Average customer rating:
- Way too simple, but OK for kids
- Definitely not worth the money.
- Perhaps he should name it....Catapults for Kids.
- More fun!
- Amusing catapults, interesting history, but no metric units
|
The Art of the Catapult: Build Greek Ballistae, Roman Onagers, English Trebuchets, and More Ancient Artillery
William Gurstelle
Manufacturer: Chicago Review Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Military & Wars
| History & Historical Fiction
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
How Things Work
| Science, Nature & How It Works
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Experiments & Projects
| Science, Nature & How It Works
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Ages 9-12
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
History of Technology
| Technology
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Greece
| Europe
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Look Inside Children's Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside History Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Science Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Backyard Ballistics: Build Potato Cannons, Paper Match Rockets, Cincinnati Fire Kites, Tennis Ball Mortars, and More Dynamite Devices
-
Gonzo Gizmos: Projects & Devices to Channel Your Inner Geek
-
Sneaky Uses for Everyday Things: How to Turn a Penny into a Radio, Make a Flood Alarm with an Aspirin, Change
-
Whoosh Boom Splat: The Garage Warrior's Guide to Building Projectile Shooters
-
Adventures from the Technology Underground: Catapults, Pulsejets, Rail Guns, Flamethrowers, Tesla Coils, Air Cannons, and the Garage Warriors Who Love Them
ASIN: 1556525265 |
Book Description
Whether playing at defending their own castle or simply chucking pumpkins over a fence, wannabe marauders and tinkerers will become fast acquainted with Ludgar, the War Wolf, Ill Neighbor, Cabulus, and the Wild Donkey—ancient artillery devices known commonly as catapults. Building these simple yet sophisticated machines introduces fundamentals of math and physics using levers, force, torsion, tension, and traction. Instructions and diagrams illustrate how to build seven authentic working model catapults, including an early Greek ballista, a Roman onager, and the apex of catapult technology, the English trebuchet. Additional projects include learning how to lash and make rope and how to construct and use a hand sling and a staff sling. The colorful history of siege warfare is explored through the stories of Alexander the Great and his battle of Tyre; Saladin, Richard the Lionheart, and the Third Crusade; pirate-turned-soldier John Crabbe and his ship-mounted catapults; and Edward I of England and his battle against the Scots at Stirling Castle.
Customer Reviews:
Way too simple, but OK for kids.......2007-06-29
I find this book to be very superficial when it comes to the real deal. If you're looking for a book on catapults, you're going to get disappointed. This book focuses om making simple small scale models of catapults. I suppose it's great for a weekend project with your wannabe engineer kids, but if you're really interested in pre gunpowder siege warfare, you should rather take a look at Konstantin Nossov's book on siege warfare, which is a really thourough work. Also note that there aren't any metric units for the models, which complicates construction for the common european.
Definitely not worth the money........2007-04-17
I was really dissappointed with this book. Several of the projects are ridiculous, and he didn't do enough research. A few quick searches of the internet reveal that he gets a lot of historical facts wrong.
His first two projects, have nothing to do with anything related to actual catapults. The first is two sticks tied together, and the second is the equivalent of a waterbaloon slingshot. He calls it the "Viking Catapult". Of the ten projects in this book, three of them are modeled on actual historical types of catapults. Two are sub projects, that just show you how to build parts of the catapults, and the other five are things a child could design on thier own. As the one of the other reviewers pointed out, the last project is a plastic spoon catapult game. Small children do this on their own.
Do your self a favor, and download some free plans off the internet.
Perhaps he should name it....Catapults for Kids........2007-01-10
I was disappointed in this book. I was expecting some historically accurate designs and what I received was overly simplified plans presumably designed mostly for children. Yes, most of the text is related to the history of these weapons, but the plans left something to be desired. The ballista plan suggests use of a peanut as ammunition (not a bolt?) and the catch mechanism is nonexistent. The last project is a plastic-spoon-based basketball game. Enough said?
More fun!.......2006-11-10
This is a great book - got a copy for my brother for Christmas, and after taking a look had to get my own copy. I've been wanting to build a trebuchet ever since I saw one as a teenager - here are the plans!
Amusing catapults, interesting history, but no metric units.......2005-07-20
This book contains easy-to-follow instructions on how to build different catapults. Unfortunately there is no data regarding approx. distance and height for the suggested projectiles, why you must try for yourself. All units are english/american, which means you must translate this to metric units if you are more used to that.
A lot of historic background around catapults in general and around each model is given, which makes the book very interesting to read, even if you do not plan to build any of the models.
I can recommend this book to both historically interrested people and those who are more fond of making amusing toys!
Average customer rating:
- lawless government invites citizen anarchy
- Wake up, America!
- A major disappointment by a major writer...
- Witty, bitchy, and impassioned, Vidal is on target critiquing unchecked state power
- Gore Vidal is Not a Mainstream Wimpy Historian: He is Honest and Makes Readers Think
|
Perpetual War for Perpetual Peace
Gore Vidal
Manufacturer: Nation Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Military
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Military Science
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| History & Criticism
| United States
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
| Classics
| Comic
| Contemporary
| Literary
Vidal, Gore
| ( V )
| Authors, A-Z
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
War & Peace
| Current Events
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Politics
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
History & Theory
| Politics
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Relations
| International
| Politics
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
U.S.
| Politics
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Look Inside History Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Fiction Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Nonfiction Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Dreaming War: Blood for Oil and the Cheney-Bush Junta
-
Imperial America: Reflections on the United States of Amnesia
-
Decline and Fall of the American Empire (The Real Story Series)
-
Inventing a Nation: Washington, Adams, Jefferson
-
United States
ASIN: 156025405X |
Book Description
The United States has been engaged in what the great historian Charles A. Beard called "perpetual war for perpetual peace." The Federation of American Scientists has cataloged nearly 200 military incursions since 1945 in which the United States has been the aggressor. In a series of penetrating and alarming essays, whose centerpiece is a commentary on the events of September 11, 2001 (deemed too controversial to publish in this country until now) Gore Vidal challenges the comforting consensus following September 11th and goes back and draws connections to Timothy McVeigh's bombing of the federal building in Oklahoma City. He asks were these simply the acts of "evil-doers?" “Gore Vidal is the master essayist of our age.” — Washington Post ”Our greatest living man of letters.”—Boston Globe “Vidal’s imagination of American politics is so powerful as to compel awe.”—Harold Bloom, The New York Review of Books
Customer Reviews:
lawless government invites citizen anarchy.......2007-07-12
Is there a connection between Timothy McVeigh's 1995 bombing of the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, which killed 168 people and is still the deadliest terrorist act in America except for 9/11; the FBI's ambush of the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Texas, that killed eighty-two people (1993); and the Iraq war? Well, maybe. In this slender volume of occasional essays the controversial writer Gore Vidal tries to connect the dots.
Vidal borrows the phrase "perpetual war for perpetual peace" from the American historian Charles Beard (1874-1948), famous for his outspoken criticisms of American interventionism abroad. To punctuate his point Vidal includes a list from the Federation of American Scientists that identifies 201 instances of American military intervention between Pearl Harbor and September 11, 2001 (pp. 22-41). In fact, this grossly underestimates American military incursions if Cullen Murphy of Vanity Fair is right that in any given year American forces conduct 170 "operations" abroad (Are We Rome?). At any rate, the Iraq war that began in March 2003 was, sadly, only one more instance of pre-emptive and unilateral state violence by America, some of it against its own citizens.
Whereas the press demonized McVeigh, Vidal tries to understand him. Based upon his three-year correspondence with McVeigh, who invited him to be one of the five witnesses of his execution (Vidal couldn't attend), Vidal concludes that Oklahoma City was McVeigh's revenge for Waco. Without the latter the former never would have happened. McVeigh clearly explained his motives in a letter to Vidal in which he quoted Justice Louis Brandeis in the Olmstead case of 1928, where the Supreme Court upheld the right of the federal government to wiretap private telephone conversations and use them as evidence: "Our government," wrote Brandeis in the dissenting opinion, "is the potent, the omnipotent teacher. For good or ill, it teaches the whole people by its example." Thus did McVeigh "declare war on a government [at Oklahoma City] that he felt had declared war on its own people" at Waco. Later Vidal continues the Brandeis quote where McVeigh had left off: "Crime is contagious. If the government becomes the law breaker, it breeds contempt for laws; it invites every man to become a law unto himself." Lawless government invites anarchy; it will reap what it sows.
In Vidal's scenario, pre-emptive war in Iraq is of the same piece as the FBI slaughtering Branch Davidian cultists. "Now, with the revolt of the Praetorian Guard at the Pentagon, we are entering a new and dangerous phase," he writes. "Although we regularly stigmatize other societies as rogue states, we ourselves have become the largest rogue of all. We honor no treaties. We spurn international courts. We strike unilaterally wherever we choose. We give orders to the United Nations but do not pay our dues. We complain of terrorism, yet our empire is now the greatest terrorist of all. We bomb, invade, subvert other states. Although We the People of the United States are the sole source of legitimate authority in this land, we are no longer represented in Congress Assembled" (158-159). And so private citizens like McVeigh follow the example of government atrocities in Waco and Baghdad.
Wake up, America!.......2007-06-08
Vidal's job has always been to act as a Cassandra during the final days of the American republic: like her, he always speaks the truth but no-one believes it. This book is really just a collection of magazine articles and it's a shame that at 82 he probably doesn't have the stamina for a comprehensive analysis. Having said that, it's still worth reading if only for the essay on Timothy McVeigh.
And if you think I'm exaggerating about the American collapse, consider the obvious parallels between the fall of Rome and the present American decline - the destruction of the currency; defeat in war; and the invasion of the homeland by foreigners.
A major disappointment by a major writer..........2007-01-22
Gore Vidal is one of my favorite novelists, essayists, and pundits. BURR is one of my all-time favorite novels. And the editorial review of this book sounded very much like it covered not dissimilar territory to one of the best films of last year, the documentary WHY WE FIGHT, which outlines the disturbing evolution of the military/industrial/congressional complex. But this book turns out to be an off-kilter screed, an opinion piece peppered with facts but largely rant and rave with an uncharacteristic lack of satisfying insight. He even gets at least one fact wrong: in listing all the treaties we've broken he mentions Kyoto as one of them; in truth congress never ratified that treaty, hence there was never one to break.
Every great writer is allowed an off day. This book, though, was such a major disappointment because Vidal's novels have such a keen grasp of historical context and Vidal himself has such a learned and insightful overview. For me, a major disappointment.
Witty, bitchy, and impassioned, Vidal is on target critiquing unchecked state power.......2006-11-07
Gore Vidal is not my favorite writer, political or otherwise, because his tendencies to name drop and to remind the reader of his patrician heritage grate on my nerves. That said, this slender volume of collected essays is required reading for anyone, liberal or conservative, who thinks that the train of the United States has jumped its Constitutional tracks and is headed for catastrophe, both domestically and internationally. It is also nice to hear someone so eloquently remind Americans that our Constitutional heritage is primarily one of mistrust of government, our own first and foremost, and to challenge the received opinion that this mistrust is now tantamount to treason.
Not only is this sense of distrust our obligation as American citizens, but it is also healthy, Vidal argues. He supports this argument by discussing the violent and murderous contempt our government has had for those in the world, both abroad and at home, who would challenge its claims to ideological and actual dominance. The first essay in this collection endeavors to explain why those abroad hate the American government by making reference to the hundreds of military ventures our nation has engaged in (with almost absolute impunity it must be noted) over the last half-century. Democratically elect a leader whose policies don't completely gibe with American national (read "commercial") interests? Then Uncle Sam will help depose him. Since the end of WWII, the US has intervened in so many other nations' internal affairs, often with disastrous consequences for the everyday people in those nations, that the mind reels. The question becomes not "why do they hate us" but "why have they waited so long to show it?"
The essays which follow the introduction deal with issues of domestic un-tranquility and, in particular, the violent response of one Timothy McVeigh to a federal government that rages unchecked. If that last phrase seems extreme, imagine seeing your wife get shot through the head (as she clutched an infant) hours after watching your 14-year old son shot in the back by the same "law officers," all because you were entrapped into committing the "crime" of sawing off two shotguns. That's what happened to Randy Weaver at his Ruby Ridge, ID, home. He, and not the murdering authorities, was the one accused of crimes in that situation, and the media, complicit with the federal authorities, did its best to cover-up the true criminals. Later, a group of non-traditional religious folks were murdered, with their 27 children, by the same lawless authorities, and again, the media and government manipulated the story so that it was the citizen, and not the government, who was to blame. These incidents, argues Vidal, are indicative of a rogue American government, one that blames its victims and exonerates itself at every opportunity. Vidal also inveighs against the puritanical, prudish prurience of those Americans who so desperately want to see their neighbors controlled that they'll excuse their government of any crimes committed to that end, no matter how heinous. As he notes when discussing Timothy McVeigh's murder of innocents in the Murrah building in OKC, "every pancake has two sides." Ignoring the larger side of that pancake, an unchecked government run rampant against the freedoms of "we the people" and our fellow human beings in other nations, is to our detriment.
One minor drawback to this book is that Vidal rarely provides a citation to back him up in his diatribe, but this is easily rectified by seeking out denser corroborative works on the various subjects Vidal discusses (the writings of Noam Chomsky come to mind, for example). Please don't let that complaint keep you from reading this book; its witty, bitchy, and impassioned defense of the US Constitution and of the Republic it supports is much needed in these dark days of omnipresent surveillance and endless wars on inchoate terror.
Gore Vidal is Not a Mainstream Wimpy Historian: He is Honest and Makes Readers Think.......2006-07-24
Gore Vidal's major assets in writing political books are his wit, knowledge, and ability to write. Mr. Vidal clearly shows what political problems exist and uses precision in diagnosing these problems. His PERPETUAL WAR FOR PERPETUAL PEACE, a phrase used by the great historian Charles Austin Beard, is apt title for this book. Readers should note that Vidal gives Beard credit for this phrase.
Vidal wrote one of the best assessments of the tragedy in Oklahoma for which Timothy McVeigh was executed. This tragedy which took place in 1995 is carefully discussed by Vidal. Vidal indicates that the way the feds explained the explosion is impossible to believe. One should note that the feds cleared the debris from this explosion as quickly as possible removing forensic evidence that could have implicated others or revealed that the force of the explosion was not due to the explanations offered by government "experts."
Another interesting facet of Vidal's assessment of Timothy McVeigh view of the U.S. government. McVeigh expressed anger and frustration and anger at government corruption and lying regarding both domestic and diplomatic issues. Vidal's evaluation of McVeigh is thought provoking. One should clearly note that Vidal does not condone McVeigh's actions, but one should at least be aware of why events, as tragic as they may be, do occur.
Vidal also gives some of the best explanations of U.S. foreign policy blunders that benefit no one except defense contractors, Pentagon bureaucrats, and some members of the U.S. House and Senate. These corrupt cronies faced a severe problem when the Soviets conceded that the U.S. could outspend them on arms races and comitted the crime of refusing to play the game any longer. Defense contractors, Pentagon flunkies, U.S. political figures, etc., had to invent new enemies to justify their bloated budgets and criminality. Vidal cites examples from Latin America (espeically Columbia), Asia, and Africa where U.S. political and military intervention has made life miserable and unbearable. What has been the result? Vidal carefully explains that Americans have become hated. In other words, the pious platitudes and obnoxious lies do not stand when the political realities and tragedies affect other peoples.
Those who have branded this book as "Bush bashing" have apparently not read it. Vidal does not spare anyone in this book, and he demonstrates keen criticism of those who are prominent Democrats and Republicans. Vidal had serious clashes with the Kennedys.
This reviewer doubts if Gore Vidal's books will change the world. However, his book titled PERPETUAL WAR FOR PERPETUAL PEACE is there for the record. One should carefully examine pages 22-41 to see just how extensive U.S. military and political intervention is.
Readers should refer to Theodore Rushton's previous review of this book to get a more concise view. This reviewer agrees with Mr. Rushton that this book is important. Gore Vidal is not a "trained historian" which is why the book is worth reading. Mr. Vidal does not cater to politically correct nonsense and political agendas. He is more concerned with truth which is a lesson current historians have long abandoned.
Book Description
This story offers a rare, funny, bitter, feminist look at war from women actively engaged in it. Published in London in 1930,
Not So Quiet...(on the Western Front) is a novel in autobiographical guise that describes a group of British women ambulance drivers on the French front lines during World War 1. As Voluntary Aid Detachment workers, the women pay for the privilege of driving the wounded through shell fire in the freezing cold, on no sleep and an inedible diet, under the watchful eye of their punishing commandant, nicknamed Mrs. Bitch.
Customer Reviews:
Not so Quiet.......2006-03-16
Interesting, personal account of WWI, as seen by a female ambulance driver. Author negatively describes the WWI nastiness as a contrast to Hemingway's romancing of it. Not in Hemmingway's league, but gives a distinct feminine snapshot of that period of time. 3 stars
Eyeopening and Edgy.......2000-09-23
WWI, somwhere in France, freezing, exaushted and lice ridden Britain's upper class young women are "doing their bit" for England. This is a remarkable story, telling the experience of female ambulance drivers in the first world war. The subject matter is graphic, and the language which describes it is poetic and enchanting. It sucks you in to the madness, sleeplessness, and monotany of horror that goes on everyday in Smith's life. It is an excellent read and although fiction, it is based on the diaries of an actual female ambuance driver.
Women and War.......1998-06-03
In Europe during wartime, well-to-do young women were recruited to be ambulance drivers, and very few of these women knew what they were getting into. Smith takes us just behind the front lines and deep into the lives of several of these women. More a story of courage, suffering, and survival than tale of war itself, it parallels the more well-known All Quiet On the Western Front, and was intended as a response from the women's side. Unapologetically and realistically detailed, it will take you away to a time and place that you will remember long after you've finished the book.
Average customer rating:
|
The Great War Reader (C. A. Brannen)
Manufacturer: Texas A&M University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Historical
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
| British
| Canadian
| General
| Holocaust
| United States
General
| Military
| History
| Subjects
| Books
World War I
| Military
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Essays
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
| Classics
| Comic
| Contemporary
| Literary
ASIN: 0890969442 |
Book Description
Often seen as a key to understanding Elizabethan poetry, Sidney's persuasive treatise follows the rules of rhetoric in presenting evidence of the virtues of poetry. Sidney argues with wit and irony that poetry is the art which best teaches what is good and true. This seems a fitting argument for this prominent experimental poet who himself is said to have represented 'life and action good and great'.
Book Description
'But I must stop now. I can no longer speak for tears - and my client has ordered that tears are not to be used in his defence.' Cicero (106-43 BC) was the greatest orator of the ancient world: he dominated the Roman courts, usually appearing for the defence. His speeches are masterpieces of persuasion: compellingly written, emotionally powerful, and somtimes hilariously funny. This book presents five of his most famous defences: of Roscius, falsely accused of murdering his father; of the consul-elect Murena, accused of electoral bribery; of the poet Archias, on a citizenshiup charge; of Caelius, ex-lover of Clodia Metelli, on charges of violence; and of Milo, for mudering Cicero's hated enemy Clodius. Cicero's clients were rarely whiter-than-white; but so seductive is his oratory that the reader cannot help taking his side. In these speeches we are plunged into some of the most exciting courtroom dramas of all time. These new translations preserve Cicero's literary artistry and emotional force, and achieve new standards of accuracy. Each speech has its own introduction, and a general introduction discusses Cicero's public career and the criminal courts. The substantial explanatory notes guide the reader through the speeches, and offer new scholarship presented in a clear way.
Book Description
With the advent of the Internet, servicemembers are writing more than ever. But are they writing effectively and persuasively? Many are not. This revised, updated edition provides the basics of correct and effective military communication, with emphasis on substance, organization of content, and style, along with editing techniques and military and civilian formats. A concise, easy-to-use guide to efficient communication teaches every writer what he or she should know about the English language.
Average customer rating:
- Barrett Tillman as an author of Historical Fiction
- "Sabrejet" update
- Real Carrier Flying Action
- for both of his books and the one maybe to come :o)
- Hellcats
|
Hellcats: A Novel of War in the Pacific
Barrett Tillman
Manufacturer: Potomac Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Military
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
War
| Genre Fiction
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| United States
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Spy Stories & Tales of Intrigue
| Thrillers
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
Look Inside Biographies
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside History Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Fiction Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Mystery & Thriller Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Dauntless: Novel of Midway and Guadalcanal
ASIN: 1574880934 |
Customer Reviews:
Barrett Tillman as an author of Historical Fiction.......2003-07-08
Mr. Tillman represents one of the best of the breed of historical novelists; he is well-versed in the historical facts and technological details of his subject matter, yet also has the artistic gift of being able to engage the reader by creating interesting characters caught up in the consequences of tremendously important global events.
Both Dauntless! and Hellcats are superb fictional treatments of what it might have been like to fight and survive the Pacific War as a young US Naval aviator.
I hope that the final episode of the trilogy, Sabrejets, will actually be finished and published; I'll be the first in line to purchase it. (And no, I'm not putting my own hard copies of either Dauntless or Hellcats up for sale on E-bay---they'll stay on my bookshelf for years to come.)
Mr. Tillman, you please keep at it! (and by the way, your non-fiction dissertations on the various aircraft used in the Pacific War are superb as well.)
"Sabrejet" update.......2003-02-18
The intended sequel to "Hellcats" was to be "Sabrejet," completing the Rogers/Sakaida trilogy begun in "Dauntless." The publisher of "Hellcats" lapsed from the military fiction market shortly after publication, but since then has resumed interest in the field. I hope to pursue the Korean War saga and will try to notify this site accordingly.
Thanks to everyone who's expressed interest in "Sabrejet" over the years.
(I'd not bother with a rating of my own book if I could post otherwise!)
Real Carrier Flying Action.......2002-05-13
A great read for anyone with an interest in World War II aviation. Tillman certainly knows his stuff... Exciting and well written.
I only gave the first book in the trilogy, "Dauntless, the Novel" 4 stars, but "Hellcats" is a full 5 star read. Now, if someone would only publish the third book, "Sabrejets, the Novel" and follow his fascinating main characters into Korea.
for both of his books and the one maybe to come :o).......2001-03-07
I read both the Dauntless and Hellcat twice because I couldnt put them down, I even ran up a late fee on hellcat at my library, The book (Hellcat) is full of everything you could expect from an aireol based world war II book. my favorite thing about the book is that it showed the war form the prospective of both an american side and a japanese side all the way up and through their meeting in combat over the south pacific and over the american characters ship, that was really cool! I also like how my hometown of Bremerton is mentioned in the book it was a real wake up call as to what great roll as a carrier and other ship base it played. I also lived in the tri-cities near hanford too! (Benton City)Go Kiona Benton Bears
All I can say about sabrejet is:
GIMME GIMME GIMME I would really like to read that book and dont like how they're keeping me hanging with the characters and me wondering what to do next! If anyone has any kind of pull to get sabrejet published please try to help! I waiting to see what happens!
Hellcats.......1999-12-16
Barrett Tillman's Hellcats and Dauntless were both very enjoyable. Characterization of pilots and description of both planes and combat were very good. Good novels like this one about air combat in WW2 and the Korean War are both few and hard to find. I look forward to his next: Sabrejets.
Book Description
This book investigates the weapons, history and development of the English fighting system and some of the beliefs and social pressures that helped mold it. The second half examines various English fighting techniques drawn from historical texts and manuscripts including bare-fist fighting, broadsword, quarterstaff, bill, sword and buckler and sword and dagger.
Customer Reviews:
A Classic.......2006-05-24
This book gives an introduction and brief history of English Schooles of Defense. The history was a fun read. The practical sections, which contain reconstructions of various CQC techniques as the records indicate they were taught, are presented in a clear pictorial format which makes them easy to learn and analyze. If you are interested in historical combat, this is a book you will reference again and again.
At first I thought it another poncey fighting book.......2006-02-17
How wrong could I be. Having practised re-enactment martial arts for 24 years I thought I'd seen it all... you live and learn.
The techniques described in the book are brutal to say the least. The knee stamp when the opponent is down is my favorite.
There are chapters divided into historical references for each weapon(including fists). Adding to this there are clear photographs of the strikes and blocks.
If you are re-enacting later european medieval history this is the book for you.
For any Scholler of the Arts of Defense, English Martial Arts is a `must have' resource........2005-12-11
"No man travelleth by the waie without his sword or somesuch weapon except the minister who commonly weareth none at all unless it is a dagger or a hanger at his side." - Aylward [English Master of Arms]
Terry Brown's `English Martial Arts' is an outstanding book about a little known topic. Beginning with an excellent overview of the background of English Martial Arts, we are then introduced to the weapons of the English man at arms:
>>Broadsword
>>Quarterstaff
>>Sword & Dagger
>>Sword & Dagger vs. Sword & Buckler
>>The Bill
>>Bear-Fist Fighting
>>Stances
Terry Brown then introduces us to the `Principles of True Fighting' and demonstrates the techniques of the weapons listed herein. A series of clear photographs demonstrates the effective application of techniques, allowing the student to develop sufficient basic skill to seek entry to `The Company of Maieters' [http://www.maisters.demon.co.uk/] as a Free Scholler.
Finally, English Martial Arts closes with "Words of Wisdom" from the English Masters of Defense such as Silver, Godfrey and Lonnergan.
For any Scholler of the Arts of Defense, English Martial Arts is a `must have' resource.
good book.......2005-02-26
I read through the book and I must say that it is pretty good. I've read the original manuscripts from which this book drew its techniques and the stuff for the long and short weapons (like the broadsword, dagger, pole-arms, ect.) are very precise and accurate.
His first few chapters are an overveiw of some of the historical roots of English Martial Arts. Not bad.
*edit* I had to edit this reveiw because previously I mentioned that there was no evidence for the blocks in the pugilism described in this book. Mr. Terry Brown sent me solid evidence that contested my statements, therefore I must change them. It seems that the boxing of the older world is indeed a bit different from the boxing of the modern world. I would change the review to five stars but it wouldn't let me do so.
My advise is this, if you want to train in an all european martial art I suggest training in western boxing, catch wrestling, and take the general concepts of what is demonstrated with the long and short weapons and apply them to a machette, bayonette, and military knife. Don't dress up in anachronistic clothing either....the key is to train for battle not play dress up. Rather, one should wear either BDU's, street cloths, or a loose-fitting "uniform" which consists of sweatpants and a t-shirt which has the name/symbol of your school on it.
The best kind of school that you can find will be rooted in Tradition but open to Innovation. This way you won't "re-invent the wheel" but at the same time you won't be stuck on the outmoded and anachronistic. I call this Renovation.
Overall the book isn't bad and its a good way to connect with your English roots. Learn from the past, be willing to innovate, and act in the now. This is the best advise that I can give.
Also, check out www.amerross.com . ROSS Concepts have some good stuff (like clubbells and biomechanical exercises) that can transfer into ANY martial art and are invaluable to the western martial artist.
Very Clear and Sharp ---.......2003-10-12
I find 'English Martial Arts' to be very clear and sharp in its accuracy, presentation & applications. Also it is very well balanced in strategy and tactics. The photography and explanations are superb. With some imagination and practice, much of the book can be applied via cane or fist, as well as the great traditional usage. Yet this excellent book is quite streamlined. 'Simplicity is efficiency's best friend' ---
Average customer rating:
|
John Locke and America: The Defence of English Colonialism
Barbara Arneil
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Modern
| Philosophy
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Political
| Philosophy
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Politics
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
History & Theory
| Politics
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Political Science
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Political Theory
| Political Science
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Imperialism & Independence
| Political Science
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| England
| Europe
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Look Inside History Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
ASIN: 0198279671 |
Book Description
This book considers the context of the colonial policies of Britain, Locke's contribution to them, and the importance of these ideas in his theory of property. It also reconsiders the debate about John Locke's influence in America, challenging a number of other interpretations. The author breaks new ground in her interpretation of Locke's writings about the Indians and English colonization of America--a subject largely overlooked in the past. The book argues that Locke's theory of property must be understood in connection with the philosopher's political concerns, as part of his endeavour to justify the colonialist policies of Lord Shaftesbury's cabinet, with which he was personally associated. The author maintains that traditional scholarship has failed to do justice to Locke by ignoring the implications of contemporary British imperial policy for the interpretation of his political thought. The book offers a new insight into Locke's theory of property, suggesting a solution to the problem of why Locke himself assigned such importance to property in the state of nature being based on labour while at the same time asserting that property in civil society is based on convention.
Customer Reviews:
different world views.......2004-11-26
Arneil's monograph studies both the philosophy and politics in Locke's writings and their historical impact. Her work offers insight into different world views. Different from most of ours today. But also, in Locke's time, there were two broadly divergent world views, amongst the European colonists in the Americas.
One, shared by Locke and the English, was that in the 1600s, their rightful claim to the American land was valid not by force of arms, but by the subsequent peaceful farming of the land. Granted, this imputed few rights to nomads previously using that land. But the attitude was quite different from that of the Spaniards, which was based on the right of conquest.
Thus, a value of the book is not just in an understanding of Locke, though it certainly gives such. It also provides a perspective on historical developments in the Americas, of which he was an active participant.
Books:
- The Book of Runes: A Handbook for the Use of an Ancient Oracle: The Viking Runes with Stones: 10th Anniversary Edition
- The Celestine Prophecy
- The Deep: The Extraordinary Creatures of the Abyss
- The Edge of Disaster: Rebuilding a Resilient Nation
- The Fate of the Corps: What Became of the Lewis and Clark Explorers After the Expedition
- The First 90 Days: Critical Success Strategies for New Leaders at All Levels
- The Gambit Guide to the Modern Benoni
- The Official Scrabble Players Dictionary
- The Post-Birthday World
- The Roots of Evil: The Origins of Genocide and Other Group Violence
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Business Law Today, Standard Edition: Text and Summarized Cases--E-Commerce, Legal, Ethical and Inte
- The Self-Esteem Workbook
- Starlets: Before They Were Famous
- The Brief English Handbook: A Guide to Writing, Thinking, Grammar, and Research, Seventh Edition
- The Ernst & Young Guide to Performance Measurement For Financial Institutions: Methods for Manag
- The Wonder Weeks: How to Turn Your Baby's 8 Great Fussy Phases into Magical Leaps Forward
- The Soul of Baseball: A Road Trip Through Buck O'Neil's America
- WSJ Student Handbook with Password to WSJ.com for WSJ.pac sets and to be automatically packaged with
- The Conditions of Agricultural Growth: The Economics of Agrarin Change under Population Pressure
- The Last Song of Dusk: A Novel
