Kakaku：
Pantheon
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (Vive l'Iran...) 『I bought the two books for the wedding of my uncle (who was born in Iran). We have already seen the movie which is really good and so well made. The story is simple, effective and also funny. This is the story of many Iranians who had to leave their country because of a stupid regime. I would like to thank Marjan Satrapi to finally give another image of Iran to people who still think that everybody there wears a beard and yells "Allah" every two seconds. I recommend this book to everybody on Earth, especially to people wearing beards :)』
(Comic and heart-breaking) 『a story so reallistic and surreal at the same time... I'm starting to love Marjane since now』
(A bit of a letdown from the absolutely excellent first volume) 『The world of post-revolutionary Iran is one that I know very little about, and it was fascinating to see written and drawn here. Ultimately though, this volume was not as compelling as the first one. The conceit of the young author's conversations and confrontations with god with a backdrop of war and oppression was a lot stronger than the confrontations of a teenager with marriage and school.
On the other hand, if you enjoyed the first volume, this is a required read that I suspect you will appreciate, if not adore as much as that one.』
(Remarkably precise) 『All due respect to the ALA Alex and YALSA committees, there should also have been a great deal of serious consideration for some of the higher profile major literary awards for this book, one of a pair of volumes that make up Persepolis, The Story of A Childhood and The Story of A Return. As a long-time devotee of the Graphic Novel, I have no hesitation saying these two volumes are the most effective, and affecting examples of the genre I have yet encountered. The narrative is in itself a masterwork, and none the less for being simply the true autobiography I assume it is. The relative amounts of concern given the numerous occurrences is precisely right. The author/artist moves briskly through countless episodes yet leaves in each case a most thorough, profound and lasting impression. The characterizations, especially of Marjane herself and her immediate family are palpable to an extent rarely achieved in what we normally deem "serious literature". Each depiction elicits our deepest concern as hideousness follows hope follows respite follows tragedy follows turmoil, chaos, and humor. It is impossible to separate the art from the text. Each is so precisely crafted in each other's service. It is not since Walt Kelly that I have seen such imminently "readable" faces, postures, and gestures. While on the other hand, one will have no doubt as to the sound of the voices speaking the content of the dialogue balloons. Sadly, the most lasting and, perhaps as intended, the most profound impression one will take from these volumes is an unshakable sadness we must feel on behalf of what might have been a remarkable nation, were it not for man's fascination with fanaticism and the mindless tinkering of the "Super Powers". Persepolis is literally a great mourning bell tolling the tragedy of Iran, albeit ringing out through the thoughts and experiences of a child and then a young, sensitive and phenomenally articulate woman.』
(A must read!) 『Love love love this book! A must read for everyone! An easy and enlightening read through comic strip form.』 『In Persepolis, heralded by the Los Angeles Times as“one of the freshest and most original memoirs of our day,” Marjane Satrapi dazzled us with her heartrending memoir-in-comic-strips about growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. Here is the continuation of her fascinating story. In 1984, Marjane flees fundamentalism and the war with Iraq to begin a new life in Vienna. Once there, she faces the trials of adolescence far from her friends and family, and while she soon carves out a place for herself among a group of fellow outsiders, she continues to struggle for a sense of belonging.
Finding that she misses her home more than she can stand, Marjane returns to Iran after graduation. Her difficult homecoming forces her to confront the changes both she and her country have undergone in her absence and her shame at what she perceives as her failure in Austria. Marjane allows her past to weigh heavily on her until she finds some like-minded friends, falls in love, and begins studying art at a university. However, the repression and state-sanctioned chauvinism eventually lead her to question whether she can have a future in Iran.
As funny and poignant as its predecessor, Persepolis 2 is another clear-eyed and searing condemnation of the human cost of fundamentalism. In its depiction of the struggles of growing up—here compounded by Marjane’s status as an outsider both abroad and at home—it is raw, honest, and incredibly illuminating.』 『Picking up the thread where her debut memoir-in-comics concluded,Persepolis 2: The Story of a Returndetails Marjane Satrapi's experiences as a young Iranian woman cast abroad by political turmoil in her native country. Older, if not exactly wiser, Marjane reconciles her upbringing in war-shattered Tehran with new surroundings and friends in Austria. Whether living in the company of nuns or as the sole female in a house of eight gay men, she creates a niche for herself with friends and acquaintances who feel equally uneasy with their place in the world.
After a series of unfortunate choices and events leave her literally living in the street for three months, Marjane decides to return to her native Iran. Here, she is reunited with her family, whose liberalism and emphasis on Marjane's personal worth exert as strong an influence as the eye-popping wonders of Europe. Having grown accustomed to recreational drugs, partying, and dating, Marjane now dons a veil and adjusts to a society officially divided by gender and guided by fundamentalism. Emboldened by the example of her feisty grandmother, she tests the bounds of the morality enforced on the streets and in the classrooms. With a new appreciation for the political and spiritual struggles of her fellow Iranians, she comes to understand that "one person leaving her house while asking herself, 'is my veil in place?' no longer asks herself 'where is my freedom of speech?'"
Satrapi's starkly monochromatic drawing style and the keenly observed facial expressions of her characters provide the ideal graphic environment from which to appeal to our sympathies. Bereft of fine detail, this graphic novel guides the reader's attention instead toward a narrative rich with empathy. Don't be fooled by the glowering self-portrait of the author on the back flap; it’s nearly impossible to readPersepolis 2without feeling warmth toward Marjane Satrapi.--Ryan Boudinot』
Kakaku：
Basic Books
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (A dull human experiment) 『I expected this book to be more about the experience of living and working holed up in a "fishbowl" with seven other folks for two years, than about the politics and development of the Biosphere project. But, perhaps that is because nothing really interesting happens much in the biosphere.
Poynter isn't a great writer. That'd be okay if she had a more interesting tale. But, I didn't really get a true sense of any of her fellow biospherans, other than they squabbled over food, the purpose of the experiment - and well just about everything, and with few exceptions really didn't like one another.
Life in the Biosphere comes across as just dull and tedious. Mostly it's focused on the basics of survival. Making sure there's enough food growing and fighting bugs that can harm it, raising animals and monitoring their oxygen levels. Meanwhile, the management and the rest of the world are squabbling over what, if any, scientific value the whole experiment has. (And, quite frankly, I was left wondering how much value it had, as well).
BOTTOM LINE: A human experiment of living a dull and monotonous life in a fishbowl for two years - makes for a fairly dull and monotonous book. But, if you are or were fascinated by the Biosphere experiment, you may enjoy this one more than I did.』
(Interesting read.) 『I was happy to plow through this somewhat "lowbudget" (bad black and white photos only) book. The story is well told, albeit not as detailed and perhaps in-depth as I had hoped. Ms. Poynter is not a very strong writer and seldom does she make introspective observations that indicate what she learned by being inside the biosphere. However, the book describes the two years as a matter of factly and I finished the book with a sense having been inside the biosphere with her. It's a fine read but not an amazing one.』
(Two Years Of Torture) 『The unique thing about Biosphere 2 was that it was a scientific experiment launched by the anti-establishment. Ultimately, the anti-establishment people who were running this experiment were miffed that the establishment wasn't taking their work seriously. Jane Poynter describes the demeaning experience of lacking credibility with the scientific fraternity, despite their great efforts.
These people were mavericks in the world of science. Serious scientific research is typically conducted by the government or universities on projects of a much smaller scale. To circumvent the usual process was audacious and somewhat naive. This group had guts, imagination and, most importantly, a very wealthy donor.
A group of vintage 1960's alternative lifestyle types, not drugged-out hippies, their goal was to make some big discoveries. Perhaps a science discovery inspired by science fiction. They chose an objective to study: Discover important information about enclosed environments,(..yeah, sounds good!)...something that can possibly be used for habitats on Mars..(yeah!)..or the Moon.. (...yeah, yeah, let's do it!). They decided to set a record for staying the longest inside a sealed building.
Similar to the crew on Star Trek, they went on a two year mission, separated from the rest of us on earth. They lived a tortuous existence inside an enclosed space with too little oxygen, too little food and too much CO2. This enviroment caused them all sorts of physical and psychological problems. They were constantly bickering, factioning into groups.
As interesting as this appears, I just didn't share the same passion for "breaking the record" inside a building. Reading the other great reviews, this book obviously appeals to a lot of people, but it just didn't work for me. I can't blame Poynter's writing, because Poynter, an English woman, writes well. She is frankly honest about what it was like to participate in this grand experiment. I simply didn't share their enthusiasm about the mission. 』
(A can't put down science adventure) 『A few weeks ago I had teh chance to visit Biosphere 2 and found the tour to be well worth the detour from Tucson. I saw this book in the gift shop but ordered it here on Amazon for much less.
Jane Poynter paints a riveting tale of how the Biosphere came to be, the science behind building it, and most important, the eperience of being a biospherian. The story combines science and human interactions in a true tale that captivates the imagination. Indeed, it reads much like any really good story whereby once you start reading it, you simply can not put it down.』
(The Human Experiment: Two Years and Twenty Minutes Inside Biosphere 2) 『Perfect condition. Written extremely well. After actually visiting Biosphere 2, this was a must read!』 『It’s a story that has never been told… until now.
Imagine being sealed into a three-acre greenhouse for two years… cut off from the outside world with only seven other people for company… enduring never-ending hunger, severely low levels of oxygen, and extremely difficult relationships. That’s what happened inside Biosphere 2, where crewmembers struggled to survive while keeping their promise that nothing would go in or out – no food, no water, not even air – all in the name of science.
For the first time, biospherian Jane Poynter– who lived and loved in the Biosphere – is ready to share what really happened inside the controversial project. She takes readers on a riveting, fast-paced trip through shattered lives, scientific discovery, cults, love, fears of insanity, and inspiring human endurance.
The eight biospherians who closed themselves into the Biosphere in 1991 emerged 730 days later… much wiser, thinner, and having done what many had said was impossible.』
Kakaku：
St. Martin's Griffin
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (very nice flow) 『I was simply looking for another perspective on the "Band of Brothers" story and was VERY pleasantly surprised by this well-written, easy reading perspective on Easy Company. Can't know exactly how much veteran Malarkey contributed to the actual text, but this book is a keeper!』
(Most Honest Account) 『I have read all of the available Bios from the Easy Company soldiers and have enjoyed all of them immensely. They are all very special brave men, but most of all human and all that goes with it. Sgt. Don Malarky's book has all kinds of personal accounts laced with honest, heartfelt emotions that really allows the reader to get a great feel for what it must have truly been like to walk in his jump boots or shoes in uniform and again as a civillian. Personal fellings that are danced around more carefully in the other Easy Company bios. I feel as though from just reading this book, that Sgt. Malarky was telling me his story in person not page. I repeat, all of the Easy Company bios are excellent and should be by all means read as companion novels to each other, as they are all the same experience but from different veiws, ranks, backgrounds, locations and perceptions to get a 360* account of the whole Easy Company experience from basic training to the return to civillian life and the life beyond the Army.』
(IF YOU LIKED THIS BOOK, THEN YOU WILL LOVE THIS!) 『Good book giving insight to Don's life prior to his joining the Army and making history with the 506th.
You may want to visit the places the 506th fought at along with author Mark Bando and a WWII 101st Airborne veteran with a tour by Pathfinder Tours. These tours provide the guest with the interesting, inside information AND you get the added bonus of being there with a veteran who fought with the 101st in WWII. In September there will be a tour visiting the Holland/Bastogne battlefields with 101st veteran and author Donald Burgett.』
(If you liked Band of Brothers this is a must) 『This may be an even better book than the Ambrose original. It certainly tells it from a closer look at things.』
(Probably my favorite of all the Easy Autobiographies) 『I'm a Band of Brothers junkie. I've read all of the autobigraphies that have come out since Ambrose's great book. As a teacher, I have had the privilege of hosting a couple of the members of Easy Company to talk to my students who have read Ambrose's book. These men are amazing to me.
While all of the books are praiseworthy and give us insight on the men of Easy Company, I find that Malarky's candor and humility just make for amazing reading. It's a humbling reminder that the heroes of World War II did not spring full-blown from the mind of Zeus. They lived everyday, hardscrabble lives, and did their duty--and much more--when their country needed them.
What an amazing man. What an amazing generation. What an amazing book.』 『
Drafted in 1942, Malarkey arrived at Camp Toccoa in Georgia and was one of the one in six soldiers who earned their Eagle wings. He went to England in 1943 to provide cover on the ground for the largest amphibious military attack in history: Operation Overlord. In the darkness of D-day morning, Malarkey parachuted into France and within days was awarded a Bronze Star for his heroism in battle. He fought for thirty-five days in Normandy, nearly eighty in Holland, thirty-nine in Bastogne, and nearly thirty more in and near Haugenau, France, and the Ruhr pocket in Germany.
This is his dramatic tale of those bloody days fighting his way from the shores of France to the heartland of Germany, and the epic story of how an adventurous kid from Oregon became an elite paratrooper and a leader of men.
Kakaku：
Echo Library
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (Good read) 『Very good book. If your into that era in history, you can't go wrong on this. Hey, it's Plutarch!』
(ITEM IN PERFECT CONDITIONS) 『I'm happy with the book and the conditions it got to me Everything perfect!!』
(For the ages' tooth) 『Twain's pejorative definition of `classic' need not apply. I define classic as that (text) which speaks to the heart over an extended duration - perhaps for several generations, as in `classic rock', or several millennia, as in Plutarch's "Lives". I probably never would have read Plutarch, were it not for a glorious discovery of Montaigne in mid-life. Having acquired enough distaste for the copious demands required to master classical languages after five years of Latin in secondary school, I made an arbitrary and direly misguided vow to eschew all Classics courses at the university level. And thus again is revealed the fateful difference between post-modern (post-1945), and the modern (c. 1500 - August 5, 1945) pedagogy, of which I unwittingly, if serendipitously, caught the tail end. The modern cannon required thorough immersion in the classics, and, for many years, Plutarch was required reading in the best schools, and should be even now. The author of the Shakespearian plays came to Plutarch by way of Montaigne (and likely read the Amyot translation, and only later the North, if at all), and the English schools came to Plutarch by way of Shakespeare. We might say that the revival of Plutarch was one of the most far reaching achievements of the Northern Renaissance. At one point in his celebrated chronicle of the self, Montaigne (as a shaper and bona fide member of that cannon, guardian of some of what is best in our cultural inheritance) amusedly reveals that, when his critics believe they are attacking his work, they are actually attacking Plutarch and/or Seneca, so profound is their presence in his writing, and, in his "Defense of Plutarch and Seneca", he declares that . . . "my book [is] built up purely from their spoils".
And what a book it is! But Plutarch's magnum (see the 14 volumes of the Loeb Classical Library for his other works), is the greater. Montaigne is one of the great students of the self. Plutarch is the first (and may yet still be the definitive) historian of virtue. Montaigne, in scrutiny of his own nature, seeks to recognize the limitations and potentials of the self, and thereby sketch our general spiritual contours. Plutarch, in an unparalleled series of real life, historically and culturally pivotal, examples, shows us what they are.
The book records in the most remarkably intimate style (Plutarch has few peers as a master of narrative and an uncanny ability to ferret out of detail the significance of individual actions as a unified whole), the major events in the lives of the most impacting figures of the ancient world. Therefore, like the best novels, the book forms a world in itself, a lost world, the world of our ancestors, through a landscape drawn of actions and consequences. The structure of the book is such that an account of the seminal moments in the life of a noble Greek and then of a noble Roman are brought forth in pairs, followed by a comparison. In some sections of the work these comparisons are absent. They appear at some point in antiquity to have either been lost to or removed from the text, which would seem to explain why, for instance, there is no comparison of Alexander and Caesar. But the comparisons are brilliant, and eminently instructive.
Of course, from the details alone, we may draw our own inferences. Alexander, as a mere teen, leading his troops in hand-to-hand combat, won his first battle fighting uphill at night. Caesar, a heavy drinker, was wont to ride horseback at full tilt with his hands clenched behind his back. He had a life-long passion for Cato's sister and it is said that from their relationship, which continued through their respective marriages, Brutus was born. Et tu? Of course, one cannot fail to mention, even in this briefest review of the abundantly rich description in the nearly 1,300 pages which comprise the book, the death of Cato the Younger - one of the most exquisitely drawn figures in the book. Hunted down with the remnants of his troops into the wastelands of Carthage by the army of Octavius Ceasar in an effort to snuff out the last vestiges of republican resistance and opposition to Empire, realizing that the last realistic hope for freedom is lost, Cato attempts ritual suicide (a Stoic custom common to Roman nobility) by disembowelment. As Plutarch describes the scene, ". . . he did not immediately die of the wound; but struggling, fell off the bed, and throwing down a little mathematical table that stood by, made such a noise that the servants, hearing it, cried out. And immediately his son and all his friends came into the chamber, where, seeing him lie weltering in his own blood, great part of his bowels out of his body, but himself still alive and able to look at them, they all stood in horror. The physician went to him, and would have put in his bowels, which were not pierced, and sewed up the wound; but Cato, recovering himself, and understanding the intention, thrust away the physician, plucked out his own bowels, and tearing open the wound, immediately expired." In Seneca's words: "For Cato could not outlive freedom, nor would freedom outlive Cato."
However, the life most appropriate for the contemporary reader, I feel (and wish that every member of the shadowy corporate/military junta that seems to be ruling us these days would read and take to heart) is the life of Crassus. Crassus was the most successful businessman in the history of the Roman Empire. Plutarch relates that at one time he owned virtually one-third of the real estate in Rome. However, such mind-boggling success was not enough for him. His yen, and later, obsession, was to be revered as a great military leader, a world conqueror, expand the domain of the already burgeoning Empire, and the object of his fantasies was the area of the world at that time known as Mesopotamia and Persia, today as Iraq and Iran. We follow as he makes extensive preparations, investing his own fortune and a great deal of the nation's wealth into outfitting an army for the venture. And at first, the invasion of Mesopotamia seems to go well. But the centers of population are spread out over great stretches of desert, and the occupation never really succeeds, because a central authority cannot be solidly established. Crassus, however, remains undaunted, even though the troops are becoming mutinous as supplies begin to run thin. Led on by treacherous advisors, he enters Parthia (somewhere in the vicinity of modern day Syria). Plutarch describes the grueling denouement with his usual detachment, aplomb, and gifted eye for pertinent detail. Having lost the greatest fortune in the world, he proceeds to lose his troops, then his sons, and finally his life. These lessons are never too late for the learning, and my apologies to Twain, but a classic is a text which retains its urgency to be read, and read now.
I read the Dryden/Clough translation. Dryden was never my favorite writer of his period, the late 17th century - hardly a match for Burton or Milton, in my opinion, but he was poet laureate, and this work I love - his English is fine, and resonates with classic dignity. Clough, the mid-nineteenth century British scholar who revised the translation, befriended Emerson when he traveled to England, and became a sort of mentor to the New England Transcendentalists in general. We can be grateful for such a wonderful rendering for one of the very greatest and edifying masterpieces. 』
(A must read for lovers of ancient History) 『A most concise volume of all the most important people of the Roman Empire.』
(A classic of character contrast) 『Plutarch's parallel lives, parallels the life of a great Greek with a great Roman. Theseus and Romulus, Demosthenes and Cicero, Alexander and Ceasar. There are forty- six such pairs which tell not only the story of the individuals but of their society . Plutarch brings to bear his tremendous learning from a wide variety of sources . Plutarch's first interest is in the character of the people he writes about, and the moral lessons he can draw from comparison of the lives. His work has had great influence and provided inspiration and material to Shakespeare, Montaigne, Browning and others. The reading of the work is not always easy, and there are strange and questionably credible tales and details but the work is humanly alive. The reading and studying of it was once considered a basic part of true humanistic education, and not the confine of a few scholars in the classic departments of universities. It once had broad reader appeal and anyone with a keen interest in biography, and the subject of how lives have been lived in worlds far from our own, would do well if not to read this work cover- to- cover than at very least have a good read in it.』 『Includes the lives of Lysander, Sulla, Pelopidas, Marcellus, Aristeides and Cato』
Kakaku：
Waveland Press
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (Compelling!) 『I have purchased at least 10 copies of this book to pass around to family and friends. Each has concluded that this is a compelling and profound read. It is a book you will not put down until finished and will bring laughter and tears and most important, a reality that provokes our common sense to the need to understand and unify with women everywhere about reproduction and childbirth. A must read.』
(Fantastic Read!) 『I am not a big reader, but this book captured me from the very first page. Beautiful, insightful and life-changing, the author writes so passionately about a world most of us have no idea exists. Our book club loved this book! Highly, highly recommended!』
(review of monique and the mango rains) 『Excellent insights into the culture, traditions and personalities of people in a village in Mali, as experienced by a young woman Peace Corps worker from 1989--1991. What distinguishes this Peace Corps worker book from others is the beautiful friendship that develops between the worker and Monique, a young village midwife. Also, more focus is placed on the local people than on the Peace Corps worker and her feelings. Observations about traditions, cultural differences, etc. are made in a non-judgemental mode. Very well written; I could hardly put it down. I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in the Peace Corps, and more importantly,to anyone interested in learning more about a West African country and a slice of its rural culture in a loving-life, with all its vagaries, kind of way.』
(i loved it , couldn't put it down) 『so inspirational and well written. i loved it and even went online to see how i can help.』
(Beautiful Writing-spoiler included) 『What a heartfelt story about a midwife and her peace core friend!!! Monique is a powerful woman and very inspiring. It is great to see how a different culture births and the stuggles they face. The only downfall for me was that I would have loved to have read about Monique's personal birthing experience before she died, and I would have also loved to have heard about Kris' birthing experiences more in detail also, but all in all one of the best books I have ever read!!!』 『What is it like to live and work in a remote corner of the world and befriend a courageous midwife who breaks traditional roles? Monique and the Mango Rains: Two Years with a Mali Midwife is the inspiring story of Monique Dembele, an accidental midwife who became a legend, and Kris Holloway, the young Peace Corps volunteer who became her closest confidante. In a small village in Mali, West Africa, Monique saved lives and dispensed hope every day in a place where childbirth is a life-and-death matter and where many children are buried before they cut a tooth. Kris worked side-by-side with her as they cared for each other through sickness and tragedy and shared their innermost secrets and hopes. Monique’s life was representative of many women in one of the world’s poorest nations, yet she faced her challenges in extraordinary ways. Despite her fiercely traditional society and her limited education she fought for her beliefs—birth control, the end of female genital mutilation, the right to receive a salary, and the right to educate her daughters. And she struggled to be with the man she loved. Her story is one of tragedy joy, rebellion, and of an ancient culture in the midst of change. It is an uplifting tribute to indomitable spirits everywhere. Monique and the Mango Rains is a fascinating voyage to an unforgettable place, a voyage spent close to the ground, immersed in village life, learning first-hand the rhythms of this world. From witnessing her first village birth to the night of Monique’s own tragic death, Kris draws on her first-person experiences in Mali, her graduate studies in maternal and child health, medical and clinic records, letters and journals, as well as conversations with Monique, her family, friends and colleagues, to gives readers a unique view—and a friend in West Africa.』
Kakaku：
Pantheon
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (Great Book) 『It was a great book and it was a used book in very good condition, practically new.』
(Not a comic book!) 『Puts into life the past and the now. How people who lived through the Holocaust kept the habits that they had to learn to survive the Nazi death camps. Old habits are very hard to break.』
(Fair but a lot of rambling.) 『After finishing the first book, I immediately went into Maus II: A Survivor's Tale: And Here My Troubles Began and expected the same result. Unfortunately, this time, I didn't like the book that much. It was a lot of rambling and going off the point, and sometimes, the author would finally focus on the Holocaust story. It's basically the same structure as the first book, and at least this time, there is an ending. Really, there shouldn't have been two books, only just take the essentials from the second book and attach them to the end of the first book. That would be good enough for me. Another problem about Maus II: A Survivor's Tale: And Here My Troubles Began is that there isn't a message; just a story to be told which is fine with me. I wrote for the last book, "There are some negatives about Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History. One is the unnecessary use of profanity words. As I agree that the book is a great education tool for schools (I took a Holocaust class in high school, and the book was part of the class as well as with other books), it would be advisable just to apply the white-outs on the profane words. Two is the grammatical errors throughout the pages. I don't know if you noticed them, but they are sometimes distracting as I was unsure if that's what the author's father really said or something like that. In conclusion, I can put the blame on Art Speigelman for his careless writing. Three is that the author can sometimes make his book go off the topic. It is just a minor complaint. Four is the depiction of the nationalities through choices of animals: Polish = Pigs, Jewish = Mice, French = Frogs, Germans = Cats, etc.). From the negative reviews, I can understand the problem here, and it's a delicate line here because for one, it's ingenuous yet it is offensive. Sometimes, the Polish people are given a racist labeling of their race through the words in the book. Five is that I mostly read the words in the book rather than looking at the pictures since they were bland to my eyes. However, the graphic novel approach makes the book an engaging read for the young students. So, my criticism means nothing in this point of view. Six is the presentation of a daunting idea of survival during the Holocaust. Not many people are skillful when it comes to politics and negotiations. This gives a discouraging message for the less bright or less able people that only the smartest or the most able survives." Thinking of them, I would say that most of them apply the same to Maus II: A Survivor's Tale: And Here My Troubles Began. All in all, the book is okay and has an ending.』
(If You've Already Read "Maus I") 『I don't feel like writing a long review detailing every reason why I like Maus. Instead I'm just going to recommend to everyone who has read and loved Maus I like I have to finish the story. I didn't pay much attention to the cover when I bought Maus I, and didn't know that I bought only the first half. The second half adds to Art and Vladek's relationship and it portrays the one of the Holocaust's darkest part with an eye witness account of the concentration camps.
My only complaint was how the story just ended. The story is finished and you know what happens to all of the characters, but I thought there was more to tell with Vladek's story after the war.
Regardless, the ending is still great, as is with the rest of this masterpiece.』
(Haunting) 『Once you pick this book up, you won't put it down until it's done. Just as compelling as "Maus I", here Spiegelman continues to interweave his difficult (and at times humorous) relationship with his aging father and the story of his father's horrific past. This unassuming graphic novel brings the Holocaust and its after-effects to life more hauntingly and effectively than anything else I've read. Deserves a place right beside it's Pulitzer-winning companion.』 『MAUS was the first half of the tale of survival of the author's parents, charting their desperate progress from prewar Poland Auschwitz. Here is the continuation, in which the father survives the camp and is at last reunited with his wife.』
IPhone 3G used's review (A Different Angle) 『This book was not what I had hoped for in that it didn't give the details of the fighting that I was expecting. It is more of an overview of the war with seemingly more emphasis on the pre-war portion. Still, It is an interesting read and I would recommend it to anyone interested in the entire time frame, both pre and post World War Two era.』
(Hard to put down) 『The book is well written and was hard to put down. It tells Gen. Donald V. Bennett's story of the struggle to get in and through West Point. It next moves to initial artillery training. Here he learns how to ride a horse while pulling his artillery piece. In addition, he learned how to place his foot where it would not be crushed while riding the horse. His stories of North Africa included the sights, smells, running a bordello (to get the disease rate down), and fighting Rommell. His insights and experiences in Sicily were preparations for his Normandy experience. His spell binding account of Normandy is the best chapter in the book and as good as any ever written. He gives a fresh point of view on the Battle of the Bulge pointing out the signs and intelligence higher up overlooked. His conclusion with experiences and insights about the Russians are eye opening.』
(An Awesome History Lesson) 『An awesome history lesson, especially for those who have forgotten what it takes to defeat evil in the world. I hesitantly started reading this book expecting some blowhard general to gloat about his limited accomplishments in the big war. I had a very pleasant surprise and was drawn into another perspective of what we did as a nation to defeat Hitler and his cronies. The title is taken from a line in the Cadet's Prayer from West Point. It is a prayer we all could use to recite occasionally. I very highly recommend this book.』
(Excellent Account) 『I really enjoyed this first hand account of General Bennett's experiences. I have read this type of book extensively, and I put this very close to the top of my list.
I especially enjoyed his comments about how people behaved and thought during this climatic time in our history. His feelings about missing his wife, and how he felt when his first troopers died, and what that must have meant to the families added a real human touch. I enjoyed his description of train rides, gas rationing, and many other small points that really gave me a feel for what it was like for not just soldiers, but also civilians, both American and Foreign.
I agree, it would have been really nice to have some pictures of what his vehicles looked like and some maps. But, I would also have enjoyed a picture of his wife whom he obviously loved deeply. A picture of Fort Knox, or Fort Sill during training.
Those would really have added value to this book, but it certainly stands out without them too. My thanks to General Bennett for sharing his story, and not just the combat.
Well done!!』
(Great Book) 『The first hand telling of WWII by a retired 4 star general. Detailed battle discriptions and analysis, and amazing individual encounters. Possibly THE BEST BOOK I HAVE EVER READ!!!!!』 『What the bestsellersFlags of Our Fatherswas to Iwo Jima andDutyto the mission of the Enola Gay,Honor Untarnishedis to the World War II tour of duty of young graduate of a West Point.
Whether it was fighting Rommel's fierce Afrika Korps hitting the beaches of Normandy on D Day, surviving the Battle of the Bulge, or just being in the next room during the infamous "slapping incident" of Blood-n-Guts General George Patton, Donald Bennett experienced the fiery crucible of World War II and survived to tell about it.
As a recent graduate of West Point, First Lieutenant Bennett was given the charge of training inexperienced and scared recruits, and leading them into battle against the Axis forces. From orientation at Fort Sill, Oklahoma through the fiercest battles of the war right up to the liberation of the death camps and our complicit confrontation with the Soviet Union over Eastern Europe, Don Bennett, not yet thirty, preserved the honor of the corps, and the liberty of the free world.
Lindbergh, Patton, Bradley, and Eisenhower are just names in a history book to most-but to Don Bennett they were personal acquaintances. 』
Kakaku：
Bison Books
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (Great book!) 『AN incredible view of WWII from that of a correspondent. A summary of his articles that he submitted during his being "imbedded".』
(Here Is Your War: Story of G. I. Joe) 『A fascintating read. This book gets you right into the actual experiences faced by our soldiers. It is about feelings, conditions, etc.』
(Great First Hand Account of the African Campaign) 『This book is an edited compilation of Ernie Pyles' dispatches during the North African Campaign of World War Two (each chapter was originally two or three columns and were woven together to make the story flow better). It describes the sea voyage from England, the landing in Algiers, and the drive across North Africa, ending with the German retreat and surrender.
Pyle gives a great accounting of all of the different types of people that compile a war effort - the nurses, cooks, mechanics, pilots, and of course the infantry. He tends to stay away from the brass and talk with the soldiers. The style of writing is very quaint - when ever a soldier is introduced in a story, Pyle gives his/her hometowm and often his/her address as well. The writing flows surprisingly well - and I say surprisingly because if one just looks at the text, consisting of short sentences and paragraphs, it would give the illusion of being choppy. It is infact beautifully written from a humanistic stand point.
Pyle doesn't gloss over the horrors of war, his own fear, the hardships or the set backs. He talks about the mistakes we made in the administration of captured Algiers, and how we were defeated in the initial combat against the Germans.
The reason why Pyle was/is so famous is he brings to life all of the warm anectodes that make life in a combat zone bearable - the unselfish acts of courage and kindness - as well as the sense of loss when a friend will no longer be with us. That was the true beauty of Pyle's work.
Again, this is a fantastic book for anyone seeking to learn who were the men and women that fought WWII and what life was like for them.』 『
A wonderful and enduring tribute to American troops in the Second World War,Here Is Your Waris Ernie Pyle’s story of the soldiers’ first campaign against the enemy in North Africa. With unequaled humanity and insight, Pyle tells how people from a cross-section of America—ranches, inner cities, small mountain farms, and college towns—learned to fight a war. The Allied campaign and ultimate victory in North Africa was built on blood, brave deeds, sacrifice and needless loss, exotic vistas, endurance, homesickness, and an unmistakable American sense of humor. It’s all here—the suspenseful landing at Oran; the risks taken daily by fighter and bomber pilots; grim, unrelenting combat in the desert and mountains of Tunisia; a ferocious tank battle that ended in defeat for the inexperienced Americans; and the final victory at Tunis. Pyle’s keen observations relate the full story of ordinary G.I.s caught up in extraordinary times.
Kakaku：
Shambhala
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (Another spiritual evolutionary step) 『The Diamond Heart books are not for everyone but are priceless for those who have been working with themselves for sometime. The transcripts of talks given don't make this a reference book but rather a way to absorb organically the teachings of A. H. Almaas. These teachings and guidance make the subtle differences to our previous understandings and introduce us to the nuances of the world's greatest spiritual teachings in a soft, gentle and expansive manner that befits the subject matter.
The Freedom To Be comes from the cessation of the fight with the ego mind and the expansion of perception that allows all to be within. I found it enormously helpful to me in shifting my energy from 'trying' to 'being'.』
(A Heart that shines.) 『This is the second book in A. H. Almaas's four-part Diamond Heart series. "We live in a world of mystery, wonder, and beauty," he observes in the Preface to this book, "but most of us seldom participate in this real world, being aware rather of a world that is mostly strife, suffering, or meaninglessness" (p. i). In the series of twelve inner-work teachings collected here (e.g., "Hanging Loose," "Acceptance," "Love," and "Being Oneself"), Almaas integrates Sufism, Zen and Vajrayana Buddhism with Gurdjieff and modern psychology into what he calls "the Diamond Approach" to self realization, and as the book's subtitle suggests, into "the freedom to be." This is a "Heart" that shines like a diamond.
G. Merritt』
『We live in a world of mystery, wonder, and beauty. But most of us seldom participate in this real world, being focused rather on the parts that are mostly strife, suffering, or meaninglessness. The situation is basically due to our not realizing and living our full human potential. This potential can be actualized by the realization and development of human essence. The human essence is the part of us that is innate and real, and which can participate in the real world. The series of booksDiamond Heartare transcriptions of talks given by A. H. Almaas to inner work groups in Colorado and California.』
Kakaku：
Sophia Institute Press
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (More great stories) 『If Surprised by Truth 1 wasn't enough, these real testimonies are light in a dark world. This book is good for Protestants, secular people, as well as Catholics thinking of leaving. This wealth of touching stories is bound to offer something to people from a variety of denomenations and backgrounds.』
(Surprised by Truth once more) 『This book puts together a collection of powerful testimonies from people who discovered or re-discovered the True Faith laid out by Christ (the Catholic Church and its teachings). I was most inspired and deeply moved by these testimonies. I will contact at least one of the contributors to this book. I felt particularly identified with his story and will seek advise on how to follow the path he took to "Rome". Buy and distribute among your friends the Surprised by Truth series. I did give away my copy of the preceding book of this Surprised by Truth series and I am pleased to inform that it helped to convert my friend to Catholicism. I am looking forward to read the third book of the Surprised by Truth series.』
(Surprised by Truth 2) 『I highly recommend this book and the first "Surprised by Truth" book. Very inspiring testimonies by a wide variety of people who write about their search for religious truth. If you have questions or doubts or just want to know the facts, this is the book to read.』
(wonderful) 『This book was as good as the first. I think it gives a good understanding as to why someone would convert. As a Catholic myself it has made my faith stronger. I bought the book to then pass on to someone who is considering becoming Catholic. I would not however try to force my beliefs on someone but if someone is interested to understand more it is a great book to read.』
(Great for a shot in the arm) 『Conversion stories are always a fun read, when one is reading the stories of those who convert to their own faith.
Of course, when the conversion is one away from one's own tradition, that is another thing entirely.
However, fair is fair, and evangelicals have been publishing and telling conversion stories about how people were "saved" from the Catholic Church since the beginning of their movement some 400 years ago. It is remarkable therefore that some would criticize these humble and powerful stories of people who "swam the Tiber" in the other direction as "triumphalist" (whatever that word means) or inappropriate. Yet that is exactly what many evangelicals have done regarding the renaissance in Catholic apologetics that has occurred over the last 20 years.
However, in my opinion, this renaissance is neither "triumphalist" in a negative sense, nor inappropriate. For, in theology, the only way to get at the truth is to use the time honored tool of philosophical reasoning when discussing Divine Revelation. That means making arguments from Sacred Scripture. Arguments invite counterarguments. Reformationists reject the authority of the Church to settle arguments when they get out of hand, or threaten unity. Therefore, we will continue to argue with each other, even while we often work side by side in the trenches fighting things like abortion.
This book clearly shows that ideas have consequences, especially when those ideas are religious ones. Every person whose story is in this book is someone who had the courage to not only challenge received "dogma" but also live their life in a way in conformity with their ideas, regardless of the consequences.
Luckily, these brave individuals are not building their houses on the sand of their own understanding, but rather on the rock of Jesus Christ and the teachings of His Church.
This book and its companion volumes are a great tool when one needs the support they provide. They are also useful for explaining to reasonable non-Catholics why people would find it necessary to call the Catholic Church their spiritual home.
I struggled with whether to give this book series 4 or 5 stars. As collections of conversion stories go, these are excellent. However, conversion stories are monologues, not dialogues, and are therefore less interesting to me than a good discussion of various theological issues. I feel good editing and inclusion of other ideas (perhaps a commentary?) could have addressed this weakness to some degree. However, fair is fair, and most other faith traditions (especially Fundamentalist Protestantism) don't extend the same intellectual courtesy when discussing the conversion stories of those who choose to leave the Catholic Church.
At the very least, these books prove that the Catholic faith is compelling, and reasonable. I, of course, believe it to be true. However, until He comes again, I fear that debate will continue. When we are Christian it will be a good discussion. When we fail, it will be shouting match. Such is the Christian experience post the reformation.』 『This collection of testimonies by people who’ve found new life in the Catholic Church is one of the most potent weapons for the Faith ever crafted! These authors don’t just tell their stories — they also give you an insider’s view of the fatal weaknesses in the creeds and belief systems that beckon unwary Catholics every day: Fundamentalism, New Age paganism, Mormonism, materialistic hedonism, and many others.
You’ll discover why these converts forsook beliefs cherished by their families and friends in order to enter the Catholic Church. Their reasons are so compelling that Catholics can use them to draw their own non-Catholic friends and relatives to the Faith.
These converts will also convince wavering Catholics to stay Catholic, and they’ll bolster the faith of Catholics when anti-Catholic arguments start to make them doubt. Readers will come away with new gratitude to God for the Catholic Faith, and with a strong new tool they can use to stand proudly for that Faith.』
大満足！北国のホタテ・いくら・ボタンエビがぎっしり！
