Joseph Mitchell is perhaps the best argument for never bothering to write again. He has said it. Why bother?

This book is a collection of four books, including the classic Joe Gould's Secret (the last piece he ever wrote). He shows us what writing is meant to be: lyrical, poetic, filled with detail and observation, full of life about life full of meaning.

The Rivermen, which details the life and times of Edgewater, New Jersey, is my favorite piece. It dodges and meanders, building a backdrop and developing some characters, and then WHAM, the meaning of life. I remember my wife asking me what the piece had been about, and I think my only clear response was: everything.

He has style, and he also has meaning. His prose drives the reader toward his final sentence, and like Joyce he manages to leave the reader awed at his conclusions. And wiser.

Of course, the most astonishing aspect of all is that it was all true. I suppose that shows how much meaning we miss in the living of life.

Joseph Mitchell's Up in the Old Hotel is by far the best book that I have read by an Amerian writer. His words paint pictures so vivid that I could smell the ale from the saloons, hear the laughter from the comrads, feel the salty sea air around Fulton's Fish Market, and tast the diner/coffeepot food. Mitchell succeeded in creating nothing less than magic in these stories. Each is so independant, but yet together they weave incredible tapestries. The New York that Mitchell portrays here is one that could only be viewed from these stories. The way that the people and places are captured will preserve their memories for ever in the minds of his readers. An excellent book, I personally recommend to every lover of the American Dream

Joseph Mitchell may be the best writer ever to have worked on the 'New Yorker' staff (the other contenders would include Edmund Wilson and A. J. Liebling). Every story in this long book is worth reading, and re-reading; the later pieces, from 'The Bottom of the Harbour' and especially 'Joe Gould's Secret' are tours-de-force of reporting. Mitchell invests his characters with so much life that they take on almost mythical proportions, without ever sacrificing their humanity. Although Mitchell often chose to write about people on the margins of society -- a homeless beggar like Joe Gould, a bearded lady, the hard-drinking Hugh Flood -- he never did so in a patronising manner. He admires these people not because of their struggles or hard lives, but despite them: he sees them, and makes us see them, as fellow human beings, not social welfare cases. Mitchell freely admits that listening to Joe Gould was a strain, and that Gould could be, like people who own houses and property and know where their next meal is coming from, selfish and mean-spirited; far from making Gould unattractive, this serves to make him come alive - homeless people don't become plaster saints, and it's silly to pretend otherwise. A key component in these stories is Mitchell's own persona, which is much like his prose style: quiet, unassertive, but immensely attractive. It is a great pity that, for whatever reason, Mitchell fell silent for the last thirty years of his life; but any sadness can be assuaged by dipping back into 'Up in the Old Hotel', where Mitchell's brilliant handling of detail and character -- and his shapely way with the structure of a profile, always dovetailing to a perfect close -- can be sampled time and again.

For those of us that would like to have a PR firm working for us but cannot afford one, this is the answer. Mr. Marich has taken a difficult subject and made it easy to understand and follow. Step by step instructions make this an easy read and makes you a PR expert. Anyone that needs some PR should be using this book. A good read.

As if the process of completing a literary work were not enough, Mr. Marich clearly illuminates the most treacherous path of promoting that work once it is complete. Having tried unsuccessfully to navigate this path on my own in the past, this book became a true beacon in my career. His insightful, witty comments make this book both a great read as well as an invaluable tool for anyone who ever had the courage to take the bull by the horns and promote themselves with the same energy as a PR firm. I know that on all subsequent endeavors I will gladly return to the core lessons found within to ensure my ongoing success.

This is the most helpful "how-to" book I've ever read. It's informative, easy to read and funny, too! It makes the complicated process of generating publicity seem manageable for the beginner. The author uses humor and very interesting "stories from the trenches" to illustrate the steps involved in handling your own PR. The book is geared towards authors but I think it would be valuable for anyone who needs to get the word out about their business, product or even themselves. I highly recommend this book!!!!

This is a great book for the general public as well as naive health care professionals to learn about Natural Medicine. EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE A COPY OF THIS BOOK AND STUDY IT. YOUR LIFE MAY DEPEND ON IT. I have learned that I am eating totally wrong and am setting myself up for a cardiovascular disaster. And I'm a doctor and should know better! Now I can set things straight.

Yeah, I'm an M.D. and have been trained to treat my patients with chemicals (Allopathic Medicine), but I have been trying to expand my knowledge base about the practice of medicine and luckly stumbled on Dr. Murray's Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine.

I will integrate what I have and will learn about Natural Medicine in my everyday practice (and my own life!). I feel that, with certain exceptions, Natural Medicine should be tried first. Only when that fails or is inappropriate should Allopathic Medicine be used.

There is a growing trend for M.D.'s to use Natural Medicine in their practice. ...

When I bought this book, I had no idea how powerful an effect it would have in my life. As a science afficianado (and probable borderline hypochondriac), I have taken vitamin supplements for years "just in case" I might not be receiving proper nutrition from my modern microwave and fast food regimen. The Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine is an eye-opening discovery of the side of medicine that is too often missing in the world of the M.D.: treating the cause of an illness, not just it's symptoms.
The writing is comprehensive yet precise, including evidence of the therapeutic effect of a given supplement, it's method of action (pharmacology), and even caveats about any weaknesses in supporting studies, including whether evidence comes from statistically meaningful double-blind controlled studies or from clinical or cultural experiences.
If you are the type of person to take supplements, exercise, or eat healthy and natural foods out of a desire to protect your health, I highly recommend you BUY AND READ THIS BOOK! And if, on the other hand, you don't do any of the above, and you have a medical condition or take any presription or over-the-counter medication, or just generally feel yucky, I would definitely urge you to BUY AND READ THIS BOOK!
And Finally, if you are currently in the medical field, or typically prescribe or endorse only synthetic drugs manufactured by American Pharmaceutical companies licensed by the FDA, please BUY AND READ THIS BOOK!
Then again, I'm probably biased; after acting on the information in this book, I feel better than I have in a long time. And as any scientist will tell you, such results are not statistically significant ; )

I have long been a proponent of taking my own health into my own hands. Murray's reference book was first given to me by a friend. It encompasses a diverse array of health concerns and treatments that WE, the people, can access on our own. With sites like Amazon where we can peruse books on alternative health as well as one my friend recently recommended, Papanature, which has a substantial stock of natural supplements and vitamins. etc. I was pleased with the information, the documentation links, the products and the prices which Papanature provided so I ordered. Many of the items covered in Murray's Encyclopedia can be found from this source.

Although skeptical at first, I found this book to be an excellent work of World War Two fiction. It is both fast paced and fast reading and is one of the few books of this type that I have read to the end.

I wish I could read more books from this great writer! This is a wonderful and wonderfully crafted novel from a different angle to probe the honor of German Army(not the Nazi). No wonder the German Army could sweep the Europe at the beginning of the WWII, if when losing the war later, there were still honor,layalty(to his own conscience) as a Soldier in the German military force. I wish all the soldiers(or the men) in the world could be alike the tragic hero in this book! This is a deep and touching book so rarely to find these days. And I still believe you could find it, and read it and feel sadly shaked after you finish it. One of the Greatest books I've ever read during the last 20 years! This one made the SNOW WOLF a tour-de-forceless snooozzzing one

I read this book about 10 years ago and loved it. I still remember it vividly. I can't say that about most thrillers I've read, which all seem to fade into one big, mushy "web of international intrigue". Anyway, Barnes and Noble has a fantastic interview from about 6 years ago with Mr. Heywood. Go to their site, locate the author and click on "biographical information". Finally, he evidently has written a couple other books: "The Domino Conspiracy" and "Taxi Dancer".

Cardinal Bernardin talks candidly about dealing with a false accusation of sexual misconduct, his panceatic cancer, and his later terminal illness and preparation for death. He talks about surrendering to the Will of God and how to do this. I found it helpful in finding peace within crisis, and hope within despair. I recommend it without reservation

Recently I lost my father to a 10 year bout with cancer. This book provided me with joy, tears and abudance within a month of my own fathers death. Cardinal Bernardin was a remarkable man who had the courage to face his accusers, his illness and ulitmately his death. He has reconfirmed that faith, hope, love, forgivenss and kindness is the very essentials of what life needs to be about. It is clear from the Cardinal as it was from my experience with my own father that even when you think you are at your darkest human hour you need to reach out and make a difference every single day until your final moment in this part of your journey here on earth.

This book is a must read for anyone who has doubted that there is peace in death. He reconfirms that the lessons most important in life are to continue to give of yourself every day despite the adversities you face. In his illness, through his false accusation and his wonderful rediscovery of a deeper faith in Christ it makes accepting God's plan for you important.

Anyone who has an ill parent or someone close to them should read this book it will give you a much clearer spiritual understanding of illness, death and living every moment under God's plan.

A year ago, on November 14, 1996, our beloved Cardinal Bernardin died, as we the people of his flock, spent time in prayer and reflection over his years as our shepherd. It is amazing to realize how we were enveloped into his loving care, even as he lay dying. Some months later, his book, "The Gift of Peace: Personal Reflections" was published, as his gift to us. More than its worldwide sales, is its personal value to those who read it, perhaps once, maybe several times. How many people near death will ever have the energy to focus on the Lord's Presence, amidst physical pain? For Cardinal Bernardin, the pain he wrote about may have focused on physical and emotional difficulties that surfaced in the final three years of his life, but clearly, there are words in his book that can yet feed the flock, "how if we let Him, God can write straight with crooked lines," if only we let go of the control and allow HIM to direct our life's journey. This does not mean we should make no plans, but rather, set aside time daily to draw close to the Lord, and let go of the concerns that may grip us --- to make room for HIM in our lives. Is there room for HIM in the inn of our deepest selves? There is no other option. No matter what difficulties or hurts arise, we are all still family, always needing to work on healing; the other choice leaves us without family and friends. Cardinal Bernardin speaks of redemptive suffering -- the kind Jesus felt, the kind we may experience. The message clearly leads the reader to know that we, like Jesus, can move beyond the suffering, toward something better, allowing the Lord to work in our lives, bringing us into communion with Him and others who are feeling pain and suffering. In the midst of his pain, Bernardin's faith was strong, but he was preoccupied with the pain. His message is this: develop a strong prayer life in your best moments so you can be sustained in your weaker moments. Lean on family and friends, and church community, as they minister. As you read this book, you may feel the connection with Cardinal Bernardin because either you or a family member or friend is experiencing the pain and suffering of illness. Cardinal Bernardin's presence remains with us, in these words, "Pray while you're well, because if you wait until you're sick, you might not be able to do it."

I was typing up descriptions of books I bought in a box lot to sell and decided this one was in just too poor condition to sell, but it was medical, which always interests me, so I decided I should read it first before throwing it out (it's literally falling apart), AND BOY, AM I GLAD I DID! I found it totally absorbing, but surprisingly not so much from the medical aspect as from the simple human drama aspect. The cover emphasizes its focus on the corrupt medical system it describes, but to me it was more about a man losing himself in the pursuit of money & prestige, and having a crisis brought on by the death of a patient, that turns him back around, back to the idealistic doctor we liked in the beginning of the book.

There were numerous British words I didn't know what they referred to, but I found I was able to just skip over them & keep reading without losing the essence of the plot or the sense of timing/tension/drama that kept bringing me back to read more.

A beautifully written novel. Warm yet heartwrenching, uplifting and tearjerking it propels the reader to a deeply satisfying conclusion: The doctor is ready to battle on for the good of us all. Dr. Manson is a man of deep convictions. His honesty and guts in the end allow him to defeat the temptations of greed and an undemanding, lush lifestyle. If you don't understand the mindset and heart of a "liberal" thinker, read and understand Dr. Andrew Manson. I loved this book. I'd love to see both the Masterpiece theater presentation and the movie by the same title.

I picked up this book because it was mentioned in my great-grandmother's diary from 1941. Written in the 30s, it tells the tale of a young Scottish doctor in the 20s, as he goes from a small-town doctor in a rough situation to a well-paid London doctor with a fancy office.

The story's written with intelligence, as the doctor ponders various ways to deal with the bureaucracy he faces. He deals with incompetent doctors, old doctors that have no desire to learn new treatments, young doctors more concerned with money and prestige than patient care.

And, as he gets absorbed into the system, the doctor begins to be lured in by the money. He starts to prescribe the 'easy' solution to patients, even if it's not the right answer, so that they're happy and he gets more cash. He does finally realize, in the end, that working for the patients is more important than gaining lots of cash, but only after some hard lessons.

I have a few small complaints with the story. One is that the wife could have been a really interesting character, but she's a little flat. She is sad when he becomes money-hungry, and draws back, but that's it. She was a schoolteacher when he met her, and it's made clear that she's very intelligent. But still she just sort of goes along with him, making his meals, wishing things could be better, but far be it for her to actually help out. She tries to get his friends to see him one night to bring back his old ways, but when that fails, "ah well".

My other complaint is that he slides far too easy from a passionate patient-first attitude into a "cash is nice" mentality. But that was necessary for the plot to progress.

Definitely a great book to read to learn about life in the 20s to 40s, from the small towns of Wales to the busy streets of London. Interesting details about the damage that mines caused to the lungs of the mineworkers, and the ways that doctors worked with each other and treated their patients. A great read!

Joseph Jenkin's book is absolutely wonderful! As an environmental educator for over 10 years, reading this book was like a breath of fresh air. The book is written with such creative style that the reader's interest is captured on the very first page. The book is very entertaining, as well as extremely informative. It is perhaps the best environmental book I have ever read. This book allows the reader to be a part of an adventure that has crucial importance for everyone and everything living on this planet. As a Christian, I have struggled for years with the priorities of organized religion. At least from my experiences, the church seems to all but ignore our responsibility of being stewards of God's creation. However, this book challenges the reader to a different way of thinking. For the first time, I am aware of the difference between religion and spirituality. As pointed out in the book, a person can be extremely religious, yet spiritually lost. The "balance point" refers to a balanced awarenesss. It happens when we "realize we're actually a real part of a greater Being and we adjust our consciousness to accomodate a more humble position in the web of life". This book explains in a very clear way the importance of the web of life. The reader is challenged to look beyond ourselves and to realize how everything we do affects everything else. I feel that this book has a very motivational effect on the reader. The publication of this book comes at a much needed time, when political leaders and our society as a whole are in complete denial of the peril of our environment. Reading this book can be a life-changing event. I hope it will be read by many people, who will then pass it on to others. With Christmas just around the corner, I know what everyone on my list is receiving from me!

After reading Balance Point, I find myself torn between stating "One Hell of a story!" and "One Hell of a warning!" This is a truly spell-binding adventure tale with an incredibly important message. Usually, I find such books to be lacking in either entertainment value or in proper research. That is not the case with Balance Point. Joe's characters are as real as my next-door neighbor, and his premise is quite plausible. All considered, I find Balance Point to be the best book I've read this year. I hope Joe will crank out another book soon.

Ever speculate the future? This book is certain to color and frame your preview. The title fits the content as much as the story line; where science and spirituality meet on equal ground. Bound to contain some of your favorite reading, the author has amply spun spirituality, science, and culture into a living work. A "must-read" for the fiction and non-fiction reader alike.

I found this to be one of those books "you just can't put down". It's seemingly retrousse' chapters are full of twists, turns, and zestful characters, including the author himself. And the anecdotes are easily believable. It is adventurous and intuitive in likeness to James Redfields' Celestine series, yet with a more personal and pointed message. Both educational and entertaining, its' many punch lines may be as disturbing as they are enlightening.

Jenkins has done his homework, literally. Providing not only sound research, there is evidence that he gives credence and practice toward what he writes. He leaves the reader with a feeling of here and now, and compels self-examination. Fortunately, as with all of Jenkins' publications, he provides a wealth of follow-up ideas and information; very tasteful and helpful pointers as to "where to go from here".

Easily "Two thumbs up!"

Transcend is more than 'just a book about travel'. It is more than a 'biography', and it is more than a philosophical and a psychological work. The writer takes us with him as he travels, not only physically, but also emotionally and psychologically. We see what he sees. We feel what he feels. All the while, we are traveling with a 'guy from Queens' whose eyes open wider with every scene, and no matter what our philosophical orientation, our eyes open wider too. Richard Joseph's world is no longer an island defined and isolated by Queens, New York City, American protection and culture. The book was written before September 11th, yet his shock at the reality of what he sees as the curtains of Oz fall around him is prescient of our shock at the reality we see around us now.

Because the writer takes us through time as well as through physical space, he is in a process of growth throughout his work. And because the writing is so vivid, sophisticated yet down-to-earth, we grow with him. Interestingly, he never really leaves home. As much as Mr. Joseph's yearning drive sends him across the United States and then across the world, he always returns, sometimes reluctant emotionally - to an unchanged Queens - where the unchanged view is fixed painfully in Richard Joseph's past. An ongoing connection between the larger picture and the smaller, between the mountain top and the valley - in which the valley's inhabitants cannot see - can never see - the view from the top of the mountain. Yet there is a constancy and an underlying love for family which holds Mr. Joseph in place; while finding his way through a whirling vortex of events and psychological change, is fundamental and draws him back to his roots, perhaps against even his own wishes.

We are a 'guy from Queens' when we first venture out from a movie like cityscape description of that setting. We see the hands of the crowd clawing at the window, trying to reach us with malice, when we are sick and feverish on the train in India. We feel the snake on our boot and the terror. We should all read this book. It is for everyone. Hopefully it is only his first book. You will be spellbound - as I was.

For the purposes of review, this should be considered "unrated," as I never rate memoirs or heavily autobiographical writings.

Casually written in the author's own voice, this sojourn goes to many surprising places, and the writing style, difficult for me to follow at times, faithfully mirrors the confusion, dislocation, and transportation out of which this clever book was written.

We need more books that not only tell us, but show us, that personally lived versions of the Hero's Journey are needed to get to the truths that really work for us.

I can't review a book without commenting on the medium: shame, shame on the publishers and editors! The pages are cheap, thin, paper; the text runs all over the page; and the text has a number of typos and spelling errors that it's the house's job (not the author's) to correct. Do it right or don't do it at all.

The author calls for informal groups to discuss the problems of our nation and its place in the world. Amen! (...)

If you're young in spirit, this might be a good book for you to read.

Transcend is a book that's hard to describe, or rather, hard to categorize. It's part travelogue, part memoir, part philisophical rumination. It's the kind of book I wish my professors had had me read in my freshman philosophy class, because it's real philosophy, written by a real person, someone who truly and earnestly believes in what he is saying, someone who wants to change the world and actually took action and wrote a book. The first section of the book is a bit about Richard Joseph's life, his background and his travels through Asia and how he came to be traveling. This part makes for enjoyable reading. Joseph has an easy writing style that makes you feel like you are sitting having coffee or a beer with him, chatting with him, rather than reading. Towards the end of the first part, a friend commits suicide, and this suicide sends Joseph into himself, sends him thinking. The end product of these ruminations is the second half of the book. Joseph tries to understand why there are so many inconsistencies in current society, inconsistencies rooted somehow in race, gender, wealth and power. I cannot do his philosophy justice in a few sentences here. I will say only read this book. It is thoughtful, it will get you thinking. As I said before, I wish I had read this my freshman year in college because I think it can foster many meaningful discussions and debates, all the while being completely readable, thoroughly engaging. Joseph ponders and explores the underpinnings of our society. Transcend will make you think.

This book is for those ready to give up Santa Claus like views on God. This book can be hard to swallow at first especially to westerners. It tends to speak abrasively about our personalities which we think we are. It is, after all, titled, "The Impersonal Life". It says our personalities are mere pawns in the hands of God who could care less whether we live or die so long as we serve it's grander purpose and that so called evil or suffering is also God for God is all there is.

It is done from the western view with God as angry, spiteful and jealous.
Much of what is explained is very true but is done in a very Impersonal and abrasive manner which is why I give it only 4 stars for the delivery. Who'd want to serve a God who is so evil unless we're into S & M.

I'm just explaining the book and how it comes across. Please don't blame me or get angry with me. Read for yourself. When God says he'll take care of you, that's a con job. You won't be spared suffering. Someone may still kill you or a loved one which is God acting the role of the killer. You'll be killed and torn from your loved ones but you'll wake up on the other side realizing that it was all just a dream, many times a nightmare. You'll keep going through all these lives and experiences until you realize it was God all along playing with you. But this is the funky part. You are GOD. You are all there is. You're talking to yourself. It's like some big kid playing with his toy soldiers. Let's see, "I'll light this one on fire and drop this one of a cliff or run over it with my bike".

See what I mean? I got this from this book. Don't blame me. Blame the God of this book. If we can all get together we can overthrow this tyrannical God. (But I thought we're God?) Paradox...

Elvis Presley read this book a lot. The book says "The Divine Touch is needed. This can only be provided by someone who has sounded the depths and reached the heights of human experience". Isn't that Elvis? He was as successful in this world as you can be in so many ways yet had a horrific life in the end.
But through it all, I felt the love in him. He sang three songs near the end of his career which caused me to sob uncontrollably. They were: Danny Boy, The Last Farewell and My Way (1977 live version). He had spiritual depth despite his dysfunction and God still used him to arouse us to higher ideals while simultaneously destroying his body. The book says, "that man only thinks he thinks but until he realizes God as the one and only thinker he merely takes whatever thoughts that come up, puts a personal construct on them and attracts to himself all his woes." The book also mentions that this statement seems contradictory but what the book is saying is that we all think we are thinking but we are being lived by another being. God who thinks through us, yes even the evil people, people we love, people we hate. You can think to yourself, "This review is stupid", and that is God thinking through you but you think it's you thinking that thought. This God-being apparently likes conflict. It makes people fight and disagree, he creates anger and dissension amongst people all the while blaming us, making us forever guilty in our own minds, the poor beings who are merely hand puppets in the hands of God while he makes us do everything we do and makes us think everything we think. The only way out is to realize it's a game played by an adolescent God full of testoserone. (This is not a license to do evil since it's all God anyway because evil causes pain to us as well). Then in the play God says, "to avoid suffering do good". These scriptures show the way. Some people he awakens to his presence by thinking through them such thoughts others he makes rebel against this authority and doing good. These beings he makes kill or persecute the believers. At other times he'll make the believers persecute the non believers, all for God's play and enjoyment while we suffer it. He sits there laughing completely unaffected watching the movie of life from his comfortable seat in our heart while we experience the good times but often great suffering too.

God created us to experience good and evil. He experiences these things through us like a spectator at a movie but we the actors experience the pain, point blank. Do you still think you love God? As man might make a robot to experience things and go places man would rather not go because of the danger, God made us to enjoy or suffer good and evil while he sits back and watches completely unaffected. We are just characters in a one actor play.

There is some heavy stuff in this book. This trickster-God is letting you in on some secrets of this world through this book. Like a character in a video game you are being allowed some insight into your situation. The only way to fight back is to BRAVELY read on.

I highly recommend this book. Be brave, ignore the vicious attacks of the insecure God of this book on your personality. There is stuff in this book that I've never read anywhere else. Worth the read.

Supplement this book, put a human face on Impersonal teachings. I highly recommend books by Ramana Maharshi, Nisargadatta Maharaj-"I Am That", some Swami Vivekananda perhaps and Adi Da Samraj. These beings speak from the same impersonal plane but are easier pills to swallow.
These beings also explain how to arrive at the impersonal state. This book doesn't explain much about meditation which is needed to be impersonal.

The best book I have read in my 60 years of reading.

Truly the way out of human pain and suffering and into joy and kindness.

The Impersonal Life is the clearest, most simply written book about God I have read anywhere -- including the highly touted "A Course in Miracles," and the "Conversations With God" series by Neal Donald Walsh. My sense is that it may have been the source of inspiration for the writers of ACIM and Mr. Walsh. It is a constant source of inspiration to me. I'm buying more copies to give away. It is a 'must read' book for anyone seeking to broaden their spiritual horizon.

For most of the past century, there have been two schools of thought about Hitler and Stalin. One states that Stalin wasn't really so bad, because he fought the Fascists; the other insists that Hitler wasn't really so bad, because he fought the Communists. Alan Bullock leaves both viewpoints in the dustheap of history, where they belong. Both Hitler and Stalin came as close to pure evil as human beings ever get; both stood for the utter repression of the human spirit and the annihilation of anyone who might possibly be suspected of standing in their way. Bullock demonstrates this in exhaustive, but never exhausting, detail. More people should read this book, if only to be cured forever of any temptation to support any form of totalitarianism, any time, anywhere.

What is most fascinating about this novel dual biographical approach toward understanding both Hitler and Stalin is the startling degree to which such an unorthodox approach illuminates one's understanding not only of their remarkable similarities, but also their philosophical, tactical, and personal differences. This truly is a fascinating and absorbing book, and it is well enough written that the narrative seems to spin along on its own strength, and we find ourselves captivated by the degree to which these two seem star-crossed in terms of their destinies. As Bullock deftly illustrates, the main differences between the two dictators were found in their personalities. Yet, even after all these crucial differences in both personal style and substance are considered, the degree to which they were similar is both remarkable and frightening to comprehend.

Stalin was a creature of bureaucracy, the ultimate insider, someone who knew how to use the organization bonding the Communist Party together for his own rise to prominence and power, an increasingly clever, adroit, and masterful practitioner of power politics. He was nothing if not careful, cautious, deliberate, and shrewd. Hitler, on the other hand, was a gambler, a masterful politician, a bold, easily bored, and endlessly distracted dreamer whose natural ability to charm, captivate, and enchant helped him to rise by extraordinary means. In many ways, these men came to prominence in quite different ways; Stalin, by mastering the art of bureaucratic manipulation and quietly assuming key roles within the organization that gave him friendships, alliances, and information that he used masterfully to rise through the ranks of the faithful, and Hitler, the manic-depressive natural leader whose charismatic popular appeal and desperate, authoritarian, and often violent measures were used to gain political power through extraordinary means.

Yet Bullock shows how similar both men were in terms of the way they used their power once established to execute their national responsibilities, and in the way they ruthlessly pursued their goals without mercy, remorse or any concern for others who suffered for their sake. Both used extralegal means to maintain position, both cruelly purged potential rivals through purges or political overthrows. Both bordered on being psychotic; Hitler coming close to being declared certifiably insane, and Stalin by having all the symptoms of classic paranoia. Certainly both had personal histories that can most kindly be described as bizarre in terms of the ways in which they treated those close to them as well as the populace in general. Both also seemed convinced of their own central and unique role in terms of their country's destiny, and indeed each identified his own importance in terms of succeeding in accomplishing that historical mission. Also, both were guilty of massive crimes against humanity, both against the opposing forces they captured and their own subjects. Hitler persecuted German citizens who were Jewish, Gypsies, or otherwise "undesirables", while Stalin persecuted Ukrainians in general and peasant farmers in particular, not to mention the systematic purges of thousands of Army, Navy, and Air Force officers he or his cronies suspected of potential disloyalty.

This is a wonderful book in terms of its insights, unusual research sources, and provocative speculations regarding each of these two quite unique historical figures. The narrative carries itself in an entertaining, edifying, and comprehensible fashion, and his use of photographs and maps serves the text well. All in all, I would have to describe this book as a must-read for anyone seriously interested in how the personalities and characteristics of these two key leaders in 20th century history figured into the unholy calculus of madness and mayhem, otherwise referred to as World War Two. I highly recommend it. Enjoy!

It is difficult to describe Alan Bullock's fantastic dual-biography of Hitler and Stalin, and others have done much better here than I could. Allow me to add their voices to theirs in praise of this work. Bullock not only manages to convey the terrible sweep of history of the first half of the 20th Century and the impact of these two monsters of history, but does so in a very readable style. I marvel that a book of nearly 1000 pages, many of them filled with either terrible stories of oppression and horror, or else mindnumbing (but critical) economic statistics, can hold one's interest enough from start to finish. Highly recommended.