Letters from Burma

Customer Reviews:

You really must read this book to understand Burma today.......2006-11-10

Aung San Suu Kyi's letters are a window into Burmese culture, politics and problems the people of Burma are facing today. It is an excellent read, well written and very well worded. As you read this book, you begin to form a mental image of her as a person. Her gentle nature and positive, uplifting attitude show through. It is easy to see why the people of Burma risk their own personal freedom and safety to support Aung San Suu Kyi politically and her party.

Delicately put.......2004-12-06

An eloquently written piece that will be finished in a few sittings, Suu Kyi's Letters from Burma is a collection of short essays she submitted to the Japanese newspaper Mainichi Shinbun.

It is likely that because it has been written for a mass audience, you will find 'Letters from Burma' easier to digest than her other books, Freedom from Fear and Voice of Hope.

A remarkable politician, she examines Burma through its common people and the everyday lives that are led. As with all of Suu Kyi's books, she takes care to not forget why her party is fighting for democracy - its people.

She discusses Burmese politics sans the jargon, allowing this book to be appreciated by everyone, even if new to the situation in Burma.

She included in her writings, several wonderful quotes from English, Japanese and Burmese poems, reflecting her regard of the arts. The title 'Letters from Burma' more than merely states the intention of each of the 52 entries in this book. Her entries are personal, light-hearted, frustrated, or balanced. They are addressed to the reader, bringing him/her into the world of Burma, and seeing it as it is for a lay person.

She has managed to make getting aquainted with politics so beautiful and enjoyable, through which i suppose she nurtures the concern and interest in matters of her state, that you are likely to re-read certain entries, if not the whole book again once you're through it.

Much more than just a book !.......2000-12-31

This is not just a book. Along with Aung San Suu Kyi's two other major books ("Freedom from Fear" and "Voice of Hope"), this book is destined to be at the heart of the struggle - and eventually the victory - for democracy in Burma. Among the three, this is the one I found most wonderful. Vivid, direct, it makes the reader feel as if she/he is listening to Suu Kyi, with her wonderful Asian voice and Oxford accent. Suu Kyi talks about Burma, about her people, about herself. She tells of the tragedies of her people, in the most natural and serene way, as if she were telling of everyday life - because indeed, this is the Burmese everyday life. She does not inflate things, she does not push for her views, yet she reaches the reader's heart immediately - at least she did with me ! She simply expresses views and feelings along with plenty of thrilling facts and anecdotes. I can't imagine of any reader who won't love this book and won't feel inspired by this account from Burma's heroine. After reading this and the other books, I felt so close to Burma's struggle that I absoliutely had to go there and meet Suu in person. So I did, I took off for Burma and managed to meet her. I had met many world personalities before, but this was truly a unique event in my life. The pages of the book kept coming back to my mind, as I could finally see the source of all that strength and hope, the incarnation of Burma's struggle. In the end I was deported from Burma for having made contact with her. Now these books are my inspiration to keep fighting on for democracy in Burma in all ways I can.

great read.......2000-05-20

As this book is a compilation of 52 letters written to be published as a weekly installment in a Japanese newspaper (each 2 or 3 pages long), it is an easy book to pick up when you have a few minutes. (In New York, we would call it a great subway read - you can read a letter or two between when you get on the subway and when you have to get off.) The letters combine Aung San Suu Kyi's political beliefs and accounts of the remarkable work of her political party (the National Democratic League) with vivid descriptions of Burmese culture and countryside. There are probably other books that focus solely on either the politics or the culture of Burma that do a more comprehensive job of describing it, but this seems like a great introduction to both.

Insight into the plight of Burmese Democracy.......2000-04-11

This is a collection of 52 essays that Aung San Suu Kyi had written in the mid 1990's for a Japanese newspaper. She discusses a full range of topics including politics, religion, and the daily life of the Burmese people as seen through the eyes of the country's biggest proponent of democracy.

Her tales are fascinating and well written. They offer a glimpse into the world of an almost Orwellian regime and can peak the interest of readers unfamiliar with Burma's current state of unrest.

As a recent traveller to Burma, I was looking for more detail into Burma's history and details surrounding the nullified election in 1990. Though these issues are touched upon, each essay is a mere 2.5 page newspaper article which does not lend itself to such depth. It is however a fascinating read and a great introduction to Burma's struggle for democracy.

Vaclav Havel
Average customer rating:

Excellent book that Havel himself would probably approve

Middling

Erudite meditation on power, would've like more bio though..

no stars?

Mr. Keane - What planet have you been on?

Vaclav Havel
John Keane
Manufacturer: Basic Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Summer Meditations

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The Garden Party: and Other Plays (Havel, Vaclav)

ASIN: 0465037208

Amazon.com

For more than 30 years, Czechoslovakian playwright Václav Havel courageously asserted the primacy of individual imagination and morality against his homeland's monolithic communist state. After the Velvet Revolution, his fellow citizens rewarded him with the presidency of newly democratic Czechoslovakia, yet political controversy and ill health have dogged him during his decade in power. British historian John Keane's commendably balanced biography provides a full account of the stylistically innovative, politically challenging plays that made Havel's reputation; the pioneering human rights activism expressed in the famous Charter 77 petition; his friendships and quarrels with fellow intellectuals like Milan Kundera; and his skirmishes with the authorities, beginning with a speech defending artistic freedom delivered when he was 20 and culminating in several jail sentences. Readers who prefer biographers to assume an air of lofty objectivity may be put off by Keane's blunt opinions and "cubist" narrative style, but his background as a political historian and as editor of the English-language version of Havel's seminal essay "The Power of the Powerless" gives his judgments considerable weight. Intelligent and probing, Keane's biography reveals a "post-modern president" whose struggles have lessons for triumphant capitalists as well as repentant socialists. --Wendy Smith

Book Description

This authorized biography of Havel, based on unrestricted access to him, his circle, and even his enemies, is not only the first definitive account of one of the modern world's great moral and political leaders but also a vivid panorama of the tumultuous events of his times. Havel's life, like that of his African counterpart Nelson Mandela, has been shaped and determined by the large political shifts of the twentieth century. Readers will taste the moments of joy, irony, farce, and misfortune through which he has lived, and realize that he has taught the world more about the powerful and the powerless, power-grabbing and power-sharing, than virtually anyone else on the world stage.

"Read this book for its facts, its sensitive analysis, and its fruitful speculations." -National Post

"[A]n eloquent and meditative treatment...A thoughtful review of Havel's important contribution to the development of modern Europe." -Kirkus Reviews

Customer Reviews:

Excellent book that Havel himself would probably approve.......2007-06-05

What a lot of ruffled feathers! A book this well-written must have a lot going for it to upset so many people. And, by the way, the most favorable review below, by "Erica Blair," is a piece of legerdemain by a certain author. Readers of the biography should be able to figure it out.
I think readers are upset because the book isn't what they expected. Despite its length, it isn't a standard biography with endless accretion of unnecessary detail. For large sections Havel seems absent from these pages, because Keane concentrates on describing--in vivid, smart prose--what it was like to be Czech at various points in Havel's lifetime. It's almost as if we're experiencing these times through Havel's eyes.
Quite subtly, without appearing to do so, Keane gives us what we need to know about Czech history and politics to understand what made Havel. It's all here, and a graphic and painless read, unlike the more formal histories I've read.
I agree that calling Havel's life a tragedy is a stretch. The only tragedy Keane comes up with is Havel's ultimate rejection as a politician by his fellow Czechs. But Keane himself points out that this tends to happen to all popular politicians later in their terms of office. (See the fate of Blair and Little Georgie Boy.) Havel seems to be thriving, and all the revelations about his boozing, smoking and fornicating seem to make him seem more human and detract not a bit from his reputation. His books of essays will last as long as political writing endures.

Middling.......2005-04-12

I bought this because, without any real data, I had come to think of Havel as a hero. I suppose it was primarily because a creative intellectual in position of political power gives me hope. I felt a need to justify my position, and I believe the book fulfilled that purpose. However, I, too, would have preferred more biography. The treatment of Olga's death was jarring, included as it was in a paragraph about Havel's movie-star girlfriend/wife. Too, the final chapter on death was a bit of a stretch; too full of literary ambition and not enough detail. I had to search for Havel's website to discover that, in fact, he is alive and active.

The section on the Velvet Revolution was particularly engaging, though it seemed that Keane jumped around the timeline a bit much.

Erudite meditation on power, would've like more bio though.........2001-10-24

I was recently in Prague and having read a Havel play (and being a fan of Kundera and Klima) I felt like I needed to know more about the man Havel is. Fortunately I am also interested in the machinations of power structures and how humans spin their webs. This was the main theme of this book, and Havel was it's main character. The chapter about Havel in jail was riveting, but I must say, throughout the book, I would have like more detail regarding the important stories that add dimension to his life, so I would say I should have read something else. Still, Keane's intelligence and insight connect Havel's life with the historical context from which he arises very well. I would say that this it the books greatest strength. I learned a lot, though not always about Havel.

no stars?.......2000-10-07

Mr Rossman's review of Vaclav Havel : A Political Tragedy in Six Acts is most misleading and surely based on a careless reading of the book - perhaps even no reading of the book. It should be ignored. The book is very much richer and of long-term significance than he makes out.

Mr. Keane - What planet have you been on?.......2000-09-08

Skip this insulting piece of garbage. I almost couldn't believe what I was reading! At one point Keane seems to imply that Havel's five years as a political prisoner, was nothing more than a planned political move to further his career. Mr. Keane definitely is not a historian, or for that matter, a good writer. What a pity that the book has even received so much publicity. A pure unadulterated insult to one of the greatest figures of our time. Shame on you Keane. Attacking this courageous leader for smoking and drinking habits. I wonder if Keane might have looked for a beer and cigarette after 5 years in a communist prison. Lastly, he criticizes Havel as a writer. Wow, this guy has some really big stones! He writes a piece of junk and in it criticizes one of the most creative and courageous voices of our time. This website only lets you rate from 1 star up, otherwise I would have given it no stars. A waste of time and paper.

Average customer rating:

Keane was a great storyteller
Church of the poisoned mind? There's more than nostalgia
Nice novel about old Ireland
Homage to a proud people who never demeaned themselves.
The old Ireland - a nostalgic view.

The Bodhran Makers
John B. Keane
Manufacturer: Roberts Rinehart Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Teapots Are Out and Other Eccentric Tales from Ireland
In Search of the Craic: One Man's Pub Crawl Through Irish Music
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Last Night's Fun: A Book About Irish Traditional Music

ASIN: 156833186X

Book Description

A saga of the struggle between hard-living farmers and teh Church, this book is set in rural Ireland in the 1950s.

Customer Reviews:

Keane was a great storyteller.......2007-08-22

Keane's wonderful storytelling skills draw you into the lives of the characters and not only vividly depict a time now gone, but a spirit which may also regretfully be long gone in Ireland. (No, I take that back, you can still glimpse a bit of that spirit in the "letters" page of the Irish Times!) Keane is tough on the Catholic church and clergy of that era, as well as, the social structures of the town vs. the country people. But it is an honest portrayal and never completely black and white or cartoonish. Although I have seen Keane's play "Sive" I had never read one of his books before and was delighted with this one. I didn't want to put it down and now that it's finished I wish I were still reading it!

Church of the poisoned mind? There's more than nostalgia.......2005-12-04

Keane reminds me of the type of Irish fiction that, after Frank O'Connor and Sean O'Faolain's masterful short stories, has not attained as much respect among the literati as it deserves. It appeared in 1986 even as younger writers like John Banville were adding a continental dimension, and as John McGahern was pursuing his own evocations--in stories and novels--of rural life as it was vanishing in a modernizing Ireland. Keane, writing after O'Connor & O'Faolain but earlier than Banville or even McGahern, takes on mid-20 c Ireland as it decayed by emigration to England, depopulation of townlands, and the pressure of relentless clerical and sexual repression.

I found this much less sentimental than I feared. The nostalgia some praise is tempered strongly but subtly by honest depictions of how the death of two calves could doom a small farm's survival, and how devastating and how alluring a flight to England could be for those raised in these bucolic but unforgiving, scrappy if scenic landscapes. The English midlands hover over the whole narrative. Sexuality and its variations appear in straightforwardly rendered yet non-explicit renditions, and the combination of lust and guilt makes for convincingly nuanced portrayals of all involved, clergy and laity. Keane's insights into parochial life in both senses of the adjective make for impressive insights that do not leap out too obviously--except in a few outbursts, one of which by a protagonist is answered as "you should be a politician."

The novel reads quickly, the prose is not purple, and the humor adds to the tension and quickens the pace. The making of the bodhran is the work's impressive set-piece, but the cast of so many skillfully detailed major and minor characters only strengthens the unobtrusive deftness with which Keane handles this superficially direct narrative arc. One corner of south-west Irish turfland and market town stands for the whole of the island in its fears and hopes within a stagnant economy, a growing population that saw England as its only career goal, and a church that controlled the schooling of its young and away from which--as is charted here down in a chillingly conveyed scene that shows the Church overpowering the last resister among nearly 4,000 parishioners--none could escape its scrutiny. While I wished the scenes of the parish mission and the sermons thundered would have been drawn more thoroughly, given their place in advancing these key last sections of the plot, as a whole, this provides a wide-ranging analysis of how the Church's rigidity poisoned traditions, bodies, and minds.

It wears its anticlericalism lightly but firmly, and to its credit does allow for nimble and sensitive variation in showing how all of the priests and a key nun respond with their own individual sensitivity to what occurs as the town fights the townland. Even the antagonist's dictatorial reign is explained by a fellow cleric as having flourished due to his isolation from episcopal or practical control. Such fair-mindedness that Keane shows makes for a valuable record of mid 20c Irish mentalities as well as a recommended good read.

Nice novel about old Ireland.......2004-06-05

I am planning a trip to Ireland and always enjoy reading some books set in the place I am visiting. This novel is a nice look at the older Ireland. It deals with the Church and the conflict with the Church of some local villagers who want to do their traditional "wren dance" celebration. It was a good read and I think I got a feel for the place I am going to be visiting.

Homage to a proud people who never demeaned themselves........2001-10-01

With the liveliness of a stepdance and the simplicity of a Dingle Peninsula landscape, Keane introduces us to the harsh life of the close-knit community of Dirrabeg, a community facing extinction in the mid-1950's. Many of the young have left for England or America, where there are opportunities and chances for secure lives. Those remaining behind love their land and their independence but fear for the future as the bogs get thin, the yields are poor, and the children have little hope of success.

For Donal Hallapy, devoted father of a large family, times are very tough. But Donal is a bodhran player, an expert in the ancient drums of his Celtic forebears, a musician in great demand whenever the once-a-year wrendances take place, all-night singing and dancing hooleys which can be traced back to pagan times. This paganism, the secret nature of the celebrations, the drinking that takes place, and the fact that the church has no control over them has made them anathema to "the clan of the round collar," in the person of Canon Tett, an ultraconservative and downright sadistic priest determined to bring the free spirits of Dirrabeg to bay by ending the fun of the wrendances.

The prose is straightforward and earthy, the dialogue salty and realistic, and the interactions of the characters so natural that one can share the joys and sorrows, the humor and anger, and the frustrations and all-too-brief personal satisfactions. The natural world, which is exquisitely described, even in its harshness, takes on almost human dimensions, influencing the action directly, while providing a vivid canvas upon which the contest between church and village is played out. The humor is broad, almost slapstick, but tempered by an overarching feeling of melancholy and impending doom. Though some may find the clergy to be caricatures and the message a bit too didactic, Keane provides us a rare glimpse of the last days of a now-vanished world.

The old Ireland - a nostalgic view........2000-08-04

This is a poignant account of the activities of a vibrant rural Irish community in the lead up to the annual wrendance. The local manoevering, the after hours drinking, the religion, the sex, it's all there in the best tradition of JB Keane. What differs is the way we see the community gutted by emigration and all the rich lore and traditions lost as the inhabitants are transplanted to sterile urban environments in Britain. Sad, funny, exciting, witty, thoughtful and warm, Keane at his very best.

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Junior World Explorers Series - Marco Polo

Marco Polo (Junior World Explorers)
Charles Parlin Graves
Manufacturer: Chelsea House Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

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The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood (Signet Classics)
A Llama in the Family
Shadrach (Harper Trophy Books)
Joan of Arc
The Little Duke (Yesterday's Classics)

ASIN: 079101505X

Customer Reviews:

Junior World Explorers Series - Marco Polo.......2001-01-07

This is an excellent series that teaches history to the 8-12year old child. The book is excellently written, 96 pages with blackand white sketches along the way.

Book Description

A publishing phenomenon in hardcover, Roy Keane's autobiography was the biggest selling sports book of the year. Now in paperback it includes a new chapter covering Keane's vindication by the FAI report, and the punishment meted out by the FA and Mick McCarthy's resignation. Brilliantly reviewed, Roy Keane's riveting, brutally honest autobiography has the potential to be one of the year's biggest paperback bestsellers.

Customer Reviews:

KEANO! KEANO!.......2007-06-28

I could not put this book down, well written and a great insight into the heart of a true Manchester United warrior.

More Keane.......2007-03-06

Having followed football for a few years and being familar with Mr. Keane's antics on and off the pitch, I thought this was going to be a little more entertaining. It was a very good read, but I can't imagine the author is this drab. He is an Irishman!

Honest Account........2006-07-19

I like Manchester United and Keane so am biased, but this is a worthwhile read for anyone interested in what goes on behind the scenes and United and in the thoughts of someone whose behavior has been so "interesting" over the years. Keane gives a "warts and all" description of his career and behavior.

Tell it Like it Is, But Tell More !!.......2006-05-09

I like Roy Keane..He is direct,explosive and successful without possessing the sublime skills of Best or Cantona. The book is written in the same direct style as his playing. He tells it straight but is lacking in detail. You get a glimpse of the man without really ever getting inside his head. He shares the highs and lows (and even his first salary with Man. Utd.)...but lacks the capacity to captivate the reader like a good biography should. Most of what is in here, you already know...Interesting glimpses of life as a successful sportsperson but lacking the cutting edge that he delivers on the football pitch...

Direct, like Keano plays!.......2005-08-24

This book is a candid look inside Roy Keane's thoughts. He freely shares what he thinks about the game, opposing players, teamates, and many other subjects.

Keane has been criticized for writing this book because he is blunt in his assesments of people and situations. However, this is the strength of the book, because if Keane had watered it down to be "PC," then the reader wouldn't hear what Keane really thinks.

Nobody will agree with all of Keane's thoughts, that is a given, but it is interesting to see his development as a player and person. This book provides the football fan with a glimpse into the mind of a superstar, and whether you like Roy Keane or not, it is a very good read that is enjoyable and insightful.

Tom Paine: A Political Life (Grove Great Lives)

Average customer rating:

One of the great visionaries of civic democratic society, and quite a character at that
Keane's Good Friend Tom Paine
A book for all times
Yankee Doodle, the quintessence, a dandy
Strong biography of a decidedly modern revolutionary.

Tom Paine: A Political Life (Grove Great Lives)
John Keane
Manufacturer: Grove Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Thomas Paine: Apostle of Freedom
Thomas Paine : Collected Writings : Common Sense / The Crisis / Rights of Man / The Age of Reason / Pamphlets, Articles, and Letters (Library of America)
Tom Paine and Revolutionary America (Galaxy Books)
Thomas Paine and the Promise of America
Thomas Paine: Enlightenment, Revolution, and the Birth of Modern Nations

ASIN: 0802139647

Book Description

"More than any other public figure of the eighteenth century, Tom Paine strikes our times like a trumpet blast from a distant world." So begins John Keane's magnificent and award-winning (the Fraunces Tavern Book Award) biography of one of democracy's greatest champions. Among friends and enemies alike, Paine earned a reputation as a notorious pamphleteer, one of the greatest political figures of his day, and the author of three best-selling books, Common Sense, The Rights of Man, and The Age of Reason. Setting his compelling narrative against a vivid social backdrop of prerevolutionary America and the French Revolution, John Keane melds together the public and the shadowy private sides of Paine's life in a remarkable piece of scholarship. This is the definitive biography of a man whose life and work profoundly shaped the modern age. "Provide[s] an engaging perspective on England, America, and France in the tumultuous years of the late eighteenth century." -- Pauline Maier, The New York Times Book Review "It is hard to imagine this magnificent biography ever being superceded.... It is a stylish, splendidly erudite work." -- Terry Eagleton, The Guardian

Customer Reviews:

One of the great visionaries of civic democratic society, and quite a character at that.......2005-07-14

This is the kind of biography that makes reading history worthwhile. The writing style is intelligent and clear, marshalling innumerable facts and interesting anecdotes. It gives us the full scope of Paine's remarkable life - a man who was one of the intellectual midwives at the birth of the era of democratic revolution.

He fought for free political expression as a citizen of three countries in the throes of revolutionary change: born in England where he fought against monarchy, moved to America where he became a writer of inspirational tracts for independence, and finally, made citizen of France during the violence of the Revolution where he argued, at great risk to himself, to spare the life of King Louis XVI. If his positions seem contradictory they actually reflect a philosophy of consistant political moderation.

Secondly, this biography is a story about the struggle to realize ideas against great odds. Everywhere he went he was fortunate to escape death at the hands of his murderous foes. In spite of these threats, Paine fought tirelessly for his ideals.

Thirdly, the author gives contempory meaning to Paine's goals. Paine was against religious literalism because he saw the adherence to strict doctrine as an obstacle to extablishing a civic society in which people could live together harmoniously.
This position was a cause of much suffering for Paine at the end of his life as his anti-traditional ideas incited deep personal hatred. Without needing to conclude whether he was misguided or not, suffice to say, the difficulty he tried to tackle remains with us today...in the headlines. And I don't think we've come all that far in solving the problem he recognized. That he saw its importance at the inception of modern civic society makes him a visionary of the highest importance worthy of our respect whether we agree with the totality of his ideas or not.

Keane's Good Friend Tom Paine.......2005-04-24

An interesting biography, heavily- if not well- researched. Partisan, but Keane does manage a bit of perspective. The main problems come with the background. There is both too much - I for one could do without the often inaccurate disquisitions on eighteenth-century England - and too much WRONG. Keane seems to think that Britain and America were at war in 1787, and that Adam Smith visited Paris at that time (p.284-5). Hobbes is both more and less than a 'philosopher of counterrrevolution.'
Furthermore, it seems a man only had to bump into Paine for Keane to count him a 'close friend'. What was the extent of Paine's friendship with Goldsmith (this is interesting) and with Burke (very important)?
I get the impression that Keane did all his research for the book and had no grounding in the subject before. But it's an engrossing read for all that.

A book for all times.......2003-05-31

As I read this book, I couldn't help but think, where is the Tom Paine of our time? The insights that Tom Paine had are needed today more than ever.

Yankee Doodle, the quintessence, a dandy.......2002-08-09

Crackerjack biography of Old Tom (Paine) in the four stages of his life, from his early years in England til Ben Franklin advises him to reach America, the period of _Common Sense_ and the American Revolt, then the _Rights of Man_ and the French Revolution, and finally his return to America, where the reputation of the _Age of Reason_ caught up with him, and his great early popularity was replaced with the jibes of those in a suddenly religious republic, whose liberties were won by more secular sorts (cf. Gordon Wood's book on the Revolution, such as Paine. It is a sad ending to a magnificent tale for a true champion of freedom, one who brought the democratic idea to a republican experiment in constitutions. The phenomenal nature of the sales of his books, whose profits he renounced in the name of his cause, is an episode almost world-historical in its seminal influence. Paine's trek is also a classic snapshot of the 'classic' liberal in his revolutionary phase, and the subtleties of great tomes politcal philosophy seem prefigured in the sheer horse-sense of this man who saw the gist of it all, and somehow at a glance. Witness his instinctive in the spectral course of the French Revolution from the Girondins to the Terror to the dungeons, which he survived. It may finally be that his reputation has recovered at last its nineteenth century shadows where the truest of patriots was consigned.

Strong biography of a decidedly modern revolutionary........2002-02-11

I will admit that I was not immediately enamored with this book. The luciferous introduction on Keane's predecessors in Paineite biography was engaging enough, but I found his systematic, nit-picky demolition of each work to be just plain egotistical. In Keane's eyes, each previous biography "failed" or "floundered" for various reasons, thereby opening a window for his own, earth-shattering tome on the subject. Granted, it has become common practice for authors to "justify" their reasons for writing "yet another biography on _______" in the preface of their books, but this sort of self-serving, hypercritical overview left me with a seriously bad taste in my mouth. I seriously worried that the 540 pages that followed would be tinctured with the same sort of pomposity - thankfully that was not the case.

The book is a solid biography, and I can very well see Paine enthusiasts flocking to this as one of the best biographies ever written about him. As this is the only biography of him I've read, I'll reserve my judgment on that question, but I will admit that it is an exceptional study of a peculiar man. What the general public knows of Paine is often just his authorship of Common Sense, but of course there was so much more. He penned not one but three of the best-selling books of the 18th century, and, arguably, he initiated modern political thought on the subject of democratic republicanism. Paine was born an Englishman but for most of his life considered himself a "citizen of the world," which prompted a major change in how we view national citizenship - no so much as a gift from the state, as was the 18th century perception, but rather a promise from it to preserve certain rights indigenous to its people. Yet despite his cosmopolitan leanings, Paine managed to ostracize himself from all three countries in which he declared citizenship - England, France and America - thanks to his revolutionary ideals and his fervent insistence on airing his views publicly regardless of their popularity. He would eventually face public execution in both England and France - the story of his brush with death in La Luxembourg prison during the French Reign of Terror is decidedly spine-tingling - but would survive both to end up back in America, ostracized by the generation that remembered him, and nearly forgotten by the generation that followed.

Keane doesn't devolve into hero-worship, despite several initially-worrisome hyperbolic descriptions of him as "the greatest American revolutionary." Instead, the author deals with each of Paine's failings in a forthright manner. Paine was certainly a man driven by ego, though certainly an ego unaffected by cares for money, power, or public approbation. To put it simply, he just knew he was right, and he would never back down from any of his arguments, regardless of their popularity. Even his most unpopular anti-Christian sentiments displayed in the Age of Reason could not be moved, despite the efforts of many to make him recant on his deathbed. As for Paine's legendary alcoholism, Keane suggests it was just that - a legend. According to Keane, Paine never drank to excess when in social situations. He only drank himself into stupors later on in life when the pain of gout and bedsores became unbearable. This may or may not have been the case - I lean towards may not - but in the end it is of comparatively little importance when calculating the worth of a man whose ideas have arguably shaped many of our own modern ideas on government and civil rights.

All told, the biography earns four stars from me on a scale of five. The rating falls short of the final star more because of style than substance. Keane's prose is certainly readable, and in most cases enjoyable, but it was a bit dry and academic for my tastes in several places. On top of that there was some strange editorial snafus, including several instances of sloppy repetition and an imprecise policy of when and when not to translate from the original French. In one chapter Keane includes an entire paragraph of French extracted from a letter (p. 405), with no accompanying translation, and yet in the next he feels it necessary to include a parenthetical translation of the decidedly uncomplicated Dissertations sur les Premiers Principes de Gouvernement as, surprisingly, or not, "Dissertations on the First Principles of Government" (p. 423).

Customer Reviews:

Story Brought to Justice.......2001-01-13

According to the foreword, author Christopher Keane got a call from Dottie Thorson one day. She said she had a story and she wanted him to tell it. Keane was familiar with Thorson, for he had written a book about her husband, legendary bounty hunter Ralph Thorson, back in the 70's ("The Hunter" which was later made into a movie). Keane heard Thorson out and this book is the result.

Being a bounty hunter, Ralph Thorson had a dangerous life with many enemies. But one enemy couldn't let go. And as a result, Ralph Thorson lost his life. Thorson left his wife and daughter with nothing more than a stack of bills and no means to pay them. No means except one: bounty hunting. Though reluctant, Dottie and Brandi Thorson had no choice but to take up the family trade.

After breaking into a business that isn't looking for women, the mother-daughter bounty hunting team makes quite a name for themselves. Along the way they struggle with Myrna Factor, a family friend dying of cancer caused by heroin addiction, and Robin, a bail jumper whom is placed in Dottie's custody. But the real struggle comes in the form of the elusive Q.D. Reese, who killed Ralph Thorson and is starting to kill others. And they know he won't stop until he finishes them off.

"The Huntress" is a fairly gripping book that does justice to a "true story." There is action, suspense, love, friendship, hatred, hurt, and even humor. But some of what the book has, it could go without. Keane's over-dramatic writing of the enemy Q.D. Reese is both silly and unnecessary. And in an attempt to give the character an edge, he resorts to vulgar language which only turns you off as a reader. Despite this, it was still a good book. But it was way too intelligent to be brought down by these silly failings.

Any negative things about the book are often forgotten during key moments. As Brandi and Dottie get closer to catching Ralph's killer, things really heat up. There is a very captivating scene full of suspense near the end. And often times the beautiful relationship of the mother and daughter is illustrated perfectly. However, negativity reappears in those parts where Keane rushes a scene or doesn't let the reader in on the meaning behind cryptic dialogue.

Book Description

The Real Story Behind Hollywood's Legendary Rock 'n' Roll Mogul Bob Keane, president of Del-Fi Records, tells a story within a story, dealing not only with the West coast record scene of the '50s and '60s, but also with his life journey as a man in search of his dream... to become a great clarinetist and band-leader like his idol, Benny Goodman. His quest leads him through a maze of incredible circumstances that shape him into a legendary figure in the record industry. As a musician and record business hustler, Keane finds himself an eyewitness to both the center state action and the sometimes deadly games acted out behind the scenes. Keane gives readers the real story behind Ritchie Valens and "La Bamba" as well as previously unknown insights into the death of another of his major artists, Bobby Fuller, with the cover-up and web of lies that made it one of Hollywood's most intriguing unsolved murder mysteries. Bob also tells the true stories behind the discovery and rise to fame of Sam Cooke, Barry White, Frank Zappa and other Del-Fi recording legends. The Oracle of Del-Fi is a timely story that covers a 60-year journey of a man whose will to succeed against almost impossible odds is an inspiration to all who find their ambitions frustrated by life's disappointments and tricks of fate. If you recognize these songs, you'll love this book! LA BAMBA -- DONNA -- I FOUGHT THE LAW -- COME ON LET'S GO -- YOU SEND ME -- HYPPY HIPPY SHAKE -- CINDY'S BIRTHDAY The Oracle of Del-Fi offers an exciting account of the murder, mystery, deception, and mayhem that permeated the music industry of early Hollywood.

Customer Reviews:

Great addition to my home library!.......2006-12-05

Once I started reading this book, I couldn't put it down. I read it from cover to cover the day it arrived in the mail. I love to read, but there are not a lot of books that keep my attention from beginning to end.

Not only has this been an awesome addition to my home library, but my mom and dads, too. My parents both enjoyed reading their copy and have recommended it to almost as many of their friends as I have.

Bob Keane is such an interesting and talented man.

Best Autobio-novel I've read in YEARS! It's a FUN book and inspirational too........2006-12-05

This book is about the interesting life of Bob Keane, the president of Del-Fi Records. Bob was the person responsible for bringing to light West Coast artists like Ritchie Valens (La Bamba), Barry White, Frank Zappa, Bobby Fuller (I Fought the Law) and many others. His autobiography reads like a fun novel, and I'm sure you'll enjoy reading about his adventures in the music industry over the past 60 years. Bob Keane celebrates his 85th birthday in a couple of months, and he'll be celebrating one year of remission from his lymphoma too. This is one amazing guy with a story you JUST CAN'T MISS! I bought this book for music collectors/enthusiasts on my list, plus a few friends who I know would enjoy his fun sense of humor and lighthearted stories. I NEVER KNEW a lot of the details he shares about the artists he produced/promoted. I recommend the book highly, but WARNING -- you won't be able to put it down once you pick it up! ;-)