The Secret Life of Houdini: The Making of America's First Superhero

The Secret Life of Houdini: The Making of America's First Superhero
Average customer rating:

Marvelous biography of the great magician, escape artist, entertainer and...spy?

Really 4.75 Stars - Fabulous Book

Harry Houdini : The Man, The Myth, The Spy, The Secret Service Agent

spooky

Comprehensive and Fascinating

The Secret Life of Houdini: The Making of America's First Superhero
William Kalush , and Larry Sloman
Manufacturer: Atria
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0743272072

Book Description

Handcuff King. Escape Artist. International Superstar. Since his death eighty years ago, Harry Houdini's life has been chronicled in books, in film, and on television. Now, in this groundbreaking biography, renowned magic expert William Kalush and best-selling writer Larry Sloman team up to find the man behind the myth. Drawing from millions of pages of research, they describe in vivid detail the passions that drove Houdini to perform ever-more-dangerous feats, his secret life as a spy, and a pernicious plot to subvert his legacy.

After years of struggling on the dime museum circuit, Harry Houdini got a break that put him on the front page of a Chicago newspaper. He never looked back. Soon Houdini was performing for royalty, commanding vast sums, and exploring the new power of Hollywood to expand on his legend.

At a time when spy agencies frequently co-opted amateurs, Houdini went to London and developed a relationship with a man who would run MI-5. For the next several years, the world's most famous magician traveled to Germany and Russia and routinely reported his findings.

After World War I was successfully concluded, Houdini embarked on a battle of his own. He created a group of disguised field operatives to infiltrate the seamy world of fake spirit mediums. In doing so, Houdini triggered the wrath of fanatical Spiritualists, led by the esteemed British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Death threats became an everyday occurrence, but the group would pose an even greater danger to Houdini's legacy.

Rigorously researched, and as exciting as a good thriller, The Secret Life of Houdini traces the arc of the master magician's life from desperate poverty to worldwide legend, initiating the reader along the way into the arcane world of professional magic. In this remarkable book, Kalush and Sloman decode a life based on deception, providing an intimate and riveting portrayal of Houdini, the man and the legend.

Customer Reviews:

Marvelous biography of the great magician, escape artist, entertainer and...spy?.......2007-10-22

The Secret Life of Houdini is the most exhaustive look at Harry Houdini's career to date. The authors do a terrific job of covering Houdini's early life including growing up in poverty when his father a rabbi was ousted by his own followers for being too old fashioned. Born Erlich Weiss, Harry Houdini was a distant relative of another great European magician. Houdini's fascination with magic began when his father took him to a performance as a child. Houdini quickly became adept at a number of skills but his most important was his ability as an acrobat and escape artist--this brought him his fame and fortune.

The authors unearth a number of fascinating and previously unknown facts about Houdini. While I had known about his crusade against the spiritualist movement (he himself had practiced it briefly to survive as an entertainer and regreted it eventually apologizing to those that he had duped) and his talents as an inventor, I was completely unaware that he had been recruited as to "spy" on Germany and other countries while he was touring. While I found the idea a bit farfetched at first, the authors do provide some compelling evidence to suggest that Houdini did provide information to British and U.S. intelligence in various countries. I wouldn't go so far as to call him a spy but he certainly did what he would consider his patriotic duty.

The book has plenty of illustrations including rare photos, handbills, posters and other items from a variety of collections including magician David Copperfield's extensive collection of Houdini memorabilia. This is a well researched and terrifically entertaining book with a breezy prose style.

Highly recommend for fans of Houdini, those interested in magic and entertainment from the 19th and early 20th century.

Really 4.75 Stars - Fabulous Book.......2007-10-04

This book is fantastic on so many levels. One doesn't even have to like magic to appreciate this book, but it sure helps. The authors have done a wonderful job of painting the social scene, class hierarchy and the world at large during this time period. In the true style of a Houdini dichotomy, while there's not much new we learn, we learn so much that's new.

The book heavily follows Houdini's involvement with the spiritualist movement, in particular, a Boston spiritualist named Margery.

I can not recommend this book highly enough.

Harry Houdini : The Man, The Myth, The Spy, The Secret Service Agent.......2007-05-18

Harry Houdini : The Man, The Myth, The Spy, The Secret Service Agent

A lot of people love reading about Harry Houdini the magician, the Handcuff King the escape artist but did you know that he was a spy & a Secret Service agent? I can prove it with one book & a few well versed words here. The book I am talking about is one I am just over half way through & it is entitled "The Secret Life of Houdini : The Making of a Superhero."

This book is awesome & I encourage everyone to read it and enjoy the story of Harry Houdini from beginning to end. It tells about the man, the myth, the spy, the Secret Service agent who was a performer who made the world love him & his shows & continually conquered his every demon, including his own self loathing while continually re-creating himself for the world at large.

Yes this book still fits into this world of the wide web that is the internet. The book is all about how all of Harry Houdini's having been a major instigator in World War I in the propaganda & success of America while Harry Houdini, or some may know him better as Ehrich Weiss, a Jewish man who changed his identity to fit better into the world and to better sell himself to the world as an entertainer at large for War World I in the rise of Germany the first time it came to power.

The fact that the book is from archival data and letters both from & to Harry Houdini is what makes this book so intriguing. Please feel free to enjoy the book & I would love to hear anyone else's opinion & thoughts on this subject. A lot of people do not know that the Secret Service was a spy agency at one time and was connected to the spy world like the C.I.A., N.S.A., D.I.A. & the rest of the alphabet Intelligent Agencies.

Harry Houdini taught our American Dough Boys how to escape from handcuffs, being tied in ropes, & how to escape from torpedoed ships by being on stage in an ampitheater & having actually being a teacher of the American military.

spooky.......2007-04-26

Good book but Harry was given something to drink by a woman that slowly killed him.

Comprehensive and Fascinating.......2007-04-18

What a fascinating and readable story. The addition of conjectured dialogue, authentic letters, and numerous thoughtfully placed photographs gives this mammoth biography the feel of both a novel and an A&E special.

It is near impossible to condense this book into a review, but I will say what beguiled me the most was the concept of how the extent and grandeur of Houdini's worldwide fame--in his own lifetime--was conceived and flawlessly executed by his own will and brilliance in an age of no television and no Internet.

The thoroughness of the book is what makes it impressive. It's also what makes it hard to finish. For the length of the book, I can't see how the authors could have made it more exciting, but I can't help thinking that some of the details could have been cut out for the sanity of the reader. I would liken it to the most interesting textbook I've ever read.

Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise

Average customer rating:

Made me happy!!!!!
food service for the high and mighty
Outstanding!! I Didn't want it to end!
Hysterical undercover foray into upper crust elitism
Conspicuous Consumption

Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise
Ruth Reichl
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0143036610

Amazon.com

Fans of Tender at the Bone and Comfort Me with Apples know that Ruth Reichl is a wonderful memoirist--a funny, poignant, and candid storyteller whose books contain a happy mix of memories, recipes, and personal revelations.

Amazon.com Interview

We chewed the fat with Ruth. Read our interview.

What they might not fully appreciate is that Reichl is an absolute marvel when it comes to writing about food--she can describe a dish in such satisfying detail that it becomes unnecessary for readers to eat. In her third memoir, Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise, Reichl focuses on her life as a food critic, dishing up a feast of fabulous meals enjoyed during her tenure at The New York Times. As a critic, Reichl was determined to review the "true" nature of each restaurant she visited, so she often dined incognito--each chapter of her book highlights a new disguise, a different restaurant (including the original reviews from the Times), and a fresh culinary adventure. Garlic and Sapphires is another delicious and delightful book, sure to satisfy Reichl's foodie fans and leave admirerers looking forward to her next book, hopefully about her life with Gourmet. --Daphne Durham

More from Ruth Reichl

Tender at the Bone
Comfort Me with Apples
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Remembrance of Things Paris
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Gourmet magazine

Amazon.com's The Significant Seven
Ruth Reichl answers the seven questions we ask every author.

Q: What book has had the most significant impact on your life?
A: Kate Simon's New York Places and Pleasures. I read it as a little girl and then went out and wandered the city. She was a wonderful writer, and she taught me not only to see New York in a whole new way, but to look, and taste, beneath the surface.

Q: You are stranded on a desert island with only one book, one CD, and one DVD--what are they?
A: Ulysses by James Joyce. What better place to finally get through it?

Keith Jarrett's The Köln Concert. If you're going to listen to one piece over and over, this is one that doesn't get tiresome.

How to Build a Boat in Five Easy Steps. Since I'm going to be watching one movie over and over, it might as well be useful.

Q: What is the worst lie you've ever told?
A: I'm such a good liar, I wouldn't know where to begin.

Q: Describe the perfect writing environment.
A: I can write pretty much anywhere. But I prefer small, cozy spaces, with a good view over a lake or a forest, and room for the cats to curl up.

Q: If you could write your own epitaph, what would it say?
A: "She'll be right back."

Q: Who is the one person living or dead that you would like to have dinner with?
A: Elizabeth I. She fascinates me. She had a great mind, enormous appetites--and she was a survivor. The most interesting woman of an interesting time, and I have a million questions I'd like to ask her.

Q: If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
A: You mean after creating world peace? This is a hard one. But I've always wanted to be able to fly.

Book Description

Ruth Reichl, world-renowned food critic and editor in chief of Gourmet magazine, knows a thing or two about food. She also knows that as the most important food critic in the country, you need to be anonymous when reviewing some of the most high-profile establishments in the biggest restaurant town in the world—a charge she took very seriously, taking on the guise of a series of eccentric personalities. In Garlic and Sapphires, Reichl reveals the comic absurdity, artifice, and excellence to be found in the sumptuously appointed stages of the epicurean world and gives us—along with some of her favorite recipes and reviews—her remarkable reflections on how one's outer appearance can influence one's inner character, expectations, and appetites, not to mention the quality of service one receives.

“This wonderful book is funny—at times laugh-out-loud funny—and smart and wise.” —The Washington Post
“Reichl is so gifted . . . the reader remains hungry for more.” —USA Today
“Expansive and funny.” —Entertainment Weekly

Customer Reviews:

Made me happy!!!!!.......2007-10-09

This book made me so happy! It was just such a fun read. Anyone who's into food will love this book. She's a very clever writer. I didn't want the book to end!!!

food service for the high and mighty.......2007-09-14

I like the book til about 3/4 of the book. It was cute in the beginning, but it was getting tiresome. There were parts of the book that was funny. But, if you don't go to expensive restaurants, and know about gourmet foods and restaurants. It becomes tedious. I had a hard time relating since I don't go to pricy reataurants. But, it did give you a different outlook on the restaurant business. How they treat you. I go to my local restaurant, or coffe shop any day. They know my name, and it is personal. But, in these xpensive restaurants you have the status if you are somebody, and they will seat at the best table in the house. Getting back to the book, The best part were the disguises, how her family felt when she had all the disguises, now that was funny. The treatments of the customers if you were famous. They would get the best table in the house. And when she was found out to be the food critic of TNYT. Then they gave her the best table, the best wines, made sure she had a full glass of wine. I never even thought of going to a restaurant and being a social event.

Outstanding!! I Didn't want it to end!.......2007-09-12

The title of Gourmet magazine editor Ruth Reichl's third food memoir comes from TS Eliot's Four Quartets and is courtesy Ruth's husband, Michael but the reader doesn't understand his reasoning for the quote until near the end of this delightful collection of tales of Reichl's time as food editor of the New York Times.

Filled with stories of her life as a critic, reviews of New York restaurants--well known and some not as well known, as well as recipes, this book is absolutely unputdownable. Imagine, if you will, how Ruth discovers, on a trip to NYC that her photo is plastered on bulletin boards in restaurants all over the city and decides that that she's not going to be able to go to restaurants as herself and fairly do a critique. Instead she devises a plan. She will go incognito. Ruth enlists an old friend of her mother's who was an acting coach and with her help she becomes Molly, a middle aged woman from the Midwest; Brenda a vivacious and friendly woman; the sexy Chloe; Betty a plain elderly woman, and even Miriam her own cantankerous mother. As one can well imagine, these women get very different treatment from one another and VERY different treatment from Ruth Reichl, the food critic.

My mouth was watering as I read of Ruth's experiences in restaurants that I can only dream of eating at in NYC (although I do admit that I will attempt some good sushi again after reading how it is properly eaten) and I know that many a fine eating experience will be enhanced.

I borrowed the three Ruth Reichl books from the library, but will be buying copies of my own for my keeper shelf. I am not sure if I will eventually try any of the recipes, but I sure want to. The only thing that disappointed me was that after reading these three books, one right after another, that there are no more Ruth Reichl books to read. I guess I am going to have to satisfy myself with a subscription to Gourmet magazine and hope she has another book in her future with which to entertain her legions of fans.

Hysterical undercover foray into upper crust elitism.......2007-08-09

This is Ruth Reichl's third book in her witty autobiographical series chronicling life from food poisoned youth to New York's most esteemed food critic. This book describes in hilarious detail the many disguises she assumed to turn the world of food critiquing into a reality show of epic proportions! Laugh out loud good. One should really start with her first book, "Tender to the Bone", to get the full effect of this writer's charm.

Conspicuous Consumption.......2007-07-15

This book left me feeling like I consumed too much, uncomfortable and wondering why I spent so much time doing it. It's a little interesting in the way that it's a little interesting to know what Paris Hilton is saying and doing. In fact it may be exactly the same as reading this book. The author is good at describing food but not that wonderful at making the stories involving. Her fascination with herself bleeds into bizarre as she dons disguises at various times. I found her reviews and the peek at the underbelly of the New York Times fairly intriguing. However, the uncomfortable feeling comes from my understanding of how the privileged in this country have taken conspicuous consumption to obscene levels and we all become participants by glorify them. I don't want to know any more about Paris Hilton or read any more food orgies thank you very much.

All You Need to Be Impossibly French: A Witty Investigation into the Lives, Lusts, and Little Secrets of French Women

Average customer rating:

Interesting Stories
If this book doesn't "tweak" you, you are in bad shape
don't waste your time
Amusing bit of froth, but that's all
entertaining light read- very true!

All You Need to Be Impossibly French: A Witty Investigation into the Lives, Lusts, and Little Secrets of French Women
Helena Frith-Powell
Manufacturer: Plume
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0452287782

Book Description

The allure of the Frenchwoman—sexy, sophisticated, flirtatious, and glamorous—is legendary. More than an eye for fashion or a taste for elegance, the French je ne sais quoi embodies the essential ingredients for looking and feeling beautiful.

With wit, whimsy, and wonder, British expatriate Helena Frith Powell uncovers the secrets of chic living in All You Need to Be Impossibly French, a cheeky guide to releasing your inner Frenchwoman. Delving deep into a mysterious realm of face creams, silk lingerie, and shopping- as-exercise, Powell reveals how French women stay impossibly thin and irresistibly sexy by achieving the maximum effect from the minimum amount of effort. Forget diet and inspiration books and style guides—this is all you need to embrace the wisdom of French living, and learn how to turn every day into la petite aventure.

Customer Reviews:

Interesting Stories.......2007-08-28

Interesting stories, but of course not all of it is true. The author tells amusing tales of her "fish out of water" experiences with French women; it's a wonderfully interesting culture. That the French women never leave the house looking grungy seems to be the main focus of the book, however, as the author focuses mainly on the fact that Parisian women refuse to "let themselves go" once they're married or when they grow old.

I wasn't mystified and awed by the concept of women who wished to look put-together at all times, I was more interested in the bits about their love of art, intellectuals, celebrity, etc.

Still, this book was a great fun read and though it's a broad generalization, I'd still recommend it to anyone looking for a good afternoon book.

If this book doesn't "tweak" you, you are in bad shape.......2007-08-25

I am too old for all this but I enjoyed it no end. I bought three copies for my girls (they will truly love this book. I guarantee it) it makes one feel "alivea' again and it makes you want to go out immediately and purchase matching underwear.

don't waste your time.......2007-08-21

This book is not funny as many readers have said. It gets very boring in a number of chapters. It basically describes French women as self absorbed, jealous, shallow, and uppity. The author seems obsessed with her own looks and weight. She paints all other women in comparison with the French as ugly, frumpy, dispassionate, and totally out of touch with their sensual selves. If you are looking for a boost to your self esteem and you aren't French do yourself a favor and Don't waste you time with this one.

Amusing bit of froth, but that's all.......2007-06-13

This reads like a typical article in Cosmo (the Doxy's Digest) puffed up into book length. Frith Powell is witty, and occasionally sharp-eyed. She doesn't mince words about the Frenchwoman's self-absorption, competitiveness, and lack of interest in female friendships; these qualities come across as quite cold. But Frith Powell also blathers on obsessively about the Frenchwoman's thinness, disciplined cultivation of her appearance, "waxed legs," perfect haircuts, and all the other surface adornments whose fault is just that: they're surface. Frith Powell adds that Frenchwomen regard their intellects as further tools of seduction. Frith Powell's own intellect seems all over the place, as she adds a number of dubious (or sometimes just plain false)historical details about long-dead Frenchwomen to prove her theories. The writer Colette, for example, did not "dance drunk on tables" in her sixties. By that time she had severe arthritis and would have had quite a problem clambering up there. Nor did Colette "marry her son-in-law." She had an affair with her stepson, which is bad enough, but not quite the same. Frith Powell makes a number of other careless mistakes. If she was going to bring up these examples, she should have bothered to get them right.

entertaining light read- very true!.......2007-05-13

Helena Frith Powell's book is a lighthearted glimpse at how real French women live. It's fairly true to life. Having lived in France for 9 years, I felt like there were passages I had experienced myself first hand. I particularly like the part about getting fitted for fancy lingerie. The section on sex and adultery actually went way beyond what I had imagined it to be. Her vision really is very elite and she interviews some of the power players in French society, fashion and political life. I kept wondering how it might have been different if centered more on 'regular' French women.

Living Water: Viktor Schauberger and the Secrets of Natural Energy

Average customer rating:

Good hagiography of a controversial man
Perfect Start for anyone interested in Learning about Water
An Excellent Appetizer, Please Pass the Main Course
Thought provoking intro to little-known qualities of water
Great introduction to IMPLOSION and what we missed out !

Living Water: Viktor Schauberger and the Secrets of Natural Energy
Olof Alexandersson
Manufacturer: Newleaf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0717133907

Customer Reviews:

Good hagiography of a controversial man.......2003-05-04

This is a good introduction to the theories and life of Viktor Schauberger, an Austrian naturalist and inventor. Born in 1885, Schauberger started life as a forester who tried to understand and copy Nature. From watching mountain streams he developed unorthodox theories based on vortex movement about water and its use. He started out designing highly efficient log flumes that used water in vortex motion and at its densest temperature of 4 degrees Centigrade. He then proposed cleaning up the Rhine River by rebuilding the natural curves which stimulate vortex motion in the water. He said that this vortex motion in the Earth caused spring water to be more alive than plain water. He believed that plants grew better in this living water and developed laboratory sized egg-shaped water energizers to activate water.

He also developed theories about the harmfulness of iron and steel tools in agriculture and proposed replacing them with copper ones. He designed an egg-shaped composter that was supposed to develop Noble compost which would be much more beneficial in gardens.

Around the Second World War his theories and experiments take a much different direction and he starts talking about Implosion energy as opposed to combustion explosion energy. He starts developing machines that generate more energy than they use and that run on water and air. Out of this research he claims to have developed a domestic power station that generates large outputs of energy from slight streams of running water. Even more fantastic is a flying saucer that used a 1/20 horsepower electric motor as a starter and then ran on the surrounding flow of air. The research on these inventions was destroyed at the end of the war. Schauberger and his son Walter never seem to have been able to find the resources to develop working models again.

Today his theories on vortex motion of water are taught at the Anthroposophical Emerson College in England. His copper farming tools are sold from the school his son Walter started, the Pythagoras Kepler Schule in Austria. His water, forestry, and farming theories have been accepted by Biodynamic Farming communities and may be helpful to organic farmers today.

There are two appendices at the end of the book by New Age science experts on the underlying theories of vortex energy. I find these actually detract from the book rather than help it. A Bibliography also is less than useful. Most of the sources are to obscure journals or original Austrian publications. These types of resources are less than helpful in such an introductory text.

Perfect Start for anyone interested in Learning about Water.......2002-04-06

I agree that this book is only a brief introduction into the thoughts of Schauberger but hopefully many people are inspired by this book to move forward into the area of water research in an effort to uncover many more truths about what really makes water healthy.

Unfortunately there is so much...on the market, evolving around new-age water products, which in-no-way copy Mother Nature as Viktor had stressed. All these people need to purchase this book in order to obtain some form of initial clarity if they are going to be involved in water research or water products of any kind. Living-water; revitalized-water; restructured water; clustered & micro-clustered-water; alkaline water; Pi-water; crystal-water; snowflake-water; cupcake-water; energized-water; polarized-water; magnetized-water; and all the many others that are on the market have obviously never read any of Viktor's work or at least understood it. Let us all use Viktor's work as a basis to change the planet and make this world a better place to live.

An Excellent Appetizer, Please Pass the Main Course.......2001-04-16

This is an excellent, brief introduction to the thought of Viktor Schauberger, and I hope it inspires works which are more complete. Callum Coates' books reach in this direction, but what is really needed are more people to read these books, synthesize their information, and come up with new and original books which take us further into depth in these areas. This will probably involve synthesizing the work of Schauberger, Grander, Bienveniste, and others.

An understanding of Schauberger is very important for those attempting to reconstruct an Indigenous European Perspective. Schauberger has the elements of a modern water shaman, and his shamanic / intuitive techniques of letting his body float with the water should be closely correlated with what Hans Peter Duerr has to say about "out of body" experience in his tome "Dreamtime". Although Schauberger lived in the 20th Century, his perspective allows us to imagine back what earlier indigenous practitioners may have been like. The Colonial, Imperialist Europe is only one side of the coin of Europe. We must also include the suppressed indigenous, pagan, and green sides. Significantly, the Inquisition represents a watershed in European history where a great deal of the indigenous healers and theorists were wiped out in holocaust proportions. An understanding of Schauberger, coupled with an appreciation of Steiner, Hildegard of Bingen, Hans Peter Duerr, and others, will allow us to reconstruct what a noncolonial, nonimperialist Europe was like.

Understanding water's nature is essential in this regard, for water forms the basis of our understandings of flow. Furthermore, understanding water's energetic qualities will help us understand how it interacts with the body. Traditional Chinese Medicine, for example, would benefit from an accurate and holistic understanding of water's qualities.

In short, this book is an excellent appetizer, but I await the main course ...

Thought provoking intro to little-known qualities of water.......1998-11-19

Although it occasionally veers into new-age speculation or pseudoscience, this book offers a rare look at truly alternative ideas about water and energy. The description of Schauberger's early work with flumes is enthralling, and the brief exposition of "flow forms" towards the end of the book is valuable. Search "flow forms" in any web search engine to see some of the sites around the world espousing a fascinating technology that unites water pollution control with esthetics.

Great introduction to IMPLOSION and what we missed out !.......1998-08-24

I have to say - I got very AGGRAVATED by some portions of this book , because it TOTALLY agreed and expanded on my very own frustrations with our retarded "modern" technologies.

I have ALWAYS dreaded NOISE - I haven't done empirical research on this subject, but my gut instinct has led me to run from & truly hate noisy machines. I feel like someone were stabbing me when I am exposed to a Harley Davidson on the road ! The only friends I really have in this matter I think are the ANIMALS - have you ever noticed the DREAD & FEAR with which ANY animal reacts to our machines ( most notably our motors - be they lawnmowers, drilling machines ... ) Even birds totally abhor the NOISE from our aircraft & automobiles .. notice their flight, as from terror, when they are flying over traffic !

Now I see that IMPLOSION is essentially a NOISELESS phenomenon !! And this is the technology that truly supports the LIVING ! My question - FOLKS, WHEN WILL WE RECOGNIZE THAT WE ARE NOT MACHINES ?? AND OUR SPIRITUALITY IS NOT SOME GOD-DEVIL-CRAP but a PHYSICAL manifestation of the higher ????

Book Description

From the bestselling author of A Man Called Intrepid comes the first and only biography of Vera Atkins, of whom James Bond creator Ian Fleming said, "In the real world of spies, Vera Atkins was the boss." Vera Atkins was an attractive young woman with smoky eyes and lustrous black hair. She belonged to a wealthy family and dined with ambassadors and kings. She could have been a socialite, but in the cataclysmic days of World War II, Vera Atkins became Great Britain's spymistress.

Customer Reviews:

Publishing farce.......2007-09-19

The author of Spymistress states that Vera Atkins had "lustrous black hair" whereas in fact she was a blue-eyed blonde, as anyone who ever met her could have told him.
If the author cannot get the colour of his subject's hair right it is hardly surprising that much of the rest of the book turns out to be nonsense too. The fantasies woven here have no interest. The author trivialises a great woman's life story. He does so in the knowledge that the dead cannot answer back.
The true story of Vera Atkins's life is far more compelling than anything in this book. I know this because I spent five years researching her extraordinary story across the world. I interviewed her at length before she died and I had sole access to her archive.
I am writing this review not to promote my own book but to defend Vera's integrity. This false "biography" desecrates the memory of a remarkable woman, misses the real story entirely, and brings the American publishing industry into disrepute. In short, it is a publishing farce.

The Secret Life of Bill Clinton: The Unreported Stories

Average customer rating:

Incredible Work
What a McGovernite Liberal is Really Like
A must-read to any American citizen...
Partisan Revenge Tactics = Big Bucks
It's time for One Term Limits for all Politicians

The Secret Life of Bill Clinton: The Unreported Stories
Ambrose Evans-Pritchard
Manufacturer: Regnery Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0895264080

Amazon.com

These days, it seems like everyone's a Friend of Bill--Clinton's buddies from Arkansas are turning up in powerful White House positions faster than you can say "Whitewater." But make no mistake, British journalist Ambrose Evans-Pritchard is no F.O.B.: in the course of The Secret Life of Bill Clinton's 350-plus pages, he manages to connect the president to everything from 1997's Oklahoma City bombing to Arkansas's drug underworld to the mysterious death of White House aide and longtime Clinton friend Vince Foster, and, of course, to Paula Jones. According to Evans-Pritchard--who has reported for the London-based Spectator, Sunday Telegraph (where he served as Washington bureau chief), and Daily Telegraph newspapers--Clinton's "original sin" was the Waco incident, the FBI's much-criticized assault on the Branch Davidian community in Texas that led to the deaths of 76 people. From that point on, the author asserts, it was all downhill for the American people.

Evans-Pritchard's exposé of Arkansas's favorite son is indeed scathing: he documents the then-governor's drug use and consort with prostitutes (primarily in the company of ne'er-do-well brother Roger); innumerable lies to friends, staff members, and the people who empowered him; numerous infidelities; blackmail--the list goes on and on. Evans-Pritchard claims that, because he is not an American citizen, he is not "beholden to any political or financial interest in the United States," and he does not "hang on lips of official sources," nor does he "fear the loss of access in Washington, or the blackball of [his] profession"; in other words, he ain't afraid to call 'em like he sees 'em. And although many of his seemingly wild claims and accusations are substantiated by thorough notes and appendixes following the text (including copies of original FBI documents), you're never quite convinced of the author's theories. Whether or not you come to believe, as Evans-Pritchard does, that "Arkansas was a mini-Colombia within the United States, infested by narco-corruption"; that--because of William Jefferson Clinton--"you can sniff the pungent odors of decay in the American body politic"; that the president's "actions and character ... have engendered the most deadly terrorist movement in the industrialized world," you will most certainly be entertained and enlightened by the dirt this British muckraker has uncovered. You may not be an F.O.B., but after reading this book, you may not mind so much.

Book Description

An illustrious investigative reporter adds shocking new and exclusive revelations to his swelling bag of Clinton scandals.

Customer Reviews:

Incredible Work.......2007-06-23

I just read this book for the second time after having read it a few years ago. It's amazing how time dulls the memory. I had forgotten about all of the scandals and crimes associated with the Clintons and it is chilling that after all of this time the Clintons still have not been held accountable and at this time Hillary is even in the running to become our next president.

Ambrose Evans-Pritchard has written a well-documented and well-researched book from years of investigation and interviews. He has meticulously laid out the evidence for the Clintons association with the Oklahoma bombing, Vince Foster's death, the sad murder of Kevin Ives, the "Dixie Mafia" and even Paula Jones.

I can understand why those who are enamored of Bill Clinton will not like this book but in typical left-wing form those who have given this book only one star and complain that it is filled with lies offer no facts to refute those supposed lies.

What a McGovernite Liberal is Really Like.......2004-09-25

Evans-Pritchard reveals what America gets when it elects a new age liberal. Bill Clinton a "new democrat"? Yes, if you mean New Left.

This Clinton is a man who served under the segregationist and anti-Vietnam war senator Fulbright.

Evans-Pritchard takes you behind the sanitized snapshots. What you see is at least a third of the American voting populace who does not mind Clinton's Arkansas corruption and subsequent White House coverup. "They all do it," was the Clinton defense.

Most reporters were too cowardly to investigate the suspicious activities at Mena, Arkansas airport, or the bumbling of Clinton's handpicked stooges in the Justics Department, and the subversion of the FBI's handling of the Oklahoma City bombing.

Before the dead kids bodies in the Murrah Building were even cold, Clinton blamed conservative talk radio for creating the climate that led to the bombing. That is what a real liberal does.

In retrospect, it now becomes clear why James Carville became Clinton's most staunch defender. To paraphrase a threat from Carville, "Ken Starr is one step away from having his kneecaps busted." THAT IS THE REAL BILL CLINTON, not the easy-going good-time charlie playing the sax on TV.

Bill Clinton was a Rhodes scholar . . . with extremely poor judgment. Crafty? Yes. Wise, like Reagan? Hell No.

A must-read to any American citizen..........2002-12-30

I purchased this book after hearing review after review of it from my family members. Needless to say, they were right - this book is an absolute bombshell of information that pinpoints most, if not all of the ethical and legal faux pas raised by the Clinton Administration and the organizations under that regime. Some of the highlights include how the FBI blundered Waco, how the Murrah building was most definately more than a one-person job (but was apparently ordered not to investigate it as such), how Clinton was dealing in cocaine trafficking and how the Clintons managed to cover all of this up with the help of the liberal media.

... Ambrose Evans-Pritchard documents everything he asserts based on facts of witness testimony, comparing FBI affadavits, and other documents related to these cases. If there is any flaw with the book is that Pritchard couldn't 100% tie all of the incidents to Clinton, though 95% of the crimes mentioned in the book can be easily seen how they tie to Clinton or to someone high up in the Clinton administration.

I reiterate - this book is a must-read to anyone who is sick and tired of hearing how great the Clinton Administration is, and should be read by those people who continue to profess how wonderful Clinton was.

Partisan Revenge Tactics = Big Bucks.......2002-10-29

To the people who read this book, you really should do some research on the author, who was sure that he was going to be killed by Clinton's "Death Squads" while writing this. It's a perfect book to feed the conservative paranoia that the Clinton years cultivated. The guy couldn't even have a successful affair without getting caught, how he could have managed all that he is accused of in this book is borderline absurd. And the section regarding the advanced knowledge of the Oklahoma bombing is just plain ridiculous, especially when you compare it to the recent allegation of the Bush administration's advance knowledge of 9/11 activities. It's easy to dislike Clinton when you're a conservative, I understand, and this book certainly gives you fuel for the fire. But no one should take anything in this book as entirely factual or of any journalistic value. The elaborate footnotes and "documentation" are an almost comedic exersize in logical thinking. But hey, I'm not going to knock a book that so many people like. The only thing I object to is its classification as a "non-fiction" book.

It's time for One Term Limits for all Politicians.......2002-01-29

I just finished reading this book - on the heals of finishing Bernard Goldberg's book, Bias. It made me sick to my stomach. Not being one to swallow what someone tries to feed me without thinking for myself, if even some of the allegations made in this book are true, it's horrifying.

I'm wondering why no one in the media wants to uncover the truth about Vince Foster's death. I learned recently that his widow received a $286,000 wire transfer 4 days after his death and no one wants to account for the money trail.

What blows my mind is if Bill had a "nose like a vacuum" as the author alleges Roger Clinton stated on a surveillance tape, why isn't that front page news? Are we so gullible as a society that we tolerate such behavior from our leaders so long as it doesn't interfere with our own personal quality of life?

I admit I am no fan of the Clintons and I didn't vote for Al Gore. However, I'm having trouble sleeping at night in fear for the country my son will inherit if these allegations are true. I always knew the rich and powerful got different justice from the rest of us - I guess I always thought the press would protect us from ourselves. God help us all.

Book Description

This account of missionary Hudson Taylor's amazing life has been a soul-searching inspiration to many. (More than 269,000 in print)

Customer Reviews:

Hudson Taylor's Spiritual Secret.......2007-09-24

Very informative and honest account of what it is really like in practice to trust in Jesus Christ to fulfill your needs when you are loving and obeying the Lord's Word (the Bible).

Excellent Book to the Understanding of Abiding in Christ..........2007-02-11

Very well written and worthy of commendation. I recommend in for all, especially to those who are seeking, with hope, a trophy of God's dispensations in the diverse and many operations of this world about them, and in them.
There certainly is a refuge in the midst of the storms, who is Christ Jesus...but, sometimes, it is neddful to direct thy bow to face the storm, and to ride the waves right into the storm. It is there, that we may find an "eye" in the storm, with peace and tranquility our anchors and mainstay.

great read.......2007-01-20

This got me an A on a college paper on Missionaries in China. It is a great primary source.

Chose Hudson for Son's Name.......2007-01-10

This book is an inspiring story of Hudson Taylor's life - the sacrifices he made of himself and his family to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. He was truly a faith-filled man, and his story will encourage your faith too! (We named our son Hudson after this Christian man.)

Hudson Taylor's Spiritual Secret.......2006-07-29

Great book containing the life of a man of God who gave all to reach the lost in China. There is much insight into Hudson Taylor's relationship with God. Very instructive and enjoyable to read.

Chrysalis: Maria Sibylla Merian and the Secrets of Metamorphosis

Average customer rating:

A gorgeous biography surveying her life and achievements.
Fascinating new book

Chrysalis: Maria Sibylla Merian and the Secrets of Metamorphosis
Kim Todd
Manufacturer: Harcourt
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0151011087

Book Description

Before Darwin, before Audubon, there was Merian. An artist turned naturalist known for her botanical illustrations, she was born just sixteen years after Galileo proclaimed that the earth orbited the sun. But at the age of fifty she sailed from Europe to the New World on a solo scientific expedition to study insect metamorphosis—an unheard-of journey for any naturalist at that time, much less a woman. When she returned she produced a book that secured her reputation, only to have it savaged in the nineteenth century by scientists who disdained the work of “amateurs.”

Exquisitely written and illustrated, Chrysalis takes us from golden-age Amsterdam to the Surinam tropics to modern laboratories where Merian’s insights fuel a new branch of biology. Kim Todd brings to life a seventeenth-century woman whose boldness and vision would still be exceptional today.

Customer Reviews:

A gorgeous biography surveying her life and achievements........2007-05-17

Today Maria Merian is mostly known for her lovely butterfly prints, but back in 1699 she sailed from Amsterdam to South America on an expedition to study metamorphosis - a rare journey for any naturalist of the times, much less a woman over fifty - and spent two years in the tropical jungle seeking out caterpillars and studying butterflies. Her accomplishments were largely dismissed and forgotten but come to life here in a gorgeous biography surveying her life and achievements.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

Fascinating new book.......2007-01-21

Ever since "Tinkering with Eden," I have been eagerly awaiting Kim Todd's next book, and, with "Chrysalis," she does not disappoint. Anyone who enjoys a good biography should read this book - and for that reason, it's a great book to give as a gift. The topic sounds obscure, but Todd's vivid prose brings her remarkable subject to life. Highly recommended!

The Spy Next Door: The Extraordinary Secret Life of Robert Philip Hanssen, the Most Damaging FBI Agent in U.S. History

Average customer rating:

Terrible Traitor!
Hey
A Great Story
Interesting, but thorough?
Very Interesting

The Spy Next Door: The Extraordinary Secret Life of Robert Philip Hanssen, the Most Damaging FBI Agent in U.S. History
Elaine Shannon , and Ann Blackman
Manufacturer: Little, Brown and Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0316718211
Release Date: 2002-01-02

Book Description

A shocking, fascinating account of one of the greatest espionage scandals of our time. Ann Blackman and Elaine Shannon reveal the truth about Robert Hanssen and his 15 years of exceptionally destructive espionage. They brilliantly explore why Hanssen decided to betray his family, his church and his country, and how he got away with it.

Customer Reviews:

Terrible Traitor!.......2007-03-19

"The Spy Next Door" is an astonishing easy reading story about a common man with an uncommon ability to elude. Robert Hanssen's 25 year job at the FBI gave him access to carefully guarded national security secrets. Ann Blackman and Elaine Shannon are investigative reporters that give a biography of a man whose life is unbelievable, yet true and amazing.

The "Spy Next Door" page turner includes his life from ostracized child to super spy for the Soviets. The only son of a Chicago Cop, he never received his father's approval, was a high school misfit, who developed deep resentments. On the surface, Bob never made a big deal about anything, but he didn't like surprises and he didn't like being forgotten. He was smart and knew by developing a facade of normalcy - he played the boring man next door. Beneath his shell of normalcy he built his dual lives - "lawful" FBI agent and Soviet Spy; "faithful" husband and playboy; and "loyal Catholic" and aesthetic. He kept an arms length from reality so he could chase an exciting game of cat and mouse. He dropped clues - almost daring people to catch him or pay better attention.

What amazed me is that he could have gotten away with it. Why did he take the risk of reactivating? There was little chance of the FBI catching him as long as he stayed dormant. Hanssen's espionage has little to do with spying and much to do with emotional wants. He is an arrogant man harboring resentments and needed "respect" and friendships from an enemy that laughed at his naive requests for little money and yet giving them key intelligence - causing deaths of our agents - so they would pay attention and he could get retribution - telling everyone "I will show you!"

By blending in, being "common" - no one paid attention to him. The betrayal to this country is enormous.

Hey.......2006-07-24

I found this book very informative i was able to read it super fast a must read

A Great Story.......2003-02-04

This book was a good read. It seemed to be more thoroughly researched(although there are still open questions) and was not simply rushed out by two greedy authors capitalizing on recent events.

I understand that Bob and Bonnie Hansen's position was not represented in this book. I would've liked more concrete evidence rather than author speculation, but that is implausible in this case.

With the amount of research and time that was invested in this book, I am reasonably satisfied with the result and give this book 4 stars

Interesting, but thorough?.......2003-01-09

I have to rate this book at 3 stars. Why? At only 230+ pages, I have to wonder if the book wasn't a rush to judgement and was not as thoroughly researched as it could have been. Basically, the book is a good, quick read and gives the reader an overall view of Bob Hanssen and his exploits as a spy. However, there are a few things that make me believe the book could have been better.

First of all, there was a lengthy dissertation about Opus Dei. Shannon never really adequately explained how the Opus Dei may have contributed to Hanssen's behavior as a spy. Secondly, she mentioned his interest in internet pornography. Well...so how did that affect Hanssen's behavior? She doesn't explain that, so one wonders what was the point of mentioning his interest in pornography in the first place. Third, as another reader mentioned, there are no bibliographies nor an index, nor are there any photos. I have to question Shannon's notes if she doesn't reference them.

Nevertheless, the book is worth a read. I think the book would have benefitted from a better psychoanalysis of Hanssen. ...

Very Interesting.......2003-01-03

I was intrigued by the information in this book.I wanted more detail and a clearer understanding. I remember searching for this book and waiting for it to arrive. I was a little disappointed that it was not better, having seen several interviews with the authors.
I have found that "Spy" by David Wise is a more detailed and better written book. I believe Robert Hanssen and his family cooperated with Mr Wise.

Average customer rating:

Great read!!
So-so
American Agent: My Life in the CIA
Good, but VERY Detailed
Glimpse into life in the CIA

The American Agent: My Life in the CIA
Richard L. Holm
Manufacturer: St Ermin's Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1903608147

Book Description

The compelling memoir of one of the CIA’s most respected officers and diplomats.

Customer Reviews:

Great read!!.......2007-08-31

A wonderful account of an interesting career. If you are into government, intelligence, foriegn politics, or just plain old spy novels, you should definately read this book.

So-so.......2007-05-08

Some of the content of the book is fascinating. I enjoyed when he discussed operational details, but they seemed few and far between. As other reviews have said, the book seems focused on house hunting and the like. I also found his writing style to be a bit up and down. It almost reads like a first draft, with a strange flow.
I would recommend the book for anyone who is interested in the subject because there is not that much available that describes life inside the Agency. That being said, it is by no means a great read.

American Agent: My Life in the CIA.......2007-03-10

Good insite into the internal politics at the CIA. Pulls no punches regarding who (historically) supported the agency's mission and who did not.

Good perspective of what our field agents face abroad, their lifestyle, challenges with landguages, cultures, etc.

Slightly disappointed Holm did not go more into specific or theoretical cases. Also, he rants a bit too much at the end to get 31 yesrs of frustratio off his chest.

Good, but VERY Detailed.......2007-01-11

Holmes is a very detailed man. He tells his lifestory in great detail. Some of it is interesting, some of it is not. He does an excellent job in describing the agency and how it operates. Unfortunately, you have to read or go through a lot of junk to get there.

If you want the "quick and dirty" info about the CIA and how it operates, do not get this book. If you want great details about our operations in the Congo, Laos, and Asia and you have plenty of time, this is the book to read.

Glimpse into life in the CIA.......2007-01-05

I enjoyed this book because it covers a wide range of CIA history but also gives a glimpse into the life of a career operations oficer. Although the descriptions of Mr. Holms work are vague, descriptions of places he lived and the daily grind at different stages in his life are excellent. The book contains well written descriptions of his exotic experiences in far off lands, and is largely an enjoyable read.

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