History Books

It is 1985, and the United States reigns supreme. God is an American, manifested from a late-1950s nuclear accident and given the ominous nomenclature of "Dr. Manhattan." As the ultimate government employee he subsequently reshaped the world in his image. Global warming and high gas prices are nowhere to be seen in a country where electric cars are alive and well. Nixon is still president, Vietnam has become the 51st state, and the ambitions of the repeatedly humiliated Soviet Union have been frustrated for decades. All of this is courtesy of an immanent god-being with a decidedly temporal appetite for the ladies.

Other, more human heroes once roamed the streets, using flashy costumes and noble deeds to compensate for their lusts and weaknesses. Some are retired, broken, or dead. The rest are either outlaws or comfortably employed as government operatives. One of the latter, a WWII-era extra-normal named "The Comedian," is brutally murdered, thrown from the window of his high-rise bachelor pad. Rorschach, a paranoid, anti-social younger mask hunted by the police for refusing to refrain from his illegal vigilante activities, is convinced that a conspiracy is afoot to eliminate his comrades. He begins to investigate, and thus events are triggered that may culminate with either 9/11 times a thousand or worldwide nuclear holocaust.

"Watchman" is touted as the greatest comic book maxi-series ever created. By now that claim has become a cliché, but the title fits due to its enduring impact on comic books as a whole. Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons flipped the bird to the Comics Code and dragged us into the era of dark and gritty comic book stories, elevating our expectations and souring us on cutesy Bat-Mites and boy-scout Supermen. There's so much detail and depth in this epic that even two decades later I find fresh nuances after each re-read. Threads of morality, philosophy, and theology are woven throughout "Watchmen." Does the end justify the means? Are we all there is in the universe? What would happen if God became man in the modern era and imposed his power on humanity? These and other dilemmas are acted out by the protagonists in this masterful example of the comic book genre's acme.

As Rorschach trolls the streets seeking the killer of heroes we see how profoundly sick society is underneath the pollution-free skies. And when the living god removes himself from the equation, the doomsday clock slouches toward midnight as a vengeful Soviet Union, emboldened by his absence, storms into Afghanistan. With time running out, we meet more heroes: the original Nite-Owl and his portly, middle-aged imitator; the mother and daughter Silk Spectres, both linked to the Comedian in disturbing ways; the brilliant and tormented Ozymandias; and Dr. Manhattan, whose increasing alienation from humanity may doom it to Armageddon. Eventually the killer stands exposed, and as the remaining heroes discover, it ain't no Republic serial villain.

The upcoming Watchmen movie has rekindled interest in this classic story, and like a number of fans I'm alternately jazzed and skeptical. The trailer evokes Dave Gibbons' excellent artwork, and the Smashing Pumpkins' "The Beginning is the End is the Beginning" is the perfect background song. But I dunno...the plethora of fast/slow motion shots reminiscent of the fantastical "300" make me nervous. I think I'd prefer a "Dark Knight" treatment more grounded in reality. Even so, I'm hoping for the best, because "Watchmen" deserves it. If you call yourself a comic fan, or are simply interested in the highest potential of the medium, then by all means read "Watchmen."

This book is amazing. I cannot see why it is not more popular. I hope the movie is great.

Watchmen, written by Alan Moore and drawn by Dave Gibbons, was originally published as a 12-issue series in 1986 and 1987. It is set in a parallel 1980s America: the U.S. won the Vietnam War and Nixon is still President. The story is almost indescribably complex. It begins with the murder of a former superhero, and the suggestion that perhaps someone is killing them off.

There are seemingly dozens of characters here, all original to this work, but Moore does an excellent job of developing almost all of them, and of balancing their exposure levels. Indeed, half of Watchmen is character development, but it's well done, and almost never boring. There's plenty of action, too, including a suitably epic and very satisfying conclusion.

The characters are what make Watchmen great. There are so many fascinating and deep characters here, and Moore uses them to explore morality on virtually every level. For this is what Watchmen is on its basic level: a morality tale, albeit a fairly bleak one.

Dave Gibbons's drawing style is realistic, and on the whole it's quite good (although his overweight figures look a little stiff). It fits the story perfectly. As with Moore's V for Vendetta, Watchmen features no illustrated sound effects, and they are not particularly missed.

Watchmen is one of the greatest and most complex comics ever written, and it's held up well over time. There's so much going on here that it virtually demands (and benefits from) multiple readings.

Tons of readers are giving credit to Moore for inventing the neurotic superhero. But Kurt Busiek doesn't. Nor does Grant Morrison. Nor do most superhero writers. They give the credit to Superfolks, a comic novel (not graphic) that came out in 1977. With a quote from Nietzsche. With the smiley yellow face. With a superhero up to his neck in personal problems. And with a lot more humor.
Superfolks clearly "inspired" Moore to write Watchmen.
So check it out on Amazon. Don't just take my word for it, because I'm biased. I wrote it.

I did not expect to like this book half so much. This is a book everyone can enjoy. I would recommend as a gift for someone who likes to read.

I thought it was an excellent book. It gave me incredible insights into the countries of Pakistan and Afganistan. Greg Mortenson is promoting education for all children, especially girls. Hopefully this will lead to less terrorism in the world. I recommend this book to everyone.

I read many of the negative reviews, just to see what they were all about and yeah, it's a little irritating to read Mortenson's name over and over again but I really enjoyed this book. Plain and simple. You should read it because he does an amazing thing for people who are not only ignored and forgotten by their own country but by the world in general.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book from beginning to end. I learned so much about the country of Palestine and was so impressed with the outstanding descriptions of the countrysides. It was a real eye-opener into the Muslim people as well which, I hate to admit, are misunderstood by most Americans. They are, obviously, not all terriorists. I think every American should read this beautifully written book. Greg Mortenson is a true American hero.

Margaret Blanchard
Houston TX

I've had this book since it was first released having learned about it at a climbing meeting near my home. It wasn't a best seller then, wasn't a book of the month highlight or anything. Actually, it was pretty much unheard outside of my outdoor orientated friends.

I'm so glad that has finally changed. If you haven't stepped into the boat and gotten the book - do so, you really won't regret it. It seems scholarly (and many people describe it that way) but it's really not. The descriptions are vivid, especially the outdoor settings highlighted as only a person who loves the outdoors truly can. The people you meet, both the good and the bad, are shown objectively - their wisdom, courage and failings all laid out for you to be your own judge.

Fabulous story, engaging tale, great pre-travel book and, of course, a great biographical journey of a man's missions - whether he really wanted that mission to begin with or not.

Three Cups of Tea was an absolute joy to read! Greg Mortenson's mission is very admirable and his belief in what he is doing is extremely inspirational. This book gives you an in depth look into the Balti way of life and what's going on politically in that part of the world. It opened my eyes to what the Muslim religion really stands for and an alternative way to defeat terrorism. This book will draw you in and will definitely make you an admirerer of Greg Mortenson and his mission. I'm already convinced to get involved!

This is a "page turner". I couldn't put it down. We've heard many of these stories before, but to have it laid out in one piece is startling. Never in my life have I ever been so ashamed of my government. (I lived through the Nixon/Watergate era and thought I could never be more disgusted. Nixon pales to a ghost in comparison.)

This should be a "must read" for every American over the age of 18. Its a wake up call for how close we've come to the brink. In addition its a compelling read. Once you get started its impossible to look away. Rather like being mesmerized by a cobra.

would love to read this when the price is more reasonable i.e. 9.99..... the current premium of more than 35 per cent over the Kindle norm feels like a gouge

Every member of Congress should be assigned this book as required reading. Then after reading it, each member should comtemplate the depths to which our government has sunk since the Bush Administration took over in January 2001.
The minds of Cheney and Addington are evil to the core. And Cheney seems to have known all along just how to push Bush's buttons, proding his cowboy image of himself, to get Bush's signature on the most hellish orders imaginable.
Perhaps the most frightening bit comes in the opening pages when the author reveals a secret order of succession, bypassing the Constitution, if the president and vice president should both be killed in a national disaster. It harks back to the Royals, naming one's own successor.
Congress should look into that without delay.
In all, this is a very informative book, a very frightening book, and a book that should make every citizen of this country take heed when looking at presidential candidates.

One reviewer said that there is no point reading another book about the things the Bush administration has done since 9-11. Why? Is it because they cling to the hope that it is ALL lies, or do they think that if it is buried in the dung heep of history that no one will notice? Yes, there are a lot of books "bashing" Bush, but they are well deserved, even if the end result is that nothing will or has been done to fix things. That is the sad part of it.

But "The Dark Side" so far is the best of the books describing the errors this administration made after 9-11 and continues to make and will continue to make right up to the election and next January. This book will open eyes, but sadly will change nothing. If those die hard Bush supporters will now admit the truth, and come out of the dark, then maybe it will all be worth it.

While this is a very important topic that is covered, the author is far too dry a writer to pull it off. Many of those giving positive reviews seem to only care because of the political slant of the book. If you are unbiased and simply want to read all sides then this book will bore you to tears. Much better works already exist from far more talented writers.

Fantastic read. The author sums up a lot of history in a few pages with insights that opened my mind to what was really happening and what is now happening. Wish all our candidates would read this book.

Contrary to the title, this book is not about the demise of America. It is about the rise of the rest of the world and its global implications.

The author makes somtimes contradictory statements. For example, he firmly believes that India will economically surpass China mainly because India is a democratic country (democracy is better for long term economic growth he says). His conclusion ignores his own data that India is growing at 6.9% versus China's 9%, the China's economy is about 3 times as large, and there is no indication China is slowing down anytime soon. And he ignores some major long term problems in India, such as its decisively 3rd world literacy rate (around 60%).

The same goes for his purported demise of America. He says that America has too many long term competitive advantages (democracy, top notch universities, market flexibility, willing to accept immigrants, demographic trends etc) to be relegated to anything less than a superpower in the next few decades. So how does that translate into a "Post American World"? America just will not be AS influencial, says the author, since it must share its power with the rest of the world.

It appears the author has trouble coming to a firm conclusion on most subjects except that there is an unprecedented global economic growth.

This is a well thought out and clear exposition. It is high on facts and useful concepts which is, unfortunately, punctuated by some non-sequitor political bashing . .which detracts from the solid material here.

Forgive the author the Newsweek (Newsweak?) political bias but buy it for some very solid observations.

Informative on the world situation (especially economic) today and thought-provoking about the future. It has the broad view usually lackling in media news.

This book elevated me from the hyper-in-your-face daily news to look down and take a broad perspective on current events. I am impressed with the documentation and the clarity with which it is written. It is hopeful, but very realistic. For those who, like me, are tired of opinion arguing against an opposite opinion, I highly recommend this book. I was so impressed that I took it to our financial adviser, recommending that he read it to understand more of the big picture.

.. but now, after reading it -- I have come to believe it's a MUST READ for every single American citizen over the age of 16! Hopefully, for once -- this book can raise the hackles and awareness of the teaming sheeple to FINALY STAND UP! -- DO SOMETHING PEOPLE!!! -- There's an EVIL DIABOLICAL ROT in the White House and it MUST BE MADE TO PAY - and then FUMIGATE the dang building before the rest run away!

What an indictment. Mr Bugliosi is clearly a law and order conservative, and could care less what party Bush heads. He bashes the entire administration (the buck clearly stopping with GWB), the CIA, the media (yes, even the liberal media), deflects expected counter arguments that "Clinton's guilty of murder too", "Bush was acting out of self-defense", etc.. And reminds us citizens of our part in this truly tragic piece of American history This is not entertainment or satire, but the horrifying reality of the people WE Americans put in by a landslide. As one blogger said, "if WE let this administration get away with these crimes, WE are all as guilty as them". This nation needs to account to the world for our illegal, imperialistic invasion of a sovereign nation and can start by bringing this administration to accountability. WE can start by reading this book. Support your local library.

This book is a quick read. The logic and legal theory are sound and stand invincible to careful scrutiny. You can see why Bugliosi was so successful as a prosecutor. It is obvious from Bugliosi's arguments that Bush and many in his administration are certainly "guilty," of murder by U.S. law. The question remains: "Will somebody in authority doing anything about it?" Independent polling reveals that over 40% of americans (120,000,000 U.S. citizens or more, alone) believe that the Bush regime is a criminal enterprise (and a majority of them believe the worst ever). Sadly, there are a whole host of "high crimes and misdemeanors" from which to choose. 9/11 false flag terror murdering american citizens, illegal wars of aggression, kidnapping, torturing, and killing U.S. and foreign nationals, violating the constitution, genocide, violating the Geneva Convention and therefore U.S. law, illegal spying and on and on. Perhaps in our lifetime we will see the full extent of all their crimes and also see the justice it demands. Impeachment and then proceeding with the prosecution outlined in this book is a good first step. Thank you Vincent.

Patent audacity. All administrations make mistakes, Mr Bugliosi, and President Bush was hardly alone in his assessment of the intelligence on Iraq's nuclear program. Having said that, I'm not sure we know, even now, what dangers were real or just perceived. Either way, to even suggest that this President or any other would have knowingly risked one soldier's life under false pretense is offensive and shameless. Doubtless, the book's almost gleeful reviews are written by liberals (masters of the lower brain stem response) who are hungry for any imagined validation of their grossly flawed thinking. It doesn't seem to matter how many times a liberal mantra has been countered with the truth; George Bush never linked Iraq to 9/11. That's just one of countless facts your readers don't want to be confused with. I guess its hard to take notes when you're writing with a large #2 pencil.

I just finished this book, and must say this I'm floored. We have heard bits and pieces of how we've been maninpulated into submission as a country into the policies of the Bush administration, but this book is a scathing commentary on both the administration and sadly, of ourselves. The parts about Bush being on vacation for 36% of his administration to date while soldiers are dying in Iraq is bad enough, but the shifting from "weapons of mass destruction" to "al-Queda" to "freedom for Iraq" as our raison d'etre for thousands of deaths in Iraq made me extremely sad and depressed about the state of our country. This is an important book and one that will surely be controversial. I'm sure the right wing in this country will try to discredit what's here, but remember that they are the ones who impeached Clinton for very minor and victimless offenses (under the guise of investigating a bad land deal and spending $70 million of taxpayers money) while we have mortgaged our international reputation, committed a TRILLION dollars to fight the wrong enemy (ie last I checked, Bin Laden is still at large and nowhere near Iraq) all the while cutting taxes to the richest 1% of Americans by $1.3 million.

Read this, then write your congressman to do their job and put this guy and his cronies in jail where he belongs.

This book was very well written. Before starting, I was worried that it would be a rather dry read (after all, how much can you say about food?). Well, apparently there is an awful lot to say about food, and Pollan does a great job at making it interesting. He brings to light some of the problems with industrial agriculture that I just never knew existed. He doesn't just present problems is this book however. He also talks about some ways to help make things better. The one thing I did not like was when he had wine while hunting. However, this has nothing to do with the book's readability.

I reccomend this book because I'm not a food fanatic and I found this book interesting.

The well written, most interesting read on the state of agriculture in the United States is definately "food for thought." The book's author, Michael Pollan visited three different kinds of farms: first a Confined Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO); second, three big business organic farms: Cal Organic, Earthbound Farms and Cascadian Farms; third, a farm committed to locally grown, free range food called Polyface. The last part of Pollan's journey involved foraging for own food. Pollan even killed a wild pig to serve at the meal he cooked his friends. Each phase of his jouney concluded with a meal derived from the type of farming operations Michael had just visited. For example, Pollan and his family ate at McDonalds for the CAFO meal.

It took them a full ten minutes speeding down the highway to finish their McDonald's meal. I liked his comment about fast food eating. He says, "Perhaps the reason you eat this food quickly is because it doesn't bear savoring." He goes on to say about fast food, "The more you concentrate on how it tastes, the less like anything it tastes. I've said before that McDonalds serves as kind of comfort food, but they are selling something more schematic than that-something more like a signifier of comfort food. So you eat more and eat more quickly, hoping somehow to catch up to the original idea of a cheeseburger or French fry as it it retreats over the horizon. And so it goes, bite after biite, until you feel not satisfied exactly, but simply, regretably, full."

For all of their good qualities, the big business organic farms have driven many smaller organic famers out of business. Places like Walmart and Target do not want to buy organic food from various small suppliers, but from one large organic supplier that can supply them with all the vegetables, etc. they need. Big organic farms do much harm to soil by continually running the weeding machines over it. Since they don't use herbicides, they have to have a way to control the weeds.

Polyface Farm raises a variety of animals (chickens, pigs and cows) that are pastured and eat the food they were created to eat. Polyface farm doesn't raise more animals than it can care for in a humane manner and refuses to ship it's prcuduct out, but only sells it locally.

I personally buy organic or free range meat. After looking at how our farm facory animals are raised on unnatural feed, in overcrowded conditions, dosed with antibiotics and growth hormones, I will pay the extra money for healthy meat. How far you can go in eating local depends on what part of country you live in (I live in Wisconsin, with its short growing season). It also depends on whether you live close to a source of local food or can grow your own, and also your budget restrainsts.

Now on to the reasons I could not give the book a five star review. Contrary to what Pollan says at the beginning of the book, bread and pasta are not two of the most wholesome foods known to man. Try telling that to a carbohyddrate addict or someone with celiac disease and see what they say. Also, saturated isn't bad for you. It's a traditional fat that's been used by healthy cutures for thousands of years. The trans fats, as well as, fats from CAFO animals are the real killer fats. When you feed animals unnatural diets, their ratios of saturated to unsaturated fat changes in a very unhealthy manner. Free range meat has a healthy balnce of various kinds of fats. Also, how could a person who has seen how a CAFO is run say he would ever again eat at a McDonalds. If I were starving and had no other food choices, then and only then would I eat there.

An amazing tour de force of food in the US! Pollan writes with wonderful wisdom and honesty. The book has a wonderful bibliography.

Industrial food is at the heart of all the major health problems in this country. Pollan will open your eyes to the fact and make you wnat to learn about the alternatives.

Highly recommended!

This book was extremely informative and very interesting. Some parts are a little slow but if you're driving down the road its easy to get lost in the discussion of various foods and how they succeed or fail based on their ingredients, big corporations, and government intervention.

Corn is a substance nearly incapable of growing without human intervention and is being used, regardless of health issues, in just about anything.

Simply put, if I could force one book upon every living soul, this would be the one. I don't see how anyone couldn't learn something at the very least, and more than likely it will change your way of thinking to some degree. It would bring the industrialized food market to its knees if even a percentage of people took this book to heart as much as I have.

This is a wonderful work for a first novel. The author follows the basic history of Frank Lloyd Wright's life using her enlightened imagination to fill in the gaps with stunning success. Her characters are very well drawn and the action flows.

One of the best books I have ever read. Middle was a little slow but don't stop. I highly recommend this to anywone

I couldn't put the book down once I started reading it. Nancy Horan managed to create a transporting drama without being overly dramatic about it (except perhaps for painting a devastated Frank Lloyd Wright due to romantic inclinations). Beautifully and delicately written.

"Loving Frannk" is a fascinating and well-written book that is a true story presented as a novel. I could not put it down. I was only vaguely familiar about FLW & Mamah's love affair and I had no idea how their story unfolded before reading this book. I found the period history about the women's movement around the world very interesting. The moral dilemmas Mamah faced in the early 1900's about marriage, children, career, true love, etc. are not unlike the ones women face today. This is a must read book!!

Not only has the work of architect Frank Lloyd Wright been the subject of intense scrutiny but also his colorful personal life, in particular, the failure of his first two marriages and the deliberate acts of arson and murder at his Taliesin studio in 1914. First-time novelist Nancy Horan has captured just one extended episode in Wright's long, checkered life and written a terrifically engaging piece of historical fiction. Set in the years before World War I, it is fundamentally a love story between the married Wright and the wife of a client for whom he was designing one of his signature prairie houses in Oak Park. The woman was a real figure long forgotten, and her name was Mamah Borthwick Cheney. Their affair scandalized Chicago society, as both abruptly left their spouses and children in 1909 to live in Europe together. She more than he faced the judgment of an unforgiving public, and in response, she was racked with guilt. The irony is that Mamah's husband Edwin Cheney fully accepted the situation and granted her a divorce with unencumbered access to their children.

Wright, on the other hand, faced resistance from his wife Catherine who adamantly refused to divorce him. Horan handles all this potentially sensationalistic material with a minimum of melodramatic flourish, and the story evolves into the personal journey of a couple who realize they have reached a point of no return. Their co-existence becomes so insulated from the outside world that they start to view themselves as idealists who rationalize their illicit actions through dedication to their individual endeavors. Wright's career, as we all know, continues to thrive thanks to his innate brilliance, while Mamah finds the precursor to a life coach in Swedish suffragist Ellen Key. Key's proto-feminist rhetoric about the constrictions of marriage sparks Mamah to embrace her mentor's singular belief that true love trumps quotidian obligation. The couple eventually returns to America where Wright builds his famous summer home in Wisconsin, Taliesin, in the hope of shielding themselves from censure. This is where Horan lets the drama of the actual events unfold and propel the narrative.

It turns out that Key influenced Taliesin and also went through a personal transformation that allowed her to reverse her steadfast position and become a champion of motherhood. As the more elliptical figure, Mamah undergoes her own personal metamorphosis, which feels surprisingly contemporary in that author's approach. Without conveying any of her own personal judgment, Horan dares to expose a woman who made the socially unacceptable decision of allowing her self-expression take priority over her obligations as a mother. The problem Key tried to articulate in her philosophy could not be realized by Mamah without a major sacrifice, and there hasn't been that significant change in thinking a century later. Above all else, Horan is able to provide human dimension to the relationship between the lovers that touches on their own passions with unforced ease. Her book may not have the scope of E.L. Doctorow's Ragtime or even Erik Larson's The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America, two panoramic pieces of historical fiction set at the beginning of the 20th century, but I think she matches them in the vividness of the detail presented and in the immediacy of the characters' emotions.

I bought the book after seeing him on PBS. I must say I am a little diappointed. I was really hoping for some deep insight and inspiration. Instead I read about a bunch of research from newspaper clippings by some 20-something reasearch students who could not run a Quicky-Mart as well as Apu.

Collins has some great concepts Level 5 Leaders and the "Stockdale Principle" and then some things to turn on the eclectic filter as you read.

Find or steal one of Tom Peters books on Excellence - Before you read this

The egoism, hubris, and cold-bloodedness that is sanctioned by this book is frightening. Loyalty becomes the only virtue. If you've worked for an executive who has bought into this, you'll understand how we ended up in Iraq.

Good to Great is a great book for anyone in business. I was amazed at some of the less obvious lessons learned from the years of research as well as the simple truths that seemed obvious after they were revealed.
I am a small business owner with a professional degree but with no formal business education. It was good to read "research" that was not all stuffy and dry. A particularly strong point for me was the argument for why I should strive to be great and not just "good" or even "mediocre". I am planning on reading Jim Collins' other book, Built to Last.

The condition of this book was excellent. I recieved it in a very timely manner. If you currently own or are looking to own your own business, this book is invaluable. The concepts are concrete, realistic, and attainable. I highly recommend this book.

"Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't" by Jim Collins was a real eye opener for me.

In this book, Jim Collins, observes 28 companies over the span of 5 years. Over this period of time 11 of the companies make the leap from "Good to Great". The findings in this book were truly eye opening and inspirational. I loved the chapter on Level 5 leadership. Collins starts the chapter using a quote by Harry S. Truman "You can accomplish anything in life, provided that you do not mind who gets the credit". This is the essence of the book.

I also loved that in this book he speaks about how the executives that ignited the transformation for companies that went from good to great, did not figure out how to drive the bus, but how to get the right people on the bus (and the wrong people off) and then they figured out where to drive it.

Another book I really enjoyed reading about transformation is Being Here: Modern Day Tales of Enlightenment. Any person who is looking to grow their business would greatly benefit from reading both these books.

This story shocked me. First of all, the crimes are gruesome, gripping - I couldn't put it down throughout the first part. I still can't believe that I'd never heard of this story until I picked up this book. The Monster of Florence case - a series of murders involving lovers ranging from the 1960s to 1985, was big news throughout Italy, indeed all of Europe, but somehow failed to become big news in the US. The book is set up in two parts, the first being a history of the crimes - a basic description of the facts (which is really anything but basic considering the crimes were as heinous as they were) told mostly from the perspective of Mario Spezi, a journalist in Florence who'd been covering the Monster case from the beginning. The second part of the book is told more from the perspective of Douglas Preston, an author who planned to move to Italy to write a mystery novel and got caught up in the Monster case. This second part, while without the intrigue of the crimes themselves, is frightening in its own way. It exposes the underbelly of a seriously terrifying judiciary system. While researching the Monster case and planning to write a book with a theory counter to the "official" story of the police, Spezi was arrested and charged with crimes related to the Monster case. Preston was also questioned It's a fascinating, and frightening, look at the Italian legal system, and an interesting look into the world of Florence itself: that the easy answer can never be the right answer and that some people will go to great lengths to save face. It was not simply a book on a crime, it was a cultural study.

A compelling story within a story. Once you get past the horrors of the crimes the real story emerges of an Italy far removed from the beautiful countryside and historic treasures. Who could have imagined a modern European country so lacking in freedom of speech with corruption beyond belief. A real eye opener for all those wannbe ex-pats. Maybe that two week holiday will be just enough!

This tedious,rambling book seems to be made up of the notes taken about the subject without too much time being spent to weave them into a coherent interesting story. I could barely fource myself to finish it.

The Monster of Florence isn't like most true crime novels. In this one, the author actually has a part to play in the narrative. It's amazing to me that this case was never popularized in North America. Like the Zodiac Killer or Jack The Ripper, this is a strange and bizarre case that was never solved and probably never will be.

In beautiful Tuscany, a killer preys on couples making love in their cars. He kills them, shooting the man and mutilating the woman before running away with pieces from the scene as a trophy. There have been many theories over the year, but the identity of the killer was never found. With murders ranging between the 60s all the way to the mid 80s, this is one story that has more bizarre twists than any other.

As the author, Douglas Preston, moves to Italy with his family, he quickly befriends a journalist named Spezi while doing research for a novel he wants to write. It is Spezi who tells him the story of the Monster of Florence. The first half of the novel is dedicated to the facts of the story; the various murders, the various accusations, the various arrestations. The first half of the novel is very well researched and written like a novel itsel; full of suspense and mystery.

It is in the second half that the story takes a turn for the bizarre. In the 90s and 2000s, the investigation on the murders is still going strong, even though the Monster hasn't been active in nearly twenty years. Spezi, with all of his research and having done his own private investigation, is almost certain he knows the true identity of the killer. The novel even gives us a direct interview with this suspect. But since his views differs from the one of the police (who, amazingly enough, believe that the killer is actually a dark satanic cult who practices dark magic) and investigators, this will soon cause both authors problems.

Soon enough, Spezi himself is accused of being the Monster while Preston, the author, is accused of being an accessory to the murders. The second part of the novel is about Spezi's arrestation and the weird and twisted ways in which the Italian police system works.

Never disappointing, written as though it was a novel, The Monster of Florence doesn't offer a single boring moment. If done right, this story could be turned into an incredible film. Are all the facts presented in this novel true? Who knows? But unlike many other true-crime novel that tries to unmask the true face of a serial killer, this one has a theory that is hard to refute. Highly recommended.

I'm very impressed with this book. A straightforward presentation of the events as they occurred, no personal opinions of the law enforcement involved-- which just made my own opinions of the abominable police work done on this case all the more powerful. A brutal killer will literally get away with murder because nobody cares about the truth, only the most bizarre dramatics possible. It's shocking and sad and outrageous beyond belief.

Some have protested the graphic nature of the descriptions. Hey, it's real life. And cushioning a killer's methods only placates people to the fact that there are real, live monsters out there preying on innocents. Slapped in the face with a little reality, perhaps sheer worldwide outrage will prod the Florentians to quit writing Hollywood dramas and find this killer.

The real "Monster" is no doubt sitting back watching all this malarkey and LAUGHING in the faces of both the police and the citizenry themselves. And quite frankly, THEY deserve it.

And yet the book is not a dry read - things flow so well and so quickly that I got sucked into it and read far later into each night than I'd intended. Highly recommended!

This is an easy read with incontravertable details of life in the Bush White House. When you compare the descriptions of what went wrong with the actions of the current candidates, you will see they are in danger of making some of the same mistakes.

Sad but true. The author was overly kind to George W Bush. The book is a segment of history that needs to be said. 8 years of the worst president in the history of the United States. This makes for an interesting and informative period of deceipt. The author has nothing to gain by revealing what really is behind the lying and the mistakes that were made by the President. Great reading.

Now I understand why Scott wrote this book. Being a religious person and having been lied to by the Bush Inner Circle, he felt betrayed by the people he was trying to protect. I would have written the book also. Anyone who has not read this book is missing out on who Scott McClennan really is. Powerful book.

Larry Holland

Seriously, this book is fluff. It's not much more than we already knew about the Bush White House, except it was written by McClelland. I would have liked this book better if I had waited for the paperback.

I found this book to be the best at bringing together the various personalities and their hidden agendas that lead to the invasion of Iraq.
If anyone wants to read a first hand account of what these men created, I recommend Evan Wright's "Generation Kill". If you had any doubt
about which presidential candidate to vote for this November, these books should remove all doubt.