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.

April 1865: The Month That Saved America (P.S.)

Average customer rating:

What about rethinking U.S. Grant
Courage and Contingency
To quote John Wilkes Booth: "The country is not--April 1865 what it was."
Exuberant History
Far from "amazing" and "incredible".

April 1865: The Month That Saved America (P.S.)
Jay Winik
Manufacturer: Harper Perennial
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

ASIN: 0060899689
Release Date: 2006-08-15

Amazon.com's Best of 2001

There are a few books that belong on the shelf of every Civil War buff: James M. McPherson's Battle Cry of Freedom, one of the better Abraham Lincoln biographies, something on Robert E. Lee, perhaps Shelby Foote's massive trilogy The Civil War. Add Jay Winik's wonderful April 1865 to the list. This is one of those rare, shining books that takes a new look at an old subject and changes the way we think about it. Winik shows that there was nothing inevitable about the end of the Civil War, from the fall of Richmond to the surrender at Appomattox to the murder of Lincoln. It all happened so quickly, in what "proved to be perhaps the most moving and decisive month not simply of the Civil War, but indeed, quite likely, in the life of the United States."

Things might have been rather different, too. "What emerges from the panorama of April 1865 is that the whole of our national history could have been altered but for a few decisions, a quirk of fate, a sudden shift in luck." When Lee abandoned Richmond, for instance, his soldiers rendezvoused at a nearby town called Amelia Court House. There, the general expected to find boxcars full of food for his hungry troops. But "a mere administrative mix-up" left his army empty-handed and may have limited Lee's options in the days to come. Or what if Lee had decided not to surrender at all, but to turn his resourceful army into an outfit of guerrilla fighters who would harass federal officials? National reconciliation might have become impossible as the whole South turned into a region plagued with violence and terrorism. For the Union, "there would be no real rest, no real respite, no true amity, nor, for that matter, any real sense of victory--only an amorphous state of neither war nor peace, raging like a low-level fever." One of Lee's officers actually proposed this scenario to his commander in those final hours; America is fortunate Lee didn't choose this path.

Winik is an exceptionally good storyteller. April 1865 is full of memorable images and you-are-there writing. Readers will come away with a new appreciation for that momentous month and a sharpened understanding of why and how the Civil War was fought. Let it be said plainly: April 1865 is a magnificent work, surely the best book on the Civil War to be published in some time. --John J. Miller

Book Description

One month in 1865 witnessed the frenzied fall of Richmond, a daring last-ditch Southern plan for guerrilla warfare, Lee's harrowing retreat, and then, Appomattox. It saw Lincoln's assassination just five days later and a near-successful plot to decapitate the Union government, followed by chaos and coup fears in the North, collapsed negotiations and continued bloodshed in the South, and finally, the start of national reconciliation.

In the end, April 1865 emerged as not just the tale of the war's denouement, but the story of the making of our nation.

Jay Winik offers a brilliant new look at the Civil War's final days that will forever change the way we see the war's end and the nation's new beginning. Uniquely set within the larger sweep of history and filled with rich profiles of outsize figures, fresh iconoclastic scholarship, and a gripping narrative, this is a masterful account of the thirty most pivotal days in the life of the United States.

Customer Reviews:

What about rethinking U.S. Grant.......2007-08-26

The Book was great, except for the matter of fact way of treating Grant. Winik has given me a new perspective on the Cival War. I did not know that this country was largely about words, but little substance. Jefferson's writings were carried out by Abraham Lincoln. What I discovered in Winik's book was that this country was not defined. That is a big thing in itself. Abraham Lincoln simply applied Jefferson's writings far beyond Jefferson did. I remember an old axiom that states "standing for something is only worthwhile when it costs you something to stand for it". I guess Abraham Lincoln was the only President of the U.S. willing to pay the price. This Winik says in his great book, in a more graceful way. I'm sending this book to my son-in-law. Winik's book is a graet read and a knew depth in the Cival War.

Courage and Contingency.......2007-07-13

As the Civil War reached its denouement in April 1865, we tend to think that the victory of the North was already a foregone conclusion. In truth, it is clear that no one yet knew how the war would end. April 1865, by Jay Winik, tells the story of this last month of the war, and how the events that occurred would shape the destiny of the nation. It is a tale of contingency--if one event had gone differently, or one leader had made the other decision, our country might not be what it is today. In Winik's own words, "The ultimate fate of nations is often measured and swayed not by large events, but by tiny ones, small, symbolic gestures that shape men's passions...and quell or inflame lingering hostilities for years to come" (182). In order to demonstrate this, Winik first and foremost deals with the events of this final month, describing their historical background and stressing their importance. Winik also creates vivid vignettes of the men in whose hands lay the power to make or break our foundering country during those uncertain days. And finally, perhaps most importantly, Winik demonstrates that out of the ashes of war, the fragmented group of states was reborn as a nation.
Edward Ayers, in his book In the Presence of Mine Enemies also discussed contingency. But while Ayers was concerned only with the events of the Civil War, and how with small changes they could have been radically different, Winik focuses on the decisions of the great men who drive the cogwheels of history. It is on their shoulders that the monumental decisions of this last month rested, and it is with them that the fate of the nation hung in the balance.
One prominent issue that Winik discusses is whether even after the fall of Richmond and the ragged deterioration of the Confederate armies and their supply lines--would the Confederacy fight on? The Confederate fighters could have split up and taken to the hills, becoming partisans for their cause and engaging in guerilla warfare, prolonging the war indefinitely (146). Jefferson Davis himself supported this plan (299), and it was the worst fear of Lincoln and Grant (66). But it was General Robert E. Lee, with considerable strength of character, who decided against prolonging the conflict, and to the considerable dismay of his superiors, Lee stoically surrendered to Grant at Appomattox (166-169). The fate of the war was in the hands of Lee, and it was Lee who realized that while one must be strong in war, it is necessary to be equally strong in peace. Lee accepted defeat with fortitude, urging his people to become good citizens once again and avoid further bloodshed. Lee spearheaded the Confederate effort to procure peace with the same fervor as which he had prosecuted the war effort (311-316).
Winik also discusses the Northern side of the problem. How should the Union treat the defeated Confederacy? Would there be vindictive retribution, a bloodbath including public hangings of war criminals and the imposition of martial law? Winik shows that it was in the hands of the Union generals as much as it was dependent on government legislation. If Ulysses Grant gave Lee generous terms of peace upon Lee's surrender, further conflict could be avoided. And stirringly, Grant rose to the occasion. Grant, the hardened and often dispassionate veteran of battle saw Lee's surrender as having far-reaching consequences upon the future of the nation. Grant extended the olive branch to Lee, paving the road to reconciliation. As Winik writes so movingly, "Grant himself, spoke simply but clearly: the North may defeat the Confederate armies, it may strip away their guns and remove their cannons, but, if Grant was going to have anything to do with it, it would not also destroy their dignity" (182).
The meeting between Confederate general Joseph Johnston and Union general William T. Sherman took place in the same spirit of appeasement, bolstered by the events at Appomattox. Johnston amicably agreed to Sherman's generous terms, even though both men knew that they were acting against the wishes of their respective governments (318). What can explain how the enmity between all of these hardened fighters simply melted away? Perhaps these generals and their soldiers saw much farther than the politicians because they were out in the field. They had fought with each other in struggles bitter and destructive, they hated each other with a passion, but they also gained respect for one another. Not only did they understand that the war was too devastating to be continued, but they began to realize that the similarities that bound them together were greater than the differences that had split them asunder.
Abraham Lincoln saw further than perhaps any other man of the time, and this is why Winik stresses that he was the keystone that the entire conclusion of the war effort rested upon. Lincoln was probably the only man with the tenacity and conviction to stick to his principles through four hard years of unmitigated bloodshed and unrelenting criticism on all fronts. Lincoln persevered because he was the ultimate champion of the concept of union, stubborn in his belief that the states must be reunited in order to be re-forged as a nation. So on the one hand, Lincoln prosecuted the war with an iron fist, battering the South and burning their cities to the ground, and quelling dissent in the North with the suspension of habeas corpus (246-247). But by the same token, only Lincoln understood that after the cessation of hostilities, the South had to be let off easy, for real reconstruction could only be accomplished through reconciliation. The former Confederates had to be allowed to ease their way back into their own lives and rebuild their broken homesteads without feeling that they were under the control of an autocratic sovereign authority (251). Therefore, it is all the more crushing when we consider Lincoln's assassination; for the bullet that shot him dead also killed his plans for peace. His successor, Andrew Johnson, was rash and vindictive, determined to punish the South for its crime of rebellion (273). Winik asks: would it all come undone? Lincoln was dead, and a palpable feeling of dread and uncertainty hung in the air. Perhaps John Wilkes Booth was part of larger conspiracy to decapitate the Union government. Perhaps the Confederate government itself was the incendiary force behind Booth's deed (259-260). The outcome of April 1865 was far from certain, and this is what Winik is trying to show: one man or one event might have changed everything. Indeed, in the case of Lincoln it is very possible that our nation would be different today if he had presided over the difficult task of Reconstruction.
Lastly, Winik discusses a fundamental change that the Civil War brought to our country. Before the war, even before secession, the United States "were" only a collection of states bound together under the auspices of a rather weak federal government. No one was sure if secession was unconstitutional--Winik demonstrates that many had tried it, but none had succeeded (pardon the pun) before the South did so prior to the Civil War. But the outcome of the war answered the question of secession forever. The United States is a nation, not merely a collection of states (378-380). The long years of brutal conflict brought the people on both sides to the conclusion that the United States was now one unified nation, never again to be sundered by any division among its inhabitants. In the irony of all ironies, Winik shows that by the end of the war, even slavery was no longer an issue. By 1865, the Confederate legislatures had already decided to enlist former slaves in the army to bolster their thinning ranks, and as a reward their freedom would be ensured upon the conclusion of their duties (51-62). With the slaves free on both sides, what was the Confederacy still fighting for? Winik says, "In the end, what the Confederacy cherished most was its independence...as April 1865 approached, the two sides...were closer on the issue of slavery than perhaps they had ever been since the founding of the republic, and yet it no longer mattered" (62). But when the healing process finally began, it was implicitly understood that slavery was dead, and that the country could begin a more vibrant existence as a nation.
April 1865 is not only well-researched and informative, but Winik's narrative is unusually eloquent and poetic. Most surprising for a historical work is that it is also a gripping tale, the suspense being so palpable that I was actually on the edge of my seat. Additionally, it discusses issues of the Civil War that are often not comprehensively dealt with in other books. Furthermore, not only is April 1865 a fine example of historical analysis, but it is also a biographical work of the highest standard. With the touch of a master storyteller, Winik expertly portrays the complex, often conflicted, and yet utterly brilliant lives of the most important characters of the drama; from Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis to Nathaniel Bedford Forrest and John Wilkes Booth. Winik's work is truly a masterpiece, one that will change our perceptions of the final days of the Civil War and help us to better appreciate even the seemingly small actions of the larger-than-life actors who stepped forward in a time of need and shouldered the burden of destiny.

To quote John Wilkes Booth: "The country is not--April 1865 what it was.".......2007-05-31

A glance at the title of Jay Winik's book would suggest that it might be a day-by-day chronology of what was happening during the fateful month that saw the end of the Civil War. But in "April 1865: The Month That Save America" Winik focuses specifically on a series of pivotal decisions that set the stage for reconciliation instead of retribution after the Civil War. Winik's ultimate context is hinted at in his prelude, "A Nation Delayed," that looks at Thomas Jefferson's Monticello as a metaphor for how the United States lacked a national identity prior to the Civil War and focuses on how sundry rebellions and attempts at nullification proved the Southern Confederacy was just the last (and bloodiest) in a long series of attempts to resist being a real nation. But that is exactly what Winik finds at the end of this volume.

"April 1865" is divided into four parts. Part I, March 1865 looks at "The Dilemma" that faced Abraham Lincoln in terms of creating a common country once the war is over. Winik covers the range of Lincoln's thoughts before the fateful meeting on the "River Queen" where he told Generals Ulysses S. Grant and William T. Sherman the sort of peace he envisioned. Part II, April I, 1865 looks at "The Fall" of Richmond and the "Decision" that faced Robert E. Lee between surrendering and turning the Army of Northern Virginia into guerillas. The importance of Lee's decision is balanced by the terms Grant proposed at Appomattox, which embodied Lincoln's hopes. However, Lincoln's assassinations begins "The Unraveling" of this promising start, and Part 3, April 16, 1865 looks at the assassination and its aftermath as essentially the 19th century equivalent of September 11th. Just as Part 2 ends with Lee's surrender, Part 3 culminates in the surrender of Joseph Johnston's army to Sherman. In contrasting what happened when Lee met with Grant versus the meetings between Johnston and Sherman, Winik shows how things had changed but remained the same.

Part 4, Late Spring, 1865, focuses on what Winik labels as "Reconciliation," although the term clearly does not fit everything that was happening. Winik is loath to go beyond the month that gives his book his title, but Lincoln's burial and the Grand Review of the Armies of the Republic both happened the following month, as did the capture of Jefferson Davis. This brings me to one significant thread that Winik neglects completing, because having set up the idea that Andrew Johnson wanted to hang Davis, Lee, and every other leader of the rebellion as traitors, Winik never gets around to what stopped the new President and the rest of the Federal government from doing just that. The capture of Davis is utterly devoid of the dignity that permeated Lee's surrender at Appomattox, in large part because it takes place after Lincoln's assassination. Hanging Jeff Davis from a sour apple tree seems inevitable, but that is not what happens to the former president of the Confederacy and what stayed the hand of Johnson and others who howled for blood should have been laid out to complete the circle, especially since that would be Lincoln's final victory.

With his Epilogue, "To Make a Nation," Winik continues to look at what was happening in the country in late spring 1865, touching on the future of the reunified nation, but focusing on how the nation have irrevocable changed because of what happened in April 1865. In focusing on a pivotal series of decisions, Winik makes the case for his thesis, usually by postulating in some detail what would have resulted from the grim alternative. His biographical sketches of the major players focus on those elements that not only explain how they came to a particular time and place, but also why each did what he did, for better or worse. Winik also fleshes out the significant shift as the "United States" went from plural to singular in popular usage, because ultimately what matters here is what differences these differences made, which includes tantalizing glimpses of what might have been, for better or for worse. The Civil War has been called our American "Iliad," and in this book Winik reminds us that the analogy is apt, not just because of the bloody carnage, but because what happened between Lee and Grant at Appomattox is akin to what transpired between Achilles and Priam in their fateful meeting. But by underscoring a series of key decisions Winik ensures his readers will always remember these specific instantiations of what Lincoln called "the angels of our better nature."

Exuberant History.......2007-05-18

Any student of the Civil War will enjoy this lively, well written book. The author's thesis is that reunification after Appomattox was anything but inevitable. He makes a persuasive case for a long-lasting guerrilla war but for the magnanimity of Lincoln, Grant, Sherman, Lee and Johnston. He is certainly correct that reconciliation of the North and South was a rare exception to the typical chaos and retribution after a civil war or revolution.

Winik's passion and enthusiasm are contagious. He is particularly effective in bringing home the brutality of war, the realities of life for the common soldier and conditions in the war-ravaged South. I have several nits about the book (e.g., repetition, some shallow characterizations and his idolatry of Lee), but none of them should discourage anyone from reading it.

Far from "amazing" and "incredible"........2007-05-14

Being required to read this book for school is the only reason I would have ever picked up this book. However, after the first 50 pages, I have decided to spare my brain from this utter nonsense.

Winik spends far too long on unnecessary subjects such as the various meats and other foods served at Lincoln's inauguration. While the narrative on Monticello may be interesting to some, it served no purpose to why April 1865 was the month that saved America.

Instead of trying to show readers that he is, in fact, an excellent writer who has done far too much research and therefore tries to shove every single fact he found into a 388 page book, Winik should focus on his thesis and not on his arrogant attitude and increasing sense of drama.

Average customer rating:

great text, poor translation
Post-modern Exceptionism
Post-Humanism at its best
Agamben's State of Exception offers a place for political action
The Liberalism of Fear, Contintental Style

State of Exception
Giorgio Agamben
Manufacturer: University Of Chicago Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0226009254

Book Description

Two months after the attacks of 9/11, the Bush administration, in the midst of what it perceived to be a state of emergency, authorized the indefinite detention of noncitizens suspected of terrorist activities and their subsequent trials by a military commission. Here, distinguished Italian philosopher Giorgio Agamben uses such circumstances to argue that this unusual extension of power, or "state of exception," has historically been an underexamined and powerful strategy that has the potential to transform democracies into totalitarian states.

The sequel to Agamben's Homo Sacer: Sovereign Power and Bare Life, State of Exception is the first book to theorize the state of exception in historical and philosophical context. In Agamben's view, the majority of legal scholars and policymakers in Europe as well as the United States have wrongly rejected the necessity of such a theory, claiming instead that the state of exception is a pragmatic question. Agamben argues here that the state of exception, which was meant to be a provisional measure, became in the course of the twentieth century a normal paradigm of government. Writing nothing less than the history of the state of exception in its various national contexts throughout Western Europe and the United States, Agamben uses the work of Carl Schmitt as a foil for his reflections as well as that of Derrida, Benjamin, and Arendt.

In this highly topical book, Agamben ultimately arrives at original ideas about the future of democracy and casts a new light on the hidden relationship that ties law to violence.

Customer Reviews:

great text, poor translation.......2007-05-06

Agamben's text is filled with relevant historical examples and he makes a clear point, but the translation is lacking. It would have been better if more reference to the original were in the translation that way the reader would have a better understanding of the historical implications of Agamben's terms from within the Western philosophical tradition. It's worth buying for its conceptual value, but I would recommend buying the Italian to read alongside.

Post-modern Exceptionism.......2007-03-25

Carl Schmitt serves as a foil for Agamben's reflections as well as that of Derrida, Benjamin, and Arendt. The Rhetoric of Indeterminancy (i.e., deconstructionism) and Francophile intellectual linguistic abuse does not solve the State of Exception, but heightens its Fallacy of Special Pleading.

Today's choices are either a communitarian society (theocracy or Fabian) or a pluralistic liberal democracy that arose in the Age of Enlightenment. Agamben veers toward an Indeterminate Society of Power Relations (akin to Foucault, before Foucault "got" the Enlightenment Ideal) of communitarianism.

Liberty, freedom, self-rule, spontaneity, social safety, autonomy, equality (cf., economic egalitarianism), justice, fairness, pluralism, tolerance, and other liberal principles trump every Exception of Exception. While many objections to the present problems are valid, the prescriptions are just as disagreeable as the problems it thinks it will solve.

An open, free, equalitarian society is a liberal one, not a communitarian screed based on the Rhetoric of Indeterminacy and Post-modernism.

Post-Humanism at its best.......2006-12-21

The intellectual ancestor of this work is Foucault and Hiedegger, an Islamist-collaborater and a Nazi collaborator. But dont let that change the view of the argument here, namely that all democratic states today are equivilent 'philosophically' to Nazi Germany, which after all was not 'legally' a dictatorship. THis book is a perfect example of how high falutent language with flowery and latin mixed in, anything can become anything, thus democracy is nazism, refugee camps are concentration camps, dictatorship doesnt exist but if it did than it would be America. The main problem with things like this is it focuses on a tiny philosophical view of seven thinkers, expands that to include four or five countries and tries to make an over-arching argument for a massively diverse world, using value judgements and creating a new language suhc as 'state of exception' which is meaningless, in order to condemn western democracy without offering an alternative.

Therefore it is not a suprise that in the name of 'democracy' and 'the people' philosophies and critiques like this have been used to murder millions and accomplish exactly the opposite of what they pretend to be in favor of. This condemns the current situation as 'slavery' so that real slavery can be imposed, slavery of the mind, which is merely the precurser to the real thing.

Seth J. Frantzman

Agamben's State of Exception offers a place for political action.......2006-11-10

Agamben begins this work with a critical and historical look at the state of exception as it has developed over the last few centuries. In short, as nation/states developed and citizens entered into contracts with these governments, laws and constitutions were the agreed to rules of conduct. With the advent of war and national security issues, the state of exception has arisen in which the laws of the nation must be--at least for a time--suspended so that the goverment may take whatever means necessary to secure the safety of its citizens. Of course this has little to do with the safety of citicizens and more to do with securing the power for the political entity in charge.
Agamben points out that we are now--with the advent of terrorism and the war on terror--entering into a time of perpetual exception. The laws are now in a perpetual state of suspension due to the pressing need of the state to protect us from the threats--both real and perceived--of the terrorists. This can be clearly seen from the acts of the United States in its treatment of detainees in Guantanamo Bay. There the law does not extend to those being held who are apparently being held indefinitely and without any legal recourse.
Agamben's point is that the state of exception identifies a place of anomy--no law--wherein one can sieze power and act politically. His argument is that the state is not the only actor who can seize this anomy. If we are willing to exert ourselves within this gap, we too can create change in our world. If you are looking for a book on the philosophy of law and its aporetic nature--this is not the book for you; however, if you would like to read about the beginnings of a theory for social change, this is a good place to start.

The Liberalism of Fear, Contintental Style.......2006-09-18

In Agamben's new book, State of Exception, a sequel to Homo Sacer, he draws explicitly upon lectures he has delivered in New York and elsewhere in the years since 9/11, repeating the central themes of his past work and transposing it to a different key. Here, rather than speaking of "the camp," he argues that "the state of exception" is a primal form of modern government. Agamben has long argued, in a formulation best distilled in his book Homo Sacer: Sovereign Power and Bare Life (2000), that "the camp"- the concentration camp as much as the refugee camp-- is the paradigm of political modernity insofar as legal categories and the idea of sovereignty have served as a justification for abondoning `enemy bodies'to zones outside strict legality. While that book's conceptual apparatus is all too reminiscent of quirky Heideggerian readings of Greek politics, and he sometimes leans on tendentious readings of Foucault, Benjamin, Arendt, and Schmitt, Agamben's thesis, when examined closely, is no more "paranoid" than the more redemptive works of Primo Levi or Judith Shklar. Beneath his evasive ethics is yet another post-Holocaust "liberalism of fear." In my view, Agamben can be read as a philosopher of deep ethical concern and originality, but to read him charitably, one must start by getting used to his signature rhetorical devices of hyperbole, paradox, and "indistinctions"-- situations where conceptual opposites (security and insecurity, totalitarianism and civil war) are actually contained within each other. It is helpful to approach a number of these claims as "thought experiments." Moreover, perhaps more than any other concern of legal theory, the discussion of states of exception is an area of inquiry where these discursive vices can actually be seen as virtues: the language of indistinction and undecidibility is often descriptively appropriate.

Average customer rating:

Fantastic adventure, moving tribute
Great For Texas History!
Mother and son review
A 4th Grader Review
Loved it!

The Boy in the Alamo
Margaret Cousins
Manufacturer: Corona Publishing Co.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Action & Adventure | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0931722268

Book Description

The classic story of the siege of the Alamo, as told for young readers. Originally published in 1958, thousands of children each year enjoy this story from the unique point of view of twelve-year old Billy Campbell.

Customer Reviews:

Fantastic adventure, moving tribute.......2007-04-27

I don't know how I managed to pick up this book and not realize how terribly sad the battle of the Alamo would be. Somehow I did, and was taken by surprise by the courage of the men who held the fort despite the hopelessness. It's an amazing story, and Margaret Cousins writes the characters with depth, common sense and yet, with that almost supernatural tenacity.

In following the journey of a boy to a man in the face of war, you also get a wonderful, valuable look at the reason "Remember the Alamo!" is still a battle cry today. To "Remember the Alamo!" is to remember the best part of man, that divine part of ourselves that can be inspired to resist, even unto death, for that which is worthy.

Great For Texas History!.......2005-07-23

I teach fourth grade Texas History, and this is an excellent book to help students understand what it might have been like during this time period in Texas.

Mother and son review.......2002-10-08

My 4th grade son and I loved this book! It's a great read with lots of excitement and emotion. My son read it first and loved it so much I decided I wanted to read it. I had trouble putting it down. It's an absolute must for kids and adults.

A 4th Grader Review.......2002-02-13

The reason I put four stars is because it was sad. Whenever I think of the Boy in the Alamo, I think of my grandfather. My grandfather died in World War 1, so I never met him. Boy in the Alamo was good, my favorite part is when Billy said he'd look for Lupe his whole life.

Loved it!.......2002-02-13

Loved it! It could not get any better!! I liked Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie and Santa Anna! It shows and tells you everything just like the Alamo. Even though it was just told through the mind of a 12 year old boy, it was still the best book. The story really shows what the Alamo was like. It was blazingly awesome with fantasy and real scenes. The pictures were great! I would give this book six stars, if I could. I couldn't resist to say no to this book!

Victory at Yorktown: The Campaign That Won the Revolution

Average customer rating:

Broad Strategic View of What Led to Yorktown
Good info on Allied contributions to the Revolutionary War
Well done
not rehashing, you can learn from this book
Entertaining but could be better

Victory at Yorktown: The Campaign That Won the Revolution
Richard M. Ketchum
Manufacturer: Henry Holt and Co.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

Strategy | Military | History | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0805073965
Release Date: 2004-09-09

Book Description

From "the finest historian of the American Revolution" comes the definitive account of the battle and unlikely triumph that led to American independence (Douglas Brinkley) In 1780, George Washington's army lay idle for want of supplies, food, and money. All hope seemed lost until a powerful French force landed at Newport in July. Then, under Washington's directives, Nathanael Greene began a series of hit-and-run operations against the British. The damage the guerrilla fighters inflicted would help drive the enemy to Yorktown, where Greene and Lafayette would trap them before Washington and Rochambeau, supported by the French fleet, arrived to deliver the coup de gracirc;ce. Richard M. Ketchum illuminates, for the first time, the strategies and heroic personalities-American and French-that led to the surprise victory, only the second major battle the Americans would win in almost seven horrific years. Relying on good fortune, daring, and sheer determination never to give up, American and French fighters-many of whom walked from Newport and New York to Virginia-brought about that rarest of military operations: a race against time and distance, on land and at sea. Ketchum brings to life the gripping and inspirational story of how the rebels defeated the world's finest army against all odds.

Customer Reviews:

Broad Strategic View of What Led to Yorktown .......2007-07-04

Victory at Yorktown is a highly readable book that captures the Yorktown campaign with a broad strategic view with a long run up to Yorktown. If you are looking for a detailed book on the Yorktown campaign that includes a tactical study, then this book is not for you as the author only addresses the campaign over the final chapters of the book. But, if you want to read a book about the overall events that lead up to the Yorktown campaign, then this book will not disappoint. The bulk of the book deals with the sad fragile condition of the Continental Army, the financial impotent congress who cannot support it, the emergence of the strong French support in troops, the mobilization of the allies' troops and navy and perhaps most fascinating, the harmful discord within the British Command, from Generals Clinton and Cornwallis to Admiral Graves. The author starts with circumstances from 1780 forward providing a strategic understanding of how Yorktown came into being, thus the southern campaigns are necessary and the author provides the detail in summary form. The book does stray a bit as in the interesting detail on Benedict Arnold's betrayal and the maps are limited (3 buried in the middle of the book) but overall an enjoyable read finishing up with a touching portrayal of Washington's final days as commander while he stifles his army's planned march on congress. What is quite amazing, as my friend's son observed, is how Yorktown was a matter of miraculous timing. The Continental and French Armies made a very long and complicated journey to reach the peninsula blessed with the dramatic and necessary appearance of the French fleet that traveled quite a ways itself. Another interesting note in this book was the number of black soldiers in the militias who fought throughout the campaign that is described here and not otherwise noted in other books. It would have been even more interesting if the author elaborated more particularly as the British attempted to utilize blacks as well in avariety of roles with the temptation ofa better life. A more appropriate title for potential readers for this book would have been, "The Last Years of the Revolution that Ended at Yorktown". The book is a very good read particularly if you know and want what you are getting.

Good info on Allied contributions to the Revolutionary War.......2006-12-01

If your weren't up on how much the French and other European powers assisted with Washington's victory at Yorktown, please read this book. Excellent account of the French ground and naval contributions to the battle at Yorktown. Also, continues to highlight what other authors have discussed regarding the precarious nature of the American troops at Washington's disposal. The book also brings up some interesting anecdotes about how disorganized and unsupportive the majority of the Congress at the time was. If you are just an interested reader on the Revolutionary War, this book will be for you; great read.

Well done.......2006-10-14

Some criticism here that the author jumps around somewhat and is not a slave to chronology. Let me suggest books with bigger print and more illustrations for those who find themselves thus challenged. This was in fact the most complicated campaign, requiring more coordination, stones and pure luck than any other. For those who retort "Trenton" let me merely respond "scale". Two fleets (one in Newport and the other in the West Indies) had to arrive at the York/James at precisely the same time as an army which traveled 700+ miles mostly on foot on horrible roads from New York. It is well-written, with many interesting new details and a suspense that builds despite the fact the outcome is well known. If you consider yourself a buff you have to add this one to your personal library.

not rehashing, you can learn from this book.......2006-02-07

Ketchum's Yorktown is better than some crits on here are saying: it is not rehashing. Not only am I using it as a source for a fiction story, but I also have Fleming's Beat the Last Drum (1963) open beside it: they tell the same topic but very differently, just as they should do. Fleming is more a novelist so his Yorktown history is very flowing prose with stories of the people and in his own inimitable way, but Ketchum does his own Ketchum thing here with this, you know what I mean if you read his Bunker Hill, Saratoga and New York battle books. I see a lot of raves for Buchanan with his Guilford and Southron book on what all led to this, and Ketchum seems to rank right up there too, tells a ton and very readable, you can learn from this book which is why it's a source for my story; and to those who may say 'we don't get to Yorktown til the half-point, too much leading up' I say 'Remember, that which happens is formed by that which came before,' and this is especially true with Yorktown: those things the action figures did leading up to cause Yorktown is even more important than the siege, and Ketchum shows this in his own style of telling, just as did Fleming. What did Napoleon say?: win the battle before the battle starts.

I'm also using Burke's Yorktown (1970) and just flipping through before reading I can see his own style and telling, so Ketchum is not rehashing here. There comes a time an author must decide Not Tell the story because others have done and some may rant Rehashing, or Tell the story too, and since Ketchum has his series of revolution books going ... he made the right choice. This is not another's Yorktown, it's Ketchum's Yorktown with his unique style and language, his own telling; not only if you read the others before but a big purpose of the author is giving you the info and story if you never read the other Yorktown books: let's face it, most read one book on a topic, only die-hard studiers or those like me sourcing for a story read four books on one topic. (and how many wrote books on Gettysburg, or "nine-eleven" in NYC 2001?) And for those who say 'tell something new' I must report that I didn't see Tornquist quotes on his witnessing Virginia atrocities by the British, pregnant women bayonetted and such (I won't give those quotes here, pretty awful stuff) in the other works.

Ketchum's Saratoga is the work of his life, it's a monumental and deep work of things on which every American should read, but every author has one that is the best, and that does not take away from his Yorktown; both have a lot of sources with quotes from letters and journals, both have major research - this Yorktown does mention some anecdotes that others have done but that is expected in a major historical event, but he also has other stories and letters he has brought out and that is the history author's job to do so. He tells about the French like Rochambeau, navy admirals like de Grasse and Graves (though Fleming told more on Hood's recongnitions of the true situation and best strategies), on Arnold and his wife Peggy, Washington's meeting with de Grasse and the big Q&A (alone worth the read!), about Wayne and Morgan, and about Lafeyette like this quote: "To keep Conwallis from moving up the peninsula to cross the James near Richmond, Lafeyete met with the marquis de Saint-Simon as soon as the french fleet arrived and arranged for him to land his troops on Jamestown Island. There Lafayette and Wayne joined him, and the combined force, under Lafayette's command, marched to Williamsburg and took up a strong position across the peninsula. By the evening of September 7, between that force and the fleet, Cornwallis was hemmed in - 'in a pudding bag' as general Weedon had said - and it seemed unlikely that he could break out in either direction." [Saint-Simon was general of French army force with de Grasse; while Lafayette was Washington's general of Virginia force of combined continentals and militia to force and keep Cornwallis in the trap.] (though Fleming does more in telling all Lafayette went through in just surviving!, and pushing, and cajoling, in keeping an American force in the field against Cornwallis forcing the earl to the coast seeking supplies.)

One thing I'm noticing with Ketchum is that he doesn't boilerplate with all his revolution books, he tells each one in a way that fits the events to make a unique story even if it's a major event others have covered: in this Yorktown you get Ketchum's Yorktown, and well worth the read.

Entertaining but could be better.......2005-03-18

I did enjoy reading Victory at Yorktown. I did think the title of the book was a bit misleading. As other reviewers have pointed out, about one half of the the book deals with the southern campaign. What little time is devoted to the actual Yorktown engagement is broken up by frequent wanderings into other areas, some relevant, others not. I was also a bit disappointed by the very skimpy coverage devoted to the diplomatic dealings going on during the Yorktown battle. The book, entertaining as it was, could really have improved had more attention been given to the surrender negotiations.

Even with this criticisms I highly recommend Victory at Yorktown.

Average customer rating:

An astute and well written history book.
Good for Most
Good history
Nice broad perspective
Spreading the Myth

A Line In The Sand
Randy Roberts , and James S. Olson
Manufacturer: Free Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Americas | History | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0684835444

Book Description

In late February and early March of 1836, the Mexican Army under the command of General Antonio López de Santa Anna besieged a small force of Anglo and Tejano rebels at a mission known as the Alamo. The defenders of the Alamo were in an impossible situation. They knew very little of the events taking place outside the mission walls. They did not have much of an understanding of Santa Anna or of his government in Mexico City. They sent out contradictory messages, they received contradictory communications, they moved blindly and planned in the dark. And in the dark early morning of March 6, they died.

In that brief, confusing, and deadly encounter, one of America's most potent symbols was born. The story of the last stand at the Alamo grew from a Texas rallying cry, to a national slogan, to a phenomenon of popular culture and presidential politics. Yet it has been a hotly contested symbol from the first. Questions remain about what really happened: Did William Travis really draw a line in the sand? Did Davy Crockett die fighting, surrounded by the bodies of two dozen of the enemy? And what of the participants' motives and purposes? Were the Texans justified in their rebellion? Were they sincere patriots making a last stand for freedom and liberty, or were they a ragtag collection of greedy men-on-the-make, washed-up politicians, and backwoods bullies, Americans bent on extending American slavery into a foreign land?

The full story of the Alamo -- from the weeks and months that led up to the fateful encounter to the movies and speeches that continue to remember it today -- is a quintessential story of America's past and a fascinating window into our collective memory. In A Line in the Sand, acclaimed historians Randy Roberts and James Olson use a wealth of archival sources, including the diary of José Enrique de la Peña, along with important and little-used Mexican documents, to retell the story of the Alamo for a new generation of Americans. They explain what happened from the perspective of all parties, not just Anglo and Mexican soldiers, but also Tejano allies and bystanders. They delve anew into the mysteries of Crockett's final hours and Travis's famous rhetoric. Finally, they show how preservationists, television and movie producers, historians, and politicians have become the Alamo's major interpreters. Walt Disney, John Wayne, and scores of journalists and cultural critics have used the Alamo to contest the very meaning of America, and thereby helped us all to "remember the Alamo."

Download Description

San Antonio, Texas, 1836. A Mexican army led by Santa Anna attacks a small fort called the Alamo. Disputes still rage over exactly what happened, why it happened, and how it should be remembered. Indeed, the battles fought over the memory of the Alamo have been almost as fierce as their subject. In a riveting combination of history and cultural analysis, historians Randy Roberts and James N. Olson blend a rich narrative of the battle -- told from the perspectives of both the Anglo and Mexican troops -- drawing from a wide range of sources, including newly released documents from Mexican military archives and just-discovered pages of the famous de la Pena diary. Still controversial after all these years, the events at the Alamo pose some fascinating questions: Did Crockett really die a hero, or did he surrender before a summary execution? And why have Americans built a shrine for an event that lasted no more than ninety minutes, and inflated it into one of the country's biggest tourist attractions? A full explanation of the San Antonio encounter requires a peeling back of many layers. With powerful writing, Roberts and Olson retell the story of a great American myth, and show how and why it endures. This original volume is sure to change the way readers "Remember the Alamo".

Customer Reviews:

An astute and well written history book........2007-03-07

It was a pleasure to read this book, very informative, well researched and finely written. Whatever your views are of the Alamo and its place in the history of Texas; this book was written by two astute historians with a careful attention to detail with reasoned views and opinions.

Brief but informative and concise histories are given of Travis, Crockett, Bowie, Santa Anna and the events that lead them to a common junction at the Alamo in 1836. My only exposure to the Alamo before this book was the John Wayne movie, so it was great to be able to read this professional account of the history of the Alamo and also its post history into the 21st century.

The authors also make the valid point that native Indians occupied Texas for hundreds of years before any Spanish, Mexican or Anglo claims on it. The history of Texas comes alive in this book and the authors have done a great job as this book is flows smoothly and logically and is accessible to the general history buff.

Good for Most.......2007-01-12

It was no big surprise to read about Santa Anna's negative effects on Mexico. Once you get through the first part of the book you'll have an easier time turning the pages.

Even for a native Texan, the book was definitely not what you'd expect of Travis if you've watched too many Alamo movies. If you're from South Texas you'll probably be surprised when you get near the end of the book.

The story of the battle and politicians of the time was quite interesting and kept my interest more than most parts. It's worth reading, but make sure to visit the Texan Cultures Institute too.

Good history.......2005-09-30

I was assigned to read this in a Texas history class at UT Arlington. So I expected it to be the typical politically correct, leftist, white-bashing I'd grown so accustomed to. I was pleasantly surprised. This book is honest and fair with all sides. It's what historians should strive for because it doesn't take sides. Roberts goes after truth, no matter who gets offended. And yes, sometimes that's the Mexicans. I was shocked to learn all about how Col. Travis abandoned his family, but I was impressed by his courage to the end. Now I feel certain that Santa Ana is the worst thing that ever happened to Mexico. And some of his generals were skilful enough to have won the war and honorable enough to have not executed Texas POWs. I highly recommend the book for anyone who wants to understand this major piece of American history.

Nice broad perspective.......2004-06-08

Just because this book does not agree 100% with Jeff Long is no reason to condemn it. A topic like the Alamo is supposed to include room for debate and disagreement. Although the book may have been written partly in response to Long's version of the Alamo, I feel it also serves as a viable alternative to the current dominant historiography on the Alamo (Hardin and Huffines are good, but they would agree, I think, that theirs is not the "last word"). This is a balanced account which, as other reviewers have noted, includes a complete post-1836 history of the Alamo. A good example of the common-sense historical honesty in this book comes in part of the authors' treatment of the Crockett debate: "...what had been the end of Davy Crockett?...Scores of people had an answer to the question, but their answers banged against one another, knocking silly any hope of discovering the truth."(p.196) There will never be a "last word" on the Alamo, but I do recommend this book to those interested in the topic.

Spreading the Myth.......2004-04-20

Do not be fooled by what this book aspires to be. The authors claim this is an even-handed, accurate retelling of the Battle of the Alamo and the Texas Revolution, but it adds nothing new to the oversimplified accounts you'd find in a 4th grade Texas history book.
The book tries still portrays the Alamo defenders as flawless men of great honor... mythical heroes fighting for a just cause. They try to argue that the Texas Revolution was similar to the American Revolution. They could not be further from the truth; The two events had little in common. The Texas Revolution consisted of a group of opportunistic American settlers who took advantage of the internal turmoils in Mexico at the time to seize a piece of property they had long set their eyes on. It was a prime example of Manifest Destiny at it's most voracious, if you'd like to put a label on it.
The Mexican side of the story gets lost in this book, despite the authors' claim at being unbiased. If you'd like to read an informative book on the subject, pick up Jeff Long's "Duel of the Eagles". That book is indeed an eye-opener (at least for the open-minded). On the other hand, this book might as well had been written by the Daughters of the Texas Revolution for distribution at the Alamo gift shop! It's a badly written history book.

Duel of Eagles: The Mexican and U.S. Fight for the Alamo

Average customer rating:

Overly Cynical Revisionism Detracts from the Work
Revisionist
Nothing ever changes
Finally, an honest look at Texas' sacred cow
Beautifully written, marvelous scholarship

Duel of Eagles: The Mexican and U.S. Fight for the Alamo
Jeff Long
Manufacturer: William Morrow & Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Mexico | Americas | History | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0688072526

Customer Reviews:

Overly Cynical Revisionism Detracts from the Work.......2006-07-07

The book provides a nice in-depth overview of the origins of the conflict between the Mexicans and the Texans. The description of the conflict and the Alamo Battle itself, are also well done. Unfortunately, the revisionism is written from one of the most cynical perspectives I have ever read in my entire life, and detracts from the quality of the work. To the reader, it seems that author casts most every person in the History of this conflict as overly self-serving in their motives, and contemptuous of everyone else. Any source of human conflict -- even between the various races of people within the Mexican Army -- is amplified as overly divisive. One can forget any hint of Crockett, Bowie or Travis possessing even a scintilla of idealism or purity in motive. In fact, with little exception, hardly any person within the book seems to possess many mentionable good qualities, according to the author. Long seemingly strives to debunk the myths, but in my view he is too harsh in trying to eviscerate people's characters. If you are searching for a work which validates your most cynical view not only of the Alamo but of most of the entire human race, this book will not disappoint you.

Revisionist.......2006-04-03

Some revisionist points need to be made in the interest of the whole truth, but the author is one-sided to a fault. The book is glib, full of sweeping statements, a work of opinion and propaganda, not history.

In our time, people are so used to the idea of the U.S. as the great world power that they may have trouble in understanding that in the 1830s, on the world stage, the U.S. was a minor, upstart country with an uncertain future. Mexico, on the other hand, even after its disastrous War of Independence, was perceived as the heir apparent of the fabled wealth of New Spain. Hindsight is made out to be 20-20 vision, but it is not if it prevents one from understanding how things were and how they were perceived at the time. In this way, our knowledge of what was then the future can impede our understanding of the past.

Nothing ever changes.......2004-10-29

It seems that americans have been heroicly saving the world in the name of freedom and liberty since the beginning of their glorious history. They just wanted to liberate the mexican peasants from tyranie just like they are liberating the iraquis today.

God bless the U.S.A indeed.

Finally, an honest look at Texas' sacred cow.......2004-04-19

I find Jeff Long's retelling of the Alamo fable refreshingly (if brutally) honest and well documented. He debunks alot of of the myths that surround the Battle of the Alamo. He is particarly good at providing an extensive background to the conflict. Growing up in Texas, and studying the state's History in the 4th and 7th grade, it was never too clear what the reasons behind the war were. All I was told is that a group of brave men stood fast against unsurmountable tyranny and sacrified their lives for the ultimate price of freedom. But to say that the Texas revolution was a war for independence is oversimplifying the issue... it is like saying the Civil War was just a war to end slavery. Now, some folks are fine with these simple definitions... and if you are the type of person that likes their history in neat little anecdotes and who wants their heroes to wear white and their villains to wear black, then this might not be the book for you. Reading through it the first time, I was sure that just as it opened my eyes it was going to get others very angry. Over the years, discussing this books with others that have read it has revealed this to be true.
There are many out there that feel this is book is biased and inflammatory. This could be true if Mr. Long was simply stating an opinion. But, the book is extremely well researched, and all his sources are listed for the world to see. If you don't think he is being fair in his assessment of the conflict, then look up the sources... he is not hiding anything. If it is biased, it certainly is not more so than the history books we were given to read at school. In fact, those books carried more of an agenda, and Mr. Longs account is far more accurate and even-handed.
Some legends are hard to die, and I am sure that regardless of how many books like this one are written some people will continue believing that Crockett died in a blaze of glory with his coonskin hat still on his head, and that Travis and Bowie were freedom loving martyrs that had no human fault. I applaud Mr. Longs for providing a well-researched alternative to this view, and for giving us an extensive background on the events and ideologies that lead to the conflict and the consequences that followed. If you are a real history buff that is interested in facts and who likes to get the larger picture, this book is definitely recommended. If not... then I suggest just sticking to John Wayne's 1960 melodrama for familiarity. It's available on DVD on this website as well, I'm sure.

Beautifully written, marvelous scholarship.......2004-04-19

This book is an accomplishment on many fronts. It digs where no one else wants to dig, which is the true hallmark of a historian. It reveals truths that entrenched and calcified communities wish to hide -- a sign of high scholarship and meaningful journalism. Best of all, it is wonderfully written. Jeff Long spends as much time providing ambience and atmosphere than the usual historian. You are transported there. This book is much more interesting that the childish fairytales surrounding the Alamo and Texas "independence." Thanks for expecting that your readers are adults. You won't find any pandering in this book.

The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under Siege

Average customer rating:

Don't hang this one!
Who needs a time travel spell?
Amazing work!
Comprehensive and interesting historic account
Fantastic!

The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under Siege
Marilynne K. Roach
Manufacturer: Taylor Trade Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Renaissance | World | History | Subjects | Books

General | Occult | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Magic | Occult | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 1589791320

Book Description

The Salem Witch Trials is based on over twenty-five years of archival research--including the author's discovery of previously unknown documents--newly found cases and court records. From January 1692 to January 1697 this history unfolds a nearly day-by-day narrative of the crisis as the citizens of New England experienced it.

Customer Reviews:

Don't hang this one!.......2007-10-03

This turned out to be surprisingly entertaining, and not nearly as dry as I had expected. The stories/hallucinations are quite bizarre, and the reaction of the town is mindboggling. The book is quite detailed (and nothing like The Crucible, or any other shortened account I had heard) but moves quickly, and will definitely keep you interested.

Kudos to Ms. Roach for a momentous job well done!

Who needs a time travel spell?.......2006-09-05

In preparation for my first visit to the famed 'Witch City' I came across Ms. Roach's HUGE volume. I have always been fascinated by the dark history of Salem, Mass (in fact, I did a big project about it in eighth grade) but I wanted to be quite sure I was on the up and up about everything that went on in 1692 and I was sure that a day-by-day chronicle would be just the prescription. I began reading it thinking that I may be bored as it was very detailed but I was anything BUT bored! This book is truly fascinating and informing. Ms. Roach's style of writing really brought me into the court rooms of 1692 Salem and I was better able to understand what happened then. I highly recommend anyone wanting to know more about the Witch Trials of Salem to buy this book.

Amazing work!.......2005-11-17

I can't even begin to imagine how much time and effort went into writing this book. Roach created a day to day synopsis of the events surrounding the Salem witch trials for a period of several years, and the bibliography is quite extensive. Not only has this book broadened my horizons in the realm of American history, but it has also raised my own standards for what I expect from any history book, including research I do, myself.

Thank you, Mariilynne K. Roach!

Comprehensive and interesting historic account.......2005-06-24

Enjoyed the significant day-by-day format -- easy to follow and shows the progression of the trial hysteria. Good index for finding people involved in the trial.

Fantastic!.......2004-12-02

I believe I own every book ever published about the Salem Witch Trials, including some that have been out of print for more than a hundred years. Of course, I like some better than I like others, however, Ms. Roach's book is at the top of my list of favorites. There is an introduction leading up to the witch craze and from there, the author documents, on a day-by-day basis, the events that transpired beginning January 1, 1692, through January 14, 1697. In addition to recording events directly pertaining to the witch madness, the author also includes weather conditions taken from journals maintained by Gov. Winthrop et al., baptisms, etc. which gives one a better perspective of life during the witch hunts. There is also an epilogue listing later events pertaining to the Salem trials through October 31, 2001, when the Commonwealth of Massachusetts declared all those accused in 1692 innocent of witchcraft.

Reviewing numerous volumes and voluminous papers to produce a readable chronology is a major accomplishment, and THE SALEM WITCH TRIALS is both a scholarly work and an interesting, informative book. It is also a great reference. For example, if I am writing about the accusations of John and Elizabeth Proctor, I am able to quickly find when they were arrested, who testified against them, etc. Additionally, each chapter contains numerous endnotes and there is an extensive bibliography. In fact, every book I own about the Salem trials-except two-are included in the bibliography and I commend Ms. Roach on her thoroughness.

I highly recommend THE SALEM WITH TRIALS, A DAY-BY-DAY CHRONICLE, to anyone interested in the trials, life in Puritan New England, or the history of witchcraft and magic.

The Theocons: Secular America Under Siege

Average customer rating:

Highlights shift in loyalties in this country
The Missing Linker
Father Richard, Or, The Old Priest's Influence And How He Gained It (apologies to Lewis Carroll)
A very important and timely book
Compelling and insightful

The Theocons: Secular America Under Siege
Damon Linker
Manufacturer: Doubleday
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0385516479
Release Date: 2006-09-19

Book Description

George W. Bush has gone out of his way to blur the line between religion and politics in America—this is acknowledged by his strongest supporters no less than by his most strident critics. The most common explanation of the president’s religious agenda points to rise of evangelical Protestantism. Yet as Damon Linker demonstrates in his groundbreaking book, an exclusive focus on the role of evangelicals misses the heart of the story. At its core, the Bush administration’s overt religiosity represents the triumph of an ideological movement that for the past several decades has devoted itself to fashioning a theocratic governing philosophy for the United States—a governing philosophy rooted in Roman Catholicism. Led by Father Richard John Neuhaus, this group of “theoconservatives” has actively sought to roll back the division of church and state in American life.

The election of 2000 brought the theocons to the peak of political power and influence in Washington. Their ideas inspire the most controversial and divisive policies of the Bush administration—policies whose ultimate goal is nothing less than the end of secular politics in America.

Customer Reviews:

Highlights shift in loyalties in this country.......2007-09-18

Damon Linker, a former editor of First Things journal, details the rise of conservative theological influence on Washington politics in The Theocons: Secular America Under Siege. The emergence of religious rhetoric in political speech has been, for the most part, a recent infiltration contrasting against the secular swing of the sixties and seventies.

The Theocons chronicles the shift in loyalties of certain prominent theological leaders--namely Lutheran minister turned Catholic priest Richard John Neuhaus, and Catholic philosopher Michael Novak--from Vietnam War-inspired liberalism to the current theocracy permeating the Iraq War strategy.

The validity of Linker's assertions comes from his three and a half years of experience as editor of First Things, a publication by the Institute on Religion and Public Life, whose own goal according to the First Things website "is to advance a religiously informed public philosophy for the ordering of society." Linker's personal observations of key players of the "theoconservative" movement, who also happen to be behind the creation of the journal, and his detailed research of prior publications made by these individuals, illustrate the deceptive manipulation of the American public by both the media and politicians, specifically the Bush Administration.

An unexpected quality of the book is that the majority of the content is relatively unbiased and is composed strictly of chronological facts. While it is clear that Linker disapproves of the agenda the theoconservative movement has created for the American people, the actions of those involved do well to create an image of an insidious political conspiracy, whether intentional or not. Collectively, religious leaders in the public eye have succeeded in molding American democracy into little more than an extension of the church.

The Theocons was originally published by Doubleday in 2006, and this 2007 Anchor Books trade paperback edition features an Afterword updated with two more years of political reactions and influence.

Armchair Interviews says: If this subject interests you, Linker offers a lot of thoughtful challenges.

The Missing Linker.......2007-07-17

Theocons sound like the latest version of Transformers: Autobots, Decepticons, Theocons. Whatever breed they belong to, it must have some audience draw to garner the author a rumored $160K advance for this insider's tale of their antics. The real scandal doesn't seem to be in the book at all, however. That would concern the missing Linker, who served? posed? as an editor at the New York journal First Things from 2001 to 2004. The Great Pen and Ink Scandal, one might call it, slightly borrowing a title from the Sex Pistols. Or maybe Decepticons VS Theocons in the battle for Ameritron. That might be a story.

One can understand a broke writer upping the stakes, anxious, as so many seem, to break his own personal Watergate. But exposes seem to be written in inverse proprtion to the legal guns on the other side. You won't, for instance, see exposes of, to take two names completely at random, Disney or Planned Parenthood any time soon. Linker has chosen the one guy probably guaranteed not to sue him, the ever- amiable editor and able author, Richard John Neuhaus. He's also chosen as his target, the calmest, most reasoned, thoughtful and profound journal in existence. I'm sure Linker himself subscribes to many that are far more strident.

Not to join the Watergate breed of wild- eyed reporters, nor admit that I myself fall into the starving writer category, but if you want to read the full story, you can. It's in the August/ Sept. 2006, Number 165 issue of First Things, pp. 76-77. Or better yet, subscribe to First Things yourself, as I suggest in this Linker-like ad: Follow the trail of death and destruction as the terrible Theocons strangle helpless America in their mighty grip! Who can save the tiny victim? Only that hero of truth and justice, the Decepticon Missing Linker.

Father Richard, Or, The Old Priest's Influence And How He Gained It (apologies to Lewis Carroll).......2007-02-10

"You are old, Father Richard," the young man said,
And your hair has become sparse and white;
You had started your ministry on the far left--
Yet you've ended up on the far right."

"In my youth," said the Father to Editor Linker,
"I thought leftists would win the game;
But when I saw that only rightists can win,
Why, over to that side I came!"

"You are old," said the man, "as I mentioned before;
And have grown most uncommonly shrill."
"You would much sooner die than let gays have their rights--
Pray, why do you wish them such ill?"

"In my youth," growled the sage, as he shook his gray jowls,
"I had such a strong horror of gays;
That now that I'm old I'll devote all my time,
To scourging them all of my days."

"You are old, Father Richard, and your jaws are too weak
For anything tougher than pigeon;
Yet you argue Church doctrine trumps secular laws--
Is this not an abuse of religion?"

"In my youth," said the Father, "I had such a beam in my eye,
That I swore I'd stop other folk's sinning by force,
Til' the coming of Jesus is nigh."

"You are old," said the man, "one would hardly suppose,
You'd back torture by red-blooded boys;
Yet you've balanced the war on the end of your nose--
What sophistries did you employ?"

"I've answered four questions, and that is enough!
This questioning makes me quite shrewish."
I just had a thought;" the old Father accused,
"Say, didn't you say you were Jewish?"

A very important and timely book.......2007-01-03

I have been concerned for many years with the power and danger of right wing religion in America, and for me the focus has been on Protestantism. So for me, this book was a necessary corrective and a powerful eye opener.

THE THEOCONS is a very important and timely book for anyone concerned with religious leaders hungry for political power and influence. In one sense it is a tell-all book by Damon Linker who worked for FIRST THINGS, the journal of right wing Roman Catholicism published by Rev Richard John Neuhaus. But that would be to trivialize the book, for Linker's purpose is not to tell personal tales at all. Rather, he carefully documents the development of this "theoconservative" movement over the past thirty years -- both a theological and political movement --- and tells of its deliberate attempts to influence U.S. society at many levels.

So the book deals with theology and (recent) history, and is not particularly a late night read. But it is well worth your time and attention. The author has done his homework, writes well, and ends with a chapter giving his own basic critique of THEOCON ideology. Linker has obviously come to believe that the Theocon ideology presents a real danger to America. How serious this danger really is, and how effective the Theocons have been in their grasping for power, will be matters for continued discussion. But the efforts of Neuhaus and this movement need to be understood, and this book is definitely the place to begin.

Compelling and insightful.......2006-10-14

Damon Linker's fascinating monograph is both compelling and insightful, having been in the midst of things as editor of the rightwing Catholic magazine "First Things." This book does not reek with "sour grapes," but is a provocative wake-up call to serious observers of the American cultural and political scene. As an historian, I am impressed by the first-rate prose and organization of this book, not to mention what I perceive as a successful argument and finish. Linker's book is a good companion to Michelle Goldberg's recent book on the religious right and its threat to American democracy and the separation of religion and government (Church and State in the old way of speaking). Hopefully people will apply critical thinking and intellectual honesty to the issues Damon Linker raises.

Ripcord: Screaming Eagles Under Siege, Vietnam 1970

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The real deal.!
Ripcord Review
Excellent researched book
RIPCORD
Mr. Reed, stand down

Ripcord: Screaming Eagles Under Siege, Vietnam 1970
Keith W Nolan
Manufacturer: Presidio Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0891416420
Release Date: 2000-06-26

Book Description

On April 10, 1970, Hill 927 was occupied by troopers of the Screaming Eagles of the 101st Airborne Division. By July, the activities of the artillery and infantry of Ripcord had caught the attention of the NVA (North Vietnamese Army) and a long and deadly siege ensued. Ripcord was the Screaming Eagles’ last chance to do significant damage to the NVA in the A Shau Valley before the division was withdrawn from Vietnam and returned to the United States.

At Ripcord, the enemy counterattacked with ferocity, using mortar and antiaircraft fire to inflict heavy causalities on the units operating there. The battle lasted four and a half months and exemplified the ultimate frustration of the Vietnam War: the inability of the American military to bring to bear its enormous resources to win on the battlefield. In the end, the 101st evacuated Ripcord, leaving the NVA in control of the battlefield. Contrary to the mantra “We won every battle but lost the war,” the United States was defeated at Ripcord. Now, at last, the full story of this terrible battle can be told.

From the Paperback edition.

Customer Reviews:

The real deal.!.......2007-06-27

If you have any knowledge of the Vietnam conflict or were in country at the time ,this is a perfect blow for blow record,no punches pulled ,and every bit of research backed up with detailed fact. It gives the overall viewpoint,officers ,nco s and the Grunts.A great read about real men and the horror of War.

Ripcord Review.......2007-02-09

Keith Nolan has done it again! A very accurate account of a battle in Vietnam. A grunts eye view!Only thing that would have made the book better. Would have been maps, something he fails to do in all his books.

Excellent researched book.......2007-01-17

This historical account represents a detailed account of the battle for RIPCORD. The dedication of the troops to a questionable operation at the time of the winddown of the Vietnam War is admirable to say the least.
This work exposes the quandary of senior officers who are shackled by the political forces from Washington. Nevetheless, it also reveals the shortcomings of certain officers who were more concerned with their careers than the troops. The most famous example is that of Colonel Lucas. The "ring knockers protective association" was successful in seeing that he was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously. This in spite of the fact that he made bad decions in exposing his troops to unnecessary RIF's with the consequest heavy caualties. As one of his troops said "it was the kind of situation where if he had lived, he probably would have been brought up on charges, but since he got killed, he ended up with the Medal of Honor." Nevertheless, this book entails the heroism of all who participated in this ill-conceived battle.

RIPCORD.......2006-10-29

Excellent history that is well written and, unlike many military histories, is extremely readable. It is accurate and tells a story that not many people know about. I signed into this unit (2/506 101st Airborne) just a few weeks after Ripcord happened. It filled in a lot of the stories that I had heard about this battle. Fantastic book!

Mr. Reed, stand down.......2006-10-21

I have little to add to the other generally thoughtful reviews of this book. Some have found its organization confusing; the whole campaign was complex, and I don't see how it could be related any clearer in a way that captures so much important detail. If you're confused, read it again. It's worth it. Remember, this action took place over months, and involved many company and platoon sized actions; comparisons to "We Were Soldiers..." or Hamburger Hill simply don't take this into account. Great job, Mr. Nolan.

Mr. Reed, your second review of this book indicated that you had at least skimmed the manuscript prior to writing, which was not evident from your first review; you to should give it another look. In particular, I challenge your criticism of Mr. Nolan's portrayal of the "higher echelon" as "incompetent and cowardly". To what and whom do you refer? General Hennessey? Although the judgement of the battalion, brigade, and even ADC are presented in way that offers several different interpretations, their personal valor is never questioned-indeed, the opposite is true.

Also, I challenge your assertion that Mr. Nolan engages in "media hype and antiwar sentiment". Do you deny that there were drug and discipline problems in the rear areas? Mr. Nolan goes out of his way to point out that this was mitigated on the line, so what is your point? Even in cases of gross cowardice, occasionally are portrayed, Mr. Nolan tries to present a balanced view-witness his treatment of Doc Kuntz.

The US military was generally very effective in Vietnam, particularly so given the absurd political environment within which it was forced to operate. But it was not above criticism, nor is it antiAmerican to suggest that mistakes were made, opportunities missed, and some really reprehensible events may have occurred. In the context of a ten year involvement, 58,000 deaths, hundreds of thousands of wounded, and an ultimate NVA victory, I find your breast beating somewhat maladroit.

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