House of M: World of M, Featuring Wolverine

Product Description

Written by Reginald HUDLIN, ED BRUBAKER, FABIEN NICIEZA, BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS & DANIEL WAY Penciled by TREVOR HAIRSINE, LEE WEEKS, TOM GRUMMETT, PATRICK ZIRCHER, MICHAEL LARK, JAVIER SATARES & MARK TEXEIRA Cover by OLIVIER COIPEL Explore the people and places of the World of M! In BLACK PANTHER, a United Africa - ruled over by Storm and T'Challa - has become an economic powerhouse and a thorn in Magneto's side. When Storm speaks out about the persistence of supremacist notions in the mutant-controlled world, a furious Magneto is determined to stop her at any cost. In CAPTAIN AMERICA, see Steve Rogers move from the '40s to the present day - bearing witness to a changing landscape, and watching as man becomes the minority and mutant the ruler. And in THE PULSE, HOUSE OF M mastermind Brian Michael Bendis peels a shocking layer off the mystery of the Marvel Universe that no AVENGERS fan (old or new) dare miss! Collects WOLVERINE #33-35, BLACK PANTHER #7, CAPTAIN AMERICA #10 and THE PULSE #10.

Customer Reviews:

Wolvie Rules!.......2007-08-23

Wolverine has many great story lines and this is amoung the best of them all! I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes the X-men or comics in general. The whole House of M is incredible, and being a huge Wolverine fan this is my fave.

Going Back to the House of M.......2006-12-19

I admit that I fled from the thought of a huge cross-character cross-over like THE HOUSE OF M. I didn't buy any of the originals, except for a couple of Alan Davis UNCANNY X-MEN issues, but it's Alan Davis -- he's a true classic. Amazon.com offered THE HOUSE OF M collection in my Gold Box, so I thought I'd give it a try.

Wow. I really missed out. And since amazon.com offered that, and I bought, I'm getting offers almost everyday for the other related HOUSE OF M books. I bought this WOLVERINE collection because I love the idea of a universe where Logan and Mystique are partners working for SHIELD. This book does not disappoint in the slightest. It's the best of a long WHAT IF..? tale that isn't quite a WHAT IF..? tale at all. You get to watch these great Marvel characters in fantastic, alternate scenarios. One of my favorites is watching Sebastian Shaw sitting behind a SHIELD desk debriefing Mystique. So many little scenes like this make this collection a true gem.

And Marvel, if you're reading this, you gotta get Javier Saltares and Mark Texera back on WOLVERINE ASAP!

On the Porch: Creating Your Place to Watch the World Go By

Average customer rating:

excellent!
Everything from furnishings to lighting is reviewed in this in-depth, well detailed guide
Great ideas for new porches and for remodeling porches

On the Porch: Creating Your Place to Watch the World Go By
James M. Crisp , and Sandra L. Mahoney
Manufacturer: Taunton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Decks & Patios | How-to & Home Improvements | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 1561588490
Release Date: 2007-04-10

Book Description

Porches are more popular than ever--they're great for adding curb appeal, welcoming friends and neighbors to your door, and creating a friendly outdoor living room. There's no better way to end a hot summer's day than to sit back with a tall frosty lemonade on your porch swing and watch the world go by!

A porch can change the way you live in your house--it can entirely change the way your house looks--it can change the way you relate to your neighborhood. There is, simply, something magical about a porch. It slows you down, it tells you to take some time, to read the paper, to sip a glass of iced tea, to watch the weather roll in.. For those dreaming of a front porch or those with porches in need of redesign, On the Porch will be their bible, the only book to cover the topic from porch types to planning and design, to tips on good construction, to maintenance and porch adornment (lighting, overhead fans, rockers, hanging plants, trellising). An important component of the book will be showing, using before and after photos, how adding a porch can entirely change the look of your home.

Architects James Crisp and Sandra Mahoney offer a complete design guide to porches, from considering the porch's function to choosing wood alternatives, lighting and finishing design touches. Some of their advice:
Before designing a porch, research zoning regulations, such as minimum setback from your property line and percentage of your property that can be covered with a structure.
Homeowners often make the mistake of allowing just enough space on the porch for furniture, without thinking about how much they'll move around it. Although it's possible to squeeze quite a few chairs around a table, guests will be more comfortable if they can pull them out, stand behind them and allow others to get by.
When debating the choice of a screen porch with an open-air porch, consider that a screened porch will dim the natural light inside your home. On an open-air porch, you will have to deal with bugs.
A porch doesn't have to look like it's from the 19th century. Modern porches are sleeker, taller and more open.
Add an extra design element to your wood flooring by laying the boards in creative ways, on the diagonal or in a geometric pattern.
Composites have entered the market as decking and have made the transition to trim pieces and boards, providing good weather-resistant material.

Customer Reviews:

excellent!.......2007-06-05

This book is very well written and gives good, practical advice which should be considered when you are planning to build or remodel a porch addition to your house. It gives types and styles to choose from.
Some of these are huge projects that I would need to mortage my house for or sell some property or inherit some money to do but I still enjoyed reading about them.
Definite read if you are planning a porch!

Everything from furnishings to lighting is reviewed in this in-depth, well detailed guide.......2007-05-19

ON THE PORCH: CREATING YOUR PLACE TO WATCH THE WORLD GO BY discusses the ambiance and design of the home porch with an eye to surveying how a porch added to a home can change its atmosphere. It's the first book on the market devoted to porches alone and covers an extensive range, from assessing different types of porches for different purposes to design, construction, and maintenance. Everything from furnishings to lighting is reviewed in this in-depth, well detailed guide perfect for any library strong in interior design or homeowner hints.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

Great ideas for new porches and for remodeling porches.......2007-04-13

I picked up a copy of this book because my husband and I want to remodel our unused dark & uncomfortable back porch. We were able to get some great design ideas that will help us increase our entertaining space because we will actually be able to use our porch for summer parties. Also, great tips and ideas for furnishing the new space. Of all the design and remodeling books that I looked at, "On The Porch", was the best at answering my questions and offering ideas!

Average customer rating:

Great, detailed account
Glantz finest work to date
Rough riding but informative, 2.5 stars.
Kursk ..... finally explained
A terrific read.

The Battle of Kursk
David M. Glantz , and Jonathan M. House
Manufacturer: University Press of Kansas
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Japan | Asia | History | Subjects | Books

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

Russia | History | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0700613358

Book Description

Immense in scope, ferocious in nature, and epic in consequence, the Battle of Kursk witnessed (at Prokhorovka) one of the largest tank engagements in world history and led to staggering losses--including nearly 200,000 Soviet and 50,000 German casualties within the first ten days of fighting. Going well beyond all previous accounts, David Glantz and Jonathan House now offer the definitive work on arguably the greatest battle of World War II.

Drawing on both German and Soviet sources, Glantz and House separate myth from fact to show what really happened at Kursk and how it affected the outcome of the war. Their access to newly released Soviet archival material adds unprecedented detail to what is known about this legendary conflict, enabling them to reconstruct events from both perspectives and describe combat down to the tactical level.

The Battle of Kursk takes readers behind Soviet lines for the first time to reveal what the Red Army knew about the plans for Hitler's offensive (Operation Citadel), relive tank warfare and hand-to-hand combat, and tell how the tide of battle turned. Its vivid portrayals of fighting in all critical sectors places the famous tank battle in its proper context. Prokhorovka here is not a well-organized set piece but a confused series of engagements and hasty attacks, with each side committing its forces piecemeal.

Glantz and House's fresh interpretations demolish many of the myths that suggest Hitler might have triumphed if Operation Citadel had been conducted differently. Theirs is the first account to provide accurate figures of combat strengths and losses, and it includes 32 maps that clarify troop and tank movements.

Shrouded in obscurity and speculation for more than half a century, the Battle of Kursk finally gets its due in this dramatic retelling of the confrontation that marked the turning point of the war on the Eastern front and brought Hitler's blitzkrieg to a crashing halt.

This book is part of the Modern War Studies series.

Customer Reviews:

Great, detailed account.......2006-11-21

This book MUST be owned by any serious military history reader of WWII. The detail, and the maps are unparalleled. The maps are especially impressive, and allow you to follow the account of the battle totally. I look forward to more such books by the author. Just a word of caution, this is not a book about the "human interest" side of the battle; nor is it intended for the casual reader.

Glantz finest work to date.......2006-05-15

Well first of all book is huuge it's 485 pages. Not 300. Amazon really has to make a correction on previous review by Mr. Top 500.
Mr. Glantz is a top rated western historian on eastern front for one simple reason he has connection to people who's got access to russian archives (No westerner has a direct access to russian archives yet). "The Battle of Kursk" is a serious analytical work and surely can't be missed by anyone who is interested in the battle that changed the tide of the World War II.

Rough riding but informative, 2.5 stars........2006-03-01

I agree with another poster who said this book is a bombardment of facts and figures without much readability. If you are looking for facts and figures, check it out; if you are looking for something resembling a story or something more than barely adequate structure to impart wads of information, this probably isn't your bag.

Kursk ..... finally explained.......2005-09-15

Col. Glantz and Mr. House have finally defined the Battle of Kursk in a thoughtful, engaging and methodical approach. More accessible than George Nipe's very good work on Kursk, this is probably the best book on the definitive battle of the Russian Front. A serious, well-researched study.

A terrific read. .......2005-08-08

This book, like almost all of Col. Glantz's terrific books, is far better at covering the Soviet/Russian side than the German side. Yet this, like all others of his, is meticulously-researched, clear as crystal and highly-readable. He makes a good case that the Soviets did remarkably well, and were highly-effective, AND that the Nazi Germans lost the battle because of huge mistakes that any strategist worth his pay simply shouldn't have made. But of course when you are talking about Hitler, you are not talking about an experienced, well-schooled strategist, but an amateur! (Not that Stalin was any better). This is a gripping, fascinating book of unbeatable quality.

President Nixon: Alone in the White House

Average customer rating:

Functional History.
Man-in-the-center look at one of the compelling political figures of our time.
Reeves does it again!
Book Review
Good

President Nixon: Alone in the White House
Richard Reeves
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Political | Leaders & Notable People | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Presidents & Heads of State | Leaders & Notable People | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0684802317
Release Date: 2001-09-18

Amazon.com

Drawing on thousands of pages of archival material and on interviews with surviving associates, presidential biographer Reeves paints a complex, sometimes disturbing portrait of the man forever enshrined as Tricky Dick.

"I have decided my major role is moral leadership," Nixon wrote in 1972 in one of his myriad memos to himself. (As Reeves writes, "Whatever else he accomplished, Richard Nixon produced more paper and tape than any president before or since.") That resolution quickly collapsed; instead, as the Vietnam War shaded into defeat and protests at home mounted, Nixon sank into a siege mentality, seeing himself as a lone crusader at war with the rest of the world. Reeves examines the cat-and-mouse quality of Nixon's relations with his inner circle and family, as well as the excruciating collapse of national leadership in the wake of missteps, miscalculations, and sheer crimes. Rigorous and thoughtful, Reeves's book adds much to our understanding of Nixon's troubled presidency--and of his troubled soul. --Gregory McNamee

Book Description

President Nixon is a startling narrative of a desperately introverted man who dreamed of becoming the architect of his times. Late at night, he sat upstairs in the White House writing notes to himself on his yellow pads, struggling to define himself and his goals: "Compassionate, Bold, New, Courageous...Zest for the job (not lonely but awesome). Goals -- reorganized govt...Each day a chance to do something memorable for someone. Need to be good to do good...Need for joy, serenity, confidence, inspiration."

But downstairs he was building a house of deception. He could trust no one because in his isolation he thought other people were like him. He governed by secret orders and false records, memorizing scripts for public appearances and even for one-on-one meetings with his own staff and cabinet. His principal assistants, Haldeman and Henry Kissinger, spied on him as he spied on them, while cabinet members, generals, and admirals spied on all of them -- rifling briefcases and desks, tapping each other's phones in a house where no one knew what was true anymore.

Nixon's first aim was to restore order in an America at war with itself over Vietnam. But in fact he prolonged the fighting there, lying systematically about what was happening both in the field and in the peace negotiations. He startled the world by going to communist China and seeking détente with the Soviet Union -- and then secretly persuaded Mao and Brezhnev to lie for him to protect petty White House secrets. Still, he was a man of vision, imagining a new world order, trying to stall the deadly race war he believed was inevitable between the West, including Russia, and Asia, led by China and Japan. At home, he promised welfare reform, revenue sharing, drug programs, and environmental protection, and he presided, reluctantly, over the desegregation of public schools -- all the while declaring that domestic governance was just building outhouses in Peoria.

Reeves shows a presidency doomed from the start. It begins with Nixon and Kissinger using the CIA to cover up a 1969 murder by American soldiers in Vietnam that led to the theft and publication of the Pentagon Papers, then to secret counterintelligence units in the White House and finally to the burglaries and cover-up that came to be known as Watergate.

Richard Reeves's President Nixon will stand as the authoritative account of Nixon in the White House. It is an astonishing story.

Download Description

Who was Richard Nixon? The most amazing thing about the man was not what he did as president, but that he became president. In President Nixon, Richard Reeves has used thousands of new interviews and recently discovered or declassified documents and tapes -- including Nixon's tortured memos to himself and unpublished sections of H. R. Haldeman's diaries -- to offer a nuanced and surprising portrait of the brilliant and contradictory man alone in the White House. President Nixon is a startling narrative of a desperately introverted man who dreamed of becoming the architect of his times. Late at night, he sat upstairs in the White House writing notes to himself on his yellow pads, struggling to define himself and his goals: "Compassionate, Bold, New, Courageous...Zest for the job (not lonely but awesome). Goals -- reorganized govt...Each day a chance to do something memorable for someone. Need to be good to do good...Need for joy, serenity, confidence, inspiration." But downstairs he was building a house of deception. He could trust no one because in his isolation he thought other people were like him. He governed by secret orders and false records, memorizing scripts for public appearances and even for one-on-one meetings with his own staff and cabinet. His principal assistants, Haldeman and Henry Kissinger, spied on him as he spied on them, while cabinet members, generals, and admirals spied on all of them -- rifling briefcases and desks, tapping each other's phones in a house where no one knew what was true anymore. Nixon's first aim was to restore order in an America at war with itself over Vietnam. But in fact he prolonged the fighting there, lying systematically about what was happening both in the field and in the peace negotiations. He startled the world by going to communist China and seeking détente with the Soviet Union -- and then secretly persuaded Mao and Brezhnev to lie for him to protect petty White House secrets.

Customer Reviews:

Functional History. .......2007-08-13

This is a solid work of Presidential scholarship. I appreciated its "worm's eye" view because it allows for the presentation of a great many primary source materials and documents that are invaluable for summing up the bizarre man who was President Richard Nixon. Reeves reveals a fair amount of personal bias and dislike for his subject here, but, fortunately, the intrusions of his point-of-view are not ubiquitous. Reeves seems to unquestionably believe that busing was good for blacks and it appears that he has an affinity for most government programs; a stance that is totally unwarranted. That being said, the work remains well-organized, clear and valuable. Reeves is a biographer and journalist so, unlike some of the other reviewers, I was glad that he did not share with us his psychological observations of the President. In all likelihood, they would have been ungrounded. Alone in the White House is a good, but not great, book.

Man-in-the-center look at one of the compelling political figures of our time. .......2007-03-04

Mr. Reeves look at the Nixon presidency from the vantage point of the President himself provides the reader with a fascinating look at one of the most compelling political figures of our time.

To paraphrase Bob Dole, it was a miracle that Nixon ever made it to the pinnacle of political power. From the very first day in office, we are given the picture of a man who is both elated that he has reached his destiny, but at the same time is unable to savor the moment. Although the book does not deal with RN's life, Reeves does a masterful job at painting a portrait of a man embittered by the cut and thrust of politics. We see a man who has his eye on his enemies, real and imagined, and who is bound and determined to triumph over him.

Reeves does indeed show us the "who, what, when, where..." of the Nixon presidency, yet resists the temptation of playing amateur psychologist and does not address the "why" of Richard Nixon.

Instead we are treated to a story of a man who was truly "alone in the White House." However, this title is misleading, for Nixon's penchant for solitude, and secrecy are only part of the story. A better title for this book would have been "President Nixon: The Remaking of the Presidency," because that is exactly what he set out to do.

Reeves presents a balanced look at RN. We see him at his best; statesmen, "architect" of foreign policy, strategic thinker, and visionary for a stable world order.

We also get a look at the man at his worst; the many "horrors" of Watergate, his pathological Jew-baiting, his thin-skinned reaction to the press, his obsession with being seen as a "man of the people," and on and on. In sum, there is much to dislike about Richard Nixon; there is also much to admire.

After reading a book like this, one has to wonder what would the Nixon legacy have been if he chose not to cover up Watergate and lanced the boil, dug deep, and plowed ahead to finish his second term. Reeves' book shows all too clearly, and poignantly, that "the Old Man" was incapable of doing anything but he did at the time, which is a shame. RN's legacy is that he left a stain on the body politic that has engendered a cynacism toward politics.

Reeves does it again!.......2006-12-17

Reeves delivers an exciting and wonderful book that chronicles Nixon's presidential years. This book begins with Nixon entering office and ends on the day he leaves office. It goes day by day through the presidency and gives you a good sense of what the Nixon administration was thinking and what was happening in the country at the same time. From foreign policy with China and Russia to domestic problems like Kent State this book covers everything you would want to know about the Nixon Administration. It is easily five stars. The book is very readable and is a great reference guide for those who just want to learn about Nixon or those who want to study his administration in depth.

Book Review.......2006-07-18

I found this a fascinating look at presidential power and gave me further insights into Nixon and the power structure that existed around him. I remember the days of Watergate but this gave me new insights and background information about what actually went on. It's truly a slice of living history. Also the similarities between Vietnam and Iraq are almost frightening...perhaps some of those in command should read this too.

Good.......2006-04-23

I finished Richard Reeve's "President Nixon" this week. I have read several books about Nixon. I don't really know why he has always fascinated me. I suppose it is because he had the potential to do so much good, and he had so many successes in his first term to throw it all away in the end because of a pack of lies. Reeves' book is a long one, at around 600 pages, but Reeves is a pretty decent writer, and it makes going through the book a pleasant experience. Much to my amazement, late in the book, he correctly revealed the identity of Mark Felt as deep throat- and since the book came out in 2001- that was years before the Felt made the revelation himself. Nixon was certainly focused on foreign matters, and cared little about domestic issues, leaving it to his henchmen- principally Ehrlichman. Kissinger is portrayed as a dangerous, vain egotist, out for glory, often sulking when upstaged by Secretary of State Rogers. Having read several books about Nixon, this one reaffirms a theme that appears over and over- something went wrong with Nixon's mental state around 1971 or 1972.

Superceding Theodore White, I think the book is probably a decent enough starting place for understanding Nixon, and with the bibliography at the end, you can go from there.

Explorers House: National Geographic and the World It Made

Average customer rating:

Birth of a Publishing Icon
An Insider gives the Back-Story on National Geographic
"THE INCREASE AND DIFFUSION OF GEOGRAPHIC KNOWLEDGE'
An Amazing Look Behind the Scenes...
way cool

Explorers House: National Geographic and the World It Made
Robert M. Poole
Manufacturer: Penguin Press HC, The
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

History of Science | History & Philosophy | Science | Subjects | Books

Media Studies | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1594200327
Release Date: 2004-10-21

Book Description

For more than one hundred years, the National Geographic Society has brought "the world and all that is in it" to millions worldwide. Through its unparalleled research, exploration, publications, and photography, the organization and its magazine have, in many ways, defined how we see the world. Now Robert Poole's Explorers House gives a vibrant, behind-the-scenes look at National Geographic, from its start in 1888 to its evolution into one of the most esteemed and iconic American institutions.

The story of the National Geographic is a family story of a media dynasty to rival the Sulzbergers or Luces. The Grosvenors, along with Alexander Graham Bell, who was linked to the family by marriage, created the institution's photography-based monthly, and the family has been on the masthead since the McKinley administration. Content to stay in the shadows, however, they have remained modestly obscured from public view while their media empire has grown to reach some forty million readers and viewers each month. The Grosvenor and Bell family history is not merely the story of the National Geographic; it is a captivating view of the sweep of American scientific, geographic, and political history since the late nineteenth century, rendered in fascinating human terms by Poole.

Moreover, Explorers House shows the inside workings of the magazine's editorial process, providing an unprecedented look behind some of National Geographic's ground-breaking articles and explorations-from Cousteau's famous Calypso voyages to the origins of Jane Goodall's research on chimpanzees to the institution's 1963 Mt. Everest expedition, the first to place an American on the summit. We also hear of the writers and photographers who are larger than life figures themselves, such as Luis Marden, the writer-photographer who unearthed the remains of the H.M.S. Bounty off Pitcairn Island, among many other feats.

Explorers House presents the National Geographic from the inside out-from its remarkable founding family to the very ends of the earth it investigates.

Customer Reviews:

Birth of a Publishing Icon.......2007-08-21

Inventors, geography, and nepotism all find their way into the pages of Robert M. Poole's history of National Geographic entitled Explorer's House: National Geographic and the World It Made.

Beginning with Gardiner Hubbard and Alexander Graham Bell (best known for inventing the telephone) Explorer's House tells the story of a great institution founded in 1888, the National Geographic Society, and its progeny, National Geographic magazine.

Poole has expertly portrayed the story of one of the world's most successful magazines from its humble origins in a small office in Washington, D.C. to the billion-dollar a year company it has grown to be. He describes how a little gathering of men who shared and interest in geography that they wanted to promulgate hired a young man by name of Gilbert Grosvenor to be editor and manger of the little journal they produced for their members. Grosvenor went on to make the magazine the chief end of the society, using innovative publishing, marketing, and photography techniques to draw in several million readers today.

Poole's writing style reflects the nature of his long association with the magazine. Each chapter is an article itself and could easily have found printing in any major newspaper. Poole explores the relationship of the Bell and Grosvenor family to National Geographic. It was this family and their talent and psychological make-ups that made the magazine successful and so a study of them and their correspondence gives the reader a best sense of the germination and growth of the magazine. Poole had unprecedented access to former employees, the National Geographic archives, and the Grosvenor and Bell archives, allowing him to tell the story as no one else has.

Many other characters come into the history as well. Maynard Owen Williams, first foreign correspondent; Robert Peary, arctic explorer; and Jacques Costeau, deep sea explorer, and beneficiary of one of National Geographic's research grants; all play significant roles in the story of National Geographic. There is the story of opening Tutankhamen's tomb, the first American climb of Everest, the conquest of the North Pole, and Jane Goodall's research into primate behavior; all of which would not have been possible without the help of National Geographic and its society.

Ultimately, the book is excellent, although there are some flaws. Poole's history some time skips backward and forward in time to often, making the reader very dependent on the dates mentioned. This lack of straightforward history is not extremely detrimental to the history, but the reader would be wise to pay attention to all dates mentioned. Poole also spends little time in the more recent past. The book was published in 2004 (begun in 2001) and glosses over a great deal of the 1990s and misses much of the early turn of the century.

However, for anyone in publishing, who has enjoyed National Geographic in the past, or historians of Alexander Graham Bell and his family, Explorer's House is both a helpful resource and fascinating story. Poole has shown how National Geographic's devotion to geography, adventure, exploration, and learning has shaped American culture profoundly.Explorers House: National Geographic and the World It Made

An Insider gives the Back-Story on National Geographic.......2007-05-14

I grew up reading the National Geographic but never really gave a second thought to its genesis. This book lays it all out most readably from the earliest days before Alexander Graham Bell took the helm to 2003. The book is surprisingly candid about all of the personalities involved in publishing the magazine and running the Society -- especially since the Grosvenor family is said to have fully cooperated without editorial control over the end product. The tales of leadership and pettiness are interspersed with feats of discovery (disputed or not) from the likes of Admiral Byrd, Jane Goodall and Jacques Cousteau. This book really was a delightful read and I'm surprised more attention wasn't paid to it when first released.

"THE INCREASE AND DIFFUSION OF GEOGRAPHIC KNOWLEDGE'.......2006-05-25

EXPLORERS HOUSE; `NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC AND
THE WORLD IT MADE' By Robert M. Poole

I remember as a kid waiting for the newest issue of National Geographic Magazine to arrive with its distinctive yellow border and its images of impossibly remote and exotic places: not to mention the Barenaked Natives. Many years later, I had the unmitigated temerity to actually APPLY for a job at the National Geographic Society, and received an unctuous and snotty rejection. (One doesn't just "apply" to the Society for work; the Society seeks one out, like Skull and Bones or the CIA which,come to think of it, are one and the same.)

It is that aloof and patrician attitude that Robert Poole explores in "Explorers House."
From its inception, the Society existed in the rarified stratosphere of Society. After all, its motto is:" A Society for the Increase and Diffusion of Geographic Knowledge." That sounds like something Ben Jon son or Cotton Mather might have written. It sure isn't NASCAR.

The insider's perspective of the National Geographic (Poole is the retired Executive Editor) reveals the insular, almost incestuous, relationship between Alexander Graham Bell, the Grosvenors, and the Hubbards, all of whom played major roles in the development of the Society.

The subtitle of the book is revelatory:" National Geographic and the World it made."
Like TIME magazine under Henry Luce's stewardship, the Geographic created the world in its own image.

The Geographic created the myth of Robert Peary (who may or may not have reached the North Pole),and subsidized the research of the Leakey's in Africa. It pumped millions into research. And late in its development, the Magazine shifted gears (in the view of its conservative Trustees) and began to cover the issue of race in a feature article on Harlem, global warming, and the environment. In the end, in the words of its editors, the mission of the Geographic is " to increase and diffuse geographic knowledge." Geography is defined in a broad sense as the description of land, sea, and universe; the interrelationship of man with the flora and fauna of earth; and the historical, cultural, scientific, governmental and social backgrounds of society. As society changes, the: magazine slowly evolves its style,format and subject matter to reflect that change without altering those policies."

And does it well.

An Amazing Look Behind the Scenes..........2006-01-26

Poole's Explorers House delves into the private, behind-the-scenes world of the National Geographic Society. The author, who retired as Executive Editor of the National Geographic magazine so he could write this unflinching biography, explores the formation of the NGS as a DC-based social club for government scientists, military men, inventors, and the all-important amateurs, and the connections and power of the Hubbard, Bell and Grosvenor families that controlled the organization for over a century (a family tree is included that helps decipher this sometimes confusing web of nepotism).

Poole discusses the member/subscriber scheme that fueled the Society's early days (and they were the first magazine to include subscription cards in their pages), the funding of various expeditions, the emergence of NG as a photographic powerhouse, the stock market crash and its effect on the NGS, their expansion into books, globes, television, and other magazines, and their transformation into a giant corporate entity. He also gives a good look at Alexander Graham Bell, a remarkable and caring man who's vision truly lifted the NGS to greatness.

Poole does not shy away from the NGS's black eyes, including the institutional - and sometimes blatant - racism that existed in one form or another, within the NGS until the 1970s, the Cook/Peary North Pole controversy, and the embarrassing pro-Hitler and Mussolini articles that appeared in NG in the late-1930s.

This book is not, and does not claim to be, about the various adventures funded by the NGS. While some explorations are discussed, this tome is primarily about the men and women who made these adventures possible. In that aspect this book is unique. The adventures of the NGS are available in numerous other books and, of course, in the magazine itself.

Understanding that I am a big supporter of the NGS and its mission, I really enjoyed this book. While it is a scholarly work (and to that end is heavily endnoted), it is still an excellent, well-flowing narrative that is at times astonishing, and always riveting. It has increased the enjoyment of my NG collection and I would recommend it to anyone with even the slightest interest in the workings of the NGS.

If I were to find fault, I would have wanted more photos other than the one posted at each chapter head (to resolve this, just take a look at any NG anniversary issue, the photos will jump to life after reading Poole's account). There are some statistics that are needlessly repeated and I would have like to know what kind of competition existed between the Smithsonian magazine and NG (Smithsonian is only mentioned in passing), but these are just pebbles in an otherwise long, beautiful road.

way cool.......2005-12-05

I stumbled upon this book, and am I glad I did. It's a lovely history of a great--and eccentric--American icon. And it's not boring, if you're worried about that. In fact, it's way cool, with lots of romance, adventure, history, and enthusiasm for life the founders of the place had. That love for life is why so many people are fond of National Geographic and how so many scientists--amateur and professional--found their life callings. Anyone I know with even a passing interest in anthropology, archaeology, wildlife, the sky, the sea, whatever, all of them say they trace their passion back to reading National Geographic when they were young. I plan on giving them this book for Christmas. Take a look at it; it's well worth it.

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VALLEY OF THE KINGS OF FRANCE
BEAUTIFUL!
Transported through words and images

Chateaux of the Loire
Thorston Droste , and Axel M. Mosler
Manufacturer: I. B. Tauris
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1860641644

Book Description

This text presents the architecture, interiors, gardens and grounds of both the most important sites - Chambord, Blois, Chaumont, Amboise, Chenonceaux and others - as well as the lesser-known corners of the Loire valley.

Customer Reviews:

VALLEY OF THE KINGS OF FRANCE.......2006-04-07

This is a well researched book with crisp images. The Loire Valley is like a mystical place, with Fairy Tale palaces and a lovely country side, it's no wonder French kings chose this area to hold court. Most of the Chateaux have an Italian bent, since the Italians at the time were considered the most enlightened. No doubt Chambord is the most spectacular, it may have never held the significance Versailles held and it is not blessed with a Le Notre garden, but it is a site to behold, no other castle can touch it, I love the story that Leonardo may have designed the staircase while he was a long term guest of the King, either way it is simply stunning. I high recommend this wonderful book, on a breathtaking subject.

BEAUTIFUL!.......2000-01-09

As a Frenchwoman who spent last summer touring the Loire and its chateaux, I was a bit disappointed in this book. Had I wanted a book about French history, I would have bought a book about French history. I was looking for a lot more of the "now" and a lot less of the "then." The old black and white photos may delight some, but I found them a major disappointment. The chateaux, as they are today, are a glorious feast for the eyes; more up-to-date photos would have garnered this book five stars as far as I'm concerned. But all that aside, it is a lovely, over-sized coffee table book and one that should be "required reading" for anyone anticipating a visit to the Loire.

Transported through words and images.......1999-06-27

This book is an excellent investment. Gorgeous photography often depicts interiors as well as the exteriors of famous and also less well-known chateaux. Photographs (taken in various seasons of the year) present a large number of chateaux and castle complexes. The text is concise. Each chateau is described in a lively essay that is informative for architectural, historical, and travel details. A useful synopsis outlines a sight-seeing intinerary for those readers planning to visit the Loire Valley chateaux in person. Between the engaging text and beautiful images, reading (and re-reading) this book is a beautiful journey in itself.

Stone Houses And Earth Lords: Maya Religion in the Cave Context (Mesoamerican Worlds)

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stone houses

Stone Houses And Earth Lords: Maya Religion in the Cave Context (Mesoamerican Worlds)

Manufacturer: University Press of Colorado
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0870818082

Book Description

Cave archaeology in the New World, now a focus of intense research, was still a peripheral area of inquiry just fifteen years ago. Stone Houses and Earth Lords is the first volume dedicated exclusively to the use of caves in the Maya lowlands, covering primarily Classic Period archaeology from A.D. 100 through the Spaniards' arrival. Although the caves that riddled the lowlands show no sign of habitation, most contain evidence of human use—evidence that suggests that they functioned as ritual spaces. Demonstrating the importance of these subterranean spaces to Maya archaeology, contributors provide interpretations of archaeological remains that yield key insights into Maya ritual and cosmology.

Compiling the best current scholarship in this fast-growing area of research, Stone Houses and Earth Lords is a vital reference for researchers and readers interested in Mayan archaeology, Mesoamerica, and the human use of caves.

Customer Reviews:

stone houses.......2006-05-16

This is an excellent book ! The work and results are very important not just for Mayanists, for whom it is revolutionary, but also for the rest of us archaeologists who consistently fail to think of anything other than surface sites and anything related to ritual locations. There is a section of papers dealing with the burials and sacrifices. One highlight in a stellar collection is the chapter by Brady on the economic importance of producing goods for cave rituals. You'll want to read the companion volume as well: In the Maw of the Earth Lord.

Woodrow Wilson's Right Hand: The Life of Colonel Edward M. House

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a short biography of Edward House

Woodrow Wilson's Right Hand: The Life of Colonel Edward M. House
Godfrey Hodgson
Manufacturer: Yale University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0300092695

Book Description

The importance of Colonel Edward M. House in twentieth-century American foreign policy is enormous: from 1913 to 1919 he served not only as intimate friend and chief political adviser to President Woodrow Wilson but also as national security adviser and senior diplomat. Yet the relationship between House and the president ended in a quarrel at the Paris peace conference of 1919—largely because of Mrs. Wilson’s hostility to House—and House has received little sympathetic historical attention since. This extensively researched book reintroduces House and clearly establishes his contributions as one of the greatest American diplomats.
A “kingmaker” in Texas politics, House joined Wilson’s campaign in 1912 and soon was traveling through Europe as the president’s secret agent. He visited Europe repeatedly during World War I and played a major part in drafting Wilson's Fourteen Points and the Covenant of the League of Nations. He tried to stop the war before it began, and to end it by negotiation after it had started. His greatest achievement was to lock both sides into an armistice based on American ideals.

Customer Reviews:

a short biography of Edward House.......2006-09-04

Edward House was one of the most influential diplomats in American history, and has faded into an oblivion inverse to the role he played in shaping the foreign policy of the man HL Mencken described as the "Archangel Woodrow."

If you're still in high school, or perhaps doing undergraduate work, this book will prove to be invaluable and immediately accessible in helping you write a paper. If you're looking sources to do your own research, this book will also be quite helpful. But it's far too short, and lacking in detail and judgements to do justice to House's legacy.

When Titans Clashed: How the Red Army Stopped Hitler (Modern War Studies)

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Great strategic overview
Great Overview
Russia's War by Overy can be a better option
pretty good...
Concise and precise but aimed at military specialist

When Titans Clashed: How the Red Army Stopped Hitler (Modern War Studies)
David M. Glantz , and Jonathan M. House
Manufacturer: University Press of Kansas
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0700608990

Book Description

By the time Pearl Harbor had ripped apart America's peacetime pretensions, the German blitzkrieg had already blasted the Red Army back to the gates of Moscow. Yet, less than four years later, the Soviet hammer-and-sickle flew above the ruins of Berlin, stark symbol of a miraculous comeback that destroyed the German army and shattered Hitler's imperial designs.

Told in swift stirring prose, When Titans Clashed provides the first full account of this epic struggle from the Soviet perspective. David Glantz, one of the world's foremost authorities on the Soviet military, and Jonathan House present a fundamentally new interpretation of what the Russians called the "Great Patriotic War." Based on unprecedented access to formerly classified Soviet sources, they counter the German perspective that has dominated previous accounts and radically revise our understanding of the Soviet experience during World War II.

Placing the war within its wider political, economic, and social contexts, the authors recount how the determined Soviets overcame their initial disasters to defeat the most powerful army ever assembled. As they vividly show, this truly was war waged on a titanic scale, sweeping across a half-million square miles from Moscow to Berlin, featuring monumental offensives and counteroffensives, and ultimately costing both sides combined a staggering forty million casualties.

Their work offers new revelations on Soviet strategy and tactics, Stalin's role as supreme commander of the Red Army, the emergence of innovative and courageous commanders in the crucible of combat, numerous previously concealed or neglected military operations, German miscalculations on the road to the Red capital, the effect of D-Day and the "second front" on the Soviet effort, and the war's devastating impact on the Soviet economy and civilian population.

An essential volume for anyone interested in World War II or Soviet history, When Titans Clashed will change forever how we look at one of the greatest military confrontations in world history.

This book is part of the Modern War Studies series.

Customer Reviews:

Great strategic overview.......2007-08-21

This is an excellent book of the Soviet struggle against the German invasion in WW2. The book has oustanding references and well researched. The maps and tables provide excellent information to reinforce their description over the 3 stages of war fought in the Soviet Union.

What stands out the most is the Stalin's initial paranoia and purge of the Soviet military in the late 1930's that led to their disasters in 1941 that was later changed to Stalin's ceding of power and trust to a select few Field Marshalls. In comparison, Hitler's delegation of authority led to initial German success, but later growing paranoia and micromanagement led to multiple disasters and complete defeat as he fired his best Field Marshalls when they refused to follow his commands that would result in the senseless deaths of thousands of German soldiers.

The book describes on how the Soviets decided to form Guards and Shock Armies to mass their best fighting soldiers, artillery, and majority of their tanks to maximize offensive combat power as the war progressed. Meanwhile, ineptly managed by Hitler, the front line and experienced German Panzer units could not receive replacement tanks to maintain their combat strength. Instead, raw green units were formed and sent piecemeal to block massed and experienced Soviet formations. History definitely shows which method of leadership and delegation of authority by a country's ruler can lead to victory.

The Soviet Union endured five bloody years of war and millions of casualties so that the United States could mobilize and train our soldiers to fight and win against the Germans. Towards the end of WW2, the United States was running out of front line infantry replacements and many units were becoming war weary (read a Band of Brothers regarding the 101st Airborne Division) after two years of combat. How both the German and Soviet armies were able to endure such massive losses and still have the ability to mobilize and sustain combat formations until the brink of annihilation is testament to the bravery of those who served and sacrificed for their nation regardless of who their political leaders were.

The Soviets adapted and refined their tactics and strategy that utilized their strengths to overwhelm the Germans at the point of attack. The Germans declined in strength and only had limited, but very high quality, formations and equipment that could have won if under the proper command and leadership.

Would be very interesting if the authors decided to write a hypothetical book comparing if Patton fought against the Soviets in 1946. Good book to include in a collection.

Great Overview.......2006-05-02

This book is an excellent overview of the war on the eastern front. The volume focuses equally on German and Russian strategy and tactics. The tone of the research is rather impartial and each event is described in the pursuit of coherent theory of events. The author is equally direct when discussing the successes and failures of each campaign and its commanders, be they Russian or German. I found that the book was especially illuminating in regards to the evolution of the tactics of the Red Army as the information on this subject is typically plagued by numerous preconceived notions and distorted cliches.

The book flows incredibly smoothly because the author does not delve into the minute details of each battle. For example, this book will not tell you where each regiment of the Sixth Army at Stalingrad was on November 19, 1942 - the narrative will describe the overall development of the campaign instead. Each chapter is supplemented with one or two maps, which cover Army and Corps movements over the course of several months - again, information can be derived in terms of overall campaign trends rather than individual unit movements.

I highly recommend this book to anybody who wants to gain a fresh perspective on the realities of the eastern front in the years of 1941-1945.

Russia's War by Overy can be a better option.......2006-03-06

It is a quite fairly good book. But much more focused on the military details, which can give you overwhelming names of units in some parts of the narrative, but lacking the maps for better understanding of the manouvers. If you are looking for a broader perspective and more general details, e. g., what happened in Leningrad and Stalingrad during the sieges or some links with what was happening in Germany's west front, I'd recommend Russia's War by Richard Overy instead.

pretty good..........2006-02-07

nothing new here, despite the claims (erskine caldwell in "all-out on the road to smolensk" published 1942 talked to soviet officers who claimed the plan always was for a leningrad-moscow-rostov defense line. they 'invited' in the germans to overextend them, then planned to counterattack heavily (lend-lease, plus loads of great t-34 tanks, and a massive population advantage= sure victory). the speed of the breakthrough of barbarossa did surprise the soviets though; they certainly weren't planning on giving away 650,000 soldiers at kiev. reading caldwell's book (he went to moscow in 1941 because he was certain the germans were going to attack that year) is enlightening and clearly shows how impossible it truly was for the germans to defeat the soviets in ww2. maybe a bleed-them-white less-than-unconditional surrender could have occurred if everything had gone germany's way, but even this was highly unlikely and more of just post-mortem wishful thinking by the german generals. certainly the opening of the third front with d-day sealed the deal for the allies; no matter, the soviets were going to do the business anyway, witness operation bagration.) but overall a fairly good book.

Concise and precise but aimed at military specialist.......2005-11-01

When Titans Clashed is an excellent attempt to use Glasnos era Soviet opening of documents about the Second World War to present a more precised and accurate history of the War between the Soviet Union and Germany and its allies. The focus here is entirely on military organization, command structure, military doctraine, etc. There is also an effort to overcome weaknesses created by the overavailability of German sources with what new Russian sources reveal.

For me, as someone interested in the Soviet German war for its political and social, rather than military, aspects, Glantz's points about the difficulties that the Soviet Union faces in having adequate forces to replace fallen soldiers, was most interesting. While recent authors have educated me that the old cold-war prejudice that the USSR defeated Hitler because of "inexhaustable" supplies of humans, Glantz's explanation of the shortage of trained soldiers after the Soviet Army had absorbed more than 20 million casualties and the Soviet Union millions more, is very interesting. He shows that by the end of the war, the Soviet commanders, despite their general reputation as being willing to sacrifice their troops for victories in ways that shocked even the Nazi commanders, had to devise tactics that emphasized firepower, mobility, and concentration of forces to deal with a growing shortage of trained forces.

Overall Glantz provides a very extensive explanation of Soviet staff discussions, plans and preparations for operations during the war, and a resultant analysis of how execution of the operations differed from plans. He also links it to the origins of the Red Army and its prewar doctrines and gives some hints on how the war effective postwar Soviet Military doctrine. He also details shifts in Soviet commanders and overall military organization.

This book is best for a military specialist and assumes that the reader is knowledgeable of the general history of the Soviet-German war and the Second World War. There is only minimal attention to the social, political, economic, and personal aspects of the war. One never gets a picture of what any of the war was like for the average Soviet or German soldier, for civilians, or anything of that nature, but that is not Glantz's purpose.

His aim is the military specialist and his aim is to document how conduct of the war reflected the evolution of Soviet military doctrine and organization. In this regard, his chapter on the Soviet campaign against Japan in 1945 and how it represented execution of lessons the Soviet military derived from the European war that the Soviet military continue in the post war era was quite interesting.

Again, if you are a common reader looking for a book to give you a picture of the Soviet-German war as a whole, this book would probably confuse you with its endless recounting of names of Soviet units, German units, commanders, etc. However, if you are interested in military organization and development, and how this evolved in this war, this is the book for you.

No doubt with some of the updated information on engagements, command and control, and organization, this book can become an useful English-language reference for military operations and organization in the clash of Titans.

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A wonderfull look at Monet
A must, for anyone looking to expand an art library!

Monet in the 20th Century
Paul Hayes Tucker , and George Shackleford
Manufacturer: Yale University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0300079443

Amazon.com

After the scores of beautiful Monet books that have been published over the last two decades, it is hard to imagine that a new one could be indispensable. But this volume, the catalog of an exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston (fall 1998, then travels to the Royal Academy of Arts in London) is more than just lovely. The main essay, by Paul Hayes Tucker, is a spellbinding history that ably places Monet and his late works in the context of the shattering political upheavals of his time. Tucker demonstrates the patriotic ideal of La France, which for Monet and his public was the ur-subject of his entire oeuvre up to the end of the 19th century, from the crashing waves at Étretat to the shimmering facades of Chartres. Then came the Dreyfus affair, with the Catholic Church and French conservatives united in an anti-Semitic attack against the innocent Jewish army captain accused of treason. Monet passionately and actively joined the writer Émile Zola, who was arrested for defending Dreyfus in his famous article, "J'Accuse." Tucker traces the rift in Monet's use of imagery from this time forward, as he turns his back on quintessentially French scenes to focus instead on the closely observed gardens in his own back yard. Tucker also subtly evokes Monet's despair during the long years of World War I, and his often heroic efforts to be of use, despite his age. This sumptuous volume, with its 12 fold-out plates of the Water Lilies, is very, very beautiful, but its story of an aging artist deeply engaged in his art and his times is something even better. --Peggy Moorman

Book Description

This sumptuously illustrated book examines for the first time the rich body of work that Monet completed from 1900 to his death in 1926, a period during which he was enormously productive and more venerated than ever before. .

Customer Reviews:

A wonderfull look at Monet.......1999-12-06

I found this book not only to be filled with the wonderfull works of Claude Monete but it also has a great insight to his life and the imprssion he left on modern art today. This book also contains full fold-out pictures of some of the artists best works. For anyone who has ever enjoyed any of Monets work you will love this book.

A must, for anyone looking to expand an art library!.......1998-12-31

This book is a perfect addition to any art library. Having seen "Monet in the 20th Century" in Boston at the Museum of Fine Arts, I was well prepared for the exhibit by having read the book first. I found the exhibit to be an extraordinary example of Monet's achievment in his later years. This book focuses on the works of Monet starting at the start of this century right up to his death in 1928. All through this period of Monet's life and including the representation of the body of work produced within those years, this book never skips a beat. Although not an all-encompassing look at his complete works of that period, this book offers the best look out there of his paintings as well as his development throughout the last quarter-century of his life. I found it to be in keeping with what is already known about Monet's later years, but certainly not devoid of interesting insights. The quality of the book, it's contents, including all of the color plates reproduced within is very good. I would not have an art library without Monet representation, and this is the ideal book for an addition or a starter.

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