence it required. Was it because Hannibal inadvertently ate the soup? Maybe that's it. The Lady and the Detective could see that he had become a Monster but I couldn't. So perhaps that's the flaw of this book. We were never shown Hannibal killing people just for the joy of killing them. It was Payback Time and we sure have seen that in the media over and over in a zillion guises. Hannibal had his little taste of human flesh and later became addicted, right? First the soup and then "A brochette, cheeks and morels." Yum.
A disappointment for me.......2007-09-03
I have to say being a fan of the Hannibal stories; I was disappointed with this book. It starts off well and with a lot of promise and becomes quit predictable. I would say it's still worth a read for anyone who enjoys the Hannibal books to see what started it all, but I don't think I would recommend this book as a first read for anyone interested in the series, as you may never pick up a Thomas Harris book again.
The story is about revenge and has quite a few graphic torture scenes in it, in pure Hannibal Lecter style.
Nothing to write home about........2007-08-29
Another reviewer stated that Lecter in this latest book is a vigilante avenging wrongs done to him and his family by deserters and scavengers. I honestly think that of all the people that Hannibal killed it was in some way right a wrong or a flaw in the persons charecter. The only thing good to ever come out of this is Sir Anthonys protrayal of the good doctor.
Average customer rating:
- Tim LaHaye you are awesome!
- Tim LaHaye does it again
- When will book 5 be out?
- Unable to Review
- This series keeps getting more and more disappointing...
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Babylon Rising: The Edge of Darkness (Babylon Rising)
Tim Lahaye , and
Bob Phillips
Manufacturer: Bantam
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Babylon Rising: The Europa Conspiracy (Babylon Rising)
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Babylon Rising
ASIN: 0553803255
Release Date: 2006-08-29 |
Book Description
Tim LaHaye’s most exciting series ever, Babylon Rising, continues with this explosive new installment, including more revelations than ever before. In
The Edge of Darkness, LaHaye reveals the meaning behind some of the most carefully guarded Biblical prophecies to expose a conspiracy with terrifying consequences for our modern world.
This time Michael Murphy sets off in search of the Lost Temple of Dagon and the dark secrets of the strange god once worshipped by the ancient Philistines. His quest will lead to a final confrontation with an old enemy and uncover one of the Bible’s most feared warnings–a prophecy of false miracles, false messiahs, and ultimate evil that will be fulfilled in our time...and that not even Murphy can stop once it’s begun.
Once again Tim LaHaye combines his unmatched insight into Biblical prophecy with his unique skills as a master storyteller to deliver a suspense thriller of nonstop action with a thought-provoking message for our troubled times.
Customer Reviews:
Tim LaHaye you are awesome! .......2007-10-11
What a great book! The next books just get better than the previous.I love this series. The main character'Dr Michael Murphy', is perfect. I finished reading this in 4 days, and with two kids it was so hard to put down. I can't wait 4 the next one.
Tim LaHaye does it again.......2007-09-05
Tim LaHaye has a way with blending fiction into biblical prophecy. His stories are fast-paced, and hard to put down.
"The Edge of Darkness" tells of the fast approaching time of the anti-christ. This series is a must read for everybody.
When will book 5 be out?.......2007-08-30
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book but as with the others it did not conclude. The way scripture is woven into the story line makes it interesting and I believe will lead to further investigation by those not familiar with the themes. A good thing.
Unable to Review .......2007-08-28
I do not have a review as I did not receive the book. The order was cancelled by Amazon stating that they could not deliver the item to the address listed. This is strange as I have received other books at the same address. I was not very happy about it. I will now have to go and purchase it at the Barnes & Noble store.
This series keeps getting more and more disappointing..........2007-06-13
I was a huge fan of the first book in the Babylon Rising series, but I feel that the subsequent novels--including and especially this one--have slowly but surely been going downhill. The Edge of Darkness and the third book, The Europa Conspiracy, have lacked the action of the first book, and even of the second book, The Secret on Ararat. This novel also consisted mainly of lackluster dialogue and ridiculously simple thoughts on the part of its characters, along with childish comparisons (such as toward the end of the book, when the Seven are comparing their actions to fountains etc. at the Chateau de Versailles) that served as a constant annoyance.
Also, Tim Lahaye kills off many important characters in this Babylon Rising installation. I won't name names because I don't want to spoil things for anyone who hasn't read this book yet, but I feel that it's a bit late for the authors to start introducing new MAIN characters into the series, which is what they will have to do now that all but a couple of its main characters are dead. The authors need to go back to the basics of what made the first Babylon Rising book, and even the second one, the hits that they were.
Average customer rating:
- Good, but not great
- Great story!
- The Rising Tide
- El Alamein
- compelling military action in North Africa and Sicily..
|
The Rising Tide: A Novel of World War II
Jeff Shaara
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Contemporary
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ASIN: 034546141X
Release Date: 2006-11-07 |
Book Description
A modern master of the historical novel, Jeff Shaara has painted brilliant depictions of the Civil War, the Revolutionary War, and World War I. Now he embarks upon his most ambitious epic, a trilogy about the military conflict that defined the twentieth century. The Rising Tide begins a staggering work of fiction bound to be a new generation’s most poignant chronicle of World War II. With you-are-there immediacy, painstaking historical detail, and all-inclusive points of view, Shaara portrays the momentous and increasingly dramatic events that pulled America into the vortex of this monumental conflict.
As Hitler conquers Poland, Norway, France, and most of Western Europe, England struggles to hold the line. When Germany’s ally Japan launches a stunning attack on Pearl Harbor, America is drawn into the war, fighting to hold back the Japanese conquest of the Pacific, while standing side-by-side with their British ally, the last hope for turning the tide of the war.
Through unforgettable battle scenes in the unforgiving deserts of North Africa and the rugged countryside of Sicily, Shaara tells this story through the voices of this conflict’s most heroic figures, some familiar, some unknown. As British and American forces strike into the “soft underbelly” of Hitler’s Fortress Europa, the new weapons of war come clearly into focus. In North Africa, tank battles unfold in a tapestry of dust and fire unlike any the world has ever seen. In Sicily, the Allies attack their enemy with a barely tested weapon: the paratrooper. As battles rage along the coasts of the Mediterranean, the momentum of the war begins to shift, setting the stage for the massive invasion of France, at a seaside resort called Normandy.
More than an unprecedented and intimate portrait of those who waged this astonishing global war, The Rising Tide is a vivid gallery of characters both immortal and unknown: the as-yet obscure administrator Dwight D. Eisenhower, whose tireless efficiency helped win the war; his subordinates, clashing in both style and personality, from George Patton and Mark Clark to Omar Bradley and Bernard Montgomery. In the desolate hills and deserts, the Allies confront Erwin Rommel, the battlefield genius known as “the Desert Fox,” a wounded beast who hands the Americans their first humiliating defeat in the European theater of the war. From tank driver to paratrooper to the men who gave the commands, Shaara’s stirring portrayals bring the heroic and the tragic to life in brilliant detail.
A new level of accomplishment from this already acclaimed author, The Rising Tide will leave readers eager for the next volume of this superb saga of the war that saved and changed the world.
Customer Reviews:
Good, but not great.......2007-10-04
(review by her husband)
The Rising Tide is Jeff Shaara's first part of a WW II Trilogy. Having enjoyed both his Civil War and Revolutionary War histories, I looked forward to his approach to this conflict. Unfortunately, the book lacked the spark that Shaara imparted to his earlier writings. Herman Wouk did it better in his set.
Great story!.......2007-10-02
Another great Jeff Sharra story, this time WWII. Looking forward to a continuation of this story in the next volume.
The Rising Tide.......2007-09-30
Interesting part of WW II covered,but not as crisp as some of his earlier works.
El Alamein.......2007-09-29
The Rising Tide
Jeff Shaara has intertwined real life people such as Rommel, Monty, Eisenhower & others along with fictitous
battle ready troops. The settings are real life.
I am halfway through the book & by coincidence my wife & I are going on a pilgrimage to the war memorial at El Alamein where my father was killed in 1942, in October 07. He was Australian.
Jeff has opened my eyes to how it all happened.
Thanks,
Michael O'Mara
compelling military action in North Africa and Sicily.. .......2007-09-11
Jeff Shaara has written a masterpiece in the 1st of a much anticipated trilogy. The characters are richly drawn, Rommel, Eisenhower, Montgomery, Clark, Patton and a memorable list of others. The bulk of the novel takes place in North Africa as an uncertain and untested American force joins the British in an attempt to drive Rommel and his Panzer divisions from North Africa. Then the action leaps to Sicily where Patton takes center stage and adds to his illustrious reputation. I loved how the action and history propels you through the pages. The characters literally jump off the page at you and you become to know them so well. Interesting in how the story weaves back from the Allied point of view and the German point of view. Highly recommended.
Average customer rating:
- Japan Must Rise!
- Adapting to the Trends of the Time
- Resurgence of a Chastened, Wiser Giant
- The Sun Also Rises
|
Japan Rising: The Resurgence of Japanese Power And Purpose
Kenneth B. Pyle
Manufacturer: PublicAffairs
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Binding: Hardcover
Japan
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ASIN: 1586484176 |
Book Description
Japan is on the verge of a sea change. After more than fifty years of national pacifism and isolation including the "lost decade" of the 1990s, Japan is quietly, stealthily awakening. As Japan prepares to become a major player in the strategic struggles of the 21st century, critical questions arise about its motivations. What are the driving forces that influence how Japan will act in the international system? Are there recurrent patterns that will help explain how Japan will respond to the emerging environment of world politics?
American understanding of Japanese character and purpose has been tenuous at best. We have repeatedly underestimated Japan in the realm of foreign policy. Now as Japan shows signs of vitality and international engagement, it is more important than ever that we understand the forces that drive Japan. In Japan Rising, renowned expert Kenneth Pyle identities the common threads that bind the divergent strategies of modern Japan, providing essential reading for anyone seeking to understand how Japan arrived at this moment-and what to expect in the future.
Customer Reviews:
Japan Must Rise!.......2007-10-10
After the occupation of Japan ended in 1952 by the United States, the Japanese nation would emerge as one of the strongest economical nations in the world. Without a doubt, Japan has been the economic empire of the Far East along with China but the Japanese do pay their employees much better than China. Japan has adopted a largely pacifist constitution since it was the military leaders who led Japan into World War II and almost complete destruction.
This book traces the development of the Japanese military since the close of the Cold War and the beginnings of the new war on terrorism. The United States and most democratic allies are looking for Japan to rebuild its military might for several reasons. First, Japan is now an allied nation. Secondly, Japan is now a democratic nation allowing the people to help its leaders control the military. Thirdly, Japan could help offset North Korea and China as rogue nations in southeast Asia. Fourth, its simply a matter of time before Islamic terrorist target Japan. Japan has every right to protect herself.
I found this book to be enlightning. If you would have told the Marines at Guam or Iwo Jima that Japan would be an allied nation along with the United States, almost none would have accepted that premise. Today the United States (and Europe) needs Japan to rebuild its military to help fight terrorism. The spending by the Japanese on their military has been steadly going up as Japan seeks to defend itself in the coming battle. Japanese forces are already helping the United States in its battles in the middle east.
Overall this a good read. I would encourage you to study Japan as it rebuilds its military might.
Adapting to the Trends of the Time.......2007-08-14
Kenneth Pyle's history of Japan's shifting foreign policies over the last hundred and fifty years is built on three premisses. The first, in accordance with the realist paradigm in international relations theory, is that Japan conducts its foreign relations in a way that maximizes the nation's interest, and that its national advantage can be determined in a straightforward and unambiguous manner. This distinguishes the author from other scholars who insist on socially-constructed goals or collective disciplines that can sometimes be at variance with a country's most advantageous course of action.
The second principle is that Japanese political leaders are a pragmatic lot who tend to "move with the tide" and adapt to changing circumstances. Whenever fundamental changes have taken place in the international environment, the Japanese leaders have proven skillful at adapting their policies to these changes and using them opportunistically to further the nation's interests and ambition. A corollary is that Japan takes its external environment as a given: it doesn't try to shape or transform it through the application of universalistic principles or home-bred ideologies. To use a metaphor from economics, Japan is a price-taker, not a market-maker.
The third precept is the "Primat der Aussenpolitik": Japanese institutions were shaped more by external factors than by internal political struggles or social conflicts. Repeatedly through the course of the 150 years of its modern history, each time the structure of the international system underwent fundamental change, Japan adapted its foreign policies to that changed order and restructured its internal organization to take advantage of it. In the process of adapting its domestic institutions to the external environment, concern with preserving the ideals of Japan's cultural heritage generally took second place. As a consequence, the book covers much more than foreign policy, and its scope encompass all aspects of japan's adaptation to the modern world.
Japan Rising provides a good introduction to the country's modern history and brings different periods that are often treated separately into a common narrative. Particularly valuable are the many quotations of Japanese statesmen or intellectuals that the author tracks back to their original source given in the footnotes (it is not clear whether the author offers his own translation of these sources or borrows them from translated versions). Kenneth Pyle also makes good use of the existing literature, including some Japanese scholarship, although he cannot do justice to all that has been written on so broad a subject. Nevertheless, references to historical debates and conflicts of interpretation that divide the historical profession would have been worthwhile.
I have some reservations however with the author's attempt to identify the "profound forces" or recurrent patterns that characterize Japan's engagement with the outside world. These persistent features (Japan's opportunism, pragmatism, outward orientation, etc.) tend to placate psychological traits over a nation, obfuscating the political processes, social struggles, and individual agency that are at the origin of historical outcomes. They establish a false continuity in Japan's modern history, minimizing the profound ruptures and new departures that have charted the country's course since the Meiji Restoration. The author's intention is to offer to American policy-makers interpretative lenses and guidelines for action in a bilateral relationship that has often been fraught with misunderstandings and prejudices. But I am not sure whether generalizations about Japan's national "style" or pattern of behavior are really helping toward that end.
Another reservation I have with the book is its interpretation of Japan's economic success. The author seems to have a problem with free trade and self-regulating markets, echoing in some sense Japanese leaders' preference for ordered capitalism and state intervention. He reproduces uncritically Friedrich List's indictment of free trade as a self-serving ideology sustaining British imperial rule: "It is a very common clever device that when anyone has attained the summit of greatness, he kicks away the ladder by which he has climbed up, in order to deprive others of the means of climbing up after him." Put in this context, Japan's imperial expansion was a rational response to a situation where the chances to climb the ladder were flawed. This was simply the way the game was played, and if someone is to blame, it is the imperial powers who set the rules of the game, not Japan who simply was a fast learner.
Moving on to the postwar era, the author sees Japan's recovery and economic success as the result of mercantilist policies taking advantage of a system ruled by classic liberal principles. There is certainly an element of free riding in Japan's postwar economic miracle, which was made possible by America's security umbrella and its maintaining of a liberal economic order. But claiming that there would have been no Japanese success story had Japan contributed a bigger part of burden sharing seems to me an unsubstantiated conclusion. More than mercantilism and state interventionism, Japanese economic success seems to me the result of sound economic policies and the collective effort of a people determined to catch up.
Resurgence of a Chastened, Wiser Giant .......2007-06-05
Kenneth Pyle does a remarkable job in helping his readers better assess the future behavior of a resurgent Japan in fast-changing Asia. U.S. policymakers have been repeatedly wrong-footed in gauging Japan's foreign policy since the arrival of Commodore Matthew Perry and his ships on Japan's shores in 1853 (pp. 10, 67). Think for instance about the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor as an act of economic desperation over the American oil embargo, despite the odds against military victory (pp. 10 - 11, 64 - 65, 135 - 36, 204, 354). Another example is the Yoshida doctrine, Japan's unique Cold War policy that relied on U.S. security guarantees while pursuing mercantile realism, to which American policymakers remained oblivious for a long time (pp. 13, 45 - 46, 212, 225 - 77, 291).
Part of the challenge in understanding Japan is that the country is simultaneously a state and a unique civilization (pp. 13, 49 - 50). Furthermore, Japan has vacillated between infuriating ethnocentrism and remarkable receptivity to foreign influences during its history without ultimately sacrificing its unique culture (pp. 18 - 19, 22 - 23, 58 - 62, 76, 100 - 05, 116 - 36, 176, 239, 245). Finally, Japan has often not done enough to factor in the legitimate concerns of other countries in its "opaque" decision-making process, resulting in some needless frictions (pp. 15 - 16, 229, 250 - 52, 306 - 09, 354).
To his credit, Pyle clearly shows that the Japanese tend to shun radical change in their interaction with the outside world unless the circumstances deprive them of any other option. The difficulty of making change and the rapidity with which irresistible changes occur have often confused foreigners because of the apparent, inherent contradiction in this policy (pp. 52, 76).
Resource poor and a late arriver in the modern world, Japan is among the few countries in modern history which have been especially sensitive and responsive to the forces of the international environment (pp. 21 - 22, 27, 49). As a matter of self-interest, Japan has repeatedly allied itself with the dominant ascendant power (pp. 12, 44 - 46). Modern Japan's behavior is especially remarkable when one remembers that the country benefited from a unique isolation and security for almost all its history prior to the 19th century. (pp. 32, 34). The origin of that astonishing capability to adapt to external forces lies in the legacy of Japanese feudalism (pp. 39 - 41, 59, 62, 84). The same conservative ruling elite has displayed an extraordinary resilience in carrying on the strategic principles of the Meiji leaders, despite the ups and downs in their fortunes (pp. 23 - 24, 43 - 44, 49-51, 194, 220, 225 - 26, 260 - 77, 293, 357).
Pyle spends most of his time covering how Japan reorganized its domestic institutions to support its foreign policy while accommodating five fundamental changes in the international order in East Asia in the last century and half (p. 28):
1) The collapse of the Sinocentric system under the pressure of Western powers taking advantage of a weakened Imperial China in the middle of the 19th century (pp. 34 - 39, 72 - 136);
2) The substitution of the imperialist system for the decade-old Washington Treaty System based on the ideals of international liberalism under the influence of Woodrow Wilson after WWI. The new system was designed to check Japanese expansionism in East Asia (pp. 139 - 54, 159 - 67, 201);
3) The disintegration of the Washington System following the worldwide economic depression and the remodeling of Japanese domestic institutions after those of Nazi Germany in its conquest of much of East and Southeast Asia between 1932 and 1942 (pp. 167 - 69, 172, 183 - 91, 198 - 205);
4) The annihilation of Japan's fascist order and the imposition of a new U.S.-inspired liberal order after 1945 and its evolution during the Cold War. Postwar Japan retooled its domestic institutions to get the most out of the free-trade U.S.-sponsored regime while leveraging the military alliance between the two countries (pp. 205 - 77);
5) The post Cold War transition in Japan following the implosion of the Soviet Union-dominated communist order in 1989. Surprisingly, Japan, at the zenith of its economic power, sank in economic and political torpor, partly due to the absence of a clear-cut new order in East Asia and partly due to the emergence of other economic powers, especially China, in the region (pp. 5, 280, 284, 286, 300). Japan started rebounding from its torpor under the premiership of Koizumi Junichirô by undermining the Yoshida doctrine and by engaging in economic and military multilateralism (pp. 291 - 309, 355 - 74).
Pyle consecrates the end of his book to the triangular relations among China, Japan, and the U.S. The U.S. has pursued the same policy in East Asia since WWI: No domination of any power in the region, free trade, and the spread of democracy to preserve peace and stability in the region (pp. 145, 311). The U.S. has developed a mixed policy of containment and engagement with China while strengthening its military alliance with Japan (pp. 314, 333, 348 - 54, 368 - 69). The continued engagement of the U.S. in the region is vital to keep Japan from putting itself in the orbit of China (p. 353). Japan, mindful of its past, location, and culture, has been conditionally engaging China in a way that is somewhat different from the U.S. (pp. 314 - 16, 324 - 36).
The legitimacy of the Communist Party leadership in China is built on strong economic growth (p. 337). If economic growth falters, the Communist Party leadership could be tempted to internationalize its problems by playing once more the nationalistic card that could backfire. Think for instance about fascist Japan in the 1930s and 1940s. More optimistically, the Communist Party could give up power peacefully as its counterparts in Central and Eastern Europe did in 1989.
To summarize, Japan's international behavior cannot be correctly understood without a proper grasp of the tectonic forces that have molded the country's history, geography, and culture.
The Sun Also Rises.......2007-05-03
Japan is a country that has faded into the background for many Americans. It is there, but not front and center like China or even Korea (North/South.) But the terms of our two countries' basically comfortable bilateral relationship may soon shift.
Professor Pyle, a well-informed academic, reminds his readers that Japan is important not only as a current major world economic force but as an emerging political and military power in the future of Asia. Change is afoot in Japan -- with a younger population not grounded in the searing aftermath of World War II -- as it adjusts its foreign policy to post-Cold War realities.
A book for those serious about understanding both historical and modern Japan, and its possible future in relation to China, Taiwan, Russia, Korea, and the United States.
Average customer rating:
- alright but not too uplifting
- Esperanza Rising
- Yo, Yo,Yo!! By Jacky-Boy
- Mother
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Esperanza Rising
Pam Munoz Ryan
Manufacturer: Blue Sky Press
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ASIN: 043912042X |
Book Description
Esperanza thought she'd always live with her family on their ranch in Mexico--she'd always have fancy dresses, a beautiful home, & servants. But a sudden tragedy forces Esperanza and Mama to flee to California during the Great Depression, and to settle in a camp for Mexican farm workers. Esperanza isn't ready for the hard labor, financial struggles, or lack of acceptance she now faces. When their new life is threatened, Esperanza must find a way to rise above her difficult circumstances--Mama's life and her own depend on it.
Customer Reviews:
alright but not too uplifting.......2007-10-06
The book was a pleasent read but left me wondering at the end if esperanza actually had risen or if she did have any chance of rising further.
Esperanza Rising.......2007-09-24
Excellent book with many themes to be used - Used with Mexico Unit in sixth grade social studies
Great examples for 6 traits of writing
High percentage of interest with boys and girls in sixth grade
Used a cd also to add variety of readers
Yo, Yo,Yo!! By Jacky-Boy .......2007-09-10
Yo, Yo, Yo, Pay attention I'm telling you about a great book. Sheesh!! Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan shows how the life of a young rich girl is turns upside down and how she struggles to keep her family afloat. To begin, Esperanza's life is perfect. She lives on a huge ranch in Mexico surrounded by servants. Then, in a stunning turn of events her father is murdered by bandits. After the death of her father, the greed of her uncles forces Esperanza, her mother and three of their former servants to move to California to find work. Unknown to Esperanza and her family is that her greedy uncles want the ranch for themselves. Esperanza's uncle asks for her mother hand in marriage so they can both have the ranch. Esperanza's mother is unwilling to do so. So seeking revenge the uncles burn down their beautiful house. In the process they injure Esperanza's Abuelita (Grandmother). After sending her to recuperate with her sisters, Esperanza, her mother, Alfonso, Miguel, and Hortensia go to California. Once in California they go to a work camp. No sooner had they gotten settled in, then Esperanza's mother is taken ill by Valley Fever. Too weak to continue working, she is sent to the hospital and Esperanza must take over work for her to pay the bills. She is also saving to bring Abuelita to California. If you wish to know what happens you must read the book for yourself. Mwah hah hah hah!! Believe you will like it (if you don't then you're just a little weird). =]
Mother.......2007-07-24
This book was on my middle schooler's summer reading list. He loved the book. He finished it in 1 & 1/2 days.
The Best of Both Worlds.......2007-07-01
This has been one of my favorite books since I read it. It Is about a gilr who has luxury and over night all of that vanishes. She is forced to live in California and work hard. While she is ther she is trying to work. But then her mom gets sick and she works extra hard to pay her mom`s bills andraise money to bring her abuelita( grama) to her mom. She also has feelings for Miguel, a servant boy. I give this unbelievable book 5 stars. I would give it more if i could.
Average customer rating:
- The words on the page are not the point
- Prometheus Rising is an amazing must-read
- true power transmitted trough words
- A change of scenery
- Anton Wilson's further discussion on Timothy Leary's groundbreaking Eight Neural Circuit model of human consciousness
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Prometheus Rising
Robert Anton Wilson
Manufacturer: New Falcon Publications
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ASIN: 1561840564 |
Book Description
Imagine trying to make sense of an amalgam of Timothy Leary's eight neurological circuits, G.I. Gurdjieff's self-observation exercises, Alfred Korzybskis general semantics, Aleister Crowley's magical theorems, and the several disciplines of Yoga; not to mention Christian Science, relativity, quantum mechanics, and many other approaches to understanding the world around us! That is exactly what Robert Anton Wilson does in Prometheus Rising. In short, this is a book about how the human mind works and what you can do to make the most of yours.
Customer Reviews:
The words on the page are not the point.......2007-08-04
First of all, let me admit that it's been almost 5 years now since I read this book. I've since forgotten many of the exact details of the book, but what I'd like to comment about in this review is how I've seen the book influence my life.
The main point that I'd like to get across is that the meaning of this book is not found anywhere in the words on the page. The meaning of this book solely lies in how those words influence your methods of thinking. RAW is an absolute master of using language to force the reader to consider the world from different perspectives. If you understand this simple point, then you can get past all the metaphysical silliness, conspiracy theory, and drug-happy parts of the book.
As for the long-term influence of this book, I'd have to say that it has forced me to understand that people perceive the world in very different ways. Now, you may say "I know that already, so why do I need to read the book?" There's lots of things that we think we "know", but we don't really internalize and incorporate that knowledge until we're forced to.
In addition, this book forced me to reconsider my own convictions. Where did my convictions come from? Are they really mine, or did someone convince me they were my own?
All in all, I'd say that this book is best suited for someone in their early twenties that is starting to question their own history and pondering their own philosophies. However, this book must come with a word of warning. RAW's prose is extremely powerful, and can drastically impact the perceptions of the reader. Don't read this book unless you're 100% ready to question everything and accept any consequences therefrom.
P.S. RAW passed away on January 11th 2007, a week before his 75th birthday. His final public statement was "I look forward without dogmatic optimism but without dread. I love you all and I deeply implore you to keep the lasagna flying. Please pardon my levity, I don't see how to take death seriously. It seems absurd."
Prometheus Rising is an amazing must-read.......2007-06-26
For anyone interested in consciousness and maybe even meaning in life, Prometheus Rising by Robert Anton Wilson really hits home so many points and concepts.
With Wilson's great humor and intelligent diatribes, there's no wonder this book is a must-read for any psychonaut or someone wondering about all the inner workings of Timothy Leary's 8-circuit model of consciousness.
Visualize that quarter!
-editor of refocusality.com
true power transmitted trough words.......2007-01-12
Hi :) I'm a 25years old guy from Zagreb,Croatia..you know..Nikola Tesla,Penkala,TITO,Dubrovnik,War..
I've downloaded RAW's audio interview and it's the first time I've heard his words..like I said,very powerful..After listening to what he has to say about everything, I realised that he is a very warm and smart person that can be very influecal..and I've let him be..Now(after reading his books)I feel smarter and warmer so I highly recommend it :) A beautiful book that will change your intire life or just a look of your bookshelve).
Big support to RAW, it's nice to have him around :)
A change of scenery.......2007-01-11
This book was recommended by a good friend, who admonished me to "Do the exercises." The results, needless to say, are amazing.
Robert Anton Wilson delivers in fine form with Prometheus Rising, citing influences by Dr. Timothy Leary's psychological explorations and studies. With a keen wit and keener insight, Wilson explorers the wiring - and miswiring - of the native domesticated primates of planet Earth. Eight circuits of consciousness explorered, explorering the consciousness our circuitry ate.
From psychology, Freud and Jung, to Dr. Leary and William S. Burroughs, Wilson carries on the tradition of the pioneers of the mind, the great Psychonauts of yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Who knows.. this may be your chance to join the ranks.
So.. get the book. Do the exercises. Seriously.
If you can change yourself, you can change reality.
Anton Wilson's further discussion on Timothy Leary's groundbreaking Eight Neural Circuit model of human consciousness.......2006-12-01
Anton Wilson describes Timothy Leary's Eight Neural Circuit Model of human consciousness in a socio-political context. He develops his ideas on Leary's model introduced in "Quantum Psychology."
Average customer rating:
- Great for fantasy leagues and watching Minor League Baseball
- Looking for Minor Leaguers ?
- Excellent Information -- Poor Quality
- Always Good
- Prospects Handbook hands over the scoop
|
Baseball America 2007 Prospect Handbook: The Comprehensive Guide to Rising Stars from the Definitive Source on Prospects (Baseball America Prospect Handbook)
The Editors of Baseball America
Manufacturer: Baseball America
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Baseball Register 2007: Complete Guide to Major League Players & Prospects (Baseball Register)
ASIN: 1932391142 |
Book Description
The Baseball America 2007 Prospect Handbook is the leading annual reference guide to the next generation of rising stars. The Prospect Handbook profiles in-depth analysis and statistics of 900 players, provides a detailed amateur draft report card, a list of the top one hundred prospects, and a ranking of the Major League Baseball player development programs. The Prospect Handbook is the resource for information regarding the leading minor leaguers throughout baseball and is a valuable tool for fans, fantasy leaguers, and anyone who wants to know more about the player development process.
Customer Reviews:
Great for fantasy leagues and watching Minor League Baseball.......2007-05-24
I don't know that anyone can do this type of thing better short of dedicating 5-6 pages per prospect. The profiles are concise but detailed and full of easily understood stats and reports. One of the most interesting things about this book is if you have the one from the year before, you can track how far a particular prospect has risen or fallen based on his performance over the last year.
Since I live in Hawaii, I also take this book to the Hawaii Winter League Games to I can get an idea of who I am watching (makes the whole experience 75 times more enjoyable). I feel it also helps with my fantasy baseball team, though if you took a look at my rankings, you wouldn't even notice it. But I was on to Hunter Pence before everyone else because of this book.
Mets in 2007!
Looking for Minor Leaguers ?.......2007-05-13
The most in-depth Minor League baseball publication out there. A must have for people trying to build Fantasy Baseball dynasties.
Excellent Information -- Poor Quality.......2007-05-01
This book brings a ton of excellent information to the reader about the minor league talent within each organization. With fantastic analysis of players' weaknesses and strengths, the information puts scouting quality information into the hands of the average fan.
My biggest beef is that the book seems to have been rushed through the editing process. While the information is definitely top quality, the writing that presents the information certainly is not. The grammar utilized throughout the book is spotty in numerous places and can somewhat detract from the information presented. My recommendation to Baseball America would be to obtain a higher quality editing process for the 2008 edition of this wonderful tome of information.
Always Good.......2007-04-12
This is the seventh year I have bought this item from Baseball America. The quality of their evaluations is always refreshing. It was nice that I was able not pay full retail by using Amazon and plan to use it in the future.
Prospects Handbook hands over the scoop.......2007-04-01
If you like to follow minor league baseball, this book is a must. Where the players came from, & where you can expect to find them playing in '07, is only a small part of all the info on over 900 major league hopefuls. Have fun reading about & if you have the time, going to see some of them in person.
Average customer rating:
- Enjoyable new Series!
- Don't miss this great new series!
- Atlantis Rising
- EditorGal
- Loved it!! I want a worrior for my very own!!
|
The Warriors of Poseidon (Atlantis Rising, Book 1)
Alyssa Day
Manufacturer: Berkley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0425214494 |
Book Description
Eleven thousand years ago, before the seas swallowed the Atlanteans, Poseidon assigned a few chosen warriors to act as sentinels for humans in the new world. There was only one rule-desiring them was forbidden. But rules were made to be broken...
When she calls... Riley Dawson is more than a dedicated Virginia Beach social worker. She's blessed with a mind link that only Atlanteans have been able to access for thousands of years. Being an "empath" may explain her wistful connection to the roiling waves of the ocean, the sanctuary it provides, and the sexual urges that seem to emanate from fathoms below...
He will come. Conlan, the High Prince of Atlantis, has surfaced on a mission to retrieve Poseidon's stolen trident. Yet something else has possessed Conlan: the intimate emotions-and desires-of a human. Irresistibly drawn to the uncanny beauty, Conlan soon shares more than his mind. But in the midst of a battle to reclaim Poseidon's power, how long can a forbidden love last between two different souls from two different worlds?
Customer Reviews:
Enjoyable new Series!.......2007-09-17
I enjoyed Alantis Rising and look forward to the next in the series. My only complaint is all the cussing and tuff act. I had to skim over those parts since I seen them as unnecessary to describe the emotions in the story. Other then that, I am eager to read the next. If you like paranormal romance, it might be interesting to see where this new series will go.
Don't miss this great new series!.......2007-07-27
I really enjoyed this read. The men in this book are all warriors from Atlantis, who have spent thousands of years protecting humans from evil (vamps, shapeshifters, etc). Note that I am not usually a fan of books that set vampires up as evil, bloodsucking baddies, but I'll make an exception in this case.
In this book, Conlan, the prince of Atlantis has just returned from 7 years of heinous torture and captivity at the hands of the queen of vampires, only to discover that in his absence, the trident of Atlantis has been stolen and taken ashore. In an attempt to recover it, Conlan encounters Riley. Riley is human, but also happens to be an empath with some impressive abilities of her own. Of course, Riley and Conlan are immediately drawn to each other and the reader is taken along for a great ride, as romance, adventure, and violence ensue.
While I really liked this book, and will most certainly be making a place for it on my keeper shelf, I should warn you that it felt a bit short, at only 280 pages, and I would have liked a bit more depth when it came to Conlan. There was so much opportunity for Ms. Day to explore when it came to her hero - I mean the dude just escaped from 7 years of hell and he seems to recover pretty fast. I hope she takes the time to explore her future heroes and heroines a bit more thoroughly in her upcoming books.
If you're interested in other paranormal romance book recommendations, check out my blog at http://theravenousreader.blogspot.com/
Atlantis Rising.......2007-07-08
Who wouldn't love a new paranormal romance with hunky, tall, beautiful men rising out of the ocean all primal and lusty? Hmmmm? I thought it was great and original (granted, having all those beautiful men seems to be a common concept with paranormal fiction writers, but, hey, who cares? This is FANTASY, remember? Might as well let your imagination go wild!) What I like about this series is that there is an actual plot going down. Trident stolen, prince released from a seven year torture chamber for some strange reason, weird empathic girl on the beach with a power that has not been seen in thousands of years, vampires and werewolves running amok). For the reviewer who trashed this novel because Day's vampires were deadly and evil and for the simple reason that she perfers a more romantic vampire character in the book--get real toots! Vampires were ALWAYS blood thirsty and gory(uh, duh, Dracula?), it's only recently that writers have turned them into big balls of fluff. I mean come onnnnn, they DRINK BLOOD--I mean, like, duh.
Ooops, sorry, got a little off track there. Back to the review. I'd definitely recommend Atlantis Rising. The action was kick-a**, the characters interesting, the men hot, and the story orginal. Happy Reading!
EditorGal.......2007-06-29
If you love books that combine fantasy, sci-fi and romance ... into a delicious treat ... you'll love this. I did! I read it in one night! I'm an editor/writer for a living, albeit for non-ficitional publication, so it takes a very talented, imaginative author to draw me and and this lady rocks! And no, this isn't your usual vampire romance, it's based on other very unique, almost mythical characters. It takes the Greek gods and spins off a whole new generation for us to love. Enough said. If you want the plot, read the back of the book, or better yet, buy it! ;-)
Loved it!! I want a worrior for my very own!!.......2007-06-29
I just love the connection between the main characters. The mystery and action were a great stimulant which just added more heat to the hot love scenes. I love the realationships between all those hunky Poseidon worriors too. The comedy was a great contrast to the nasty threat they all were facing. It was charming and sexy. I can't wait to read the next in the series.
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