After being diagnosed with brain cancer I was ready to give up hope. Then I read Ross Taylors book and realized that there was so much I could do to EMPOWER myself, to take some control over my cancer journey. It was a simple to read book and with my head spinning around this was really important! It also made me laugh, yes laugh; and I have got cancer! I loved this book!

What a refreshing approach, insightful and simple to read.Even the pleasant cover gives reader a sense of calm and wellbeing. I made a simple enquiry about this book not only as a newly diagnosed patient with rare form of cancer but also a huge Olivia Newton-John fan and the author sent me a personally signed copy and has helped me with information/links to cancer sites. Thanks Ross. This book should be read by anyone newly diagnosed or with family members/friends newly diagnosed.Highly reccomended by this reviewer.

At first glance an excellent review of these cars. 33 photos of detail useful to modellers. Chapter 2 - "Construction of the Tub" has 40 pages of text and photos on the mechanicals.

Although Lotus had many successes in sports, touring, and formula cars prior to their first World Championship, it was the Lotus 25 and its evolution the Lotus 33 that vaulted Lotus, its founder Colin Chapman, and it's primary pilot Jim Clark into the motor racing world's pinnacle. Tipler's Lotus 25 & 33 is an effort at documenting these designs in total much as Oliver's tome on the Lotus 49 did. Like Oliver's book there are clearly holes in the story as the main protagonists, namely Chapman and Clark are no longer with us. But those remaining have given Tipler a wealth of information on the cars from concept through design and production to their competition history. This has been attempted before in Bamsey's Lotus 25 Climax FWMV A Technical Appraisal. Tipler's work is more complete, much better organized, and also includes information on other design derivatives such as the Lotus 29, 34, and 38 Indy cars, the Lotus 27 Formula Junior, and Lotus 32, 35, and 48 Formula 2 cars.

While not obviously designed as a book with two parts, there are essentially two halves to the work. The first half is Foreworded by Trevor Taylor, who as the number two driver to Clark probably logged more miles behind the wheel of these designs than anyone else. His introduction is followed by the events leading up to the design, then the origins of the concept and then the design itself. The descriptions are quite complete and the reader is left with a good understanding of the inner workings of the car and Team Lotus for that matter. In the second half the racing history of all of the chassis are delineated in a prose manner. This follows the usual boring pattern of who drove which chassis in which race that is so prevalent in books of this ilk. But to spice up the text there are enough anecdotes of the behind the scene happenings to make it an interesting read. Though many of them have already been ingrained firmly into Lotus lore, there are several first hand accounts by Tipler's sources that had not been included in the historical record.

Despite any minor shortcomings Lotus 25 & 33 is a worthy addition to the motor racing library and should be of interest not only to the Lotus enthusiast, but also those interested in Formula 1 history and racing car design.

This book offers a new path to introduce us in macroeconomic studies, quite innovative if we compare to its congenerous, however very focused on rational expectations contribuitions. The authors suggests we must priorize our comprehension about the long term economic flutuactons, in opposite of the traditional ones, which dedicate the last pages to develop these subjects; in Hall & Talylor's book, the reader is introduced to the basics frameworks and modern theories soon in the firsts chapters. So, the natural consequence of their proposal is the loss of the primacy of Hicks's IS-LM model - as a basic framework tradionaly adopted as necessary to understanding the macroeconomics fundamentals - to the contemporaries economics growth theories, enriching it with many "real world" examples about its approaches. The only restriction I do is the negligence, or a little more emphasis, on other kind of approaches in macroeconomic thought (the post-keynesians contribuitions, for example), causing us the sensation that the macroeconomics reality is restricted to rational expectations workings. For an approach which priorize the evolution of the schools of macroeconomics thought, I recomend the Froyen's book. In spite of that, is an excellent introduction to macroeconomic theory.

This book is well organized to help student learn macroeconomics. It has the best utilization of pedagogical features (not just graphs, captions and colors) I've ever seen. I found key term call-outs, section reviews, and keypoint outlines to be the most helpful. I appreciate the efforts of reducing the amount of reading necessary to understand the concepts.
If you are not a lazy student, you will have lots of case studies, news analysis, econ puzzles, and biographies to broaden your breath. All these features are well organized so that you can read efficiently, thanks to the ingenious layouts.
I am actually here to look for other books by Mr. Taylor to support my current textbooks.

This new paperback edition of the 1976 work has twenty-eight new pages of preface and forward which detail and discuss much of the more recent Robin Hood scholarship by Stephen Knight and others. About two dozen Robin Hood ballads, plays, and poems are viewed from the perspective of two noted English historians. They do an excellent job of bringing a nice group of the early Robin Hood ballad sources to light. In addition, several later poems, a number of plays, and a few other outlaw poems find their way into the book and the discussion. The authors round out their study with four appendices, a bibliography (from 1976), an updated additional bibliography (since 1976), and an index. Overall this a very good place to start researching this celebrated English outlaw. If you get hooked, as I have, there is more than enough information contained here to lead you on as merry a chase of the elusive outlaw as you chose to take.

Here is a book that's been considered a classic in Robin Hood scholarship for over 30 years -- and deservedly so! It collects several important ballads, plays and poems. And it has a long well-written and very accessible introduction about the legend as a whole. Also, the new preface fills people in on the exciting Robin Hood scholarship of the 1980s and 1990s. Prepare to fall in love with Robin Hood all over again.

John Glenn became the first American in orbit when he circled the Earth three times aboard Friendship 7. The most senior of the original Mercury astronauts, he was trumpeted as a hero upon return, but left the space program shortly thereafter because NASA wouldn't give their famous spokesman a second, potentially disastrous flight. Not until almost thirty years later, that is, when Senator Glenn returned to space at the age of 77, amidst a roar of publicity that rivalled his first mission. In the meantime, he had embarked upon a political career that included a shot at the presidency. A rather distinct biography.

In "John Glenn: A Memoir", the Marine turned Astronaut turned Politician shares with the world his life story, which spans the better part of a century and saw aviation progress from biplanes to the Space Shuttle. Yet this is a deliberate and slow-moving book, written in earnest and matter-of-fact prose. It progresses in strictly chronological order, spends a great amount of nostalgic detail on Glenn's childhood - including mother's cooking and playpen stories -, then moves on to the Marine days flying planes in World War II and Korea, then to his test pilot career. Always one step at a time, one little story after the other.

The results are a mixed bag: while the drama-oriented readers will call it outright dull, others might find the leisurely pace quite immersive and captivating. At the least, it is refreshing to read an astronaut biography that does not suffer from tunnel vision. The space program is not as much as mentioned until about half-time, and even recounting his NASA days, Glenn focuses on the big picture - the political and ideological implications of the space race - rather than technical detail. While the accounts of his actual Mercury and Shuttle flights are vivid and gripping, on the whole there is nothing about the space program that could not be found in most other, specialised books. Not surprising, given that Glenn's astronaut career was illustrious but brief, and something that the die-hard space buffs should consider.

The part between Glenn's flights focuses on his political career, his friendship with the Kennedys, and law making as an Ohio Senator. There is more talk about his loved wife and family, and more emphasis on duty, country, values. In truth, it must be said that the only things arguably more all-American than John Glenn are baseball and apple pie; he constantly reflects on his beliefs and guidelines, and never seems to waver in his uncomplicated optimism and patriotism. More remarkably, it all seems genuine, too: no image polishing, that's just the way he is. Indeed, Glenn colours his omnipresent love of America with plenty of humour and palpable feeling, and comes across not as preachy, but entirely likeable.

The concept of such an awfully nice moralist seems strange in today's cynical times, and this is perhaps the most telling point of all: the text seems like a document from a different age. Like the photographs that come with it, showing Glenn's wedding ceremony in uniform, or piloting Corsairs in World War II, this tale is something out of our reach, something delightfully dated. And "John Glenn: A Memoir" sure is a delightful book. Readers looking for a remarkably rich and varied life story can hardly make a better choice. Space enthusiasts lusting for nuts and bolts might want to think twice.

Based on this book John Glenn never got out of line, never got in any serious trouble or caused anyone else to get into trouble, had a perfect wife and family who always supported him 100%, even if it meant his being away from home for long periods of time. He even goes to the extreme of discounting a story about his concern over his height exceeding the max requirement for space travel. I found many parts of this book enjoyable, but left feeling I had only been reading a whitewashed version purified for mass consumption. On slight hint at the "real" John Glenn may be revealed in his writing a letter to NASA in an effort to overturn the decision to have Alan Shepard and Guss Grissom fly in space before him. This book left me with many more questions about the real man. Showing more of his human, occassionally risking and failing side would have added much to my enjoyment. Unfortunately this was missing.

Marine Colonel John H. Glenn, Jr., was selected as one of the original seven Mercury astronauts in 1959, and made his historic orbital flight aboard Friendship 7 on February 20, 1962. But as this book reminds us, Glenn was involved in many other grand events in our nation's history. He was a fighter pilot in the Marines during World War II and Korea in the 1940's and 1950's, he served in the Senate for four terms in Ohio, and finally, in the fall of 1998, he made a historic return to orbit aboard the space shuttle Discovery. This book captures the details of those events, sweeping the lifetime of this small town boy from the midwest, a true American icon. I thought it was very thrilling, and was interested in hearing of his accounts of his spaceflights , Senate career, and combat flights in the wars. Others have said it was boring because Glenn has almost never faced adversity in his life, but I thought it was entertaining nontheless. His accounts of the Friendship 7 and Discovery missions are nearly minute-by minute, very detailed, and I thought it was very well done.

I just finished reading this book and am urging my friends to read it fast so I can discuss it with them without ruining it for them!

This is a true crime mystery told with meticulous attention to detail. It is totally engrosssing, and even a little unsettling, as it presents a scenario in which one can see that it IS really possible for an innocent person to be suspected of a crime. (But then again....IS she innocent???!!!) In any case, this is a woman who, in most respects, is just like the nicest lady in any neighborhood.

Throughout most of the book, I was torn between what I felt and how the evidence was stacking up in my mind. The strength of the book, I felt, was that it portrayed each character with such authenticity. From the victim to the overzealous investigator, from the children of the suspect to each attorney involved in the case...this is a mystery that hinges on personalities, and I thought the writer did a very thorough and even-handed job with his presentation of each one.

Most of all, however, and of greatest concern is the irrefutable "story" that exists in records and transcripts of this case from the investigation through the most recent appeal. It is so disturbing to see what weighty consequences can hinge on the personal foibles of those in our justice system. This particularly struck me, as I am also a very nice lady, just like Beverly Monroe, who has a natural respect and trust in that system.

I do have better taste in boyfriends, however!

Great book...wonderful grist for the debate mill! I can't wait for my friends to read it!

It's not difficult to know who really killed the subject early on, but to quote a sentence in the book, "It also said the courts were a crapshoot." This true crime story is a good one. An individual who critiqued this story stated there was too much detail. I thought the detail was necessary as the story progressed; it was essential! Beverly Monroe, a PhD, an accused and convicted murderer, has a story of great interest. On the State's side you have the motivation to find the guilty person and the details of dastardly deeds, and on the Defense side, you have the myriad of motions and just plain work to try to prove innocence. What a spider's web this story becomes. A fine read worth 5 stars.

Murder mysteries, both fiction and non-fiction, are generally driven by one of three questions, or by some combination thereof : (1) Who done it?; (2) How'd they do it?; and/or (3) Why'd they do it? One of the things that makes John Taylor's The Count and the Confession so engaging is that the true-life crime at its core not only involves all three of these questions but, remarkably enough, a rarely asked fourth question : Was there even a murder? There's certainly a body. In 1992, Roger de la Burde--a thoroughgoing scoundrel, though he styled himself a Polish count--was found dead in his locked Powhatan County, Virginia house with a single gunshot wound to the head and the proverbial smoking gun in his hand. To all appearances it was a case of suicide, but eventually his lover of thirteen years, Beverly Monroe, would be convicted of his murder, a verdict aided greatly by Ms Monroe's own confession that she was present when the gun fired.

Over the course of the book, as Mr. Taylor walks back the cat on this case, two elements emerge as the keys to what may well have been a miscarriage of justice. First he explores the deplorable character of Roger de la Burde, who in addition to not actually being a count was also a serial womanizer--having left his wife for Ms Monroe and having impregnated another woman at the time of his death, among his many sexual exploits--and a dealer in bogus artworks. He was also mired in a lawsuit with his former employer, Phillip Morris, which seems to have been a groundless attempt to extort money from them. He was also extraordinarily manipulative. One of the of the highlights of the book is his will, which is a model of self-absorption, judgmentalism, and how not to treat your daughters. All of this makes him pretty entertaining to read about but it's surpassing hard to mind that he's dead, whether by his own hand or at that of another.

Meanwhile, Beverly Monroe captivates us because on the one hand she seems reasonably pulled together, well-educated, financially independent, seemingly a good mom. But on the other, she tolerated de la Burde's shenanigans, including knowing that he was trying to have a "male heir" by just about any woman who was willing, and she made that confession. And that's the second element that Mr. Taylor focuses on : why would beverly Monroe confess to being there when de la Burde died if she wasn't?

It is here that a sort of villain emerges, David Riley, chief investigator for the county. Riley determined to his own satisfaction that the position in which de la Burde was lying and the way he was holding the gun indicated not suicide but murder and he settled upon Beverly Monroe as the culprit. He then used a variety of techniques, from a lie detector test that he informed her she'd failed to commiserating about how badly de la Burde had treated her to threats about how the prosecution might portray her to an oft repeated, nearly hypnotic suggestion that, even if she didn't kill him, she must have been there when de la Burde died. When she accepted this last scenario and made it her own, it enabled the state to portray her as a murderess once they used forensic evidence to rule out suicide.

As Mr. Taylor shows though, and as her lawyers were able to show on appeal, it seems unlikely that she was in the room at the time and there is significant reason to doubt the evidence that the state purported to show that de la Burde did not fire the shot that killed him. In fact, Ms Monroe's appeal was eventually successful and she has been released from prison pending further appeal by the state. However, even if we accept that she did not kill de la Burde--and the author, though he does not slip into advocacy does make it hard for us to believe anything other than that it was a suicide--in the end, we come back to the central mysteries : the count and the confession.

Towards the end of the book Mr. Taylor recounts a moment where Beverly Monroe's original attorney, Murray Janus, is reflecting on the reasons he lost at trial :

After all these years, Janus still could not believe that Beverly had given those statements to Dave Riley. They were tantamount to a confession.
Why she did it was truly a mystery, second only to the mystery of how Roger de la Burde had died.

That this moment comes so late in the proceedings and that even then we join in Janus's wonderment at these two mysteries, suggests why Mr. Taylor's story works so well. For by then we kind of know the answer to two of those classic murder mystery questions. We know why someone would have killed de la Burde and we know how it might have been done (a jury bought it anyway). But we still don't know who killed Roger de la Burde and we really have to doubt that anyone did. It seems a simple case of suicide gone horribly wrong in the hands of an overzealous investigator. And Beverly Monroe seems to have been, as she was so often and maddeningly during his life, a victim of de la Burde's misbehavior and her own malleability. But if her continual acquiescence in that misbehavior makes her somewhat unsympathetic early on in the tale--just as it makes him wholly unsympathetic--then the grace with which she handles the conviction and the determination with which she and even more so her daughter, Katie, fight the appeal serve to redeem her. Even if you're ambivalent about her at first, as I have to admit I was, you'll be rooting for Beverly Monroe by the end.

GRADE : A-

Hitchcock is my very favorite film director, and I think he's definitely one of the best, if not THE best, directors ever, so I was very disappointed to read this book which only skims over Hitch's life, giving some films barely a page or two. Taylor looks at Hitch's many movies with neither a critical or even historical eye--and many, many details are left out, and many facts are just plain backwards, especially that "Notorious" was based on an idea provided by David O. Selznick, and that "Spellbound" started as Hitch's idea (it was in fact the other way around, with the recently depression-cured Selznick wanting to make a film about analysis; in fact, in the few paragraphs afforded to "Spellbound," Mae Romm, Selznick's therapist who acted as an advisor on the film--and set--isn't even mentioned!). Donald Spoto's two books about Hitchcock, one a film-by-film analysis and the other a straight biography, are much better than this slight volume.

Highly readable and informative. Recommended for all Hitch fans as well as anyone interested in the history of cinema. Beyond the basic facts,there are lots of telling anecdotes and perceptive observations, such as Hitchcock's famous distinction between shock and suspense. My favorite Hitch quip: a father wrote to Hitchcock for some advice. After seeing Les Diaboliques his daughter refused to take a bath, and now after seeing Psycho she wouldn't take a shower either. "Have her dry-cleaned" was Hitchcock's cheerful reply.

This book was a really easy read. With tales of Hitch's career and providing insight - I believe - into the man behind the much misunderstood myth.

"Hitch" is mostly filled with tales from behind the scenes rather than an examination of Hitch's craft and technique. I enjoyed it because I think knowing the PERSON behind a picture will often explain his technique better than any self-proclaimed "expert" who will often take technical necessity and make it symbolist bull.

Well written and very interesting subject matter. A must for anyone!

In this emotional and thought-provoking collection of speeches and essays, John Taylor Gatto fearlessly takes on the American public education system. An award-winning ex-teacher with 30 years of service, Gatto has had plenty of experience to back up his belief that compulsory public schooling does little or nothing to help students become critical thinkers, responsible community members or confident and generous individuals. Gatto effectively argues that public schooling has damaged the family and individual/community spirituality. He reveals how the modern system of schooling was constructed in a way that would create a mass of obedient citizens. The creation of "planned society" required the subordination of family and spiritual needs to the needs of the state. Gatto speaks of an earlier time when people became literate and well educated without formal schooling. But he pays little attention to the plight of poor and oppressed people in this country who may never have had access to any kind of social mobility without the creation of a public education system. While Gatto makes numerous references to the historical basis for the current system, it would be helpful to have specific citations so that the reader could check out his information. I feel that this is one of the main weaknesses in his book.

Gatto thinks that students should spend much of their learning time on independent study, community service and class projects in the community. We need a curriculum for the common good. While I, along with other teachers, agree with many of Gatto's ideas, his call for using our taxes (and other sources of funding) to establish a wide variety of private alternative schools risks violating the Constitution and could result in few people getting any quality formal education. In spite of my differences with the author, I think this book is well worth reading because it inspires the reader to think beyond the boundaries of normal discourse on this subject. Gatto is an excellent writer who will keep you riveted from cover to cover. It is hard to put this book down.

While Gatto's Book will be an offense to some; the truth often is. Even if you send your children to private school or homeschool, our present day mindset for schooling has been set by the establishment of the public school system over the past 100+ years. This collection of speeches and essays by Gatto has woven through it the state of present day schooling as well as the history of the establishment of public schooling. It was an eye opener. We can put a band-aid on the problem (in the form of metal detectors) but it doesn't deal with the root problems. We are reaping what has been sown.

John Taylor Gatto is a man that every public school superintendent would fear (and hopefully listen to attentively). He has 30 years experience teaching in the best and worst schools in New York City. Gatto succinctly describes the history of public education in the United States and the motives of the "powers-that-were" to create public education (hint: they weren't out of social benevolence!). I read Gatto's "Dumbing Us Down" first, before I read this, and I was so enrapt with his writings and message that I ran out and bought this book and read it two days after finishing Dumbing Us Down. I keep these books close by and have recommended them to a number of teachers I work with (yes, I am a 10 year public school teacher). Here are a few of the jewels I picked up from Gatto and I think you might be interested in reading and knowing: First, he points out that from every town/ city's educational budget, only about 25 % of it actually goes toward purchasing student supplies. The other 75 % is mostly administrative costs. He claims our education system "schools" students, it shows them how to pass tests that we prepare them for, but it doesn't educate them. OK, if you're a college graduate what talents and skills do you have? Can you grow food? build your own house? This is what Gatto means is the difference between "schooling" students and "educating" them. (He mentions the conference where he was speaking and a 25 y/o man said he had 2 college degrees and was very well "educated" by American standards but didn't know how to fix a broken fan belt on his car.i.e.--too much useless information in curriculums, but no practical knowledge or trade work taught to kids that would be useful to them in the world they will graduate into.) Gatto points out the number of millionaires who graduated from college is remarakably low, compared to dropouts and those who don't attend college--if we want to consider one's earnings as a measure of the educated person. Are you aware that as a nation, our literacy rate has dropped since the advent of public education? Gatto describes the old ways of schooling where kids went out into the community and apprenticed in a craft or field that they liked and that they felt a great interest or a passion for and also performed community service for others; where they were connected and well-adjusted to working with older people and the very young. This gave them a sense of appreciation and respect for working with those from the different age groups in society and made them connected and feel that they were really participating memebers of society. This gave them responsibility, duty, as well as well-earned pride and the "self-esteem" that young people need today. Gatto has a well-researched repertoire of arguments against the state-run public education system (the big business of school or also the "school ring" as he calls it) that are logical, well-researched and easy to follow. He's not an angry, "blame it on them" writer, or a "know it all", he's a true scholar with abundant intellectual curiosity as witnessed by the depth of research he made to make his points in his books. He's a man that seeks change and solution to the myriad of problems in public education. If you're a teacher or if you're interested in education as a parent or as a school board member or that fact just curious about public education, read this book. It's a quick read and very well worth it. It may change the way you view school and education.

Taylor's work on Bismarck is strangely contradictory. While he often makes reference to issues in German history that only knowledgable readers would understand, he also deals with the subject matter in a very superficial manner. While I found the work engaging and quick to read, it left me with a lot more questions than answers.

If you are looking for an in-depth review of Bismarck's life, don't go here. But if you want a quick read that deals effectively with the greater issues of Bismarck's career, then this is it.

Arrogant, confrontational, self-absorbed: one would be hard pressed to determine if these characteristics should be found in A. J. P. Taylor's Bismarck: The Man and the Statesman or if they should be in his autobiography. Moreover, it is curious that many other distinguishing characteristics of Taylor's Bismarck are in many ways reflections of Taylor himself. This parallel could even be extended one step further to claim that Taylor's assessment of Bismarck might be similar to the present assessment of Taylor; that is, both must be praised for their remarkable achievements but praised in such a way that they would be opposed to it.
Taylor, England's most flamboyant historian,# often broke the traditional bounds of the field. He brought history to television, radio and the newspapers. He closed the gap of the historical wait period by writing a history of the origins of War World II in 1961. His flashiness aside, he produced many historical masterpieces including Bismarck. In this work he goes beyond the face value of Bismarck's recorded statements and examines the actions, and subsequently his motives, to find the true character of this monumental figure. He develops the notion of a opportunistic and self-centered Bismarck as opposed to loyal servant of the king whose great foresight brought the unity of Germany.
One major theme of the book is chance. It is argued that it was stoke of luck that allowed Bismarck even enter the field of politics, the bad health of another deputy. Even his great foreign policy was based on providence. Repeatedly Taylor asserts that Bismarck had no plan, rather he would let events unfold and then act from there. Furthermore, when Bismarck intentionally carried a line of policy through it would normally backfire causing him more harm. Taylor remarks, the genius of Bismarck lie not in brilliant initiatives but in being able to recover from past blunders.
Closely related to the theme of chance is the notion that Bismarck had no enduring principles. His own greatness was the only value that he held to as he morphed from reactionary to liberal to conservative. He proudly boasted to the Reichstag "I have no fixed opinions... there are no eternal truths" (138). Beside his own will, the only other exception of complete devotion was his family. However, this might even be challenged. One the boldest claims of the book is that some of Bismarck's landmark achievements, unification and social reform, came as by-products for his bid to stay in power. Explicitly, his main motive for introducing bills was to split the Emperor and Reichstag and thus increase his power; and similarly his main motive for foreign policy was to split the Great Powers to increase Germany and subsequently his power.
In many respects it is a difficult task writing the biography of a man who is a deceptive diplomat. Bismarck's documents and speeches are overflowing with contradictions. It seems that Bismarck's policies stemmed from the hope of a desired outcome instead of personal convictions. Nonetheless, the historian has the difficult task of sifting through the political jargon to find the true motives of this complicated person. Taylor largely discredits Bismarck's talk of humble servitude towards the monarch and instead supports the Bismarck's claim of his own greatness. However, how can one claim certitude with a man who has changed his memoirs repeatedly, had no scruples in contradicting facts, and supported so many opposing principles? This is a contributing fact to the case that this debate will go on. As it does, Taylor's work will do much to help guide those who seek the motives and beliefs or the real Bismarck.

Arrogant, confrontational, self-absorbed: one would be hard pressed to determine if these characteristics should be found in A. J. P. Taylor's Bismarck: The Man and the Statesman or if they should be in his autobiography. Moreover, it is curious that many other distinguishing characteristics of Taylor's Bismarck are in many ways reflections of Taylor himself. This parallel could even be extended one step further to claim that Taylor's assessment of Bismarck might be similar to the present assessment of Taylor; that is, both must be praised for their remarkable achievements but praised in such a way that they would be opposed to it.
Taylor, England's most flamboyant historian,# often broke the traditional bounds of the field. He brought history to television, radio and the newspapers. He closed the gap of the historical wait period by writing a history of the origins of War World II in 1961. His flashiness aside, he produced many historical masterpieces including Bismarck. In this work he goes beyond the face value of Bismarck's recorded statements and examines the actions, and subsequently his motives, to find the true character of this monumental figure. He develops the notion of a opportunistic and self-centered Bismarck as opposed to loyal servant of the king whose great foresight brought the unity of Germany.
One major theme of the book is chance. It is argued that it was stoke of luck that allowed Bismarck even enter the field of politics, the bad health of another deputy. Even his great foreign policy was based on providence. Repeatedly Taylor asserts that Bismarck had no plan, rather he would let events unfold and then act from there. Furthermore, when Bismarck intentionally carried a line of policy through it would normally backfire causing him more harm. Taylor remarks, the genius of Bismarck lie not in brilliant initiatives but in being able to recover from past blunders.
Closely related to the theme of chance is the notion that Bismarck had no enduring principles. His own greatness was the only value that he held to as he morphed from reactionary to liberal to conservative. He proudly boasted to the Reichstag "I have no fixed opinions... there are no eternal truths" (138). Beside his own will, the only other exception of complete devotion was his family. However, this might even be challenged. One the boldest claims of the book is that some of Bismarck's landmark achievements, unification and social reform, came as by-products for his bid to stay in power. Explicitly, his main motive for introducing bills was to split the Emperor and Reichstag and thus increase his power; and similarly his main motive for foreign policy was to split the Great Powers to increase Germany and subsequently his power.
In many respects it is a difficult task writing the biography of a man who is a deceptive diplomat. Bismarck's documents and speeches are overflowing with contradictions. It seems that Bismarck's policies stemmed from the hope of a desired outcome instead of personal convictions. Nonetheless, the historian has the difficult task of sifting through the political jargon to find the true motives of this complicated person. Taylor largely discredits Bismarck's talk of humble servitude towards the monarch and instead supports the Bismarck's claim of his own greatness. However, how can one claim certitude with a man who has changed his memoirs repeatedly, had no scruples in contradicting facts, and supported so many opposing principles? This is a contributing fact to the case that this debate will go on. As it does, Taylor's work will do much to help guide those who seek the motives and beliefs or the real Bismarck.

Reading some of the reviews below, I'm reminded of a cartoon showing Moses parting the Red Sea. One Israelite is grumbling to another, "It's a bit damp in there, isn't it ...."

I know the folksy style of this book can be off-putting to some. But if anyone thinks that the *content* is dumbed down, it can only mean they haven't scratched below the surface and discovered the extraordinary wealth of examples, insightful applications and programmed exercises. Taylor and Wheeler (John Wheeler, one of the outstanding theoreticians of our time) are attempting to acculturate students (ouch) to the counter-intuitive world of special relativity, set in the context of general relativity. That takes more than a collection of formulas given in a handout at the start of the semester. You don't need heavy math, but you do need much thoughtful pedagogy. They succeed brilliantly and, contrary to some opinions, do so without glossing over anything of importance. The only aspect of basic relativity not touched on is the covariant formulation of the electromagnetic field equations (I defy anyone to do that without a couple of years' calculus). In short, the book is far from trivial. It is accessible to any numerate high-school graduate able and willing to think. I can't imagine how it could have been done better.

P.S. Complimentary copies should be sent to Latour, Irigaray et Cie, Paris.

I use this book as a supplement to an online relativity class at drphysics.com. Students love this book because it explains the concepts of relativity clearly and without unnecessary mathematical complication. Introductory physics classes have been using this book (including the earlier edition) for decades. Don't be fooled: while it is accessible to students at the elementary level, it is useful for readers at all levels.

Not only is John Wheeler a consummate theoretician, he is also a gifted teacher. The solved examples were carefully chosen to elucidate key points. The remaining exercises will help the reader understand special relativity in great depth.

The first edition of _Spacetime Physics_ was written before the classic general relativity text _Gravitation_ by Misner, Thorne, and Wheeler. The same brilliant exposition methods were used in the much thicker general relativity text. Both books belong in every physicist's library.

I have only the first edition, however, the fundamental concepts of invariance of the (space-time) interval and the curvature of spacetime defining gravitation are presented in an intuitive way (other comments notwithstanding). This book, followed by Gravitation and Gravitation and Inertia all co-authored by John Archibald Wheeler (Princeton Univ), constitute a classic trilogy in gravitation, relativity, physics, and methods of thinking. If you think this book is a baby book, pick up one of the other two. If you think it's too hard you need to do some elemental studying. If you think this book fails to make these concepts intuitive, you haven't understood it. It is not intended for those who don't like to reason nor for those who dislike math. Between this book and the other two should lie several courses in calculus, ordinary and partial differential equations, differential forms, and possibly a lower level differential geometry course. As Feynman would say, "this is how the world works".