Generalized Poisson Distributions (Statistics, a Series of Textbooks and Monographs)

Book Description

Geoffrey Firmin, a former British consul, has come to Quauhnahuac, Mexico. Here the consul's debilitating malaise is drinking, and activity that has overshadowed his life. Under the Volcano is set during the most fateful day of the consul's life--the Day of the Dead, 1938. His wife, Yvonne, arrives in Quauhnahuac to rescue him and their failing marriage, inspired by a vision of life together away from Mexico and the circumstances that have driven their relationship to the brink of collapse. Yvonne's mission is to save the consul is further complicated by the presence of Hugh, the consul's half-brother, and Jacques, a childhood friend. The events of this one day unfold against a backdrop unforgettable for its evocation of a Mexico at once magical and diabolical.

Under the Volcano remains one of the most powerful and lyrical statements on the human condition and one man's constant struggle against the elemental forces that threaten to destroy him.

Customer Reviews:

A work of art, a hallucinatory journey through the soul..........2007-03-27

I like to tease my literary friends by saying "the film is always better than the novel", which sends them off into seizures. However, this is one instance that the book is vastly superior to the film, and it is undoubtedly one of the greatest books I have ever had the pleasure to read. Malcolm Lowry's prose style and mastery of the English language is beautiful to behold, and reading Under the Volcano fills you with wonder and awe. It's a masterful book, depicting the last day of an alcoholic (probably based on Lowry himself, who was a chronic alcoholic). The novel doesn't really have a narrative sense, but it has a hallucinatory, mystical quality that I adore. It reminds me a lot of an Alejandro Jodorowsky film, in that it's not straightforward at all, but it is a destination, and you will get there on Lowry's/Jodorowsky's path. As much as I like John Huston, I never cared for the film version, which I saw before reading the novel. If you want to see a great film about Lowry, a Canadian documentary called Volcano was made in the 1970's. It was released on VHS, but it is notoriously hard to find. It makes a great companion to this novel, as you understand the agony of Lowry's life, and the pain that he had to go through to produce one of the greatest novels of the 20th century. This is one of my favorite books, one you can read again and again and find something new in it. Lowry never really regained the heights of this novel again, and ended up leaving behind unfinished manuscripts that were edited by his wife, Margarite. Still, this is a true work of art, and we should be thankful that Lowry left this for us....

Sorry, Mr. Lowry.......2007-02-24

In a little over a year, I've read more than 50 novels. Of those, there was only one which I found unbearable to read and which I put down. Now there are two. Ironically, the first one, "Lord Jim", is actually referenced in this book, a bad omen if there ever was such a thing.

I wanted to like this book. Judging from the previous reviews, this was a brilliant masterpiece with such depth and subtlety that Lowry was a genius to behold. That my be true, but I soon lost all interest and hope of getting anything meaningful from this book. Every time I sat down to read, I found my eyelids becoming heavier, as the stream of consciousness narrative succeeding in draining out my life force. I gave it a chance, as I read nearly half, but finally I felt a great burden lifted off my shoulders when I decided to give up. And for someone who reads for pleasure, I could hardly justify slogging through this until the bitter end while I could be reading much more enjoyable novels.

Now perhaps I am not as "sophisticated" or "intellectual" as others who adore this work, but I just didn't "get it." Perhaps looking through the eyes of a drunk isn't the best idea, for the non-sequitur narrative was hazy and confusing. The countless symbolism with the "pariah dog" and plants seemed to be repeated endlessly, but with no clear connection (as far as I'm concerned) to the main storyline. The story is literally drowning in a whiskey river, filled to the brim with minute details and obtuse symbolism.

This novel takes place in a day, but seems to drag on endlessly with no climax or turning point. If you're up for a challenge, then by all means go for it. Otherwise, save yourself from this tedious novel and give this one a pass.

Eerily Depictive of Alcoholic Mind [11] [39] [T].......2007-02-12

In order to follow one party for one day, the reader of this book must intensely focus upon the vagaries attributable to a dipsomaniacal protagonist - the Consul.

Lowry's relatively autobiographical novel (at one time there is reference to leave Mexico far away where the protagonist will handwrite while his adoring wife types his manuscript), can confuse the reader on many levels. First, the Consul's inebriation by mescal contorts and warps perspectives and thoughts. Second, the liquor's effect has numbed his mind where at times he babbles and makes no sense - the worst being in the beginning when his wife returns and they calmly discourse although he makes no sense and his statements are actually frightening to the reader who is just being introduced to the Consul. Third, he phonetically spells many dialogues from Mexican speakers, so as to capture their pronunciation of English words. Fourth, he uses a great amount of Spanish words which loses those unfamiliar with the language for many interesting and untranslated portions of the book. And, lastly, the weaving of temporary with the past, through an intoxicated's mind, can be both perplexing and diabolically ingenious.

If that does not scare some readers, I pledge this truth to others: even though other readers assert this is easier to read than Joyce's comparable "Ulysses", know two things: "Ulysses" is about as difficult a read in the English language as there is; and this book is not easy as well.

But, it is worth reading. His ability to create hallucinatory sensation on paper is majestic. At certain times, I really felt I understood the mental anguish experienced by the d.t.'s as reflected by the Consul's perspective of events about him. Lowry's writing is both direct and embellished. The topic is much like Hemingway - English-speaking person residing amid Spanish-speaking people in the Spanish-speaking nation. His writing, however, reminds me more of John Fowles - "French Lieutenant's Woman" and "Magus."

This is a masterpiece of its own, and I greatfully appreciate having read this work of art. Just months ago I never heard of Lowry, now I intend on reading some of his other works.

Lowry spells "fart" P-H-A-R-T..........2007-02-04

This book is a complete masterpiece. No question about it. However, if someone told me they'd tossed it after five pages, I'd understand totally. Not that there is an intellectual baseline for enjoying it; rather, it's a question of the style of book one enjoys. This book is an elegy, a tone poem, prose for the sake of prose. Where one word suffices, Lowry inserts two. Where one metaphor is appropriate, Lowry inserts three. The stylization and the facility with words are the genius of the book, not the plot. (A drunk guy drinks a lot, interacts with his ex-wife and half-brother, then is shot by a policeman.) You'll know quickly whether this is your cuppa. Even if it isn't (as it isn't mine), the slog through pays dividends.

This is an exceedingly beautiful novel........2006-10-11

To focus on the picture and miss the brush strokes, I think, is to miss the point. To spend your whole life and all you could produce is one beautiful sentence, would that be enough? Or a whole novel of beautiful sentences? If this is all you had to recommend you, your entry into heaven would be guaranteed. Mr. Lowry probably finds heaven boring. I think the fact that there is not a real plot points to the fact the writing is what matters here. This is an exceedingly beautiful novel. I read some sentences over and over again in wonder. I read the sentences to my 8 and 10 year old who found them fascinating.

Average customer rating:

A Great General Gets His Due
Innovative Commander.
Excellent and Interest premise for book
Great work
Greater Than Napoleon!

Scipio Africanus: Greater Than Napoleon
B. H. Liddell-Hart
Manufacturer: Greenhill Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Rome | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books

General | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 1853671320

Book Description

"An intensely interesting book." --Spectator Scipio Africanus (236183 b.c.) was one of the most exciting and dynamic leaders in history. As commander, he never lost a battle. Yet it is his adversary, Hannibal, who has lived on in public memory.

As B.H. Liddell Hart writes, "Scipio's battles are richer in stratagems and ruses--many still feasible today--than those of any other commander in history." Any military enthusiast or historian will find this to be an absorbing, gripping portrait.

Customer Reviews:

A Great General Gets His Due.......2006-10-31

We've all heard of Hannibal and of the man who finally defeated the invader of Rome (on his own turf). But who does history remember? It certainly isn't the victorious general who *NEVER* lost a battle. While Hannibal might not have lost a battle until Zama, he simply wasn't able to finish the Romans off. This was simply due to the fact he wasn't equal to Scipio when it came to siege warfare. The author finally gives Scipio a book worthy to his name. What struck me the most about Scipio was the way he was treated by politicians back in Rome. One would think that the Senate would have done everything possible to ensure that Scipio was victorious and save Rome. However petty rivalries and jealousy were yet other obstacles to be overcome. History repeating itself. The man himself was not only a brilliant general but a very humble man who always put the republic needs above his own. Even though in the end he died in exile, on charges of bribery bought about by his enemies. Rome later cleared his name but the man who saved them from Hannibal, brought Spain, Carthage, Numidia, Sicily and Greece into the empire was treated no better than a common thief. History does indeed repeat itself.

Innovative Commander........2006-04-09

First, the authors initial premise that the victor does not always get the credit is sadly true. Which dispells many myths revisionists have been spewing for decades. Aspiring leaders could learn much from this and the authors other books. Here he has created a great story outlining the exploits of one of the worlds most underated generals. Dare I say hardly known? Chapters 10 and 11 is where the true nature of the subject comes to life. In three dynamic years he crushed Carthaginian Spain, then launched his daring attack on Carthage. He details how Scipio's depth of thinking was far beyond most one-dimensional doctrines of his day. Without him Rome and the European Civilization that we so often take for granted, may have ended as part of a huge North African Empire. We owe the subject and the author a debt of gratitude.

Excellent and Interest premise for book.......2005-09-29

The author starts off with an interesting premise - that the victor doesn't always get the credit due his achievements. He mentions Hannibal's fame over his superior on the battlefield - Scipio. Other examples are Wellington over Napoleon and Grant over Lee.
A very interesting biography overall with a concentration on his wartime accomplishments, this book is a good read for those interested in military history and the politic intrigue that plague successful military leaders. Recommended reading!

Great work.......2005-02-25

I do not give 5 star ratings on much of anything that I review, this was an exception. I had barely heard of this great general before and now I know much more about him. That is what a historical book should do, but this one was also a joy to read and went too fast. For every statement about Scipio there is explination and justification. I'm sure he was a much more complicated man than even this book can go into, more's the pity, but a great general he was....possibly the greatest.
A must buy to the military reader and should be required reading for not only historians, and soldiers, but heads of state as well.

Greater Than Napoleon!.......2004-09-04

"So general is the recognition of Hannibal's genius in this battle art that he is commonly termed the supreme tactician of history. Yet in ruse and strategem the record of Scipio's battles is even richer (p.253)."

Author Basil H. Liddell Hart has created a wonderful story outlining the history and exploits of possibly the greatest general of any military force, Scipio Africanus.

Publius Cornelius Scipio was born in Rome in 235 B.C.; his first recorded taste of warfare was at the battle of the Ticinus, where Hannibal first clashed with the Romans after his famous passage through the Alps with his elephants, and in which Scipio's father was the commander. Here the 17 year old Scipio saved his father's life, and only two years later, the year of the Romans' disastrous defeat at Cannae, he was already the equivalent of a Colonel. In 210 B.C. the dynamic and charasmatic young Scipio was put in supreme command; Ticinus and Cannae were the only scenes of failure Scipio witnessed, for in command he never lost a battle. In three years he destroyed Carthaginian power in Spain and on his return to Italy pressed for a direct attack on Carthage. Made consul, he took his forces to Africa where he destroyed the forces of Carthage's great ally, Syphax. Two years later he clashed with Hannibal himself, annihilating his army in the decisive battle of Zama. For his triumph of arms, which finally broke Carthaginian power, he was awarded the title of "Africanus."

At 280 pages, this text is very entertaining and easy to read and understand. Without footnotes and only a short bibliography, the book is still a watershed of ancient military insight from the military historian master himself, B.H. Liddell Hart. I rate this text as five stars! Superb!

Japan's Imperial Diplomacy: Consuls, Treaty Ports, and War in China,

Average customer rating:

Japan's Imperial Diplomacy: Consuls, Treaty Ports, and War in China,
Barbara J. Brooks
Manufacturer: University of Hawaii Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Asia | History | Subjects | Books

Japan | Asia | History | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

The State and the Mass Media in Japan, 1918-1945

ASIN: 0824823257

Book Description

In November 1937, Ishii Itaro, head of the Japanese Foreign Ministry's Bureau of Asiatic Affairs, reflected bitterly on the decline of the ministry's influence in China and his own long and debilitating struggle to guide China policy. Ishii was the most notable member of a group of middle-level diplomats who, having served in China, strongly advocated that Japan adopt policies in harmony with China's rising nationalism and national interests. Japan's Imperial Diplomacy profiles this distinct strain of "China service diplomat," while providing a comprehensive look at the institutional history and internal dynamics of the Japanese Foreign Ministry and its handling of China affairs in the years leading up to and through World War II. Moving from a thorough examination of a wide range of primary sources, including the extensive archives of the Japanese Foreign Ministry, memoirs, diaries, and unpublished speeches, Japan's Imperial Diplomacy offers integrated interpretations of Japanese imperialism, diplomacy, and the bureaucratic restructuring of the 1930s that were fundamental to Japan's version of fascism and the move toward war. Specialists of China, Japan, comparative colonialism, and World War II diplomacy will find this well-conceived and carefully researched and organized work of first-rate importance to the understanding of modern Japanese history in general and Japanese imperialism in particular.

Average customer rating:

Greene's most enduring novel
Terrific Range of Characters in Desperate, Hopeless Plot
Not Quite Great
God and Love in the Mind of an Apathetic Man
Dull, listless, sad

Honorary Consul
Graham Greene
Manufacturer: VINTAGE (RAND)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Book Description

The gripping tragicomedy of a bungled kidnapping in a provincial Argentinian town is considered one of Greene’s finest. It tells of Charley Fortnum, the “Honorary Consul,” a whisky-sodden figure of dubious authority taken by a group of revolutionaries. As Eduardo Plarr, a local doctor, negotiates with authorities and the revolutionaries for Fortnum’s release, the corruption of both becomes evident. This spare, tense novel explores the morality of a political system that turns priests into killers.

Customer Reviews:

Greene's most enduring novel.......2007-01-25

In a provincial town 800 km north of Buenos Aires a group of revolutionaries kidnap by mistake Charly Fortnum, the Honorary Consul, instead of the American Ambassador. They request the liberation of 10 prisoners from Paraguay.
The characters are brilliantly drawn and the prose is sparse and taught. Fortnum, sixty-one year old, living on whisky and his disputed status as an "Honorary" British Consul marries a young ex-prostitute from Senora Sanchez's brothel. Dr Eduardo Plarr whose deficient emotions form the heart of the novel. Although Plarr is Clara's lover and the father of the child she's expecting, he still envies Fortnum's love for her because it is a feeling he has never been capable of experiencing himself. Even the minor characters of the kidnappers, Aquino, Father Rivas and Marta are sardonically drawn and during the bungled kidnap, plenty is said among them about justice, faith, love and God during the 3-day confine in a dirty mud and tin hut.

Terrific Range of Characters in Desperate, Hopeless Plot.......2005-09-09

"The Honorary Consul" is the first Graham Greene novel I've read, and it is easy to see why Greene has earned so many devoted fans and seemingly over-the-top superlatives over his long career.

Based on this novel, Greene's strength seems to be creating a rich cast of characters, full of different tics, scars, dreams, virtues, and flaws, and dropping them into a plot of balanced tragedy and farce. By stirring great ingredients into a delicious recipe, Greene created a novel to savour and one, I would bet, improves with each reading.

Set in an anonymous border town just on the Argentine side of Paraguay, "The Honorary Consul" focuses on the hapless, accidental kidnapping of Charley Fortnum, the titular honorary consul. A band of revolutionaries, lethally inept, swipe the British Fortnum instead of their target, the American ambassador, whom they wanted to exchange for political prisoners in the Paraguayan dictatorship nearby. Unfortunately for the kidnappers, Fortnum's title is more impressive than his station, and nobody is all that eager to save Fortnum, much less give in to the kidnappers' demands.

Further adding to the travesty of the situation, Fortnum's only connection to the outside world is Dr. Plarr, a half-British, half Argentinian physician who is also having an affair with Fortnum's wife, a former prostitute. Plarr, whose father vanished into the Paraguayan prison system years ago, is a man incapable of emotion -- when it comes to relationships, he's good at the physics but not the chemistry.

Plarr struggles to help the innocent Fortnum escape his looming fate -- if ten political prisoners are not released from Paraguay, the kidnappers will shoot Fortnum. Through his efforts both with the kidnappers and with several possible saviors, Plarr meets and interacts with a host of characters whose range of quirks and passions would be at home in a Casablanca cafe.

Greene writes with an economic, spare prose that is nevertheless powerful, often using dialogue and soliloquies to advance the story rather than long-winded descriptions of setting. Clocking in at under 300 pages, "The Honorary Consul" is a riveting read that probably goes too fast on the first read. I plan on putting it aside for a few months before taking it up again . . . I'm sure I'll catch a bit more meaning the second time around, but there was plenty for the first trip through.

A dark, occasionally depressing novel of lost opportunities, false passions, and the ultimate quest for truth, "The Honorary Consul" is a heck of a read. Check it out.

Not Quite Great.......2005-06-03

At their best, Greene's novels put ordinary men in difficult moral situations. Then, his characters make heroic, but often self-defeating, moral choices. These great novels include THE POWER AND THE GLORY, THE HEART OF THE MATTER, THE QUIET AMERICAN, and THE COMEDIANS. Read them.

In THE HONORARY COUNSUL, Greene also creates difficult moral situations for his primary characters. But, in this novel, the dilemmas of Father Rivas and Dr. Plarr are without Greene's usual deft balance between choice and disaster.

Instead, Greene creates moral situations that appear doomed almost from the book's beginning. As a result, the choices that Rivas and Plarr make don't seem especially heroic. Instead, these characters seem to be caught in a death machine, which is indifferent to their personal dilemmas.

To a large extent, they are like Charley Fortnum, the novel's honorary counsel, who is kidnapped mistakenly by political revolutionaries. Here, Fortnum, despite lots of misery and recrimination, is basically waiting for the denouement, as the death machine grinds forward.

In Greene's great books, there is also the pleasure of seeing characters move through time and place. In contrast, much of this novel is conversation, with Greene making his points. Many of these are about moral responsibility. But others just seem "writerly", with Greene developing endless ironic connections between apparently dissimilar characters.

Nonetheless, this is a good read and a rewarding book, with the best scene the querulous formation of the Anglo-Argentinean Club.

God and Love in the Mind of an Apathetic Man.......2004-04-21

Graham Greene presents the story of a half-English medical doctor, Eduardo Plarr, living in a backwater town in Argentina. The title derives from Plarr's relationship with the Honorary Consul, Charley Fortnum, and his adulterous relationship with Fortnum's former-prostitute wife. This work of literature is very well written and has the taste of art.

Greene's writing expresses the subtlety of his characters - apathetic men who go through life not having been impressed with much. Greene's theme is love and how or whether it is expressed between men and women, and also how it is expressed (if expressed at all) between man and God. Graham puts into the thoughts of Dr. Plarr:

"`Love' was a claim which he wouldn't meet, a responsibility he would refuse to accept, a demand ... So many times his mother had used the word when he was a child; it was like the threat of an armed robber. `Put up your hands or else ...' Something was always asked in return: obedience, an apology, a kiss which one had no desire to give." And again:

"That stupid banal word love. It's never meant anything to me. Like the word God."

Thus, Greene puts these "larger than ourselves" themes on the backs of his self-absorbed characters. The result is masterful. If you are looking to read classic literature - the kind of literature that actually requires the reader to think and ponder the implications of the print - then this book is for you. Highly recommended.

Dull, listless, sad.......2004-04-13

This is what happens when great authors go to seed. It seems like a cruel mockery of a Greene novel, parading the same old themes around, corrupted more than ever by an unjustified excess liberalism. There isn't a single living character here, and even though the prose is generally competent, I think it has to be buried in consideration of the man's memory.

Average customer rating:

Thriller Diller!

Last Boat to Cadiz
Barnaby Conrad
Manufacturer: Capra Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Historical | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Suspense | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Mystery & Thriller Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
ASIN: 1592660320

Customer Reviews:

Thriller Diller!.......2004-12-21

Five minutes ago I finished reading "Last Boat to Cadiz" by Barnaby Conrad. It's a book of the same genre as "The Da Vinci Code," a favorite genre I call, "The Book You Can't Put Down."

Mr. Conrad seizes the reader's interest on page one and doesn't let go until page 250. His story takes place in the latter days of WWII. Germany's Third Reich is crumbling, Hitler's suicide has been reported, his chief henchmen are all dead or captured.

All except one. This high-level fugitive is trying to make his way out of France, across Spain to Cadiz, where he hopes to escape via German submarine to South America.

The book's hero, Wilson Tripp, is a Vice Consul working in Seville. Early in the book his path crosses that of the Nazi escapee, and he is forced at gunpoint to assist in the escape. He soon finds himself on the Cayetana, a grubby 40-foot boat carrying a mixed bag of passengers down the Guadalquivir River to Cadiz. As you, too, board the Cayetana with this doomed group, your heart will start pumping overtime. It won't quit till the ride ends.

Most of the action takes place in Andalucia, an area of southern Spain the author knows intimately. Like his hero, Mr. Conrad was a wartime Vice Consul in Seville. His love of Spain and his powers to describe its beauty and dignity give breadth to the book and provide a fascinating backdrop against which the speeding twists of the narrative take place.

Average customer rating:

The Consul: Vocal Score (1980)

Manufacturer: G. Schirmer, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Songbooks | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Vocal | Forms & Genres | Sheet Music & Scores | Formats | Books

Look Inside Entertainment Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0793511364

Book Description

English Only.

City of Intrigue, Nest of Revolution: A Documentary History of Key West in the Nineteenth Century (Florida History and Culture)

Average customer rating:

City of Intrigue, Nest of Revolution: A Documentary History of Key West in the Nineteenth Century (Florida History and Culture)
Consuelo E. Stebbins
Manufacturer: University Press of Florida
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Americas | History | Subjects | Books

Spain | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 0813030501

Book Description

"In this fascinating volume, Consuelo Stebbins has assembled and organized a remarkable firsthand view of nineteenth-century Key West through the eyes of its Spanish consuls. In these translated accounts, Key West is revealed as a center of international intrigue and insurgency, despite its remote location along a maritime frontier. Historians in Florida and Cuba will find a welcome resource in this extraordinary book."--John E. Worth, Randell Research Center, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida

This is the story of the Cuban residents of nineteenth-century Key West, Florida, and their struggle to liberate Cuba, as told by Spanish consuls. Stebbins argues that the consuls' correspondence contained in the Key West Collection--one of the very few primary sources on Key West from 1842 to 1897--rewrites the island's history. Drawing on official documents, newspapers, coded messages, and informants' reports, Stebbins taps into a wealth of important and detailed information about the role of Key West and its inhabitants in the ongoing struggle between Spain and its colony Cuba, as well as the United States' role along the sidelines of this broader conflict. Among the documents are confidential reports describing Cuban insurgents' activities and the secretive network they established to communicate with their coconspirators in Cuba and throughout the Caribbean.

Discovered in the archives of the Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores in Madrid, the collection covers three major periods in Key West's history, the first from 1842 to 1867, as the consuls reported on the island's maritime activities as America's southernmost port city and as a major salvaging base for shipwrecks along the dangerous Florida reefs. Beginning with the Ten Years War in 1868, the small island maritime community changed dramatically as thousands of Cubans fled to Key West and found work in thriving cigar factories, transforming the local economy into one of the nation's wealthiest by producing pure Havana Clears through the 1890s. By the mid 1880s, the Cuban emigre colonists controlled the insurgent movement from abroad as they tirelessly plotted the overthrow of the Spanish colonial government in Cuba. All their plans came to a temporary halt when the Great Fire of 1886 destroyed the commercial district. This event marked the beginning of the final period, climaxing with the Spanish-American War in 1898.

Book Description

In the early autumn of 1962, David Marnin, a young Foreign Service officer, arrives in Saigon to be the Ambassador's aide. Though young and inexperienced, he brings to the job a keen intelligence and a rich sense of adventure.

He soon becomes involved with one of the most beautiful Vietnamese women. Unforgettably depicted are scores of characters -- ambitious journalists, Saigon bargirls, diplomats, clandestine agents, a disenchanted general, a Catholic bishop, Buddhist monks, the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and one truly unforgettable Southern belle.

This important novel demonstrates brilliantly how and why the United States engineered the 1963 coup that overthrew the South Vietnamese government and resulted in the assassination of President Ngo Dinh Diem and his brother. These actions irrevocably enmeshed us in a situation from which there was no turning back. They led to a full scale war that should never have been fought the way it was, a war that reshaped American, Asian, and world history. The coup and murder are shown to be the result of policy decisions emanating from a combination of arrogance and political and cultural ignorance endemic to the way this country did business in Southeast Asia (and is still doing business today in the Middle East.)

Day of the Dead, in its depiction of atmosphere and intrigue, and in its use and depth of detail reminds of the best work of Eric Ambler and Graham Greene. But while it is reminiscent in some ways of The Quiet American, its courageous and sympathetic hero is far wiser than Greene's Pyle and survives to tell this unforgettable tale.

Customer Reviews:

A Cautionary Tale.......2006-10-13

"Day of the Dead" is a tautly written, inticately woven tale of a fateful time in recent American foreign policy and history. Seen largely through the eyes of David Marnin it recounts the complex military and political events that ensued in 1963 culminating in the coup which overthrew Ngo Dinh Diem, his assasination, and the end of the First Republic of Vietnam. There are eerie echoes of today here. I found this to be artfully crafted, a compelling piece of historical fiction, a must read. It is, too a cautionary tale-perhaps, for some an enlightenment, for others a vindication.

A dark saga of trans-cultural ignorance that led to destruction of human life.......2006-08-09

Set in the 1960s, "Day of the Dead" is a political novel about a young Foreign Service Officer who comes to Saigon, Vietnam to be the Ambassador's Aide. Cast amid competing agents, a jaded general, a Catholic Bishop, Buddhist monks, a beautiful Vietnamese woman, an alluring Southern belle and more, he strives to keep afloat of turbulent events as the assassination of President Ngo Dinh Diem and his brother lead to full-scale war. A dark saga of trans-cultural ignorance that led to destruction of human life, "Day of the Dead" is a powerful and gripping saga grounded heavily in history, and offers a striking metaphor for modern U.S. policy in the Middle East.

Finding the Walls of Troy: Frank Calvert and Heinrich Schliemann at Hisarlik

Average customer rating:

Archaeology of Troy... a valuable historic perspective.
Finding the Walls of Troy: a search for the truth
Historical drama of the search for ancient Troy - great book
I should have known....

Finding the Walls of Troy: Frank Calvert and Heinrich Schliemann at Hisarlik
Susan Heuck Allen
Manufacturer: University of California Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books

Turkey | Asia | History | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0520208684

Book Description

The relentlessly self-promoting amateur archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann took full credit for discovering Homer's Troy over one hundred years ago, and since then generations have thrilled to the tale of his ambitions and achievements. But Schliemann gained this status as an archaeological hero partly by deliberately eclipsing the man who had launched his career. Now, at long last, Susan Heuck Allen puts the record straight in this fascinating archaeological adventure that restores the British expatriate Frank Calvert to his rightful place in the story of the identification and excavation of Hisarlík, the site now thought to be Troy as described in the Iliad.
Frank Calvert had lived in the Troad--in the northwest corner of Asia Minor--excavating there for fifteen years before Schliemann arrived and learning the local topography well. He was the first archaeologist to test the hypothesis that Hisarlík was the Troy of Hector and Helen. So that he would have unrestricted access to the site, he purchased part of the mound and was the first archaeologist to conduct excavations there. Running out of funds, he later interested Schliemann in the site. The thankless Schliemann stole Calvert's ideas, exploited his knowledge and advice, and finally stole Calvert's glory, in part by slandering him and denigrating his work. Allen corrects the record and does justice to a man who was a victim of his own integrity while giving a balanced treatment of Schliemann's true accomplishments.
This meticulously researched book tells the story of Frank Calvert's development as an archaeologist, his adventures and discoveries. It focuses on the twists and turns of his turbulent relationship with the perfidious Schliemann, the resulting gains for archaeology, and the successful conclusion of their common quest. Allen has brought together a wide range of relevant published material as well as unpublished sources from archives, diaries, letters, and personal interviews to tell this gripping story.

Customer Reviews:

Archaeology of Troy... a valuable historic perspective........2000-06-02

The excavation of Troy has always been considered an extremely important event in the history of archaeology. This is due to the fact that very existence of Troy was considered a myth birthed by Homer, only to be exposed by the eccentric, business man/archaeologist, Heinrich Schliemann. The author, Susan Allen, explores all aspects of the modern discovery of Troy by explaining how valuable the input of English diplomat, Frank Calvert, was in Schleimann's announcement to the world he had found the supposed mythological Homeric Troy. This book is not only excellently referenced but holds the extra quality of being able to tie the current events of 19th century Asian Minor politics to the fascinating story of how Heinrich Schleimann basically cheated Frank Calvert out of the credit he deserved in Troy's discovery. If you have any interest in 19th century archaeology, politics of archaeology or the intial excavations of Troy, this is a must read book.

Finding the Walls of Troy: a search for the truth.......2000-04-09

This was a captivating account of the Calvert family, particularly Frank Calvert, and the discovery of the reputed site of ancient Troy. The final chapters also deal with the turbulent relationship between Heinrich Schliemann, the individual most often associated with that discovery, and the Calverts. It is a story of a passion for the Homeric epics and of the struggle for priority in finding the site of the famous battle. Frank Calvert, in particular, is depicted as the unfortunate victim of the machinations of the ambitious and apparently unscrupulous German entrepreneur. (The family photo of the man, seated on his doorstep, looks like a study in defeat). Indeed there has been recent doubt expressed by members of the present day archaeological community regarding the genuineness of some of Schliemann's most famous discoveries. Most importantly the golden treasure trouve traditionally accepted as having been found at Troy has come under question, including its true provenance, authenticity, and the circumstances of its discovery. So too has the so-called mask of Agamemnon, which some would suggest is an artifact altered to look more like what popular imagination has come to associate with the Homeric heroes. Still others believe that the mask may be the work of a modern artist commissioned by Schliemann to produce an "artifact" worthy of his hero. Ms Allen concludes her work with the story of the fate of the artworks from Troy, including their post WWII disappearence, recent reappearence in Russia, and the international dispute over their ownership and the ethical issue of right to cultural heritage. This is a book which is understandable whether or not one knows anything about archaeology, history, or the events of the discovery.

Historical drama of the search for ancient Troy - great book.......1999-09-21

This book is an engaging documentary of the intellectual and archaeological pursuit of the ancient city of Troy by two late-nineteenth century explorers.

Once and for all the contribution of Frank Calvert is firmly reestablished, and the warped image of Heinrich Schliemann is debunked and put in its rightful (still heroic) perspective. The human tragedies and triumphs are extreme and well told by the author. It's all here - ascendant thinking, paranoid emasculation, establishment blundering, family misfortunes, the impact of resources and geographic arrogance.

The book is all the more significant as a study of arguably the most significant chronicle of our memorialized ancient past.

There is a high degree of scholarship in this book with extensive details and references. The author is understandably sympathetic to Calvert and his family.

The book brings us right up to today with information that reveals the current murkey ownership and location of much of the ancient treasures recovered from Troy. It turns out the story continues to unfold.

Every paragraph of this book was absorbing to me. I recommend it highly.

I should have known...........1999-06-30

Sometimes it's hard to find that our heroes have feet of clay, and I've always admired Heinrich Schliemann, amateur that he was. Here was a millionaire who could have retired on his amassed fortune. Instead, he brought us Troy. But not without problems.
It's been noted that his amateur attempts at the relatively new science of archeology may have ruined more than he saved, and perhaps he misidentified Troy. But I've not read up to now that he was full of malice and evil.
That is, up to now. In an effort to create a sympathetic portrait of Frank Calvert, this becomes a diatribe against Schliemann. And while Calvert may deserve our sympathy, Schliemann's every action, every move and every THOUGHT is described in the most possible light, often without presenting hard evidence. After 133 pages, it was hard to remember the enthusiasm I had about the subject matter when I ordered the book. I gave up.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books