I recommend this book for the huge amount of information it packs into a pretty small amount of space! It tells about the way the Roman republic had trouble with its military generals, who used their armies to challenge the government, and finally that government got so weak it fell, and the Roman empire rose up in its place. There's a lot of stuff in there about the war between Cleopatra and Mark Anthony and Octavian (who was related to Julius Caesar), including a very detailed section on the big sea battle that Octavian won. It's really a good book that somebody can read for enjoyment as wellas doing reports for clases.

One of the best books I've read about the reemergence of independent Latvia. The title is a little misleading; the subtitle should come first, because this is really about how the collapse played out in Latvia. Written by a first-hand observer. Enough background to keep everything clear for those not familiar with Latvia. For those who are, the author's very clear, precise, informative re-statement of the history that we all know is a huge pleasure to read. This is a scholarly book that is easy to read -- in fact, it's a real page turner! If you get it from the library, you will want to own it afterwards, so just go ahead and buy it -- you will want to lend it to your friends.

In The Pre-World War 2 years, France was considered to have the world's greatest army. However, the seeds of its destruction laid beneath the hype and were exposed in 1940. This book by William L. Shirer investigates French History from 1871-1940. He show how the Third Republic came into being, its numerous internal struggles, and its imperial quest for a world empire. He shows how the French army stood against the Germans in World War 1 and how it contributed to the allied powers victory. Finally, he shows how the death of key World War One leaders, political squabbles, the depression, lack of military modernization, and accomadating leaders contributed to the German victory over France in 1940. It is worth reading.

Contemporary Kazakhs: Cultural And Social Perspectives is a superb ethnological survey of the Kazaks of Kazakstan with articles reflecting the contemporary life of rural and urban Kazaks. This meticulous collection revolves around the them of how the Kazak way of life has evolved and changed since achieving political independence. The contributors include Ingvar Svanberg (The Kazak Nation); Karen Odgaard and Jens Simonsen (The New Kazak Elite); Cynthia Ann Werner (The Dynamics of Feasting and Gift Exchange in Rural Kazakstan); Hilda C. Eitzen (Nawri'z in Kazakstan: Scenarios for Managing Diversity); and Peter Finke (The Kazaks of Western Mongolia). Enhanced with a bibliography and index, Contemporary Kazakhs is a work of highly recommended scholarship for students of international and ethnography studies in general, and Kazakstan in particular.

Professor Rable has produced one of the most thoroughly researched and well written books on the politics of the Civil War. He examines the many positive aspects of the Confederate political establishment and shows conclusively that the Confederate States of America was a separate nation, not some rebellious cabal of states.

Constructing A Market Economy: Diverse Paths From Central Planning In Asia And Europe by Richard Pomfret (Professor of Economics at the University of Adelaide, Australia) is a meticulous and scholarly study of recent economic upheavals among the small nations in Europe and Asia during the 1990s. Accessibly presented empirical evidence underlies the broader postulates and conclusions in this insightful analysis, which primarily focuses upon the different types of international transition economies, rather than dwelling inordinately upon the economy of any one nation. A serious, thoughtful, college-level account, Constructing A Market Economy is a welcome and significant contribution to academic International Economic Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

By way of contrast with "The Mystery of Capitalism" by DeSoto, this book (read May 28) on this same topic is reviews events after the collapse of communism in Russia and details the movement toward capitalism. It looks at seven eastern European countries. It looks like it offers a more balanced view than the DeSoto book. There are good sections on the issue of property (p. 41) and how those issues are being fought over. In Russia, for example, they go over the various groups that have grabbed the property - ex- communists, mafias, etc.

Patient ants will eventually enjoy higher standards of living than impatient crickets. Optimum levels of consumption are below the maximum - must save for the future. Topics: why private markets work, growth models.

Guelzo is a distinguished intellectual historian and author of the recent superb biography, Abraham Lincoln: Redeemer President. The Crisis of the American Republic is enjoyably well-written. Social aspects of the Civil War, such as the roles of women and African-Americans, are thoughtfully considered along with the military history. Guelzo is particularly good on the issues underlying the conflict; the chapter on religious and intellectual history is most enlightening.

This is an excellent book for anyone interested in the politics and goverenment of the late Roman republic. It is well written. Millar has done an outstanding job. I strongly recommend it.

Jenne Dalpe's epic, historical novel, "Czech Mate" is a sweeping, absorbing epic of one family's struggle against ethnic hatred, and the conflict of one man's consciencious objection of killing for a cause which he felt had no clear goal. As one reads "Czech Mate", readers cannot help but see the similarities between the author's novel and that of Boris Pasternak's epic, "Dr. Zhavago". Both Josef Staffa and the fictional character Dr. Zhavago were swept up in an amalgam of pogroms aimed at all dissenters, involved in conflicts and wars that neither seemed to fully understand. Since crystal balls do not exist during peacetime, no one can expect them to exist during wars and ethnic cleansings. Marie Augusta Trapp's autobiography of her life was very much like this novel and yet it was so different. Marie A. Trapp was an adopted child who candy coated her wonderful biography by eliminating the first twenty years of her life. On the other hand, Jenne Dalpe travelled almost two generations before her birth to weave a rich tapestry of racial conflicts, family rivalries and geographical terrains which the reader will encounter throughout the book. And yet, Jenne Dalpe's writing style is similar to Maria's in that both authors shifted freely from their own native language to English. By doing so, the reader is constantly reminded and probably reassured that the turmoils in their lives happened in a different time and at a different place. Jenne Dalpe, Boris Pasternak and the much beloved Maria A. Trapp shared one thing in common. Their principal characters went from "riches to rags" as the world around them disintegrated. And yet, all three characters managed to survive against all odds, relying on their hope for a better future. It goes without saying that this book must someday be made into a movie. The question is when and in what form.