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| 1. A Great Improvisation : Franklin, France, and the Birth of America by Stacy Schiff | |
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our price: $18.15 (price subject to change: see help) Asin: 0805066330 Catlog: Book (2005-04-02) Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. Sales Rank: 340948 US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
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| 2. American Prometheus : The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer by KAI BIRD, MARTIN J. SHERWIN | |
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our price: $23.10 (price subject to change: see help) Asin: 0375412026 Catlog: Book (2005-04-05) Publisher: Knopf Sales Rank: 157455 US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
| 3. The Peabody Sisters : Three Women Who Ignited American Romanticism by Megan Marshall | |
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our price: $18.48 (price subject to change: see help) Asin: 0395389925 Catlog: Book (2005-04-13) Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Sales Rank: 794 US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
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| 4. Princesses : The Six Daughters of George III by FLORA FRASER | |
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our price: $19.80 (price subject to change: see help) Asin: 0679451188 Catlog: Book (2005-04-05) Publisher: Knopf Sales Rank: 1717 Average Customer Review: US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
Reviews (2)
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| 5. John Brown, Abolitionist : The Man Who Killed Slavery, Sparked the Civil War, and Seeded Civil Rights by DAVID S. REYNOLDS | |
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our price: $23.10 (price subject to change: see help) Asin: 0375411887 Catlog: Book (2005-04-19) Publisher: Knopf Sales Rank: 1207 Average Customer Review: US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
Reviews (4)
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| 6. Night by Elie Wiesel, Stella Rodway, Francois Mauriac | |
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our price: $5.39 (price subject to change: see help) Asin: 0553272535 Catlog: Book (1982-04-01) Publisher: Bantam Sales Rank: 1663 Average Customer Review: US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
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Amazon.com Reviews (744)
A Jew from Transylvania, Wiesel grew up with a strong religious background. He found an unlikely teacher in a man named "Moshe the Beadle." Moshe taught his pupil that man could not understand God's answers to man's questions; man could only ask God the right questions. Would Elie's time in Auschwitz destroy his budding faith? The book explores faith in a searing way. A must read for all. Ages 16 and up.
This book focuses on many themes: conflict, silence, inhumanity to others, and father/son bonding. We see many, too many, conflicts this young man faces. Eliezer struggles with his faith throughout the story. He believes that God is everywhere, and he can't understand how God could let this happen, especially as Eliezer faces conflict everyday in the concentration camp. He also learns silence means. He says he says it is God's silence that he doesn't understand. He feels that God's silence demonstrates the absence of divine compassion. Another silence that drive confuses Eliezer is the silence of the victims. He cannot understand why they don't fight back, especially with the inhumanity that is forced upon them. It is because of this inhumanity that he loses faith, not only in God but also in men. He tells how at the beginning, the Germans were "distant but friendly." However, when they reach the camps, the soldiers are transformed from men to monsters. As part of this inhumanity and lack of faith is the instances when a son betrays his father. He sees this several times and can't comprehend how a son, in order to save his own life, betrays his father. Luckily for Eliezer's father, Eliezer's love and bond is stronger than self-preservation.
To criticize any victim of the Holocaust for doubting or questioning their G-d is to live in a fantasy world. Unless one has lived through the horror and degradations of the Holocaust, he should be quiet. As for me, whenever l see or think of the child-victims and their parents of those terrible days, l think of me and my own children in their place...and it keeps me very humble. ... Read more | |
| 7. The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene | |
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our price: $11.56 (price subject to change: see help) Asin: 0140280197 Catlog: Book (2000-09-01) Publisher: Penguin Putnam Average Customer Review: US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
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Book Description Reviews (308)
By employing the concepts and ideas of this book I have quite simply out planned, out moved, and out-played those around me. Be assured this book isn't about being nice or cruel. It is a guide to the game of power and teaches the rules most are never taught. It delineates the basic rules of engagement in this world and especially within business and strategic relationships. Those who can't see the difference between information and ethics are simply naive. I used to work hard to 'please' the boss, be completely honest, and most of all consider the interests of all parties. That only stressed me out and gave me an ulcer. More importantly, it excluded me from promotions and other opportunities. Now, I simply use the concepts of the 48 Laws of Power to enable my success. For those who are offended by the apparent immorality or ethical conflicts that appear inherent in these concepts -- be assured that ethical conduct can be maintained within these ideals. Just as black-belt can easily kill the average person, it doesn't mean he does or should. If want to win in the game of life employ the concepts of the bible. If you want to win in business use the 48 Laws of Power. Knowledge is power. The 48 Laws of Power are a nuclear arsenal in the battle for power.
Yes, it is possible to achieve financial success and political power using the laws in this book, but at what cost? I have read extensively on the principles that successful, powerful people both past and present have used to access power. The greatest people of all time have realized that unlike what Mr. Greene suggests, real, sustainable power comes from within--it cannot be had be had through the manipulation of external conditions, i.e. effects not causes. The most powerful people (some who used their power for good, others for not so good), accessed the power we all have WITHIN us. My analysis has demonstrated to me that the only people who are able to become very powerful in business, politics and socially and yet still have excellent health, great relationships and above all PEACE OF MIND, accessed the power within. I believe that all those who want to rise to positions of power and authority (and enjoy the associated benefits of such) yet still maintain good friendships, good marriages, have good health and peace of mind, should spend more time accessing the power within because this is the only power than enables one to "have it all". This book was good because it enables those who live by certain ethical principles to identify and protect themselves against those ideas that are discussed (and very likely used) by many readers of this book. I would recommend reading Joseph Murphy's book Power of The Subconscious Mind for a better understanding of the true source of power.
It read like two high school geeks trying to sound "tough." Avoid this book at all costs, that is, assuming you are mature. I can tell you that this book will get you no where in life (other than backwards).
Any person with an essential good nature should find this book a little disturbing. The message from Greene is clear - living the virtuous life is the road to failure and powerlessness. Appealing to the better angels of our natures is a lost cause and will get us nowhere but the bottom of the food chain. In other words, "nice guys finish last." The only way to the top is through treachery, seduction, observing others' weaknesses to then play on those weaknesses to your advantage. Greene's advice is basically a negative strategy to power and success. And to be sure, there are other positive strategies out there to attain power and success without resorting to deception and covert manipulation. But none are presented here. That said, understanding the 48 laws presented here, at least will make us aware of the depths some people will go to in order to get what they desire. In this regard, this text is worth the time, energy and money.
This culling of 3,000 years of philosophy, literature and wisdom, distilled into 48 "laws", is a fascinating read all the way through. The book sites so many historical references and quotes that reading the red notes in the margins of the book is fascinating in itself. I neither advocate nor dismiss these "laws", but reading about them goes far to explain much that I see in today's cut-throad Corporate world - I see that nothing has changed except the literal bloodshed which has been replaced by the metaphorical bloodshed happening in thousands of boardrooms across the US on a daily basis. If you too are swimming with the sharks, this is a must read! ... Read more | |
| 8. Stalin : A Biography, by Robert Service | |
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our price: $19.77 (price subject to change: see help) Asin: 0674016971 Catlog: Book (2005-04-04) Publisher: Belknap Press Sales Rank: 4359 Average Customer Review: US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
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Book Description Overthrowing the conventional image of Stalin as an uneducated political administrator inexplicably transformed into a pathological killer, Robert Service reveals a more complex and fascinating story behind this notorious twentieth-century figure. Drawing on unexplored archives and personal testimonies gathered from across Russia and Georgia, this is the first full-scale biography of the Soviet dictator in twenty years. Service describes in unprecedented detail the first half of Stalin's life--his childhood in Georgia as the son of a violent, drunkard father and a devoted mother; his education and religious training; and his political activity as a young revolutionary. No mere messenger for Lenin, Stalin was a prominent activist long before the Russian Revolution. Equally compelling is the depiction of Stalin as Soviet leader. Service recasts the image of Stalin as unimpeded despot; his control was not limitless. And his conviction that enemies surrounded him was not entirely unfounded. Stalin was not just a vengeful dictator but also a man fascinated by ideas and a voracious reader of Marxist doctrine and Russian and Georgian literature as well as an internationalist committed to seeing Russia assume a powerful role on the world stage. In examining the multidimensional legacy of Stalin, Service helps explain why later would-be reformers--such as Khrushchev and Gorbachev--found the Stalinist legacy surprisingly hard to dislodge. Rather than diminishing the horrors of Stalinism, this is an account all the more disturbing for presenting a believable human portrait. Service's lifetime engagement with Soviet Russia has resulted in the most comprehensive and compelling portrayal of Stalin to date. Reviews (5)
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| 9. Mein Kampf by Adolf Hitler | |
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our price: $15.40 (price subject to change: see help) Asin: 0395925037 Catlog: Book (1998-09-15) Publisher: Mariner Books Sales Rank: 3292 Average Customer Review: US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
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Reviews (118)
If we do that, here is what we discover. Adolf Hitler's long tome is not unintelligent. One could, in fact, make a list of quotations from Mein Kampf that are easy to agree with. This is due to the fact that in exploring his ideas Hitler touches on many areas of human and even natural experience. In doing so he states many things which would be difficult to not call truisms. Yet in investigating this philosophy Hitler makes errors that perhaps it is easier for us to see in our time, but might have been harder when this was published. In describing human structures, Hitler is quick to designate terms that he feels he can pigeon-hole people into. Given his racial views this might not be surprising, but without that assistance, it might not be as easy to note his logical flaw when, for example, he divides activists into idealists and politicans; though he acknowledges that occasionally one is both, what he fails to notice is that the line between the two is not nearly as easily definable as he thinks it is. Besides his use of this belief system as it relates to race, his tendency to do this extends to the rest of his writing. Mein Kampf is packed with various lists that Hitler feels can describe different phenomena. The more he lists, however, the more that you see someone in love with his own self-created systems than with any desire to map them accurately to reality. This is in spite of the fact that Hitler spends a good portion of the first 1/5 of the book discussing the evolution in his views as his old opinions fell in the face of adult-acquired evidence. There is also a problem for the non-German reader in that Hitler spends a good amount of time focusing on specific words that appear to drive the debates of his time, the same way that the fight over words such as "liberal" or "alternative" defines ours. So when Hitler describes the battle for proper use of the word "folkish" to describe his utopian state, most lack the social history necessary to even fully understand his points, let alone judge his accuracy in describing them. So the question comes: do you need to read this? That's not easy to answer. At roughly 700 pages with highly complex sentences that often go to more than 10 lines, Mein Kampf is a very difficult read. On the other hand, because we now know of the nightmare Hitler unleashed on the world, it is natural to want to read this to find out where he went wrong so we can avoid these problems in the future. For people who feel that way, I would answer this "yes", as the answer for this is more hidden than you might guess. If you get into this with the mindset that you will find a one-to-one correlation of his philosophy to those of some modern-day leader or party, you'll be in for a surprise. Elements of right and wrong are interspersed all over Hitler's rambling. That makes it even harder to work through, but it also provides a reward more fulfilling than any black-and-white rallying cry. And given that that was the kind of world that Hitler saw, and we now know the results of these ideals, that might be all the more reason to put the effort in and understand with more maturity and clarity exactly where Hitler missed the point.
The original July 18, 1925 release of "Mein Kampf" was not a failure as stated. In point of fact this first printing of 10,000 hardback books sold 9, 473 copies in less than six months, despite a depressed economy and a relatively high price of 12 marks. If the printing had been a failure, Munich publisher Franz Eher would never have ordered a second in 1926. The second edition was in fact a disappointment, sales dropping off sharply in following years, and it was not until the Nazis gained significantly more momentum in Germany years later that additional editions were ordered. However, it is recorded that Hitler gained a substantial, if temporary, income from royalties of his book, and it may have financed or partially financed the 28,000-mark Mercedes-Benz he bought when released from Landsberg prison. I understand that most people cannot even fake objectivity about Hitler as a historical figure because of the things he did and set in motion, but that is not an excuse for getting the facts wrong. "Mein Kampf" was by no means a runaway success, but neither was it a failure. It neither fulfilled the lofty expectations Hitler had for it nor flopped on its face as so many of his critics (and there were many, even in 1925) hoped. Hitler, as it happened, had no respect for objective truth and bent it to suit his purposes and his whims; in studying his life, career, and beliefs, we have an obligation to do the exact opposite and get the facts straight. There are enough myths, legends, and outright lies about this crucially important figure of modern history told every day without committing any more of them to print. ... Read more | |
| 10. Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation by JOSEPH J. ELLIS | |
![]() | list price: $14.00
our price: $10.50 (price subject to change: see help) Asin: 0375705244 Catlog: Book (2002-02-05) Publisher: Vintage Sales Rank: 587 Average Customer Review: US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
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Reviews (281)
John Adams, Aaron Burr, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and George Washington are examined in great detail by Ellis. Adams "enlightened diplomacy" negotiated a critical peace treaty with France. Burr is an opportunist and manipulator who was never forgiven for killing Alexander Hamilton in a duel. Franklin, (who is not given the same attention as others) is a scientific genius who uses the press to attack political enemies, particularly those who were advocates of slavery. Hamilton restored public credit but also nurtured power for the commercial elite at the expense of the large landowners. Jefferson is the brilliant author of the Declaration of Independance. Madison's nickname in Congress is "Big Knive" for his ability to cut up opposition to legislation he sponsors. And Washington is the "American Untouchable," a great horseman and pragmatic military man who is clearly not as well read as other leaders of his generation but becomes by far the greatest legend among the people. The combined talents of the founding fathers provided the intellectual energy that allowed our nation to survive. Ellis is a talented writer, impressive researcher and a towering patriot. Highly recommended. Bert Ruiz
Unless you are a major history buff and can handle gems like this: It goes without saying that Alexander Hamilton's understanding of the issues raised by his fiscal program, and the Virginia-writ-large squadrons that were mobilizing south of the Potomac to oppose it, was blissfully free of all the Madisonian ambiguities." And that was the first sentence I opened to. Just be warned, while this book might be good, it's boring.
This book made me understand what was going on in the minds of the individuals involved better than any history I'd previous read. The book begins with the fatal duel between Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr, often a simple paragraph in many history books. In Ellis' work we get a sense of not only actually being present during the duel itself, but also inside the minds of both men in the months leading up to the event. It seems incredible today to think that the Vice President of the United States killed the Secretary of the Treasury in a duel, but Ellis brings the event back to life in a way more vivid than any I'd previously experienced. With a similarly knowing eye, the book looks at a landmark dinner held by Thomas Jefferson in which the decision to move the nation's capital to the Potomac was made in exchange for support for Alexander Hamilton's financial plan. A most enlightening chapter looks at the first significant debate after the Constitutional Convention on the subject of the future of Slavery, precipitated by the leader of the Pennsylvania Assembly - Benjamin Franklin. We get to see the context of George Washington's Farewell Address. John Adams is featured frequently in the book. There is a chapter detailing the long and mutually supportive relationship between John and Abigail Adams, then the final chapter describes the rekindling of the friendship between Adams and Jefferson four decades after the Revolution. This chapter contrasts essentially the two views that have existed ever since about the *meaning* of the Revolution and of the Founding of the United States. Although they were miles apart, both geographically and idealogically, Adams and Jefferson kept alive a friendship and mutual respect that would serve as a wonderful model for politicians ever since. ... Read more | |
| 11. Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight : An African Childhood by ALEXANDRA FULLER | |
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our price: $10.46 (price subject to change: see help) Asin: 0375758992 Catlog: Book (2003-03-11) Publisher: Random House Trade Paperbacks Sales Rank: 1448 Average Customer Review: US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
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Book Description Reviews (106)
Having spent many an hour, like Bobo Fuller, poking grass into ant-lion holes in the hot dusty veld, this moving story captivated me and painted a moving portrait of people fighting the cruelty of the African landscape. Myth and reality are intertwined in a witty and beautiful story. Everyone should read this book!
Although I think Alexandra Fuller writes very well, and I appreciate her honest writing about her parents' behavior and attitudes, I couldn't warm to the family. Despite their numerous trajedies and troubles, I found it difficult to feel sympathetic. In contrast, when I read "The Flame Trees of Thika", another memoir of an African childhood by another white woman, Elspeth Huxley, I rooted for her colonial, turn-of-the-century, white-is-right parents, Robin and Tilly, through all their successes and setbacks. They held the same attitude of racial superiority as the Fullers, yet there is something intrinsically more likeable about how they handled themselves on a continent where they were the minority race, political upheaval or no. After reading Fuller's memoir, it was a relief to pick up "Nervous Conditions" by black female Zimbabwean Tsitsi Dangarembga, and read about three-dimensional black Africans. Her book is set in 1960s Rhodesia, for those interested (A. Fuller recommends it herself in the Afterword section of her memoir). Despite my personal reaction to this book, I recommend it to anyone interested in African writing, because I think that Alexandra Fuller's perspective is just as important and valid as that of any other African writer.
Fuller's writing style is rich, lyrical and many times, funny. I could picture the land, feel the heat and smell the smoking fish that embodies the Africa she describes. I found myself laughing even as I was shaking my head in disbelief at some of the choices her parents made. Bobo's mother, Nicola Fuller, is racist, resilient, strong and mad as a hatter. In other words, she's the most memorable character in the book. Of course, to Fuller all of this stress and strife was, while not exactly normal, expected. She was a child, after all, and it's all she'd ever known. As I was reading, I couldn't help but think that American kids really have no idea how hard their life could be. Overall a captivating read. It left me reminiscing about my childhood and reflecting on how simple and uncomplicated (read boring) it was. ... Read more | |
| 12. From Mount Vernon to Crawford : A History of the Presidents and Their Retreats by Kenneth T. Walsh | |
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our price: $17.13 (price subject to change: see help) Asin: 1401301215 Catlog: Book (2005-05-11) Publisher: Hyperion Sales Rank: 6042 Average Customer Review: US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
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Book Description In Air Force One, Kenneth T. Walsh looked at presidential history from the unusual and illuminating vantage point of the presidents' planes. Now he focuses on the various retreats where our commanders-in-chief have gone to escape the hustle and bustle of Washington, chronicling the important decisions that were made and the historic events that have occurred at them. Moreover, he describes what these sites reveal about the characters of the presidents and the times in which they lived. From George Washington (Mount Vernon) to George W. Bush (Crawford ranch), from FDR (Hyde Park) to JFK (Hyannisport), almost every single president has had a beloved place where he could really be himself. Based on Walsh's interviews with four of the living presidents, as well as scores of officials and staff, From Mount Vernon to Crawford is a fascinating glimpse into this largely unexamined facet of American government. Reviews (3)
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| 13. Long Walk to Freedom : The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela Tag: The International Bestseller by Nelson Mandela | |
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our price: $11.86 (price subject to change: see help) Asin: 0316548189 Catlog: Book (1995-10-01) Publisher: Back Bay Books Sales Rank: 3000 Average Customer Review: US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
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Amazon.com Reviews (89)
If after reading this book you do not come away with a greater sense of admiration and respect for this outstanding human being, then you are not human.
To live under such conditions where you can be so isolated from the world (For 27 years), that you contemplate conversing with a cockroach, is a test of the human spirit. To sacrifice the obligations of family so that a nation of people can breath in freedom is nothing short of courageous with a fiercely determined spirit. Here is what Nelson Mandela writes about in his struggle for family and nation: I did not in the beginning choose to place my people above my family, but in attempting to serve my people, I found I was prevented from fulfilling my obligations as a son, a brother, a father, and a husband. In that way, my commitment to my people, to the millions of South Africans I would never know or meet, was at the expense of the people I knew best and loved most. It was as simple and yet as incomprehensible as the moment a small child asks her father, "Why can you not be with us?" And the father must utter the terrible words: "There are other children like you, a great many of them....." and then one's voice trails off. Nelson Mandela is a man that has a spirit and determination that is above and beyond most people or leaders today. READ THE BOOK!! It will open your eyes and in the end, it'll make you feel good about the human spirit. ... Read more | |
| 14. Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl by ANNE FRANK | |
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our price: $4.95 (price subject to change: see help) Asin: 0553296981 Catlog: Book (1993-06-01) Publisher: Bantam Sales Rank: 2494 Average Customer Review: US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
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