Book Description

Book Description

Finalist, Los Angeles Times book prize biography named one of Library Journal's best books of 1997

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Reviews (77)

Good Overview, but hollow in parts
I am a major history buff, but this is the first book I have ever read about Napoleon or his era. The book is very well written in an easy-to-read style that keeps the reader intrigued throughout. This biography reveals the truly egotistical, self-glorifying, and cold-hearted nature of Napoleon. According to Schom's account, there was never any hope for peace in Europe with Napoleon in power, unless he conquered the whole lot and ruled them as his subjects. A genuine peace was incompatible with Napoleon's personality, which had to be constantly stimulated with unique and seemingly insurmountable challenges. In a sense, Napoleon's genius was the reason for both his success and ultimate failure. He was bent on world conquest and Europe was simply Phase I of his plan. The book did a pretty good job in revealing how inadvertently devastating Napoleon's Continental System was on the economies of Europe, including that of France, while ironically enough least harming the one country whose economic destruction was the System's raison d'etre, Britain. However, something Mr. Schom curiously neglects to mention was that Britain tried to employ a similar system - by blockading France's Atlantic ports and Toulon on the Mediterranean - against France during the Anglo-Prussian Alliance in the 1750s and 60s.

While this book is definitely anti-Napoleon, the author bases his opinions of Bonaparte on facts. All biographies will be biased to some extent. Even the author's claim that Napoleon had a lot of luck is based on good analysis of the various situations he [Napoleon] found himself in throughout his life. However, no one achieves all that Napoleon achieved, particularly in the time he achieved it, simply based on luck. When you look at Napoleon's work habits and dedication to his career you will just begin to understand how he achieved all that he did. When you focus soley on Napoleon's battles, it would be utter folly to claim that time and again throughout his illustrious career he achieved those brilliant victories simply because he was lucky. One of the things about brilliant generals, such as Napoleon, is that they realize that battles and wars are unpredictable. Their genius lay in their ability to dicern the mistakes of their opponents and to exploit them with the greatest possible benefit to themselves, while causing the greatest possible harm to their opponents. This is something the Mr. Schom sorely misunderstands.

One of the problem's with this book is that it is a somewhat diluted biography because Mr. Schom delves a little too much into the personalities surrounding Napoleon. For example, he dedicates one entire chapter for Napoleon's first foreign minister and two for his sadistic police minister, Fouche. There really is no in-depth analysis of Napoleon's personality by the author, which in my opinion is what a biography should at least attempt to do.

I find it laughable and even insulting when Mr. Schom makes the totally overblown statement that the memory of Genghiz Khan pales in comparison to that of Napoleon in its destructiveness. There is no doubt that Napoleon caused the deaths of millions in his campaigns and Mr. Schom is obviously right to criticize him for this. However, constant and, some may argue, unnecessary warfare was a phenomena that had existed in Europe for centuries prior to Napoleon. While claiming to look at Napoleon as a man set in his times, as Mr. Schom does in the introduction, he ultimately takes Napoleon out of his historical context with such outrageous exaggerations. Furthermore, Napoleon never systematically executed innocent civilians as Ghengiz Khan and his Mongol hordes did time and again from China to Persia and into Russia. Those poor people probably whish they had a Napoleon to defend them against the horrors of the Mongol onslaughts.

Military buffs will be quite disappointed to find that Mr. Schom dedicates very little attention to Napoleon's campaigns relative to other aspects of his life. He describes them rather superficially and hardly attempts to analyze Napoleon's military philosophy. However, Mr. Schom rightly highlights, which to many may seem surprising, Napoleon's almost complete lack of consideration for elementary logistics and a poor military intelligence service, both of which plagued his entire military career. Finally, Napoleon's total disregard for a permanent army medical corps was astounding. However, these last two facets may also have existed in other armies of that period, which would weaken Mr. Schom's personal critisims of Napoleon in these regards.

One thing that is certain - which you will be able to discern from Alan Schom's book - and which also supports Napoleon's reputation as a military genius is that in technology, size and military doctrine, France's army in the late 18th and early 19th centuries was not much better or worse off than those of other continental European powers. In brief, all things were relatively equal between the various European armies - quite unlike the disparity between them on the eve of World War II. Therefore, for one army to truly dominate another it usually required a superior general and one who could improvise on the spot, a good grasp of terrain being indispensable - Austerlitz being a shining example. Mr. Schom even states the Napoleon was a "Master of Improvisation". This is precisely what made Napoleon so successful, even in battles and campaigns in which he was ultimately defeated, usually because of the superior numbers of the opposing army (Leipzig and late Waterloo), poor currier service and intelligence gathering (Eylau, which was a draw, Leipzig, the first allied invasion of France, Waterloo), confusion concerning battle orders (Waterloo) and self-righteous (Murat in Russia), incompetent (Ney at Waterloo) and disobedient, jealous commanders (Bernadotte at Wagram, which was ultimately a victory, Jerome in Russia, Ney at Waterloo, and Murat in Russia). It was also Napoleon's personal intervention into the most dangerous and hotly contested areas of the battlefield that time and again won the day for him, such as at the battles of Wagram, Borodino and during the Saxon Campaign.

If this is the first book on Napoleon you have ever read, you definitly should read other books about him to get a more balanced picture, something which I defitely intend to do.

In the end, Mr. Schom's biography of Napoleon is a good overview for anyone who wants to learn about "The Great Man". However, you will probably come away from this book, like myself, wanting more, since it attempts - as it claims to do - to cover all aspects of Napoleon's life. Unfortunately, this attempt sacrifices depth into the different aspects of this most complex and fascinating personality.

Not bad, but not good
This books is very easy to read but is extremely long. It portrays Napoleon more as a bumbling lucky idiot than a master war general. Goes into detail of the culture and history of the French government before, during and after him.

A Biographer Who Dislikes His Subject
This is a very odd book, an 800 page biography of Napoleon by an author who doesn't think much of Napoleon. According to Alan Schom, the man was a failure as a leader, a failure as a general, a failure as a politician, and a failure as a man. It's not just that Napoleon was ruthless and brutal; a good argument can be made on this front, as I suppose it can of anyone who created an empire for himself. No, according to Schom, Napoleon was incompetent.

How, then, did this obscure Corsican, without title, fortune, or powerful backers, rise to such great heights? Having read this book, it's still a mystery to me. Maybe he just got lucky. Schom maintains that Napoleon's reputation for military genius is groundless. He was a careless commander, according to Schom, who failed to gather proper intelligence, provide proper logistical support, and stubbornly refused to accept advice from his generals. How, then, did Napoleon manage to win again and again, remaining virtually unstoppable on the European battlefield? His subordinate generals did the work, but were not given the credit. But wait, according to Schom, those generals were incompetent too... even cowardly.

This book reads like a polemic, and Schom is so eager to slander Napoleon (there really is no other word for it) that he contradicts himself repeatedly. Napoleon was highly unpopular; the celebrations in the streets of Paris honoring Napoleon's coronation went on for days. And then Schom descends to the petty, repeatedly mentioning such details as Napoleon's inability to hum in tune.

Bonaparte turned a republic into a dictatorship. He invented the modern police state. His incessant wars killed hundreds of thousands. He couldn't *hum*?!

Since Schom hasn't a single good word to say about Napoleon, the book soon becomes tiresome. Style is sadly lacking, too. Schom is fond of phrases like, "once again Napoleon failed to" and the sarcastic "of course". It's as if the author is tired of telling this tale of repeated errors by his not very bright subject. Napoleon, according to Schom, never learned. And when an author is tired of his subject, what is the reader to think?

Napoleon is not Hitler
Why is it that when I was done reading this book, the author left a feeling that Napoleon was some sort of a warmongering scumbag, a 19th century version of Adolf Hitler with no redeeming value? I was bit shocked at the level of bias that the author had against Napoleon. Actually I shouldn't be since I read couple of his earlier books and they were definitely anti-Napoleon in nature. To called this book a "hatchet job" on Napoleon cannot be too far from the truth. The author really seem to distaste Napoleon and I am afraid that make him totally unfit to write his biography. If you hate Napoleon, then this book is for you. If you want a more fair and objective biography, please look else where.

Sloppy Biography, Sloppy Prose
Napoleon is one of those figures in history it is impossible to escape. I have been fascinated with him since I was an adolescent, and I have read a great deal about him in both English and French. The last single volume biography I read was that written by the French historian Andre Castelot. Since that was over twenty five years ago, when this book appeared I was eager to read it to get another overview and--I hoped--a fresh perspective on one of my perennially favorite historical personalities.

The first difficulty I encountered with this book was the poor quality of Mr. Schom's writing. Often I had to reread sentences to determine just what their subjects were, to locate their primary verbs, or to figure out whether a given phrase was a sentence's predicate or just a sentence fragment. Punctuation is erratic. At first I thought there may have been problems with typesetting or even with editing; I was finally forced to conclude that it was just sloppily written. OK, I told myself, we don't all write like Gore Vidal, maybe there is merit lurking under this shoddy cover! Unfortunately the problems didn't end there.

I don't understand why Mr. Schom, or anyone, would spend years studying and then vilifying (at length: over 800 pages!) any single character from history. Even though he protests otherwise, this biography is hardly balanced and certainly not objective. If he hates the guy so much, why waste his time on him? Maybe it's only a preference of my own, but it seems that a biographer without any sympathy for his subject ought to find another subject. To me lack of sympathy probably indicates lack of understanding. It certainly guarantees that the portrait produced never emerges from two dimensions, however "lively" the manner in which familiar stories are repeated (again.)

As I said above, I like Napoleon. I make no apologies. And I will gladly read and consider any well-written, well-balanced, well-argued study of him, even if its conclusion is a negative assessment of the man and his career. Since I found this book poorly written, unbalanced and not really "argued" at all, I am generously giving it a one star rating. But if Mr. Schom were my student in English composition, he wouldn't even get that!

Mr. Castelot's book is now dated and maybe somewhat lightweight, and his writing style may not be to everyone's taste. It is balanced, though, and it is fair. I can also heartily recommend Christopher Herrold's study.

But I'm still waiting for that fresh overview I hoped for when I picked up Schom's book. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

The other reviews are dead on
This book is indeed one of the best introductions to Buddhism one can possibly read. Corless applies his own experience with the religion, to all of the teachings he presents in the book. Keep in mind that a lot of what is included here is explanations of the Buddhist idealogy, not anything that you can really practice.

Use this book as more of a factor in deciding if Buddhism is the right religion for you. Corless even takes the time to write some excellent footnotes, so you could even consider this book for research.

I think the reason this book worked so well for me was the fact that it was presented in such a non-threatening way that it makes the book easy to absorb. Keep in mind that careful reading is important, as a lot of chapters reference previous chapters. This is not a determent to the quality of the book, rather it is important to the building block style of teaching Buddhism that the book represents.

Buy this book as a great introduction if you have even the slightest interest in the Buddhist vision. You won't be disappointed.

the best intro book to buddhism
I bought this book after I met Prof. Corless in an United Religion Initiative conference. He's a very witty guy with a sharp observation. This book demonstrates these qualities.

This book is amazingly comprehensive yet easy to read. I was glued to the book right after I received it. Prof. Corless structures and explaines complex Buddhist ideas in an easy and fascinating way. Definitely one of the best introduction to Buddhism because, very early in the book, he points out common mistakes Westerners make when approaching Buddhism. Since most people are influenced by mainstream Christianity, they analyze Buddhism with the wrong methodology.

Along reading the book, you will pickup small funny stories from him. His personality shines through this book.

This is a very accessible summary of Buddhist thought.
In this excellent and very readable book, Dr. Corless (a professor of religion at Duke University) uses the life of the Buddha as a framework for introducing the major concepts of Buddhism to a general readership. He accurately and concisely covers the major ideas of South, Central ane East Asian Buddhism and shows a fine respect for all of them. Zen, Theravadin Buddhism, Chinese Pure Land and Tibetan Vajrayana are all well represented and put into perspective. Despite its broad scope, this is an easy to read and inspiring, as well as informative, book. The author has mastered the art of speaking to those of us who are neither scholars nor specialists. "The Vision of Buddhism" does not go over our heads, and Dr. Corless never talks down to us. I highly recommend it.

Excellent introduction to spirited buddhism
I've probably read 1000 books on buddhism, and Corless' book still gave me new insights and new ways of looking at the Dharma. *THE* book I recommed to friends who ask "How can I learn something about Buddhism.&quot ... Read more

Book Description

A fresh look at Beethoven's life, career, and milieu highlighting his development as a composer.

In this brilliant portrayal of the world's most famous composer, eminent Beethoven scholar Lewis Lockwood interweaves his subject's musical and biographical dimensions and places them in their historical and artistic contexts. Written for the lay reader, the book describes the special problems Beethoven faced as a highly gifted artist who fulfilled his destiny as Mozart's main successor while remaining a true, rebellious original. It sketches the turbulent personal, historical, political, and cultural frameworks in which Beethoven worked and demonstrates their effects on his music. Finally, it turns to the composer in his last years, with great achievements behind him, surmounting the crisis of finding still further artistic paths by which to continue. Also, by providing glimpses into the composer's sketchbooks and autograph manuscripts, Lockwood allows us to gain substantial insights into Beethoven's compositional methods.

In a publishing first, musically literate readers will find some one hundred notated music examples on a special Web site. 50 illustrations, 8 music examples. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Paperback Edition Forthcoming...
Checking on Amazon today for this book revealed that a paperback edition is forthcoming. One of the criticisms of the hardcover edition is that the musical examples are available only through a web site. Also, reviewers have said that the binding of the hardcover edition is poor. (Check recent editions of the Beethoven Journal for that review.)

Personally, I am waiting for the paperback.

Lockwood's Beethoven
Lewis Lockwood's "Beethoven: the Music and the Life" (2003)is an outstanding introduction to Beethoven, aimed at the nonspecialist rather than the scholar. Those readers who are new to Beethoven's music will find this book a guide to his major work. Readers familiar with Beethoven's music and life will find much to learn and enjoy as well. I found this a book to be savored. Reading the book, I think, will encourage the reader to explore further the inexhaustible richness of Beethoven's music.

Lookwood concentrates on Beethoven's compositions and on their historical and musical contexts. He does not offer a full biography of Beethoven but rather offers only sufficient broad outline of Beethoven's life to give a sense of the composer and to allow the reader to reflect upon the relationship between the life of Beethoven and his music. Lookwood himself has some interesting things to say on various views of this relationship. (pp 17-21)

Lockwood sees Mozart and Bach as Beethoven's primary musical influences. As a young composer, Beethoven both set out to learn from Mozart without becoming an imitator. His early works are greatly influence by Mozart, Lockwood argues, until Beethoven breaks away and finds his own voice in what Lockwood terms Beethoven's second maturity. As Beethoven continued to compose, his work becomes more influenced by the counterpoint of Bach. (Beethoven had played Bach's "well-tempered clavier" as a boy of twelve.) Bach's influence becomes increasingly apparent in the close-textured and fugal works of Beethoven's third maturity.

Lockwood basically organizes his book in terms of what he describes as Beethoven's first, second and third maturities of musical development. In each case, he begins with brief details of Beethoven's life, followed by a substantial overview of Beethoven's work and influences in each period, followed by a description of some of the major individual works of the period. For the period of Beethoven's first maturity, Lockwood finds the apex of Beethovens' work in the six opus 18 string quartets.

For Beethoven's first and third maturity Loockwood approaches the works chronologically. Interestingly, for the second maturity, Lockwood organizes Beethoven's work by type: the symphonies, concertos, piano sonatas, string quartets, etc, to account for Beethoven's tendency during this time to work on many various compositions simultaneously.

Some of the individual works receive little discussion in Lockwood's approach, but this is more than balanced by his excellent overviews of Beethoven's varying styles. Of the early and middle maturity works, Lockwood discusses well Beethoven's third through eighth symphonies, particularly the Eroica. But he does not see Beethoven's work at this time as predominantly "heroic" in tone. Unlike some writers, Lockwood gives good attention to Beethoven's lyrical, melodic, and reflective writing during his second maturity as exemplified by the even-numbered symphonies and by works such as the violin concerto and the cello sonata in A, opus 69. Loockwood emphasies as well the lyrical aspect of Beethoven's writing in his detailed consideration of Beethoven's song-cycle "An Die Ferne Geliebte" (to the distant beloved), opus. 98 (pp.344-46)and in his discussion of Beethoven's songs. (pp 274-279).

The compositions of Beethoven's third maturity receive the most individualized and detailed attention in this book. Lookwood considers at some length the Hammerklavier piano sonata and the opus 101 piano sonata (somewhat less attention is given to the final three sonatas), the Missa Solemnis, Diabelli variations, and to each of the five final string quartets and to the great fugue. Lockwood clearly loves this difficult music and impresses its character well upon the reader. But he gives his fullest discussion to Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. Lookwood gives a detailed musical discussion of each of the four movements of this work, not merely its choral finale which sets Schiller's "Ode to Joy"; and he places the work well in its historical situation. He admirably rejects the attempts in some modern writers to policticize or deconstruct this great symphony.

In the Ninth, Lockwood shows, Beethoven combined two tendencies which tend to separate in some of his works: his tendency to write works to appeal to a large public on the one hand, and his tendency to write artistically elevated and striving works on the other hand. Lockwood's treatment of the Ninth is one of the highlights of his book.

Lockwood has written a basic book, but probably the best overall book that will increase the reader's understanding of Beethoven and his music. May this book lead its readers to explore and to deepen their appreciation of Beethoven's great music

A treasure
Two other readers have reviewed this, the first complains that biographical details are subordinated to discussion of the music and also that not all the music is discussed in depth (this would take a multivolume set). The second says that musicians will find nothing new here, but if you are not a professional musician but a layman deeply interested in music, you'll treasure the musical analysis and suggestions for illuminating comparisons between works. The biographical details have been covered amply many times over, not just in Solomon, and they are treated adequately and sensibly here, I think.

Some excellent sections but uneven in scope and content
This is a curious book. First, it leaves most of the biographical details (and psychoanalysis) to others, notably Maynard Solomon. This disappointed me, since I think some of Solomon's occasionally reductionist interpretations of Beethoven's behaviour, motivation, etc. could and should be challenged. Given that the composer had such a difficult life, fraught with political, financial and family instability as well as illness and disability, it is very important to understand more about this man of such intense and resolute character in order to more fully appreciate his music.

Second, while Lockwood's concentration on the music is interesting and sometimes insightful, it is at times difficult to understand for those without more than a passing knowledge of music theory. Furthermore, Lockwood's analysis is uneven. Some compositions such as the Missa Solemnis, Ninth Symphony and late quartets get substantial coverage, much of it remarkably good at dismissing historical criticism that has mistakenly assigned various political, sexual and other interpretations while more or less ignoring the music itself. Unfortunately, Lockwood does not give the same attention to other major compositions--the five piano concertos and the Violin Concerto among them. This also disappointed me. Given Lockwood's thought-provoking and balanced approach to the later works, it was too bad that he gave other major works more superficial or cursory treatment.

Nonetheless, this book is worth reading. Having read numerous books about Beethoven, I have come to the conclusion that no single book could possibly do justice to this complex and fascinating man and the incredible music he produced.

So what's new?
A well researched and well written book, but musicians will find nothing new here. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Bush at War focuses on the three months following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, during which the U.S. prepared for war in Afghanistan, took steps toward a preemptive strike against Iraq, intensified homeland defense, and began a well-funded CIA covert war against terrorism around the world. The narrative is classic Woodward: using his inside access to the major players, he offers a nearly day-by-day account of the decision-making processes and power battles behind the headlines. Woodward's information is based on tape-recorded interviews of over a hundred sources (some unnamed), including four hours of exclusive interviews with the president, along with notes from cabinet meetings and access to some classified reports.

Woodward's analysis of President Bush's leadership style is especially fascinating. A self-described "gut player" who relies heavily on instinct, Bush comes across as a man of action continually pressing his cabinet for concrete results. The revelation that the president developed and publicly stated the so-called Bush Doctrine--the policy that the U.S. would not only go after terrorists everywhere but also those governments or groups which harbor them--without first consulting Vice President Dick Cheney, Secretary of State Colin Powell, or Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is particularly telling. Other principals are examined with equal scrutiny. Though National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice emerges as soft-spoken and even tentative during group meetings, it becomes clear that Bush is dependent on her for candid advice as well as for conveying his thoughts to his cabinet. The relationship between Powell and Rumsfeld (and to a lesser degree Powell and Cheney) is often strained, exposing their differences regarding how to deal with Iraq and whether coalition building or unilateralism is most appropriate. Woodward also describes how CIA director George Tenet prepared a paramilitary team to infiltrate Afghanistan to set the groundwork for invasion, and how this ushered in a new era of cooperation between the defense department and the CIA. A worthwhile and often enlightening read, this is a revealing and informative first draft of the Bush legacy. --Shawn Carkonen ... Read more

Reviews (192)

An Extended Newspaper Column
In _Bush at War,_ Bob Woodward has assembled an impressive account of the Bush Administration's reactions to the September 11th attacks. Based on a series of interviews with the principles, including the President, the book provides a number of fascinating details about how the administration chose to deal with the crisis. Internal politics, arguments, and the unexpected problems of the war all are brought to light.

What Woodward fails to acknowledge, however, is that these accounts are all based on interviews, not from his actually being there. Even if human nature were not part of the equation, it's unlikely such recollections could be 100% accurate. When the fact that all of the people interviewed are members of a political administration that will be seeking reelection in a year, it's hard to believe they were fully candid with Woodward. What areas might have been over- or underemphasized cannot be known with any certainty, but it's probably safe to assume any major problems that would reflect poorly on the administration were not discussed as candidly as issues where the administration did well. Therefore, this work can hardly be considered the definitive work on the post-9/11 reactions of the Bush administration.

That having been said, it is a fine read. Woodward's prose is clear and the work moves along rapidly from event to event. Descriptions are vivid, providing the illusion of the reader actually being present for the events being discussed. And while the reader is almost certainly not getting the whole story, the story provided includes enough details to cast a new light on the actions of the administration leading up to the Iraq War. Well worth a read.

A plethora of insider tidbits makes for a compelling read
Just as he has never revealed the identity of the infamous Deep Throat, so to has Bob Woodward secured the wherewithal as to how he procured the classified dialogue of National Security Council meetings which he so prominently displays throughout Bush at War. A juicy example - Deputy Secretary of State conveying to Colin Powell, "They're eating cheese on you"(military for you're getting used) when Rumsfeld and Cheney contradict Powell's earlier statements necessitating the U.N. Inspectors in Iraq.

Having read Fighting Back by Bill Sammon and enjoying it thoroughly, I likewise found Bush at War to be compelling, albeit with more focus on CIA and its chief George Tenet. At times, I thought I was reading a Tom Clancy novel when the CIA paramilitary operatives Hank and Gary(1st names only for obvious reasons) undertake their clandestine operations with suitcases full of $3M to buy off the suspect Northern Alliance and Taliban commanders. I found it chock-full of interesting, and sometimes shocking insider info from the NSC meetings that made it completely worthwhile and quite a veritable page turner. As Woodward said on Larry King, thank goodness for the 1st Amendment or this stuff would not be available to the American public. Although the administration is most likely not overly pleased with the release of much of this previously classified information, we as the American public are priveleged to have Woodward so expertly pen this telling epic in American history.

Woodward has made a concerted effort to mainain a mostly objective and unbiased account of our prodigiously talented Commander in Chief, George W. Bush. That being said, this book does skew towards the Left moreso than I would prefer. All in all, worth a read for all who desire to delve deeper into the innerworkings of the White House.

Stenographer to Power
It will take years for historians -- the real guardians of truth -- to have the perspective for an honest recounting of this particular story. Unfortunately, Woodward seems to have traded independent analysis for access to the players -- never a good bargain. Could not help cringe as the self-serving comments were dutifully recorded. Is this really the same author who co-wrote "All the President's Men?"

Dull
Bob Woodward's book is just plain dull. The only new insights he gives us relate to the CIA's pursuit of Osama bin Laden - a quest, we know now because of the Sept. 11 Hearings, doomed to miserable failure & miscommunication.

Most of Woodward's book is derived from interviews with President Bush, and all of them appear in Bush's favor. I understand Woodward is a journalist, and journalists, by nature, should strive to be objective. However, objectivity is a hard front to maintain when hundreds of U.S. soldiers are dying face-down in the sand overseas. I wanted more critical analysis on Woodward's part - I wanted his opinion. Perhaps I should've gone for a more liberal-leaning book instead of reading this trite from a seasoned journalist who made his name in the 1970's and hasn't quite lived up to the potential he acquired back then.

I have not read Woodward's newest book, which is supposed to be a wee bit more critical of the Bush administration. Nor do I really care to. In this new freedom of information age, and many aspiring journalists and documentarians digging up dirt nobody thought possible before, it's unrealistic to support an old codger who has made his name as being "the White House journalist."

Forget Woodward.

More Objective than Expected
I was surprised when a friend of mine suggested this book to me, because he is very conservative and my impression was that this book was just another anti-bush rant. I was clearly wrong. I thought that this book was an insightful look into the President's War Cabinet. I did feel that Woodward was partial towards Powell over Rumsfeld. Overall, however, I thought that this book was excellently written and I would suggest this book to anyone wishing to learn more about the way that the Bush administration operates. ... Read more

Book Description

Praise for The LEADERSHIP GENIUS of GEORGE W. BUSH

"Finally, a fun-to-read book about George W. Bush that details the secrets to his success!"
–Ken Blanchard, coauthor, The One Minute Manager®

"Political journalists love graduate student intelligence, the ability to make clever allusions in seminars, and in 1999—2000 they hassled George W. Bush for not having it. They didnt realize what this book succinctly displays: that the President has something far more important–CEO intelligence, the ability to ask tough questions, garner essential information, and make discerning decisions. Such intelligence can be fostered and honed, and this book shows how."
–Dr. Marvin Olasky, Professor of Journalism, The University of Texas at Austin, and Editor in Chief, World magazine

"Put aside politics and read this book right away for its true wisdom and concrete advice about leadership. The authors have done a brilliant job explaining the leadership style that makes this President so effective. Any leader can learn from the philosophy, strategy, and tactics in this book."
–Bruce Tulgan, founder of RainmakerThinking, Inc., author, Winning the Talent Wars

"Thompson and Ware make a compelling case that this President who ‘loves to be underestimated has a highly effective approach to leadership that is humane, direct, and at times, truly transformational. Many in business today could benefit from reading this book."
–David M. Abshire, President, Center for the Study of the Presidency

"Carolyn Thompson and James Ware have it right . . . leadership is about what one is, not just what one does. About character, not just charisma . . . about credibility, not just credentials. This timely account of The Leadership Genius of George W. Bush will truly encourage and inspire readers."
–Commissioner Robert A. Watson, Retired National Commander, The Salvation Army, U.S.A. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Finally a leadership book with how to do it!
There are so many wonderful leaders out there and many books about what they do. Oh yes, this book is about what Goerge W. does but most important for me, it tells step by step how I can be disciplined like he is and develop my personal core values and hold people accountable, etc.

If you want to enhance your ability to lead - read this book. Mine is covered with notes and I bought one for each of my staff!

Commonsense Approach to Leadership
I am an avid reader of biographies and this book provided a biographical sketch of President Bush's lifestyle and then used that foundation to show how his management skills transformed his life. I grabbed a pencil and highlighter half-way into the first chapter and began writing in the margins. I liked this book because I could open to any page and find a nugget of information with a down to earth example. Some of the examples were just real funny and actually made me laugh out loud.

Then after reading the first few chapters, I realized that this book was not about President Bush's politics (although there was some strategies revealed) or about his faith (although his personal convictions are the heart of his core values) or even about his IQ level (his emotional intelligence is recognized as highly intuitive). This was a book was about how an average person can become the leader they want to be.

I finished the book quickly from a purely biographical point of view and now am going back over each chapter to concentrate on the leadership competencies and how I can learn from the examples. The authors know what they are talking about but they also made it real easy for the reader to put into practice the lessons that need to be learned.

After reading this book, I also came to appreciate and admire President Bush and how his personal discipline is one of the timeless principles of his leadership. I am glad that I read this book at this time in history.

A Flawed but Relevant Stab at Biography
This tome purports to explain why GWB is a talented leader of the American people and the world.

In fact, it demonstrates conclusively that the American people suffered a collective fit of hallucination when they voted this singularly incompetent man into office.

The book has some nice information about Crawford, Texas and the Bush's dogs -- but it does not tell us anything about the psychology of the Boy Emperor. Perhaps this is becuase the BE has no particular psychological nuance to display? Perhaps.

Leadership, as Fred Nietzsche once opined, is about breaking the rules when others think that rule breaking would be a mistake.

Bush's "leadership," as noted by the author, consists of learning the rules and efficiently applying them with charm and gingerly worded disinformation. Then again, maybe the book isn't half bad. I learned how to be manipualtive and nice at the same time.

An excellent resource !
In an enjoyable and insightful manner, authors Thompson and Ware present a compelling analysis of George W. Bush's leadership skills and techniques. In ten (10) concise chapters the reader is presented with an equal number of practical lessons that are applicable to leaders (or potential leaders) within most any type of organization. Starting with an examination of the fundamental core values that drive President Bush, the authors develop a useful guide that is loaded with practical "real world" examples and references. I personally found the chapter on Intuitive Wisdom to be very useful and thought provoking.

This book also serves as a powerful and timely corrective to much of the partisan nonsense that has been published in recent years regarding President Bush's capabilities. For all those truly interested in improving their management skills and those seeking diversity in thought and opinion, this one is a must read!

President with a Purpose
As I read this book it hit me right between the eyes as why I think this president has been doing such a good job. He is probably one of the only presidents I know that has defined his values and applies them to his job and his life. Both Carolyn and James has shown us that George "Dubya" has defined and communicated his management style and values to those that work for him. In addition, Carolyn and James has clearly laid out a plan or process I could use with my team to identify our values to assure we are working together. They have shown how not only defining these values and living them by "walking the talk" can make your organization or team successful.

Carolyn and James have written a book that not only identifies the specific management style that made GW so successful, they have given me a process to utilize these skills in my own position. They have used all the resources available to them, admitedly most of them are negative, to show specific examples of GW's leadership style and how they have impacted decisions he has made. More important, they have taken examples where GW's critics have taken shots at the prez (and there are several) and used them to show how the president has changed his style and his views not to please the general public but for the common good of the country.

I am sure that many of GW's critics won't want to read this book. If you want to learn about your management style and how you can be more successful you should definitely read this book. It is easy to read, humorous, factual, and thought-provoking. I also enjoy how Carolyn and James add sections on how I can improve my management style. ... Read more

Amazon.com

In lieu of a memoir, All the Best, George Bush collects correspondence and diary entries from the former U.S. president to show, as he says, "what my own heartbeat is, what my values are, what has motivated me in life." The letters begin in 1942--when, fresh out of high school, Bush volunteered for U.S. Navy flight school--and continue to the brink of the 21st century, as the retired chief executive worries about the Melissa virus infecting his office's server and keeping his visiting grandchildren in line. ("I realize," he muses, "Keep the freezer door closed from now on and I mean it lacks the rhetorical depth of This will not stand or Read my lips.") All the Best hits all the highlights of Bush's career, from the Texas oil business to his role as ambassador to China, then CIA director, vice president under Ronald Reagan, and finally president himself. Along the way, he reveals a personality that is at turns compassionate, respectful, silly, doting, and resolute--a man for whom being a father and a grandfather matters as much as, and maybe even more than, being leader of the free world. Fans and detractors alike will find in All the Best an intimate human portrait that offers as sure a self-definition of Bush's personal life as A World Transformed did his presidential career. ... Read more

Reviews (50)

tasteful and informative autobiography
This is an intriguing and enticing look at former President George Bush through five plus decades of letters and diaries. The writings demonstrate that Mr. Bush's personal life mirror his public demeanor as a quiet, uncomplicated individual who strongly believes in family values. The entries include impressions of world leaders of the past two decades, adding to the interest.

Anyone seeking dirty laundry and partisan politics needs to skip this memoir. Instead, Mr. Bush treats everyone except the nagging press as a friend. The book serves as a refreshing look inside the guts of the former President as well as how he perceived some of his colleagues and events on the world stage. Fans of autobiographies, the American presidency, and American history will gain much pleasure from this memoir that is much more interesting than the sanitized version of greatness that many of the modern day autobiographies present. Mr. Bush shows his pride of simply being Mr. Bush.

Harriet Klausner

Thank you, Mr. Bush
George Bush does not intend to write his memoirs. He feels that his wife's book BARBARA BUSH: A MEMOIR and the book he wrote with Brent Scowcroft A WORLD TRANSFORMED told the story of his family life and his public one. But then his editor suggested that what was missing was "a personal book, a book giving a deeper insight into what his own heartbeat is, what his values are and what has motivated him in life." She suggested he publish a book of the letters he wrote during his life, along with journal entries. It was a brilliant idea!

At no time is this book boring. It starts when he was a young man writing letters home to his mother and father while training to fight in World War II. To me, his letters and journal entries sounded just like my dad's. He used the word "swell" a lot, talked about the girl back home and his feelings on the situation he found himself in. There was pride of country and the longing to be able to come back home and continue a normal life.

The book continues with letters written during the early years of his marriage, the loss of their daughter and eventually getting into politics. One chapter deals with their stay in China where he was an ambassador. He writes of how it felt to be so far from home, but eager to learn everything about the country they were in and also to be a good representative of the country they came from.

The chapters continue with his time as Director of the CIA, vice president, president and then back home to a life with his family in Texas.

The letters are very diversified. They are to his mother and father, his wife, his children, grandchildren, friends, but also to other leaders, both home and abroad. Some are written with a sense of humor, a lot of them with love, some to people who had written him critical letters, and some in times of events that were deeply troubling to him.

George Bush is a thoroughly decent man who loves his country, his family and his life. That comes through in the book. At some parts, I laughed out loud, at others a tear came to my eye but mostly I felt happy that he allowed these letters and thoughts to be printed.

as a bush fan...
.... you may want to look for another book. this one is full of "corrections" of what the actual man himself said. parts about family money made off the holocaust have been edited out, unfortunately. specifically in some letters addressed to leslie baukerberg (his life-long accountant) and tina goethe (his admitted former girlfriend) who both had invested in a brilliant stock some of that same money that granted him the ability to pay off campgain debts! as a fan of bush sr's work in the white house i was shocked to see these glaring omissions from letters i had previously read via the internet. perhaps the best book for this subject is the less-heavily-edited "sons of tommorrows sunshine" compiled by son jeb bush and the late author benjamin kowlestein will guide you more in the history of this man and his family.

The letters I REALLY wanted to see...
...were the ones he wrote to Jennifer Fitzgerald. But, for some reason he didn't include them. Unfortunately, the letters he DID include, to Barbara, etc... are clearly contrived and illustrate how gullible those around him are. George HW Bush's top three priorities in his life has been $, $ and even more $.

Also missing were the letters he wrote to the families of the crewmen he abandoned when he jumped from his lightly-damaged plane during WW2. Perhaps he never wrote them?

sappy self-aggrandizement
Horrible book from a terrible man! Why not step outside for a breath of fresh air, instead of subjecting yourself with your nose in this one. And if outside reading it, go inside and do something around the house more productive and gratifying, than reading a self-absored moribund tome to a corrupt, misguided, old man. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

What? No recipes?
I really enjoyed this book about the author's experiences cooking in a Buddhist Monastery in Northern California. Several chapters are real gems: Jizo Ceremony, Impermanence, A Cup of Tea and On Having A Teacher. She makes good use of her early experiences as a chef to contrast with the new attitude of mindfulness and silence.

Even though I give it five stars I still walked away from the table hungry for a little more.

I would have liked to read a deeper treatment of transforming the five poisons into the five wisdoms, something intriguing that was only mentioned in passing.

How can you write a whole book about cooking in a Buddhist kitchen and not include a single recipe? The Author does mention at one point that she is working on a cookbook. I'd love to read that as a companion volume to this great book on practical application of Buddhist ideas to daily life.

Recommended to students of Buddhist philosophy
Congenially written by Kimberley Snow, (a resident of a Tibetan Buddhist community for six years and who served the center as head cook), In Buddha's Kitchen: Cooking, Being Cooked, And Other Adventures In A Meditation Center is a wry memoir of both physical and spiritual work, and which showcases the those transcendent values of meditation which can be found in mundane tasks and the simple joys of everyday life. A delight to read, In Buddha's Kitchen is enthusiastically recommended to students of Buddhist philosophy and practice as being deeply spiritual and embracing the crucial importance of compassion, love, and joy in even the most menial of life's duties.

Everyday Buddha
In Buddha's Kitchen was an honest and profound look into the mind's phenomenon. I was left with a deep sense of humanity as I learned that my own questions are part of a larger communal experience. Kimberley Snow's book is a valuable resource for anyone interested in Buddhism, but her experience is also a reflection of everyone who searches their daily life for the good within. I recommend this book for anyone looking for that everyday Buddha. Kimberly if you're reading this, thank you.

Enjoyable but with a negative bite
This book was worth reading. I especially enjoyed the first part. However, there is definately a negative feeling throughout about the drudgery of cooking that got tiresome at spots. And the poetic references I could have done without. Otherwise it was a clever way to blend buddhist belief into the everyday. There were some very choice quotes about how we all feel that the past is a big looming gigantic piece of our life and the future is this looming huge obstacle to tackle and how the present is seen as just a crack in the fissure. (or something like that). When in reality the present is ALL that we have. It was worth reading just for that reference.

Laugh Out Loud Funny & Profound
This is an amazing book. Who could have anticipated such a combination of fall-down-funny good humor and profound evocation of the nature of the Buddhist path in everyday life?
Chef Snow, trying to get away from her commercial kitchen, winds up at a Tibetan Buddhist meditation center in charge of the kitchen there! Meditation in action doesn't even begin to describe her adventures. Her long journey to awareness is the perfect introductory book I would recommend to anyone yearning to make their own days more meaningful and happy and useful through the exposure to ancient spiritual insights. Certain to be recognized as a classic, but more important it's a delightful "read" that will literally change lives.
To put it briefly, keeping with Snow's ongoing metaphor of the kitchen, "downright delicious & joyously nourishing." ... Read more

Book Description

The first book to explore the religious ideals that drive the policies and politics of Bush as president and that have privately shaped Bush as a man.

More than any other president in recent years, George W. Bush's presidency is "faith based." His life demonstrates the power of faith to create change, to build a family and political career, and to shape the destiny of a nation with his leadership.

This book allows us to see how George W. Bush interjects his faith and belief in God into every detail of his life. From the President's devotional time alone each morning to his frequent incorporation of Scripture into his speeches, Bush relies upon his faith to direct his actions and goals.

In 1986, Bush responded to the Biblical conversion story of the Apostle Paul on the road to Damascus by asking Jesus to be his friend, and as a result he overcame a growing dependence upon alcohol and turned to the Bible to save his marriage and his family. During his presidential campaign, he brought leading pastors to his governor's mansion to lay hands on him and pray for his future, telling them that he had been "called" to seek higher office.

From the tragedy of September 11th to the present-day conflict in Iraq, President Bush has learned to use his personal faith to help him live his life-both in office and in private. This book will inspire others to do the same. ... Read more

Reviews (38)

Not hard-hitting, but definitely uplifting
I am tempted to say that this book is really two books rolled into one, but that's not really true. To look at the faith of President George W. Bush, author and historian Stephen Mansfield had to look at his life. He follows George W. from his initial christening in the Episcopal Church, through his dissolute and aimless youth, and on to his spiritual awakening in his middle years, finally ending up in his application of his faith to his role as President of the United States.

Now, in many ways it is fair to say that this is a sympathetic book to Bush. The author does not delve deeply into Bush's drinking problems or his relationship with his family. But, that said, he does weave a fascinating story that shows the spiritual evolution of George Bush.

Like many Christians, George Bush was born into a Christian home. And, his relationship with God was not one of a sudden and profound conversion, but was one of losing and refinding it, of stepping away from simple family-religion, and into a personal walk with God. So, if you are looking for a hard-hitting, no-holds-barred investigation of George W. Bush's faith, then this book is not for you. But, if you are interested in a straightforward and uplifting look at a man's faith, then you will enjoy this book - as I did. I highly recommend this book.

W The President
This is an outstanding read if you want to get to know what shaped George W. Bush's life, belief sytem, and his values. It begins at George W.'s birth, and follows his journey of faith all the way up to the September 11th attacks. It's a spiritual journey of reawakening. There is one part of this book that brought my father, a Vietnam War veteran, to tears when he read it. It was about George W. Bush, the Commander-in-Chief, kneeling beside a wounded soldier and saying a prayer for him. It certainly taught me about George W., the man, and how faith guides him through every step of his life. My admiration for him has grown by leaps and bounds after having finished this book.

We need a christian presadent in 2004! WWJD
I thought in the debates when Bush said that jesus was his favorit philosohy it was a moment for teh history books and I was rite, I knew i would vote for him from then on because noone ever said that before. It makes me mad when people try toput him down saying he is bad because of all the elections in texas--well you don't live here, it is bad,we need all the executions and more to stop all the crime that is going on here. They deserve what they get. It says right in the bible spare the rod and spoil the child and that is all Bush is doing, there is a bunch of other quotes I could show you to show how he is right to! And the same goes for the grate war for freedum in Iran to get rid of the evildoers and all the weapons of mast destruction that they is thretining the wold by. In the bible the isrealites fought many wars that God wanted and they WON, this one is not any different from them. Jesus said he who lives by the sword will die by the sword and that is exactly what we are giving to Saddom Husane right now, I am just glad we have a grate conservitive man to carry forword are christian ideas and from reading this book any one can see that Bush is the MAN for us. I get so sick of everyone saying he is bad or critisizing him on the news all the time, well he is not I just wish they would be quite or go back to france were they would like it better anyway. This is a good book that shuld be rwead by all patreotic americans!

do people actually believe this?
trying to display bush as a man of faith seems pretty far fetched. Religion and a persons deep belief in the after life is displayed to others by good deeds, not selfish ends. The actions of our President have been destructive, ended many lifes, and caused wide spread suffering.

What happened to separation of church from the damn state?!
Once again the "good ol boys," have a candidate in power (oh crap says the world) but this is no sheriff position in the deep south this is the president. Back in his run for presidency Bush used his religion to net in a few more sheep because they thought it to be daring to announce a faith (oh yes bravo dubya your so daring for annoucing a faith shared by about 99% of your party,) I personally found that incrediably distasteful but thats the way of politics..well republican politics anyway. So to finish, Re-Defeat Bush in '04 and keep christianity the hell outta politics if not the world. ... Read more

Book Description

Meet the NBA's youngest star!

Get on the ball and find out the inside story of basketball's hottest young star, Kobe Bryant. As a boy growing up in Italy, Kobe dreamed of playing professional basketball. That dream came true -- he became the youngest player ever selected in the NBA draft, and the youngest starter ever in an NBA all-star game. As the sixth man for the Los Angeles Lakers, 20-year-old Kobe amazes fans and players with his moves on and off the court. With his 360-degree slam dunks, and his vibrant smile and charming personality, Kobe Bryant has become a star.

How did this young man become so famous at such an early age? What's his life really like? Is Kobe Bryant the next Michael Jordan...or is he the first Kobe Bryant? Read on to find out! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A Special Player
He truly is a special Talent.this Guy is always up for any challenge&just gets better with time.I truyl feel when it's all said&DONE HE Will be the Greatest Ever.He already plays with the Greatest in Shaq but time will tell where Kobe will finish.but right Now He truly is on a Mission.

A young star makes it big in the NBA.
As a young boy Kobe Bryant had dreamed of skipping right to the NBA from high school.Practicing hard and achieving many records, Kobe made it to the NBA.Kobe now is making it big in the NBA.Will he become a hugestar?Is he the next Michael Jordan?Read this excellent book by JonathanHall to find out these answers and more!

So Inspirational
I thought this book totally covered most of the escapedes been through by our favourite LA Laker guard, Kobe Bryant.It contain how he triumphedover peoples doubts of how he wouldn't make it and the inspiration it putsinto young people to go out there and do the best they can is justoverwhelming.I would recomend this book for people who have troublebelieving in themselves because it is trully an eye opener. ... Read more

Book Description

From celebrated political satirist Paul Slansky comes this comical compendium of quizzes filled with hundreds of questions and answers on the personal and political life of George W.
 
More than a simple test-your-knowledge trivia book, the George W. Bush Quiz Book gives readers a clever and irreverent inside look at our Commander in Chief, revealing the truth behind the spin–no matter how ridiculous or embarrassing. The result is a hilarious and hair-raising crash course in everything Dubya. From his young life and years at Yale, to his Texas days in the oil business and the governor business, to his controversial ascension to the presidency and turbulent term in the White House, George's life is filled with plenty of intriguing material. But Paul Slansky doesn’t stop there. He goes on to skewer the entire Bush family, as well as his friends and political associates, including Dick Cheney, John Ashcroft, and Donald Rumsfeld, leaving no one safe from his scathing wit.
 
Thoroughly researched and devastatingly funny, the George W. Bush Quiz Book nails the facts that most of the media has let slip by, informing readers about everything they didn’t want to know—and were definitely afraid to ask—about the most powerful man in the world.

Reviews (8)

Haw haw haw
This book is as funny as it is terrifying. Can you believe this man is running America? Can you believe this man declares war? Can you believe this man considers himself a torch of hope for the world's oppressed? For those who think that the end of the world has come fear not. The Book of Revelation in the BIble clearly states that the anti-Christ will be a 'handsome and well spoken man'. At least we're somewhat safe for now.

Though this book can be a bit cumbersome, (you have to turn the book upside-down after each question to read the correct answer) the answers will ASTOUND you. Read what came from Bush's own lips as he answered questions about Vietnam, his military service, and his many failed business ventures. But the one question that is truly sad and heartbreaking is as follows. It was asked by a grade school girl...

Q. Mr. Bush, what was your favorite book when you were a child?

A. I don't remember any books in particular.

Sleep well America.

shocking, hysterical, truth stranger than fiction
This book, with humor and wit, has a way of ripping the lid off a man who has lead the country into great despair. I wish this were published before he took office and handed to every church group, every republican gathering, maybe he wouldn't have been elected. Oh yeah, I forgot.. HE WASN'T. It's also great to read in jolts, like morning coffee. I bought ten copies and am giving them to all my friends.

Buy this book
The George W Bush Quiz Book is a savagely funny biography of the man some people recognize as the president. The quiz format makes it palatable and participatory, while the unpleasant truths that are revealed drive home the message that we each need to do everything we can to get this smug ignoramus out of office. If a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, this book is a Weapon of Mass Destruction against bully-boy Bush and his gang. Buy many copies of this book and give to everyone -- it's as good as donating to Kerry, but there's no legal limit.

HILARIOUS AND WISE!
So clever, yet so horrifying, you don't know whether to laugh, cry, or slit your wrists! For each multiple choice question, the right AND wrong answers are equally shocking and scary -- this bozo is really running our country? A glorious compendium of the witlessness and lack of wisdom that define the Bush administration. Slansky's a comic genius. Hurry and enjoy this before the Chief Chimp and his ilk are just another awful footnote to American history. And then get everyone you know to buy this book to ensure and expedite their footnote status. Best ten bucks you'll ever spend.

Laughed Out Loud
This is the perfect companion to THE GEORGE W. BUSH COLORING BOOK! Hilarious. ... Read more

Book Description

Enter the world of Johann Sebastian Bach through this illuminating collection of readings. The New Bach Reader reveals the life and career of Bach through hundreds of letters, family papers, anecdotes, and records relating to his personal and professional life. The original Bach Reader, edited by the late Hans T. David and Arthur Mendel in 1945, established a new approach to biography by offering original documents in impeccable translations. In The New Bach Reader, Christoph Wolff of Harvard University has incorporated numerous facsimiles and added many newly discovered items. Taken together, the readings in this volume provide music lovers with a fascinating, almost firsthand account of the composer and his environment. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

THE SUPREME BACH in his own words and thoughts!
All worshippers of JS Bach need to acquire this informative and satisfying journal dedicated to the absolutely most profoundly sublime genious in all of music. If having all of Bach's masterworks in your CD collection wasn't enough...you need to add this book for further intellectual stimulation because here Bach is presented in his OWN WORDS! Every example of written coorespondence by Bach and his contemporaries concerning him has been preserved and translated from the hand of Bach's penmanship and presented to the reader. As a result, we can glimpse into another facet of the mind behind the music. Although most of the letters were written to either one offical or another (and therefore embellished with the standard nomenclatures of the time), I was able to detect exasperation, sarcasm, fearlessness, austerity, humor, ridicule and sorrow in much of them. In the vast majority of the wordy, complex style of his coorespondence we begin to see that Bach composed his complaints in much the same vein he composed fugues; lavish phrases, requests and expostulations are intertwined in the most respectful manner to his superiors...and simultaneuosly he projects an attitude that if his needs are not met he will resort to higher means...usually meaning petitioning the King himself (which on one occasion he ultimately did!) His complaints ranged from objectional wages, unruly choirboys, the relegations of authority, and his delinquent son (in which the debtors were now pestoring Bach to compensate). It is true that not many personal references by Bach have come down to us, but there are a few morsels for us to dwell on; his declining a gift from a cousin stating that the tax required was much to high for the parcel itself, he mentions with regret a flask of wine that broke open (accidentally?) while on route in the mail and spilled out, and how not too many people were dying...so unfortunately he wasnt making out too well on funeral music composition. We begin to see that apart from his unsurpassable genious and intellect, he was very much a normal person...even a bit dull. He certainly had a dry sense of humor and had absolutely zero tolerance for people he thought were using him...and for those he thought were not taking him seriously. The is one instance where he got into a street fight at the marketplace, another instance where he was reprimanded for introducing "strange sounds and alterations in the harmonic structure" during mass at the organ (the buddings of his genious). He was interrogated for bringing a "strange maiden" up to the organ loft with him. He even spent some time in jail for being too stubborn when his leave was denied (he was looking for better work and his employers refused to let him go). He was reprimanded for overstaying leave time on another occasion (by like 2 months!) hanging out in Lubeck to see Buxtehude play. He had no qualms whatsoever in disqualifying students from his instruction if they showed any from of recalcitrance or inept musical talent. Buy this book! You can read all about these things and more from the REAL letters! There is plenty of praise and accolades to go along with it, both by his contemporaries and posthumurous composers. Read about Mendelsohn's debut of the St Matthew's Passion (100 years after Bach performed it last) written by the tenor who sang Christ's lines in the score during that performance! Look at the replicated facsimilies of Bach's letters in his own hand! The book is full of paintings of Bach...in all stages of his career. Read his letters and get some insight into the turmoil and altercations, of the humor and sarcasm of the greatest genious of music this world has ever known. His music is immortal and nothing can even come close; not even the greatest works of Mozart or Beethoven can overshadow the universal sublimity and unsurpassed ecstasy the world can find the the music of the Almighty Johann Sebastian Bach.

What an incredible resource
I have been studying this book for the last 2 months. The amount of information that is in this book, and not many others, is incredible. Actual letters from JS Bach showing how he feels. Descriptions of performances that were only available from PhD's in the past are available to you in this publication.

On the subject of J.S. Bach, this is one of the best resources I have found. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This engagingly eccentric biography by German playwright and television scriptwriter Klaus Eidam performs the valuable service of knocking off the dust accumulated around Bach (1685-1750) by generations of writers more concerned with their own musical, religious, or political theories than the particulars of the composer's life. Eidam has as little use for Marxist scholars declaring Bach "the musician of the Enlightenment" as he does for their precursors who declared the composer to be so devout that he viewed his art only as a means to praise God. His aim is to restore Bach to the general public as a musician first and foremost, well versed in the techniques and instruments of his day, deeply immersed in his artistic goals.

To this end, Eidam spends a good deal of time quarreling with previous biographers about everything from whether or not Bach's second marriage was a love match to the precise circumstances under which he departed his post at Weimar. Although it's accessibly written and thorough, this is not really the book for readers seeking a recital of the accepted facts about Bach's life. Biography connoisseurs, however, will relish Eidam's marvelous bluntness, as when he comments of an alleged Bach authority's ideas, "Such claims provoke me to so much head-shaking they make me suspect I suffer from Parkinson's disease," and his valuable reality checks on predecessors' insufficiently documented speculations. (Translator Hoyt Rogers has maintained the author's contentious tone in English.)

Locating Bach firmly in the context of the gritty intrigues by which composers got and kept musical positions in 18th-century Germany, Eidam also manages to convey appreciation for his timeless genius. --Wendy Smith ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Finally, Bach as a real person
Although I do not have a musicological background, I have loved the music of Bach for years and have read many of the extant biographies: Boyd, Wolff, Spitta, etc. Of all the biographies, I found Mr. Eidam's to be the best at creating an understanding of the man who created such divine music without perpetuating myths or attempting to explain Bach's personality based upon his musical art. Mr. Eidam admirably highlights the irony inherent in the fact that Bach produced such sublime art in the face of continual opposition from lesser intellects.

I did not find the language of the english translation to be distracting and found the work to be refreshingly free of musical theory that while interesting does not increase one's understanding of the man himself. Instead, the reader is left with a deep and abiding ap