Anyone who is interested in the history of international media and how the Cold War was won by the West should read this book--it was extremely well-written, informative and engaging. The author, a former Radio Liberty programming executive and PhD in Russian from Columbia, has put together a fascinating account of the mission of Radio Liberty (RL) from its beginning broadcast at the time of Stalin's death in 1953 to its joining force with Radio Free Europe (RFE) in 1976 as RFE/RL. The book ends with RFE/RL's current status at the end of the 1990s. It was very interesting to read this account from a Western viewpoint of how the emigre Russian intelligentsia connected with the intelligentsia and average citizen in the Soviet Union during the Cold War. In many ways this account is a heroic but not overly aggrandized portrait of how the idea of freedom of speech rent the Iron Curtain by means of radio broadcasts--it could have been very pro-Western and propagandistic in outlook but wasn't, thank goodness. The book seems fairly balanced in that it also discusses internal problems the Radio staff had over a period of time--these conflicts were in effect microcosms of the ethnic tensions that existed within the Soviet Union. I found it also to be a case study on international broadcasting and how the U.S. government has decided to fund it in the past and the present. After finishing this, I wanted to read more books about the history of the dissident movement in the Soviet Union and the history of Western broadcasting.

Good for kids to understand the Statue of Liberty, how she came to stand as a beacon near New York City, why she is so important socially, culturally, and historically. A Must Have as parents seek to instill Love of Country and Patriotism in their young munchkins.

This is a great book to introduce young children to the Statue of Liberty. The history of the Statue is explained in a simple and straightforward manner. The pictures are wonderful. I would recommend this book for third or fourth grade students- the vocabulary is kind of difficult. Children love this book!

The author not only takes a stand and expresses an opinion, he backs up his views with specific examples. He dispels many myths about individual liberties and makes a convincing argument why liberty is so essential to our existence. It is somewhat frightening to learn about the very real errosion of our liberty. This book brings all of this to light is a very readable and interesting presentation.

I just heard Garrison Keillor read Duncan Forbes's "Recension Day" on the NPR show "Writer's Almanac" (July 9, 1999). Beautiful words. Listen: "Put the smoke back in the fire / Unite fulfillment with desire..." I'm always drawn to wistful writing that's about slowing down the clock, or even turning it back. Now I have to get the book.

Michael Bronski came out of the Gay Community News group in Boston. I'll never forget his article about the Hardy Boys in GCN, titled "Franklin W. Dixon Made Me Queer." His smart, brash style is apparent not only in his own writing but his editing as well (although he does do a general introduction, and section intros for this book). Issued in 1996, the collection hasn't dated. Granted, we have seen changes in AIDS protocols, issues related to outing, man/boy love, S/M, gay fiction, political correctness, the new gay right wing, and other matters this book deals with--but the contributions are (with one exception) excellent. The themes covered, with four to six articles for each, are these: politics, sex, literature, AIDS, identity. These aren't firm divisions, but blur in various directions. AIDS isn't far from the minds of any of these writers, no matter what their actual subjects. I'll note the most striking material here. Andrew Sullivan's "The Politics of Homosexuality" shows why he's the posterboy of the gay right; he has the intellect to argue his views effectively, and he's not uptight while doing it. Tony Kushner's "A Socialism of the Skin (Liberation, Honey!)" gives a bracing reply from the left (in his case, far left). The counterpoints on man/boy love are by Jesse Green ("The Men from the Boys"--anti) and Bill Andriette ("Dumbed Down and Played Out"--pro, bitterly so). To balance the sometimes hysterical assumptions about sexual predators, I'll note that several men in my reading group for this book said they'd had sexual experience in their teens with older men and did not feel harmed by it. (I'm not suggesting that sexual predators of children don't exist.) Christopher J. Hogan, who reviews gay adult videos, has a striking article about doing just that in "What We Write about When We Write about Porn" (he doesn't offer apologies to Raymond Carver for the title and should). Reed Woodhouse's treatment of different strands of post-Stonewall fiction, "Five Houses of Gay Fiction," names Andrew Holleran's The Dancer from the Dance (1978) as the best of the lot. The material directly about AIDS is the most powerful material in the book, because it is so personal and honest. Writer Allen Barnett is remembered with excerpts from his diary ("The Reluctant Journal") and a sophisticated memoir of his last days, "Love with the Light On," by Ron Caldwell. Caldwell's piece is the best thing in the book, in fact. He does a triptych on Barnett, starting with a diary of hospital caretaking when Barnett was near death, then shifting to a fictionalization of Barnett's birth and early childhood, and ending with a eulogy at the memorial service for him. It's stunning. Charley Shively's "Malcolm X's Wild Side" offers a fascinating rejoinder to the de-gaying of Malcolm's life by Spike Lee. There is little question that Malcolm hustled gay men extensively before converting to Islam; Shively's case that Malcolm was gay himself is shaky, though, since many straight men hustle gay men to this day. Rondo Mieczkowski's "Danny" recounts a personal relationship that may have saved him from drinking himself to death. It's a beautiful piece. Craig G. Harris's "I'm Going Out Like a F---- Meteor," written a year before his death of AIDS-related causes, gives an Aframerican face to the conditions under which persons with AIDS live. (His title comes from Audre Lorde, a black lesbian poet who died of breast cancer.) I'm saving the worst for last. Lawrence D. Mass's "Musical Closets" was rejected by two other publications before seeing print here. His subject is the uncloseting of anyone in the world of classical music he thinks ought to come out. In order to make these people (some of them ex-friends) face the music of their gayness, he quotes from personal conversations and letters clearly not meant to be shared. He also attacks the people who opposed publication of his essay with a lengthy afterward and interminable notes. This is the ugly side of outing; like Robert Bork, Mass doesn't believe in anyone's right to privacy. One misstep isn't enough to deter me from giving a wholehearted recommendation to this eclectic, wonderful collection. Kudos to Richard Kasak for issuing it.

this book has had me laughing so loud people look at me like i'm NUTS!
just a fun book that is about a young man's life.
i'm suprised he survived to tell the tale.
enjoy!

This edition is an updated version of the authors earlier book written in the wake of the 1996 Anti-Terrorism Act. Remember that Act? That was the one passed in response to Oklanhoma City and gave "sweeping new powers" to federal authorities, so that such a horrible act of terrorism, would never, ever, never, never happen ever again!

Now with 9/11 and the "Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism" (U.S.A.P.A.T.R.I.O.T) Act (how much time, do you suppose, does it take to come with these acronyms?), the authors are back with a critical look at a drive towards what has very little to do with counterterrorism and quite a bit to do with increasing and centralizing power.

In the past 12 months we've had proposals for a national ID card, a missle defense system, legalized torture, suspension of writ of habeas corpus, a "homeland security" infrastructure that is heavily reliant on security technologies of dubious value. Basically the only thing that has changed that would have prevented the 9/11 are locked Cabin doors and the newfound general awareness that "cooperating with the hijacker" might not be the best policy for passeners.

Also along the way, a steady trickle of stories of missed opportunities, ignored warning and frustrated investingations have come out regarding the FBI and others to use the powers they already do have.

The bulk of the book deals with FBI misdeed during the Cold War and proposes an unfashionable counterrorism strategy that emphasizes the responsibility of actors, not ideology. Basically, trying to treat terrrorism as a crime not as war.

The proposals are a little narrow. Terrorism of the sort represented by al Quaeda is international, not just national. The fight against it will share more with racketeering and global criminal networks. And a world court is needed. I'm not sure if dealing on a purely "case-by-case" basis will do the trick.

Nevertheless, the authors have offered a well reasoned case and in the current climate when we are asked to give up so much with only the assurance of "trust us" we would do to heed their call.

This book provides a clear and unflinching look at International Law today and the role that it plays in preventing (and provoking) terrorism. Sometimes disturbing and often brilliant, it is a must-read for those seeking a straightforward discussion of International Law and terrorism.

James S. Pula's book is an excellent source for those interested in the American and/or Polish History. It is devoted to Thaddeus Kosciuszko's life and accomplishments. At the same time it presents a brief history of Poland dating from prehistoric times, through times of monarchy, Liberum Veto, anarchy to the three partitions of Poland and historical events up to 1817-the year of Kosciuszko's death. The book is also an examination of some major battles of the American War of Independence (defense of Philadelphia, Saratoga, West Point, etc.). It contains very interesting pieces of correspondence between Kosciuszko and his best American friends-Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, and Gen. Horatio Gates. Kosciuszko's biography is presented with careful attention to detail. Pula presents many facts from Thaddeus' personal life that are not widely known and which make the Polish-American hero very human and very likable. Also, it contains three appendices: Kosciuszko's Will, and translations of Kosciuszko's Act of Insurrection, and Polaniec Manifesto (Uniwersal Polaniecki). Overall, the book is well-researched, with very interesting content, and written in simple (and elegant) English. It is a great reading material for scholars and high school students alike.