The story of the Bosket family is a chilling account of the affect of violence in America, and within a family. The reader is immediately drawn into the Bosket family through the well researched and documented account of the lives of the Bosket family members. We also get an inside look of the workings of juvenile criminal institutions. It is difficult to remain objective while reading this book as the reader learns more about the Bosket family, especially Willie Bosket and his son

This book finally says (in an unbiased and well researched fasion) what no one else I have ever read has had the courage to say outloud: That violence in America is attributable to the racism that grew out of the antebellum south. That said, this book has much, much more to say than just that. A vitally important work for anyone who cares about the future of America.

Fox Butterfield did an excellent job of detailing the horrific impact that past cultural, racial, and economic deprivation and oppression has had upon the lives of Americans both black and white. The Bosket Family is a sociologists dream because they fit the mold of the theory of "the trickle down effects of hatred and violence. The author details to the reader the hard truth that America has not just become a violent country it has always been a violent country and this is a truth that we as readers and citizens must come to accept and learn from. Butterfields depiction of the terrible cycle of violence within this writing is prolific, it is well documented and well researched. Five stars is must. This should be required reading for every criminal justice student in this country. Great Book!! Loved the historical background information.

Everyone who wants to really understand modern China should read this book. The author captured the political turmoil and tragedy of culture revolution, and the everyday Chinese life with many captivating human stories from all walks of Chinese society. The book was published in 1982. I wish the author could go back to China and write an update book on the changes in the last twenty years.

I also suggest reading Ayn Rand's Anthem together with this book

The magnitude of suffering that the Chinese have endured this century is truly inconceivable. This book helps one to relate to it through the stories of those Chinese that Mr. Butterfield was able to talk to, not too long after the Cultural Revolution ended. It really makes one think: How does such a period of mass cultural insanity happen? Is it just a result of economics and youthful demographics? Could it happen anywhere? Was it no different than the nazis or the Khmer Rouge or the Inquisition? Are we even in such a period now, and dont know it? Mr. Butterfield does a valuable service in preserving this record of human suffering and endurance.

Very well balanced book in an almanac form. This covers places and chronological events. There are many charts, maps and significant pictures to support the information. There is a very descriptive table of contents.
You can see that Colonel Harry G. Summers, Jr. has a very good understanding of the region and events leading up to and after the Vietnam War.
I picked this book because it is one of the few that include an armored reconnaissance unit, the First Squadron, 10 Cavalry. Also the other units we travel with it in the Central Highlands in II Corps. Being an almanac, not enough information was given to tell the feel of the location.
This book is well worth the cost.