History Books

A magnum opus - one among many - of Henry Kissinger.

A long book, like the length of his Harvard thesis on which it is based - which was a record setter at Harvard - and the institution of the "Kissinger Rule" on limiting the length of theses at Harvard.

The length of the book - it is necessary. It is well worth it. It is in-depth. It is a definitive study of diplomacy in a multi-polar environment. Entangling alliances. The construction and use of balance of power politics. Real Politik.

International diplomacy and politics based on power - both actual and perceived. Balancing. All of this theory or reality? Both. Constructed on and from - or merely descriptive of - real world in-depth diplomatic history.

Diplomatic history which Kissinger researched, analyzed, synthesized.

If you desire to learn about diplomacy, this is required reading. It is also excellent with lots of details on how the European powers manuevered diplomatically and how they calculated and balanced each other's military and other power. The balance resulted in a long term stable Europe. A Europe for which for a time was free of large scale war. His main thesis in the book concerns the positive results of the use of a balance of power and real politik strategy, which he argues resulted in a long term period of peace on the European continent. The balance and thus the peace, eventually broke down and war broke out.

If you are serious student of diplomacy, foreign affairs, international relations, power, political science, or history, this book is excellent and rewarding.

It does not matter if you are not a fan of Kissenger or real politics or balance of power theory. His analysis of history or his theoretical synthesis is an important part of the overall conceptual framework international relations and thus is required reading.

GLBT, with your use of the imflamatory jargon of revolution, words like "loathes", "evil", "insane", and "atrocities", you give yourself away as a "leading edge" or early boomer, i.e. those born between 1946-49 who considered themselves entitled to speak for the entire baby boom generation, and ultimately the nation. Most of the younger baby boomers were appalled at the arrogance and audacity of the leading edge boomers, and didn't appreciate your "leadership" and spokesmanship.

Henry Kissinger was none of the things you describe; he was simply trying to perform his job responsibly, and he did so reasonably well considering how difficult leading edge boomers made it for him. It is the selfish blindness and unfairness of people like you, that made it possible for the Cambodian killing fields to occur; and I thought it was breath-taking, the audacity of the leading edge boomers in ultimately trying to shift their guilt onto Henry Kissinger. What revolutionaries - using the "big lie" technique created by another revolutionary.

You take me back to the early '70's when people like you hogged the podiums at Cornell, Columbia and Berkely. Now it's you and the other leading edge boomers are the ones who are stuck in the past, who have failed to learn from the mistakes of history. You are all about to be swept into irrelevance with your epitome, Hillary Clinton. Good riddance; you will speak for no one but yourselves from now on with no one to listen to you but yourselves.

During his terms as foreign secretary and national security adviser Henry Kissinger was the ultimate bad guy. Nice to have such a chap around! All the frustrations during the Nixon and Ford Administrations could be directed at Henry Kissinger. But every bloke deserves a second chance.
In 1994 Kissinger wrote Diplomacy. It really is a brilliant piece of work!!Astonishing how a former secretary of state commands every detail of statemanship in foreign policy. Kissinger deals with the concepts of national interest, balance of power and power politics. The book is a thoughtful exercise in modern politics and as such a wonderful textbook for every student of government and bureaucracies. The foreign policy of the United States in the twentieth century strikes Kissinger as ambivalent. It is insisting simultaneously on the inadmissibility of intervention in the domestic affairs of other states and on the other hand passionately asserting that its (the United States') own values are universally applicable. In the day to day conduct of foreign affairs the United States is pragmatic while no nation has been more ideological in the pursuit of its assumed historic moral convictions. Well, Kissinger wrote his Diplomacy in the period between Bush 41 and Bush 43. Maybe we could pinpoint this precisely as the difference between pragmatic and ideological.

Luuk Oost

In Diplomacy, Henry Kissinger presents his masterpiece analysis of the evolution of the art of diplomacy. As a top diplomat, the author leaves out details of historic events that are circumstantial to his theme. That is the understanding of how national diplomacy has grown up in the last four centuries.

Diplomacy starts with the seventeenth century dominance of Holy Empire where the Emperor drove his absolute authority direct from God. In such imperial design, the populace is the servant of the Emperor who represents God on Earth. Democracy is a sin since it questions God's will. Modern science was newborn and untested.

The emergence of reformation presented challenge to the Holy Empire. That gave rise to new diplomacy. France improvised the tactic of "nation-state" as a savior of its populace from the estranged Empire. Astute leaders would have to adapt the biblical doctrine to deal with the new trend of questioning the divine authority of the Emperor. The rise of "nation-state" started the "immoral" struggle for national interests and securities, in place of God's work.

The national struggles that replaced the Holy Empire collided over land grabs, borders, and national interests. Bismarck advanced that evolution farther into "Realpolitik" with cold and calculating national dealing that is devoid of personal affection. The result was the unification of Germany.

The major landmarks in the evolution of diplomacy are closely attributed to individual statesmen with secure and long careers on the national theatre. After Bismarck's removal, the reckless "Worldpolitik" led to expansionism and two world wars. The aggravating factor was the emergence of new military technology that complicated the coordination of diplomatic planning and military strategy.

As modern science grew confident and Deity grew challenged, the military industry outpaced diplomacy in securing national interests. WWI engulfed Europe as a result of the failure of diplomacy to catch up with military mobilization. As science grew older and military force became lethal, WWII erupted out of exercising excessive diplomacy, with little military strategy on the allied side.

The author delves into the psychology of nations and leaders in a brilliant analysis of its impact on historic development. For three centuries, the cold and calculating Great Britain dominated the seas and retained its imperial kingdom and democratic government in determined trend of "splendid isolation". Great Britain kept the balance of the European forces till its fateful end in the marsh of German and Russian dictatorships. Modern technology then eliminated the oceanic barriers between America and the old world. Great Britain is then replaced by USA, with only one difference: rejection to colonialism.

The psychological analysis of the behavior of the statesmen in time of peace and war offers deep understanding of how our present day policy has evolved. As recent as the year 1914, WWI started because the European emperors refused to attend the funeral of the assassinated Austrian emperor because his dead wife was not from noble blood. In 1960, Henry Kissinger was freely and humbly walking Kansas City's streets with Henry Truman. Neither of the two was from noble blood, yet each of them was the top policy maker in the human history.

Diplomacy has grown and matured as our struggle with faith, race, and science continues.

Mohamed F. El-Hewie
Author of
Essentials of Weightlifting and Strength Training

I enjoyed reading this book. Dr. Kissinger is, without saying, one of the most talented and accomplished diplomats that this nation has had. The fact that he ignited so much controversy on both the left and the right does much to confirm this view. In this book, he traces the evolution of international diplomacy from the 17th century. He begins with a discussion of Cardinal Richelieu, a talented practitioner of raison d'etat, which would later develop into realpolitik. Richelieu, though a French Catholic prelate and regent, would ultimately cooperate with Protestant and Muslim rulers against the fellow Catholic Habsburg Empire. It is easy to draw parallels between this and the Nixon-Kissinger policy of rapproachment with Communist China and efforts to play China and the Soviet Union against each other, to the benefit of the United States. Dr. Kissinger also spends a lot of time discussing Metternich's "balance of power" brand of diplomacy, and Bismark's realpolitik. It is clear from the presentation that he has a great deal of interest in, and respect for, these 2 men (and, in my view, with plenty of justification). This book is a "must-read" for people who want a better understanding of diplomatic history.

Very powerful book. This is perfect for teachers who want an emotional connection to immigration and the Industrial Revolution for their students. A great story for the casual reader, too!

Came in very fast and in great condition. Can't say I actually enjoyed reading it, though. Lol...

As someone has lived in the Pittsburgh area for over 30 years and is still considered a 'newcomer' by many, I have often wondered where the uniquely "Pittsburgh-ese" traditions and culture came from. For example, how is it that modern-day natives of Pittsburgh can be so incredibly conservative in terms of family values and gender roles, and yet align themselves with liberal political movements that tend to marginalize the family? Many of my questions were answered by this book, and in very human terms.

The descriptions of the characters and their lives are so very true to what I know of Pittsburgh and the wonderful, down-to-earth people who live here -- I was not surprised to read in the Afterward that much of the material is autobiographical. I was absolutely fascinated to read this first-hand account of what life was like, drawn from vignettes from the lives of the author's grandparents, parents, and his own family.

The places in this book are real -- you can still visit them. The people were real -- you can still see their gravesites. This is how it was, and this is how much of our modern world came to be. Forget Madison Avenue trends. This book is about building things (and lives) that last.

This text was required reading for a college course on immigration and, I must admit, I was not looking forward to reading it. I decided to read it before the semester started and fell in love with it immediately. The characters are well developed from Kracha, to Mike & Mary, to Johnny. A very moving tale of the development of unions, the plight of immigrants, and the dangers they faced everyday working in the steel mills. I highly recommend this to anyone, required reading or not.

Out of the Furnace was the assigned "text" for the first half of a 3-unit American History (after the Civil War) class. As a responsible and voracious reader, I bought and began reading the book. I found the style conclusory and turgid--this happened, that happened, something else happened--without any real character development to differentiate between and among the characters and clarify their relationships. As another reviewer observed, names kept changing and keeping the people sorted out was nearly impossible. Facts and emotions were asserted without textual basis or amplification, making it difficult for this reader to get interested in the book. For example, one plant was deemed "more dangerous" than the others--What does this mean? How was this known?

The cover lines on this book read "Long out of print" and I would say, "with good reason." Because the book was produced in 1941 by a writer describing life two generations earlier, there is not the detail and immediacy the reader gets from "Grapes of Wrath," for example, for which Steinbeck did actual site-visit research. Needless to say, the "direct" writing of "Furnace" makes it, as another reviewer noted, stultifying reading.

Further I seriously question the assignment of a novel written so long after the events "described," as the ONLY assigned text for this period in a history class. A variety of first-person reports (letters or other documents), statistical descriptions of wages, housing conditions, hours worked/injury rates, profit statements of the corporations, plus photographs of the living/working conditions would be more effective inconveying the same message.

I will confess I did not finish the book. Having determined that it was, in my opinion, unreadable, I dropped the class.

The book was fine. It was for Wayne State University's DNC 1000 course. I found the book to be easy reading and informative. It gives you insight on different dance forms from around the world and gives you a fuller appreciation of dance as an art. :-)
Thanks Amazon!

Product was purchased known to be used, and was in excellent shape except for one tiny minute crease on the cover's bottom corner, which I accepted ahead of time by knowing the product was not new. You would never have known it was used otherwise. Had I expected perfection, I would have purchased a new copy. The product was well worth the price.

Diana Eck is a wonderful scholar who has written several great books on Hinduism. Darsan (or "darshan," if you're transliterating it simply for an English-speaking audience) is a wonderfully simple introduction to Hindu iconography and the related ritual experience, a subject that is overwhelmingly broad and often unwieldy.

If you are an undergraduate studying Eastern religions, a graduate student new to Hinduism, a Western devotee wanting better cross-cultural knowledge of how to respectfully relate to your chosen god or goddess as Hindus do, or a curious layperson wanting to know more about the Hindu religious experience and what all the images and rituals are about, this is a great book for you to begin with. This slim volume doesn't go into elaborate depth, but covers a lot of ground and introduces many key terms in a very readable way, and is a useful introductory work.

Not only does this book explain the way Hindus view the iconic (formed) and aniconic (abstract) images of the gods, but also the corollary view and conception of temples and holy personages. The title and key idea in all this is "darsan," which means not only viewing the sacred, but simultaneously being viewed by the gods. The way in which the statues (murtis) are treated with continuous attendance in the form one would typically associate with a human guest--bathing, feeding, clothing, putting to rest, etc.--is made comprehensible via this small book's explanation. The statue, image, or the temple itself is the body of the divine, in which the sacred consents to be present to humans...thus, treating the sacred body with reverence and devotion is deemed appropriate and important.

This book is useful not only to Hindus and those interested in better understanding the Hindu religion, but also any thoughtful person who wishes to consider the relationship of sacred to symbol, and the way in which the divine might be present to us.

This is a required text for just about every introductory course on Hinduism. Essential reading for anyone wishing to understand how Hindus worship and see the divine.

Diana Eck has done an excellent job of sifting through the vast amount of material on Hindu imagery in India and presenting an intelligently distilled interpretation. An excellent read on a very difficult subject.

This book was my introduction to Hinduism, given to me by a friend following my first personal experience with darsan and Hindu devotion. It is a stunningly clear and subtle book, offering a careful, complex discussion of the unique nature of the Hindu conception of the divine. I read it then in 3 days and am rereading it now as a student of Hinduism, looking forward to seeing this great book from a new perspective.

I first read this book when I was eleven years old, and have loved it ever since. I cannot even count the number of times I have re-read it. It is excellently written with a deep plot, well-made characters, and an amazingly believable feel of the world of Ancient Egypt. Even if you are not a fan of ancient Egyptian books, you will soon become interested in the characters and before you know it, caught up in a whirl-wind of spies, secret plots, Pharaohs, and above all, the love story of two young Egyptians.

I have loved this book since i first read it so many years ago. Mara, its lead character, is a joy to get to know

This is a wonderful little book. It is mainly geared to female readers, boys will not enjoy the romance (IMHO). Mara is resourceful, spunky and at times self serving. Above all she is a survivor. Nice romance with a girl power theme.Interesting Egyptian setting which is different from the usual Celtic/British background for so many of these novels.If you enjoyed this, older teens and adults will enjoy Judith Tarr's Lord of the Two Lands.

This novel is excellent for a number of reasons. I recieved it as a gift, and I read it in one day.
Pros:

Mara (the heroine) is a character with a distinct personality. She jumps out at you on the page rather than just sitting there as a bunch of words jumbled together.

The descriptions are vivid and exact, and the writing style flows effortlessly.

The story is gripping and intriguing and takes a few unexpected twists.

It seems very historical, though I am no expert on ancient Egypt.

The cover is very beautiful for those who like "pretty" books.

Cons:

None that I can think of.

I highly reccommend this book to avid readers, young or old!

This was one book that I remember reading when I was in fourth grade. I bought this copy for my daughter, who is a total bookworm. If you are interested in Ancient Egypt, this book is wonderful.

This is a great read for anybody that wants to learn more about American history. This is one of my favorite time periods in American History, and Hampton Sides really brought it to life for me. I could hardly put the book down, and am looking forward to reading more material by Mr. Sides. I've lent this book to some of my family members who also enjoy learning about this era in history. Five stars is simply not enough to convey how enthralling this book is.

Blood and Thunder is a lively and well-written history about Kit Carson, the exploration of the Southwest, and the eventually pursuit and incarceration of the Navajo after the Civil War.

Sides really knows how to make people and places some alive. The shy and loyal Carson, the preening and vain John C. Fremont, and the proud but somewhat sociopathic Navajo leader Narbona are all brought to life along with dozens of minor characters. Sides makes a point of showing the dark side of manifest destiny and how relentlessly the Indians were pressured to give up their way of life. This book really made me want to go visit New Mexico and Arizona and see the canyons, Anasazi ruins, etc.

Blood and Thunder is an enjoyable read and introduction to the topic.

Reviewer: Liz Clare, co-author of the historical novel "To the Ends of the Earth: The Last Journey of Lewis and Clark"

Hampton Sides has written a very solid account of the wild American West. While Kit Carson is the primary focus I would hardly call this a biography - in fact, it appears to be more of a true period history with Kit Carson weaving in and out of the narrative. Oddly, this is my main complaint - parts of Kit Carson's most interesting adventures were only touched upon. I am amazed that Sides did not include more one Carson's travel with Fremont. For an excellent account of these adventures I would highly recommend A Newer World : Kit Carson John C Fremont And The Claiming Of The American West and Pathfinder: John Charles Fremont and the Course of American Empire as excellent companion books.

While I am a bit baffled at the omission of the John Fremont/ Kit Carson adventures it really is my only complaint. Otherwise, Hampton Sides has written a fair and compelling account that speaks to harshness and brutality of the American West. Sides paints a vivid account of the settler/indian skirmishes that plagued the 1800's. Sides shows that both parties had its villains and its peacemakers. Kit Carson is portrayed as 2 parts indian killer and 3 part peacemaker.

"Blood and Thunder" centers on the life of Kit Carson, however the Navajo indians play much more than a secondary role. Sides tells a history of the Navajos that is rarely seen in popular writing. We see that they have flawed characters and utter inability to understand the culture that was thrust on them. The histories of the Navajos and Kit Carson collide when he is forced to embrace a scorched earth policy that drove the Navajos into submission.


Sides has an engaging writing style and while parts get bogged down in detail "Blood and Thunder" typically reads quickly. I also enjoyed the amount of effort that was put into research - while it is true that most of the sources are secondary Sides did an excellent job compiling the facts into a free-flowing narrative.

IF you enjoyed "Blood and Thunder" I would also highly recommend
A Newer World : Kit Carson John C Fremont And The Claiming Of The American West
The Age of Gold: The California Gold Rush and the New American Dream (My personal favorite)
Pathfinder: John Charles Fremont and the Course of American Empire

All three books tell stories that are equally unbelievable and gives you a new respect for the early western pioneers.

Overall 4 1/2 stars rounded to 5

The author's description of the California Bear revolt, especially his description of the creation of the Bear Republic flag was not the first indication that this author had let his left-wing liberal politics jade his storytelling. And, yes, this is a story book not a history book. During the first 30 pages Sides describes the Navajos as being a tribe that was not murderous but mischeiveous. Yet, by page 100 they've gone on a rampage and slaughtered every man, woman and child. Mr Sides politics seem to flog the same old tired BS: America was and is a evil country ruled by bad men.

Hampton Sides has written one of the finest histories of the American West to date. BLOOD and THUNDER is a fascinating adventure of not only Kit Carson, but the many people he was associated with in his incredible travels throughout America's western expansion. The characters come alive, as Sides describes their personalities and motivations. This is a very equitable presentation of the conquest of a land and it's people, with rationales for the participants behaviors, both good and bad. Hampton Sides wonderful writing style allows the history told in BLOOD and THUNDER to translate into the present day, and helps to explain current challenges to the land and people of the United States of America.

Tatanka Iyotake - Sitting Bull - was not the killer of Custer. He was certainly no villain. He was a spiritual leader of our People. According to my ancestors, who handed this story down to my generation, Custer killed himself rather than take what he had coming - and had fully earned - at the Battle of the Greasy Grass / what the majority culture calls "the Little Bighorn". I'm a great-grandmother now, writing through my man's account, and I have no reason to doubt the truth of the story my ancestors told.
We kept it among ourselves because of the repercussions we suffered back then, and still suffer today. To this day, we Lakota out here in "Dakota" Territory are harrassed in every way, all too often. Not as openly as used to be, but it's still there - the coffee-shop talk, the disparaging stereotypes, stuff like that. I call it, "the Custer effect". My People beat the crap out of Custer and his goons that June day so long ago, and whites have been crying about it ever since, and trying to "prove what really happened".
Custer was no hero; he was a murderer of babies and women, unarmed warriors and the elderly. Sitting Bull was a man of great pride and honor and strength. This book is worth reading more than once. Thanks for writing it!

SITTING BULL
Bill Yenne

Sitting Bull by Bill Yenne is an interesting read. Yenne utilizes Stanley Vestal, Jerome Stillson of the New York Herald, Sitting Bull's Hieroglyphic Autobiography, and an assortment of first hand accounts to present this historic American Indian. For all of us "Custer People", there is a chapter on the Little Bighorn Battle in which Yenne writes "Custer probably feared that if he delayed his attack for another twenty-four hours - as he planned - then Gibbon would be a day closer and Custer would have to share this victory with him". There is an argument which establishes a good book. The book is filled with informative and controversial quotes. Yenne frequently dwells on Washington's government officials arguing over the necessary actions to solve their Indian dilemma. Politicians and red tape do not make a good western adventure, unfortunately that was their role in the history of the American West. I want to be with Custer out on the plains or in an Indian camp, not in an office in Washington.
Overall, the book was very good. Even the cover with Sitting Bull's picture and autograph is notable.

I bought this book for my brother-in-law for his birthday. It was the perfect gift for him and his interest in Native Americans. Great buy.

Purchased this for my husband who is Lakota. It is a lengthy book, but very interesting and well written.

Just finished reading "Sitting Bull." Enjoyed it very, very much. There are wonderful photos and maps, one including good old Highmore, SD. The book is a dramatic and scholarly accomplishment. Professor Yellowtail's glowing endorsement must feel like a crowning feather. Has he given the author an Indian name?!
I was surprised to learn that Sitting Bull was only with Bill Cody's Wild West in 1885 and never went to Europe, never performed for Queen Victoria. As the book points out, it was his deaf stepson, later known as John Sitting Bull, who toured Europe with Cody's Wild West during a few years after the turn of the century. Indeed, the popular confusion about this persists and resurfaced the other day at lunch with our tennis players. How nice to have it right!

I have bought over 30 copies of this book, as gifts to friends, colleagues, and relatives. I hope you readers see that that is the highest recommendation one can give.

It explains, in a very concise manner, major depression to those who have not experienced it. And an "Amen" from individuals who have experienced it.

Depression is perhaps THE under-diagnosed illness of our time (along with diabetes). Yet the medical profession really knows little, and it is near impossible for the suffering individual to describe exactly what is going on (chicken & egg?). William Styron is an award-winning, gifted, writer - who is able to put the indescribable into words that mean something to everyone. That is why this small book is important.

Everyone knows someone suffering from this disease, even if they don't recognize it yet. So, Everyone needs to be familiar with major depression. Science needs a Lot more work -- the current biological and psychological treatments are inadequate, to say the least -- especially considering the high risk of suicide with this disease. Everyone needs to know how to get beyond the crises. Lives can be saved.

Therefore, understanding - by sufferers and those who care about them - is key. Such understanding will help non-sufferers provide the assistance and support that he/she wants to give to the depressed person. Without such understanding, so-called "supporters" inadvertently make things worse.

This book is a quick, engrossing, read that may Really help. Highly recommended.

(This is from the recorded version, read by the author.) I have listened to this book several times over many years. I do think he does a fine job of describing the actual feeling of being depressed, and does a great service by saying it is at bottom simply indescribable, and also incomprehensible by people who have never experienced it. Thus the well-meaning admonitions to 'buck up', 'get a hold of yourself' and 'most people are as happy as they set out to be' are torture to the person suffering from depression.

However, much has been learned about depression since he wrote the book. It's so obvious that he was an alcoholic who went cold turkey in June and was still suffering from the effects of alcohol withdrawal in October, which can take months to subside. Then, to complicate things, he doped himself up with sleeping pills, so his system was flooded with foreign chemicals, replacing one he was adapted to with a new one. The result, a profound inability to function, and depression, would now be a surprise to no one but him.

His attempt to link suicide to sensitive artistic temperaments was more a roll call of alcoholics---Hemingway, Jack London, Poe, etc. There may be a link between all three (sensitive types, suicide, and alcohol), but it's a three-legged stool, and Styron is loath to acknowlege his alcohol use as the third leg. Maybe he feels depression is more romantic than alcoholism, or at least more socially acceptable.

The spectulation about repressed mourning, early death of mother, etc. is not nearly as important as his familial tendency to depression, his drinking, and his pill taking. Since he says the hospital did nothing for him but take away the pills, and he got better, that would seem good evidence for their role in his illness.

In his obituary in 2006 it was mentioned that he had to be hospitalized several more times after the first time described in the book.

In short, read the book to experience, as much as possible for an outsider, what depression 'feels' like, but don't buy the diagnosis of what causes it.

The writing is excellent as you'd expect from Styron. The story short and to the point. It delivers a powerful vision of what extreme depression and suicidal ideation actually feels like. That said, I was a little disappointed somehow. The fact that Styron was a well known writer, living a life that most of us can't relate to, in a period now gone, somehow robbed the book of the power it probably had when it first came out.

This book gives a deep insight into Depression. Knowing that someone can be that "far gone" and come back is so inspiring. A knowledgeable read!

This is a very slim volume, just 84 pages long, which started life as a lecture given at a symposium sponsored by the Department of Psychiatry at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. It was later developed into a piece for Vanity Fair before being published as a book.

Styron was hit by serious depression at the age of 60, and describes most evocatively his own struggle with the life-threatening illness from first symptoms, through his treatment, his brush with suicide, hospitalisation to eventual cure. Along the way he includes the stories of friends and others so afflicted - many of them also writers.

It's the honesty of the book that makes it so compelling. It was one of the first "insider" accounts of depression, and captures extremely well just what it feels like. (You have to have been there to know.) I agree with him that the word "depression" is totally inadequate, sounding more like a mild case of the blues rather than something that fills your soul with dread and despair. (