I just want to add a note to the review I wrote earlier. De Jonge's "Stalin" was written before glasnost opened some new materials from the Soviet Union for scholars to access. Thus, it is limited from that standpoint. However, this is in no way a serious hindrance to the book. Having also read Conquest's biography of Stalin, which WAS written after glasnost, there is very little that Conquest added to de Jonge and certainly no major re-interpretation. Both books are excellent, de Jonge's a little easier read.

Joseph Stalin is a fascinating subject. Alex de Jonge is an outstanding writer. They combine for a great book. There are other biographies of Stalin; Deutscher is a bit dry, Conquest is excellent, but perhaps a bit short. De Jonge covers his subject thoroughly, but not with so much detail as to overwhelm or lose the reader. De Jonge is an excellent writer, and he combines his talent with useful information and a plethora of fascinating, sometimes hilarious, anecdotes. He doesn't get bogged down in Marxist theory, but he does give a brief synopsis which will benefit the average reader; a scholar might wish for more. Perhaps the most outstanding and useful part of the book are those sections dealing with foreign affairs, especially in the aftermath of World War II. Brilliant analysis....

As the author states,"Stalin successfully imposed his vision upon one sixth of Earth's landmass." Whereas Hitler's charisma was instrumental in his rise to power, Stalin's success was due to his self control and his extraordinary ability in successfully interacting with others, even his enemies. De Jonge's detailed account of Stalin's life helps us understand the man who greatly influenced the course of Russia's recent history.

It's the best book that I have read in a last years! I was very impressted by the main hero - Aleksei Meres'ev. This book is very easy to read so I highly recommended it for everyone. It's one of the most brilliant Russian novel of the twentith century

It is widely said that our utmost abilities, mental and physical, surface in extreme conditions. By definition, war is an extreme condition predicament. Let alone war in the frozen lands of the Russian (then Soviet) plains. One man and his will against all odds... The achievement and prevail of human spirit against life's little games.... Makes a man wonder when not to smile, when to complain, what to think as impossible. I guess impossible is just something we just don't want bad enough as Kazantzakis put it... Recommendable to all... Enjoy every page; I know I did...

One of the greatest novels that have ever been written. It makes one realize the great power of human spirit. Brilliantly written. Unfortunately unknown to the book lovers at large.

This has to be the most thorough books on Submarine warfare during the Civil War. Having studied the history of submarines during this period, and having a family connection to the design of one of the Confederate subs, the St. Patrick, I thought I knew a lot about Civil War subs. This book proved me wrong. The detail and depth of the book showed the incredible amount of work that went into the research for this book. It is a must for any submarine enthusiast.

I do not know where to start. This book is one of the best works concerning Civil War naval history that I have ever read. Mr. Ragan has done a superb job and should be very proud of his work. He talks about everything from the more well known submarines to the submarines for which little information exists. This book is amazing and essential for a student of Civil War naval history or naval history in general.

An absolutely fascinating book on a subject much hinted at, but never until now discussed in one book.

The story of the Hunley has been told before, and there have been many hints as to other boats used and operated during the war. However, information has been sketchy. As the author says, information regarding this topic is scattered. He has done a great job bringing all known facts together. I especially enjoyed the coherent description of the Hunley's attack.

I was fascinated at the creativity of the efforts that went into buiding these boats and was amazed at the sophistication of the vessels, especially Hunley and Pioneer.

The Hunley was far in advance of its time. It was a very capable submarine, dogged by human error and ill-fortune. It will be interesting to see if the mystery of its final loss will finally be explained.

For anyone interested in naval history, as well as Civil War history, this book is a must.

The Work of Antony Sutton!

Most Americans have not heard of Dr. Antony Sutton...but he is well known to the quasi-underground readers of revisionist history and
conspiracy theory...

There are others that have written about the same subjects as Sutton...Carrol Quigley(Professor of History at Georgetown University)...Werner Keller...Dr. Emanual Josephson...Gary Allen...Charles Levinson...etc...but none covered the subject in as great a detail and as broad an area and with the documentation that Sutton did...in Wall Street And The Bolshevik Revolution(Arlington House Publishers) he documents that a small group of Wall Street bankers financed the Bolshevik Revolution...in the 3 volume,Western Technology And Soviet Economic Development(Hoover Institution Press)these same groups actually built the
Soviet economic structure from 1917 to the
present...and it is this work, i believe,(in part) and the work of others documenting this subject that helped bring down the Soviet Union...if they financed the Revolution and built the economic infrastructure...then they controlled it...which is what they are doing today with the billions of dollars they are investing in the Peoples Republic of China...! Control of the economic structure of a country is real power not political power...!

Sutton has written about many other subjects but it is the above mentioned that are amoung the more important works...i believe they are available at...

www.amazon.com... you won't look at International Politics in the same way...again...

woody voinche
marksville, louisiana

The contents of this book will both shock and disgust you. This book shows the costs and negative side of 'engagement' advocated by the American Establishment and their boot-licking cronies in academia and 'think tanks'. Sutton draws upon govenment files, books, newspaper clippings and biographies to support his claims.

He shows that the American government intervened on the behalf of Leon Trotsky, who was detained by Canadian authorities, so he could travel to Russia and agitate for the Reds. Apparently Trotsky might have been German instead of Russian, but in the end I guess we'll never know for sure. Both Trotsky and Lenin were sent into Russia with money and assistance from foreign governments to stir up trouble.

This book also goes into detail on the 1917 American Red Cross mission to Russia which had more bankers than doctors. William Thompson, then a Director of the New York Fed, gave $1 million to the Reds for propaganda purposes. He then brought enough of his Wall Street buddies on board that the Bolsheviks were their guys, to bring the White House over to their side. Wilson's influential advisor at that time was Edward Mandell House, who in Phillip Dru: Administrator stated that he believed in socialism as envisioned by Karl Marx, but with a spiritual leavening. With advisors as such, it was not so difficult.

House also used his influence to get Red agitator Minor, who drew a cartoon showing Wall Street types fawning over Marx in the introduction to the book, off the hook after being arrested by military authorities in France for distributing subversive Bolshevik propaganda. His daddy was a well-to-do person back in Texas, where House came from, who gave good old E.M. House a call to get junior off the hook.

Sutton also showed how many of the businesses that did business with the Reds originated from 120 Broadway. Since the robber barons already ran out all competition in the US, they needed captive foreign markets to satisfy their insatiable greed. They had a boot in all camps, and used their ability to feed, fund, and arm the winning party, in this case the Bolsheviks, to obtain trade concessions. This lot did the same by backing Sun Yat Sen in China, and various governments in Latin America.

Sutton also shows how many of these Wall Street supporters of the Bolsheviks started a group stating their opposition to the socialists. They then told New York Times reporters that they feared a Red revolution in America and that the Reds would sabotage and wreak havoc on our economy even as they were setting up the Ruskcom Bank and conducting business with them. Sutton appropriately described this behavior as totally amoral.

There was one quote from the book that will be forever etched into my mind. This quote was from a business figure working in the American consulate in Russia to a British colleague. It was along the lines as such:
You may have heard that I own 50% of the forests in Siberia and all of the Magnesium deposits in Georgia. Now, of course, this isn't true. But, let's say that it is true. I am an American wolf and you are a British wolf. But, both being intelligent wolves, knowing if we don't join forces this hour and together hunt the German wolf, we will come to naught.

That, ladies and gentlemen, is the business mentality. It has always been that way, and with industrialization and our livelihoods increasingly put in the hands of these people, it explains very easily how the man in the street gets screwed. Read this book and take it to heart. These egotistical, greedy SOBs have been running our country into the ground for over a 100 years, and reading this book and sharing it with fellow patriots is the only way to stop these treasonous scumbags!

Author Anthony Sutton has done a remarkable job of documenting the insidious betrayal of the super wealthy American elite, who literally bankrolled the most brutal communist government of all time. If you have ever wondered why the very wealthy should seem to be sympathetic with communism, herein lies the answer. This is extraordinarily important information, which deserves a wide audience.

Nate Shaw was the father of my Uncle Oscar Turner's best friend. His real name was Nate Cobb and the family of the son, Lorraine, is prominent in the Middletown, Ohio ghetto.

The author has done a masterful job of illustrating how greatness was thrust upon him. Nate never set out to become a hero, only to protect his own dignity and provide for his children.

I do not believe that there is a better book for teaching about the lies of 20th century sharecroppers. Theirs is an overlooked legacy.

I am hoping that by entering a review here, I can see other reviews that I can use to write a book review on this title. Its due tomorrow! Yikes!

Ted Rosengarten is a masterful writer. All God's Dangers is an amazing undertaking that brings Nate Shaw's story to life. After a few pages, it's almost as if you can hear Nate talking. A must read for anyone interested in history and anyone who wants to learn how a book should be written. And Rosengarten's Tombee, if it can be found, is another must read.

This is an exceptional book with information and insight not found anywhere else. It is a must-read for anyone interested in the civil rights movement, especially in the north, and anyone interested in the history of unionism in the steel industry. Not only did Needleman have unparalleled access to her subjects, she was able to use this access to its fullest benefit in her analysis and narrative. Even the notes in this book are fascinating, and the depth of research is evident in the references and bibliography. An incisive scholarly work, the book is also great reading and holds the reader's interest throughout. A terrific addition to the literature on the subject.

This is an excellent exploration of the changing worlds and struggles of black steelworkers not just in Northwest Indiana but also nationally through the 20th century. Needleman sensitively deals with the stories of five black union activists, then expands their experiences in tracing issues of power and race in the steelworkers union to the present. Goes well beyond all previous studies in caputuring not only the personal anguish but also the various organizational dilemmas of black steelworkers struggling amidst very difficult and changing racial circumstances. Highly recommended!!!

Needleman's book is a finely crafted blend of history and human interest. Though it focuses on the lives of five black unionists, there is a message here for everyone, regardless of race. Needleman probes each man's mind, revealing five distinct variations on a central theme. She then relates their experiences to those of other steel workers, putting it all in the context of the evolution of the USWA in a changing industrial climate. Great book. Easy to read. A real lesson in life.

You want to fight but your union's too weak and buddy-buddy with management...everyone sits in their own language groupings in the cafeteria - will people ever get together?...how can we get out of the mess that lay-offs and soaring cutbacks in social services are making of our lives? This book is a fantastic handbook for those of us who want to figure out what step to take next. It isn't an easy recipe for bandaids. It lays out that we have to be worldly-wise strategists who understand that unity forged through struggle is key. The prize: taking political power like working people did in Cuba over 40 years ago. We have to use the tools we have - the unions, for example, exasperating though they may be -- to reach each other and create a political party, a real fighting communist party, that can lead us to help transform all of society. Thought-provoking and concrete. A real treat.

The face of the social class that produces the wealth changed forever in the US thanks to the social movements of the 1960s and 1970s.We work side by side : Black and white and Latino, etc., men and women, immigrant and 'native-born.' This is what scares the daylights out of the big-boss class - the multimillionaire and billionaire families- about affirmative action and other such gains.We spend so much time working, and sweating, and facing the same enemy side by side that stereotypes collapse. If we fight back, we have to be brothers and sisters in action to win. That's why these gains are under such fierce attack.
This is one subject of this book.Another is the birth and survival - yes, even today ! -of the Vietnam Syndrome. Working people know the US government lies as a habit.In our millions we will relearn in all our generations that this government in war or 'peace' serves the superrich.We will be forced to resist, yes, this war, and the next one.Millions will cast off the blinders this society tries to force on us.In the process we will transform our unions into fighting machines for all working people.And change ourselves.
This book is based on the experience of revolutionary socialist industrial workers active in their unions, and in social movements, and against the Empire's wars from the late 70s into the 90s.Any fighter for serious social change today and tommorow : you need to read this book !

"This is a handbook for the generations of workers coming into the factories, mines, and mills - workers who will react to the uncertain life, ceaseless turmoil, and brutality that will accompany the arrival of the twenty-first century. It is a handbook for young people who, in growing numbers, are repelled by the racism, women's inequality, and other intolerable social relations reproduced daily by capitalism on a world scale. It is a book for fighters who sense that this social system, if not replaced, will lead to economic devastation, fascist tyranny, and world war. Above all, it aims to show why only the working class can lead humanity out of the social crisis endemic to capitalism in its decline. It shows how millions of workers, as political resistance grows, will revolutionize themselves, their unions, and all of society" (from the back cover).

This book is something you can easily read over the span of several sittings, as it is sectioned into several chapters that chronicle each era of Tolstoy's life, making it easy to read. An excellent source of both research and simple enjoyment.

Being a lover of Tolstoy's literature and philosophy, and having read brief snippets of Tolstoy's life in the preface of his novels, I was interested in learning more about the man himself. Wilson has produced a well researched biography that is informative and interesting to read. What I especially like is its clarity on what is fact and what are speculations based on his erratic diaries, using painstaking quotes, footnotes, literary excerpts, and bibliography to back up the author's and literary community's theories.

The result is a portrait of a man at odds with himself, who like Dostoevsky was a living representation of the duality of man. No wonder these writers were so profound at portaying the the human condition, mind, spirit, and soul. If only we could go back in time and walk with these men and speak with them personally, how rich we would be.

Tolstoy is one the greatest writers during what must be considered the heroic age of novel writing. He never makes a wrong move in his writing, but probably was one of the most unpleasant people ever to live. Wilson here gives us a view of both the sublime artist and the opinionated gad fly of his friends, family and country and presents a fairly complete picture of a divided man. This is a tell all book, but not in the usual sense. Wilson focuses on the inner life of Tolstoy rather than his day to day experiences which probably were not as meaningful to him as what went on inside. This probably is the best biogrpahy of Tolstoy in English. It is good for those who are familiar with Tolstoy's works and for those who are not.

Among it's more traditional strengths, Wilson's life of Tolstoy must be added to the exceedingly select list of laugh out loud biographies of Russian novelists. Throughout the book's considerable length and passionate examinations of Tolstoy's writing and the Russian history from which they grew, are superb jokes, asides, and sarcasm - in no way denigrating the tempestuous creator of War and Peace, but keeping a keen-eyed perspective on the many paradoxical facets of his long life.

Wilson's account is suffused with a deeply felt love of Tolstoy's writings, perfectly balanced by an appreciation for his absurdities. If you have read and loved War and Peace, Anna Karenina, or any of Tolstoy's works, this biography yields a rich and absorbing account of the life and history from which they sprung.

One of three similar books issued by TIME/LIFE that is a good introduction to those of us gettng started in War Between The States reenacting who want to get the right authenticity. This book deals with Small Arms, Uniforms, Equipment, Music, Flags, and (my field of interest) Artillery, and lists why certain equipment was used over others of the time. Easy to read, loaded with photographs of period equipment, this book is well worth the price, which, incidentally, is MUCH less expensive than the bookstore price (even considering P&H). If your library carries it, great! But if not, it's a good investment... I first saw the book in Gettysburg when I had a question for a merchant specializing in period headwear (whom I can't mention: Sorry BILLY!), and he referred to this book to find the answer. Drop me a line if any of you have questions. (No, I'm not the author or affilliated with sales)... atondale@nls.net

Since the Civil War ended, the uniforms of the Union Soldiers have been portrayed as basically blue with the gold buttons going down the center. While this is marginally accurate, the uniforms of the Union Soldiers that fought in the Civil War were actually unique and had various patterns. In this excellent book, the uniforms are shown in color, and they are quite different, yet the same in general appearance. It is informative, interesting and enjoyable to view the wide variety of Officer and Enlisted Uniforms that were worn during the Civil War.

Also presented in this fine book are the various flags that were flown by regiments in battle. Flags made by Tiffany's to Women from throughout the Union, these flags were in fierce battle and were held by brave men who in quite a few instances gave the ultimate sacrifice by waving their regimental flags.

Cannons, Swords, Pistols, Rifles and other arms are shown as well as Cannons, Canteens, and various other equipment that was used by Union Soldiers are displayed.

This is the companion book to the Arms and Equipment of the Confederacy and both books are a MUST have in the serious Civil War Historian, and affecianado's library.

Highly Recommended!

an excellent book! .fine quality of photos.interesting articles.the book is specially for civil war buffs and historians.this is one of the most oustanding books on the civil war.classic! .

civil war buff

Once past the Introduction, which is so laden with copious details of the lurid opulence that attended the coronation of Nicholas II and Alexandra that the effect is almost soporific, this is a marvelous history of Russia's immense cultural heritage. It would be a finer work if it were, say, a 2-volume study, able to reach deeper and leave a more comprehensive mark; for a single-volume history of an epic thousand years, however, it is rich with nugget after nugget of genuine scholarship and understanding about a seemingly infinite panoply of artistic richness. Lincoln not only covers all the arts- architecture, painting, music, literature (his revelations of Gogol are alone worth the price of the volume!), he exquisitely realises the integration of his subject into a fine general history of Russia. Catherine the Great is given rather short shrift, not much meat there, but the chapters on the Romantic period and the rise of Realism are fascinating and meticulous crafted. This is history writing Richard Pipes can only dream of- readable, deep, authentic, and sensitively attuned to genuine literary merit. I recommend this book to anyone interested in a solid history of Russian arts; it's intelligent, beautifully paced, and not burdened by unnecessary digression. Russiaholics, of course, will eat it up!

It skimps quite a bit on Russia's musical history but otherwise rates excellent and exhaustive in its examination of Russian culture. A little dry at times, and often focuses more on breadth than depth, giving some insight into Russian history, a lot of insight into Russia's visual arts and art patrons, and a good analysis of the books thesis, one why Russia's has been suspended between, "Heaven and Hell," although it does not exhaustively examine the theme of the title.

Bruce Lincoln has chosen a very apt title to describe Russian history and culture. On one hand Russia has been plagued with an often violent history and tyrannical rulers. On the other Russians have adapted to the cultures of their invaders and the cultures they absorbed through their own invasions. This process has enabled Russians to develop an amazing cultural and intellectual heritage that should be envied by the entire world. I bought this book to help me understand Russian music - which I find to be among the most beautiful ever written - and film for a research project on Eisenstein. I found the approach very useful in understanding a this great film director given the political nature / and purpose of his films. However, the book will enlighten your understanding of the 19th century literary greats Tolstoy, Dostoyevsky, and particularly Gogol.
It is suitable for the expert of Russian studies as well as the novice - so long as you can appreciate great art as well as the failures and the achievements of man. Ochin Khorosho