For the Battleship historian, this is a good book for quick reference to the four IOWA class Battleships. Actually, as an engineering type that was very closely involved with the 1980's reactivations of the ships, I found the appendices of more value than the historical text. But that is not meant to be demeaning. Mr. Muir's caption of a picture of the NEW JERSEY firing a broadside of her 16 inch guns is one of the only truthful statements ever made as to whether a full broadside would push a 57,000 ton ship sideways or not. They do NOT. Believe me. I have been aboard them during full broadside firings and those great grey ladies don't move an inch. Appendix B is also one of the few items published that note the fact that 18 inch guns were also considered for the class as well as a longer barreled, but heavier, version of the 16 inchers finally mounted. Appendix C are charts, diagrams and photos taken directly out of OP 769. Where do these civilian authors get their hands on these manuals? I had a hard enough time keeping one hidden under my desk during the reactivation era of the 1980's. I would not class this book as a "coffee table" book, but as one that meets a middle ground between a technical text and an historical log. In any case, it's a handy book for a Naval historian to have in his library. I would like to see a later revision of this book that includes the IOWAs up to their premature (my personal opinion) inactivation. And definetly in hard cover vs. soft cover. Richard Landgraff DREADNAUGHT CONSULTING Long Beach, California

This book is an excellent collection of important documents on the Iran-Contra affair. There is nothing like reading the documents for yourself, and not counting on someone else to interpret them for you

BOOK REVIEW
MALCOLM MCINTOSH
JAPAN RE-ARMED
FRANCES PINTER (PUBLISHERS) LTD , LONDON, 1986
169 PP ...

1.Malcolm McIntosh is a graduate of the University of London and has an MA from the School of Peace Studies at Bradford University. He also has obtained doctorate degree from School of Peace Studies at Bradford University. As a journalist he has worked for BBC Television, specializing in defence matters and written articles for magazines and journals around the world. Apart from this book, he has written Japan - Military Policy, Japan - History, Military-1945, Global Companies in the Twentieth Century : Selected Archival Histories (Nine Volume Set), Managing Britain's Defence, Arms Across the Pacific : Security and Trade Issues Across the Pacific and Corporate Citizenship: Successful Strategies for Responsible Companies. The author is well qualified to write on the subject, 'Japan Re-armed'.

2.At the end of the Pacific War (World War II ) in 1945, Japan laid down her arms and submitted to US technological superiority. The situation in 1986 was radically different, with Japan leading in many areas of advanced technology to match with armed forces and weaponry of many NATO countries and the situation has not changed much even today also. Japan is now being forced into the role of a Super Power, as US foreign policy keeps a firm hand on the tiller of defence build-up. If Japanese 'Self Defence Forces ' (SDF) expand any further they cannot be seen as being merely defensive and as the Pacific becomes as heavily armed as Central Europe and the Middle East , a strong defence capability can become to be perceived as a threat. In this book, Malcolm analyses the role Japan could play in securing a peaceful Pacific, her relations with other Super Powers in 1986 and the trade and investments for which Japan is famed and feared.

3.In this book, the author covers the history of Japan till 1945 in chapter I, Comprehensive security, self-defence and rearmament of Japan after 1945 in chapter II, Threats to Japan in chapter III, Japan and the world in chapter IV, Changes in Japan in chapter V and in conclusion he brings out the recommendations for the path to be taken by Japan to enter into the twenty-first century.

4.Chapter I touches on those aspects of Japan's history which are reflected in her actions in 1986. The concentration is on the era that began in 1853 when Admiral Perry from US sailed into Shimoda harbour and began the process of moving Japan towards inter-nationalization and industrialized militarism. In this he brings out the fact clearly, how Japan has never been successfully invaded except from 1945 to 1952 by the US and how Japan achieved an almost unparalleled homogeneity in two thousand years of unbroken history.

5.Chapter II covers the origins of the Self -Defence Forces, Japan's armed services and their constitutional legitimacy. Here it is brought out that the growth of SDF is the product of American pressure, the rebirth of Japanese militarism and an economy that supported the present level of military spending. The author analyses the 1947 Constitution especially the Article Nine which says, "We shall secure for ourselves and our posterity the fruits of peaceful co-operation with all nations... Never again shall we be visited by the horrors of war through the action of government", one per cent of GNP for defence expenditure, role of SDF for purely defensive purposes, various treaties signed between US and Japan and security umbrella enjoyed by Japan and its implications.

6.Chapter III covers the perceived threats to Japan and the real menaces on the horizon. Here the threats from erstwhile USSR, threat to the trade routes through the sea lanes from Muslim extremism in the Middle East, fallouts of Korean War and Vietnam war on Japan , US_Soviet political confrontation, stationing of US troops and warships in Japan and the arms race under way in East Asia have been analysed.

7.Chapter IV shows Japan's involvement with the major power brokers in the world, with her immediate neighbours and on a global basis. Japan's relationship with US, erstwhile USSR, China, Europe and ASEAN countries both militarily and commercially have been analysed and the advantages enjoyed by Japan in terms of economy, quality of produced goods, electronic technological improvements , automobiles and dual use products produced by them have been highlighted.

8.Superficially, Japan has changed considerably since the end of World War II. But have the Japanese themselves changed fundamentally? This has been analysed in chapter V with relation to the rise of the right wing thinkers, growing militarism, use of education, peace movement, Article Nine of the Constitution, the three non-nuclear principles and a non-offensive defence policy followed by Japan.

9.In chapter VI, the author discusses a number of areas that are important for Japan's future. They range from internal economic issues to overseas investment policy, from the Pacific to the militaristic and from Tokyo to Washington and Moscow. Here, he gives the options open to Japan and gives out the recommendations for the path to be taken by Japan to enter into the twenty-first century.

10.Malcolm has accomplished an impressive piece of research. He presents a tremendous amount of inter-related information data in very few pages. These data have been checked from other books and found factually correct. The only point for the author is he could have included more sketches / figures to illustrate various events described in the book. The cost of the book is reasonable. Overall 'Japan Rearmed' is an interesting and absorbing book and recommended to be read by all and for keeping in the unit library.

Maj S Renganathan , 3 GR

I loved this book, a great page turner. The relationship between the two detectives, Kelso and Smith, is entertaining; Kelso the silent thinker who solves the case and Smith the dry humored interrogator that grills their suspects. I think McClintock does a wonderful job to keep his reader guessing till the end, and the wide variety in the characters of his cast is brilliant in application to the reader's life. If it were not for a forensic report that I had to do I am sorry to say I may have never read this book.

Lady Margaret Beaufort was the Countess of Richmond and Derby and the mother of a king, Henry VII, whose coronation put the finishing touches on the War of the Roses. Looking at her life is a wonderful way to examine this pivotal period in English history as she was a pivotal person, herself, during this period. Sometimes she was a pawn in the plans of others but often she created her own destiny, while all the time remaining a creature of politics and a survivor at a time when very many did not. The authors have done their research well and provide a very detailed account. Often the financial details can be very revealing and occasionally monotonous to the casual historian but always important. This is a very good study of an important woman.

This book is a well written book on practical self- defense.Many of the striking techniques resemble those of Applegate and Fairbairn, and it includes a short section on use of the police baton.My only drawback to the book is the chapter on judo throws, which I would ignore unless you are already skilled in throwing and breakfalls.The rest of the book is great and with regular practice, will give you a solid backround in practical self defense.Grab a copy if you ever see it.( Also called "Effective Unarmed Combat."

The first edition of License to Steal woke up the people in charge of healthcare payment in America. Sparrow brought attention to the scope and nature of the healthcare fraud problem. And the scope is huge--he estimates that hundreds of billions of dollars are lost to healthcare fraud each year.

In the wake of Sparrow's book, Medicare, Medicaid, HMOs and insurers started to take fraud more seriously. Sparrow's 2000 edition of License to Steal includes information on fraud efforts since the first edition and how they are still falling far short of what is needed to limit fraud to an acceptable level. Spend the extra few dollars to get the updated hardcover edition.

Robin Mathias, MPA, Fraud Bulldog
Mathias Consulting
http://www.....com

While the hand types are a bit too complex for my tastes, this is a good starter, especially the first printing, and has some excellent illustrations. May be off the mark on sibling lines, but those were thrown up as a trial baloon anyway. Good effort all in all. Ed Campbell

An engaging and fascinating book that reads almost like a novel. Mr. Dean's narrative left me wanting to learn more about this disabling tropical disease.

Actually, Malcolm MacEwan is not the only one involved with this particular baby in "Malcolm and the Baby." This 8th book in the "Road to Avonlea Series" is effective a sequel to the 7th book, "Aunt Abigail's Beau." Now that Malcolm and Abigail are married, the question is whether or not they should have a baby. So when an orphaned baby shows up in Avonlea and Aunt Hetty and Rachel Lynde start a major squabble over the infant (including a potato fight at Lawson's General Store), Sara and Felicity decide that the perfect solution is for the baby to end up with Malcolm and Abigail.

This story book is written by Heather Conkie, who wrote the scripts for both of the Abigail & Malcolm episodes of "Avonlea," which certainly explains why she knows the characters so well. There is also the comic relief with Hetty and Rachel, which is sure to bring a smile. Actually, what surprised me when I read this book was a small little detail at the end that got me a little chocked up. Amazing how something as small as cleaning off your boots can become so wonderful in the context of a story. These novelizations of the "Avonlea" episodes do a nice job of capturing the spirit of Lucy Maud Montgomery's original novels.