Most Americans will not want to believe the contents of this book. Scott & Marshall compile mountains of evidence to support their conclusions. This book deserves more attention.

This book has all the possibilities of being an academic pot boiler. Divided into two parts, "Right-Wing Narcoterrorism, the CIA, and the Contras," and "Exposure and Cover-Up" and covering twelve chapters, including a glossary of terms, the book is one part investigative journalism and another academic treatise. In general, the book details the toleration or complicity of the American government with drug traffickers to protect the interests of national security or covert operations.
The book has a number of advantages and disadvantages. First, while perhaps a moot point is that a considerable amount of discussion focuses on South America rather than on Central America as promised in the title. Second, and perhaps an editorial point, while there is a four-and-a- half page glossary of names and organizations at the back of the book, there is a sort of breathless spouting off of a succession of names and organizations in the book. This is distracting and tiresome for the reader. Third, even though there is a phenomenal amount of documentation (i.e., approximately 23 percent of the book (a total of 64 pages) is devoted to notes) and a 14-page index, the authors rely on the same basic sources, including Kerry's subcommittee report and american and mainstream newspaper and magazine coverage; few articles come from the spanish speaking press, and few interviews are conducted with sources. Fourth, while the book is highly descriptive and reads like a murder mystery, it is short on analysis, theory building or testing, and/or recommending policy changes. Regardless, this book is a disturbing and sobering necessity for those wishing to understand the so-called war on drugs in the United States and the reasons U.S. foreign policy in Latin America is problematic, a best.

Jeffrey Ian Ross

Excellent book, responsibly written, clear and readable. The information in it is highly important if you want to understand what is going on. Just buying a second copy because my first got lent.

Don't let this title and cover deceive you into believing that this book is only for those with small children. Finch and Marshall present a comprehensive outlook of a family's entire financial plan. Learn tips for shopping for insurance and loans as well as toys. The advice in this book forced me to re-look at all my insurance policies and write a will. It's a quick read-- share it will friends at work or church.

This book is full of great information including purchasing the right toys and accessories, Educational Planning, Insurance needs, and Estate Planning. It also leads you in the direction for more detailed information on each subject. I wish I had bought this book when my wife first became pregnant!

One of Peter Marshall's most inspiring and memorable sermons -- a moving expression of gratitude that the Christ child came into the world, and a plea that we keep Christmas "in all the loveliness of its ancient traditions." The perfect gift -- a book the whole family will enjoy and treasure.

This book is wonderful if you are not in the Christmas spirit. It will take you there. It is not a long book, it reads quick. It's a book that I will keep out all year long, after you read it you will understand why.

Godwin was writing more than two hundred years ago, and yet when you read his writings in this book his 'philosophy' was certainly not anarchistic as we would understand it, it WAS revolutionary and probably disturbed a lot of people. But I see his beliefs to be the person-centred concepts that people such as Carl Rogers expressed a hundred and fifty years later. As as example:

"All education is despotism. It is perhaps impossible for the young to be conducted without introducing in many cases the tyranny of implicit obedience. Go there; do that; read; write; rise; lie down; will perhaps for ever be the language addressed to youth by age."

This is a wonderful book that teaches you the essentials of papermaking, decorating paper, marbling, papier mache and bookbinding. The step-by-step instructions accompanied by simple illustrations for each technique or project are easy to follow.

The book starts out with a brief history of papermaking. It then teaches you how to make a mold and deckle as well as a paper press. Making pulp from both recycled papers and plants; forming sheets and then drying the paper is then demonstrated. There is a great two-page layout showing the results of using 12 different plants.

A variety of techniques for decorating the paper are then covered. Some include fluting, piercing, impressing, weaving, making patterns, using a resist and block printing. Marbling both with and without sizing is also covered.

My favorite section uses the decorated papers for three-dimensional art. It covers various papier mache methods as well as how to cover objects such as boxes, tabletops and trays. It also shows you how to make lampshades, window shades/blinds, privacy screens, jewelry, frames, cards, purses and folders.

The last section demonstrates bookbinding techniques for single section, multi-section, soft and hardcover books. I have done quite a bit of bookbinding and I felt the instruction here was somewhat lacking and hard to follow.

A glossary, index, small list of suppliers and bibliography of books that cover each one of the crafts more in depth is very useful. Overall this book is great for anyone seeking to learn the basics of a variety of paper arts without having to buy a bunch of books. It also makes a great gift.

Peter the Great, written by William Marshall and published by Longman Group Limited in 1996, is a nonfiction historical work about the life and works of what some from the time hailed as "the greatest Monarch of our age (p 88)." The text lends a good deal of understanding to the now defunct U.S.S.R. and present-day Russia. Marshall presents Peter as a rather nontraditional ruler whose genius schemes and manipulations (though not always immediately successful) ushered in a new era for Russia and laid the foundation on the world scene and in Russia for what was to come in following centuries. Perhaps the most striking feature of Peter the Great as presented in this text was his unconventionality as a ruler. Peter's lifestyle was rather crass as far a world leaders go, and extremely unorthodox when compared to his Russian predecessors. Peter's shabby, foreign dress combined with his heavy drinking and love of the company of "common folk" were just a few peculiarities that contributed to his rough image. Marshall points out that at times this was to his advantage and at others it may have worked against him. Perhaps Peter wanted it that way, being the manipulator that he was. Peter lived the way he ruled. It was his way or the high way, and this may have been one of his ingredients for success (at least initially). One of the main emphases of the book (and rightly so) is the military ventures of Peter the Great. Marshall attributes Peter's love of the military to his growing up in the foreign districts of Moscow. Indeed much of Peter's character and behaviors are attributed to this. From the moment that Peter assumed authority, his immediate and long term goals centered around the military. Russia needed a warm-water outlet to western Europe. Peter desired conquest of foreign held territories bordering Russia. A large and effective military was needed to defend what Russia already held against its enemies. At the time Russia's infrastructure was infantile or nonexistent. The course of action that Peter pursued to attain his goals set Russia on a hurried pace to a seat at the world's table. Marshall repeatedly points out that Russia was already on a course for prominence and development (set by Ivan IV) but Peter did a great deal to speed the process. For Peter the key to advancing Russia lay in the Westernization of his empire. Peter was constantly recruiting foreigners for service and leadership in the military and his government, a process that Ivan IV had begun. The need for funds to finance Peter's great military and naval schemes as well as interior development had many significant short term and long term effects upon Russia. Extremely heavy taxes were imposed upon the Russian people as well as the Church. Soldiers for the army and sailors for the navy were forcibly enlisted. Forced migrations to areas where labor was needed were common. This was cause for much dissent at the time, but it had a much more far reaching effect. A general feeling of the need for service to the state was being instilled in the Russian people. People were becoming nothing more than a cog in the wheel of the great machine which Russia was to become. As Marshall puts it, "The hallmark of his working life was service to the state, for the common good (p 10)." This is a sentiment that the U.S.S.R. played heavily upon and one of the reasons Russia was able to do so much so fast. Peter eventually assumed the title of Emperor, and allowed no opposition. While Peter was a religious man, he certainly lacked the piety of previous tsars. The Church was strong and the Patriarch held considerable authority with the people. Peter cowed the Church, ended the position of Patriarch and made the Church no more than a department of the state to be used for its benefit. A darker side of Peter is revealed when he founded the "Most Drunken Synod (p 56)." The ceremonies performed were a mockery and meant to weaken the Church, but it also raises questions about the mental stability of Peter. While Peter was not an extremely educated man, he was intelligent and he understood the power of education. He founded many schools and academies to teach the art of warfare, medicine, and shipbuilding among other things. His emphasis on practical knowledge and technology as opposed to basic research and theory illuminates Peter's impatient and demanding nature. He desired that the only things taught or learned were those of immediate importance and that could be implemented directly. In all things that he did, Peter wanted what he wanted the way he wanted and as soon as possible. That is evident in the building of St. Petersburg against the council of his advisors. He then had to force the population and development of the city. Peter wanted to glorify his empire, he sought to do that by expanding. To expand Russia needed a large up-to-date military and navy. To achieve that Russia needed money and people and foreign help. To advance the military and support expansion Russia needed to develop its infrastructure. I believe Peter went about meeting these needs in the wrong order. I dispute the claim by Marshall that Peter was a social egalitarian (p 11). He failed to recognize any rights at all, save that of his autocracy to rule unchallenged. Some may say that this was what was needed at the time, but a garden sown with weeds will always grow weeds and will eventually leach everything it can out of the soil and die. We have seen such a thing happen in our own lifetime with the demise of the U.S.S.R. and the poor state of Russia.

In my opinion this is a must have book for any vintage tractor enthusiast. Peter Anderson has gone to great lengths to provide the reader with the concise history of the Field Marshall tractor and the Marshall Company.

He explains the transition from when the Marshall Company made traction engines and thrashing machines through to diesel tractors. He also provides a great deal of information on proto-types and the many stages of development that these tractors went through. Readers will be surprised with some of the diverse markets these tractors were supplied to and throughout the book rare photos accompany text. These photos alone justify the purchase of this book.

The only disappointing facet of this book is that Peter Anderson does not include any information on Serial numbers and year of manufactoring, which would be of great help to owners who are trying to find out more information on their particular machine. It would be nice to see this included when this book goes to reprint.

It has a very good layout and is reader friendly, with excellent period advertising material and detailed diagrams. This is a book that I find myself going back to time and again because of the wealth of material it contains.

I thoroughly reccommend it to other enthusiasts.

This is the best photographic essay of Washington. The pictures are lightyears above the competition. True artwork. I am sending this book to friends in London for a good view of life here.

"The Light and the Glory" is a beautifully written, well-researched book -- which I cannot recommend, especially as a primary homeschooling text, without serious caveats.

The positives: The authors, Peter Marshall and David Manuel have done enormous research. They have demonstrated that what is taught in the typical history book doesn't necessarily tell the entire story (witness the section on Anne Hutchinson). They have acknowledged the role of faith, and religion have played in our nation's early history. They have the gift of making characters "come alive" in a way that would interest a student -- even one who didn't care much for history.

HOWEVER: The authors have a fixed thesis firmly in mind and head toward that thesis without swerving -- and that thesis is one with which even most persons of faith would struggle. The thesis? A staunch Calvinist view of the role of America in the mind of God. As a believer -- who is adamantly NOT a Calvinist -- I cannot accept the particular (and peculiar) methods of exegesis which somehow create America as the new "Promised Land". Neither can most other Christians.

I fear that in their struggle to demonstrate their thesis, certain elements are glossed over; certain facts are whitewashed, etc. While it could certainly be argued that Calvinism played a major role in the establishment of the Colonies and in early America, it can also be argued that such did not have the salutory benefits which the authors suggest are there.

My advice to homeschooling parents, especially those who are not Calvinists, is to use this book with care, as a secondary source -- or not at all. The presentation given is far too biased to be reliable.

A very cautious three stars.

Authors Peter Marshall and David Manuel admit from the beginning that they are not really writing a history book exactly. They are giving what they perceive as historical examples of America being a Christian Nation guided by God to fulfill its destiny in God's plan as a Puritan City on A Hill or a New Israel. Millions of Americans both past and present have believed in such a destiny and these authors present this view well. Are they biased? Yes. But not anymore than Marxist, revisionist, feminist, or multi-cultural historians. My advice is read history from several viewpoints as you search for the truth. Try to avoid that inevitable destination to which we all finally find rest, comfort, and joy--self-righteous smugness and arrogant certainty.

I think their book is targeted for a mostly teenage audience to impress impressionable minds, but adults can read it and not insulted intellectually. It just seems a bit simplistic at times when compared to other histories I've read.

The authors begin with Christopher Columbus's voyage to America. They mention Columbus's belief that he was destined to find a land in which he would bring the light of Christianity to the heathen. (A more cynical interpretation would be that Columbus was merely a conquerer imposing his religious beliefs on the native subjects, but the authors are not taking that route.) Strange incidences are mentioned in which Columbus chose the lot among about 30 men to go on a pilgramage more than once during storms which threaten to sink the ship. This lot-choosing for taking a pilgramage to a shrine was seen as a way of appeasing the Lord. In fact, the authors use incidences in history as examples of God's providence or testing, or the devil's meddling or tempting the people of God to choose right or wrong. Storms such as natural events often don't happen by mere chance according to the authors, especially during some important historical event that is affected by that natural event.

I thought the authors covered the Puritan leaders really well. John Winthop was a particularly important figure in American history because he was largely responsible for successfully starting and leading the Puritan colony and making it a success. He made everyone, gentlemen or not, roll up their sleeves and get to work on building the colony. This colony is contrasted with the struggling colony in Virginia which was harmed by bad leadership. Kudos to God and blame to sinners is given along the way.

I got the impression that the Puritan Roger Williams was a character. He wanted to be really, really, really pure in eyes of God. So much so that he even became an annoyance even to the Puritans. When they tried to correct the error of his fanatical ways, he would always resort to the argument that they were violating his freedom of conscience. He could always brilliantly reason his way out of being reproved. Finally, he went off to Rhode Island to a colony of people who were dissidents bordering on crankdom like himself and they were a terrible annoyance to him--I found it an amusing account of folly of fanaticism.

Anne Hutchison, was another Puritan character who became a heretic. She believed that whatever on her mind was the voice of God talking to her. She began preaching unbiblical ideas which got her banished from the colony.

The authors take pains to present the Puritans as NOT the tired, old killjoys that some people, probably pleasure addicts, libertines and hedonists, have described them as. They give examples of Puritans partying and telling jokes, all within the limits of righteousness, of course. The authors give them a break from the relentless criticism--I think the Puritans deserve one.

Religious leaders and great preachers are covered in the book. The evangelist George Whitefield during the Great Awakening was the era's greatest soul-winner. Sometimes he would have crowds up to 30,000 listening to him in nearly complete silence. It's remarkable to think about in era before microphones. His preaching helped God save the souls of whole towns on occassion. He would preach as many as four sermons a day and worked everyday. Though he kept an exhausting schedule on his tour of various towns, he never quit until he dropped dead.

Some of the natural events do seem to more than just coincidences. The famous fog that gave cover to George Washington and his cornered troops during the Revolutinary War is one example. Although it had been clear and not rainy previously, a fog appeared in the early morning hours to help the American troops to escape from the British who had them right where they wanted them.

The authors cover the beginnings of a culture war between secular rationalists such as Thomas Jefferson and fervent fundamentalist believers such as George Washington. Jefferson was a deist and a Unitarian that didn't believe in miracles or the divinity of Christ. He thought that Jesus was merely a great moral teacher.

The authors cover the period from Columbus's arrival to America to the beginnings of the Constitutional Republic. I've just picked a few events and people of interest to me. This is a good book for anyone wanting to study the Christian roots of the United States.

The writers do an admirable job of going back to original source documents and giving them an objective interpretation. The original text allows the reader to validate Marshall & Manuel's thesis. I was amazed at the clarity of the original documents. From these documents you'll be certain that America was founded by Christians, using a Christ-like pattern for society. The fictional scenes and dialogue make it a lively read ... and far more faithful to the facts than some of the made-for-TV history that's been produced.

This is an enjoyable and informative read. Every Christian and every American will benefit from this book. The only faith requirement to reading (and enjoying) this book is to believe that "God is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and sets over them anyone he wishes." (Dan 5:21)

Thank you, Mr. Marshall and Manuel! I've benefited spiritually and intellectually by this book.

Peter Marshall is on a mission -- to reinterpret American history from a "Christian" perspective. Since the end is known to him ("God planned it all out") then his job is simply one of finding facts that support his thesis and ignoring those that don't. Marshall is better able to do this due to his lack of training as a historian. Books such as Marshall (along with Manuel's) provide fodder for intellectually honest people to look at all Christians as suckers for any moving story, regardless of its inauthenticity.

. . .the benefit of the doubt here.

The Concerned Parent has cautiously given the "benefit of the doubt" to Marshall and Manuel's previous two American history volumes. I cannot do so here.

The decades leading up to The War Between The States were filled with crisis and controversy on a wide number of levels. Slavery was not a direct cause of the war. The Abolitionists were not all the "good guys". Many exhibited religious and ethnic bigotry on an incredible scale -- a bigotry just as morally wrong as the slavery they were condemning. Nativism and anti-Catholicism ran rampant -- to the extent that an entire political party was incorporated (The American aka "No-Nothing" Party).

Many, MANY issues and principles were involved in the decades leading up to the war -- and that rather basic fact just doesn't come through in this book. The issues of State's Rights are not adequately discussed. The issues of the power of the Federal Government is not adequately discussed. The legal principles behind the concept of secession are not adequately discussed.

All these issues are important when considering the time period in question -- regardless of one's political, social, or religious position. In this respect, Marshall and Manuel have failed miserably.

No stars for a major disappointment.

This is the third volume of the Author's Christian History of the United States. Sounding forth the trumpet covers the period from 1837 to 1860, The period leading up to the Civil war. The Authors give a very honest, detailed account of Negro slavery in the U.S.They point out that the Anti-slavery movement was born in the great revival of the 1830's. The Authors make a strong case that the Father of the movement was not William Lloyd Garrison or Wendell Philipps. But rather the great Evangelist Charles Finney. The book exsposes the fundamental dishonesty of Southern Church Leaders who tried to use the Bible to defend slavery, The book provides marvelous sketches of the marvelous cast of characters of this period especially Abraham Lincoln.The book also gives a new interpretation of the Mexican war that is worth reading. In fact the whole book is well worth reading, especially for those who don't realize that religion is the most important factor in human history.