Historical fiction

Boris is a child in Leningrad during the Siege of 1942-43. His fight for survival, not simply in body but also in spirit, is extraordinarily well-written by Dutch historian Jaap ter Haar. The gruesome aspects of the 500 days are softened without losing authenticity or the power to move the reader to a broader view of compassion in war.

My 5th and 6th grade students are astounded by the child's experiences and his eventual view of war and human goodness. When reading Boris we also watch the World At War segment on the Siege of Leningrad. Some of the scenes in the newsreel footage seem to include Boris.

Written in graceful prose, it is a favorite among our readers. Boris is quite a compelling way to look at human rights and how in the midst of war and hatred some people manage to live honorable lives.

Chosen book of the year in Holland. Boris should be reprinted by Dell Yearling.

Boris, and his friend Nadia, are living through the WWII German seige of Leningrad,and Boris' father has died in the heroic effort to bring food into the city. Boris, Nadia, and all of Leningrad are starving. Bodies are carried off daily, and the children never know if they, or a family member, will be next. The children make a desperate attempt to find potatoes rumored to be in no man's land near the enemy lines. They colapse in the snow, and a German soldier risks his life to save theirs. Boris learns that even in war, sometimes the enemy can be a friend, and has the courage to show this to the people of Leningrad.

The book is a powerful tale of humanity in a brutal war. Its an easy read for a 9-12 year old, but also enjoyable for adults. The postscript suggests it is a true story told to the author in later years by Boris himself.

I first ran across this book because a few chapters were reprinted in a middle school literature book. They were so moving, I sought out this hard-to-come-by children's novel in the library of each new town I came to, and read it to students in the classroom.

This book was a delightful story of a boy battling his bedtime monsters. It is a story that can put children at ease with bedtime fears. It addresses nighttime fears from a child's level of understanding. I know it worked wonders at bedtime at our house! Now, if they would just bring it back from "out of print"

Of course, I loved the book. It's well paced, entertaining, and insightful to a moment in russian history. Pushkin's charm as an dramatist is as well done as shakespeare. There aren't as many quotable lines, but that only makes it more fluent to read. The poetry is also nothing shy of great and the characters are well written, notably boris and the impostor. It's always tough to find russian literiture that doesn't bore a person, but pushkin's drama has enough romance (i.e. Romantic era), action, jokes, and touching speeches to move the reader to bite their nails, laugh out loud, and cry.

For being Boris V.Savinkov' nephew,I must say that the reading of Mr.R.Spence Book has been more than a surprise to me.For once somebody took the challenge to bring out of the shade the rather stange character of this "lost hero".Through the reading of "Renegade from the left" one can understand the tumultuous life of Boris V.Savinkov and its implications in history.The precision of this monograph shows how seriouly the historical research has been conducted,for there is not a single fact wich is not bound to a file location.Reading this book I had the chance to descover who my uncle was and his "performance" in history did amazed me.As I have recently started a genealogical and historical research about all the members of my family,this book helps me a lot .Thank you to Mr R.Spence and to the East Europeen Monograph edition!!!

I was first introduced to this book by my voice instructor about six months ago. It contains valuable information about many of the most commonly performed arias in the soprano repertory. Each aria is translated both word for word and idiomatically. A summary of each opera is given as well as measure-by-measure suggested staging. Suggestions are also given for the cadenzas. This book has really made a difference in how I perform some of my arias. I highly recommend it.

This sequel to "Computer Chess" is an ambitious attempt to combine the insights of a chess programmer who is a competitive player, and those of a very strong master who at the time was adviser to Fidelity Electronics, then the largest manufacturer of chess playing computers.

Like its predecessor, the book is organized into two sections: a detailed discussion of how computers play chess, and a detailed analysis by Boris Baczynskyj of games played by chess programs.

The technical section is more extensive and invoved than that of the first volume, and this book has been selected as a university textbook. Its insights are deeper than those of the first volume, thus it is more oriented toward advanced players and programmers, than toward the average chess player.

I have always wondered what Boris Pasternak's life was like and this book more than adequately answered that wonderment. The passionate feelings between two family members and their views of life, specifically and in general, to the events unfolding around them in pre- and post-revolutionary Russia are astounding. It is like being transported back to a time and place where you feel as if you were part of the times, travelling, seeing, doing and feeling what Boris and Olga did. How sad that they were unable to visit with each more frequently during their lives, and that in the end, he was unable to attend her funeral for as much as he loved her. This book is very poignant and teaches timeless lessons and gives us dramatic reminders for our day.

One of the latest in Osprey's "Aircraft of the Aces" series, this is the first English language work that I have come across that deals in detail with the exploits of Croatian fighter pilots in WW2.

I think that the authors have made excellent use of a large and wide variety of published sources, as well as much unpublished material and eye-witness accounts from the families of the airmen in question.

The text begins with the Royal Yugoslav Air Force and its fight with the Luftwaffe and Regia Aeronautica in 1941, moves on to cover the independent pro-axis state of Croatia and its volunteer "legion" fighter unit, 15/(Kroat)./JG 52 on the Eastern Front 1942-44 and back on home soil in 1944-45, attempting to defend Croatia in a motley collection of French, Italian and German fighters. It finishes with a "Hall of Fame" detailing the 21 Croatian pilots who achieved "Ace" status.

I was particularly fascinated by the many newly related first-hand accounts of battle, both in Russia and over Croatia.

Also, the 8 pages of new colour profiles and over 100 photos sourced in Croatia serve to complete what I found to be an excellent, most comprehensive look at this "forgotten" Axis air force.

If you thought you knew all there was to know about Charles Darwin and his evolutionary hypothesis, but you haven't read this book, then think again. Eiseley's research is impeccable, but his findings strike to the very heart of the Darwin legend, revealing a deeply flawed and basically dishonest seeker after self-aggrandisement. No wonder it's out of print! Despite his findings Eiseley remained a Darwinist and an evolutionist to his dying day. This book is no slice of creationist propoganda, it is a carefully written, highly readable review of the facts. If you have any interest in the history of evolutionism - pro or con - this book should be very near the top of your reading list.