The Yiddish Policemen's Union: A Novel

Book Description

For sixty years, Jewish refugees and their descendants have prospered in the Federal District of Sitka, a "temporary" safe haven created in the wake of revelations of the Holocaust and the shocking 1948 collapse of the fledgling state of Israel. Proud, grateful, and longing to be American, the Jews of the Sitka District have created their own little world in the Alaskan panhandle, a vibrant, gritty, soulful, and complex frontier city that moves to the music of Yiddish. For sixty years they have been left alone, neglected and half-forgotten in a backwater of history. Now the District is set to revert to Alaskan control, and their dream is coming to an end: once again the tides of history threaten to sweep them up and carry them off into the unknown.

But homicide detective Meyer Landsman of the District Police has enough problems without worrying about the upcoming Reversion. His life is a shambles, his marriage a wreck, his career a disaster. He and his half-Tlingit partner, Berko Shemets, can't catch a break in any of their outstanding cases. Landsman's new supervisor is the love of his life—and also his worst nightmare. And in the cheap hotel where he has washed up, someone has just committed a murder—right under Landsman's nose. Out of habit, obligation, and a mysterious sense that it somehow offers him a shot at redeeming himself, Landsman begins to investigate the killing of his neighbor, a former chess prodigy. But when word comes down from on high that the case is to be dropped immediately, Landsman soon finds himself contending with all the powerful forces of faith, obsession, hopefulness, evil, and salvation that are his heritage—and with the unfinished business of his marriage to Bina Gelbfish, the one person who understands his darkest fears.

At once a gripping whodunit, a love story, an homage to 1940s noir, and an exploration of the mysteries of exile and redemption, The Yiddish Policemen's Union is a novel only Michael Chabon could have written.

Customer Reviews:

Slow-starter but good.......2007-10-10

After slogging my way through Yiddish references ad infinitum, this book finally got good after the halfway mark. I was disappointed as it wasn't nearly as engaging as his other books. (Maybe if I had a strong Jewish heritage, I would have enjoyed it more.)

Another Classic From Chabon.......2007-10-09

If you loved Summerland, Wonder Boys, Mysteries of Pittsburgh order The Yiddish Policemen's Union today. Chabon delivers another classic.

Go With the Flow.......2007-10-09

Like many reviewers, I found this book hard to follow, but I gave it a chance and found myself getting into the flow of the story. What I was confused about, I let go, and then I was swept into the telling of an amazing tale. I eventually found it hard to put down.

After finishing the book this morning, one of the wonderful things I love about reading happened regarding the journey it takes you on and the connections it forges. I watched Bill Moyers Journal which I had taped and was amazed to watch the short film about John Hagee and CUFI, Christians United for Israel and Moyers' discussion with Rabbi Michael Lerner and Dr. Timothy Weber. Suddenly Michael Chabon's story did not seem so outlandish. Suddenly I was sore afraid.

Disappointed.......2007-10-01

I heard so many good things about Chabon that I decided to read his new book. I am struggling. It is hard to understand--too many Yiddish phrases that I don't comprehend. I have lots of Jewish friends, so you would think that something would be familiar. Oh well, I will try to finish this book as I hate to give up on anything, but it will be hard. Don't think I will try Chabon's other books.

Too Cutsey.......2007-09-24

Hard to fathom and follow, thanks to too many cutesy Yiddish expressions and associations. And I'm familiar with Yiddish.

Average customer rating:

Without question the BEST Labor Economics text ever!
All about Labor Economics

Labor Economics
George J Borjas
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill/Irwin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Labor Economics

ASIN: 0072311983

Book Description

The second edition of this well-received text blends coverage of traditional topics with modern theory and developments into a superb text by one of our top Labor Economists. The author's current experience at the Kennedy School of Government allows him to incorporate new policy examples and a leaner presentation of the theory.

Customer Reviews:

Without question the BEST Labor Economics text ever!.......2002-12-19

This is truly an amazing work, which shows so many models of labor market phenomena at the undergraduate level that an undergraduate's economics education is incomplete without it. This book is essential reading for both undergraduates and policymakers who want to learn labor economics, economics in general, or have a deeper understanding of public policy issues. The best features are its unmatched explanations of human capital models, labor market discrimination models, and labor union models -- which will change the way you think of these issues and give deeper understanding. The book is both concise, deep, a quick and fun read, and makes Nobel-prize winning material accessible to any undergraduate or policy maker.

All about Labor Economics.......2001-07-30

George Borjas in this book deal the basic of de Labor Economics, it's very usefull for the pre-grade student and it's preleminary to introduce in the labor world (academic). It's good but it's necesary to complement with anothers advanced books for a improve vision.

A Vision Unfulfilled: Russia & the Soviet Union in the Twentieth Century

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A Vision Unfulfilled: Russia & the Soviet Union in the Twentieth Century
John M. Thompson
Manufacturer: D.C. Heath
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 066928291X

Book Description

Unlike most Soviet-centered histories, A Vision Unfulfilled begins with a chapter summarizing late nineteenth-century Russian history, allowing instructors to begin their course with 1894, 1905, 1914, or 1917. The book also gives fuller attention to the history of the non-Russian populations in the tsarist and Soviet empires than other texts of its kind.

Average customer rating:

Thick, slighly interesting, required

Labor Relations
John A Fossum
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill/Irwin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0072987138

Book Description

Labor Relations: Development, Structure, Processes discusses the history and development of labor relations, the structure of union organizations, union organizing and union avoidance, bargaining issues, and the process of negotiations and contract administration. As a result of decreasing union membership over the last twenty years, more material in the book addresses employee relations in nonunion organizations including examples of both cooperative and adversarial relationships.

Customer Reviews:

Thick, slighly interesting, required.......2007-05-10

I can only assume that the vast majority of you ordering this book are for college. I can't imagine anyone ordering it for fun. Basically, its a great college book. Not confusing, in good order and logical.

Catherine the Great: Love, Sex, and Power

Average customer rating:

Lots of Original Research
Excellent!
One of my sheroes
One of Russia's most powerful rulers -- who wasn't even Russian.
A Most Amazing Woman

Catherine the Great: Love, Sex, and Power
Virginia Rounding
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Press
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Binding: Hardcover

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Ella: Princess, Saint and Martyr
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The Perfect Summer: England 1911, Just Before the Storm

ASIN: 0312328877
Release Date: 2007-02-06

Book Description

Dutiful daughter, frustrated wife, passionate lover, domineering mother, doting grandmother, devoted friend, tireless legislator, generous patron of artists and philosophers—the Empress Catherine II, the Great, was all these things, and more. Her reign, the longest in Russian Imperial history, lasted from 1762 until her death in 1796; during those years she built on the work begun by her most famous predecessor, Peter the Great, to establish Russia as a major European power and to transform its new capital, St Petersburg, into a city to rival Paris and London in the beauty of its architecture, the glittering splendor of its Court and the magnificence of its art collections. Yet the great Catherine was not even Russian by birth and had no legitimate claim to the Russian throne; she seized it and held on to it, through wars, rebellions and plagues, by the force of her personality, by her charm and determination, and by an unshakable belief in her own destiny.

This is the story of Catherine the woman, whom power alone could never satisfy, for she also wanted love, affection, friendship and humor. She found these in letter-writing, in grandchildren, in gardens, architecture and greyhounds—as well as in a succession of lovers which gave rise to salacious rumors throughout Europe. The real Catherine, however, was more interesting than any rumor.

Using many of Catherine’s own words from her voluminous correspondence and other documents, as well as contemporary accounts by courtiers, ambassadors and foreign visitors, Virginia Rounding penetrates the character of this most powerful, fascinating and surprisingly sympathetic of eighteenth-century women.

Customer Reviews:

Lots of Original Research.......2007-09-13

Rounding must have poured over letters and diaries for years to produce this interesting work on the personal life of Catherine the Great. It's quite a story. Catherine's governing and military leadership are beyond the scope of the book. I would have liked more background than what was given, but the personal focus would have suffered.

The highlights for me were the descriptions of her childhood and life as a young woman and wife. In this section Rounding gives the reader a lot of lot of guidance on the character of the young Catherine, her mother, her soon to be husband and the Empress Elizabeth.

As the book progresses, Rounding reproduces an increasing number of paragraphs from original sources. In some cases this adds flavor. Catherine's text (p. 404) upon the death of her current favorite, Sasha Landskoy demonstrates far better than description could, Catherine's self-absorption. Other times, long quoted passages bog down the story. The quoting increases in the later parts of the book, and as a consequence, less guidance is given by the author.

There is a lot of description of the pageantry, who wore what and what they ate. There are lavish parties and "alimony" settlements. I particularly liked the descriptions of how these and other royals traveled. The logistics must have been enormous.

This is definitely a worthwhile book if you are interested in this period.

Excellent!.......2007-06-02

Finally, a biography of Catherine the Great that doesn't turn her in to the scarlet woman of the century, or the loose woman with the heart of gold. She is seen as a woman who tried to do what was best, didn't necessarily always succeed, but never gave up on herself or her adopted country. A very modern woman in a very un-modern time!

One of my sheroes.......2007-05-18

This well-researched biography does a superb job at giving the reader a look into the world of Catherine the Great and what made her tick. Though she was born a minor German princess and didn't seem destined for much greatness or renown, she was lucky enough to have been in the right place at the right time and to become one of Russia's greatest and most beloved rulers. One of the things that endeared her to the people was her wholehearted embrace of all things Russian. Catherine wasn't anything like her husband Peter III; when she converted to Russian Orthodoxy, she really meant it, and became very devout and observant instead of merely going through the motions but remaining a Lutheran at heart, and she embraced Russia as her own land and the Russians as her own people, complete with quickly learning the language fluently. She was one of them and not just some foreign transplant.

After taking power after the death of Peter's aunt Empress Elizabeth, Catherine lost no time in getting down to business. She had made powerful connections during her time as Grand Duchess, and now began using them in earnest. Besides having the support of the people and members of royal society, she was an educated intelligent woman and had been very much influenced by the ideas and people of the Enlightenment. It was clear from pretty much the outset that she was not merely going to be serving as Regent till her son Paul reached his majority. And during her reign, she saw Russia through outbreaks of bubonic plague, a flood, numerous wars, civil unrest, the beginnings of mass inoculation, many reforms of the legal, educational, social, and religious systems, an improvement in the quality of life for many Russians, and the shaping of Russia into a major world power, a player to be taken seriously on the world stage. She was also the last of Russia's great female rulers, as after her death her son Paul reinstituted the law of primogeniture, prohibiting a woman from ever again taking power.

This book also cleared up some misinformation I had gotten over the years, though I had never believed that slanderous urban legend about Catherine being crushed to death by a horse she was copulating with; it's ridiculous that I had two teachers who told that story as though it were true. Catherine was an amazing inspiring woman, yet most people who aren't well-versed in Russian history usually remember only one thing about her; that's the type of urban legend that one isn't very likely to forget after having heard it. Ms. Rounding also shatters the urban legend about "Potemkin villages." I had also gotten the idea that Empress Elizabeth and Catherine were a lot closer than they actually were; far from Elizabeth mentoring Catherine and being one of her closest confidantes, she actually didn't get along too well with her on most occasions. This book also gives a more nuanced view of Peter III and Paul; while it's clear that Peter did have some screws loose, it seems as though he were more immature and unaware of the role that was expected of him than anything else. Now it seems more understandable why he acted the way he did, given how he was treated by his aunt Elizabeth and her court. As for Paul, it's probably for the better that he only became Tsar after his mother's death and then only served for 5 years before being murdered, but he was raised much like his (possible) father, and treated in much the same way even after he became an adult. No wonder he resented his mother and was such a weak person.

My only complaint about the book is that it does start out kind of slow and even boring, what with so many unnecessary details, particularly about things like court ceremonies, balls, and carriage journeys. It becomes a lot more interesting and fast-paced after Catherine comes into her own and takes power. And it's great that the book focuses on her personal life instead of being bogged down in a lot of overly academic material, but it would have been nice had the portrait been balanced out by some more coverage and details of her policies, reforms, and Russian history in general. Still, this is a great biography for anyone interested in Russian history in general or Catherine in particular.

One of Russia's most powerful rulers -- who wasn't even Russian........2007-03-22

It's one of those surprises of history that one of Russia's most effective rulers was a woman, and not Russian at all. The Russian Empire after the death of Peter the Great in the early eighteenth century became a 'winner-take-all, free-for-all' between various descendants of his. By the time that the daughter of Peter, Elizabeth Petrovna, seized power and imprisoned the infant Ivan VI in a remote fortress, there were only two claimants to the Romanov crown left -- herself, and her nephew, a teenager named Peter. Clearly, the best solution to further palace coups and possible uprisings was to establish a clear line of succession.

A bride must be found and as quickly as possible. A Roman Catholic would not be acceptable, but a German Protestant princess who would not mind converting to Russian Orthodoxy just might work. And for one princess in particular, Empress Elizabeth had a soft-spot in her heart. Once, Elizabeth had been engaged to a German prince, but when he had died, the marriage did not happen. This princeling, however, had a sister -- Johanna, who in turn married the prince of Anhalt-Zerbst, and she had a daughter who was just a year younger than Grand Duke Peter.

Sophie Fredericka Auguste was a lively, intelligent teenager when she arrived in Russia with her mother for a closer look by the Empress. She wasn't exactly pretty, but she had a pair of beautiful dark blue eyes, a quick mind, and a willingness to please. Both the Empress and the Grand Duke liked what they saw, and after some careful negotiations, Sophie converted to Orthodoxy, and became Catherine Alexeyevna, and married Peter. The one problem was Johanna, who kept trying to steal the show from her daughter, dabbled in political machinations, and quite nearly ruined it all for her daughter before being returned to Germany.

But married life wasn't that easy for young Catherine. Not only did she have to deal with Empress Elizabeth's whims and capricious nature, her husband Peter was less than ideal as a spouse. For one, he wasn't that eager to consummate the marriage, prefering to scrape away at his violin, and indulging his whims for playing with soldiers, both toy and real ones. Indeed, as years passed, Catherine found herself in a very unenviable state -- no heir, and an ever irritated Empress, along with a husband who cared nothing for her.

There was really only one solution -- Catherine focused her mind on educating herself in politics and Russia, determined to become entirely Russian, and cutting off her homeland. She also used every scrap of charm and intelligence that she had, slowly gathering a coterie of supporters and finally managing to get her husband to make the marriage a reality. But that didn't mean the battle was over -- both of her infant children, Paul and Anna, were taken away from her and raised by Empress Elizabeth, and Grand Duke Peter started to consider divorcing Catherine. Finally, when Peter became Tsar, Catherine knew she had to act to save herself.

How she took power for herself, and then managed to keep it despite attempted revolts, various pretenders, war with the Ottoman empire, and still managed to be an object of admiration for the time, well, that's what makes this biography so interesting to read. Rounding takes not a political, nor exactly a chronological, look at Catherine the Great's life, but a personal one. Using Catherine's own memoirs and letters, along with the contemporary accounts of those in her life, she gives a very personal look at a powerful woman, who wasn't afraid of taking very big bites of life.

Her passions ranged from her lovers -- Gregory Orlov and Potemkin among them, to the arts -- the Hermitage, one of the most fabulous collections of art in the world, to the palaces of St. Petersburg and Tsarskoye Selo are mostly her creation and inspiration. But as well as her enjoyment of the arts, there was also a very ruthless side to the Empress. She may or may not have had a hand in the murder of her husband after his abdication -- how much Catherine was involved is still a question today, and she would discard a lover with a 'customary' present of land, serfs, and fine gifts, with the unspoken understanding that the affair was over.

But throughout the story I also got to see some of the personality and vibrancy of Catherine II through her letters and descriptions of her life. One surprise was the relationship that she had with her son, who would become Tsar Paul -- while there isn't much of a maternal love there, she was genuinely interested in what he was doing, and never did seem to wish him hard. On the other hand, she took physical and emotional charge of his two eldest children, Alexander and Constantine, in much the same way that Empress Elizabeth had taken Paul away from her.

Rounding's narrative is full of life and insight, and compared to most dusty and dry biographies, this one satisfies on several levels. I can happily recommend it for anyone interested in either Russian history, or how a woman in what was very much a man's world, managed to become one of its most powerful leaders. And yes, the horse myth is finally put to rest, and I hope, for good.

As well as two inserts of colour photos, there are extensive notes, bibliographies, sources and index to help in further research. A genealogical chart helps to sort out the complicated relationships of the Russian rulers in the eighteenth century. The images are particularly fine in this one, and have several paintings that I have not seen reproduced elsewhere.

Recommended.

A Most Amazing Woman.......2007-02-28

One of the more interesting characters in history, Catherine engineered a coup in 1762 that put her on the throne of Russia as she replaced her husband. From here she would rule Russia until her death, 34 years later. Her political accomplishments during those years are spactacular: wars fought and won, reorienting Russia from Asia to Europe, extending Russia's borders, expanding education and the arts.

At the same time her bedroom exploits became legendary around Europe. She had a succession of lovers that also seemed to serve as political advisors. It seems that these lovers were selected by Catherine based on the recommendations of members of the court. It is important to remember that this was a time when in most of the world women were basically considered chattels.

This is a well researched book on a subject that provides a balanced look at Catherine, chronicling her strengths as well as her weaknesses. Her conclusion is that the soubriquet 'the Great' is justified.

From Nyet to Da: Understanding the Russians (Interact Series)

Average customer rating:

Excellent and Concise
Excellent and insightful book
Insightful and Helpful
Short, well written and very insightful
Modern Russian Culture: From Nyet to Da

From Nyet to Da: Understanding the Russians (Interact Series)
Yale Richmond
Manufacturer: Intercultural Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Russian Wife: Your Greatest Blessing or Your Biggest Mistake?

ASIN: 1877864161

Customer Reviews:

Excellent and Concise.......2007-08-11

I began reading this book before leaving on my first mission trip to Russia. I finished it upon my return. The portion I read before the trip was helpful to me in my interaction with the Russian people. The remainder of the book was confirmed by my recent observations and experiences.

This title is very good investment for anyone traveling to Russia or seeking to gain a better understanding of the Russian people.

Excellent and insightful book.......2007-04-19

My wife is Russian and this book really helped me understand the cultural issues that sometimes baffle both of us. It really helped to give me insight into her culture. This is an excellent read. I'd particularly recommend it to anyone that does business with Russians.

Insightful and Helpful.......2005-05-23

A client who lived throughout Russia for around ten years and still conducts most of his business with Russians recommended this book to me. This is a good book, but a little too reliant on history in explaining present day Russian culture. The book really shines when talking about the Russians outside Moscow, but more and more the Moscow business elite seem to take their cue more from the New York or London elite than from their peasant ancestors, as this book contends. Overall, however, this book is as good any for gaining a better understanding of Russians and the Russian bureaucracy.

Short, well written and very insightful.......2002-09-07

Having lived and studied in Russia and being married to a Russian I am able to appreciate the tremendous understanding of the Russians by the author. this is a must read book if you intend to travel there, live there or marry someone who lives there; it will save you from making many mistakes or false assumptions. It is well written, concise , easy to read and inexpensive. Essential reading.

Modern Russian Culture: From Nyet to Da.......2001-10-04

This book is very informative and easy to read. My husband and I are traveling to Russia sometime in the next 2 months to adopt 2 children and I feel it is important to understand their culture both for now and for their future. I have recommended this book to others on the adoption related mailing lists I am on and others have also responded favorably.

The Kitchen Boy: A Novel of the Last Tsar

Average customer rating:

The Kitchen Boy
Couldn't put it down
Great Travel Read
Romantic fantasy but decent reading
That Night in Yekaterinburg

The Kitchen Boy: A Novel of the Last Tsar
Robert Alexander
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Rasputin's Daughter
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Nicholas and Alexandra
The Romanovs: the Final Chapter
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ASIN: 0142003816
Release Date: 2004-01-27

Book Description

Drawing from decades of work, travel, and research in Russia, Robert Alexander re-creates the tragic, perennially fascinating story of the final days of Nicholas and Alexandra as seen through the eyes of the RomanovsÂ' young kitchen boy, Leonka. Now an ancient Russian immigrant, Leonka claims to be the last living witness to the RomanovsÂ' brutal murders and sets down the dark secrets of his past with the imperial family. Does he hold the key to the many questions surrounding the familyÂ's murder? Historically vivid and compelling, The Kitchen Boy is also a touching portrait of a loving family that was in many ways similar, yet so different, from any other.

Drawing from decades of work, travel, and research in Russia, Robert Alexander re-creates the tragic, perennially fascinating story of the final days of Russian monarchs Nicholas and Alexandra as seen through the eyes of the RomanovÂ's young kitchen boy, Leonka.

Download Description

"Taut with suspense and rich in historical detail, The Kitchen Boy chronicles in an entirely new light the brutal slaying of Czar Nicholas II and his family It was a crime to horrify, fascinate, and mystify the ages. On the night of July 16, 1918, Bolshevik revolutionaries murdered the entire Russian royal family in a hail of gunfire. No one survived who might bear witness to what really happened on that mysterious and bloody night. Or so it was thought. In masterful historical detail and breathtaking suspense, Robert Alexander carries the reader through the entire heartrending story as told through the eyes of a real but forgotten witness, the kitchen boy. Narrated by the sole witness to the basement execution, The Kitchen Boy is historical fiction at its best. But more than that, the accessible style and intricately woven plot-with a stunning revelation at its end-will keep readers guessing throughout. "This is a dream of a book... [Robert Alexander's] tough, stylish prose is the perfect medium for this fast-becoming myth of evil and innocence, of frailty and courage, of betrayal and redemption."" -Judith Guest ""Through the power of the author's imagination, we see not only the tragedy of the Emperor, but that of a human being, man, and father."" -Ivan Artsyshevsky, The Romanov Family Association"

Customer Reviews:

The Kitchen Boy.......2007-09-12

The author kept you interested all the way through the book and even though you already know the outcome, you are hoping for a better ending. Great read by Robert Alexander. I am now going to read Rasputin's Daughter by Robert Alexander.

Couldn't put it down.......2007-08-29

Coincidentally, the day I started this book there was a news announcement that the graves of the missing Romanov children had possibly been discovered. I should have known that it was a good omen! I had been looking for a novel about the Romanovs for some time and this hit the mark. THE KITCHEN BOY is a wonderful mix of fact and fiction and a valuable history lesson, too. Mr. Alexander did an outstanding job of turning turbulent times and a tragic event into an entertaining novel that I couldn't put down. So believable that I had to convince myself that the fictional mystery ending really didn't happen - or did it? Simply wonderful!

Great Travel Read.......2007-07-09

I bought this book in the Hermitage Museum shop in '05. It's great for a short travel book. Filled with history, plus a good mystery mixed in.

Romantic fantasy but decent reading.......2007-07-05

Knowing little about Russian history, it was interesting to me that R.Alexander was able to weave certified history into his romantic fantasy of a novel. I felt pushed to learn more about Russian history, but not to repeat reading this novel or other books by R. Alexander, I am sorry to say. This book was reviewed by a small book group that I belong to. The ladies all felt the same way about the novel. On the whole, looking at subjects that came to us when reading the book, we were astonished at the sheer waste of money on Romanov jewels and the terrible waste of millions of lives. Also, once again, we were sad that Russia has never managed to be anything but an autocratic society, whether the Tsars or the Communists rule. We hope for better government of that large land of such wonderful potential.

That Night in Yekaterinburg.......2007-07-04

Over the years, many books, both fiction and non-fiction, have been written about the events of July 16-17, 1918. On that date, in the town of Yekaterinburg, the Russian royal family met their fateful end.

Misha Semyonov is an elderly Russian man who is living in the suburbs of Chicago's north side. Nearing the end of his own life, he begins to record a tape for his granddaughter, Kate, detailing what he knows about the Romanov family. Misha, it turns out, was the kitchen boy in the House of Special Purpose in Yekaterinburg. He served the last tsar and his family, and through his recounting of the events leading up to their death, he paints a detailed picture of the last days of Nicholas II, his wife Alexandra, and their five children.

But the story doesn't end there. The innocent kitchen boy's account of the night's events explains the disappearance of two of the Romanov bodies (those of tsarevich Alexei and his sister, Maria), as well as what happened to the bodies of the family. But along the way, Misha covers his own tracks, and it is only through Kate's investigating skills that his big secret is revealed.

Robert Alexander does an excellent job painting the anxiety and uncertainty of those last few weeks in Yekaterinburg. The novel is vivid, with many Russian phrases (and their English translations), notes that can be found in the Russian Archives, and the picture of a loving family confused by their sudden change in circumstances.

To be honest, the novel reads a bit like "The Diary of Anne Frank," though not quite as candid. However, it is an excellent theory into the murders that ended Russian imperialism and changed the face of the world forever.

The War Against Hope: How Teachers' Unions Hurt Children, Hinder Teachers, and Endanger Public Education

Average customer rating:

Correct on Some Points, Misleading On Others
The Ball Is in the Union's Court
take back our schools
I hope this is read by everyone who pays taxes to fund our public schools

The War Against Hope: How Teachers' Unions Hurt Children, Hinder Teachers, and Endanger Public Education
Rod Paige
Manufacturer: Thomas Nelson
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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School Choice: The Findings
Feds in the Classroom: How Big Government Corrupts, Cripples, and Compromises American Education

ASIN: 159555002X

Book Description

Former Secretary of Education Rod Paige gives the inside story of how teachers' unions are selfishly shackling our students to a failing education system, exposing the bullying techniques of the National Education Association-how these unions terrorize teachers, students, and their parents.

Customer Reviews:

Correct on Some Points, Misleading On Others.......2007-07-30

I am a veteran public school teacher and read this entire captivating book in one sitting. Paige does make some valid arguments about the corrupt, anti-child actions of teachers unions. Some of his frustrations I share 100%. First of all, I agree that unions make it very difficult for school districts to fire blatantly incompetent teachers. I know that because being a teacher myself, I have had to work with some of these teachers. They are a cancer on our profession and make us all look bad. For example, a few years ago, I taught in a classroom next to a teacher who would scream and yell at her 3rd grade children (mostly Hispanic) that they were "stupid and lazy." One day, we could hear her yelling such vicious things at her students that even a few of my own 5th grade students started crying. In tears, one girl asked me why that teacher "was allowed to treat little kids that way" and if I could go next door and ask her to stop. This teacher would also have some of the very lowest test scores in the district year after year after year, therefore bringing down the academic ranking of our entire school. Everyone, including the principal, knew how horrible this teacher was, but the principal refused to do anything because she knew that the union would protect this teacher 100% and that therefore any attempt to discipline her would be a futile waste of time and effort.

I also agree with Paige that because of union contracts, there is very little incentive, apart from a teacher's own conscience, to go "above and beyond" to help the students learn. The teacher pay scale applies to every single teacher, regardless of his/her competence or effectiveness, and is based only on seniority and continuing education units. Therefore, the veteran 30-year teacher who does the bare minimum will usually make at least TWICE as much as the new teacher down the hall who comes to work early, stays late, works hard, and does a darn good job teaching the kids. Paige cites research which claims that a teacher's effectiveness declines after he/she has been on the job for five years. If this claim is accurate, it is probably due to the fact that a teacher's salary does not correlate even one bit to how good that teacher is. Once a teacher has been in the system for a while, he/she begins to realize this and as a result, there is a decline in motivation to perform the job well.

However, I do take issue with Paige on some points. First of all, it appears that he wants to make teachers unions the "scapegoat" and implies that these unions are the main cause (if not the sole cause) for low academic achievement. However, although teachers unions should bear some of the responsibility, they are by no means the only ones at fault. In fact, one reason why we need a union is to protect us from incompetent administrators in our school districts. The elimination of tenure would allow a principal to arbitrarily dismiss a teacher for any reason, even if that teacher is the most skilled and competent in the school. Such reasons might include something as trivial as a mere personality conflict or the adminstrator's own personal and subjective opinions about the teacher's performance. Teachers would be afraid to "blow the whistle" on a corrupt principal or administrator for fear of being fired. I can tell you that it would be very difficult for me to give my full attention to teaching the children if I were consistently worrying in the back of my head whether or not I would have a job the next year to pay my bills and support my own kids. Still, the fact remains that tenure does protect some pretty LOUSY teachers, but completely eliminating it would be even more disastrous for our students. I would also suggest that in my exprience, tenure and unions are not the only reasons why so many incompetent teachers remain in the clasroom. Often, the school principal is also to blame by not properly documenting a teacher's deficiencies, as well as top school district administrators who will not support principals who choose to take steps to have an incompetent teacher dismissed.

Paige also suggests that teacher pay should be tied with student academic performance measures (i.e. standardized tests). This suggestion is based on a deeply flawed assumption that if students are performing at a high level academically, their teacher must be outstanding, and that if students are failing, the teacher must be lousy. The idea of "merit pay" would end up harming the very students it aims in theory to protect. If merit pay ever became a reality, most of the nation's best teachers would flock to school districts in affluent suburban neighborhoods that have the highest test scores. The students in low income areas, the ones who need good teachers the most, would be stuck with whatever is "left over." This is the inevitable result of a system that would penalize an outstanding teacher just because that teacher works in a school with high poverty or with students still learning English as a second language, while at the same time handsomely rewarding a terrible teacher who is lucky enough to teach in an affluent district with more socioeconomically privileged students who would still ace the standardized tests even if they had been taught by a fruitfly!

There are really no easy answers regarding these issues, but for Paige to place the blame squarely on teachers unions misses the point and ignores many other factors that have contributed to the failure of many of our public schools. Nonetheless, the book is well written, correct on many points (whether teachers or their unions like it or not), and very insightful. It is definitely worth the read for anyone holding a stake in the education of our children.

The Ball Is in the Union's Court.......2007-06-26

I have written many critiques of articles and books, but this book had my head swirling. I was a teacher and union building rep (at the same time) for many years and although I did not agree with everything the union did (who does?) I was never aware of the union's practices and history that Paige reports.

I have always considered a union necessary because of the practices and working conditions foisted on teachers by principals and district staffers (for the superintendent and board). Even though I walked picket lines and encouraged fellow teachers to join with full membership, I never protected an obviously-incompetent or racist teacher. In fact, I encouraged the principal to deal with him or her--to the consternation of my union Higher-Up. (You see, we teachers don't always blindly follow the union...or the administrators.)

One repeating problem in my school and district was caused by the upper-level administration placing on teachers the burden of one educational fad after another--all (to my knowledge) ending in failure and the waste of millions of the taxpayers' dollars.

And just like some teachers pass students along with no justification, so do some teacher college professors pass potential teachers who immediately or eventually fail our students, the community and the nation.

As Paige would seem to agree, I think teachers' unions should be only a business entity dealing with working conditions and pay. Leave the curriculum up to the superintendent (not that he or she has done a great job), or, as in charter schools, up to the local school.

Yes, I have once or twice been the subject of union harassment by one or more of the union's "blind" followers, but I was tough enough to handle it. And I didn't consider this treatment pervasive. Paige has revealed many negative practices by teachers' unions that need to be answered by them. But, remember, unions do not hire teachers (even if a certain board may be in a union's pocket, as Paige reports), so blame the boards of education, the administrator and curriculum developers at the administration headquarters.

I am not in sympathy with the idea--pushed by Paige--that teachers should receive merit or performance pay for a job well done. In my own classes I had students who learned much faster than others--and all of my students were poor enough to have a lunch subsidy. I worked very hard to get results, but a teacher in an area where most students are on level can get the same results or better and not have to put in the hours and effort I did, and he or she may receive merit pay, but not me. So, additional pay based on test scores (measured against a standard) is not fair to teachers.

Let me explain further. I say hire only quality teachers and check that quality not by how the students meet a standard, but how much progress the students have made toward that standard. If--and I'm not exaggerating here, especially for big-city schools--50 to 75 percent of my 8th graders enter my class not knowing their times tables (which means their math is hardly above grade 3) and they leave my room testing at the end of grade 6, they have made around 3 years of progress in one year! Yet, they are still 2 years behind being ready to move into grade 9. This means, they don't meet the acceptable standard for math. And I don't deserve performance pay. This is what I know and it is what teachers' unions know. "Merit" pay is a theory in the field of teaching youngsters. If it's put into practice and schools still don't improve performance that much (meaning some teachers may be fired), what are we to do, given that teaching has one of the greatest turn-over rates of any profession? The reality is that up to 50% of new teachers leave the profession within five years. I think supporters of performance pay are barking up the wrong tree.

If one is wondering if teachers need unions, one needs only read of the history of U.S. teaching to get an answer. (See my book, MT. HOREB: THE LITTLE WHITE SCHOOLHOUSE ON LITTLE DEER CREEK to get a short history; then check the bibliography.) We can't go back to the days when teachers were basically educational missionaries: Paige lauds those teachers that spend their days, nights and weekends (yes, cell-phone available) "serving" their students and indicating that this is what he thinks is a good example of dedication.

And for some interesting and moving labor songs (union history) get the lively CD "Classic Labor Songs."

I agree with Paige that for the sake of the students and the nation changes in most teachers' unions' non-student/teacher-oriented power needs to change. How those changes can be crafted to the benefit of all does need to be hammered out. Paige gives some of his ideas for improvement. How are the unions going to react? How are parents going to react? His book is against teachers' unions (of course, he will protest that, mildly)--though he does rightly praise a few union "mavericks," as he calls them. He says (after much criticism) that he thinks most teachers are praiseworthy, except that they are not quite so because of their blind allegiance to their unions who, he says, blinded them. He thinks he has strongly presented his evidence, now let the strong unions counter.

Let's hope this sorry state of affairs is soon corrected. It's not practical to think we can throw the babies (some unions, boards, teachers, teachers' colleges and even parents) out with the bath water (techniques for change), but let's do change the diapers (some present philosophies).

take back our schools.......2007-05-07

This book did an excellent job uncovering the danger our public schools are experiencing.It is a must read for all Americans.We must force our elected officials to address the teachers unions and make teachers accountable.The education system should reward excellent teachers and extract bad ones.The time is now.Encourage good business people to run for school boards.The system has to be changed to secure America's future.

I hope this is read by everyone who pays taxes to fund our public schools.......2007-04-25

This topic is so heated that it is easy for each side to accuse the other of bad faith and to make accusations that do not have substance. Let me say right out that I believe that nearly all classroom teachers are dedicated people who care about their students and most are good at what they do. Some are excellent and some are incompetent, but this is something that is known by everyone about people who work in every field of endeavor. Also, I am NOT against labor unions.

I do think they are most often brought about by bad employers, but there are also unions who are brought about by politics. And it is the mix of politics and union economic power that is as toxic as the mix of big business and politics. Each situation hurts society by stifling competition and moving the purpose of the organization from producing what it was created to do to providing jobs or economic rents for parties with the political power. Both are bad things and should be fought against, strenuously.

Neither is Rod Paige, the author of this book, attacking teachers or even unions in general. What he is against is that in our present educational system, the unions have linked their identity as the classroom teachers when they are something apart from them even while representing them. The unions have not only tremendous political power to stifle reform, they also have often hand picked and gotten elected the board that is supposed to negotiate with the unions in setting the rules and signing the contracts. How can this be good? And if the kids aren't learning, what is the use of providing jobs for the teachers in the first place? It would be similar to create a car factory that could not build proper cars, but all the energy went into issues surround those building the cars (that weren't being built well) instead of facing squarely why the cars were coming off the line in such poor condition. Obviously, in the real world such a company would face competition and, if it couldn't fix its problems, would simply go out of business. However, for some reason we feel we cannot allow competition to improve the quality of education our children receive. This craziness isn't the fault of the teachers, but of the system that empowers the unions to block meaningful reform and competition.

This is an excellent book that should be read by everyone interested in the power of the teacher's unions and how they behave in preventing meaningful change or even experimentation in trying to find a better way for educating our children.

Let me say again, I am PRO TEACHER. I think they need to be paid fairly. However, we have school systems to educate OUR children. They do not belong to society. They belong to us. We pay the tax dollars that fund the schools. We should have almost complete say in how our school systems are run, how they are funded, and the curriculum taught. Yet, we do not. This book can help you understand who has that power, how they got it, and why we can't seem to get it back. The author points out that when people are crying out for more funding, as they always do, they are really saying they are out of meaningful ideas. Money never fixes anything. That is true.

Here is a little thought experiment. People say we need to pay teachers more to get improvement by getting the best teachers. But when we raise teacher pay, do we get rid of the existing teachers and hire in new and better teachers at the new higher pay? Of course not! We just pay the existing people more. How does that get us better teachers? If you go to McDonalds and pay $2 more for a Big Mac, does it become a better hamburger? No. It is exactly the same. It doesn't change simply because you pay more for it. You would need to go to a place that serves better hamburgers at the higher price to get a better burger.

As long as the same people occupy their places they are not going to improve over increased salaries. There may be things we can do with infrastructure that can help. But simply stuffing the teachers' pockets or hiring more administrators (heaven forfend) will not educate our children more effectively.

The idea that we exist simply to provide tax dollars and do the bidding of the present education establishment while they make all the decisions about curriculum and get their advantages made into laws further disenfranchising those who should be in control of the school districts is obscene to me. But you will have to decide for yourself. This book can present you with great information about the present situation.

Average customer rating:

History in Context
Was the Cold War really dangerous?
an excellent concise resource
Very Good, Concise History
Recounting the Rise and Fall of the Soviet Union

The Cold War: A New History
John Lewis Gaddis
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0143038273

Book Description

The Â“dean of Cold War historiansÂ” (The New York Times) now presents the definitive account of the global confrontation that dominated the last half of the twentieth century. Drawing on newly opened archives and the reminiscences of the major players, John Lewis Gaddis explains not just what happened but whyÂ—from the months in 1945 when the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. went from alliance to antagonism to the barely averted holocaust of the Cuban Missile Crisis to the maneuvers of Nixon and Mao, Reagan and Gorbachev. Brilliant, accessible, almost Shakespearean in its drama, The Cold War stands as a triumphant summation of the era that, more than any other, shaped our own.

Customer Reviews:

History in Context.......2007-09-07

I found this book to be an extremely well organized survey of the Cold War. Professor Gaddis eloquently explains the sources of the conflict. He goes on to describe the escalation; and then points out how, somewhere in the middle, many of its actors came to view the conflict as permanent, and even desirable. He explains how it took men and women of vision to see the landscape of the future without the conflict as a permanent fixture, and then relentlessly pursue that vision.

The inclusion of the Soviet perspective from recently available sources makes this book especially interesting. The Soviets were pursuing global communism, which proved to be an unworkable solution to the ills of unbridled capitalism. But, we may never have had such crystal clear historical evidence of its unworkability if the Soviets hadn't undertaken their experiment.

Was the Cold War really dangerous?.......2007-07-17

The year Ronald Reagan died my mom commented to me, "What is all the fuss about Reagan? What did he ever do?" After I wiped the blood from my eyes, I asked her, "You don't speak Russian do you? If nothing else, you can thank him and men like him for that." People tend to forget what a formidable foe the USSR was and how close they came to winning the Cold War. Todays youth have even made the old Russian flag a fashion statement, wearing it on tee-shirts hoping to gain cool points from their hip socialist brainwashed friends. But the fact of the matter is that the Russian Empire was a threat. John Gaddis does an excellent job reminding us of this fact. Although the book is not an in depth study of the cold war, it is useful as a reminder to subsequent generations that the Communist threat was real, in American and throughout the rest of the world.

an excellent concise resource.......2007-06-30

Gaddis has done an excellent job of telling an extremely complicated history in a tight and well-written volume. The importance of his story is contrasted by his reminding the reader that his college students today have almost no living memory of the Cold War or just how serious a historical epic it was between two great powers.

As the world has changed dramatically over the past 16 years since the fall of the Soviet Union, this book will be an excellent resource to remember just what a huge struggle the Western bloc vs. the Soviet Union and its satellites was. This is not an ideaological book from the Yale professor Gaddis, but he gives credit to the end of the Cold War to three individuals and a people group: Ronald Reagan, Margeret Thatcher, Pope John Paul II and the people of eastern Europe who contiually stood up to the Soviet and local communist leaders.

A weak point of this book, which admittedly does not have time to explore the vast and complicated expressions of every part of the Cold War is Gaddis explanation for why the anti-war movements of the 1960's and 70's in the West erupted with as much fury as they did, and subsided almost as quickly. His explanation, that it was largely caused by baby boom young adults, coming of age, with lots of time on their hands seems like a short answer. Comparing and contrasting the reaction of the West to the Korean War vs. Vietnam might have made a better use of the text.

Gaddis presentation of how the Cold War started at the end of World War II is another excellent section, especially how the West, making practical concessions to the Soviets that they could never hope to bargain for at the end of the war, quickly turned European opinion against the Soviets by forcing the Soviets into the position of being the ones who built wall, established border police and shut themselves off because they had to keep people in.

The explanation of proxy conflicts, especially in the Middle East, is another highlight of the work. Seeing the Israeli and Palestinian conflict as rump to the Cold War, and the Soviets inability to deal with their Egyptian allies in Nasser further showed the weakness of the Soviet state.

While ultimatley Gaddis presents the end of the Cold War as being led by the four main actors mentioned earlier, his treatment of Gorbachev as a man who managed the end of the failure of the Soviet Empire and the inability of the Soviets to have a sustainable economic future - the very reason for its existence is told with great clarity.

Gaddis warns throughout the book that choosing an ends justifying the means approach got the West into more dificulty than anything else. The attempt by the West, especially between John Kennedy and Ronald Reagan, to manage a stable world delayed the inevitable end of the Cold War and more than likely created greater human misery of the likes the world has rarely scene. Ronald Reagan, and Thatcher and John Paul, were in a sense revolutionaries, for they sought to win the Cold War by calling for total peace and not half measures of agreements and stability.

Very Good, Concise History.......2007-05-21

This is ideal if you're not looking for an 14,000 page account of the Cold War...you get a little background on everything, from nuclear tests to Cuba to the fall of the USSR. What you don't get is much detail, which, I suppose, is the intent of a concise history; a little more detail would have been nice, though. It's a 260 page book, a few more facts or stories here and there probably wouldn't have pushed this into "only for historians" territory, it's hard to complain about the brevity of a book whose aim is brevity. 'The Company' by Robert Littel goes well with this, as it fleshes out many of the major events here in a far less dry manner than most Cold War history books. Anybody looking for an overview of one of the largest, longest, most epic events in modern history should pick this up.

Recounting the Rise and Fall of the Soviet Union.......2007-04-19

One of the great debates in American foreign policy is how do you deal with repressive regimes. There are several schools of thought on how to proceed. The first is isolation (this has been the U.S. policy towards Iran and N. Korea). The second is confrontation (Iraq is the obvious example) and the third is communication (this would be the tactic used by Nixon in China and the policy of détente with the Soviet Union). Each policy has its advocates and detractors and each its plusses and minuses. Embracing China has worked out fairly well for its citizenry although there is much room for improvement. On the other hand supporting the Saudi monarchy has caused some serious headaches for the U.S. and Saudi citizens. Isolation and sanctions have a very poor track record and generally makes repressed citizenry even worse off. Confrontation can have unpredictable results that often exasperate the situation. Military confrontation can lead to considerable misery and verbal confrontation generally fails because one of the maxims of maintaining a dictatorship is demonstrating strength. The Bush administrations threats towards Iran and North Korea have fallen flat.

The ethos of `do no harm' fails when deciding how to deal with stable but brutal dictatorships or failing regimes. I was watching Hotel Rwanda with my girlfriend when she asked why the United Nations hadn't done more to protect the Tutsis from genocide. But what could the U.N. do? Slaughter the Hutus? The Tutsis had blood on their own hands. In the case of Bosnia the U.N. and U.S. bombed the hell out of the Serbians but again the Albanians were no angels and had in fact sided with the Axis during WWII. While trying to arrest Somali warlord Mohammed Farrah Aidid 18 American soldiers died but so did an estimated 1,000 and 1,500 Somali militiamen with an upwards of 4,000 injured Somali. So when does a humanitarian mission become a slaughter?

In the case of the Soviet Union the people were clearly suffering under a crushingly repressive dictatorship. Despite its claim to being a system of the working man, Communism was an intellectual farce and an economic disaster. It was also a system bent on spreading its message and extending its influence. So the debate in the West was between confrontation and isolation. In the end a compromise of sorts was formed ending in confrontation through proxies. The author gave several examples of countries playing the two superpowers off one another. By not explicitly siding with one or the other smaller countries could manipulate for their own benefit or "wag the dog".

`The Cold War' by John Lewis Gaddis is rather brief for a subject spanning over 40 years of history. The author spends a considerable amount of time discussing the changing nature of war after the invention of the atomic bomb. We all owe a debt of gratitude to leaders on both sides of the iron curtain for showing the wisdom and restraint to not use these horrifying weapons. `The Cold War' chronicles the history of the Soviet Union from Stalin to Yeltzin. In the Soviet Union there was no position high enough that one could be free from danger of removal. There will always be a debate on whether containment was the best solution or whether it was Reagan's confrontation that was the final nail in the coffin. The author clearly favors the style Reagan and Thatcher and pretty much omits the sections on U.S. meddling in South America and the Middle East in the name of containment. Reagan's refusal to use the nonworking SDI as a bargaining chip seems silly in retrospect but it was on his watch that the Soviet Union collapsed and since the world wasn't irradiated I figure he must have done SOMETHING right.

Thunder in the East: The Nazi-Soviet War, 1941-1945

Average customer rating:

Excellent general history of the Nazi-Soviet War
Lacking
Now THIS is military history!
WWII Eastern Front History at Its Very Best!
A good start

Thunder in the East: The Nazi-Soviet War, 1941-1945
Evan Mawdsley
Manufacturer: A Hodder Arnold Publication
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 034080808X

Book Description

The battles in Russia played the decisive part in Hitler's defeat. Gigantic, prolonged, and bloody, they contrasted with the general nature of the fighting on other fronts. The Russians fought on their own in "their" theater of war and with an independent strategy. Stalinist Russia was a country radically different from its liberal democratic allies. Hitler and the German high command, for their part, conceived and carried out the Russian campaign as a singular "war of annihilation." This riveting new book is a penetrating, broad-ranging, yet concise overview of this vast conflict. It investigates the Wehrmacht and the Red Army and the command and production systems that organized and sustained them. It considers a range of further themes concerning this most political of wars. Benefiting from a post-Communist, post-Cold War perspective, the book takes advantage of a wealth of new studies and source material that have become available over the last decade. Readers from history buffs to scholars will find something new in this exciting new book.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent general history of the Nazi-Soviet War.......2007-10-11

I read this book after reading a review of a number of books on the subject that was publiched in Atlantic Monthly. I am not an expert on this subject but I have read several dozen books on the Eastern War, and I found this to be an excellent overall review. Very readable and very thorough within the confines of a single book covering such a vast sequence of events across such a vast front.

Lacking.......2007-02-03

This book could and possibly should have been titled "Zhukov, Stalin, and the Stavka" because that is the overwhelming focus. Evan Mawdsley is a Russian historian, and it definitely shows here. It gives an in depth analysis of RUSSIAN strategy and wartime evolution, but very little of the German side. Look elsewhere if this is what you desire.

This is a CONCISE history. Concise histories are usually rather dry and skeletal. I slogged through the whole thing, but I fell asleep reading it many a night. Compelling reading it is not.

Be forewarned that this is a history of the war from a GRAND STRATEGIC LEVEL. Mawdsley covers army GROUP movements. An army group is just that--a whole number of various tank and infantry armies grouped together. DO NOT EXPECT TO BE DOWN AND DIRTY IN THE TRENCHES HERE. The cold and desperation at Stalingrad, the T-34 versus the Panther tank at Kursk, the Sturmgewehr versus the PPsh-1, Messerschmidt versus Yak, the morale of individual Soviet versus German soldiers as the war dragged on etc. etc. is NOT here. It's all senior generals, marshals, and supreme leaders stuff. You know, the guys with clean buttoned-up uniforms that move little flags around on a table map.

So much is omitted. Incredibly Mawdsley devotes exactly 3 sentences to the appalling behavior of the Red Army once it entered eastern Europe. The systematic wholesale atrocities committed by the Red Army in East Prussia, Pomerania, Czechoslovakia, and Hungary are not mentioned. The three sentences refer to Russian bad behavior only during the final battle around Berlin. Similarly, Nazi Einzattsgruppen activity is also barely mentioned. Why? This savagery made the Eastern front UNIQUE from the Western and Italian fronts and characterized the war between these two reprehensible regimes.

Most unforgivable of all are the woefully inadeqate maps. There are exactly 11 of them. Not nearly enough, and they are poor sparse black-and-white affairs with nothing more than front lines drawn on them. You will constantly need an atlas at your side to comprehend the army movements.

There are a very few photos--none memorable.

Only recommended if you are looking for a short history of Zhukov and Stalin's growth as war leaders, and grand strategic army group movements from the Russian point of view.

Now THIS is military history!.......2006-09-19

Beautifully written, extremely informative, and well-packaged by the publisher, this is another must have for the WWII buff's library. Using the info from the Russian archives which has come out in the past 10-15 years, Professor Mawdsley does a magnificent job of presenting an overview of the War on the Eastern Front. It touches on about every matter you can think of, and has quality footnotes taking you to leading secondary works on almost each subject. A good bibliography, but an annotated one would have been even better. It focuses far more on Russian matters than German, but also has some interesting information on the Nazi side of the hill. Not the only book you should read on the Eastern Front, but a great place to start.

WWII Eastern Front History at Its Very Best!.......2006-08-04

This is a brilliant book; incredibly well researched, organized and written. Having exploited the latest Soviet and German archival material, "Thunder in the East" provides new and important insights into the German-Soviet war on the Eastern Front. And unlike previous Eastern Front histories, which tend to focus on one side or the other, Mawdsley, a professor of Soviet and Russian history, tells the story from both sides. The result is a powerful and balanced narrative, which touches on every aspect of the titanic struggle between Hitler's Third Reich and Stalin's Soviet Russia.

World War II historians have attempted to provide different explanations for the survival of the Red Army in 1941 and 1942, despite horrendous losses, and then its reemergence and resurrgence in 1943, leading to the defeat of the German armed forces in 1945. Mawdsley shows that rather than a single explanation, a number of factors were at work, depending on the period of the war, including the quantity of troops and equipment, the quality of technology, and the industrial capabilities of Nazi Germany and Stalinist Russia.

The author doesn't shy away from addressing the Holocaust in the Soviet Union and the deliberate elimination of Jews and Red Army prisoners by the German army working willingly alongside the SS. Accordingly to Mawdsley, some 500,000 Jews were murdered outright by mobile SS killing units and other Nazi police units, assisted by the German Army, in the first sweep of killing in the USSR.

In his conclusion the author discusses the cost of the war to the Soviet Union, noting that some 27 million Soviet citizens were killed, including 10 million Red Army soldiers. The war damaged the USSR more than it damaged Germany and cost the country ten years development. "It is probably also true," writes Mawdsley, "that the Soviet economy never recovered from the war." And he makes it clear that a Wehrmacht victory in Russia would have been far worse for both the Russians and the rest of Europe and the world.

"Thunder in the East" is World War II history at its very best!

A good start.......2006-05-12

If you are new to the Eastern Front this is an excellent new short history of the war. It concentrates a little on the military aspect, on the politics, economics, and of course the social intricacies of the war. The author uses a lot of newly released Soviet secondary sources, many of which I have at home and can vouch for, to present the war in a somewhat new light. There are a few mistakes and some omissions throughout the book but nothing too major. I like the authors conclusions about the purges in 1937-1938, while they were costly for the Red Army there is no reason to think that it crippled the officer corps, although it did create an atmosphere of fear and compliance with Stalin which in the end simply added to the disaster that was 1941. All the battles, offensive and defensive operations, are listed and gone through. Losses are given for the Red Army from Krivosheev's book for every operation, this book has become the standard use for Red Army losses in WWII although there are still some controversies about it. But in the end it's very interesting to see how Soviet losses (KIA, MIA, and POW) went down throughout the war. The author gives a good account of the Warsaw uprising and shows how impossible it was for the Red Army to do anything when it occurred, but something might have been done in late August or mid September. Then again the Poles wanted to take the city and use it as a bargaining chip against the Soviets, so it would have served no purpose in putting the Red Army in that kind of situation with no benefit to Stalin. Overall with the use of these new Russian sources from a variety of authors I have to say this is today the best short history of the war and I would gladly recommend it to anyone who wants an introduction to the Eastern Front.

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