Grant Blackwood's book helps to reclaim a chunk of this reader's past. In college I read many "spy novels", stories of international intrigue; tales of hard-boiled, tough as nails, handsome, super human guys who controlled every situation in which they found themselves. And no situation was unplanned. It was cool, guys so in control of their lives that they would possess any woman they desired - whether Countess or Queen, all the while saving the world for the baddest of the bad guys. They even casually tossed off witty and biting one-liners as they saved the world for the baddest of the bad guys. Must of have been my stage in life, totally unsure of what I would do post college, baffled by the big world outside the cozy confines of a university town. Somehow, this super-race of world savers gave me comfort that I would get out of Biology II, Trig, whatever, and go on to find my own world, albeit a much, much smaller one. Must of worked, life went on and these unrealistic, jet-setting, Bond-ish guys moved off my shelves.

Wall of Night, and the first Briggs Tanner novel, End of Enemies, moved those memories back into my consciousness. I may not read the Wilbur Smith, Lawrence Sanders, and Ian Fleming titles again, but Briggs, the main character in Blackwood's first two novels, gives me a character I can respect. Competent and sure, strong, accomplished and confident, Briggs has an attribute that is missing in some of the other intrigue characters I am familiar with - humility. Briggs does every thing those guys I read in my college days did, but he does it with a style that makes him seem more human. He is fallible, he'll admit to it, and heck, he even maintains a close relationship with his mom and dad.

Briggs and his colleagues are great characters. Read the Briggs novels. You got page turning action, great heroes, and believable, well-informed plots. You even have something else lacking in many other spy novels - good writing! Blackwood, even though apparently a young writer, has mastered a great economy in his descriptions. Still, he uses vivid imagery to paint the picture in detail adequate enough to put you in the scene. In Wall of Night, Blackwood puts the reader inside a sub dangling on a ocean floor shelf, just waiting to drop off into the abyss. You can feel yourself there. Tanner and associates deal with folks doing good and evil all over the planet and Blackwood takes you in and out each environ with ease, and with an understanding of each culture that provides a realistic feel, while maintaining the dignity of that culture. Ya just gotta read the description of Briggs, the Chinese farmer, and the farmer's truck. Good stuff, add this one to your reading list today!

Grant Blackwood's new book is a sizzling blend of mystery, suspense and political intrigue.
For me a good book needs three criteria:
One - is it a page turner...it was. I couldn't wait to see what was happening in D.C., Russia and China.
Two - am I sad it's ended....I was.
Three - can I jump right into a new book or not...NOT. I am still in China with Briggs Tanner.
If you LIKED "End of Enemies", you'll LOVE "Wall of Night".

I loved Blackwood's first book, The End of Enemies, so I was chomping at the bit to get to this one. But to be honest, though, I was ready for some disappointment. Two reasons: First of all, it seems like a lot of great first novels are followed by mediocre ones -- as if the author just didn't have another good one in them. Second, given how much I enjoyed Enemies, I didn't think there was any way the second could be better.

I was wrong! Wall of Night is adventure and intrigue at it's best! Briggs Tanner returns, this time going back into harm's way to rescue a friend/defector he'd thought was long dead. Along the way, he finds himself in New Zealand, Jakarta, China, and finally.... well, I won't ruin it for you.

Mixed in with the main plot there's a family who's been mysteriously murdered n Washington, ruthless spies playing hide and seek, a submarine on a secret mission, commandos surrounded by bad guys in hostile territory, un unpredictable Russian megalomaniac, and a sleazy US president.

To top it all off, Blackwood knows his stuff. He knows how to put you right there, in the middle of the action. Plenty of twists, turns, and surprises. And of course, the good guys (no bias intended, ladies) win in the end, but it's not a rollover victory that leaves you thinking, "Oh, come on...." It's touch and go until the last page. (Which contains another surprise.)

In the end, I stayed up till three in the morning to finish the story, but I didn't regret it a bit. I downed some coffee and went to work, but my mind was still on the pages of The Wall of Night.

If you're only going to read five books on the Civil War - which is like saying, only eat one french fry - make this one of them. Grant's autobiography, written under excruciating conditions of financial pressure and failing health in the late 1880's, is one of the most unforgettable reads available about the American Civil War.
Terse, simple, and almost painfully modest, Grant takes us through his life - the schooling at West Point (he was too retiring to point out they'd got his middle name wrong at registration, and was mistakenly given the name Ulysses SIMPSON Grant which he used for the rest of his life). The bravery and initiative of the Mexican War. The long, lonely postings in the early '50's to California, a continent away from his wife and beloved young children. The depression, leaving the Army, trying to make it in civilian life, failing at almost everything he tried. Then the war begins in 1861 when Lincoln calls for volunteers. It's typical of Grant that he goes to a little midwest recruiting post and modestly says he might take command of something very small - a company, perhaps? This, for a West Point graduate. From then on the book ceases being merely very interesting and starts becoming a can't-put-down.
The simple and good-hearted soul of the man just shines through his words, and he doesn't get caught up badly in the mid-century Victorian fustery of so much Civil War writing. He tells you what happened and what he thought about it; I remember about Lee at Appomatox, he said that he felt like anything in world after Lee's surrender except gloating over so brave an army as Lee's who had fought so nobly for a cause - even though he also thought it was one of the worst causes for which men had ever fought. His prose just flows through the extraordinary events he helped channel - Shiloh, Vicksburg, The Battle of the Wilderness, the surrender, and all points in between. It's an irreplaceable and wonderful resource and you end up falling big-time for Ulysses S. Grant. Don't miss it.

I first read U.S. Grant's memoirs when I was a college student during the Vietnam War. It helped me a great deal to appreciate how horrific war was and still is and that it should only be suffered when the cause is truly worthwhile. It was in the American Civil War and World War II. It was not in the Vietnam War. It was not our finest hour.

But this book also got me hooked on the history of the American Civil War. It is in my judgment, after more than fifty years and reading perhaps a thousand volumes about this watershed event in our nation's history, the single best written and brutally honest work on that event. Especially so in that it was written first-hand by one of the principal characters in that national and human tragedy.

For those of you really interested in becoming a student of the American Civil War, I recommend it highly, after you read the American Heritage History of the Civil War and before you read Lee's Lieutenants by Douglas Southhall Freeman and the four book series by Bruce Catton.

If by that time you're not hooked and become a Civil War junkie, you never will be.

Written more as a military memoir than a personal, Grant proves to be an outstanding author as well as a General. Reading this set me off to find more about the General's personal life. I highly recommend to anyone interested in the Civil War, you won't be disappointed.

The title tells you what Liddell Hart thinks of him: in his estimation, Publius Cornelius Scipio was the greatest general of all time. At first blush this may seem a pet theory: Scipio's name is unfamiliar to most all except classics scholars and opera buffs. But in a detailed, illuminating account of Scipio's career, Liddell Hart prosecutes his theory with vigor. As he explains, "greatness" is not properly measured in terms of body count or territorial gain; to find a "great captain" one first looks for someone who knows precisely what needs to be done in order to achieve a strategic objective, and finds the tactical means to do this. Scipio's trumphs in New Carthage (Spain) and later his annihilation of Hannibal's army at Zama and later exploits in Asia are proof of this ability. Above this, a great general must have a sense of proportion, of measuring the success of a particular strategy in terms of its long-term impact. In this respect, he argues, Scipio wins out over Napoleon, because he never went to excess in the pursuit of his military goals. He was never greedy, bloodthirsty or unrealistic: witness his refusal to pursue endless and futile conquests in Asia, or the relatively generous terms that he offered Carthage in the Punic Wars. Liddell Hart's concept of "greatness by restraint" also reveals his own perspective on military affairs: writing as he did in the 1920s, he was very subtly expressing his profound disgust with many of the WW1 leaders. Tis book can thus be read on two levels: Liddell Hart's derision of Cato (the genocidal Roman senator who, following Scipio's retirement, eventually persuaded Rome to raze Carthage to the ground) can be interpreted as a latter day commentary on the politicians who deluded themselves that Versaille had won them an everlasting peace.

A greater than Napoleon? Probably not. But pretty darn good? That much is for certain. Hart writes a gripping biography of a truly remarkable personage.

One of the more noteworthy characteristics of this book lies in its detail. We are given an honest picture of Scipio, as well as his family's military heritage & dedication to Rome. It would appear that he was quite a humanitarian for his day & age. The book also illustrates some of the mind-boggling stupid politics that could interfere with a great general's resolve even way back then.

One thing I did not realize before reading Hart's book was that Scipio himself fought as a junior officer at Cannae. He was one of the precious few Roman soldiers to escape the wrath of Hannibal that day. Lucky for Rome he did....

This is a great book & a must read for any military historian or classical scholar. I would suggest that people read in conjunction with this work Theodore Ayrault Dodge's biography on Hannibal for the "other side" of this conflict. Although Dodge & Hart disagree on several key points, it is still useful to get a view of the story from an alternative angle. Also, for those who enjoy reading about Scipio half as much as I did, I recommend the sections on Gaius and Tiberius Gracchus from Plutarch's "Lives." They were the grandsons of Scipio. Enjoy!

Liddell-Hart's Scipio should be required reading in every high school and university because he refuses to worship at the altar of the sacred cows of history, killers like Hannibal, Caesar, Alexander, Napoleon, Robert E. Lee, etc. All of these "Great" men brought either tyranny to their country or left a legacy of poverty and destruction behind after their pursuit of glory on the battlefield. Not so with Scipio Africanus. Scipio was an intellectual and a lover of the classics. He joined the army not to seek personal fame and fortune, but to save his people from being destroyed by the rampaging Carthaginian Hannibal. When he was through defeating his enemy in Spain, Sicily, and finally on Hannibal's home turf in Africa at the battle of Zama, Scipio built a framework of peace and stability for the young Roman Republic that would only be threatened by Julius' later introduction of tyranny and one man rule. The most significant point militarily that Liddell-Hart makes is in emphasizing Scipio's use of indirect approach. Instead of relying on bloody frontal assaults into the heart of the enemies main army Scipio used an economy of human lives by attacking his enemies supply bases with few casualties to either side. By ruining Hannibal's ability to stay in Italy and forcing him to return home once Scipio was threatening to overrun Carthage, Scipio preserved the lives of his own men for the final confrontation at Zama. Once the time came for a head to head battle, the roman legions were supremely confident, even though Hannibal had never been defeated. Many readers even today sing the praises of Hannibal, but the truth is that Hannibal was soundly defeated at every turn by Scipio Africanus. Scipio's name must be remembered with higher esteem and honor. Liddell-Hart suggests that Scipio is greater than Napoleon because for all of his brilliance and virtuosity, Napoleon did everything to glorify himself, to seize dictatorial power, and all his efforts were ultimatley futile. He was defeated, he bankrupted France, and millions of men died or lived out their lives as cripples because of his masturbatory fantasies of personal wealth and glory. Scipio brought security and prosperity to his people, and then retired. That is why I also think that Scipio was Greater than Napoleon.

These three books are among the best books i have ever read in my entire life, granted i am only seventeen, but reading has always been one of my passions. The Dark Tower series grabs you and doesnt let go. Obsessive would be the only adequate word to describe how i feel about the books when i am reading them- and i have read each one at least twice, the first one even three times! No matter who you are and what is going on in your life each reader can feel a connection with the characters. Thats part of what makes the books so enthralling- we see ourselves as Roland pushing forward no matter what or Eddie Dean overcoming the unthinkable and finally learning to accept himself. I dont care what types of books you read- these books are for everybody and anybody. If you are looking for truely good books that will keep you yearning for more then look no further. King throws the plot around so often youll be thinking about it every waking moment of the day. My only gripe is that King doesnt come out with them often enough- i need more!

The Dark Tower Series is the best thing that Stephen King has every written. If you love King's work you'll love this, if you hate his work you'll love this. For King to be able to keep his story together so well over the time span in which he has thus far written it is truly amazing. Roland is the best character I've ever read, except, possibly Rett Butler its really a toss up. The first time I read the series I couldn't put it down and once I finished I swear I had withdrawls. I am just begining to read them again and every day that goes by that I have to wait to find out what happen to Roland and his band of Crusaders is one day to many. All I can say is Stephen King please hurry and fishish book 5 and don't you dare die before you finish this series. If you havn't read these books don't waste another second and read them.

From the moment I opened to the first page of "The Dark Tower Series", I was hypnotized and a willing prisoner of Kings fantasy. I loved each one, up until I reached the last page of "Wastelands". At this point I said something off-color and threw the book across the room. I couldn't believe that I would have to patiently wait for the next in the series. Well, it has been several years and many many books later, and my wish is finally being granted. The next book has been completed. During this frustrating time of waiting, my main concern was the Mr. Stephen King would suffer a horrible accident and die before he could complete the series. Not only would the world have lost a great author, but I would have gone insane from not knowing the conclusion of this magical series. My family can finally breathe a sigh of relief since I wont be a nervous reck over not being able to grasp this book in my impatient hands

Tryin' to Sleep in The Bed You Made written by friends, Virginia DeBerry and Donna Grant is one of most beautiful and memorable novels I've read. This novel was originally published in 1997 but republished this year. This edition includes an all-new chapter that has not been published before. Now lets get to the story.

Gayle Saunders and Patricia Reid have been friends since childhood. They chose each other for their best friend. They are completely opposite. Gayle is beautiful and well loved by her parents. Her only ambition is to marry a man who has money and is someone with high standing in the community. Pat on the other hand comes from an unstable home. She is smart and determined to work her way to the top. Circumstances change for Pat and Gayle's parents adopt her. They grow up together like sisters. Pat is accepted into a prep school and their lives take different paths. Gayle marries Ramsey, a gambler who almost destroys her life. She does not have a clue about her husband's secret life. He is very controlling and Gayle lives to be the dutiful wife. Needless to say Pat graduated from college with honors. Her determination and hard work took her to top of her career in Advertising. After reaching the top Pat was not satisfied. She was still trying to find a place that she could call home. After years of separation and many trials and tribulations Pat and Gayle find the meaning of true friendship.

Marcus Carter who is a childhood friend of Pat and Gayle is troubled. He is being haunted by a tragic accident that occurred during his childhood. The details of the accident are a well-kept secret. Pat and Gayle share this secret with him.

The new chapter is an expansion of the original storyline and is well written. There is more about how you sleep in that bed you made. You are in for a surprise.

DeBerry and Grant have written a novel that is filled with so much honesty in their characterizations. The writing is clear and easy to follow. They have succeeded in making the characters feel like real people.

I was really touched by this book. It made me think about my friendships with other women. There is many twist and turns in this book but you are never confused about what really happens. This is a good book one that I could not put down until I finished.
I would recommend this book to all women.

Reviewed by Dorothy Cooperwood

I enjoyed reading Tryin to Sleep. I found it to be Excellent writing (An Outstanding Story). I enjoyed it so much I bought three copies, for my friends and mother. TTS was recommended to me by my good friend Rod. We both agree that it was an outstanding novel. I appreciated all three characters. I believe that the friendship Pat, Gayle and Marcus had was one in which if everyone had or experienced, this world would be a better place. In closing I would like to say, This is one of the best books I've read thus far. It was so had to put the book down. I'm sure you ladies are writing your next book as we speak. Do you think there could be a sequel? I look forward to and can't wait to read it. Tryin to Sleep is a novel that felt very real. If the second book is anything like TTS, I know it will also be a best seller. Congratulations on an Excellent book.

I finished reading this book yesterday, and I'm still in awe! DeBerry and Grant did a superb job of telling a beautiful story of frienship, betrayal, love, forgiveness, and letting go of the pain of the past. I wonder how the authors went about writing the book together, because it reads as though it was written by one person. One person with a profound voice, and a way with words that had me laughing out loud at some points, pissed off at some points, and crying like a baby at other points. And the way they wrote that Ramsey character! I fell in love with him right along with Gayle in the scene where she lost her virginity to him! And I was ready to take him back for Gayle in that scene in the cemetary! I think I identify more with Gayle than with any of the other characters in the book, but I loved them all!

This was definitely one of the best books I've read this summer, and I would even read it again. And I don't usually read books more than once, no matter how much I like them! I would also love to see this book made into a movie. For some reason, I see Vanessa L. Williams as the perfect Gayle. But enough of my raving about the book. If you haven't read it, you should! Believe me, you'll be glad you did!

An unusual and quite lovable fairy tale, "The Last Unicorn" captures a certain eerie and mystical quality that sends shivers down your spine, and adds alot of enjoyment to the book. I sometimes found myself quite frustrated with the unicorn, wondering how she could be so callous and unfeeling, but her emotional as well as physical journey is a main theme in this book. Her companions are quite far from perfect, an unusual concept in fantasy, and one which I enjoyed very much. You can't help but grow quite fond of the fumbling Schmendrick, or the tough, practical Molly Grue, both of whom add a bit of diversity to the story. I was also fascinated with the wierd, witchlike Mommy Fortuna, who knows the limits of her own power but lets her covetous nature of all things immortal be her downfall. Written with a dreamlike quality, "The Last Unicorn" isn't as much fantasy as it is a story about beauty, and the search for it, and how magic is a very tangible part of our lives.

The Last Unicorn is an all time classic. I loved this book after reading the first two pages. It is that addicting. Peter S. Beagle wrote the best book I have ever read when he wrote this.

The story is about a Unicorn, who was the color of the snow while being relected in the moonlight. She is wonderfully described by Beagle. She learns through several scourses that she is the last unicorn in the world, and she starts on a quest to find her people.

On the way she is captured by the vile witch Mommy Fortuna, and is held captive. But among her captivity she finds a trusted friend, a bumbleing magicain named Shemdrick. Shemdrick joins the Unicorn on her quest.

Soon they find another ally, in the form of a jaded woman named Molly Grue. As the trio continues to search for the rest of the world's unicorns, the find themselves face to face with death, danger, betrayl, love, and an alcoholic skull (sorry, but I had to include that).

I read this book at least once every month, and every time I still get the same thrill when the Unicorn battles the Red Bull, or when the Lady Amalthea confesess her love for Prince Lir.

This is the best book I have ever read in my life, and will remain the best book I have ever read. You should without a doubt pick up a copy of this book and read it.

As a child, my sister and I watched this beautiful movie over and over until the colour had faded and the sound was poor, but to this day my sister watches it still. The characters were unforgettable and the animation unique and exquisite. Was I surprised to find that there was a book, and that it had come first? Yes. I was sceptical at first, but my reservations melted as I fell in love with Beagle's story. His writing does my favourite characters more justice than the screen,. His story will take on new meaning for everyone who reads it and learns to love it. Not just a silly tale about a unicorn, Beagle's story is witty, daring, fun, and magical. A timeless book you'll regret not reading... again and again! There's something for everyone in Beag'es books. And, if you're interested, there is a history to the animation of The Last Unicorn that is simplyenchanting. I'm not sorry that I've spent hours of my adult life watching the movie and reading the book, and neither will you be. Find out and see! Remember: it is a very rare person who is taken for what he truly is. Enjoy!

The Count of Monte Cristo is the kind of book that the author has a wonderful idea, but has the thought spread too thin over the novel to keep the reader's attention. Alexandre Dumas is an excellent writer but seems to accentuate too many subplots that are unimportant. He also focuses on numerous small and confusing characters.
The basic plot, is about human nature, particularly revenge of a young man named Edmond Dantés. At the age of nineteen, Dantés has a series of important events happen to him. He is convicted of being a Bonapartist by two jealous rivals. He is unable to marry the lovely Mercedes and he is no longer capable become captain of the Pharaon, the merchant ship, on which he used to work on as a first mate. He is thrown into the notorious dungeon, Chateau d'if, for fourteen years. He escapes with a large secret: the map to the famed treasure of Spada. Naturally, he'll use it for his revenge. As they say, the rich can do anything.
The book has so many intricate subplots and minor characters that the real plot seems to be lost in a hurricane of court intrigues, treasonous affairs, and numerous social gatherings. There are at least nine chapters concerning meals and balls, ranging from brunches to dinners, suppers to breakfasts, from a mere ball to a summer ball, and everything in-between. If you understand the difference between a baron and a count, then these things would obviously make sense, and may even be interesting to you. If you don't know the difference, prepare to be a little confused.
Getting to the action takes a while, but when it comes, Dumas gives you a good read. From being captured by bandits, meeting Dantes's old fiancé (who is now married to his arch rival and has a child), to getting even with all those evil men who planned his imprisonment. Although, if you're not at the action yet, get ready for a long, not-so interesting read. Dumas, still manages to throw in some unimportant details and small talk in-between the action. You can't just go skipping around the book, because there are too many important details embedded in the small talk. If you don't read every word, I guarantee you'll get lost.
This book is jam-packed with murderous action, so if that sounds good to you, you should consider reading this book. If you are looking for a challenge then this is a book for you. We recommend this book to older, more advanced readers.

The Count of Monte Cristo is the best book I've read in quite a long while. I wasn't expecting it to be. Frankly, I tend to have low expectations for 19th-century European novels in regard to sheer readability. Like vegetables and trips to the dentist, they tend to be more good for you than simply good. Add in the fact that the unabridged version is over 1000 pages, and I felt sure that the Count would be a somewhat difficult companion.

Nothing could be farther from the truth! Edmond Dantes' adventures kept me fully engrossed from beginning to end. I was disappointed to turn the final page, left longing for more.

If you've seen a movie version of Count of Monte Cristo, expect surprises. I had seen both the Richard Chamberlain and Jim Caviezel versions before reading the book (mmmm . . . Jim Caviezel), but neither were entirely true to the storyline or the mood of the original.

Edmond himself is a thoroughly satisfying and seductive hero. (The reader must take with a grain of salt the numerous references to his drug habit; at the time, opium was unfortunatly de rigeur for a Romantic hero.) The secondary characters are equally engrossing, from the admirable Maximilian Morrel to the villainous Danglars; and the ingenious machinations by which Edmond contrives to reward the deserving and doom the guilty make the chapters fly by.

I would encourage everyone to be sure and get the unabridged version of this masterpiece. It is by no means slow or ponderous, and the thought of what must be left on the cutting room floor to reduce this book to half its size makes me wince.

After watching the movie and then finding myself compelled to read the book, I wrote a review for the DVD version of this great classic by Alexandre Dumas. I did give the adulterated movie 3 stars, even with its deviation from the far superior storyline of the novel (this story does not lend itself to being told in a 2-hour movie). But rather than 3 stars, the book is well deserving of 5, and then some. The tale of the Count is one of heavy, dark intrigue. This is not light reading, and the story will tax your patience and demand of you significant time and concentration if you are to mine its riches. Those with an attention span of a six-year-old need not apply, although any person, young or old, who yields to the lessons being lived out will come away from this book with impressive knowledge regarding the pitfalls of willful ignorance, deceit, and pride; and hopefully a better appreciation for justice, compassion, and love. As for the story itself, Edmond Dantes, a young man of considerable good character, finds himself wrongly imprisoned under dreadful circumstances. He eventually is tutored in prison by a man with extraordinary wisdom-just as the reader is tutored without realizing it as he reads the unfolding chapters. Edmond loses all, gains eternal wisdom and insight, and then begins his true journey into lands where friends and foes experience his heavy influence. The story is one of desperation and deliverance, defeat and despair, and ultimately of triumph at an awful cost. Spiritual applications abound throughout as learned from within dungeons to palaces, and our notions of justice and mercy are sorely tested as a wronged man loses all and then begins to execute what he considers to be, and may well be, God's judgment. If you dedicate the time and attention that this book deserves, you will not be disappointed. If you want to speed-read and add another title to your library card, save your efforts and do not insult the worthwhile messages that this book can bring to the soul. I say soul, but for those with spiritual understanding, the better term is spirit, for this is above all a spiritual book if you have that kind of understanding. The movie alludes to it; the book embodies it. Having now read the book and carefully endured the more tedious portions to ensure that I missed little, I can only say that we do ourselves much disservice by not committing the time to study works such as this. Love, hate, revenge, mercy, justice, and forgiveness are explored in detail in the lives of Edmond Dantes (the Count) and his friends and foes. This complicated novel is unbelievably rich in its timeless spiritual lessons.

"Democracy in America", published in two parts (the first in 1835, the second in 1840), is the great work of Alexis de Tocqueville, a young, aristocratic Frenchman, who traveled through most of the Eastern, Southern, and Midwestern United States during a 9 month period in 1832. Tocqueville had originally set out to study the U.S. prison system but what he saw inspired him to write about much, much more.

The foresight he had for such a young man is really impressive to read 160 years later. What he saw in the morals, work ethic and government structure of the United States led him to accurately predict many of the ways in which the U.S. would lead and has led the world. At the same time Tocqueville was not oblivious to many of the ills in the America he saw. He very wisely writes of the cancer that the institution of slavery was to not only all black Americans, but to the white, Southern farmers and workers as well.

I hate having to give these books "stars" for ratings because in many cases it takes away from the ultimate importance and classic status of a book like this one. Tocqueville does tend to jump around and venture off into different topics that don't fit with the rest of their chapter, which could be attributed to his youth. Also, a few of his predictions, naturally, were way off. A native Texan, I had a good laugh at his view that "the province of Texas is still part of the Mexican dominions, but it will soon contain no Mexicans." But overall Tocqueville's view of America was honest, accurate, and the perfect explanation of why, on a daily basis, people continue to risk their lives to gain the freedom that only the United States of America offers.

De Tocqueville was an amazing man who posessed amazing insight into the workings (and not-workings) of American society. One only laments the fact that he was not a middle caste American politician arguing amongst great minds during the Constitutional conventions. Then again, we are equally lucky of the fact that he was a curious Frenchman of the leisure class who happened to be passing through. This is what gives de Tocqueville the ability to refrain from emotionalism and give us an outsiders view of what makes America good, bad and just plain different.

See, de tocqueville recognizes, as did our founders, that liberty and democracy are key ingredients to a healthy society. On the other hand, he points out that too much freedom or democracy lead to lazy, public-opinion driven conformity, over-emphasis on materialism and restlessness. Another contradiction de tocqueville points out is that although self-government is generally a good idea, there are times when an all powerful aristocracy is just more efficient. He can see all sides.
The best part then is that de Tocqueville doesn't come to any final conclusion. He just observes and reports on America's inner workings as seen by an aristocratic Frenchman.

A few reccomendations to the de tocqueville virgins. First, as this is the unabridged, it may be advised to read the first book, pause to read something else, then read the second book. I read it straight through and found that not only would I have benefited from reflection, but much of the second book is a rehash the first. Second, keep in mind during the second book that the word 'democracy' is also de tocqueville's word for 'capitalism'. The word 'capitalism' would be introduced only years later by one Karl Marx. So when de tocqueville says that democracy increases industriousness, what the reader should hear is that capitalism increases industriousness. This in itself is a brilliant observation by de tocqueville. Democracy and capitalism really are the same thing, different scale. The producer, like the political candidate, cater to the consumer or the voter. Both systems allow the individual to choose the goods and services he wants and reject those he doesn't. This is why one may also want to read 'Wealth of Nations' with this book.

The only other thing I can tell the reader before he or she embarks on a fascinating reading adventure is to keep in mind why de tocqueville wrote the book. He intended it to be read by the french who were not familiar with or had misconceptions about America. Of course, it provides contemporary America with an amazing historical survey. Like the introductory exclamation to MTV's 'Diary' show says, "You think you know, but you have no idea".

The specific edition I am reviewing is the Heffner addition which is a 300 page abridgement. I also own an unabridged edition but I have only read Heffner cover to cover. What is amazing about de Toqueville is how uncanny many of his observations are over a century and a half later. He accurately predicted in 1844 that the world's two great powers would be the United States and Russia. He aptly pointed out that Americans are a people who join associations and he is so right 156 years later. Although there are both religious extremists on both ends, ie fundamentalists and atheists, he was dead on that, as a whole, we are a religious society but that our religious views are moderate. De Toqueville shows how American characteristics evolved from democracy as opposed to the highly class structered societies of Europe. From de Tocqueville, it could have been predicted that pop culture, such as rock music etc, would develop in America because the lack of an aristocracy causes a less cultured taste in the arts. In a thousand and one different ways, I found myself marveling at how dead on de Toqueville was. Most controversially, those who argue that we have lost our liberties to a welfare state might well find support in de Toqueville. Here, 100 years before the New Deal, he forsaw that a strong central government would take away our liberties but in a manner much more benign than in a totalitarian government. There are certain liberties that Americans would willingly sacrifice for the common good. Critics of 20th century liberalism in the US might well point to this as an uncanny observation. By reading "Democracy in America," the reader understands what makes Americans tick. De Toquville was an astute observer of who we are as a people and should be read by all educated Americans.

I want to note that there are several editions of this great work and in deciding which to buy, be aware that each has a different translator. I feel Heffner's translation is slightly stilted but, he did such a wonderful job in editing this abridgement that it, nontheless, deserves 5 stars.

If you want an exceptional read pick up this book!

The prologue piques your interest from the start. The last paragraph throws out the challenge to read the book and find out what an event in 1945 has to do with the present time. I took up the challenge and soon found myself immersed in interesting details provided by the author to help me enjoy his book and its characters. The story is superbly interwoven and I soon found I couldn't wait for my next opportunity to pick it up again. I finally couldn't stand the suspense so I pulled an all nighter to finish it. I wasn't disappointed. I haven't enjoyed a book this much in a long time. I can't wait for the next book to come out.

I had the opportunity to read an advanced copy of The End of Enemies. I'd never read a book of this genre before, and was initially quite intimidated by the scope of the plot. I had nothing to fear. The End of Enemies is a fast-paced adventure with enough twists and turns that kept me turning the pages; even some of the more technical aspects of the book didn't slow me down. Threads of the plot weave together to form a tight story from start to finish. No questions are left unanswered, and there are no unnecessary side plots. The dialogue is natural and unforced. There is no gratuitous violence.

There are several characters integral to the story, yet each one has a distinctly separate persona. I didn't confuse characters since I did not find them cut from the same cloth. Money and power, of course, drive the villains. Yet even the villains have more substance to them than your average bad guy. They aren't evil simply to be evil. There are real and believable driving forces beneath their actions.

And Briggs Tanner isn't a hero simply to be a hero. He does what he does because of an inherently curious nature and a pulsing desire to uncover the truth, even if it puts his own well-being in danger. He's not afraid to put himself out there to protect the lives of those he cares about or the lives of innocent people caught in the crossfire. One could say these things about many fictional heroes, but I find Briggs Tanner to be a multi-dimensional character with fears, self-doubt and an intense loyalty to himself and those he knows he can trust. I look forward to learning more about him in upcoming novels. There is much we do not know about Briggs Tanner, and the author has merely scraped the surface.

The End of Enemies will entertain you with a gradually escalating plot that puts you in the action. If you read any books this summer, this is the one to read!

After reading this outstanding book I hope that Grant Blackwood writes many more books. This book was very impressive. The main character in this book was also outstanding. Briggs Tanner is the hero of the future. I also hope he is in the next Blackwood book. This book can be truthfully described as a page turner.It starts out with a bang and never lets up.The action in this book takes you all over the world.You go to Japan,Israel,the United States and well as deep sea diving in the Pacific Ocean.You have a Japanese billionaire,radical Palestenians,as well as bad Americans. The author manages to combine all of these forces to make one exciting book. The secret on the floor of the Pacific Ocean is a very original idea. The ending of this book is also very good. Read this book. You will be delighted.

Grant here gives a consistently interesting account of his role in many of the major campaigns of the Civil War. His prose is clear and his accounts of battles and strategies quite readable, even to those without particular expertise in military history. He sticks to the story, making few attempts to even scores with his numerous critics in the Army or the press.

One thing that should be noted is that these 'personal memoirs' are in many ways remarkably impersonal. There is only a quite brief account of Grant's youth, and his wife, to whom he was apparently quite devoted, is barely mentioned. Grant tells the story of his career as an officer with increasing levels of responsibility, but says little about himself. Also, the memoirs end with the assassination of Lincoln, and do not at all discuss his presidency.

The edition I read was lacking in maps, which was a serious drawback, however it was a different edition than the one discussed here. Because so much of the book focuses on the tactics of specific campaigns, a good set of maps is a very valuable addition, and would be advisable to check for in any edition you consider reading or buying.

No less an eminent man of letters than Mark Twain called Ulysses S. Grant's "Personal Memoirs" "the best [memoirs] of any General's than Caesars." Having now read this outstanding work along with those of Julius Caesar, William T. Sherman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Omar Bradley, Colin Powell and H. Norman Schwarzkopf, I must agree with Mark Twain's assessment. For sheer honesty, humility, and simple but powerful language, U.S. Grant's memoirs are without peer.

Grant allows the reader to go along with him and live once again his experiences during the Mexican War and American Civil War. He interjects his own judgments and opinions sparingly, yet always honestly. Where he feels he made mistakes, he admits them freely, and his criticisms of his colleagues is always tempered by an obvious attitude of professionalism. The fact that Grant wrote a memoir of such eloquence while dying from cancer makes it all the more powerful a book.

I found this modern library edition especially outstanding. The introductory notes by Caleb Carr and Geoffrey Perret, while brief, are extremely informative. Maps and etchings from the original 1885 Charles Webster & Co. edition are included, as is General Grant's report to Secretary of War Stanton on Civil War operations during 1864-65. This appendix makes fantastic reading by itself!

I highly recommend this outstanding edition to all Civil War and military history enthusiasts. It is simply the best military memoir I've ever read.

I have never been much of a Civil War fan, but after reading "The Killer Angels" by Shaara, a historical fiction about Gettysburg, I was interested in following up with some non-fiction about the most important event in US History. This book kept me turning the pages from end to end. Despite its bulk (some 618 pages) I simply couldn't put the book down, as Grant's matter-of-fact description of the events that surrounded him was completely engrossing.

Grant was not an extraordinary man or brilliant tactician, his soldiers did not have the same obsession with him that the South held for Lee, he simply saw the war for what it was, a campaign against a rebellion. He looked at the entire war in its entirety, from battlefront to battlefront, and he repeatedly used that to his advantage. Many times he makes reference to deploying troops to no clear end other than to occupy an enemies flank, this often as a junior with no authority over the battle as a whole. Grant was a man of action, who realized he had to take a step in order to walk a mile. He took the battle to the enemy, divised clear and necessary steps which were needed to win the war as a whole. He was a general who did not just see the war as independent sets of battles, but saw those battles as a means to ending the Civil War.

One of my favorite parts of the text was watching the scope of Grant's vision widen. Starting with his actions in the Mexican American War his vision is very limited: he sees only the immediate battle, and his descriptions focus on minutiae reflecting his low rank. His vision escalates with his rank, until the end of the book, with the surrender of Lee, he sees and describes the entire army, and battles that would have once taken chapters to described are now dismissed in single sentences.

My one disappointment with the book was that it ended with the surrender of Lee at Appomatox. I would have liked to learn more about his actions after the war, and especially learned more about his presidency. I wish that there were similar autobiographies by other presidents, and certainly feel that this one elevated my expectations of all other autobiographies!

Favote Excerpts:

"It is men who wait to be selected, and not those who seek, from whom we may always expect the most efficient service." - Grant (page 368)

"All he wanted or had ever wanted was some one who would take the responsibility and act, and call on him for all the assistance needed, pledging himself to use all the power of the government in rendering such assistance." - Grant on Lincoln (page 370)

"Wars product many stories of fiction, some of which are told until they are believed to be true." - Grant (page 577)

"To maintain peace in the future it is necessary to be prepared for war." - Grant (page 614)

"The war begot a spirit of independence and enterprise. The feeling now is, that a youth must cut loose from his old surroundings to enable him to get up in the world." - Grant (page 616)