Book Description

Reviews (11)

The last days of a fallen empire....
Fest, who is the author of one of the most authoritative biographies on Hitler, focuses on the final few days of the Third Reich in his new book. This is a really riveting book, and once you get past the first 15 or so pages, you won't want to put it down. Fest does a great job at describing the general disorganization and confusion of those final days, and showing just have bad Berlin had been destroyed by the Russian and American assault upon it. I think Fest does raise some good questions about Hitler and his importance in history. Also, the speculation that Hitler's aims and goals for the Third Reich were not for the betterment of civilization, but for the eventual destruction and enslavement of it, is an apt assessment. Also, Dembo's translation is much better than the translators for some of Fest's other works, and I think this also had a lot to do with why the book was so good. The reson why I gave it only 4 stars as opposed to 5 is that it does seem a little sketchy at times in its treatment of the Bunker, but then again, much is speculation anyway. Another reason for the 4 stars is that Fest really gives no dramatically new information here, but he makes other excellent observations and such that you just can't stop reading. A good companion to this tome would be UNTIL THE FINAL HOUR by Traudl Junge, Hitler's last secretary in the Bunker, so that one can get a historical, as well as personal, perspective on the events surrounding the fall of the Third Reich.

A Dark Ending to a Dark Time
Joachim Fest is a distinguished German journalist and the author of an acclaimed biography of Hitler. In "Inside Hitler's Bunker," he focuses on the last days of the Third Reich, beginning his narrative on April 16, 1945 as the Soviets open their final offensive against Berlin. The book explores the surreal and miserable world of the "Fuhrer Bunker" under the Reich Chancellery, the fanatical resistance and eventual collapse of the German armies defending Berlin, Hitler's delusional attempts to command armies that had been wiped out, and the astonishing willingness of soldiers and civilians to obey his orders until the very end.

This is a highly readable and very powerful book, and the translator (Margot Bettauer Dembo) deserves high marks for the result. I read the book avidly, and as soon as I was done my wife picked it up and did the same.

"Inside Hitler's Bunker" may be somewhat disappointing for those who have read a great deal about the Battle of Berlin or Hitler's last days (the book does not appear to break a great deal of new ground), but it will prove to be a gripping narrative for those who are new to the horrors of Berlin in 1945. Part of the continuing fascination of this dark time is the challenge of trying to understand the incomprehensible: how could a madman like Hitler stay in control of Germany in the last weeks of April 1945, and why did so many Germans follow him as he dragged them into the final catastrophe?

The answer to those questions may lie in the 12 years of indoctrination that preceded those fateful days in 1945. For a brief and readable perspective on this period (which has been thoroughly explored in numerous more massive tomes), you may want to try "Inside Hitler's Germany: Life Under the Third Reich" by Matthew Hughes and Chris Mann.

No Footnotes? Say What?
Personally, I'm not a big fan of having a tremendous amount of footnotes in a book. Then again, any book of history that doesn't contain any is immediately suspect. Generally speaking, "historians" who don't use footnotes are either: 1) Elderly; 2) Egotists; 3) Lazy; or 4) Glorified journalists.

Here's Joachim Fest's reason for not using footnotes in his book "Inside Hitler's Bunker":

"This volume contains no footnotes. Every citation or incident mentioned can be traced to a source, however. I decided not to use footnote references because of the hopeless confusion in the statements and testimony of the witnesses, much of which can no longer be cleared up. Too often a reference would have to be compared with one or more differing statements or descriptions."

In other words, this book is historical fiction. It's still worth reading, but then again, lazy, unaccountable scholarship should not be tolerated, especially for a subject as important as this one. Was Fest hoping that, because he wrote an acclaimed biography of Hitler, that he was therefore an "expert" and could get away with this sort of thing?

Sure, I'm not blind to the fact that there are so many contradictory accounts concerning Hitler, that the logistics of unravelling the truth about his reign are formidable. Then again, that is what HISTORIANS do. Surely at least a FLAVOR of the problems in writing this sort of book might have been attempted to be conveyed in a few judicious notes.

Very Interesting But...
Fest has written a very good account of Hitler's and the Reich's last days. However, there is a glaring error or at the very least, an ambiguity that I have not heard others mention in their reviews.

Page 111 states that Hitler had his last meal at 2 P.M. on April 30, 1945, the historically accepted day of his suicide. However page 115 mentions that "...some witnesses say they heard one shot at about 3:30 in the morning." That would make it May 1, 1945. Page 123 then goes on to say that Hitler died on the afternoon of April 30, 1945.

Additionally, page 116 says that Hitler died on a '"...flowered sofa." while the sofa may have had flowers in the pattern, the primary motif was a Russian Cossaack on horseback with sword drawn.

Joachim includes interesting details that some accounts fail to mention. He accurately records that Hiter was shot with a 7.65-mm Walther pistol (not a revolver). He also mentions that Eva Hitler was found with a pistol that was unfired. He excludes the fact that the smaller gun was in fact also Hitler's, the one he carried since the 20's in a holster built into his pants.

This book is an excellent addition to others about Hitler's last days in the bunker, but not the best work on the subject .

A FITTING END
As World War II was coming to an end and the Russian armies were marching towards Berlin, Hitler and some of his most die-hard supporters hid themselves in a secret bunker deep underground. This excellent book lays out the events that were happening inside the bunker and also in the streets outside as the dream of a maniac was coming to an end.

As you read you see a Hitler who still has dreams of the Americans and Russians turning against each other and Hitler coming in as the cavalry to aid the US. The bunker was a fertile playground for pipedreams of still being able to win the war even as the cement was falling from the ceilings as bombs struck overhead. It made me think of the Iraqi press officer in the recent war as Americans were invading the country saying that all the Americans had been kicked out and defeated.

The portrait of Hitler that emerges is the mentality of a gang leader. He wasn't a visionary. He wanted to kill, loot, and pillage. The world was nothing more than a theater of death to him. He refused to almost the end to surrender, instead bringing needless destruction and death to his people. It seemed that he resented the German people in a way simply because they were gullible enough to do everything he said. My god, where was a voice of reason in the Germany of that era? To me, it seems as though it was a terrorist state.

Another disturbing aspect of it was the devotion of his followers and the idealism of the Nazi way of life. For example, Magda Goebbels, on realizing the end of the war, became so depressed that she killed all her children and then committed suicide along with her husband. These people really thought they were mideval knights, holding up some code of chivalry and social codes while they were killing millions of Jews, Russians, and Americans. It almost felt good to read about the end of this horrible state and the absurdity as the people around Hitler struggled amongst themselves to be his successor like there was a future for the Nazi party. ... Read more

Book Description

The Freud Encyclopedia: Theory, Therapy, and Cultureis a comprehensive, one-volume reference work containing entries on the life, work, and theories of Sigmund Freud.

Latest scholarship on key Freudian theories and concepts. The book discusses the most recent work on such topics as the theory of dreams, the concept of repression, defense mechanisms, and the Oedipus complex. Also included are essays on later psychoanalytic theories such as object relations and self psychology.

Information on psychoanalytic therapy and techniques The encyclopedia contains a wealth of articles on all aspects of the practices and its theories of psychoanalysis. As the founder of psychoanalysis, Freud is a seminal figure in the development of techniques of treatment and of the philosophical foundations of the psychoanalytic movement.

Biographies of major figures The book includes biographical sketches of Freud himself and of the leading figures in the Freudian movement, including Melanie Klein, Karl Abraham, and Otto Rank. Essays can also be found on philosophers who anticipated or influenced Freud, such as Schopenhauer, Brentano, and Nietzsche.

International in scope The encyclopedia has essays on psychoanalytic developments in twenty-five countries and covers the criticisms and defenses of Freud's work written by leading specialists around the world.

Sigmund Freud is regarded as one of the most influential figures of the twentieth century, and interest in his life and work remains high. This book will contribute to a further understanding of his influence and of the current evaluations and debates surrounding his work. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Review of Freud & Freudianism
Erwin's Freud Encyclopedia is a curious mixture of very scholarly articles clearly aimed to impress other scholars and/or to make a major contribution to Freud scholarship and many articles designed to introduce educated laymen to the work of Sigmund Freud. Happily, the latter is the dominant portion. Of some 240 articles I found at least a dozen nearly impenetrable, either because of the technical demands or abominable style. Another two dozen were difficult but not of any general interest. That leaves roughly 200 articles that were interesting and readable - not a bad percentage.

When I turned to write my review of the encyclopedia, my eye caught a previous review which expressed unhappiness with the encyclopedia solely on the basis of a single article. This is astonishing when one considers not a single encyclopedia ever has been or ever will be written that doesn't contain a very bad article. The problem is that in this case the wrong article was selected for condemnation.

The article in question is by Charles Socarides, a psychiatrist well known for his anti-homosexual outlook. In the case in question, however, Socarides confines himself to Freud's views about homosexuality and does not express his own. Thus, maintaining, as the author does, that Socarides is the wrong man for the job is a plain mistake. The article is actually one of the best in the encyclopedia and it lays out in clear but elegant language what Freud thinks. Unlike his predecessor, Krafft-Ebing, Freud did not think homosexuality a dark perversion but provided a sympathetic portrayal of it. Moreover, even if Freud did have by contemporary standards, a preposterous understanding of homosexuality, it would be important to know what he thought. In fact, he had no preposterous ideas.

The encylopedia is not redundant. There are other psychoanalytic encyclopedias that deal with the standard topics but they do not limit themselves to Freud's views about these matters. Accordingly, they do not cover Freud on these matters to the same degree of depth. Here we do not merely have articles on repression, catharsis, infantile sexuality but Freud on each of these issues. Consequently, the articles are less surveyish in character. Thousands of articles have been written on, say, infantile sexuality, including the Freudian view of it but inevitably something is lost - namely, how Freud himself elaborated the topic.

The work is obviously the product of almost a decade of work if for no other reason than that it contains so many superstars as contributors. There is always a bit of the prima donna in such persons and one can just imagine the delicate negotiations the editor must have exhaustively carried on. I would recommend this book for every psychoanalyst, of course. That goes almost without saying. Also there is much here for general psychiatrists and clinical psychologists, whether Freudian, "eclectic" or what-have-you. Clinical social workers may also have good use for the book but the price is steep. Still, pricewise, it beats long term subscriptions to 90% of the journals.

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Review of Encyclopedia of Freud & Freudianism
As a licensed clinical social worker and teacher, I have studied Freud and experienced his influence in many fields of study including psychology, education, anthropology and sociology. This is by far the best psychoanalytic encyclopedia I have ever consulted, suitable for all professionals and interested laymen.

Comments on a Mistaken Review
Whether Sigmund Freud was mainly right or mainly wrong, his ideas have had an astonishing range of influence in anthropology, psychology, psychiatry, history, philosophy, art, cinema, and literature. The recently published "Freud Encyclopedia: Theory, Therapy, and Culture" represents the best of recent Freud scholarship. It contains approximately 240 entries written by past presidents of the American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychoanalytic Association, the American Philosophical Association, and the Psychoanalytic Division of the American Psychological Association, and by leading Freud scholars from around the world...

The encyclopedia contains an entry on Freud's theory of homosexuality but none on homosexuality per se; the criticized essay explains Freud's views but does not claim that homosexuality is a treatable perversion. That claim appears nowhere in the encyclopedia...

Edward Erwin, Editor, "The Freud Encyclopedia" ... Read more

Book Description

'A thrilling reading experience! One of the greatest adventure stories of our times' - New York Times Book Review. In 1914 Ernest Shackleton and a crew of 27 men, sailed for the South Atlantic on the 'Endurance' with the object of crossing the Antarctic over land. In October 1915, still half a continent away from their intended base, the ship was trapped, then crushed in ice. For five months Shackleton and his men, drifting on ice packs, were castaways in one of the world's most savage regions. This gripping book based on firsthand accounts of crew members, describes how the men survived, living together in camps on the ice for 17 months, how they were attacked by sea leopards, had to kill their beloved dogs whom they could no longer feed, and suffered disease with no medicines (an operation to amputate the foot of one member of the crew was carried out on the ice). Their extraordinary indefatigability and their lasting civility towards one another in the most adverse conditions shines through. ... Read more

Reviews (332)

An Antidote for the Age of Whining and Self-Absorption
Everything that defines courage and leadership for our age and any other is within the 280 pages of this wonderful book. For nearly two years, in conditions of constant zero and below cold, freezing wet, and often hunger, Ernest Shackleton kept all 27 men who sailed with him on the Endurance alive to eventually return to the England they left on the verge of World War I. That single-minded devotion to his men should make this book required reading for every would-be politician and corporate executive before he dares ask for the faith, trust and respect of those he would lead.

Lansing dedicated the book "In appreciation for whatever it is that makes men accomplish the impossible." He wisely and without flourish often lets the men's own words -- through the journals that many of them kept at the time and in interviews forty years later -- tell their extraordinary story, each stage of which reads more harrowing than the last. On an expedition that would have attempted to cross the Antarctic on foot (a feat not accomplished until four decades later), the Endurance is trapped in pack ice before it can reach shore. Shackleton's perhaps foolhardy original goal thus turns to keeping his men alive until they can be rescued. After ten months locked in the drifting pack, the Endurance is crushed and the men forced to abandon her for an ice floe, then several weeks later a smaller floe still. Eventually they take to three boats to reach forlorn Elephant Island from which Shackleton takes a skeleton crew of five and in a 22 foot open boat navigates the enormous seas of Drake's Passage to South Ascension Island. Once there he only (only!) has uncharted glaciers to cross to reach the whaling station on the other side of the island from which rescue of the Elephant Island castaways is eventually launched. The only other crossing of South Georgian Island by foot at the time Lansing wrote in 1959 occurred on a "easier" route with equipment and time. Shackleton had neither, only a fifty foot piece of rope, a carpenter's adze, and the knowledge that to stop moving was to invite death by freezing. At journey's end, to the astonished manager of the whaling factory, he says simply, "My name is Shackleton." I would have liked to have known him and all his men.

An Amazing True Life Adventure Story
I purchased this book for my husband, never intending on reading it myself, but after his raves and recommendations I finally picked it up, and read it with great relish from page 1 to the end. This is surely one of the greatest true life adventure stories of all time. Even though I knew the eventual outcome of this survival tale, I was kept completely captivated by the events as they unfolded, and the almost unbelievable conditions that these men faced. Lansing's well written book presents the facts in a story form that flows easily from event to event. I purchased the illustrated edition, and the wonderful photos were well worth the extra cost. Hurley's photos illustrated the book in a way that no words could, and I found myself frequently turning back to review them.

Even knowing the ending, it's a page turner
I'm a fan of survivalist accounts such as "Seven Years in Tibet," and "In the Heart of the Sea." And I loved this true account of the voyage/survival of Shackleton's crew in the Antarctic.

Asking friends and relatives if they've read it, I've heard, "I started it, but I didn't want to see everyone die!" So here's the *spoiler...nobody dies! *

The capacity of the human body to survive and of the human brain to figure out how to do it never ceases to amaze me.

Lansing's account ingeniously pieces together journals of the men involved and includes riveting details without ever being too gory. Even knowing the ending, it's a page turner. I've heard that this is the most involving of all the accounts published...coming across more like a story and less a documentary.

The images of the men on the ice have completely captivated me...the sounds and the movement. Be prepared to grab a blanket and a snack as you read (something not made of penguin)...you'll feel like you're there.

ICY Adventure
this book is about how you SHOULD live!
Go for it!

Warning: You will not be able to put it down.
I agree with many others this must be one of the greatest survival stories ever told. If you have read the The Longest Walk and found it to be a page turner you will not go wrong buying Endurance. And we know for sure that Endurance is all true. ... Read more

Book Description

Described by the Chicago Tribune as "a classic," The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt stands as one of the greatest biographies of our time.The publication of The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt on September 14th, 2001 marks the 100th anniversary of Theodore Roosevelt becoming president. ... Read more

Reviews (113)

Unmatched detail, Hyper-scrupulous research, VERY readable
Morris somehow manages to bring TR to life to the point that he practically stands up and walks out of the book into your living room. Even more impressive, Morris does this while dutifully retaining objectivity, giving equal and judicious space to the man's (relatively few) shortcomings and quirks. The result is that the reader lives through nearly every fascinating detail of how a real human being named Theodore Roosevelt surmounted his very human hurdles ultimately to develop into the true larger-than-legend icon he was and is. As much as I have enjoyed other TR biographies (e.g. by McCullough, by Miller) these do not quite reach the level achieved by Morris. The only disappointment is that the book focuses only on his life to the point of ascending to the Vice-Presidency, but after all the title is The RISE of Theodore Roosevelt . . . On rare occasions, the most detailed and honest truth is the most interesting story to read; this is one of them, don't miss it.

Not much to add, a well deserved 5 stars (and Pulitzer too!)
This biography is one of the most thorough and enjoyable I have read. If there has been controversy over Morris' Reagan bio, at least it brought attention to this book. Morris drew a portrait of Roosevelt and his era and it came to life for me. I particularly enjoyed the description of the political scene of the time, especially the New York State assembly and further on to Boss Platt, Senator Hanna, and the other backroom operatives. Morris does not hide the negative side of TR, the snobbery, the hypocrisy, and the naked jingoism. As a Canadian, Roosevelt took Manifest Destiny to extremes and one sympathized with those who considered him a loose cannon. At the same time, this book shows his drive, energy, and his willingness to put himself face-first into anything, be it the Spanish American War, the unpopular anti-saloon enforcement in NYC, or any of his western adventures. I highly recommend this biography to anyone interested in history, Americana, or the times of the later 19th century.

dscyoung
Outstanding! McCullough and others have done wonderful things with Presidential biographies; however, Morris has brought Roosevelt alive like no other. The struggles young Roosevelt endured are a inspiration. His genius is detailed in true color. I couldn't wait to pick up Theodore Rex. Looking for a hero in todays rough and tumble? Look no further than TR.

Wow! An outstanding story about an amazing person
Teddy Roosevelt is surely one of the most captivating figures in history, and this book is an incredibly lively and vivid chronicle of his rise to the American presidency. Edmund Morris writes in delightful prose with colorful imagery and funny stories, and provides an astounding level of detail. You will not want to put down this book; it is as mesmerizing as Tolkien's Ring. It is hard to imagine a better-written story. Mr. Roosevelt is abundant in charisma, intelligence, and drive. If you can only read one book on the man, choose this one.

A Rising Start!
"The Rise Of Theodore Roosevelt" tells the outstanding story of the pre-presidential years of this remarkable individual. In an attention-holding style, Morris relates the anecdotes known to all TR fans. In addition to the well known facts, Morris reveals lesser known facts which help us to understand TR and his career.

Beginning with he President's New Year's Day Reception of 1907, the book quickly jumps back to a very youthful TR. In the following pages we read of the close relationship between TR and his father. We read of the father who, by example and word, taught TR his greatest virtues of honesty, social responsibility and concern for others. It was this father who drove him through the streets of New York to get him over his asthma attacks as well as the one who told him that he "had the mind, but not the body" and that he must build his body. When TR was contemplating a scientific career, it was this father who told him that he could pursue such a career, "if I intended to do the very best that was in me; but that I must not dream of taking it up as a dilettante", but that he would have to learn to live within his means. Theodore Roosevelt, Sr.'s payment of a substitute during the Civil War left his son with a sense of guilt which could only be assuaged by his own military service. We learn of the shattering effect that this father's death had on the Harvard student. As president, TR would remark that he never took any serious step without contemplating what his father would have done.

Much attention is given to the "Roosevelt Museum of Natural History" assembled by the young taxidermist. This was the first of three career paths considered by TR, scientific, which he abandoned, literary, which supported him for much of his life, and political, which became his life work.

We learn of TR's loves, both of Edith and Alice. We learn of how TR pursued love with the same vigor and intensity that he pursued everything else which he desired. The death of his mother and Alice on Valentine's Day, 1884, which drove him into ranching in Dakota, would be almost as shattering as the death of his father.

There are details of TR's young life of which I had been unaware, prominent among them are his extensive travels in Europe and the Middle East.

In the course of this book we see the step by step maturation of TR from the snobbish Harvard freshman to the inclusive leader which he later became. College, romance, politics, ranching and war all played their parts in the development of the character of TR.

During his political career, TR's outlooks on issues developed, but his core values never wavered. From his first caucus meeting, uncompromising honesty was a trademark of TR's character and his demand from others.

TR always walked a tight rope between independence and party loyalty, earning both the support an enmity of reformers and the organization alike.

After having established himself as an unrelenting foe of corruption during his service on the U. S. Civil Service Commission and the New York Board of Police Commissioners, his appointment as Assistant Secretary of the Navy enabled TR to act on the world stage. Taking advantage of Secretary Long's frequent and extended absences, TR prepared the Navy for its spectacular successes in the Spanish-American War., a war which TR had worked so hard to bring about.

The war gave TR the opportunity to pay his inherited debt by service in the Rough Riders. Organizing a volunteer cavalry of westerners, Indians and Ivy League athletes, TR had to work to get his men equipped and to the front. Their heroic charge up San Juan Hill is the stuff of which legends are mad and TR made his legend as a Rough Rider.

Exploiting his martial glory, TR road into the Governor's mansion where he continued to walk the fine line between independence and party loyalty. His successes he won and the enemies he made lead him to the vice-presidency.

I have mentioned just a few of the highlights of TR's young life, but this book covers many more. Morris employs a talent to tell the details without becoming bogged down. Read "The Rise Of Theodore Roosevelt" to learn of TR's early life and character and then bring on "Theodore Rex". ... Read more

Book Description

Part One Of Two Parts

It is hard to imagine anything new about Churchill. But in this life of the young lion, William Manchester brings us fresh encounters and anecdotes. Alive with examples of Churchill's early powers, THE LAST LION entertains and instructs.

"Manchester is not only master of detail, but also of `the big picture.'...I daresay most Americans reading THE LAST LION will relish it immensely." (National Review) ... Read more

Reviews (48)

Volume 1 of the life of Winston Spencer Churchill
"The Last Lion: Visions of Glory, 1874-1932," is the first of William Manchester's projected three-volume biography of Winston Spencer Churchill. I found it a superbly crafted, supremely well researched account of the first 58 years of the life of the 20th century's greatest statesman. With wit and candor, Manchester chronicles Churchill from his earliest days as the neglected and troublesome first child of Lord Randolph Churchill and his American-born wife, Jennie, to his entry into the political "wilderness" over home rule in India in 1932. Manchester's portrait of his subject is balanced and objective; we see Churchill at his finest: a courageous (almost to the point of foolhardiness) army officer, and later a gifted Member of Parliament who became one of the youngest Cabinet ministers in British history. We also see him at his worst: a Cabinet minister with appalling political judgment at times, quick to meddle in other ministers' affairs while neglecting his own, and with an uncanny ability to alienate not only his political foes, but almost all his political allies as well.

In addition to a wonderfully written chronology of Churchill's life, Manchester provides an overview of the times in which Churchill lived. I was fascinated by the author's account of Victorian England -- its culture, its mores, and its view of itself in the world. The sections which describe Churchill's times make highly entertaining and absorbing reading by themselves.

"The Last Lion: Visions of Glory, 1874-1932," clearly shows why William Manchester is one of the pre-eminent biographers at work today. The book is written with obviously meticulous scholarship, insightful analysis, and crisp, sparkling prose; I have yet to find a better account of Churchill's life. Now, if only Mr. Manchester would give us that third volume . . .

Churchill Saves the World
Having read Manchester's incomparable biography of Winston Churchill, one is struck by the supernatural, almost superhuman aspect of his subject. Churchill is, in my humble opinion, one of the greatest politicians of the twentieth century -- or as Manchester says, The greatest nineteenth century politician who remained to challenge his sinister twentieth century counterparts.

This first novel of his early years show the struggle, his toil, his stolen successes, his vision ignored or supplanted by lesser men. Reviewing the life and decisions of Churchill reveal a striking fact -- he was almost never wrong. A casual reader might attribute this to "common sense", but those who drink history more deeply are less likely to accept such a simple view. To one living at the time, Hitler had many facets of his leadership that would attract many modern readers -- he was the first leader of a major nation to embrace enviornmentalist policies, the first to embrace technological development as a means to improving national utility, and most importantly the only leader to move his nation out of the great depression. It is a measure of Churchill's greatness that he saw through all of these things, and was the only - literally the only - major political figure in the world to strongly and resolutely attack the emergence of the German National Socialist Movement before, during, and after its rise to power. Prior to reading Manchester's bio, I had assumed that Churchill was in some way right for the wrong reasons, as so often occurs in history, and his subsequent election as Prime Minister was the result of his record, regardless of his reasons. I was wrong.

Manchester shows us that Churchill got it almost exactly right: conservative enough to defend his principles, yet liberal enough to innovate and excel at innovation throughout his carreer. Unshakably rooted in his beliefs, and sincerely willing to sacrifice his self interest to them (a trait which, I confess, I have seen no more than once or twice in historical oand modern individuals), he simultaneously was able to marry this rocklike character with an amazing ability to innovate: technologically, strategically, and politically. Manchester does him service by this excellent bio, to which my only question is, when is the last installment due

The Man of the Century
Manchester's work is extraordinary and a journey into the making of a great leader of the world that was the 20th century.

Churchill was a man of vision and he was molded in his early years. Manchester makes a case for his growth coming in the Boar War period.

There is a beginning of greatness. Manchester introduces us to the world that formed this great man.

Understand the most Remarkable Man of the 20th Century
This is an excellent book on the first half of the life of a truly exceptional man. Mr Manchester's book deals with Winston's early life and his rise to power and fame. I particularly liked the vignettes about life at the turn of the century; the social situation, the class struggle, the morals of the upper and the working classes.

Just reading it makes you feel somehow inadequate against the intellectual brilliance, courage and sheer energy of the subject.

It would have merited a full five star rating but for two faults. It should have been shorter. It as if every single little titbit of information had to be written out in full, rather than filtered through the critical intellect that Mr Manchester undoubtedly possesses. Instead, he quotes too many letters, reports and speeches in full when his job as a biographer was to summarise them.

The second fault was Mr Manchester's tendency to lionise his subject. Brilliant he may have been, but a bit more acknowledgement of Winston's faults would have made him more human and reachable.

But this is nitpicking. Overall the book is a good read on a subject well worth reading about.

Read both books - Best history/biography ever!
Many lists say the best historical biography is "Disraeli" by Blake. This is better. Way better.

The only author that has ever kept me glued to a book as much as Manchester's is Michael Crichton. It's odd to compare a biography to Jurassic Park, but Manchester makes history come alive. He spends a lot of time and care setting the "culture" in a way that is not pedantic or boring (unlike some Civil War histories I've read!). And then he builds on Churchill's stories in a way that makes you feel like you're in Churchill's shoes, with the same issues and challenges.

Unfortunately, there is no Volume 3 about the war years. Manchester's illness prevented this. What a sad loss to history.

Read Vol 1 and 2. You won't regret it. ... Read more

Book Description

To tie in with the paperback publication of volume II of Blanche Wiesen Cook's acclaimed biography of Eleanor Roosevelt

"Mrs. Roosevelt's autobiography is above all the portrait of a person. The history it gives is history as she has seen it-not in the round but directly, with her clear and candid eye. Since, however, she has seen so much and from so central a point of vision, her reflections on our world and on our human prospects have more than an autobiographical interest. She is a very wise woman, and it would be correspondingly unwise not to take notice of her hopes-and fears."
-Barbara Ward ... Read more

Reviews (3)

An amazing, fascinating woman writes a dull, lifeless book
Eleanor Roosevelt's autobiography provides very little information about her life. She vaguely refers to many seemingly important events (such as the death of her father, her husband's presidency) with little emotion and no detail whatsoever. If you know a lot about her and the politics of the time already, it may offer an interesting perspective. If you want to know details of ER's incredibly interesting life, read her biography by Blanch Weisen Cook.

From Ugly Duckling to Powerful Woman
This autobiography is in four parts. The first one is about her childhood, the second and third part mostly about FDR, something she admits in the beginnning of the chaper. It gives a nice insight in who they both lived together although we know now there was a lot more going on (FDR's affair) which is not in her autobiography.

A nice turn of events comes after the death of FDR. Instead of retiring silently ad Hyde Park she takes on an active role in public life, being present at the founding of the UN and being a member of the committe on human rights which would lead to the Declaration of Human Rights. She also writes extensively about her travels around the world where she interviewed world leaders. Her visits to Israel and the Soviet Union are fascinating to read about.

A Life Story Well Told: The Autobiography of Elenor Roosevet
The Autobiography of Elenor Roosevelt, by Elenor Roosevelt, tells the story of a grat woman, one who greatly impacted the lives of many Americans. In her own words, the modest Elenor Roosevelt begins her life story describing her childhood in great detail and continues through her later years. This book not only tells the life story of this remarkable woman, but teaches a history lesson of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. ... Read more

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Robert Caro's Master of the Senate examines in meticulous detail Lyndon Johnson's career in that body, from his arrival in 1950 (after 12 years in the House of Representatives) until his election as JFK's vice president in 1960. This, the third in a projected four-volume series, studies not only the pragmatic, ruthless, ambitious Johnson, who wielded influence with both consummate skill and "raw, elemental brutality," but also the Senate itself, which Caro describes (pre-1957) as a "cruel joke" and an "impregnable stronghold" against social change. The milestone of Johnson's Senate years was the 1957 Civil Rights Act, whose passage he single-handedly engineered. As important as the bill was--both in and of itself and as a precursor to wider-reaching civil rights legislation--it was only close to Johnson's Southern "anti-civil rights" heart as a means to his dream: the presidency. Caro writes that not only does power corrupt, it "reveals," and that's exactly what this massive, scrupulously researched book does. A model of social, psychological, and political insight, it is not just masterful; it is a masterpiece. --H. O'Billovich ... Read more

Reviews (104)

Best of the Three Volumes
After reading all 1,040 pages of this biography cum political history there is something to be said for the book. Richard Caro does not admire LBJ. But there is much not to like about LBJ. In the worst way he was deceitful, manipulative, crude, selfish, cowardly, and dishonest, however he was also smart, a very hard worker, willing to make sacrifices to serve ambition, a student of human nature and thrived on politics. He knew what he had to do to get power and, when he had power, he knew how to use it. Caro's research is thorough yet he does not get lost in minutia. There is not a dull page in this tome. For an historian he has a smooth, if not elegant, writing style - reminiscent of David McCullough or Doris Kerns Goodwin.
While this book covers only about 12 years of Johnson's life, it is rich in politics and history. For each biographical episode Caro sets the historical foundation to better understand the flow, the impact and importance of events. A compelling example of this concerns civil rights legislation. Caro does not limit his investigation to the weeks and months preceding the passage of the voting registration law of 1957, rather he goes back to Reconstruction and gives an historical thread up to the 1950's just to get the proper perspective. In this connection, LBJ for years stood with the South and shamelessly blocked civil rights legislation - doing do as a Senator, as minority leader and then as majority leader. It was at the 1956 Democratic convention that he got a rude awakening. He sincerely believed that he had a respectable chance at the nomination for president. It was there he learned that in the eyes of the rest of the country he was just another southern bigot. For the 1960 presidential run he would have to change that image by becoming a champion of civil rights. In executing this turn-around and orchestrating the passage of the first civil rights bill in 72 years Johnson's performance is truly masterful. History and personal ambition came together to serve the county. You can take the last 200 pages of this book alone and sell a 100,000 copies!

Caro Delivers on LBJ Again.
As usual, Mr. Caro's work on LBJ is excellent. In particular, the book starts with a very absorbing overview of the US Senate, showcasing the concept of the founding fathers to make the Senate a bastion of calm and reason. However, he also shows the Senate's inherent flaws so keenly exploited by the southern senators who for many generations successfully fought off Civil Rights legislation. Mr. Caro includes a sobering and retrospective view of the Senate's inherent isolationism to include "what if" the Senate had ratified the Treaty of Versailles and America had joined the League of Nations.

As an historian with a deep background in 20th Century America, I have a professional interest in the topic, but so should any reader with an interest in 1950's America, in particular during the tumultuous challenges brought on by the Cold War and the fight for Civil Rights .

However, this book definitively showcases LBJ's years in the Senate. He remains a larger-than-life figure in American politics and his "history" is truly extraordinary.

A master work with a central flaw
I have read all three of Robert Caro's volumes on LBJ with fascination. Caro is unsurpassed as a researcher, and while there is far too much repetition here (similar evidence marshalled to make a similar point) and too wide a sense of relevance (was it necessary to spend a chapter, for example, on Coke Stevenson's happy marriage AFTER he lost the 1948 Democratic Primary for the Senate to LBJ?) and a lot of stagey writing, too (eg, thundering one-sentence paragraphs), the degree to which Caro succeeds in reconstructing a context for the most minute of LBJ's machinations gives priceless insight and makes this a truly exciting work to read.
The great flaw of these books, however, is that they make Johnson a one-dimensional character, a tireless self-seeker and manipulator of men and women who cannot live a day without furthering his ambitions. In the service of his cause, Caro's Johnson never commits himself, never gives a hint of his true views, if he has any. He started out as a New Dealer but with Southern Conservatives he always behaved like one of them. Then finally, added to this portrait of the shamelessly sycophantic bully, Caro also would have us believe that Johnson all along was an idealist who really wanted to help people, a trait that Caro sees expressed in LBJ's heroic early performance as a teacher of poor Texas children. This assessment will be borne out by the record of LBJ's presidency (Caro is still at work), when Johnson did abandon his Southern base and revert to the emulation of his original model, FDR. But there is no way that the Johnson has described so far will be able convincingly to be transformed into the idealistic reformer president Caro hints at in volume theree. The complexity of motivation simply isn't there in these three volumes. Caro's LBJ seems always to be approached through the eyes of others, whereas LBJ's own point of view remains elusive.
LBJ's life makes a fascinating story--that of a man who used every dirty trick in the book on his way to the top, then tried to use his position to help people. Caro's book would have been better titled LBJ and the Art of Corruption, for he shows that part of the story brilliantly--how money and power work together (roughly, power equals money squared). It's the other side of the story that is unconvincing here, and we are still left wondering Who is the real LBJ?

Like chinese food: an hour later, you're hungry again
I should start by saying I feel badly that I am only giving this book two stars, but I think the biggest factor affecting the rating should be the book's substance and general tone, and that is what I take issue with. That said, I will point out that the style of writing is classic and the sort that only appears in great works of nonfiction. Caro really is a very skilled writer and others should emulate his phraseology.

The problem with the book is that, even though it's 1000 pages long, it feels oddly unsatisfying. I read it through and found myself asking, "Wait, how did he get control of the Senate again?" When you really look at it, Caro tends to say things like, "If so-and-so senator couldn't be persuaded by money or by concessions [or whatever else], then Johnson would just use his power to get the vote." Caro seems to keep using this phrase - Johnson would just use his "power" - to explain things. But that doesn't explain anything, and when you dig down to see what it means, Caro doesn't have any more of an answer than anyone else. He fails to really convey the "why" of things - why no one would vote for Estes Kefauver to get one some committee, or why everyone followed Russell's word so closely, or why the Policy committee decided so much. Any attempt to explain it just hits up against some well-written but basically empty passage saying how "clever" or "feared" or "powerful" Johnson or Russell was.

The real reason for this failure is the basic exaggeration of Johnson's power. Caro makes him out to be the wisest, cleverest person since Solomon. But instead of being "Master of the Senate," Johnson is really just "Master of His Times." That is because Johnson, instead of imposing his will on the majority, like some seem to believe, really just shepherded the pre-existing will to passage. The heart of the book, the struggle over the 1957 Civil Rights bill, proves this. It passed not because Johnson singlehandedly made them do it, but because there was finally enough liberal support, coupled with Republican votes, to make it happen. Johnson may have insisted on making the deal, but any majority leader in office at the time could have done so as well.

So the book's main failure is one of emphasis. By devoting so much well-written copy to a great story (but re-telling it with Johnson as the prime mover), Caro gives too much credit to his subject, and his slippery definition of the exact source of Johnson's power is a symptom of this. Many future politicians will surely try to use this book to imitate Johnson's feats; too bad there really isn't anything particularly exceptional to learn from them.

4 Volumes on a Dead Man. What a Waste of Time
4 Volumes on a Dead Man. What a Waste of Time.

Homo-Erotism of a Dead President. LBJ Dead since 1973.
I am always curious why smart people devote years obsessed with dead people, not to mention dead people from the long past.

It must be a man acting out their homo-erotic fantasies out of another man. Of course, LBJ was Texas roughneck, cowboy, and Robert Caro, the pencil-neck geek must find this guy attractive.

LBJ died in 1973 from a Heart Attack. He got kick out after one term in office, the Vietnam War was a diaster. The welfare state left us with billions in debt.

All this can be debated in academic circles. But why devote three books to a man dead since 1973.

Robert Caro, please get a life, a real job. All humans born, live and then die. The USA life expectancy is about 72. We can debate politics and so on.

Weak males tend to be attracted to strong, dominating males and that explains why Robert Caro is devoting three books to a dead man. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Great Book
James and Deloris met in high school after attending a basketball game. They married on Feb. 17, 1963. Michael one of four children was born. The youngest son of the Jordan household, baseball was Michaels favorite sport. One day his father put up two wooden backboards and baskets and gave the boys a basketball. They called it the Rack. Michael practiced often to try to keep up with his brothers. When in high school it was recommended he attend a basketball camp known as a Five
Star Camp. Education was always important to his parents, they knew that unless he was a good student all of his athletic talent would go to waste. In the fall of 1981 Michael enrolled in the University of North Carolina. After playing for three years there was little left for Michael to accomplish. He decided to turn pro and on June 19, 1984 he was picked by the Chicago Bulls. He made history and won championships for the Bulls and won consecutive MVP awards.

I liked this book very much. It is very hard to shorten in length the information this book has given me about the life of this great basketball star.

The saddest part of the book was when they talked about his father dying. From what the police could piece together James had apparantley pulled of the highway to take a nap and was attacked by two eighteen year old boys. They were later arrested and charged for the murder of James Jordan. Michael retired to spend more time with his family.

Caseys MJ review
On the court with...michael jordan was the best book I've ever read. it waz soooo cool. It had everything i needed for my book project that i had to do for school. I learned so much about michael jordan after reading that book. i recommend u buy this book.i would give it 5 stars cause it waz the best.bye

the phat mj
i think this book was the best book.i also hink mj is the best b-ball player well untill i come into the nba!=)i like how it tell about all his life and how he didnt make the high school team and i also learned a lot more than i already new i hope u read it

This is a good book.
The number one sports writer for kids, Matt Christopher, writes about basketball superstar Michael Jordan, the greatest basketball player ever. He covers his childhood, college career, his spectacular debut year in the NBA, his Championship years, and his current proffesional standing. Matt Christopher's easy-to-read style of writing makes this even better.

I love this book because it tells you about Michaels life
In this book you learn about Michael's life and his struggles and his sucsess. When he was young he always played basketball with his dad,James. As he got older he grew very close to his dad. His dad was his best friend. In 1992 his dad got murded and Michael was in shock. He quit basketball to be with his family. He joined baseball for awhile, but then he quit. He then went back to play basketball for his dad. I loved this book. It tells you to go for your dreams and never give up even if something bad happens in your life. ... Read more

Book Description

The early years of the twenty-first century were a tumultuous time in America. The country faced a hotly contested presidential election, the largest terrorist attack in the nation's history, and the early stages of war. Through it all, President George W. Bush surrounded himself with a handful of close advisers. During this time the man beside the President was Ari Fleischer, his press secretary and one of his most trusted confidants. In this role, Fleisher was present for every decision and became an eyewitness to history.

In this riveting account, Fleischer goes behind the scenes as he recalls his experiences in the West Wing. Through the ups and downs of this time, he took the heat, fielded the questions, and brought the President's message into living rooms around the world.

In Taking Heat, Fleischer, for the first time, gives his perspective on:

• The 2000 election, from the recounts to the transition to power
• September 11, 2001, its aftermath, and the anthrax scare
• The pressure-filled buildup to the war in Iraq and the President's thoughts as the war began
• Life in the White House, from learning to adjust to the pace of the West Wing and his early briefings to his relationship with the press
• The White House press corps, who they are, and how they report the news
• The factors that led to his decision to leave Washington behind.

This is the story of the men and women of the White House press corps and the cornerstones of democracy: freedom of speech and the freedom of the press. Fleischer presents an in-depth, insider's view on the Washington political arena from a perspective few have seen.

Fleischer writes of his belief that the press has a bias in Washington. It's not a question of partisanship or press-driven ideology. Instead, it's a focus on conflict, particularly if it's a conflict they can attach to the President. It's the nature of the White House press corps, regardless of who's in power. The members of the White House press corps are masters at being devil's advocate, able to take with passion the opposite side of whatever issue the President supports. Fleischer's job was to calmly field their questions, no matter how pointed.

Taking Heat is an introspective exploration of the top political events in the first half of the Bush administration, as well as the candid observations of a professional who stood in the bright lights of the world stage.

Reviews (21)

You Can Take the Spinner out of the WH, But He Still Spins
The book was a huge disappointment. I'd suggest that it was ghost written by Karl Rove, but Rove would surely be craftier about his unadulterated Bush-envy. Rather than insight and introspection, the book's main purpose seems to be to dismiss criticism of Bushand then explain it away with syrupy words of praise for the author's former boss.

The chapter about the day of September 11th, should have been the most insightful and telling about what happened at the epicenter of power...instead it was spiced with explanations of why President Bush sat reading My Pet Goat, while America was under attack..."Under inconceivable pressure, Bush maintained his composure and sent an image of calm to the nation." (page 140). - I'm not making this stuff up. That was a direct quote from the book explaining Bush's deer-in-the-headlights look that we've all seen as he was reading to the kids in Florida.

I was looking forward to reading this book and again, it was just a disappointment. Maybe Fleischer is hoping to run for office or needs to ingratiate himself even more in certain circles.Or maybe he really believes what he wrote, but to me the book is just nonsense. Sorry. Two thumbs (or maybe 'goat paws') way down.

Excellent insights on the pressures of the media
Ari Fleischer was the White House Press Secretary for 2 1/2 years (January 2001 to July 2003) and now writes to tell about his experiences. Ari does a great job giving us a sense what the daily pressures were like, facing the media day after day. The point Ari makes time and again is that the media try to trick him into saying things he doesn't mean or aren't accurate, trying to stir up conflict, because "without conflict, there is no news".

One of the other points Ari focuses on is how slanted the 'mainstream' media are towards the Democratic viewpoint, and I couldn't agree more. I mean, how believable is CBS, NBC, ABC, the Washington Post and the New York Times (just to name those as an example) when you realize that 90 percent or so (as found when surveyed) of those journalists vote Democratic...

Ari tells great inside stories such as what it really was to be with the President when 9/11 happened. Missing, though, is more insight into Ari's background growing up (he describes his Democratic upbringing until he became a Republican shortly after finishing college in a mere couple of pages). Hilarious are his tellings about Helen Thomas, the notorious "dean" of the White House press and self-admitted anti-Bush all the way. Turns out that Ari actually has a lot of respect for her and a great personal relationship outside of the media spotlight.

I had the pleasure of hearing Ari give a presentation last Fall here in Cincinnati, and was really impressed with the man. That was before this book came out, and having read his book, I am even more impressed with him. This is a terrific book, and I highly recommend it.

Well written account of the media covering important events
The job of being Press Secretary for the President of the United States is complex and it essential for both the Presidency and the Public that the person holding that position perform the duties of that office well.Ari Fleischer did a great job during very difficult times.He was there in the 2000 campaign and recount, when the new Bush administration took office, during the intense national sorrow and anger surrounding 9/11, the launch of the War on Terror in Afghanistan, and its continuance in Iraq.No wonder he felt burned out and wanted to leave before the 2004 campaign began in earnest.After all, he had a new wife and they wanted to begin a family.I think he did a great job and made a good choice to leave when he did.

What is particularly interesting about this book is that the events it describes are still fresh in our memory.Nearly all of us experience these events through the media of television, newspapers, weekly magazines, opinion journals, and so on.Here, Mr. Fleischer provides his perspective on these events from the inside versus how the media reported the events.The contrast is illuminating.He does debunk some of the popular myths about these events and makes clear what was really said by President Bush and the administration.He is also very clear that the Administration's certainty over the Weapons of Mass Destruction was held by everyone around the world, but was wrong.

He also has several amusing anecdotes about interactions with this or that reporter over various events.Sometimes he gets off the witty line and other times he is the butt of the joke.He was serious about doing his job well, but under such serious circumstances humor was required to keep things approximately sane.

While some who hate the Bush administration have taken after this book, largely without reading it, I can tell you that I have read it.This book is written engagingly and provides a fresh perspective on recent events that are now becoming a part of history.It is important to get a deeper understanding of our time than the varying and often contradictory news reports.Historians, especially those covering politics and media, will consult various sources for these events to write their books, and I am sure one of them will be "Taking Heat" by Ari Fleischer.

Good job.

There is much to learn from this book.
Notice the trend in how people who gave this book 1 star use a whole mess of generalities in their reviews or bash Fleischer's writing skills. He only claims to be a man with a story to tell here, people, never does he claim to be any more of an author than you or me. You can take comfort in the fact that those reviewers are wrong about that also, as Fleischer stays clear and cogent throughout.

1. If you actually read the book, you find that he does explain many of the controversial issues of GWB's term in great detail. He shows where there were misunderstandings, and usually lays out step by step how that came to be from the White House's perspective.

2. To the person who posted the Helen Thomas review of the book: You might have remembered that Helen Thomas was a senior member of the press corps who showed her steadfast bias in the briefing room with evermore persistant and leading questions. That is, again, had you actually read the book.

And if you want to see her ignorance in action:

MR. FLEISCHER: Actually, the President has made it very clear that he has not dispute with the people of Iraq. That's why the American policy remains a policy of regime change. There is no question the people of Iraq --

MS. THOMAS: That's a decision for them to make, isn't it? It's their country.

MR. FLEISCHER: Helen, if you think that the people of Iraq are in a position to dictate who their dictator is, I don't think that has been what history has shown.

MS. THOMAS: I think many countries don't have -- people don't have the decision -- INCLUDING US.

Bias, in favor of conflict. That is what plagues our media. Fleischer saw it and confronted it on a daily basis. That is what this book is about.

A Lost Opportunity
I read this book hoping to get some insight as to what happened in the first Bush Administration and the way the White House sold the war in Iraq. Instead Ari Fleischer, a man so close to these events, comes across as a Bush loyalist who supports and justifies Bush's policies.It was a waste of time and a lost opportunity to give us some insight and help give us some historical information and honest reflection.

There is no discussion of how they used the press to manipulate the public and sell the war. For example, he claims the President was careful never to link Iraq with 9/11. But he never addresses why 70% of the American people in 2003 believed otherwise. How did that happen?

After leaving the White House, he is still spinning the President's position and blaming the liberal media. Too Bad....

... Read more

Book Description

Celebrated internationally as artists and gardeners, George Little and David Lewis open the gates to their renowned garden retreat and share the personalities and enthusiasms that have shaped its wild fantasia of plants, hardscape, and art. Little and Lewis are long-time collaborators whose concrete sculptures and installations have been collected around the world. Their Puget Sound garden is the primary showcase for their artwork but also for the unique gardening qualities that epitomize their style. Water features, oversized and broadleaved plants, expansive use of color, zone-pushing tropicals, architectural emphasis, and elements of classicism and mystery --- all combine to create a deeply personal and magical space. In this long-awaited book, Little and Lewis describe how any gardener can achieve this kind of excitement and space for reflection in his or her backyard. From practical advice on how to make a slow-drip natural fountain, choose complementary colors, or build an inexpensive Tuscan-style wall to conceptual discussions on laying out borders and making use of water, Little and Lewis offer inspiration and encourage gardeners to use imagination and take risks. Stunning and unforgettable photographs by Barbara Denk provide a lush visual interpretation, while NPR's "Doyenne of Dirt," Ketzel Levine, describes the authors' important influence on the gardening community. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

It's Neverland!
A dream garden for all tastes.The use of water, color, tropical plants, and cement sculptures make this book Magical, refreshing, artistic, and alive!

Utterly inspired
As an afficionado of Pacific Northwest garden books, I have often seen examples of Little and Lewis' garden sculptures.Now they have their own book and it's all that I hoped for and more.Written in two voices, it's a great melding of their individual personalities and preferences.The marvellous photos and exceptional text offer tremendous inspiration to create extraordinary, personalized gardens. Move over Stephen Anderton's "Urban Sanctuaries" - at last you have worthy competition!Buy this book and take your garden beyond the everyday.

Outstanding in All Respects
I am a gardening nut and read garden books regularly.I've never read a book that describes the feeling of creating a garden space more eloquently and beautifully.I came away with dozens of ideas for my own small garden and realized why so many areas in my garden just don't "feel" right to me.I've never been so emotionally caught up in a gardening book before.This book is wonderfully written and the photographs are spectacular.It leaves you wanting more....I'll be visiting Seattle this summer to tour the gardens!Thanks to David and George for sharing your special place with me!

The artists and their garden
I'm saddened to say that I've never had the opportunity to visit George Little and David Lewis's celebrated garden on Bainbridge Island, Washington, but at least now I have the next best thing - this beautiful book.

The Little/Lewis garden is a lush Eden filled with tropical foliage and blooms and decorated with the concrete objects that the two have created. Cannas, bananas, colocasia, water lilies, grasses and vines are beautifully displayed among the unique columns, vases, vividly painted walls and water features that the owners have created. Each chapter covers a different element of their garden ("Bones of the Garden," "Brave Plantings," "Elemental Water," "Art and Sculpture," "Time and Rhythm") and they each take turns sharing their thoughts and ideas that will surely inspire the reader. Even more inspring are the outstanding photographs by Barbara Denk.

Although this is not a technical "how-to" book, there are sidebars that tell how to make simple water features (including a jardiniere fountain), materials for building walls, and lists of the author's favorite plants.

The is one of the most beautiful garden books I've ever seen and I would recommend it highly.

A Garden Gallery:The Plants, Art and Hardscape of Little..
A visit to the intriguing garden/art gallery of George Little and David Lewis on Bainbridge Island, near Seattle, is an unforgettable experience.Here is a beautiful book that gives insight into the collaborative partnership of these two talented artist/gardeners.Illustrated with gorgeous photography showing many of their original works in garden settings, it is a thoroughly enjoyable read for gardeners who will appreciate a truly unique example of creative inspiration and artistic vision. ... Read more

Book Description

Eleanor Roosevelt’s remarkable ability to confront and successfully overcome hurdles--be they political, personal, or social--made her one of the greatest leaders of the last century, if not all time. A veritable roadmap to heroic living, Leadership the Eleanor Roosevelt Way examines the former First Lady’s leadership development from her earliest years as a young woman faced with a plethora of obstacles, through her enormously productive and politically involved years in the White House, as an honorary Ambassador, an author, and beyond, providing women from all walks of life with a model for personal achievement.

Focusing on the need for women to take greater leadership roles, author Robin Gerber draws on the values, tactics, and beliefs that enabled Eleanor Roosevelt to bring about transformational changes-in herself, and in the world. Each chapter begins with an introductory story taken from successive periods in Eleanor’s life, followed by the lessons she learned and how they contributed to her growth as a person and as a leader. Gerber also provides anecdotes from Eleanor’s life, as well as from the lives of contemporary "everyday" women to show how all women can discover and further develop their leadership skills. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Leadership the Eleanor Roosevelt Way
At 46, I found the book both affirming and inspiring. Ms. Gerber shows, through the life of the great ER, how painful life experiences can enhance both self awareness and empathy, and even more amazingly, how suffering a betrayal can be liberating. Her discussion on the special leadership skills developed through motherhood make clear the public interest in cultivating women leaders. The book is both a very accesible, good read and an effective step-by-step leadership guide.

She is just as relevant today as she was in her time.
Ms. Gerber really brings Eleanor to life, and makes her human. This book unfolds the story of how Eleanor found herself -- found her skills, her voice, her passion. Even in the face of great challenges -- personal, social, political -- Eleanor had her internal compass which lead her to greatness.

This book also shows Eleanor's self-doubt -- a feeling that all mortals experience. Eleanor is not a "super hero." She was a living, breathing woman who didn't know where life would take her.

Finally, this book is about leadership -- not the hard-charging, slash-and-burn, take no prisoners approach. But the kinder, gentler, diplomatic approach, that appeals to people's desire to create a better world for themselves and everyone around them.

This is a great read, and will leave you inspired!

ER Lessons for Leadership and Lessons for the World Now
After reading about Colin Powel's style, Bush's War and Guiliani's book on Leadership, it was a nice break to read about one of history's greatest first ladies--Eleanor Roosevelt. It also served as a checkpoint for myself to have a peek at the early 20th century and the beginnings of the UN in light of recent events. This book was written by Robin Gerber who is a senior scholar at the Academy of Leadership which is part of the University of Maryland. Not only a biography of Eleanor, it's also a how-to on leadership and includes side information about how other women implement Eleanor's style in their lives today.
Key Takeaways:
Give Voice to Your Leadership--ER did not start out a brilliant and inspiring public speaker, she had to practice at it. She eventually managed to be an effective communicator through both speech and her writing in columns. She held press conferences at the White House for women reporters only--she identified an audience she could reach and began speaking to them.
Embrace Risk--despite many folks including herself being unsure of her and her role, at Truman's request ER took on a role within the formation of the UN and went on to be a leading proponant of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. She took this on shortly after the death of FDR--a time when she could have retired. Instead she started on a second life.
Never Stop Learning--this keeps coming up in the lives of leaders--they have an interest in the world and learning about it. ER traveled extensively in the latter part of her life and took a good deal of interest in learning about the world and the various cultures enhabiting it. She traveled throughout the middle east and India. She also used her columns, and speeches as a tool to educate others.

A True Treasure
This book creates a lasting relationship between Eleanor Roosevlet and the reader. It allows the reader to touch and be touched by the soul and strength of E.R. As the reader discovers the beauty, determination and extraordinary feats of E.R., she also unfolds the treasures of her true self.

This book manifests a foundation for any woman who is preparing to graduate school, is condidering a career change, or wants to embrace life and herself.

Thank you Robin and Thank you Eleanor

Leadership the Eleanor Roosevelt Way - fantastic!
This is a truly wonderful book... an easy read about a complex topic. I've purchased extra copies as gifts for several friends already!
As a middle manager I am eager to explore my role as a leader... sometimes feeling that I am only one person who has little influence in this world.
Ms. Gerber understands how much women are looking for leadership "heroes" and her handling of Eleanor Roosevelt's personal history makes this book quite compelling. ... Read more

Book Description

Grant wrote his "Personal Memoirs" to secure his family's future. In doing so, the Civil War's greatest general won himself a unique place in American letters. His character, sense of purpose, and simple compassion are evident throughout this deeply moving account, as well as in the letters to his wife, Julia, included here. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

US Grant--in his own words
The story of Ulysses Simpson Grant is a tale about a man who rises from obscurity to become one of the most important men of the nineteenth century. Many men saw Grant, as general-in-chief of the Union armies during the late Civil War, as the savior of the nation. He was elected to two terms as President, and enjoyed such immense popularity that he was lavished with praise and gifts around the globe when he traveled the world. But Grant's origins were humble. He was the son of a tanner. As a young man he failed at nearly everything he did, and had a reputation, while stationed with the army in California, of being a drunk. Grant seemed the antithesis of greatness; yet somehow he rose to become one of the most prominent men in the United States during the Civil War.

Who better to tell Grant's story than himself? His memoirs are somewhat self-serving, and Grant does not hesitate to point out the flaws of others. All too often he reminds his reader that, had things been done his way, disasters would have been avoided and everything would have been all right. There is some reason for his ego, however. Grant had a lot of critics, and was treated unfairly by many from the beginning. When his army was surprised at Shiloh, people said he was drunk. When he stalled outside of Vicksburg, they blamed it one the bottle. Grant's name was connected by some scandal or other through most of his Civil War career (as well as during his presidency). If he seeks to right some wrongs and, in the process, comes across as a little full of himself in his memoirs, who can blame him?

Grant gives great descriptions of many battles and campaigns, but sparse accounts of others. He avoids sensitive subjects (like the bottle, for example), and does tend to focus on what he did RIGHT rather than what he did WRONG. Despite these inconsistencies, however, Grant's memoirs are a great read. Grant tells his side of the story, and the result is a very entertaining read. Grant's style is engaging, and while not focusing too much on exact figures (Sherman's memoirs are much better for that), he manages to convey to the reader the most important aspects of each major action in which he was involved. Grant may not have been the best general in the war, but he was certainly the right man for the job. Read these memoirs for a look inside the complex mind of the man who took on Robert E. Lee--and actually won.

Best book ever by a US President
Granted (sic) that there are few serious rivals(Jefferson's "Notes on the State of Virginia" and Eisenhower's "Crusade in Europe" come to mind but don't measure up), this is a remarkable literary achievement by an "uncommon common man." Not only is it an indispensible, if not flawless, narrative of the cataclysmic events of the Civil War, the circumstances under which he wrote make its very creation a triumph of will and ability.

As historian Brooks Simpson has noted, Grant's character was so complete that nobody could believe he was real. But he was, and the proof is in this book, which contains not only the "Personal Memoirs" but many invaluable letters revealing the man as well as the general. Though this edition lac