History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Average customer rating:

Brings yesterday into focus for today's girl
The Pioneer Cat-Chapter 3

Pioneer Cat (Stepping Stone, paper)
William H. Hooks
Manufacturer: Random House Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 039482038X
Release Date: 1988-10-12

Book Description

Nine-year-old Kate Purdy is traveling from Missouri to Oregon by wagon train, and she’s worried about Snuggs—the pretty little cat who took a shine to her and decided to come along for the ride even though there are no pets allowed on the wagon train. No matter what happens, Snuggs the cat has to stay a secret!
“An action-packed, highly readable tale.”—Publishers Weekly
William H. Hooks has written over 40 other books for children, including The Legend of the Christmas Rose and The Mighty Sante Fe.

Customer Reviews:

Brings yesterday into focus for today's girl.......2000-07-26

My 7 yr. old advanced reader found this book not only reasonable to read, but it held her excitement at wanting to know what would happen to each of the characters as the wagon train progressed on its journey and met real dangers. It was not too scary, but filled with the concerns of real life in the pioneer days. The story developed the unfolding of a girlhood friendship in such a way as to show a young reader ways to ease into a relationship. It was a delight to read with a child and educational in many ways.

The Pioneer Cat-Chapter 3.......2000-02-03

I really enjoyed this story. I really liked it when her family felt sorry for her and let her have that cat. It's about a little girl on her way to Missouri with her family, Ma, Pa, Kate, Benjy, Duffy, and Doris.

The Cat of Bubastes: A Tale of Ancient Egypt (Adventure)

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got for my son who is 14
Good, a little boring
Great read!
Old-Fashioned, Rip-Roarin' Fun!
10 YEAR OLD BOY

The Cat of Bubastes: A Tale of Ancient Egypt (Adventure)
G. A. Henty
Manufacturer: Dover Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0486423638

Book Description

A young Egyptian accidentally kills a sacred cat and must flee from an angry mob. Set in 1250 BC, the time of Moses, this thrilling adventure also features fascinating details about Egyptian religion and geography, the methods by which the Nile was used for irrigation, and how the Egyptians were prepared for burial.

Customer Reviews:

got for my son who is 14.......2007-07-12

My son thought this was a good book, but a little hard to follow, because it uses older terms. Otherwise, he said it was a great book. He enjoyed the Light of Eidon more.

Good, a little boring.......2007-05-01

I don't know about you, but I have to read a book with lots of excitment to keep me reading. After reading the first three chapters, this book lay forgotten on my desk, getting covered with dust and cobwebs. My mom found it (I am an eleven year old girl who is homeschooled) and told me I had to read it. I picked up the boring book and stuck my whole face into the book. I read and read and read. I almost fell asleep a few times. Then, the light turned on for me. About half way through the book the excitment happened. I could put the book down until it was over.

So, I think this book is worth four stars and four stars only. If it doesn't have a booming introduction, I'm not reading it. (or at least not until my mom says)

Some good books, however are the following. I had to read them for school. They are historical fiction.

Bonze Bow
Hittite Warrior
Golden Goblet
...just a few of some really good books. The Bronze Bow is the best book I've read in my life.

Over all, I think that The Cat of Bubastes has its share of boring parts in it. I would much rather read Harry Potter books than this, let's put it that way. But, it has its share of excitment in it too. I would read it again if I had to.

Great read!.......2007-03-19

Great addition to our study of Egypt. And it's a Henty of course!

Old-Fashioned, Rip-Roarin' Fun!.......2005-10-30

This was the first Henty book that I ever read, and when I finished it I was hooked. Henty will take you to the land of ancient Egypt, and you will be able to live his story because of the depth and detail of his writing. Excellent characters and adventurous plot keep you into this book. If you enjoy historical fiction without objectionable content, give G. A. Henty a try!

10 YEAR OLD BOY.......2005-10-15

This book was exciting from the very beginning until the very end. I thought it was one of the best books I've ever read. It is about a Rebu Prince who lost his kingdom, his father, his family, and his home to the Egyptians in battle and was taken captive to Egypt. There, he was made a slave with his friend, Jethro. But he was not sad there for he was chosen by the high priest of the temple of the god, Osiris. Amuba, the Prince, made a friend at the priest's house, called Chebron. The main part was when they were outside trying to shoot a hawk who was killing all the water fowl. They both fired their bow and arrows. Since the prince had been in a battle, he hit the hawk but Chebron, who had never been in a battle before, missed and killed the sacred cat. In Egypt, if you kill a cat, you will be killed. From that point on in the story, things get exciting. People die, battles happen, the Prince and his comrades flee. In the end, Chebron is save because of the heroics of his friends. I rate this book a 5 star. If you want any kind of book just read this one!!

Seeing a Large Cat (Amelia Peabody Mysteries)

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Ninth Book in the Amelia Peabody Series
Such a bore
Such great fun these books are!
Like Old Times
A welcome depature from form

Seeing a Large Cat (Amelia Peabody Mysteries)
Elizabeth Peters
Manufacturer: Warner Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0446518344

Amazon.com

Elizabeth Peters's books about Egyptologist Amelia Peabody are like longer, more literate versions of those letters some relatives send to keep people up to date on their family adventures. They're also lively feminist spoofs on the two-fisted Victorian adventure novels that inspired the Indiana Jones films. In this ninth book in the Peabody series, it's 1903, and Amelia and her clan--irascible husband Emerson, fearless son Ramses, gorgeous ward Nefret--are in Cairo, dealing with everything from mummies (both the ancient and more recent varieties) to affairs of the heart. Previous Peabody paperbacks include The Hippopotamus Pool and The Snake, the Crocodile and the Dog.

Book Description

MysteryLarge Print EditionPeters fans will relish this latest adventure. Publishers WeeklyAs her legions of fans will readily testify, Amelia Peabody Emerson, who wields a mean parasol, is not your usual whodunit heroine. BooklistAmelia Peabody, feisty turn-of-the-century Egyptologist, is in Cairo headed for a dig in the awesome Valley of the Kings. Stay away from tomb Twenty-A, warns an ominous message delivered by an unseen hand. Even though her famous premonitions are telling her that trouble lies ahead, Amelia dreams of a large cat, an Egyptian sign of good luck. And when tomb Twenty-A finally reveals its secret, Amelia will need all the luck she can garner, as the desert produces a macabre puzzle of murder, passion and cruel deceit.

Customer Reviews:

Ninth Book in the Amelia Peabody Series.......2007-06-25

Elizabeth Peters was born and brought up in Illinois and earned her Ph.D. in Egyptology from the University of Chicago's famed Oriental Institute. Peters was named Grand Master at the inaugural Anthony Awards in 1986 and Grand Master by the Mystery Writers of America at the Edgar Awards in 1998. She lives in a historic farmhouse in western Maryland.

The Amelia Peabody books may or may not be an acquired taste, personally I love them. They are set in Victorian times when there were still very strict rules of etiquette and polite behaviour was the norm. Although most of the books are set in Egypt, in the desert under very trying conditions and extremely hot weather the `English' way of life was still expected to be adhered to, sometimes with quite hilarious consequences.

Amelia Peabody is Elizabeth Peters' best loved and brilliant creation, a thoroughly Victorian feminist who takes the stuffy world of archaeology by storm with her no nonsense dress sense and forthright opinions.

Once again Amelia Peabody and her family return to their beloved Egypt. They are excited that they have a license to excavate a tomb in the spot that all archaeologists would love to dig, the Valley of the Kings. However they are not working on the exciting find of a new tomb but on clearing one that has already been opened. Emerson is approached by an American, Colonel Bellingham, to come to work for him, but Emerson works only for himself and is not slow in telling the Colonel this. To complicate matters the Colonel's daughter, Dolly needs someone to chaperone her and sets her sights on Ramses (in this book Ramses, Nefret and David are at the young adult stage).

The family is also passed a note warning them to stay away from a tomb that does not exist. Amelia and Emerson realise that there may be a hidden tomb, as the note suggests. Eventually their search brings them to the tomb and it contains a mummy. But this is no ancient Egyptian. This person had died and been mummified in the last decade . . .

Such a bore.......2005-06-22

The mystery was boring, the characters tedious, and continually having events re-examined from someone else's point of view was a yawn. Why has a mummy in silk underwear been brought to the Emerson family's attention? What is the connection with the mysterious American millionaire and his man-eating daughter? By the end, I didn't much care.
The Peabody novels have been going downhill as the series progresses, and I think the essential reason is that the author loves her main characters, the Emerson family, too much. They are perfect by default, no matter how reprehensible or stupid their behaviour, because they are the main characters and her beloved creations - it is only others who can be at fault. Rarely does anything truly bad ever happen to them, and if it does it is because of their "virtue" and "nobility".

Such great fun these books are!.......2005-04-07

This series is a total delight, and this book is certainly one of my personal favourites. In the book we actually have two parallel stories running - that of Amelia and Emerson, and their search to solve the mystery of the mysterious mummy that they have found, and the young people - Ramses, David and Nefret doing their own thing to solve that same mystery. What makes the story so very funny is that Amelia is not at all aware of what "the children" are doing. That is one of the funniest things in the book - her insistence on calling the three young people children. She has no idea what dangerous games they are up to. Emerson guesses, but he keeps his thoughts to himself. Ramses is turning into quite a character. In this book he is sixteen years of age, but his immense intelligence, his skill at disguise and his knowledge of many languages make him a formidable opponent. I really can't wait to see what this group of five people get up to next! Ms. Peters tells a wonderful story, but it's her characterizations that are so remarkable.

Like Old Times.......2005-03-05

After the disaster that was The Hippopotamus Pool, Seeing a Large Cat is a refreshing return to the novels of old. Back is the fun dialogue, the satiric eye-wink of a mystery, and wonderful banter between Emerson and Amelia. With this book, Peters has pushed the children into their middle to late teens, which provides for new an interesting voices to combat the bombastic Emerson and the lovingly know-it-all Amelia. The addition of David, the only good thing to come out of The Hippopotamus Pool, provides a refreshing new voice to the series and loving foil to Ramses and Nefret. Also new to this book is the addition of Manuscript H, which provides a fictionalized voice to the adventures of Ramses, Nefret, and David. While I liked the addition of a new voice that allows for a perspective different from Amelia Peabody's, I found the way Peters chose to insert them into the novel annoying. I would rather have had her break the Manuscript H sections into seperate chapters, but she's the writer, not me. Overall, this was a nice return to the Amelia Peabody mysteries of old, but with new voices, new characters, the return of old favorites, and a much more dramtic turn than we've seen before.

A welcome depature from form.......2004-12-15

After the uneven Hippopotamus Pool, the Amelia Peabody series plunges in a new direction with Seeing a Large Cat, an alternately charming, funny, poignant, and disturbing mystery. The pacing of this novel is tighter, the cast of characters trimmed down, and shadowy Master and Mistress Criminals are replaced by a fresh new set of antagonists. Amelia's trademark first-person narrative is supplemented by a third-person "Manuscript H" that gives insight into the personalities and activities of the "children": Ramses, Nefret, and the recently acquired David, now young adults with a great deal to add to the Amelia-and-Emerson formula.
Ramses has at last matured from "catastrophically precocious" child to an interesting young man; those long-winded speeches of his are finally a thing of the past. In many ways this is a book about Ramses' coming of age-- from his dramatic entry with flowing robes and rakish mustache to his internal monologue at the wrenching conclusion, Ramses is developed as a conflicted and worthwhile character rather than a deus ex machina brat. He has his aggravating moments, but his moments of adolescent bravado (see: flowing robes and rakish mustache) are given nuance by what we finally see of his interior life.
David, the Egyptian boy adopted into the family in The Hippopotamus Pool, is a gentle, sensitive counterpart to the calculating Ramses-- almost too nice a person to be believable, but welcome all the same. Nefret is a more polarizing character; her past as the "incarnation of Isis" is a receding memory, and Nefret is a "thoroughly modern" girl who spends the day working in trousers and swearing and then can change into the belle of any ball. It's all a far cry from the flower-like maiden of the Lost Oasis, and some may not care for her.
So, Amelia and Emerson remain themselves, the kids are a good addition-- what of the mystery? Well, a trio of old friends (Enid and Donald from the Lion in the Valley, and good ol' Cyrus Vandergelt) mingle with a trio of newcomers: a fraudulent medium, an American colonel, and his spoiled daughter Dolly. The tensions generated by these characters' interactions interweave with Amelia's own mystery-- the secret of Tomb 20A, a tomb that isn't supposed to exist. Once-and-future "young lovers," eccentric millionaire, bogus medium, Southern-fried colonel, and spoiled brat all collide with the Emersons over the mystery tomb and its occupant-- the most unique mummy Amelia has ever unearthed.
Seeing a Large Cat is one of the most satisfying reads in the Peabody series: it blends the usual mystery-spoof comedy with chilling tragedy, makes skillful use of old characters while introducing memorable new ones, and generally revives the series after the Hippopotamus Muddle. I especially liked the moment when Amelia discovers the ill-kept grave of Alan Armadale in a cemetery near Luxor; that this footnote character, one of the many bodies that piled up in the long-ago events of The Mummy Case, should be brought back to prick Amelia's conscience linked the jolly-spoof early books of the series with the dramatic-suspense later ones in a touching way. Seeing a Large Cat acknowledges the past of the Peabody series, and then marches off in a different direction-- a storm-shrouded horizon. I give it four stars not because I consider it great literature, but because I think it one of the best books in a wonderful series.

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Mrs. Price's Third Grade Class
Ms. Pye's Third Grade Class
Mr. Ferrara's Third Grade Class
Ms. Davis' Third Grade Class
Ms. Diehl's Third Grade Class

The Cats in Krasinski Square
Karen Hesse
Manufacturer: Scholastic Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0439435404

Book Description

When Karen Hesse came upon a short article about cats out-foxing the Gestapo at the train station in Warsaw during WWII, she couldn't get the story out of her mind. The result is this stirring account of a Jewish girl's involvement in the Resistance. At once terrifying and soulful, this fictional account, borne of meticulous research, is a testament to history and to our passionate will to survive, as only Newbery Medalist Karen Hesse can write it.

Customer Reviews:

Mrs. Price's Third Grade Class.......2007-06-14

This is a real story that happened a long time ago during WWII. It is a great book because the little girl thought of a good plan to distract the police. The illustrations were great. It was a beautiful story because they were helping Jewish people.

Ms. Pye's Third Grade Class.......2007-06-14

The story takes place during WWII and is based on a true event. We liked the story because they helped people who were trapped get food. The story was interesting. The girl had two great ideas to help others. The girl was brave by helping smuggle food into the Warsaw Ghetto.

Mr. Ferrara's Third Grade Class.......2007-06-14

The story took place during WW II. A girl, her sister and friends were planning to smuggle food into the Warsaw Ghetto. The police found out about the plan; what were the girl and her friends going to do? The girl had a back-up plan! This is a good story because it is heartwarming and people are helping others. It also gives details about a true event during WWII.

Ms. Davis' Third Grade Class.......2007-06-09

In this book there were people who didn't have food, got diseases and died. There were people who had a smart plan to help others. A young girl escaped from behind the wall. She went to take food to the sick people. The girl was kind. It was a nice story about helping others.

Ms. Diehl's Third Grade Class.......2007-06-09

It was about cats in a train station scaring the dogs away from the police. The girl is trying to bring food to people who are trapped in the Warsaw Ghetto. It is a good book because it tells about WWII and getting out of the Ghetto.

Waiting for Gertrude: A Graveyard Gothic

Average customer rating:

cat lovers stop here.....
UNIQUE!
Doesn't capture the famously dead
A wordsmiths delight
An Intelllectual Fantasy

Waiting for Gertrude: A Graveyard Gothic
Bill Richardson
Manufacturer: Thomas Dunne Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0312318685

Book Description

In Paris's Pere-Lachaise cemetery lie the bones of many renowned departed. It is also home to a large number of stray cats. Now, what if by some strange twist of fate, the souls of the famous were reborn in the cats with their personalities intact? There's Maria Callas, a wilful and imperious diva, wailing late into the night. Earthy, bawdy chanteuse Edith Piaf is a foul-mouthed washerwoman. Oscar Wilde is hopelessly in love with Jim Morrison who sadly does not return his affections. Frederic Chopin is as melancholic and deeply contemplative as ever, and in honor of the tradition of leaving love letters at his tomb, he is now the cemetery's postmaster general. Last but not least, Marcel Proust is trying to solve the mystery behind some unusual thefts - someone has stolen Rossini's glass eye and Sarah Bernhardt's leg. Told in a series of amusing set pieces and intercepted letters, this is a delicious tale of intrigue, unrequited love, longstanding quarrels, character assassinations, petty spats, and sorcery that builds to a steady climax at the cats' annual Christmas pageant.

Customer Reviews:

cat lovers stop here............2007-01-22

This is one of my absolutely favorite books. The story is funny, sweet and whimsical. If you aren't partial to cats, this may hold no interest
for you, because the entire charm of the story is the idea of all these famous (and infamous) people being reincarnated as felines. To keep faithful Alice B. Toklas company is Proust, Chopin, Collette, Oscar Wilde, Jim Morrison, Modigliani and several other former human luminaries.
I pull this book out whenever I feel down or stressed-out and it never fails to cheer me up. It's an easy afternoon read. Don't pass up this little treasure!

UNIQUE!.......2005-06-04

I'm going to say this was the best book I've read in years. It was quirkey, unique and just plain fascinating. What an imagination this writer has! I love cats. I love literature! This book took those two subjects and blended them together to create the most enjoyable book I've read in a long time. I highly reccommend this to anyone who loves literature, who will appreciate recognizing literary greats plus meeting the most unsual characters ever together in a cemetary all inhabiting the bodies of stray cats!

Doesn't capture the famously dead.......2004-11-06

The basic idea of this book is so intriguing, but the characters, famous people reincarnated as cats, don't capture the essence or even general flavor of those people (Jim Morrison, Oscar Wilde, etc.). I bought this book because I love cats, I love Pere Lachaise, and I thought it was an interesting and unusual premise to base a book on. Alas, nice idea, good elements, poor execution. I'm disappointed.

A wordsmiths delight.......2004-07-08

This book is absolutely delicious! It is full of puns and hidden references. The exercise in devouring this little gem is worth every second. I didn't want it to end. It is a writers read as well as a readers read I recommend it to everyone who enjoys words. Don't waste another minute buy it! Doesn't hurt if you have spent time in Paris either.

An Intelllectual Fantasy.......2004-05-28

I picked up this book after having visited the graveyards of Paris and falling in love with the artful serenity they exude.

At times witty, charming and even historical this little story takes a visit to a French graveyard into a whole other world. Famous people who reside in death at the Pere-Lachaise Cimetiere in Paris are finding theselves reincarnated into stray cats. Bill Richardson is loyal to the original historical figures and allows all their known eccentricities to remain alive within the cats. Alice B. Tolkas pines away for the return of her beloved Gertrude Stein, Jim Morrison is a swaggering sexy tomcat, Fontaine describes the cats with great poetic harmonies, Oscar Wilde falls in love with Morrison, Isadora Duncan still dances in the moonlight with ribbons, Colette still exudes desire, Maria Callas is still quite the diva, Sarah Bernhardt the consummate actress, and Proust becomes a reculsive private eye, just to name a few.

I rated this book with only 3 stars because it is a bit complex to read. The style is chaotic, bouncing around from letter, to narration, to poetry and more letters. The writing is littered with uncommon words that leave you feeling ignorant if you don't take the time to look them up. The characters are complex, of course they should be, and halfway through the book I stopped to refresh my memory on who was who before continuing on. I recommend a quickie refresher course on interesting French figures before beginning to read this story only because it allows you to grasp all the subtle nuances as you go along. All in all a GREAT idea had it been toned down to the masses but a superb book for literary snobs and the French aficionado. My favorite conversation in the book is between Oscar Wilde and Alice B. Tolkas (as cats), "Never disparage a surface. Nothing recommends beauty more than superficiality. Real beauty walks through the world uncluttered and unmasked. It dosen't hide in the earth like a truffle, attendant on the tender mercies of a passing pig." Bravo, Bill Richardson for awakening the dead!!

Average customer rating:

Human look at all sides of the war.

Wonderful story superbly written

Bao Chi

Outstanding!

38 Years Later

The Cat from Hue: A Vietnam War Story
John Laurence
Manufacturer: PublicAffairs
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Once Upon a Distant War: David Halberstam, Neil Sheehan, Peter Arnett--Young War Correspondents and Their Early Vietnam Battles

Larry Burrows: Vietnam

Dispatches

Phase Line Green: The Battle for Hue, 1968

Battle for Hue: Tet 1968

ASIN: 1891620312
Release Date: 2002-01-08

Amazon.com

With over half a decade of service as a war correspondent in Vietnam, John Laurence earned deserved accolades for his reportage, especially for his documentary The World of Charlie Company. In this superb book, The Cat from Hue, he returns to that time, drawing on long-buried memories to capture the confusion, deceit, and terror of the era.

In 1968, John Laurence unhappily found himself dodging bullets and poking among ruins of the ancient Vietnamese city of Hue, eventually wandering square into the sights of a gun held by a North Vietnamese soldier, who could easily have shot him dead but did not. It was not his first encounter with mortal danger, and not his last; as this long, intricately constructed memoir unfolds, death greets the reader on nearly every page, along with the more mundane facts of war--the language of soldiers, the things they carried, the numbed resignation to battle as "an edge against fear." (Superstition plays a role, too: Laurence figured that the "coins, charms, four-leaf clovers, religious medals and all kinds of talismans" that he kept with him would somehow shield him from bullets, as perhaps they did.) In the company of a shell-shocked kitten, the cat of his book's title, Laurence goes on to document the lives and deaths of young soldiers during the invasion of Cambodia, men who, though personally decent in the main, were part of "a monster that inflicted so much random violence and death it produced an entire new body of evil, a catalogue of cruelty that overshadowed any possible virtue that might have come from defeating the Communists."

Harrowing, sometimes hallucinatory, written from among the weeds and rubble, and one of the best in a crowded field, Laurence's book deserves the widest possible audience. --Gregory McNamee

Book Description

This is the true story of a young American reporter who went to Vietnam with an open mind and an innocent heart and was plunged into a world of cruel beauty and savage violence. His experiences in the war forced him to question all his assumptions about his country, the nation's leaders and his own sanity.

John Laurence covered Vietnam for CBS News from 1965 to 1970. He was judged by his colleagues to be the best television reporter of the war. He and his camera team lived with a squad of U.S. troops in the jungles of War Zone C to film "The World of Charlie Company," a documentary that received every major award for broadcast journalism. Despite the professional acclaim, the traumatic stories Laurence covered became a personal burden that he carried long after the war was over. He struggled with memories of the Tet Offensive and the Battle of Hue, incoming artillery at Khe Sanh and Con Thien, the wounding of those around him, the deaths of his friends, the killing of civilians, a colonel who smoked opium during the siege of his camp, American troops who fell in love with their dead comrades. Mostly, his conscience haunted him about a close encounter with a North Vietnamese soldier that forced him to make a decision of life and death.

After years of reckoning with his memories, Laurence has made sense of them in this memoir by weaving them into a compelling story. It is laced with humor, anger, love, and the unforgettable tale of a very idiosyncratic cat who was determined to play his part in the Vietnam revolution. In reconstructing his experiences, he has relied not only on his notes and memory, but also on hundreds of hours of film footage shot at the time. This gives the book an uncanny vividness and fidelity to facts.

The Cat from Hue is filled with bizarre stories of unexpected human behavior, of famous names and of unknown soldiers, of the worlds of the American grunt and the Vietnamese civilian, of incredible humanity and courage, of corruption and cowardice, and of the personal price of survival and sanity. Along the way, it clarifies the history of that murky war and the role that journalists (some of them as crazy as they were brave) played in altering its course. Finally, the book offers a secret to survival for those who still struggle, as he did, with the demons of Vietnam.

For anyone who was there, for anyone who wants to discover what it was like to be there, for all of us trying to understand what the Vietnam War meant and still means for America, The Cat from Hue is memorable reading.

Customer Reviews:

Human look at all sides of the war........2006-05-06

Very long but worth it if you want to know many of the personalities reporting the war in the Nam. Follows most aspects of the war from near the beginning with a green Laurence till the end and John as an old salt. Better and more human than other vietnam memiors.

Wonderful story superbly written.......2006-04-05

There are lots of great things about this book, but what I enjoyed most is that it covers two distinct but interrelated subjects: The Vietnam War from the perspective of the grunts on the front lines and journalism during the war. Both subjects are covered in vivid detail, making the entire book enlightening, informative, and even entertaining. The Cat from Hue is a history book and an autobiography all at once, written in prose that flows well and makes the reader want more. And since it's 800+ pages, there is plenty more. Anyone with even the remotest interest in the Vietnam War should definitely read this book, even if you think you already know everything there is to know about that chapter of history.

Bao Chi.......2005-11-10

The good ones, and John Laurence was very good, roamed South Vietnam like they owned it, documenting the carnage, the horror, the bravery, the cowardice, the stupidity, the love, the pain, the loss, the whole long national nightmare that was the Vietnam War. "The Cat from Hue", a taut, flabless doorstopper of a book, chronicles the roughly five years Mr. Laurence spent in South Vietnam as a combat correspondent for CBS.

It would be inaccurate to characterize Mr. Laurence as naive when he first landed in-country in 1965, but he wasn't yet the gimlet-eyed observer that he would become. He was, like many first-timers, caught up in the adventure of the enterprise-young men at war. He lived with other journalists and photographers in Saigon, booming out from there to all points of the Vietnamese combat compass, in a place called "Frankie's House". If "Frankie's House" wasn't quite a den of iniquity, it was home to copious amounts of sex, drugs, and rock and roll. It was also home to a very talented group of men. Sean Flynn. Dana Stone. Tim Page. Michael Herr, of "Dispatches" fame. Flynn and Stone later disappeared in Cambodia and were never found.

Through the years Mr. Laurence came to realize that America was trapped in the lethal briar patch it had flung itself into. His inability to be anything less than honest sometimes got him in trouble with the military hierarchy but this same honesty made him a favorite with the ordinary groundpounder. He shared their hardships (though he freely admits that he could hop a chopper and leave whenever he wanted) and his award-winning documentary "The Boys of Charlie Company" is the gold standard for what life was like in the field for the infantry.

Combat is depicted in all its chaos in "The Cat from Hue". Mr. Laurence captures the fear, the excitement, and more, the "... wild rage of men trying to kill each other at close range". He wants to know, and coveys to the reader, what soldiers think about when facing death. In a war that, like all wars, became all-consuming, all-destroying, that became an end unto itself, that spawned casualties in the millions, Mr. Laurence is able to show the magnitude of the tragedy by focusing on the individual.

Mr. Laurence may have made his bones as one of the stars of the TV war but he is also an excellent writer. He describes the jungle so vividly that one can see the bugs and the snakes and feel the heat, oh yes, the heat. Those who had to fight there knew that the jungle was a living thing, a place where a man could pass an area he had been through ten minutes before and not recognize it. Mr. Laurence can write elegantly, as when he describes the death of his friend Sam Castan, or acidly, as when he portrays Morley Safer as a cowardly grandstander.

Of course, no one can spend as much time in combat as Mr. Laurence did and return unchanged. "You'd never be all to yourself afterwards" is how one grunt is quoted about the effects of too much time in the bush. Mr. Laurence is no exception-he exhibits many of the symptoms of PTSD and he still seems genuinely troubled by the time he crossed the line that separates correspondent from combatant. "The Cat from Hue" is moving and honest. It will stand next to other classics of the Vietnam War, the war that keeps on giving.

Outstanding!.......2005-06-19

John Laurence' memoirs of his years reporting the Vietnam war(1965-1968) for CBS, and is one of the most insightful books on the war that I have read. At 800+ pages, it is a little wordy, but nevertheless it is extremely readable. He will be with Fall, Halberstam and Karnow when the literature on the period is evaluated. Recommend highly.

38 Years Later.......2004-09-14

I had the pleasure to meet Jack Laurence and Keith Kay while up in I Corps near the DMZ. Don't know if either remember this, bad weather stranded us at some God-forgotten place, Con Thien or Khe Sanh and we ended up huddling together for the night. Neither Laurence or Kay had rations left, so we dined under the poncho that night with goodies I got from home: a can of fois gras, crackers and beef jerky.

Jack's book right on target...brought back a lot of memories, both good and bad. The press center where we stayed was exactly as he described, from starched-up Colonel Faser to the funny smelling smoke coming out of the rooms (marijuanna). Too bad he didn't mention about taking the III MAF General's boat out on the Danang River one night and racing it around the harbor, scaring the hell out of the Marines guarding the bridge nearby (Maybe Jack wasn't there!).

I heartily recommend anyone interested in combat journalism read "Cat." We worked hard and played hard. To Jack, Keith, and to those we will not see again, Sean, Dana, Henri, Larry, Dickey, Bernard, Byron, Bill, I salute you for your integrity, courage and dedication.

SSgt. Frank Lee, USMC
Combat Information Bureau
Danang, Vietnam 1967

Average customer rating:

Funny and Good Illustrations

Captain Cat (I Can Read Book 1)

Manufacturer: HarperTrophy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0064441768

Book Description

A patriotic feline, Captain Cat springs out of bed whenever the bugle sounds and he has more stripes than any of the soldiers. But most of all, this young recruit and his best friend Pete know what it really takes to make the army a home—friendship. `Hoff continues his string of hits.' —BL. `Hoff has maintained his deft touch with a title that's sure to appeal to youngsters.' —SLJ.

Customer Reviews:

Funny and Good Illustrations.......2004-12-07

This is a funny book that shows a cat who jumps to attention at the sound of a bugle, and has more stripes than a drill sergeant. While captains don't wear stripes (they have bars), the book is a funny look at miltary life, from the perspective of a cat who innocently wanders onto an army post and is befriended by a soldier. The book is suitable for K-3, but is also a good choice for older readers who need the confidence that successfully completing a book on his or her own provides. This book was available in my son's elementary school library, which I believe says something for its broad appeal.

Danger: The Dog Yard Cat (Last Wilderness Adventure)

Average customer rating:

From a "former child" now 18 years old...
Kathleen at Ashley River El.
Jasmine at Ashley River EL.
Hayden at Ashley River Elementary
Jamie at Ashley River El.

Danger: The Dog Yard Cat (Last Wilderness Adventure)
Libby Riddles
Manufacturer: Sasquatch Books/Paws IV Children's Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0934007098

Customer Reviews:

From a "former child" now 18 years old..........2003-01-22

I first recieved this book after Shelly Gill spoke at my elementary school when I was in 3rd grade. It was my favorite book! It is a fun-loving story, and it has very engaging pictures.I would reccomend this to children everywhere...
Side Note: I love this book so much that I am using it as part of one of my College reports!

Kathleen at Ashley River El........2000-10-20

Danger the Dog Yard Cat was one of the best books I've ever read because it's funny with a very catchy ending. Shelley Gill is funny and cool.

Jasmine at Ashley River EL........2000-10-20

Danger the Yard Dog Cat was Dangerously Extreme. It is about a cat named Danger & he lives with 57 Huskies! Thanks for the autograph, Shelley Gill.

Hayden at Ashley River Elementary.......2000-10-11

I like this book because it is very funny.(not to Long not to short).I recommend this book a lot, to anyone. It also has a lot of rhymes in it.

Jamie at Ashley River El........2000-10-11

I give this book four stars. It`s great and really funny! I don`t give it five stars because it is too easy for me. It should be for kids ages 4-6. I recommend this book for kids who like cats.

It's Raining Cats And Dogs: Making Sense of Animal Phrases

Average customer rating:

Not just an Idiom
A total delight!
The Most Clever and Amusing Pet Book EVER!!!!

It's Raining Cats And Dogs: Making Sense of Animal Phrases
Jackie Franza
Manufacturer: BowTie Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1931993742

Book Description

There's no better gift book than one that combines animals and fascinating phrase facts! It's Raining Cats & Dogs: Making Sense of Animal Phrases will make you "go hog wild" when you learn the meanings and origins of animal expressions used every day. With this fun book from the publisher of Cat Fancy and Dog Fancy magazines, you can be "the cat's meow." It's Raining Cats & Dogs is the perfect resource or gift for anyone who love language or animals.

Customer Reviews:

Not just an Idiom.......2007-05-12

Idioms are everywhere, and often we do not know what they mean. This book is a great addition to any library reference section! Learn about the origin of animal idioms and sayings. See colorful pictures and interesting literal interpretations of these idioms and sayings. Great book!

A total delight!.......2006-04-06

Without a doubt this was the most intersting book I have read in years. I always wondered where those silly sayings came from - now I know. This book was well written and easy to read. I liked the illustrations as well.

The Most Clever and Amusing Pet Book EVER!!!!.......2006-04-05

I loved this book so much. It was clever and charming and I was chuckling all the way to the end of the book. It was interesting to learn how everyday sayings came into use and the meaning behind them. I can't wait to impress people with the new sayings that I learned as well. I have never enjoyed a pet book as much as I enjoyed this one.I would definitely recommend this author to everyone. I hope that she comes out with more books as fun and witty as this one.

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