History Books

Overall, I enjoyed this book and learned a lot. It was really fun to see the INCREDIBLE similarities between all living things that explain why we are built the way we are. Shubin did an OUTSTANDING job explaining things in way everybody can understand. The thing I think could have been better -- Shubin tells his own story quite a bit, especially in the first half ("I was a graduate student and I believed..." or "I used to go to attend such and such..."). I totally understand why he did this; sometimes telling the personal journey makes the information more interesting. But to be completely frank, it doesn't work for this book; his story is kinda long and boring, and I just wanted him to get to the real information. The book is short anyways, and I would have much preferred that he shave his personal story to 10% of its present size and instead put more on-topic information into the book. Nevertheless, definitely worth a read.

This author has been involved for many years in key research to discover the genes and processes that shape our bodies and how these have evolved through the history of living things. I was thrilled to see a book written by him, and hoped I would not be disappointed. Instead, I am pleasantly surprised. Far from being the dry work of a research scientist, this is a bright, interesting, almost conversational work that still conveys all the science involved.

My colleague Neil Shubin did a superb job at explaining sophisticated concepts in evolutionary biology while remaining accessible and even entertaining. I had the pleasure of seeing Neil give a talk where I work, at Stony Brook University, and he is as interesting in person as he comes across on the page. This book is a much better introduction to evolution (even though it is not written with that specific goal in mind) than most other stuff that is out there. Shubin weaves his own history as a biologist with the history of how we became we, and the result is a must read for anyone interested in how science works.

I can't add much that hasn't already been said. A 5-star book, easy to read and understand, and still interesting for a trained biologist. I only wish it had been longer! See other reviews for more in-depth coverage, I would only be repeating their statements.

This author is knowledgeable and has a good sense of humor. He has effective ways of explaining things and great examples. The material is most interesting. I recommend it to everyone, especially people interested in biology.

This is an important book because of the insight it provides about the nature and history of the CIA's work. It's hard to read, partially because it is so repetitive. According to this book, throughout its history the CIA has failed spectacularly at essentially every major task it has undertaken. And, in so doing, it has caused thousands of deaths, wasted billions of dollars, operated lawlessly and shown total disregard for the wishes of the presidents it has "served". It's not a pretty picture.

The more failures that are chronicled, the more a reader almost has to conclude that the job of gathering good, actionable intelligence is essentially impossible. There's no place for CIA operatives to go to learn how to do their jobs effectively. They have talent and drive, at least at the beginning of their CIA careers, but they are not superhumans and are overwhelmed by their tasks.

I wish there could have been an appendix or a companion book in which another author might take issue with the way this book presents the CIA's history - saying it's not really this dismal and here's why. Maybe that book is out there and I should look for it, but meanwhile I'll never think very highly of the CIA after reading this one.

This fascinating, provocative and relevant book is a history of the first sixty years of the CIA compiled solely from first-hand reporting and primary documents. It is a devastating account of how the agency lurched from crisis to crisis, unable to establish a first-rate intelligence organization in an increasingly complex and dangerous world.

What began as a successor to the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the military intelligence unit during WWII, the CIA was established to combat the emerging threat of the Soviet Union at the tail end of that war. The goal of the CIA was to ensure that there would never be a second "Pearl Harbor," but the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1989 left the CIA somewhat aimless without its original raison d'etre. With the horrendous attack on 9/11, the initial reason and great fear that brought the CIA into existence had already come to pass.

The ultimate findings of this award-winning study is that each President due to their own idiosyncrasies or failings left the CIA worse off than the previous administration. Some chose incompetent directors, others chose to ignore sound advice, while still others made decisions due to political criteria rather than substantive ones. Some presidents made the CIA a personal surveillance agency against presumed domestic enemies, while others pressured the CIA to tailor its findings to fit White House policy to the detriment of the organization and the country.

This caustic indictment suggests critical errors were made by and to the CIA throughout its history. Its choice of gadgets over spies left it totally unaware of many critical developments. Its love of high wire covert actions over time-consuming intelligence gathering often left it bereft of knowledge and in embarrassing international situations.

The conclusion that Weiner has come to is that the CIA ended its sixty-year history the same way Eisenhower evaluated it at the end of his administration - as a "legacy of ashes."

Armchair Interviews says: Most thought-provoking information.

Conclusion - the book is a limited hangout and Weiner is a rich asset - he says, in so many words: stupidity always trumps conspiracy - in essence the official cover for the 9/11 coup and the Global War Of Terror: it's blowback and incompetence that's to blame - in light of this, 2 things to never forget:

1. "Deception is a state of mind and the mind of the state." - James Jesus Angelton - Director of CIA Counter Intelligence (1954-74)

2. "The Central Intelligence Agency owns everyone of any significance in the major media." - William Colby - Director of the CIA (1973-76)

Great info - the things we always believed (at least if you were raised by liberal parents) corroborated by recently released CIA files. Shocking to see how we information was manipulated and hidden, and what a terrible job our government did for us. The money and lives lost to hubris is painful to witness.

That said, the book is not particularly well-written. Compared to the great writers of modern history (Caro is my personal favorite) this book fails to engage. It is easy to put down, and hard to pick back up.

Tim Weiner's "Legacy Of Ashes" is a valuable work of scholarship that dives into the complex history of the CIA and in the process also gives us a valuable set of histories of our country and its role in the world. Some have accused Weiner of being "biased" or promoting some sort of "liberal agenda," this is far from the truth, Weiner is simply processing and creating a narrative culled from thousands of declassified documents and known facts. This is not the latest work from Al Franken or Keith Olbermann, this is a historical document. The reactions a few right-wing reviewers have posted on this page says more about them than about Weiner's work.

Weiner starts from the top, from the early days following World War II when President Truman replaced the OSS with the CIA which he at the time considered to be a more efficient, precise, official form of "newspaper" for the commander and chief to consult to be aware of the state of the world. However it didn't turn out this way, as the history progresses we see how the agency turned more into some sort of militant force that was eventually used more for the purpose of influencing or altering history instead of recording it. In clear, fluid detail, Weiner documents the first laboratories for covert operations that the CIA used, mainly Iran and Guatemala. In Iran the CIA helped the British overthrow the elected government of Mohammed Mossadegh because his nationalization of the country's oil was seen as a grave nationalist threat, the Shah was then re-installed and given military aid for decades. Latin America followed with a coup against the elected government Jacobo Arbenz, who challenged foreign corporate dominance of his country and paid for it with his presidency which was replaced by a brutal military junta. This was only the beginning however, of a longer, sadder story that would extend into countries like Vietnam, Chile and Greece.

"Legacy Of Ashes" has supposedly made headlines with some stunning revelations found in the new documents, but some the histories explored here are already well-known, such as the CIA-backed coup against the elected Allende government in Chile or the botched Bay Of Pigs invasion. What Weiner does so well is put these and lesser-known events in a greater context, he details how ignorance and arrogance have created an intelligence community that puts our security at greater risk. He provides a record of lying and plotting that is a peek into the dark corners of government. Consider the sections on Iran where we learn the CIA had a four-man, FOUR-MAN team in Tehran at the time of the Islamic Revolution, with none of them even speaking Farsi. It turns out CIA operatives failed to foresee the revolution because they were too busy dining with the Shah, the same as in Cuba where CIA agents miscalculated Fidel Castro's popularity because they spent more time indulging in the Batista regime's decadence than actually gathering solid intel on Cuban life, the status of the country and what led to the rise of Castro. This of course then led to lying and deception that guided the U.S. into the disastrous idea of launching an invasion on Cuba at the Bay Of Pigs.

Other revelations in the book are more insideous and intriguing such as the possible connection between the Kennedy White House and the assassination of Dominican dictator Rafael Trujillo, the assassination of president Diem in Vietnam and the many unanswered questions surrounding JFK's own murder, the investigation becoming a further mess because director Richard Helms wanted to keep CIA covert ops in areas such as Cuba away from the public eye. There are also fascinating, disturbing moments of lesser-known history like Richard Nixon receiving thank you funds from the fascist Greek junta the U.S. helped install in 1967.

Weiner goes on the cover some of the CIA's most notorious scandals like Iran-Contra and more importantly, recent intelligence failures that could have contributed to 9/11. "Legacy Of Ashes" covers all this and more in an accessible, very readable and clear style where Weiner compiles a massive amount of information, facts, figures, events, names and dates but never confuses the reader and never muddles the presentation. This is one of the best recent works on the workings of American government and the best book available on the workings of the CIA. Weiner never takes a sensationalist tone and is very professional and objective, he is simply presenting the information as it is and draws conclusions and observations from hard facts, there is never a sense of Weiner theorizing or jumping into unknown territories. Anyone who takes the time to process the information can see clearly why Weiner comes to certain conclusions as to the status of American intelligence services.

"Legacy Of Ashes" is a great record of some 50 years of American history, this is the kind of book Americans should be looking into to understand our past and to better understand where we are now. And Weiner presents it in a way where the average reader can indulge and come away better informed and aware. Reading this you realize the works of authors like Newt Gingrich are just political junk food, here is a vital, important resource.

This book is not really a horror book filled with gore, but it is a fascinating page turner nonetheless. Through the multiple first person accounts of the battle for survival in a post apocalyptic zombie ruled world, Brooks is able to emerge the reader into a world that has been consumed by the living dead. His references to contemporary foreign policy and his accurate accounting of and maneuvering through the contemporary military mindset and lingo (at least American, according to this former Marine) gives his book a, "Wow, I could see this actually happening!" feel.

And rather than exploring the "LaMOE" (Last Man on Earth) perspective commonly found in zombie media, this delves into every reasonable facet of culture. If there were a WWZ, this book goes very far into encompassing all the elements that would make up contemporary policy and life on this little blue planet.

This book was not at all what I expected. It is not about a War, as the title indicates. It "jumps" from one scenario to another every few pages. It is very hard to follow the story line.. The Earth is supposedly being overrun by the Un-dead, yet, people appear to be living normal lives and paying little attention to the possible end of life as they know it. It is just a lot of words.

I am a big fan of the George Romero movies, 28 Days etc...but this book is truly the best. If you like political/current events literature or movies AND Zombie movies this book is the perfect mix. It weaves current political, social, economic and cultural events with a Zombie attack together for a thought provoking, fun, and sometimes deep but light hearted read. Great Book! It's like Meet the Press meets Zombies.

Another world war...only this time it is against ZOMBIES!

Max Brooks brings us a new approach to the zombie tales. This book contains the interviews of a reporter during this war. The interviews range from military personel, civilians, etc. The books do not delve into how the zombie plague started, just on how people were effected and the correct and incorrect solutions that people and governments tried.

WWZ was an enjoyable read. It looked at this zombie war through a nubmer of different individuals which made it interesting. While the book didn't go into the causes of the outbreak, it definitely went into the effects of the outbreak. The reporter takes us to several different countries.

It is a good summer read. Not too scary or graphic. Some of the interviews are great and bring the tension of the battles against the zombies and the struggles to sruvive. This book was far better than Brooks' 'Zombie Survival Guide' which I found too repetative.

I would recommend this book to all zombie fans.

What can I say about Max Brooks that hasn't been said already? On many levels this is an absolutely brilliant book that not only complements the zombie/post apocalyptic genre but actually transcends it. Max may well have surpassed George Romero as the authority of the Zombie genre. While George had inserted social commentary into a then new but often maligned genre and had elevated that genre to a more thoughtful and substantive level than the more conventional avenues of the general horror genre (i.e. the -YAWN--vampire, supernatural or slasher flicks), Max has brought it to a new level. To me, you might say that he's the Tom Clancy of the zombie genre. His take one the apocalyptic siege addresses both the individual and society in ways that Romero never did.

I must admit that I didn't buy this novel for more than a year because it was framed as a compilation of individual historical accounts of a zombie apocalypse. I was originally uninterested because I don't think there would be the possibility of a society to survive and tell their accounts.

I'm going to keep this short though I could go off for pages... and that is what Max had done. He made me think. Society has many levels to it and, in Max's book, many of them are addressed. This book is a fabricated account of not just individual's surviving but how societies survived only after difficult choices. And the plan to follow came from South Africa of all places and not the USA or another first world country. Cold and merciless pragmatism was the key and the individual who conceived of such a plan of survival was personally doomed from unrealized personal morals. Necessity and cold sacrifice decided by third parties and geographical advantage.

The scope of this novel is grand. It touches upon individual, national and global concerns. It features the perspective of everyday survivors, soldiers, leaders, beaurocrats (can we ever ditch them?) and head of states. Regret, shame, loyalty, madness and peace are all represented in accounts that are uniquely personal and yet cohesive in how they all worked together.

This is a thinking man's take on the zombie genre. And yet, how it plays out in each interview, it is a realistic template of how we as individuals and a society would react to any extreme situation. Again, it transcends.

In many ways, this is my favorite zombie related book. But it is so much more. It is a well done comprehensive analysis of us as individuals and as a society. Again, I could go off for pages and that's why I didn't go into details.... Or else I'd get trapped into describing each account in their glory (though one or two didn't ring... nothing's perfect.)

Max has accomplished, for the second time, something so unique and remarkable within the zombie genre. Except, this second time, he's gone further and has successfully described why the zombie genre is so appealing. It's not really about zombies, it's about us... more to the point, it's a hard look at us on all levels when presented with the extreme test.

Now a book of this level is impossible to write without the author's personal political perspective becoming obvious. Max thinly veils the Gulf/current war as the Brush war. I gather that I'm on the opposite side of the spectrum to his view of current/real events.) For me, that doesn't take away from what he's crafted. This book is brilliant.

I've actually listened to the audio version many times and read the book once. Though the audio version is abridged (wish it wasn't,) I'd recommend getting both. Each version is satisfying in different ways.

I understand that there is a movie in the making. I am doubtful that any two hour movie would capture this book's brilliance... even though an equally brilliant screenwriter, J. Michael Stravensky is writing said screen play. He's uniquely qualified but I don't know how he'd condense it into two hours for mass consumption. To do this book justice would take a six hour movie. I'd even go with a no frills 6 or 8 part documentary format on the history channel. This book is that good and so comprehensive... you don't need theater or special effects. Just having actors narrate the written word would be powerful enough. But then again, what do I know? I'm just another worthless opinion.

It seems kindof cheesy at first, and Bryson's writing style can be a little precious. (Although always easy to read, and I certainly never felt bogged down in this book; in fact, I finished the whole thing in a weekend.) But I read it toward the beginning of a long kick to learn about stuff, and as I've gotten more in depth in several fields, I find myself remembering things I read in this book. He's given me a firmer foundation in...well, nearly everything...than I realized.

Many of you people know a lot of things, and for you this may be unnecessary. But some of you may be like me: high school chemistry is a distant memory, and you're not sure if you've ever even had a history course, and suddenly you sortof wish you knew all those things school was supposed to teach you. If that describes you, this book is a remarkably good place to start.

This is not a book to be devoured, or scanned lightly, though Mr. Bryson's fluid prose and wit would allow us to do so. This is a work to be pulled from the shelf more frequently than not and re-examined like a long Del Prado wall. It possesses the richness of a Qalicheh carpet or a Benares silk--an item to be held with awe. What an amazing compilation and composition.

The book was an entertaining read. It briefly touches on just about every subject. The only real thing that isn't that great is that it will go through several historical figures very quickly leaving you with a lot of information to digest. Later, the author often returns to talk about that figure, but after you've already forgotten about him. Not a big deal though.

Also, I thought the book would be more focused around history but it is actually more focused around the history of science.

I dont know much about Sci. but just had a good time reading this book/

Bryson's book A Short History of Nearly Everything is an great read for people who are interested in Science. It describes in easy to understand terms what the current thinking is in the various sciences including Biology, Geology, Astronomy, Physics, and Chemistry. It reads differently from your science text book in a number of ways. It covers the history of how we got to what we currently think and does so in a "warts and all" approach. It tells you which scientists were brilliant, which were loons and which were just jerks. Of course sometimes this describes the same person, say Sir Isaac Newton. It also describes some of the reaction in science to a new theory, and seldom is that pretty. It also is not afraid to say that many of the "facts" that we learned in school are either now wrong or speculation, sometimes based on a surprisingly small amount of data.

I was surprised to know what really happened in 1776. It was a great year with many challenges. I enjoyed reading this book.

1776 is an excellent piece of literature. From page 1 you are transported back to this most important time in our history. I found this to be a fascinating work, one that should be read by all Americans. Especially during this, an election year. Bravo ! I look forward to reading all of David McCullough's masterpieces.

A very well written book full of life and history. Very few writers can put together a historical moment without making it look like a text book. I felt as though I was living in the moment looking around me, even feeling the temperature. The book draws you in. Great read.

Wonderfully researched by McCullough's staff and various librarians all over America and the UK. This book is worth purchasing used if only for the bibliography, which covers more than 20 pages. Alas, Pulitzer Prize & National Book Award winning author, David McCullough delivers by far the weakest presentation of material I've yet to read by him. Truman and John Adams are towering works and Mornings on Horseback is an excellent read. I've not read any of his other books.

1776 is a short, quick, unchallenging read about a particular aspect of an extraordinarily important period in American history. McCullough does not concern himself beyond the most perfunctatorial mentioning of anything besides the struggle between the American army under General George Washington and the British army it opposed in Boston, in and around New York City and in New Jersey. From rousing victory without bloodshed to crushing and repeated defeats to tide-turning and decisive victory.

McCullough's presentation is dutiful and repetitive. Only General Washington is delineated with any particular effort. Other important personages are presented with an offhanded chattiness just barely this side of cuteness. The miserableness of the American army is incessantly referred to, as is the commonness of it's soldiers. McCullough seems to have an almost perverse insistance that American freedom was bought with the blood of the most vulgar wretches imaginable; the lowest of the low. Duly noted. Wars are rarely fought by the rich and there was nothing profoundly patriotic or "American" about the peasantry of nation taking up arms to defend it's land. What's your point, Mr. McCullough?

This is McCullough's only effort and describing battle tactics and events that I'm aware of and he does not equip himself well. He fails to convey with any clarity the lay of the land, intended tactics or actual troop movements. He describes land only very generally, general orders vaguely and troop movements hurridly. To read the seige of Boston & battles of New York and New Jersey, I would recommend using the internet for area maps, specific orders and other helpful clarifying information. It may well be McCullough's strength lay much more in biography (Adams, Truman, T. Roosevelt, Brave Companions subjects) and topical history (Brooklyn Bridge, Johnstown Flood and Panama Canal) than in the minutae of military history.

McCullough's tone is relaxed and chatty to a fault. I like my history as easily digestable as the next guy but there is a fine line between popular history and a downright commercial presentation deliberately designed to capitalize on the author's popularity. For all of the research, there is very little hard history here. Furthermore, it has been my experience that Revolutionary War history, both militarily and politically, is best understood by reading biographies of the principal participants, particularly Washington, Andrew Hamilton, Adams, Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson because a well written biography inevitably places the subject in the larger context of their time. This is not a necessary read as the same information can be had with a reading any one of the several excellent biographies of Washington availiable in conjuction with a familiarity with the numerous websited that delineate in excruciating detail the actual events of the battles outlined in this book.

I think McCullough's living on his reputation with this one. A good bit of information, but not a lot of sense of history or the events or the people. Whoever wrote this for him didn't do a great job. I read this after Ellis' American Creation and the contrast was shattering.

Mark Bowden has written a brillant book on the Giants VS Colts,1958 Championship game. Bowden brings the game and the inpact it had on the sport into perfect harmony. His insight into the meaning of the game beyond the score brings greater understanding of today's billion dollar NFL brand. Whether your a football fan or a fan of American culture Bowden's work is a remarkable merging of the the two. Enjoy the read.

Mr. Bowden does an excellent job.. I was growing up in Baltimore at the time. He accurately captures things I remember, and gives enormous (and fun) incite into the rest of the story.

A great book! What an amazing group of players and coaches who went on to define the NFL. Truly as the Sports Illustrated cover stated. "How Raymond Berry and Johnny Unitas invented the modern NFL."

Its a great book to read and to learn more about a game and football itself. The book takes you inside the huddle and puts you in the middle of the field and in the mind of the great Johnny Unitas.

December 28, 1958 marks one of the most classic moments in NFL history. That's the date the Baltimore Colts defeated the New York Giants in sudden death overtime to win the NFL title as 45 million fans watched on television. It marked the birth of the modern NFL as football began to step out of the shadows of baseball.

The match up featured the greatest concentration of football talent for one game as 17 future Hall of Famers were involved in the game. It pitted a team of self-made men and the league's best offense (Colts) versus a team of glamour boys and the best defense (Giants).

Author Mark Bowden tells the story of the 1958 championship game through a handful of players and coaches such as Raymond Berry, Weeb Ewbank, Sam Huff, Tom Landry (Giants' defensive coordinator) and Vince Lombardi (Giants' offensive coordinator). Bowden's exceptional study of Berry is the cornerstone of the book.

Bowden recounts how Johnny Unitas and Berry teamed up to take the Colts 86 yards in two minutes to tie the game. And, how Unitas engineered the 13-play drive in overtime to secure the thrilling victory. Unitas' greatness and leadership in the game elevated him to the highest echelon of NFL quarterbacks.

Interestingly, many of the players didn't realize that the game would continue into sudden death overtime after it was tied in regulation.

As a writer, Bowden makes the reader feel like he's in the middle of the game. He makes you wish you had been able to witness this great game. You envy those who did. NFL Commissioner Bert Bell called the Colts-Giants sudden death overtime game, "The greatest day in the history of professional football."

While I thoroughly enjoyed the book, it's definitely a lightweight treatment of the subject. The book is 239, easy-to-read pages. When I finished the book, I wanted to read more about the game and its impact. I suspect many other readers will feel the same way.

I recommended this book to my book club after reading about the author and her story (as well as the book's fabulous reviews). Only two of us finished it (and not because they liked it - they wanted to honor the author). Maybe it's the translation, but I'm very sorry to say I found the writing and the characters absolutely horrid. Please note: I stopped at page 70. Maybe it got better from there, but I just couldn't take it anymore.

Suite Francaise captures the weakness of humanity during WW2 rather than the horrors of war - a unique approach which engenders great admiration for the author. The publication could be improved by placing the preface and appendices at the front - this would add greatly to appreciation of the work.

I'm not quite sure what the hoopla is about with this book. I dragged myself through to the end, just so I could say I finished it, but it was a chore. I do commend the author for her ability to help the reader transcend the mood of the war and what it must have been like for people fleeing the city during chaos and uncertainty. Other than that, I really felt like this book was disjointed and aimless.

When I started "Suite Francaise," I thought it would take a lot of time and effort to complete. Happily, I was wrong. Once I got into it, I couldn't put it down. The novel is actually composed of two novellas, "Storm in June" and "Dolce", which Nemirovsky had intended to be the first of a five-part epic.

"Storm in June" was a strong opener and conveyed the proverbial horrors of war for the invaded civilians, but on a personalized level. This story lacked the fully developed emotions and characters of the second story, "Dolce", but it was nonetheless excellent. A number of the characters in "Storm in June" were rather despicable, but I think that actually enhanced the story by adding nuance, as opposed to a simple "pity them for their circumstances" approach.

"Dolce", in turn, was one of the more moving stories I've ever read. The sheer range of emotions Nemirovsky conveys through the characters is nothing less than magical and beautiful. The added poignancy of knowing Nemirovsky's ultimate fate makes the story even more remarkable. Lucile's torment at having to choose between love for her country and her desperate need for the human connection of romantic love nearly brought me to tears.

"Suite Francaise" is deserving of all the praise it has received, and would be even if Nemirovsky's own story had not been so tragic. The way she captures the persistence of the more mundane aspects of life in the middle of such horrible circumstances is unparalled. I especially recommend this book for fans of Daphne du Maurier. "Suite Francaise" will stay with me for a long time.

Patience is key with this book. I found the first part, Storm in June, rather boring as it focuses so narrowly on so many different people, many of which are so similarly characterized. Makes you want to say "I get it, move on with the story." The second part, dolche, finally finds a focus on one person--Lucille, and tells the story around her. At this point the book finally gets interesting and makes you feel like reading the first part was worth it. The fact the author didn't get the chance to finish the other 3 parts the story was meant to be composed of is intensely disappointing. The book ends right as its about to reach the climax and the story is about to become a page turner. The plans for the third book in the appendix, are a tease. Its too bad it was never written.

Well, I've been waiting for nearly 12 months for this book. I really didn't know what to expect so I had no preconceptions about the plot. I was desperate to find out how the problem of Melisande would be resolved and looked forward to finding out what Machiavellian plot Carey would think up. In the previous 5 books this has been what I enjoyed most - the political machinations, the wicked characters who show no remorse when their actions result in thousands of deaths, the roguish characters who turn out to be loyal, brave and trustworthy and help the hero or heroine save the day.

Did I get any of this? Barely. The main plotline regarding the magic spell was cheap and tawdry. If you think back to Darsanga, the 'magic' there was more spiritual in its origin (albeit from an evil source) but the Carthaginian magic is of the Derren Brown variety. It just feels like a cheap stage trick.

Where was the exciting resolution of the problem with Melisande? This felt like a cop-out rather than the ironic twist that it was presented as.

I know Carey has tried to bring in certain incidents and scenarios to 'echo' events in previous books. This is brave but doesn't really work - it just feels like we are getting recycled storylines that are less convincing the second time around.

Although I feel this book falls way short of the standard of the previous 5 books it was still a good read. I loved the bit where Imriel is being someone else - the writing here is exciting and innovative and explores new topics. My favourite character of the whole book is Kratos - he is solid, dependable, calm and surprisingly intelligent.

So, I know a lot of you will disagree with my comments but I felt I had to offer an alternative view in the midst of the glowing praise as my experience was less wonderful. I too would enjoy a new series on Terre D'Ange set a few hundred years later - I feel sure that new characters would revitalise Carey's view of this world.

Kushiel's Mercy ends the saga that Jacqueline Care started in her very first book. Yes it is sad to see end, but it couldn't have ended any better. Her main theme being in all the books love as thou wilt comes to life in such an epic manner. All that challenges that Imeril has to go through to win over his love, to rescue her, and even make her fall in love with him again. Everything that he gives to get her back, and everything he almost loses. Yes it does have action in and sorcery, like one would expect from a fantasy, but in the end it is a love story about a man who love a woman so much he would give anything to be with her and see her safe. And that is why it is one of her best books. Because in the end it is a love story that conveys her message of love as thou wilt. And that is a message that we can all learn from.

As I knew I would, I thoroughly enjoyed Jacqueline Carey's third and final book in the second Kushiel's trilogy. Unfortunately, my enjoyment of the book was tempered by the... as usual... horrendous service by UPS. I paid for overnight shipping that took OVER A WEEK, and when it finally DID get here, my MAILMAN brought it to my door; apparently, the idiot UPS delivery driver left it at my mailbox, BY THE STREET.

Amazon was gracious enough to refund my shipping costs, but until Amazon adds other fast shipping options BESIDES UPS (I don't care if it's more expensive, I just want my products here when I pay for them to be here), I don't think I'll be ordering fast shipping again.

Thanks, Amazon, for trying to help. UPS, you suck.

Very well written like all the others in the Kushiel line. Still hooked and wanting more.

As an avid reader of the Kushiel novels, i was supremely pleased with how it all ended. It was all and all a fantastic end of one of my all time hands-down favorite series. This book will become like all the rest of this series in my collection; read so many times that all of the pages are starting to fall out. I applaud Carey for this book.

Oh and i also applaud amazon for sending me the book over 2 weeks before its release date by accident. That was the most awesome birthday present I could have wished for. LMAO!! (the release date was june 12 2008, I recieved the book may 23 2008, and my bday was may 21. Not bad eh?)

Very dignified and quietly written although a bit repetitive which just makes the point of the book all the more clear. Although the families in the book have different stories to tell, the deaths of their loved ones in Iraq and Afghanistan bring them all to a common place. This should be required reading for our leaders in Washington, DC.

I read about this book in a newspaper and immediately ordered it. It is an amazing book that follows the lives of the families who are grieving their loss. As a former Marine myself, the way the Marine CACO performed his duties is how I would expect a Marine to conduct himself. He went ABOVE and BEYOND the call of duty for those families and he deserves a medal for it.

The author did an amazing job of documenting everything. It's as if you are right there with them. His courage to be there and witness these events is commendable.

It's a book that will make you cry. It depicts the thoughts and feelings of all those involved with the arduous and emotional task of notifying family of their deceased. I am a slow reader, yet I finished this book in 2 days but only a total of about 7 hours. It keeps you holding on and you just don't want to put it down. The book also doesn't leave you with that "empty" feeling.

Thank you for writing this book. It is forever etched in my heart.

So many thanks to Major Beck and his fellow Marines and to the family members of the honored dead for helping Jim Sheeler write this compelling and heart wrenching book.

It brought this Navy vet who served during the Vietnma War to tears.

This is truly a book that stays with you. Has even prompted me to get the flag from my grandmother's military funeral (World War I Wave)out of the cedar chest and put it on display. Incidentally, the only paper book I have read since getting my Kindle. Additionally, I am totally against the war, but this book gives a clear picture of those who have gone and not returned. Beautifully done!!

Since we are all involved in this war, perhaps it is our responsibility to not just listen to the media spin, but to also hear the truth shared by the heroes and masterfully communicated by Pulitzer Prize winning author Jim Sheeler. We learn that there are many faces of courage, and we might do well to give thanks for our freedom and appreciation for those who serve.

After hearing an interview on our local NPR affiliate with Simon Winchester, I bought this book in audio format in preparation for a long road trip. We were spellbound by this incredible story, listening almost non-stop to the 14 hour production. If you've never heard of Joseph Needham, don't feel bad - neither had we, or most anyone else I've asked. But he was one of the most interesting, eccentric, and brilliant people of the 20th century. The story is beautifully told by Simon Winchester, with anecdotes and historical background that amaze you. Such a detailed biography could stumble into confusing territory, but not in Winchester's skilled hands. The plot, Needham's life, unfolds in wondrous and surprising ways; I must have exclaimed 50 times "how could I not have known about this??" And the revelations about China are fascinating too - the remarkable history of an enlightened scientific culture, its slide into communism, and its economic resurgence. I strongly recommend this book.

If you look back at the titles of some of Mr. Winchester's older books, it's clear that Joseph Needham, the subject of this book, isn't the only man who loves China. Clearly, Winchester himself has a fascination for Asia and China. Admittedly, I have not read these earlier titles, having come to Mr. Winchester--like many I suspect--through the pages of The Professor and the Madman. However, I have kept up with his work since then and it's nice to see him able to bring his passion for China to the fore again.

Today, Joseph Needham is most remembered for the decades he spent putting together Science and Civilization in China, a series of books documenting the many advances made in China that pre-date the better known inventions/inventors in the West. What this ultimately means, as it was the West that took widest advantage of scientific and technical successes, is open to debate; however, it is fascinating to think about how far ahead the Chinese must have been at various points in their history, even into antiquity. A less inward-looking culture might have changed the entire face of world history.

Mr. Winchester gives us tidbits of these scientific facts to contemplate, but this book is really about Needham himself: a Cambridge scholar who was undoubtedly brilliant but in many ways controversial. He was very sexually liberated for his time, being married to a devoted woman who tolerated his many affairs, including a long-term affair with a Chinese woman, Lu Gwei-djen, who was likely the inspiration for much of his passion about China. He was sympathetic to communism and maintained a connection to communist China even when such a relationship was frowned upon. He dabbled in realpolitik which often caused him grief. But in the end, it is his work that is best remembered.

He started his career as a very successful scientist who parlayed his success and love of China into a diplomatic assignment to the country at the height of World War II. In the midst of his diplomatic duties--being a materials conduit for Chinese scientists--he made a number of trips across China, collecting information and artifacts which he periodically shipped home. When he returned, instead of resuming his scientific work, he devoted the rest of his life to history, assessing the materials he'd brought back and writing his magnum opus.

Mr. Winchester has an amazing facility for telling the stories of eccentrics and science. Here, he shows his skills yet again. This is a wonderfully readable book about a comparatively unknown scholar who deserves better. Mr. Winchester has done Needham--and the reading public--a real service.

Simon Winchester brings his considerable literary talent to a subject which one wouldn't think would catch the popular imagination. Joseph Needham is not exactly a household name. In the years of my academic training, I could have identified him and maybe even looked into his books once or twice but neither the subject nor the encyclopedic majesty of the works asserted by Winchester would have been high on any of my quite diverse scholarly horizons. I only made use of Needham's work when looking into Chinese attitudes toward nature and then it was the last book on agriculture, written entirely by someone other than Needham, which drew my attention. When I looked into the earlier volumes I found them listy without the kind of synthesis of history which would have made them more useful. In fact Winchester never addresses how much Needham's works really added to our understanding of Chinese history. At the end of the book Winchester does address, the "Needham problem," why China was so advanced and then completely dropped out the technological and scientific race. But it is clear that Needham's massive endeavor adds little to answering the question. The issue of who invented what first, establishing Chinese priority, seemed to be Needham's goal. While vaguely interesting like sports' records, what counts is the context of first and what that means, something which Needham may have presented, but we find little of in Winchester's biography.

What we do learn is about Needham's life of which I was entirely ignorant. What an interesting man and what a polymath. I am impressed and find myself coming up short in comparison. I have done hardly anything compared to Needham nor possess anywhere near the raw intellectual power and ability to work. Needham's personal life is intriguing. He was able to weave two, if not many more, capable women into his bed and get them to support him in his ambitious projects. He had his cake and et it, although after his wife and paramour die, his underlying neurotic need for female companionship is exposed. Then there was his achievement as a scientist. That alone makes him stand out. When tied to his work in China during the war, he becomes even more impressive. He both supports science and has an opportunity to live a bit of a Marco Polo existence. Here I feel there is an imbalance, maybe it is in Winchester's presentation or maybe in Needham's way of seeing the world. Needham is like an upper-class English radical: great social values, but not really applied to how he lives. He travels through the chaos of war torn China, and though commenting on it, does not really seem to take in the horror of it all. He has a kind of indifferent stiff upper lip. Maybe it is Winchester's presentation but I think it was Needham himself. Here is where I would have liked Winchester to give more historical context and maybe be a little more critical of his hero. An example, though from a different era was Winchester's discussion of the great Min river irrigation and water containment projects of the Qin dynasty. Winchester follows Needham in seeing this hydraulic achievement as another first, 3 centuries before the Roman aqueducts, and making possible the agricultural growth and stability of China. But there is nary a mention of the human cost of construction nor the incredible brutality of Qin's autocratic rule. The science and engineering priority come first,

This fits with Needham's incredible political naiveté. A confirmed socialist in the `20s and `30's who witnesses Chiang Kai-shek's corruption during World War Two, Needham has good grounds for his outlook. But his blindness when it comes to Mao's China, like the innocence of progressives visiting the Soviet Union in the 1930s, is inexcusable and says something about Needham that Winchester does not fully explore. Needham didn't see through the show the Chinese put on for him when he visited nor figure out that his friends had vanished during the cultural revolution. And that he wasn't principled enough to call a spade a spade says something about Needham's personality or Winchesters lack of criticalness in presenting Needham's life. On the whole, the book is interesting but as in Winchester's other writings it would have profited from a more incisive application of critical history. I would also liked to have had an evaluation of how "Science and Civilization," fits into an understanding of China's past.

Charlie Fisher, author of Dismantling Discontent: Buddha's Way Through Darwin's World

Okay, I've read two books by this guy and frankly, he's a hack. He has this obvious device of constantly creating false tension and the payoff is almost always disappointing. There is no real story here; nothing that could not be told in 1/3 the number of pages, quite possibly less, and even then, probably not worth the read.

This is a great book covering Joseph Needham, Ph.D. and his life work on 19 volumes of "Science and Civilization in China", Caius College, Cambridge University, UK.

His personal life is interesting. He has a wife who is into biochemical research, and has several paramours. The second marriage with Lu Gwei-djen was a great read. Lu waited for him, her whole life.

If China invented all of these scientific products, then what is the reason that China fell behind western countries in the last 50 years?

It is communism, that killed all the innovation. Cultural revolution and gang of four destroyed China's science and technology. Mao Zedong is the major problem for the lack of leadership.

History changes after Deng XiaoPing took charge. Deng was the major force for economic reform.

Unfortunately, Joseph Needham was either too old, or too much involved in the old China. He totally missed the new China development. He passed away in 1995, and that is when the new China started to take off.