Book Description
Zacharias invites readers to follow him on this journey through his life and into the lives of others, and see how he has become more convinced with each year that Jesus Christ is the one who came to give us life to the fullest and to point us to the freedom and beauty of truth for everyone--easterner or westerner--all over the world.
Customer Reviews:
A Life of Exceptional Experiences Dosed w/ Humility.......2007-09-20
When this book first came out, I wasn't as interested as I was reading RZ's other more apologetic books. This was more of a biography, very anecdotal, but the more I read it, I saw how so many of what he's seen and experienced were just microcosms of so many worldviews. He himself was a huge cynic, but after his regenerative experience at the hospital, he was led to really explore who God was and His message through Jesus, as well as test the seemingly competitive other world views. And he quotes it accurately, saying the more he learned about other world views, the more beautiful Jesus became to him.
Sometimes his biography was comparable to Forrest Gump, with fortunate exceptional destiny, with the exception that Ravi had immense intellectual potential. But he has really humbly been appointedly woven into the lives of many other prominent theological giants, having also crossed paths with world leaders. It's just amazing to realize all he's been through, but only because of the grace of God...continually guiding His path, and using him, from great revivals to personal intimate testimonies.
And amidst all the glorious stories are his heartfelt intimate thoughts of his family and his closest friends, some who died of age, and some who died spreading the gospel. I'm not ashamed to say how much this book has moved me...it is probably one of the most personal books for me...
this book is definitely rich w/ great lessons, great experience, and great proof that God is really there in the shadows, slowly revealing and affirming His will in our lives at the duly appointed time.
it IS an exceptional life, a great book i sadly put down, wishing there was more to read.
Great!!!.......2007-07-05
Ravi Zacharias truly is a man sent by God to bridge the gaps between East and West. As I read his fantastic story, I was amazed at how much of his story encouraged me in my own Christian walk. He went from being a teen who didn't like to read to being one of the most read apologist in the world.
As I continued to read his story, I was amazed at how much he does and how much of his family life was sacrificed by preaching God's word. The Lord gave him an understanding wife and beautiful children who understand his calling.
When he mentioned how over the years, he had lost his sense of humor because of the serious of apologetics, I felt sad for him. Preaching the Gospel is serious business and it is just that important but I believe God has blessed him richly.
The personal accounts of his friends who have paid for their beliefs with their lives were so inspiring and made me extremely reflective on my own Christian walk? Would I be willing to face all kinds of danger for Christ? I hope I never have to find out.
The book especially gives the reader a view of Eastern mentality and life. It was so vibrant and full of some many images and sounds. For the Western Christian, it is very important to understand the Easter mindset if we are to evangelize to our Eastern brothers.
I wish I could just shake Mr. Zacharias hand and just sit in his presence for an hour. I thank God for him and hope that he continues the good work.
Interesting life. To God be the glory........2007-06-19
Oh! That more Indians would come to salvation and evanglize their country!
This book should have been a biography instead of an auto-biography because you can almost sense the reluctance for Ravi to reveal the full extent of the way God has used him. On a more negative note, if Indian Christians keep moving away from India, who is going to evanglize the country?
An Eye-Opening Pleasure of a Read.......2007-05-02
This enormously vivid and readable book will capture your interest within the first few pages and keep it until the last. Mr. Zacharias has lived life fully, from his humble beginnings on a busy Indian street in his native land to the most prestigious professional and academic arenas all over the world--and met Christ on the way. In fact, that life-changing meeting is the core of what made him successful and motivated, and does so to this day. His is a wonderful story, especially the insights and anecdotes he gives us about India and its people, and of course how God came from "the shadows" to forever change his life. Ever think that God doesn't care about you? That he's not involved in your life? Read this book and listen closely--he may be speaking to you right here!
How Refreshing.......2007-03-08
Zacharias' book will either be life-changing or life-affirming for the reader lucky enough to stumble across this amazing account of a life that saw so much pain and joy. To go along on his journey, watching him go from his desperate youth and into his successful and meaningful adult life is incredible. As someone who has been immersed in a Christian lifestyle her entire life, I find it remarkable that someone can come from such beginnings and end up the man that Ravi Zacharias has become. It really makes me think about how much of the Western experience I take for granted. Ravi is not only passionate about his faith, but he provides an intellectual basis for it as well, something that is often missing in evangelism today. The blend of Eastern and Western cultures presented in this book are extremely significant and helpful. This has caused me to take a new approach to different cultures and unbelievers. He is a living example of walking in someone else's shoes. I could say countless things to praise his life's work, but it seems to me that Zacharias would want any glory to be given to God. After reading this, that is how I want the things I do to be remembered...for the glory of God. I cannot wait to read more from this talented evangelist!
Book Description
Zainab Salbi was eleven years old when her father was chosen to be Saddam Hussein's personal pilot and her family's life was grafted onto his. Her mother, the beautiful Alia, taught her daughter the skills she needed to survive. A plastic smile. Saying yes. Burying in boxes in her mind the horrors she glimpsed around her. "Learn to erase your memories," she instructed. "He can read eyes."
In this richly visual memoir, Salbi describes tyranny as she saw it--through the eyes of a privileged child, a rebellious teenager, a violated wife, and ultimately a public figure fighting to overcome the skill that once kept her alive: silence.
Between Two Worlds is a riveting quest for truth that deepens our understanding of the universal themes of power, fear, sexual subjugation, and the question one generation asks the one before it: How could you have let this happen to us? BACKCOVER:
Praise for Between Two Worlds:
"...a torrent of vividly recalled memories [that] reads with the sort of artless verve that can come only from one who's been unshackled from a lifetime of repression."
—Vogue
"A remarkable, astonishing memoir...more can be learned about Iraq from this book than from all the newscasts."
—Alice Walker, author of The Color Purple
“A country unravels and a loving family dissolves in Zainab Salbi's riveting, beautifully observed memoir...This is the exquisite if often painful story of Salbi's own emergence from victim to global activist on behalf of women survivors of violence and war everywhere. I guarantee you won't be able to put it down.”
—Ellen Chesler, author of Woman of Valor: Margaret Sanger and the Birth Control Movement in America
“A personal, intimate look at the soul-crushing impact of Hussein's Iraq. . . . Salbi deploys a straightforward, easy prose that is powerful in its simplicity. . . . Now, with her chilling memoir, the lies end.”
—The Washington Post
“Salbi has direct personal knowledge of Hussein that is both insightful and disturbing.”
—Ms. magazine
“Engrossing. . . . a unique insider perspective . . . an evocative and haunting memoir that proves that one courageous woman can rise above her own painful past in order to make a difference in the lives of others.”
—Bookreporter.com
“A remarkable tale of emotional and mental resilience.”
—Bookpage
“. . . a steadfast visionary spirit prevails, rendered with remarkable literary skill and complex personalities.”
—Bust
Customer Reviews:
review.......2007-08-05
it took a while to get here, but it was in good condition when it did.
Between Two Worlds.......2007-07-13
Zainab Salbi's life seems idyllic, but even as a child she senses the tension felt by her wealthy parents as they entertain and are entertained by Saddam. Salbi's story shows two sides of Saddam: the cruel and abusive despot and the genial manipulator. In spite of the web Saddam spins around her family, Salbi experiences adolescent rebellion, ignorant of the danger her parents see threatening her, just as it threatened her mother and eventually ruins her parents' marriage. Salbi's story is a fascinating portrayal of a family living in luxury under tyranny and the dangers faced whether the choice is to endure or to escape.
CAPTIVATING.......2007-07-02
There was not one moment during this book that I wasn't totally captivated. The author puts a human face on the struggle of those in Iraq who lived under Saddam Hussein. And throughout, you are constantly reminded that she was among the "fortunate" by comparison. I found it to be an excellent education in the history of the country and the evolution of it in recent decades as well. I read this book on a recent camping trip in New England when I should have been mesmerized by my surroundings. Instead, I found I could not put this book down.
Outstanding Memoir, Written With Humility!.......2007-04-17
Wow! This book knocked me out. I could NOT put it down. It really helped me understand some of the conflict within Iraq, but more importantly, the author and tone of this book is just very human, real, and accessible. As a youngster, and for all of her formative years, Saddam Hussein is in the background as a family "friend". Though her parents resisted his friendship, they found it more and more dangerous not to be his friend. It's like living with the devil! However, the author eventually gets out of Iraq and away from Saddam Hussien, due to an arranged marriage. I won't say how that goes as I don't want to ruin the ending.
I do feel that this is one of the absolute BEST memoires I ever read and it was written with a lof of grace and humility. For me, it was an important book, and I highly recommend you read it. I think it will become a classic memoire.
Information you don't get from the media.......2007-04-11
Short and sweet.. This is an awesome book. You see so many sides of Suddam. His dark side certainly made him a candidate for his execution!
Book Description
For centuries, Mexican-American women have been creative, innovative forces shaping the cultural and economic development of what is now the American Southwest. Whether living in a labor camp, a boxcar settlement, or an urban barrio, Mexican women nurtured families, worked for wages, built extended networks, and participated in community associations--efforts that solidified the community and helped Mexican Americans find their own place in America. Now, in From Out of the Shadows, historian Vicki L. Ruiz provides the first full study of Mexican-American women in the 20th century, in a narrative enhanced by interviews and personal stories that capture a vivid sense of the Mexicana experience in the United States. Beginning with the first wave of women crossing the border early this century, Ruiz reveals the struggles they have faced, the communities they have built, and also highlights the various forms of political protest they have initiated. What emerges from the book is a portrait of a distinctive culture in America that has slowly gathered strength in the last 95 years. From Out of the Shadows is an important addition to the largely undocumented history of Mexican-American women in our century.
Customer Reviews:
Dry and timid.......2006-06-21
The theme is interesting, although unsubstantiated and weak. For centuries, Mexican-American women have silently been shaping the cultural and economic development of the Southwest. These women have raised children who have integrated into the US culture, worked, built networks. Their efforts have helped Mexican Americans find their own place in America. However, this book does not do the justice it probably had the intentions on doing. The strong aspect of the book is the distinctive culture that has slowly gained momentum in the last Century. Either the strength just isn't there, or this author was not able to accurately portray it.
A fast paced research.......2006-04-25
The information is priceless as a sort of reference-compendium and salute to Latina and Mexicana immigrants. A good chunk is dedicated to a case analysis of a Protestant social service mission working in a Texas community to imprint anglican values and culture on the new immigrants. Another dedicated cultural aspect explores the affect of Americanization on young unmarried women and the system of chaperoning stemming from the honor of the family having to be upheld by orthodox views of virginity. The book is inspiring in its scope but meanders a bit excitedly like a river through early immigration, americanization and chicana feminism. Starts off slow and nurturing upon each theme but gradually erodes into a more sporadic form.
Amazon.com
Gates, director of the Central Intelligence Agency from 1991 to 1993, began in an entry level position and rose to the top. His insider's account of the Cold War, CIA operations and the unraveling of the Soviet Union is sprinkled with revelations including the fact that 1983 was the most dangerous year in U.S.-U.S.S.R. relations and that both the CIA and KGB sponsored countless "black operations" designed to embarrass and discredit the other side. Gates also reveals that he secretly met with KGB foreign operations chief Vladimir Kryuchkov on two separate occasions and how the CIA often acted in contempt of Congress. While none of this may come as a huge surprise, it never fails to shock when it's laid out in black and white by someone who was on the inside.
Customer Reviews:
"From the Shadows" by Robert M. Gates.......2007-10-01
Absolutely fascinating! Mr. Gates is an excellent writer and is able to make complicated information easy to follow. And what an insight he gave to the Presidents he worked for; he didn't have an axe to grind with any of them, even though they represented both political parties.
This is a book I enjoyed so completely that I hated to reach the end of it. It will be on my personal "re-read" list. No wonder Mr. Gates was selected to become Secretary of Defense in our nation's hour of need.
Engages the eyes and mind.......2006-11-17
Rarely do you run across a historical book that is so chocked full of names, dates and acronyms that engages your mind as you push to reader faster. Gates delivers great insight wrapped in words that are illustrative of the push and pull of power players - within and between government bodies - domestic and global. If you are curious about the claims of one party or the other concerning the end of the Cold War, then this book will prove to be enlightening. All contributed to the demise, but perhaps none more than the Soviets themselves. Great read. Engaging. Insightful. Illuminating. Perhaps now more than ever before this a read that helps look at the challenges we, as a global community, face today. Buy it. Read it. Gain perspective.
View from the inside.......2006-10-01
The CIA is probably the one institution that the US President controls the most; or so this book argues. Robert M. Gates spent over two decades working at the CIA, and is one of the few career officials who came in near the bottom and rose all the way to the top. This book is his memoir, and recollection of how the CIA served 5 consecutive presidents in the Cold War. Starting with Richard Nixon, and ending with the first George Bush, Gates shows how each president used, and sometimes abused, the CIA to further their policies with regard to the USSR and communist parties around the world.
The major points one gets from this book are as follows. First, Carter was no wimp with regard to the USSR. Second, the most dangerous years of the Cold War did not end with Vietnam; they included some years in the 1980's. Third, the CIA consistently disregards the laws of the US. Fourth, the CIA often gets suckered into doing thing at the whim of the president that it later regrets. Last, the first George Bush was probably one of the best diplomats the US has seen in recent times. Over all, this was a very good book and I am glad I read it.
Intense Reading - great enjoyment.......2002-09-18
Excellent account of what really goes on from the inside of the govt. They say that truth is better than fiction. This is true in a big way in this book. You will recall many of the events in not too distant history. They come alive in this book and history makes more sense. Intense reading - be sure to underline the names to keep track of the huge cast of characters. A big Aggie thumb's up for this one!
Informative but dry.......2002-07-23
Gates had access to some of the most fascinating characters in the history of the Cold War. His observations are incisive and revealing about many of these personalities; however, his book often reads like one might imagine a CIA memo reads, rather dry. The book provides feedback on several important historical instances but it does not go into much depth on any. I do not recommend it as a book used to learn the history of that era. Instead I would read it to gain a further understanding of what went on behind the scenes.
In general, I find Gates to be an interesting character himself. He has some hilarious anecdotes about life in the CIA. Such as when he is walking up the steps of Air Force One and turns to flip off several of the top officials (I think it was) in Romania after they botch his passport. In addition to a often dry sense of humor he also seems to have a great deal of character and integrity.
Average customer rating:
- Fast delivery-damp and warped product.
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August Sander: 'In Photography There Are No Unexplained Shadows'
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Customer Reviews:
Fast delivery-damp and warped product........2005-09-29
The book was delivered faster than expected. A couple of things could have been mentioned in the seller's product description. The book smelled very mildewy and the dampness caused the cover to warp quite a bit. I suspect it was stored in a basement for some time.
Book Description
Married to Benito Mussolini's favorite daughter Edda, Galeazzo Ciano was a brilliant, ambitious and ruthless young Italian. Throughout his period in office Ciano kept a diary so detailed and revealing that both Mussolini and Hitler sought to impound and destroy it. The diary was smuggled out of Italy by Edda, who sought unsuccessfully to trade it for Ciano's life. The diary was later acquired by the American spy, Allen W. Dulles (later head of the CIA) and published in full in the Chicago Daily News. It remains one of the classic insider accounts of the workings of the Fascist and Nazi governments. Ciano's glamorous, violent, and promiscuous life was acted out at the highest levels of European politics and society. There has never been a biography of him in English: this is one gripping read.
Customer Reviews:
Great book on a sorry personality.......2007-05-29
I had some respect for Ciano before I read this, thinking he was the conscience of the Italian people. In getting to know Ciano by reading this book I realized that he was a mirrow image of IL Duce, including the womanizing part. His wife, Duce's daughter, was just as vain and an equally sorry figure. The author does a splendid job of researching old documents, talking to some of the older survivors and friends for first hand info.
WOW. this is one of the most fascinating stories of World War 2.......2007-02-06
This is truly one of the most disturbing stories in World War 2. Ciano would become the epitome of everything hated in Italy. He would claim responsibility for the invasion of Albania and Greece and blamed for some of the worst defeats in Italy's history. Much of this is undeserved as Mussolini was calling many of the shots and the fall out between the two became apparent. Had Ciano been stronger and not captured under the personality cult of Mussolini the break would have been bigger and he would have opposed the war shattering the Duce ideas of a strong Italian army. The diaries that Ciano wrote would be key aspects of Nuremberg and both the allies and axis sought to acquire them. The story of the acquisition is heart wrenching and Edda Ciano's bravery is truly remarkable. What she went through from the execution of her husband to the estrangement of her father Mussolini was simply amazing. This is a must read for those who want to understand how World War 2 unfolded and the war that Italy played. It is a well written biography and truly a great addition to the historiography.
Good background for Ciano's diary.......2003-12-06
Moseley has written a readable and well researched book on the life of the enigmatic Count Ciano. It is certainly the first comprehensive study of Ciano to appear in English. Ciano is worthy of the attention of anyone interested in Twentieth Century Europe, diplomacy, or World War II. Moseley does a good job of revealing Ciano's evolution from a blind follower of Mussolini to active and effective foil. There can be little doubt that in anything less than an unrestricted dictatorship, Ciano's efforts to keep Italy out of WWII would have succeeded. In the end Ciano's undisguished contempt of the Nazi Heirarchy cost him his life. I recommend this book as a precursor to reading Ciano's diary.
Couldn't put it down.......2003-11-24
This is a superb read and Mr Mosely coveres an intensely complex period with majesty and skill. Here and there it is a bit difficult who the subject is of a sentence, as the relative pronoun sometimes doesn't come after the immediately preceding subject of a sentence, but that happens rarely. Mr Moseley's reads like a thriller, but at the same time is a thoroughly researched, critical reading of a tragic, through fascinating period of history. I cannot recommend this book more highly for anyone interested obviously in history, but also for those interested in human behviour and our ability to deceive and contradict ourselves. Do read!
Very good, could have been better.......2000-08-04
This is a good book and Mr. Moseley is to be congratulated on a decent job. He has done his research and provided a vivid account of Ciano and the people around him. I do not give this book five stars, however, because it needs editing. It seems in some places Mr. Moseley loses his strong narrative as he relates diary entry after diary entry - seemingly with little connection. Also, the book could have used a glossary containing the names of the principal players in the Italian fascist government. These faults lie not with Mr. Moseley as much as with his editor/publisher. Nevertheless, I rcommend this book as one that provides a fascinating slice of WWII history.
Book Description
"Yuh has composed a complex, provocative, and compassionate portrayal of the experiences of Korean military brides from the 1950s through the 1990s. . . . Delving into how these women face isolation and alienation from both Korean and US societies because of their transnational status, Yuh's masterful history demonstrates that these women have resisted perceptions of both societies and forged communities based on their claiming Korean and US identities as Korean military brides. A wonderful resource... Highly recommended."
—Choice
"Ji-Yeon Yuh's book poignantly illustrates the human costs and benefits of militarized migration in the context of American-Korean relations."
—The Journal of Asian Studies
"Impeccably researched and seamlessly executed."
—Bitch Magazine
"IThis is one of the most compelling books I have read this year...Ji-Yeon Yuh's account is alternately heart breaking and inspiring."
— Comparative/World
"Ji-Yeon Yuh uses a wealth of sources, especially moving oral histories, to tell an important, at times heartbreaking, story of Korean military brides. She takes us beyond the stereotypes and reveals their roles within their families, communities, and Korean immigration to the U.S. Without ignoring their difficult lives, Yuh portrays these women's agency and dignity with skill and compassion."
—K. Scott Wong, Williams College
"Ji-Yeon Yuh's study is to be commended on several counts, not the least of which is the `unique prism' (dust jacket) she gives the contemporary reader into the social and cultural contract between Korea and the United States, clearly a template that we would be advised to heed in these troubled times."
— The Journal of American History
"By studying the lives and history of Korean `military brides,' Ji-Yeon Yuh pays tribute to an important group that has not received the understanding, attention, and respect that it deserves. Full of compelling stories,
Beyond the Shadow of the Camptowns is sure to inspire new ways of thinking about U.S. and especially immigration history, as well as Asian American and Asian history."
—Elaine Kim, University of California at Berkeley
"Where do marriage, diaspora, racism and the politics of global alliances converge? In the dreams and dailiness of the thousands of Korean women living in the United States today. Ji-Yeon Yuh's engaging and revealing book shows us that by listening attentively to the Korean women married to white and black American men, we can become a lot smarter about the realities of globalized living."
—Cynthia Enloe, author of Maneuvers: the International Politics of Militarizing Women's Lives
"Beyond the Shadoe of Camptown is a readable and poignant piece of scholarship. There is much worth praising in this book."
—Brandon Palmer, University of Hawaii at Manoa"In general, the fluid writing style demonstrates Yuh's background in journalism, and helps explain why this work made its way from dissertation to hardcover so rapidly. It is a study that demands attention from scholars of foreign relations and migration between Korea and the United States, and deserves attention from ethnic studies scholars and immigration scholars as well."—Journal of American Ethnic History
"
Beyond the Shadow of Camptown: Korean Military Brides in America, immigration historian Ji-Yeon Yuh explores how Korean women relate to American men in these cross-cultural relationships, and how the military link between the dominant U.S. and subservient Korea tends to complicate their marriages, already challenging for many other reasons, with a dose of international politics as well."
—Korean Quarterly
"Through compelling oral histories, she traces the lives of women form successive generations of brides."
—Chronicle of Higher Education
Since the beginning of the Korean War in 1950, nearly 100,000 Korean women have immigrated to the United States as the wives of American soldiers. Based on extensive oral interviews and archival research,
Beyond the Shadow of the Camptowns tells the stories of these women, from their presumed association with U.S. military camptowns and prostitution to their struggles within the intercultural families they create in the United States.
Historian Ji-Yeon Yuh argues that military brides are a unique prism through which to view cultural and social contact between Korea and the U.S. After placing these women within the context of Korean-U.S. relations and the legacies of both Japanese and U.S. colonialism vis á vis military prostitution, Yuh goes on to explore their lives, their coping strategies with their new families, and their relationships with their Korean families and homeland. Topics range from the personal—the role of food in their lives—to the communal
the efforts of military wives to form support groups that enable them to affirm Korean identity that both American and Koreans would deny them.
Relayed with warmth and compassion, this is the first in-depth study of Korean military brides, and is a groundbreaking contribution to Asian American, women's, and "new" immigrant studies, while also providing a unique approach to military history.
Customer Reviews:
an interesting treatment of another aspect of conflict.......2005-04-10
Beginning with the Japanese annexation of Korea in 1910, followed by its replacement by the United States in 1945, the military governments established a series of bases, and from around these bases grew camptowns, a section of businesses that offered everything from souvenirs to alcohol to prostitution. For her own extended metaphor, Yuh refers to the shadow, or influence, that is cast by these camptowns not only across the Korean landscape but also within the Korean people, most specifically the women who worked, often as indentured servants, within these camptowns and went on to marry soldiers. Yuh makes explicit her change in referring to these women as military brides over war brides. This does not obfuscate, however, the historical value of war brides as being equivalent to war booty and hence configured more as property, even as the remnants of this idea manifest in certain social attitudes (i.e., domestic subservience) that many of the American servicemen may have had toward their Korean wives.
The use of personal case studies set against the backdrop of US military policy in Korea and social attitudes both in the United States as well as Korea shows that these women lived in a perpetual state of dual existence, in many ways no longer being recognized as completely Korean and unable to be regarded as completely American. This concept of identity is made more complex as Yuh traces out some elements of the Japanese occupation of the Korean peninsula, particularly those aspects of the occupation that forced Korean children to adopt Japanese names and learn Japanese language (spoken and written) and history, thus distancing them from their own Korean heritage, a displacement that would be further complicated by those who married American soldiers.
Since the research on Korean military brides is finite, Yuh's study presents some intriguing insights on a segment of the population that is constantly negotiating the preservation of its ethnic heritage and identity while it adjusts its assimilation into American society. This is particularly important at a time when community and ethnic identity in America finds itself increasingly transformed by world events, such as recent developments with nuclear proliferation in North Korea.
Powerful and Well Written.......2003-10-06
As the author points out, there is very little work on international military wives, and Korean military wives in particular. By such a logic, this book is a welcome project indeed.
Essentially, Yuh Ji-Yeon sets out to make sense of why Korean women set out to marry American [military] men along with the consequences of such decisions. What becomes apparent throughout this book is the gendered set of relations in both US-Korean and soldier-wife relations. While many Korean women may seek American husands (especially those tricked and coerced into camptown USA) in order to escape Korean societal restrictions and shape better lives for themselves, many American men seek Asian wives in order to fulfill the ultimate Orientalist fantasy of Asian women as meek, erotic, and subservient. Through numerous interviews, Yuh finds out that many of the hopes that Korean military wives bring with them to America become easily dashed as they experience racism and cultural colonization. These Korean wives (many of whom are societal outcasts) thus become marginalized, their identities stolen from them as they are neither accepted for their cultural value by either their own indigenous community and the new American community. While such wives try hard to acculturate themselves to the demands of American life, suffering and pain continues to follow them, and in some cases poverty despite the alllure and so-called attainability of the great American dream. Perhaps even more important, Yuh makes clear that not all Korean wives are former camptown girls. Such simplistic stereotypes carried by the American public is damaging in creating pejorative connotations of the "Korean wife." Furthermore, even those wives who are former camptown girls should not be condescended. Being a prostitute is not exactly a free choice in Korea. Moreover, why should camptown girls be discriminated and labeled whore when the American soldiers who frequent red-light districts are sometimes actively encouraged by their commanders and more often than not treated with minor slaps on the hand for engaging in prostitution. Sadly, US military policy discriminates against the supply rather than dealing with the demand in prostitution. So much for the high morals of the US military.
In this context, many Korean wives act out a latent form of resistance. Their husbands and in-laws may forbid them to speak Korean, to eat Korean food, to teach their children Korean culture, but in the privacy of their homes when husbands and children are out, these women cultivate friendships with other Korean wives, watch Korean movies, and make attempts to demand the respect that they undoubtedly deserve. In short, while Korean wives may be denied meaningful relationships with their husbands and children due to lack of support in learning the English language and subsequently sharing the Korean language, these women are basically trying to survive and separate themselves from their sad and sometimes lurid pasts.
"Beyond the Shadow of Camptown" is a book that anyone in the military, and especially any soldier thinking of taking an Asian wife or mail order bride should read. Conversely, this book should also be read by foreign women around US military bases worldwide, who are thinking that a green card is an entry into a better life. This book shows the complexities of immigration, and of negotiating two different contexts. Truly, this book is very powerful and more importantly supported by interviews and other forms of empirical evidence that even those in self-denial can't rebut. Last but not least, we must consider the stories of each Korean wife that has come to the US. Their stories deserve to be heard and remembered.
A moving and eye-opening account.......2003-05-17
This book fills a need by covering Korean women who married American military men and their experiences in life, the prejudices they've encountered from other Koreans and white Americans, and how they stake out a place of meaning for themselves through church activities with other Korean military wives.
The author describes the women's family and educational background as well as how they met their husbands. Although a few were sex workers in Korea, the majority were not.
It seems that it's not common for Korean military wives to have Korean girlfriends whose husbands are Korean as well. I found that surprising because I grew up in a Korean community of Jehovah's Witnesses where my mother, a Korean woman married to a Korean man, had (and still has) many girlfriends who were Korean military wives.
I would have appreciated a religious history of these women, whether they were always Christian or became such after meeting their husbands.
Confusing.......2003-04-25
After reading this book, which reads more like a piece of propaganda work, I'm not sure whether these poor women were actual brides or "comfort women" (no disrespect intended... I'm trying to be skeptical).
Book Description
In a time when many citizens feel that American politics has changed in disturbing ways, Gus Cochran believes that democracy itself may be heading South. And that, he argues, spells trouble for us all.
In this provocative book, Cochran links regional to national politics to show how our political institutions have come to resemble those of the old Solid South. The regional politics of that earlier era, he reminds us, offered little real political choice, was dominated by one-party politics, answered to well-heeled special interests, stoutly resisted federal power, ignored the region's festering racism, and promoted demagoguery and personality over substance and true accountability. For Cochran, the sense of déjà vu is overwhelming--and alarming.
Deftly balancing history and political critique, Cochran describes the origins and traits of the Solidly Democratic Southern political system from the turn of the century through the 1960s and its transformation in the wake of that turbulent decade. The South, he shows, eventually modernized and became more integrated, even as the New Deal unraveled and the North became more racially polarized. As the region's shifting fortunes evolved, national politics witnessed a backlash to the civil rights movement (the original engine of political change) that turned the New South into a presidential power broker and spurred a Republican party renaissance nationwide.
Cochran maintains that national politics today offers an array of disturbing parallels with old-style Southern politics. He notes that even the controversial Clinton impeachment--in which many of the major actors were Southern--evokes the "down-and-dirty" politics of old Dixie. Even so, he doesn't push the analogies between South and nation too far. He recognizes significant differences as well as parallels but argues that recent trends toward convergence deserve a close and critical look.
In the end, Cochran's warning shot raises critical questions about the future direction of American democracy, while suggesting potential correctives through campaign finance reform, better inducements to voter participation, and more effective means for informing the electorate. Eloquently argued, his book is also a call to action--before American democracy heads South for good.
Customer Reviews:
Politics Southern Style.......2004-04-04
Cochran argues in a well researched and thoughtful approach that the South's political history is playing out in today's national politics. Using examples throughout Southern history, the book illustrates that special interest, voter apathy, and spin are all nothing new to the political process. I also found his account of the future of the Democratic party interesting. Overall this book is an interesting read for those interested in politics. I would recommend this book especially those who are interested in learning more about politics in the South.
Leftwing sour grapes.......2004-01-05
The Author is evidently sorry about his own Sothern Heritage. My guess that he wrote this biased, simplistic trash to feel better about himself. Must have had alot of guilt about the political direction his homeland as taken since 1980. Barbs aside, If you are a closed minded Bush hating robot you will love this book. If you are a conservative you will just laugh. However,if you are honestly wanting to improve your understanding of the current American political situation you will not find much of value here. This is more angry, bitter, leftwing sour grapes that you have already seen from the Marxist Micheal Moore and Socialist Al Franken.
Note that even the title of the book puts down the South; must be a form of self loathing. The book does have one truth- The rise of the South in the last quarter of the 20th century and its increasing ability to influence the US political sitiuation. The South's increasing population, economic and political power; coupled with a sharp turn to the Republican party has indeed altered politics to the point of a left winger
like Howard Dean saying that he wants to be "The Candidate for guys with Confederate flags on their pickups". The Author- My guess a fustrated liberial TRIAL LAWYER knows this too. His home region becoming the tip of the Conservative spear. You know thats gotta hurt. I know my review is biased but so is ALL of American Politics in the first decade of the 21st century.
Paul
Book Description
Based on new interviews and never-before-seen archival materials, Woodward and Bernstein takes a fresh, thought-provoking look at this unlikely journalistic duo. Thrown together by fate or luck, Woodward and Bernstein changed the face of journalism and the American presidency. For the first time, Shepard separates myth from reality as she traces the lives of the iconic journalists before and after Watergate.
Customer Reviews:
Illuminating Even Without Cooperation.......2007-04-02
The irony here is that neither Woodward nor Bernstein would speak with the author, despite having made millionaires out of themselves over the past 30-plus years by insinuating themselves into other peoples' lives and putting everything they've ever been told by anyone about anyone else between book covers. A bit of a double standard. Still, this look at how Watergate affected these two reporters is an engrossing read and a first class research job. Many many intriguing revelations for anyone who follows journalism and those who still like to read about the Watergate scandal. It's all tied up with a red bow because of the revelation in 2005 that Deep Throat was former FBI official Mark Felt, a secret that Woodstein kept religiously for three decades. Woodward's latest books on Bush are a bit boring, but that doesn't come across here. His Belushi expose remains his best, but this book points out that Woodward never again went outside politics in his reporting. Too bad. He should.
Interesting for journalism junkies, but sporadic.......2007-03-11
Parts of this were interesting and entertaining in adding to my knowledge about Woodward and Bernstein and I indeed recommend it, but with some stipulations. I had thought it would be mostly about what happened to them AFTER the Watergate coverage, but it mostly goes back over the Watergate coverage itself and then speeds through the rest of their careers/lives. The Watergate material is interesting, but I often felt it was more refresher course than revelation, and that I might as well be reading All the President's Men again. The internal newsroom politics material and some additional info about the two men and their lives are very interesting, though, especially about the reaction they got after the book and movie came out. She was too professorial at times here and quoting from other books and Halberstam's tapes for Powers That Be, for example, gets a little curious. I wish she had trusted her interpretive skills more and gone with that. Later in the book, she touches on the big issue of Woodward's later work -- his sourcing and omniscient approach -- but doesn't try hard enough to decide whether he crosses the line or not. And the way she fast forwards to the end, you almost get the feeling that this was written in 1995 or something, went unpublished, and got second life when Mark Felt's family pushed through the Deep Throat disclosure.
A Must Read for Watergate Addicts.......2007-02-12
A MUST-READ FOR WATERGATE JUNKIES! We have all followed Woodward and Bernstein's careers through newspaper articles and the occa¬sional TV interview. Now Alicia Shepard has gathered all those data into a book about what Watergate did for them...and to them. It is a fascinating tale of young reporters who got sudden fame and fortune early in their lives, and how Woodward prospered while Bernstein foundered.
Shepard had access to their entire Watergate archives, and my only criticism of the book is its liberal quotations of that material. When "letters and telegrams" pour in from all over the country to them, it is not necessary to quote from so many. It slows down the narrative and you will find yourself skipping over most of these repetitive passages. All in all, it is a 266 page book that would have a much easier read at about 225. But if you love Water¬gate and all that came in its wake, pick up this book and read about how it careened the careers of these little reports to un¬known heights and depths.
The story behind the story (tellers).......2006-12-16
When the five burglars bungled their bugging mission at the Watergate in June of 1972, they unwittingly changed not only our country's political history, but its journalistic one as well. Alicia Shepard has masterfully chronicled the successes and struggles, both professional and personal, of Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, the men who blew the lid off Watergate, in this informative and enjoyable book. She recounts their investigation of the scandal, illuminating a new perspective through extensive interviews with their editors. She pulls no punches in exposing their triumphs and their failures in the ensuring three decades, in their reporting, their marriages, and even their relationship with each other. The result is an eminently readable book that will leave you feeling as if you have finally gotten the inside scoop on the men whose names are synonymous with Watergate.
The Definitive "Woodstein" Biography.......2006-12-11
Alicia C. Shepard has written what should become the definitive biography of Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein. Her book is scholarly without being pedantic and revelatory without being salacious. She skillfully shows how Watergate affected not only history, but journalism, and the lives of the two young men who doggedly pursued the truth. This book is must reading for anyone who wants to become a journalist, or who cares about what journalists do.
John DeDakis
CNN Senior Copy Editor, "The Situation Room"
Author, FAST TRACK
[...]
Book Description
A powerful and vivid account of Vietnam, one of the most beautiful, ravaged, and misunderstood countries in the world
In Shadows and Wind, Robert Templer paints a fascinating and fresh picture of a country usually viewed with hazy nostalgia or deep suspicion. Here is Hanoi, an increasingly tense and troubled city approaching its millennium but uncertain of its direction. Here are people emerging from a long wilderness of malnutrition, discovering a new lifestyle of leisure and luxury. And everywhere are the anomalies that burst the bubble of optimism: a vastly expensive luxury hotel sitting empty in an unknown town six hours from an international airport; museums crammed with fake exhibits. And there remains the one-party Communist state, still wrapped in secrecy and corruption, and making for an uneasy bedfellow with the rapacious capitalism it now encourages.
Drawing on hundreds of interviews in Vietnam and years of research, Robert Templer has produced the first in-depth examination of the problems facing modern Vietnam. Shadows and Wind is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the Vietnam that now has emerged from a century of conflict with both foreign powers and with itself.
"Groundbreaking. . . . In a convincing blend of colorful reportage and trenchant analysis, Robert Templer blows away the myths that have misinformed the world about this deeply troubled country."--Jeremy Grant, The Financial Times
"A meticulous and fascinating investigation.. . . For anyone interested in the real legacy of the Vietnam War, this book should be compulsory reading." --The Guardian
Customer Reviews:
Contemporary Look At Vietnam.......2005-04-11
While in Vietnam I picked up an interesting book about contemporary Vietnam called Shadows and Wind by Robert Templer. Anyway, after my first trip to Vietnam I read Stanley Karnow's excellent history, Vietnam, which focuses on the cuses of the war and the aftermath and I felt this might be a follow up of sorts, picking up where Karnow left off. It's not as contemporary as I'd like-it was published in 1998, but the author has interesting insights to make about the myth of Vietnam, the culture, the generation gap, food, politics, Viet Kieu (exiled or refugee Vietnamese), religion, and everyday life. Albeit the chapters on politics were long and difficult to get through-they came in the middle of the book, which seemed to slow me in my progress. However, I found the opening and closing chapters the most interesting and informative about contemporary Vietnamese society and from what I saw on my last trip to Hanoi-it is still fairly accurate. The Vietnamese are slowing making their way to the usual global consumerism with their pursuit of Honda Dream motorcycles, cell phones, and other consumer goods, but the governement has kept economic expansion moving at a trickle compared to other countries. More than half of the population was born after the war and no one ever gave me grief because I was an American. It'll be interesting to see whether or not Vietnam develops an economic model like China.
One of Two Great books on Vietnam!.......2004-09-08
I read this book because it was recommended in the back of my favorite book on Vietnam: The Bamboo Chest: An Adventure in Healing the Trauma of War
After reading this book I can understand why Mr. Graham recommended it in his book The Bamboo Chest, and why there are so many who've read both The Bamboo Chest: An Adventure in Healing the Trauma of War and Shadows And Wind and consider them the two best books on Vietnam in recent years. As a Vietnamese-American I can definitely attest to the both authors' understanding of the topic of Vietnam: one author gained his through living and reporting on Vietnam for three years, and the other through living in Vietnam during the worst years of the War, and spending eleven months in a re-education camp, just like my uncle!
Get The Bamboo Chest and Shadows and Wind and you'll have a complete understanding of Vietnam and its people!
Get the facts behind the headlines!.......2004-09-07
This book and memoir "The Bamboo Chest: An Adventure in Healing the Trauma of War" by Frederick "Cork Graham are the best books on Vietnam that my reading club and I have read in the last ten years. Both of them stories that have never been told by any other writers who appear only to be regurgitating the findings of previous writers many of them long since dead. If you really want to know what is behind the veil of secrecy in Vietnam then these "Shadows and Wind" and "The Bamboo Chest" are the books for you! Both are written by authors who spent more than a year in Vietnam. Graham spent eleven months as the first american political prisoner held in that country since the end of outright fighting.
Wonderful book.......2004-04-11
A truly wonderful book. Templer writes with beautiful flowing prose, expressing complex ideas and thoughts in an enjoyable and easy to understand manner. Thoroughly researched, this well-organized book provides some essential history and how the history relates to the modern society, then covers all of the main issues of Vietnamese culture and society - including hunger, writing, AIDS, youth, and corrruption - bringing a picture to life of an often confusing and stereotyped land. I learned a tremendous amount from this book. Many of my pre-impressions and stereotypes were wiped away and I finished with more questions, more curiousity, and more understanding about this country that I expected. Highly recommended.
A windbag errant.......2003-10-27
Persuasive only to the unknowledgeable reader this is journalism at its slippery worst. Close examination of the references shows many inaccuracies which make even a junior scholar of Vietnam cringe.It is clear that Mr Templer has no real knowledge of the Vietnamese language and his social and political commentrary is very much a scissors and paste selection from various news agencies. Even more disappointing is his obvious bias which seems to have been the result of perceived attacks on his personal vanity. He is far from a dispassionate observer and this book will only reinforce the prejudices of readers who are parti pris. One is saddened to think that the naive should be so easily drawn to such self-opinionated stuff, when there are books like Neil Jamieson's "Understanding Vietnam" available.
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