Book Description

No wonder we strove for more than sixty years to give Joe DiMaggio the hero's life. DiMaggio was, at every turn, one man we could look at who made usfeel good.

In the hard-knuckled thirties, he was the immigrants' boy who made it big -- and spurred the New York Yankees to a new era of dynasty. As World War II loomed, Joltin' Joe became our poster boy for American can-do, with his hitting streak of fifty-six straight -- and the nation was literally singing his name. In postwar ease and plenty, he was our Broadway Joe, the icon of elegance and manly class...until he wooed and won, in Marilyn Monroe, the most beautiful girl that America could dream up. And even when he lost that girl for good, in 1962, Joe was us at the start of our decade of national bereavement.

Joe DiMaggio was a mirror of our best self...and he was also the loneliest hero we ever had. A nation of fans would give him anything...but what he wanted most was to hide the life he chose.

In this groundbreaking biography, Richard Ben Cramer presents a stunning, often shocking portrait of the hero nobody knew. It is a story that sweeps through the twentieth century, bringing to light along the way not just America's national game, but her movie stars, mobsters, pols, writers...the birth (and the price) of modern national celebrity.

This is the story Joe DiMaggio never wanted to tell -- and never wanted anyone else to tell. It is the story of his grace -- and greed; his dignity, pride -- and hidden shame. After five years of relentless reporting, Cramer brings alive, for the first time, the story of DiMaggio the man. ... Read more

Reviews (104)

Fact v. Fiction
While The Hero's Life is an excellent book about one of the three best baseball players who have ever lived, you have to wonder how much is true. Mr Cramer does list many sources and is wonderful at telling the story of Joe DiMaggio's life. DiMaggio kept the people whom he did not want in his life out and probably for good reason. The question does linger however that since he is basing most of the book on second hand information how much is true. An excellent book that was hard to put down I have recomended it many people. Having never seen Joe DiMaggio play and him seemingly in secrecy for most of his life I found him to be an "interesting" person. He was, is and should always be an American Icon; bringing a country that was embattled in war together for a brief point in history. If you dont know anything about Joe DiMaggio but would like to, this book is a must.

This View of Joe Will Jolt You
This is a totally absorbing book. Not all writers can get away with an informal, vernacular style, but Cramer pulls it off--reading the book is like listening to an occasionally breathless but always fascinating raconteur hold forth. It's as if the author were talking to the reader personally, narrating the story.

The choice of words in the title is telling: not "a" hero's life, which would imply that DiMaggio was a genuine hero, but "the" hero's life, implying that the subject's actual life was greatly at variance with his heroic image, as it certainly was. Some DiMaggio fans are offended that Cramer didn't write a worshipful puff-piece; instead he revealed what a cold, mean-spirited, greedy guy DiMaggio really was. But the author also helps the reader understand how DiMaggio got that way, and it's this quality that makes the book so extraordinary.

Two criticisms of aspects of the book that make it less than a five-star production: The author's repeated use of the term "Dago" when referring to DiMaggio could perhaps be explained by the fact that many people of the time really did refer to DiMaggio with that ethnic slur, but it's still offensive and unnecessary. People in the past may indeed have referred to DiMaggio that way, but that doesn't mean Cramer should compound the error by throwing the term around so frequently himself! If he were writing about Hank Greenberg, I'll bet he wouldn't refer to him throughout his text as "The Hebe" or "The Kike." Nor, if he were writing about Jackie Robinson, would he dream of referring to his subject as "The Nig," or by whatever other racist slurs were hurled at Robinson.

The other criticism is that I was constantly wondering how the author could possibly have known some of the things he includes. Maybe this is just awe at Cramer's reportorial skills, but since he includes no source notes, we have to take him at his word. He may well have had many talky informants, especially after DiMaggio's death, but I don't think anybody could have followed Joe into the bedroom with Marilyn Monroe, the way Cramer pretends to do!

Good addition to DiMaggio Literature
Being a San Franciscan, I really appreciated the author's research and description of life in this City during the first 3-4 decades of the 20th century, including the baseball scene and the legend of Lefty O'Doul (whose bar is still open just off Union Square). There is also much to be learned for the younger readers about baseball in the 30s and 40s. Not all was a grand as today's romanticists like to portray it. How things should be is somewhere between the over-paid mediocre talent of today and the grossly underpaid---and unfree---players of those days. I can't imagine what someone of Dimaggio's caliber would be getting paid today.

The book also shined when describing not only Joe's relationship with Marilyn Monroe (brutal by today's standards) and what Hollywood and stardom was like.

Dimaggio's dysfunctional personality and apparent avarice are well-presented, as is the power he had to make men give up all dignity and self-respect simply to be his friend. While we can't simply assume everything said here about DiMaggio's attorney and "close personal friend", Morris Engelberg, is 100% accurate, it isn't hard to believe either. We had a very real taste of this man's character here in San Francisco with how he handled the whole affair of our city wanting to name the playground in North Beach for DiMaggio.

The only gap in the book for me was the leap it made from Marilyn Monroe's death all the way to the 1989 SF earthquake. I thought Cramer went pretty far in depicting the Kennedy/Sinatra involvement with Monroe and why Joe so despised them after her death. But he stopped there quite abruptly. There probably was more that could have been written to show Joe's scorn for them (like the snub of Bobby Kennedy at Yankee Stadium during an Old Timers Game introductions...Joe refused to shake his hand). Baseball-wise, I think more could have also been written about Joe's feelings for---or against---Mickey Mantle and how he felt about THAT center fielder's so completely winning the hearts of Yankee fans. If the author's intended audience was people like me and older, who are familiar with Joe's life and career, then I'm off-base. If he was hoping to have the 20-30 crowd know more about this myth, I think he could have written a little more.

Joe DiMaggio was not a good man necessarily, many people knew that before even reading this book. In today's world he would have been mauled by the press and fans and would likely not be perceived as such a heroic figure as he now is. Look at Barry Bonds, perhaps a better player overall (hard to say for those of us who never saw Joe actually play...hard to argue against 9 world championships in 13 years...versus Barry's ZERO), yet his personality is probably not too different from Joe's in his search for privacy and aloofness from his teammates. However, he is vilified by most and has precious few friends. In another day, he would have been up in the pantheon with the Babe and Joltin' Joe.

Why the personal assault?
This book was a gift from my daughter; as such, I read it even though I knew that it was a hatchet job, for whatever reason, against a great player. At the end of the book I came away with the same conclusion I had when I started, and that is that Joe DiMaggio was one of the greatest hitters of all time (had an immaculate swing) and one of the greatest all around players of all time. As a baseball lover that is all I need to know. In short, he was idolized for his playing ability and for his quite demeanor on the field, while keeping his peccadilloes from public view - why is that so bad? What grudge the author has against Joe DiMaggio I don't know, but I see no need to attack a person based on the shortcomings of that person's personality.

Bitter, angry, jealous - and that's just the author
This is a bitter, self-indulgent attempt by the author to attack DiMaggio. Period. He was a bad guy... so what? He liked money? Last time I checked, the author wasn't giving his book away. The main problem isn't with the book or DiMaggio, but with the people who make guys like DiMaggio the heroes they can never be. The bar is set way too high for these individuals. No one can reach it. Our solution: write about it. Consider this: I seriously doubt anyone will write a book about the author, because while he may have received accolades for his work as a reporter, all he has really done in his life is write about what other people have done in their lives. Seems like an empty accomplishment to me, and might be the reason for the high level of bitterness and, perhaps, jealousy that came through in this book. ... Read more

Book Description

From the bestselling author of What I Saw at the Revolution comes an elegiac tribute to one of America's most beloved leaders.

It is twenty years—a full generation—since Ronald Reagan first walked into the White House and ignited a revolution.From the beginning, he enjoyed the American people's affection but now, as he approaches the end of his life, he has received what he deserved even more: their deep respect.

What was the wellspring of his greatness?Peggy Noonan, bestselling author of the classic Reagan-era memoir What I Saw at the Revolution, former speechwriter, and now a columnist and contributing editor for The Wall Street Journal, argues that the secret of Reagan's success was no secret at all.It was his character—his courage, his kindness, his persistence, his honesty, and his almost heroic patience in the face of setbacks—that was the most important element of his success.

The one thing a man must bring into the White House with him if he is to succeed, Noonan contends, is a character that people come to recognize as high, sturdy, and reliable.

Noonan, renowned for her special insight into Ronald Reagan's history and personality, brings her own reflections to Reagan to bear in When Character Was King and discloses never-before-told stories from the former president's family, friends, and White House colleagues to reveal the true nature of a man even his opponents now view as a maker of big history.

Marked by incisive wit and elegant prose, When Character Was King will enlighten and move readers. ... Read more

Reviews (141)

A-plus-plus
For devout Reaganites, Peggy Noonan's new book covers familiar ground. We're well acquainted with this quintessentially American success story, and with the deeply patriotic and moralistic ideals which underpinned RR's policies, particularly in the foreign policy sphere.

Yet, what makes this book so special is Ms. Noonan's extraordinary gifts for storytelling. A measure of her formidable talents is her ability to take well-chronicled events -- the hardscrabble Illinois childhood, the SAG and GE years, the 1976 near miss, the PATCO strike, the assassination ordeal, Iran-Contra, the Iceland Summit, etc, etc -- and infuse them with fresh energy and perspective.

As Ms. Noonan recounted RR's clear-eyed, strong-willed, visionary posture vis-a-vis the Soviets, I could not help but reflect on how those qualities have been sorely absent from U.S. foreign policy over the past decade -- and how urgently important they are right now. Indeed, the book's penultimate chapter is devoted to the lessons George W. Bush absorbed from nearly a decade of watching RR.

"When Character is King" advances Peggy Noonan's reputation as one of the finest political writers of her generation. A worthy successor to the memoir of her years in the Reagan White House: "What I Saw at the Revolution."

At first disappointing, but it satisfies in the end
Peggy Noonan - who really does write "like an angel" as someone once said - would no doubt argue that to understand Ronald Reagan's character one must know in considerable detail about his origins. The first half or more of her book is a biographical chronicle of Reagan's rise from childhood to presidency. It is only sparsely salted with illuminating stories as it carefully recounts the progression of a life that was, until later, not extraordinary. It leaves us wanting more.

However the book delivers more in its later chapters as Noonan recounts less-known stories from her own and others' experience with Reagan as candidate and president. She knits them together with insight and astute observations to illuminate a fine man. The book in the end adequately depicts Reagan's strong convictions in his principles and sense of ethics, his respect for people of all stripes and his extra gentleness for the powerless and ordinary, his often self-deprecating humour, his love of nature and physical work, his seemingly-boundless optimism and other cornerstones of his character and his success.

Ultimately, the book fails in only one respect: it does not show much of the steely edge which most people experienced in politics would believe that Reagan must have had to make it to the Oval Office. Not showing this part of the man's character makes Ms. Noonan's picture less complete. However it is certainly not the one-sided deification that a few one-star reviews by obvious flaming liberals have claimed, and is well worth the time in reading.

A Stirring Tribute to a Great Leader
I agree 100% with the other reviewers who have praised this book. Peggy Noonan's book serves as a concise but relatively thorough biography of Reagan, an informative explanation of the influences that guided his decisions before and during his political career, and a spirited and insightful defense of some of Reagan's controversial actions (controversial, at least, to those who Reagan called "our liberal friends" who "know so many things that are not so"). Plenty of funny, enlightening, and touching anecdotes help to make this a great tribute to one of our Nation's greatest leaders.

An insiders view of a great president
This book was written by a former speech writer for Ronald Reagan. It features more than just a look inside the Reagan White House. It tells of his childhood in northern Illinois all the way through to his battle with Alzheimer's. There are amusing tales of Reagan's meetings with foreign heads of state. There is great detail of Iran Contra and Reagan's meetings with Gorachev. I expected the book to take a vary favorable position of Reagan (which it did for the most part) but Noonan was not exactly complimentary at times.

The best part of this book told the story of Reagan taking on the Communist infiltration of Hollywood in the 40's. I was unaware of this and found it quite interesting. It laid the foundation for his life in public office. Another interesting theme of the book shows how Reagan made the conversion from the Democratic to Republican party. I bet not many people knew he was a Democrat until midlife.

"DON'T LET THE TURKEYS GET YOU DOWN."
When Ronald Reagan left office, he told George H.W. Bush, "Don't let the turkeys get you down." This is sage advice of the highest order, and applies to all people, famous or not. This is the Ronald Reagan that Peggy Noonan writes about.

Reagan was excoriated during his time, but he never became petty. The way he handled criticism is a model for the way all good people should handle criticism. The Reagan model is to stay positive and upbeat, no matter what the drumbeat of stupidity is. To follow his example is to stay above the fray, to maintain the Christian principle "forgive me my tresspasses, as I forgive those who trespass against me." The lessons that average people can learn from Reagan is that if you are a good and decent person, even if the small people, the various and sundry pizzants of the Dumbellionite Class, the ignoramuses, the people of low moral character, the dregs and the ne'r'do'wells attempt to mock you, to bring you down to their level, to react with jealousy at succeses they are unable to achieve, simply continue on a path of honesty and good works. Forgive them and let not your heart be troubled.

God bless Ronald Reagan.

STEVEN TRAVERS
AUTHOR OF "BARRY BONDS: BASEBALL'S SUPERMAN"
... ... Read more

Book Description

Meet the woman who has won America's heart! Laura Bush, the First Lady of the 21st Century, has already been described as:

". . . one of the 50 most beautiful people in the world." -People

". . . the ballast that keeps her husband steady."-U.S. News & World Report

". . . intellectual and independent . . ."-The Washington Post

". . . a sharp contrast to Hilary Rodham Clinton."-CNN News

". . . the fist in the velvet glove."-BBC News

"Comforter-in-Chief" -Us magazine

"She's truly the First Mother." -New York Post

". . . a fabulous First Lady!" -George W. Bush

Before the September 11, 2001 attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, little was known about First Lady Laura Bush. Since then, she has become America's beacon of hope and strength.

Few observers would have predicted that Laura Bush would win the hearts and earn the respect of the nation. Yet as the smoke cleared and we attempted to make sense of the tragedy, Laura helped heal us, reassure us, and inspire us with her warmth and courage. She urged us to hug our children-and we did-and thereafter became known as America's First Mother, as well as our First Lady.

This fascinating book reveals why Laura Bush was the right First Lady at the right time to bring courage, comfort, and strength to her fellow Americans.In this compelling profile, biographer Antonia Felix traces Laura Bush's fascinating journey from her West Texas girlhood to the wife of the most powerful man in the free world. Ms. Felix conducted extensive primary research in Laura's hometown-including interviews with her mother, Jenna Welch-and creates a revealing, intimate portrait of this softspoken, down-to-earth woman who made People magazine's list of "50 most beautiful people in the world" and is a powerful, supportive force for President George W. Bush.

In Laura, readers learn:

How Laura survived a youthful tragedy that marred her childhood

The delights and difficulties of being First Lady

The joys and challenges of raising twin daughters

Why she is so committed to advancing literacy in America

Her personal mission as America's First Mother ... Read more

Reviews (9)

A girl from west Texas
This book tell the life story of Laura Bush. She had a good
childhood in Midland Texas the same town as Geoge W Bush. Its
tell about the tragedy that she had in her childhood. Laura always wanted to be a teacher from the time she was little.
It tell about her work as the First Lady of Texas. Talk about
the run for President. Life in the White House. The Book
end with a look at Laura day on September 11, 2001.

Wait for Next Year
Hi there. I have been definitely disappointed by this book. I swayed away from ultimately ordering it due to negative reviews of other readers, but then purchased it on an impulse later. My first inclination was the better one! If you've followed Laura in the news at all, then your knowledge will not be increased by reading this. There is virtually no new material between the covers. Really the only original content is based on interviews with Jenna Welch. I am not at all certain that the author ever interviewed Laura. Virually every, if not all, of her quotes are based on things published in magazines ("Newsweek" type interviews), press releases, and widely-publicized speeches.

Aspects such as the President's interaction with alcohol, Laura's career, her relationship with the Bushes, etc. are skimmed over in coverage. The most depth is granted to a description of the Texas Book Festival.

I have noted via Amazon.com that there are more biographies of Laura slated for release next year. Let's hope that one of them provides a more three-dimensional perspective on a doubtless interesting woman. Skip it!

very interesting, informative book
I really liked this book. Even though I am more of a Democrat, I have always been intrigued by Laura Bush. This book really helped me to know so much more about her. She is a very interesting woman and I think this book does a good job of telling you all about her.

The failure is not Laura's, but the author's. Don't Read.
Unfortunately, the book Laura fails to deliver what it promises. Although it provides some information, this is general information that can be found in magazine articles, etc. The two main problems with this book are that of omission of facts and an author that fails to approach the subject in an objective manner.

For example, the author asks (on page 1) whether Laura would "be able to bring a softer, gentler, more nurturing image to the position of First Lady?" Felix is Clinton bashing on page 1 and continues to do so throughout the book. Felix criticizes Hilary Clinton's aspirations as Senator from the the state of NY, as if these aspirations meant that Hilary was not as empathetic as Laura. Felix mentions all of Laura's work relating to the education of children. She does not mention Hilary's role with the Children's Defense Fund. Granted, this is not a book about Hilary, but if the author chooses to compare them, then she should do so objectively.

Felix treats Laura as your run of the mill woman who happens to be First Lady. Felix even supports her assertion by stating that Laura has continued to use her Dallas dress designer while in the White House. This is not the way an average woman dresses herself. Instead, she goes to a store and purchases things off of the rack. It is also worth noting that Laura used the internationally known designer, Scassi, for her wardrobe during her travels to Europe.

Laura's excess in the White House Christmas decorations also belies her "simple" tastes. She used over 100 Christmas trees in the White House and more than 500 wreaths. This far exceded the decorations of the previous administration. Of course, this excess may not seem inappropriate if the public could visit the White House during this time. They were not. Therefore, Laura's decorations were primarily meant to benefit the Bush family. (Perhaps some of that money could have been given to a victim's fund?)

This book does not identify any difficulties faced by the Bush family. Did Laura know about George's DWI and was she hiding this information. Do the daughters have a problem with alcohol abuse? (This would have been a perfect time for the President or the First Lady to stand up against teen-age alcohol use. They did not need to disclose the family discussions when making an effort to remedy a national problem.

It is also interesting that Laura has no dealings or concerns about the plight of gays and Lesbians in society. Is she insulated from the real world or does she simply not care.

The book lacks substance. It is simply a political press release for Republican women - pro-Laura. These women will give the book five stars. Have some women from an impoverished neighborhood read the book; they will likely have a different attitude.

Laura is the First Lady, but she's not my First Mother. Felix fawns over her subject to encourage sales and remain in favor of the Bush family. Not worth reading if you are looking for insightful information.

A great way to get to know Laura!
I loved this book!! Since Sept 11th, Laura has been such a comforting person to me, so I grabbed this book right away when I saw it. It's really a wonderful way to get to know Laura. You get all kinds of details--about her childhood, her relationship with George W., and her work--that I've never read anywhere else. The author even interviewed Laura's mom, so you get all kinds of commentary from Laura's own mother!! I also loved the section of pictures of Laura from when she was a baby up to now. I'm a teacher, so I thought the parts about Laura's incredible commitment to education were fabulous. She's just an all-around amazing person. I've been recommending the book to everyone I know! ... Read more

Book Description

America's most beloved columnist shares 40 years of advice through letters to her only child, published here for the first time.In this witty, wise, and intensely personal collection of letters to her daughter Margo, Ann Landers delivers her own unintentional memoir. The volume is both a moving portrait of a mother/daughter relationship and a keen social history of America between 1958 and 2001. Peppered with incisive information and gossip, Esther "Eppie" Lederer (Landers' real name) offers insight on everything from marriage and divorce to growing up and growing old. A first-hand account of the myriad changes in attitudes and mores spanning the last half of the last century, readers will delight in Landers' signature practical wisdom and sharp eye for the absurd. As funny and loving as they are stern and acerbic, these letters reveal the real woman behind the Ann Landers moniker--a spectacularly original writer, wife, and mother. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Beautiful book but ...
Unless you worship Ann Landers for years and know her background to some degree, this book may be quite anecdotal and a gathered pieces of personal events.

A Wonderful Read
Growing up I regularly read Ann Landers' column. I can even remember my favorite ones --- the one with the meatloaf recipe and the one about how to hang a roll of toilet paper. Living in a small town in New Jersey, I got a new perspective on the world from letters signed by people with signatures like Desperate in Dallas and Confused in Cincinnati. Sometimes I would howl at what people were asking while other times I was shocked at the depths of the problems that people shared.

Reading the column each day I formed a picture of Landers. When she passed away in 2002, I read the tributes to her and realized this was the end of an era.

A LIFE IN LETTERS: Ann Landers Letters to Her Only Child showed me another side of Landers. For here were the letters that personally defined her ---- those she wrote to her daughter Margo over forty-four years. Broken up into four sections, the book tells the story of a close mother/daughter relationship. Here, again in her own words, we come to know Esther "Eppie" Lederer (Landers' real name).

Whether she was giving Margo advice, checking in to see how she was or lavishing praise, Landers wrote with the tone of a well-meaning friend. The excitement that Landers felt in sharing her life with Margo is touchingly evident. Many of her notes to Margo were hurried pieces while others were long and leisurely, but all were personal and laced with love.

Margo has said, "I loved putting this collection together. And strange as it may sound, reading them all, together, was an entirely different experience than seeing them one at a time. A LIFE IN LETTERS - even for me - is like watching two lives unfolding."

The book is punctuated with notes from Margo that give background to the letters. At one point in her introduction she was astounded to learn that her mom had saved all of her letters, just as she had saved her mom's. It's clear that this writing ---and their relationship --- meant a lot to them both.

Readers also get a look at another side of Landers. We see a woman who was politically active and had a strong business sense. She had access to the powerful and the famous because of who she was --- people such as Walter Cronkite, Hubert Humphery and Cardinal Joseph Bernadin. She also believed in many causes and supported them with her time and her opinions.

There is enough reference to the feud between Landers and her twin sister, who penned the Dear Abby column for years, to be honest, but Landers takes the high road and remains a real lady.

Right after Landers' death, I clipped her meatloaf recipe from the paper and made it. After closing Margo's book I vowed to write more letters to my sons. Last week I was passing my older son's room and saw a recent IM session between us printed and tacked onto the wall. Sure instant communication like that is wonderful, but the preservation of letters like those in this book reminds me how much history we lose when we do not write.

Whether you are a Landers fan or just relish the chance to voyeur a very special relationship as it grows over the years, A LIFE IN LETTERS is a wonderful read.

--- Reviewed by Carol Fitzgerald ... Read more

Book Description

This will be the only complete biography available for voters who want a thorough and objective look at the current frontrunner in the Democratic race for the presidency.

On Jan. 27, 2004, Senator John F. Kerry of Massachusetts accomplished one of the most spectacular turnarounds in modern American politics when he capped a surprise win in the Iowa caucus with a victory in the New Hampshire primary. The 2004 Democratic presidential nomination is now (in the words of Robert Novak) "John Kerry's to lose." Who is the man leading in the race to become the Democratic Party's nominee for president in 2004? And what kind of political leader is he?

The outlines of John Kerry's life are familiar: A decorated Vietnam veteran who became an influential, if unlikely, anti-war protester. A lanky 60-year-old who quenches his thirst for danger with high-speed kiteboarding, windsurfing, piloting, motorcycling, and, in some cases, driving. A senator with a reputation as an investigator and foreign policy expert. A man married to one of the richest women in America. But beyond this broad picture, Kerry is something of a mystery to the public, largely because of a complex yet riveting personal and professional history outlined in this book.

John F. Kerry: The Complete Biography , the first full and in-depth book about the candidate's life, is based on a highly regarded series on Kerry published in the Boston Globe, plus years of additional reporting. It will explore his background, his service in the military (including significant experiences omitted from Douglas Brinkley's bestselling Tour of Duty), his early legal and political career, his legislative record and the remarkable turnaround in his political fortunes during the 2004 election cycle. This incisive, frank look at Kerry's life, and at his strengths and liabilities, is important reading for anyone interested in the presidential campaign. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Not like Maraniss
I went out and bought this after Michiko Kakutani gave it a positive review
(New York Times, May 4, 2004). Because she compared the Boston Globe series
on John Kerry (by these authors) to a series by David Maraniss on Clinton in
the Washington Post, I was thinking it would be like "First in His Class",
a probing, interesting book.

I preferred Maraniss' detailed exploration of the formative period of Clinton's
life. Sixty pages into this book Kerry's already done with college; Maraniss
spends more than 200 pages on this same period of Clinton's life.

It does provide a detailed look at Kerry's political career in particular.
The book seems to try to be fair, by reporting material both for and against
Kerry. I would have preferred more analysis of the critics arguments, rather
than just taking them at face value.

For instance, on page 334, they mention Kerry supporting 1.5 billion in cuts
to intelligence over 5 years. But out of how much, and with what impact to
the existing program? A number like this is meaningless without this context.

All in all, it is a good, clear introduction to the stream of external events of
John F. Kerry's life.

A Reporters View
Full Title: John F. Kerry: The Complete Biography By The Boston Globe Reporters Who Know Him Best -- I got this book the same day that I received a piece of hate e-mail about Kerry talking about the day in Viet Nam where he got "a bandaid and a Purple Heart." So I was interested to see what this book said about this incident.

I was pleased to see that the authors, reporters all, reported the incident in a manner that reflects cautious research. They seem to report, without a personal bias, what everyone they could find had to say. The book contained neither the venomous hatred of the e-mail, nor the gushing praise of a political press release. They do make the ocassional comment, 'we asked the Kerry campaign about this but received no reply.'
The rest of the book is done the same way, it neither praises nor condemns, it reports. It appears to be an excellent summary of the man's life. We will see, in the political silly season of the second half of 2004 lots of claims, accusations and downright lies. This book provides a good basis for trying to come up with the truth.

Too obviously written by the reporters who dislike him most.
The book starts off strong. Kerry's childhood and family background are extremely interesting and tell much about the person he is today. Once the "biography" hits Kerry's college years, though, it stumbles. The authors make no bones about their feelings toward Mr. Kerry, which ruins much of their credibility. The reader should be left to his or her own skepticism or approval of Kerry's actions during college, his service in Vietnam, and his post-tour political activity; instead, the authors make their own doubts plain. This only gets worse as the authors troll Kerry's political and personal life since the mid 1970's. Had they stayed the course of the earlier part of the book, it may have been great; as is, it reads as a jealous valentine by the Globe staff. They never miss a chance to point out their own smug self-righteousness. It's too bad they didn't put their efforts toward demystifying an enigmatic public figure instead. Postscript: there are numerous grammatical errors in this book--much like one would find reading the Globe on any given day.

Dissecting the Democratic Presidential Candidate in 2004
I have read many biographies of political candidates. Almost all such biographies are either puff pieces or hatchet jobs. This biography by contrast is of a different sort, a detailed "who," "what," "when," "why," and "how" the Democratic presidential candidate arrived where he is today. The look is a revealing one that will be helpful to those who want to make a more informed decision about whom to vote for in the coming election. It's well worth your time to read this book.

The authors are three reporters who developed a detailed series on Senator Kerry for the Boston Globe last year. Since then, the series has been expanded and extended to create this volume. The work is much more complete than I expected.

Although I am from Massachusetts, I didn't feel like I knew very much about Senator Kerry before reading this book. Now, I realize why I had this feeling. Senator Kerry hasn't really spent a lot of time in the state except during the period from when he first ran for the House of Representatives until he was elected to the Senate. His father was a foreign service official, and Senator Kerry often lived in foreign lands or at prep schools in either Switzerland or New Hampshire (the Saint Paul's school). He attended college at Yale (where he was a member of the select Skull and Bones) and left there for Vietnam. After he became a senator, most of his time was spent in Washington or in foreign travel. Senate President Billy Bulger used to kid Senator Kerry that part of his district was in Nicaragua.

The book told me quite a few things I didn't know. To me, a man named John Kerry is probably an Irish Catholic. Well, that's not the case. Senator Kerry knew that his father's parents came from Austria and had changed their names. But until the Globe did their research, he did not know that these grandparents had been Jews who converted to Catholicism to avoid persecution. In addition, and also not known to the senator, his paternal grandfather had earned and lost three fortunes and in despair committed suicide in the Copley Plaza hotel in Boston. I also didn't know about what his duty had been in Vietnam, and came away amazed that he survived the suicidal mission of running the small boats on small rivers to draw enemy fire. How awful it is that our men were asked to do that! During the primary campaigns last winter, I thought that the senator looked like someone suffering from cancer. But I didn't realize that he had just been operated on to remove an early stage cancer of the prostate. His family connections fascinated me, as well as his many contacts with famous politicians at an early age.

I also learned that Senator Kerry is a thorough, nuanced thinker who has trouble articulating his complex views into a three word "sound bite" that is so popular with television and newspaper reporters. That matched the impression I had of him when I spent a day at the U.S. Senate in 1987 meeting a number of the leaders there. My host was a Republican and Senator Kerry was the only Democrat invited to attend the function. Clearly, Senator Kerry had made an impression on his colleagues . . . with whom he often differed on foreign affairs.

I enjoyed reading about his visible role in the anti-Vietnam war movement, his attempt to broker peace in Nicaragua, his support for intervention in Serbia and questioning about the first Iraq war.

The book portrays Senator Kerry as an opportunist who is consumed totally by his passion to become president of the United States. I think that portrayal would probably apply to almost everyone who ever ran for president, so I didn't take much away from that point. I was more impressed by the way that he has been a conscience for our country in avoiding foreign conflicts (something George Washington also warned against), opposed institutional forces that can drive a nation to war against the will of its people and sought novel solutions to long-standing problems (such as normalizing relations with Vietnam).

I looked in vain in the book for a sense of his political platform during this election campaign. I had been very impressed by his thinking in reading the new book by Senator Kerry, A Call to Service: My Vision for a Better America, and looked in vain for references to his ideas in this book. I graded the book down one star for missing this obvious part of his biography.

I also faulted the book for failing to compare Senator Kerry to his obvious peer, the President of the United States, who followed him by two years at Yale. Those comparisons would have made the book fascinating reading.

May our nation make a brilliant decision in choosing who will lead us beginning in 2005.

Balanced Bio of the Man Who Would be President
Thorough and fair biography of Senator Kerry, neatly crafted and presented for readers who might not ordinarily be interested in political tomes. Important reading for concerned Americans who plan to vote in November. ... Read more

Book Description

She spent her life in the movies. Her childhood is still there to see in Miracle on 34th Street. Her adolescence in Rebel Without a Cause. Her coming of age? Still playing in Splendor in the Grass and West Side Story and countless other hit movies. From the moment Natalie Wood made her debut in 1946, playing Claudette Colbert and Orson Welles’s ward in Tomorrow Is Forever at the age of seven, to her shocking, untimely death in 1981, the decades of her life are marked by movies that–for their moments–summed up America’s dreams.

Now the acclaimed novelist, biographer, critic and screenwriter Gavin Lambert, whose twenty-year friendship with Natalie Wood began when she wanted to star in the movie adaptation of his novel Inside Daisy Clover, tells her extraordinary story. He writes about her parents, uncovering secrets that Natalie either didn’t know or kept hidden from those closest to her. Here is the young Natalie, from her years as a child actress at the mercy of a driven, controlling stage mother (“Make Mr. Pichel love you,” she whispered to the five-year-old Natalie before depositing her unexpectedly on the director’s lap), to her awkward adolescence when, suddenly too old for kiddie roles, she was shunted aside, just another freshman at Van Nuys High. Lambert shows us the glamorous movie star in her twenties—All the Fine Young Cannibals, Gypsy and Love with the Proper Stranger. He writes about her marriages, her divorces, her love affairs, her suicide attempt at twenty-six, the birth of her children, her friendships, her struggles as an actress and her tragic death by drowning (she was always terrified of water) at forty-three.
For the first time, everyone who knew Natalie Wood speaks freely–including her husbands Robert Wagner and Richard Gregson, famously private people like Warren Beatty, intimate friends such as playwright Mart Crowley, directors Robert Mulligan and Paul Mazursky, and Leslie Caron, each of whom told the author stories about this remarkable woman who was both life-loving and filled with despair.

What we couldn’t know–have never been told before–Lambert perceptively uncovers. His book provides the richest portrait we have had of Natalie Wood. ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Natalie Wood: A Life
After having read all of the reviews I felt I must make my statement. Do "you" really think R.J. and his "family" would have authorized this book by Gavin Lambert if everything he wrote about had not been thoroughly checked out? Personally, I know that when Gavin interviewed me he was extremely thorough. For many many months he continued to e-mail me questions of all types. Also, during a luncheon with R.J.,Natasha, Courtney, Gavin and Mart I was able through interesting stories about the "family" to confirm many things for them. Take this as you will----- I know this is the most accurate account of Natalie's ( my half-sister) life.

Natalie Wood
I waited to read this book and was totally disgusted with it. It was more of a history about her mother (who was no doubt certifiable). Ms Wood dedicated her life, for good or for bad, to the Screen. The least this author could have done was not towrite it like someone was standing over his shoulder!

Suspicious circumstances
I do not understand why certain critics who are acquaintances of Mr. Lambert's have described this as an affectionate book about actress Natalie Wood. It is not a sympathetic portrait of Miss Wood' in fact, Mr. Lambert blames her for the tragic events in her life when she's not alive to defend herself. He also goes out of his way to attack her mother and her sister in what seems to be a personal vendetta while at the same time falsely glorifying rv actor Robert Wagner, who he admits is a long time friend of his. There would be no need to remember Miss Wood in a book at this time had she not drowned under suspicious circumstances that Mr. Wagner obviously wishes to conceal. It is clear that Mr. Lambert's true loyalty is to Robert Wagner, not to Natalie Wood.

Lambert's Slide
The once witty and insightful, if not bitchy, Lambert has written
a book which, after reading, made me feel cheated and as if the KGB was in on a deal to black out truths and had preposterous quotes from a gang of bit players like Donfeld, who has a vivid imagination in regards to his closeness to Ms.Wood.As a result,
Lambert ends up depending way too much time dodging the really
"adult" Wood and how much she was loved as a person and of all the speculations by people she, in fact, disliked intensely and
how little cooperation those closest to her leant to the writing
of her life.Lambert adds tidbits of gay sex,drugs,rumors and a
hodpodge of junk which ultimately results in a "tell all" kind of tabloid piece of junk.Discussions with groups who knew her and read the book are all as disappointed that Lambert took on the task knowing full well that he was not going to get any real cooperation from those who could have filled in the huge voids of her "real" life.He puts so much weight of the book on her mother's involvement, the book is topheavy with uninteresting Russian history and mama Maria's evil ways.Another book one day will be written with the real truth behind her final days.

Natalie Wood: A Life
As a fan of Natalie Wood's movies and as someone who has great respect and admiration for her as a person, I've been waiting more than half my life for Robert Wagner and his daughters to participate in a book about her or write one themselves. Sensationalism and contrived melodrama have no place in a good biography, and thankfully, you won't find them here. What this book delivers is a snapshot of the woman (flaws and all) without the exploitation of the other biographies. Natalie Wood wasn't perfect. She drank too much and took too many pills (the downfalls of countless studio greats). Mainly, though, she suffered the mental and emotional effects of a youth that made it difficult for her to define herself separate from the movie star. But those imperfections aren't all that she was. She was also a talented, charming, witty, kind, and compassionate woman who empathized with the underdog, used film to expose and confront taboos, loved her husband and daughters tremendously, and spent her short life trying to rise above the demons that haunted her. That's what makes her so interesting. And it's only the author's respect for his subject and the participation of Robert, Courtney, and Natasha Gregson Wagner that make it possible to clearly portray that classically human contradiction. No one can ever tell a complete life story, not even the person who lived it. But how can you even strive for accuracy without talking to the people who knew her best and loved and respected her most?

I have only two complaints (hence the four stars and not five). Although competent and often engaging, Gavin Lambert isn't a great writer. His prose shifts tense, which is distracting, and he editorializes when he should quote the people he's describing.

And yes, I also wish we could have heard more from Natalie Wood herself. Perhaps she didn't leave many interviews to choose from, but Lambert refered too much to that AFI interview without using enough of what she actually said. ... Read more

Book Description

In this brilliant, funny, gossipy, and revealing memoir, full of great stories and even better advice, one of America's most beloved and popular show business and television figures tells the story of his "retirement" years, in which he made billions and became an even bigger celebrity than ever.

F. Scott Fitzgerald's famous observation that "there are no second acts in American lives" only goes to show that he never met Merv Griffin, whose life is proof positive that not only can you have a smashing second act, but that a brilliant third act is quite possible as well.

Merv: Making the Good Life Last is the quintessential Horatio Alger story of a young man born into modest circumstances who, through hard work, unshakable self-confidence, and an unfailingly positive attitude, dreams his way to the top.

And then he retires and does it again.

Now, at seventy-seven, he is doing it still, reinventing himself and his life in new and extraordinary ways, and enjoying it more than ever.

For millions of Americans, the life of Merv Griffin defines success -- a life lived first on stages all over the world as a band singer and Top-Ten recording artist, then for twenty-three years on television screens as host of the Emmy Award-winning Merv Griffin Show. He created and launched the two most successful syndicated game shows in television history, Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune, which would become the models for hundreds of syndicated television series in the decades to follow.

Today, he is an entrepreneurial powerhouse who oversees a multibillion-dollar business empire that includes hotels, film and television production companies, and an event-management firm. He is also a supremely happy man who knows how to enjoy his success and his life.

As he himself once described the single most important quality of a successful host, Merv Griffin was "every mother's favorite son-in-law." Indeed, to two generations of Americans who watched and listened to him through their adolescence and well into adulthood, he became the father-brother-uncle we all loved. He made us laugh, he made us think, he made us pay attention to some of the most fascinating people of the last half of the twentieth century. Merv Griffin was the great American listener who asked the questions of celebrities we would all like to have asked, and knew how to make them open up -- and laugh.

Now, in Merv: Making the Good Life Last, Merv tells us at last what he thinks about his life and his success and how he does what most of us only dream about: inventing and reinventing a life of fun, fame, and fortune. In this candid and insightful memoir -- with his trademark wit infusing the narrative -- he shares with the reader the true story of his phenomenal success as a businessman and entrepreneur who has achieved that rare trifecta in American enterprise: to be wealthy, well liked, and well respected, all at the same time.

With the graciousness and charm that have firmly established him as one of the preeminent television hosts of our time, Merv takes the reader behind the scenes and into his fabulous world: cruising the Mediterranean on his 165-foot yacht, the Griff; flying down to Rio on his own Challenger jet; touring his hotel properties across America and around the world, including a twelfth-century manor house in Ireland.

Merv: Making the Good Life Last is a great American success story, and great entertainment for Griffin's many generations of fans. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Beware of the Title
The order page is deceiving.There is the "Other Editions" heading and then there is the "Other Offers" heading.Merv Griffin wrote two autobiographies both titled "Merv", however,one was written in the 1980's and then there is the recent one.When you check on the "Other Offers" it doesn't differentiate to let you know that you are purchasing the 20-year old book.

Did Not Serve in WWII
While more than 400,000 of his peer group were killed (and another 786,301 wounded), he states that he missed out on WWII because he was in the "4F" category (i.e., physically unfit).

He then goes on to make hundreds of millions of dollars during the next forty years, thus benefiting directly from those who paid the price for his freedom, yet writes about absolutely NOTHING that he did, is doing, or will do, for veterans?!

It's a shame.

A DOWN-HOME SCION
I have always enjoyed Merv Griffin and watched many of his TV shows.This autobiography tells about many of his achievements and a few failures.Merv's attitude is always on the bright side and I believe that iswhy he is so successful.Bravery and risk taking is part of the mix, but relationships are his strong points and he has many interesting stories to tell.A fun read.

GREAT TALES AND CHATTER ... UNTIL THE LAST CHAPTER
Like the man who "wrote" it (he had help from co-author David Bender), Merv Griffin's "Making the Good Life Last" is an entertaining, conversational confection chockfull of stories and anecdotes about his life in show business. This book is, in many ways, a sequel to Merv's best-selling autobioraphy of a couple of decades ago. "Good Life" picks up when that tome left off, with Merv reinventing himself as a businessman and, eventually, as one of the world's richest men. There are great Tallulah tales, and delightful stories about Al Pacino, Vanna White, Orson Welles, Clint Eastwood, Cary Grant, Lucille Ball, Eva Gabor, Nancy and Ron, Donald Trump, Ted Koppel and Errol Flynn ... who Merv met while the actor was nude. "Now how shall I put this?" Merv muses. "I think it's fair to say that Flynn brandished a sword both on and off the screen." It's all warm and witty and cozy chatter from someone who feels like a friend. Until the last chapter. There, Merv starts to spout off about how much money he has ... not in dollar amounts, but in boastful brags. There's too much talk about buying jets, yachts, hotels and casinos, of building this house and that house (with "house" sometimes meaning "ranch" or "compound"), of having marble and tile imported from across the world, of collecting horses and priceless art works by French Impressionists and Colorists, of having an associate deposit a check for $273 million ("the interest alone was $50,000 a day"), when most senior citizens at the same bank that day were depositing their monthly Social Security check for "$400 or $500 at most." This is when Merv needs to be tuned out and turned off. "Making the Good Life Last" is good ...until the last drop. ... Read more

Book Description

No legend ever walked taller than Hollywood icon John Wayne. Now, author Michael Munn's startling new biography sets the record straight on why Wayne didn't serve in World War II, on director John Ford's contribution to Wayne's career, and the mega-star's highs and lows: three failed marriages, and two desperate battles with cancer. Munn also discloses publicly, for the first time, Soviet dictator Josef Stalin's plot to assassinate Wayne because of his outspoken, potentially influential anti-Communist views. Drawing on time spent with Wayne on the set of Brannigan- and almost 100 interviews with those who knew him-Munn's rare, behind-the-scenes look proves this "absolute all-time movie star" was as much a hero in real life as he ever was on-screen. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A wonderful tribute to a man larger than life
This is a "must read" for any John Wayne fan. The book is written with a deftness and style similar to the character of the man of whom it portrays. Munn is a self-described fan, yet is able to depict Wayne in a realistic light while using great sensitivity and care. The book is based largely on Munn's personal interviews (spanning several years) with John Wayne's colleagues and more importantly, the Duke himself, which lends credibility to his words. I have come away from this book not only with an historical view into John Wayne's career, but also with a great sense of respect for Waynes's honesty and "no-nonsense" approach to life. His love for his country is more than admirable, especially now in such times of partisanship and complacency. Sadly, John Wayne's era has gone by the wayside so kudos to Michael Munn for keeping his spirit alive. ... Read more

Book Description

An unprecedented biography, drawn from the author's exclusive access to high-ranking defectors, intelligence officials, and even Saddam's own relatives -- fully illustrated with photos from his early life to the present

Two weeks before September 11, 2001, Saddam Hussein placed his troops on their highest military alert since the Gulf War. As al-Qaeda terrorists set their attacks on America in motion, the Iraqi dictator was prepared to go to war for a second time with the United States. How did an illegitimate child from Tikrit become the West's greatest adversary, and one of the most dangerous and murderous dictators of modem times?

Saddam: King of Terror is the most insightful and illuminating portrait of the Iraqi president to date-and a fascinating study of the making of a tyrant. Con Coughlin, executive editor of London's award-winning Sunday Telegraph, has covered the Middle East for decades -- on the front lines, narrowly escaping kidnapping and violence. He has cultivated exclusive contacts among the Western intelligence community and numerous defectors from Saddam's inner circles -- including former generals, political associates, and bodyguards as well as childhood friends. Coughlin knew immediately that American and British declarations of war against terrorism after the September 11th attacks would sooner rather than later encompass Saddam Hussein as well as Osama bin Laden. Coughlin shows that any operation against terrorism will be incomplete as long as Saddam remains in power -- that international policies will have to change from cautious tolerance to active intervention, a change that is already becoming a reality.

Coughlin also provides the first complete portrait of Saddam's childhood ever published, compiled from the author's inter-views with Saddam's contemporaries and relatives who have never before spoken publicly about him According to Coughlin, Saddam has a younger sister no one knew about, and he idolizes his mother, although his childhood was deeply marred by his shame about being fatherless. From his earliest years, he looked to his mother's brother as a father figure, and Coughlin tells how it was this uncle who first introduced Saddam to a life of crime and political rebellion. Saddam: King of Terror meticulously traces Saddam's bloody rise to power, from Saddam's first murder and his time in prison, to an eyewitness account of Saddam storming Iraqs presidential palace in a tank, to his almost feral ruthlessness in disposing of his opponents, even dose friends and relatives, to create his regime -- a complex mechanism in which family and tribe are central, held together by Saddam's carefully orchestrated reign of fear.

In Saddam: King of Terror, we see both the bizarre, almost pathological behavior of an international pariah and the unshakable power of a tyrant who has defied the world's censure and holds a nation in his grasp.

Reviews (17)

Saddam on Stalin:"I like the way he governed his country."
"[I]mmediately after the 1968 revolution he [Saddam] had been regarded by many Baathists as the 'weakest link' in the party."Funny, that's just what the Bolsheviks said about Stalin while Lenin, Trotsky, Bukharin, et al.consolidated power in the Soviet Union.Over the next 5 years Saddam spent his time, in his words, "dealing with the jackals."Like Stalin, he was mightily successful too; for during this period "he had eradicated all his main rivals, be they friend or foe, and had nuetralized the factions hostile to the Baath government, such as the Kurds and the Shiites."This catapulted him into position as the most powerful man in Iraq below President Bakr, having just engineered Iraq's nationalization of foreign oil interests in the country; a gambit made possible by Valery Giscard d'Estaing (then French trade minister, later to become French president) who assured Saddam that France would not join in a threatened Western governmental boycott of future Iraqi oil exports, IF FRENCH INTERESTS WERE NOT HARMED.3 years later France agrees to sell Iraq a nuclear reactor. Said Saddam publicly at the time: "The agreement with France is the first concrete step toward production of the Arab atomic bomb."Concurrently, at this time Saddam buys Iran off from their support of Kurdish resistance efforts by acknowledging Iran's rights over the Shatt al-Arab waterway separating their two countries.5 years later, upon the overthrow of the Shah of Iran, Saddam renounces this agreement (now that the Kurds have been pacified) and invades Iran on september 22, 1980.Iran, in an initial response, fails in an attempt to bomb Iraq's al Tuwaitha---not yet active---nuclear site; the same site Israel, in june of 1981, successfully hits just days before it was scheduled to go Hot.In 1982, while Israel is taking a pounding from guerillas in Southern Lebanon, Abu Nidal---then headquartered in Iraq---engineers a hit on the Israeli ambassador in London.The assassination attempt fails, but provokes Israel to show strenth & deal with their border by invading Lebanon.Saddam immediately call for a cease-fire with Iran so as to join forces against the greater evil; ie., "Jewish imperialism." To which Ayatollah Khomeini says, if effect, Go fish; dismissing outright the idea of a cease-fire, now that Iran seemingly has the upper hand militarily.Just maybe, people are beginning to think that Iraq may be on the ropes; that a fanatical Islamic Iran just may subdue its much smaller neighbor Iraq.This in quick succession from the American hostage debacle that cost Jimmy Carter his presidency & the mass bombing murder (in early 1983) of U.S. Marines in Beirut on Khomeini's orders.In the context of the time, thus, must be seen President Reagan's sending of Donald Rumsfeld to Baghdad in 1984 to guard against a decisive victory by Iran against Iraq. (To all the moralist naysayers, remember that in his efforts to stop Hitler at all costs FDR too aided unsavory Joseph Stalin---who deliberately starved and/or had murdered over 5 million of his own people just previous in the 1930s. U.S efforts in support of Saddam, moreover, were nowhere on such a scale either.) So Saddam fights on until he exhausts Iran; getting his cease-fire (july 1988) after 8 years of war.Virtually bankrupted, with 50% of his oil revenues going to service an $80 Billion! war debt, Saddam instead decides to expropriate Kuwait's wealth & just up and invades it 23 months later.In the cease-fire agreement with U.S.-led UN forces the following year Saddam gives his word to renounce his chemical/biological/nuclear programs and provide a complete accounting for such.Thence 12 years of stonewalling later George W. Bush "rushed to war." How coincidental that "Saddam" in arabic means "the one who confronts"; so, well done Mr. Coughlin, in categorizing such. (05Feb) Cheers!

mesmerising and honest
as we watch with bated breath American troops and their Iraqi proxies fight tooth and nail to take the insurgent strong-hold of Fallujah in Iraq so i counsel all who care about what happens in this crucible to read and study carefully this magnificent book by the world's leading expert on Saddam Hussein. First, what this is not. In a new foreword Mr Coughlin admits with admirable honesty how he was taken as a fool by theshadowy people who live in the secret world of the spies. They fed him what he calls lies and he swallowed them as did others in a less exalted position. no excuses there then and now mr Coughlin says he wished he had known there were no weapons of mass destruction. Be that as it might mr Coughlin argues with real logic the West had to take out Saddam. I take issue with him not on the why but the how. surely our own elite forces, aided by the British and others, could have gone in quietly and done for him and his friends and family. had that happened we could have avoided the mess of today. that is only my viwqw it is a small objection to what is a wonderful guide to Iraq. Well done!

A detailed portrait of a vile dictator

In the middle of the year 2002, under the leadership of President George W. Bush, it had become clear to the nation that the U.S.-led war on terror would be expanding its measures to encompass the very heart of the middle east: the fertile crecent, Iraq. As a political science-broadcast journalism double major I found it most pertinent to make my opinion an educated one in regards to where I stand in the war on terror--and more specifically with the war on Iraq.
Con Coughlin's book was a milestone in my understanding of the life of Saddam Hussein (from his tragic childhood onward), the premises of the Gulf War, and the underlying facts of what seemed to me to be 'Gulf Wars: Episode II,' as the popular parody poster reads. It was smart, fast-paced, and not insulting to my intelligence like many historic journals that are not written for accomplished historians tend to be.
I am proud to say that after reading that book, written by an English Journalist, I know exactly where I stand in the war on terror and can honestly vouch that my vote will not be with Kerry. Historically, The Liberal America has been weak on National Security. Alger Hiss was made Secretary of State by Frank Roosevelt well after the FBI had produced documents declaring him a Soviet Spy. After Russian codes were effectively discovered and de-coded, the myth became fact and Hiss was arrested. Shortly after his release he received a standing ovation at Stanford University. Liberals also condemned Reagan for winning the cold war.
After reading 'Saddam: King of Terror,' I will not allow my country to be given to a group of people whom to this day still put the War on Terror in quotation marks. Finally, we have a president willing to put horrible, brutal, monsters to abrupt meetings with justice and will not let a coalition of interest groups interfere with the interests of the nation.
My only criticism of the book is the lack of chronological continuity. The text tends to jump from time to time here in there with confuses the flow of reading. On top of that, it throws a lot of Iraqi groups, organizations, and Arab names at you and expects you to remember them throughout the course of the book. My suggestion: take brief notes.


Interesting fact:Next to her husband, Eleonore Roosevelt's favorite man in the world was none other than Joseph Stalin, a man guilty of killing over 20,000,000 Georgians during his reign as Russian Premier.

A Timely Biography of a Vile Gangster
Con Coughlin's biography of Saddam Hussein is very well written.Coughlin eloquently reveals Saddam Hussein's true colors - colors that should dispel the liberal illusion that regime change in Iraq was wrong.In addition, Coughlin writes for London's Sunday Telegraph.His reporting is top-notch, his insights invaluable.A recent report of his was that of a hand written memo discovered by the Iraqi Governing Council addressed to Saddam Hussein, written by Tahir Jalil Habbush al-Tikriti, saying that Mohammed Atta (chief 9/11 hijacker) has completed his training w/Abu Nidal in Baghdad and is now ready to "destroy the targets we seek to destroy".The truth hurts - especially for liberal propagandists.This book is a succint and eloquent biography of one of history's most egregious tyrants.

This book is a sham
I recently purchased Con Coughlin's Saddam: King of Terror after reading Saddam Hussein: A Political Biogrpahy by Efraim Karsh and Inauri Rautsi.When I began reading Coughlin's book, certain phrases sounded rather familiar.Most of the material covered is exactly the same as Karsh and Rautsi's book with only a few minor differences.But far more importantly, on further investigation I found, without question, Mr. Coughlin is guilty of flat-out plagiarism.Whole phrases and passages are taken virtually word for word (and in some cases exactly word for word, without even adjusting the phrasing) from Karsh and Rautsi's Saddam Hussein: A Political Biography.For example, if you have access to a copy of Karsh and Rautsi's book, compare p. 153, (third paragraph) with Coughlin's p. 194 from the middle of the first full paragraph, beginning with "This guns-and-butter policy..."It's a shameless straight plagiarism!Notice Coughlin's book has no reviews on the back cover, an obvious tipoff to the dubious nature of this sham of a book. It is obvious that Coughlin has recycled, and in some instances blatantly plagiarized information that was carefully researched by other authors. Don't spend $27 on this book.I recommendEfraim Karsh and Inauri Rautsi's Saddam Hussein: A Political Biography. ... Read more

Book Description

Mark Knudsen is an adventurer who built an eighteen-foot flat-bottom johnboat and motored down the Mississippi River from Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico and lived the dream of many people. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Entertaining ride down the Mississippi
If you can't go down the Mississippi yourself, tag along with Knudsen!Meet the "river rats," see the sights, and even smell life on the river as Knudsen found it in 1993.I found this book to be entertainingAND educational.I hope Knudsen has other trips planned so I can journeyalong with him again. ... Read more

Book Description

Ireland's patron saint has long been shrouded in legend: he drove the snakes out of Ireland; he triumphed over Druids and their supernatural powers; he used a shamrock to explain the Christian mystery of the Trinity. But his true story is more fascinating than the myths. We have no surviving image of Patrick, but we do have two remarkable letters that he wrote about himself and his beliefs -- letters that tell us more about the heart and soul of this man than we know about almost any of his contemporaries. In St. Patrick of Ireland Philip Freeman brings the historic Patrick and his world vividly to life.

Born in Britain late in the fourth century to an aristocratic family, Patrick was raised as a Roman citizen and a nominal Christian, destined for the privileged life of the nobility.But just before his sixteenth birthday, he was kidnapped by Irish pirates and abducted to Ireland, where he spent six lonely years as a slave, tending sheep. Trapped in a foreign land, despondent, and at the mercy of his master, Patrick's ordeal turned him from an atheist to a true believer. After a vision in which God told him he would go home, Patrick escaped captivity and, following a perilous journey, returned to his astonished parents. Even more astonishing was his announcement that he intended to go back to Ireland and devote the rest of his life to ministering to the people who had once enslaved him.

One of Patrick's two surviving letters is a declaration written to jealous British bishops in defense of his activities in Ireland; the other is a stinging condemnation of a ruthless warlord who attacked and killed some of Patrick's Irish followers. Both are powerful statements remarkable for their passion and candor. Freeman includes them in full in new translations of his own.

Combining Patrick's own heartfelt account of his life as he revealed it himself with the turbulent history of the British Isles in the last years of the Roman Empire, St. Patrick of Ireland brilliantly brings to life the real Patrick, shorn of legend, and shows how he helped to change Irish history and culture. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

A Magical and Poetic Work of Art!!
I was shocked at how beautiful this biography turned out to be! I expected a lot of non-essential information, but there was a wealth of information on the real man who was St. Patrick.The author is a 'wielder of words' and really drew me into the life and times of St. Patrick.A lovely, highly-readable, and now very treasured book in my library!

The Truth about St. Patrick
In regard to the life of St. Patrick, there are a lot of misconceptions.It is a myth that St. Patrick drove the snakes out of Ireland.Even if this were true, it would not necessarily qualify him as a saint.Myths such as this were written only to further St. Patrick's legacy.St. Patrick is recognized as having brought Christianity to Ireland with dedication that could only have come from God.In his book, Philip Freeman, tells what we know to be the truth about the saint's life based on his personal letters.

Few people remember that Patrick was actually a British nobleman.At sixteen years of age, he was kidnapped from his homeland to be taken to Ireland in slavery.He spent six years in slavery before the voice of God told him how to escape.Escaping as worker on a cargo ship despite insurmountable odds, St. Patrick is able to return to his homeland.When he returns home, God informs him in a dream that he must return to Ireland to spread the Good News of the Lord.This was a job that few Christians wanted as Ireland was run by savage pagans.St. Patrick followed God's call and studied to become a deacon, then priest, before becoming the bishop of Ireland.His work is phenomenal because he reached so many people, most by preaching to individuals.While his education was more limited than many clergymen of his time, the simple truths he taught built a great nation of Christianity.

In the book, Freeman gives the best possible account of St. Patrick's life as the sparse records of the past will allow.Unlike other biographers, he does not embellish the life of this saint.Freeman's voice seems very removed from the subject as he writes giving the book a very impersonal feeling.I also object to the redundancy in Freeman's writing as he often repeats himself and goes for pages only writing about Patrick's era not St. Patrick himself.While I do not fault him for the limited amount of imformation on the saint's life, straying from the subject of St. Patrick's life for long periods of the book is inexcusable.That being said, the book is accurate and a easy read.

More than your money's worth
Philip Freeman's biography on St. Patrick is an excellent read.The reader receives a very enriching view on the Patrick of history, rather than the Patrick of legend, which is precisely what I was looking for.Freeman's prose is academic and very thought provoking, without being so academic that it prones one to narcolepsy or repetitive trips to the thesaurus.It easily holds one's interest, but leaves the reader desiring more information.This desire is not a result of any fault of the author's, rather than the limited available information on St. Patrick.Should one seek further knowledge on the saint, Freeman helps the reader's search by providing a detailed Suggested Reading section for each chapter and aspect of Patrick's life and ministry.
There is a pleasant surprise contained in this book, which I appreciated most.That surprise is the treasure-trove of additional information on Celtic society and history within and without Ireland, Roman civilization throughout the Empire, early church structure, theology, and politics, and numerous other jewels.Freeman doesn't just settle on simply telling the story of a great man.He paints the world that Patrick lived in and struggled against to rise as a great historical figure.The author doesn't paint the picture of Patrick's greatness.The reader arrives at this conclusion on his or her own, by reading this great book.

Excellent Biography of the Man, St. Patrick.
Although the holiday bearing his name has become associated with legend and myth, St. Patrick, the man, lived such a life that warrants admiration and commendation from Christians everywhere.The man behind the myths exemplifies the Christian life of sacrifice, reliance on God, love and passion for souls, and unfoundering hope in eternal life through Jesus Christ.

Philip Freeman's book St. Patrick of Ireland presents the life and times of St. Patrick.Patrick's story is inspiring and astonishing.It reads like an addition to the Book of Acts in the Bible.

Patrick was born in Britain in the late fourth century to an aristocratic family.Irish marauders kidnapped him from his home when he was 15 years old and took him as a slave to Ireland.He labored endlessly for six years before escaping and returning to Britain and his family.

Patrick had atheistic beliefs when kidnapped, but during the course of his slavery he was transformed into a devout Christian, burning with love for Christ.After several years of religious study, Patrick willingly journeyed back to Ireland on a mission to share the message of salvation with a godless people known for their barbarianism and paganism which he had experienced first hand.

Freeman tells the story of Patrick's life from information garnered from the two writings left by Patrick.These are two letters Patrick wrote from Ireland to Britain that relate significant events of his ministry and life in simple, honest language.Freeman also references other historical texts and archeological discoveries to explain the culture of Patrick's world.

Freeman displays his expertise in Irish history by offering the reader a comprehensive picture of the cultures in which Patrick lived.Freeman is a professor of Classics at Washington University in St. Louis and earned his Ph. D. in Classical Philology and Celtic Studies from Harvard University.His expertise in Irish history is apparent by his writing.He adroitly fills in many of the blanks concerning Patrick's life.

This biography illustrates the ordeals and sufferings of Patrick while a slave and while a missionary in Ireland, as well as highlighting his amazing accomplishments.At every turn Patrick faced opposition from Satan and from men.Freeman's writing reveals Patrick's closeness to God by emphasizing portions of Patrick's two letters that Freeman interpreted and included in full in this book.

Through Patrick's own words, we see his enthusiasm and love for the Irish.His words are reminiscent of Paul's writings to the Thessalonians and Philippians.They are the words of a shepherd about and to his sheep.

In his letter of confession, Patrick writes of his compulsion to preach to the Irish, "I must proclaim my good news, I must pay God back in some way for all that he has done for me here on earth and what he will do in eternity-blessings no one can even imagine...The love of Christ carried me here to be a help to these people for the rest of my life."

Freeman's biography of Patrick tells a story of transformation-the transformation of a selfish boy to a Christian man and the transformation of a pagan people to a people brimming with love for Christ.This story will change your perspective of the Christian life and will give you a reason to celebrate St. Patrick's Day as a day of devotion to God.

The Man--Not the Legend
It is nearly impossible to separate fact from legend when dealing with a figure like St. Patrick.And yet, if we are to find meaning in the lives of the saints so they can help us in our own striving, isn't it important to at least try to find the reality behind the stories?If it is, then Mr. Freeman has produced something very nice here.

If the truth be told, finding the facts about anyone living 1600 years ago is next to an impossible task.But, surprisin