Review:'A fascinating look at the follies of mankind regarding conflict and wars. As I read the book I regretted that Ms. Tuchman was not around to observe the ultimate folly of Iraq and Afghanistan. Following the tragedy of 911 when the powers that be decided that the country needed to go to war in Iraq despite the fact that the real culprits of the attack were located in Afghanistan. This seemed to me to be ultimate folly.

At forest I had a hard time figuring out why Ms. Tuchman chose the th... Read more

Review:I got a bit tired of the continuous description of the rivers, but I did so enjoy hearing their reports when they met with the Indians, and finding out if they were hostile or not. They were out in all kinds of weather. Such strong men. Read more

Review:The information (too detailed some times)lets you know the origin of many ideas by which we live today...where fundamental texts as the Bible come from. THIS ALLOWS ME to choose: let the past shape the present or empower and escape from the ideas that capture the eternal present..... the only moment that exists..... Read more

Review:The wonderful graphics of this volume do make it entertaining and informative. But note that this is an episodic book, with about 150 historical events, all getting exactly a two-page visual treatment. This cookie-cutter approach can make the events appear to have the same significance, and also there is no connection made between them. Thus "The Napoleonic Wars" follows "The French Revolution" two-pager, treating them as separate occurrences, which they by no means are. To really understand ... Read more

Review:Curiously, the stories that are told are presented rather like Reuters news reports. Largely devoid of story telling "decoration". I guess that Ms Hamilton is trying to be true to the source, in some sort of scholarly way, but I was hoping for the deliciously rich storytelling that I remember my Latin master delivering to us 40 years ago in school. I'm still enjoying it, but can't help feeling that it could have been more. It's particularly odd that Hamilton often tells which of the ancient poet... Read more

Review:I read this along with Howard Zinn's "Peoples History of the United States". Together, both books "liberated" me from the stock shlock whitewash "patriot" and "lady liberty" tainted history books of my dozen years of schooling Read more

Review:Michael Blanding combines a history of cartography, the stories that antique maps tell us, and the series of crimes of a respected map dealer. Together, they make for fascinating reading. There are limited number of top-notch map dealers, who operate under a code of trust, among themselves and with their customers, who depend on them for an understanding of a map's historical significance and for assurances of its authenticity and provenance. Forbes Smiley broke that trust in order to fuel hi... Read more

Review:These books (two of them) covers every subject you always wanted to know more about. Great for Doctor's office or red lights. The material is short and full of knowledge.

I great present.

Phyllis Pentecost Read more