The Mystery of B. Traven

Book Description

The only interview ever granted by the man generally assumed to have been B Traven, pseudonymous author of The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, The Death Ship and eight Mexican novels. Plus a postscript “My Second Thoughts about B. Traven, variously known as Ret Marut, Richard Maurhut, Berick Traven Torsvan and Hal Croves. An unknown Russian sailor adds to the mystery. “Second Thoughts” was my contribution to an international conference on the author at Penn State University in 1987. It was among the papers published by Pennsylvania State University Press in 1987.

Customer Reviews:

Must-read book, but one that only adds questions.......2007-01-25

This is a must-read for anyone interested in the "mystery" of the identity of B. Traven and especially the meta-mystery and the history of the mystery. The book - which is print-on-demand (but is still well made) - is a collection of materials compiled together. Since the materials are poorly edited and repetitive at times, I presume they are Stone's articles for Ramparts - but the volume nowhere gives their origin. The book is a narrative derived from the last and only authorized interviews that Hal Croves gave. The content, alas, is not what one would have hoped for. As I read the book, I kept wondering why a magazine would send an interviewer who spoke no German and had no scholarly understanding of German literature to interview a German author. As a result of this, many of her questions and presuppositions were poorly informed (when I later read Jonah Raskin's book, I understood what Croves' wife meant when she said that Stone would have gotten more if she had just asked the right questions). The newer materials are similarly off-basis - rather than summarizing and addressing the scholarship in the intervening 20 years, Stone puts forth more rumors and romantic dreams. After reading the book, I wondered whether Stone - like Croves' wife - was more interested in proliferating the mysteries than in solving them.

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"Government" presages the 1994 Zapatista rebellion
Realistic depiction of power and humanity
another fine Traven book
A MUST READ
Traven's Jungle Book 1: Government

Government
B. Traven
Manufacturer: Schocken Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0805281657

Book Description

The first of Traven's legendary Jungle Novels, Government depicts the political corruption that infected even the smallest villages in Mexico before the revolution. Readers who ignore the genius of B. Traven do so at their peril. --New York Times Book Review

Customer Reviews:

"Government" presages the 1994 Zapatista rebellion.......2006-12-10

Amazing fact: in Government, published 1931, Traven has the rebels in Chiapas commandeer an army post while the troops are drunk on New Years Eve. This is exactly what happened on Jan. 1, 1994 when the Zapatista rebels seized the army base near San Cristobal de las Casas and procured their weapons. I don't know if the rebels took their cue from Traven, or if it was coincidence, but this is a case of reality imitating fiction.

Realistic depiction of power and humanity.......2006-11-03

B. Traven uses his prose to clearly illuminate the fallacies foisted upon people by those in power, who clearly believe that they belong in power. This is a story in the "The Jungle Stories" series of Traven, which describe the horrible abuses that the indigenous indians of southern Mexico (mainly around Chiapas, which is still an area of unrest today) by Mexican government officials who conspired with foreign capitalists to use the indians as cheap, throw-away labor all in the name of promoting Mexico as a great nation under the dictator Porfirio Díaz. Great for some, but a disaster for the poor.

another fine Traven book.......2004-09-30

Traven continues to strike a balance between despair and hope with this story set in rural Mexico.

A MUST READ.......2003-12-18

GOVERNMENT should be required reading in every High School civics class. Beyond its relevance to actual Mexican history, and its introduction to Traven's amazing Jungle series, it does an expert and entertaining job of describing the prevelant corruption that most, if not all, modern goverments eventually (often rapidly) employ. Also a must read also for all voters and elected officials.

Traven's Jungle Book 1: Government.......2003-02-02

Government by B. Traven felt more like an introduction into an epic rather than a stand alone product. Treasure of the Sierra Madre by Traven earns 5 stars, but Government seemed to be setting the stage for a larger landscape of characters and events. Yet, he carefully lays down a description of the parallel cultures and values of the Mexican central government under the dictatorship of Diaz, and the culture of the native indigenous population. Sometimes Traven gets too preachy with his anti-capitalism and anti-Catholicism. The native folks are pictured as too innocent and ideal, much like the philosophy of Rousseau. The two brothers Don Gabriel and Don Mateo are contrasted well, showing that true theft and deception must be slowly and carefully developed as shown by Don Gabriel, as compared to the over reaching, over greedy actions of Don Mateo.

Book Description

To this day, Hermann Buhl's successful 1953 solo climb of 26,620-foot Nanga Parbat remains one of the single greatest achievements in mountaineering history. On this peak, which over the years had claimed 31 lives, Buhl achieved something far beyond the accepted limits of human possibility and reached the zenith of his career. Nanga Parbat Pilgrimage shares Buhl's life, from the physical frailty of his childhood through the many years he spent building his almost superhuman strength to his great triumph in the Himalayas.

Customer Reviews:

A great biography of Hermann Buhl.......2005-09-26

This book, written by Hermann Buhl, was largely re-written by his friend and editor Kurt Maix, at least according to Reinhold Messner, author of a climber's biography of Herman Buhl. This may be so, but I think this book conveys what Hermann Buhl wanted to say- after all he approved it.

While text such as "[my recollections of Nanga Parbat] are ... shining, alluring visions which sear one's heart and wipe out all memory of distress, worry, and disappointment" does not sound like his words, I think they well describe the sensation. And that is one of the key differences between this book and Messner's book, "Hermann Buhl- Climbing Without Compromise". This book conveys, as a detached writer would, the thoughts and feelings more than the exact words or technical details of Buhl's life. For those who prefer, or want additionally, to "hear" Buhl's own voice, and many more\technical details of his accomplishments, I recommend Messner's book.

FYI, the 1987 Movie "The Climb" only covers Buhl's climb of Nanga Parbat, but keeps fairly close to what is described here, and even "quotes" Buhl from this book.

an average book from one of the best climbers in history.......2004-02-16

Everyone interested in Alpine and Himalayan mountain climbing knows of Herman Buhl (Messner considers him the best climber of all time). His feat of survival alone in a bivouac above 8,000 meters on Nanga Parbat is among the most remarkable achievements in the history of Himalayan Mountaineering!

And here is the most significant area where the book comes up short -- it devotes only a short section, at the very end of the book, to this remarkable expedition. Do not be mislead by the title -- this is not a book about this expedition -- it is an autobiography of Buhl, highlighting some of his remarkable achievements in climbing in the Alps.

My second concern about the book is related to the author's style. Of course, it is a matter of personal preference, but I find Buhl's writing as uninspired and dry, as his climbing capacities are outstanding. One simple comparison of the description of the same episode (climbing the north face of the Eiger) by Buhl as compared to that by Gaston Rebuffat (I highly recommend his book "Starlight and Storm"; they found themselves climbing the Eiger at the same time) clearly shows the much more inspired writing of the French (not to mention that Buhl does not even mention Rebuffat, a well known climber in the Alps by then, by name).

If you are really interested in Herman Buhl, I recommend "Climbing Without Compromise", or the "Kurt Diemberger Omnibus".

One of the best..........2002-01-09

This is without a doubt one of the two best mountaineering books. Incredible stories of close shaves and lucky escapes make it clear that the final ending on Chogolisa was bound to happen sooner or later. Only Terray's "Conquistadors of the Useless" reaches the same heights. They don't write them like this anymore ....

Hermann was an awesome dude.......2000-08-25

You might not find the literary style of this book to be a knockout, but, like Jerzy Kukuzka's "My Vertical World", the content will probably blow you away. Hermann fought his way past numerous obstacles on his way to the summit of Nanga and did so with impeccable style. It's a guaranteed classic.

LAST MAN STANDING.......2000-03-06

I have just reread this classic in English. Hermann Buhl was the best mountaineer the earth had ever given birth to. The conqueror of Nanga Parbat and Falchen Kangi, one of two people who devirginized 2 eight-thousanders, along with Kurt Diemberger. His all ascents stand in contrast with the siege methods of the time, but the ascent of Nanga Parbat set the limit of endurance and courage, to be met decades later. His style compares to the style Mount Everest was ascended in the same way as Jerzy Kukuczka's 14-summits compare to Reinhold Messner's, respectively.

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Alban Berg und seine Idole. Erinnerungen und Briefe
Soma Morgenstern , and Ingolf Schulte
Manufacturer: Aufbau Tb
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

All German Books | German | Foreign Language Books | Specialty Stores | Books
ASIN: 3746614554

Book Description

Containing 500 questions and answers about the nation's first chartered state university spanning over two centuries, this collection of trivia is a definitive resource for fans, students, and alumni of the University of Georgia. Packed with the fun, the significant, the informative, and the bizarre, the UGA is revealed as a dynamic and diverse community that has touched all of America. Organized by topic, UGA aficionados will find info on subjects such as students, faculty, alumni, leaders, government, buildings, and sports.

Book Description

How are the world's most successful organizations developing their leaders? "This book will help anyone who is charged with a leadership development initiative or is learning about leadership development. Full of practical examples and tools from companies that are known for having a reputation for developing leaders."
Michael Piergrossi; vice president, leadership and organization development, W. R. Grace & Co.
Using the case studies in this book will give you the opportunity you to:
* Benchmark against SmithKline Beecham's 21 Leadership Competencies
* Implement cutting-edge tools including Allied Signal's Career Profile, continuous improvement and performance objectives tools
* Customize a training curriculum that works for your organization based on: Imasco's Operating Company Visits and Work Projects, Colgate-Palmolive's Key Accountability program, or Abbott Lab's Managing Across Boundaries
* And much more!
In 1998, Linkage, Inc., and Warren Bennis collaborated in completing a study of more than 350 companies involved with leadership development and found that:
* Nearly all respondents recognized the need to develop stronger leaders, yet less than 44 percent had a formal process for nominating or developing high-potential employees
* Companies that do successfully build their high-potential employees use structured leadership development systems
* The programs that make a difference include some or all of three critical components: formal training, 360-degree feedback, and most importantly, exposure to senior executives including mentoring programs
The result of this study is Linkage Inc.'s Best Practices in Leadership Development Handbook. With its case study approach, this book gives you access to the practical, easy-to-apply tools, instruments, training, and competency models that fifteen world-class organizations use as benchmarks to successfully implement their leadership development programs.
To read the foreword from this book, click here.
To read the first chapter from this book, click here.

Book Description

Walt Disney's imagination is still seen in theme parks throughout the world bearing his name, on numerous live-action films and television specials, on toys and assorted merchandise, and on an international corporation known both for the high quality of its creative output and its ubiquity. During his lifetime, Disney (1901-1966) appeared on the covers of Time, Look, Newsweek, TV Guide, and The Saturday Evening Post, and he was featured on hundreds of radio and television talk shows.

Walt Disney: Conversations collects interviews and profiles of the man who created Mickey Mouse, developed a multinational creative corporation, and produced such full-length animated classics as Snow White, Cinderella, Fantasia, Bambi, The Lady and the Tramp, Dumbo, Sleeping Beauty, Peter Pan and Pinocchio, along with countless short cartoons.

Bringing together over twenty pieces from the late 1920s to the late 1960s, this book traces Disney's career from early classics such as "Steamboat Willie" to Snow White, from the construction of Disneyland, to his live-action ventures such as The Mickey Mouse Club and Mary Poppins. Walt Disney: Conversations shows how Disney saw his productions as shapers of popular culture, and reveals how firmly he understood the issues of his time.

Featuring an interview conducted by producer Cecil B. DeMille, Disney's testimony before the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), and rarely seen pieces from the Disney corporation's archives, Walt Disney: Conversations reveals a complex visionary whose impact on animation, live-action film, television, and theme parks has never been equaled.

Customer Reviews:

Remembering Walt Disney... Again........2006-12-17

.
Cudos to Kathy Merlock Jackson for taking the time to gather these insightful conversations with Walt Disney.

Once though of as "old news"... these interviews give an insight into the life, career, priorities and talent of Walt Disney that most contemporary writers are yet to uncover.

Every good book begins with a passion for a specific subject, and this text is no exception. Highly recommended for those who want to understand the mind and heart of Walt Disney.

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Walt Disney: Conversations
Walt; Jackson, Kathy Merlock Disney
Manufacturer: University Press of Mississippi
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OSFJJA

Average customer rating:

Promises much, delivers practically nothing

History Through a Prism

very interesting, but succinct!

Disappointed!

Highly objective perspective on the Pacific War

Empires on the Pacific: World War II and the Struggle for the Mastery of Asia
Robert Smith Thompson
Manufacturer: Basic Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books
General | World War II | Military | History | Subjects | Books
General | World | History | Subjects | Books
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The European Home Fronts, 1939-1945 (The European History Series)

The Second World War

ASIN: 0465085768
Release Date: 2002-12-24

Amazon.com

This revisionist history of the Second World War's Pacific theater announces that "the familiar story" we all know in which "the good guys beat the bad guys" isn't really true. In Empires on the Pacific, Robert Smith Thompson describes the "more complicated" version: "Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor was not unprovoked," and the war wound up becoming a mere extension of American imperialist aims that had been in place before the shooting started. The United States had two goals in fighting the war. It wanted to crush Japan's military might (a success) and turn China into a post-war ally (a failure). Thompson also wades into more familiar debates, arguing, for instance, that dropping atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki was not necessary because the Japanese would have surrendered anyway. It must be said that these views won't sway all readers, but they may appeal to many, especially those who admired Day of Deceit by Robert B. Stinnett. --John Miller

Book Description

Empires on the Pacific smashes the standard narrative of World War II in the Pacific theater, showing America's aim to replace Britain as East Asia's New Imperial Power. Robert Smith Thompson offers a long overdue explanation of what America's war against Japan was really about--in a word: China. The over-reaching British Empire was waning yet unwilling to relinquish its foothold in China, while an increasingly ambitious Japan was determined to dominate the region by conquering China. Enter the young upstart, America. For Franklin Delano Roosevelt and for the United States, the war with Japan had little to do with revenge for Pearl Harbor. Japan would have to be vanquished so that it would never again be an imperial rival.

Thompson's recasting of the Asian conflict profoundly alters our understanding of World War II in the Pacific and of what followed in Korea and in Vietnam. Revisionist history at its best, Empires on the Pacific is a far-reaching book that requires us to re-evaluate what we thought we knew about twentieth-century American history and what many still consider our last "good war."

Customer Reviews:

Promises much, delivers practically nothing.......2005-10-12

This is an example of the "publish or perish" mentality among academics, as it is clear that little thought went into the book at all. It seems as if he decided that something was true, then wrote around the "facts" as he knew them, making up things as he went along.

The main thesis, that the conflict between America and Japan was all about dominance in China, is unsubstantiated by any facts that the author presents. The last assertion made, that America "failed" to maintain dominance in Asia, collapses under the weight of logic: when did America ever try to dominate Asia? If it was trying to dominate Asia, why give up the Phillipines, as we had agreed to do BEFORE 1941?

Factual errors abound in the last 2/3rds of the the book, too many to recount. The author knows little of how military operations work, and shows little appreciation for long-range plans or logistical considerations. Coral Sea isn't even mentioned, the insignificant Japanese nuclear project is given way too much space, but the Mao and the Reds in China are lovingly recounted.

The final, minor thesis, that Japan was about to surrender before Hiroshima, would be laughable if it were not ludicrous, especially since the War Council was preparing to dissolve what little civil government there was left in August 1945. The tremendous buildup of troops and supplies on Kyushu in the summer of 1945 gives the lie to the entire idea.

Everything in it beginning with Pearl Harbor, and some of that before, is a waste of pulp and time. I only regret that I spent money on this mess, and the time I spent reading it I will never get back again.

History Through a Prism.......2003-04-04

Save your money; this is a ludicrous book, poorly written, disjointed, and riddled with factual errors large and small. Even Thompson's main premise, that the U.S. was just another evil imperialist power seeking to subjugate the helpless Chinese, is not made clear until the last chapter, and never really supported by any reasoned arguments or new facts. The most jarring aspect of the book for me, were the numerous errors and instances of invented history. For example, to support the assertion that the Pearl Harbor attack was not unprovoked, Thompson takes a study done by some Army Air Force officers in late 1940 and blows it up into a plot by the U.S military and government to use B-17's to firebomb Japanese cities, presumably without warning. He even supplies details about bases to be used and asserts that the Japanese "somehow" found out about the plot and resolved to attack the U.S. as a result!

Thompson obviously didn't research this very well, as he would have found that, in December, 1940, the Army Air Force had only a handful of early model B-17's, 58 to be exact, and did not consider them combat worthy. They were being used for pilot and crew training, equipment testing, and development of strategic bombing doctrine. The bases Thompson mentions, Kunming, China, Singapore, Cavite in the Phillipines, Hong Kong, Guam, and Dutch Harbor in the Aleutians were, with the exception of Guam, all well beyond the B-17's combat range.

The author makes one egregrious error after another; on pages 121 and 122, he describes the sinking of the British capitol ships Prince of Wales and Repulse, claiming that "nearly 1,000" Japanese planes "from nearby carriers" attacked the two ships and that a British destroyer was dragged down with the Prince of Wales when she sank. Somehow these facts seem to have eluded other historians. Every other source I have seen, says the British did not lose any destroyers that day and the bulk of the Japanese carrier fleet, the six largest fleet carriers, was still in the central Pacific, returning from the Pearl Harbor attack. At any rate, the Japanese Navy could muster a total of only about 650 carrier aircraft from all of their carriers combined, in December, 1940. Most sources agree that the somewhat less than one hundred planes that attacked the Prince of Wales and Repulse were all land-based. One wonders where Thompson found his "facts", and why they are so at odds with other accounts.

The author also weighs in on the atomic bomb controversy at the end of the war, claiming it wasn't necessary to drop them, since the Japanese were trying to surrender anyway. This position has been rather thoroughly demolished by Richard B. Frank's research. The Japanese weren't trying to surrender so much as negotiate a cease-fire, not on the terms of the Potsdam Declaration, but on their own terms. Terms which would have left the militarists in power and led to another war in the next generation.

I picked up this book in the hopes of reading about some new research or at least a new interpretation of existing knowledge: I got neither. It is sorely disappointing to see the same tired, and mostly discredited, arguments offered up as a "truly important and complex new interpretation" of the Pacific War. That is one thing this book is not.

very interesting, but succinct!.......2002-07-24

there are books too detailed and there are those too succinct for their topics. this belongs to the latter group. however, it is a fascinating read about china, japan, the united states, britain, the ussr all vying to control the pacific over the last 20 centuries in about 300 very small pages! it can be digested in a few evenings. i would buy it again unless i taught imperialist theory of the first two milleniums. dr vestal

Disappointed!.......2002-05-14

Nothing new here but only, as noted by other reviewers, a superficial rehash of the war in the Pacific. The book also contains a surprising number of factual errors which indicate to me a less than complete mastery of the material by the author. He even drags out the old chestnut about South Korea having provoked the Korean War. Even most revisionist historians have given up flogging that particular dead horse. By the way, Okinawa was returned to Japan in 1972 and while the people there may resent American extraterritoriality, I believe they are more concerned about the control of their country by Japan than by the U.S.
As I came to the final chapter of the book, I expected to find a substantial conclusion which would sum up the author's evidence for his thesis that America's involvment in Korea and Vietnam was the result of American aspirations in China and a bungled foreign policy. What I got was 13 pages of nothing. American foreign policy in China was certainly bungled until set right by Richard Nixon, but Mao never regarded the U.S. as an enemy and as soon as he was approached in friendship by the Nixon administration he embraced closer ties with America. America's adversary in the Far East was always the Soviet Union and not China. The Soviet Union armed, trained and financed the North Korean Peoples Army and helped plan their attack on South Korea. China only became involved because it could not tolerate a foreign army camped on it's border. Even then, Mao had to borrow money from the Soviets to buy arms from the Soviets to equip his soldiers. Mao never forgave Russia for this episode. Similiarly, the North Vietnamese Army was trained, financed and armed by the Soviet Union. North Vietnam would have collapsed without Soviet aid and at that time China, suffering from the chaos and destruction of the Cultural Revolution, was in no position to offer anything but rhetoric and a few 'volunteers'. Despite the public invective at the time, China's leaders never regarded the U.S. as an old British style imperialist power. As Mao told his personal physician in 1969, "The United States and the Soviet Union are different. The United States never occupied Chinese territory. America's new president, Richard Nixon, is a longtime rightist, a leader of the anit-communists there. I like to deal with rightists. They say what they really think-not like the leftists, who say one thing and mean another".
Events in the Far East since WW2 are clearly the result of the post war rivalry between America and the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union saw China as a threat and, as it did in Eastern Europe, attempted to place buffer states and spheres of influence between itself and it's enemy. The Soviet's use of Chinese troops as cannon fodder in Korea completely alienated Mao from his Marxist motherland. While the U.S. was fighting Soviet backed troops in Vietnam, the Chinese were fighting Russian troops along the Heilongjiang border. For the U.S. China was always a ally waiting for American diplomacy to catch up with American power.

Highly objective perspective on the Pacific War.......2002-02-04

The author portrays a very objective picture of what WWII in the Pacific theater was all about; i.e., competition among Western and Japanese colonial interests. The war was more about geopolitics and colonialism than about a "liberator" (the U.S.) defeating an evil empire (Japan). (In fact the U.S., the "Great Liberator", supported the French in their bloody quest to re-conquer and re-colonize Indochina right after WWII. The strategy was to use the French influence against the Chinese communists.)

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Typical Michener Fiction

A balanced account, wriiten at the time.

A great read

40 secretaries, one orphan...

The Best Book I Have Read on the Subject

Kent State: What Happened and Why
James A. Michener
Manufacturer: Fawcett
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

1960s | 20th Century | United States | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
General | World | History | Subjects | Books
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13 Seconds: A Look Back at the Kent State Shootings

Four Dead in Ohio: Was There a Conspiracy at Kent State

The Kent State Coverup

Floating World

From Camelot to Kent State: The Sixties Experience in the Words of Those Who Lived it

ASIN: 0449202739
Release Date: 1982-10-12

Book Description

All of James A. Michener's storytelling and reportorial skills are brought to the fore in this stunning and heartbreaking examination of the events that led to the 1970 shootings at Kent State, which shook the country to the roots and had a profound impact on the anti-war movement.

Customer Reviews:

Typical Michener Fiction.......2006-11-14

James A. Michener built a writing career on impeccable research of a subject and writing as if he did not have a clue about editing. It seemed as if Michener attempted to outdo himself in the number of words he produced for each subsequent book.

It appears as if Michener could not pull himself away from his novelized form of history while penning this work on the Kent State shootings. There is one main character that is pure fiction, the "drifter." That character - as stated by Michener when he got caught in his web of make-believe after the book was published - is an alleged composite figure.

In actuality, he may be based on a real-life male who was a government informant, hired to infiltrate organizations and then trumping up "facts" to prove they were prepared to unleash violent acts against individuals and institutions.

But people as real as Homer Simpson and scenes that may have been built better in the back lot of a movie studio did not prevent Michener from defending the book. But a writer does not report news by penning a great lie.

Michener refused to let facts get in the way of his storytelling. If nothing else, this book is a great example on how myth becomes reality & how an author can get onto the fast track for a Presidential Medal of Freedom.

A balanced account, wriiten at the time........2006-06-27

I just finished this book, and I don't know what book some of the other reviewers on this page were reading, but Michener certainly doesn't exonerate the National Guard, as Ohio law did, nor does he make a case for or against the war in Vietnam, other than to quote those who do (or don't). His negative stance on the radical SDS is based on the actions of the organization itself, which at its best was irresponsible, at its worst was criminal.
This book was fascinating. How Michener and his staff managed to do such detailed and intricate research, and compose and have published a 500-page book barely a year after the event, is nothing short of incredible. It's only drawback, as others have mentioned, is that it was written so close to the incident that there is no real "distance" perspective, and it made me want to read more current books on the subject.
I was six years old when the Kent State incident occured. I always knew of it, of course, but knew only the barest details. I'm a conservative guy, and I have nothing but the utmost respect and admiration for the brave men and women in the military, especially those in harm's way defending OUR freedoms. But after reading this book, even I was saying, "why did these guys open fire?" There certainly didn't seem to be any need to. Some students were throwing rocks and tear-gas cannisters back at the Guard, but most evidence shows that they weren't any closer than 40 or 50 yards away at the most. I concluded (as does Michener) that those who fired into the crowd were mostly scared, poorly trained kids, most that had never seen any kind of combat, and that thought they were in more danger than they actually were. Some Guardsmen in the book are quoted as saying that they were firing at a particular student who was about to throw something at them, and Michener leaves the decision about whether to believe them up to the reader. In any event, this was an absolutely tragic mistake, and four people died because of it, and this should never have happened.
Of course, there are factions in this country that will disparage and dismiss any article, book, or similar publication that concludes anything but that the Ohio National Guard were cold-blooded killers, or that the students on the campus that day were anything but flower-toting, non-violent, peace-loving angels. If you are intelligent enough to see past these easy generalizations, then read this book. It will not disappoint.

A great read.......2005-11-09

A wonderful book without the radical liberal slant!The Kent State incident was one of the turning points for the public perception of the war and of and for those who opposed it.

40 secretaries, one orphan..........2003-04-01

Good photo

of the history prof and the guard spokesman.. other photos
from Taylor Hall School of Journalism.000000 *io p epp0w
so8 slusky U Yellow Sk210y

The Best Book I Have Read on the Subject.......2001-11-21

When I read the reviews of this book I became curious. Several reviewers, who claimed to have been there, stated they did not want me to read this book. I began thinking, 'What do they not want me to know? What are they trying to hide?' So I took a gamble and read it. All the other books I have read on the subject were completely biased toward the students, but Michener interviewed students, friends and family of those students killed, the guardsmen, local politicians, faculty, police, firefighters, business owners, citizens of Kent and Ravenna, etc. I was surprised he didn't ask the janitor what he thought. When all the opposing points of view came together, I got a much clearer picture of the situation, and the circumstances, which led to the tragedy. If you want a biased book that ignores any facts that do not support their case, (e.g., Ohio law relieves the National Guard of liability for any injuries or deaths incurred while combating a riot) I recommend, I.F. Stone's 'How Murder Went Unpunished at Kent State.' But if you want a book that is unbiased, and lets the reader draw his or her own conclusions, this is the book. Or better yet, read them both and determine for yourself, as I did, who you believe is telling the truth. But in my opinion, James Michener's dedication to uncovering the truth made him one of the greatest writers in American history. And as for I.F. Stone, who the heck is he?

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Kent State What Happened & Why
Map Endpapers, illustrated James A. Michener
Manufacturer: Random House New York
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000JD9L8U

8 JAMES MICHENER Books - 1) - Hawaii / 2) - Poland / 3) - Chesapeake / 4) Journey / 5) - Caravans / 6) - The Bridges at Toko-Ri / 7) - The Source / 8) - KENT State: What Happened and Why (Unboxed Set of James Mitchner Novels)

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8 JAMES MICHENER Books - 1) - Hawaii / 2) - Poland / 3) - Chesapeake / 4) Journey / 5) - Caravans / 6) - The Bridges at Toko-Ri / 7) - The Source / 8) - KENT State: What Happened and Why (Unboxed Set of James Mitchner Novels)
James Michner , and James Michener
Manufacturer: various
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000VXM7HA

Product Description

8 JAMES MICHENER Books - 1) - Hawaii / 2) - Poland / 3) - Chesapeake / 4) Journey / 5) - Caravans / 6) - The Bridges at Toko-Ri / 7) - The Source / 8) - KENT State: What Happened and Why, Shipped in one package to save on shipping costs.

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Kent State (What Happened and Why)

Manufacturer: Fawsett
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Antiquarian & Rare Books | Books & Reading | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000FEYHSW

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Kent State - What Happened And Why
Michener. James A.
Manufacturer: Fawcett crest
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000IX2YOO

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Kent State: What Happened and Why
James A. Michener
Manufacturer: SOLD
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OP3VSO

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Kent State - What Happened and Why
James A. Michener
Manufacturer: Fawcet Crest Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000P1BTFE

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Kent State What Happened & Why
James A Michener
Manufacturer: FAWCETT PUBLISHERS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000UDMWL2

Average customer rating:

KENT STATE What happened and Why
James A. Michener
Manufacturer: Fawcett
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000K524FE

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Kent State What Happened and Why

Manufacturer: Random House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000HF184K

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