Imagine that your father, King Philip of Macidonia was just murdered by a former body guard, and that you are forced to become king at the young age of 22. Shortly after you become king some of your cities rebel against your rule, you have no military experience, and yet that is your only option.
Do you think that ever happened to anyone? It happened to Alexander of Macedonia. When the cities revolted Alexander went in and completely destroyed them, then he sold the entire population ( selling women and children as slaves was highly irregular) as slaves to be a warning to other cities that might revolt( most of the cities probably thought that Alexander was a weak king because he was so young). I think that Peter Chrisp gives a wonderful account of Alexander's life in his book, Alexander the Great.
Alexander had many exploits along his many journeys, and there is a story for each and every one. I will tell you one of those tales; it is about The Gordian Knot. In the city of Gordium there was a temple, inside this temple was a very old cart. Its yoke was tied with a knot called The Gordian Knot. The Gordian Knot was very complex, in fact it was so complex that you could not see either loose end of the rope. Many people had tried to untie the knot, but no one could. The people of the city thought that the first person to untie the knot would rule the world. On his way east Alexander stopped at Gordium and tried to untie the knot. After wrestling with the knot for a while he said, "It makes no difference how it is untied"-- and with that he took out his dagger and cut right through it. In case you did not know Alexander conquered the entire world that was known at the time and more! So perhaps the Gordian Prophecy was true.
In this book you will read about Alexander of Macedonia (who later earns the title: Alexander the Great) and his many battles, his battle tactics (most of which are incredible), his military genius, and plus have a peek at what life was like for one of Alexander's soldiers.
If you enjoy reading historical nonfiction, and also enjoy reading about the ancient Greeks then you will love Alexander the Great by Peter Chrisp.

Though this picture book is primarily aimed at young adults, older readers will enjoy it as well. It's wonderfully illustrated and very informative, giving an overview of the conquest of Alexander as well as the ancient Greek and Persian cultures. The full-color illustrations really elucidate the subject matter. All in all, a wonderful book, and one I am happy to have in my library.

Bolitho has two shocks on a voyage in the Tempest to a trading outpost in SE Asia and faces the bleakest prospect yet when he arrives, up against an angry pirate king with two frigates to his one. Bolitho has never been so close to utter defeat as here. In this plot Kent awards Bolitho a bit more luck than logic. It seems odd no one ever gets a tropical fever.

I like how Kent fills his stories not only with naval actions but little mysteries, or here "peacetime" intrigues and ambitions in the Far East. Kent has the ability to rapidly shift the reader's perspective from one character's thoughts to another's in a smooth and always clear manner. Most other naval authors focus on their hero alone, and everyone else is seen from outside.

I had two problems with this novel. I had trouble visualizing the ship maneuvres relative to land. Action proceeds and suddenly there's land or a channel where I didn't expect it, or on the opposite side from where I imagined it. Most disconcerting. It's possible I need to keep much more exact track of passing mentions of wind direction, tack, and course because Kent offers few other clues and does not describe them in laymen's (landsmen's) terms. It is vital to know, for instance, that starboard tack means sailing to the LEFT (with the WIND from the right), or "helm a lee" means turning into the wind. And of course there are no maps, there never are in Kent's stories. The one in Dean King's "A Sea of Words" (an O'Brian companion) is not quite right. Masts and lamps are frequently described as "spiralling" when surely "circling" to the motion of the ship is meant? Most seriously, for a subject that produces so much of the motivation in this story (and the next two), Kent never made me like Bolitho's great love, Viola. She starts out as just another arrogant aristo who makes eyes at our Richard, and it seems stupid he falls for her. Maybe that's part of the loneliness of command.

Alexander Kent's novels are typically filled with action. Chronologically earlier entries in the series like In Gallant Company, Sloop of War, Stand Into Danger and To Glory We Steer were all action-packed page turners. In Command a King's Ship Kent attempts to do the same but I didn't find the results as satisfactory. It's a good read and a must for series aficionados but it's not one of his best.

In this entry with key survivors from To Glory We Steer, Captain Richard Bolitho is off to the East Indies where piracy is alive and pirates can set up private empires. Europe is now at peace and Bolitho must cooperate with his former Spanish adversaries. However, things go awry well before they leave the Atlantic Ocean. At their destination, Bolitho faces two formidable adversaries. He also has to face his nemesis within the British administration. There are nefarious schemes to be unraveled and fierce battles to be fought. All the elements are in place for a superb action story.

Bolitho also falls for the wife of an administrator adding romance to the story. Perhaps this element is a little too formulaic. Needless to say the husband is a cad. Perhaps it would be more interesting if her husband had been a decent man and the tension created by them both not wanting to hurt him would have been greater. As it stands, the fact that a woman is married to a nasty man is long-standing literary justification to conduct an adulterous affair.

The novel progresses with Bolitho torn over his professional duties and his personal desires. The romance is fluff and the battle scenes are fairly good. One problem that I have with Kent's novels and this one in particular, is that Kent doesn't set the reference for the battles. If Bolitho is approaching an island, it's not clear from which direction. Does the port face north, south, east or west? Is the land on the starboard or larboard side? Which way is the wind blowing? The reader rarely gets enough information to clearly understand what's going on?

It's a good story but not one of his best.

Years ago, when I served as a Chaplain for the 3rd Armored Division (Spearhead) in Frankfurt Germany, Dan, my Chaplain Assistant encouraged me to read the naval fiction of Alexander Kent. I had no interest in the British Navy, but Dan's enthusiasm, along with previous recommendations which had been on the mark, encouraged me to give Kent's books a try.

I began to read about the remarkable life of Richard Bolitho, whose life spanned from 1756 to 1815. In the course of 22 books we see Bolitho from his days as a lowly Midshipman (at the age of twelve) to his death as a knighted Rear Admiral during battle. Kent has even continued past Bolitho's death with a novel focused his nephew Adam, captain of a frigate, who appears throughout the saga.

I've since read C.S. Forester's books on Hornblower and have tried O'Brien's, but the lesser-known Kent outshines all in his fiction. He brings the hardships of the period to life, drawing the reader into the harsh world of the seaman, telling compelling, epic tales of courage.

Throughout Kent's books one finds impressive lessons regarding leadership and commitment to country and one's shipmates. Along with the sea battles, we learn of the press gangs, the in-fighting politics of the Admiralty, ethical dilemmas, the uneasy alliances among nations, and especially the human reaction to an irresistible yet severe life. Bolitho earns the respect and devotion of his sailors and officers through his bravery, fairness, tactical brilliance, and because he chooses to become personally involved in their lives and takes care of his men. Bolitho is not a remote, aloof or harsh leader. He is stern, yet compassionate. He is charming and complicated. On every ship he immediately learns the names and backgrounds of his men, and they find out quickly that he is committed to them. He is also flawed; Kent does not make him out to be a cardboard hero.

The many battle scenes are magnificent and horrible in their depiction of the tactics and awful bloodshed in close engagements. Heated shot, fire ships, risky maneuvering and grappling the sides of enemy ships for hand-to-hand combat mark this kind of war and determine the victor. Sometimes mutinous seaman, brutal weather, or cruel leaders become the enemy as well. Kent has exhaustively, in epic fashion, crafted the minute details of life at sea. In the process he tells compelling stories of the courage and cowardice. The brotherhood of seaman, "we happy few", as they quote the Bard, fight with and for each other. Kent even manages to get on land occasionally, and brings in some romance. But the bulk of the action involves the unique struggles of those in the warships.

In the course of his writing, Kent allows us to also see the American Revolution from a British perspective. Bolitho's brother deserts to the colonists' cause, which brings grief and disgrace to Sir Richard. Kent treats the Revolution as unfortunate and inevitable.

I want to pass on the favor Dan gave me by encouraging you to explore the unique world Alexander Kent has so meticulously and masterfully detailed. You will care about the people in these books, and in each you will find parables of leadership.

The other review suggests that this is the tape to buy for people who don't want the extra sound effects.
I bought ten of these Bibles, (for benevalence)
in part because I didn't want extra sound effects.
When my order came,
I popped in the Acts tape,
and when it got to the part where the Holy Spirit
gives instructions to separate Paul and Barnabas
for the work whereunto they are sent,
Alexander Scourby's voice is cut off,
and they splice in some guy in an echo/reverb room

to "do" the voice of the Holy Spirit.
INCREDIBLY TACKY, not to mention,
this seems to me to be
a totally inappropriate means of representing the Holy Spirit.

The King James version rings with poetic and classic style befitting a narrator like Alexander Scourby. His voice is a perfect match. If you wish to hear the beauty and majesty of the Bible read clearly and dramatically without artificial sound effects added, this is the one for you.

I have listened to Alexander Scourby read the bible more than once completely through. Mr. Scourby's voice is very impressive. He has spent a lot of time to get the best intonation and effect. It is very impressive. He made me pick up the bible to read it with him more than once just due to his vocal qualities. It is easy to listen to.

This is the best work of Shakespeare that I have read. It contains jems of wisdom, such as the fall of Cardinal Wolsey, or the sympathetic speaches of Queen Catherine. These are also events of history, not far removed from Shakespeare's own times; tragic events which ultimately reshaped the world we live in.

This was a very exciting novel of wartime suspense. Rosie, a fluent French speaking young widow, is dropped off in Nazi occupied France in order to help the Resistance and to determine the Nazis' V-2 rocket plans. Her discovery, capture and subsequent escape are vividly described. This is an exciting yet literate, professionally written thriller that you will find hard to put down. The characters are very real, flesh and blood instead of the usual cardboard cutouts. For those of us who want an exciting story written well, this novel certainly qualifies. It is far above many of it's competitors.

Why do the Brits seem to write these so much better than others?

This book was an honest piece of true literature. The author is a brilliant man who is witty, savy and brimming with humurous pessimism. He conveys a level of self that is commonly missing in many works of literature these days. However if you are looking for a book with a point or even a story line you are looking in the wrong place. The majority of the words in this book are dedicated to nothing in particular, which in many ways is quite refreshing. If you want to read a book that is truly about the man who wrote it this is an excellent opportunity to climb in someone else's skin for a while.

Listening to the Bible in Alexander Scourby's wonderful voice is pure pleasure. Unfortunately, for the "dramatized" version, they gave all quotations--entire chapters in some places--to actors of mediocre skills. They sound like they didn't read the script ahead of time. Voice inflection is all wrong. It's an effort to make sense of what one hears. My advice: buy the Alexander Scourby version that doesn't say "dramatized" instead.

I have been listening (mostly at night, as I fall asleep) to the Bible read by Alexander Scourby for a while now. This is a super-helper for anyone who wants to know the Bible but does not like to read or is too tired or busy. There is also a difference between READING the Bible and hearing the Bible. You pick up nuances and details that you might miss when you're reading, and some of these are very significant! This is a great gift for your Christian Friends.

(Rom 10:17 KJV) So then faith cometh by HEARING, and hearing by the word of God.

This is a wonderful narration of the original KJV of 1611. I have been been enthralled with the vividness of the scripture afforded by this dramatized version. The quality of Scourby's narration, inflection and emphasis -and the various voices all produce clarity that I don't think I would have otherwise had. This product is a blessing and I really can't stop listening.

(Unabridged tape version) I was curious about Geronimo, so I picked up this book. It started well, setting the stage for Geronimo's rise. Adams lays out the geography and politics of the time very well. But then the story begins to get very dull.

Every battle and every agreement is painstakingly set up. The author notes that the white man shamefully broke every promise (Geronimo was a clever tactician when he broke promises). After a few of these, it gets a little dull. No, very dull. That may, in fact, be the history of the Southwest, but it doesn't mean that it is interesting reading.

Good setup, poor payoff. I would recommend finding another biography.

Please ignore the first review. Alexander Adams' biography of Geronimo provides a well researched presentation of the struggles of many noted Apache leaders in their efforts to cope with a succession of foreign invaders. The book documents America's near total disregard of peace agreements. Adams' efforts to present a Native viewpoint of events is not itself biased, though he does point out bias (against indians)in the contemporary reporting of Geronimo's time. The themes are somewhat repetitive because Adams documents the succession of broken promises, and outright lies, that were visited upon one after another of the Apache leaders. It acurately places US and Mexican dealings with Geronimo's people in context as a shameful chapter is U.S. history. As to being dull, well, if a description of a repetitious American policy of ethnic cleansing seems dull, so be it. Rather than being biased, Adams avoids use of a double standard, but does point out, for example, that there was an outcry when women and children were killed by indians, but that the same (or worse)was ignored when US or Mexican troops,... or ranchers, or miners, did the same. Maybe such even handed treatment would seem like a double standard to one steeped in Eurocentric descriptions of history. And, well, it does describe how a (white) raid on a peaceful, treaty abiding rancheria, tended to make the attacked Apaches' break their agreement to remain at peace. But is that treachery, or self defense? Its prose may not match Evan Connell's Son of the Morning Star, but it is very worthwhile reading.

This is a very thorough book on Geronimo, the Apaches, their hard life in the southwest, relations with whites, their many army oppoenents, reservation life and and atrocities on both sides including relations with Mexicans. The book starts with an explanation that Apaches actually stand for a generic name for many tribes such as the Warm Springs Apaches, the Chiricahuas, Mescaleros, etc. The author discusses the great Chiefs before Geronimo such as Cochise and Mangas Coloradas. Surprising to learn that initially the Apache got along well with the stage line until an incident ocurred involving a young Lt. attempting to get the return of a hostage by seizing Cochise and and others as hostages. This was primarily because of the Army's inability to distinguish one group of Apaches from another. The book recalls the bloody total war between whites and the Indians, the efforts of agents such as John Clum, frustration with the selections of reservations and poor rations, problems with alcohol (Tiswin), the capture and frequent escapes to freedom by the Apaches and their incredible ability to survive in what appears to be hostile land. Geronimo takes the lead in resistance with his tribe of Chiricahuas that over time is pared down due to constant battle and pressure from both north and south of the border. Great detail on General Crook's use of Apache against Apache and the rise of Lt. Gatewood who is the frequent contact of Geronimo. Incredible description of Geronimo's stronghold in the mountains of the Sierra Madre. Total war on both sides with bounties up to $100 for each of their scalps and no quarter by the Apaches. Tremendous book on Geronimo who is finally defeated not by his admirable adversary Crook but by the egotist General Nelson Miles and the reduction of Geronimo's band to 35. Miles caps it all off by not recognizing Gatewood's accomplishments and sending Geronimo packing for far longer than he agreed to. You will be surprised to learn where Geronimo is buried.

The self-styled "H.R.H. Prince Michael" claims a descent from "Bonnie Prince Charlie Stewart", the young pretender. Fact is that Bonnie Prince Charlie married Louise of Stolberg. He did recognize an illegitimate daughter, Charlotte, who may or may not be an ancestress of Michael. However, Michael claims that he also descends from a "Prince" born to Marguere de Lussan, and he claims that she had married Bonnie Prince Charlie. This marriage never took place and Charles Stewart never recognized a child by this woman.
To make his claim to royal descent even more ridiculous, Michael has added the completely fake genealogy of the Holy Blood, Holy Grail book to his book, thus claiming descent through the Guises and the Merovingians from Jesus Christ himself! This claim is completely absurd.

However, if you do not mind about historic accuracy, the book is quite pleasantly written and it is clear that the author loves Scotland. Besides the silly genealogy stuff, it contains a series of biografies of Scottish Kings.

As a Scots from Scotland, born & bred on the right side of the borders, this book became within 3 weeks of publication a bestseller (number 2 in Scotland, 7 in UK) and has seen a public awareness of a new alternative to party politics in the up coming and new Scotland. For those die hard pro-Hanoverian (or Windsor as most people know them today), I am glad to say that 'your time is up'. People, in Scotland, are already campaigning for the return of their lawful Royal House in a big way. There are many things which have been said by two particular reviewers, namely all rather negative. However, HRH Prince Michael of Albany is the legal, recognised head of the Royal House of Stewart, a title which has been mentioned on his British Passports since 1986. His claim has never been denied by the authorities in Great Britain and was, in matter of fact, confirmed by the British Home Office on 24-04-91. There are contemporary archives (British State) proving that Charles Edward's progeny, Edward James Stuart of Stuarton and Albany, survived into the 19th & 20th centuries. The book is extremely well researched, drawing from european archives and explains in details what happened to the family while surviving in exile. While passionate, it is focused. The Prince's understanding of Scottish history, for one born in Belgium, is superb and his political analysis second to none. This man, when he becomes King of Scots (notice when, not if), will prove to be what Scotland has been needing all along. A representative of the people, for the people. For all who are truly interested, not merely in the past of Scotland but in her future, read this book and learn. And no matter what some rather poorly misguided individuals may tell you, think Scotland, sing Scotland and support the Royal House of Stewart.

If only this book had been available when I was a schoolboy (post war) and had been taught as our history. Scotland will gain strength from knowing that her true Prince is back to fight for her freedom. This is a Royal House believing in 'Service to the people'. A movement has now been organised around the Prince and Scottish politicians are finally taking note of what visions Prince Michael has for Scotland. I attended one of his lecture (the hall was full, people stood for lack of chairs) and it was the best evening I have had for a long time. The house of Stewart has NEVER died out. If you believe it has, you are a fool. It is alive, kicking, it is modern, relevant, politically aware and ready to make waves. It will also bring Scottish Independence quicker than we think. Scottish businesses are linking with him in an attempt to be more fully and more efficiently represented. It is a breath of fresh air which Scotland has craved for these past many years. It is the most exciting read the end of this century has had to offer. From Scotland to Scots the world over.