One of the best coffee-table books on one of the most beloved and tragic families of this century. Several photos show Nicholas and Alexandra before the birth of their first child, Olga, until the house arrest of the family. With an accompanying text and several annonations, this poignant photo album/book show the lives of the Romanovs through carefully chosen pictures from the Russian archives. Leafing through the pages of the book will make one feel transported to a different era, the time of Imperial Russia. A must for Romanov memorabilia collectors and historians.

I am a Romanov buff myself since I was in high school, when I first heard of the family in a history class. I have read since as many books on the Romanovs as I can put my hands on. And I absolutely love this one. It is not a scholarly work like Massie's, but the intimate details of the family are wonderful. I especially liked the fact that you come to know the kids better, their individual personalities. I still smile every time I read that Maria signed her letters as "Mrs Demenkov." I have read and looked through this book about a hundred times already, and I am still as fascinated as I was the first time

This is probably THE best photographic tribute to Nicholas II and his family that I have read. It has more photographs than any other book except "Nicholas and Alexandra: The Last Imperial Family of Tsarist Russia," and unlike that book, it includes a coherent narrative of the Romanovs' lives and deaths. The photographs are breathtaking, and the writing is good. It includes numerous quotes from previously unpublished letters and diaries of the Tsar and Empress and their five children. The information on the children is especially appreciated, since it is so hard to find books that deal with any of the daughters except Anastasia.

One flaw that irritated me a great deal was the translation of the Romanovs' letters and diary entries. For example, one fragment was translated "Talked with golden Mitya... nice, sweet he is." Word order is less important in Russian than it is in English; without having access to the original Russian, I can still guess that a correct translation would have been "he is nice, sweet." Another entry is translated "a bit of him she is," instead of the much better "she is a bit of him." Similar mutilations of grammar occur throughout the book's quotes. This sort of thing is just plain sloppy, and very annoying.

The other fault I want to mention is from the chapter on Empress Alexandra's childhood. It was written by Dr. Manfred Knodt, who wrote a biography of Alexandra's brother, in German. The chapter quotes from Alexandra's mother, Alice's, letters to HER mother, Queen Victoria. These letters were originally written in English. They were published in English; this volume was then translated into German. The quotes from Alice's letters don't match the English volume; my guess is that the author worked from the German edition, and these quotes were then translated into English. Another minor thing, but sloppy. An editor ought to have caught this.

So, overall, the pictures are beautiful and the writing is good. A few sloppy errors in translation, but still one of the best books I've read on the subject.

I have read extensively on the life of Tecumseh and this is the defintive novel. I feel it is best to read last, or reread once one feels he or she understands the settling of the Northwest. It takes knowledge to respct this novel. This is the book that tells the tale of Tecumseh, but one must understand the tale of Tecumseh before one appreciates this book. Thom is a thoughtful and dedicated writer. Outstanding.

Truly a work of art in literature format. Thom brings the Shawnee Nation to life again as it once was and evokes great feeling through his work, which has a depth of its own, almost unparalleled. He is a master at his particular craft. The thing which depressed me most about this book besides reading of the destruction of The People in seemingly all too vivid detail, was the fact that i think i shall never read a better book, for this would be hard to top. Understand though that i am a great admirer of Tecumseh, so bias may come into play. But also understand that being as i am, such works would endure intense scutiny, as this book has, and yet from me, it receives nothing but praise. Too often, i have witnessed history butchered by those unskilled in its telling, but Thom has shown through his work that he is truly a student of the past and is the teacher when it comes to its portrayal. 5+ stars!

Over the years I've read many Indian folklore books, both fact and fiction. Panther In The Sky is my all-time favorite and a book I'll soon read again. James Alexander Thom brings Tecumseh to life in this fascinating, semi-biographical tale. The pages will fly by as you become mesmerized with the story. Highly recommended.

The third book of the Prydain Chronicles is excellent, but somehow a little awkward. It is reminiscent of the teenager that Taran has become by this time, as he learns to help an inept prince to become more of a man. It teaches excellent values that adults as well as children should have. Enjoy this book, but read it as the third, following "The Book of Three" and the "Black Cauldron" or else it may loose some of its majesty.

This book was my favorite of all the Prydain chronicles. Partly because a lot of the focus was on Eilonwy, though she was absent most of the book,(she has always been my favorite character) but also because it had great moral questions, and we finally begin to see Taran turn into an adult as he realizes as much as he cares about Eilonwy, he must let things be. In this book, Dallben decides that Eilonwy must leave Caer Dallben because it is time for her to learn how to be a young lady. He sends her to the Isle of Mona, and allows Taran to go with her, at least for the journey. On the way Taran struggles with his feelings for Eilonwy and his annoyance at Rhun, Prince of Mona, who is a bumbling fool, at least on the outside. Through an interesting chain of events, Eilonwy is kidnapped, and Taran learns that she is betrothed to Rhun without even her knowledge. They all go on yet another epic adventure to save her, as Taran must come to terms with his conflicting emotions. Another amazing thing about this book was that I didn't hate the love story part. Usually I hate mush because it seems as if they put it there just to be mush, and it rarely has any overall effect on the story. This however, was completly different, and I was actually hoping they would end up together. So, this is an excellent book that any fantasy lover would adore, though it would make more sense if you had read the other two books first.

This fantastic book is an amazing sequel to The Book of Three and The black cauldron. Finding these books in my school library, I read the first one over winter break. I couldn't wait for the break to be over so I could get the sequels. This book turned out to be my favortite out of all five, though The High King was a close rival. The enchanting story about how Princess Eilonwy goes to Mona with Taran and Gurgi is facinating. All of the characters are unique in there own way, no matter how odd the character is. I love the character Prince Rhun. He is really funny. The ending of this book surprised me. I thought that Eilonwy would come willingly, happy to be rescued, but the ending is far from that. It is truly a worthy sequel to the first two books.

The protagonist's strengths are his creativity, compassion, understanding and honesty. He rejects violence, greed and cruelty, and responds to kindness.

No doubt any character would have to be from outer space to be so saintly! -- but he doesn't seem aloof. When I read this at age 10 in 1966, I totally identified with Jon. The book was practically the first sign I'd ever had that it was all right to be a gentle, non-violent, well-intentioned boy.

Among the hundreds of books I read as a child, this is the only one I have kept to adulthood -- and I'm 40 now.

This book is almost as old as me, and I remember loving it when I was very young. It has elements to inspire any child: empathy with animals, mind reading, fantastically athletic feats, a peaceful alternative to a nasty world- and escape from dangerous, meddling people. I re-read it today and was very pleased to find it as good as I thought it was when I was 7 or 8.

At least one aspect of the child that seemed very odd to the almost mainstream family as portrayed in 1965 have fortunately changed for the better. Jon is vegetarian and this was cause for great puzzlement. I remember scratching my head over that, "but what does he eat?", but to many children now it's much more normal, and accepted. My Scholastic edition has the press postulate that Jon is from Mars, so we can get a small glimpse of how far we've come in our attitudes toward the habitability of our solar system.

I wanted to read *more* of these people as a child, and I had the same feeling again today. I highly recommend this book.

I had read this book when I was young, but had forgotten it (although every once and awhile, a niggling recollection of the book or its cover might float through my mind while I was thinking of children's books).

My sister teaches reading to 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students, and called me last spring to tell me that she was using one of 'my books' for her fifth and sixth graders - and that it was so good that they were asking if they could stay in from recess to hear 'the rest'!

I went searching for a copy and the whole story came back to me in a flood as I read the first chapter. It's a delightful book that makes us really think about differences, about kindness, about the way we live and see our world ... I think it can be a springboard to all sorts of questions and reflections for the children who read the book. And as a confirmed omnivore, while I may disagree with some of the 'takes' that Keys has in terms of animals - I still find the book delightful.

While the story itself is rather interesting, the last section of PIHKAL ('book II') is the true star. It's not a story...it's a list of aprox. 200 psychoactive and potentially psychoactive drugs, each lovingly described as to structure, synthesis, dosage, and effects. Each item is based on the core skeleton of phenyl-ethyl amine, which Shulgin laboriously explored at virtually every point, substitutive alkyl groups, thio groups, halides, etc. (Methoxy ring substituents are especially popular in his work.) The result is an astonishing array of hallucinogens, amphetamines, and some seemingly inert materials. While he is perhaps best known for his work on MDMA, the drug that would later gain infamy as the illegal drug 'ecstasy', it will surprise most readers to discover that MDMA is only one of an entire family of psychoactive drugs, each with their own sometimes subtle, sometimes astonishing differences. A truly extraordinary, landmark work for the pharmacologist, or simply those curious about psychoactive drugs from a more technical, exploratory stance. (That said, if you wouldn't know a carbon atom from a Honda Civic, you'll still like the biographical part, which is anything but dry and technical.)

Shulgin and his wife give a very entertaining, educational, and fascinating account of their exploration of psychedelics, with a separate section on their chemistry. The DEA hated this book so much that they harassed the authors and their friends for months after it was published.... but you'd have to be a narrow-minded pinhead to hate this book! Shulgin goes on my short list of "heros".

This book is fascinating. It is not an "I like trippin' and listenin' to the Dead" book. It is a very thorough, interesting account of the work of two very intelligent and thoughtful people in the area of psychedelic drugs and their influence on/application to human life. Here's a quote that gives some idea of the orientation of the book: of marijuana (not a phenethylamine, and thus, not really addressed fully in the book), Shulgin writes, "I have chosen not to use marijuana, as I feel the light-headed intoxication and benign alteration of consciousness does not adequately compensate for an uncomfortable feeling that I am wasting time." Of psychedelics, he writes, "the potential of the psychedelic drugs to provide access to the interior universe, is, I believe, their most valuable property." This isn't a book about seeing jerry-bears and setting up clandestine labs. It's an introduction to a new way of exploring one's relationship to the rest of the universe. It is wonderful and an invaluable resource to all who are willing to try to deal with this piece of the puzzle.

At first Cancer Ward exposes the dull horror of succombing to the terminal illness -- the x-ray therapy, the injections, the pain. These treatments seems particularly archaic by today's standards, and help to intensify the despair. But long before the middle of the book, the characters - a group of a dozen or so men in the ward - begin to drive the narrative. They argue party affiliations and politics with a false bravado, trying to believe these things matter, that they'll leave the Ward alive. But it is Kostoglotov (who may have been an inspiration for Kesey's Randall McMurphy, from One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest) who becomes the life of the novel. A prisoner of the State and a desperately ill man, he nonetheless continues to live fully in the Ward, persuing nurses, ruminating on the nature of illness and exile, and daring to hope. The reader dares to hope, too, as Kostoglotov shows flickering indications of health. A fabulously engaging book - and, inthe bargain, one of the only pieces of fiction that will make you consider a healthier lifestyle

Those were the words that Dorothy used to describe Oz after waking up in the bosom of her family. The same intense feeling came over me while reading this book, a task that spanned several years, as I often put it aside for other things, always returning, drawn by the power of the author's prose in opening his world to us. The realness of Solzhenitsyn's worlds makes him perhaps the most accessible Russian novelist. As he described the village where Kostoglotov, the protagonist, lived, or in recounting how Ruasov, the villian/fellow victim ruined lives while justifying his actions, a vivid portrait fills the reader's imagination.
The human struggle to find hope and beauty in the most tragic of settings is what this novel evokes so well. Soviet medicine, cancer, a Zek fresh from the Gulag, and in a twilight turned dawn, Solzhenitsyn finds for his semi-autobiographical protagonist happiness, not only in winning victories against a malignant tumor, but in thoughts of perhaps one more summer to live, with nights sleeping under the stars, of three beech trees that stand like ancient guardians of an otherwise empty steppe horizon, a dog that shared his life there, and of a young nurse and spinster doctor, both of whom he hoped at times to love.
The picture one often got (accurately) of the Soviet Union was of greyness, gloom, uniform drabnes, and of a totalitarian police state. This book serves to remind the reader that, despite such circumstances, even desparately sick human being might still seek, and find, happiness in his own, private world. Along with that, Solzhenitsyn never lets us forget the utter corruption of the Soviet state, often in the person of Ruasov, an ailing bureaucrat who has managed to turn personnel management into an exquisite art form, as an instrument of psychological torture, slowly administered.
Of all Solzehenitsyn's works, this is my favorite. The people one encounters are vividly real, and the ending isn't what one would think (or hope), but is fitting, nonetheless.
-Lloyd A. Conway

Having just finished reading it for the third time, I believe that Cancer Ward is a very fine novel, rich at many levels: in its depiction of Soviet provincial society in 1955, a poor society just emerging from Stalinism; in its portrayal of many separate characters (doctors, nurses, patients, hospital workers) in that society, many of whose lives have been permanently damaged by the terror and the GULAG, but in different ways; and, as I know from personal experience, in its depiction of the isolated world of the cancer patient, from which the rest of society is seen dimly, as though through dirty glass. In spite of all medical progress, the basics of this world have not changed much in 50 years: the core treatments are still surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, and the side effects both long and short term can still be brutal.

The ending of the book will disappoint those who want a happy ending, or just an ending with all the loose ends tied up. In real life, though, loose ends usually stay loose. My thought is that Solzhenitshyn intended the reader to understand that for the characters and the society who are so damaged by the past there can be no happy endings; the best they can hope for is to continue from day to day, grasping at whatever happiness briefly comes their way.

As literature, this book is not the best. However, as a historical first-hand document that recounts a personal, interesting, and very unique story, this is superb. This book may not read easily for some since the writing style can be a little scattered. This characteristic, though, reveals a rawness in the writing. Terasaki is genuine, and she opens a window to many intriguing subjects. These subjects include: foreign policy between Japan and America surrounding World War II, cultural contrasts between the two countries, perspectives on love, the life of ambassadors in the WWII era, Japanese perspectives on Americans in that era (and vice-versa), the treatment of the different classes of people in Japan, separation of civilians and government, Japanese WWII propaganda strategies, Japanese military actions in China before the US entered the war, Japanese perspectives on the American occupation after the surrender, and so much more. This text contains plenty of substance, even if not in a most polished form. I would recommend borrowing a copy through your local library rather than paying $$ for it.

What a fine book! We know what happened to the Japanese in this country in WWII. What happened to Americans living in Japan? Gwen Teraski married a Japanese diplomat in 1931. After Pearl Harbor she went with her daughter and husband to spend WWII in Japan. Usually women's books bore me, this was alway interesting and sometimes moving. You see the war and the people through her eyes. I recommend "Bridge to the Sun" to everyone.

An older book, but a timeless story. Gwen, a young Tennessee girl working in Washington, D.C. in the late-1930's is swept off of her feet by, Terasaki, a young Japanese diplomat. As if an interracial marriage at this time in US history isn't enough, Japan starts a war with the US. Mr. Terasaki is one of the diplomats who translates the belated declaration of war and delivers it to the US government. Read the inside story of what has always been characterized as a bungling by the dipomats. Gwen chooses to return to Japan with her husband in an exchange of diplomats which occurs on a dock in South Africa. From here, Gwen tells of her life in Japan during the war, Terasaki's estrangement from his superiors in the government due to his opposition to the war, and last grim days of the war. This story has all the makings of a grand Hollywood film, yet is told is a simple, easy fashion.

If Larry Gonick had written the ancient history books, chances are we would all be staying awake during world history class. This book is not only funny, but informative as well. Both trivial and essential topics are addressed and explained in wonderful cartoon detail. If this book doesn't get you excited about ancient history, then my friend give up hope, because if this doesn't nothing will. Gonick takes us from the beginning of time to Alexander the great, and it's a fun and memorable ride the whole way. OH, but don't be discouraged by it's large size. Chances are you'll finish it in a day or two AT THE MOST!! It's so entertaining, you'll take it with you to the carpool and read it while you 'work'. This book will double you IQ, I gurantee it. And you'll becoming back to it no mattter how many times you reread it. I can not recommend this book enough, if I could change the history text book ciriculum to include this I would. But I can't so you'll just have to settle for the next best thing.

Want to read about history without reading about history? Buy this book! Not only does is serve up science in a way to keep you awake but it slices up history into easy to swallow portions too. If you find chapters or subjects that pique your interest beyond that provided by the witty cartoon panels, the book has the most extensive bibliography (with reviews!) you could ask for. I bought my copy many years ago and it drove me to reread all those Greek Classics that I slept through while I was in school! It is apparent that portions of the Ancient Greece section was drawn earlier when Mr. Gonick was developing his style. His wit is trenchant in all the chapters in a way to make the reader think. Summary: I wish I had this book when I was in school...

Cartoon History presents a large amount of information at a rapid clip and keeps you laughing the whole time. Topics that may have seemed boring in history class (or weren't addressed at all) will suddenly spark the imagination and leave you wanting to read more. Thick history presented in the exact opposite of dry textbook style, all high school and college students should own a copy of this book! (Gonick doesn't pull punches about the graphic violence and bizarre sexuality of our history, so parents should exercise discretion about handing this book to younger students.) Gonick also shows intriguing perspectives that you won't get in the average, mainstream textbook market; and he especially gives women a voice they normally do not have. Hopping all over the globe for more than white man's western civ, this book and its sequel open up history in a startling and energized way. I highly recommend keeping a copy on your reference shelf.

"Winnie the Pooh" and "House on Pooh Corner" were two of my favorite books growing up. When I came across this 75th boxed anniversary edition, I just had the get it. Keep in mind, this is just the same great stories in new packages. "Winnie the Pooh" has gold trimmed pages and "House on Pooh Corner" is trimmed with silver. I recommend this to anyone who hopes to pass on the love of the original Winnie the Pooh characters to any young ones in their lives. I know I definitely will.

Yesterday I planned on reading "The Great Gatsby," but instead I read A.A. Milne's "Winnie the Pooh."

What! you say.

Well, I bought it a while back, and I never sat down to read it. So yesterday I just grabbed it, and started reading---and despite the fact that it's meant for children, the insight it offers is unparalleled. Maybe some of you have read "The Tao of Pooh" (which I read in high school). That book explains how Winnie the Pooh behaves in a Taoist fashion. But instead of reading the "Tao" book, I think people could have done just as well, if not better, reading the original work.

I have great respect for an author who can write a work that appeals to both children and adults. Such is "The Phantom Tollbooth" or "The Wizard of Oz." Such is "Winnie The Pooh." The joy of reading Winnie is the absurd logic it follows. Or the way it satirizes adults, which it does quite well through the characters of Eeyore and Owl. For example, how can you NOT enjoy this passage from Chapter Four:

"The old grey donkey, Eeyore, stood by himself in a thirsty corner of the forest, his front feet well apart, his head on one side, and thought about things. Sometimes he thought sadly to himself, 'Why?' and sometimes he thought, 'Wherefore?' and sometimes he thought, 'Inasmuch as which?'---and sometimes he didn't quite know what he was thinking about."

Now the only decision that remains is do I read the other Pooh book I bought, "The House at Pooh Corner" or do I read F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby." Hmm.

I recieved this book (and its companion, the color edition of "The House At Pooh Corner") as a gift. I cannot speak more highly of them both. Unlike the editor at Horn, who found that the colorization detracted from the illustrations, I find exactly the opposite -- that the color lends depth and detail to the drawings, which are completely untouched otherwise.

The paper is crisp, semi-glossy, and brilliant white; the cover and page edges are guilded; the typeface is sharp and crystal-clear; and the full-color endpapers are truly magnificent.

In all and every way this is a truly magnificent and sumptuous edition -- with perhaps the single exception of price. And even then, with such a marvelous work, that is to be expected!

I prefer war novels like "The Triumph and the Glory" to histories because fiction is capable of delivering such profound emotional effects on a reader. But the great history books, like "Utmost Savagery: The Three Days of Tarawa" are so powerful that they transcend genre or category and proclaim the truth of our past in a truly unforgettable manner. This is one of the best books about men in battle I've ever read.

Tarawa is a relative footnote in most historical books on World War II. But Tarawa may have been the most brutal and turning-point battle of the entire war. This book details one of the most savage battles of all time. Three Days of Tarawa should be read by every high school and college student in America to appreciate what real sacrifice is.

It is the book form of "Victory at Sea".

This is an excellent book of the fighting at Tarawa in WW2. The author has done a great job in presenting the story, it was so well told that I found it hard to put the book down. Ever since I was a kid I have had a fascination for the USMC and after reading this book I remember why. What guts! The author also presents the Japanese defenders as humans, rarely done in many books about combat in the Pacific during the war. The author has researched his story well and has used numerous maps and a number of sobering B&W photos to assist his narrative. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a great story, well done to the author!