In this unique book, Bower takes up one of the most overlooked, yet important questions in history - what happened to the Nazis and their collaborators after the war? And he comes to a disturbing conclusion - nothing much, (in the West anyway.) This book meticulously analyzes the incompetence and outright dereliction of duty which enabled so many Nazis not only to remain free and unconvicted after the war, but also permitted them to rise to the top of West Germany's post war elite. More importantly, it shows how the commercial and class interests of the Anglo-American ruling classes overrode their nationalism, and caused them to spare elements of the German ruling class from de-Nazification. A book that is well worth reading to anyone who wants to know the truth about what happened after World War Two.

Tom Daniels provides this concise yet detailed description of several land use based agriculture preservation tools including, TDR's, PDR's, conservation easements, ag zoning, urban growth boundaries, and local right-to-farm laws. There are model documents provided in the appendices which give a detailed view of specific preservation measures.

As a county planner, I found this book provided me with a basis of knowledge to promote responsible land use decisions in my county. This book should be national standard reading for land use professionals.

The story of infamous Nazi Klaus Barbie is both a thriller and a tragedy, especially when reflecting on the victims (Jews and Resistants) that suffered under his jurisdiction (and often by his own hands). This book, written by an established jornalist and producer in this field of history, chronicles the life of Barbie, from his birth in 1913 to his capture and return to France in 1983 to face justice.

In 1942, with the Allied invasions of Morocco and Algeria, Nazi Germany finally began to feel the momentum of defeat looming ahead. France, having been divided into two distinct zones, the Occupied in the north, and Vichy in the south, was placed entirely under the jurisdiction of the Germans, who still saw France as a military asset. Because of the growing underground resistance movements that were sabotaging or ambushing German patrols and supplies, the Nazi secret police (the Gestapo) sent SS First Lieutenant Klaus Barbie to Lyons, France, to quash the Resistance. Because the Nazi vision of war was one against all "Enemies of the State," Barbie's other "assignment" was to rid Lyons of Jews. Thousands of people, including 44 innocent Jewish children at a refuge in the village of Izieu, and the "Resistance martyr" Jean Moulin, were slaughtered, the former being sent to the gas chambers of Auschwitz and Moulin being beaten literally to a pulp in the labrynth of Montluc Prison before being left to die.

Following the war, Barbie remained in hiding, having been recruited by the American CIC (predecessor to the CIA) to fight off communist movements and organizations in Bavaria, and was later packed off to Bolivia with his family, after the Americans began taking a lot of heat from an enraged French government, demanding his return to the scene of his crimes. Bolivia became his safehouse, where Barbie remained until 1983, when he was finally extradited to France to face charges of crimes against humanity.

Tom Bower's enthralling and equally informative account in this book will leave your mind filled to the brim with info on one of the most infamous Nazis ever to emerge from the theory and practice of Nazism. I highly reccomend it: thoroughly researched and well-written, Bower's book remains the definitive of its kind!

It was about time I read "Tom Jones." Fielding's 1749 novel gives us a panoramic view of 18th century British life. Its titular hero journeys among the low- and high-born trying to find his way in a world in which he occupies a precarious position. Fielding uses the sprawl of 800 pages to explore a multitude of social, political, and literary issues, gluing them together with an exquisitely outlandish, fully embodied sense of humour.

The action of the novel begins with a view of the Allworthy family, a landed gentleman, Thomas Allworthy and his sister, Bridget. Into this family is dropped an orphan, a foundling - a child, if you will, of questionable parentage. This child, Tom Jones, is raised alongside Bridget's child, Blifil, as relative equals. Both are tutored by two ideologues, the philosopher Square and the theologian Thwackum. Jones is a precocious, free-spirited youngster, spoiled by Allworthy while Blifil, the heir apparent to the estate, becomes the favourite pupil and spoiled accordingly by his mother. As the two youths age, Tom develops a fondness for the neighbour's daughter, Sophia Western.

Tom's sexual development begins to get him in trouble, as it tends to throughout the novel, and as a result of one such incident, coupled with the goading jealousy of Blifil, Tom is driven out of the Allworthy home, left to seek his fortunes in the world. Meeting his supposed father, Partridge, on the road, the two begin a quixotic ramble across England. Sophia, meanwhile, pressured into marrying Blifil, runs away from home, beginning her own voyage of discovery.

"Tom Jones" begins with the narrator likening literature to a meal, in which the paying customer comes expecting to be entertained and satisfied. All 18 books of "Tom Jones" start out with such authorial intrusions, each cluing us into the writer's craft, his interactions with his public, and various other topics. This voice is actually sustained throughout the novel, providing a supposedly impartial centre of moral value judgments - each of which seems to tend toward enforce Fielding's project of a realistic, and yet, didactic portrayal of a world full of flawed characters.

Some of the issues the novel deals most extensively with are modes of exchange, anxieties over female agency, and the power of rumour and reputation. Exchange and the ways in which value is figured include a wide range of goods - money, bodies, food, and stories - and are integral to the story. The treatment of women is a great concern in "Tom Jones": from Partridge's perpetual fear of witchcraft to the raging arguments between Squire Western and his sister over how Sophia should be treated, to general concerns about sexuality and virtue. A novel that can be in turns hilarious, disturbing, and provoking, "Tom Jones" is never dull. Despite its size, the pace of the novel is extremely fast and lively. So, get thee to a superstore and obtain thyself a copy of this excellent and highly entertaining novel.

Journey with a guy with much testosterone, but a HUGE heart. I was not looking forward to reading this book for my 18th Century British novel class, but upon starting to read I found it to be a pleasurable story. This piqaresque novel has a humor that I have seldom encountered in other narratives. What is ironic is that Fielding wrote this piece during one of the most traumatic periods of his life. His wife just passed away, his daughter was dying, and he was inflicted with the gout. One would never think it from the clever way the book is written. The point of view gives us an in so that we feel as if we ourselves have roles in the storyline. Rooting all the way for Tom despite his flaws, we find out more about human nature along the way. A good read, light a candle and sit down with some wine like they would've and enjoy this classic comical delight.

I first picked up Tom Jones because to put it bluntly I am a bibliophile and it was a cheap book. However, I was suprised at how engaging and hilarious the story was despite the claims on the back cover, which are often far off. To tell the truth I did not expect to make it through this extremely lengthy tome, I only wanted to satisfy my curiousity.

Although I am a fan of Jane Austen I was shocked by the freshness and wit that Fielding's writing still retains. Every book in the novel begins with an essay by the author. Do not skip these, they are one of the best features of the book. My favorite is the essay before the ninth book which explains the purpose of these introductory chapters. What a riot!

The story of big hearted and big appetited Tom Jones and his adventures and misadventures is one long satirical gem. Fielding's interpretation of morals, piousness, love, and high society is still as hilarious and relevant as it was in the 18th century. For anyone who appreciates wit and history, this is a must read.

This is the second book on Richard Branson that I've read. The first one was 'Losing My Virginity'. The former paints a rosy picture while this paints an overtly dark picture about the subject.

Both books have to be read in order to ascertain the facts from the chaff. Entertaining read, all in all.

This is one of the most shocking books I have ever read. Shocking not only in its content, but also in absoutely trashing my formerly favorable opinion of Branson-not just once, but over and over, practically beating my mind to a pulp.

I picked up this book on a recent trip to London. I'd always had a favorable impression of Richard Branson, so I decided to buy one of his biographies. I noticed several different ones for sale. I chose this one for two reasons. The other biographies were AUTHORIZED and VETTED by Branson. This one claims to be objective, but unauthorized, and explains why this is so, very thoroughly. The book is written by an investigative historian and journalist, and is METICULOULY researched, with pages of sources sited. The book has been gone through with a fine-toothed comb by the publisher's lawyers, who have already vetted the book. Every single thing reported in this book can be completely and thoroughly substantiated.

So what does this shocking book say? Branson's high school teacher predicted he'd either end up very rich, or in jail. He very nearly did end up in jail in his early career. He basically takes advantage of everyone, hiding behind his supposedly altruistic motives, while his real motives are to rip off everyone he can, having built an empire equivalent to a house of cards. Before I read this book, I would have liked to meet him. Now I feel he's absolute poison, and he completely revolts me. He apparently jumps into bed with every possible girl, but doesn't even have the decency to pay their cab fair home. After enticing star-struck girls into bed, he apparently tells his friends that he wakes up in the morning and says, "Who the f*** is this in my bed?" (direct quote from the book). Just as former empires around the world were built on the back of slave labor, so he treats his employees. He gives the public image of "fun" while absolutely breaking his poor employees' backs-and he has gotten a lot worse with his employees' treatment as the years went on. Furthermore, his is an empire built on sand, that could continually collapse at any moment. He knows little about running business, and doesn't like detail. Most of his businesses lose money, but he has a couple that bring in the cash to keep the others afloat, with a team of accountants who continually shuffle the money around. Surprisingly, this book does admit that he has some strengths. These include hiring good people around him to take care of all the details and run his businesses (since he can't, and isn't interested). But in the end, because he doesn't pay these people well or treat them well, they leave him, and he can only attract mediocre talent-one cause of the Virgin brand not being of good quality. His real strengths are in deal-making and self-promotion. His balloon trips are all "stunts" to attract publicity to himself and the Virgin brand, in a way that is far less expensive than advertising would be (he basically doesn't advertise, and considers it a big waste of money). He keeps expenses down, skims off the cash, and keeps it offshore to avoid British taxes. And he lies, lies, lies, all the time. According to this book, he's a poison pirate. I was reminded continually while reading this book of the old quotation, "It's easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to get into heaven." I have nothing at all against rich people, but in the case of Richard Branson, this quote seems very appropriate.

This book is not a quick read. I could only absorb about 20 pages at a time. If you are interested in Richard Branson, you should definitely read this book.

Tom Bowers who has, as he states himself, written this book upon a suggestion and with substantial help of senator D'Amato, writes that the swiss citizens' wealth is "based on the gold stolen from the jews". A good read for anyone wishing to gain insight into international politics and propaganda. An astonishing complement to the account with the same title ("Nazi Gold") by SAYER/BOTTING.

Over the last decade much has been written regarding the wanton theft of money, precious stones and metals, and other treasures and loot during the Second World War by both the Nazis and the Swiss bankers who helped finance the German war effort. This interesting and fact-filled book by author Tom Bower details the horrifying facts surrounding the multitude of ways in which Jews and other victims of the Nazi regime were fleeced, both by the Nazi authorities in the first place, and then by a plethora of other villains after the fact. Particularly distasteful are the ways in which victims of the Holocaust were manipulated, tricked, or forced into giving all they had in an attempt to save themselves and their families, only to find they were both swindled of the valuables in the first place, and then betrayed and sent to the death camps after so doing. On many levels then, this is a shocking account of the plethora of ways in which those lost in the Holocaust were victimized.

The primary story here is the well-documented system developed and employed by the Swiss banking systems to garner the money deposited by Jews and other potential victims attempting to flee fascism, and to then safeguard it against any and all attempts to withdraw the money by the legitimate survivors of those victims. At base, this is the story of the craven and deliberate theft of what is most likely many billions of dollars by the Swiss, who have stonewalled attempts to give some kind of accounting for the money and other valuables left behind by the Holocaust victims. It is, by the way, also the story of a small group of dedicated lawyers, accountants, and other professionals to force the Swiss into accounting for the money and compensating the families of the victims, even though it is clear that there is no way all of the money can ever be accounted for, or, for that matter, ever returned.

Given this situation, then, what his book represents is the last grisly chapter in the history of the Holocaust, a chapter in which memories and dignities are shattered and held up to ridicule by bankers more interested in their own financial gains than in a fair accounting of the facts. Bower provides a stunning description of the truly despicable behavior displayed by the Swiss, and their nefarious role in denying victims' families knowledge about or access to any of the funds left in their care. He also describes a wide variety of ways in which the Swiss betrayed their pose of studied neutrality during the war by actively providing goods, materials, and money to the Germans, all of which aided and abetted the German war effort against the Allies. This book is scrupulously researched, meticulously documented, and carefully described, and as a result gives the reader a much better appreciation for the true nature of Swiss involvement was both during the war and thereafter. This is an interesting and worthwhile book, and one that I recommend to students of 20th century history. Enjoy!

Bower writes a good book. The first 150 pages are very interesting. Here, Bower deals with Swiss complicity with Nazi Germany. The Swiss sold to Nazi Germany nearly a billion dollars in armaments, ballbearing and other materiel to support the German war machine. As a result, the Swiss may have prolonged the war by supporting the hard pressed Nazi war machine. In addition, we see what slimy, robber barons the Swiss bankers were. Jews, whose family members had accounts in Swiss banks (and whose parents died in the camps) find themselves turned away by callous Swiss bankers. We also learn how the Communists in Poland tried to gain capital by claiming the funds of Polish Jews who perished in the Holocaust. The Polish Communists, who would persecute Jews and expel their Jews in the 60's still wanted their cash! So, this and many other interesting points come out. Still, after about 150 pages, the book drags. Accordingly, I would read the first 150 pages. Then I would skip to the end to of the book to read about Edgar Bronfman's efforts on behalf of Jews who had money in Switzerland. Overall, a well researched book on the perfidities of the Swiss banks, but a little too long. Last but not least, this book convinced me (someone who was initially against going after the Swiss Banks, and a Jew for that matter) that the Swiss Banks should be held accountable for these crimes, and should pay some amount of restitution. Whether the survivors will get a cent after taxes and legal fees is another matter.

At the start of this book, the author promises an explosive expose of Allied duplicity at the end of World War II, assuring us that the moral and ethical implications of the Allied effort to exploit Nazi technology and expertise are shocking.
What actually follows is a dull account of the diplomatic and adminstrative wrangling over German scientists between various Allied committees, government agencies and corporations during 1945 and the immediate post war years. Rather than presenting any moral indignation at all, the author instead seems singularly annoyed that British attempts to exploit Nazi science were frustrated and outmanoeuvred by US and French efforts.
I'm sure there are better books than this dealing with this murky era of history. Try Gehlen: Spy of the Century by EH Cookridge, it deals with Allied use of the German intelligence apparatus in the post-war years.

This book was hard to find, but well worth it. So many stories about WW II have been told over and over, it's a welcome surprise to find one that hasn't.

Bower gives a thorough and occasionally wry recount about the Allies' post-war 'Every man for himself' competition for Nazi scientists. He also spends an appropriate time discussing how the U.S. overcame the moral dilemna over this competition (the press must not find out) and contrasts these efforts with the Nuremburg Trials.

Remember the quote from The Right Stuff, "Our Nazis are better than their Nazis"? Bower goes beyond the hunt for rocket scientists and provides a pervasive overview of the breadth of Nazi technological advancement across a variety of industries. I thought he could have done even more here. The discoveries were also describes the lengths each of the powers went to get top scientists. The British, French, U.S. and U.S.S.R. pulled out all the stops. Indirectly, Bower also makes a pretty strong pitch against disarmament.

A biography of press mogul Robert Maxwell. Published 1992.

Unfortunately not a business biography but more of a London gossip column. Though the first part of the book regarding Mr. Fayed's entrepreneurial life is very interesting, after the first 100 pages it becomes very superficial, leaves out all details and provides no explanation at all on how Mr. Fayed has builded his business interests. Instead it focuses solely on his private life, repeats annoyingly the same issue (the true value and the obscure origin of Mr. Fayed's fortune without providing any insights).

I'm really sorry to say this and I hope you don't take offence, but there's only one word in the English language that most precisely describes people like Tom Bower: propagandist.

I would like to say that this is one of the best books I have read for a long time. Full of factual information and well written. It kept me enthralled and interested from begining to end.