Review:One of my favorite writers regarding history. He researches and then tells the stories that make up the trends of the times. Humans are truly a messy lot tha careen through this passage called life, and I doubt we will ultimately survive as a species. But until then, he makes it interesting, and makes it crystal clear that there is nothing new under the sun. Bad behavior? It's all been done before. Read more

Review:I think that the author, Gavin Menzies makes an excellent case that renaissance Italy was at least inspired by Chinese civilization and invention.

The author is very well read and the book contained a wealth of knowledge that one cannot find elsewhere. He is well versed with astronomical arguments, though not active in that field. For instance, how many people tell us that, a century before Copernicus, Regiomontanus (von Konisgsburg), a great thinker and polymath, found that the inner pla... Read more

Review:I quite enjoyed this. I found it readable and instructive. One thing I've always done in the past when I wanted to read an account of Roman history is I've always chosen books that were too scholarly and got bogged down in niggling details such as the precise difference between various public offices or laws. This book doesn't make that mistake: it's readable and never boring.

My only complaint would be that since this book was sort of rushed to press (I'm guessing) to coincide with t... Read more

Review:This is a very good general account of Carthage. Aimed at a broad audience, this is probably a good summary of recent scholarship on Carthage. Any book on Carthage faces the major obstacle of the rather limited information on Carthage. Surviving Carthaginian documentation is scanty with the great majority of historical information coming from partial Greek and Roman historian supplemented by epigraphic and archaeological data. A good deal of this book is a careful recounting and analysis of ... Read more

Review:This is a well-researched and well-written book that provides a 360 degree perspective on War Dogs that includes the history, the training, the performance, the trauma, the handlers and the connections of the dogs. For readers who do not have knowledge of the roles of dogs in war to those quite familiar with war dogs, this book will surely spark your interest and tug on your emotions. The emotional element of this book's engagement with readers has been the most difficult for me. This book, a... Read more

Review:Being a ballerina, I was familiar with this story, and was so excited about the book coming out. Half way thru and it's amazing. Definitely recommend, even if you don't know much about ballet and the grueling world it is, it's a solid read for anyone. Read more

Review:As an Australian interested in American history and ideas, this was an interesting book for me. Menand manages to blend the lives of four very different people to tell a story of the development of a school of thought called pragmatism. Some of his writing is exceptional with digressions into the fascinating social history of the United States following the civil war. The way he manages to combine topics diverse as spiritualism, mathematics, document forgery and race relations into a single narr... Read more

Review:I have enjoyed reading this book to the fullest extent. I find St. Theresa of Avila to be wise, witty and inquisitive amongst other things. As a believer who is not associated with any denomenation, more specifically, the Catholic Church, it was really chance that allowed me to stumble across this fantastic work. I would suggest this read for anyone pondering the state of their soul in relation to the possibility of heaven and how one should live in between. For more biographical information... Read more

Review:Riveting historical account of a major NY health institution and its influence on the academic and medical communities. This is a must read for all New Yorkers, as well as anyone who enjoys a fascinating and educational book. I intend to follow it soon with Mr. Oshinsky's Pulitzer winner on polio. Read more

Review:I just completed reading this book, I will highly recommend it. I read a lot of history and I have learned more about small unit tactics in WWII than I have learned in any other book. I would put it up in the shelf with With the Old Breed and Company Commander . Its a fast read and a heart breaking story. Read more