Book Description
The austere president who presided over the Roaring Twenties and whose conservatism masked an innovative approach to national leadership
He was known as “Silent Cal.” Buttoned up and tight-lipped, Calvin Coolidge seemed out of place as the leader of a nation plunging headlong into the modern era. His six years in office were a time of flappers, speakeasies, and a stock market boom, but his focus was on cutting taxes, balancing the federal budget, and promoting corporate productivity. “The chief business of the American people is business,” he famously said.
But there is more to Coolidge than the stern capitalist scold. He was the progenitor of a conservatism that would flourish later in the century and a true innovator in the use of public relations and media. Coolidge worked with the top PR men of his day and seized on the rising technologies of newsreels and radio to bring the presidency into the lives of ordinary Americans—a path that led directly to FDR’s “fireside chats” and the expert use of television by Kennedy and Reagan. At a time of great upheaval, Coolidge embodied the ambivalence that many of his countrymen felt. America kept “cool with Coolidge,” and he returned the favor.
Customer Reviews:
Coolidge truly deserved a better biographer.......2007-09-26
As many small "r" republicans and libertarians have noted, Coolidge is truly underrated. Unfortunately this biography will not do overly much to boost his image or reputation.
Mr. Greenberg's political beliefs get in the way of a non-partisan review of Calvin Coolidge. He does not much like his hands off philosophy nor very obviously, his small government/non intereference beliefs. This gets in the way of real examination of the man and his accomplishments. Though he admits to admiring aspects of the man's personal life, he cannot extend that admiration to Coolidge's lack of ambition or vision as president.
From the begining of his national notice as governor of Taxachusetts, Coolidge is portrayed as a man who dithers from indecision rather than a man who refuses to overstep his potical boundaries (police strike of 1919). Greenberg labels Coolidege's propensity to delegate rather than do things himself as weakness rather than sound executive ability.
He does note Coolidge's accomplishments in the use of radio (the new media then)to actually contact the people in lareg numbers. His ability to use the medium let him avoid the Congress and go direct to the people, something few presidents have forgotten since. With this use of radio and regularly scheduled presss conferences, he was the first 'modern' president.
Greenberg's personal political philosophy gets in the way too many times of the process of looking into Coolidge. From the falsehood of tax cuts "costing the Treasury money better spent on infrastructure" (how about what taxpayers would have done with it?) to his deploring of Coolidge's decision to let the ICC languish rather than up its choking of the American railroads (FDR reversed that quickly enough, look at that result),Greenberg fails to keep his personal views from is often a pleasurable read. He does note very astutely that Coolidge was no true laissez faire man but rather on tariffs at least, a traditional Republican out for big protective tariffs.
He does grudgingly though note that Coolidge was a true believer in the limits of political power. It would be this belief that would cause him to declare that he would not run for reelection. As Coolidge himself said, "the office has lost its attraction for me..."
Perhaps its Coolidge's style, concern for the taxpayer, and overall simplicity that many Americans long for. For sure, many of us would love to see someone in office who did not have to pronounce on every event in the nation like our last few decades of leaders have gotten into the habit of doing...
Nice read.......2007-08-09
The author does a good job of explaining a little known president. I am always intrigued by the story behind the story and the author of this book does it well.
A Luke-Warm Look at Coolidge.......2007-02-14
Why is it that my interest in the executive office seems to fade following the presidency of Warren G. Harding? The answer probably lies in the fact that the man who succeeded Harding was remarkable only for one thing: for being so personally un-remarkable.
Calvin Coolidge was an accidental president, assuming that office upon Harding's death, and so he does warrant at least a passing nod of respect for the way he calmly entered the presidency and led the nation at a difficult time. Absent this, however, Coolidge barely registers a mention in most highschool history texts. And really, that may not entirely be his own fault, considering the fact that he was president during a peaceful time in the nation's history. There were no great battles to be faught, no important measures that called for a strong, activist leader.
The book is well written, though it may not generate much interest generally. It will find its place among readers who are interested in the presidency. The author, David Greenberg, does a fine job in reminding readers of a relatively little-known or understood man who became the 30th President of the United States. Coolidge was a good man. However, one cannot escape the fact that "Silent Cal" was a bland figure who really didn't do anything. The economy was in good shape during the 20's, and so Coolidge sat back and let things pass. He is remembered today (if at all) as little more than a place-holder--- someone who happened to occupy the Office of the President for awhile before turning over the ship of state to an equally bland figure (Herbert Hoover).
Silent but Steady.......2007-01-28
David Greenberg does a nice job of humanizing "Silent Cal". Against the backdrop of the roaring twenties, he brings a quiet but even handed Calvin Coolidge to life. The objective reader will likely find himself at least a modest fan of our only President from Vermont.
Book Description
The Center for Land Use Interpretation is a research-based educational organization that produces public programs about the built landscape of the United States from its sites in Los Angeles, Utah and the Mojave desert, with an upstate New York location opening in 2006. The Center's aim is to increase and diffuse information about how the nation's lands are apportioned, utilized and perceived. Recent examples of their work include a two-day "Tour of the Monuments of the Great American Void" by bus and the exhibit Immersed Remains: Towns Submerged in America. This book takes readers on a tour through the strangely unfamiliar land that Americans live in, demonstrating that we can understand ourselves and the nation by examining the clues on display all around us, often clearly visible but ignored. Each chapter explores a different topic, from an in-depth look at Ohio ("the most all-American state"); through scale shifts in model landscapes, exemplified in the three largest hydraulic models in the world; and law-enforcement training environments that "simulate" public space. Readers can dive into the hidden and enchanting world of show caves, where America is on display underground; and come up into the Great Basin, a zone covering most of Nevada, and portions of Utah, California, Oregon, Idaho and Mexico, whose network of watersheds has no outlet to the ocean. Following lines and edges, through cities, suburbs, small towns and wide-open spaces, the Center guides us upstream, toward the heart of another America--the same, but different.
Book Description
“Coolidge’s cautions of conservative and liberal, his creative skepticism, as well as his detective analogy are sound, useful, and disarmingly gentle.”
—Bruce Pigozzi,
Michigan State University
“The strengths of this book are its readability and the use of interesting examples that make statistics seem ‘real’ to the students.”
—Karen Brakke,
Spelman College
Doing statistics for the first time? Don't panic! In
Statistics: A Gentle Introduction, Second Edition, he shows how statistics needn’t be difficult or dull. Dr. Coolidge likens the role of a statistician to that of a curious detective, an honest attorney, and a good storyteller. He minimizes the use of formulas, but provides a step-by-step approach to their solution, and includes a glossary of key terms, symbols, and definitions at the end of each chapter. Every chapter also includes a short story about historical and contemporary statisticians who figured prominently in the evolution of the discipline of statistics. This second edition includes specific suggestions as to the detection of “baloney,” that is, fraudulent claims and questionable studies.
Key features of the
Second Edition:
- Case studies, which bring statistical concepts to life for students, are sprinkled throughout the text
- Dr. Coolidge incorporates computerized processing into the step-wise section, when appropriate
- An additional chapter on ANOVA topics
- Coverage of probability theory and confidence intervals
- Each chapter begins with learning objectives and ends with many more practice problems to help students put that which they have learned to the test
Statistics: A Gentle Introduction, Second Edition is an ideal text for students who are taking their first course in statistics. This introductory statistics book has been specifically designed to curtail students’ anxieties and minimize unnecessary formulas, while providing a comprehensive review of basic statistical designs and analyses. A wealth of additional real-world examples have been included in this edition to give students a sense of how the science of statistics works, solves problems, and helps us make informed choices about the world we live in.
Customer Reviews:
Outstanding Book!.......2006-08-26
I taught several statistics courses using Statistics: A Gentle Introduction (1st ed.). I just received the 2nd edition. I have shelves of stats books and these are by far the most down to earth, easy to understand stats books I've found and are ideal for teaching. The 2nd edition builds upon the first edition and offers practice problems and sample test questions at the end of each chapter. The 2nd edition includes SPSS output and a description of the output for regression & correlation (but not for ANOVA, t-tests, chi-square). The 2nd edition includes a nice description of confidence intervals. I highly recommend this book!
Makes Statistics Simple.......2002-07-13
This book was fantastic! It outlined the basic concepts of statistics in a way that didn't completely confuse the student. I was able to pass all my tests and actually UNDERSTAND my coursework. Kudos to the author--I HIGHLY recommend this book to the beginning statistics student.
Best Stats Textbook on the Market.......2000-12-12
This has to be the most "gentle" book about statistics on the market. I can actually say that I now understand the basic statistical methods! Too often, statistics books give you too much information all at once, which can be confusing to beginners. This book gradually lays it out step by step and gives clear examples of almost every possible variation. Authors of statistics texts often confuse the reader in their attempts to impress them with technical language. This book is written in language understandable to beginners and proceeds at a digestable pace. Plus, it includes brief glimpses of historical information to give the reader a broader understanding of the subject. I highly recommend this as a text for introductory statistics classes or as a refresher for anyone!
Statistics Made Easy.......2000-12-12
This book introduced all areas of statistics with a story or an explanation that made learning statistics enjoyable. In addition, this book contained many detailed examples that I used over and over again throughtout the course as a way of ensuring myself that I truly understood the concept that I was currently being taught. Statistics: A Gentle Introduction is a book that will remian in my personal library for many years.
Book Description
In 1998, the late Robert Sobel, author of more than thirty books on business and politics, wrote the first biography on Calvin Coolidge in a generation.
Customer Reviews:
Coolidge alive.......2005-09-19
Author Sobel creates an interesting read, bringing to life an obscure President, obscure from the fact historians and the general media have tended to ignore him. Cooledge exhibited an unusual degree of statesmanship, while cognizant of the politics that got him to the highest elected office in the land.
Much of Sobel's writing is in a matter of fact vain. While helpful, I found the constant insertions of Cooledge quotes to be distracting at times.
Fair assessment of an elusive man.......2005-01-30
I purchased the late Robert Sobel's "Coolidge: An American Enigma" by happenstance. I had no particular opinion of Calvin Coolidge, beyond the general impression that he was one of the very few "caretaker" presidents of the 20th century. After completing this biography, that impression remains unchanged. Despite Sobel's infectious enthusiasm for his subject, Coolidge remains a cipher: likable, decent, honest, but very deliberately lacking in color or discernable personality.
Sobel knows how to write an entertaining biography, especially in light of how dry his subject is. He skillfully follows Coolidge from his childhood in Vermont, his education at Amherst, his governance of Massachusetts, and finally his rise to the office of first vice-president, then president. Through this, Sobel paints interesting portraits of the man and his times. Indeed, some of the most exciting parts of the book occur when Sobel shifts his focus away from Coolidge and focuses on the events that affect the outcome of Coolidge's life. While some of the examination of the Massachusetts political machine seem a little tangential, the passages recounting the Boston police strike and the 1920 Republican convention are particularly gripping. His overview of the scandals of the Harding administration are paticularly instructive.
Still, Sobel never loses sight of the fact he's writing a book about Coolidge. His examination of Coolidge as president is intriguing, if a little sparse. Sparse, because Coolidge himself is difficult to pin down. He was very much from the laissez-faire school of government, taking great pains to limit federal intervention in state and local matters, as well as business. The downside of this was, as Sobel does note, Coolidge did very little beyond pay lip-service to social issues of the country, e.g., the plight of African-Americans and Native Americans. He was also not terribly interested in international matters, although as Sobel points out, Coolidge was able to handle tensions with Mexico. He is also very explicit that the tendency to lay the Depression at Coolidge's feet is totally unfair, as Coolidge was only in the vaguest awareness of what could happen to the booming economy, and was far less equipped to do anything about it.
The most substantial problem I had with this book is Sobel's tendency to allow too much of his own bias show. Sobel, from what I can tell, was very much a Reagan Republican. This was obviously a reason for his decision to attempt to rehabilitate Coolidge. However, that often leads to awkward editorializing. The most overt example is a lengthy dissection of previous Coolidge historiography, including an an attempt to reutt the works of Arthur M. Schlesinger on the failure of the Harding-Coolidge-Hoover era. While I realize that Sobel's intent was to take on the popular view of Coolidge as some sort of failure, I felt that Sobel's decision to place this argument in the beginning of Chapter 9 inappropriate. This would have made perfect sense in the introduction or the epilogue materials. Including it in the body was distracting, and caused me to set it down for a little while.
Another concern was Sobel's copious use of block excerpts, particularly in the opening of the book. It felt like Sobel was padding a little. As the work progresses, the quotes seem more useful, and less intrusive.
On the whole, I surprised by "Coolidge: An American Enigma". I found Coolidge the man appealing. While he would have been horribly out of step with this day and age (indeed, just years later he would have been quaint), Coolidge was a man of his time, lending further credence to the idea that times make men as much as men make times. Had Sobel distanced himself a little more from his subject, it would have been about perfect. As it stands, it's an excellent single volume about a caretaker president.
Only a Beginning. . ........2004-07-20
How interesting that as we look at the last century, President Coolidge has become a polarizing figure. After smears from William Allan White, Arthur Schlesinger and others, Coolidge has finally merited re-evaluation. While not an activist President in the vein of, say, Franklin Roosevelt, Coolidge was far from indolent or passive. He gave more press conferences than any other, inaugurated the use of radio, and sponsored airplanes in the military. However, it was indeed his belief that government should exist for the people, not the other way 'round. Interestingly, he was the last President to refuse to have a telephone in the Oval Office--he considered it undignified. He supported women's suffrage and his wife, Grace, was the first First Lady to smoke in the White House. I have undertaken to read many accounts of Coolidge; he does remain a mystery to us in so many ways. Regardless of the slant of the source, though, his deep sense of decency and honor in performing public service always shines through. I'd recommend purchasing a copy of 'Grace Coolidge and Her Era' from 1962 to give a more human side to both the President and his wife. Another characteristic of this man is that despite his reserve, his overriding love for his wife and sons remains there. The heartbreak that he and Mrs. Coolidge endured with the needless death of their youngest son in the White House cannot be overstated. Especially since we know now that the Staph. infection from which young Calvin died would nowadays have certainly not been fatal. I think part of the reason the Coolidge times have become fascinating for those of us interested in history is the obscurity to which these years have been consigned. The terms of FDR with his extensive radio and movie coverage has overshown the previous three Republican administrations, not by accident. I have concluded that no one book can cover all the aspects of President Coolidge, and he deserves further reading.
Coolidge: Public Servant; King of Dry Humor.......2004-04-04
Great book for an overall view of Coolidge. A very unassuming man with a dry sense of humor. He was a great public servant who realized that the answer does not come from some government program.
The real Coolidge.......2004-02-24
The late author, Robert Sobel, has done a fine job in peeling away the crusty layers of our thirtieth president. Known for his taciturn and somnolent personality, Calvin Coolidge is revealed in this book to have had more substance than one might have given him credit.
Biographers of presidents who are generally regarded as average or below average often write about their subjects with a bent of pushing them up a notch or two in history. A current biography of Warren G. Harding written by John Dean of Watergate fame, for instance, lays out a theme of trying to lift Harding out of the cellar of presidential comparison. Sobel is a bit less interested in Coolidge's lasting reputation although he would like the reader to be reminded that Coolidge did have some accomplishments while in the White House and that his administration, in stark contrast to Harding, his predecessor, was scandal free and that Coolidge, himself, was a man of tremendous virtue.
The myth that Coolidge was a hard worker is not quite dispelled in Sobel's book. One can surmise that the only midnight oil Calvin Coolidge ever burned was on the night of his sudden inauguration at his father's home in Vermont following Harding's death..... the oath being administered by Coolidge's father.
Sobel spends a little too much time on analyzing the country's finances during the Coolidge administration. At these times the author's writing becomes bogged down in detail and his prose begins to sound like that of his subject...humorless and dry.
That said, I would recommend this book to those who are not only interested in the period between the two World Wars but also in the juxtaposition of the Harding and Coolidge administrations. I also think that reading the Dean biography on Harding in conjunction with the Sobel book on Coolidge would give a fairly accurate, if not overly deep sense of the United States during this period.
One cannot imagine a Coolidge as president during World War II (or for that matter during the depression) any more than one might look at Franklin D. Roosevelt as president during the 1920s. The point of this book seems not to be so much about the successes of Coolidge policy but rather an effort to glimpse the president in a slightly more favorable light. To this end Sobel triumphs. Yet he reminds us in the end that Coolidge was a man who was decent, sometimes shrewd and who filled his role as president in a detached but popular way. Perhaps Calvin Coolidge was indeed the right fit for his times.
Customer Reviews:
Awesome!.......2006-01-07
Ideal for anyone who wishes to make a sensible remark to impress a lady or win the confidence of a potential ally.
Very good selection.......2005-01-28
This is a great addition to your library if you are a fan of presidential quotes or books. Coolidge's presidency has been reassessed as of late by many and has been the topic of a few recent writings. This is an even-handed look at Coolidge through his own writings, speeches and interviews.
Hannaford begins with a short discussion of the renewed interest in President Coolidge. He then moves onto a very abbreviated biography and a timeline of his life. After these 34 pages, the rest of the book is dedicated to quotes listed by subject. Each quote has its source and context (when appropriate) of the quip.
Through this book, you begin to get a little deeper understanding of Coolidge.
A Small Treasure.......2004-07-22
As history finally catches up with reassessing President Coolidge and putting him in his proper place, this small, thin volume of his quotations is a breath of fresh air, indeed, in these days of TV ops and media handling. Presidents are always a product of their times and Coolidge was of his. His calls for simplicity, decency, honesty and character would open a current President up to all sorts of cynics, but they ring true with President Coolidge. I do hope this little tome will help lay to rest many misconceptions. A must read. . .
Reassessing "Silent Cal".......2001-01-22
This book is a fascinating collection of Coolidge quotations with an intriguing introduction by Peter Hannaford. Hannaford points out that the New Dealers stereotyped Coolidge for political reasons, and New Deal historians quoted selectively from William Allen White's two biographies of Coolidge, furthering the stereotype of Coolidge as a failed president, unimaginative, lacking in intellectual curiosity, and unknowledgeable about history--among other faults. The Coolidge reassessment began in 1998--or perhaps really in 1981, when President Reagan hung a portrait of Coolidge, one of his favorite presidents, in the Cabinet Room in the White House. This book gives the reader Coolidge, the man, on many topics. Coolidge wrote all his own speeches and, for a year after leaving the presidency, a five-day-a-week newpaper column. Historians have had to reassess Dwight Eisenhower, and the reassessment of Ronald Reagan is underway. Another confirmation that the accepted wisdom on Republican presidents, especially when they are viewed as not too bright and not too knowledgeable, is usually wrong.
QUOTABLE COOLIDGE BLOWS "SILENT" CAL'S COVER.......2000-12-10
If you know nothing about Calvin Coolidge, then this book - The Quotable Calvin Coolidge -- is the book for you. If, on the other hand, you know President Coolidge to have been a man of integrity, wisdom, and humor -- then, this is the book for that friend of yours who can never see what you see in the 30th president, and, what's more -- won't listen if you try to explain. You know the type: Your friend perhaps admires Jefferson for believing "that government is best that governs least." Then, ridicules `Silent Cal' for showing how it's done!
Editor Peter Hannaford has taken on the task of rounding up all the usual Coolidge quotes as well as providing many that are less familiar. He cites chapter and verse, too, supplying context and date for every quotation. Selections range from a view expressed in a graduation `oration' by 18-year old J. Calvin Coolidge to private remarks to a friend days before his early death in 1933 at age 60. Quotes are arranged alphabetically by subject -- beginning with African Americans and concluding with Zeal. This compilation is a treasure to be mined by speakers, politicians and writers; however, it's a mine field for the ideas of born-again New Deal scholars committed to parroting the narrow views of their mentors bent on belittling "Silent Cal".
The Quotable Calvin Coolidge has a helpful chronology detailing Coolidge's life, beginning in 1872 with his 4th of July birth in Plymouth, Vermont and on through his education and subsequent steady rise in Massachusetts' political ranks to our nation's highest office. There's a 26 page introduction to the man, the political figure and icon of an era. In his long public career, Coolidge often said, "The things I did not say never hurt me." Yet, the things he did say are clearly of service to us today and will remain worth considering, tomorrow.
Customer Reviews:
Getting Clear.......2007-09-19
One of my best friends bought me this book after I sent her Jayme's online newsletter...pretty powerful newsletter, I'd say! I read this book daily now and cannot believe the content and context of the information it constantly imparts to me; it is enjoyable beyond what I could have believed. Every paragraph has so far resonated with me and is the direction I have been wanting to go; and now I know I have a scout who has gone out there and blazed this trail and come back inside to write about it! This is a generous woman! Having met Jayme at several yoga studio events, I know Jayme lives what she writes and has an energy of such integrity around her. For me, that counts for everything. The cleanliness, clarity, strength and beauty of this writing portrays who Jayme is, and I can't say enough about that level and depth of life. It is awesome to find it outside of oneself on the pages of a book as grande as this beautiful book is. She has excellent taste in real life (by the choices of her teachers and masters), in my opinion, and I am happy to turn the pages of this book slowly and deliberately and find support on "how to do a life well lived". This is the perfect book for me. Having just bought a new space in L.A., I will use this book to go forward on discovering who the new me is! Thank you, J. And thank you, Sydney, for the book!
I simply love it!.......2007-08-15
Covering the depth and breadth of feng shui from the inside out, Jayme's thorough understanding of energy makes my efforts fun and amazingly enlightening. Oh my gosh, it works! I gladly decluttered the other feng shui books and that silly money toad, and follow Jayme's teaching exclusively. I am thrilled with the daily insights as well as the infusion of revitalizing energy in my life. This is one of those rare, truly life-transforming books, and I'm a five-star fan! Thank you again, Jayme, for your beautiful, inspiring book!
This is useful when used in context.......2007-05-07
I really love the ideas in this book! I am a strong Christian, so some of the ideas are a little odd, but overall the book makes a lot of sense. Generally it will create negative energy if you stick your finger in an electrical outlet. A lot of the stuff is just common sense, but I really love the colors and the ideas they give on laying out rooms and putting your space together.
Excellent book.......2007-04-19
This book is an excellent beginner's guide to Feng Shui. It covers the bagua, and gives excellent tips on how to energize your space with things you already have. It also gives a basic space clearing technique. I recommend this book.
Inspiring.......2007-04-05
I have to admit it, I purchased this book mainly for the pictures. I find photos of well-laid-out rooms inspiring. HOWEVER, I am recommending this book because of its incredible CONTENT. Jayme Barrett lays the subject matter out so perfectly. It's like a step-by-step manual, only much more beautifully presented. Oh, and the pictures lived up to my expectations as well!
Book Description
This inspiring new book covers the practical side of dream interpretation during the therapeutic consultation. It aids the understanding of sleep and dreams in a scientific context and provides and introduction to the biological and evolutionary foundations of sleep, dreams and dream interpretation, supporting its use in professional counseling.
"Dream Interpretation as a Psychotherapeutic Technique" covers cultural, historical and religious foundations of dreams and dream interpretation, and gives an overview of the various dream interpretation theories.
Psychotherapists and psychiatrists with an interest in dream interpretation will find this guide invaluable. It will also be of great interest to psychologists, counselors, therapists and general readers.
Includes a foreword by Ernest Hartmann, Professor of Psychiatry at Tufts University School of Medicine, and Director of the Sleep Disorders Center at Newton-Wellesley Hospital, Boston, and Lecturer in! the Department of Psychiatry at Boston University, and former President of the Association for the Study of Dreams.
Customer Reviews:
The best dream interpretation book I've found.......2007-07-26
What I hate about dream interpretation books is that so very many of them are fluffy and full of silly dictionaries or completely off the wall theories. Well, this one is the exception to that rule.
This book is based on the integration of three dream interpretation theories from real psychologists: Jung, Freud, and Perls. It covers all aspects of dreaming, including the physical parts of sleep and the sleep cycle, the history of dream interpretation, the major theories and theorists of dream interpretation, and so much more. It's well-written, full of excellent supporting evidence and quotations, and based in real-life experience. This is an amazing book.
Average customer rating:
- 11 year old boy review
- A good introduction for my students.
- A 6-year old's review
- The Rotten Apple
- The New
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The Trojan War
Olivia E. Coolidge , and
Olivia E Coolidge
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The Eagle of the Ninth
ASIN: 0618154280 |
Book Description
In this retelling of the Trojan War, Olivia Coolidge crafts heroes and gods into real, multidimensional characters, not just the figures of legend. Vibrant storytelling and finely wrought action have made her version of the classic tale of the Fall of Troy accessible to generations of young readers.
Customer Reviews:
11 year old boy review.......2007-03-20
This story is a classical story. I am sure you have heard the story of the Trojan horse. Well, this book tells you why the horse was even built. This is a good story of how the war came to be, and there is so much information about both sides. You will not be able to decide which side you want to win. This book is so interesting, and you will learn a lot about Greece and Troy (Troy is where the Trojans live if you do not know). This book is definitely an action war kind of book, and if you like a story that keeps you on the edge of your seat, then you will love this story. I really recommend reading this book.
A good introduction for my students........2006-01-29
I teach this to my 6th grade English students (all boys) and though they find it confusing to begin with, every year they are hooked by the time we get to the second section. It gives a strong introduction to the many Greek stories surrounding the Trojan War. My students from prior years still remember the events of the book.
I inherited the text from my predecessor when I took over the job, and was not enthusiastic about the idea of teaching it to begin with. I remembered Greek history and myth as dry and dusty. The writing is a little bland and stilted in spots, but the events it retells are vivid enough in themselves to carry the reader's interest.
A 6-year old's review.......2005-11-20
This is a very good book because of its intense atmosphere and it is very exciting. Some of the main characters are Achilles, Hector, Helen and Paris. Helen loved Paris and ran away with him from her original husband. She was the most beautiful woman in the world which is why the Greeks and Trojans fought over her. The outcome is that the Greeks won. They won by killing all the Trojan leaders, one at a time. It also helped by invading the city from inside. The Trojans were told to take a giant horse which was made of wood inside their city. It was full of Greek soldiers hiding inside it! It was an ambush! I recommend this book for boys and girls.
The Rotten Apple.......2005-05-15
Although the story of The Trojan War is masterfully captured in the Iliad and Odyssey, Olivia Coolidge's retelling of the saga could put anyone to sleep. The Trojan War begins at a wedding party. Discord throws the golden apple towards the guests at the party. Inscribed in the apple are the words "For the fairest." The goddesses at the party begin competing for the title of the fairest. Eventually Aphrodite claims the name. She promises Paris of Troy the finest wife. Paris then captures Helen and brings her to Troy. The Greek armies storm after Paris beginning the ten year long war.
This book is a classic waste of time because the characters are undeveloped, the prose and discourse are dull, and several scenes leave the reader hanging. The characteristics of many of Olivia Coolidge's characters are not explained thoroughly. There are so many characters, Coolidge does not have time, nor space to develop each of them comprehensively. In fact, the character list at the end of the book attests to this fact. It covers seven entire pages! The author writes in a very primitive form of English. The story lacks the excitement and subtlety of Homer's sagas. The Trojan War could be compared to a tedious textbook. The scenes in the story are written such that they are too complex for young readers and too dreary for adult readers. The lack of detail causes a feeling of anxiety, making the reader think, "What did I miss??"
Although I advise many readers to pass by this book, some avid mythology readers may find this book appealing. I would recommend books such as the Odyssey and the Iliad instead of The Trojan War to all interested readers. Olivia Coolidge's retelling of the Trojan War is the rotten apple in a library of golden ones.
The New .......2005-03-30
In Olivia Coolidge's The Trojan War the epic tale of the Greek war against Troy unfolds in its new version for younger audiences. But does the Trojan War convert well for young adults?
Though the idea of making the Trojan War a book for younger audiences was sound before it was used Olivia Coolidge's The Trojan War falls flat on many topics. It has the story correctly but the fluid transition between chapters and `parts' of the book can be considered as either as a play where the lights dim to change scenes or a book of short stories about the same topic. A large fault is that there are simply too many characters (seven pages of the listed characters) while they do not develop new sights or emotions [...] The book also seems, `dubbed' and characters sometimes speak as if the words have been placed in English over an old foreign film which is partially reminding of the George Lucas' Jedi master Yoda. Battle scenes are vague and very short with little explanation leaving the reader blind to what is happening.
Overall the book simply falls short on all requirements of a bestseller. The book is too complicated for many of the younger readers but is not detailed enough for the older more experienced readers. Though The Trojan War may be enjoyable for a very small audience for the most part readers will simply pass this book by and chose a more engaging title.
Average customer rating:
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Prentice Hall Life Science (Science Explore)
Michael J. Padilla ,
Ioannis Miaoulis ,
Martha Cyr ,
Elizabeth Coolidge-Stolz ,
Donald, Ph.D. Cronkite ,
Jan Jenner ,
Linda Cronin, Ph.D. Jones , and
Marylin Lisowski
Manufacturer: Pearson Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0131901192 |
Customer Reviews:
Competent, funny, worthwhile.......2001-02-10
Believe it or not I frequently as I read this book laughed aloud--sometimes with Coolidge, sometimes at him. While three presidents (Jefferson, John Adams, and Monroe) have died on the 4th of July, Coolidge is the only president to have been born on the 4th of July. His rise to the presidency is actually a story of amazing luck, and McCoy tells the story very well. While in hindsight it is easy to see that Coolidge was not a great president, at the time he did everything seemingly right, and was very successful in making people think he was a good president. I found this book held my interest throughout and was a very satisfying read. I will admit that there were a few chapters on his presidency which were on topics not of interest (can one be intrigued today by, e.g., the Kellogg-Briand pact?) but since one wants to cover the entire life they have to be there. For those of you reading a biography of every president, this does very adequately for Coolidge. (Actually, I read William Allen White's A Puritan in Babylon: The Story of Calvin Coolidge, but that was back on May 5, 1947, and my memory of that was not too fresh, so I thought I should read this more recent bio, and am glad I did.)
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