"Mouring Glory" is certainly one of my favorite historical accounts of the French Revolution because it reaches beyond the conventional interpretations of this frightening (but fascinating) period of history. Huet gives the reader an informative analysis of the Revolutionary ideology of the sublime, and an incredibly well researched look into how and why the Revolution's idealistic leaders are portrayed as they are. The author gives insight into the Revolutionary will, and how it has been dramatized and incorrectly interpreted in an effort to remember the Revolution and its disturbing but hauntingly mesmerizing effects.

Marie-Helene Huet's collection of essays is a thought-provoking and fascinating account of the ways in which the past two centuries have dealt with one of the most controversial and multi-faceting events of all time; the French Revolution. Combatting Furet's bold "La Revolution est finie," Huet's work examines various aspects of the revolutionary myth, a myth that continues to influence popular culture to the present day. From a brilliant discussion of the meaning of the sublime in the late 18th century to the "feminization" of Robespierre and other Terrorists in historical accounts in order to embody the Chaotic as Feminine, Huet not only synthesizing previous studies of the Revolution but, most importantly, tells us how the perception of the Revolution always reflects upon the culture that created that perception. This is a fantastic combination of comparative mythology and history which should be read not only by those interested in the French Revolution but by anyone who wants to learn how society treats its dead and how that mirrors itself.

This is the most compelling book I have ever read on the subject of the destruction of the German Jewish community. Compelling because the author wrote for himself, with candor and without artifice, about his daily experiences, hopes and fears. I recommend strongly that you buy this book. If you do, you will find yourself, as I did, caught up in the daily life of a German professor who cast aside his Jewish heritage in favor of German culture, only to find, in the end, that his treasured homeland still considered him a Jew by race. I only regret, at the time of my writing this, that the second volume is not yet available. Of all the books I have read on the Holocaust, this one will live forever in my mind, because reading his diary was like living his experience.

Klemperer's diary provides an immediate, close-focus view of (in this volume) pre-war and (in the second) wartime Nazi Germany. He was a steady diarist, an intelligent, thinking man, and his dedication in maintaining his diary through months and years of deprivation and abuse was a profound gift to us all. After reading the facts concering Hitler's rise to power and its outcome, it is fascinating to see how these events were viewed by a German citizen and a Jew. Klemperer makes it clear that those with open eyes knew the evil of the Nazis from the first, so that claiming ignorance after the war is a poor excuse. On the other hand, he also shows how the Nazis consilidated their grip on power and played on the fears of the German people. I found it particularly interesting how successful the Nazis were at playing up the communist menace; how many times in Klemperer's diaries does someone state that the Nazis are tolerable because they are keeping out the communists, as though only those two choices were possible? It is the little tidbits such as this, the thoughts of the Germans, gentile and Jew, as they marched toward their doom, that makes Klemperer's diary so fascinating.

As a Jewish American born after World War 2 with no knowledge of any family members who lived in Europe during the holocaust I have nonetheless always been fascinated with those times. As a college student I worked in a resort hotel where I met German Jewish survivors. To this day what struck me most was what one such survivor told me when I asked him what he remembered of his childhood in Germany. He told me it was just like being in America. German cities were modernized. Jewish people participated in civic life with small attention paid to their heritage unless they wished otherwise. Victor Klemperer's book "I Will Bear Witness," underscores what I had been told by that survivor. Life in Germany before January, 1933 was not, for Jews, particularly distinguishable from life for non-Jews. In fact, one might argue that the kinds of insidious prejudice rampant in the United States in the first half of this century were more virulent than that experienced in pre-Nazi Germany. The beauty of this book is how Professor Klemperer bears witness to the slow but relentless descent into hell by people who did not perceive themselves different from their countrymen. His descriptions of the day to day activities of paying taxes, arguing with the bureacracy over one's pension, and seeking out rationed foods bring to life the experience of those times. I must admit that I, like most Jewish Americans of my generation, view a Jewish person professing Protestantism somewhat uncharitably. And yet, the professor's consistent adherance to a world view in which one's ethnic background does not determine one's fate is quite palatable. Yet the fatal attraction of German culture, in this case, becomes the downfall of many German Jewish citizen. Perhaps we learn through this book and others like it that powerful forces of demagoguery once unleased may render even the most apparently "enlightened" society into a middle ages horror.

What a witty little picture book. After you read it, you'll surely think your kitty is the most sophisticated cat on the block. Or at least her or his owner is. We can't say for sure whether the man who wrote this understands the French and all their foibles, but he certainly understands kitty thought. Oo-la-la! Tons of salmon and a featherbed stuffed with catnip for the author's cat -- and, I'm sure he has one.

Aside from being a very funny compendium of cat thought and behavior, this book helped me learn French by inspiring me to remember and use phrases such as "I think I am going to cough up a hairball" (useful in bad French restaurants) and "I prefer to bathe myself." The sentences may be cute and silly, but they are in proper French, with proper sentence structure, and simple enough to provide useful grammatical tools and vocabulary. The pictures are cute, too.

If nothing else, it will amuse your friends who love cats (and even those who don't).

This is really a very funny book and it leaves one wondering if Mr Beard has been a cat in a previous life. His perception of all the French a cat would need is clear indeed.

If you know someone with a cat, this would make a very fine gift. Just don't leave it lying where their furry companion can find it - it may just give them some ideas! It would similarly make a great gift for a young person grappling with French lessons - it would give them something to astound their teacher with!

As a continuous Amazon customer, after reading this wonderful book, this is the first time I have felt absolutely compelled to write a review. If 10 stars were possible, this book deserves it.
Will Clower's book really wakes you up to the way most typical Americans eat, and view meals. I have been on and off weight watchers for years, struggling incessantly, and this book really woke me up. I have spent years of my life, eating fat free food products that are loaded with chemicals, some of them sounding inedible after reading Clower's book. These chemical ladden foods, which were supposed to assist in my weight loss, caused me to eat tremendous amounts of food, and constantly crave sugar. Nothing was ever sweet enough. I also ate this "food" with a constant feeling of guilt, thinking everything would make me fat, and then when I would blow it I would go on a binge.
I have been eating with the suggestions of the book for 5 days now. I can't tell you that I have ever loved food more. My cravings for sweets have disappeared. This has never happened to me, and I just can't bring myself to eat the chemical ladden food I once did. Clower really woke me up! Thank you!

The Fat Fallacy: The French Diet Secrets fo Permanent Weight Loss is a wonderful book BUT it is a retitled version of the hardcover edition The Fat Fallacy: Applying the French Diet to the American Lifestyle. There are a few new paragraphs and a few testimonials from readers of the hardcover edition included, but otherwise its the same book. Unfortunately the new title can be misleading and many folks do not realize they are buying the softcover version of the hardcover they already own.

The book is quite an eyeopener. It makes you realize how much fake food we eat.

It seems so astonishing when you think about it. Here in America we are chasing the way to stay slim. One minute we are told it is low fat, the next its no sugar. There are folks who espouse counting carbs, others proteins. The list goes on. While we are fighting the fat wars and getting fatter, the French go about their merry way oblivious to calories. Saying NON to lowfat milk and cheese products, drinking wine etc. When do we wake up and smell the french roasted coffee? THE FRENCH ARE SLIM as a culture and AMERICANS ARE FAT as a culture. And the Frenchmen and women outlive American men and women. THEY MUST BE DOING SOMETHING RIGHT! Why not do what they do?

And that is what Clower's book is all about. He walks you step by step into the changes you need to make to embrace the French lifestyle diet. You will learn to eat for pleasure, savoring each bite. No longer do you eat tasteless low fat, it's full fat cheeses and cream. Wine with your meal if desired. Bread and plenty of it.

The secret is of course moderation and eating REAL food. Did you ever read the ingredients list on light butter. I did for the first time the other day. I couldn't understand half the ingredients in it! And neither can your body understand these synthetic ingredients! Feed your body real butter. But just a little bit because that is all it takes. You won't need to stuff yourself with a ton of food, because eating real food will be satisfying and you will learn how to eat for pleasure. Not gulping it down or supersizing. Eating a small amount in a relaxed environment and enjoying it!

With Clower's book you will rediscover the joy of food and your slim, healthy self!

I saw Dr. Clower on TV and was intrigued by his premise that our low-fat and chemical-filled culture is partly responsible for our national obesity problem. What he wrote resonated with what I know intuitively: Low fat diets don't work, and fake foods are bad for you. Clower says to eat wholesome, real foods WITH the fat and you'll feel more satisfied and eat less overall. This was an epiphany for me.

After reading the book in one day, I tried another one of his suggestions: Taking small bites. At first it was like trying to hold back a team of wild horses, but over time I came to enjoy the slow pace and the savor the meal. Plus, I was eating delicious, fatty foods, so it wasn't that difficult. I haven't overeaten since. It's been said before, but something about Dr. Clower's gentle, enthusiastic style and the supporting scientific evidence he cites got through to me.

I had told myself I was giving up dieting, but I was still making a mental checklist of what I "shouldn't" eat, which is still a diet! No more. After reading this book I feel more optimistic about weight loss and more pleasure at mealtime than I ever have before. What a magic book!

The French novelist Patrick Rambaud has written an excellent historical novel that is based on several eyewitness memoirs. The subject is the Battle of Aspern-Essling in May 1809, which was Napoleon's first serious battlefield defeat. Napoleon attempted the most difficult military operation of all: an opposed river-crossing against an alert and resolute enemy. A hard-fought two-day battle for the villages of Aspern-Essling resulted, exposing the fact that the emperor was not infallible and that he could make mistakes. Rambaud's version of this brutal slugging match is equally brutal. Heads are blown off by roundshot, civilians are murdered and the thousands of wounded are left to suffer in the rain and mud. Numerous soldiers, including one of the fictional enlisted soldiers, commit suicide under the stress of battle. This novel is not as good a work as Michael Shaara's The Killer Angels, partly because Rambaud does not attempt to interpret what the characters were thinking. The other reason is that there are no Austrian characters; in Killer Angel's, Shaara brilliantly portrayed soldiers from both sides and their efforts to prevail over the other, but that balance is lacking here.

The characters in the battle range from Napoleon on high, to Marshals Massena and Lannes, to mid-rank soldiers and even a few enlisted soldiers, although the focus tends to stay mostly on the upper ranks. Massena is probably the most interesting figure in the novel, since his battlefield performance as Aspern was incredible. Others however, like Colonel Lejeune, a general staff officer, become tedious as he spends far too much of the novel mooning of his Austrian girlfriend in captured Vienna. Rambaud also omits or alters some key aspects of the battle. The French three-division counterattack on the second day is portrayed as a success in breaking the Austrian center when in fact, the nearly-routed Austrians were personally rallied by Archduke Charles and their center held. The French attack ran out of steam, but Rambaud's account says that the French called of the attack because their bridges over the Danube had been broken. In fact, Rambaud clearly portrays the cause of this defeat as bad luck and the rising waters of the Danube River in frustrating Napoleon's efforts to get reinforcements across the river. In reality, Napoleon's slipshod river-crossing effort and gross underestimation of the enemy were prime contributors to his defeat. The fact that the Austrian army had learned something from its earlier defeats in 1796-7, 1800 and 1805 at Napoleon's hands is not even alluded to.

The strength of this novel lies in excellent battle descriptions that convey both the desperation and futility of this action. However a weakness of the novel is the addition of minor characters and sub-plots, including a dim-witted assassination attempt on Napoleon and opera performances, that distract the reader from the battle. These minor characters and sub-plots persist to the end, but without resolution or even relevance. Nevertheless, Rambaud's novel gives an excellent "feel" for what it was like to be in a Napoleonic battle.

The author of this book utilised the efforts of Honore de Balzac who 150 years previously had researched this battle with a view to writing this book. Rambaud has done a commendable job portraying the battle and the reader is cartwheeled headlong into combat and into the Aspern-Essling battlefield. Napoleonic battlefields were anything but glorious and this is conveyed by Rambaud who gets down to the nitty gritter of warfare. I enjoyed the book, especially the description of combat itself. The depiction of characters such as Napoleon and his marshalls was also interesting. Overall, this was a good read. It does not match the fantastic battle scenes depicted in Stephen Pressfields 'Gates of Fire' (few books ever will) but it doesn't pull any punches either about the horrors of war. The hardcover version has a plain tan cover and a glossy dust jacket featuring a rather dashing Napoleon on a white steed. The cover notes that the book was a 'Winner of the Prix Goncour and Grand Prix du Roma de L'Academie Francaise' awards. Recommended.

May 16, 1809 marks the beginning of a great work based on Napoleon's battle at Essling. The actual battle was begun on the 21st of May and continued until May 22nd. The number that staggers the senses is that 1 man died every 3 seconds during this battle. Approximately 40,000 individuals died in less than 48 hours.

The book can be enjoyed strictly from a great historically based read, or can be followed in detail with the help of the record of the battle formations on the inside covers of the front and back of the book.

One of the many great attributes of this book is that the Author covers the events so you feel as though you have gained a detailed knowledge of the events and major players without making you feel as though you have trudged through a dry history textbook.

Mr. Rambaud accomplishes this is 294 pages of prose, in a style that does not lack detail or depth due to the relative brevity of the work. It's true the battle was for just under 2 days, the events and those involved were in the tens of thousands, and an Author less in command of his subject and its expression could have droned on. Mr. Rambaud fascinates, vividly recreates the gore of early 19th century battle, but never stoops to the sensational. The facts of the battle and the manner in which it was carried out require no embellishment. To be enjoyed and understood by the lay reader is not easily done, Mr. Rambaud just makes it seem so. To those interested in greater detail there are the battle records, as well as outstanding source notes, and brief histories of the remainder of the lives of many key players.

Mr. Rambaud has produce a tremendous award winning book that old fans and newly interested parties of Napoleon, his Marshals, and Generals will enjoy.

Recommended, a great read!

Detective fiction writers Agatha Christie and Freeman Wills Crofts both had popular successes in the mid-1920s. Crofts introduced his sleuth, Inspector Joseph French of Scotland Yard in this 1925 book. Already in his 50s (he refers to his eldest child having been killed in World War 1), French proved to be so popular that Crofts included him in all his detective fiction for a further thirty years.

The book's title probably continues to attract first time readers to Crofts' work. Readers who like to sample books from the "Golden Age of British Detective Fiction (1920-1940) will find strengths and weaknesses. The book displays Crofts' "puzzle solving" formula admirably. A problem occurs, a theory is formulted, testing follows, each discovery likely to form a "spring board" to further discovery. If a dead-end is encountered, another theory is formulated, etc. Crofts also keeps us in company with Inspector French throughout the whole book.

If these are some of the strengths, then a few weaknesses must be acknowledged. Expect old-fashioned crimes and old-fashioned criminals. The crime and murder here, popular in detective fiction of the time, involved the theft of diamonds. One of the criminal's skills, also popular at the time, was the devising and use of a code. Both of these elements will appear dated and quaint to C21st readers.

So is it Inspector French's greatest case? Reading the thirty or so other books in which he features will give you the answer, together with many hours of enjoyment.

Detective fiction writers Agatha Christie and Freeman Wills Crofts both had popular successes in the mid-1920s. Crofts introduced his sleuth, Inspector Joseph French of Scotland Yard in this 1925 book. Already in his 50s (he refers to his eldest child having been killed in World War 1), French proved to be so popular that Crofts included him in all his detective fiction for a further thirty years.

The book's title probably continues to attract first time readers to Crofts' work. Readers who like to sample books from the "Golden Age of British Detective Fiction (1920-1940) will find strengths and weaknesses. The book displays Crofts' "puzzle solving" formula admirably. A problem occurs, a theory is formulted, testing follows, each discovery likely to form a "spring board" to further discovery. If a dead-end is encountered, another theory is formulated, etc. Crofts also keeps us in company with Inspector French throughout the whole book.

If these are some of the strengths, then a few weaknesses must be acknowledged. Expect old-fashioned crimes and old-fashioned criminals. The crime and murder here, popular in detective fiction of the time, involved the theft of diamonds. One of the criminal's skills, also popular at the time, was the devising and use of a code. Both of these elements will appear dated and quaint to C21st readers.

So is it Inspector French's greatest case? Reading the thirty or so other books in which he features will give you the answer, together with many hours of enjoyment.

Blackhawk, along with Sgt Rock, is arguably one of the finest war comics ever. Months before America entered World War II following the attack on Pearl Harbor, readers thrilled to the adventures of these seven international aviators, none of them American, rallying behind Blackhawk, a Polish flying ace. While these stories are sheer pulp adventure, they possess a hard edge marking them as more than mere kiddie fare. Perhaps not as sophisticated as today's adult-oriented comics, but I found the stories to be engaging and exciting nonetheless. The emphasis is on plot and action, but there is also a surprising amount of character and emotion, compared to other stories from the period. Some of the stories hold up better than others, but overall, this is an entertaining collection.

What truly makes it special, however, is the art. In his introduction, Mark Evanier describes how the late Chuck Cuidera and Reed Crandall were responsible for making Blackhawk one of the best looking comics of its time, and he's not kidding. The art, reminiscent of the great Milt Canniff, is dynamic, expressive, detailed, and cinematic. Even the clunkiest of stories in this book is redeemed by the art.

Having said all that, politically correct readers should be warned that this volume does feature horribly negative stereotypes of Germans and Asians. While this is understandably a by-product of the time in which these stories were produced, I don't think they should simply be dismissed with a simple, "Well, that's how people thought back then." I do think these sorts of stories should be kept in print, warts and all, not just because they are good adventure stories with a great deal of artistic merit. Seeing how recently such racist attitudes were viewed as acceptable helps remind us how far we still have to go in terms of race relations. This sort of casual racism should be acknowledged as having existed, and not swept under the carpet.

Still, occasionally awkward stories and overt racism aside, this is still an excellent volume, and a worthy addition to any comics lover's collection.

The discovery of oil on a family property initiates a series of events including murder. Crofts keeps the reader, as well as Inspector French, working hard to identify the murderer and discover how the crime was done.

This is one of the last and one of the best detection novels by Freeman Wills Crofts. Suspense and intrigue are maintained steadily.

Readers who enjoy sampling early vintage "Golden Age" detective fiction are directed to Freeman Wills Crofts. He was master of what is known as the "time-tabling" investigation. If you also like to enjoy again the sort of adventures that appeal to young readers, you will find this one fits the bill. There are kidnappings, gangs of criminals, murder attempts, robberies, ciphers, and a treasure trove at the end of it all. There is plenty of action, on shore and off shore, some continental travel and there is the second appearance of Crofts' sleuth, Inspector French of Scotland Yard, who takes over and concludes the investigation.

Crofts' later contributions to the detective fiction genre were of greater interest and aspired higher than this, but the book has a freshness and exuberance that are distinctly endearing.

William Durant is just a pedant who cannot appreciate a hero's greatness. Don't buy or read his books unless you are a useless pedantic fool like him with no hot blood in your vein.

Generally, the series of books written by Will and Ariel Durant is an enormous project, which the authors produced in a workman-like manner. Yes, they are pedants, and the works have a kind of lets-hurry-along flavor; a lets-get-it-all-in aura.

The Durants are Anglophiles, and it shows here. Too much Wellington, and too many British viewpoints, which were in the 19th Century and are to this day stacked against Napoleon, in particular, and the French, in general.

Reading this book, one gets the feeling, that the authors can hardly wait to get to the part about the Battle of Waterloo.

Anyone interested in Napoleon -- the man, and his works -- can find more comprehensive studies by other authors.

The Durant's writing style can sometimes be confusing to the uninitiated. They tend to string long sentences together with semicolins; using pronouns to the point of confusion for the reader.

There is a lot of information here, but this is not a great book. It is a very broad, shallow history giving only a mild flavor, not a real taste of the "Frenchness" of the Age of Napoleon. Francophiles and fans of the Emperor should look elsewhere.

Yes, this book presents an Anglo perspective of Napoleon and his time in Europe. Still, the work of the Durans is fantastic as it captures historical elements from sources as diverse as visual arts, philosophy, literature as well as the customs of the time. The work is also rich in research and references, presenting numerous scripts from Napoleon himself and his subordinates.

After reading this book, I was encouraged to buy the whole collection the Durans produced and I am very happy to have done so.