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- A Social Psychology Explaining Totalitarian Movements
- more relevant than ever, unfortunately
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Escape from Freedom
Erich Fromm
Manufacturer: Owl Books
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ASIN: 0805031499 |
Book Description
If humanity cannot live with the dangers and responsibilities inherent in freedom, it will probably turn to authoritarianism. This is the central idea of Escape from Freedom, a landmark work by one of the most distinguished thinkers of our time, and a book that is as timely now as when first published in 1941. Few books have thrown such light upon the forces that shape modern society or penetrated so deeply into the causes of authoritarian systems. If the rise of democracy set some people free, at the same time it gave birth to a society in which the individual feels alienated and dehumanized. Using the insights of psychoanalysis as probing agents, Fromm's work analyzes the illness of contemporary civilization as witnessed by its willingness to submit to totalitarian rule.
Customer Reviews:
great book.......2007-09-26
Erich Fromm is perhaps the most brilliant psychoanalyst period. I have read two other books by him, and am again amazed by his ability to create a unifying and extemely broad theory on how escape from objective external control (ie religious organizations) leaves us feeling alone and powerless; our lives become seemingly meaningless. Erich Fromm should be read by anyone who is deeply interested in the social sciences (I'm a psychology major) or even anyone interested in knowing themselves better as he is able to reveal many of our faults to us. Fromm may have been a humanist, but he writes in a style that is as demanding of our change as it is understanding of our faults.
The Optimistic Jew.......2007-08-31
Fromm originally wrote this work to explore the psychological reason for the success of Nazism in Germany. But the book also explores the pathologies inherent in modernity itself. Modernity introduced radical destabilizing forces into traditional economic, political and religious structures. This caused mass anxiety which resulted in people becoming subject to cults, religions and political movements that promise stability, surety and predictability. This is a wonderful insight that can explain such varied 20th century phenomena as the return to religious fundamentalism, political fanaticism, mindless admiration for pop stars etc. His interpretation of the Old Testament could serve as a wonderful antidote to Jewish and Christian inclinations towards escaping from the freedom of their own autonomous reason. This inclination is a cautionary for 'settler Zionism' and the idolotry of land that I issue in my own book "The Optimistic Jew: a Positive Vision for the Jewish People in the 21st Century".
Book.......2007-07-29
I genuinely though it was really boring. It didn't change my views on anything. I'm not a marxist, perhaps that's why I didn't enjoy the book. I felt as if I was in a classroom, while being lectured by a really boring professor (because he writes in first person)
It was very dull.
A Social Psychology Explaining Totalitarian Movements.......2006-02-28
Erich Fromm originally wrote this work in 1941 which explores the psychological reason for the success of Nazism in Germany. However that is not the only subject of the book. It also explores the pathologies in industrial democracies as well.
Modern totalitarian movements are empowered by the psychology of a society which suffers anxiety and alienation as a result of the freedom and dynamism introduced with the change in economic, political and religious structures brought by modernity.
Two escapes from freedom are possible, descent into sadist and/or masochistic perversion, or the automaton (mindless conformity).
One interesting strain of social research would be the extension of Fromm's theory to militant Islam. The same theory that Fromm postulates for the origin of destructive behavior may apply to the appeal to sucide bombing seen in the Middle East.
In the final chapter Fromm reads like a science fiction libertarian. He expounds utopian visions like Gene Roddenberry. The object being the evolution of a society that not only provides freedom from (negative freedom in Fromm's vocabulary) compulsion, but also freedom to (positive freedom) realize each individual's potential. Unfortunately, in the final five pages, Fromm extolls the virtues of Marxism. It is not unexpected. Writing in 1941, Fromm would have no idea the horrors that would be perpetrated in the name of radical egalitarianism in China, Korea, Vietnam, Cuba, all over Latin America and the continent of Africa. Marxism has been the height of chic in academia since the depression. It is like reading Carl Popper, an otherwise really smart guy, who has been seduced by radical egalitarianism.
Getting past the appeal to Marxism, Escape from Freedom is a very important book in understanding the appeal of totalitarian movements.
more relevant than ever, unfortunately.......2006-02-16
I started reading Fromm after the terrible election of 2004 for two reasons: 1)I needed a diagnosis of political authoritarianism, particularly its psychological aspects; and 2) I wanted to hear something from someone who still had some hope for humanity and the essential goodness of people, at least in potential. Fromm usually isn't included in the syllabi of trendy crit theory/Frankfurt School grad seminars, and it's a shame. For Fromm, modern society is not individualistic so much as it is individualized--like it or not, the modern individual is stranded alone in the world without the anchors of tradition, security, community, etc. Laissez-faire economics and neo-liberal ideologies celebrate this condition, but the fact is that humans are social beings and this type of "freedom" is just as terrifying as it is liberating. Powerless and alone, the individual too often tries to escape from freedom by masochistically submerging his/her self to some greater authority and/or sadistically taking power over others (which of course is also a form of subservience, because the master needs his slave). If this sounds all too familiar in America in 2006 then pick Escape From Freedom along with Wilhelm Reich's Mass Psychology of Fascism and Theodor Adorno's The Authoritarian Personality. But despite being surrounded by Nazism in Germany and then Cold War conformity in the US, Fromm remained optimistic that individuals could discover true freedom by realizing their interdependence with others and nature in a way that perserved rather than annihilated their personal dignity. He discovered Zen in his later years and attempted to synthesize it with his Freudian-Marxism. If you need a dose of that kind of optimism, see Fromm's books Man For Himself, Marx's Conception of Man, To Have or To Be?, and The Art of Being.
Book Description
Originally published in 1955, As Far as My Feet Will Carry Me has seen international success ever since. It has been translated into fifteen languages, sold more than 12 million copies, and is the basis for an award-winning German entry at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival. Recounting an incredible real-life adventure, it tracks the destiny of German soldier Clemens Forrell who, in the aftermath of WWII, was sentenced to twenty-five years of forced labor in a lead mine in the barren eastern reaches of Siberia. Subjected to the brutality of the camp and the climate, Forrell dreamed continuously of escape—and then daringly effected it. From East Cape across the vast trackless wastes of Siberia, for thousands of miles and three years, with fear as his most intimate companion, Forrell fled treachery and endured some of the most inhospitable conditions on earth. In a long series of taped interviews with esteemed German author Josef M. Bauer, Forrell unfolded his remarkable story of survival. Bauer not only reconstructs Forrell’s arduous journey to the Iranian frontier and freedom; he also poignantly evokes the emotional content of Forrell’s brave quest—emerging as an affecting portrait of a man who strove and triumphed against all odds.
Customer Reviews:
Don't even think of buying this junk.......2007-09-22
I was very, very dissapointed with this book. After having read the amazing story of Theodor Kröger (a German who survived not only the Tsarist prisons but also the communist gulags) I wanted more of this and so I ordered this book. But what I got was a kind of telegram-style book with so much ommisions in the story, that you wonder why did somebody write it at all. If you can't get the story right, then don't tell it. Also, this is supposed to be a non-fiction story, but the dialogues between the lead character and his captors and/or fellow-prisoners are put on paper like they were held yesterday. If you're looking for a Papillon story, you better look somewhere else. I didn't even finish the book, it was a waste of my time.
a wild ride.......2007-07-26
I found this book to be inspiring and motivational. It is the amazing tale of a daring escape and a treacherous journey across the frozen Siberian north. They only thing that disappointed me was that the ending was anti-climactic in my opinion. Just a simply amazing book, there is a reason why it has been translated in to 15 languages and sold more then 12 millon copies.
Amazing .......2007-05-07
All the superlatives belong to this tale: remarkable, daring, unbelievable, amazing, incredible, beyond belief, extraordinary. That a person could 1. escape from a Soviet labor camp, 2. in the dead of winter, 3. from the farthest eastern point of Siberia, 4. after suffering from hunger and brutal treatment for three years, and still 5. make it home to Germany safely after another three years is a story for all lovers of survival dramas. The author expertly and faithfully chronicles Josef Bauer's account without glossing over the details of what it took to survive. I didn't come to like Mr. Bauer from this telling, however, I did feel a deep respect for his perseverance and stamina. Two other books of escape and survival that I recommend even more highly are: The Long Walk: The True Story of a Trek to Freedom by Slavomir Rawicz and We Die Alone: A WWII Epic of Escape and Endurance by David Howarth.
As Far as my Feet will Carry me.......2007-01-29
Incredible story of survival and the will to live.
This book was excellent, I couldn't put it down........2006-04-28
As for the other half negative reviews, like it being for a young reader, don't pay any attention to that. Obviously those reviews are written by people that can't look or think beyond their own egos nor actually try to imagine what it must have been like, what the permanent affects were after such an altering event, and obvious emotional scars that must have continued on and on... After I finished the book, I re-read the preface and understood why there seemed to be pieces "I" wanted answers to, but understood why they weren't there.
I recommend this book to anyone of all ages. It's absolutely an amazing account of someone accomplishing a journey home with EVERYTHING against him and the beckoning door of death at every turn. How he survived? It's beyond me....
Now, I will hunt for the DVD....if anyone knows where I can find the DVD, please find a way of letting me know. Thanks!
Book Description
In this incredible true love story, bestselling author Jean Sasson shares Joanna al-Askari's personal journey of fear and fortitude through a Baghdad childhood and life as a Kurdish freedom fighter during the Iran-Iraq War. Inspiring and unforgettable, Love in a Torn Land shares Joanna's passionate and unflagging determination to survive and fight—for love, life, and the freedom of her beloved Kurdistan.
Customer Reviews:
Eye Opening.......2007-05-14
As usual, Jean Sasson opened my eyes to a harsh culture where survival is your minute by minute goal. She has provided women with a voice and others of us a reason to be thankful to be Americans.
Engaging.......2007-05-12
I love all of Jean Sasson's books. Like all the others, this is written to keep you interested in the story and wondering what could possibly happen next to this poor young woman, her husband and all Kurds, even though you eventually know about the general outcome. The fact that the story is true, makes it hair raising. The only unfavorable thing I could say about the book, is that in telling the story, Jean Sasson looses herself a bit by going into too many details of places, people, every day occurrances, and the constant back and forth conversations between the protagonists. Sometimes it is best to leave details to your imagination. Other than that, I enjoyed it thoroughly and can't wait for the next!
THIS IS A GREAT STORY BY AN EXCELLENT AUTHOR........2007-03-03
JEAN SASSON IS AN EXCELLENT AUTHOR, THIS IS A GREAT BOOK!!
Book Description
Winner of the Books for a Better Life/Suze Orman First Book AwardMay 1986: Seven-year-old Francis Bok was selling his mother's eggs and peanuts near his village in southern Sudan when Arab raiders on horseback burst into the quiet marketplace, murdering men and gathering the women and young children into a group. Strapped to horses and donkeys, Francis and others were taken north into lives of slavery under wealthy Muslim farmers. For ten years, Francis lived in a shed near the goats and cattle that were his responsibility. After two failed attempts to flee--each bringing severe beatings and death threats--Francis finally escaped at age seventeen. He persevered through prison and refugee camps for three more years, winning the attention of United Nations officials who granted passage to America.Now a student and an antislavery activist, Francis Bok has made it his life mission to combat world slavery. His is the first voice to speak to an estimated 27 million people held against their will in nearly every nation, including our own. Escape from Slavery is at once a riveting adventure, a story of desperation and triumph, and a window revealing a world that few have survived to tell.
Customer Reviews:
Choose to read this one!.......2007-03-14
Two days ago I began to read "Escape from Slavery". I have hardly wanted to set it down since I picked it up. I have been saddened but incredibly inspired. I am forcefully reminded that freedom is a miracle too easily taken for granted. Until this week, I admit I was completely ignorant of Sudan, let alone the plight of it's people. In fact, I only knew Sudan was another big country "somewhere in Africa". This book is not a history of Sudan, but it does put it on the map for you. It does not try to expound on all of the political issues, but it paints a very human picture of how the government affects the people. This is one young man's compelling account of his early life and journey as a slave in Sudan. It is told in a simple, clear and honest voice. For me, Sudan is now the birthplace of Piol Bol Buk - known today as "Francis Bok". It is the place where Piol laughed and played with his family. He made clay cows with his friends, and dreamed of being like his father. It is the place where Piol was entrusted one day to take his mother's produce to sell at the market...and would never return. Here was a little boy forced to witness unspeakable violence, and who had everything taken away from him. However, no one could take his indomitable spirit. Sudan is a place where innocent lives are crushed every day, and yet it is also the place where Francis Bok was created. Francis humbly and painstakingly details his escape, the agonizing immigration process, and the miraculous turn of events that ensued. Francis has begun to fulfill his father's prophesy that someday he would do "great and important things" and would have the strength of "twelve men". This is a story about slavery, but it is really a story about hope, faith, will-power and determination. It is a miraculous story. Who could have imagined that this young boy with no hope of survival would make such a huge impact for his country already? Truly inspirational! This is a testament that the human spirit can survive unspeakable things - and then can rise from the ashes. When you find a story like this, you just can't wait to share it with the world! Francis Bok lived through such horrific pain, and yet now we have the chance to listen to his story, and to make a difference in the world just like he has. I hope that you will choose to read this story. I know that you will be so grateful!
A very important book.......2007-02-15
This is a powerful book. It is written in a clear and engaging style. It is important that people know about the human rights abuses going on in Sudan. Mr. Bok's story does this in a meaningful and moving way.
Completely captivating!.......2006-03-15
I read this book for one of classes and I must say that while I tend not to be a fan of non-fiction I was completed enamored by this book. Bok wrote a very engaging story about his life and his involvement in making a difference in what is occurring in Sudan. I liked so many things about this book. It was a personal story. Someone really overcoming the odds placed against him. A true underdog story. The story was heart-wrenching in parts, especially when confronted with the truth about slavery in Southern Africa. I couldn't have more respect for Bok, he overcame horrific hardships and continues speaking out. I really reccomend this book!
Slavery in Our Times.......2005-09-01
Francis Bok is a very lucky man. Thousands of others of his tribe aren't. The shocking story of slavery that continues TODAY in the Sudan (and possibly other African and Middle Eastern countries) must be understood by anyone who still has enough heart and soul to care. This story is real! The names have NOT been changed. There are no INNOCENT to protect, only victims of the greatest possible injustice in the world today. If you can read this and not realize the implications for you and your family, and others whom you love, then I weep for your loss of humanity. Although it is the telling of a personal story, this book has truths for the state of the world. In America, we may well be living in a "fantasy land" where "rights" are thought to be a Constitutional promise. What is it that stands between us and our children and the terror and hardship experience by Francis Bok and his family? How much difference lies between the undocumented maid or yard worker you employ on a weekly basis and a teenage herder who was stolen from his home and family by killers? If you have any brain cells left to rub together, this book may be a useful way to pass your time while at the beach or hanging around the ski lodge on your next vacation.
absolutely amazing.......2005-08-17
This is an amazing story about slavery in OUR OWN TIME!! I never even knew slavery still exisited; however, it still does! This specific book examines slavery in Sudan with Piol Bok Buk (Chrisitan Name: Francis). This is a story about Piol, who innoncently goes to the market -to a village not far from his own. He is very excited that he finally gets to go by himself, but hes going with some cousins. He went to the market only to be raided my Sudaneese muslims from the North. Francis was in captivitiy for 10 years after 3 escape attempts, its a charm! Francis then moves to Egypt to try to get passage to a different country as a U.N. Refugee. He is granted to the United States. The last half of the book focuses primarily on his life in the United States, and what is happening now. It is really a remarkable book, and I STRONGLY recommend it! This book was a required reading for school. I am so thankful it was because I wouldnt have found the book otherwise, and I'm very glad I did!
Book Description
Many Christians are painfully codependent, and never get free. A codependent lifestyle is a miserable, fearful life. From never feeling secure, to the need to always be in control, the extremes of codependency fuel the chaos and pain in our lives.
In Escape from Codependent Christianity, Dr. James B. Richards examines this common phenomenon in light of the truth of Scripture. Codependency is not complicated. It involves depending upon others for what we have no right to expect from them. Codependents often fall into the trap of living on other people's approval for their own sense of self-worth. They may depend on others for decisions or happiness. No matter what the needs are, the key to codependency involves trying to get from others what people cannot truly give.
Book Description
For people trapped by unwanted thoughts, compulsive habits, or painful pasts, Anderson provides steps to overcome sexual strongholds. No matter how high the walls, escape is possible. Readers will discover practical and biblical insights to help them discover true freedom through Christ.
Customer Reviews:
A good book on fighting out of the clutches of sexual sins.......2005-01-09
This book was one of the first books I read on freedom from sexual sins through Christ. It is very helpful especially for young men who struggle with sexual temptations and those who aspire to be free. Dr. Armstrong should follow this with a more comprehensive book.
Religous Hogwash.......2004-11-14
Leave it to the bibble thumpers to say what is good and what is bad. This book serves no purpose.
Biblical help for those struggling with infantilism!.......2003-07-18
"If you saw only their behavior, you would never let your son or daughter marry one of them or let your children be around them. Ironically, they are your sons and daughters, other family members, friends, and coworkers." (Page 5, Acknowledgements)
Although this book is about "Freedom from Sexual Strongholds" in general, my review of this book will center primarily around a subject called Infantilism, to include ABDL (adult baby / diaper lover). This subject has, to my knowledge, received no coverage from any major Christian media. Hard to believe, since the only real prerequisite (for the most part) is to have worn a diaper as a baby. Infantilism is when an individual (almost always male) wishes to wear diapers (adult diapers, of course, i.e. Depend) again or to be treated as a baby. The problem may be psychological in origin, but after puberty, it becomes a sexual problem as well. Some want to wear a diaper every now and then, while others want to wear diapers 24/7. Some only want to wear diapers, while others want to eat baby food, drink from a bottle, etc. If you've never heard of this, then you probably think that nobody in their right minds could ever enjoy something like this. But make no mistake about it, they love it! They enjoy it just like an alcoholic enjoys another glass; just like a cocaine addict loves another "high"; just like you enjoy your secret sins.
And this isn't just the behavior and thoughts of some perverts in the bad part of town hanging out at the adult bookstores and porno-theaters. These are also born again Christian people (mostly young men) who serve in churches, sing in the choirs, and pay their tithe.
But most importantly, if you told them there was a way out of all this, they would jump at the opportunity in a heartbeat. "The Way of Escape" points to the way out and helps to guide the Christian (in this case, the Christian struggling with infantilism) to the exit door. In "The Way of Escape", Neil Anderson does a good job of pinpointing the thought patterns of a person trapped in sin. He sins (and enjoys it), feels bad about it, repents and gets right with the Lord (and purges his life of anything related to the sin), does well for a matters of weeks or even months, and goes right back to it again.
Mr. Anderson instead gives his readers a formula to help them better fight against these destructive cycles. For one thing he reminds us that we are DEAD TO SIN AND ALIVE IN CHRIST. An ABDL might say, "I am dead to infantilism and alive in Christ." Galatians 2:20 says that we have been crucified with Christ. Romans 6:7 says that we have died to sin. These are all past tense. Mr. Anderson asks the reader to put his feelings on hold for just one moment (since you may not feel dead to infantilism at this very moment) while considering what the Bible is commanding us to believe. For instance, some mornings you wake up and "feel dead". But you're obviously alive. In that instance, do you follow your feelings or your beliefs?
Mr. Anderson also asks the infantilist to practice something called he calls "Threshold Thinking". He says, "If we are going to take the way of escape from sexual bondage that God has provided for us, we must avail ourselves of God's provision and change how we respond at the threshold of every sexual temptation. We must take those first thoughts captive and make them obedient to Christ. If we allow ourselves to ruminate on tempting thoughts, we will eventually act on them." (Page 156)
At the end of the book, there is something Neil Anderson has put together called "the 7 Steps to Freedom". I won't go over them all, but just a few of them include,
- Renouncing (out loud) all non-Christian spiritual experiences. Fetishism is inlcuded in the "Non-Christian Spiritual Experience Inventory".
- Forgiving everyone who has ever hurt you, no matter how bad their deeds were. "By not forgiving them, you are still being hurt by them." (Pages 210-211)
- Getting a fellow believer to hold you up in prayer and keep you accountable. This means if you're in infantilism, you need to find another brother-in-Christ, make sure he has a good reputation and a consistent Christian walk, and confess this problem to him. The ideal person would be a minister, deacon, or Bible study leader.
"People who have been caught in the trap of sin-confess-sin-confess may need to follow the instructions of James 5:16: 'Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.' Seek out a righteous person who will hold you up in prayer and to whom you can be accountable." (Page 217)
These are just a few of the gems featured in this book. The book reads like the author knows exactly where you're at in your life, and just how desperate you are to break free.
Things My Dad Never Taught Me.......2000-04-06
Dad never taught me that the way man-woman relationships areportrayed on TV is unrealistic. No dad could know how to respond toall the temptations and thoughts that a young man faces, but this book tells more than the average dad knows. It exposes the sexual myths that are rampant in our country. It explains how our thought processes concerning unhealthy sexual activity can be reshaped with the help of the Word of God. There is a wonderful example of reprograming your thoughts: A cup of dark brown coffee represents your mind darkened by lustful, sinful, even criminal thoughts. But you can't empty your mind, so what can you do? The answer: Spoon in an ice cube, and then another, and another, and so on until the coffee has been diluted so much that it now looks almost clear. The ice cubes represent the good, pure, wholesome, kind, healthy thoughts which you can think daily and every time you are challenged by unhealthy thoughts. This book gives hope for freedom from sexual problems all the way from looking at pornography to rape,incest and even homosexuality. The steps to freedom in Christ are fully explained so that anyone can follow them. I recommend this book highly in my counseling practice.
Book Description
Freedom!
Eliza and her baby, running across the ice. Selena and Cornelia Jackson, masquerading as boys. Henry Box Brown, shipping himself north in a wooden crate. Jane Johnson, risking everything to testify against her former owner in court. Ellen Craft, posing as her husband's owner.
Escaping from slavery against overwhelming odds, these people were helped by courage, ingenuity, and the informal network known as the Underground Railroad. Here are their gripping stories, told by Doreen Rappaport, illustrated by Charles Lilly, and accompanied by information about slave laws of the era, key Underground Railroad leaders, and a bibliography.
Customer Reviews:
I think that this was an interesting book to read.......2000-07-24
I am a 7th grader who was assigned this book to read as a summer reading project by my future teacher. After reading many different books on the life experiments of slaves durning the Civil War, I found this book interesting. It is about five slaves and how they managed to escape slavery. It show how brave each one of these people were in their own way. It also show how the Underground Railroad worked to help them in their escape of the in human lives that they were living along with the abuse that they suffered. The most interesting person of the five was Eliza, she also was fighting for the freedom of her baby Caroline. I think that the danger of the escape was harder for her because she was more worried about her daughter and what could happen to both of them if they were to get caught.This book kept me interested because it tells of the feeling that each one of the slaves is feeling and how they handle the next travel from one place to another. I liked the reading of the adventures that they had and how in the end they needed to adjust to a new kind of life.
Book Description
On September 11, 2001, FDNY Battalion Chief Richard "Pitch" Picciotto answered the call heard around the world. In minutes he was at Ground Zero of the worst terrorist attack on American soil, as the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center began to burn-and then to buckle. A veteran of the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center, Picciotto was eerily familiar with the inside of the North Tower. And it was there that he concentrated his rescue efforts. It was in its smoky stairwells where he heard and felt the South Tower collapse. Where he made the call for firemen and rescue workers to evacuate, while he stayed behind with a skeleton team of men to help evacuate a group of disabled and infirm civilians. And it was in the rubble of the North Tower where Picciotto found himself buried-for more than four hours after the building's collapse.
This is the harrowing true story of a true American hero, a man who thought nothing of himself-and gave nearly everything for others during one of New York City's-and the country's-darkest hours.
Download Description
On September 11, 2001, FDNY Battalion Chief Richard "Pitch" Picciotto answered the call heard around the world. In minutes he was at Ground Zero of the worst terrorist attack on American soil, as the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center began to burn-and then to buckle. A veteran of the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center, Picciotto was eerily familiar with the inside of the North Tower. And it was there that he concentrated his rescue efforts. It was in its smoky stairwells where he heard and felt the South Tower collapse. Where he made the call for firemen and rescue workers to evacuate, while he stayed behind with a skeleton team of men to help evacuate a group of disabled and infirm civilians. And it was in the rubble of the North Tower where Picciotto found himself buried-for more than four hours after the building's collapse. This is the harrowing true story of a true American hero, a man who thought nothing of himself-and gave nearly everything for others during one of New York City's-and the country's-darkest hours.
Customer Reviews:
Half Good/Half Bad.......2007-09-03
I just recently read the paperback version of this book. The first half of this book is pretty interesting and heart pounding in detailing what it was like to be in the World Trade Center while it collapsed. The second half was very disatisfying. It was very self-serving and is mostly about Mr. Picciotto praising himself and his actions and criticizing absolutely everyone else. I also find it interesting that Mr. Picciotto said how hard it was for him to return to the site and that it took him a very long time do this. However, in the acknowledgment at the end of the book, he returns barely a few weeks after the collapse and with his collaborator of this book. He had already found the time to get a book deal and co-author!
Disappointed.......2007-05-17
As a firfigther who understands chain of command and the need to work with in an Incident Command System, this book perfectly explains how one FDNY Battalion Chief breaks all the rules, chosing to respond to the World Trade Center Disaster rather than remain responsible for his own Battalion, risks the lives of members of 110Truck to "sprint" to the 35th floor of the North Tower, ABANDONING them on the way to freelance some more in the burning tower, only to ultimately become stuck in the collapse of the North Tower where he goes on to shout at and berade a PAPD Officer who's lost his partner, a K9, to the collapse of the bulidng. This book is a shameful and embarrasing for all American firefighters, those silent heros who risk their lives daily.
Nothing Special .......2006-08-19
I have had this book for a few years but have not been able to read it till recently.The story is quite interesting and astonishing (especially as it is a true story) but the writing is somewhat repetetive - I think this is done to make the story longer - and the Firefighter seems to be too full of himself always going on how great he is and how well he did what a good leader he is ...... and so on.Entertaining and interesting but the way the story is written spoils it.
caught in the middle.......2006-01-07
I am a full time firefighter/engineer in a small town with three stations. This book does a great job of telling the inside story of what happened to our country on 9-11 and also an insight to the world of firefighters, for those with no prior knowledge. My only real frustration in reading this book, is that some of the detail on this thought, or that thought, becomes a little mundane. In one passage, he dwells for a long paragraph, on a sliver of illumination from an emergency light, that some how ended up sharing the void. All in all, it is a great book, but the same story could have been told with out the hovering over so many tiny details. But then you'd have a book only three quarters the length.
One Man's View--.......2006-01-05
I am a little surprised by the negative reviews of this book--perhaps some reviewers don't personally know any firefighters--and that is the point of this book: an inside look at how one firefighter(albeit a chief) experienced and survived the attack and collapse of the World Trade Center.
As a BC, Picciotto, had a company of men under his command who were looking to him for direction and literally commands. Firefighting is a military-style profession where you take orders and do what you're told by superiors. Firefighters are full of "bravado" at what ever level--it comes with the territory. Work hard, play hard, brag hard...that's real stuff.
The best part about this book is the "voice" of Picciotto coming through the writing. His description of the sound of the collapsing tower mixed with his feelings of the certainty of death were very well written. His last thoughts were on his family--that is a part of the job most don't want to talk about. You gain a sense of the confusion, the disbelief, and the frustrations present that day in NYC on 9/11. You are inside his head and thoughts the entire time--it is an excellent book to gain a different/purposefully personal perspective on what that day was like. It is clear this book is about one man's experience, not an entire city or department's experience. I am certain that all New Yorkers and firefighters have their own stories of bravery and despair and hope. Talk to one...they are extraordinary people.
Average customer rating:
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ESCAPE FROM FREEDOM
Manufacturer: Avon Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000HF6ATI |
Amazon.com
When the 1989 Tiananmen Square demonstrations became a bloody massacre, Zhang Boli, a prominent student leader, was placed on China's most wanted list. Of the 21 listed, he is the only one to elude authorities. Escape from China is Zhang's first-person account of his perilous two-year flight from his pursuers, a flight that eventually brought him to America. Fleeing from a regime that had "lost rationality and humanity", he went north--crossing into Russia for a while--relying not only on the kindness of friends, relatives, and strangers, but also on his own ingenuity. He spent months living rough in the harsh, wild, Russian-Chinese border region east of Mongolia. Zhang's narrative is blunt, precise, and commendably modest. Especially compelling are the conversations he had during his odyssey. Much of their power derives from Zhang's rendering--unblinking, no matter how gruff and vulgar. Escape from China is at once an indictment of authoritarianism and a gripping story of hardship, bravery, and determination. --H. O'Billovich
Book Description
Who can forget the images, telecast worldwide, of brave Chinese students facing down tanks in Tiananmen Square as they took on their Communist government? After a two-week standoff in 1989, military forces suppressed the revolt, killing many students and issuing arrest warrants for top student leaders, including Zhang Boli. After two years as a fugitive, Zhang -- the only leader to elude capture -- knew that he must bid his beloved country, as well as his wife and baby daughter, farewell. Traveling across the frozen terrain of the former Soviet Union, where peasants rescued him, and through the deserted lands of China's precarious borders, Zhang had only his extraordinary will to propel him toward freedom. As told in Escape from China -- a work of great historical resonance -- his story will renew your faith in the human spirit.
Customer Reviews:
Better translation than original.......2006-03-08
Just a simple response to Mrs. G's review. Firstly, I wanted to ask Mrs. G, Could you read Chinese to decide whether the English version is good or bad? I found the translation a lot better than the original Chinese version. That is, the original Chinese is even more vulgar in many contexts, and I appreciated the translator's job, with some British taste indeed. A translator can only do so much to improve on a text that was not brilliantly written to begin with. If the translator's English is not refined enough, then it should be the editor's job to edit and revise it. Since you think the English version is exciting, what flaws is there that made you blame the translator? Indeed, I am glad that the translator has beautifully REwritten some content in a way that is acceptable to the American readers, and that shows that the translator is actually a good English writer and also well learned in Chinese studies. Maybe it does not occur to Mrs. G that even a pastor can be biased. It's regrettable if Mr. Zhang, who has apparently converted many Chinese, still cannot acknowledge the translator's efforts and achievement.
Escape From China: The Long Journey from Tiananmen to Freedom.......2005-08-20
This book provides a great view into the life of Zhang Boli, the Chinese culture, and the powerful hand of a sovereign God. Yes, the book contained explicit language; however, after visiting with Pastor Zhang Boli, I came to understand that the translating was done by a foreign writer who used lude American language. Pastor Boli, with his very limited English, was not able to read the final production so was unable to even identify the kind of language used in his story's English version. This is an exciting story that is even more awe-inspiring when one realizes that Zhang Boli is still alive and well, pointing many Chinese to Christ in America as well as abroad.
A Gripping Story of Bravery and Determination Beyond Belief.......2004-09-21
First, a short response to the review "telling truth or not" by "a reader". Shortly after the June 4th massacre the Chinese government broadcasted on television a video (apparently taken by the secret police) mockingly claiming that "while the 'poor worms' were on hunger strike, the leading 'turmoil elements' were eating in local restaurants using the donations intended for the movement." Almost immediately after the broadcast a university student in Hong Kong (a student of Chinese Universtiy of HK, if I remember correctly), whose face also appeared on the video, came out and clarifed that the dinner took place AFTER the hunger struck (the hunger strike ended at 10:00p.m. May 16). He was a representative of the universtiy students from HK, and he invited the leaders for dinner and he paid the bill -- no money was used from donations. When the video was replayed in slow motion, one could see what they were eating and would appreciate that it was indeed a very, very simple meal.
One may find that the way the officers conduct their business and the way the commoners response are somewhat beyond believe. I know that the author is genuinely telling the truth, for I was detained in China twice, once for a month and once for 3 days.
I have read the original Chinese version of the book and also some background material about the author. Within three months after he arrived at US he was diagnosed to have final stage liver cancer. The auther immediately started writing his memoir in the hospital bed hoping that he would leave something valuable for his daughter Little Snow. Miraculously his cancer was gone when he finished writing his book!
telling truth or not.......2003-05-21
I was a strong supporter of the Tiananmen movement for freedom and democracy, and those leaders were once a time my heros and heroines. But now I began to question the truth of their statements. They were not respectable as they claimed, and they did something actually not decent during the movement. When the others were on hunger strike, some of them were eating in local restaurants using the donations from those poor students, which were intended to fund the movement. What they have done later in the US is also disappointing. During my years in Beijing University, I secretly contacted some classmates of the former leaders, who I believe are honest people. They gave a totally different description of the deeds of those former heros. The Communists did kill the students, but the roles of these leaders in this movement should be studied more carefully before I believe them. I highly respect those died at the Square for the freedom and democracy of China, but those leaders are not my heroes any more, and began to question their doings in the horrible summer of 1989.
Cat-and-mouse game between government and dissident.......2003-04-29
Escape from China is a memoir of a Tienanmen demonstration student leader's 2-year harrowing dodge and escape from Communist China. The original Chinese edition postponed its publication until 1998 (almost 10 years after the massacre) for fear of the government's purge of those who helped Zhang Boli flee the country. Zhang Boli, 26 years of age in 1989, was a graduate student of the Writers' Class in Beijing University, the most prestigious institution of the country. Along with Chai Ling, Wuer Kaixi, Li Lu and other university students, Zhang organized a pro-democracy campaign that sent some one hundred thousand students from all over the country to Tienanmen Square in Beijing. The demonstration and hunger strike, the largest and the most overt of its kind since the 1976 April Fifth Campaign, resonated throughout the country and won support from workers and Beijing civilians.
The road to Tienanmen originated from the death of Hu Yaobang on April 15. The national mourning of the former secretary lent it a premonition to a horrible historical event that will be seared into memory of Chinese people. Zhang, in taut manner and rabid details, chronicled the events that led to what the Western world claimed to be the darkest and bloodiest day of modern China-June 4,1989, when the Communist Party ordered troops to pull into Beijing and enforced martial law. From the evening of June 3 to dawn June 4, blood splashed all over the capital and mingled with smoke wafting from vehicles ablaze. Party Secretary Zhao Ziying was forced out of office for his open support for the student demonstrators. While the National People's Congress opposed sending troops into the capital, the Party seized to disperse the students and end the movement by all means. The students and civilians simply underestimated the Army's brutality and were blinded by their naivete.
Nobody who has not lived through (and witnessed) the massacre can imagine the terrible burdens imposed on ordinary citizens who live under a totalitarian regime. For two years, Zhang lived the life of a fugitive-he was among the 21 most wanted insurgents who would most likely to be sentenced to death. An executive member of the Preparatory Committee in Beijing University, the editor-in-chief of the News Herald, the deputy commander of hunger strikes, and the President of the Tienanmen Democracy University (a term that refers to the new regime resulted upon the fall of Communist Power, in which people from all over the country can enjoy freedom of speech and rights), Zhang Boli bore the most severe accusations from the Communist Party and was deemed an immediate threat to national security. Zhang fled to Soviet Union and was brought back to the China. He hid in huts along the river banks in Heilongjiang (the northernmost province of China) with the help of friends, distant family relatives and policemen who disapproved of the Party, Zhang settled down as a farmer and lived under a fake identity. His little daughter and his wife Li Yan became his only solace during the struggles. He was determined to live on, to survive as a strong man, struggling against suffering and the Communist dictatorship that had ruined so many lives. When Zhang finally secured a connection in Hong Kong that will help him flee the country, he met his fate that was not only cruel but also excruciating and unexpected.
This book is by far the most gripping account of the Tienanmen massacre in 1989. It contains first-hand information from one of the 21 brave souls who stood up and challenged the Communist Party. While many of his dissident comrades were arrested and imprisoned (some were executed), Zhang managed to seek political asylum from the United States and reunited with his daughter Little Snow 10 years after he left the country. Was not for his account of the tragic events, many will not see the true faces of the Communist Party which ruled over 1.6 billion people in a totalitarian dictatorship. Was not for the souls lost in bloodshed, Chinese people will never see the vileness and the deceit of the leaders. Nothing published so far manages to achieve the same caliber as this memoir has conveyed the excruciating pain of a common civilian under such dictatorship. 4.0 stars.
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