I bought this book after carefully researching it, trying to decide if it would be a book I would use or a book that would sit on my shelf and collect dust. The recipes in this book look more time-consuming than those found in my other bread books, and I finally decided that, based on other reviews of this book, it was worth a shot.

Almost all of the recipes in this book require more than one day to make; the author bases a great many of his recipes on some form of starter, whether it's a stiff dough or a liquid sourdough starter. He asserts that this style of baking brings out the most flavor in the flour. He's right. The recipes I have tried [so far] in this book do indeed have a better and stronger flavor, in spite if the fact that the base ingredients are the same as that of other recipes in other books.

The author does more than provide a bunch of good recipes (he refers to them as "formulas"). He describes the chemistry behind the ingredients and how they react to one another when mixed. He also shows, with photographs, many different shaping methods and intermediate steps that are required in making bread dough.

The author writes the techniques and recipes in this book like a man who has a deep interest in the subject, not just a desire to crank out another cookbook. He demonstrates, through his discussion in the book, his deep understanding of the art of breadmaking. For this man, bread making is a joy and a pleasure, not just a profession. When reading this book, the reader gets pulled along into the excitement the author has for his topic, which makes the process of breadmaking even more pleasurable.

This book is not for the lazy baker. If you want to make breads that are fast and easy, look for other titles. But if you want outstanding breads, and you're willing to work for it and be patient, then this book is a superb choice.

Just bought this book last week - saw it on display at a bookstore, and it sounded interesting...looked through it, put it down to look for a less-leafed-through copy...it was the only copy around, so I grabbed it, bought it, and headed home to try it out. Having begun with Dan Leader's BREAD ALONE and more recently, Maggie Glezer's ARTISAN BAKING ACROSS AMERICA, and many great bread books in between, THE BREAD BAKER'S APPRENTICE has to be recipe for recipe the most practical, and we're talking about a bunch of great titles here. I was curious about the mystique of the Pain a L'Ancienne and had a hard time believing this one bread made of flour, salt, yeast and water...nothin' else, no sugar or anything... could cause the emotions experienced by the author and his friends as described in the book, but I tried the delayed-fermentation technique, baked a batch, and was astounded at this simple complex amazingly creamy bread. So was my family, and we're having a special baking night to make more. Add to this the cinnamon buns that literally made our knees weak, the Portuguese Sweet Bread (I grew up with this stuff in New England) and the rye bread, these are the best consitently successful bread recipes I have ever used in one bread book during the course of one week, and I highly recommend Peter Reinhart's THE BREAD BAKER'S APPRENTICE to anyone who loves to bake bread, as well as read excellent culinary literature.

This is actually three books in one.

1. A collection of Peter Reinhart's stories and travels. This adds considerable color to the narrative.

2. A group of recipes for bread. For the most part, these recipes employ longer fermentation times and wetter doughs than most people are familiar with, which makes them hard to work with at first. The good part is that they work and work well. After you've made several of the breads, you'll wonder how you made bread any other way.

3. The first 110-odd pages. This is simply the finest how-to book I've ever read on bread baking. It covers the subject from start to finish, from opening the bag of bread flour and wondering what's inside, to letting the finished loaf cool on the rack. Reinhart should publish this separately, it's that good.

If you bake bread, buy it. If you don't bake bread, buy the book and try baking some bread.

Truly, Mark Rashid must be here on earth to be the voice of the horse. Never have I read a more eloquent, spellbinding pair of books as 'Considering the Horse' and 'A Good Horse is Never a Bad Color.' If you read them as training manuals, you will find them informative and thought-provoking. If you read them for entertainment, you'll find humor, drama, compassion, and common sense.

Rashid doesn't offer a quick fix for horse training problems. Rather, he advocates considering the lesson from the horse's point of view, then using communication, patience, gentleness, and compassion to form a lasting partnership with the horse.

I urge you to read these books, apply Rashid's principles to your training programs, and spread the word to as many other horsepeople as you can. We owe it to our horses.

This is the first book I have read by the recent crop of "horse trainers" in which the author does NOT claim to be the inventer of his techniques OR infallible! Mark's style is easy, flows nicely, and is very readable--it's almost like he's sitting on the couch in your living room talking with you about working with problem horses. He stresses approaching problems from the horse's viewpoint, and in the process of doing so makes the trainer reassess his own techniques and approaches to horses. Excellent book, well worth the price and the time to read.

Here is a book that excels beyond description. I must admit that Mark Rashid is a gift to horses and I sure hope there would be more people like him. I cannot begin to express how inspirational this book had been. Not only is he a great horseman, but he is also a master at writing.

'Considering the Horse' is less of a problem solver and more of an attitude adjuster. Don't get me wrong, Mark addresses common problems in this book and provides innovative and effective methods of solving them. It is his suggestions that will be changing many traditional point of views. He does not force his ideas on you, but supports them with logical explanations backed by evidence from real life. Which brings me to the next point: the book's individuality stems from the fact that it is presented in true story format rather than text-book style. I think this format aids in delivering Mark's message in a subtle voice, allowing the reader to absorb the information and start thinking!

Mark addresses problems such catching uncatchable horses, picking up feet, stopping unstopable horses, ground manners, loading, headshyness, mounting problems, and balking. He begins by explaining how he decided on his approach and clearly illustrates different situations where different approaches should be taken. From easy quick-fixes to deep-rooted problems.. everything is explained in his entertaining and enlightening stories. He closes the book with a deeply touching story and a lesson for mankind that brought me to tears.

I have read his latest book 'Horses Never Lie' before this one and I find both books equally educational. Mark's passion for horses is evident in every word he writes and as I mentioned before, he is also a gifted writer. I believe that he is reaching out to the horse community, offering his knowledge to benefit as many horses in the world as possible. Five stars don't do him or his books justice.

I haven't stopped thinking (or talking!) about ANGEL FIRE since reading it several months ago. This beautiful and compelling story of two brothers has something to teach us all about the necessity of our relationships and what they bring to our lives: about love and loss, pain and redemption. Daniel and Cassidy's story seems so familiar to us because it involves these universal themes; it captures our imagination so completely because Mr. Franscell shows us essential truths within a seamlessly constructed "vivid, continuous dream." Ron Franscell presents us with authentic and complicated characters so fascinating they force us to care about them. His writing is at once richly poetic and deceptively simple, without a single wasted word. ANGEL FIRE is a beautiful story, beautifully told, and one that will stay with you long after you've devoured every page. I recommend ANGEL FIRE to all readers who believe that the best literature provides us with stories that entertain and truths that enlighten; you'll find both in this passionate, inpiring novel. Go buy it. Right now.

I've never read a novel that made me cry - a few movies have done the trick, but never a novel.

I still haven't. But Angel Fire came as close as any to date. Ron not only opened a vein to write this book, he opened up the depths of his heart to create a wonderful tale that weaves love for family, the magical moments of growing up in small town America in the 1950s, and the tragedy of war into a excellent plot.

The story centers on Cassidy McLeod, a disenchanted writer and journalist from San Francisco whose father had been an editor and publisher of a small town newspaper in Wyoming. Cassidy's life is shaken when his revered older brother, Daniel, a war correspondent presumed killed in the Vietnam War, shows up in his Wyoming hometown in 1995. Cassidy puts his life on hold to care for Daniel, who is all but catatonic from horrific war experiences.

The particular strength of the novel is in its flashbacks. Usually, flashbacks are considered a fiction taboo, especially for an inexperienced novelist. The theory is that all they tend to do is slow down the plot.

That's anything but the case in Angel Fire. The flashback chapters and scenes are compelling, unforgettable stories in themselves that establish the powerful emotional bond Cassidy has for his brother. When that bond collides with the tragic circumstances of 1995, it creates the stuff of which unforgettable stories are made.

The flashback scenes represent writing and storytelling at its finest, capturing the innocence of the post-war 1950s, the essence of hometown newspapering and the aura of growing up in a small town as well as any novel I've read.

Ron's style flows as smooth as an AP wire story, and he has an excellent instinct for compelling detail and vivid description, both executed without slowing down the story.

Many literary writers complain that their work is ignored in favor of the Tom Clancys, John Grishams and Danielle Steels of the writing world. But in many cases literary writers create beautiful prose and then forget the most critical element of any work of fiction, whether it's literary, a romance, a thriller or a mystery.

They forget to tell a good story.

Ron Franscell doesn't forget to tell us a good story. In Angel Fire, he tells an excellent story that elevates and embraces the humanity in all of us.

Ron Franscell is a newspaperman who knows a good story when he sees it. Angel Fire is proof-positive that a newspaperman can overcome the usual who, what, when, where, and how style of everyday reporting to create a fictional piece that will move into the depths of your soul.

His is the level of writing many only dream of attaining. He is a masterful storyteller who pays a high compliment to ordinary characters with extraordinary circumstances. His eloquence with words fills a literary canvas with imagery, style and sensibility.

Angel Fire is a novel which personifies heartbreaking strength, selflessness, trust and love. I wept. I laughed out loud. I wept again. The surprise ending will leave you speechless. It has, by far, the best ending I have ever read.

Kudos, Mr. Franscell. Your brilliance is what Hemmingways are made of! I look forward to your next book!

While I grew up in a family of three brothers, somehow our adventures were never quite as exciting as the scrapes that T.D., J.D., and (less often) S.D. continually found themselves in. I can remember many wonderful days and evenings reading along with our dad through this book and all of its successors (The Great Brain Returns, Me and My Little Brain, etc.) and then many happy returns to the series by myself as I got older. I think it's testament to how wonderful the books are that even 15 and 20 years after reading them I still remember the characters and plots as well as I do, and I remember them as top-notch. Said memories include: engaging, sympathetic characters, great adventures both in and out of town as the Great Brain plots to outwit bullies, authority figures, and nature all in pursuit of glory and profits, all told from the perspective of his admiring younger brother J.D., who provides not only the Watson-like character to T.D.'s Holmes, but also a strong moral compass and corrective to some of T.D. excesses.

I think the highest accolade I can give (and this series certainly deserves it) is that I will be reading these books with my own children if I am lucky enough to have them someday, and I recommend them to anyone looking for great stories of childhood, family, and the struggles and joys contained therein. Well done, Mr. Fitzgerald. My only regret is that I can't seem to find a boxed set of the entire collection.

I never read any of the books in the Great Brain series; they were actually read to me when I was a child. It was a ritual that my mother and I had every night. Just after I got in bed she would sit or lie down next to me and pull out a book. Over the years she read many different series, and to be honest, at the age of 23 all of these stories are a bit of a blur, except one series, The Great Brain. The Great Brain was by far my favorite I remember the stories as though they were read to me yesterday. One bit, which I remember particularly, is a scene in one of the books involving a headmaster (I think) and one of the brothers. I remember something being said about adults finding it admirable when children looked them in the eye while being addressed. That little bit has stayed with me all my life. After my Mother read that part I immediately started holding my head high and looking every adult who spoke to me in the eye. I've done that ever since, and when I do it I remember The Great Brain. Anyhow, I thought I would share this the world, especially any parent looking for a book that their child might like. If you haven't done it yet, you should consider reading this series to your own kid.

I first read this book and the others in the series as a sixth-grader back in the mid-70s. I, too, read them over and over! I was so enthralled with the stories that I did what I always did with terrific books: looked for any other books by the same author. I was thrilled to discover that in addition to this fictionalized version of J.D.'s childhood, he had also written three non-fiction books detailing his family history and experience in late 19th century Utah: Uncle Will and the Fitzgerald Curse, Papa Married a Mormon, and Mama's Boarding House. I promptly checked them out of the library and devoured them all. They are wonderful stories and an informative background to the Great Brain series. I add my plea to that of another reviewer: SOMEONE, PLEASE REPRINT THESE BOOKS by John D. Fitzgerald! They are a treasure that should not remain relegated to the dusty shelves of used bookstores!

I am currently reading The Great Brain to my six-year old son. At first I was afraid that the writing was a little too sophisticated for him, but with an explanation here and a definition there, he's doing just fine with it. He laughed uproariously at the scene in the opening chapter of the public uncrating and display of the first water closet (indoor flush toilet)in Adenville. These stories are terrific entertainment, as well as history lessons. They give kids a sense of how daily life was a century ago from a kid's perspective.

This is one book I've recommended to many people, particularly those who are suffering from loss of some sort.

These techniques can be used on oneself, and the book gives a basic, simple explanation for how and why the process works as it does. Anyone who feels a bit "run down" by life, or who has suffered losses, can be assisted by this method.

I wish I had known this technique when I was a rape crisis counselor - it would have helped many women I knew enormously!

The purpose of these processes are to pull a person back into the here and now. After the death of a loved one, failed relationships, serious injuries, etc., one can become "stuck in the incident" - and have a gloomy outlook thereafter. These processes gently bring a person's attention back under their own control - and out of the past incidents that have been haunting them.

One can use these processes on himself, or on another. They are even good to use on children, and not necessarily just for people who have experienced trauma. They can improve a person's memory, and just brighten one's outlook in general.

Even my 9 year old daughter is able to use these processes on her younger siblings and her friends. My kids consider Self Analysis to be "fun" and it is!

You can just try it out and see how you like it. I think it's great!

This book was awesome. It showed me how my emotions change. And best all - it gave me an easy way to keep me happy and enthusiastic about life. The book is filled with questions that help a person recall things from their past. I don't know how just remembering the things could give me such a great outlook on life - but it certainly did.

It was very easy to read, and most of the book was taken up with the memory exercises. I was actually able to recall things from my childhood that I haven't thought of since!

If you want to find out what it can do for you I definitelly suggest you try it yourself. Don't just take my word for it, try it!

This book delves into the conflict between the exuberance of youth and the cautiousness that comes with hard-won wisdom. Why does it happen that as one ages and learns, one becomes less enthusiastic about life? Is there a way to retain one's wisdom, but regain that youthful enthusiasm?

Well, there is, and this book gives the exact processes to do just that.

These processes are truly remarkable, and very simple to use. Just about anyone could be helped with these processes, but I think they are especially good for someone who has suffered some kind of trauma - the loss of a loved one, for example.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who is interested in what makes us go "tick" and who wants to help others.

Having only the cursory knowledge of Iwo Jima from the immortalized "photograph" and monument near Arlington National Cemetary, reading "Flags of Our Fathers" was an eye-opening experience. Born in the late 60's, I grew up in with war and its after-effects having little impact on my own personal life (somehow my immediate family escaped any time in the military). In this deeply personal account of the events surrounding Iwo Jima, James Bradley gives the reader a detailed account of the famous battle that no high school history class lesson could do justice to. From the "underground city" of Iwo to the facts surrounding the quite accidental photographic capture of the incidental second flagraising, the book is both educational and fairly quick read.

I was a little put-off early in the early stages of the book. In leading up to the actual battle, Bradley seemed to have already elevated the six flagraisers to godlike status. But having finished "Flags," one can easily forgive the author for the high reverence he holds for these individuals now knowing how each of their stories ended. Having recently visited Washington, I stopped at the US Marine Corps Memorial near the end of my trip. I did not know the names or stories of the men behind the impressive statues. Reading "Flags" made me initially regret what, at the time, had been a fairly unemotional visit to yet another DC monument. While that changed as I read "Flags" (I pulled out the photos I had taken several times while reading), I ultimately believe that the surviving flag raisers (particularly the author's father, John Bradley) would be quite happy that I did not associate them with the celluloid or bronze images that dogged them for the remainder of their lives.

It is heartening to see the success of this book. While not a scholarly historical work, Bradley has done a great service in recording these men's stories and the brave efforts of all who have ever fought for their country.

As this is my first review in Amazon.com, I'd like to greet to all fellow reviewers. I think that's a great place for us to help each other as reviews is a invaluable resource to help us choose a suitable book. I haven't read the reviews below but I'm sure there're lots of 5-star reviews and i assure you that it's well deserved.

A bit history : on December 7, 1941, Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto gave the fateful coded message climb Mt. Niitaka which signalled the attack by Japanese carrier-based aircraft upon the U. S. Pacific Fleet, peacefully anchored at Pearl Harbor. On February 23, 1945, U. S. marines climbed another mountain - Mt. Suribachi on the volcanic island of Iwo Jima and planted an American flag (the pic on the front cover).

The author is the son of John Bradley, a navy corpsman who who has received the Navy Cross. The book is about the life stories of the six men that raised the flag on Iwo Jima, before and after Iwo Jima, as well as the story of the ferocious battle of Iwo Jima in February 1945 - savagery, courage and sacrifice. The author's voice is moving, poignant and provoking.

I wonder if anyone has questioned why they were there and for what they were fighting. They only treated them as heros in their minds. But now, thanks to James Bradley as he described the war in details. Well actually he wanted to know why his father kept so many secrets and in trying to find out, he discovered who these men were and why they were such a big part of his father's life during that deeply and unforgettably shocking time in history. It shows the love between father and son, doesn't it?

This book is a must in your shelves. I'm gonna let my father read it too and I'm sure he'll enjoy it.

I was only 5 when the attack on Iwo Jima took place. My own father, by virtue of age, good luck and a naval officer's commission escaped conscription into this particular hell. My personal wartime experience is a vague one of watching free movie musicals at the Ottumwa Iowa Naval Air Station, squashing and saving tin cans for the war effort and finally weaving red white and blue crepe paper into the spokes of my junior bike in celebration of VJ day. Thanks to a new book about World War II, I am discovering what it was really like back then to feel true patriotism. It is a bittersweet revelation, but a very valid one.

"Flags of Our Fathers" is a book which appeals not only to the die-hard WWII buff but to any person, male or female, with an interest in a teeth clenching, powerful and poignant story. It describes a horrible battle, the incredible selfless sacrifices of young men and the angst of their families.

James Bradley & Ron Powers have brought to vivid life the real people behind the famous flag-raising mythos, the surreal war in which they so valiantly fought and the survivors' eventual reentry into civilian life. This is an adventure story of true horrific experiences. On the surface it is a "good guy-bad guy" saga in which our good guys finally triumph. The good guys lucky enough to come home are quiet, self effacing and seemingly forever linked to the ghosts of those who did not survive. In an age before psychologists had discovered and mined "survivor's guilt" and Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome, the luckiest of these largely teenaged boys trained, fought, were wounded, came back and resumed living to the best of their ability. I defy any woman not to bleed for the mothers and fathers who waited and any man not to cry for the "uncommon valor" of these very young sons. Bradley's personal experiences with his own hero father, his intimate interviews with families of these sons and his own quiet faith are melded with the poetic prose of Ron Powers into a seamless whole.

This is a meticulously researched, lovingly crafted and stunning battle book, written by exceptional men about exceptional men. It is sure to become a classic.

A Brief History of Time is a mind blowing insight to the advanced theories of the universe. Stephen Hawking is a modern expert of space theory and all science in general. He takes complicated ideas and puts them into a book that the general public can read and understand. He explains everything from black holes to the fate og the universe. This is a facsinating book.

It is a cliche to say that the reader will not want to put this book down once she/he starts reading it, but in the case of Stephen Hawking's, "Brief History of Time the cliche entirely fits.

Stephen Hawking has a way of making an incredibly difficult subject-matter relatively easy to comprehend. A whole new world is opened up to the reader who may not have any background in either the study of the very small--quantum mechanics--or the very large--the history of the universe. It is simply a marvelous book.

Professor Stephen H. Hawking has done an excellent job in describing in a very basic way potentially complex scientific theories. He takes us to the beginning of time-just after the big bang- and expertly leads us through singularities, string theory to an expanding (and infinite?) universe. That and more! His ability to explain complex theory is dazzling. I was a student of physics up to university entrance level, but reading this book was not a journey down memory lane, it gave me another wonderful perspective to a lot of the physics concepts therein. Professor Hawking neatly documents the evolution of time from a fraction of a second after the Big Bang. He very neatly demystifies the idea that time continues backward forever. he demonstrates that time is a property of the universe that it did not exist before the universe came into existence. Finally, it was a wonderful relief to learn that the Big Bang theory is not inconsistent with the existence of God. I also found string theory very cogent, and I did not get enough of it!. Thank you, Prof. Hawking!

This is one book that bridges the generation gap. There are many books in my son's library that elicit a groan in me when he chooses them during our nightly story reading, but "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs" certainly isn't one of them. From the absurd tall-tale to the fabulously detailed drawings, each time we read this book we find something new to discuss. Due to the fact that my son is only three and a half, and not able to understand much of the subtle humor of the illustrations, I know this book will have a very long shelf-life at our house as he starts "getting" more and more of the punchlines throughout the years. In the meantime, he is fascinated by the pancake that Grandpa flips onto Henry's head and the giant jello setting in the sky after dinner one night in the delicious land of Chewandswallow.

The title of the story is Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs. The author is Judi Barnett. The story is illustrated by Ron Barnett. The story is about a Grandpa who tells his grandchildren (Henry and his sister) a tall tale about a make-believe town called Chewandswallow. In Chewandswallow it rains food three times a day. A problem occurs when the town has to evacuate because the food is getting too big and heavy. The people leave and never return to the town. They go to an island across the ocean. We think that Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs is a good book to read because it makes you hungry for food and it makes you laugh. If you like this book, you should read Pickles to Pittsburgh.

I remember when I was in the first grade and having had this story read to us at library time. Everyone in the class loved it and every time when it snowed for the next two winters I looked outside and every once in while I thought I saw mashed potatoes covering the ground. I'm all grown up now and I still love this book, but kids still love it too. We were requested to read this about at least once a month at the day care where I worked.

The story is full of imagination and the illustrations, though animated are detailed. The story is a modern tall tale and reading this book is like looking through a giant children's comic book. My favorite section is when the weather food goes beserk and there is a pickle in a living room, a noodle stuck on a man's head, a dog stuck to piece of pizza, and a hamburger stuffed atop a chimney. Stories don't get much more imaginative and creative than that.

I have read this book three times and each time I am surprised at how many more realizations I have because I understand it better. It is not a book for one who looks at life blindly and is adamant they see. It is not for those who believe they know it all already. It is for he who wants a fresh new look at life in a grand way. What is our true spiritual nature and how can we operate in our lives from a causative viewpoint. I love this book. I'm sure I will read it three more times at least. I highly recommend it.

I first read L. Ron Hubbard's master work, "8-8008," in the spring of 1970. In retrospect, it was a welcome, first major step into a certainty of knowledge that we are all immortal spiritual beings. What I learned in this book has been of continuous use and has guided all of my subsequent steps into understanding my abilities and responsibilities as a spiritual member of the society of man. This is true technology. By application of what I learned from Mr. Hubbard in 8-8008, my own certainty and understanding of myself and others as spiritual beings has been enhanced imeasurably beyond any expectations I had when I first encountered Mr. Hubbard's book. Having worked with, and been around others who have used this data and true technology for over a quarter of a century, I know that it has wonderfully positive application and use for all of mankind, and that, for all time to come. The tools he has given us in "8-8008," are all workable and of use in our daily lives. L. Ron Hubbard's, "8-8008," is a true gift to mankind

What are the qualities and attributes and capabilities of the Human Spirit? What exactly is the Physical Universe? You were immensely powerful once, so what happened? How can you rise to greater heights of awareness and ability and once again become the YOU that you actually are? This book by L. Ron Hubbard embraces the essence of Scientology. You need this information.

Scientology 8-8008 was originally written by Hubbard in London in October 1952 as the textbook for an upcoming series of lectures which he delivered to students in Philadelphia in December of that year.

The title of this book, "Scientology 8-8008" is actually a formulaic/symbolic statement of the Goal of Scientology. Translated it means: "The attainment of Infinity by reducing the apparent infinity of the Physical Universe to "0" and then taking the apparent "0" value of one's own universe and increasing it to Infinity". (An "8" laid on its side is the symbol for infinity).

Scientology 8-8008 is the best book you will ever read on Spirituality and your Native Abilities. It really does contain the Truth that will set you Free.

Chernow excellently portrays our country's most famous banking dynasty from its formation during the early 1800's to the late twentieth century. Throughout the book, readers are entreated with not only the history of the Morgan family but also the transformation of American banking and finance of the past two centuries.

The Morgan history began with Junius Morgan. He was concerned with establishing America's financial credit with European countries, which were very reluctant to lend money to a country that had been recently formed. Their doubts were reinforced when several American states repudiated payment on loans. In his efforts to preserve America's credit worthiness with Great Britain, Junius Morgan created a financial link between the Anglo-Saxon countries that would influence Morgan politics for the next century.

The most famous member of the family was J.P. Morgan, who presided over the bank during the Age of the Robber Barons. During his tenure, the Morgan bank would play the role of lender of last resort for America. Because laissez-faire capitalism was the prevalent practice during this era, only the Morgan bank under the energetic J.P. Morgan possessed the financial and political clout to organize efforts to stop widespread bank failures and catastophic stock declines. Despite being portrayed in the media by Populists as crooked and elitist, the Morgan bank continued to play this important role for the American economy and remained influential nationally even after the creation of the Federal Reserve System.

Although the Morgans were economically powerful, they possessed many human frailties. Many of the Morgan men were reluctant to participate in the family business. Even J.P. Morgan, despite his fame and power, was for most of his life fearful of his father and felt constantly nervous about the imperfections of his nose. Chernow is lauded for depicting the personal lives of the Morgan family.

Despite desperate attempts by the Morgan bank to remain influential and anonymous, the combination of the American public's demand for accountability, its fear of elitist organizations, and the rise of international finance and trade, divided the Morgan bank and forced its successors into such mundane practices as the public listing of its financial records and the offering of common stocks. The abandonment of such traditional practices as the Gentleman Banker's Code culminated in the merger mania of the 1980s, as Morgan Guaranty, Morgan Grenfell, and Morgan Stanley each sometimes assisted one client in acquiring another of its client.

From cooperation to cutthroat competition between bankers, the House of Morgan is filled with triumphs and tragedies of Morgan and American history. It is recommended for every American adult. I am looking forward to reading Titan.

Ron Chernow's "The House of Morgan" is both an engaging history of the Morgan banks and a brilliant account of the growth of global finance from Victorian times through the late 1980's. It's every bit as enjoyable as Chernow's "The Warburgs," but provides a better analysis than the Warburg book of key business and political developments of the 20th century.

No one should be intimidated by this book's length or the complexity of its subject. Its pages are rich with lively portraits of the sometimes quirky men who ran the Morgan banks, the high and mighty of the world with whom they did business, and the world's many critics of such concentrated economic might. Pierpont and Jack Morgan and their successors at the top get the most detailed treatment, but figures as diverse as Brandeis, Mussolini, Lindbergh (the son-in-law of a top Morgan partner), Bryan, Theodore Roosevelt and Margaret Thatcher all play a part in the story, not to mention interesting but lesser-known figures like Ferdinand Pecora, Judge Harold Medina and central bankers from Britain, Germany, Italy and Japan.

As a backdrop to the Morgan saga, this book includes accounts of the main events of 20th-century financial history, such as the Panic of 1907, the creation of the Federal Reserve system, the Crash of 1929 and the depression and bank failures that followed it, the New Dealers' attack on banks led by Pecora that resulted in the Glass-Steagall Act and the separation of commercial banking from investment banking, and the rise of hostile takeovers, Eurodollars, petrodollars, Latin American lending, junk bonds and the securitization of debt, all refreshingly written for laymen rather than experts.

"The House of Morgan" has perhaps two overriding themes. The first is that as the years have passed, and the Morgan banks have faced increasing competition, the Morgan bankers' need to maintain their global preeminence has led them to take bigger and bigger risks. Some of these risks have resulted in large financial loss, but more often they have resulted in a loss of both public and customers' confidence, which has eroded the very preeminence that the banks seek to maintain. The second theme is that the top Morgan bankers have consistently underestimated the power of government to control what they do, and even make their lives miserable. From Pierpont on down, they have ignored government at their peril. It's almost a certainty that with the next big economic downturn, the Morgan banks will be attacked again, and I hope that Chernow will be on the scene to provide an account of it.

Chernow vividly portrays the influence that the Morgan banks have had on the history of the Western economy since the late 18th century. The epic story of the development of the American industrial experience is inextricably related to the history of the Morgan banks. Though this fascinating story is virtually the same as that told by Kathleen Bunk in Morgan Grenfell 1838-1988 ( LJ 12/89), Chernow adds color and personality with an emphasis on the 20th-century development of the bank. Working with recently discovered Morgan archives, he reveals institutional details long hidden by the protective secrecy of the family. This superb history will be an important book. BOMC, Fortune, and History Book Club featured alternates.