This is the most amazing painter of the ocean that I know. This book is absolutely the best! It contains around 150 color plates of Aivazovsky's paintings, and these reproductions could not have been better in quality. Breathtaking scenes of the ocean in all its different states--calm, cloudy, or raging and stormy, in the moonlight and in the sun, in the bay,harbor or in the open waters, scenes of shipwreck, sinking boats, of smugglers,ports and merchants. Absolutely amazing paintings!

Although somewhat out-of-date (frequently referring to the physiological and psychological developments of the 1970s), this book provides a thorough account of Ivan Pavlov's life and his research in physiology and behavior.

The big personal question facing everyone in life is how to live. In the former Soviet Union the choices were none too many. The life and times of Ivan Petrov is a portrayal of state interfence run amok. It's also about a person too far gone to care. Drunk as a skunk and stumbling through the wasteland of the country, Ivan tells it like it was with his eyes bleary and swollen but still wide open. At times, I was horrified reading this book. At other times I laughed out loud. That's the great part about it. Despite his dire cirmcumstances, there was still a sense of humor about his given situation. The whole book speaks to the human condition. It makes you consider your own life and the choices you've made. An excellent primer and first hand look at the former Soveit Union. I loved this book!

If you are interested in the reunion of East and West, then this book will be of much interest to you! I was reminded of Jaroslav Pelikan's outstanding book, "Confessor Between East and West" while I read Beshoner's account of Ivan Gagarin.

I'll quote from the conclusion to let you know where the author goes with his thesis and then you can decide if you would like to read his supporting chapters. I personally do not agree with Garagin's belief that Roman Catholicism would bring Russia its political and intellectual "salvation", but I am greatly drawn to his commitment to his ideals. Moreover, any book that even promotes the agenda of reunion, in spite of the motives, is worth noting. Enjoy!

"Personal contact with the West and the influence of such thinkers as Schelling, Chaadaevm, Ancillon, and Joufffrey led Gagarin to the conviction that Russia's social and political backwardness was directly attributable to its separation from Catholicism. By following the Byzantine Empire into schism from Rome, Russia had separated itself from the mainspring of Western social and intellectual progress; in turn, the subjugation of the Russian Church to Russian secular authority became inevitable. Garagin, therefore, reasoned that church union reattaching Russian to Catholicism would restore Russia to social and intellectual parity with the West. Seeking the best means of personally fostering this union, he joined the Society of Jesus. Gargin's choice was costly. He lost the right to visit Russian and his family; he lost his inheritance; and he suffered decades of calumny- all to save the homeland that rejected him."

***Don't forget to check out Jaroslav Pelikan's "Confessor Between East and West"!

Robert Payne's "Ivan The Terrible" is sensational. The book, in addition to being a great historical research project, is also a lively read. Though it nears 500 pages, this book manages to navigate Ivan the Terrible's life in detail, without continual sidetracking or nitpicking. The pace of the book moves well and is free of dead sections that seem to be aimed at specialists instead of the lay reader.

The danger in writing a biography on someone like Ivan the Terrible is to psychoanalyze and read too much into the turbulent times and events. While Payne offers some explanations for the erratic and awful behavior of the Grand Prince of Muscovy, he certainly doesn't try to explain away, apologize or revise the life of Ivan.

There is also a tendency in biography to get mired down in political intrigues and military minutae of the times. While there is certainly plenty of intrigue and military history, the book never wanders far from the subject matter which is Ivan, a man possessed by history, demons and angels.

This book may not satisfy the specialist, who might yearn for more detail and more footnotes, but it is certainly a good, solid starting point for someone wanting to know more about Ivan the Terrible.

Payne has done a great service for Russian history buffs.

My 3-1/2 year old daughter and I both love this book! Jack Mouse travels to Ireland (via the Galway Bay ship) to visit his relations for St. Patrick's Day. The little mouse enjoys some real Irish hospitality and along the way chases a legendary leprechaun. My daughter learned about shamrocks, a shillelagh, soda bread and "cead mile failte". This is a great read for both parent and child. The illustrations are lovely too. I enjoy reading it to my daughter almost every night and she loves to giggle "Tee hee hee" along with Liam the Leprechaun.

How many times in your life have you heard the headline "Middle East Peace Talks Break Down"? If you're like me, you've heard it so often over the years that the phrase no longer has any meaning. How many times can the same old story be "news"?

I've often wondered how this situation came to be and Ivan Scott has provided the answers in his brilliant book "Jew vs Arab: Sibling Rivalry of the Ages". Mr. Scott's premise is crystal clear: The tragedy that is the Middle East didn't begin ten years ago with the Intifada, or fifty years ago with the founding of Israel; this conflict has been going on for thousands of years.

Mr. Scott takes us back to ancient times, citing biblical and historical events to explain how one people diverged into two. Without getting into the mutual finger-pointing that passes for journalism today, Mr. Scott describes the events that have brought these peoples to the present situation.

If nothing else, this book proves that there is plenty of blame to go around, there are no angels on either side. Both groups have learned to manipulate the US media and politicians to great effect. Both sides have a LOT of blood on their hands. From Ben Gurion's plan to take Eretz Israel at any cost (and "resettle" the natives) to the machinations of Egypt's Nasser and the other arab leaders who wanted to destroy Israel and take the land for themselves (and "resettle" the natives...).

Today's headlines are too often filled with news of the latest "terrorist" suicide bombings. Ivan Scott reminds us that in the years prior to the founding of Israel, many Jewish "patriots" made very good use of bombings, murder, and other terror tactics. Menachem Begin's Irgun, the Stern Gang, and others committed innumerable acts of violence against the Palestinians, the British, and anyone else who got in their way. Mr. Begin would later justify his actions in his memoirs by stating that "by definition the term "terrorist" cannot be applied to anyone fighting for his home land".

This book is refreshing in its straight forward style. There's plenty here to raise the hackles of both sides, which tells me that Ivan Scott must know what he's talking about. Enjoy.

An excellent true story of the visionary John Flynn, pioneer of the Flying Doctors of the Australia Outback. A man who had ideas far ahead of his time he would not give up and had a faith that served him well. John Flynn made many friends while he convinced them to volunteer to help him achieve his goal of serving the entire outback. His vision was to somehow connect everyone to each other and to serve them with medical help closer than 10 days or more travel. How he achieved this seemingly impossible task makes a fascinating story.

Actually I didn't even finish the book already, but I'm enjoying so much I coud not resist and writte about it. Even if you are not a Who fan, you gonna rate this book as a fine entertainment. The stories and insights about the personal life of the most famous drummer of all time are surprising and really interesting. It shoud be reprinted.

It seems hard to believe that I, or anyone, could possibly dare add to the body of praise (or criticism) of this stunning collection of articles completed by Louis Sullivan right after the turn of last century. Remarkably, even though written by an architect, this work has the beauty, form, and flow of the poetry of deep thought about lessons we can learn from nature - with barely a word about architecture. This book is a must for the romantic. A stimulating and fresh connection spanning 100 years with a truly brilliant mind. It is essential reading for the 21st century. Louis Sullivan developes his arguments with superbly fine points and magnificantly developed reasoning. I am humbled to think I can praise this dear and departed genius. I am in debted to this man's universal thinking, clarity of mind, and depth of soul. Read this book. Love it. Respect it. Re-read it. Cherish it.