As a Mormon, I expected to find myself offended by this book, but it simply wasn't the case. Granted, Brodie approaches Smith with the assumption that he was not a real prophet...but once you understand that, her true facination and, yes, admiration for the man comes through.

On the downside, she does try to psychoanalyze Smith using 20th century standards, and loses much of her credibility in the process. On the other hand, though, I've never read a more riveting account of the Missouri period. This book gives a flavor for what a truly remarkable man Smith was...whether one believed his claims or not.

My advice to Mormons is: Read this book if you truly have an open mind and can appreciate a non-believer's point of view. To non-Mormomns I'd say: Remember, this book doesn't tell the whole story.

All authors on Mormon history approach the subject matter from preconceived notions of belief or unelief, and that orientation clouds whatever comes after. Contrary to other reviewers, my feeling is that a book of this kind will never help someone to understand whether a religion is genuine or not. Those decisions come from other places in one's mind...and heart.

Having been raised to see Joseph Smith as something just short of a God, many members of the LDS church are quite surprised to read the realities of the Joseph Smith story; the natural reaction is, ..., to lump Brodie in the "anti-Mormon" author category and defend the foundations of their faith. Interestingly enough, Brodie was still in full fellowship with the Church at the time of the book's publication, seriously dampening the "anti-mo" theory.

Proven time and again in the decades since the publication of "No Man Knows..." is the veracity of Brodie's sources and research. One simply has to thumb through the pages of sources at the end of the book to appreciate how exhaustive Ms. Brodie's research was. Not only does she utilize and cite "objective," non-mormon sources, but there are a number of quotes taken from church sponsored writings, i.e. _History of the Church_.

As a former missionary for the church, I appreciated Ms. Brodie's own objectivity in her writing of _No Man..._. So often the material members of the LDS Church are presented with is so slanted and negative. Ms. Brodie frequently points out Joseph's intelligence, passion, and creativity. Ultimately, Ms. Brodie's biography of Joseph Smith feels sympathetic towards the prophet's weaknesses and his sincere desire and urge to be a prophetic holy man.

Ms. Brodie makes sense of questions that have long troubled members of the Mormon church, such as polygamy, the causes of Joseph's final incarceration at Carthage, and the continual rotation of early church leaders. In fact, I found Ms. Brodie's hypothesis on the foundations of polygamy far more satisfactory and sensible than any I have ever heard in my 23 years in the church.

Though certainly not recommended for the conservative, nonquestioning member of the LDS church, this book will provide an invaluable look at the most prominent character in all Mormonism for those with an interest in the Prophet and his vision.

The best things about Brodie's work:

1)She is accurate. Even though it's been decades since this book has been out, it is still a widely-read text. She is a competent historian, which is a must if you want to learn about things as they reflect reality.

2)She is readable. You can actually -enjoy- reading this one! It makes things much easier when a historian can write well, and Brodie does.

3)She has a fascinating subject. Joseph Smith is one interesting fellow, as evidenced by the successful church that has sprung up in Utah. For some orthodox Mormons, reading this may even be quite adventuresome, as they learn about Smith from another perspective! I think everyone can read this and be intrigued by a complex person.

If I have any complaint, it's that Brodie tries to psychoanalyze Smith too much. Obviously every biography is going to involve some speculation - unless you can actually interview the person yourself - but I thought she went too far at times in assuming she knew "why" Smith did certain things.

Overall I highly recommend the book and I think it is still after all these years the best biography on Smith you can get your hands on.

Too many doctors mimic the behavior described in Prozac Backlash - they pass off Prozac perscriptions without taking the time to think about the long term effects of the drug. Dr. Glenmullen clearly believes that patients have the right to know that antidepressants can have negative, even horrific and permanent side effects and not always be the right answer for people suffering from depression. Unfortunately, most of medical profession would prefer that patients shut up, not ask questions, and trust blindly that the drugs and doctor's perscriptions will serve us well. It is defiitely the Take Two Pills. . .and don't even bother calling in the morning mindset. Dr. Glenmullen pays us the privilege of being able to make our own informed decision about whether or not to take psychotropic drugs. I applaud his book, his willingness to blow the whistle on the PR effort out of Eli Lilly to keep our country high on Prozac (does anyone remember the drug Soma - from Brave New World?) highlighting all of the postive shiny happy people on the drug, while trying to hide the horrible reality of side effects, withdrawl and the unpleasant symptoms that go along with them. This is a great book - if you or a friend or a family member have ever taken an antidepressant or thought about doing so, you must read this book first.

This was a wonderful book. It is based in research and clinical experience alike. I have seen in my experience as a psychiatric social worker that most psychiatrists do not care to see the negative effects of SSRI. I've been threatened by a patient experiencing an attack of rage after being started on Prozac; I've seen a client who became quite hypomanic and was pronounced "cured" because he wasn't depressed anymore. The book rings true from start to finish.

The most important point in the book (to me) was that Prozac, etc. are merely stimulants that will help a depressed person get going. The author does a good job of describing therapy and how a person might deal with his problems and then be taken off of the drugs.

He also details the dangerous side effects, including tardive dyskenisia (permanent tics as a result of psychotropic medications).

Until a working model of a NORMAL brain is developed, I hope psychiatrists will stop referring to a "chemical imbalance". Stating that Prozac, etc. correct a chemical imbalance is simply a lie. This author isn't afraid to tell the truth.

People taking these drugs need to be aware of the serious long term side effects of SSRIs. SSRIs have never been tested for safety long-term. Thats not good because many people are taking them long term-for years, that is.

The side effects that Dr Glenmullen has observed include Parkinsonism (e.g. facial tics), which indicates damage to the brains dopamine system. Facial tics may sound like a mild side effect, but they are an indication of possibly serious brain damage that may result in parkinsons disease later in life. In this way, SSRIs are similar to antidepressants used in the 1960s, which also cause tics, and were later found to cause brain damage.

Other side effects noted by Glenmullen are agitation, suicidal ideation, sexual dysfunction, dependence, and withdrawal. Some withdrawal symptoms he observed were so severe as to be debilitating for several months.

Depressed people should be aware that natural alternatives (no, I am not talking about St John Wort) exist and have been demonstrated in placebo controlled trials. 5-HTP, for instance has been favorably compared to SSRIs with greatly reduced side effects. Other nutraceuticals useful for depression include fish oils, B vitamins, and ginko biloba. Depressed people should also be aware that food allergies can cause depression (sometimes severe depression) in some people. For more info on this stuff, see Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine by Murray/Pizzorno.

Glenmullen also does a good job of ripping apart pharmaecutical industry lies and manipulations: how they currupt science with influence in research centers, how they pay off litigants so that they can say to the public they have never lost a court case over SSRI-triggered murder, and how they got prozac approved with inadequate research. Oh yeah, and how the FDA helps them every step of the way.

For those who doubt the link between SSRIs and violence/aggressive behavior, consider the following:

An interesting footnote to the phenomenon of SSRI-induced violence is how antidepressants are initially screened. Researchers cant give untested compounds to humans, and they cannot ask animals if they are depressed. So how do they select promising antidepressant drug candidates? What they do is give the drug to monkeys and look for an INCREASE in dominating/aggressive behavior by observing their behavior closely. For example, they will look for increased domination over an introduced monkey in a cage having several drugged monkeys. So, according to pharmaceutical companies (e.g. Eli Lilly) who strongly deny ANY link between SSRIs and violence, the logic here is thus: in primates, aggressive behavior is caused by antidepressants and this link is so strong it can be used for drug discovery, but in humans aggressive behavior is absolutely not caused by the same compounds. I dont find this logical at all, of course. It is, I believe, a big lie (wouldnt be new thing for pharmaceutical companies)...

The book A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain is told from the view of Hank Morgan, later on known as The Boss. Hank Morgan travels back in time from the 19th century to the 5th century, in King Arthur's Court. Hank learns from a man dress in a knight's armor that it is the 5th century, he doesn't believe that he traveled back in time, he thinks he is in an asylum. Suddenly Hank remembers that the day that he was told also happened to be the same day of the first recorded full Solar Eclipse. Hank finds that he has wandering into a place where they are hanging innocent people. Hank has some fun and tells the people that he will put the world into total darkness very soon, he hopes that if it truly is the 5th century, the people will believe him. Sure enough the eclipse does happen, all the people are in awe. For the rest of the book Hank is then on known as The Boss.
Throughout the whole story, Hank gives King Arthur tips about how to be more successful. Hank goes on a venturous journey with King Arthur and he helps the King train Knights and create a large army. Hank gets a seat at the round table even though he is not a knight. Hank uses his knowledge to reinvent things that were a new invention from his time. After King Arthur dies, Hank must help the empire live on.
I recommend this to people who are 13 or older and enjoy long, very detailed books. There are also some great pictures included in the book, from portraits of Mark Twain to pictures of King Arthur pulling the sword from the stone.

Well, the perfect companion to La Morte d'Arthur...

Twain completely dissects the "good ol' days" of Arthurian Britain by exposing the vicious social practices of the time: white slavery, le droit de seigneur, confiscation of property in event of suicide, the complete lack of impartial justice, the degrading influence of the Church on the mass, etcetera etcetera etcetera...

The Arthurian legends are wonderful tales, but they are a mythic literary production; Twain deals with the brutal reality of daily living in the Dark Ages, and points out that the good ol' days were not so good, anyway.

As for its applicability to modern America, I am not fit to judge. Perhaps it's there. But "The Connecticut Yankee" is a wonderful tonic for those prone to romanticizing the past. Twain seems to agree with Tom Paine that the English nobility were "no-ability", and simply the latest in a series of robbers.

And, of course, the book is stuffed with wonderful Twainisms... My favorite is his observation that a conscience is a very inconvenient thing, and the significant difference between a conscience and an anvil is that, if you had an anvil inside you, it would be alot less uncomfortable than having the conscience.

Twain also mentions the beautiful mispronunciations of childhood, and how the bereaved parental ear listens in vain for them once children have grown.

You'll never look at castles the same again...

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court is an intriguing novel written by Mark Twain. This is a fantastic book for the high school level reader, but would be entertaining to adults as well. I am a freshman in high school, and I enjoyed many attributes of the plot and writing style. In this novel the main character, Hank Morgan, is mysteriously transported from the nineteenth century in Connecticut back to the fifth century in England. During his time in medieval Britain, he keeps a journal which is what most of this book is. The preface and afterwards are both the narration of Mark Twain who writes as if he has found Hank's journal, and is merely writing it down in a book. As the journal starts out, Hank is introduced to King Arthur and after narrowly escaping death and becomes the country's most powerful advisor. Hank introduces many modern wonders to this feudal society. He is hailed a magician, being able to perform wonderful "miracles" and "magic", when it really is only modern science. It is very entertaining to read about how the feeble-minded people of that time react to these feats. In the end, there is a tremendous battle with many exciting episodes leading up to it. If a reader is partial to battle scenes of high caliber, this is a book for him! Of course, Hank has many other battles as well. Once of his biggest enemies is the Church of England. The big question the reader asks themselves during this book is "Will Hank return to his time and if so, how?". It was exciting for me to ponder this question throughout the novel. During Hank's travels through medieval Britain, he meets many people. The people he meets who think a government ruled by the people in Britain (his ultimate goal) would be a good idea, he sends to Camelot where he has schools set up which teach people about modern governmental ideas. Schools were also set up to teach people how to produce his wonders of modern science. These few enlightened people remain loyal to Hank until the very end. I thought it an entertaining notion that people who were trained from birth to believe in one thing, could realize it's faults and begin to believe another things. I really enjoy this book because it brings a lot about human nature into question. It discusses the vast differences of beliefs, manners, and life styles between one hundred years ago and fourteen hundred years ago. I also thought the differences between classic Arthurian legend and Mark Twain's perspective of the time were very interesting. Hanks training of these idealistic people he runs across plays into the large political aspect of this book. Since Hank's ultimate goal is to transform Britain into a country ruled by the people, he starts factories producing modern goods which greatly changes the lives of the Britons. I enjoyed the descriptions of the people's reaction to these modern products of science thirteen centuries before they would be invented. Throughout the entire book commentary and philosophizing concerning the comparison of the fifth century feudal system of Britain and the nineteenth century democracy of the U.S. by Hank Morgan is common. This political aspect is typical of Twain's works. It gave me great pleasure to read this aspect of the book and to comprehend it's meaning. Through Hank Morgan, Mark Twain is able to depict vivid images in the readers mind. Whether it be a person, scene, or sensation felt by Hank Twain describes it in a way which puts a solid picture in the imagination of the reader. I have not seen the movie of this novel, but I have heard it isn't very well done and it is nothing compared to the book. I believe this is because Mark Twain paints such a realistic picture in the mind of the reader, it is nothing compared to what some director can film. From Mark Twain's great descriptions and writing style to the unique ideas presented, the novel A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court is a fantastic novel. There are so many aspects of it to enjoy, and it is just an all around entertaining book. I give this book four out of five stars and I recommend it to any one interested in fantasy, especially if they want a different perspective on King Arthur.

This book caught my eye while browsing the isles at Barnes and Noble. I recognized Joseph Jett from his appearance on Sixty Minutes, which I thought was a compelling profile segment, and so I decided to give the book a read. Interestingly, at the end of his Sixty Minutes interview, I found myself sorta rooting for this "bad" guy. However, after reading the book, I do not know what to make of this character named, Joseph Jett.

The first part of the book is compelling; it traces his family's Black heritage, discusses his upbringing, shares the parental (namely his father's) philosophies that shaped Jett's mind-set, and describes the disturbing way Jett was treated by his classmates and peers growing up.

What makes Joseph Jett a tragic figure is the skewed way he disassociated himself with anything that was related to people of color. A big mistake! Instead of making him appear weak or handicapped from a professional point of view, he would have been building a network of there-when-I-need-you folks, namely his own people: African-Americans--Black people. So, when Jett's world came tumbling down, he would have had some much needed support. Face it: Just look at some other "notable" Blacks who have at one time in their rise to fortune or fame (whatever your flavor) have distanced themselves from the circle and had to come running back.

This book well documents Jeff's questionably behaviour and judgement, and further emphasizes what happens when you "ruthlessly" and "recklessly" pursue making money.

--Kimberly Stansell, author Bootstrapper's Success Secrets: 151 Tactics for Building Your Business on a Shoestring Budget (Career Press)

I had forgotten about the Kidder Peabody debacle until I saw Jett recently on C-SPAN. He is quite a speaker. I found his comments on business, corporate politics, and the failings of the black church to be dead on. Jett realized that power and politics matter more than race and it is very refreshing that someone has the courage to admit it.

I bought the book the following day and read it straight through. I manage a racially diverse professional workforce and have dealt with complaints of perceived discrimination for the last two years. After reading Jett's book I was able to have a heart to heart with a black direct report. He had not read the book so I lent him my copy. Somethings were simple: I no longer ask him or any minority to high-five me in greeting and he no longer says that being tardy is a black thing that I just don't understand. Otherthings will take longer. But the book was a real eyeopener for me and I believe 40% of my workforce has now read it.

I have sent it to my son, a business major at Duke and told him to bring it to the attention of his professors and classmates.

The book, from a general perspective, is interesting reading, as I feel about most biographies. I'm glad I got a chance to really know Joseph Jett from Joseph Jett's perspective. I don't believe he was entirely innocent as he neatly proclaims. For Wall Street to put this all on him, is almost saying that blacks are a lot smarter than they ever gave them credit for being. I guess many compliments are based on convenience... Like most other readers, I think Jett is arrogant, self-serving, and even pitiful. He makes it clear that he has a problem with being black. Honestly, I think his problem initially stemmed from the rejection he received from the black girl as a young boy (the "ditch digging" story). He'd like to blame his insecurities and personal anti-affirmative action stance on his father. The truth is, his father married a black woman who went to an HBCU. Jett seriously misinterpreted his father's leadership. He consistently denied himself the wholesomeness that connecting with one's race can offer. As such, when he needed the connection, it wasn't there for him. Like I said, the bigger they are, the harder they fall....

Isabelle Forrester and Bill Robinson live in different continents but carry on a friendship via the telephone and a few visits here and there for four years. Isabelle stays at home with her sick child Teddy and her hateful husband. Bill is in a loveless marriage and doesn't want to get divorced because he's afraid it will hurt his career. Isabelle and Bill decide to meet in London for a few days to spend some time together. While in London they share a passionate kiss while at practically the same moment their limousine is hit by a double-decker bus. Their lives are forever changed.

The Kiss is an OK read. The characters are well developed and the storyline for the most part is good. However, there are some parts that are a little far-fetched, such as Bill's hospital bed being wheeled into Isabelle's room everyday. The story seems to get stuck at times and the same details are repeated, which seems is becoming a habit for Ms. Steel. But, once you get past the repetitive parts the story picks up and is interesting and easy to read. The reader is anxious to get to the end to see how the story ends. This is not one of Ms. Steel's best books but is OK to pass the time reading. A nice change of pace and escape in today's world.

I started reading this book the minute I got it. I so look forward to reading her novels. This one keep me so intrigued it was hard to put it down and tend to my families' needs. I felt like I was right there with the characters with all the happenings. The first kiss was so magical and holds them on after the tragedy. I still cannot beleive that Isabelle's husband could be so cold and heartless. Isabelle was so good to her family and her wifely duties that sometimes, I got so frustrated with her husband being a real "jerk" and having no heart when it came to his own son. The Love affair was written very true to reality, yet was not "smutty" at all, true to a Danielle Steel novel. Bill and Isabelle were in love and Bill's reactions to his body afterwards is so very true to reality. I see it all the time as I am a RN. I loved it having a happy ending and that all the characters got what they deserved. I recommend this novel to all Danielle Steel fans and romance readers.

Other than one of her earlier novels, I believe, "To Love Again", did I feel so much for the principals in this novel. My heart went out more to Isabelle more so because that husband of hers was just plain heartless. but to just be kissing and to crash like that, that was a bit much. But I got to give this couple one thing, they didn't carry on no affair, they took their time, and to be real, didn't nothing disrespectful happen in this book. Bill was so hard to feel that he couldn't love that he almost lost out on love until it was almost too late. I really love these kinds of romance. Ms. Steel made a good one this time. I usually read her novels just as they come out now for over twenty three years now,when I first read "The Promise". this one young girl had it, and I went out and bought a copy, and I've been hooked by Steel ever since. and I am not always a disappointed customer. Now when they make them movies is when I really get mad because they mess up the story line. Other than that, her books are alright by me.

I can't believe I'm reading all these glowing reviews here! I have read EVERY one of DS's novels, and I can't be the only one to notice that with few exceptions, they are ALL ABOUT THE SAME THING! The same themes happen over and over. It's TIRING and predictable. And why are all her main characters always beautiful and sexy, and she always includes the comment about them "not even knowing it"? Life isn't like that. She needs to be more realistic. Do all of you who think this book is so great read Harlequin romance novels too? There is NOTHING new in this novel that Danielle Steele hasn't already done in one or more of her other 1,000 novels. Note to author: Danielle, I sure hope you come across this review and think about what I've said here. GET A NEW THEME. Surprise your readers, because you haven't in a long time. Stop churning out bland novel after novel just to get the money and try coming up with some new material. I used to buy your books - now I just wait until I can get it at the library.

Ever wonder what would happen if you lost the person you love? Of course you do. We all do. The moment any of us are in a relationship and we realize that our lives are intertwined with another's, you start to notice that they have a responsibility to you... to your life. If they risk their lives, they risk yours as well... for if something happens to them, it happens to you.

Well, in "The House On Hope Street", Danielle Steel touches upon these feelings, worries, and thoughts that anyone who has ever loved another has had.

This is a simple story about a woman [Liz] who has the "Norman Rockwell" life. She has a loving husband, a blissful marriage of 18 years, five wonderful children, and a happy (almost a little too perfect) family. Her and her husband ran a successful family law practice and Liz had everything she ever wanted from life and felt her life would end just the way she envisioned. Then, one fateful Christmas day her perfectly painted life would be shredded when her husband [Jack] meets an early death as he left for, what was supposed to be, a ten minute trip back to the office.

Now, Liz finds herself barely keeping her head above water while simultaneously being both parents, raising five children (one with special needs), maintaining a two-person law practice, and trying to make it from one day to the next picking up the pieces of her shredded "Norman Rockwell" picture-perfect life.

Liz battles from one holiday to the next, trying to make it through life without Jack. Then, a new figure is painted into Liz's life when an accident with her oldest son, Peter, brings Dr. Bill Webster. As Bill mends her broken son, he also begins to inadvertently mend her broken heart... and ironically... Liz begins to unconsciously mend his as well.

Can Liz write a new chapter in her life... turning the pages with Jack and moving on from the past to begin a new chapter with unwritten pages involving Bill?

Can Bill find a way to overcome his past and find the courage to fight his fears and hesitations in order to find a new sense of peace and happiness with Liz and her children?

I gave the book 4 stars (3 for being a average book [and 3 is in-between 5] and an additional star for great characters).

"The House On Hope Street" is somewhat predicable. Ok, let's face it! If you read the synopsis on the book, you pretty much know how the book is going to turn out... at least... you think you do until you hit a couple of twists that may cause you to question (just for a moment) your precognition skills. If you own movies, then think about this: why buy a movie since you know how it's going to end because you most likely have seen it before? Even though we may know or have an idea of how something is going to end... sometimes experiencing the journey is still worth it. "The House On Hope Street" may be predictable... but it has GREAT characters (especially the children) and as predictable as the book may have been... it was still worth the journey.

Like many of the other reviewers, I have and love all of Danielle Steel's earlier books. In the last few years, starting with The Klone and I, I became turned off by Ms.Steel's writing. In fact, I waited to read House on Hope Street and The Wedding until my name came up on the list at the library. Now, these two books will definitely be added to my collection. The House on Hope Street is a fast, easy, exciting read. I was in tears by page 61 and had to stop and put myself together. You actually feel the pain Liz has to deal with. You get wrapped up in her life, and by the end of the book, you can feel every emotion, good and bad. This book is a must for all of the early Danielle Steel book lovers.

This reviewer has read many books about Franklin Roosevelt, but not many recently because they are too repetitious. What did I find out here that I didn't read before?- Roosevelt's last evening on earth seemed to be somewhat pleasant. Although he looked tired, after a drink he spoke with animation about his forthcoming trip to the San Francisco United Nations Conference. The following afternoon, April 12th, his next to last words were "I have a terrific pain in the back of my head." His last words as he was carried to his room were "Be careful." A statement on page 51 about the religions could be interpreted as biased or prejudiced. However, he appointed men of all major religions to high office. So in this case actions spoke louder than words.

The title of the new book from Michael Beschloss is completely accurate, once you understand the meaning of THE CONQUERORS: Roosevelt, Truman and the Destruction of Hitler's Germany, 1941-1945. The key word in that title is not "conquerors"; very little attention is given to Bradley, Patton and the military efforts to defeat the Axis Powers. The focus of the book is not on the disposition of forces, the overall grand strategies, or the use of air power. Beschloss concentrates not on the destruction of German military might but on the destruction of the idea of Hitler's Germany. The conflict in THE CONQUERORS is intellectual rather than physical. It is not about the battle for Germany but the battle for the hearts and minds of postwar Germans. The challenge, as the Allied leaders saw it, was how to prevent another war and how to ensure that Germany could not and would not trouble the peace of the world again.

THE CONQUERORS is primarily the story of the Morgenthau Plan, an ill-starred attempt by Roosevelt's Treasury Secretary, Henry Morgenthau, to impact American policy in postwar Germany. The plan involved the wholesale destruction of German manufacturing capacity and the immediate execution of Nazi leaders; opponents described it as "Carthaginian." Beschloss describes how Morgenthau, Roosevelt's closest Jewish friend, was influenced by early reports of the Holocaust and frustrated by his failure to convince FDR to take action to stop the grisly machinery of the concentration camps. Morgenthau is the primary character in the book; his private letters and papers are the main source of material for Beschloss. As a result, the focus of THE CONQUERORS is Morgenthau's experience, which primarily consists of bureaucratic infighting among the Treasury, State and War Departments, as well as the new Truman Administration.

The result is a masterful work, yet it is a little dry for the casual reader. Moreover, Beschloss provides little in the way of second-guessing, preferring instead to let the story of the Morgenthau Plan explain itself. This allows the reader to see the problems of postwar Germany the way that Roosevelt and Truman saw them --- complete with asides about Roosevelt's boyhood vacations in Bavaria and Truman's reflexive anti-Semitism. However, aside from a brief introduction and conclusion, Beschloss provides little analysis of the mistakes, if any, that were made by Roosevelt, Truman and Morgenthau. Furthermore, Beschloss provides little or no detail about the crucial issue of how and why the Morgenthau Plan was dropped in favor of the more lenient (and ultimately more successful) Marshall Plan.

THE CONQUERORS is a valuable book, if a little frustrating in spots. It sheds light on a period only dimly understood by most and it does a good service by putting Henry Morgenthau in the spotlight of history once more. While it may not be as meaty as a good rehash of the war in the European theater, it is still important and vital.

--- Reviewed by Curtis Edmonds

As a presidential historian who regularly makes appearances on PBS and other network television, Michael Beschloss is certainly qualified to offer his perspective on the presidencies of FDR and Harry Truman. "The Conquerors" is easily readable as scholarly works go and the author has definitely established his research. The difficult dilemma of what to do with defeated Nazi Germany is discussed from the view of the decision makers. How did the two presidents arrive at their final conclusions? The book brings out the many factors that entered into the post-war policy making process, including the fear of another future war and the re-emergence of Nazi ideology. The book makes use of a plethora of primary sources, among them letters and correspondence that I believe are unveiled for the first time in this book. Readers are met with a deluge of information on Henry Morgenthau who played prominent role in the process. In summary, this is a highly intriguing read, not in the same league as "John Adams", but well worth the time and effort. Check it out.

'Hades Factor' is the first Ludlum book I have read in a very long time. I greatly enjoyed his early books but stopped reading the late Mr Ludlum's novels after his stories became too incredulous to believe. 'Hades Factor' has many of the fine characteristics of an early Ludlum but seems to have been hastily written. After I was half way through the book, I had to look back to find where the story lost me as a reader; where I started to back away from the story and no longer believed any of the characters. It was around page 70.
Sophia, Jon Smith's love of his life, dies in his arms after being injected with a virus, and in his grief, Jon ... performs an autopsy on his beloved, removes tissue samples and travels the next day to California? Huh? Wait a minute. From this incredibly unbelievable response to death onward, I read this novel from a critical distance, noting the inconsistancies in plot and lack of logic of character motivations. Yet still, I recommend this book for a quick read. Not a great Ludlum, not even a very good one, but some of the good stuff that made a Ludlum novel so appealing still manages to peek through every now and then.

Three people in different parts of the U.S. die suddenly and dramatically of a bizarre, unknown virus. What connection could there be between them? And how can this virus be stopped before it claims more victims?

That's the set-up for this collaboration between thriller-meister Robert Ludlum and relative newcomer Gayle Lynds. This is something new for Ludlum, a series written in conjunction with other authors (ala Tom Clancy's Op-Center books). This is to be the first in a series of adventure-thrillers about a government action squad called "Covert One." I'm withholding judgment on the concept until more books come out, but for now I'm cautiously optimistic.

The story is solid, although familiar. It's obviously reminiscent of Richard Preston's "The Hot Zone," along with dozens of thrillers. That's not to say it's bad, though. I enjoyed the swiftly-moving plot, and found the characters to be interesting. The protagonist is Lt. Col. Jon Smith, a medical doctor, expert on killer viruses, and all-around man-of-action. He's a fairly typical lead character for a book of this sort. Smith is interesting enough, though, and smarter than the norm, which was a nice change.

Even better was the character of Smith's sidekick, Martin Zellerbach, a computer genius with a rare form of autism. I hope he returns in subsequent books because I found him fascinating.

This reads like Ludlum-lite, featuring his brand of paranoid action and suspense, but without the depth of plotting and sophistication that characterizes his best work. It's noticeably different from the rest of his output, although maybe that's a plus given the quality of his last few books.

"The Hades Factor" is recommended for thriller lovers and anyone looking for an exciting summer read.

I am a Ludlum fan (read them all) who loves a good story...not one of those fans who thinks they are a book critic and nitpicks every phrase or fact. If you like a good suspense/espionage story with solid characters that is hard to put down then you will enjoy this book. Lt. Col Robert Smith, MD. is a strong lead character and Marty Zellerbach is an extremely interesting supporting character. Watching Marty battle his Asperger's Syndrome (type of autism) really adds an interesting wrinkle to the story. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wishes to read a good story that is hard to put down..I read it in three days! I look forward to the second book in the series and to reading co-author Gayle Lynds other works.

McNamara and his so called Whiz Kids really botched things up in Vietnam. Though, McNamara makes for an interesting read... The same arrogant McNamara that sunk us into the quagmire in Vietnam, with his poorly planned strategy, is still somewhat defiantly arrogant in this book. Yes, he humbles himself at first, but his true self comes out in the book. To me, he is still apt at making excuses like 'America was overzealously concerned about containing communism' and the 'domino theory is bogus.' McNamara is right in pointing out how we alienated the Vietnamese people, but he was complicit in the policy to do so.

Vietnam was a farce, because Vietnam had no clear-cut strategic objectives... Gen. Westmoreland succinctly summarized its failings when he stated that the overarching strategic objective is to 'rack up the body count.' Killing people and breaking things is a means to attaining an end, but it shouldn't be the only end.

Also recommended:
No More Vietnams by Richard Nixon
A Bright Shining Lie
Vietnam: The Neccessary War

McNamara vividly tells the reader what the realities of Vietnam politics were in the 1960s.These realities examined in the book are:1)The United States' containment policy was severely tested at this critical time.Should the U.S. stay in Southeast Asia and contain communist expansion or should the U.S. withdrawl and focus on Western Europe,Cuba,and South America? 2)Cold war tensions made it very difficult for the U.S. to discern China's and the Soviet Union's motives about communist domination.Was the communist movement a nationlist movement confined only to the eastern world or was it striving for global domination?
Putting the Vietnam crisis within its proper time frame,McNamara felt that the U.S. took the proper approach to containment.The tragedy in Vietnam during his tenure as defense secretary lie not in U.S governmental subterfuge,but in tricky interpretations(listed above)of the cold war.

One cannot help but wonder what our current Secretary of Defense will write when his time comes. One has the feeling that the subtitle of McNamara's retrospective, "The Tragedy and Lessons of Vietnam," will be a good starting place for that "sequel." McNamara writes, "We were wrong, terribly wrong. We owe it to future generations to explain why." Americans today will have to decide whether or not we have actually learned our lessons and are now more wise than the last generation, more able to predict the tragedies that will arise during and after today's war. Anyone who recalls the Kissinger scheme to achieve "a decent interval" while bugging out of Southeast Asia will likely recall Eric Von Marbod comparing the logic of that process to that of "a man who impregnates nine women in the hope of getting a baby in one month." How can one not think of Afghanistan, Iraq, (and now Iran) without thinking of the Vietnam era? Despite all the criticism directed at him, the author reflects great credit upon himself and the country by even attempting to set the record "straight." One can indeed be wrong even when totally convinced one is "acting in the principles and tradition of this great nation." How could we have slipped out of Vietnam if we had really believed in the domino theory used to justify that war? What will become of the "nexus of WMD and terrorism" that is today's rationale for preventive war? As we watch to see how we extricate ourselves from the war on terror, there is much to be learned from the old political schemes of Robert McNamara's era.

I bought this book because I was trying to teach myself enough to become a Financials Developer. This still MIGHT be the right book for me. However, this is not a step by step guide to the installation. In addition, the book assumes some familiarity with accounting systems.

For those critics of you out there who think that this book was not this or not that, especially the reader from Port Arthur in Tasmania, I suggest you buy an Oracle Reference Manual or Users guide. Get real! This book gives a great introduction to the core Oracle Applications and I believe it was well done. It introduces the business and Functional side to Oracle Financials. For those pretentious readers who can't spell Oracle read the cover "Oracle Financials Handbook" - "Planning and Implementing the Oracle Financial Applications Suite" No where does it say Technical Reference Manual. I'd like to see these half baked consultants write ANYTHING half as good. Well done David and Graham. If anyone cares to discuss this work email me and we'll "CHAT"

Firstly, I have to admit I'm a friend of the primary author David James, but I think they did a great job. Some of the negative reviews have been unfair. A book like this can't possibly be all things to all people. It doesn't cover HR, Payroll, or the core Manufacturing modules - that's why it's the "Oracle Financials Handbook", not the "Oracle Applications Handbook". It's definitely not a reference book or technical manual - you get those from Oracle Corporation anyway. What this book does do, is give an excellent background to real-world implementation of the Financials modules at a functional level. It's great for beginners and the more advanced, but I would defy even the gurus to read it and say they haven't learned from it.

I actually tried to talk David out of the whole endeavour almost three years ago, not because I didn't think he was qualified, but because I didn't think it was possible to write such a book covering all the Financials modules. I think he'd admit he underestimated just how much work it would be. That's one reason why a book like this hasn't been written before - there is just so much information to cover, unless you resort to wholesale cutting and pasting from the manuals and other people's papers.

I think the book is very impressive. I know David's skills, and I know how hard he worked to put everything together, and update it as the product evolved. I would recommend it to anyone working on a Financials implementation.