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Book reviews for "Woroniak,_Alexander" sorted by average review score:
Sacred Mirrors: The Visionary Art of Alex Grey
Published in Paperback by Inner Traditions Intl Ltd (1990)
Authors: Alex Grey, Ken Wilber, Carlo McCormick, and Alexander Grey
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The Complete Human Form
This is the most amazing art book. In the central part of the book, Alex Grey presents the human being layer by layer. Starting with the skeleton, he adds the nervous & circulatory systems, the viscera, the musculature, and finally the skin. Materialist would stop there. But Alex Grey has the eyes of a mystic, and continues to depict the etheric & energetic components of humanity, right up to the Void of pure consciousness. He also includes deities from east & west, showing that they too "mirror" what we are in our depths. Many of the later frames are suitable as objects of meditation. The most talented energy-healer I know seems to know everything about people just by looking at them, and she says what she sees is what Alex Grey paints. This book contains art that can put a person in touch with her deepest and noblest possibilities. This book is nothing less than a gift to the human race!

Expect a transcendent visionary experience
This book is a masterpiece. The artist, Alex Grey, has created visions of mystical spiritual beauty-- visions captured and inscribed on the pages of this book.

I don't know of any artist whose work is more frequently included in slides shows and books about mind body healing, consciousness and spirituality.

Just this week, Newsweek did a cover story on neurotheology-- the study of the neurology of spiritual experiences, and two of Alex Grey's works of art were prominently featured in the magazine.

Grey paints with the detail and precision of a medical illustrator-- but one on mescaline. The images are both beautiful and shimmering with energies-- the kind of energies which connect human souls and spirits together, which connect the whole universe together.

I met Alex Grey while attending the Omega Arts week. He was teaching a course on visionary art-- expressing the sacred visually. It is to his credit that he is a popular teacher of this unique approach-- expressing the visionary and spiritual through art. It's amazing to see the great work he inspires in his students too.

Once you see this book, you'll probably need to buy more copies-- as gifts. But first, start off by buying one for yourself as a real treat.

There are several sequences of art in here. Plans are under way for the primary sequence's original works to be assembled into a kind of "temple" or special building which will house them. Grey has designed the whole building. You can learn more about it under the web site which is spelled out by his name then dot com.

Beautifully realized..
I'll be the first to admit I had never heard of Alex Grey before. However, I am a fan of the music group Tool. The artwork on their new CD was done by Alex Grey. I never paid this much mind until I was in a book store a couple weeks ago and passed right by "Sacred Mirrors". I stopped, turned around, snatched it up and ran to the counter. Upon further reading I must say it is phenomenal..

The essays presented talk about Alex and his work. They provide an indepth look at his philosophies on transcendence. While enjoyable to read the real reason to buy the book is the art. I have never seen anything quite like Grey's work. It is bold and bright. His use of colors and their correspondence in the human body are simply amazing.

This book is definitely recommended for anyone who wants to view the human body; our physical, mental, and most importantly, our spiritual side, in a whole new light.

Panther in the Sky
Published in Mass Market Paperback by Del Rey (1995)
Author: James Alexander Thom
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magnificent!
Truly a work of art in literature format. Thom brings the Shawnee Nation to life again as it once was and evokes great feeling through his work, which has a depth of its own, almost unparalleled. He is a master at his particular craft. The thing which depressed me most about this book besides reading of the destruction of The People in seemingly all too vivid detail, was the fact that i think i shall never read a better book, for this would be hard to top. Understand though that i am a great admirer of Tecumseh, so bias may come into play. But also understand that being as i am, such works would endure intense scutiny, as this book has, and yet from me, it receives nothing but praise. Too often, i have witnessed history butchered by those unskilled in its telling, but Thom has shown through his work that he is truly a student of the past and is the teacher when it comes to its portrayal. 5+ stars!

Must Read
This book, like no others that I have read, truly brings Tecumseh and the Shawnee people to life. Once I started reading this book I could not put it down. It was absolutely spellbinding. I could hardly wait to read the next page! James Alexander Thom gives us a perspective of Indian life that is truly fascinating and interesting and human. After reading this book I understand Tecumseh better and it makes me wish that I could have known him personally.

Adding strength to Tecumseh
This book adds valuable information and insight into the legend of Tecumseh. In Panther in the Sky James Alexander Thom brings Tecumseh to life. We learn more about this great man who helped shape Ohio history, and played a critical role in the Indain struggle to hold onto their homelands and way of life. A must read for those interested in history and the early settlement of the Ohio Valley area.

The Kalahari Typing School for Men (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency)
Published in Paperback by Anchor Books (2004)
Authors: Alexander McCall Smith and Alexander McCall Smith
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Precious Ramotswe has a great deal on her mind.
"The Kalahari Typing School for Men" is the fourth novel in Alexander McCall Smith's spectacularly successful series about a lady detective in Botswana. Precious Ramotswe is facing new challenges. A rival detective agency opens up nearby, and Mma. Ramotswe is worried about the competition. The two orphans whom she and Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni adopted are having problems. In addition, Mma. Ramotswe is worried about her assistant, Mma. Makutsi, who cannot seem to find a husband.

However, Mma. Ramotswe is an optimistic person by nature and she tries to set aside her worries. One way to forget her troubles is to take on new clients. Mma. Ramotswe accepts the case of a woman who suspects that her husband is being unfaithful. Another client is a wealthy man who wants Mma. Ramotswe to find two women whom he had wronged in the past. He wishes to apologize to them and make amends for his bad behavior.

As in his earlier books, Smith's writing is sweet, funny, understated and touching. Mma. Ramotswe again displays her keen insight into human nature and her empathy for those who are in pain. "The Kalahari Typing School for Men" is written simply but it is never simplistic. This novel will delight Alexander McCall Smith's fans, and it will make readers of this series impatient for the next installment.

I LOVE THE CHARACTERS IN THIS BOOK!
"I must remember, thought Mma. Ramotswe, how fortunate I am in this life; at every moment, but especially now, sitting on the verandah of my house in Zebra Drive, and looking up at the high sky of Botswana, so empty that the blue is almost white. Here she was then, Precious Ramotswe, owner of Botswana's only detective agency, The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency-an agency which by and large had lived up to its initial promise to provide satisfaction for its clients, although some of them, it must be said, could never be satisfied. And here she was too, somewhere in her late thirties, which as far as she was concerned was the very finest age to be; here she was with the house in Zebra Drive and two orphan children, a boy and a girl, bringing life and chatter into the home. These were blessings with which anybody should be content. With these things in one's life, one might well say that nothing more was needed." (Page 1)

So begins Alexander McCall Smith's latest book, THE KALAHARI TYPING SCHOOL FOR MEN. He has a wonderful African storytelling voice. Parts of the book are funny, sad, educational, and touching.

Mma. Ramotswe deals with real and moral problems. Although the troubles take place in Africa, they are universal and range from searching for people from the past, cheating spouses, looking for love, raising children, trying to improve one's financial status, trying to right a wrong, to dealing with competition, and more.

I enjoy the way Mma. Ramotswe solves her clients' problems as well as her own. There are no guns or high-speed chases. There is no fighting, cursing, or the likes. An element of danger and adventure exists in Mma. Ramotswe's work but the detective uses her wits and manners when dealing with others. The plot is always refreshing.

I love the way THE KALAHARI TYPING SCHOOL FOR MEN transports me to Mma. Ramotswe's world. I feel like I'm a part of the detective agency. I feel like I'm riding with Mma. Ramotswe in her little white van along the Botswana plains. I feel like I'm sharing a cup of red bush tea with her and Mma. Makutsi. I feel like I've tasted a slice of the cake that Mma. Potokwani always serves Mma. Ramotswe at the orphanage. I feel like I know the kind and gentle Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni. I feel like I'm in the same room with his funny mechanic apprentices.

Another good read.

Fafa Demasio

Fortunately, NOT the Last in the Series! MORE! MORE!
Alexander McCall Smith has written over 50 books from specialized works as The Criminal Law of Botswana, Forensic
Aspects of Sleep to Children's books. He currently is a Professor of Medical Law at Edinburgh University

The Kalahari Typing School For Men
Now that The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (UNTIL NOW, the only detective agency for ladies and others in Botswana) is established, its founder, Precious Ramotswe, can look upon her life with pride: she's reached her late thirties ("the finest age to be"), has a house, two children, a good fiancé -- Mr. J. L. B. Matekoni -- and many satisfied customers. But life is never without its problems. It turns out that her adopted son is responsible for the dead hoopoe bird in the garden; her assistant, Mma Makutsi, wants a husband and needs help with her idea to open the Kalahari Typing School for Men; yet Mma Ramotswe's sexist rival has no trouble opening his Satisfaction Guaranteed Detective Agency across town. Will Precious Ramotswe's delightfully cunning and profoundly moral methods save the day? Follow the continuing story of Botswana's first lady detective in the irresistible "Kalahari Typing School for Men".
Readers who haven't yet discovered Mma Ramotswe will enjoy discovering how her quiet humor, understated observations on life, and resolutely intuitive approach to detection promise to put Botswana on the sleuthing map for good.
IF there is a downside to this excellent series of enchanting mysteries, it is that it takes several years after a books initial release overseas to appear in US publication. Readers who are hooked on the lovable characters, beautiful setting and imaginative plots will be glad to know that The Full Cupboard of Life (the 5th in the series, is to be published by Polygon UK May 2003). And in a recent interview Alexander McCall Smith forsees even more books in the series! When will Mma Ramotswe and Mr J.L.B. Metekoni tie the knot (is that the correct phrase for getting married in Botswana?). What further adventures and Life's lessons will the group encounter and share with their readers? I for one CAN'T WAIT!!!

The Full Cupboard of Life (the 5th in the series, is to be published by Polygon UK May 2003)

I thoroughly enjoyed this book for it's unique and likable characters and exotic setting. The uniqueness of the mysteries
reflect a simpler lifestyle than many of us live and especially expect in a "mystery". TOTAL ENJOYMENT!
John Row

The Castle of Llyr
Published in Library Binding by Bt Bound (1999)
Author: Lloyd Alexander
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The Castle of Llyr
The Castle of Llyr is the third of the Prydain Chronicles. In this exciting adventure, Taran and Eilonwy are sepparated. Eilonwy is sent to a castle, where she is to learn proper "lady" etiquette. On Taran's visit with his companion, he notices something strange. The next day, Eilonwy is gone. This was a great book of adventure and fantasy. I would say it is the best in the five book series, and reccomend it to anyone who likes a good read.

Just for kids? NOT!
The third book of the Prydain Chronicles is excellent, but somehow a little awkward. It is reminiscent of the teenager that Taran has become by this time, as he learns to help an inept prince to become more of a man. It teaches excellent values that adults as well as children should have. Enjoy this book, but read it as the third, following "The Book of Three" and the "Black Cauldron" or else it may loose some of its majesty.

The "romantic" Chronicle of Prydain
"The Castle of Llyr" is the third in the "Chronicles of Prydain". It is the first in the series to focus on Taran and Eilonwy's relationship from a romantic angle. In this book Dallben has sent Eilonwy away to the Isle of Mona to be trained in the ways of being a princess by her relatives there. Taran accompanies Eilonwy to Mona to find that he has a rival in the form of the Isle's clutzy Prince Rhun. Although this book is more romantically inclined than the others in the series, there is still plenty of adventure, especially after Eilonwy is kidnapped by a shifty steward, and Taran, Rhun, Fflewddur and the gang must go in search of her.

Forgotten Door
Published in Library Binding by Harvey House (1965)
Author: Alexander Key
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Favorite Childhood Book
I am thrilled to see this book is still available!! "The Forgotten Door" is one of my favorites! When I was in third grade, I didn't read very well. I remember crawling to the top bunk and my sister, Andrea, read this book aloud to me. Later, in sixth grade after my reading improved, I checked this book out of the school library and was thrilled once again to be transported through the forgotten door to follow the adventures on Jon. It didn't matter that I knew how the book ended. I still loved it!

My sister recently had her first baby, Allison. I knew I wanted to buy this book for her (even if she is a bit young yet). Now I can read it to my niece and the tradition will continue. I highly recommend "The Forgotten Door" to readers of all ages. It's truely a classic not to be missed!

Found, at last!
Believe it or not, I live near the Smoky Mountains, where this book was set. I'd read the story of Jon back in my grade-school days, and was very moved, like most who read it.

It's one of those books I love--I never once thought I'd find a copy of it anywhere other than my grade-school reader. If you ever want to see what innocence and real fun are like, read "The Forgotten Door".

Wow- I'm so glad this book is still around, and being read!
This book is almost as old as me, and I remember loving it when I was very young. It has elements to inspire any child: empathy with animals, mind reading, fantastically athletic feats, a peaceful alternative to a nasty world- and escape from dangerous, meddling people. I re-read it today and was very pleased to find it as good as I thought it was when I was 7 or 8.

At least one aspect of the child that seemed very odd to the almost mainstream family as portrayed in 1965 have fortunately changed for the better. Jon is vegetarian and this was cause for great puzzlement. I remember scratching my head over that, "but what does he eat?", but to many children now it's much more normal, and accepted. My Scholastic edition has the press postulate that Jon is from Mars, so we can get a small glimpse of how far we've come in our attitudes toward the habitability of our solar system.

I wanted to read *more* of these people as a child, and I had the same feeling again today. I highly recommend this book.

Pihkal: A Chemical Love Story
Published in Paperback by Transform Pr (1991)
Authors: Ann Shulgin, Alexander Shulgin, and David E. Nichols
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A must read for anyone interested in exploring conciousness!
It's not often that you find a combination of scientific objectivity and readability, but this joint effort by Shulgin and his wife Anne was entertaining, enlightening, and passed on a wealth of information, both personal and professional in nature.

Here you find a fascinating account of their brave excursions into the inner unknown, an account of the plusses and minuses of their experiences, a glimpse of the theraputic possibilities that lay in MDMA, and a wealth of technical information, layed out in a manner that even a layman can appreciate and enjoy.
For further reading by the same author I also recommend TIHKAL, a book that tells the story of the Tryptamine family of compounds in the same entertaining manner.

Excellent. A prerequisite to the world of psychedelic drugs
This book is fascinating. It is not an "I like trippin' and listenin' to the Dead" book. It is a very thorough, interesting account of the work of two very intelligent and thoughtful people in the area of psychedelic drugs and their influence on/application to human life. Here's a quote that gives some idea of the orientation of the book: of marijuana (not a phenethylamine, and thus, not really addressed fully in the book), Shulgin writes, "I have chosen not to use marijuana, as I feel the light-headed intoxication and benign alteration of consciousness does not adequately compensate for an uncomfortable feeling that I am wasting time." Of psychedelics, he writes, "the potential of the psychedelic drugs to provide access to the interior universe, is, I believe, their most valuable property." This isn't a book about seeing jerry-bears and setting up clandestine labs. It's an introduction to a new way of exploring one's relationship to the rest of the universe. It is wonderful and an invaluable resource to all who are willing to try to deal with this piece of the puzzle.

FANTASTIC !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
One of best books I have ever read. It is a must for everyone who was interested in or just plain curious about psychedelic drugs or drugs in general. It is real shame that DEA wanted to stop the publishing of this book ??????? This book is very educational and opens the readers mind to the universe within! KUDOS TO SHULGIN!

Cancer Ward
Published in Paperback by Dell Publishing (01 June, 1974)
Authors: Alexander Solzhenitsyn and Rebecca Frank
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Accurate depiction of the world of the cancer patient
Having just finished reading it for the third time, I believe that Cancer Ward is a very fine novel, rich at many levels: in its depiction of Soviet provincial society in 1955, a poor society just emerging from Stalinism; in its portrayal of many separate characters (doctors, nurses, patients, hospital workers) in that society, many of whose lives have been permanently damaged by the terror and the GULAG, but in different ways; and, as I know from personal experience, in its depiction of the isolated world of the cancer patient, from which the rest of society is seen dimly, as though through dirty glass. In spite of all medical progress, the basics of this world have not changed much in 50 years: the core treatments are still surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, and the side effects both long and short term can still be brutal.

The ending of the book will disappoint those who want a happy ending, or just an ending with all the loose ends tied up. In real life, though, loose ends usually stay loose. My thought is that Solzhenitshyn intended the reader to understand that for the characters and the society who are so damaged by the past there can be no happy endings; the best they can hope for is to continue from day to day, grasping at whatever happiness briefly comes their way.

This much overlooked novel is perhaps Solzhenitsyn's best.
Cancer Ward is often overshadowed by its predecessor, One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, and its successor, the immense memoir, The Gulag Archipelago. While the worldly impact of those two works is perhaps greater, the aesthetic power of Cancer Ward is stronger than both of those works. The story is poignant and powerful, reaching out and probing deeply into the essential questions that are never answered by not only Soviet society, but western culture as a whole. The religious message that emerges is stunning and unique, recalling the works of Dostoyevsky. Overall, this is an excellent book, and any reader who enjoyed One Day or Gulag will be blown away by this work.

"A Real Live Place"
Those were the words that Dorothy used to describe Oz after waking up in the bosom of her family. The same intense feeling came over me while reading this book, a task that spanned several years, as I often put it aside for other things, always returning, drawn by the power of the author's prose in opening his world to us. The realness of Solzhenitsyn's worlds makes him perhaps the most accessible Russian novelist. As he described the village where Kostoglotov, the protagonist, lived, or in recounting how Ruasov, the villian/fellow victim ruined lives while justifying his actions, a vivid portrait fills the reader's imagination.
The human struggle to find hope and beauty in the most tragic of settings is what this novel evokes so well. Soviet medicine, cancer, a Zek fresh from the Gulag, and in a twilight turned dawn, Solzhenitsyn finds for his semi-autobiographical protagonist happiness, not only in winning victories against a malignant tumor, but in thoughts of perhaps one more summer to live, with nights sleeping under the stars, of three beech trees that stand like ancient guardians of an otherwise empty steppe horizon, a dog that shared his life there, and of a young nurse and spinster doctor, both of whom he hoped at times to love.
The picture one often got (accurately) of the Soviet Union was of greyness, gloom, uniform drabnes, and of a totalitarian police state. This book serves to remind the reader that, despite such circumstances, even desparately sick human being might still seek, and find, happiness in his own, private world. Along with that, Solzhenitsyn never lets us forget the utter corruption of the Soviet state, often in the person of Ruasov, an ailing bureaucrat who has managed to turn personnel management into an exquisite art form, as an instrument of psychological torture, slowly administered.
Of all Solzehenitsyn's works, this is my favorite. The people one encounters are vividly real, and the ending isn't what one would think (or hope), but is fitting, nonetheless.
-Lloyd A. Conway

The Cartoon History of the Universe: From the Big Bang to Alexander the Great
Published in Hardcover by Turtleback Books Distributed by Demco Media (1997)
Author: Larry Gonick
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I use it as a reference book!
Cartoon History presents a large amount of information at a rapid clip and keeps you laughing the whole time. Topics that may have seemed boring in history class (or weren't addressed at all) will suddenly spark the imagination and leave you wanting to read more. Thick history presented in the exact opposite of dry textbook style, all high school and college students should own a copy of this book! (Gonick doesn't pull punches about the graphic violence and bizarre sexuality of our history, so parents should exercise discretion about handing this book to younger students.) Gonick also shows intriguing perspectives that you won't get in the average, mainstream textbook market; and he especially gives women a voice they normally do not have. Hopping all over the globe for more than white man's western civ, this book and its sequel open up history in a startling and energized way. I highly recommend keeping a copy on your reference shelf.

A must for any home library!
Want to read about history without reading about history? Buy this book! Not only does is serve up science in a way to keep you awake but it slices up history into easy to swallow portions too. If you find chapters or subjects that pique your interest beyond that provided by the witty cartoon panels, the book has the most extensive bibliography (with reviews!) you could ask for. I bought my copy many years ago and it drove me to reread all those Greek Classics that I slept through while I was in school! It is apparent that portions of the Ancient Greece section was drawn earlier when Mr. Gonick was developing his style. His wit is trenchant in all the chapters in a way to make the reader think. Summary: I wish I had this book when I was in school...

Nothing like it anywhere!!!
If Larry Gonick had written the ancient history books, chances are we would all be staying awake during world history class. This book is not only funny, but informative as well. Both trivial and essential topics are addressed and explained in wonderful cartoon detail. If this book doesn't get you excited about ancient history, then my friend give up hope, because if this doesn't nothing will. Gonick takes us from the beginning of time to Alexander the great, and it's a fun and memorable ride the whole way. OH, but don't be discouraged by it's large size. Chances are you'll finish it in a day or two AT THE MOST!! It's so entertaining, you'll take it with you to the carpool and read it while you 'work'. This book will double you IQ, I gurantee it. And you'll becoming back to it no mattter how many times you reread it. I can not recommend this book enough, if I could change the history text book ciriculum to include this I would. But I can't so you'll just have to settle for the next best thing.

Leaving Disneyland
Published in Hardcover by St. Martin's Press (2001)
Author: Alexander Parsons
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An Accomplished First Novel
"Leaving Disneyland", is a debut novel by Alexander Parsons. The book is extremely good first work, especially when the author has tackled an environment he has only read about. He gives appropriate credit to his source for the prison he creates, but if you have read works by true inmates you will be impressed with the authenticity he brings to his novel. It is easy to forget this is a work of fiction.

Doc Kane is the man we follow throughout the book. He is on the verge of a parole hearing that will likely lead to his release after 16 years. A new cellmate and some favors are all that stand in his way. Readers that would suggest this tale is cliché, and the questions it poses rhetorical, have not given the book a fair reading. The book is about much more than a man who faces the trials of possibly leaving prison, only to be tagged with an electronic band and monitored as closely outside of the penitentiary as he was within its walls.

The book for me was about the pervasiveness of the jail Doc Kane lives in. Whether inside a 5x9 cell, or walking the streets electronically tagged, he never regains his freedom. The Washington streets he returns to are populated by the same gangs, and the same equally fragile codes of honor that are as lethal while incarcerated or when he "freely" walks the streets. The daily prison routine is replaced by a parole officer, who has every bit as much control and power, to send him back to prison, as the guards in the penitentiary had to punish him.

Work is a condition of parole, but how high are the chances of employment when a job application is filled out? And even if a job is there how much does it differ in mindless routine from the one he left in prison? The friends of 16 years even if they too are paroled are off limits to him as a meeting would send him back inside.

And then there are his own perceived demons and they are every bit as real and problematic as any he has faced before. Virtually every diversion, which would be legal for him to enjoy, because of his parole are denied to him. The book is a great commentary on just what being let out of prison means for the vast majority of those who spend time there. This is not about a so-called, "Club Fed", where white-collar criminals worst issues are boredom and their loss of face in their former world. The latter is often not even at issue; just think about, "The Junk Bond King".

Excellent, Lyrical, and Vivid Read!!!
The story of Kane(Doc) is vivid and real. The plot kept me at the edge of my seat, or in this case, bed. I wouldn't get out until I found out if Doc(Kane) would ever get out of prison after serving 16 years of a 20 year sentence, and if so, would he fall back into is old life of drug dealing once on the streets of DC where Crack was the new form of hustle by young cocky dealers barely out of grade school.

There were no small characters, no small roles in this story. Every piece a valuable connection to the puzzle. ENCORE!!!
Will be looking for more from Alexander Parsons

Raw, vivid, and engaging
Parsons cadence and style will no doubt leave many novelists muttering, "Why can't I write this good?!" This book asks it's reader to examine themselves, a probe into the gray area between Right and Wrong, Truth and Illusion, all through the shoes of released convict Doc Kane. The rugged humor here keeps the pages turning, and the humanity of the characters will resonate long after the covers are closed. Intelligent and dark, "Leaving Disneyland" proves to be a tremendous debut. Bravo Mr. Parsons.

Utmost Savagery: The 3 Days of Tarawa
Published in Mass Market Paperback by Ivy Books (1997)
Author: Joseph H. Alexander
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Masterful Account of an Epic Battle
Col. Alexander has produced a comprehensive and thorough account, and a brilliant analysis, of one of the toughest battles of the Pacific War. In this inaugural amphibious assault against a strongly fortified beach, the Marines wrote one of the most heroic and traumatic chapters in the history of their corps. They paid a tragic price for the valuable lessons learned there, which were effectively applied in subsequent assaults. As one who went ashore on D+5, and spent the next two weeks cleaning up the battlefield and burying the dead, I stand in awe and wonder at the valor, courage, and sheer grit of the officers and men of the 2nd Marine Division, who had to go up and over the fortified wall fronting the landing beaches. A plaque at the main cemetery on Betio read: "So there let them rest, on their sunswept atoll, The wind for their watcher the waves for their shroud, Where palm and pandanus shall whisper forever A requiem fitting for heroes so proud." Alexander captures the essence of their awful struggle, heroic deeds, and costly victory.

THE book to read about Tarawa.
Utilizing his prodigious research skills, Retired Colonel Joseph Alexander has written what has to be the best all around account of Tarawa. Incorporating new material gleaned from sources as diverse as Col. Shoup's personal papers, translation of the Japanese war history (Senshi Sosho) and recently declassified ULTRA radio intercepts, he presents a superbly crafted telling of the horror and victory at Tarawa.

On the morning of 11/20/43 men of the 2nd Marine Division stormed ashore to face the Imperial Japanese Marines who defended Betio Island in the Tarawa atoll. These rikusentai were considered the best light infantry the Japanese had. In addition to the almost impregnable defensive positions prepared by the Japanese, the island was surrounded by a reef, which, due to tide and fortune, prevented the Higgins boats from crossing to the beaches. The decision to utilize LVTs (tracked amphibious vehicles, or more correctly, landing vehicle tracked) for the first time as troop carriers forever changed the history of amphibious assaults against strongly held enemy positions. Lumbering over the forbidding reef, LVTs carried their cargo of men and supplies where the Higgins boats could not go. This gamble represented a landmark in ship-to-shore movements and to this day amphibious assault vehicles are an essential element of any surface assault.

Mistakes were made and men died because of them. The initial three-hour naval bombardment and bombing and strafing runs by carrier aircraft were far too little. Gaps between the naval and air force shelling allowed the enemy to move reinforcements to the beaches from the southern and eastern areas of the island. Following the bombardments many defensive positions and large guns remained fully functional and they blasted into the oncoming LVTs and the Higgins boats at the reef's edge. Men of later waves were forced to wade ashore as LVTs became destroyed or were unavailable. Hundreds of men died in that surf, wading ashore. One thousand Marines died on each of three days of battle before the island fell.

It's the attention to detail that separates Alexander's work from other, well written histories of Tarawa. From the planning stages, to his telling of the build up of Japanese troops, to the inclusion of brief personal histories of the key personnel, to the epilogue summarizing the lessons learned and the errors made, this is an exceptional book well worth reading. To the serious student, it is the book on Tarawa that must be read.

Superb!
Tarawa is a relative footnote in most historical books on World War II. But Tarawa may have been the most brutal and turning-point battle of the entire war. This book details one of the most savage battles of all time. Three Days of Tarawa should be read by every high school and college student in America to appreciate what real sacrifice is.

It is the book form of "Victory at Sea".

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