Bruce Catton received the Pulitzer Prize for this final volume in his three-part History of the Army of the Potomac. Catton's greatness was that he combined historical accuracy with poetic insight, writing from the perspective of the citizen-soldiers who fought the Civil War and whom he had come to know and respect growing up in Michigan. "A Stillness at Appomattox" covers the last cruel year of the war, when the Army of the Potomac had become an engine of war under the leadership of Ulysses S. Grant. Although on paper the Army still belonged to George Gordon Meade, it was Grant who was the head of all the Union forces and who ran his command in the field. In this final volume Catton traces the Army's inevitable progress towards its grim victory, through the battles of the Wilderness, the Bloody Angle, Cold Harbor, the Crater, and on through the last months of the war to the moment at the MacLean house when the nation was made whole again.

Like its predecessors, "A Stillness at Appomattox" is divided into six sections: (1) "Glory Is Out of Date" follows Grant as he arrives from the West to check out the Army that needs to whip Bobbie Lee; (2) "Roads Leading South" relates the horrors of the Battle of the Wilderness and the new mood as the Army relentless pushes South towards Richmond; (3) "One More River to Cross" covers the bloody mess of the final assault on Cold Harbor; (4) "White Iron on the Anvil" details the final hemming in of the Army of Northern Virginia into a defensive position around Richmond, including the Battle of the Crater: (5) "Away, You Rolling River" deals with both the Siege of Richmond and Sheridan's efforts in the Shenandoah Valley; and (6) "Endless Road Ahead" finally brings us to the Fall of Richmond and Lee's surrender to Grant. Catton's History of the Army of the Potomac was unique because it insisted on telling the story of the Civil War from the perspective of the fighting soldiers, creating for an entire Union army what regimental historians and the memoirs of individual soldiers had done on smaller levels. His success is due to his ability to create a spellbinding narrative that is more reminiscent of literature than what we would expect to find in a history book.

Unfortunately, much of Bruce Catton's works are out of print but, most titles are readily available in out of print bookshops. I read this title, which is currently in print, along with the first two, out of print, titles in the great Army of the Potomac trilogy. A Stillness at Appomattox is a great book in it's own right but, it is a particular treat to read the entire three volume set. Not only is the history interesting but, it is so well written that the enjoyment of reading it is incrteased many fold. I particularly thought that Catton's description of Gen. Phil Sheridan's campaign in the Shenedoah Valley was particularly vivid and fascinating. As is Catton's wont, the book ends rather abruptly, leading to the end of the military aspects of the war but not really describing the actual surrender ceremonies at Appomattox Courthouse. He also used this technique in an earlier (out of print) volume as he led the reader to the Gettysburgh Address but then stopped abruptly as Lincoln got up to speak, not describing the address or the reaction to it. Catton does this so well that it really works. He is truly one of my favorite authors. I am now reading my out of print copies of Catton's second great trilogy, The Centennial History of the Civil War.I recommend his out of print as well as his currently available Civil War histories highly.

The Civil War will never lack for authors, both fiction and historical. Only a handful will leave a reader with an indellible impression. Among these few: Douglas Southall Freeman, Shelby Foote and James M. McPherson. Each has written outstanding works on the war: Freeman; R.E. Lee and Lee's Lieutenants, Foote; Shiloh and his magisterial three volume narrative and McPherson, his brilliant Battle Cry of Freedom.
Magnificent works all, but in a class by himself is Bruce Catton.
I recall my father raving about Catton; "When you read him, it's like you're there," he said. Unfortunately, I wasn't so quick to take his advice. Then, in 2000, I saw David McCullough on C-Span 2 and he raved about "A Stillness at Appomattox." Then, I decided to give it a try.
Lucky for me. I've read many accounts regarding the last agonizing year of the war, but none has matched Catton for sheer storytelling power. One marches with the Army of the Potomac as it seeks out Robert E. Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia. You witness and somehow, almost take part as these, the war's two military giants, Grant and Lee collide. You see the mistakes and agonize with the men yet, you always stand in awe of the everyday valor these heroes of the Blue and the Gray make. But despite battlefield blunders and poor leadership, draftees who are more likely to desert than face the enemy, the men of the Army of the Potomac never lose their faith in themselves and it is this spirit that drives the Army to ultimate victory.
Words fail me to describe how awesome this book is. I thought it would have aged badly, but it hasn't. It's truly a timeless work. This book, along with Mr. Lincoln's Army and Glory Road constitute the greatest tribute to the men of the Army of the Potomac and in a way, the Army of Northern Virginia as well.

Enjoy.

I have not read a book like that in simply ages, simply ages.

Bruce Kimmel San may be known to many of you as a legendary megastar of the record industry and perhaps as a legendary megadirector of the silver screen. But now he is close to entering the ranks of the legendary megaauthors of the American novel.

The childhood in this book is depicted in such glowing and humorous detail that I simply could not put it down. I, of course, grew up far, far from the Los Angeles of Benjamin Kritzer. But from a very early age I was fascinated by the American cinema and the English popular songs that formed the personal world of this young boy, so the references did not fall on deaf ears, or, in this case, on blind eyes.

I laughed and laughed and laughed at poor Benjamin's attempts to understand the vagueries of American slang and metaphors, for I have endured the same confusion in trying to learn your quirky and illogical language.

I cried and cried at the heartbreaking childhood love story, and you will too.

Whether you are a legendary megastar of the silver screen like me or of more humble persuasion, I am sure you will enjoy this book and want to reread it as soon as you reach the back cover, which is on the right.

Your Sushi

I love this book. I was hooked on the title character and his heartfelt antics from the very first line of the prologue. Through his vivid, loving description of 1950's Los Angeles, Bruce Kimmel draws his readers into a world where nine year olds can eat copious amounts of shrimp, fall in love, and practice rolling down stairs in a movie theatre without fear of being mugged or molested. This is a beautiful story that will make you laugh, make you cry, and even make you a bit nauseous from time to time when senile grandparents are seen through the eyes of nine year old Benjamin Kritzer. I read this book in about twenty-four hours and look forward to reading it again and again. It is a timeless tale of first love and the lessons we learn as we go from being nine to ten.

Drawing on his own childhood in Los Angeles, the redoubtable polymath Bruce Kimmel has created a touching and often side-splitting account of a Jewish childhood in the fifties. But it could just a well be my own Lutheran childhood in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Filled with detailed remembrances of fifties songs and films and a kooky family so quirky that they have to be real, Benjamin Kritzer will ring true to anyone who has experienced the pangs of being a child a bit out of sync with his surroundings anywhere at any time.

God is in the details. But humanity is in the emotions. And the author has got them both exactly right.

A joyous read, perhaps the first major first novel of the millenium. Is that an exaggeration? Watch Kimmel in the future. He is anything but a one-trick pony. Film director, scenarist, song-writer, record producer, actor, singer, arranger, playwright--and now novelist. Kimmel seems to be a Jack of all trades and master of all. (Except he can't draw worth cocky-doo-doo.)

This book is one of my favorite books. It's about
a boy named William who likes to explore the
castle at night. One night he finds someone....
Another night, Halloween, someone calls his name
If you haven't read this book yet....READ IT!

I have read this book several times and each time it seems toget better! Children of all ages will LOVE to hear the story ofWilliam, a boy who was left on the doorstep of a castle. The story has it's funny moments, its suspenseful ones, and always holds an essence of mystery. Complete with plenty of adventure and characters you'll love, (Like Igor, Herky and Fauna) I recommend this book to imaginative children of all ages!

I am a 5th grade teacher, and I enjoy reading this book to my class every year. The students really seem to enjoy the book, especially when I "do the voices". I have just about read the cover off my copy (literally). Of course, I have had some help. Every year after I read it to the class, at least three of the students ask to read it themselves. (A definite plus!)

"Goblins" has all the elements of fantasy, so it works in nicely when discussing that type of book. Bruce Coville really did an outstanding job with this one. I really take a great deal of delight in "torturing" the students by reading only a chapter or two a day. Mr. Coville did an awesome job building suspense at the end of each chapter. It makes for GREAT cliffhangers!

If you teach upper elementary, or if you have children aged 8-12 that you read to, and you don't own this book, then SHAME ON YOU! This one is a must. I have yet to have a class that didn't enjoy this book (even when I taught 6th grade). However, if you don't "do the voices" you are missing half the fun.

I have heard a *rumor* that Bruce Coville is working on a prequel to _Goblins in the Castle_. One can only hope.

Mike Frazier

This is a wonderful book. It compiles Bruce Lee's thoughts and ideas related to Jeet Kune Do and martial arts in general and even a few thoughts on life, too. His explanation of the tools and tactics used in fighting open up a whole new level of the martial arts, even for beginners. This is a GREAT book. While it may be a tad disjointed at times, that only seems to add to the greatness of it. Some of it is like a puzzle you must figure out, so even after you've finished reading it, you find yourself actively STUDYING it. A wonderful book.

Commentaries of Bruce Lee is one of the most comprehensive collections of quotes, diagrams, and theories on the market today. Integration of Jeet Kune Do in Movies adds an element of excitement, to the book. I found the book very well organized. The five elements of Jeet Kune Do were describe in comprehesive detail. Narrative was easy to read supported by a series of thoughts, techniques, and insights that kept my attention for hours. One of the best Martial Art Books, I've read this year.

Great book on Lee's martial art of Jeet Kune Do (JKD). The book has drawings that were taken from his original notes as well as his thoughts, theories, fighting strategies, excercises, etc. Similar to "The Tao Of Jeet Kune Do", this book is really like a good look into Lee's own personal notes.

Vivid, colorful illustrations are the first feature readers will notice about this new title by Audrey Wood, but the story will keep them coming back to this delightful book. The lively, lower-case letters, called Charley's Alphabet, have a problem - the little i has lost his dot and the letters must help find it or they can't go to school. The story draws the reader to the conclusion, even answering my question, "Who's Charley?" Children will enjoy searching the illustrations for the hints about the ending. While there are many alphabet books, this one has great appeal for the young child, including a plot along with opportunities to repeat the alphabet. As a school media specialist, I look forward to sharing this with my young students.

As a kindergarten teacher, I was excited to find this book in time for the schoolyear to begin. What a wonderful way to introduce the alphabet to a group of wide-eyed children. This is a must-have for all pre-school and primary teachers.

The story is charming and simple. Before the letters of the alphabet can go off to school to become "Charley's Alphabet", they are delayed by the loss of the lower case i's dot. All of the letters must help to find the missing dot ... or find a way to make the dot return so that they may get to school in time for Charley, the boy who needs them.

Bruce Wood is the illustrator on this book and he has continued the family legacy of producing bright, captivating illustrations which are just begging the reader to look more closely. Indeed, there is a story in the pictures alone. My own eight-year-old daughter read the book and then immediately went back through and looked at the pictures, pointing out little details in each illustration. This is a wonderful book. I can't wait to introduce it to my class.

What a wonderful collaboration! The story of "Little i" by Audrey Wood and the illustrations by son Bruce are wonderful. This is an imaginative introduction to the alphabet for even the youngest child. The illustrations are colorful and BUSY. My children love this book!

Like the Beatles at the same time, the popularity of the James Bond films of the Sixties simply steamrollered criticism. The quality of the individual flicks ranged from near-schlock to iconic, but the Bond style always set them apart. This coffee-table book digs deep into the history of the series, from Ian Fleming's books down to the most recent Pierce Brosnan vehicle. And the authors gathered comments from practically everybody, from the stars to the producers right down to the guy who wrote the famous James Bond guitar riff. An enjoyable look into the past, through the barrel of the Walther PPK.

There have been a lot of books written about the James Bond films and phenomenon; I should know because I've read them all! That's why I feel uniquely qualified and very confident in saying that this latest book (written by the two gentlemen who produced the special edition James Bond DVDs) is without a doubt THE best book yet written about the James Bond films! If you're baffled as to which book to add to you movie library, look no further because here you will find information and photos that you will not find anywhere else.

What makes this book so good? Well, first off, it's HUGE in size! A great coffee table book to be sure. The graphic layout is extremely well done and all the films are given equal time (not the case with some of the other books which tend to fixate on the Connery era). Also, for the first time in any official publication, we have coverage of the two "unofficial" James Bond films: NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN and CASINO ROYALE. Up until now these two "rogue" films have been missing from all official publications for legal reasons. JAMES BOND THE LEGACY is the first book to be published after MGM took ownership of these films, so now we are able to learn the fascinating stories of how they came to be made and, most interestingly, how they impacted and influenced the official series. Great stuff!

But what I like most about JAMES BOND THE LEGACY is how the authors look at each film within the historical context of when it was made. They focus not only on what was going on with the Bond producers at the time, but also what was going on in the world; what socio-political and even cinematic trends the Bond films were keying into. This really brings a new understanding to each film and helps explain why James Bond has endured while other "pop culture spies" (Matt Helm, Derek Flint, xXx :)) failed to connect beyond their time and have long since disappeared. Most people think James Bond films are "all the same", but you will discover here that they are not. In this book I learned how throughout its amazing 20-year history the Bond filmmakers made subtle--and sometimes very bold--changes in the tone of the series and to the character of James Bond himself. This is much more than a simple look at the production and plot of each film, this is a major work on one of the most famous fictional characters of the 20th century. Oh, and the book also gives a detailed look at the new Bond movie, DIE ANOTHER DAY, with some pictures that lead me to believe this could be the best Bond movie of them all! This alone makes it stand above the rest as definitive.

JAMES BOND THE LEGACY is a must buy for all James Bond fans and anyone interested in 20th century popular culture. Again, if you buy just one book about James Bond, make it this one.

There have been countless amount of book on the films, book, culture, politics, comics, toys and anything and everything about James Bond. But, let me tell you that this is the best 007 book ever! You will notice that when you first see it because of it's huge size! It is the largest 007 book I own. Written by two authors who researched their facts and are excellent on the subject of James Bond.

What makes this book so unique? Many, practically all 007 books explain about the movies and books alone. This book does that, but includes how what was going on in the world and popular culture influenced many of the decisions in the films and books. All of the films, including Die Another Day, Never Say Never Again and Casino Royale are reviewed in equal amounts. These two official films have always been a little more difficult to read about, but now because MGM has recently added them under their ownership, they are explained in great detail. The best part is how the author's include not only the focus of the film, but what was going on in the world at the time. A great example is the dangerous choice to expose African Americans as the villains in Live and Let Die. This is a great way to see what was the pop culture during each film. Learn all about the Bond Family, and how they made many changes to the series such as increasing the authority of women, how Bond acted, amount of humor in the films and the way they were presented to the public. A great way to look at all of the thousands of people that have contributed to the series, enhanced with hundres of rare photographs and pictures. The best book to look back at the history of James Bond over the 40 years it has been around. The end of the book features great text information on the films. And, finally there is a quote from people that have worked on or in a Bond film.

The definititve Bond book. The Best. That covers it all.

This one caught me by surprise. It's not the stuffy this-is-all-the-bad-stuff-that-happened textbook I expected, but rather a fascinating and thoroughly enjoyable study of LSD and the CIA's role in the cultural and political maelstrom of the 1960s. Over the past thirty years, from Watergate to Zippergate, Americans have learned that their government is capable of some pretty amazing shenanigans. That helps what we read in this book seem more plausible. What Lee and Shlain document in Acid Dreams, with an impressive volume of research, is the CIA's enormous effort to develop mind-control methods. These included various psychedelic drugs--with LSD topping the list--hypnosis, and more. The potential uses of such control range from military to civilian--and to downright bizarre. For example, they discuss the unresolved question--in some minds--of whether Sirhan Sirhan was actually a CIA-created murdering automaton, a drug-and-hypnosis-induced killer, programmed to kill Robert Kennedy.

Some the things they reveal are far-fetched and may be impossible to ever prove one way or another, but there's plenty more that is incontrovertible. And everything in the book is interesting. Acid Dreams adds a fresh and wonderful perspective on this aspect of our recent history. A more recent book called "Hepcats, Narcs, and Pipe Dreams," provides a complimentary education on this topic, covering a broader history of illegal drugs throughout America's past. Readers who enjoy Acid Dreams may want to follow up with this one.--Christopher Bonn Jonnes, author of Wake Up Dead.

This is surprisingly one of the best books I have read. The authors give a colorfully accurate account of the events that occured decades ago, all of which still echo into our current era. It covers the origin of LSD, as a drug the CIA funded research on for use as a tool for mind control applications using civilians and military personnel as test subjects. At the very outset, it was obvious that the CIA was well aware of the potential power of this substance in its ability to wreak havoc on the collective psyche, to shatter current assumptions and threaten cherished ego boundaries. Yet, eventually it became available to the masses who would come to extol it's use religiously and otherwise.....giving rise to the groundswell of counterculture in the 60's. This book, more than any other source I have encountered, explores the underlying causes of the demise of the cultural/political/self re-evolution of that time and gives us pause to reflect on the politics of consciousness - to see who really won The War Of The Mind. Proof again that truth is stranger than fiction. Be informed.........read this book.

This book is somewhat similar to _Storming Heaven_ by Jay Stevens in that it is an objective history of the psychedelic drug movement. However, the emphasis of this book is focused more on the dark side of these new drugs, and the diabolic experiments conducted by the U.S. government with mind-altering drugs. This discussion goes far beyond LSD, and extends to STP, Ditran, and the infamous BZ (AKA Jacob's Ladder), which the government used on soldiers to see if it might make them more effective fighters. Of course the results of the BZ experiments were disastrous; looking back on it would almost be funny if it weren't so darn tragic. Nonetheless, _Acid Dreams_ is a riveting and disturbing account of the CIA's misuse and misapplication of mind control drugs. The authors provide many amusing anecdotes regarding the CIA's activities, such as slipping acid in each other's morning coffee just to see how they react, and so on and so forth. Inevitably, some General or high-ranking official would have a bad trip, causing him to call for an end to such experiments. Overall, this book is an interesting and entertaining read, and I recommend it to fans of the genre.

Written by a husband and wife team, PC Hardware in a Nutshell proves that technical books don't have to be dry. This book touches all the bases that you'd expect in a PC book but it goes much further. Beyond the purely technical stuff it focuses on what you need to know to make good purchase and upgrade decisions, and it's obvious that these people know what they're talking about. I bought this book intending to use it as a reference but this is a very easy book to get into as a straight-thru read. It's sometimes funny, at times outrageous, and never boring. It's refreshing to read something that ignores all the marketing hype. When a product is great, they say so. When a product sucks, they tell you that too.

My wife bought me this book for Christmas. I was impressed just flipping through the book and reading random sections so I decided to sit down and read it cover to cover. This is clearly the best PC hardware book on the market. Solid coverage, factually correct, and the opinions expressed are never contrary to my own experience. It's not as big as those huge compendium PC books with twenty different authors but there's more real information in it. If you're only going to buy one PC hardware book this is the one to get.

I'm getting ready to do a major upgrade of my home system. It's been a few years since I'd done much work inside a PC so I ordered this book to catch up on what I'd forgotten about. I'm glad I took the time to read it. This book recommends stuff by name, and that advice turns out to be on target every time. I was planning to buy an HP CD burner. Not the best choice says this book. It recommends buying a Plextor, which I'd never heard of. So I searched the Internet for hours reading about Plextor and HP CD burners and it turns out the authors are right. Plextor makes the best burners on the market and lots of people have problems with HP burners particularly with Win2000. And to top it off the Plextors are cheaper than the HPs. If you're planning to buy, build, or upgrade a system, buy this book. It'll save you its price many times over.

This is one encyclopedia that is actually fun to read and browse. I fully join in the earlier reviewers' praise for this book. I do, however, have a couple of constructive criticisms. First, much too much space is devoted to non-literary historical and political figures and events. Hopefully, the next edition will cut down on this stuff, so that more "minor" writers can be included, especially contemporary writers and writers from the non-English speaking world. (In this respect, the Merriam-Webster Encyclopedia of Literature is probably a more comprehensive reference.) Second, too many entries about particular works are merely brief plot summaries that do not convey to the uneducated reader (such as this one) the essential meaning or significance of the work in question. That said, Benet's Reader's Encyclopedia is one great reference book to have around.

A handy reference work for scholars, literature students, readers and booksellers, the headings include authors, titles, literary terms, fictional protagonists, historical personages, and so forth. This is one to keep at arm's reach, right there next to the dictionary.

A quick & ready reference for unfamiliar terms encountered during literary jaunts and journeys, and a great aid for booksellers needing some accurate background information to list a literary find online! One wishes the numerous online booksellers just entering the fray would purchase a copy, and familiarize themselves just a little with the world of books and literature of which they have become purveyors! - I've seen listings that betray the seller's ignorance of the difference between Winston Churchill the British statesman (& prime minister), and Winston Churchill the American novelist! A quick check of this easy reference work would have made the difference between accuracy and diletantism!

Benet's Reader's Encyclopedia is the most complete one-volume encyclopedia based on literature. Its entries are numerous and cover a vast variety of topics, from 'portmanteau words' to 'The Inferno.' I highly recommend this book to everyone who has an interest in literature or who need some extra help in that subject to get by.

Chess has fascinated players for thousands of years, but to become a strong players takes years of work and necessitates pouring through reams of tedious chess manuals. Every once in a while you come across the obvious exception. Weeramantry's book is the easiest reading chess book I have yet come across. Filled with useful tidbits about all aspects of play, Best Lessons of a Chess Coach reminds me of nothing so much as a conversation between a chess master and a student. This image is reinforced by the constant illustrations and references to games that Weeramantry employes. It read just like a series of professional chess lessons. While the book is intended for the intermediate player it offers useful insights into various opening systems and middlegame plans for players of all levels. I remember reading this book on the bus, at the airport, amid the bustle at work, and in various other places where it would normally seem impossible to study a chess book.

What a great teacher Sunil Weeramantry is! In this book he goes through 10 entire games- one per chapter. Using a breezy, entertaining and verbose (for a chess book) Socratic dialog between himself and unnamed "students", Weeramantry walks through the major themes and strategies of his chosen games. Often, his very realistic "students", get answers wrong, and the author carefully steers their thinking to more promising ideas. With this, he guides his reader toward discovering various chess concepts for themselves. Happily, if you find yourself stumped, the answers are right there.

Many of the games are contemporary (of 80's and 90's vintage), engaging, and tactically juicy. About half are taken from Weeramantry's own, sometimes flawed, play. (But that's the point.) The themes covered include all aspects of the game from the earliest moves onward.

Each themed chapter can be read in about an hour, which makes this book a much swifter read than the average chess book. At the end of each chapter are a half dozen or so supplimentary games that follow similar ideas.

If you're rated 1000-1500, ten hours with this book should improve your game immensely. While very rich in ideas, it could easily be read by a bright and experienced 10-15 year old. Indeed, I suspect that many of Weeramantry's hypothetical interlocutors are inspired by real students- most of whom are bright youngsters themselves.

I found this book as useful and fun as the more well known "Logical Chess: Move by Move"- which I would recommend as a prelude to this book.

Mr. Weeramantry shows off his brilliant writing style by putting together a masterpiece!

This book contains 10 chapters, each analyzing its own game. Within these chapters, the author explains the ideas behind the moves and plans of the competing masters. This gives the reader an insight into how the masters think during a game. With this understanding, the reader can strive towards simulating the logical techniques of the masters and improving their own games.

This type of book is very helpful, but it has been seen before on several occasions. What sets this book apart is Weeramantry's style.

The author does not simply tell the reader why the moves are made. Instead, he ASKS the reader. This unique approach forces the reader to think about the position rather than just playing through the moves. And each question contains a lesson. And before you know it, after playing through each of these lessons, you now understand the game of chess a little more clearly. It's like magic!

And if improving your game is not enough reason to read this book, the sheer joy of Weeramantry's witty style will convince you. He truly makes both chess and reading fun. I can't wait until he writes another book!