Mio, My Son

Book Description

With help from a genie, young Karl Anders Nilsson travels by day and by night, beyond the stars, to reach Farawayland. There, his father the King, who has been searching for him for nine long years, tells him that his true name is Mio, and lavishes upon him the loving attention he never received from his foster parents back in Stockholm.

But the wonderful reunion with his father the King is interrupted when Mio learns of a prophecy that has been foretold for thousands and thousands of years. With his best friend, Pompoo, and his horse with the golden mane, Miramis, he must travel into the darkness of Outer Land to battle the cruel Sir Kato. First published in Swedish in 1954, Mio, My Son has become a children's classic worldwide.

Customer Reviews:

Charming Fantasy for Young Children.......2007-04-08

As a boy I had studiously avoided Lindgren's more famous creation Pippi Longstocking, partly because it was about a GIRL ("The horror! The horror!"), but also because it struck me at the time as just too silly. "Mio, My Son" is neither, but I had never heard of it before stumbling upon it in the list of chapter books reprinted by Purple House Press, which specializes in reprinting OOP children's classics. Since they had started by reprinting no less than FIVE of my favorite books from my childhood, all long out of print until they came along, I was inclined to trust their judgment sight unseen. "Mio, My Son" at least, did not disappoint.

Perhaps because it began as a short story of Andy and the genie, which Lindgren later expanded into the current novel, "Mio, My Son" starts rather slowly. I know that I began to wonder when "something" was going to "happen" after Mio arrived in Farawayland, but be patient. Lindgren is slowly drawing you into her world, making you care for characters that shortly will be plunged into terrible danger in the rousing climax. The charming illustrations by Ilon Wikland nicely complement the story. After this I am looking forward to reading PHP's other Astrid Lindgren title The Brothers Lionheart with greater interest.

Note: The publisher claims the reading level as 6-12; IMHO it's better classified towards the younger end of that scale, ESPECIALLY for boys. The Purple House reprint of Mio, My Son is worth picking up even if you own an older edition because of the smooth new English translation by Jill Morgan (the publisher herself?).

One of my all time favorites!.......2006-06-12

I had forgotten about this book until someone just asked me to name my favorite book. I read this book again and again as a child and found it absolutely entrancing. I highly recommend it to anyone who dreams of living in a fantasty world of their own.

the stuff dreams are made from.......2006-01-18

I am so happy to find this book in English so that I can share it to my little American friends. In Germany, where I was born in 1983, Astrid Lindgren is a 'must-have' in every children's bookshelf. I grew up with beautiful characters like Mio and Madita, Michel and Ronja. I think the other reviews speak for themselves, I just wanted to add one more thing from self experience:
I think these bed-time fitted books (chapter length chosen for a 15 to 30 min reading session) are what made me dream as fantastic as I still do.
Astrid Lindgren knew the secret of how to catch on to children's interest, and how to pack messages of value in understandable words for them...

Wonderful story for CHILDREN!!!.......2005-11-18

From E.A. Solinas' review: "It's never really dark or genuinely thrilling..."

Absolutely no offense intended, but try saying that if you're an 8-year-old girl who loves horses and fairy tales! This book has haunted me for years. I checked it out time and time again from my school library, and tried to find it as an adult, but I couldn't remember the title, the main character's name OR the author. All I remembered was ..."a horse called Miramis"... but that was somehow enough to track it down on a lost books site.

I remember the story as being mystical and full of entrancing descriptions. The story of a journey to destiny is timeless, and really captured me back then. I'm just thrilled to have found it again, and can't wait to get another copy.

A delight for your heart!.......2005-01-25

Mio My Son, or Mio Min Mio as I like to call it, is one of the most beautiful books Astrid Lindgren has written. Although this new edition is somewhat confusing to me how they have changed the name of the main character from one Swedish name into another. The original name of Mio is Bo Willhelm Olsson and yet here they chose to name him Karl Anders Nilsson. And his aunt's name is really Edla - not Hulda, and his uncle's name is Sixten - not Olaf. Regardless it's one of the greatest stories ever told, a story filled with love, friendship, loyalty and bravery!

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My Father, the Prince
Milena Petrovic-Njegos Thompson
Manufacturer: Xlibris Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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Book Description

This timely biography of Prince Milo of Montenegro and the betrayal of his country imparts new meaning to today's Yugoslavian headlines.

Written by Prince Milo's only child, Milena, My Father, the Prince paints contrasts of elite Eastern European palatial life at the turn of the century against the chaos, scheming and subterfuge surrounding World War I.

The prince, His Highness, Prince Milo of Montenegro of the Royal House of Petrovic-Njegoš, meets the reader in Ireland at the age of 78. It is here, in his reunion with his daughter after 39 years, that Milo relates the events of his betrayal and that of his tiny kingdom, Montenegro, now one of Yugoslavia's republics.

Rivalries, conspiracies, brutalities all have been a part of the Balkan heritage. They still are, as current events attest. With its expose of never-before published accounts of conspiracies against a tiny nation and one man's fight to rectify the unbelievable tragedy, this book represents a neglected chapter of European history.

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White Hill: Veteran of the wars, 1781, 1864-1865, 1917-1918 : my father and his household before, during and after the war
Jennie Friend Stephenson
Manufacturer: s.n. ;
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0007J14SG

Customer Reviews:

very good book.......2000-02-01

This book mostly talked about his life off of the pitch and all the stress he went thourgh in the the World Cup.

this book is not onely about star its about brazil.......1999-10-21

i got this book for my birth day a i read it. i thought that itall talk a bout soccer, but it didn't. i taked abot how he grow up inbrazil and how the enverment was so diffecult in there. how he escaped from all bad things like gaging and drug and alcholes. his father was not so lucky. he smoked and he had alot of alckholes and drug. he was very unkind to his wife and his son. there fore, his wife decided to built up her self and her son.

This book explains Ronaldo`s life on and off the pitch.......1999-02-22

This book is GREAT! It explains Ronaldo`s footballing life and his personal, and public life, and many secrets only a few on the earth know.

An amazingly gripping story of the Football God of the 90's!.......1998-12-01

Ever since the final whistle of the World Cup final I have had a big unanswered question. Why did the world's best player in the world's best team play so badly in the one game, the most important game, of his life so far, giving one of the world's worst performances in front of the world's biggest ever event audience of 2 billion. Months before the world cup the papers were full of Ronaldo. How Ronaldo would score more goals than ever seen before. How this would be his world cup like Pele's 1970, Kempes' 1978, Rossi's 1982, Maradona's 1986, and Romario's 1994. TV Programmes showed endless clips of his sublime skills, his genius. Months after the tragedy that was France '98. No credible explanation has appeared until now!! Clarkson's book to answer the question of what happened on that fateful day in Paris.He gives a complete picture of what makes up the man - Ronaldo. Clarkson delves into Ronaldo's childhood, giving an account of the early flashes of brilliance, his love of the game, his disappointments, the influence of his family and even his lack of confidence with girls. Then he takes us through Ronaldo's early career in a lowly 2nd division Brazillian League team. Then the breakthrough and subsequent move to Europe followed by stardom and megabucks. Then we are told of the trials and tribulations of his life in Europe. The immense build up to the World cup and the account of what actually happened to Ronaldo's Brazil. I must confess I did not let the book go until i had read in from cover to cover. Clarkson has a lovely smooth flowingly style of writing which captures the essence of the story. After reading the book I felt i had understood one of the most intriguing mysteries of footballing history.

Book Description

This collection of essays from scholars in various disciplines explores various postmodern and poststructuralist aspects of Greenaway's films, starting with The Falls and his early shorts, and ending with The Pillow Book. Other artistic productions, including his paintings and the installation The Stairs are discussed as well.

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Ron Klinger's Master Class (Master Bridge Series)
Ron Klinger
Manufacturer: Orion Publishing Group, Limited
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Bridge | Card Games | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0304366862

Book Description

In his new book, Ron Klinger has brought together and enlarged upon the ten key topics covered in his recent successful Master Class tour. With topics that range from bidding and opening leads to better card play and slams, this is a stimulating book for all players from one of the world’s leading bridge instructors.

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Ron Klinger's Master Class
Ron Klinger
Manufacturer: Orion Publishing Group, Limited
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OST3T2

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unreadable

Good suggestions for invigorating your department

good information but hard to dig out

Highly Recommended!

Typical Peters

The Professional Service Firm50 (Reinventing Work): Fifty Ways to Transform Your "Department" into a Professional Service Firm Whose Trademarks are Passion and Innovation! (Reinventing Work)
Tom Peters
Manufacturer: Knopf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Project 50 (Reinventing Work): Fifty Ways to Transform Every "Task" into a Project That Matters!

The Brand You 50 : Or : Fifty Ways to Transform Yourself from an 'Employee' into a Brand That Shouts Distinction, Commitment, and Passion!

Talent (Tom Peters Essentials)

Leadership (Tom Peters Essentials)

Re-imagine!

ASIN: 0375407715
Release Date: 1999-09-21

Amazon.com

Tom Peters thinks that you can turn you "dept."--be it the HR "dept." or the payroll "dept."--into a professional service firm with the same level of creativity and commitment of the firms we always seem to hear about--McKinsey & Co., Chiat/Day, and Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers. In The Professional Service Firm50, Peters spells out 50 ways to transform your "dept." into a client-centered, passionate organization. His advice ranges from "Bring in wild and woolly outsiders. E-x-p-a-n-d the box" (no. 27) and "A rabid scheduler is a must!" (no. 32) to "Become a Research & Development evangelist" (no. 35) and "Provide 'project management-leadership' opportunities" (no. 45).

The Professional Service Firm50 joins Peters's Reinventing Work series, which also includes The Projects50 and The Brand You50. Like that of all the titles in this series, this book's presentation--especially its bouncing typography--is distinctive and at times overwhelming. Nevertheless, managers looking to inject new ideas and life into their departments will find lots of high-energy advice here. --Harry C. Edwards

Book Description

Transform white collar departments into "professional service firms" whose sole, powerful asset is knowledge.

Idea: You are boss of a 23-person finance department in a division of a big company.  Or, rather, you were boss of the finance department.  Now, per our suggestion-model, you are Managing Partner, Finance Inc., a full-fledged professional service firm which is a wholly owned subsidiary of your division.

Goal: Learn from the best professional service firms!  Transform your unit!  Today, even after re-engineering done well, the "department" doesn't look much like McKinsey, Andersen or Chiat Day.  (And that's an understatement!)

Aim, in short: Cool people (call them "talent") working on cool projects with cool clients.  The aim redux: A cool Finance/Purchasing, IS, HR, Sales department. Why not?

The cool professional service firm is just that: cool people/talent, a portfolio of cool projects, cool clients.  Period.  It's only asset -- literally -- is brains. It's only product is projects. It's only aim is truly memorable client service.

So step #1, then, is the organization (PSF) . . . transforming "departments" in which white collar folks work into way cool professional sercie firms adding way cool value by doing way cool "stuff".

Peters discusses making the most of presentations, working with outsiders on market analysis, how to imporve brainstorming meetings, how to develop relationships with clients and get the most out of them.

50 of Tom Peters's trademark insights on how to get the most our of your department.

See also the other 50List titles in the Reinventing Work series by Tom Peters -- The Brand You50 and The Project50 -- for additional information on how to make an impact in the professional world.

Download Description

Transform white collar departments into "professional service firms" whose sole, powerful asset is knowledge.

Idea: You are boss of a 23-person finance department in a division of a big company. Or, rather, you were boss of the finance department. Now, per our suggestion-model, you are Managing Partner, Finance Inc., a full-fledged professional service firm which is a wholly owned subsidiary of your division.

Goal: Learn from the best professional service firms! Transform your unit! Today, even after re-engineering done well, the "department" doesn't look much like McKinsey, Andersen or Chiat Day. (And that's an understatement!)

Aim, in short: Cool people (call them "talent") working on cool projects with cool clients. The aim redux: A cool Finance/Purchasing, IS, HR, Sales department. Why not?

The cool professional service firm is just that: cool people/talent, a portfolio of cool projects, cool clients. Period. It's only asset -- literally -- is brains. It's only product is projects. It's only aim is truly memorable client service.

So step #1, then, is the organization(PSF 1.0) ... transforming "departments" in which white collar folks work into way cool professional sercie firms adding way cool value by doing way cool "stuff."

Peters discusses making the most of presentations, working with outsiders on market analysis, how to improve brainstorming meetings, how to develop relationships with clients and get the most out of them.

50 of Tom Peters's trademark insights on how to get the most our of your department.

Customer Reviews:

unreadable.......2006-10-09

I was truly annoyed by his random writing style and the book's lousy layout. Look at the cover---the inside is just as chaotic. I bailed after 15 pages or so. Too bad, as he has some good things to say, but it wasn't worth the effort. As a design advocate I'm amazed that his book designs are so ineffective and shoddy. He loves design but not graphic design?...

Good suggestions for invigorating your department.......2003-09-10

Tom Peters sees himself as the antidote to the Dilbert mentality -- the relentless negativism caused by workplace bureaucracy that stifles creativity, stamps out individuality, and does its best to turn people into uninspired, clock-watching drones.

Peters seems to understand that many workplaces ARE uninspiring, but he urges you to DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. And those of you who run departments are in a great position to turn your department or company into a nimble, energetic Professional Service Firm that empowers employees and sees clients as equal partners in a creative, exciting task. Whether you work in a law firm, an accounting office, or a purchasing department, Peters thinks you can make your work dynamic, inspiring, and challenging -- and treat your employees like valuable individuals.

This book is divided into fifty chapters, each of which offers a suggestion for ramping up into the dynamic world of the Professional Service Firm. The book reads like a management consultant who has been reading too much beat poetry (lots of ellipses, exclamation points, and all caps) but it works -- the book reads like an energetic screed that packs a punch.

If you're interested in books that empower and inspire, please read my book "The Rules of Ruthlessness," which offers a message somewhat similar to Tom Peters' books. You can buy "The Rules of Ruthlessness" on Amazon, and you can learn more about the book at ruthlessness.com.

good information but hard to dig out.......2001-08-19

Unfortunately one of the worst books I have ever read (certainly the worst layout).

Whilst there is some valuable information contained in the text, the bizarre writing style (changing font / colur / caps / exclamations marks / cliches etc.) makes for hard work digging the nuggets of gold out.

Personally I'd recommend spending your valuable time reading a text that's easier than this one with its appaling use of language(cool! phat! wow!) and oh-so obvious observations.

Highly Recommended!.......2001-07-10

Tom Peters takes this book's role in the "Reinventing Work Series" seriously. He urges corporate departments, such as human resources and accounting, to reinvent themselves as professional service firms, thinking of their work as projects and of their companies as clients. He believes this will result in a more energized workforce and higher-quality work. His approach is marked by his now signature "gee whiz" writing style, which is punctuated by large typefaces, exclamation points and remarks like "Amen!" and "WOW!" We [...] recommend this book for its innovative points and no "b.s." attitude, but Peters-bashers will groan at the repetition of ideas and cheerleading expressions. This is a useful, inspiring pep talk, and if it is not exactly In Search of Excellence - which seemed to be written for adults who didn't need quite so much hip-hip hoopla - that was then and this is now.

Typical Peters.......2001-06-19

If you never read another line of text in your life, turn to page 169 of this book and read the last sentance.

Learn it, live it, and you'll be set for life.

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Insights of an era of conflicts

A Look At the Man Behind the Turmoil

In the name of Iran

Great book!

The LAst Shah, a Memoir.

An Enduring Love: MY LIFE WITH THE SHAH: A MEMOIR
Empress Farah Pahlavi
Manufacturer: Miramax
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 140135209X
Release Date: 2004-03-10

Book Description

Farah Pahlavi has lived a life of extremes: a loving marriage to the Shah that ended with his death in 1980; a period of luxury in the court followed by years of exile and loss. Her story has been covered in the press and in countless books, but here she speaks out for the rst time, and tells her own remarkable story. The only child of an Iranian army ofcer, Farah Diba was an architecture student in Paris when she became engaged and married the Shah. Pitched from her ordinary existence into a maelstrom of paparazzi and international attention, she quickly became an icon for her age-a beautiful, serene young woman, romantically married to one of the most powerful men in the world. She writes about her early years and about Iran itself and her profound love for it, of encounters with world leaders, of family life in the palaces of Tehran. She describes the divisions of Iranian society and the gradual shift of public opinion, fuelled by the rise in religious fundamentalism, which led to the sudden overthrow of the Shah in 1979. An Enduring Love includes a moving account of the year the Shah and his Queen spent wandering the globe, rejected from the United States and shuttling between Egypt, Morocco, the Bahamas, Panama, and Mexico. Farah Pahlavi details the years of exile after the Shah's death, as she rebuilt a life for herself and for her children in the United States. Written with an affecting simplicity and directness, this is both a powerful human document and a fascinating perspective on an especially turbulent period in Middle Eastern history.

Customer Reviews:

Insights of an era of conflicts.......2007-05-31

Although like any other autobiography ,former Queen Farah's memoirs are presenting a single sided view on a regime, country and people, I have enjoyed reading this book .It gives insights on an era of conflicts and reminds of us of all the personalities who have ruled the world.

A Look At the Man Behind the Turmoil.......2007-04-30

The Iranian revolution has overshadowed much of the Shah's "other" unofficial life. Most people studying Iran try to make sense of why the events had to unfold with the inevitability that they did. Ofcourse, the obvious reasons of totalitarianism and socio-economic inequity always rise to the forefront. Empress Farah's memoir provides a glimpse into the gentler side of the monarchy. The anecdotes involving the Shah as a suitor, a husband and father are far more interesting than Her Majesty's insights into the actual day to day workings of the government. Ofcourse, no one expects the Empress to stand up and provide a critical analysis of the late Shah's reign, and the reader wonders at times if Her Majesty was glossing over some of the unpleasantries of royal rule. Despite this imbalance, or perhaps because of it, the book is worthwhile in the sense that it brings back our focus to the man demonized by many scholars and historians for the decisions he made and which paved the way to the rise of political Islam. The Shah's human qualities are what endure in this memoir.

In the name of Iran.......2007-03-21

This book touches human soul, Empress Farah Pahlavi stated how Her Husband King Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was working for betterment of Iran, and Iran moved from dark ages to modern ages. And now Iran has been destroyed by looters, Iranian ladies are selling their bodies to buy food for their families.

It is must read book.

Great book!.......2006-06-12

I am an Iranian who has lived in the United States since the 1979 islamic revolution in Iran that dawned one of the most BRUTAL BRUTAL AND I MEAN BRUTAL governments known to mankind. The second the last secular Prime Minister Shapour Bakthiar left Iran and the Khomeini government invaded Iran, a theocracy was born. This theocracy single handedly killed tens of thousands of Iranians in the first year alone. Mass executions my relatives had to witness, seeing people hung by cranes for reasons such as not wearing their veils (which became compulsory after 1979), wearing neckties in the streets, going out with the opposite sex in the street, and other simple freedoms we have in the United States. One by one, former generals and government employees of the shah were executed via the firing squad because rather than serving under that piece of GARBAGE ayatoillet khomeini, they would rather die. Upon his return to Iran in 1978, he was asked how he felt and the piece of garbage said simply "nothing"....and the people he murdered and the genocide he committed. Little boys were abducted in the streets ordered by khomeini himself for them to run accross mine fields to ensure they were safe...and the ones that weren't were blown up just to make sure...Now 27 years later, a burned out generation and youth who 70% were born after this hijacking, have arisen....Depressed youth in which the government follows them in every way, shape, and form......reasons being MASSIVE MASSIVE MASSIVE UNEMPLOYMENT, being told what to wear, being told how to act, not allowed to have any kind of western fun without fear of raids and repurcussions, and the list goes on.... because of this piece of GARBAGE government. The government in iran gives millions to palestine each year but pays their teachers and other social workers only 100 dollars a month and they are LUCKY just to get that!

The shah's era was a time in which Iran was brought out of the middle ages and into the modern world. An era which brought the Iranian currency equal to 7 tomans to 1 dollar (versus now 5000=1). An era in which women were seen equal in the eyes of the law and could hold any position equal to a male.....An era where anyone could choose what kind of education they want to recieve, what religion to preach, how to live their life peacefull.......An era in which every 100 college graduates had 200 jobs to select from where now every 100 have 35-40 at max leaving the balance home doing nothing all day, trying to determine who pays the bills......Yeah the cia trained savak was out of hand, and corruption within that faction were running amuck (the only area where anyone can bring up the myth of him being a "ruthless dictator")....but you know what, the shah ORDERED the arrest of the savaki leaders after he got the reports of what was going on and the corruption....The "ruthless dictator" told the troops to withdraw on black friday after 70-100 people were shot, but thousands more could have been killed but weren't. This book is a wonderful account of her life with the shah in detail.

The LAst Shah, a Memoir........2006-02-03

As a man who has been born and raised in the years since the fall of Persia's monarchy, I was very interested to uncover the real history of the man my Liberal teachers declared the devil incarnate. Therefore, I read this book. I have to say that all though Her Former Majesty tells a story that cannot be neglected by anyone who wishes to know about the Shah, she comes across like many members of the Iranian upper class. In short, so high up in her Ivory Tower that she cannot see the havoc her husband's bungling wreaked on the nation he ruled. She cites the intentions of her husband to better people's lives, but not the disastrous effects of his internal policies such as "land reform," which lead only to the destruction of Iran's agriculture and the migration of conservative Muslim farmers into the slums of Tehran. On the other hand, there is nowhere else one can turn to for stories of their courtship and marriage. There is no mention, however, of her husband's well documented fondness for French call girls, which she most definately knew about. To those who wish to know about the Shah's rise and fall, I say, read this book. But do not let it be your only source. The books, "The Shah's Last Ride," and Prince Manucher Farmanfarmaian's "Blood and Oil" are vital for anyone seeking a well rounded picture of the Pahlavi Regime and the Revolution that brought it down. Again I say, Do not let this be your only source.

Book Description

Davis approaches the subjects with the zest of an author who has a richly interesting human being to write about.--Bruce Catton

Customer Reviews:

Pretty good.......2006-12-22

I enjoyed this, but can't say I learned a lot that I didn't already know from other readings. Still, its interesting subject matter about an interesting person. If you're interested in blow-by-blow of the battles, this isn't the book for you.

Historical Background.......2005-05-26

Where can I find a historical Background of this book?

Mighty Stonewall........2004-01-08

This book has come in for some criticism from other reviewers and many of their points are well taken. One has to remember however that this book was first published in 1954, a time when the cult of the lost cause was still very much alive and kicking. This is a prime example of civil war literature of that era. Davis actually shows a good deal of courage in that he did criticize the mighty Stonewall at all. No, this book does not compare favorably with some of the civil war studies that are available today, but it still has a place. In fact this would be an excellent book for someone with no background in civil war studies. For someone who has never heard of A.P. Hill or Richard Ewell this book offers an excellent introduction to the campaigns in Virginia.

Davis has a pleasant writing style, which makes this an easy book to read. He sprinkles his narrative with amusing antidotes which add greatly to the book and he does not get bogged down in battle the battle details that derail so many books of this sort. The map of the valley campaign does allow the reader to get an idea of the relation of the significant points to each other but a few more maps sprinkled here and there would be of a great deal of help. Jackson of course wore his religion on his sleeve and Davis deals with that extensively. Calvin's influence is obvious although I found it interesting that while in Mexico the General flirted with the Roman Catholic Church. Some of Jackson's habits however cannot be explained by his religious beliefs and some of his behavior is frankly quite odd. Davis gets points for pointing out that Jackson absolutely refused to take any responsibility for failure, always looking for a scapegoat. This of course explains the long running feuds he had with some of his generals. In 1954 circles that criticism of the much revered Stonewall must have raised some eyebrows for as every southerner who is over 40 knows, Stonewall was always right and we would have won easily at Gettysburg if he had only been there. Every time we go to Gettysburg my wife points that out to me and thinks I am crazy because I don't necessarily agree with her.

I do have a problem with the fact that Davis does not have the courage to take on the Jackson legend so far as to point out his failures during the Seven Days Battles. I realize that it would have been a hard sell in 1954 but Davis fails to do much more than point out that Jackson was unusually slow during this period and does not really even attempt to answer the questions raised by the General's behavior. In fact, had Jackson not failed so badly during this campaign the Union army might have been almost destroyed. After Jackson's failure below Richmond it is indeed almost a miracle that Lee would later have enough confidence in Jackson to give him command of a corps. A lot more detail would have helped in this area.

Overall though, I found this to be an excellent biography. There is to be found here what was new information in 1954. This book in fact has been the foundation for many of the later and yes, better studies of Stonewall Jackson. This book has remained in print now for fifty years. That in itself should be a clear indicator that this is one of the all time classic studies of the civil war.

Excellent and Easy To Understand!.......2003-07-23

This is a well written and easy to follow book on the life of "Stonewall" Jackson. The book not only covers Jackson's military genius, but probes into the mind of the man himself. You come away from this book with a deeper understanding of Jackson, his strong religious convictions, his military fierceness, his strict discipline and his gentle side as well.
Upon reading this book, one realizes that Jackson was a complex man. Highly recommended reading for all Civil War buffs!

A capable, though not outstanding, work on Jackson.......2002-12-14

Certainly one of the most ingenious commanders of the Civil War, Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson provides an interesting profile for a biographer. He was a brilliant commander, and led his troops on grinding marches for days at a time in order to secure gallant victories in the face of insurmountable odds. When he died Robert E. Lee lamented that he had lost his right arm, and indeed Jackson's loss was deeply felt by the Confederacy.

There was more to this man, however, than just the brilliant military strategist. He was also a devout man of God, humble and ever-willing to submit to the Divine will and give Him all the glory for his many victories. Behind General Jackson there was Jackson the believer, and the latter is just as much a part of Stonewall's history as the former.

Burke Davis does a decent job of narrating Jackson's life, though not extraordinary. The battle sequences are vague and difficult to follow, and the maps provide no assistance whatsoever. Davis frequently assumes he knows what Jackson was thinking, and often tells us just how Jackson felt about something. Sources are not cited, and we are left to wonder how much of the story is actually based on fact, and how much on speculation.

Davis's biography is satisfactory, but it does not do Stonewall's military actions justice. Some of the maneuvers he made and the victories he had were downright brilliant, and Davis leaves much to be desired in this respect. Still, the biography gives a decent portrait of Jackson's life. There are many biographies on Stonewall Jackson out there, and I would recommend this one only if one better is not available (as in my city's library).

They Called Him Stonewall A Life of Lieutenant General T.J. Jackson, C.S.A.

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They Called Him Stonewall A Life of Lieutenant General T.J. Jackson, C.S.A.
Burke Davis
Manufacturer: Rinehart & Co.
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Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000W3OH4K

They Called Him Stonewall: A Life of Lieutenant General T. J. Jackson, C.S.A. (Unabridged)

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They Called Him Stonewall: A Life of Lieutenant General T. J. Jackson, C.S.A. (Unabridged)
Burke Davis
Manufacturer: audible.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Download
ASIN: B000IJ7I1M

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Anecdotal evidence only

Truth on modern Education-Industry. "Pinhead - Professor"

The Best Book on Higher Education. Truth at Last.....

An addictibly readable reality check!

Anyone in higher education should read this book

Profscam: Professors and the Demise of Higher Education
Charles J. Sykes
Manufacturer: Regnery Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0895265591

Book Description

ProfScam reveals the direct and ultimate reason for the collapse of higher education in the Unites States the selfish, wayward, and corrupt American university professor.

"ProfScam is an incisive and convincing indictment that deserves to be read by anyone concerned about the future of American higher education" The New York Times

Customer Reviews:

Anecdotal evidence only.......2007-05-28

Everyone who has worked in academia has their collection of horror stories: those anecdotal observations of conduct that are somewhat disturbing to those who have not been initiated in the rites of passage that are unique to the university. Here are some of the many that were witnessed/experienced by this reviewer:
1. At a university in Missouri, a PhD staff member gave some very modest suggestions to an otherwise mediocre undergraduate laboratory manual. The authors of this manual, insulted by these suggestions, retaliated with a vengeance that lasted for years, with the result that the staff member was finally dismissed.
2. At a university in Texas, a professor copied a well-known copyrighted textbook word-for-word and sold the copies to his class. So how did he think he could get around the copyright restrictions? He copied it longhand.
3. At a university in Missouri, one professor volunteered to take part in a teacher's preparation workshop, something that he felt was beneath him as his prior dialog readily indicated. So why did he participate? To obtain the grant that was attached to the attendance, monies of which he used to pay for a vacation overseas.
4. At a university in South Dakota, a faculty member was promised that as of being hired, he would have full authority in choosing the textbook. When he began his employment, he quickly learned that the vice-president of the university approved all selections of textbooks, which he did without reservation.

There are many more such stories, but they are merely anecdotes, and it would be wrong to conclude that they reflect the moods and ethics of people in American universities. To understand these would take a time-consuming, exhaustive effort, more than most would be willing to undertake. This book is not one of these studies, but is only a hurried diatribe that lashes out at American higher education, which at the time of publication was a practice that was just beginning. It currently seems to be the rage, and shows no sign of going away. It is popular to smear the university, and the evidence used to do so is frequently weak and insufficiently researched. This book does however have some value in the sense that it can be read by anyone interested in how pundits and self-professed journalists have criticized the university, and the degree to which they have instigated a large following or engaged public sympathies.

At various places in the book the author blasts research projects that he thinks are trivial or unnecessary, and clearly believes that it is these projects that are representative and proof that the university is a racket, producing junk that nobody cares anything about. As an example of this, he refers to a paper entitled "A Functional Approach to Interruptions in Conversation, a Mathematical Analysis" which as part of its analysis included the counting of the "ers" and "uhs" in conversation. He seems to think that this research is completely irrelevant, but actually it is of great interest to groups such as "The Toastmasters" who grade speaking ability on the number of these kinds of annoying pauses when their members practice their speeches. It is also of interest to neuroscientists who are studying language disorders, since such interruptions, if excessive, may point to neuronal maladies in the speech areas of the brain. It is also of interest to the military as even slight exposure to powerful neurotoxins can cause excessive interruptions in the flow of speech.

The author does not mention a few of the more deplorable and unethical features of the research university, such as the wide practice in research papers on designating an "author to whom correspondence should be addressed". This allows one author to control the feedback process and actually take more (or complete) credit for the paper. He also only makes passing reference to the anonymous review system, which encourages recklessness in criticism and an excess of vituperation. Such a practice should stop, with reviewers signing their name to the review just like they would if they were in fact the authors. The anonymous reviewing system makes no sense at all and has no place in rational discourse. Also not mentioned in the book is the deplorable practice of placing phony employment advertisements in academic journals so as to make it appear to satisfy an Affirmative Action requirement. Candidates are interviewed, and ethnic or gender identification carried out, but the departments involved do not even have the necessary funds to hire anyone, minority or not.

The author offers solutions to the "problems" (as he sees it) of the university. His first suggestion is to change its research emphasis, and focus more on teaching, but in this regard he gives no evidence, and does not present a metric, that would allow him to classify only one in ten academics as producing original research of any "value". This is a statistical claim, but he offers zero evidence for it, and if he attempted to he would find it to be a formidable project, due to the subjective nature of assigning "value" to a research project or manuscript. One can be sympathetic to the author's suggestion to abolish tenure, but another option may be to limit it to a maximum block of time, say twenty years, with no possibility of renewal. Candidates who enter the university under tenure track contracts would undergo tenure review after five years, and if granted, would be allowed fifteen more years to conduct research or engage in teaching.

But it is difficult, if not impossible, to legislate against stupidity, cowardice, incompetence, or arrogance. The faculty, staff, and students of a university have their own biases and aspirations, and they will continue to have these despite legislation to the contrary. It is easy to complain about the current makeup of the university, but it is quite another thing to construct a sound, scientific analysis, backed up by hard evidence, of the workings of the same. Again, the author does not do this, and only now are there studies appearing that are more scholarly and coherent. And technological advances may force the universities to change, due mostly to the increase in the availability of free information and automated learning and tutoring tools. This technology may in fact make the university research professor a white elephant, or even an extinct species after this century has ended.

Truth on modern Education-Industry. "Pinhead - Professor".......2005-03-22

Truth Makes You Free.
Free from What?
Free from Ignorance and Know-Nothing.
The Truth could be unfortunate or unpleasant but the truth is always the truth.

In the Year 1900, only 2% of Americans went to college. Some older people said, "we didn't know what college was, we just went to work" . Now 100% can go to college.

The 100%-college has created an industry of Jobs, Jobs & Jobs and more money. Like any modern-industry, it attempts to lobby for jobs, perks, and more funding.

Do we need more people earning degrees in literature, philosophy, journalism and history? All these degrees will get you a job at Burger-King, Wal-Mart i.e. road to no-where.

"Graduation = Unemployment." The job market is governed like any free market, it is governed by the law of supply-demand. Employers need workers, and the employee need jobs.

Employee have to supply skills required by the employer. Employer-Employee. Instead of all studying history, the world needs practical, technical, trade skills so one can go out into the world and make a living.

Professors are professional academics. That is their chosen profession. Many have never, never, never held a job in private-industry or outside of academics. So, what do they know about the non-academic world? In one word: Nothing. "Ivory Tower Pinheads" - living a legend in their mind.

Really smart academics will explain why we spend so much time in school.

#1. Keep us off the streets.
#2. Keep us off the job market.
#3. Keep us away from Mom and Dad i.e full-time care-taker.

Writer Sykes divides the three (3) traditional divisions in the modern colleges.

#1. Natural Science ("Nature").
#2. Social Science or Social Studies ("Human Society")
#3 Humanities (Human-made art, music Literature).

The only TRUE sciences is in the Natural Sciences. Natural Science is TRUE because it is based on scientific method of observation-experiment-measurement. There is really no "science" in the social sciences. Humanities, like art is purely a matter of personal opinion.

If you ask 20 people, you will get 20 answers. There is no right-wrong answer. Claims cannot be stated as either TRUE-FALSE. Hence, for those seeking TRUE knowledge of the world, humanities and social sciences is really just a waste of time. Moreover, all this data, information is now free-open for fall to see on the Internet.

The past is about professors. The future of education is free-open for all on the Internet.

The so-called "soft" subjects will be soon be obsolete. Only the "hard" subjects like math, science, medicine, engineering and technical will be around in the future.

Cheap computers now cost around $200, with cheap, universal computing connected to the universal knowledge-base known as the Internet. The college days are numbered. MIT now has posted 900 classes for free on the Internet for the whole world to see.

Writer Sykes really cuts to the heart of the issue with the education-industry. Like any other industry, it is seeking more perks, privileges and money.

Since students are consumers spending time and money. They should carefully consider their investment. It's probably true, colleges follow the 20-80 or 80-20 rule. 80% of the quality is from the 20 of the work-faculty.

Sykes book is a "preview" of what to expect at colleges. Read as a "consumer report" find out what you are getting in the investment in time and money.

The Best Book on Higher Education. Truth at Last............2004-06-25

Charles Sykes tells the truth in book on education. A great book with great facts and argument.

The term "higher education" is a term of arrogance, fraud, nonsense, and sham. Education is Educaiton. Education has been part of humanity since the beginning.

The forms it has taken has changed from single schoolhouse to the Univ. of Texas with 52,000 students on a single campus.

In the year 1900, only two percent of U.S. population attended college, but in 2004, the State of California through its 3-tier system guarantees 100% of 18 year old can attend college.

The University of California, California State University, California Community Colleges. The UC, CSU, CCC guarantees 100% 18, 19, year olds can attend. Of Course, what this has meant is an entire industry, jobs, money, perks, privileges and of course waste.

The kingpin of the academic world is the tenured professor. Professor teach two classes a semester, two semester out of the year, 8 months.

Basically 6 hours in the classroom, 8 months out of the year. The rest of the time, they are pursuing so-called "research" This is "lunatics running the asylum", a blank, open check for professor to do anything they want.

However, the world Charles Sykes describes in the book is coming to an end. MIT is posting 2000 classes for free on the Internet. The computer, Internet has rendered "soft" subjects like history, philosophy, and literature obsolete because all of it will be posted free on the Internet.

The only subjects worth studying will be technical, engineering, science, medicine subjects. All the soft subjects will be obsolete by the Information Age.

Charles Syke's book is a must read. The college's professors are overpaid, under worked, arrogant, out to lunch, and beyond the normal rules that govern the rest of us.

Profscam, is a snapshot in time, with computers now $200- $400 now, the world of knowledge is now at your fingertip, the old colleges will shrink in size.

Great book, Charles Sykes, tells the Truth, Truth, Truth on higher education.

This is a great, great book, must buy and must read for all.

An addictibly readable reality check!.......2004-03-04

I am currently finishing my masters degree and am researching doctoral degress. Unfortunately, I not only enjoyed this book, but recognized many things in it as so true that they were funny (and sad).

Point: Universities are much less concerned with teaching students as they are with plumping out research that is trivial, abstruse, and to all but maybe 10 peers who will read the resulting article, irrelevent (and those ten are reading it to cite it in the next essay). Point: The humanities have done away with virtually all standards, are interested in theory that poorly reflects the real world, and consist mostly of 'guts' courses that are called that because they are so easy one can pass the tests on gut instincts. Point: tenure is partially destroying education. Once designed as a bastion of academic freedom, now it serves to insulate already detached professors even more from the real world, and destroy any notion of accountability.

Here's the books downfall: it is so eager to point out these things (even though the book is for the most part right on) that it ends up sounding paranoid and overly combative. Every example of a poor professor is accompanied by an adjective like "assinine" or "abysmal". There was even one section where the author points out that "one study says..." in order to show how bad social science education is. I was left wondering....what the other studies said. In other words, the book leaves us with a feeling that while largely correct, the author may have been a.) selective and b.) a little overeager to rip on all things academic for the meer sake the it feels good.

But the main messages is that education is overpriced while quality declines. The proffesoriate cares infinitely more about themselves (and their obscure research) then their students. Graduate students do the teaching while professors 'play at' writing important things. This is all, unfortunately, true. But I do want to write that while the author is quite pessimistic, I am not. I am currently finishing graduate work at a small liberal arts college in Richmond, VA (if you'd like you can figure out which one as there is only one). There, the teachers teach, there is no such thing as a teachers assistant, class comes before research, and classes are small enough where students even have the teachers home phone. Anyone contemplating colleges I urge you to read this book and consider the smaller liberal arts schools (and the one I'm at is top notch).

Good book!

Anyone in higher education should read this book.......2003-09-23

This book exposes the myths of undergraduate, graduate and doctoral education in America. From my own experience, and from what I have read in this book, a college education at a community college may be superior to that of an Ivy League college like Harvard or Yale, especially if you end up in a classroom filled with an auditorium of hundreds of students, and in the professor's place is a graduate student teaching assistant who may have no experience in teaching the class you are taking. The professor is not in class because teaching is not what counts, it is meaningless reasearch for publication that allows a college professor to keep his job, and line his pockets with money from corporations who hire him as a consultant away from the college campus. Students deserve better than this! If what is written in this book is true, you just might be better off going to the public library to educate yourself. You won't have a degree, but at least you won't be an uneducated college graduate.

ProfScam : professors and the demise of higher education / Charles J. Sykes

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ProfScam : professors and the demise of higher education / Charles J. Sykes
Charles J. (1954-) Sykes
Manufacturer: Washington, D.C. : Regnery Gateway ; New York, NY : Distributed to the trade by Kampmann & Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000VZP2SY

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