I really enjoyed reading this. Fred Lieb does a remarkable job covering the major events that occured in baseball during his career in baseball as a writer(1911-1975). It begins with him as a young sports writer covering the 1911-1912 World Series witnessing players like Christy Mathewson, Homerun Baker and Fred Snodgrass. He then dedicates individual chapters talking about his relationship with Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner, Lou Gherig, Pete Alexander and Christy Mathewson and his opinion on their place in baseball history. He talks about the effect the 1919 World Series fix had on baseball and how Landis was the games savior as he calls him. He also has chapters on some of his favorite mangers that he covered including Connie Mack, Casey Stengel and Joe McCarthy. He concludes this excellent book by comparing and contrasting how the game has changed since his youth(1890s to early 1900s) to today(mid 1970s at time of writing) then picking his all-time teams in 25 year spans from 1876-1975. Any baseball fan with an interest in the games history should definately pick this book up.

Fred Lieb knew the players he talks about personally. Anything written by Fred Lieb about baseball is coming from a true authority on the subject. Baseball has a history unlike any other sport. No other sport can touch it, and in reading about it from Fred Lieb you are getting it from a true master. Do yourself a favor. Buy the book.

Because Fred Lieb saw so many old time players and told about them in such an interesting way. I also thould he was very fair in his comparing of the players abilities.

If you sorta like Military History, than you should absolutely buy this book. The book captures the thrill of victory, like never before. If you are like me, and had never heard of Gustavus Adolphus before, than this is an excellent book to read, as a stepping stone to learning more about these men.

An excellent study of exactly why these four generals were so successful on and off of the battlefield. Particularly emphasizes the importance of the cult-of-personality so prevalant in history's greatest generals, while still showing you enough of the army details to let you imagine you're charging across a ditch at Lutzen.

This was a great book for me to read because it influenced me to become the Commander-in-Chief of the British Army,which I am today.I would like to recommennd this book to historians to all people who are interested(especially generals).

This book is the best single reference on humanity's long-love affair with this unique gem: the pearl. Information on the pearl is given by time period (up to the early 20th Century) and by pearl producing region/country.
If you love pearls (or are in the process of knowing about them), this book is definitely a must have. It has it all: scientific facts, pearl oyster biology and history. Incredibly well written.

This book has everything that one would want to know about pearls. It includes the pearl's cultural and natural history, commerce, industrial and medical uses, methods of pearl gathering, lists of famous pearls, ancient legends about pearls, (black and white) pictures of pearls, and portraits of royalty with their pearls.

Since this book was written in 1906, the values of pearls are outdated, and the pre-metric measurements used are confusing.

This is the best and most useful resource on pearls that I have discovered.

I just want to share summaries with other costomers

Published six months after Custer's death, Frederick Whittaker's "A Complete Life of General George A. Custer" traces the American icon's life from his boyhood in Ohio through his cadet years at West Point, his Civil War exploits, his impressive rise to the rank of Major General of cavalry in the Army of the Potomac and his transition to the peacetime army. All the foundation elements of the Custer story are stated in Vol. I of Whittaker's book. They are supported by the first person accounts of Custer and other of his peers, and in my opinion, clearly define the reasons for Custer being rightfully considered a genuine, homegrown American hero based on his Civil War exploits alone! [See also: "Custer Victorious"/Urwin; "Custer and His Wolverines"/Longacre; "Touched by Fire"/Barnett] My reading of this book was enriched by the fact that, as a Custer contemporary, Whittaker was not only in touch with the the 19th century ambience, but that he had the added advantages of active service as a trooper in the 6th New York Cavalry and access to Custer's papers, Civil War memoirs and personal anecdotes through his collaboration with Custer's widow, Elizabeth. As a result, the book is replete with knowledgeable commentaries on the customs, mores and military standards of the times. Of special interest to me were the final three chapters devoted to Custer's transition from the wartime to the peacetime army [Book Six, Chapters 1-3]. In these chapters Whittaker gives a clear and perceptive overview of the postwar military structure; the social psychology of the men Custer would come to command; the negative public perception of the postwar enlistee; the deficiencies in the formation of the 7th Cavalry; and the intense political intrigues which seem to surround and infect the military, particularly in peacetime. [For a contemporary example, see "Patton: A Genius for War"/D'Este]. In a clear and interesting fashion Whittaker enunciates the undercurrents which produced the "four D's" (demoralization; disobedience; dipsomania; desertion) which Custer had no part in creating but over which he was expected to exert appropriate control. Whittaker makes it clear that it was Custer's efforts in this direction, coupled with his own naivete, that set the stage for many of his future difficulties with the command structure. Whittaker's "A Complete Life of General George A. Custer" is the spiritual and intellectual great granddaddy of most subsequent writings on the subject. I found that, in spite of its venerability, the book is still productive of provocative thought pieces. As an example, it contains perhaps the first published mention of Custer having been offered a full colonelcy in the 9th Cavalry, a black regiment, which he allegedly refused , ". . .preferring a lower step to a lower grade of service. . ." One may speculate as to how the acceptance of that command might have influenced Custer's subsequent career. In this regard, it is interesting to note that the acceptance of command of a black regiment (the 94th Massachusetts) provided an upward step for Col. Robert Gould Shaw, and Gen. John J. Pershing's early command experience with the all-black 10th Cavalry Regiment (and the resulting sobriquet "Black Jack") may well have called attention to this officer and advanced his career. In spite of Whittaker's lapses into florid prose and blatant hero-worship, I found Volume I of his complete biography of Custer to be emminently readable and informative. I would highly recommend this as a "must-read" for both Custerophile and casual history reader alike.

First, I must warn everyone that I have not read the entire book, but was extremely impressed with it after only reading one chapter! I had the pleasure of taking Prof. Neuhouser's class on social and political philosophy; Chapter 2 was cited as secondary reading as a supplement to Rousseau's Second Discourse and Social Contract. Prof. Neuhouser has an uncommon ability in both lecture and print to elucidate the material in such a way as to make it accessible without dumbing it down -- very helpful for someone who has no phil. background (like me!). I couldn't afford to buy a copy of this book right now, but I would if for just the deeper understanding of Rousseau it affords me. I'm sure anyone who has some familiarity with Hegel would be able to appreciate this book all the more!

Frederick Neuhouser has a great talent for bringing out Hegel's meaning. Although he claims only to elucidate Hegel, this work is tantamount to an original contribution to social theory. Specifically, he contributes strongly to understanding the way that state and society can serve as positive conditions for freedom or as parts of freedom itself. Neuhouser does not intentionally take on the claims of the opposing view held by conservative political theorists, but his work indirectly provides one of the most compelling refutations of the subjectivist approach of contemporary conservative political theory that I have ever read. Contemporary political and economic theory are, in my view, in Neuhouser's debt for this enlightening treatment of the social and political realms. Readers will appreciate the fact that he conveys these ideas through graceful prose unmarred by impenetrable jargon.

Growing up as a Caucasian American I was always attracted to the disenfranchised, disempowered and misrepresented peoples of the world. My sense of justice was offended by the philosophy of European superiority, the philosophy that is based upon the idea that a person is basically born into an ethnic caste system of which Europeans where the lords. I started to befriend African Americans very early on, and I became deeply fascinated by their culture. One day an older African-American woman asked me about this, noticing me shying away from playing with white kids. At the time I didn't know how to respond so she scolded me. She told me that I was not 'black' and that I had no business pretending I was. She went on to tell me that I could never identify with what 'black' people experience, because like it or not, I was white. I would always have opportunities that 'blacks' wouldn't. She did have a point, or at least I thought. I went through a serious bout with my identity after that and decided to educate myself on what actually happened to these people. I started with this title, and it led me onto a serious engagement with our country's brutal fascination with chattel slavery.
Frederick Douglass was a slave on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, not too far from Baltimore where I live. His accounts of the treatment of slaves is indeed frightening. It is very important to note that when Frederick was young he was sent to live in Fells Point Maryland as a house slave. The wife of his owner thought it good to teach Frederick the alphabet. After Frederick learned the alphabet the woman showed her husband. He was furious with his wife, and told her that it you teach these 'niggers' to read they will want to know how to write. If they know how to wright, they might start thinking they are equal with white folks. He then ordered her to stop teaching Frederick anything 'that could interfere with his chores'. Unfortunately the damage was already done. Frederick became obsessed with reading and taught himself to read by studying newspapers in the streets and paying white kids to teach him. Slowly we see Frederick, through his own religion convictions, developing a liberation philosophy through education. Knowledge was his key to freedom, and it eventually led to his escape to the North.
One of the key points of this narration is that the slave owners used methods of controlling slaves which are very similar to the tactics employed by the propaganda machine. For instance, Frederick noticed that the slave masters made the slaves drink on holidays and observed them strictly to make certain that all of them spent their 'free' time drunk. They were always on the look-out for slaves that exhibited critical thinking attempting to hold conversations with their fellow slaves about their condition. Reminiscent of the fabled or not Willie Lynch manual on how to make and break a slave, these slave masters certainly knew what they were doing. The institution of slavery was highly developed, almost a science unto itself. Escaping this was the main theme in the first half of Frederick Douglass's autobiography. The second part deals with his efforts to bring slavery to an end all together by raising peoples consciousness to the inhumanities of the practice. I am indebted to Frederick Douglass for bringing me closer to the reality which African Americans live through day in and day out not only in this country, but also in apartheid South Africa. While I believe that the scolding I got was somewhat well deserved, I do believe that consensual integration is part of a God's work. Overall one finds it very difficult to account for all of valuable contributions this work can bring to the human heart. This is one of those books which makes you want to cry, then laugh, then explore new methods of pluralism and equality. Ironically I married an African American sister who teaches at Frederick Douglass Middle School in Baltimore City. She often tells me how the text books are over fifteen years old, and the computer lab even older. Most of the students see no benefit in the public indoctrination system anyway, but when they do go they are met with ancient resources and apathetic teachers. Another clear indication that we have a lot of work to do on this 'American' notion of equality.

This book, written in Douglass' later years, not only lifted my spirits but did a great deal to reestablish my faith in humanity. This was a man who had every opportunity, and reason, to be bitter and/or vengeful. He, instead, chose to fight, with his intellect and his golden tongue, for what he, and others chained in slavery and social subservience, rightfully disserved as a member of our human race. He was a man of conviction and inner strength who taught himself to write with an elegance that I have never seen equaled. I strongly recommend this book.

When Maigret meets a serial killer, it's a dramatic face to face and, as usually, Maigret can understand why the killer acts in such an horrible way. Maigret don't excuse the killer but can understand. Like said Simenon : "Understand but not judge".

This is one of my very favorite Simenon novels; superbly paced and brilliant characterizations.

George Eliot, born Mary Ann Evens, author of arguably the greatest novel in the Victorian era, Middlemarch, was not just an author but an intellectual giant. She translated works of philosophy from the German and from Latin; knew and exchanged ideas with the brightest minds of the time; was fluent in 7 languages (French, Italian, German, Latin, Hebrew, Greek and Spanish), and was compelled by a natural curiosity to acquire knowledge all through her life.

Her life with a married man created a Victorian scandal, yet by the time of her death in 1880 she was England's most celebrated author visited even by Queen Victoria's daughters.

This biography is a thorough, accessible and engrossing book. Author Karl is a fan of Eliot's yet hides none of her blemishes. While he generally refuses to speculate on a lot of Victorian gossip regarding her life, he at times annoys the reader with some unwarranted attempts to psychoanalyze her (I do get tired of the injection of Freud into literature). The slowest parts of the book deal with her frequent trips to Europe. We learn what she did on Tuesday in Berlin, and then her activities in Hamburg on Wednesday. While I realize that the recording of such information is important in providing a fairly complete detail of her life, I tend to nod a bit at the lengthy reports of her travels.

Historically we are blessed with a huge number of extant correspondence of Eliot. The author makes good use of these letters, yet the book does not turn into an epistolary work i.e. a book of nothing but verbatim letters.

One of my purely personal problems with the book was that I have not read all of Eliot's novels. Mr. Karl, of necessity perhaps, relates much of the plots of her books, and thus creates a real spoiler for the novels that I haven't read. That's my problem, of course, and not the author's.

It would seem that people today are probably unaware of this important author who was known throughout England during her writing lifetime. Her novels and her life are an important part of the literary canon. I heartily recommend this well crafted book

Excellent beginning book. Perhaps even the advanced philosopherswould enjoy this book. A must read for beginning Ph.D students.

whenever I find a used copy of this or MacDonald's "The Princess and Curdie" I buy it and give it away. Both books are full of religious symbolism if you think about it, and old other-worldness if you don't. "The Princess and the Goblin" can be enjoyed by early elementary school children, while the language of "The Princess and Curdie" is more challenging and suited for 5th grade and up, though anything is possible with a bit of extra effort. Worth trying. George MacDonald (deceased) has a loyal following as do, of course, Tolkien and C.S.Lewis who were his friends. These are lovely books to read aloud.

So you love C.S. Lewis' Narnia Chronicles? There people who don't are few and far between. One of the biggest influences on C.S. Lewis was this man, George MacDonald (1824-1905). It was MacDonald's talent for telling fairy stories that inspired Lewis in writing his own. Like Lewis, MacDonald has a remarkable ability to tell a delightful and enchanting story for children, layered with strong Christian themes and imagery by means of allegory and symbols. 'The Princess and the Goblin' is one of his most beloved works for children, and an excellent introduction to his style and success.

'The Princess and the Goblin' features a heroine ' a princess called Irene ' and a hero ' a simple miner's son called Curdie. While working overtime in the mines to earn money to buy his mother a red petty-coat, Curdie chances upon the goblins who live in the mountain, and discovers that they are hatching an evil plot against the king and his palace. Meanwhile the princess makes a discovery of her own ' high in the castle she finds a wonderful old lady who is her great-great-grandmother. The problem is, nobody else knows of her grandmother, and nobody believes her. But the princess does believe, and it is by her faith in her grandmother and the magic thread that she receives from her, that she is able to rescue Curdie. Together they rescue the entire palace from disaster at the hands of the goblins.

In telling the story, MacDonald has an enchanting conversational style, wonderfully suitable for reading aloud to enraptured children ' an ability perfecting in telling stories to his own eleven children. But 'The Princess and the Goblin' is more than just a story. Before pursuing a literary career, MacDonald was a Congregationalist minister, and so integrates important underlying Christian themes. Believing in the great-great-grandmother despite the fact that many cannot see her, is a symbol of believing in God. MacDonald uses this to show how the Christian faith involves believing without seeing, and that not everyone has to 'see' something for it to be true. The grandmother's lamp and magic thread are the guides on which the princess must depend, much like the Word which is a lamp on our path. It may sound tacky, but it works.

Children are not likely to grasp the deeper underlying themes that MacDonald is working with. Nonetheless the story has a clear message for children. The clear conflict between the royal powers of light against the goblin powers of darkness is unmistakable. Moreover, the princess is presented as a model of virtue, and MacDonald frequently asserts the importance of moral virtues such as always telling the truth, keeping your word, and admitting your faults ' moral virtues that are equally important for princes and princesses of God's kingdom. Courage, honesty, grace, dignity and beauty are timeless ideals for children of all times to strive for. If you love Narnia, you're sure to like this one, and you'll find yourself quickly grabbing the sequel, 'The Princess and Curdie.' 'The Princess and the Goblin' was one of J.R.R. Tolkien's childhood favorites, highly regarded by C.S. Lewis, described by W.H. Auden as 'the only English children's book in the same class as the Alice books', and generally considered as a classic example of nineteenth century children's literary fairy tales. So if you haven't yet read this book, it's about time you did. With admirers such as Tolkien, Lewis and Auden, if you become a MacDonald's admirer you'll find yourself in good company!

Dang, but this is good! I can see why Lewis and Tolkien, the acknowledged kings of fantasy, loved it. Written long before the Hobbit, I'd say that this might be the first kid's fantasy book still published today.

Young Princess Irene is kept in ignorance of the ghastly goblins that live under the mountains--neither she nor any of the castle staff are allowed out after dark. But when she and her nurse Lootie accidently stay out too late, a hideous creature chases them and nearly catches them. Because of that, Irene meets the young miner boy, Curdie, who knows the weaknesses of the goblins.

After her narrow escape, Irene is drawn up into abandoned parts of the castle to where her great-great-grandmother lives, surviving on pigeon's eggs--also a wonderful character, somewhere between a guardian angel and a grandmother. Her shifting forms, subtle magic and enigmatic speech are mesmerizing. The enchanted bath scene is worth the book alone!

Irene and Curdie are human yet excellent role models for kids. Irene appears to be only seven or eight, but tries to carry herself as a princess at all times, with bravery and dignity (she doesn't always succeed, but it's never shown as being a GOOD thing). Curdie is also brave and dignified, a prince in the spirit with humble roots.

And the goblins? Well, I got nightmares when I was little from some of the descriptions, but if you can read, say, Harry Potter (not as good) without freaking then you should have no trouble.

This is probably the earliest fantasy, and one of the best.