Flowers for Princess Diana

Book Description

Flowers for Princess Diana describes first-hand the compelling personality and common touch that the late Princes Diana displayed during her short reign in England. The book is co-authored by Englishman Ian Jackman, who came to be a close friend of Diana's; and by long-time Las Vegas print journalist, TV newsman and author Chuck N. Baker, who met Diana on several occasions.

In addition to the detailed text, the book's cover features original never-before-published photographs of Diana that were taken by Jackman. Virtually every time he met Diana at public functions and royal celebrations, he would present her with flowers and then photograph her.

In the text, Jackman and Baker recall their meetings with Diana, illuminating a lesser-known, unpretentious and spontaneous side of the princess. Jackman was a champion and advocate of Diana's views on many subjects, and he tried to provide strength and encouragement to her during her periods of tribulation.

Diana was a patron and supporter of many charities and causes. One of her passions was her dedication and work in attempting to encourage nations to cease the world-wide production of land mines, which each year maim and take the lives of innocent civilians. Although the text only touches briefly on the subject, the authors hope publication of Flowers For Princess Diana will help to add emotional reinforcement to that particular cause of hers.

Customer Reviews:

CD-ROM is nice little book, paperback would be better.......2005-06-17

Sort of a short biographical account of a British Hotel worker who, with some friends, decided to try and see the Princess at some of her public appearances. Over time he managed to see her more and more, became well known to the Princess and became a friend of hers. He often brought her flowers, that's the title part, but sometimes other gifts, and describes this as well as some of the many times he met Diana. I thought it was an interesting little book, chatty but different, lots of pictures almost all taken by Mr. Jackman.
I think when I ordered the CD-ROM it was more available than the paperback, now the reverse is true, I'd rather have it in paperform. Amazon doesn't give any PC requirements, which made me nervous, but I was relieved to find that it is Macintosh, Windows or Unix compatible- you also need a sound card (for a song on the disc- I didn't listen to it)and a Java-enabled browser. I put the thing in my CD-ROM drive and it started right up,didn't install anything that I saw, no problems. I use America Online, that started up like I was going to be put online but it just opened the book up,easy to operate when you get it there. If you don't have AOL or something like that would Internet Explorer work it? I don't know, and wish more information was provided.

Mi última flor. (princesa Diana de Gales)(TT: My last flower) (TA: Princess Diana of Wales): An article from: Epoca

Average customer rating:

Mi última flor. (princesa Diana de Gales)(TT: My last flower) (TA: Princess Diana of Wales): An article from: Epoca
Alfonso Ussía
Manufacturer: Difusora de Informacion Periodica, S.A. (DINPESA)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B00097PGE4
Release Date: 2005-07-28

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Epoca, published by Difusora de Informacion Periodica, S.A. (DINPESA) on September 22, 1997. The length of the article is 949 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Mi última flor. (princesa Diana de Gales)(TT: My last flower) (TA: Princess Diana of Wales)
Author: Alfonso Ussía
Publication: Epoca (Magazine/Journal)
Date: September 22, 1997
Publisher: Difusora de Informacion Periodica, S.A. (DINPESA)
Issue: n656 Page: p28(1)

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Flowers in the Park Pb (Diana Princess of Wales)

Average customer rating:

Flowers in the Park Pb (Diana Princess of Wales)

Manufacturer: Orion Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0752817698

Book Description

The faces and stories of the sprawling Gracie family, who transformed Brazilian jiu-jitsu from an unknown street technique into the dominant form of martial arts today, are captured here. Introduced are Grandmaster Helio Gracie, who as a frail boy in Brazil in the 1930s developed the art, creating leverage techniques that allowed him to overcome other martial artists, regardless of size or strength; Rickson Gracie, the mystical family champion who has never been defeated in combat; and Royce Gracie, the most famous active martial artist in the United States, who put Brazilian jiu-jitsu on the map by winning the first three Ultimate Fighting Championships before the largest pay-per-view audiences in history. In addition to stunning action shots of the Gracies in all the legendary matches and their unique perspectives on what really went on during those fights, this book includes archival photos of the family, from their beginnings in Brazil in the 1930 to the present day and the new generation of champions. Fans will learn of Renzo's transformation from Rio street brawler to New York celebrity and revered teacher; of Royce and Royler's exploits as mischievous kids; and of Rickson's battle against one of Rio's toughest drug gangs.

Customer Reviews:

Gracie clan.......2007-10-10

Kid Peligro nails it from an (almost) insider's perspective. As someone who started training with the Gracie family before there was even a UFC, I believe Kid is dead on with his take on the family and the martial art of Brazilian jujitsu. A lot of MMA fans today don't even realize there would be no UFC (or formerly Pride, or any other MMA organization) without the Gracies. Must read for Gracie and MMA fans.

Peligro knows everything.......2007-04-02

I thought I knew somethings about the First Family of Mixed Martial Arts, But this book tells almost everything. Their truimphs,tragedies and hopes for the future. If your a fan, Than this book is worth reading.

Good, but biased.......2006-10-01

I love the mystique surrounding the Gracie family martial arts. I was enthralled with Royce Gracie as a kid, and still revere him as a hero of sorts. So, I really enjoyed this book, mostly because it talks about something there is simply not much literature written about.

That said, it is biased. It's okay to lose, and Kid P. should recognize this. All the greatest fighters in the world have lost, or certainly end up losing, eventually. Muhammed Ali lost his share of matches, but always fought to stay on top. He eventually didn't, but he revolutionized boxing and more because of his greatness.

The Gracie's are the same way. Like it or not, the Gracie's changed everything, and made today's fighters what they are. They popularized vale-tudo fights, and taught the world (without reserve) their style. It constitutes half of MMA today. Without it, MMA would be Tank Abbot slugging it out with Ken Shamrock, or whatever.

This celebrates the Gracie family in a non-academic approach. Get it, enjoy it.

Beautiful Pictures. However, stories seem a bit fabricated.........2003-12-19

Despite ranking the book 3 stars out of 5, I will go ahead and say that this book is a must have for anyone practicing brazilian jiujitsu. I have been into the sport for years, and I truly value my copy of this book. The pictures are beautiful, and I love how the chapters are broken down into each of the brothers/cousins. However, I believe the stories on each of the brothers seem a bit fabricated. They may be real, but the diction employed by the author seems to exaggerate and stretch the truth. Peligro is a great writer. With his skills, I believe he could have done a better job on this book.

Written with loving care...and exceptional bias........2003-10-27

I fully echo what J. Steele has said in an earlier review. The production on this book is fantastic. If you are a Gracie fan, you will be in heaven. For the layman, this is a really interesting read...if you heed the warnings. For the martial arts historian or fan, this book is severely lacking in the credibility department.

Kid Peligro does indeed have unparalleled access to the Gracie family, and the quality of the family photos and interviews reflects this. The reporting of some of the more controversial events is where the problem lies. An outsider reading this book would not believe that Sakuraba had beaten half the Gracie family soundly in MMA. Gracie losses are mere footnotes, or passed off as no-contests. Similarly the report of Helio's historic loss to Kimura spends more in describing Helio beating Kato, then insinuating that Kimura was bigger, younger and stronger than Helio - well maybe Helio shouldn't have challenged him then. After Kimura breaks Helio's arm, there is the ridiculous suggestion that the whole thing was a ploy for Helio to glean knowledge from Kimura, and in some way this was a victory - Helio had "learned everything he could from Kimura."

Sadly the text is riddled with such obvious and disappointing bias. Just a little less rhetoric would have made this book outstanding.

Book Description

From Crocodile Dundee to Strictly Ballroom, from Breaker Morant to Mad Max, Australian film has delighted and moved audiences the world over. Now in a new edition, Australian Film makes available all the essential statistics on over 340 beloved feature films from leading film writers of the last seventeen years, including Jane Campion, Jocelyn Moorhouse, Keith Connolly, Philippa Hawker, and Adrian Martin. This comprehensive and meticulously edited volume includes at least one superb still for each film covered, revealing a surprising number of local and international movie stars including Mel Gibson, Rachel Ward, Meryl Streep, Anthony Hopkins, Mia Farrow, Bryan Brown, Judy Davis, Sam Neill, Greta Scacchi, and Paul Hogan. The most in-depth look available at this important era in film-making, Australian Film is accessibly arranged with one film to a page. Each entry gives technical and cast credits which correct many factual errors and offers a succinct article covering the film's content and significance. For this second edition Scott Murray and his contributors assess the forty-two Australian films released in 1993 and 1994, detailing such international successes as Pricilla, Queen of the Desert, Sirens, and Muriel's Wedding. Also examined are films such as Mel Gibson's first and little-known movie Tim, box office hits The Year of Living Dangerously, Green Card, and the Mad Max movies, and critically acclaimed films such as Strictly Ballroom, The Black Robe, My Brilliant Career, Breaker Morant, Gallipoli, The Man from Snowy River, The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith, and An Angel at My Table. The most comprehensive reference to the films of the past two decades, Australian Film will both delight and edify all serious movie-goers and film buffs.

Book Description

THIS 18 PAGE ARTICLE WAS EXTRACTED FROM THE BOOK: History of Magic: Including a Clear, and Precise Exposition of its Procedure, Rites and Mysteries, by Eliphas Levi. To purchase the entire book, please order ISBN 1564594041.

Lully Studies (Cambridge Composer Studies)

Average customer rating:

Lully Studies (Cambridge Composer Studies)

Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

History & Criticism | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Book Description

The work of Baroque composer Jean-Baptiste Lully, regarded as the founder of French opera and a key figure in the development of court ballet, enjoys growing popular and scholarly interest. This volume brings together thirteen international scholars to present the best recent research on Lully's life, his work and his influence. Illustrated with musical examples and photographs, the volume also contains surprising archival discoveries about the composer's early life in Tuscany and important new information about his manuscript sources. It will interest musicologists, historians, performers and listeners alike.

Famous Alchemists: Raymund Lully, Cornelius Agrippa, And Theophrastus Paracelsus

Average customer rating:

Famous Alchemists: Raymund Lully, Cornelius Agrippa, And Theophrastus Paracelsus
Arthur Edward Waite
Manufacturer: Kessinger Publishing, LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0548058784

Customer Reviews:

Give depth to your Strider Character, unbelivable detail.......1998-04-20

This book gave me tremendous respect for the Silent Striders, the least respected of the Garou Tribes. Learn all about their spiritual roots and why exactly there are no Garou in egypt. Very interesting crossover possibilities into Vampire: The Dark Ages and The Masquerade. This text goes into so much detail about the tribe, even revealing how to name your Strider, and which Egyptian gods were Garou and which were Leeches. Learn about the War of Rage and the reason that Stiders attract wraiths. A definite must-read for fans of The Apocalypse. The best character I ever played was a direct result of reading this book.

One of the best tribebooks out there.......1998-04-16

The book contains an introduction to being a silent strider in a masterful manner, taking you on a head-first tour of trailblazing fun. The allusions to many epic Egyptian tales and their modified form in the World of Darkness makes this book an uptmost intriguing book to read. For mechanics, the book provides some interesting but balanced fetishes, gifts, and totems. Even the five basic auspice archetypes aren't silly. A good buy overall.

Tribebook 9 for Werewolf: The Apocalypse.......1997-06-29

This Tribebook is very nicely put together. It includes a lot of history and cultural information on the Striders as well as the usual new Merits and Flaws and Gifts. I learned quite a bit just reading this one, and I consider it to be money well-spent. The Totems offered were interesting too. I'd say this is a must-have for Storyrellers and dedicated players alike

Tribebook: Silent Striders (Werewolf the Apocalypse)

Average customer rating:

Very Nice Look at the Garou of Khem

Tribebook: Silent Striders (Werewolf the Apocalypse)
Skemp
Manufacturer: White Wolf Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Werewolf | Gaming | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 1588463141

Customer Reviews:

Very Nice Look at the Garou of Khem.......2004-01-13

This book covers the wandering Silent Strider Tribe, exiled from Egypt by Sutekh's curse. The book jumps right away into the Tribe's history, starting along the Nile and the steppes of Central Asia. Alot of information is given on Egypt, the battle between Sutekh and Osiris, and the Tribe's eventual curse and exile. Mention of important historical events is made, such as the rise of Christianity and Islam, the Crusades, the Ottoman Empire, the Gulf War, construction of the Aswan Dam and so forth, as the Tribe spread through the Middle East, Africa and India seeking a new home. Theres also a lot of metaplot stuff (Beast Courts of Asia, Black Tooth, the Ahadi, the Red Star and Ravanna's awakening) and even sensitive political issues affecting the Striders (Islamic fundamentalism, the Intifada, 11-9, genocide against the Rroma, etc).

Chapter two covers the beliefs and practices of the Striders, including views on the Litany, Auspice roles, stereotypes of other Tribes and Fera (their relationships with the Bastet, Mokole, Mummies and Setites are all quite interesting) and so forth. Stuff on breeds and kinfolk is discussed, such as their human kin (ranging from Bedouin and Tuareg nomads, Ethiopians, Rroma, Jews, nomadic Native American Nations and so forth) and wolf kin (the wolves of Ethiopia, Central Asia and even the plains of North America). In addition, theres mention of all the Camps, including a new look at the Daggers of the Night (vampire killers) and the Eaters of the Dead. Then theres a look at Strider lands, not just Egypt and the Middle East, but also the Garou caste system in India, the Ahadi of Africa and much more. Plus a nice sidebar on vampire hunting.

The following chapter covers all manner of crunchy stuff, like fleshing out Backgrounds, appearence and Egyptian names, new Gifts, Rites, Fetishes and Talens, Totems like Crocodile and Scarab, Camp specific goodies and even a new Merit and a new Flaw. Some of this stuff comes from the old Tribe Book, but lots of new stuff is presented as well. The book then closes out with the five pre-generator characters (stuff like "the vampire hunter" and "child of Anubis"), plus some characters of note such as Wepauwet, Vik Stryker (who fell in battle with a Setite cult but went out in a blaze of glory), Black Shuck (very cool character), Walks-with-Might and the signature character Memphi Faster-Than-Death. Nothing too new or surprising here, but still cool. Ultimately I found this an enjoyable book. The IC stuff I've found to be a little more useful than the crunchy bits thus far, but it still is a wonderful resource for Werewolf games. Its especially nice if you're using Rage Across Egypt, playing the Ahadi, running a Mummy crossover or have an interest in the Middle East, Egypt, Africa and/or India in the World of Darkness setting. Check it out.

Average customer rating:

start and run a landscaping MAINTANCE business

Landscaping

Excellent well balanced book

Start & Run A Landscaping Business (Start & Run a)
Joel LaRusic
Manufacturer: Self-Counsel Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
New Business Enterprises | Small Business & Entrepreneurship | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Look Inside Business Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

How to Start a Home-Based Landscaping Business, 5th (Home-Based Business Series)

Start Your Own Lawn Care Business (Entrepreneur Magazine's Start Up)

20 Secrets For Landscape Contractors

How to Make Big Money Mowing Small Lawns

The Lawn Bible: How to Keep It Green, Groomed, and Growing Every Season of the Year

ASIN: 1551806053

Book Description

* Make a living with your own landscaping business
* Work in the great outdoors
* Be your own boss
* Make money all year round, wherever you live

Customer Reviews:

start and run a landscaping MAINTANCE business.......2007-04-01

This was not what I thought, I was looking for somthing to help with my lanscape construction buisness.Can I return it?

Landscaping .......2007-02-02

Very good book on business side, not much information about landscaping itself. Very detailled information about opening a business. Costs, overhead costs, and initial capital.

Excellent well balanced book.......2005-11-24

This book was very well written with good balance between general business advice and more specific landscaping advice. I like that he does not mind going out on a limb to recommend specific brands and types of commercial lawn care equipment. He also includes a very handy CD filled with all sorts of sheets that can b personalized to your individual use. This book should become the authoritative guide to those looking to enter the business.

Average customer rating:

WW II Enlisted Man's View

Very moving memoir about combat in WW2

Superb Writing; Superb Story.

Taught to Kill: An American Boy's War from the Ardennes to Berlin

Memories of the War

Taught to Kill: An American Boy's War from the Ardennes to Berlin
John B. Babcock
Manufacturer: Potomac Books Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Military & Spies | Professionals & Academics | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
General | Military | Leaders & Notable People | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
General | World War II | Military | History | Subjects | Books
Personal Narratives | World War II | Military | History | Subjects | Books
Western Front | World War II | Military | History | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Bootprints

YOU CAN'T GET MUCH CLOSER THAN THIS: Combat With Company H, 317th Infantry Regiment, 80th Division

From Omaha Beach to Dawson's Ridge: The Combat Journal of Captain Joe Dawson

Unless Victory Comes: Combat With a Machine Gunner in Patton's Third Army

Descending From The Clouds: A Memoir of Combat in the 505 Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82d Airborne Division

ASIN: 1574887998

Book Description

By mid-1944, the U.S. Army was facing a critical shortage of the most important commodity in any war, the common foot soldier. Higher-than-expected casualties during the liberation of France had forced the Army to comb its ranks for replacement infantrymen. Plucked in 1944 from the safety and privilege of the Army Specialized Training Program (the World War II version of the college deferment of the Vietnam years), twenty-two-year-old John Babcock suddenly found himself an infantry private headed to Europe. Raised in an upper-middle-class family, this sensitive and literate youth was thrust into a group of coarse, uneducated, and sometimes brutal draftees who were headed to the 78th Infantry Division as replacements. Babcock demonstrates that the â€œgreatest generationâ€ was not always that. Instead, it was like any other cohortâ€”full of liars, cowards, and ordinary men who simply wanted to stay alive and go home.

Babcock lets us see the war through his eyesâ€”just over the rim of the foxhole. Undergoing his baptism of fire in the Battle of the Bulge, he endures the trials of combat, advancing through attrition to become the senior sergeant in the company. This ordinary enlisted infantryman in â€œjust another combat divisionâ€ takes the reader from infantry basic training and seven months of combat to postwar occupation duty in Germany and back home. It is one infantry riflemanâ€™s story rather than an account of how his division fit into the grander scheme of the war in Europeâ€”though the author relates to that by providing the reader with a roadmap of dates and locations taken. Babcock offers an intimate taste of combat, casualties, how he fought, and with which weapons (in clear â€œcivilianâ€ language), and both the heroism and cowardice of his fellow soldiers. Published in cooperation with the Association of the United States Army, it is a gripping account of how an ordinary American boy felt and experienced the so-called good war.

Customer Reviews:

WW II Enlisted Man's View.......2007-05-14

A very quick and easy read but one of the deepest that I've read from the view of the man on the ground without being highly political, sentimental, psychological, or maudlin. There's hardly a sense of bitterness or regret for the failings of the government and commanders during WWII, the slackers and sociopaths who avoided harm's way, the cowards and psychopaths who were in the attacking ranks,and the johnny-come-lately "heroes" at the end. It's almost as if the author was a detached objective reporter on the scene which caused me to think that perhaps that is how he was able to survive somewhat physically and mentally intact after enduring the last two years of the "Good War". Also, even though it was his story he did not attempt to make himself a hero in any way, although I did sense that he was probably part of some things that happened either by acts of commission or omission that he would never tell anyone.

The author should be commended for conveying his personal story in a way that informs, entertains, and thrills, but at times can create empathy, anger, and disgust when he enables the reader to understand the "melting pot" of backgrounds and psyches that was stirred into survival situations. This is done simply by descriptive narrative without invoking emotional diatribes.

An understanding of the macro picture of WW II would put this book into its right perspective. I doubt that it would have been printed 50 years ago but in view of the conflicts that we have entered into since 1950 and are now in at the beginning of the 21st century, every young man who wants to be in the infantry should be required to read this book before making his final decision to do so. It would also benefit any veteran who served during any time of our history and who had to carry a weapon as part of his duties.

Very moving memoir about combat in WW2.......2007-05-12

This is one of the best memoirs written about frontline combat in WW2. Some veterans are able to put into words what actually is near impossible to put in words, and John Babcock does it extremely well. You will be moved by the misery these young soldiers suffered.

Superb Writing; Superb Story........2007-04-09

"Taught To Kill" by John B. Babcock. Subtitled: "An American Boy's War From The Ardennes To Berlin". Potomac Books, Inc. Dulles, Virginia, 2005.

The writing in this book is excellent. Throughout the book, the author, John Babcock, WWII Veteran, uses alliteration, the rhyming of the first syllables of words, as little jewels which makes his writing sparkle. Despite the serious subject of the book, the author has made it easy and pleasing to read. And, the subject of the book is serious.

Using a fifty-year old manuscript, which he had typed at the end of hostilities in Europe, he put together a genuine accounting of a "...small-town American college kid, transformed ... by government edict, into a foreign-soil combat soldier". Unlike so many other personal memoir books, Babcock has expended a great deal of energy on introspection, where his recorded observations are combined with an examination of exactly what his pains and his unit's hard work did for the war effort, in particular, and for mankind, in general.

His description of the death of his "...first KIA (killed in action): Sergeant Coleman..." was particularly poignant. Sergeant Coleman's professionalism had convinced Babcock that Coleman was possibly the most invulnerable soldier in the company, and there was the sergeant with a "...chunk of his forehead ...shot away". On the other hand, the author's description of the collapse of Technical Sergeant Oaks during an artillery barrage was particularly chilling. Sergeant Oaks had been bold, brash and brave in basic training, but, after the first miss by an 88mm round, there was the sergeant "... huddled under his wet overcoat by the shelter entrance." The sergeant's improper behavior had all "... but disabled me." On the same page, Babcock includes an interesting fact: most German Artillery fire during World War II was, in fact, 105mm, not the famous (infamous) 88mm. (Page 31). And, for those who served in the Army specialized Training Program (ASTP), page 154 presents the reason that the ASTP program was reduced dramatically: "... (t)hat almost all (replacements) went into the infantry was a given. Forty thousand replacements coming into our ranks translated to ten thousand men per week leaving the front lines for hospitals or for Dutch or Belgian cemeteries". I have never read such a succinct summary of the horrendous ETO casualty rate that caused General George Marshall to downsize ASTP and to move so many Air Corps candidates into the infantry. Excellent writing; excellent story telling.

Taught to Kill: An American Boy's War from the Ardennes to Berlin.......2007-04-04

The author did a very good job of describing what a young American man goes through in ground combat. Anyone who has served in the U.S. Army or Marine infantry will appreciate John B. Babcock's personal account of his combat duty in Europe in WWII. He does not gloss over some of the actions of our soldiers which result from the stress of combat and the resulting hate for the enemy, soldiers and civilians alike.

Memories of the War.......2005-07-31

Reading "Taught to Kill" brings back vivid and chilling memories of those days with you in L company, 310th Regiment, 78th Division,in the cold winter of 1944-45. I was 18 going on 19 and at that point would have been pathetically grateful to see twenty. My memory of those days and nights is of bitter cold, empty villages, echoing streets and a sense of deadly imminence. In fact, I think the enemy had pretty well evacuated ahead of us except for some isolated snipers who shot at us as they were retreating. As we moved toward the front we would sometimes walk past frozen corpses. I still remember a day when a medic with his Red Cross insignia clearly visible was dropped by a single shot from a sniper on the far side.
I think you have done a great job of capturing the feeling of those days, which you might call the reality of the unreality of it all. That whole transition of innocent country boys into at least semi-professional killers is a real phenomenon of our time, and I think we should all be grateful that those days did not mark us worse than they did. You have done a terrific job of understanding and recreating the past without glorifying it beyond reason or common sense. Congratulations!

Book Description

The first critical biography of Quitman, May's study sheds light on such current historical controversies as whether antebellum southerners were particuliarly militaristic or "antibourgeois" and helps illuminate the slave-master relations, mobility, intraregional class and geographic friction, partisan politics, and family customs of the Old South.

Customer Reviews:

A Superb Biography of a Southern Nationalist.......2006-01-24

A superb biography, "John A. Quitman: Old South Crusader" tells the story of one of the most significant of the southern "fire eaters" in the era prior to the Civil War. Born in Rhinebeck, New York, in 1798, in 1821 Quitman arrived in Natchez, Mississippi, seeking fame and fortune. He found both, for Quitman occupied the highest office in all branches of his state's government. He became an ardent Southern rights and pro-slavery advocate, and would have applauded the creation of the Confederacy had he lived to see it. As it was, he died in 1858.

During the 1836 Texas Revolution Quitman organized a military force, but saw no action. In 1846 he became a brigadier general of Mississippi militia, and won glory at the battle of Monterrey, September 20-24, 1846, and at Vera Cruz. In 1847 his division captured the fortress of Chapultec, leading to the fall of Mexico City and the conclusion of the Mexican-American war. Afterwards, Quitman continued his political career, serving as Mississippi governor and in Congress. He also supported filibustering in the Caribbean. His death from food poisoning ensured that he did not fight for the South in the Civil War.

This book was well-received when first published in 1985, and fully deserving of accolades more than twenty years after its publication. Robert E. May, professor of history at Purdue University and a longtime friend, probes in this biography the mind of pro-slavery, pro-southern nationalism by focusing on Quitman and his career. Quitman, along with Edmund Ruffin and a few others pressed the South to secede from the Union in 1860-1861 and fight the most destructive war ever undertaken on the North American continent. It also makes clear, as May's biography of Quitman states with conviction, that the Civil War was fundamentally about the place of slavery and race relations in the United States. Well-done in terms of research and presentation, "John A. Quitman: Old South Crusader" is a significant book that anyone interested in the history of Old South must read.

Average customer rating:

John A. Quitman: Old South Crusader

Manufacturer: Louisiana State Univ. Pr.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000I2YTIE

Customer Reviews:

Required Reading.......2007-07-30

I suspect that the problem with this book is that it is mostly read by whistleblowers who've already acted.
It needs to be read by management in every organization so that they understand whistleblowers, and perhaps will deal with them differently.
It needs to be read by those contemplating whistleblowing, although it would likely convince many not to act--and then where would the world be?
I am a whistleblower, but early in the process. This book describes my feelings and the reaction of others to the point of being eerie. It has helped me understand what is happening. This makes Mr. Alford's prediction of the likely outcomes very distressing. I believe my outcome will be different, but he says that is a common delusion among whistleblowers.

No Time for Heroes: Feeding the Saints to the Beasts.......2001-06-09

If the 20th century was the era of totalitarian states then it was also the era of many isolated and unsung individuals attempting to withstand particular instances of cruelty, brutality and inhumanity. Surprisingly, the institutions of oppression associated with Nazi Germany, Soviet Russia, and the People's Republic of China resonate to one degree or another in larger modern organizations found in contemporary North America: multi-nationals, municipal entities, Federal corporations and agencies. The methods for destroying individuals are vastly improved over the knock on the door at midnight and the train ride to an Arctic concentration camp. Now, dissidents are eliminated cleanly, quietly, even "legally."

The point of this book is that the forms of ethical resistance associated with the incredible heroism of figures such as Alexander Solzhenitsyn, Oscar Schnidler, and Harry Wu occur under different appearances today.

Unfortunately, the effect of resistance to evil ordinarily produces futile results - the walls seem to specialize in falling in on the individual resister while the public good and general interest is hardly advanced following the episodes. In a sense, this is a dark book perhaps of neo-Gothic horror since the reality is that the doers of evil escape thanks to enjoying the presumption of right and virtual invisibility. Repressive organizational technique includes "learned helplessness" (the bureaucratic ability to appear innocent while invariably smashing the box marked "fragile"), the employment of lawyers skilled in turning statutes into injustice, and the exploitation of the inherent ability of modern organizations to avoid accountability and, even, recognition.

Who needs this book?

Professor Alford's book has particular value to would be authors, instructors, and playwrights. These will find the book muse-like for its stock of great and gory chucks of raw reality. In its pages new ideas, vistas and themes to inspire the imaginative writer, even the artist. One can readily imagine a contemporary Arthur Miller carefully taking notes as he or she turns the pages.

For the discerning reader, this book is even collectible for its future scarcity - like a copy of Freud in Hitler's Third Reich. Prim organizational librarians and censorious officials will recoil at the ghastly truths and pitiable realities described within its pages. One may rest assured that the book will never found in the libraries of Federal agencies - unless the agency's business involves harassing whistle blowers. Those few copies placed in public libraries will certainly be culled out and disappear from sight when the real meaning and significance of it become known to the authorities.

For the general consumer, entranced with the illusory world purveyed by the mass media - luxuriating in consumerism, searching for impressive books to place on the coffee table, Prof. Alford's tome is apt to be baffling, improbable, and irritating.

Moreover, and worse of all, it has no pictures and does not even come with a music CD.

"Tom Hardy"(see pages 27-29)

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books