I'm the happy owner of this master piece and two others from the same series(WW2 AFV's & Self-propelled artillery also by George Forty and WW2 Military Vehicles by g.n. Georgano) but this one is clearly the best "handbook" about WW2 tanks you ever get.

This book concentrates on the Tanks high days, the Battlefields of World War two !

The deversity and info gathered about all major countries (and even some others) is the best i have ever seen.
Countries included are the USA, Germany, Soviet Union, Great Brittain and Commonwealth but also countries like Hungary and Sweden.

But the best part is of course it's loaded with Pictures (recent color pictures and Black and white pictures).You'll find the Shermans and Tigers in it, but prototypes and failures(like the Maus and the Bob Semple tank) are not forgotten.
You will be surprised by all the types in service, mentioned here.

As a World War Two addict this one can't be missed, Lieutenant Colonal George Forty at his best!

Usually to find this much information covering this subject it is necessary to purchase several books and sift through them until you find what you need. Mr. Forty with his background has not only covered most types but their variants as well, I can't wait to receive the other two companion books. I would rate this book as a "Super Osprey".

A good reference source for the British Army at the height of its glory in WW2. Covers the organizational history of the British Army during WW2. The book not only covers the more well known aspects of the Britich Army but covers the lesser known parts of the Combat Service and Combat Service Suppport elements.

A good companion volume to the US Army Handbook that also covers WW2.

A must read for many wargamers and a should read for all WW2 Histary buffs.

Several years back, I overheard a Green Bay Packer aficionado's disdain for 49ers fans. His dislike for them spanned mainly from their relative lack of knowledge of Niner history compared to fans of other legendary NFL teams. Being a fairly well-read 'Frisco aficionado, I thought of challenging his assumption, but I came to a realization that, in a general sense, he was correct. Aside from a few old-timer sports nuts, I've never really known a bay-area resident Niner fan who had a good running knowledge of his/her team's past achievements, heartbreaks, and rosters before their breakout 1981 season. Fortunately, this book is just the thing that's needed to get the quasi-clueless red-and-gold die-hard a leg up on his/her Niner know-how!

Each of the teams' first fifty seasons are briefly profiled, along with the win-loss record from each year. From their post-WWII creation as part of a new football league, to their heartbreaking playoff loss to the Lions in '57, to their frustrating early-seventies playoff defeats to the Cowboys, to their amazing Cinderella 1981 season, to the Super Bowl years in the 80s and mid-90s, this book covers a lot of the bases when it comes to the teams' past highs & lows.

And let's not forget some of their greatest moments, like overcoming a 28-point halftime deficit to beat the New Orleans Saints in what was at one time the greatest comeback in pro football history. Or Dwight Clark's "Catch" against Dallas, and the amazing third-quarter goal-line stand against Cincinnati that helped turned the tide in their first Super Bowl victory. There's Joe Montana's famous drive to beat the Bengals in Super Bowl XXIII. And who could forget Steve Young finally escaping from Montana's shadow with his amazing MVP performance in Super Bowl XXIX? Oops, I almost failed to mention Jerry Rice's career-spanning, single-handed rewriting of almost all of the NFL's significant receiving records!

Also included are profiles of the 49ers' most notable players and coaches. Frankie Albert, Dick Nolan, RC Owens, John Brodie, Y.A. Tittle, Joe Montana, Ronnie Lott, Bill Walsh, Dwight Clark, Hugh McElhenny, Leo Nomellini, Jerry Rice, and many more are each given a page or two about their amazing achievements and contributions as a Niner player, coach, or exec.

Then of course there's the great Niner stories and legends. You'll find out how linebacker Jack Reynolds earned the moniker "Hacksaw", and read about his penchant for driving himself to the home games already suited-up and ready to go. You'll discover who Len Eshmont was, and learn of the annual team award named in his honor. Then there's coach Bill Walsh dressing up as a bellhop to welcome his players to their hotel in Pontiac, Michigan before their first Super Bowl victory. Oops, let's not forget about Joe Montana's bike-pilfering practical jokes. And did you know that 'Frisco is credited with being the first team to use the shotgun formation in pro football? These little tidbits and more await you in this celebration of one of the NFL's most successful franchises!

So, if you're a less-than-knowledgeable 'Frisco aficionado, this book is just the primer you need to bone up on your 49er knowledge!

'Late

Sandra Francis's juvenile biography of George Herbert Walker Bush for the "Our Presidents" series begins by observing that although Bush was considered a hero for his handling of the Persian Gulf War and was skillful in dealing with foreign policy, he only served one term in the White House because of economic and social considerations. To explain how Bush became the first incumbent vice president since Martin Van Buren to be elected to the president, Francis divides his life into four chapters: A Privileged Childhood, The Best of Times, America's Vice President, and The Presidency. Young readers will learn that Bush was the youngest Navy pilot in World War II, started three successful oil companies, and compiled an impressive political resume as a U.S. Congressman, Ambassador to the United Nations, Chairman of the Republican Party, head of the U.S. Liaison Office in the People's Republic of China, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, and a professor at Rice University before deciding to seek the Republican nomination for President. Ronald Reagan won the nomination instead but selected Bush to be his Vice President.

Francis develops Bush's accomplishments as President and if she offers no more explanation for Bill Clinton winning in 1992 beyond the fact that Bush broke his "Read my lips--No new taxes" pledge, she is not alone in having trouble explaining how a President with a popularity rating in the 90s could end up being defeated for reelection. However, Bush does get a small measure of redemption when his son, George W. Bush, was elected President in 2000 (thereby making Al Gore the first incumbent Vice President to lose a Presidential election since Hubert Humphrey). Individual pages in each chapter are devoted to the story of Bush being shot down during World War II (with an actual photo of his being rescued by a submarine), his beloved wife Barbara as "Everybody's Grandmother," and the Persian Gulf War. Many pages contain Interesting Facts in the margin (the Bush rode bicycles in China, Bush hated broccoli, etc.) and the rear of the book contains a Time Line on Bush, Glossary Terms, and a list of Our Presidents.

The first few chapters deal with rearmament, the early Panzer divisions and training. The rest of the book deals with the Panzers themselves, a chapter for each Panzer, giving the details of how and why each type was made, the weapons, powerplants, the different varients and first hand accounts from German tankers. Lots of photos of tanks in action and on the job.

George Higgins has done a great job of opening up the world of baseball, as well as tradition, life, and the passion the game holds. I thoroughly enjoyed this book

This book covers, in great detail, the tanks built & designed by the US like no other. It gives you everything from experimental prototypes to strange production variants.

While most books about tanks focus only on how or where they were used, George Forty combines the raw facts of military records with some first-hand accounts of the men who rode in the beasts. Thus giving you a sort of before and after look at why & what these tanks were created for. The purpose of the initial request for the vehicle isn't always what it is used for, as you'll read.

The pictures and illustrations are of very good quality. They cover experimentals, mock-ups, battle damage, you name it. Definitely a book for WWII tanks buffs.

This book showed me a whole different side to our president. I was very shocked to hear some of the stories of his college days and some of his outrageous acts even after he graduated. His entrance into politics was not always an assured one, as he seemed to have more interests in enjoying his youth. The author seems to gloss over some things that have a potential to be more damaging to his image than they already are. The story of how he crashed his car into the garage after his wife criticized one of his speeches was one such example. I had also expected him to be more successful at business than he is said to be. Surprisingly, the Bush family has had their share of persecution while living in Texas. In Texas they were not seen as true "Texans" and in the schools George W. attended his views were opposite of a majority of the student population. Given his private school training and Ivy League preparation, it really makes the office of president seem only attainable by those with money. I was disappointed that there wasn't more information on his accomplishments as a Texas governor but I was pleasantly surprised to find his State of the Union address in entirety at the back of the book. The litigation details of the 2000 election were helpful in understanding why the selection for our new president had taken so long. Overall, I would recommend this book to any young reader looking for a biography to read, however, I would warn them that they may have a less respectful opinion of our president after their reading.

Beatrice Gromley's biography of George W. Bush was supposedly the first children's biography to be published about the forty-third president. This is probably because the book ends on December 13, 2001, the day after the U.S. Supreme Court ended the Florida recount and the president-elect spoke from the Texas State Capitol; other juvenile biographies get as far as the inaugural. Gromley focuses on a quote from the new president, who once said: "I never dreamed about being president. When I was growing up, I wanted to be Willie Mays." This gets to the heart of the problems Bush presents for a political biography, since he never held political office until elected Governor of Texas in 1994. Compare Bush's life to that of either his predecessor, Bill Clinton, a hardcore political junkie, or his father, George H. W. Bush, with his most impressive political resume, and you will see incredible differences.

That being said Gormley certainly provides a more than adequate juvenile biography of George W. Bush. Yes, you will find out more about the man's life than his politics, but that is indeed a reflection of his life. Gormley does a particularly nice job of boiling down the legal arguments regarding the recount to the legal issues and developments, without including the hot rhetoric that characterized the news coverage. However, I must admit I found a couple of things in this book that could be taken the wrong way (e.g., Bush is proud he can still remember the starting lineup of the 1954 New York Giants baseball team; well, I can do the New York Yankees for a couple of decades, so, should I be President?). But maybe I am just being overly sensitive since, as I said on top, this is not the story of a man driven to be in politics or to become President from early in life. The book is illustrated with photographs and quotes, and also has a list of books, magazines, newspapers and a videotape young readers can turn to for further information. Certainly by this point, students will have a better appreciation for Bush as president and will be able to see for themselves connections between the things he has done throughout his life and his presidency.

If you are looking for a book that you can use for your kids' social studies extra credit and your own cocktail party banter, this is the easy read you need. Want to be current on all the little Presidential family tidbits without spending a lot of time plowing through the family history and heavy details? I read A Charge to Keep and some of the other Bush Family tomes, but I really enjoyed this one and my 7th grader grabbed some quick end of quarter extra points toward her "A" by learning about our current Prez.

Loved the book, understand why the author has such a big ego- He lived in an awsome time and was at the top. Historic details filled in alot of gaps to my understanding of the mid 1800's. learned many things about the lives of people living in the Steamboat Era and was grandly entertained. laughed outloud.

Highly entertaining stories about gambling
in the mid 1800's on the Mississippi River.
The life of George Devol as gambler,fighter
& con artist & his insights into the men &
their character is also an insight into the
man himself. He was a master at
manipulating mens greed & vanity.The
accounts of his bare knuckle fights were
truly amazing

This book is a good introduction to the German Panzerwaffe. It gives a brief history of the development and use of the Panzerwaffe, as well as brief developmental and operational histories for every Panzer type used by the Wehrmacht. Although it is somewhat lacking in the technical aspect, there is a wealth of anecdotal narration. Though not the best reference for modelling, it is still a very enjoyable book.

I personally like this book alot.It is because this book covers the subject(german tanks) directly like the panzer 1 to 4, tiger 1 & 2,panthers and it even cover a little on experimental tanks like the Maus. What make this book stand out from the rest I think that it even include some extractions and feelings from the people who fought and operated them unlike many other books which is too techincal for my personal liking. however, on the down side, this book covers quite a small number of photos which may disappoint model kits builder but trust me it is enough for most readers.

George Forty has done an excellent job of giving the reader a balance between "just the facts" treatment of German armor and first-hand accounts of their use. All the statistics are there: height, weight, weapons, upgrades, modifications, etc. There is also an analysis of the weapon's effectiveness - with a first-hand account of combat in each vehicle.

An excellent treatment of German armor in WWII for all but the most detail-oriented modeller.