Professor Anderson's tightly researched history will stand on its own as the first rigorous history of Behrens. It is beautifully supported by the illustrations and book design (which I hereby, arms waving, nominate for a Graphic Design Award). More than a history of Behrens it is an example to architecture and art historians whatever their subjects; a model of historiography and academic care. Architecture history in particular needs the kind of attention Professor Anderson has here applied to it.

This is a lengthy, superbly written book about the life, work and cultural milieu of one of the most interesting architectural, industrial and graphic designers of the 20th century, better known for having influenced three famous protégés (Mies Van der Rohe, Le Corbusier and Bauhaus founder Walter Gropius) than for his own contributions as designer of his innovative Art Nouveau home in the Darmstadt Artists' Colony; as director of the Kunstgewerbeschule at Düsseldorf; as a founding member of the Deutscher Werkbund; and as corporate designer for AEG, the still extant German electrical firm. Before his death in 1940, he played a brief and minor role in Albert Speer's plans for redesigning Berlin. The text is unrelenting in its attempt to identify Behrens' own influences and trace the sequence of his thoughts. It is assuredly richer because of the accompanying 250 illustrations, and, especially, the thoughtful and fitting design by Yasuyo Iguchi. (Review copyright © 2000 by Roy R. Behrens from Ballast Quarterly Review 15, No. 4, Summer.)

This book is an excellent reference work for anyone who may wish to visit historic ships. The listing of ships is geographical and supported by many photographs.

Skillful study of a British pseudo-aristocrat and fundamentalist Christian eccentric, Bronwen Viscountess Astor. It includes excellent descriptions of "modern" living in one of England's last stately homes (Cliveden), which is now a super-luxury hotel.

However, the author's sympathy toward this unstable liberal elite, unseated by the notorious Profumo scandal, is totally misplaced. The 1960's Paris supermodel, obscenely wealthy widow and psychotherapist of questionable repute remains a poster-girl for what destroyed Great Britain: Its shallow, egocentric and vicious upper class.

"Snapshots From Hell" provides an inside look at Stanford, in the heart of Silicon Valley, which along with Harvard is one of the two or three top business schools in the world. Since the author's background was words, not numbers--Robinson was a White House speechwriter--he struggled with the course work, and he makes you both laugh and feel for him as he sweats his way through the work. At the same time, Robinson reports on classmates who found the workload easier than he did, providing a balanced look at what business school is like and giving you a feeling for the range of characters you'll meet there. Informative--and always entertaining (I read it in one day). The book to read before going to B-school!

What can I add to all the reviews out there already? A total "must-read" for aspiring MBA candidates without a business undergraduate degree. Life in graduate business school can be both exciting and FRUSTRATING. Robinson does an excellent job of covering all the different characters in an MBA class. This book sits on my bookcase, alongside Michael Porter's Competitive Strategy.

I must have read this book more than 10 times. The book filled me with warmth, and it's one of the most entertaining books I have read. He is self-deprecatory, introspective, revealing, pensive, and hilarious. His narrative paints such a vivid picture of the life of an MBA student that it made me long to be one. It is beautifully written. I loved every sentence in this book. No wonder he was a Presidential speech writer. If you're looking for information on what student life is like, this is the one you should get without hesitation. It will not only prove informative, but extremely entertaining as well. There is another book on MBA life by Robert Reid, titled "Year One", about life at Harvard Business School. It is also a great book, but I enjoyed Mr. Peterson's book much more.

The Legend of Pope Joan (In Search of the Truth) by Peter Stanford was a little difficult to enjoy at first as I was expecting more of a standard history book. Instead this book is actually more about the journalist's, the author, own personal search for the truth behind the stories of Pope Joan, rather than Pope Joan herself, although she is there in plenty. This is more than just an ego project though (although it certainly has moments of that) and it is an interesting and different way of making this book stand out from the various other Pope Joan books in existence and actually drawing the reader closer and personally into the legend. The author is certainly thorough in his research, extending it often beyond the middle ages, such as his riveting interview with a woman in Czechoslovakia who was ordained as a priest as a way of getting around Communist restrictions against the Catholic Church. There will be more than enough history to please the history buffs but the story, mainly due to the style of the author, will be a joy for anyone to indulge a couple of hours soaking into this unusual legend of this remarkable, possibly real, woman. It is history as journalism by way of a detective story.

A chance exploration of a streetside shrine in Rome leads journalist Stanford to pursue the story of a female pope. Stanford makes an intriguing case for the historical truth of what has long been seen as cautionary tale emphasizing the corruptibility of women. I'm not convinced by his arguments for a true historical Pope Joan, but he's presented a lot of research and historical fact in an amusingly painless read. Imagine Peter Mayle leaving Provence to turn historical detective and you've got a feel for this book!

This is a great book for anyone interested in the Medieval history of the papacy, feminist issues, or just looking for a great story that may be truth, myth, or a little of both. It mixes historical research with vivid and humorous anecdotes from the author's travels through western Europe in search of definitive proof for Joan's existence. Stanford does an excellent job of weaving together the threads of written accounts, historical artifacts and theoretical arguments in his comprehensive approach to the mystery of 'Pope Joan.' Although there is room to dispute his interpretation of the evidence he uncovers, he cannot be faulted for the thoroughness of his research. There is one drawback, and that is that definitive proof of the existence of a female pope remains elusive. However, this book is so informative and entertaining, covering everything from lurid tales of Medieval papal corruption to modern religious feminism, that you can thoroughly enjoy the journey, even if you're a little dissatisfied with the destination.

This book was a real disappointment. Though I wasn't looking for a sensationalist approach to the topic, itwas dry, dry, dry. The fact that so many of the reviews I'd seen referred to it as "readable" should have been a red flag. Readable compared to what? An accounting textbook, perhaps, but nothing that one reads mostly for enjoyment. The author is obviously a good scholar, but not engaging, at least in this book.

I was really impressed, especially after reading the review of the other amazon customer...

This book is no novel, but it is a fairly comprehensive history of how people see the devil, whether some kind of gargoyle looking monster or the con man or even a metaphor for the evils of mankind.

Stanford does a good job of showing one thing above all others - that people will see the devil they want, and the devil won't dispute them.

For a biography, the book actually talks about the devil less than the circumstances where he was a power, and how people react(ed) to him. Less a biography than a reoccuring theme, it is still worth reading if you like history books.