Richard Matheson (author), William Stout (illustrator) and Gauntlet Press (publisher) have created a thoroughly entertaining and clever book about Abu, a woodcutter, who in order to marry the beautiful Princess Alicia, must find the seven marvels and return a token from each to Alicia's father, the Sultan Kasim El-Haroud. Abu's quest is aided(?) by a crotchety genie and hindered by the Grand Visier Zardak and his associates. A spendid offering from Richard Matheson with beautiful color and black and white illustrations by renowned artist William Stout, that the whole family will enjoy. This one is sure to be a classic!!

The Civil War is one of the last bastions of the amateur historian, and has given rise to a lot of amateurish work--but not in this case. Author William Marvel has cast aside many of the hackneyed myths that surround the Alabama and her last battle and has gone back to primary sources. Using these obscure logbooks and diaries, he alternately describes the lives of both the Alabama and the Kearsarge and particularly their crews. What emerges from Marvel's combination of conscientious research and lively writing is a tale both scholarly and enthralling, a detailed and fascinating slice of Civil War life at sea. I have read no other account of the Civil War-era sailor that gives such a vivid and convincing picture of his origins, thoughts, work, fights and ultimate fate. To back up the narrative there are a few interesting photographs (no plans for modelers, though), plenty of footnotes, a complete bibliography, a glossary and crew rosters. This book stands head and shoulders above the standard glory-mongering Civil War tales of derring-do, and will delight the armchair historian or naval history buff.

If you have the Marvel Super Heroes Adventure Game, you've gotta get this book. It covers every little missed detail, answering all of those questions that come up in the middle of the game that the Game Book can't answer. This book makes the whole experience more fun and challenging too.

Phlegon of Tralles' Book of Marvels is really a curious book. Suetonius has been called by some as a Tabloid-like historian, but he pales in comparison to Phlegon of Tralles.

The book itself is rather short and somewhat segmented, but has several ghost stories, legends about sex-changers and hermaphrodites, stories of giant bones being found, odd birth stories, and stories of mythical beasts. It also mentions the Emperor's menagerie, where mythical beasts and some of the giant bones were kept. There is also a list of people that lived to be 100 years old or older, and also a brief history of the Olympics, as well as a retelling of the 177th Olympics games.

Though the book is short, the commentary provided is truly thorough. William Hansen, the translator and commentator, provides important information to understanding the anecdotes given--not just a line by line breakdown of the action therein, but an overview of the stories and its context in terms of folktales and Roman superstition. The first anecdote alone has 15 pages of thoughtful, insightful commentary associated with it, including mention of other, similar myths in other cultures.

The book also includes Goethe's vampire ballad, The Bride of Corinth, which was inspired by a story in this fine book.

This is an excellent, well researched and easily read book. Some translations of Greek and Roman literature aren't really very accessible, and can be very daunting to an average reader...and Phlegon of Tralles' Book of Marvels is not.

This is my favorite book, graphic or otherwise. It's funny, witty, and passes its story under the table with a knowing nod, hinting at its place in a vast universe, not spoon-feeding every detail as if all the players were automated agents of a narrative. This is Shaksper in outer-space (if he survived a bit better) -- a bit of fluff with enlightened commentary on the human condition at its core. Thanks, Elaine.

In Andersonville: The Last Depot, William Marvel gives the serious student of Civil War history a balanced and highly accurate account of what transpired during those fourteen awful months between Feb. 1864 and Apr. 1865. The events of Capt. Henry Wirz's trial and execution are also covered in detail and for the first time we begin to get a glimpse of who the real man was. While the book is filled with many historical facts about the prison itself, Mr. Marvel does not neglect the human side of Andersonville. Through thorough and meticulous research, Mr. Marvel acquaints the reader with men like Thomas "Chickamauga" Herburt, George "Albert", Salvador "Thomas" Genzardi as well as many others. How important is this historical work? In July 2002, I traveled to Andersonville spending two days walking the stockade grounds and those of the national cemetery. This book served as my guide.

I found this book an excellent read. My sole sources about Andersonville prior to it were Mackinlay Kantor's captivating novel "Andersonville", The 1970 PBS powerful drama "The Andersonville Trial, A Play by Saul Levitt" - directed by George C. Scott, the brief and not really well researched references to it in the PBS special "The Civil War" by Ric Burns and the rather one-sided TNT moltion picture "Andersonville". Prior to reading this book I had been particularily touched by "The Andersonville Trial". The acting was very well done (William Shanter, fresh from Star Trek cancellation portrayed the "hero" of the play -- Colonel Chipman") and the purpose of that play, in my opinion, was to try and make Andersonville appear as a percursor of the Nazi Death camps and Captain Wirz a percursor of the guards and commandants who "only followed orders" in those places. However after I read Mr. Marvel's well researched account of this most infamous prison I am convinced that Captain Wirz was more a victim of circumstance and Colonel Chipman's vengence rather than some cruel monster of a man who had lost his soul to General Winder as portrayed by Mr. Levitt. Indeed, perhaps, I would suggest that maybe Mr. Levitt, if he still lives, should read this work and perhaps, consider a rewrite of his play keeping faitful to facts this time rather than using have baked anecdotes of dubios origin -- or if he isn't, maybe someone ought to try and revise it. In any event, and to conclude, I heartily agree with James McPherson, well known author of "The Battle Cry of Freedom" that this is " . . . the best account of the tragedy of Andersonville that we have or are likely to have."

If you can read only one history of Andersonville, this should be the one. It is thoroughly researched, dispels a lot of the old myths, and is eminently readable.

Ambrose Burnside may not be many people's favourite Civil War Commander but in this 1991 biography, the author, William Marvel, presents Burnside in a light previously not seen before. The Federal general comes across as a man who cared deeply for his men and was honest in his dealings with other commanders and his subordinates. The author presents his case that Burnside's reputation was tarnished by other Federal commanders who wished to pass on the blame of their failures to this man who would not publicly air his dissent. Examples given are General McClellan at Antietam, General William Franklin at Fredericksburg and Meade at the Wilderness and Petersburg. The author presents his case well and you start to feel that maybe Burnside was given the short end of the stick in a lot of cases. Burnside appears to be a patriotic soldier who was prepared to give everything to the cause regardless of the cost to himself and his reputation. Marvel offers references & notes to support his theory and although he tends to offer Burnside the benefit of the doubt most of the time I still came away feeling that Burnside probarly did not deserve all the negative media he has received in history. Overall this is a well researched and presented biography and although you may not agree with the author it's still a very well told story and a treat to read.

This is a true honest work of a General who had some excellent ideas but was often too naive with initiating action or from truly evaluating his staff. He was politically inept in being aware of the political cabal of McClellanites that undermined his command of the Army of the Potomac and contributed to his failings at Fredericksburg. Marvel does an excellent job demonstrating Burnsides successes at Roanoke Island with amphibious landings, perhaps the first in American war, and his occupation of coastal N.C. Marvel explains that Burnsides beat Lee to Fredericksburg but was held back by Halleck's failure to organize the pontoon train needed to cross the Rappahannock. The author's most interesting part of the book is his explanation of Burnsides' battle plan at Fredericksburg and his misunderstanding of the terrain features of Marye's Heights. In addition, one of the cabal generals commanding the left wing failed to execute his flanking movement properly yet communicated success causing Burnsides to unleash full scale attacks on Marye's Heights. Another fascinating piece centers on Burnsides' plan of the "crater", blowing up a confederate section of line and exploiting the breach with specially trained African American units. Unfortunately, the plan was severely hindered by Grant's and Meade's last minute disallowance of the black units to execute the plan resulting in untrained units commanded by an intoxicated officer. In between Burnsides does well keeping Longstreet out of Tennessee but inflames Sherman by providing Sherman a feast upon his arrival. Sherman misunderstood the meal as evidence that Burnsides' needed no relief. Burnsides is depicted as a very intelligent man that invented a breech loaded rifle but was politically naive particularly that even his alleged friend, McClellan undermined him for his own purpose without Burnsides being aware of it. Hard to defend Burnsides' limited action on McClellan's left flank at Antietam where any early action could have resulted in defeat of Lee. Regardless that McClellan didn't not ask Burnsides to attack earlier but any initiative by Burnsides would have made for a different outcome. Also, if Burnsides was aware or more personally involved with the crater attack, he should have recognized that the officer in charge of the attack was unfit and when the attack was misdirected, perhaps organized a better follow-up of troops although Meade aborted support. One of the last McCellan's generals of the Army of the Potomac to resign, only Warren lasted longer until his encounter withh Sheridan. The book leaves one thinking that if Burnsides had just a little of Sheridan in him and a little less of Burnsides, he would have been more successful. From a biography standpoint, Burnsides seems to havea lot in common with Confederate Genenral Ewell whose failures were also more pronounced than his victories.

Overall this book is a good read on a unwritten about subject. The events during Lee's surrender have been written many times, but not many have discussed how Appomattox was founded, who lived there, etc. Marvel does this, although the first couple chapters are a bit slow. However, during the war years, the text picks up and is more lively. Marvel's description of the differing personalties in Appomattox's history is very good too. The section on the post-war years did not go into as much depth however. Nor did Marvel go into much depth on the death of Appomattox or its rebirth as a national park. I have been to the park and this book gave me a better understanding of some of the things I saw. Overall, the book is very good, but Marvel did miss a couple things.

Marvel's "A Place Called Appomattox" is a great book. Overall it provides an insightful and intriguing portrait of the life and death of Appomattox Court House, VA. However there are some minor problems with the book that prevent it from being an outstanding book.

First off, the book takes several chapters to really get rolling. The first three chapters of the book consist entirely of narrative by Marvel and no quotations from letters, diaries, newspapers or government documents. This lack of visceral primary sources keeps the book from involving the reader in the narrative and may bore readers who aren't committed for the finish.

However, once the war does start, the books becomes much more active. There are active quotations from individuals and the narrative becomes much more involved with the individuals of the town. I really enjoyed this part of the book.

Overall this is a great book. However, Marvel doesn't go as far into the death throes of Appomattox or its restoration during the 1930's and 1940's as I would have liked. Marvel also doesn't really do as thorough a job as I would have liked to prove his statement in his preface that Appomattox was a typical Southern town. Other than this, it was an interesting book.

From the point of view of a family historian, Marvel's book fills a hole in the genre of social history books for Appomattox. The gems in this book consist of a lengthy source for chapter notes, family names like Ferguson, Flood, and McClean, and simplified maps showing the layout of Appomattox CH, as well as Clover Hill, and the dilineation of Buckingham and Appomattox Counties. The latter can be a source of much confusion in census records after 1845.

Marvel tells a story of typhoid epidemics, social mannerisms, and politics that will tickle the soul of the wanna-be gossip, as well as the reader who relishes a good story. The attention to detail goes beyond the call of duty, and is much appreciated by this reader. This is the first book I've seen that mentions Robert Kyle's heavy artillery division in any detail.

If you're not familiar with the names and families through genealogical research, you'll know them by the time you finish the book. Excellent reading, excellent resource.

I'd be tempted to call this revisionism, but I really just find this to be bad history. Besides an obvious anti-Southern agenda, I don't know where the author is "going" with this. One page he bad mouths Lee-staffer Walter Taylor for deflating the number of troops Lee had/has available at a particular time - then he contradicts his argument by outlining those who are constantly deserting!@? Gosh, does Lee have the "numbers" or not? Likewise, Taylor is "guilty" of inflating numbers of Federals. Of course, Marvel then throughout the text outlines the outlandish amounts of Federal troops that were indeed available to Grant!?#@ A second folly is his contention that the FEDERAL troops were starving! Of course, this is followed by accounts of the Southrons having no forage and eating the ol' parched corn routine. Much like Wiley Sword's hatchet job on John Bell Hood, there is nothing Lee can do to "satisfy" W. Marvel in this inconsistent, contradictory effort. I'm sure to be wary of any other W. Marvel book.

Lee's Last Retreat: THe Flight to Appomattox written by William Marvel is history at its best... not filled with untruths that spring from imagination, but from actual diaries of those who fought and were there... this book is devoid of major attempts of participating generals at the art of fabrication and embellishments, therefore this is an attempt to write history with primarily from comtempory source material.

There is a lot of literature written about the Civil War and most of it is excellent historical fiction, but there is an honest attempt to write the truth about the final days of "Lee's Last Retreat." This book has a goal in mind and it is to tell what happened in the last week of the Civil War from Spring 1865 and on into the final week Monday, April 3 to Sunday, April 9, 1865.

This book has limited the scope to mainly just the final seven days of the war as Grant is chasing and closing ranks around Lee and his Army of Northern Virginia. The final day at Appomattox Court House, the day the Grant accepts Lee's total surrender.

The truth is that Lee made at least one fatal mistake during his last campaign, and his subordinates were guilty of errors and omissions for which another commanding general would have been held responsible. For all the ultimate good it might have done him, Lee could actually have escaped alone the line of the Danville railroad had the administrative framework of his army not disintegrated, and with it the morale of his men. Had his engineers not failed to provide a pontoon bridge for the escape of the Richmond column, or had they warned him of that failure, he might have avoided the final delay at Amelia Court House. These and other errors of omission could have swayed, if corrected, the final out come of the war and a much different result.

The book has a rapid paced narrative that brings to light the final week in the campaign of Lee's Army of Northern Virginia the finest army to be ever assembled and fight on American soil. This book is full of actual accounts, letters, diaries and other contemporary documents. This is a welcome addition to your library for this time period.

This book has been hyped as a myth busting history of Lee's retreat to Appomattox. As such I feared that it would be a bashing of Lee and the Southern viewpoint of the war. Instead Marvel has written a very even-handed account of this story that has become an epic of American history.
"Lee's Last Retreat" is a fast paced book retelling Lee's retreat and Grant's relentless pursuit. Unlike so many recent Civil War books, Marvel does not get lost in the details nor does he make his book too long. He tells the story in 199 pages including 23 pages of photographs. To use a term seldom used to describe works of nonfiction, this is a real page turner. That is not to say that this is a "light" work. The author spices his account with a lot of detail from diaries and letters. His research and documentation is first-rate. For those wanting more he includes @40 pages of appendices and an order of battle. This is Marvel's second work on Appomattox and he is very familiar with the material. His other book was "A Place Called Appomattox".
Marvel does not hesitate to state his opinion and I found his insights fair and refreshing. I found myself laughing at some of his characterizations. For example, on page 87, he refers to George Custer as "the insufferably arrogant Custer." He spares neither Rebels nor Yankees where it is deserved.
"Lee's Last Retreat" adds to the excellent reputation that Marvel earned with his book on Andersonville. Add this book to your library.