Nothing But The Truth: A Documentary Novel

Book Description

Patriotism or practical joke?

Harrison, NH -- Ninth-grade student Philip Malloy was suspended from school for singing along to The Star-Spangled Banner in his homeroom, causing what his teacher, Margaret Narwin, called "a disturbance." But was he standing up for his patriotic ideals, only to be squelched by the school system? Was Ms. Narwin simply trying to be a good teacher? Or could it all be just a misunderstanding gone bad -- very bad? What is the truth here? Can it ever be known?

Heroism, hoax, or mistake, what happened at Harrison High changes everything for everyone in ways no one -- least of all Philip -- could have ever predicted.

Customer Reviews:

How the media frenzy can interfere with the truth.......2007-06-18

Nothing but the Truth provides an interesting perspective on high school and the media culture that we live in today. As a young adult novel, this book deals with issues that teens can relate to: disenchantment with school, challenging of authority, disconnection with parents, and trying to carve out an identity. Philip has three conflicts in this story: one against Mrs. Narwin, one against the school system that was caused by his behavior, and ultimately with himself. The author provides a realistic portrait of a teenage boy. However, readers are not given any true insight as to why Philip behaves as he does. Suggestions for the behavior are made, but never explored. The reader never can understand how and if Philip has changed because of this incident. The other characters are given superficial development. They are mainly used as foils to interact with the main character. The actions and events are believable given today's media culture. The readers mainly see the story through Philip's eyes although the school administration and Mrs. Narwin do have some input. From Philip's viewpoint, the story is skewed in his favor. A strength of this novel is the issues that it raises. The media culture, challenging authority, and teenage angst all are presented in a fashion that would appeal to a teenage audience. This is an excellent resource for high school teachers. The realism of the novel could provide lively discussions for high school students. The issues that the story raises might make for some lively debates.

A waste of time..........2007-06-01

Okay this book was REALLY BORING! It had an ok plot when we read the back of the book but when we started to read it it was not written in a way that was interesting to us. Avi has some good books but this was not one of his better ones. Miss. Narwin sent to many letters to her sister, and there was barely (if not no) any reason for her to write to her sister. The memos were boring and we think Avi could have told us the information in a different way. Really bad.

Disturbing the Peace.......2007-03-28

I recommend this book for kids who like books that never get boring. I think Avi is a great author and I am glad that the book won the Newbery Medal. The book was really easy to read and not hard to understand. I like imagining the real thing, like what he character looks like. I learned that you can get suspended for little things! I like how the book had the names of who is talking before the character actually talks. Almost throughout the whole book I found many interesting surprises. As one can see Nothing but the Truth by Avi is a great book to read and enjoy by the fire.

Nothing but the Truth.......2007-03-23

Nothing but the Truth is a really great book. It is buy an author named Avi. This book is about a middle school kid name Phillip. Phillip got suspended because he was singing the national anthem in the morning. So the teacher got mad at Phillip and wrote him up. The characters are: Phillip, mom, dad, Mrs.Nawrin, principal, and Phillip friend named Jake. This book was probably written for anybody. There are no certain ages. This book could be for males and females.

The whole book was good. It was also conversably. I liked this book because it had to deal with school relationship. I didn't dislike the book because the setting was great. The characters played their role great. Everything was great. Some parts took place in his home with his parents. Some parts took place at school in Mrs.Nawrin room. It also took place in the principal office.

I liked this book a lot. The reason why I liked this book because it was enjoyable. I would recommend this book to anybody who like long and awesome books

Track Tryouts.......2007-03-15

My review is about Philip Malloy who wanted to try out for the track team. He wanted to try out because he was a very fast runner, and the coach and other students thought he could help them win a championship.But it turned out that he could not try out because he was failing in his English class. He soon got in trouble for humming in the classroom. The school was doing the National Athem and philip began humming. He eventually was kick out of the classroom. Right now the Princpal is talking about suspending Philip and Jennifer is wondering why.
They all figure it was a silly rule that you can not sing when The Star Spangled Banner was playing, it's a sign of disrespect. Philip was eventually transferred to a different homeroom. He was transfered from Mrs. Narwin class to Mr. Lunser class but he was suspended for 2 days for not apologizing to Mrs.Narwin. This situation became so popular that Jennifer decide to plublish it in the newspaper. Jennifer was an Education Reporter. This situation had the whole town talking and seems that Philip was getting alot of attention.Philip was getting so much attention and the coach did not want him to try out anymore because he wasn't a team player and Philip was upset. He truly wanted to be on the track team but the coach told him maybe next year. Philip decide that he did not want to go back to that school anymore and he tansfered to Washington Academy from Harrison High. It was also time for the school budget at Harrison High and everyone was hoping it would pass. When that day came they were defeated. Philip went to his new school and when he meet his new teacher , they were preparing to sing the national athem and Philip started to cry. He was asked why and he said he did not know the words....

Average customer rating:

I happen to appreciate its simplicity
An Important Lesson About Giving
A Timeless Parable on Giving
Unconditional Love is not a license to abuse others
The Giving Tree

The Giving Tree
S., Silverstein
Manufacturer: HarperCollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Goodnight Moon

ASIN: 0060256656

Amazon.com

To say that this particular apple tree is a "giving tree" is an understatement. In Shel Silverstein's popular tale of few words and simple line drawings, a tree starts out as a leafy playground, shade provider, and apple bearer for a rambunctious little boy. Making the boy happy makes the tree happy, but with time it becomes more challenging for the generous tree to meet his needs. When he asks for money, she suggests that he sell her apples. When he asks for a house, she offers her branches for lumber. When the boy is old, too old and sad to play in the tree, he asks the tree for a boat. She suggests that he cut her down to a stump so he can craft a boat out of her trunk. He unthinkingly does it. At this point in the story, the double-page spread shows a pathetic solitary stump, poignantly cut down to the heart the boy once carved into the tree as a child that said "M.E. + T." "And then the tree was happy... but not really." When there's nothing left of her, the boy returns again as an old man, needing a quiet place to sit and rest. The stump offers up her services, and he sits on it. "And the tree was happy." While the message of this book is unclear (Take and take and take? Give and give and give? Complete self-sacrifice is good? Complete self-sacrifice is infinitely sad?), Silverstein has perhaps deliberately left the book open to interpretation. (All ages) --Karin Snelson

Book Description

'Once there was a tree...and she loved a little boy.'

So begins a story of unforgettable perception, beautifully written and illustrated by the gifted and versatile Shel Silverstein.

Every day the boy would come to the tree to eat her apples, swing from her branches, or slide down her trunk...and the tree was happy. But as the boy grew older he began to want more from the tree, and the tree gave and gave and gave.

This is a tender story, touched with sadness, aglow with consolation. Shel Silverstein has created a moving parable for readers of all ages that offers an affecting interpretation of the gift of giving and a serene acceptance of another's capacity to love in return.

Ages 10+

Customer Reviews:

I happen to appreciate its simplicity.......2007-10-17

I was all set to write a review on this beautiful, timeless tale of unconditional love, but after reading some of the "attacks" on here, I feel I must write to that. I'm confused. I've treasured this book both as a child and as an adult. I've always equated the tree's role to that of a parent. We give until there's nothing left to give and we love unconditionally, even when the child doesn't appreciate it. So is that considered an abusive relationship? I think not. Let's not "read" into something like this too much. I'm pretty sure Shel meant it to be simple and beautiful, much like a mother's love.

An Important Lesson About Giving.......2007-10-04

The book "The Giving Tree" by Shel Silverstein is a classic children's tale that teaches a lesson about the importance of trees in our environment. A tree can be used for many things (provides food, shade, a place to play, etc).

The text is simplistic and sweet. It follows the life of a little boy through old age who feels a fondness for one tree that can always be counted on to have fun and provide help when needed.

Yes, the boy was selfish at times but this story is also surprisingly identifiable. Children do tend to take or ask more of us than we can give. However, the tree, much like a parent, doesn't abandon the boy or expect much from him. As long as the boy is there, the tree is happy. And we are treated with the message that as long as there's enough love in a relationship, it can withstand anything, even faults.

A Timeless Parable on Giving .......2007-10-03

While simple & short, this book is one of my all-time favorites. I have had a copy since I was a boy (decades ago). This story of a selfless tree and a self-centered boy/man has multiple deep implications or messages, which I would encourage readers to expound upon. I could write pages about the meaning(s) of this book, but will concisely say that I wish I were more like the tree and less like the boy. It is more blessed to give than to receive.

Unconditional Love is not a license to abuse others.......2007-10-03

There are many stories out there about unconditional love that doesn't involve a life long cycle of abuse and abandonment. This story describes an unhealthy relationship between a boy and a tree. The term "co-dependent" comes to mind. Is my child supposed to identify with the tree that is treated like a doormat it's entire life or the narcissistic child who takes and takes? Is this a social commentary on the giving nature of females (the tree is female) or the ruthless and thoughtless destruction by males in today's world?

I would not want my daughter to model herself after the tree, giving and giving in a destructive cycle, giving so much of herself in order to please others until there is nothing left and never receiving anything in return. I'd hate to think I taught her to be a doormat, or that I'd given her the impression that it's ok to be in a destructive relationship because "he says he loves me". If this were a marriage, I can just imagine the wife saying "I know he beats me, sleeps with other women, and drinks a lot, but it's ok because he still comes home to me on the weekends."

If I had a son, I would not want him to think that he can destroy the one that loves him to get what he wants. He does not even consider that his actions are destroying the tree until there is nothing left but a stump. Am I teaching that it is ok to take and never give back? To not think about the feelings of others?

There are better ways of teaching a child about love, giving and compassion than this book. I want more for my children and their relationships than that. Denying them any of their wants or expecting them to make their own way in the world doesn't mean that I don't love them unconditionally.

The Giving Tree.......2007-09-25

Book is hard to get out of the case, especially for little fingers of my little boy

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

Average customer rating:

I Want to Go There!
Children's Classic
midnight museum magic
From the Mixed up Flies of Mrs. Basil E Frankweiler
From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs Basil E.Frankweiler

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
E.L. Konigsburg
Manufacturer: Aladdin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0689711816

Amazon.com

After reading this book, I guarantee that you will never visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art (or any wonderful, old cavern of a museum) without sneaking into the bathrooms to look for Claudia and her brother Jamie. They're standing on the toilets, still, hiding until the museum closes and their adventure begins. Such is the impact of timeless novels . . . they never leave us. E. L. Konigsburg won the 1967 Newbery Medal for this tale of how Claudia and her brother run away to the museum in order to teach their parents a lesson. Little do they know that mystery awaits!

Book Description

Claudia knew that she could never pull off the old-fashioned kind of running away...so she decided not to run FROM somewhere, but TO somewhere. And so, after some careful planning, she and her younger brother, Jamie, escaped -- right into a mystery that made headlines!

Customer Reviews:

I Want to Go There!.......2007-09-15

I want to go to New York to see this museum. This book was incredible and I loved the style of writing and the way the story unfolded letting each character have their own voice. I loved the notes at the end from the author. I really could tell she loved these characters and did care about their ever after. Every child should read this book. Wait, every adult should read this book!

Children's Classic.......2007-07-08

I bought this book for a class that I was student teaching for, and to my dismay none of them heard of it. Thanks to standardized testing books like these collect dust. My class loved it, and I highly recommened having it on the bookshelf for future generations

midnight museum magic.......2007-06-13

Do you like adventure, mystery and fun? Well then this is the book for you. It is about a girl named Claudia (11), and her brother, Jamie(9); they decided to run away to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. They worked together which helped them to survive many days and nights in the museum. I learned that you should work together no matter who it is you are working with; your brother, your sister, a friend, or even Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler! I'd love to tell you more, but I can't spoil the story befroe you read "From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler."

From the Mixed up Flies of Mrs. Basil E Frankweiler.......2007-06-12

From the Mixed up Files of Mrs. Basil E Frankweiler
E.L Konigsburg

Twelve year old Claudia Kincaid, is bored with her life - being an "A" student all the time, not having a big allowance, and having to deal with being the only girl and oldest of all her brothers. So, she decides to change things a bit to make them exciting. She takes all her allowance, her brother's allowance, her brother (Jamie) and a trumpet and violin case and heads off on an enjoyable, fun adventure to the Metropolitan Museum of art in New York City. There, they take tours everyday, sleep in queens' beds and do whatever they please while being careful not to get caught. One day, they uncover a beautiful, exquisite statue of an angel. As they get to know more about this angel, they find out that it is a mystery. No one knows who actually created this angel. Claudia is determined to find out who the artist is. But will she ever figure it out without getting caught?

This book was full of adventure, and filled determination and concentration. I really enjoyed this book because I felt like I was in the story with the characters through their good and bad times. Konigsburg makes this story become so realistic, it comes to life.

I recommend this book for anyone who loves a good adventure. The plot and setting of Konigsburg's book makes it an incredible, thrilling quest that I am sure you will enjoy! I know I enjoyed it!

From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs Basil E.Frankweiler.......2007-04-17

E.L. Konigsburg wrote, From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, a Newberry children or teens book. The book is about two children running away from their house and staying at the Metropolitan Museums of Art. The obstacles they go through to live independently include regrets from going anyway. It reminds you how much you care about your parents. While at the museum the kids find a mysterious puzzle that has clues that to an unexpected conclusion. There are no weaknesses in this book. I read this book because my Aunt is the author. I am not saying this book is good because I am related to the Author but because it is a fantastic and interesting novel. I totally recommend this book to anyone. There is also other books of hers that have won Newberry medals. A movie has been made to go with the book if you are more of a movie kind of guy.

Average customer rating:

Fearless and Lovemore
embraced by the light
feel good book
Best Book I've Ever Read!!
Lovely - but LOADS of Contradictions and Untruths

Embraced by the Light
Betty J. Eadie , and Curtis Taylor
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0553565915
Release Date: 1994-09-01

Amazon.com

Embraced by the Light is an inspirational map of the afterlife framed in the moment of Eadie's death, and presents a possible answer to the big question, "Why are we here?" An easy read, its subtitle could have been "The Average Person's Guide to Near-Death Experiences." Although heavily filtered through Eadie's Christian worldview, her vision of the afterlife does not include a wrathful deity, but a figure of love and compassion. Some readers may find Eadie's repeated Christian references bothersome, and Embraced by the Light will undoubtedly raise a lot of questions along the lines of "What about reincarnation?" and "What happens to people who are not Christians?" --Brian Patterson

Book Description

On the night of November 19, 1973, following surgery, thirty-one-year-old wife and mother Betty J. Eadie died.... This is her extraordinary story of the events that followed, her astonishing proof of life after physical death. She saw more, perhaps than any other person has seen before and shares her almost photographic recollections of the remarkable details. Compelling, inspiring, and infinitely reassuring, her vivid account gives us a glimpse of the peace and unconditional love that awaits us all. More important, Betty's journey offers a simple message that can transform our lives today, showing us our purpose and guiding us to live the way we were meant to -- joyously, abundantly, and with love.

Customer Reviews:

Fearless and Lovemore .......2007-10-13

I was very touched by the message of this book. This book had a major impact on my life during a very difficult time. I found this book after much fasting and prayer. I highly recommend this book to those who are prone to reading the Bible. This woman had a personal experience with Jesus' boundless love, grace, and forgiveness during her brief visit to the other side. I have read many NDE experiences. I've had friends recall their NDE's with me. My own mother had one of these experiences when she fell from a balcony onto the carport when she was 9 years old. I also recommend "90 Minutes in Heaven" and "Life After Life."

I've said enough?

embraced by the light.......2007-09-01

A gread book for someone grieving the loss of a loved one. Good primer for the study of the spirit world. Believable, not sensational.

feel good book.......2007-08-23

This book leaves you warm and fuzzy. It is an easy read that you will not want to put down. If you believe in God, you don't want to miss reading this book. The details and enlightenment are fantastic.

Best Book I've Ever Read!!.......2007-07-24

I re-read this book after 8 - 10 years. It was wonderful then, and even better this time. I believe that God gives us information, but only when we are ready. Like Algebra: You have to learn one concept before moving on to the next. God gives us information as we are ready. With all of the similarities between all of the near death experiences that have been documented, I find in impossible not to believe Ms. Eadie. There were a few ideas that were so new to my way of thinking that I found myself doubting. But, God gave Ms. Eadie a very extensive look at life after death. It took her many years and encouragement from others to write this book, so there is bound to be some loss of memory. So, I am willing to cut her some slack on this. This book renewed my hope and reminded me of what is most important in life. A great, quick read that will really stick with you!!

Lovely - but LOADS of Contradictions and Untruths.......2007-07-21

I just finished this lovely loving book today and I love Betty. This book oozes love.

But there are moments of non love which are also non truths.

Repetitious prayer with sincerity and love is certainly heard by God - that sounded more like a Protestant gripe than the truth.

Then there is the appearance of... the Law of Attraction, again. You attract what you think. If the Law of Attraction were true it would have been talked about by Jesus and would have shown up in the thousands of revelations that came before Eadie - but it was never mentioned until the 20th century.

She got the love part right... we're supposed to love each other but telling people that they attracted their illness, the rape or theft perpetrated against them, tell them they attracted their depression... is not loving.

Suicidal thoughts are usually caused by physical conditions such as a failing thyroid gland (see Dr. Thierry Hertoghe, psychiatrist) so how sinful could they actually be? WE need to love those people more, not hurt them by telling them that on top of their severe illness they are pushing God away.

Nevertheless, I imagine that despite the years wearing on the memory, a lot of it is true. But not all of it. There were plenty of contradictions within the book itself.

Spanish Now! Level 1 with CDs (Spanish Now)

Average customer rating:

spanish now! level 1
A solid value, but not without its flaws
Spanish
Excellent for classroom or self study.
Definitely Recommend

Spanish Now! Level 1 with CDs (Spanish Now)
Ruth Silverstein , Allen Pomerantz Ph.D. , and Haywood Wald Ph.D.
Manufacturer: Barron''s Educational Series
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Accessories:

Spanish Now! Level 1 (Spanish Now)
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Complete Spanish Grammar Review (Barron's Foreign Language Guides)

ASIN: 0764177745

Book Description

The updated 7th edition of this combination textbook and workbook is designed as an introduction to Spanish for classroom use. The emphasis is on oral proficiency—conversational speaking and listening comprehension—but the authors also present detailed instruction in the fundamentals of Spanish grammar, vocabulary, reading comprehension, and writing in Spanish. The book is filled with exercises and answers, true-to-life dialogues, humorous cartoons, illustrations of Hispanic art, and photos that capture the flavor of Spanish culture in Spain and Latin America. In this new edition, the lessons have been enriched with subtopics to enhance conversational speech. Also new with this edition are four compact discs that have been updated in content, and which replace the previously available tape cassettes, This audio component supplements the book, providing valuable instruction in listening comprehension and correct pronunciation of spoken Spanish. A teacher's manual is also available.

Customer Reviews:

spanish now! level 1.......2007-10-13

Although I ordered and received the edition my teacher dictated, the book does not contain the CDs that it was supposed to contain. It also seems to have text (dialogue) that is different from the same editions that other students in my class use.
Can't explain the differences.

A solid value, but not without its flaws.......2007-06-22

I bought this book before leaving to spend a year in Latin America. I wanted to hit the ground running with my Spanish, so I did many of the exercises before leaving.

The good: For twenty bucks, you get nearly 500 pages worth of study material. There is a good mix of rules explanations, reading passages, pictures, puzzles, and lots and lots of drills. The latter can get mind numbing but in the end is necessary to absorb the stuff. I found that if you plow the material diligently, and combine this book with a good, cheap spanish learning audio CD (like living language), you can really get a lot for your money.The version (though it was the seventh edition) I bought did not have its own audio CD, so I cannot speak to it.

The negatives: I agree with the poster who called the editing of the book sloppy. There is an irritating lack of attention-to-detail, including typos, sentence drills on phrases, though grammatically correct, would never be said by any real person. Worst of all, some words are introduced in questions before they are ever covered in the material!!! It seems like no one ever gave this book a thorough, cover to cover read for continuity and flow.

Even with all of these negatives, I am happy with the purchase. It really has allowed to me to cover a lot of ground in a short amount of time. It is a good value purchase, but not without its flaws.

Spanish .......2007-06-11

A great reference-teaching book on how to speak and read Spanish. Very thick, lots of things to read and work through.

Excellent for classroom or self study........2007-05-08

This is one of the books that we use with our students. It is simple and uncluttered, and provides ample opportunity for homework or self-study.

Definitely Recommend.......2007-04-04

I really took my time before ordering this book, and now I am glad that I did. This book is by far the best in this category.

Makers of Modern Strategy from Machiavelli to the Nuclear Age

Average customer rating:

Makers of Modern Strategy
Mandatory Reading for Army Staff Majors
Good general military history overview.
Still, this is a good book.....
Newer is Not Necessarily Better

Makers of Modern Strategy from Machiavelli to the Nuclear Age

Manufacturer: Princeton University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0691027641

Customer Reviews:

Makers of Modern Strategy .......2005-09-22

"Makers of Modern Strategy" is a scholarly collection of high quality papers on strategy since Machiavelli to the present nuclear age. The beauty of the book is that one can focus on the era that one is interested in. There is no need to read the book cover to cover as the various essays are stand alone although they are presented sequentially and related papers are adjacent to each other. I have read and re-read some of the papers. The book is about strategy and the realities of war. The essays are clearly balanced and not biased. The phenomenon of war was clearly explained from the studies of past wars. It is clear that war has been a fundamental reality of social and political existence from an early stage of political organisation to the present times. The tragic aspects of war and the intellectual and emotional disturbances it creates could be discerned from the essays.

The book is divided into the following five parts:

Part One: The Origins of Modern War.
Part Two: The Expansion of war
Part Three: From the Industrial Revolution to the First World War.
Part Four: From the First to the Second World War.
Part Five: Since 1945.

The eminent contributors include Peter Paret, Felix Gilbert, John Shy, Gordon A. Craig, Maurice Matloff, Condoleezza Rice, Lawrence Freadman, Michael Carver and D. Clayton James. Their essays showed the role of force in the relations between states. It is now very clear to me that war has always been a compound of many elements ranging from politics to technology, to human emotions under extreme stress. Strategy is one of the critical elements of war.

The various essays trace the ideas and actions of past generations, as they used war to achieve their national goals, an analysis of military thought and policy in the recent past and present

My favourite part is Part Two. Here three great historical figures are highlighted namely Napoleon, Jomini and Clausewitz. I can now see the genius of Napoleon as one of the greatest soldiers in history in its proper strategic context. I think history need to rescue Jomini from the obscurity he is now relegated since it is largely him who has clearly related the greatness of Napoleon and the attempt to reduce war to some sort of science.

Makers of Modern Strategy add immense value to any study of warfare and strategy. I recommend it to Army Staff Colleges and those studying military history at postgraduate level.

Mandatory Reading for Army Staff Majors.......2002-03-13

As the title indicates, the Army's Command & General Staff College requires students to read Makers of Modern Strategy in the core history class. Professors can make best use of this book as a supplement. As other reviewers have noted, the chapters are disjointed with each other. Taken separately, however, many of the chapters help the history student or enthusiast to develop a depth of understanding on a particular subject. Authors such as John Shy, Douglas Porch, Michael Howard, and Condoleeza Rice, just to name a few, explore many of the strategic issues involved with the evolution of military thought.

From Machiavelli and Clausewitz to strategies of world wars and colonial wars, Makers of Modern Strategy adds value to any serious study of warfare. The high quality academic research and thought that underlies many of the articles is worth the price of the book. Highly recommended.

Good general military history overview........2001-03-05

One of the essentials, a good starting point for the study of military history and strategy.

Still, this is a good book............2000-08-12

Although I agree with the reviewer preceeding me that this might not be as strong of a book as was the masterpiece which preceeded it (by Earle), it is still a strong book and does (generally) what it sets out to do: to provide an accounting of major developments in military thought (i.e. western military thought) from the Renassance to the modern age.

As a text or as a reference, this is still a powerful and useful book. Each of the chapters discusses a major figure's thought in a fashion that can be dealt with easily in a sitting: for those people who don't want to sit and sort through Jomini (though everyone reading this should sit down with Clausewitz! ) or Douhet, to see their rights and wrongs....

I like this book. I bought my copy for $8.00 in NYC and have had it with me through a number of moves since....

Newer is Not Necessarily Better.......2000-07-18

This second version of the book is disappointing. I would have thought that it being edited by an historian as good as Peter Paret would have improved on the original, which was edited by Robert Earle. However, it is weaker both in scholarship and accuracy, especially John Shy's essay on Jomini. Old myths are resurrected about the Swiss renegade whose own works are generally historically inaccurate.

Many of the older, more professional, historians, who are unfortunately no longer with us were much more careful in their research and writing, hunting down sources that newer historians either refuse to look for or refuse to use. they also were more blunt, calling a spade a spade, and weren't worried about offending people or in 'revisionist' (read inaccurate) history. Political correctness was unknown to these stalwarts.

Books of this type are highly useful. If you are looking for this particular volume, get the first version edited by Earle, even if you have to go looking in second hand book stores or on the internet in used book services. I did, and it is well worth the effort.

Disclosure : Military and Government Witnesses Reveal the Greatest Secrets in Modern History
Average customer rating:

Points a way forward in an utterly compelling and unexpected way.

"It could be well beyond our imagination"

a lot we're not being told about!!

Great Book...lot's of information and keeps you engaged.

If you think there is no proof.....

Disclosure : Military and Government Witnesses Reveal the Greatest Secrets in Modern History
Steven M. Greer
Manufacturer: Not Avail
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0967323819

Book Description

For the first time ever, over five dozen top-secret military,government, intelligence and corporate witnesses to secret projects tell their true stories which disclose the greatest covert program in world history. This explosive testimony by actual government insiders proves that UFOs are real, that some are of extraterrestrial origin and that super-secret programs have energy and propulsion technologies that will enable humanity to begin a new civilization - a civilization without pollution, without poverty - a civilization capable of traveling among the stars. This is not just a story about UFOs, ETs and secret projects: It is the story of how 50 years of human evolution have been deferred and how these secret projects contain the real solution to the world energy crisis, the environmental crisis and world poverty.

Customer Reviews:

Points a way forward in an utterly compelling and unexpected way........2007-10-16

If the book doesn't do it for you, then watch the movie, but be warned: Greer will not attempt to convince you a la Michael Moore. This is not a practice in spin, but bare raw testimony.

As person after person (mainly government, military and intelligence officials) steps forward and testifies about what he or she has seen and heard (personally or second-hand), you, the reader, become the judge sifting through first-, second- and third-hand accounts about extra-terrestrial phenomena, advanced (supposedly non-human-created) technology, and about what the American government knows about it and what it has allegedly been doing about it for over five decades -- deferring 50 years of human evolution, and possibly the solution to the current global energy crisis, as they decide how to best capitalize on these covered-up findings.

If anyone dismisses the insights brought forth by the Disclosure Project, it is because he or she has not accepted the fact that the universe may be greater than what we think we already know. The Disclosure Project is not just a bunch of speculations on aliens from outer space and what they want from us. More importantly, it points the way to helping us to decide for ourselves, as a human race, what we ought to do to move forward, not as a country or a continent, but as citizens of a global community.

It presents to us several advanced technological options that the government has allegedly been trying to hide, but with disclosure, that we may be able to use to solve the world's current most pressing issues.

It also presents us with the more challenging idea that, if indeed we are not alone, how it might be wise for us to be prudent in, not just our international relations, but our interplanetary relations, particularly since we might find these relations to be much more complex and delicate than anything we have ever dealt with before.

If anything, the Disclosure Project is an exercise in openness and fairness. How open is your mind? How important is disclosure to you? As a citizen, should we have the right to demand to know more? To know what our technological options are for the current environmental and humanitarian crises? To know how we might be able to move forward? And to choose how we should function as a global commmunity, particularly if we will need to represent ourselves in relations beyond our little blue planet?

These are no small questions. Fortunately, thanks to the Disclosure Project, an increasing number of concerned citizens will not allow them to be ignored.

On an interesting side-note, disclosure of this kind is not just an American issue, but also an international one. Australia held its own disclosure conference on June 14, 2003, and in March 2007, France became the first country to declassify its files on UFO phenomena, publishing on the web (www.cnes.fr) the national space agency's archives which document more than five decades worth of research.

"It could be well beyond our imagination".......2007-10-07

I am just finishing up reading this book. By the way, the little quote I used as my review title is found on p. 525, and was said by Dr. Hal Putoff, a theoretical and experimental physicist. I thought it said alot about this book in a nutshell: this stuff is well beyond imagination!

I wound up here because I wanted to see what others thought of the book. It is that kind of book. You want to know what someone else thinks about it. Why? Because it is just such a monumental study of something that we still do not believe in, namely extraterrestrial life, right here on Earth. And Dr. Greer did a very simple thing, and I think that was his special gift to this whole area of inquiry. What Dr. Greer did was to completely avoid all the sources for info on "UFOs", like citizens' obvservations, abductees, and sensationalists. Instead he went to the military.

Almost all of the source material in this book is from ex-military types. As a result the kind of evidence presented has alot of credibility, because most of these guys are not doing themselves a favor in talking about their experiences. Many of the military guys had top secret clearances and were under law prohibited from revealing any of these experiences of ETs. They are coming forth anyway. Many are now older folks and don't have a lot to lose if the Government decides to "disappear" them.

This book raises as many questions in my mind as it answers and that is why I was reading the comments of other reviewers, hoping that they might have coincidentally answered a few of them. Many times during my reading I have marked passages to come back to. The accounts are sometimes rather sloppy and jump from here to there without any transitional explanations. It is aggravating to someone who is taking this seriously and trying to "process" stuff carefully. I think that I am going to have to write a letter to Dr. Greer and ask these questions of him. It's that kind of book.

There is alot of "UFO" books out there in print. 95% of them are kind of kooky and rely upon witnesses that have not got alot of credibility. Here is where Disclosure really shines. There is simply nothing like it for those who want to learn more about the whole ET phenomenon.

In addition, it seems that everywhere I turn these days, I wind up running into our old friends the rogue elements from the military-industrial complex! The NSA, CIA, Nat'l. Recon Agency, and the like. Conspiracy indeed! This book was written in May 2001 BEFORE that little demonstration of the rogue government on 9/11/01. So the book is a bit dated. Nonetheless by May of 2001 already one had lots of evidence of these evil people, so this book also fills in a few wholes in my understanding of the secret government.

So, Disclosure. Yes you should read it but be warned, it will really flip you out! And that is probably good. We all need to wake up a bit more fully.

a lot we're not being told about!!.......2007-09-09

This book is for anyone interested in ufo phenomena!!In creates tremendous insight for people with an open mind,people that have seen unusual things(myself included)will love this book.I found particularly interesting testimony by a USAF officer(Salas) at an ICBM silo and what went on there!Also the case of the F4 Phantom(Iran) aircraft and the ufo presence...it's awesome!!
The book also mentions Space Based Laser platforms...which are known to to exist!!!

Great Book...lot's of information and keeps you engaged........2007-09-06

I really enjoyed this book. I read Dr. Greer's newer book Hidden Truth Forbidden Knowledge, and thought that was a good book too. The difference is that this book is more testimony and credible eye witness accounts. This was more entertaining and engaging than the other books by Dr. Greer. I honestly read though this book very quickly. If you had to choose between the two books I would choose this one first...then hit his other books. The reason I gave this 4 stars as opposed to 5 is that I really wish there was a follow-up to this material. The book was written in 2001 and there has been a lot of time since then. If I read this book in 2001, I would of gave it a 5. Although his newer book hits upon some "update" material, Hidden Truth Forbidden Knowledge is much more spiritual as opposed to disclosing real evidence like this book. Since it's 2007, I am left with questions like...so what's happened since then? I tried to check the website and it really isn't updated with new material. So a follow-up book to this would be great...or even an updated version. Overall...a very entertaining read and a must if you are even remotely interested in UFOs.

If you think there is no proof............2007-09-02

Steven Greer's book Disclosure should go a long way to convince most people that the government has ample evidence of UFO activity. This book shows us that we are like ostriches with our heads in the sand if we believe otherwise. It also, through the testimonies of many courageous and competent individuals, indicates why we are being kept in the dark. The fact that even as we pollute ourselves into oblivion that in some strata of government officialdom we have the technology for pollution-free energy, is therefore obscene.
Perhaps if enough people read this book, this situation will change.

Average customer rating:

Indian
Enchanting and riveting, this story will stay with you
Island Of The Blue Dolphins!
May be too adult for 10 or 11 yr olds
good

Island of the Blue Dolphins
Scott O'Dell
Manufacturer: Yearling
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0440439884
Release Date: 1987-02-01

Amazon.com

Scott O'Dell won the Newbery Medal for Island of the Blue Dolphins in 1961, and in 1976 the Children's Literature Association named this riveting story one of the 10 best American children's books of the past 200 years. O'Dell was inspired by the real-life story of a 12-year-old American Indian girl, Karana. The author based his book on the life of this remarkable young woman who, during the evacuation of Ghalas-at (an island off the coast of California), jumped ship to stay with her young brother who had been abandoned on the island. He died shortly thereafter, and Karana fended for herself on the island for 18 years.

O'Dell tells the miraculous story of how Karana forages on land and in the ocean, clothes herself (in a green-cormorant skirt and an otter cape on special occasions), and secures shelter. Perhaps even more startlingly, she finds strength and serenity living alone on the island. This beautiful edition of Island of the Blue Dolphins is enriched with 12 full-page watercolor paintings by Ted Lewin, illustrator of more than 100 children's books, including Ali, Child of the Desert. A gripping story of battling wild dogs and sea elephants, this simply told, suspenseful tale of survival is also an uplifting adventure of the spirit. (Ages 9 to 12)

Book Description

In the Pacific, there is an island that looks like a big fish sunning itself in the sea. Around it blue dolphins swim, otters play, and sea birds abound. Karana is the Indian girl who lived alone for years on the Island of the Blue Dolphins. Hers is not only an unusual adventure of survival, but also a tale of natural beauty and personal discovery.

Customer Reviews:

Indian.......2007-10-01

White people found her people and took them off island with lie of freedom. She escaped and remain on island with brother. Wolves eat brother. She walk alone and with a special wolf who is kind to her. one day she enter a water cave, found out the truth about her people fate. her people died and she survived. one day white people return to the island once again, she finally allow herself to join them. she became famous and she is buried in california. her clothing is in museum in Italy. wonderful story of her courage life.

Enchanting and riveting, this story will stay with you.......2007-08-27

I have to smile when reading these other reviews that say this book was one of their favorites as a child. It also was mine. I've read so many books, that most times the memory of the details within them grow dim, but not with "Island of the Blue Dolphins". I can still picture the breathtaking beauty of the island where Karana spent her growing years. I still remember her joys and trials of living alone for so long, after everyone had left. Her ingenuity and strength still amazes me. I can't wait until my children are old enough so I can enjoy this Newberry book with them. It's definitely one in a million.

Island Of The Blue Dolphins!.......2007-08-19

When I was on vacation at Martha's Vinyard I went to the book store and bought Island Of The Blue Dolphins for myself and I loved it!! I love it so much because of it's beautiful discriptions and details that I can picture in my mind. This book is beautifully written and has wonderful detail of natural survival of hunting, and making friends (Rontu and Rontu-Aru and the English girl Tutok, the fox and Won-a-nee the otter). How many wonderful and beautiful adventures of exciting survival can one indian girl have? I am 10 years old and recommend this book to whoever loves reading and is a fan of detail and beauty!!!!!!!!

May be too adult for 10 or 11 yr olds.......2007-08-15

My 11 yr old enjoyed this book but says it was too sad for her taste. Kids!

good.......2007-08-13

THIS BOOK WAS FOR MY GRANDDAUGHTER. She liked it very much. I am looking for some other books for 7th graders do you have any suggestions?

Bomb Scare: The History and Future of Nuclear Weapons

Average customer rating:

Outstanding!
History, security analysis and theory blends in a general text for any student of world politics
USAF Vet Recommends Five Stars
Overly Optimistic
Sleeper Awake!

Bomb Scare: The History and Future of Nuclear Weapons
Joseph Cirincione
Manufacturer: Columbia University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0231135106

Book Description

Since their inception, nuclear weapons have multiplied at an alarming rate, leaving everyone from policymakers to concerned citizens wondering what it will take to slow, stop, or even reverse their spread. With clarity and expertise, Joseph Cirincione presents an even-handed look at the history of nuclear proliferation and an optimistic vision of its future, providing a comprehensive survey of the wide range of critical perspectives.

Cirincione begins with the first atomic discoveries of the 1930s and covers the history of their growth all the way to current crisis with Iran. He unravels the science, strategy, and politics that have fueled the development of nuclear stockpiles and increased the chance of a nuclear terrorist attack. He also explains why many nations choose not to pursue nuclear weapons and pulls from this the outlines of a solution to the world's proliferation problem: a balance of force and diplomacy, enforcement and engagement that yields a steady decrease in these deadly arsenals.

Though nuclear weapons have not been used in war since August 1945, there is no guarantee this good fortune will continue. A unique blend of history, theory, and security analysis, Bomb Scare is an engaging text that not only supplies the general reader and student with a clear understanding of this issue but also provides a set of tools policymakers and scholars can use to prevent the cataclysmic consequences of another nuclear attack.

Customer Reviews:

Outstanding!.......2007-07-10

"Bomb Scare" is full of credible and helpful data, as well as balanced in its assessments.

Early on readers learn that it takes about 80 generations of neutrons to fission a kilogram of material - this takes about 0.8 microseconds and creates a temperature of 10 billion Celsius. A gun design plug in an enriched uranium bomb has to travel at at least 1,000 ft./second to initiate a sustained chain reaction. The Hiroshima bomb gun barrel weighed about 1,000 lbs. and was 6 feet long; the bomb itself used 64 kilos of U-235. Today this could be accomplished with 25 kilos and put into a package about the size of a small melon. (Plutonium could not be used in a gun design - its neutrons are too fast.)

Implosion-type designs are used for plutonium bombs. About 6 kilos was used for the Trinity test and at Nagasaki. Modern weapons use about 5 kilograms - about the size of a plum. (So much for the debate on whether "suitcase" bombs are feasible.)

The first U.S. H-bomb had a yield of 10.4 megatons.

The U.S. total stockpile of nuclear and thermonuclear weapons reached around 20,000 by 1960, vs. 1,600 for the Russians. (So much for Kennedy's argument that the U.S. had a "bomb gap.") We recently learned that during the Cuban missile crisis the Russians had already positioned about 100 nuclear weapons in Cuba.

There are five main reasons states acquire nuclear weapons: Security, prestige, domestic politics, technology, and economics. Different sides of the same reasons are also why many nations choose not to acquire such weapons.

Cirincione sees Russia as the #1 potential source of nuclear weapons/material for terrorists. It has thousands of nuclear weapons at 150-210 sites and hundreds of nuclear materials at about 49 sites. Experts believe that it would be difficult for terrorists to acquire a completed bomb - they are well guarded and utilize complex security locks. On the other hand, experts also believe that terrorists could construct a bomb from enriched material with only 3-4 technically people.

Pakistan is seen as a close #2 potential source. USA Today reported in November of 2001 that at least 10 Taliban had contacted Pakistani scientists in the prior two years. Pakistan has enough highly enriched uranium to make 50-100 bombs.

There are also about 40 nations with civilian stockpiles for power reactors. While not sufficiently enriched for nuclear weapons, it would be a simple matter to extend the enrichment process to create such.

Potential nuclear powder-kegs involve U.S. and Russian weapons being on 15-minute alert, and situations involving Taiwan, or India-Pakistan. Adverse recent events include the U.S. invasion of Iraq (increased terrorist and nervous state motivation to acquire nuclear weapons), our support for increased Indian development of nuclear weapons, U.S. promulgation of new logic for nuclear weapon use ("bunker-busters," use against non-nuclear states), and a slowdown/stop in reduction programs involving Russia.

The good news is that the number of nuclear weapons in the world has been cut in half over the past 15 years, those seriously considering their acquisition or having them have declined from 23 to 10, there has been a two-thirds reduction in ICBMs, and both the U.S. and Russia have destroyed their chemical weapons.

Author's Bottom Line: Cirincione believes that efforts must not only be directed at reducing nuclear weapons and proliferation, but eliminating the underlying sources of conflict as well.

History, security analysis and theory blends in a general text for any student of world politics.......2007-06-09

BOMB SCARE: THE HISTORY & FUTURE OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS begins with the first atomic discoveries of the 1930s and covers the history of the growth of nuclear weapons through the decades, right up to the current crisis with Iran and the threat of worldwide proliferation. History, security analysis and theory blends in a general text for any student of world politics and military history, particularly at the college level.

USAF Vet Recommends Five Stars.......2007-06-08

Those of us with a Top Secret "Q" Clearance during the Cold War are intimately familiar with the horrific realities of what a nuclear confrontation would mean for civilization. The author provides a concise, accurate, and up-to-date history of the nuclear threat. He also advances the best thinking related to diminishing the threats posed by nuclear arms in the 21st century, and putting the materials of decommissioned warheads to peaceful uses as fuel for nuclear reactors.

Overly Optimistic.......2007-04-09

This book deals with something that most of us don't spend much time thinking about. We should think about it more.

Cirincione, the former director of the Nonproliferation Project at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, takes the reader through the history of the development of nuclear weapons and the arms control agreements that have somewhat curtailed their spread. He presents a rational analysis of the drivers that cause states to seek to acquire nuclear weapons as well as the barriers that motivate some to turn away from the quest, or abandon it altogether.

And in the light of reasoned consideration he concludes, "The good news is that the nonproliferation regime has worked. The nuclear threat is less severe today than it was in 1970 when the Non-Proliferation Treaty entered into force". He bases this assessment on the fact that "the number of nuclear weapons in the world has declined from a peak of 65,000 in 1986, to roughly 27,000 today". But does this necessarily make the world a safer place?

Cirincione takes satisfaction that "the threat of a global thermonuclear war is now near zero". He goes on to state, "The dangers we face today are very serious, but they are orders of magnitude less severe than those we confronted just two decades ago from the overkill potential of U.S. and Russian arsenals. We no longer worry about the fate of the earth, but we still worry about the fate of our cities". It is in the ensuing discussion of nuclear terrorism that the upbeat tenor of the author's faith in the potential of negotiations and agreements to manage the imminent threat increasingly seems disconnected from reality.

While it is true that the threat of global thermonuclear war has diminished, the probability all out nuclear war was always very low as a result of the Strangelovian logic of mutually assured destruction. On the other hand, the likelihood of the detonation of a nuclear weapon smuggled into an American city by terrorists in the next decade is clearly significant. While such an event would not be the end of life on this planet, its societal, economic and political consequences would almost certainly be the end of life as we have come to know it. And, millions of people would die. This being the case, how can the author argue that the world is safer now than it was twenty years ago?

Cirincione also contends that the reduction in ballistic missiles is an indicator of a reduction of risk in the present day. What he neglects to consider is that weapons dispatched through alternate means - say in shipping containers with GPS activation - do not leave a return address, and as a result would not invite immediate retaliation. It would seem that a country hostile to the United States could launch such an attack with an impunity that would be inconceivable were the method of delivery a ballistic missile.

In this context it's hard to buy into the author's upbeat assessment of the future. As he would have it, securing existing weapons and stocks of fissile materials, new rounds of negotiations employing various carrots and sticks, and the good example of further disarmament by the US and Russia hold the promise of a better and a safer world. The problem is that while these actions are indeed necessary they are certainly not sufficient to produce the intended outcome. This is particularly the case given that some future nuclear adversaries may hold to apocalyptic world views.

Towards the end of the book Cirincione writes, "After wading through the history, theory, dangers, challenges and failures of proliferation policy, most readers could be excused for feeling a bit depressed. Don't be".

I guess I just can't help it. I am.

Sleeper Awake!.......2007-03-05

Perhaps the most significant issue in this century is not AIDS, the energy crisis, the environment or the Middle East but is the issue of universal nuclear disarmament. Joseph Cirincione has given us a clear solution to this problem in his book, BOMB SCARE: THE HISTORY AND FUTURE OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS.

The first recorded war between nation states occurred in 2700 BC. From that time to the present man has devised a plethora of clever devices to kill and maim his fellows.

Since the fall of the Soviet Union near the end of the last century (1991), the United States has funded the Russian government in the "cleanup" of warheads, bombs and other nuclear components scattered throughout the various nuclear facilities in the former Soviet Republic in an attempt to prevent terrorists and other non-nuclear nations from obtaining the same. Cirincione believes that "with additional funding, this threat reduction program could be accelerated to secure or eliminate the vast majority of nuclear weapons and materials by 2010."

The issue, of course, is that the "have-nots" want what the "haves" have: NUCLEAR ENERGY. Here the author proposes that a new system controlled by the International Atomic Energy Agency would provide a supply of nuclear material to countries that need it for civilian use in exchange for an agreement that those same countries not seek to build facilities to create their own "nuclear resources".

Cirincione understands that it is impossible to convince the "have-nots" to give up their nuclear weapons ambitions and to adhere to nonproliferation norms while the "haves" assert the importance of these weapons for their own safety and security (read that Pakistan and Iran). As one state goes nuclear, another state is forced to do the same thing ad infinitum: "in short, proliferation begets proliferation." Cirincione whimsically wonders if the obverse is possible.

188 countries are signatories to the Non-Proliferation Treaty that became effective in 1970. The only countries that have not signed are: Israel, Pakistan, and India. North Korea has withdrawn. These are the countries the treaty has unsuccessfully prevented from obtaining nuclear resources. The original signatories, the United States, Russia, Great Britain, France and China all agreed to ultimately dismantle their arsenals under a future agreement: to date that "future accord" has not happened. In fact, advances in this area have continued. Without compliance with this treaty, Cirincione posits the world faces a nuclear disaster.

In the end the author asks the reader to think beyond the old paradigms and to dare to explore ways to prevent what certainly, in the world's present state, is a sure slide into nuclear oblivion. This is more than a thoughtful book, it is a book every American should read and take to heart.

Cold War Submarines: The Design and Construction of U.S. and Soviet Submarines, 1945-2001

Average customer rating:

Excellent book
Great book
Absolutely The Best
A very balanced overview
Covers Much More than the Title indicates

Cold War Submarines: The Design and Construction of U.S. and Soviet Submarines, 1945-2001
Norman Polmar , and K. J. Moore
Manufacturer: Potomac Books Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1574885944

Book Description

Submarines had a vital, if often unheralded, role in the superpower navies during the Cold War. Their crews carried out intelligence-collection operations, sought out and stood ready to destroy opposing submarines, and, from the early 1960s, threatened missile attacks on their adversaryâ€™s homeland, providing in many respects the most survivable nuclear deterrent of the Cold War. For both East and West, the modern submarine originated in German U-boat designs obtained at the end of World War II. Although enjoying a similar technology base, by the 1990s the superpowers had created submarine fleets of radically different designs and capabilities. Written in collaboration with the former Soviet submarine design bureaus, Norman Polmar and K. J. Moore authoritatively demonstrate in this landmark study how differing submarine missions, antisubmarine priorities, levels of technical competence, and approaches to submarine design organizations and management caused the divergence.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent book.......2007-08-14

I sought a book with a serious overview of the topic of Cold War submarines, and not a book about one or another aspect of the topic. I ended up with a book that contains both an excellent overview as well as serious discussion of specific submarines, strategies, technologies and the men behind the scenes.
The story is well placed within the historical context of the political, military and economical events and processes of the Cold War. The text is well written and well structured.
Especially fascinating is the look behind the scenes of Soviet submarine design, construction and operations - those were among the best-kept secrets of the Soviet Union.
Besides dealing with "main stream" submarines, there are several interesting chapters about different experimental projects; rescue submarines and several fantasy projects, like freight vessels and aircraft carrying submarines.
Although the story is focused on the Cold War period, there is a detailed discussion of WWII technology that highly influenced Cold War designs, as well as descriptions of post Cold War vessels and fleets.
The book is well illustrated with photographs and line drawings.

Great book.......2007-03-16

Not as many actual pix of subs as most books but it is very well written and also dabbles into the politics and design that went on with each new design of submarine. Nice charts and missile specs and things like that. Goes into greater detail of the US boats more than Soviet.

Absolutely The Best.......2007-02-13

I was somewhat skeptical of this book when I saw nothing but 5 star reviews from purchasers of the title. However, having read it, this is THE Cold War submarine reference. It contains insights not only into the technologies deployed, but the rational (or in some cases the Irrational) that led to the development of the mysterious technological marvels we could only speculate on during the cold war. The authors clearly show both American and Soviet perspectives on the cold war submarine development. I found the information regarding the CONFORM design on 1967 to be of particular interest. Rickover's insistence on developing the 688 class killed CONFORM. Yet CONFORM was 40 years ahead of anything available at that time. It is interesting that the 688's were far more fragile than one might imagine. Yet Rickover insisted on having his way. Where would we be had the CONFORM design gone through?? This book is absolutely the best material that I have read to date on cold war submarines.

A very balanced overview.......2006-12-03

I knew about a Polmar from reading references in some papers, so I finally decided to give a try. I wasn't disappointed. There were lots of technical details giving an overview. Better yet, it is a balanced account - by no means are Americans portrayed as all powerful.

If there were two things it can be improved on - well, one would be the placement of the endnotes. It is a matter of taste, but considering how many there were and how interesting they were, it might have been more convenient to have put them at the bottom of the main text as footnotes for each page.

The second is that I would have killed for a chapter or two on "other than the equipment". Subs are not just their designers, their admirals and the technicals - it is also the men, their organization and their training. Polmar briefly goes over the differences, but it could have been given a full chapter or at least an Appendix if extra efficiency measures were applied to the pre-Cold War history stuff.

Now, I'm going to buy another Polmar book that would hopefully fill up the gap. Wish me luck.

Covers Much More than the Title indicates.......2006-03-10

I thoroughly agree with Mr. Dougherty's enthusiastic reader review. The authors have put together a virtual encyclopedia on modern sub design and construction with real insight into what the subs were intended to do, and how some politicians and bureaucrats sabotaged the projects. I found particularly illuminating how each side of the Soviet-US conflict used the records and existing prototypes of Nazi Germany's U-Boat experiments. Baker's line drawings and diagrams are quite helpful in visualizing the boats, as are the ample photos of the real subs and scale models. This is a book to which I will return again and again whenever there is some news item about
undersea naval competition.

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