Book Description
Take this book on your next walk in the woods with your kids. It's an enticing book for young readers. A treasure of information and suggestions on where and how to look for Florida's most interesting natural features and creatures. Discusses various careers in the environmental field and suggestions for how everyone can help protect Florida's priceless natural resources. Comes with glossary and index.
Customer Reviews:
My family really enjoyed this book!.......1999-04-09
My family really enjoyed this book because we learned more about what we see every day here in Florida. Since I am not a Florida native, I often had a hard time helping my young naturalists identify the plants and "creatures" they saw on our outings. This book has really helped! It covers a wide spectrum of topics: from weather patterns to Florida habitats to Florida endangered species. It also covered each (Florida) geographic region separately, and provided some interesting history too. I highly recommend this book!
Average customer rating:
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Fashion Theory: Volume 6, Issue 1: The Journal of Dress, Body and Culture (Fashion Theory)
Manufacturer: Berg Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Fashion Design
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ASIN: 1859735177 |
Book Description
Special Issue on Fashion and Photography
Looking American: Louise Dahl-Wolfe’s Fashion Photographs of the 1930s and 1940s
Considers the influential fashion photography of Louise Dahl-Wolfe in Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue and how it evoked myths of America.
Rebecca Arnold (Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design)
The Politics of the First: The Emergence of the Black Model in the Civil Rights Era
Janice M. Cheddie (Goldsmiths College, University of London)
On the Turn: Millenial Bodies and the Meaning of Time in Andrea Giacobbe’s Fashion Photography
Traces the influence of new media, including digital photography, upon the world of fashion photography and its impact on how the world is depicted and conceived.
Paul Jobling (University of Brighton)
Bloody Jumpers: Benetton and the Mechanics of Cultural Exclusion
Explores Bennetton’s controversial ‘Shock of Reality’ campaign including AIDS/HIV ads, during the early 1990s.
Paul Antick (University of Middlesex)
“Put in Just for Pictures”: Fashion Editorial and the Composite Image in Nova, 1965-1975
A timely look at the treatment of fashion within the recently re-launched Nova magazine and its relationship with the original version.
Alice Beard (Kingston University)
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The Handbook of Law Firm Mismanagement for the 21st Century
Arnold B. Kanter
Manufacturer: Catbird Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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The Handbook of Law Firm Mismanagement: From the Offices of Fairweather, Winters & Sommers
ASIN: 0945774575 |
Book Description
America's expert on law firm mismanagement is back with a whole new array of humorous committee meetings, memos, speeches, and consultants' reports that present lawyers acting not like sharks, but rather floundering in a sea of dilemmas. The lawyers at the fictitious firm Fairweather, Winters & Sommers consider the advantages of merging and going virtual, bicker over a firm web site, and in front of a morning talk-show audience, try to understand economics, and scramble to figure out what to do when a big corporate client gets caught being unusually unethical. A sports-mogul client argues for drafting law-school graduates as if they were athletes, and a look into the future finds lawyers trolling outer space for new business. As ever, the firm's founder, Stanley Fairweather, gets the last, wise word. Imagination and humor drive this law firm send-up, which turns a dull topic into hilarious farce and entertains lawyers while showing them the error of their ways.
Average customer rating:
- I have "Final Curtain" 1994 Edition. I find it facinating.
- The grave hunters bible!
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Final Curtain: Deaths of Noted Movie and Television Personalities 1912-1996
Everett Grant Jarvis
Manufacturer: Carol Publishing Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Arts & Literature
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ASIN: 0806518189 |
Customer Reviews:
I have "Final Curtain" 1994 Edition. I find it facinating........1998-11-21
I've just ordered the 1996 Edition and am waiting for the 1998 to become available soon. I find it facinating reading and use it as a reference book to look up facts when I'm watching an old favorite star in a movie. Its very interesting to know when they died and from what cause. Also, interesting to know where they're buried, (surprising many times).
The grave hunters bible!.......1998-06-02
Final Curtain is THE best book on grave hunting! It is very up to date (1996) and is a fabulous reference book! Unfortunately, Mr. Jarvis died last September, but his daughter is suppose to be taking up the book! I hope she does!!
Book Description
From a Great Height is the first comprehensive book on this critically acclaimed band. It's loaded with photos, trivia, history, and never-before-published information. Included are explanations of Radiohead's frequently misunderstood songs, as well as a complete discography of the band. At once an informed commentary on the contemporary rock scene and a guide to an incredibly popular rock group, From a Great Height offers Radiohead fans a picture-packed, story-filled, music-loving feast.
Customer Reviews:
Oddly enough I couldnýt put it downý.......2001-07-11
When I reserved Radiohead : From a Great Height from the local library I thought it was a cd. That's how little I knew about Radiohead. Three days later, I picked it up out of shear boredom and was completely surprised when I couldn't put it down. Jonathan Hale did a great job of truly bringing the voice of the band to this book. The pictures are wonderful exclusives, the interviews are uncensored and the discography is detailed and thorough. Since reading this book I have bought every cd by Radiohead and have become a huge fan. I highly recommend reading this book not only if you are a fan of the group but also if you want to know how it all started.
Excellent book, brilliant author.......2000-07-02
I found this to be a great book for a novice Radiohead fan. I was turned on to the band by my roommate (who knows almost as much about them as Jonathan Hale, but is not as articulate.) Reading this book only made me want to hear more.
What really impressed me is the range of the author's knowledge. Who'd have thought that an architectural theorist knew so much about the contemporary British music scene?
Looking forward to more from this author.
Radiohead Music Gospel!.......2000-04-08
This book is the best one I've ever read on Radiohead concerning all its albums, singles, demos, eps, etc... I loved the fact the author was such a big fan, but unfourtuately the song reviews were too opinionated If you are a Radiohead fan but don't know much about them then read this book and be thrown into Radiohead's world of music with all its awesome force!
Radiohead Gospel.......2000-04-08
This book tells you everything you don't already know about Radiohead. It has the best collection of information on their albums, singles, ep's, etc... that I have ever seen. And if you know nothing about Radiohead and are looking into them, then buy this book and be thrown into their awesome world with all it's kickass force!
Radiohead is Awesome and so is this Book.......2000-03-31
I had a very pleasurable time reading this book. It was very well put together and it waqs extremely informative. It was interesting to learn about the masterminds behind the music. It has a great discography and an excellent song listing. I learned a lot about my favorite band and it wasn't at all boring. Great reading material, especially if you're a Radiohead fan. If you have a friend that doesn't understand your obsession with Radiohead hand them a OK Computer and the Bends. When they listen to them and they are having a hard time still, give them this book. Thanks.
Book Description
Tarot Affirmations Deck blends two traditions to create a powerful tool for personal transformations. Well-known images depicting the universal themes of tarot are combined with beautifully written affirmations.
Customer Reviews:
Versatile, Creative.......2007-08-01
This is a great idea! I bought this set of cards to expand my understanding of the tarot. I love it when I come across an interpretation that I hadn't considered before. Each card has a tarot picture and name on the left hand side, and beside the picture, there are 5 affirmations. The pictures are from the original Rider-Waite deck but have the more vivid eye appealing coloring. The back of the cards are light blue and have angels on them.
I like that there are several affirmations for each card because with tarot cards, there isn't one absolute meaning. You know the saying that a picture is worth a thousand words. Because there are 5 affirmations per card, you can read thru them and see which one 'speaks' to you.
These would be great for writers as a prompt or to get ideas. The great thing about it is everyone sees different things when they look at the pictures.
So far, I haven't used these in the regular way that I use tarot cards, instead, I keep these out in a basket and sometimes will just pick one randomly and see if the card or any of the affirmations apply to me at the time. The other thing is that I prefer smaller sized cards because bigger ones like these are a little harder for me to shuffle. You certainly can use these in spreads though.
An Inspiration to Creativity.......2004-04-24
The affirmations on these beautiful cards are both inspiring and practical. As a professional writer who lives by her creative wits, I am always looking for ways to motivate myself. The affirmations on these cards center on the creative process. Whether you are creating a life or a award-winning book, they will help keep you focused and flowing.
Finally!.......2002-04-08
Beautiful concept, beautifully done using the Universal Rider Waite and in a lovely large box that contain them. Each card
has a smaller Universal rider waite on it and beside it, an accompanying meditation.
For the tarot lover, a wonderful tool for deepening your connection with the 78 cards. Using the affirmations are a great idea for meditation purposes and to gain emotional clarity
when doing a reading or a one a day card method. Deck comes with an introduction and explanatory information booklet by the author that is included.
A Powerful tool designed to promote positive growth & change.......2001-12-31
This oversized deck will please all who are into self-exploration through the Tarot. The deck is illustrated by Pamela Colman Smith and recolored by Mary Hanson-Roberts.
Each of the 78-cards has a small rendition of the images from the Universal Waite Tarot Deck. The larger portion of each card is devoted to appropriate affirmations to go along with the imagery of that particular card. Appropriate, in that the affirmations, mirror quite nicely the popular interpretation of the Tarot. Text writer, Sally Hill does an outstanding job of writing affirmations for each of the 78 cards.
There can be some very difficult images to handle in the Tarot. For example, the Ten of Swords, is traditionally depicted as ten swords through the back of an individual, indicative of treachery of some kind around the querent, or a feeling that all are against an individual. It is hard to see anything positive when looking at that image. But Hill manages to take this image and show the positive chances for growth to occur under these trying circumstances. She assigns the card affirmations, such as, "I am dealing with negative thoughts that pin me down; I am seeking release from inner confusion and conflicts", and, "I am finding ways to recover my energy and rise to new life". Also, the Court Cards are thought by some to be the most difficult cards to interpret in the deck. The affirmations Hill associates with the Court Cards provide greater insights into these cards.
Using Tarot Affirmations promotes a greater understanding of Tarot imagery and will give depth to the traditional meanings behind the cards. This deck is useful for daily self-analysis, meditation, or to delve deeper into the mysteries of the Tarot. Beginners and advanced students alike, will benefit and grow from the positive messages displayed on these Tarot cards.
Amazon.com
PR pundits and business owners Friedman and Yorio tackle the fear factor of women who want to quit their day job and build a business. They ask, "Are you the girl to run the show?" They answer with a sassy list of pros and cons ("You will be able to get to your child's school play, but you will think about money all the time.") and with tough questions ("Could you negotiate a reasonable rent with an unreasonable landlord?)
Every chapter is packed with interviews, charts, quizzes and witty directives about self-employment. Among their greatest hits: what's in a name, choosing logos, ten inspiring business chick flicks, legal eagles, business speak and visibility in professional associations. Friedman and Yorio sweat the small stuff. They explain, for example, why you shouldn't eat spaghetti at a business lunch and how to ask revealing questions of a potential employee or computer consultant. The authors' premise, "let women be women" is most compelling when they explore the unique challenges women face--from finding female role models to being a boss "without being a bitch."
They are on shakier ground with the arguable assumption that all women share distinct gender styles and strengths. This type casting and the "girl friend" tone can sometimes belittle the book's smart and strategic ideas for becoming the boss. Still, it is hard to imagine a more readable, practical book about the challenges of being in charge. --Barbara Mackoff
Book Description
Geared toward the unique challenges faced by self-employed businesswomen,
The Girl's Guide to Starting Your Own Business offers solutions and advice for handling a range of issues, including how to write a business plan, how to secure funding, and how to hire (and fire) employees. Caitlin Friedman and Kimberly Yorio share practical information drawn from their own extensive experience in the public relations, marketing, and consulting industries. Their concise and engaging advice is explained through entertaining tips, lists, and quizzes that speak directly to women who are dreaming of starting, or have already started, their own businesses.
Customer Reviews:
Great info for the beginner.......2007-07-13
I am in the pre-contemplation phase of starting my own business and this book has given me invaluable insight into the types of things I will need to prepare to deal with.
I would not say this is a technical manual that tells you precisely how to start your own business. But it does present sort of an outline of all the different aspects you need to consider before going there. And there are several great "mini-interviews" throughout the book from actual business owners highlighting working examples of each subject the book touches on.
I would recommend this book for non-MBA types, those who are in the "just thinking about it" phase of starting their own business but are unsure about what all is involved. For me this was a very illuminating read.
Good on inspiration, low on the details.......2007-05-14
The Girl's Guide is an inspirational how-to book for women entrepreneurs, sprinkled with stories of actual women business owners, self-quizes, and lists of movies/music/books. But in giving a big overview, it is short in details and specific how-to's. And, by trying to be everything to everyone, it is not specific to any particular kind of business ... traditional brick-and-mortar vs internet, service vs. product, solopreneur vs employee-based, etc.
Pros:
-Written for women, addressing unique issues, such as dressing for business meetings and the problems of being "nice"
-Give a big, high-level overview of the opening of a business
Cons:
-Assumes that to grow you will need employees (not true in the age of virtual assistants and outsourcing) and a long business plan (not true in the age of the one page business plan)
-Assumes your web designer will know about web/email marketing and sales (many web designers are graphic designers, not marketing gurus)
-Assumes you will want a brick-and-mortar type-business, not an internet-only home business (and that if you start out working from home, it's a way to save money, not a business style)
-Gives some financial, legal, internet, and marketing advice that is out of date (i.e., states now permit one-person LLCs)
If you want a book specific to your new business, or that gives you a step by step, specific guide, this is not the book for you.
If you want a book to inspire you to open your own business (especially if you want a traditional, brick-and-mortar, employee-based, consulting business that you want to grow to be big), buy this book.
Get it girl!.......2007-03-13
I think this book is a great guide to starting your business.
Inspiring!.......2007-03-06
I really liked this easy to read inspiring book that interviews a lot of real life women business owners. It was very fun to read while I was planning my own business and gave me some things to think about too. I now have my own LLC and plan to release my first product within a couple months *I hope* ^_^
So you want to own your own business?.......2007-02-10
This book was THE book that inspired me to start my own business. Written in a fun and informative style, Caitlin and Kimberly cover all the basics on how to get started from setting up your business as an LLC or LLP, to taxes, staffing and marketing. They also feature the stories of real-life entrepreneurs which are inspiring and educational. I have recommended this book to many friends: including male ones.
Customer Reviews:
crushingly vapid.......2007-05-10
Probably the most salient thing you need to know about this book is that it's the OFFICIAL biography of the billionaire Saudi prince. Its author, Riz Khan, is a Yemenite who works at Al-Jazeera TV. The book was originally published in Lebanon.
It's doesn't actually SAY "official" anywhere on it, but the book was made with extensive assistance and encouragement from Al-Waleed himself, and explicit cooperation from the Saudi government. In a country where even Mickey Mouse and "Little House on the Prarie" have been banned, you can find a copy of it in nearly every corner bookstore (not that there are many in the region). In fact, it's quite common to see it in shops and airports all over the Middle East.
So you'd better believe there isn't a single negative word anywhere in it about Saudi culture, the Saudi royal family, or, of course, the main subject, the alluring Prince Waleed. Everything's hunky-dory!
So if we can't criticize, that pretty much leaves what . . . ?
Did somebody say praise? Why, praise it is! Did you know, gentle reader, that between loving his family wholeheartedly, wishing only the best for the world at large, and praying five times a day, the brilliant and raffish Prince Waleed is also an accomplished mountain climber, linguist, chef, author, skydiver, bodybuilder, musician, archaeologist, patriot, photographer, zoologist, pilot, historian, wine connoisseur, chess whiz, hunter, fashion designer, gymnast, philanthropist, bear wrestler, psychologist, pearl diver, stamp collector, tank commander, belly dancer, magician, software programmer, antiques buff, croquet master, Arctic explorer, pearl diver, entomologist, kappelmeister, physicist, sculptor, alchemist, mathematician, acupunturist, shark hunter, car collector, lutenist, Civil War aficionado, polo player, scrabble champion, zymurgist, yoga enthusiast, bridge player, and world-renowned expert on cigars?
Need I say more?
Businessman, Billionaire, Prince.......2007-05-08
Impressive bio ... However, authot repeats a lot of facts/opinions..
Blah, blah, blah.......2007-05-07
Not really an insightful book. Not even worthy of a gossip column.
Alwaleed: Businessman, Billionaire, Prince.......2007-04-13
Not like most biographys. Not indepth enough. Does not really explain how the deals really happened. Would like for someone else to give a go at another one.
A little disappointed.......2007-02-13
I really enjoyed reading the personal stories about the prince and his family but was rather bored with all the talk about business and money. I would have liked it much more if there had been more about the man, rather than the businessman. I have to say I am impressed with his attitude toward women and the fact that he employs a female pilot boosts his approval rating even higher IMO.
Book Description
The battle of Lake Peipus took place in 1242 between the Teutonic Knights and the Russian city-state of Novgorod, led by its inspirational leader Alexandre Nevskii. The Teutonic Knights were a powerful military order, backed with the crusading zeal of Europe, the blessing of the Pope and the support of the Holy Roman Emperor. This battle, although little-known in the west, was important in the history of the medieval eastern crusades, the Teutonic defeat having a serious effect on future events. David Nicolle's excellent text examines the Crusade against Novgorod and the fierce fighting around the frozen shores of Lake Peipus.
Customer Reviews:
Compelling intruduction to an obscure conflict........2007-09-01
The complaints in some of the other reviews about this title are a bit like executing the messenger. The battle of Lake Peipus is obscure, poorly known in the west (but of epic importance in Russia). The battle of Lake Peipus ended the Eastern Crusader's aspirations of expanding the anti-pagan crusades to a larger crusade against Russia and the Eastern Orthodox. There are only two primary sources - each giving only a couple of paragraphs to the battle. The fact that the original source material is so thin guarantees that any attempt at a detailed analysis of the strategy and tactics of the battle will be mainly conjecture. History is full of such situations. It doesn't make the effort worthless by any means. The battle of Lake Peipus made the reputation of Alexandr Nevskii - a Russian national hero in the vein (if not the magnitude) of El Cid, Arthur, or Roland. The Teutonic Knights and Sword Brothers were involved too.
This little book provides a lot of information about the tribes and political background to the medieval baltic states, Russia, Scandanavia, and Eastern Christian lands. This information is presented in a fairly rushed and, I feel, disorganized way (the organization sacrifices narrative flow to fit the typical Osprey structure of breaking things up into sections looking at each of the armies). This "lay of the land" stuff about this part of Europe was really entertaining to me - since so much of it was new to me. The Baltic was still partly pagan at this time - this was the frontier of Europe. The polar areas were hunter-gatherer. Russia was emerging out of the melting pot of Slavic, Scandanavian, and Turkic cultures and ethnicities. There are Finn tribes, the Danes, Swedes, Poles, and Germans are involved. It's fascinating.
Once we get into the battle itself it gets a little thin. This event happened near the edge of the world 3/4ths of a millenia ago. There is so little known you just can't say that much about it. Other than the political context the main thing going for it is the great atmosphere - medieval knights battling on (or at the edge of) a frozen lake. This image was make famous through the great Russian silent movie of 1938 by Eisenstein, "Alexander Nevsky". More recently 2004's King Arthur movie featured a frozen lake battle scene - a distinct "homage". The original sources don't mention anyone falling through the ice - but in the "gaming the battle" section at the end it mentions that cavalry would have broken the ice at the edge of the lake and following infantry would have had to avoid areas of open water or fell and drowned. Not quite the stuff from the movies - but a great setting no matter how you slice it.
Nicolle has visited the site and has taken lots of photos. There's a ton of illustrations of knights of the period from mid 13th century manuscript and sculptures from relevant German, Scandanavian, and Russian sources. This might not be the best Osprey title and maybe the antiquity and remoteness of the battle might make it less suitable for such a title but the historic importance and atmospheric nature of the battle make for compelling reading anyway. I really enjoyed this one and it has served as a springboard to further study of medieval Baltic history.
One of the worst from Nicolle.......2005-10-16
This is one of the worst Osprey books about the middle ages, at least it's the worst I've read. This title consists of like 10% fact, 20% pure fiction and 70% wild speculation. It's also quite flawed, as other reviewers have pointed out there was no "Earl Karl Birger" - I guess Nicolle has confused the Swedish Jarl Birger Magnusson with his predecessor Karl the deaf. Very little is known of the battle itself, the contemporary sources are few. It's very surprising that they got the idea to write a title about the battle of lake Peipus at all. To compensate for the lack of facts, Nicolle unfortunatley makes up a largely fictional reconstruction of what might have happened. But his version is highly questionable, the idea that mongols actuall took part in the battle is extremely far-fetched and impossible. If the mongol Khan actually would have had any interest in defending a remote vassal state like Novgorod he would have sent a real army - but never a small contignent to fight under the command of a minor Duke like Alexander, considered a vassal to the mongols!
The illustrations by Angus McBride are among the most careless and historical inaccurate I've ever seen in a Osprey title. You can easily tell that mr McBride took no interest whatsoever in his work. Just look at the image of Alexander Nevsky - he's dressed in a silly theater-costume taken from the 1939 Sovjet movie!
I can't recommend this book since it provides the reader with a way too speculative and distorted view of history
Lake Peipus, 1242 or 1939?.......2002-11-17
This is arguably the poorest of Osprey's Campaign series. The author is clearly not familiar with the subject area, and as a result the book is marred by a considerable number of errors, especially in references to matters peripheral to the battle. For instance, on the map on p.26 the Finnish 'tribes' (Suomi and Hame (Rus. Jem/'Em/Emi), who were, contrary to the book's information, farmers) are in the wrong areas of Finland, 'Murman' become a Finnish tribe when the Russian name meant 'Norwegian', and a mysterious people called the Ugri inhabit the Ural region near the Mansi and Khanty (both of which constituted the Ugrian-speaking group of Finno-Ugrian speakers). There was no such person as 'Earl Karl Birger': presumably this is an error for Birger (Jarl) Magnusson, who possibly led a Swedish crusade to Finland (for which the only evidence is Erik's Chronicle, a rhyme chronicle written 50-70 years after the event). As regards the battle of 1242 itself, the poor sources are interpreted very freely. There is no good evidence that there were horse archers there, or that Mongols were fighting in Russian armies as early as this. The reference to attacks by archers on the Danes (king's men) might equally refer to foot archery, yet the horse archers become the key to victory in this account. The account is in any case confusing and full of baseless speculation, such as the idea that Novgorod chronicle tales of intervention by angels and saints from the heavens may have been a memory of showers of arrows. The number of knights at the battle must have been very small, since the total number of Sword Brothers in 1230 was about 120, 49 had been killed at Saule in 1236, others must have been in garrisons and the Teutonic Knights had not yet exerted their control over Livonia. The epic tale presented here seems to derive as much from Eisenstein's propaganda film as anything else, with Alexander Nevsky the hero. There are, however, a lot of nice pictures in the book, and if it inspires interest in the area it has some value.
A missed chance.......2000-04-22
This book manages to bring a confrontation of potentially epic proportions down to a minor skirmish with no special dramatic qualities. The main combattants, their motifs and personalities are barely touched and so the whole affair stays relatively bloodless and antiseptic. Nevertheless, it is a solid history book with good illustrations - but it could have been so much more.
A detailed account of the battle written somewhat scholarly........1999-06-01
This is a fine edition to the Osprey Campaign Series and typifies the attention to detail and excellent illustrations of the books. I almost gave this title four stars, however, there are some minor shortcomings in the book which lessened it's effect. To be fair to the author, the book itself is probably as well written as the subject will allow in the 96 page format used for the Osprey Campaign books. The problem is that the topic of Lake Peipus centers around a very confusing era of interlaced politics, religion, sociology, etc.. Unless the reader is already familiar with the scope of 12th century affairs, the book would almost need to be twice its size to properly explain the background to the campaign leading up to the battle. Despite this, David Nicolle attempts to devote a few pages to explaining the events leading up to the battle but does so in such a way as to leave the average reader confused. The author then goes on to address the campaign and actual battle of Lake Peipus with good detail. This book makes a great reference source or addition to the CS collection, but falls a bit short of conveying the big picture of the circumstances leading up to the battle. The wording tends to be a bit scholarly as well. With all of that said, I still enjoyed the book and recommend it to anyone interested in 12th century warfare. Osprey has better books in the series and this one gets only 3 stars because the other books have set such a high standard.
Amazon.com
In August 2000, explosions rocked the Russian nuclear submarine the Kursk, killing most crewmembers instantly and leaving the sub stranded in the Barents Sea where the remaining personnel would also soon perish. When the story was reported worldwide, it was met with considerably more questions than answers: What caused the explosion? Could the men be rescued? And why was the Russian military being so secretive about the incident? Journalist Robert Moore has gathered extensive information regarding the incident to answer those and numerous other questions in this exhaustive account. Moore pieces together a harrowing narrative of the events leading to the two on-board explosions that instantly killed 88 men while sparing, temporarily, 23 others. Soon, the story spreads beyond the Arctic Circle as the book offers tales of frightened families searching for information, international rescue teams attempting to reach the crew in time, a Russian government whose disorganization or obfuscation may have hampered those efforts, and American submarine crews poised just outside Russian waters. Where the book succeeds most is in the details: the fact that the rubber-wrapped Kursk was nearly impossible to detect on sonar, the speculation that the tapping noises often reported may have been tales invented by the Northern Fleet to add urgency to the rescue efforts, and the transcripts of notes left by the surviving crew members after the explosions had already occurred. --John Moe
Book Description
A At 11:28 a.m. on Saturday, August 12, 2000, high in the Arctic Circle under the roiling surface of the unforgiving Barents Sea, Captain Gennady Lyachin was taking the Kursk, the pride of Russia’s elite Northern Fleet, through the last steps of firing a practice torpedo, part of an elaborate naval exercise. Suddenly, the torpedo exploded in a massive ?reball, instantly incinerating all seven men in the submarine’s forward compartment. The horror, however, was just beginning. The full, gripping story of the remarkable drama inside the Kursk and of the desperate rescue efforts has never been told—until now.
In
A Time to Die, a critically acclaimed best-seller in the United Kingdom, international reporter Robert Moore—who covered the Kursk tragedy from Russia as it happened—draws on exclusive access he obtained to top Russian military figures in telling the inside story of the disaster with the factual depth of the best journalism and the compelling moment-by-moment tension of a thriller. He takes us right down inside the Kursk as two massive explosions—the second measuring 3.5 on the Richter scale—rip through compartment after compartment. Bringing the horror of the explosions vividly to life, he details the agonizing drama of the twenty-three men who survived as they fight against time to be rescued.
In a journalistic coup, Moore obtained secret access to the Kursk’s highly restricted Arctic submarine base, and he makes the desolation of that forbidden world palpable on the page. As word of the tragedy breaks, he portrays the fear and growing rage of the families of the crew as they clamor for news of their loved ones and confront Vladimir Putin, Russia’s newly elected president.
Moore also vividly re-creates the nail-biting tension of the heroic but deeply flawed Russian rescue efforts as men are sent down again and again, aboard antiquated mini-subs, in perilous attempts to get to the survivors. As Western rescuers are at last called in, Moore richly describes the fascinating world of the offshore divers who drop everything to make one last, desperate attempt to reach the trapped submariners.
A Time to Die is a riveting, brilliantly researched account of the deadliest submarine disaster in history and its devastating human cost.
Customer Reviews:
A fine account of the Kursk disaster.......2005-05-30
Writing the account of the Kursk disaster from a safe time distance, Robert Moore has produced the definitive study of the tragedy that befell the Russian Northern Fleet in August 2000. He explains with much clarity the technical dimensions of the fatal accident, the clumsy response of the Russian political and military leadership, the important role of the British and Norwegians rescuers and the drama of the victims' relatives. It reads like a first rate novel and is the most comprehensive book written on the subject. It also contains some black and white photographs, a general map of the area discussed and a diagram of the various Kursk compartments.
A modern tragedy.......2005-03-07
Moore's investigative report of the sinking of the Russian submarine Kursk is a quick read, but it is detailed and well-written.
Moore gets a good deal of perspective from both the Russian point of view, as well as the US Navy, as it followed the 2000 maneuvers that saw the loss of Kursk, on of that navy's deadliest undersea weapons.
So much, however, for an "Evil Empire:" As we now well know, the Russian navy was in a shambles, with numerous vessels rusting in ports across the federation. Funding was nonexistant, with subs being used as food carriers!
The accident with one of the sub's weapons was a further example of a navy using substandard equipment, i.e., torpedos and other armaments that were worn out and should have been scrapped long ago. In addition, the fact that the service's best hope of resuce was mothballed.
The Russian love of the sea and the service, however is depicted well here. Despite low pay, sometimes no pay, the men of the navy seem a hardy, tough bunch who love their country and their work no less than our own.
The political implications of the Kursk disaster nearly brought down Vladimir Putin before his term as president even began. Hardliners in the Kremlin and the service were still loathe to accept western help, and they are shown to have kept Putin in the dark, making him look very bad.
Putin showed his toughness and coolness under fire, especially before the devastated family members, and also took his revenge on those that fooled him with a purge. He proved that as former head of the KGB, he was not one to be trifled with.
One thing this sad story did, was show just how dedicated those sailors were. The papers found in the sub by the initial survivors, such as Kolesnikov showed discipline did not break down, and the men did the best they could under the terrible circumstances.
It must have been frightening: 350 feet down, knowing escape by the hatches would mean certain death, and having to wait for help that did not arrive in time...and yet, the 23 men left alive after the explosion did their duty and their best.
A good read for those who want to know what happened and why.
Fascinating and depressing look into the "new" Russia.......2005-02-12
Synopsis:
The Kursk was the largest, most-powerful nuclear submarine in the Russian fleet. It was one of only a very few of their premier ships - designed before the Soviet collapse and completed by the Russian government. It was larger than anything in the American fleet.
In August of 2000 there was an accident caused by a malfunction in a poorly maintained dummy torpedo during a war games exercise near the Arctic circle. The explosion of the dummy caused the explosion of every non-nuclear piece of ordinance on the sub and it immediately sink to the floor of the ocean 370 feet down. Most of the sailors died right away but about 20 survived in the aft compartments for several days.
The book details the poor quality of Russia's underwater rescue teams (their annual budget for 1999 was $14,000 - their leaders joked about using it to buy a car so they could drive to an underwater rescue site) and their unwillingness to accept Western offers to help until it was too late for their sailors. It also details the trevails of some of the victims' families and the Russian government's clumsy responses to the crisis and their own newly-freed press.
The book's title comes from a poem written by one of the men from the aft compartment. He gave it to his wife just before he left to participate in the war games.
When there is A Time to Die
Although I try not to think about this,
I would like time to say:
My darling I Love You.
My review:
This is a fascinating, yet depressing book. I learned a lot about submarines and underwater rescue but it involved the loss of over 120 men. The look into the new Russia and Vladimir Putin's first crisis as President is worth reading the book in and of itself.
Excellent General Account of the Sinking of the 'Kursk'.......2003-12-18
As a work for non specialists, "A Time to Die" is an excellent, well written, and thoroughly explained piece of journalism. It is written for laymen, yet does not condescend to people without a background in submarine operations. The K-141 'Kursk' sank on August 12, 2000 off northern Russia during a training exercise after an aged torpedo exploded in the bow of the boat, sinking the ship rapidly to the 350 foot deep seabed. 28 men survived in the aft of the ship and lived in a cold and dark environment for several days before being killed by a rapid flash fire.
The elements that led to the tragedy are compelling. The Russian navy was (and is) in utter disrepair after the breakup of the USSR, and rescue submersibles were among the first budget cuts made. Only several days after the 'Kursk' sank was help from England and Norway solicited, due largely to national pride (and fear of espionage). The entire debacle happened only a few months into the Putin administration and proved to be a watershed in Russian politics.
Moore tells the story from the viewpoint of the survivors, the would-be rescuers and the victim's families, with special emphasis on deteriorating Russian capabilities (and the preventable nature of the disaster) and the political forces that doomed the survivors to a sure death. Overall it is a superb telling of the salient points of the tragedy, its investigation, and aftermath. The photographs alone are worth the price of the book, particularly the pictures of 'Kursk' in drydock after the accident. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a general treatment of the technical side of the disaster and an in-depth covering of the political machinations involved.
The destruction of the Russian submarine Kursk........2003-10-11
A great book about a sad disaster. The Kursk was the pride of the Russian attack submarine fleet and one of the newest ships in the Navy. On an exercise in the Arctic Ocean, the submarine blew up and sank. Twenty six people survived the blast but died on the bottom of the ocean because the Russian Navy did not have adequate rescue facilities or did not want ask foreign governments for help. This was truly needless death.
Moore does a good job of detailing the death of this submarine and the decline of the Russian Navy. Although the book is great to read, it does start off slowly, and the circumstances of the explosion is still in doubt. Some say the warheads of one of the torpedoes went off, while Moore states categorically that it was the fuel of the torpedo which caused a flash fire and set the other warheads off. The reason for the submarine exploding is still in doubt, but the aftermath is all too real in the suffering of the families of the crew members.
I have read another book about this subject--Kursk Down, but this is a superior read.
Book Description
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Citation Details
Title: Beneath the waves.(Book Review)
Author: Cristina Chuen
Publication:
Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists (Magazine/Journal)
Date: May 1, 2003
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 59
Issue: 3
Page: 71(2)
Article Type: Book Review
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Average customer rating:
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