Book Description
My new friends have begun to suspect I haven’t told them the full story of my life.
“Why did you leave Sierra Leone?”
“Because there is a war.”
“You mean, you saw people running around with guns and shooting each other?”
“Yes, all the time.”
“Cool.”
I smile a little.
“You should tell us about it sometime.”
“Yes, sometime.”
This is how wars are fought now: by children, hopped-up on drugs and wielding AK-47s. Children have become soldiers of choice. In the more than fifty conflicts going on worldwide, it is estimated that there are some 300,000 child soldiers. Ishmael Beah used to be one of them.
What is war like through the eyes of a child soldier? How does one become a killer? How does one stop? Child soldiers have been profiled by journalists, and novelists have struggled to imagine their lives. But until now, there has not been a first-person account from someone who came through this hell and survived.
In A Long Way Gone, Beah, now twenty-five years old, tells a riveting story: how at the age of twelve, he fled attacking rebels and wandered a land rendered unrecognizable by violence. By thirteen, he’d been picked up by the government army, and Beah, at heart a gentle boy, found that he was capable of truly terrible acts.
This is a rare and mesmerizing account, told with real literary force and heartbreaking honesty.
Customer Reviews:
Enlightening........2007-10-03
I think this is a wonderful book, so moving and beautifully written that you wonder how a person can manage to lead a "normal" life after experiencing what he has been through. The author tells the story matter-of-factly without whining or complaining about the hand he's been dealt. Because of this, it makes the story even more impressive.
Not just a good read, a book that enlightens is a must-read.
Fantastic book. Recommend for all ages!.......2007-10-02
This book is truly amazing. It is almost unbelievable to read about the lives of people like Ishmael, but it's true, and it's happening today. Yes, in some parts it is certainly hard to read, but it's worth it. It is better to be shocked and scarred by this book than ignorant to it. Ishmael is a wonderfully optimistic person, and I think we can all learn a lot from his courage. In his own words, Ishmael is not an expert on the history of Sierra Lione, but by putting a face and name to this story, you will still learn a lot from him! I recommend this book to anyone and everyone!
Easy to read, hard to digest.......2007-10-02
I read this book on my flight to D.C. a couple of months ago. It was probably the fastest I have ever read a book. It was very easy to understand and painted an incredibly vivid picture in my mind. The content is important and the way Beah wrote his story makes it accessible to all.
Painful but Poignant.......2007-09-27
This book is not for the fainthearted who wants a feel good story; this is tough book to read, however, it is an important book to read as well. So often us here in the west are isolated from the fact that there are tough places to live on this planet, places where people are forced to do unspeakable acts and are exposed to unimaginable acts of violence.
This book takes on the voyage of a young man named Ishmael, who lived in the war torn country of Sierra Leone. His life is completely turned upside down by the civil war in that country. Ishmaels story is first a story of losing his family, than of losing his innocence as he is forced to fight for the Countries Army that's fighting the "rebels". After that the story focuses on his rehabilitation in a place called Freetown and eventually his new life in the United States (although I would like to know more about how he is today).
The most amazing part of this story as an American who simply didn't understand the truth, is that this Ishmael was 12 years old and was killing people, not because he was an animal, but because he was drugged and forced to become one merely to survive. This is a concept that as westerners we look on and go oh that's too bad, but do we really take the time to understand that this happens all the time in the same world we live in? Do we take the time to understand that there is big world out there and for the most part it isn't that safe little havens we take for granted? I challenge anyone who reads this book to be able to look at the world the same again.
A must read.......2007-09-26
This book is very graphic in its detail of events. It will put you right there on the front line and in the eyes of danger. I felt as though I was there experiencing all that he had. Then again I could never imagine experiencing all that he did. Its a touching story that will bring back to reality on the issues that have been going on for ages.
Book Description
With his characteristic investigative eye and Menckenesque prose,
R. Emmett Tyrrell Jr. sheds new light on Bill Clinton's post-presidential emotional depression, globe trotting and international deal-making, financial ties to China and the United Arab Emirates, ongoing womanizing, vital support role in Hillary Clinton's anticipated run for the White House, and possible role as America's first "First Man."
Customer Reviews:
Tyrell: American Sphincter.......2007-09-19
Moron Tyrell is yet another wingnut who can't accept that Clinton is gone. They must all have a secret yearning for Hillary in '08 to make their pathetic lives seem worthwhile. Maybe they're all in denial after seven years of G. W. Dumbass and the weekly scandals of his crooks and cronies.
Clinton Crackup.......2007-09-19
While I hated to see Clinton move into the presidency, and, of course, hated his actions even more following Lewinsky, it's a wonder that we still have a country at all. I most certainly would not buy anything that might give him (or her, for that matter) any type of grace, and only scanned the pages at a local bookstore. That was quite enough for me, thank you very much. Now, unfortunately, it looks as though Miseries Clinton might be our next president. Hold onto your wallets, people!
Well done - Emmett needs a thesaurus though.......2007-09-07
No secret that Tyrrell does not like the Clintons. Somehow, those supporting Clinton have a big problem with a book like this and have NO problem with books claiming Bush knew about 9/11, Bush is in tight with the Saudis, etc.
If nothing else, this book is VERY thorough. There were times when I was reading it that I thought "How did the editor let THAT stay in the book?"
Tyrrell has a habit of writing to an MBA level. Which I guess is ok but there are those of us who, while having a complete control of the English language, we don't feel the need to try to impress people with it.
So many times, I read this thinking the author could have used a different word to mean the same thing and not come across as high-brow. Bill Buckley can get away with - he's about the only one.
Bottom line - the book is solid reading, powerful, and damning to Bill and Hillary.
Too Much of the Clintons is Never Enough.......2007-08-30
Sure, the title is hyperbolic, the writing has little of that flinty incisiveness of muckrakers like Tarbell and Sinclair, a good deal of the material is old news, the editing could have been better, but, oh, what fun! For political junkies like me, Our Bill and his lovely Life Partner are simply the gifts that keep on giving. As the wide diversity and vigor of reviewers' reactions demonstrate, love 'em or hate 'em, they are simply fascinating.
Now, one can't expect the shenanigans of Post-Prez Bill to be as interesting as his time in the Oval Office if only because, for instance, there has bobbed to the surface no stained women's clothing--yet. Nonetheless, the mind reels and the spirit soars as Tyrrell not only revisits the low crimes and misde-wieners of the Clintons' time in the Arkansas governor's mansion and the White House, but takes us on a poignant tour of Our Bill's meanderings in the real world, i.e., the world where his only power derives from political suasion and the relentless pursuit of greater wealth. If nothing else, Tyrrell's listing of the President's last-minute pardons and commutations, complete with the crimes committed by those receiving those astonishing absolutions, is worth the price of admission. No one, least of all Bill himself, has ever explained or rationalized how these low-lives deserved legal reclamation, justifying the inevitable conclusion of critics then and now that they were exchanged for past, present, or future consideration, much of it brokered by the Clinton and Rodham siblings.
And then there's Hillary. Just as I conclude my reading, what breaks but another campaign contribution imbroglio involving The Hill. Turns out that Norman Hsu, one of the Mrs.'s large contributors for the last several years, is a wanted fugitive from California justice and is somehow related to the Paw family of Daly City, several members of whom have made contributions coincident with those of Mr. Hsu which may or may not have been illegally funded by the latter. Mr. Paw, also Chinese, is a mail carrier, and yet the family has somehow found 45 G's to give to The Hill. The eyes tear and the throat constricts with mirth as one of the Paw family members turns out to be named Winkle. (Does the Supreme Being stay up at night devising names for those involved in Clinton scandals, you know the rich Marc Rich, et al? Does Winkle have siblings named Blinkle and Nod? But I digress.)
Astute readers will recall that Our Bill had some problems with Chinese contributors during his reign. One might have thought that those painful experiences would have convinced the Clintons they should limit their Chinese contacts to calling for take-out, but I guess not.
I'm not saying your life won't be complete if you don't read this book, but I found it a very enjoyable meander through these troubled lives. Think of it as a between-meal snack as we await The Hill's nomination for the presidency. Then it can serve as a reference point for the inevitable--and entirely justified--dredging up of the Clinton scandals by the Hillary Haters. Pray with me to the political gods that all this comes to pass: it will be a great 2008!
The Clinton Crackup.......2007-08-23
I have read the book. Tyrell is a gifted writer who records the continuing docu-drama of Bill Clinton's life. Coming away from this book there is the sense of flawed personality aspects outweighing good ones. I,too, wonder why people continue to find Clinton viable, attractive and charming. He is much to be pitied. Are Bill and Hillary a sign of the times - the narcissistic epitome of anything goes?
What Bill does fascinates us all - some love him, some don't. He "is" a national security leak and the continuing saga confirms it. One thing the book makes clear - if you set your sights on a particular goal and then
work towards it you will achieve it. Bill and Hillary had been working a long time to achieve their ambition. Though he did not win by a majority, other forces helped in the achievement of Bill's amibition.
These 2 people are very focused individuals. The truth of their lives is appallingly clear. If we are a product of our times, what does that say
about the kind of people we elect to high office. And how did we get to this cultural state of affairs.
Book Description
In a heartrending and astonishing novel, Eggers illuminates the history of the civil war in Sudan through the eyes of Valentino Achak Deng, a refugee now living in the United States. We follow his life as he's driven from his home as a boy and walks, with thousands of orphans, to Ethiopia, where he finds safety — for a time. Valentino's travels, truly Biblical in scope, bring him in contact with government soldiers, janjaweed-like militias, liberation rebels, hyenas and lions, disease and starvation — and a string of unexpected romances. Ultimately, Valentino finds safety in Kenya and, just after the millennium, is finally resettled in the United States, from where this novel is narrated. In this book, written with expansive humanity and surprising humor, we come to understand the nature of the conflicts in Sudan, the refugee experience in America, the dreams of the Dinka people, and the challenge one indomitable man faces in a world collapsing around him.
Customer Reviews:
a powerful telling of one refugee's story and how it fits into a broader disaster.......2007-09-29
Over several years, a refugee (named Achak) from Sudan who has resettled in the United States (one of the "lost boys of Sudan") told his story to Dave Eggers. Eggers wrote a novel based on the story, and the result is excellent. Leaping back and forth through time, the fictional Achak tells of how he is forced from his village by the Sudanese civil war, travels hundreds (thousands?) of miles on foot from country to country and refugee camp to camp, and then how he arrives in the United States and adjust to life there.
Several times early in the reading I wondered, Why didn't Eggers just write the story of this guy's life rather than a novel "based" on it? Eventually I could see that the novel allowed Eggers to bring in characters, sub-stories, and dialogue to teach us not only Achak's story but also about the broader conflict, the other Sudanese conflict in Darfur, and the problems encountered by a broader net of re-settled refugees. Eggers seeks to (and I believe manages to) give enthrall us with Achak and convey an impressive amount of information at the same time.
I found one of his narrative devices mildly distracting: Achak narrates from the present-day, resettled in the USA, and most of flashbacks are in the form of his mentally telling people around him his story. For example, he meets someone at his work and imagines telling them about the time his buddy got eaten by a lion. But that's a quibble.
The audiobook reading by Dion Graham (published by BBC Audiobooks America) is very well done.
Note on content: Much of this book takes place in a war zone, so we see violence and intense human suffering. And in the USA, there is a mugging that involves lots of strong language (all in the book's first 50 pages).
Straightforward, Unpretentious Memoir.......2007-09-27
I'm a fan of Eggers, and even though I'm not crazy about how the precious and overly self-aware syle of writing in AHWOSG has seeped into literature, I think he has been an important influence. I was pleasantly surprised at how well he avoided his trademark style in this novel -- not that it's a bad thing in other contexts -- but because it wouldn't have worked here. As a result, this is a kind of sparsely (and well) written story. The only thing I thought was a little contrived was the device used to tell the story, which is that Valentino is telling his story to his captor in a robbery, and then some others. They aren't listening, so he's kind of recounting the story to the reader as though he was talking to the captor. I suppose it makes it more interesting than a simple straight-out memoir, but it's a little contrived. The fact that the modern day asides are so short is evidence that they could have just been cut out altogether. (One could say it's just creative, I suppose).
I found the story very interesting, and I would not have made it through any form of nonfiction about the same topic. THis is a credit to Eggers. The character development is credible, and the way he weaves the question "What is the What" through the novel is compelling and profound. It's very well constructed and told, and could be read by a wide age range. It's also fairly evenhanded in its treatment of the politics, and never gets preachy or self-important. (He in fact debunks many of the exaggerated stories of the Lost Boys, which I thought was a pretty brave thing to do).
If you are a fan of Eggers, you will appreciate this book unless you're just in love with his schtick, which is absent. If you're one of the haters (people love to hate AHWOSG, it seems), you might want to give this a try. I think Eggers will go down as a very important writer and this is very well done. And the profits go to charity!
A good book that gets better with diatance.......2007-09-08
There have been enough African horror stories in recent years to constitute a genre - the heart of darkness narrative. Most readers turn to these tales with a mixture of humane concern and prurient fascination. Back in Conrad's day, the European or American narrator generally found himself caught between warm fuzzy liberalism and the horror. In recent years, African narrators, often children, have been the ones whose innocence has been challenged by horrendous deeds and bestial actions done in the name of liberation but in the service of greed. The thin line between naivete and cynicism is particularly treacherous for writers who lived to tell the tale, but haven't had enough time to fully see their experience in perspective. By working with Dave Eggers, Valentino Achak Deng filters the story of his years as a lost boy, and thus provides the reader a chance to get close to him. I tend to shy away from confessional narrators like Ismael Beah, whose A Long Way Gone was too direct for my taste. I appreciated his tale, but it seemed too naïve.
The magic of What is the What is impressive. By creating creaky framing devices (the break-in of Part 1) and historical coincidences (the death of Diana Spencer and the destruction of the twin towers occur on significant days in Valentino's life), Eggers reminds us that this is a fiction based on a real life and actual incidents in Sudan's history. In the process of peeling off the artifice, the reader paradoxically draws closer to the young man who narrates the story. He preserves some mystery because we know that we don't know all that he might have said. We long to see him more clearly, just as we gaze at the drawing on the cover and wish that his eyes and features weren't obscured by shadow. But Valentino is himself trying to uncover the mysteries of fate, self, and the elusive "What," which seems both mystical and concrete.
There were times when I wanted more historical detail - religious conflicts and the promise of oil wealth explain the problem in broad terms, but Sudan has been part of public discourse for so long that one longs for more nuance. However, Valentino is not a political scientist, and the balance between naivete and knowledge is delicate. Eggers provides promising leads for the reader who wants more history. I loved the way the past and present narratives intertwined to make us sympathetic to Valentino's need for love and affection. His relationship with Tabitha was particularly affecting because we first experienced her in America and only gradually learned about the origins of their relationship. After he leaves his hometown to journey across Sudan with the Lost Boys, we forget about his parents for a long time, but we feel their absence keenly. Deng and Eggers have created a story rich in emotion and human feeling, no small task when facing the horrors of Sudan. In the end, we only know a little more about the situation in Sudan and Darfur, but we feel as if we have a Sudanese friend. And yet we can't even recognize his face or say for sure if his name is really Valentino Achak Deng.
A thought provoking and enjoyable read.......2007-09-05
Dave Eggers' What is the What is a fictional, yet truthful account of Sudanese refugee Valentino Deng and his life throughout civil war stricken Sudan and the United States of America. Eggers' retelling of Deng's life is not one of a robotic biography, but rather a fluid reminiscence interspersed with moments of the present and laced throughout with Eggers' own voice. The story is simultaneously frightening and beautiful, a feeling created by a combination of Deng's personal strength and Eggers' unique sense of timing and dark humor. This voice pokes fun at the ironies between Deng's life in America and Sudan. For example, the American Deng works the front counter at a health club in a county where almost 60 million people are overweight but while in Sudan he tried to get an extra ration card because food was scarce. There doesn't seem to by any anger at these ironies, Deng appears to be more confused by them then anything.
The plot is exciting enough to hold one's interest and be fun, yet still contains enough truth and soul to it to make you really think about Deng's plights during his journey. It is the ability to maintain this balance which truly takes the book from an interesting tale to a piece of literary art. The story itself is not only beautifully written, but expertly paced; on multiple occasions I found myself ready to put the book down for the night and turned the page to discover that I was at the end of a chapter. It is those little things that make the book an absolute joy to read. Also, I feel that I must mention the hardcover art is absolutely beautiful and protected the book from harm when I spilled a cup of tea on it, which is something I was pleasantly surprised by. What is the What is an great thought provoking, yet very accessible read, and I would recommend it to everyone.
MUST READ.......2007-09-04
The book was recommended by a Bible study leader and it did not disappoint. I learned so much regarding the past and current situation in Sudan (not necessarily the point of the book) that I am now embarrased about my previous ignorance. This book changed the way I look at the world. I highly recommend it!
Book Description
Call Me by Your Name is the story of a sudden and powerful romance that blossoms between an adolescent boy and a summer guest at his parents’ house, a cliff-side mansion on the Italian Riviera. Unprepared for the consequences of their attraction, at first each feigns indifference to the other. But during the warm, languorous summer weeks that follow, unrelenting buried currents of obsession and fear, fascination and desire, intensify their passion as they test the charged ground between them. What grows from the depths of their spirits is a romance of scarcely six weeks’ duration and an experience that marks them for a lifetime.For what the two discover on the Riviera and on a sultry evening in Rome is the one thing both already fear they may never truly find again: total intimacy.
The psychological maneuvers that accompany attraction have seldom been more shrewdly captured as in André Aciman’s frank, unsentimental, heartrending elegy to human passion. Call Me by Your Name is clear-eyed, bare-knuckled, and ultimately unforgettable.
Customer Reviews:
Call This Novel Great! .......2007-09-17
Rather than shelving a large library of used books in my apartment, I keep a small collection of my favorite books . . . the ones I know that I want to read again and again. "Call Me by Your Name" is now in my small collection with "Middlemarch," "Giovanni's Room," "Gut Symmetries," "At Swim,Two Boys," and others.
If literature is an art that can touch one's soul, then I would say that Aciman's novel is one that thrust a sword into the most tender chamber of my heart and tore open old wounds. The effect was sweet and deeply painful, but after the tears it felt like an awakening. This book is rare and very beautiful.
A Heartfelt and Melancholy Remembrance.......2007-09-16
I'm first to admit that the first 75 pages were challenging...I was losing interest, but so very happy I persisted. (Partially due to the fact that I only brought one book for the plane ride.)
Perhaps part of the difficulty for me was that much of the internal narrative resonated to deeply. It came very close to what I'd imagine the dialogue might have been in my head had this story been my own.
What a beautiful novel! I hope others invest the time to read this ruminative and melancholy but ultimately noble story.
Gripping story.......2007-09-12
Aciman writes a truly gripping and emotionally charged story. I have gone on to read his `Out of Egypt' which is, again, beautiful writing.
Where's the Red Brigade when you need it?.......2007-09-11
I respected this book but didn't enjoy reading at all. I concede that the prose did calm down after a while but I had already turned against the book, and its characters -- I think it's not a good sign if I kept wanting the family to be visited by bandits or an avalanche. I concede, too, that Aciman conveys accurately something about love, first love, the pain of desire. But so does Alice Munro just with a simple sentence about how a character parks her car or takes off her shoe. Really not my kind of thing -- does Aciman have a sense of humor?
Absolutely Beautiful.......2007-09-07
I've rarely ever read a book that was as engrossing as this one. It was a fantastic and wonderful journey.
Book Description
Imagine a young boy who has never had a loving home. His only possesions are the old, torn clothes he carries in a paper bag. The only world he knows is one of isolation and fear. Although others had rescued this boy from his abusive alcoholic mother, his real hurt is just begining -- he has no place to call home. This is Dave Pelzer's long-awaited sequel to A Child Called "It". In The Lost Boy, he answers questions and reveals new adventures through the compelling story of his life as an adolescent. Now considered an F-Child (Foster Child), Dave is moved in and out of five different homes. He suffers shame and experiences resentment from those who feel that all foster kids are trouble and unworthy of being loved just because they are not part of a "real" family. Tears, laughter, devastation and hope create the journey of this little lost boy who searches desperately for just one thing -- the love of a family.
Customer Reviews:
The brave boy.......2007-05-25
I recommend this book because it is very interesting,and you do not want to put it down.In the book, I learned that I have a good life and that I should be thankful for everything I have after seeing what Dave has gone through in his life. I would read another book by this author because all of the books are sequels and at the end of each book you are left hanging and wondering what will happen next. These are some things about the The Lost Boy.
Dave's story helped me during really tough times........2007-04-18
As a foster parent who accepted only one child at a time, I needed all the inspiration I could get. Dave's story not only inspired but also encouraged me. It is full of truths that make us aware of how blessed we are. Anyone who is interested in helping abused kids should read this book. With Great Mercy author.
The story continues.......2007-04-14
Dave Pelzer gives a wonderfull account of his experiences of foster care in this sequel to A Child Called "It": One Child's Courage to Survive. In this book you begin to see the transition to a "normal" state of being, but it is not without it's problems.
My Hat Goes Off To Dave Pelzer.......2007-04-06
All of Dave Pelzer's books are absolutely by far the best books I have ever read. I couldn't put them down!!!
Best book!!!.......2007-04-06
Do you want to know how it feels like to have your parents not love you? Well thats how a little boy named David (the main charactor) feels in this story. David Pelzer is a young teenager who only wants the love of his parents, but his mother, doesn't love him... She keeps David in the basement, and she rarly ever feeds him!!!! Once David id put into foster care, he has to go to court, and the judge gets to chose whether to keep him in foster care, or to release him back to his parents. The judge chooses....... Well to find out you have to read this amazing book.
Dave Pelzer has written more books besides this one.. The Lost Boy is part of a three-part series... That includes A Child Called "it," The Lost Boy, and A Man Named David. I really think that Dave Pelzer is a great and wonderful Author.
This book will really make you cry and become very mad at the same time.. If parents read this book they will see what some parents really do to there kids. I would extemely recomend this book to others, becuase it is an adventure of one boys determination to find love. I think this book wouldn't be a good book for kids under 13, becuase it has some pretty foul language in it and they might not understand what is happening. When you start reading this book, you won't want to put it down until your done reading it..
Book Description
Masters of the Air is the deeply personal story of the American bomber boys in World War II who brought the war to Hitler's doorstep. With the narrative power of fiction, Donald Miller takes readers on a harrowing ride through the fire-filled skies over Berlin, Hanover, and Dresden and describes the terrible cost of bombing for the German people.
Fighting at 25,000 feet in thin, freezing air that no warriors had ever encountered before, bomber crews battled new kinds of assaults on body and mind. Air combat was deadly but intermittent: periods of inactivity and anxiety were followed by short bursts of fire and fear. Unlike infantrymen, bomber boys slept on clean sheets, drank beer in local pubs, and danced to the swing music of Glenn Miller's Air Force band, which toured U.S. air bases in England. But they had a much greater chance of dying than ground soldiers. In 1943, an American bomber crewman stood only a one-in-five chance of surviving his tour of duty, twenty-five missions. The Eighth Air Force lost more men in the war than the U.S. Marine Corps.
The bomber crews were an elite group of warriors who were a microcosm of America -- white America, anyway. (African-Americans could not serve in the Eighth Air Force except in a support capacity.) The actor Jimmy Stewart was a bomber boy, and so was the "King of Hollywood," Clark Gable. And the air war was filmed by Oscar-winning director William Wyler and covered by reporters like Andy Rooney and Walter Cronkite, all of whom flew combat missions with the men.
The Anglo-American bombing campaign against Nazi Germany was the longest military campaign of World War II, a war within a war. Until Allied soldiers crossed into Germany in the final months of the war, it was the only battle fought inside the German homeland.
Strategic bombing did not win the war, but the war could not have been won without it. American
airpower destroyed the rail facilities and oil refineries that supplied the German war machine. The bombing campaign was a shared enterprise: the British flew under the cover of night while American bombers attacked by day, a technique that British commanders thought was suicidal.
Masters of the Air is a story, as well, of life in wartime England and in the German prison camps, where tens of thousands of airmen spent part of the war. It ends with a vivid description of the grisly hunger marches captured airmen were forced to make near the end of the war through the country their bombs destroyed.
Drawn from recent interviews, oral histories, and American, British, German, and other archives, Masters of the Air is an authoritative, deeply moving account of the world's first and only bomber war.
Customer Reviews:
Masters of the Air.......2007-09-11
A marvelous story about the WW II air war over Europe. Full of interesting details and descriptions. I have shared it with friends that did their 35 missions, and they concur.
The Story of the "Mighty Eighth".......2007-09-08
This well-written and exhaustively researched book chronicles the rise of the American Eighth Air Force from its early days in England to VE Day in 1945.
At the outset of the war, the British believed that night bombing was the best way to attack German cities and industry. However, once America entered the war, they chose a philosophy different from that of the British. The Americans believed that daylight precision strategic bombing was the only way to defeat the Germans. The British, on the other hand, still favored nighttime area bombing. This difference of opinion between the Americans and British was never really settled, but by combining the "round the clock" attacks of American planes during the day and British planes at night, the Germans faced an unending stream of planes and bombs.
When the Eighth flew their first mission in the fall of 1942, they could barely muster thirty planes, but at the end of the war, they were putting up well over one thousand, with several hundred fighter escorts as well. The German Luftwaffe could not match these incredible numbers of planes, and, despite such tactics as underground production and introducing the world's first jet fighter, there was little they could do to stop the Allied bombing.
Differences also existed between the British and Americans regarding target selection. The British favored carpet bombing Germany's cities with little or no regard for civilian casualties. The Americans favored targeting German industry (synthetic oil production, ball bearings, and transportation hubs). The Americans believed that the systematic destruction of the German economy would bring about surrender quicker than the British belief of "terror attacks" designed to break the will of the German people.
An interesting point made by the author is whether or not strategic bombing was effective against the Germans. A preponderance of the evidence would suggest that the answer to this question is "yes", but there are some compelling counter-points made in the book.
This is a fine work of aviation history. The book is well-researched and is easy to read and understand. Every aspect of the Allied bomber offensive in Europe is covered in great detail. The author also includes many personal testimonials from the men who flew the B-17s and B-24s against the Germans. An interesting chapter is also devoted to the Swiss government and how they treated "captured" Allied fliers. The terrifying incendiary raid on Dresden as well as the horrific destruction of Berlin is also told in vivid detail.
I give this fine book my highest recommendation. If you're looking for information on the Eighth Air Force and the air war over Europe, this is the book to read.
Does anyone at Simon & Schuster proofread?.......2007-09-04
Mr. Miller's book includes not only substantial research into prior publications but very interesting research based on letters and interviews he's found on his own. It's a good book. But if you're a member of the word police you'll be annoyed by the many proofreading errors. Here's a sample: "In the heavily defended Ruhr, with its permanent cloud of industrial smoke, the number was only in ten." (p.54) Should have been "within ten miles." Some errors are so simple a spell checker would have caught them: (p.199) "spining" for spinning. And there are some factual errors as well. Miller attributes contrails to wingtips. They're created by engines. It's much easier to criticize than to write. Still, S&S should have, with the several editors listed in the acknowledgments, caught the errors. I have no idea whether they have been corrected in the paperback.
The Unsung Heroes of The Eighth Air Force.......2007-08-26
This is an overdue tribute to those young men who gave their lives, in great numbers, fighting the air war over Germany in WWII.To those who think WWII was fought without major tatical errors, this book will be a revelation. In tribute to the kids who lost their lives in this bloody effort, everyone should be required to read this story. If you thought that service in the Air Force was a cake walk read this book.
EXCELLENT !!!.......2007-08-23
TRULY AN AMAZINGLY DETAILED ACCOUNT OF THE AIR WAR IN EUROPE!! MANY FACTS NEVER HEARD BEFORE! THESE BOMBER BOYS WERE TRUE HEROES.
Book Description
Finally—A Pregnancy Book That Won't Put Men to Sleep
My Boys Can Swim! tells real men everything they really want to know about pregnancy, such as: How much is it going to cost? Why does your wife primp before seeing her doctor when she hasn't put a stitch of make-up on for you in months? And, most important, what's it going to do to your sex life?
This rollicking, laugh-out-loud book is for expectant dads in search of bottom-line pregnancy information, without all that boring touchy-feely stuff you find in those books written for women. Inside you'll discover helpful—and hilarious—information and insights on such topics as:
The Maternity Wardrobe: "A key part of the maternity wardrobe is maternity underwear—parachute-like undies big enough to fit an NFL defensive lineman."
Baby Names: "Don't give your kids mockable names like Thaddeus, which is Greek for 'I'm a dork and should be beaten up.'"
The Birth: "No one told me it's normal that babies' heads can be misshapen at birth. I was convinced that my wife gave birth to Veldar, the conehead."
Customer Reviews:
Perfect book for dads-to-be.......2007-09-24
My husband used to read books all the time. But now only has time for things about the length of a newspaper or magazine article. This book is really short and funny. So it keeps his attention enough to actually be informed as to what is going on. He reads a little at a time while things progress. And has laughed out-loud on a couple of occasions.
Best book for new dads!.......2007-09-18
My husband LOVED this book. It's written from a husband's point of view which is hilarious. While it doesn't provide tons of medical info, it gives just enough for my husband to understand some of what I'm going through. Each night he read some of it outloud so we could both enjoy it. The humor in the book was great and it has helped him realize that neither of us is going crazy...all of this is normal. I definitely recommend this book to any dad. They will certainly enjoy it!
Great for the father to be.......2007-09-16
My husband enjoyed this book and learning about what to expect. The humor in it is great and the topics are right on target in each trimester. My husband kept telling me what he learned from the book.
For dumb dads.......2007-09-13
This was a totally dumbed down book. My husband actually likes being a father and was insulted by this book. This is for a dad who likes to sit on the couch, drink beers, and not do stuff with his kids. Sorry book.
yeah...whatever.......2007-08-23
The author tries to have that cute "Dave Barry" thing but instead just plays on old stereotypes that all guys do is watch football and don't know thing about women's bodies or what happens with a pregnancy. My wife and I are expecting our first child and I was thinking this may be informative. Instead it was a quick, one day read with jokes that wouldn't even be funny enough for Mad Magazine on a bad day. Sorry, but this one wasn't for me and felt like a waste of money.
Amazon.com
Reviving Ophelia, Mary Pipher's groundbreaking book, exposed the toxic environment faced by adolescent girls in our society. Now, from the same publisher, comes Raising Cain: Protecting the Emotional Life of Boys by Dan Kindlon and Michael Thompson, which does the same for adolescent boys. Boys suffer from a too-narrow definition of masculinity, the authors assert as they expose and discuss the relationship between vulnerability and developing sexuality, the "culture of cruelty" boys live in, the "tyranny of toughness," the disadvantages of being a boy in elementary school, how boys' emotional lives are squelched, and what we, as a society, can do about all this without turning "boys into girls." "Our premise is that boys will be better off if boys are better understood--and if they are encouraged to become more emotionally literate," the authors assert. As a tool for change, Kindlon and Thompsom present the well-developed "What Boys Need," seven points that reach far beyond the ordinary psychobabble checklist and slogan list. Kindlon (researcher and psychology professor at Harvard and practicing psychotherapist specializing in boys) and Thompson (child psychologist, workshop leader, and staff psychologist of an all-boys school) have created a chilling portrait of male adolescence in America. Through personal stories and theoretical discussion, this well-needed book plumbs the well of sadness, anger, and fear in America's teenage sons. --Ericka Lutz
Book Description
In Raising Cain, Dan Kindlon, Ph.D., and Michael Thompson, Ph.D., two of the country's leading child psychologists, share what they have learned in more than thirty-five years of combined experience working with boys and their families. They reveal a nation of boys who are hurting--sad, afraid, angry, and silent. Kindlon and Thompson set out to answer this basic, crucial question: What do boys need that they're not getting? They illuminate the forces that threaten our boys, teaching them to believe that "cool" equals macho strength and stoicism. Cutting through outdated theories of "mother blame," "boy biology," and "testosterone," the authors shed light on the destructive emotional training our boys receive--the emotional miseducation of boys.
Kindlon and Thompson make a compelling case that emotional literacy is the most valuable gift we can offer our sons, urging parents to recognize the price boys pay when we hold them to an impossible standard of manhood. They identify the social and emotional challenges that boys encounter in school and show how parents can help boys cultivate emotional awareness and empathy--giving them the vital connections and support they need to navigate the social pressures of youth.
Customer Reviews:
Not so great for parents, maybe good for professional counselors and such.......2007-03-24
This book contains a lot of psycho babble. It seems to be written mostly for professional family counselors and psychologists and such. For them it might be useful, but if you're a "normal" parent (meaning not working in such a field) then there are better parenting books out there that are much less opaque.
Repetition is the key to boredom.......2007-03-12
The authors seem to spend an inordinate amount of time presenting their credentials to the reader, perhaps that is because they practice a soft science that does not demand data or peer review. I've only read three chapters so far, but haven't experienced any epiphanies. Here's the punchline of the book, "You know how boys do that one thing (rough house, get distracted, your favorite: _______)? Yeah, well that's normal, don't be too hard on them for it. How do we know? Because we have declared ourselves to be experts because WE'RE THERAPISTS. If I have to read the word "boys" one more time I'm gonna vomit, it's beginning to sound dirty.
good book for people who are not psychologists.......2007-03-12
This book helped me understand the boys and men in my life a bit better. It wasn't filled with too much technical jargon and had many stories from the authors than helped illustrate their points.
Strong by Gender: The missing factor of Nurture .......2007-03-01
The title of this book says a monumental truth.
In virtually all societies, throughout time, BOYS are raised to be strong, and any variance of that is "A Problem". The Problem, however, is strongly rooted in the society a boy is raised. There is no common factor other than the basic issue that BOYS become MEN, and MEN RULE THE WORLD.
Thustly boys are, in virtually all societies, ethnic and religious, economic and existential, boys are generally drained of their "emotional body" as they grow, and by the age which their social realm dictates, are honed into the male image of the culture they are raised.
Far too many boys, over all the world, in all situations, are neglected EMOTIONALLY as they grow up, resulting in strong men who make up the warriors, regardless of their eventual position and place in life.
It is all too common that the basic emotional needs of young boys are neglected, even refused, often brutally, in an effort to "make them strong". It's been going on since the dawn of time.
As society fragments into far more complex expressions for both male and female role-models, something that has been changing since the Rennaissance, boys, despite their diversification in potential, have generally been either brutalized into uniformity, or segmented, eventually compartementalized into roles dictated by local moral, religious or financial revenues.
"Raising Cain: Protecting the Emotional Life of Boys" tackles an age-old problem with great insight, and while there are no common solutions, there are ways of thinking that can help raise boys in a way that is "Complete".
An honest look at how we treat boys.......2006-12-27
You might read the back cover of this book and think, "oh, this doesn't apply to me.". But anyone parenting or spending time with children should have a look. It helps you (or rather, it's helping me) step back and realize how subtle ways that we interact with children have lasting repercussions. For instance, how we might respond to a boy when he says "oh look, that kid over there is crying" vs. our response to a girl. Studies show that we'd steer the boy away, distract him, move on to something different. But to a girl, we encourage her to help, to be sympathetic, and engage in a discussion about what happened.
Towards the end, the authors offer some suggestions on how to tap into the emotional side of our boys, how to develop modes of communication that can last through adolescent years and into adult hood. I find them useful, and hope that my husband and I are & continue to use them.
Amazon.com
Young Jeremy Jacob is plucked from obscurity while innocently constructing a sand castle and is thrust into a brand-new life as a pirate. Captain Braid Beard and his crew recognize Jeremy as an exceptionally talented digger and they happen to be in desperate need of a digger to help them bury a treasure chest. Jeremy thinks a pirate life sounds like fun, as long as he's back the next day in time for soccer practice, and so he goes along with the ragtag group of seafaring thugs (with hearts of gold, naturally). And while Jeremy adores the pirates' lack of table manners and opposition to vegetables, he comes to realize that a life away from his parents lacks some of the niceties to which he's become accustomed. Nobody tucks him in at night, for instance, and the only book available to read is a treasure map. Melinda Long's story, narrated with a sense of boastful exaggeration by Jeremy, is full of a sense of high adventure that's lovingly evocative of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic tales. David Shannon's illustrations, full of a goofy vibrancy, are a perfect accompaniment to the story. (Ages 4 to 8) --John Moe
Book Description
When Braid Beard's pirate crew invites Jeremy Jacob to join their voyage, he jumps right on board. Buried treasure, sea chanteys, pirate talk--who wouldn't go along? Soon Jeremy Jacob knows all about being a pirate. He throws his food across the table and his manners to the wind. He hollers like thunder and laughs off bedtime. It's the heave-ho, blow-the-man-down, very best time of his life. Until he finds out what pirates don't do--no reading bedtime stories, no tucking kids in. . . . Maybe being a pirate isn't so great after all.
Caldecott Honor-winning illustrator David Shannon teams up with witty storyteller Melinda Long for a hilarious look at the finer points of pirate life.
Customer Reviews:
Great illustrations and totally entertaining story.......2007-09-27
I bought this for my 3 1/2 year old grandson and he loved it. Whenever Grammy comes to visit I try to have scoured Amazon.com for what look like the best children's books and as he had loved David Shannon's books I bought this one as I knew the illustrations would be colorful. It is a fun story but the best part, it lends itself so well to playing imaginatively. Immediately after reading it, we went outside and I played cartographer helping my grandson draw our own treasure map with instructions how to get to the tree in his backyard where we buried a seashell. He was so excited to show his Mommy and his baby brother how well the map worked and where our treasure was buried. Great little story and we read it several times over the next few days...always noticing something else in the pictures we hadn't seen before and then making up our own stories about what we saw. So I bought "Pirates Don't Change Diapers" also and pirate tattoos to continue the saga. Lots of scope for the imagination here!
Great Pirate Book.......2007-09-19
My boys have two books from this collection and LOVE them both! Great photos and funny story.
great fun.......2007-07-16
Jeremy, probably feeling a little neglected on the beach, goes off with a band of pirates. He feels his parents won't mind as as long as he is back in time for soccer practice the next day. Initially, he finds this adventure to be exciting, liberating and great fun. Soon he realizes a pirate's life is not exactly ideal. There's no tucking in, no books, and no goodnight kisses! Of course, a storm must swoop down on the ship and the treasure is in peril. Jeremy has the ideal solution, which you'll love. This is a truly fun book for children ages 4-9. My students really enjoy this as a read aloud and then being able to revisit it on their own.
Away My Hearties to a great read.......2007-07-07
This is a great adventure book for younger kids. Our family has really enjoyed all the Pirate books and look forward to more.
great book.......2007-06-13
My son (4 yr) likes this book. It is illustrated well and entertaining.
Average customer rating:
- Great Story and Gorgeous Illustrations
- Darling book for older sibling
- very pleased
- silly book!
- Pirates Don't Change Diapers
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Pirates Don't Change Diapers
Melinda Long
Manufacturer: Harcourt Children's Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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Shannon, David
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Similar Items:
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How I Became a Pirate
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Do Pirates Take Baths?
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Fancy Nancy and the Posh Puppy (Fancy Nancy)
-
Bad Dog, Marley!
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A Good Day
ASIN: 0152053530 |
Book Description
When the pirate crew turns up at Jeremy Jacob's house and accidentally wakes his baby sister, that wee scallywag howls louder than a storm on the high seas. Sure, there's buried treasure to be found, but nobody's digging up anything until Bonney Anne quits her caterwauling. So, quicker than you can say "scurvy dog," Braid Beard and his swashbuckling pirates become . . . babysitters? Blimey!
This hilarious companion to How I Became a Pirate reveals that minding the nursery can be even more terrifying than walking the plank--especially if you're a pirate.
Customer Reviews:
Great Story and Gorgeous Illustrations.......2007-10-02
A sequel to "How I Became a Pirate", this is a wonderful little story. The illustrations are excellent and provide such "scope for the imagination" that my 3 1/2 year old grandson and myself made up a lot of additional stories about the various characters using the pictures as inspiration. The map included is a great jumping off place to create your own map of where you would bury your treasure in your home, backyard, playground or school. In addition, as much as my grandson loves his "baby brother" (age 9 months), I think he sympathized with all the extra commotion having a younger sibling can cause. Definitely a charming story.
Darling book for older sibling.......2007-08-25
We have the first book, How I Became a Pirate, by the same author and loved it so when we saw this book we bought it. What a darling story with great art work. Our older child (four) loves it because he can relate to the storyline as our middle child (one) is in diapers. Very charming story about sibling interaction brought to you in a cute pirate adventure tale.
very pleased.......2007-08-04
I was very pleased with the condition of this product, as well as the timely manner in which it was delivered. I would recommend and use this vendor again.
silly book!.......2007-08-02
My children really love pirates and anything about diapers makes them laugh! Very silly, yet appropriate for children.
Pirates Don't Change Diapers.......2007-07-17
Excellent read aloud book. Illustrations are vibrant with great detailing for child to explore expressions and analyze actions. Text is engaging and encourages child to predict and anticipate.
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