Nicholas Romanov: Life and Death

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Nicholas Romanov: Life and Death
Nicholas Sehenov Etal
Manufacturer: Liki Rossii
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
General | Royalty | Leaders & Notable People | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 5874170650

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Nicholas Romanov: Life and Death
Yuri; Shelayeva, Elizabeth & Nicholas Semenov Shelayev
Manufacturer: Liki Rossii
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 5874171886

Customer Reviews:

INSIDE THE MIND OF A COMIC GENIUS.......2007-09-29

Hilarious, wild and wooly tales from the great Bob Uecker. This book was really funny and reads like standup comedy. "Sporting goods companies started paying me NOT to use their products."

Uke's yarn-spinning machine is at full tilt; as he touches on the antics of teammates, managers, coaches, front office, broadcast partners, and most of all HIMSELF. Great stuff! Even the photo section is funny. This man needs to write more books.

In His Own Words, The Man Who Made Mediocrity Famous.......2006-10-08

Bob Uecker was not a great baseball player, but he is an entertaining man. Still doing play by play for his hometown Brewers, Uecker is still a recognizable member of the baseball landscape. He is recognizable for his sense of self-deprecating humor, not his baseball talent.

From growing up in Milwaukee to breaking-in with his hometown team on the field than in the booth, Uecker collected some entertaining stories until this book's publication in 1983. The stories of the guy who makes it big are quite common. But this book is great not because Uecker became a great ball player, but because he adapted to the chances life gave him. His talent wasn't playing baseball, it was his wit and understanding of the game.

Rather that recount each of the humorous stories Uecker told, I would encourage baseball fans to give this book a look. I only hope Uecker updates his book in the future with more entertaining tales.

Hilarious.......2006-09-01

Hilarious. Uecker the practical joker. Even non-baseball fanatics will enjoy this book. I don't think his on the field antics would be tolerated today. Granted, many of the actions by him and his teammates were over the top, but maybe we need a little more of that individuality in baseball today. (That does not include steroids. Hank Aaron was not a large man by any means.) Along with the spirit they had, with less emphasis on how many millions I need, maybe I would have a different outlook on what the game has become.

Funniest Book I've Ever Read.......2005-08-04

I recently heard Bob Uecker speak with Vin Scully in the booth during a ball game. He told his signing bonus story and I determined then and there to find out if he'd written a book and if so, to read it. I'm very glad I did. I don't think I've ever had so much fun just reading a book. Uecker talks about his life in baseball and broadcasting. Pictures are included. You don't want to read this book when you are alone. You are going to need another person close by to whom you can read passages aloud. A book for sharing.

Very Funny Basball Memoir.......2003-12-09

From my childhood, I recall seeing Bob Uecker all time on those Miller Lite commercials. And I continue to quote his, "I must be in the front row..." to this day.
Anyone who knows anything about Uke, knows he is a very humorous indvidual. He also had an interesting career as a back up catcher for the Braves, Phillies and Cards.
This book details Uecker's years in the minors, majors and after baseball.
His sense of humor is apparent throughout this one. There were many out loud laughs and chuckles in this book.
If you love baseball and need a laugh, read Catcher in the Wry. Bob Uecker, the master of mediocrity, really shines in this one!

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Catcher in the Wry: Baseball Poems
Dan Zamudio
Manufacturer: McFarland & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Baseball | Sports | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 078641314X

Book Description

The only poetry
I understand
is Baseball.

In sparing lines and with a reluctant irony reminiscent of Holden Caulfield, Dan Zamudio deadpans his way through more than 100 poems on baseball. It is a teen's smirk the speaker wears, telling us that a "slight distraction / always helps" when you're tendering a month-old ticket for today's game ("Say, who's pitching today?")—and when the teacher leaves the room, "Long / unsharpened / pencils / swing across / desk tops, / connect with / inside pitches" ("Hurry, she's coming!"). In Chicago, the poet's hometown, the South Side may have Buddy Guys, but Wrigley is still the best known venue for the blues ("Blues").

Book Description

Most famous as suave sleuth Simon Templar in the 1960s, Roger Moore hung up his halo and in 1973 stepped into the shoes of James Bond 007 for a blockbusting seven adventures—making him one of the most recognizable faces in the world. His wicked sense of humor and raised eyebrow have endeared him to both peers and fans alike. Authors Gareth Owen and Oliver Bayan offer the full story of his films and career, punctuated with memories and anecdotes from the man himself. With almost 100 rare photographs, including many from Moore's own collection, Roger Moore: His Films and Career offers an insight into the world of the intensely private actor and tireless charity worker.

Customer Reviews:

Very good and interesting book.......2005-09-26

For Roger Moore buffs, this book is a must. Clear, ample information about his career and his filmography. Maybe it lacks some additional titbits about his personal life, but the title of the book is very clear about it: "His films and career" ergo, no yellow press uncovering or sensationalist data.

Sir Roger Moore's biography could not be written better........2005-01-16

As a biography it almost certainly could not have been co written better by Roger's personal assistance Gareth Owen and also . Exceptionally interesting informative entertaining biography of this unique most English and successful of actors who played The Saint, 007 and many more roles and not to be missed. Obviously to some degree I will be biased being Sir Roger Moore's Web manager but I shall try to express my true opinion.

My favourite reading material is auto-biographies so I would honestly say this being a biography not quite in same class of entertainment for me. As the title suggests (Roger Moore His Films and Career) it delves not too much into Sir Roger's personal life but focuses mostly on his career. It spans Roger's entire life from his early childhood in London all the way through his extensive acting career to his present day work as a UNICEF ambassador. The most admirable quality Roger possesses is to give pleasure to everyone who has been lucky enough to be part of his life irrespective of their position in life. And over the last 13 years to spend 50% of his waking hours working for UNICEF. A better role model in life will be how to find. Read it you will enjoy.

I recommend The Pinewood Story also by Gareth Owen a fascinating factual book about the history of one the world's most famous studio

Alan Davidson

Book Description

When Kentucky Blueblood Drew Thornton parachuted to his death in September 1985—carrying thousands in cash and 150 pounds of cocaine—the gruesome end of his startling life blew open a scandal that reached to the most secret circles of the U.S. government. The story of Thornton and “The Company” he served, and the lone heroic fight of State Policeman Ralph Ross against an international web of corruption is one of the most portentous tales of the 20th century.

Customer Reviews:

you won't wanna put this book down!.......2007-03-05

I absoultely loved this book...This book will keep you awake for sure wondering what will happen next...I highly recommend and don't want to give you too many details to spoil it...Excellent author!

Update on a Central Character of Book.......2006-10-05

For those who are intriqued by this tangled tale and wish to keep up with the central characters, here is an update on John Bizzack, former Lexington Police Officer.

In 1996, Dr. Bizzack was appointed Distinguished Professor of Criminal Justice in the Department of Political Science at the Citadel, in Charleston, South Carolina. In addition to graduate course instruction, he served as consultant on the development of criminal justice programs and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Command College.

On a more personal note, recently Bizzack's wife, Carol Bizzack, was one of the victims of the Comair Crash of flight #5191 in Lexington.

About the book itself; it is an interesting tale of cover-up, murder, and dedicated police work that could have been stronger if written by an author with a less muddled writing style; it remains interesting none the less because of the scope of the story and the level of deception. A former next-door neighbor of Ralph Ross' a sister of a Lexington Police officer during the time of these events, and a former employee of the Lexington-Fayette Urban Country Government, this book was of great interest to me. It should be interesting as well to any fan of the true-crime genre.

Don't believe everything you read.......2005-04-18

Though some people might find this book to be exciting and sexy and intriguing, please don't consider it as truth. This book should have been labelled as Fictional, which is what it is. Sally should have interviewed people who really knew the details- maybe spoken to members of the families involved, instead of spouting lies and touting them as truths. As a member of one of the families in the book, I know what I am talking about, and it hurts me deeply the lies that were told, which I can verify, matter of factly, were false.

A Few Words about Ralph Ross.......2005-01-21

For those needing a bit more closure than listed previously, after the events listed in this book, Ralph Ross moved to Lawrenceburg, KY and settled into a job as a PI. I had many chances to meet him in my teenage years after reading about him at his favorite location, the now closed Anderson Grill. He truly was a great man and seemed to enjoy helping people. I recall when I learned of his passing, I was inquiring as to his room at Heritage Hall (a local retirement home) when I was given the sad news.

His associate through the latter part of the Conspiracy ordeal, Don Powers is however still living in Anderson County as well, though is much more of a reclusive person.

Grippingýwow.......2004-03-29

A Kentucky blue blood, ex-military, ex-cop with a partner manages an organized crime ring called "The Company." After a successfully drug smuggling operation for approximately 20 years a Lexingtonian turns up dead, in his possession a large sum of cocaine and several thousand dollars in cash. Also in his possession a black book with several names of prominent Kentucky figures abroad, and CIA telephone numbers most citizens are ordinarily unable to obtain. A very well connected individual throughout the eastern United States, Las Vegas, and South America. Murder is not out of the question for these folks to commit, in order to proceed in their corrupt business endeavors. All the above information told in page one.

A very good read, the story will have you turning the pages quickly as possible. Sally Denton does a wonderful job conveying this shocking report. Various high rollers and Kentuckians apparently thought themselves to be above the law. This book is nicely written and is a very easy read. Not to say it's lacking in detail but just the opposite, Denton has immensely researched the backgrounds of each subject portrayed. However the end just doesn't wrap up all your questions about a few individuals. A very good book if the ending gave more detail to particular entities would definitely be a five star, but for that reason give a strong four stars...no make it five stars it's really good.

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The Bluegrass Conspiracy: An Inside Story of Power, Greed, Drugs & Murder
Sally Denton
Manufacturer: Doubleday
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Conspiracy Theories | Current Events | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000LC0R1E

Book Description

Exploring dance from the rural villages of Africa to the stages of Lincoln Center, Judith Lynne Hanna shows that it is as human to dance as it is to learn, to build, or to fight. Dance is human thought and feeling expressed through the body: it is at once organized physical movement, language, and a system of rules appropriate in different social situations. Hanna offers a theory of dance, drawing on work in anthropology, semiotics, sociology, communications, folklore, political science, religion, and psychology as well as the visual and performing arts. A new preface provides commentary on recent developments in dance research and an updated bibliography.

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Concise and Effective

Read this book and level the playing field!

Great Book for Sales People

This will change the way you communicate with everyone

A great book; it really helped me.

Negotiate to Close: How to Make More Successful Deals
Gary Karrass
Manufacturer: Fireside
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Negotiating | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Techniques | Sales & Selling | Marketing & Sales | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Look Inside Business Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
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Negotiating Game Rev

Give and Take Revise

In Business As in Life, You Don't Get What You Deserve, You Get What You Negotiate

You Can Negotiate Anything

Secrets of Power Negotiating

ASIN: 0671628860

Customer Reviews:

Concise and Effective.......2007-03-11

This book very clearly and directly covers most negotitation techniques. It's an easy read that should help both sales professionals and purchasing agents. After reading this book, I was able to identify when tactics were being used on me and it armed me with effective countermeasures. I'm positive that this book helped me put bigger and more profitable deals together than I would have without having read it.

Read this book and level the playing field!.......2003-11-18

I recently took on a project to read the 4 or 5 negotiating books that I had accumulated over the years. Of all of the books that I read--Negotiating to Close was the only one specifically written with the salesperson in mind. Over the years it has become increasingly clear to me that buyers are employing skills and technology to try to win the best values for their companies. Negotiate to Close helps level that playing field. Knowing the technology of selling isn't enough--you also need to know the technology of making a successful deal.

There was some excellent information here that didn't appear in any of the other negotiating books. For example--his explanation of how the Good Cop/Bad Cop technique can be used to get you to accept a bad deal from the good cop--was an eye opener.

Gary Karrass teaches negotiating from the perspective of someone who has clearly "carried a bag". I could go on and on--bottom line--if you sell--read and use this book.

Great Book for Sales People.......2001-04-22

I have been working on a sales job for almost 12 years but reading Mr. Karrass' book gave me a totally different perspective to the way I do business with my customers. The book covers all important topics for people working on sales that have to negotiate with large accounts. This book should be the background for everyone that decides to start working on a sales job, since it helps you to uncover your power and improve your performance when dealing with customers.

This will change the way you communicate with everyone.......1999-06-07

When you speak you want to get your point across. Karrass in an easy reading style sets out those rules of communication. If you know the rules you can have fun and respect when someone says "I saw it cheaper down the street" or "I will wash the dishes tomorrow".

This book is not just for the salesperson. The book is for everyone who wants to negotiate.

A great book; it really helped me........1997-10-09

This is a very easy to read book. I've applied the techniques and principles in the book with great success. I highly recommend it!

Negotiate to Close : How to Make More Successful Deals

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Negotiate to Close : How to Make More Successful Deals
Gary Karrass
Manufacturer: Fireside Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000PYH6VM

Negotiate to Close: How to Make More Successful Deals (A Gold Mine of Negotiation Strategy)

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Negotiate to Close: How to Make More Successful Deals (A Gold Mine of Negotiation Strategy)
Gary Karrass
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OH8RFE

Product Description

Negotiate to Close is a complete program aimed at anyone who wants to dramatically improve his or her business. Whether you are a company president or salesperson, executive or general manager, this book will show you how to close more deals, and how to do it with greater profits each time. Let's face it: successful deals don't just happen. They are the result of using specific skills and techniques to get what you want, or more, while leaving the other party satisfied with the outcome. You can learn effective negotiation easily once you discover how to make the most of your own power as a seller. You'll recognize what kind of satisfaction buyers really seek, and learn how to turn around comments like "You gotta do better than that" "Times are tough, we need a lower price," "All I've got is $30,000 in the budget," and more. You'll learn how to negotiate within your own organization, with a new sense of power, poise, confidence-and results. You'll learn everything you need to know to make the best deals money can buy.

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Negotiate to Close : How to Make More Successful Deals
Gary Karrass
Manufacturer: Fireside
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000K0EJGQ

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Negotiate to Close : How to Make More Successful Deals
Gary Karrass
Manufacturer: Fontana Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000KL03VK

Product Description

A non-fictional account of Kathleen Sullivan's experiences as part of a criminal network that includes Intelligence personnel, military personnel, doctors and mental health professionals contracted by the military and the CIA, criminal cult leaders and members, pedophiles, pornographers, drug dealers and Nazis.

Customer Reviews:

Interesting.......2007-08-31

This book is not an easy read, but it does contain some interesting information that makes it worth buying and reading. If you are into conspiracy theory it is a must have.

Very Interesting, Horribly Disturbing.......2007-07-18

If I didn't already know that a lot of what Ms. Sullivan speaks of actually goes on, I would think she was an absolute nut. Sadly, most people do not inform themselves beyond the traditional mass-media outlets, and so do not know about things such as MK-Ultra, Project Bluebird, Larry King and the Franklin coverup, or Project Paperclip, all of which can be easily researched via the internet. These people will no doubt write this story off as the rantings of a deeply disturbed person, which I suppose they are in a way. This is a horrible tale of cults, unspeakable childhood torture the specifics of which I will not mention here, but they are unbelievably horrible, and this woman's struggle to get her life and mind back. It is told in a necessarily fragmented way, as she is still struggling to piece the whole picture together, and so it's not Hemingway or anything, but it is clear, concise, and easy to read, with extensive notes (from mainstream, respected sources) following each chapter. If the person who says she is Ms. Sullivan's daughter is who she claims to be, then I completely understand why she is so disturbed by her mother's book, it's a real headful for me so I can just imagine how it is for someone who lived this hell. As fantastic as it seems, this stuff really happens, it really does, and the sad thing is that it sounds so crazy that people just don't believe it. That's why it is allowed to happen. Of course I don't know if her particular story is true, but knowing what I do I am inclined to believe that it is. If you think this is crazy then do an internet search on the topics I mentioned, then order this book and educate yourself.

Emily can't wait to read your book........2006-06-14

I have read a number of books by survivors and the horrific accounts of abuse all seem believable to me. I'm not sure who Emily is only hoping that it is not another means of disinformation. My cousin's wife had a nervous breakdown due to past ritual abuse. This is happening and it is real, make no mistake. Sad but true. If you really want an eye opener read this book. People need to start pulling their heads out of the sand.

A survivor's story of truth and consequences.......2006-05-19

Kathleen Sullivan is a very different person than when I first met her. Today, she is well organized, educated, and intelligent. When I first met her, she looked like the walking dead. Her eyes were blank and seemed to look right through me. I saw a very scared woman who didn't know if she was going to make it to the next day or the next hour. I felt very sorry for her, a single mother alone most of the time, taken advantage of at any given moment by perpetrators, especially her father who was also her "guiding counselor." I'm proud to have been her husband and supporting partner during her journey out of hell into the light she lives in today. During the hardest part of her recovery, I cried many tears because of her sorrow. I met and comforted the scared little children inside her. I wanted to lash out at anyone who would want to harm her. She did not deserve the grief, abuse, terror, and torture she endured for decades. I can attest to the grief, tears, sorrow and terror she relived, almost every day, as she wrote Unshackled. When I read the finished manuscript the first time, it was as if Ms. Sullivan was letting her light shine towards those who had never cared for her. I was amazed that her heart was still open to her former abusers and other detractors. I'm glad she wrote Unshackled. I give it 5 stars because it is quality work with far-reaching truths.

I am "Emily".......2006-03-23

This woman, Kathleen Sullivan, gave birth to me. I wont call her my mother, as that is something she is not. For the protection (mentally) of my family, I had to cut her completely out of our lives several years ago.
This book is ALMOST complete dilusion/fantasy/fiction from cover to cover. I just suggest anyone that has read anything she has written, be careful. Do not assume these things to be truths. My own therapist thinks she's "nuts" (knowing the whole story).
Look in the future for "Emily's story..."

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Presidential Machismo: Executive Authority, Military Intervention, and Foreign Relations
Alexander Deconde
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | History | Bargain Books | Stores | Books
United States | History | Bargain Books | Stores | Books
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The Presidency and Domestic Policy: Comparing Leadership Styles, FDR to Clinton

ASIN: B0006I5HSG

Book Description

The U.S. presidency is the most powerful office in the world, claiming a prerogative to exercise force in foreign affairs that, according to Harry S. Truman, would have made Caesar or Genghis Khan envious. This book offers a historical account of how presidents from George Washington to Bill Clinton have asserted their privilege as commander in chief, examining their penchant for using military might unilaterally and their reasons for doing so. It asks why a democracy allows presidents to exercise such immense power virtually as a personal right.

Taking in a wide range of sources in diplomatic history and presidential studies, Alexander DeConde shows how the expansion of executive authority began long before the United States became a world power. He explains how it has evolved that U.S. presidents exercise a greater authority and control over foreign affairs and military matters than is granted to most other heads of republican governments.

DeConde attributes much of this pugnacious behavior to "machismo"-the display of virility-on the part of men already attracted to power, concluding that even weak presidents act differently when flexing their military muscle. He reveals how presidential machismo has thrived as modern media and the American people celebrate executive accomplishments in foreign affairs, elevating those who wage successful wars to the status of heroes.

Presidential Machismo approaches this issue with an overdue irreverence that questions the bold use of executive authority and serves as a corrective to the cult of veneration.

Presidential Machismo: Executive Authority, Military Intervention and Foreign Relations.(Review) (book review): An article from: Presidential Studies Quarterly

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Presidential Machismo: Executive Authority, Military Intervention and Foreign Relations.(Review) (book review): An article from: Presidential Studies Quarterly
David Gray Adler
Manufacturer: Center for the Study of the Presidency
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Presidential Studies Quarterly, published by Center for the Study of the Presidency on December 1, 2000. The length of the article is 626 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Presidential Machismo: Executive Authority, Military Intervention and Foreign Relations.(Review) (book review)
Author: David Gray Adler
Publication: Presidential Studies Quarterly (Refereed)
Date: December 1, 2000
Publisher: Center for the Study of the Presidency
Volume: 30 Issue: 4 Page: 806

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Book Description

- Lost History is a kind of All the President's Men in reverse. As that journalistic classic followed Woodward and Bernstein exposing Watergate, Lost History is the inside story of reporters who broke the key stories of the Iran-contra scandal. But instead of basking in praise, they paid a high personal price. In a larger sense, Lost History explains how the Washington press corps of the 1980s missed or under-reported many of the major scandals of the era, from the dirty secret of Nicaraguan contra-cocaine trafficking to the Guatemalan army's genocide against Mayan Indians. Not only does Lost History recover this important historical record from the government's secret files, but it shows how the decade of the 1980s was the missing link in the transformation of the Washington press corps from the glory days of Watergate to the tawdry tabloid moments of Monica Lewinsky. This is a book not only about "lost history" but about a political system that has lost its way.

Customer Reviews:

Great insight into Iran-Contra.......2005-07-01

Despite some flaws in the writing style, this book is a terrific read.

It provides an insight into the 'hidden truth' and 'lost history' that remains unknown.

Neither a conspiracy theory nor unproven, this book highlights the obscene lack of attention given by the press to the government admissions of culpability in the Iran-Contra affair.

Conspiracy?.......2005-03-19

Truth be told, even "fruitcake conspiracy theories" are right occasionally. This doesn't measure up that well. This is an interview with Bobby Nieves, one of the agents working with the Nicaraguan Resistance. Here it is for good and all:

"Every stone has been turned. Every page has been written. Everybody who had any knowledge about it has been questioned ad nauseam. There is no story about Contra drug smuggling that hasn't been reported a thousand times by the Kerry commission, Tower Commission, the IG's...There is no story..."

Brilliant Truth-Telling with Some Short-Falls.......2003-11-09

This book is a real gem. It outlines a tale of both corruption and ideological mendacity within the White House, and of ignorance and unprofessionalism with the Directorate of Operations in the Central Intelligence Agency. As one who served on the Central American Task Force at the time, and as a clandestine case officer focused on these matters, I find it especially fascinating that I, from the inside, was truly unaware of the degree to which we were engaged in direct support to a band of contras characterized by drug-running, money-laundering, corruption, rape, torture, routine murders, and perhaps worse of all, total incompetence and ineffectiveness.

There are two aspects of this book that truly stand out for anyone who is committed, as I and most CIA employees are, to the concept that "the truth shall make you free."

First, as the title suggests, there is a "lost history" that is unavailable to the American people. The author is not alone in making this charge. The editors of the history of the Department of State have on several occasions complained, both publicly and privately, that an accurate history of the foreign relations of the United States of America cannot be written without more complete disclosure of our various covert operations. Indeed, Derek Leebaert's book "The Fifty-Year Wound", Jim Bamford's book "Body of Secrets", and Sterling and Peggy Sterling's book "Gold Warriors", among a number of others books but these three reviewed by me on Amazon and being the most recent and best documentary efforts, all show that America has paid a *huge* cost, a cost running to trillions of dollars in deceitfully mis-spent dollars and lives, for clandestine and covert activities that have inspired enmity, often nurtured environments of genocide and war crimes (Sudan today, for example, given a "bye" for its nominal counter-terrorism support), and spawned vast war profiteering enterprises at the same time that we nurture and encourage dictatorships such as those in Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, both of which are protecting Bin Laden, his family (which we allowed to escape from the US rather than taking them hostage--a White House accommodation to its Saudi paymasters), and other terrorists. America needs to understand the truth about such matters, and this book helps.

The other major value of this book is its examination of how the White House, first under Reagan and now under Bush junior, and personified in the activities of one Otto Reich (Reich and Rove are exemplar representatives of the neo-Nazi and neo-conservative aspects of the Cheney-Bush regime), has violated various US laws and values by running psychological operations and media campaigns against its own public. Especially distressing has been the manner in which the National Public Radio (NPR) has been "brought to heel" by threats to cut off its federal subsidies if it fails to accept the lies of the Administration and actually reports truthfully to the public. The Associated Press (AP) is also shown in this book to have subverted the truth and conformed to the falsehoods and propaganda line being purveyed by the Reagan Administration against the American people. The New York Times is specifically cited, on several occasions, and publishing false and misleading information, not because its employees lack ethics (as has recently been the case) but because the NYT is part of the "establishment" and all too eager to betray its readers by publishing the party line from a corrupt White House.

Usefully, the author documents a General Account Office decision on 30 September 1987 that the "white propaganda" of Otto Reich and the Public Diplomacy Office in the Department of State amounted to "prohibited covert propaganda activities" against the US media and the US public. Under Bush Junior the Administration has added blatant lies and manipulated intelligence to its repetoir, and continues to manage covert propaganda against the American people.

Among the most interesting sub-themes the author documents are how Richard Nixon undermined the Vietnam peace talks in order to prevent Johnson from successful resolution, and how Reagan's team undermined the Iran hostage negotiations to prevent Jimmy Carter's ability to resolve that in time for the election. In both cases the Republicans violated the law and engaged in actions that amount to treason--to a betrayal of the public trust. Now fast forward to the recent stories about how Richard Perle was a principal in the Bush Administration's refusal to accept an offer from Saddam Hussein to help in the war on terrorism, allow full US inspection teams, and otherwise give us everything we wanted except his head and the right to loot Iraq. American soldiers are dying today--and a bill we cannot pay is being run up--in Iraq because of Republican treason and Republican lies and Republican propaganda against the American people.

Another important point that this book documents is the sorry reality that CIA analysts cannot trust the CIA clandestine operators to tell them the full truth, and that the US public cannot trust the White House to tell it the full truth (apart from blatant propaganda). The truth in America has been subverted, distorted, and *buried*. As others have documented (see my review of Sheldon Rampton & John Stauber, "Weapons of Mass DECEPTION: The Uses of Propaganda in Bush's War on Iraq"), the American people are, if they are avid searchers for the truth, able to see only 10% of the facts and undistorted information available to Europeans and Asians.

The book has some flaws--a rotten index, some repetition caused by integrating old and new material--but I rank it as essential reading for anyone who would like to understand how we got ourselves into an unjust war with Iraq, how an extremist Republican Administration was able to do Goering proud by manipulating the American Congress and the American people and the United Nations with a "platform of lies." We have lost history, we have lost ethics, and we are on the verge of losing America and that for which it stands.

Media Manipulation and Political Corruption.......2003-10-28

Robert Parry is a reporter with a wealth of experience who combines knowledge with investigative expertise and a bedrock courage to find the truth and faithfully report it. Here is the reporter who uncovered the illegal government operation of Oliver North in the National Security Council office, which violated federal law by providing weapons, manpower, and logistical advice to the Contras in Nicaragua. The government did its best to smear the Associated Press and later Newsweek reporter, painting him as unreliable and a man with his own agenda, but ultimately the truth won out.

Parry brilliantly documents what the Contras were really all about. The so-called Nicaraguan freedom fighters which President Ronald Reagan referred to as "the moral equivalent of our Founding Fathers" were instead involved in a major drug networking operation, aided by the CIA. The result was that scores of youngsters in South Central Los Angeles became drug addicts as they moved their operations into America while battles waged among young gang members over turf control. When Senator John Kerry sought to expose what was happening he too was denounced as a troublemaker operating against America's best interests.

Parry tells about what political correctness really is, and it is far removed from what is depicted by right wingers seeking to pin the tag on liberal critics. To Parry this correctness takes the form of barking on cue in alliance with and as supplicants to the major commercial interests which hold sway not only over those in political power, but on the media itself. His efforts to exercise independence of judgment were accompanied by negative reactions from powers in the media as well as Washington operatives. All the same he prevailed, and hopefully he and others will continue telling their stories despite the fervent efforts to silence them.

Required reading for all Americans.......2001-12-23

This book is fabulous. I have read much of the literature surrounding the Iran-Contra operation and this is one of the best. Parry was a leader in exposing that operation, as well as so many others. Here he leads readers through the many attempts of the government to control the information we receive. Anyone who dismisses this as mere "conspiracy theory" obviously never read the book (and so many others that are backed up by the govt's own documents). Parry is no armchair reporter. He has personally spoken with countless sources involved in these operations. Do yourself a favor. Buy the book and make up your own mind.

Book Description

Where on Earth can you find . . .
- the first population of red wolves successfully reintroduced into the wild;
- the oldest trees in eastern North America;
- and the greatest concentration of salamander species (57) in North America?

Find out in North Carolina Afield.

Whether your passion is hiking, birding, paddling, or just driving along quiet back roads, North Carolina Afield will become a trusted resource for planning your expeditions in North Carolina. This guidebook offers detailed information about 92 of the most scenic and ecologically significant areas that The Nature Conservancy has protected in North Carolina: craggy mountain peaks that inspire poets and botanists alike; ancient swamp forests that once harbored Carolina parakeets; and wind-sculpted dunes and maritime forests on the dynamic Outer Banks.

All of these natural areas are open to the public and are managed as state parks, game lands, national forests, national wildlife refuges, and Nature Conservancy preserves. Every entry features ecological information, conservation history, tips on hiking trails or paddling routes, and current access and contact information, including websites and phone numbers. Photographs from premier nature photographers illustrate this beautifully designed publication.

Some of the wild lands featured in the book include:

Elk Knob -- Old growth forest covers this sky island that offers exquisite views of hidden valleys.

Gorges State Park -- This rugged, unfragmented wilderness is famous for its waterfalls, powerful rivers, and unique plants and animals.

South Mountains Game Land -- This isolated, sprawling mountain range in the Piedmont offers fishing and backcountry hiking.

Roanoke River Region - Public and private and conservation lands in this vast river floodplain provide ever-expanding paddling, hiking, and birding opportunities, including the Roanoke River Paddle Trail.

Black River Preserve - This pristine river is home to the oldest trees in eastern North America, a stand of 1,700-year-old bald cypress, as well as songbirds and black bears.

Sandhills Game Land - Miles of unpaved roads wind through the rolling hills in this 58,713-acre game land, one of North Carolina's most extensive and accessible longleaf pine habitats.

Kitty Hawk Woods Coastal Reserve - This remnant maritime forest on the Outer Banks offers hikers and paddlers a respite from the beach crowds.

Customer Reviews:

The Best.......2004-02-02

This is the best book I have ever read.

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