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- Genius? No. Saint? Maybe.
- Review from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
- LADY CORNARO: Chosen as "Book Lover's Calendar" Feature
- One of the 100 most important people of the last 1000 years.
- A Joy to Read
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The Lady Cornaro: Pride and Prodigy of Venice
Jane Howard Guernsey
Manufacturer: College Avenue Press.
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Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 1883551447 |
Book Description
The dramatic and warmly human story of the first woman to earn a university degree
Customer Reviews:
Genius? No. Saint? Maybe. .......2005-08-14
Here is a typical book that was written with a preconceived opinion. Biased. The author decided that Lady Cornaro was a prodigy and a genius and sure, she wanted to prove her point. However, after struggling with the text what I feel borders on disgust.
First of all, Lady Cornaro was no prodigy. She was nothing but a poor, used child, an instrument in her ambitious father's hands. Thus the title of the book is wrong. It should have been dedicated to Gianbattista and life in the 17th century Venice.
Among all the information, the least is said about Elena herself. I doubt her immense intelligence. We are said that she spoke a foreign language like a native. In a very short time and with no accent ? That is not possible if the person has never spent some time in the country where that language is spoken. That was true then just as it is true today. Having a native speaker as a teacher means nothing. And being able to translate works in early twenties from a language she started learning at the age of eight does her image of a genius more harm than good. Then "Elena's ability to foretell things was widely discussed, and there were numerous testimonies to the public's admiration for her." (p.193). Something is very wrong with this sentence. Now, suddenly, she is not just a scholar but also a clairvoyant!!!! The author did not mention this anywhere else in the book so it was not an important comment. But again, I have a feeling that she needed more proof for Elena's alleged superiority.
Not one of her achievements (that we know of - we shouldn't forget that, unfortunately, she destroyed a large number of her writings) is unusual and grand. The fact that she was the first woman to get a university degree (funny how it immediately translates to a Phd!!!) means only that she had the CHANCE to defend her knowledge - something that was, as we saw, denied to other female scholars. The author says (exclamation marks!!) that the next woman to be awarded the degree got it more than 50 years later!!! That is no reason to applaud Elena. It is rather a sad information on the treatment and negligence of women. Who knows what potential was there in her siblings? Maybe they too would have become "geniuses" had Gianbattista invested equal time and money in their education. We should also be careful not to forget that he was a patron of several academies - of course they would love to see his daughter well educated as long as his coffers were available to them! Gianbatista's striving to get his sons in Libro d'Oro, his immense enthusiasm and political goals, propaganda tool that Elena was in his hands, finally costed her her life. But that propaganda made her famous.
Review from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.......2003-04-24
"This well-researched biography of the first woman to earn a university degree...conveys the majesty of the Italian baroque period and [the Lady Cornaro's] astonishing scholarship." (Donald Miller, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Senior Editor)
LADY CORNARO: Chosen as "Book Lover's Calendar" Feature.......2002-12-22
I recently noticed that the popular "Book Lover's Page-a-Day Calendar" chose to include THE LADY CORNARO as its featured "star" for December 11, 2002.
"You've probably never heard of Elena Cornaro," observes the calendar entry, "yet she holds a unique place in history. In 1678, she became the first woman in Europe to receive a Ph.D. Jane Howard Guernsey's book is the first full-length biography of this remarkably accomplished woman . . . an inspiring story."
I believe that it is highly appropriate for THE LADY CORNARO to be included in a book lover's daily calendar described as "365 days of good authors, good books and good reading . . . the calendar of passionate recommendations." Truly, THE LADY CORNARO is an outstanding book, worthy of a passionate recommendation!
One of the 100 most important people of the last 1000 years........2000-09-27
Although it is unlikely to happen, Elena Cornaro really should be nominated one of the hundred most important people of the last thousand years. In this carefully researched and highly readable book, Jane Howard Guernsey has successfully reconstructed the story of the Lady Cornaro's astonishing achievements and raised the questions they invite. The author has added to the recoverable information about the life of "The Cornaro," as she was affectionately known to her fellow Venetians, valuable contextual details about the life and milieu of Venice and Padua and about her tutors and contemporaries. These details elucidate both the uniqueness of the opportunities granted her and the enormous stress under which she lived as she labored to do the will of her earthly and her heavenly fathers. (Professor Rizzo's more extensive review of "The Lady Cornaro: Pride and Prodigy of Venice" may be found in "Tulsa Studies in Women's Literature," Vol. 19, No. 1, Spring 2000.)
A Joy to Read.......2000-04-24
This book is a must-read for anyone who has studied under the Cornaro Window in Thompson Library at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, NY. As you may know, the stunning Cornaro Window at Vassar celebrates Lady Elena Cornaro, the first woman to be awarded a Ph.D (University of Padua in 1678). This book describes Elena's life in 17th century Venice, including her relationships with her parents, teachers, and friends. It was refreshing to read a biography about a humble and formidable person. I highly recommend The Lady Cornaro - Pride and Prodigy of Venice.
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- The Man Behind The Cubicle
- Nascar, God, Integrity, Marketing All-in-One!
- Racing with the Hawk!
- INTERGERTY
- Hawk's Extraordinary Path To High Powered Success! Part I
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Racing With the Hawk: The Man Behind Dale Earnhardt
Jerome Lucido
Manufacturer: Fleming H Revell Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0800756576 |
Book Description
An insider's view of the thrilling world of NASCAR is viewed through the eyes of one of the sport's most inspiring individuals--Don Hawk, the right-hand man of Dale Earnhardt
Customer Reviews:
The Man Behind The Cubicle.......2004-11-14
This book is not only a joke but it's a lie. What is the "Hawk" up to these days? Seems like if he had any intelligence he would still be a high powered agent.
Nascar, God, Integrity, Marketing All-in-One!.......2001-01-13
I loved it! Racing with the Hawk is the best book I have read about the Nascar life from a business perspective. Don Hawk has risen to the top of his profession without abandoning his integrity and personal relationships. An extremely interesting read for all lovers of Nascar, as well as a marketing primer! I highly recommend this book.
Racing with the Hawk!.......2000-08-15
As a recent college graduate in Business/Marketing, and trying to det into Motorsports Marketing, I found this book to be AWESOME! This is a MUST for anyone that likes to be honest, truthful, and have integrity in any business. This is a very interesting book!
INTERGERTY.......2000-07-04
THIS IS A MUST READ BOOK FOR ANYONE IN THE SERVICE INDUSTRY.DEALS WITH HONESTY,INTERGERTY,AND THE NEVER QUIT ATTITUDE.NO MOUNTAIN IS TOO HIGH TO CLIMB ONCE YOU PUT YOUR HEART AND MIND TO ACCOMPLISH ANY GOAL IN LIFE.ESPECIALLY RECCOMEND FOR ANY ONE IN THE AUTO SERVICE AND SALES CARREER. HIGHLY RECCOMEND FOR ALL SENIORS IN SCHOOL TO SEE WHAT CAN BE POSSIBLE IN YOUR FUTURE IF YOU SET GOALS IN LIFE.AFTER YOU READ IT YOU WILL COME AWAY FEELING MUCH BETTER ABOUT YOUR FELLOW PERSON AND YOURSELF.
Hawk's Extraordinary Path To High Powered Success! Part I.......2000-06-20
You do not have to be a Nascar fan to enjoy this fascinating adventure of Don Hawk's life and it will give each of you something you can take with you. The exhilerating ride on Hawk's journey to find out who he wants to be is moving... The book shares hard learned lessons such as: The struggle and choices he made career-wise. The joy of finding love...then having children. He experienced the pain of failure and the rewards of taking risks. Being asked to bend your principles and winning with integrity. Hawk exubes tremendous business savy,style,and flair. The empire he built at Dale Earnhardt Inc. is not remotely described in this book. Look at the dynasty he recently secured and left behind at DEI---Dale Earnhardt,jr. What Don Hawk has accomplished and achieved thus far truly makes him a legacy! It's been my pleasure to have met Don Hawk and I feel God sent him to help my husband and me. This book is correct is saying his ministry is in Nascar. Hawk has given me words of wisdom, guidence in the right direction, and a brutally honest education in the world of big business. All the while never comprising his integrity. A loving husband, father,son,and friend who is passionate about a sport called Nascar. I am truly excited to see what he has in store for us next. Indy/Cart together again? You never know...that's another story!
Book Description
Here is an affectionate look back at the outsized heroes who once occupied the imagination of millions of loyal readers-The Shadow, Tarzan, Doc Savage, Captain Future, The Spider, Zorro. They were the original super guys, godfathers and inspiration to the likes of Superman, Batman and James Bond. Fascinating and informative, THE GREAT PULP HEROES is a lively and entertaining history of those fabulous characters, of the gaudy, glorious magazines that spawned them, and of the amazing wordsmiths who churned out their monthly adventures
Customer Reviews:
The Great Pulp History.......2007-08-01
This book, finally reprinted in a better and clearer format with fewer mistakes, is quite possibly the greatest account of pulp magazine/fiction history. Don Hutchinson recounts the stories of some of the greatest pulp fiction heroes and villains, while sharing the history of the publishers, books, authors, and the evolutions of the genre. I learned things about pulp heroes that I never knew, and was re-introduced to things I did.
It's very interesting to read the similarities between the classic pulp heroes and the now-famous comic book heroes. It's great to see how much inspired the creators of and writers for Spiderman, Superman, Batman, and James Bond. Inspiration from these heroes of the pulp magazines, books, radio shows, comic books, and movies can be seen everywhere, it's amazing!
Whether it's an introduction to the pulp genre, or a new book for an old fan, I highly recommend to it anyone interested in the subject. I've already read it twice and now I use it as reference material, or pick it up every so often to re-read the history of The Shadow, Doc Savage, Operator #5, or G-8 and His Battle Aces. It's really a fantastic read!
Average customer rating:
- WONDEFUL OVERVIEW OF HERO PULPS
- HEROES DEL PASADO
- Great Pulp With Great Mistakes
- The definitive book on the pulp heros in print.
- A History of the Best Known Pulp Fiction Characters
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The Great Pulp Heroes
Don Hutchison
Manufacturer: Mosaic Press (NY)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Lester Dent's Zeppelin Tales
ASIN: 0889628122 |
Customer Reviews:
WONDEFUL OVERVIEW OF HERO PULPS.......2006-09-01
Don Hutchinson not only knows his subject matter, he loves it as well. There is a wondrous enthusiam that plays itself out in these pages and gives the reader the briefest glimpse on what the pulp era was truly all about. A great book, both for its fun and its information. Should be in the library of any pulp fan worth his or her salt.
HEROES DEL PASADO.......2006-02-20
El libro del canadiense Don Hutchinson es una buena y muy interesante guia para conocer las historias, estilos y superheroes de la epoca dorada del PULP. Indiana Jones, Sky Captain y Jack Burton (de MASACRE EN EL BARRIO CHINO) son muestra de estos personajes que actualemente son más atractivos por cargar con ese estilo "retro" de un mundo donde todabia habia maravillas por descubrir, organizaciones secretas por encontrar, poderes fantásticos, tierras perdidas, civilizaciones olvidadas, criminales científicos egomaniacos que querian conquistar la tierra.
Darse cuenta de los personajes e historias que se movian en esa epoca enriquece el acervo cultural del lector fantástico y a los neofitos les habre un nuevo mundo que no conocian y que querran disfrutar despues de leer este libro:
La SOMBRA, Doc Savage, Los pilotos G-8, La Araña, Capitan Futuro y muchos más analizados y recordados en este excelente libro.
Great Pulp With Great Mistakes.......2003-10-05
This is one of the few books I've come across that features a solid overview of the hero pulp era and touches on all the major titles, characters and trends. In addition, Don Hutchison gives the reader some fascinating inside stories on the creators behind "the masked men" themselves. He obviously has a deep love and a detailed knowledge of his subject matter.
Unfortunately, this potentially great book is marred by some poor formatting, inconsistencies and more importantly, some really careless spelling mistakes. In fact, the editors at Mosaic must have had narcolepsy or something because I found one or more cropping up every couple of pages. It's just embarrassing, not to mention distracting. Sure, a couple of errors I could ignore. But c'mon guys, my edition is on the third printing! You should've caught all this by now. It's like they just threw the whole book together...which is too bad given the earnestness of Hutchison's writing.
It's also too bad the book doesn't go further than it does (it only clocks in at about 276 pages with a large font) and it would've been nice if the cover section had featured some glossy colour instead of plain b&w (but I assume they're just trying to cut down on print costs.)
Other than that, I certainly enjoyed the book and it's definitely worth the read...it's just all the errors I could've lived without.
The definitive book on the pulp heros in print........1998-10-18
The coverage of the characters, content, authors, and even some of the artists of the pulp hero era of American popular literature within this volume are excellent and help you really understand the blood, sweat and tears that went into the development of the pulps. A Must-read on the subject!
A History of the Best Known Pulp Fiction Characters.......1998-06-11
From about the mid 1920's to the mid-1950's, one of the most popular entertainments available that were serious competition to radio and the movies was the pulp magazine. Printed on the cheapest kind of paper and with the most lurid covers, these magazines provided some of the most vivid action and suspence in print in the 20th century. While the medium is largely dead now and replaced by TV, comics and the paperback novel, the most famous heroes still created descendents of some of our most popular current fictional adventure characters. They include Batman(inspired by the pulp character, The Shadow), Superman(Doc Savage) and James Bond (Operator #5). In this book, Don Hutchison talks about this influential medium focusing on the major characters and the writers who spun these wild yarns. With detailed knowledge, the reader can learn about these characters, their development and the source of their appeal with wonderful vividness. The only shortcoming I see is that I would have preferred to have some more detailed thoughts on their latter day influence. However, if you want learn about what popular literature was like before TV was developed and the comic book hit its full stride, then this is a book for you.
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Music & Opera Around the World 97 98
Marie-Laure De Bello-Portu
Manufacturer: Stewart, Tabori, & Chang
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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| Opera
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| Entertainment
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| Music
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ASIN: 2911894014 |
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- Teaches Openings To Beginning and Intermediate Players
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Complete Book of Chess Openings
Fred Reinfeld
Manufacturer: Barnes & Noble
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0064632741 |
Customer Reviews:
Teaches Openings To Beginning and Intermediate Players.......2003-02-20
This is a tough little tome to track down. In fact, it is less than 200 pages and too short to be a tome. No matter, "Complete Book of Chess Openings" by the late Fred Reinfeld is packed with openings, gambits, defenses and explanations why which moves will impact your playing.
Reinfeld authored dozens of chess books, and was one of America's top players. He summed up his understanding of openings into this book, suitable for beginning and intermediate players.
Included are what you'd find in most opening books:
Center Opening, Danish Game, Bishop's Opening, Vienna Game, King's Gambit, Giuco Piano, Four Knights, French Defense, Sicilian Defense, Queen's Gambit, and much more. The moves are described in notation form, and he briefly points out the sensibility behind a given move. There is a page with a notation chart for those players unfamiliar with it.
Where many great players falter as they prepare opening books is that they often overwhelm the reader with more material than is useful. Unless the player understands the reasoning behind the openings, the secondary and tertiary lines and variations are pointless. The player will have already lost. Reinfeld wrote this not for Bobby Fischer or even Garry Kasparov, but for the average player.
I fully recommend "Complete Book of Chess Openings" by Fred Reinfeld. It should be on every student of chess' desk, ready as reference or for study.
Anthony Trendl
Customer Reviews:
Sophisticated, Eloquent and Funny.......2001-08-13
More ore less accidentally I stumbled across a copy of this outstanding work, and I have to admit shamefully that I had never heard of the author or any of his works before. But just after a few minutes of reading the book had totally captured my mind. Winter writes in intelligent and witty style on a vast range of topics. He is at his best when pointing out mistakes and fallacies in other authors' works, which sadly enough are too often just fast and sloppily written. But his criticism is always objective, he never decries his colleagues and is always able to give evidence for his criticism. Maybe the book is most fascinating for those who already have developed a deeper interest in chess history, curiosities etc., but even the player who just has more interest in the game than just playing the odd game will enjoy many delightful hours of reading. Furthermore, the book is suited for players of every strength and does not contain the same old anectodes that have been told and retold in scores of volumes before. Winter's book is an excellent choice as a present to any chess addict. Warmly recommended!!
Book Description
A cornucopia of games, positions, biographies, mysteries, howlers, reviews, quotations, etc., featuring a cast of hundreds from the chess world of today and yesteryear -- the champions and the under-achievers, the scholars and the bunglers, the saints and the sinners. Every page provides fascinating, little-known material from an author who is prepared to name names. Includes * Indexes of games, players, and openings * Engaging chess games * Fascinating anecdotes.
Customer Reviews:
Seeking the Truth.......2007-06-26
Edward Winter again presents us with a collection of historical essays, book reviews, forgotten positions, biographical details, quotes, and photographs from his long-running "Chess Notes" column. Winter's goal, as he says elsewhere, is to find out new (or rediscovered) true information about chess history, and to point out false statements and tall tales that are copied from one lousy chess book to another as "history".
The book therefore contains--among much else--many interesting but forgotten games and compositions, biographical material about unjustly forgotten players, and, to this reader the most interesting part of the book, historical investigations into alleged incidents in the lives of famous players. Very often, Winter shows that the sensational tales, both positive and negative, told about many chess masters (either praising their "genius" or blaiming the "crazy" or "immoral" chess master) are based on no facts at all.
This doesn't mean Winter covers up the unpleasant truth. For example, Winter's detailed investigation does not cover up the evidence pointing towards the conclusion that Alekhine did write of his free will the anti-Jewish articles signed by him which he later claimed he was forced to do against his will. But he also allows Alekhine's defenders (including Alekhine himself) in this matter a fair hearing, and wisely comments that the full story will probably have to wait until Alekhine's personal archives are made available to the public. What Winter objects to isn't criticism, even severe criticism, but libel--such as Fine's notorious remark that Alekhine was was "the sadist of the chessboard", for no good reason.
I suspect the book's most often-read section is, alas, the one dealing with book reviews. To many people, reading scathing book reviews that show how bad a book is is a guilty pleasure, and indeed many of Winter's reviews are scathing. Perhaps, in retrospect, Winter might have avoided much of the controversy surrounding KCK, leaving its historical and research value intact, by cutting out the 10% (or so) of KCK devoted to reviews of books and leaving only the purely historical material. Indeed, in the last decade, Winter had practically ceased to write book reviews, presumably deciding such reviews produce far more heat than light.
That said, Winter's scathing criticism is invariably (so far as I can tell) well-justified and always well-documented with numerous examples. The 'Knaves' of the chess world--those who write meretricious "ooks" (Martin Gardner's term to describe worthless potboilers that do not deserve to be called "books")--get what's coming to them from Winter's pen.
The one "criticism" I have of this book is that not all the material in it interested me--but only about 90% of it. This, of course, is not real criticism: tastes vary, and any book of chess history that is 100% interesting to one reader is sure to be of 0% interest to another. Winter, however, has done such a good job of selection that I strongly suspect this book will be 90% interesting to just about *anybody* with interest in chess history; and that is a great achievement indeed.
Brilliant, original, meticulous and hilarious.......2002-01-22
This book is incredibly good. Many chess writers recycle old (and often inaccurate) information from other books, but that is definitely not Winter's way. This book is remarkably accurate and is written in sparkling English. The research and editing are superb. The book contains hundreds of unknown games and positions, thousands of unknown or forgotten facts (many of them historical but also with plenty of topical comment) and all in all it is simply terrific. Winter doesn't pull his punches and can be hilarious when panning sloppy or dishonest hack-writing. Five stars hardly do justice to this wonderful book!
Good book troubled by editing errors.......2001-12-15
This book is best summarized as a series of short articles. Some of the articles are interesting and some are not.
Different aspects of chess are covered: miniatures, trivia, puzzles, theory etc. Most of the individual groupings are fun... and most are well written. However, some are not.
The worst parts of this book bore us with the history of misspellings of famous players names; their obituaries and such.
Some of the best parts (the puzzles and miniatures) are troubled by poor editing of the chess lines(see below). This is somewhat resolved by the general good quality of the puzzles themselves(...)Overall I would give this book 3 and a half stars. The binding is nice (and better than -say- an Everyman chess binding) but the poor editorship really is taxing.
Book Description
The new edition of this widely acclaimed guide is full of practical help on how to build the best, most flexible, and easy-to-use business models for analyzing the upside--or potential downside--of anything from the small development of an existing business to large-scale mergers and acquisitions. For anyone who wants to get ahead in business and especially for those with bottom-line responsibilities, this is an invaluable guide on how to build spreadsheet models for assessing business risks and opportunities.
Customer Reviews:
Tips and tricks you want to know.......2003-03-17
This book goes beyond the basic or even advanced Excel how-to book. It focuses on business modeling and how to structure any spreadsheet you build, a topic completely missed by any other Excel book. This book has been written by people who build spreadsheet models, not programmers.
Use this book as a good reference on building spreadsheet, be it for business modeling or just plain use of Excel. For years I sought for this a book. Finally I found it. ...
Customer Reviews:
Wonderful Book!.......2007-09-23
This is an excellent tail of history and the battle of the Alamo.
I recommend this to all and kids studying Texas history and the Alamo.
Well written and captures your interest.
Diary of a Texas Pioneer Girl.......2006-12-14
Sherry Garland's forefathers settled in Texas when it was a Republic (1836-1845). Garland wrote this novel to tell what it would be like for a young girl living at the time of the Alamo. Garland has written twenty-five books and received numerous awards and honors. The novel is written as a diary covering the days from September 9, 1835 to April 24, 1836. The `Epilogue' tells of the later lives of the characters. The `Historical Notes' tells of the settlement of Texas. The Spanish built missions in Texas between 1670 and 1793.
In 1821 Mexico declared its independence from Spain. The new Republic of Mexico welcomed Americans to settle in areas of Texas where Indians predominated. These colonists had to pass tests to legally settle in the lands. The Mexican Constitution of 1824 was similar to the US Constitution. But the aristocracy and the rich objected to democratic rule. They convinced Santa Anna to overthrow the democratic government and set up a dictatorship that would tax and oppress the people. [There were many reoccurrences of this in South American history. America avoided these problems with its "well-regulated militia", a small standing army, and a law of division to break up aristocratic wealth.] The state of Zacatecas first fought Santa Anna but lost, and their militia was exterminated. The state of Texas also fought; they were far off from the Mexican government, and their Second Amendment experience and history gave them better odds. They lost the first battles, but under the leadership of Sam Houston won the Battle of San Jacinto. Houston wisely extracted a peace treaty that recognized Texas independence as the price for releasing Santa Anna to return to Mexico with his armed guards. The "Napoleon of the West" met his Waterloo. The Republic of Texas encouraged immigrants from Europe to settle there, much as the Mexicans had earlier encouraged immigrants from America. They fled the aristocratic despotism of Europe.
This novel is based on the known facts, and can entertain and educate the readers. It is not a substitute for a real history book, but official history seldom tells you about daily life for ordinary people. A historian may note some information that isn't accurate. James Michener wrote a much longer book about "Texas" that you may read; it covers much more in Texas history.
the alamo.......2006-08-12
one of the reviews complained that the book was mislabeled, because it didn't take place in the alamo. while that is true, the alamo is a central point throughout the plot.
i definitely learned a lot from this book, because while everyone knows "remember the alamo," no one knows what the alamo actually was (at least in my experience). as a novel, however, the book was less than a masterpiece. it emphasized the bravery of those who fought for texas, which was a good thing to point out, and i also liked that the main character was just an ordinary girl caught up in what was happening. but lucinda was a pretty boring character - in fact, pretty much all of the characters were very two-dimensional. the plot was also boring at times. while it informed me, it did not move me. i especially disliked that the runaway scrape - when lucinda and the rest of her town had to leave their homes behind in a desperate retreat - was barely described, when it should have depicted the miserableness of the refugees and their conditions. at one point, lucinda tells us she has had an eye condition and now is blind in one eye. she says it matter-of-factly in just one sentence, and i think if someone lost half their eyesight they would be a little morre distraught. i didn't really enjoy reading the book, though i don't regret reading it either. it was just OK.
Alamo Diary Opened My Mind.......2006-06-01
What a fun read! I was not too enthusiastic about this book but I gave it a try anyway. I'm glad I did! Wall-to-wall action and relevant description abound in this story about a misunderstood historical period. I read this a few years ago and I still remember how good it was. Recently I read another book about the Alamo, and it makes me appriciate how well-written this one is. I don't agree that the action is sparse; if it was, I wouldn't have finished it.
Great.......2005-11-06
The story of the Alamo is one of my favorites. So when I found this book I was thrilled. This was a very well written story that brought out the longing of ever girls heart. I think that it is a must read!!
Book Description
This who, what, when, where, why, and how of American military victory and defeat includes:
* Every decisive battle waged by the U.S. military over the last century from the Boxer Rebellion of 1900 to Operation Desert Storm
* A comprehensive look at each leader and each army
* A detailed examination of the full operations and the specfic conflicts
* A complete overview of 20th-century American military history
* The 100-year evolution of military science and theory
Customer Reviews:
A very good introduction to American wars.......2004-01-19
This book is a concise introduction to the wars America was involved on the 20th century, covering up to Somalia, 1993. It starts with a brief about the Spanish- American war at 1898 and the WWI, where American forces were called "our Italians" by the British (US it to England as Italy to Deutchsland). Through the time, despite all the problems on the way and turn downs as Vietnan, the book shows how US defense forces became the most respected war machine of the century.
As not american and not having great knowledge on the topic, I found the book excelent and very informative, and also better wrote than the others in the serie.
Book Description
"Superb professional history that moves boldly beyond the scholar's monograph to make the American past alive and exciting for the general reader." -- Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., 1984 National Book Award jury report
Available in paperback for the first time, these three volumes represent the definitive biography of Andrew Jackson. Volume One covers the role Jackson played in America's territorial expansion, bringing to life a complex character who has often been seen simply as a rough-hewn country general. Volume Two traces Jackson's senatorial career, his presidential campaigns, and his first administration as President. The third volume covers Jackson's reelection to the presidency and the weighty issues with which he was faced: the nullification crisis, the tragic removal of the Indians beyond the Mississippi River, the mounting violence throughout the country over slavery, and the tortuous efforts to win the annexation of Texas.
Customer Reviews:
Jackson is a rich subject; and Remini does him justice.......2007-01-17
I almost picked a shorter book about Jackson rather than try to tackle this three volume set, but judging by the first volume there is no question I made the right choice!
This is one of the best biographies I've ever read; not only is the subject compelling, but it is superbly written and the balance of information (like the selection of anecdotes and quotes) is perfect. It even includes a timeline and family trees (why don't more authors do this?). Also, Remini isn't afraid to offer analysis as he goes; it makes the book more interesting and I think it ultimately makes it more objective because you understand his biases.
My only quibble, and this is very minor, is the author (or publisher's) decision to blank out the swear words. Jackson swore to great effect, and this quasi-censorship diminishes that effect a little.
Excellent biography of a remarkable man.......2004-06-10
In the first of three volumes, Remini carries Jackson from birth to the tragic loss of much of his family in the Revolution, through his early years in politics, his duels, and the Battle of New Orleans, up to his term as first American Governor of the territory of Florida, acquired by his own military victories.
Remini admires Jackson, and argues persuasively for his huge historic importance - not just President Jackson, but the younger Jackson of this book, responsible for acquiring a large chunk of what ultimately became the Southeast USA in several Indian wars and treaty negotiations, the campaigns of the War of 1812, and his subsequent attacks on the Spanish colony of Florida. Many historians have condemned Jackson for siezing Florida without the explicit approval of the Monroe administration; Remini is convincing in his argument that Monroe must have known and encouraged Jackson's actions, although he was careful not to say so directly, since Spain and the US were not at war.
Remini doesn't by any means try to whitewash Jackson. The man shown in these pages is impressive but often distinctly unpleasant. Remini quite directly calls him a 'bully', and the story of his feuds and duels shows a man who is ruthless and foolishly ill-tempered. The ugliest part of the Jackson story is his treatment of the native tribes; Remini offers some half-hearted apologias for Jackson's ruthless treatment even of those natives who fought with him in his campaigns, but tells the facts frankly enough that most readers will come to a harsher conclusion.
Remini shows that Jackson's famous victory in the Battle of New Orleans was a closer thing than is generally supposed. Jackson carelessly left a crucial avenue open to the British, and a more determined general would have marched on the city and probably taken it before Jackson had his defenses properly prepared. As it was, the British foolishly gave Jackson sufficient time to settle in and fortify his line, only then attacking it with disastrous results. Although this battle is often viewed as an afterthought (the Treaty of Ghent, ending the war, was actually signed a few days before the battle was fought), Remini also shows that a British victory would have had real, and catastrophic, consequences for the US.
Along with the colorful and often complex story of Jackson's life and activities, Remini fills in the story with good explanations of the conditions of the period. In particular, he gives a good explanation of the values and traits of westerners, and East-West conflicts, at an early time in the country's history when the Pacific was barely dreamed of and the 'Far West' meant the Mississippi.
Remini's writing is excellent, and the biography is detailed and exhaustively researched without being pedantic or boring.
Top-notch biography.......2003-03-06
Andrew Jackson is one of the more complicated figures in American history. On the one hand, his significance to the development of the United States as a nation is large. On the other hand, he was often a very unpleasant person.
This first volume in Robert Remini's biography follows Jackson's life from his childhood through his governorship of Florida. Along the way, we learn of Jackson's brief roles in both houses of Congress and his period as a judge; it is later, however, when he joined the military (becoming a general through politics rather than merit), that Jackson rose to nationwide prominence, especially his overwhelming humiliation of the British in the Battle of New Orleans and his later dealings with Indians and the Spanish which led eventually to the U.S. acquiring Florida.
His military victories made him one of the most popular people in American history, but Remini pulls no punches with Jackson's flaws, including his often brutal and bullying nature and his tendency to violence. The ambiguous circumstances involving how he married his wife Rachel would lead to nasty talk during his presidential campaigns and his killing of a man in a duel (was it murder?) wouldn't help either.
Having been previously exposed to Remini's writing through his brilliant biographies of Henry Clay and Daniel Webster, I knew this book would be a pleasure to read, and it was. Remini has written the definitive biography of Jackson, very detailed but always objective and always entertaining. If you want to learn of this era and of one its pivotal figures, this is the book to read (plus the other two in the series).
The Roots of Jacksonian Democracy.......2002-05-01
One might argue that the hallmark of great men is that they fundamentally and permanently alter the world they inherited - its beliefs, its practices, its conception of itself. Andrew Jackson is one of those extremely rare individuals.
In this first of three volumes, which he subtitles "The Course of American Empire," Remini highlights the central role that Jackson played in opening up the early American frontier in the first decades of the 19th century. Long before the expression "Manifest Destiny" ignited the expansionist and nationalist passions of Americans in the 1840s, Andrew Jackson fought single-handedly - and occasionally circumvented direct military orders, the Constitution, local judges, and officially recognized international treaties - to advance American territorial expansion along the southern border and promote the removal of the Spanish, British and myriad tribes of native Americans.
Other salient events that Remini chronicles in this volume include Jackson's humble roots and tragic childhood during the American Revolution in the Carolinas; his move westward to the Tennessee territory to start life anew as a lawyer; the "facts" behind Jackson's much-disputed relationship with his wife, Rachel; his entry into local politics and emergence as a militia leader; his military exploits against the Creeks, the British at the Battle of New Orleans and the Seminoles; and, of course, the many duels, fist-fights and other outlandish events of his early life that he somehow managed to survive.
Much of Volume I reads like a "wild west" novel, but Remini is careful to accentuate how Jackson's natural rough hewn character, along with his experience on the frontier, melded to shape a political philosophy that ultimately altered the course of American government. There is little direct reference to the principles that would become known as Jacksonian Democracy in this volume - an undying faith in the virtue and wisdom of the people, the inviolability of the Union, the pernicious effects of deficit spending and "soft" currency, etc. - but it is easy to understand how and why Jackson cherished those ideals after reading the story of his early life.
Finally, it must be noted that Remini assiduously avoids holding Jackson's conduct in relation to slavery and the Indians to modern standards. In all fairness, that is understandable and not especially offensive. However, Remini does neither himself nor Jackson any service by going out of his way to stress how relatively humane (in Remini's mind) the president was to his human chattel and explaining that he really had the Indians best interests at heart when he forced them from their land to the barren plains of modern day Oklahoma. In this volume and the others, Remini offers some strongly worded criticism of Jackson's political, military and social performance, but his many heinous crimes against humanity are treated with kid gloves throughout.
Great biography of a great but deeply flawed man........2002-03-04
This meticulously researched and wonderfully written book is the first volume in a three-part biography of Jackson that will undoubtedly set the standard for years to come.
Part of what makes Remini's work so useful is that he does not rely solely on American sources but has also dug deep into the Archivo General de Indies in Seville, Spain in order to try to see Jackson from the viewpoint of the Spanish colonial government. It was this research that led Remini to his main thesis in this book which is that Jackson, thru his military exploits against the Indians of the southern United States (notably the Creek, Choctaw, Cherokee, Seminole and Chickasaw tribes) and against the Spanish in Florida did as much or more than any other individual to extend U.S. territory into much of Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, and all of Florida. One of the more interesting revelations of the book for me was the mutual admiration and the shared goals at this point in their lives between Jackson and Monroe's Secretary of State, John Quincy Adams.
In fact, Remini makes a good argument that Jackson's military exploits in that region were is what enabled Adams to deal so successfully with the Spanish in negotiating the Trans-Continental Treaty of 1819. This treaty formalized the recognition of the European powers of the territory added to the U.S. by Jefferson in the Louisiana Purchase. Up until then the purchase was widely recognized as illegal.
So why don't I give this book a higher rating? I think that Remini falls prey to a common tendency of American historians who take on the task of writing the lives of our great men. As a reading public, we do not seem to want to acknowledge the dark side of our leaders or our history. As a result, it is difficult to write biographies that do not border on hagiography. Remini for the most part avoids this failing. He is clear about Jackson's violent (murderous, really) temper, his tendency to bully others until they gave in and his paternalism. This is not a man I would have wanted to know.
Where Remini does not quite live up to his own standards is in regards to Jackson's (to my mind) overt racism. Jackson regarded the presence of the Indians anywhere in territory that was being settled by Americans as unacceptable unless the Indians were willing to give up their tribal territories, accept a farming plot and become good little American citizens. Remini tries to convince his readers that Jackson the paternalist hated only the tribes not the individual Indians and that therefore Jackson and his policies were not racist (see the discussion on p. 337). I leave it up to the reader of this review whether this defense is adequate. I think that the last fifty years has amply proved that a racist can befriend individual members of the hated group as long as that individual keeps their place. I think that this is actually a rather common type of racism and Jackson exemplifies to a plentitude. To be fair to both Remini and Jackson he had a life long history of defending the underdog if they applied to him for protection.
Of course, this makes Jackson a paragon of the southern culture of the time but we also need to be honest about our own history. Jackson was a racist, he initiated Indian policies that were, at the least, marginally genocidal (the Indians called Jackson, Sharp Knife) and he was still one of our greatest men, one who had an enormous influence on our historical destiny. Remini, the good honest scholar that he is, gives us enough material and detail so that we get enough of the story so that we can sort out our own vision of the truth.
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Foremost Jacksonian scholar lends his talents to reconstructing this age. Master storyteller.
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