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.

Fire Sea: The Death Gate Cycle, Volume 3 (Death Gate Cycle)

Average customer rating:

Again, Amazed
Fire Sea - Death Gate Cycle takes a very dark turn...
One of the best!
sorta ok sometimes
Not bad, it is a shame the rest of the series was not written as well

Fire Sea: The Death Gate Cycle, Volume 3 (Death Gate Cycle)
Margaret Weis , and Tracy Hickman
Manufacturer: Spectra
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Epic | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0553295411
Release Date: 1992-02-01

Book Description

Abarrach, the Realm of stone. Here, on a barren world of underground caverns built around a core of molten lava, the lesser races -- humans, elves, and dwarves -- seem to have all died off. Here, too, what may well be the last remnants of the once powerful Sartan still struggle to survive. For Haplo and Alfred -- enemies by heritage, traveling companions by necessity -- Abarrach may reveal more than either dares to discover about the history of Sartan... and the future of all their descendants.

Customer Reviews:

Again, Amazed.......2007-07-09

From the first to the last this cycle is AWESOME! This one in particular really leaves the strongest impact of "What's going to happen next?" burning in your mind at the end so be sure to have the next one handy when you near the end because you won't be able to wait too long! Again I must say WARNING - this Cycle is addicting.

Fire Sea - Death Gate Cycle takes a very dark turn..........2006-02-23

Fire Sea, the third of seven books in Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman's Death Gate Cycle is just as good as the previous two, if not better. This entry in the series takes place in Abarrach, the Realm of Stone.

It starts out different from all the rest, with the first seven chapters being part of a diary from Balthazar, King Edward's necromancer. Soon, as Haplo is about to enter the Death Gate, Alfred (from Dragon Wing) drops in and goes with Haplo to Abarrach. They soon discover that the Sartan found here practice Necromancy, or the art of bringing back the dead. This is discovered much to Alfred's horror, as he cannot believe his race would do such a thing.

The book continues, with many conflicts and sub-conflicts rising up and making for a very dark and interesting read. We get to see inside Haplo, and we discover he is not all Sartan-hater we think he is. We also find that Haplo is not invincible and that Alfred is more powerful than we knew.

Fire Sea is an amazing book in the Death Gate Cycle, and I cannot wait to read Serpent Mage!

P.S: Be sure to read the appendicies...They're important!

One of the best!.......2005-09-27

Fire Sea is book #3 of a seven book series. While the previous two volumes are quite good in themselves, this is the one that takes this series to a whole new level. I truly believe that Weis & Hickman did their best bit of writing as a team on this one book. The enviroment is so alive (in a dark sort of way).

"Gripping" is the word I would use to describe Fire Sea. I don't want to give away any spoliers, but believe me, the conflicts involved and the atmosphere itself will keep you turning pages for several hours. The storyline is very dark and morbid. The dead walk freely in Abarrach and the living are slowly dying off. The novel describes the struggle of the living as they try to survive a world that is killing them, just as they are unknowlingly killing themselves.

It is simply brilliant work, and I would freely recommend the book to anyone.

sorta ok sometimes.......2005-08-13

eh.. Decent books but tend to be weak in my view. They have some killer ideas but at the same time seem to get lost and opt not to take these books to a level higher than just run of the mill fantasy.

Not bad, it is a shame the rest of the series was not written as well.......2005-07-30

First, I will tell you how to get the most enjoyment out of this series. Start with going to the library and renting all of these books. Do not buy them as they are not worth it. Then read books 1, 3, 4, 6 and 7 without reading the footnotes or the appendixes. You have the option of reading books 2 and 5 if you are really enjoying the series, but they are only filler and do not even need to be skimmed. Finally, accept the fact that Weis and Hickman may only be one hit wonders and move on.

Second, I write reviews for those who seek good fantasy and not for the zealots who hang on every Weis and Hickman word. You would think from some of the reviews of this series that these books were greater than War and Peace and written by Bronte and Conrad. In reality, this series is not very good. I am not trying to trash Weis and Hickman, I found the Dragon Lance series to be extremely enjoyable and would give at least the first two series of that line four stars. This series deserves no more than 2 stars. The books are incomplete thoughts that may have been much better had the authors taken more time to flesh out the story. Beware of fantasy books that contain footnotes and appendixes. Usually, these are the telltale signs of poor writing. Having said that, I did manage to read most of these seven books and here are some thoughts.

Many reviewers have made a lot of the fact that Xar is actually tsar or czar. I fail to see the significance here. Xar is a ruler and a tsar is a ruler. So what? What I found to be much more interesting and ultimately distracting was the use, by the authors, of the word mensch. Mensch is a Hebrew word. It is not close to a Hebrew word, it is a Hebrew word. If you look it up, mensch means a person of integrity and honor. What are the authors trying to say here? That all people without ambition or power are full of integrity and honor. I read all seven books trying to understand the use of this word to no avail.

Not surprising considering the books are filled with errors and inconsistencies. Some of these errors and inconsistencies are no doubt addressed in the footnotes and appendixes, but it would take an additional seven books to address all the problems. I believe that most of these problems occurred because the authors did not take the time to complete their work. Perhaps they were pressured by their publisher.

Most of the characters are thinly veiled shadows of those characters from the Dragon Lance series. Only, these characters are not as interesting or as engaging. Part of the problem is that Weis and Hickman never determine where they want the story to go. They blur the line between good and evil, then they erase the line, then they re-draw the line in bold. In Dragon Lance, it was intriguing to see how the characters dealt with the discovery of the duality of their own nature. In this book it is just confusing.

Fire in My Heart, Ice in My Veins: A Journal for Teenagers Experiencing a Loss

Average customer rating:

Very Helpful!
A Wonderful Resource
Creative approach to dealing with grief
A great book
An excellent choice for ANYONE suffering a loss.

Fire in My Heart, Ice in My Veins: A Journal for Teenagers Experiencing a Loss
Enid Samuel Traisman
Manufacturer: Centering Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Health, Mind & Body | Teens | Subjects | Books

Grief & Bereavement | Death & Grief | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Suicide | Death & Grief | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1561230561

Book Description

Fire In My Heart, Ice In My Veins A Journal for Teenagers by Enid Traisman. Teens can write letters, copy down meaningful lyrics, write songs and poems, tell the person who died what they want them to know, finish business and use their creativity to work through the grieving process.

Customer Reviews:

Very Helpful!.......2007-07-05

This workbook has proven very useful for teenagers going through the grieving process. My clients have been able to process a great deal with the help of this item. I would highly recommend it.

A Wonderful Resource.......2006-11-01

I am a teacher of teenagers and have given this book to at least five students who have suffered a loss. They ALL have reported that it was tremendously helpful and, when they shared it with their families, a bonding experience.

Creative approach to dealing with grief.......2003-03-06

I work in an Alternative HS and have found that my students who most would think the book looks "corney" have requested copies of the book after looking through it. I like the fact that it addresses issues of anger that the adolescent may have (or may not even realize they have) towards the deceased. I work with high-risk youth and the family dynamics are always so complex. I also like the fact that it addresses changes that the adolescent will have to make and doesn't "sugar coat" things. But, it pays respect to the deceased in a tasteful way, and it is way for the adolescent to write memories/stories he/she might forget.

My only complaint is that the book is pink. My guys who have been the ones who really have gotten a lot of use from this book (especially dealing with the death of a parent) are turned off at first from even looking at it.

A great book.......2001-11-04

This is a wonderful Journal for kids. On my first read through I felt it was geared a little more toward 9 to 13 year olds, rather than older teens. However, the content is excellent and the ideas and exercises will really help grieving teens work through the difficult grief process.

An excellent choice for ANYONE suffering a loss........1998-11-26

I ordered this journal for my two teen-aged daughters,both of whom were suffering greatly with the loss of my mother, their grandmother. The book is a wonderful aid in helping them express all the things they were afraid to vocalize. It allows them to write down their thoughts and feelings on such subjects as what they were doing when they found out the person had died, unresolved issues with the person who died and how they would like them to be resolved now, where they believe their loved one is now, and how the future will be without the person they love. It allows the teen to see that they are not alone in their grief, that others have the same thoughts as they do. I highly reccommend this book to ANYONE who is experiencing loss in their life. It leads you gently through the entire grieving process-I can't say enough about how it helped us through a very difficult time in our lives.

Average customer rating:

Great Story, Great Read
Packs an emotional wallop!
A moving novel
Wonderful!!!
WHAT AN EMOTIONAL READ!!

Home Fires
Luanne Rice
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0553097288
Release Date: 1995-07-01

Download Description

LUANNE RICE is the author of eighteen novels, most recently Silver Bells, Beach Girls, Dance With Me, The Secret Hour and The Perfect Summer. She lives in Old Lyme, Connecticut and New York City.

From the Paperback edition.

Customer Reviews:

Great Story, Great Read.......2006-03-03

A re-release title from LuAnn Rice. Very interesting character and plot development-the reader sees the promise of this deep, thoughtful 'new' writer.
I loved Anne from the beginning. She has the right to grieve her little girl. And, what woman wouldn't fall in love with her rescuer fireman. Devlin has ghosts of hisown that he must deal with. One is life after disability. He carries scars from a past fire that almost ended his life. Maggie, Anne's niece, seems hell bent to join her little cousin that she was so close to. (I love the scene in the attic.) By helping Maggie with her loss, Anne can begin to live and love again. Devlin, Anne, and Maggie give to and get from one another what each needs.
I was sorry to see this one end.

Packs an emotional wallop!.......2005-11-03

Anne Davis has returned to her childhood home off the coast of Connecticut to mourn the loss of her daughter and break up of her marriage, when she awakens to find her home consumed in flames. When she returns back to the burning home to retrieve the prized possessions of her daughter, a heroic fireman rescues her.

The firefighter, Thomas Devlin is disfigured, having suffered extensive burns in a fire that took the life of his wife 11 years earlier. He's led a solitary life since then and treated at arm's length by many townspeople due to his appearance. Chance encounters on the island bring Thomas and Anne together, and in each other they find understanding, solace, and then love. The townspeople don't understand why a woman and beautiful as Anne would waste her time on a wounded soul as Thomas.

Forces outside their control threaten to destroy their new love, including his son Ned, who is distraught that his father was able to save Anne but not his own mother; Anne's sister Gabrielle, who has always been jealous of Anne's jet set life with her sexy and successful husband; and Matt, the estranged husband who betrayed then let her down in her time of need, only to want a reconciliation when she has finally managed to pick up and move on.

A secondary love story involving Anne's ne'er-do-well niece Maggie and Ned plays a key role in the plot, as Maggie struggles to leave behind her friends to forge a new future for herself.

"Home Fires" was one of the more tender romance novels by author Rice. In Thomas, she has created a compassionate and caring hero who scarred but willing to take another chance on love.

A moving novel.......2005-09-20

"Home Fires" is definately one of my favourite reads. Dynamic, colourful, exciting characters and simple yet extremely detailed backgrounds and story lines. One of the better romantic dramas around.

Wonderful!!!.......2005-08-22

Luanne not only sets herself apart as a wonderful writer, but gives us glimpse into her home turf. What a wonderful gift she gives us with her sagas. Don't stop! Superb series.

WHAT AN EMOTIONAL READ!!.......2004-12-19

This must have been the beginning of the realization of the talent of Luanne Rice. Written 10 years ago, this book is a tiny bit dated already in that there are no use of cell phones, but overall the book is an emotional read that is hard to put down.

Anne Davis is still reeling from the death of her four-year-old daughter and the abandonment by her husband when she returns to the island home where she was raised. She hasn't been there very long when a fire breaks out. Anne escapes to safety but rushes back into the house to retrieve something. What is it that she would risk her life to save? Fireman Thomas Devlin risks his own life to save Anne who is uninjured. Somewhat of a recluse, Thomas has been living on the island after having been unable to safe his own wife in a fire in which he was terribly scarred.

Despite accusing looks from those who think she was responsible for her daughter's death, Anne settles into island life where she is close to her sister Gabrielle and her niece, Maggie, a teenager who is on her own downward spiral.

Soon both the woman who is scarred on the inside and the man who is scarred on the outside find themselves attracted to one another.

This is a short (312-page) book so it is hard to write more without including spoilers. But suffice to say, things do not always go smoothly for Thomas and Anne. In addition, Anne is mentoring her niece Maggie, who is constantly being tempted to continue a life that will take her right into the hands of danger.

Thomas is one of the most gentle, sweetest men ever. His love and consideration and respect for Anne is almost palpable. Anne's pain over losing her daughter is equally as palpable. One begins to wonder though if they will ever be able to find a future together, especially with Anne's contrite husband back in the picture.

Luanne Rice has written an unforgettable novel set on the New England coast which is sure to make my top 10 of the year; I can't believe I didn't read it earlier.

Death's Door: The Truth Behind Michigan's Largest Mass Murder

Average customer rating:

Wrong title for the right book
A long hard look at a Michigan mystery
Historical happening
A haunting review of history
Death's Door

Death's Door: The Truth Behind Michigan's Largest Mass Murder
Steve Lehto
Manufacturer: Momentum Books, LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

ASIN: 1879094770

Book Description

Death's Door is the true account of the tragedy that struck a Michigan copper mining town during a time when a bitter struggle raged between the striking workers and the mining companies. This haunting story continues to be an unsolved mystery today. Lehto conducts all the research to bring you the most accurate account of what songwriter Woody Guthrie called the "1913 Massacre."

Customer Reviews:

Wrong title for the right book.......2007-09-03

As a native of Michigan's Copper Country, where the incident described in this book took place, I have come away from the book with a firm conviction that the author has done the history of that region a great service.

I was given a signed copy of this book for my birthday. I looked askance at the title, because such titles, in my experience, surround books that promote drama, or the author's own predispositions, at the expense of objectivity. The book in fact turned out to be a case study in how someone investigating history should deal with sources - correctly and incorrectly. I was shocked to see how historical accounts I had read of the disaster could rest on biased or misrepresented primary sources (newspaper articles). I am grateful for Mr. Lehto's reevaluation of the disaster.

This book carries a taste of an expose of community-wide anti-union machinations during a time of labor strife. However, given the valuable contribution stated above, and the fact that the author gives more than adequate examples of how the anti-labor fight was carried on from management ranks, I find said taste to be much easier to swallow.

The subject of the book, the Italian Hall disaster, is spared conjecture beyond facts from testimony, much to my relief. The author does not seek to dramatize the disaster itself. I learned little about the incident and its surrounding history, having read several other books relating to it. But most valuably, I UN-learned some myths about the disaster that had been buried in the Copper Country's popular consciousness for decades. I recommend the book to anyone with an interest in Keweenaw history.

A long hard look at a Michigan mystery.......2007-06-30

Until a book was published about the Italian Hall Tragedy a few months ago, the best known record about the deaths of seventy-three people was a song. It was a Woody Guthrie tune from the 1940s, The 1913 Massacre. One critic called the song "one of his most delicate, affecting, and personal works."

The massacre - the largest in Michigan history - occurred when a man -- the headlines later would call him a Drunkard -- yelled "Fire" into a crowded Christmas party for the children of striking copper miners. He caused a stampede down a steep staircase.

There was no fire.

The country learned of the deaths of 73 people, mostly children, on Christmas Day, 1913.

The case was never properly investigated, not even when it got to the Congressional level. The most basic questions were never answered - such as exactly how many children and parents died on the staircase. And did the doors swing outward, as the new book concludes? If they did, what -- or who -- held them closed?

The case was never solved, despite the incredible death toll. Or because of it? The Detroit Free Press once called the tragedy "an enormous secret".

Attorney Steve Lehto, an author with deep roots in the Finnish community, has put the tragedy in its historical context, which also explains why the local newspaper and law enforcement failed the victims of this calamity. It also explains why the entire staff of the local Finnish newspaper was arrested for writing about the case mere days after the event.

Some will and already have criticized the author's conclusions. He states: "The event was murder -- not an accident or prank -- and was most likely instigated by mine management. As such, it is the largest mass murder in Michigan."

But this firm conclusion is supported by careful research. The book would have been a disappointment if he hadn't stated the obvious after reviewing what record there is of this monstrous disaster.

In 1913, Calumet, Michigan was a copper boom town, a company town on a peninsula jutting far into Lake Superior, one of the most beautiful places in the state. But the mines were crude, filthy, dangerous, and there was great labor unrest at that time.

When 15,000 miners struck, a mass of people moved into Calumet -- scabs, striking workers on parade, Socialist party leaders, Mother Jones, spies, roving mobs, public deputies, Pinkertons, National Guard troops, and Department of Labor officials, to name most.

But they couldn't stop the rising violence, which, as the strike went on, led to beatings, then shootings, then multiple murders, then the National Guard firing wildly into crowds, who turned on the soldiers when they ran out of ammunition.

Steve Lehto has written an important contribution to Michigan history. His book is getting many strong reactions. It should.

Historical happening.......2007-05-13

Very interesting about the location, but excessive legal issues. I enjoyed the book about the local people who were involved. It would be very interesting to anyone with ties to the Upper Peninsula.

A haunting review of history.......2007-05-01

Mr. Lehto's dissection of data, photographs, blueprints, and newspaper articles provides an incredible insight into the tragedy. The photographs are truly haunting and force the reader to look beyond the text and into the personal implications of this nightmare. Further, Lehto's comprehensive bibliography allows the reader to draw many of his own conclusions about the "fire."

Death's Door.......2007-03-15

I had seen the book at the bookstore, with the exciting title "Death's Door - Michigan largest mass murder" (My favorite type of books). My son knowing I like these types of books, bought it for me for Christmas. Not wanting to disappoint my son, I am now forced to read it. But I am on the 2nd or 3rd chapter and I am struggling to read it. It is very painful to read. The first chapter was OK, but now it is just dragging on painfully about the union and management. This is not what I wanted to read about. My son will be disappointed, but I now have to put the book down and read something more enjoyable. I can't go on. Maybe if I put it down for awhile and go back, I might be able to continue it, but right now I have to stop. PS I am also from Michigan

Chicago Death Trap: The Iroquois Theatre Fire of 1903

Average customer rating:

Iroquois Theatre Fire
Not simply for disaster/history buffs
"There is much graft in firetraps"---Fireproof, Nov. 1903
Remember the Victims of This Tragedy
Chicago Death Trap

Chicago Death Trap: The Iroquois Theatre Fire of 1903
Nat Brandt
Manufacturer: Southern Illinois University
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

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Disaster Relief | Current Events | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0809324903

Book Description

On the afternoon of December 30, 1903, during a sold-out matinee performance, a fire broke out in Chicago’s Iroquois Theatre. In the short span of twenty minutes, more than six hundred people, two thirds of whom were women and children, were asphyxiated, burned, or trampled to death in a panicked mob’s failed attempt to escape. A century after the fire—the deadliest in American history—Nat Brandt provides the only detailed chronicle of this horrific event to assess not only the titanic tragedy of the fire itself but also the municipal corruption and greed that kindled the flames beforehand and the political cover-ups hidden in the smoke and ash afterwards.

Advertised as “absolutely fireproof,” the Iroquois was Chicago’s most modern playhouse when it opened in the fall of 1903. With the approval of the city’s building department, theater developers Harry J. Powers and William J. Davis opened the theater prematurely to take full advantage of the holiday crowds, ignoring flagrant safety violations in the process. During the matinee on this particular Wednesday, all 1,724 seats were filled and an additional two hundred people were standing.

Midway through the second act, a spark from a defective light ignited a drop curtain and the blaze spread quickly to the scenery. Roof vents designed to handle smoke and heat were sealed off, and the fire curtain snagged before it could shield the audience from danger. A blast of gaseous fumes shot across the auditorium from an open stage door and asphyxiated hundreds of theatergoers almost instantly. Others were trampled or burned to death in the panic that ensued as they struggled to escape through locked exits, succeeding only in piling body upon body as the flames closed in.

For days afterward, Chicago mourned as relatives and friends searched hospitals for missing loved ones. The aftermath of the fire proved to be a study in the miscarriage of justice. Despite overwhelming evidence that the building was not complete, that fire safety laws were ignored, and that management had deliberately sealed off exits during the performance, no one was ever convicted or otherwise held accountable for the enormous loss of life.

Lavishly illustrated and featuring an introduction by Chicago historians Perry R. Duis and Cathlyn Schallhorn, Chicago Death Trap: The Iroquois Theatre Fire of 1903 is rich with vivid details about this horrific disaster, captivatingly presented in human terms without losing sight of the broader historical context.

Customer Reviews:

Iroquois Theatre Fire.......2006-03-14

I liked this book a bit better than "Tinder Box". Chicago Death Trap has 31 pages of photos, printed on the page, not photo plates. I felt this book gave a better description of the confusing seating arrangements and terms that were used in 1903. For example, in the illustration the term Gallery refers to two areas in the lobby, which don't see the stage at all and as far as I understand were not burnt, however in the story the term Gallery is used in reference to areas of the Balcony, which were above and straight ahead of the stage and which were burnt. I found the pace of this book to be exciting and the story interesting. I found it quite amazing that people stood on the burning stage and yet lived, and that others just sat in their seats and took no action. I can imagine how terrifying it must have been to try to escape from the balconies, especially after the power went out, given that there are many up and down staircases, dead ends and locked doors. As I look at the illustrations of the confusing multitude sets of staircases, I can imagine how this must have led to needless death. Even though this story is of a 1903 event, I find myself, in 2006, looking around more carefully at fire exits after having read The Chicago Death Trap.

Not simply for disaster/history buffs.......2005-05-24

The Oriental Theatre sits on the exact site of the Iroquois; you can see a show there, you can walk or drive through the small street (Couch Place, which is really an alleyway--and true to Chicago tradition, believed to be haunted) where patrons tried to escape the Iroquois fire--a little known tragedy of Chicago history that happened in 1903, eight years before the Triangle Shirtwaist fire in NYC. Brandt gives a full picture of Chicago at the turn of the 20th century: famous people and ordinary people; businessmen and showmen; generosity of spirit and miserliness. A reader can feel him or herself at the scene, watching Eddie Foy risk his life pleading for calm as the fire sparked backstage began to singe him, yet not knowing that smoke had already overwhelmed most of the victims. A page-turner that will make you scout your exits the next time you see a show or film--and make you understand the impact of this tragedy on building codes everywhere.

"There is much graft in firetraps"---Fireproof, Nov. 1903.......2005-03-15

In Chicago Death Trap, Nat Brandt presents a very human account of the fire that killed over 600 people in Chicago's newly-built Iroquois Theatre December 30, 1903. It remains the worst fire in United State's history (p. 86). Brandt's fast-moving 147-page account covers the rush to build the theatre for the holiday seasons, the play Mr. Bluebeard and its players that was showing that tragic afternoon as well as a brief look at the theatrical syndicate system, the horror that was unleashed during the December 30 matinee, the rescue efforts, the aftermath, the fate of the Iroquois building, and a brief chapter on memorials to the tragedy. Brandt, for the most part, is very thorough in his account, particularly the technical workings and structural makeup of the theatre and its equipment including a detailed description of how the light that caused the fire worked (p. 30). He also puts the event in context with other fires in Chicago's history, a fictitious story in a 1875 Chicago Tribune about a theatre fire, and concern the Mayor of Chicago had regarding fire safety in theatres just a month before (pp. 8-9, 101).

A lot of names are mentioned in this book, but not just those of famous people like the owners and architect of the theatre and Eddie Foy, the comedian who tried to calm the crowd during the early stages of the fire. Brandt also describes the many ordinary people who would be victims of the lack of safeguards in the new theatre. As is mentioned early in the book, the shopping district where the Iroquois resided was seen as a safe haven for women and children and, during the matinee presentation, most of the audience comprised of women and children (over 400 of the 600 deaths were female). Sometimes it is difficult to keep track of all of the names, but the point being made of how horrible the tragedy was (bodies stacked ten feet high in front of locked exit doors) is clear no matter the names. Thirteen pages of photos of fire victims taken from a 1904 book seemed a bit superfluous and only interesting to those related to a victim. The first section of photos and illustrations showing the theatre's design and how it looked just following the disaster are more useful.

Although this book presents a very human account of the event, the most interesting aspect of the story, to me, were the scores of fire safety violations found at the Iroquois. "Sacrificing safety for beauty," exit doors were camouflaged by heavy drapes, buckets of water were not set near the stage, temporary exit signs were not up while the permanent signs were still being made, doors had confusing European style bolts that not even the staff knew how to work, and so on. The sky vents which would have caused the noxious fumes to lift out of the theatre were still bound and thus not operational. Witness saw the bindings to these vents being pulled after the fire (p. 117). Brandt should have explained the importance of the asbestos curtain better as "asbestos" is such an ugly word today. Asbestos was used for its fire proof properties and, only a few decades ago, projection booths in movie houses had an asbestos covering so that, if the highly flammable type film that was used at the time caught fire, only the projection booth would burn.

The Iroquois story proves very maddening as, though fire regulations changed in Chicago and throughout the nation because of the event, none of the people involved in the building of the play house and in its being cleared to open were punished. Aside from the initial shock, people like co-owners William Davis and Harry Powers and architect Benjamin Marshall were satisfied with the theatre's structure (it still stood) and, in the beginning, even blamed the victim's state of panic as the cause of so many lost lives (p. 97). Marshall went on to have a successful career and the Iroquois was not even mentioned in his obituary. What is even more disappointing is that so many memorials to the tragedy have been lost. Luckily, Brandt's book as well as several others are available so readers can learn about what happened on the current site of the Ford Center for the Performing Arts Oriental Theatre.

Remember the Victims of This Tragedy.......2005-02-27

Remember the victims of this tragedy the next time you're in a public building and see an outward-opening exit door marked by a lighted sign. It took a tragedy of this scope to make these fire codes require these simple but incredibly important safety measures. I have a copy of the 1924 National Electrical Code, and several of its provisions can be directly attributed to the Iroquois fire.

This book is largely a more-coherent retelling of the information that was published shortly after the tragedy in a now extremely-rare book titled Chicago's Awful Theatre Horror. A great deal of inaccurate/incomplete information about this incident has been published; for example one book I own states that people found fire escapes to be uncompleted once they finally made it through the exit doors. A photograph of the alley behind the theater shows all fire escapes complete all the way to the ground. Fire from open doors farther down is actually what made some fire escapes unusable.

The infuriating thing about this story is that those responsible for the tragedy went completely unpunished. The theater's architect in particular was especially unrepentant.

Contrasting with their reprehensible actions were those of bystanders, police officers, firemen, newspaper reporters, neighbors, doctors, nurses, and medical students who all responded the moment they heard of the disaster. Many of them must have suffered longterm psychological effects of their experiences, but such conditions weren't even recognized, let alone treated in the early 1900's.

Chicago Death Trap.......2004-08-03

I have been a loyal fan of Nat Brandt for many years. I am fascinated by his ability to find little-known historical events and bring them to life with style and urgency. I was particularly drawn to this book because I love Chicago and I love the theater. The book unwinds like a novel -- the hope, the horror, the dirty dealing -- the utterly human story. What a good read.

Average customer rating:

On Call Back Mountain
Eve Bunting
Manufacturer: Scholastic
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Friendship | Women's Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0590259466

Average customer rating:

Absolutely heart wrenching
Beautifully Written
Touching, but without self-pity
Well- Written Reflections
A Must Read! Heartfelt, a Page Turner!

A Widow's Walk: A Memoir of 9/11
Marian Fontana
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Women | Specific Groups | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Memoirs | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Grief & Bereavement | Death & Grief | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Terrorism | Current Events | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

September 11 | Current Events | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0743246241

Book Description

On September 11, I dropped my son off at his second full day of kindergarten. The sky was so blue it looked as if it had been ironed. I crossed the street, ordered coffee, and sat to wait for my husband to meet me. It was our eighth wedding anniversary and Dave and I were about to begin a new chapter in our seventeen years together. Sipping coffee, I watched as a line of thick black smoke crept across the sky from Manhattan, oblivious to the fact that my life was about to change forever. On September 11, 2001, Marian Fontana lost her husband, Dave, a firefighter from the elite Squad 1 in Brooklyn, in the World Trade Center attack. A Widow's Walk begins that fateful morning, when Marian, a playwright and comedienne, became a widow, a single mother, and an unlikely activist.

Two weeks after 9/11, the city attempted to close Squad 1, which had suffered the loss of twelve men. Known for her feisty spirit and passionate loyalty, Marian, who was still reeling from her profound loss, began to mobilize the neighborhood to keep the firehouse open. From this unlikely platform the 9/11 Widows and Victims' Families Association grew. Over the next twelve months, Marian struggled with the tragedy's endless ripple effects, from the minute and deeply personal -- she wonders who will play Star Wars with her son, Aidan, and carry him on his shoulders -- to the political. She works to get families and widows necessary information about the recovery effort and attends private meetings with Governor Pataki, Mayor Giuliani, Senator Clinton, and Mayor Bloomberg.

Through it all, Marian's irrepressible humor is her best armor and evidence of her buoyant strength. Written with great heart and humanity, A Widow's Walk is a timely opportunity for remembrance and a timeless testament to love's loss and the resilience of the human spirit.

Customer Reviews:

Absolutely heart wrenching.......2007-08-09

the first half or three quarters of the book kept me absolutely riveted and hurting with feeling so close to the families and what they suffered through as well as how very brave their firefighter family members were. But about three quarters through, I found myself scanning as there was really more information and details than I really needed or wanted to know. I wish the very best for Marian and Aidan and hope they find happiness. She is one brave lady.

Beautifully Written .......2007-08-02

This is an exquisitely written book that I still remember - nearly a year later - as one of the best books I've ever read. The book was heart-rending at times to read, as the author so well expresses her feelings and the pain of losing her husband. It would be nearly impossible to read this book and not feel the depth of her loss - of her husband and the life they lived until 9/11.

Marian Fontana is a gifted, talented writer and I wish her story was one with a happy ending for her. While her story is one of loss, it is also one of love, family, friendship and survival. The cover photo haunts me, so well does it depict the love the Fontanas shared. Highly recommended and memorable.

Touching, but without self-pity.......2007-02-03

I bought this book after having heard the author on "This American Life." I was touched by her humor and grace during the radio piece, and was pleasantly surprised by how well-written and un-put-downable this book is. Check out the radio story before you decide to buy the book, if you like; the book doesn't tell the George W. story, so there's no spoiler there.

Well- Written Reflections.......2006-11-25

I was very impressed with marian Fontana's story because there was a sense of time from the horrors of 9/11/01 which couldn't be immediately written. Each page flowed with eloquent writing that gave me a clearer understanding of the lives of firefighters and their families. The overwhelming support the she and her son received from their extended families, community, and other firefighters showed the true meaning of Dave's legacy.

A Must Read! Heartfelt, a Page Turner!.......2006-09-17

A Widow's Walk is one the best books I have read in a long time. You grieve for Dave Fontana, his wife and son. She is a skillfull, descriptive writer and sheds light on the undertones and politics of 9/11 that many of us have been too quick to forget. Her story is both a love story and a tragedy, her writing is comparable of Jodi Picoult. After you read this novel you will remember to hug your loved ones a little tighter...thank you, Dave, Marian and Aidan for sharing your lives with us. We can not thank Dave and all of the rescue workers of 9/11 with words, words can not begin to express our gratitude for their sacrifices.

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Death by Fire
Reynolds Anderson
Manufacturer: Jako Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Literary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0970443218

Book Description

Death by Fire is held together by two distinctive elements. One, the author's writing style and descriptive ability in presenting a historical fact, a social anecdote or alluding to the role of the gods. And two, the quality of the main characters he has created. From Nelda, Felina's mother, who laboured in the charcoal yard on the Castries wharf and later died in a pool of blood; Robert who developed a lifelong relationship with Trevor who, despite his best efforts, could never succeed in shaking off the one who became his shadow and who persuaded him in participating in a string of antisocial and criminal acts; Felina, Robert's mother, who hated his guts for a failed relationship with his father; and, of course, there's the imposing character called Christine whom the author has endowed with feminine qualities that reduce all other women in the land to architectural blunders. Among other notable features of the book one can not overlook the depiction of Castries as having a permanent rendezvous with devastating fires. One notes too, whether it is to portray the people as highly religious or to ascribe unexplained phenomena to a supreme being, the writer has given a dominant role to the gods of the land' and to traditional religion as crucial factors in determining the destinies of places and people. It is also worthy of note that while the main characters may be fictitious, the events recounted represent, for the most part, the real country and its people then and now. Major historical occurrences, like the 1948 Castries fire; the 1938 Ravine Poisson landslide; the early prejudices and tensions between East Indians and Africans, are described with a mixture of vigor, accuracy and freshness that compels the reader to keep on reading.

Average customer rating:

Haunting and compelling
A 2007 Association of Jewish Libraries Notable Book for Teens
Turn-of-the-century Manhattan comes to life
MESMERIZING!
Brilliantly written

The Unresolved
T.K. Welsh
Manufacturer: Dutton Juvenile
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Historical Fiction | History & Historical Fiction | Teens | Subjects | Books

Love & Romance | Literature & Fiction | Teens | Subjects | Books

General | Literature & Fiction | Teens | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0525477314
Release Date: 2006-08-17

Book Description

Mallory Meer has just turned fifteen years old, and within an hour, thanks to the only boy she's ever loved, she'll be dead, a victim of the General Slocum steamship disaster. Bound by love to her grieving family, and outraged by the multitude of senseless deaths, Mallory haunts those responsible for the tragedy, determined to see that justice is served.

T. K.Welsh's beautifully crafted novel, his first for young adults, is at once a chilling ghost story, an ode to the power of love, and a tribute to those who died in the second-largest disaster in New York City history.

Customer Reviews:

Haunting and compelling.......2007-02-04

The Unresolved is a deceptively slim book about an actual historical tragedy. In 1904 fire on the steamboat General Slocum killed more than 1000 people, mostly woman and children, mostly German immigrants, on New York's East River. Many people suffered, and many people were to blame.

In this novel by T. K. Welsh, the spirit of one of the dead, Mallory Meer, is unable to rest until she uncovers the reasons for the disaster. Mallory, as a spirit, isn't very strongly anchored in time, and her thoughts and experiences drift backwards and forwards in a somewhat stream-of-consciousness manner. For example (from page 2):

"My name is Mallory Meer. I'd turned fifteen the week before, and in an hour -- thanks to the only boy I've ever loved -- I would be dead.

I float around the white memorial in Middle Village, Queens, among the other insubstantial figures. We are the unidentified remembered -- the unknown, unforgotten victims of the General Slocum who continue, unresolved, like Tantalus, to grasp at something slightly out of reach."

Mallory travels through time and space, haunting the survivors and those culpable in the disaster, though most don't know that she's there. She learns things about their backgrounds, and their actions, and gradually pieces together the chain of events that led to so many unnecessary deaths. But it's a difficult non-life for Mallory, visiting with person after person, reliving traumatic events over and over again, and trying to communicate with the living.

This book is a haunting chronicle of the ways things can go wrong, one decision at a time, and the way people hide from the truth, and lie to protect themselves. There are also interesting tidbits about immigrant life in New York, and the way that breweries work. Although the writing style takes getting used to, I found the story riveting, and read it in a single sitting. I recommend it for fans of historical fiction, especially mysteries, and fans of ghost stories.

This book review was originally published on my blog, Jen Robinson's Book Page, on February 3, 2007.

A 2007 Association of Jewish Libraries Notable Book for Teens.......2007-01-28

Before the tragic events of 9/11, the greatest disaster in New York history was the fire aboard the General Slocum steamship in 1904, killing more than a thousand people on a church outing. Welsh's fictionalized account is narrated by the ghost of one of the victims, fifteen-year-old Mallory Meer. Her boyfriend Dustin Brauer, the Jewish son of a beer brewer, is accused of starting the fire, and he and his father are persecuted by the Lutheran German community of Kleindeutschland. Mallory's spirit and soul will not rest until justice is achieved. As the story of Dustin's alleged involvement in the fire spreads, the anti-Semitic and bigoted views of his neighbors are exposed. A unique and spooky departure from the typical historical novel, The Unresolved, while disturbing and haunting, is also compelling and captivating.

Turn-of-the-century Manhattan comes to life .......2006-10-08

Mallory Meer turns fifteen the week before she boards a steamship in 1904 on what will be her last voyage before the steamship burns and kills her and a thousand others. Yet she lingers, a ghost, unable to leave her love or family until the fire's setters are brought to justice. Turn-of-the-century Manhattan comes to life in a wonderfully different kind of ghost story.

MESMERIZING!.......2006-09-13

Mallory Meer, 13-year old Lutheran German immigrant, dies on the deck of the General Slocum, a steamship, as she sails up the East River during a church outing, in New York, 1904. We learn this in the first paragraph of The Unresolved, a mesmerizing, often brilliant new historical YA novel by T.K. Welsh. Of the 1,200 or so who set sail that fateful summer morning, over a thousand perished: drowned or burned to death aboard the blazing General Slocum. Mallory keeps a rendezvous with a beautiful young teenage boy named Dustin Brauer, a poor kid, and Jewish, with whom she shares her first kiss ... and it is he who is blamed for the disaster by the grieving citizenry of Kleindeutchland, on Manhattan's lower east side, as they struggle to cope with the loss of their loved ones.
Caught in that netherspace between this world and the next, there is no place where Mallory belongs. She cannot remain, now that she dangles upside down from those shipboards, and quite dead, burned black and in pieces - all now that remains of the General Slocum. Nor can she finally move on - though she'd like to - to that other space, until those responsible for the tragedy are exposed, judged and punished, the dead finally avenged, and her hunger to linger with Dustin dissolves.
There is a public trial. None of the ship's safety measures lived up to their promise. Life vests disintegrated as they soaked up sea water, dragging the desperate who wore them down to a watery grave. Fire hoses burst like overstuffed sausages. The lifeboats were lashed to the deck, contemptuously rigid, uncompromising. The crew was both cowardly and untrained. Those responsible were indicted and ultimately paraded before a public inquest by the city coroner, cross-examined and often found guilty. In the end, however, it was only the captain who fell, the tastiest of lambs, already cooked by the fire.
And there is a private trial, as Dustin - the sad, handsome boy Mallory loves - is reviled as the cause of the tragedy, and the rest of his family are disgraced and debased by the anti-Semitic community.
The Unresolved is a story of a love that's so great the rupture of death cannot break it. It's a story of a girl's spirit, unresolved yet resilient, betwixt this and what follows; neither child nor adult; neither lover nor friend. It's a story of the ultimate outsider.
What a startling, evocative and promising debut! The Unresolved, T.K. Welsh's first novel for young adults, is at turns mesmerizing, breathtaking, informative, entertaining, heart-breaking and redemptive. Clearly constructed upon a platform of exhaustive research, you will soar upon its language, while feeling yourself drawn downward, downward, into the dark whirlpool of this beautiful new novel. Set in the 1904 German immigrant community of Kleindeutchland, on Manhattan's lower east side, Mallory Meer's dark, curious world is yours for the page-turning. A must for any teenage girl, aged 13+, who likes historical fiction, who feels uncertain of her place in the world, and who has ever been in love.

Brilliantly written.......2006-08-19

There's a whole genre of young adult books that would have me running to find the nearest Graham Greene. The Unresolved is one of the rare young adult novels that can entertain adults who were alive when Carter was President.

Welsh takes an oft overlooked chapter of New York history and breathes life into it by making his main character otherworldly. The sense of unrest and unease is uniquely potrayed as not just the province of those souls in limbo, but also of the very real flesh and blood cast that are living in early twentieth century New York. The intrigue, jealousies and destructive behavior are taut enough to satisfy any modern millie,(imagine early twentieth century Desperate Housewives angst)while keeping the veracity of the historical perspective.

T K Welsh proves that you don't have to be a wizard to write a book that both parents and children will read and enjoy. I look forward to his future endeavors.

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