Sunday, December seventh 1941, that "infamous" day, is generally regarded by historians to be a major tuning point in American History. It marked the emergence of the United States as the supreme power in the realm of word politics. On that day, Japan attacked the United States binging her into the Second World War. The events leading up to this pivotal point in American history, however, deserve much scrutiny. The second world war, taken from the American perspective, often times runs the risk of being viewed in a vacuum, marked from 1941 to 1945. The war however had been going on for some time, arguably since the Japanese had invaded china in the mid 1930's. In Europe it had been an open conflict from the time of Germany's invasion of Poland. United states involvement in the war must be viewed in this larger context in order it's true significance to be appreciated. Indeed the United States was from the outset of hostilities deeply involved in the war, just not in a direct military sense. Joseph Lash in his book Roosevelt and Churchill: the partnership that saved the west examines these years from the perspectives of the United States and Great Britain. He pays particular attention to the personal and professional relationship between the two respective leaders of the countries, who played key roles in shaping the nature of the overall conflict.

After setting up the stage, it is the conflict: between Roosevelt, American popular opinion and an ever more desperate Britain led by Churchill, between the years of 1939-1941 that the narrative centers mainly around. Written primarily through memoirs and the words of the key players: Lash depicts with growing excitement the success of Roosevelt in molding popular opinion in aiding the British. He traces with scrutiny the growing involvement of the United states in the second world war through such milestone acts as the cash and carry provision, and the lend lease act. He illustrates the tremendous willpower and resolve of Churchill's Britain in surviving the tremendous onslaught of the Axis powers in all theatres of war. The burgeoning friendship of Churchill and Roosevelt is traced till it comes to full fruition aboard the Prince of Wales in a symbolic joint Sunday service, where Churchill would remark: "the sun shone bright and warm while we all sang the old hymns which are our common inheritance" . The steps to war taken by the Japanese and forced upon the Russians are accounted for with growing uncertainty. Finally all events, movements, and personal accomplishments converge in an explosive climax with the United States entering the war after the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor.

Lash does an excellent job of putting the individual tensions, and mutual cooperation within the framework of pragmatic diplomacy. The Main characters are fist and foremost held within the confines of a harsh reality. They must adjust to circumstances as best as they can. In Churchill's case, he must try to hold his crumbling empire together while courting aid from a nation that is reluctant to give it. Roosevelt must try to do as much as he can for his friend, while having his hands tied by a reluctant populace, before he is too late. Both men struggle to work together in establishing Naval supremacy in the midst of a continuous German and rising Japanese threat. Amidst all this looms the question of what to do with the Soviet Union. .

Apparent in his work is Lash's hypothesis that the contributions of Churchill and Roosevelt were nothing less than absolutely invaluable to the favorable outcome of the war. The two leaders are endowed by Lash with an almost divine understanding of issues and forces in the world, enabling them to make the key decisions, which ensure success. Conversely the Axis leaders are depicted as mere mortals possessing both brilliance and folly. Hitler's mistakes of attacking Russia, then his unnecessary declaration of war on the United State are incidents used to illustrate this. Lash however runs a danger in this area. He never even entertains the thought of different leaders being able to fill the roles of each effectively. By neglecting to answer this question Lash slightly weakens his argument. In ignoring this leftist historical viewpoint, Lash misses a chance to greatly strengthen his stand that individual achievements were the single most decisive factor in the outcome of the war.

Despite this missed opportunity, Lash's book is a stunning work, offering an unpopular but by no means invalidated perception of history that emphasizes the value of individuals and their actions in shaping the course of human events. The book is written almost entirely utilizing the letters and direct quotes of key players to tell the story. The reader is inundated with names of generals, diplomats and political figures. Personal dramas, disputes, jealousies, friendships and the like unfold as told through the first hand accounts of these characters letters and memoirs. The effect that Lash's narrative style has on the reader comes in helping him to view the early war years as an unfolding drama, with a formidable and unique cast of characters. The Book reads like an exciting novel, in which one is drawn into the drama and uncertainty of the times. Lash's perception of history placing on emphasis individual accomplishment is greatly aided by his writing style, which like a novel lends itself to telling a story of people and the importance of their actions.

In the end Lash succeeds in writing a timeless and thorough history of the early war years. He succeeds in turning a possibly dull and dry study into a captivating story, told in effect by those who dominated it: Roosevelt and Churchill. Were the eventual outcome not listed in the annals of common knowledge Lash would have succeeded in writing a truly suspenseful novel.

Ames was a top notch practitioner of the Amatuer sleuth school of British Mystery. His series featuring Jane and Dagobert Brown is great fun. This early case starts off the romance as Dagobert helps Jane find the truth behind the mysterious but little noted death of an middle aged lady of limited means.

Why would anyone want to look at someone else's snapshots (or, as they're now called "found photographs?") The reason is simple: as soon as you even glance through this wonderful book, you'll find that these strangers lived OUR lives and the lives of our parents and friends. You'll see yourself in these photos.

Look: There's your sister sitting on the trunk of your old family coupe; there's your fourth grade girlfriend eating cotton candy at the beach; there is that California hunk caught with his pants down.

Have you ever seen one of those Kodak square box cameras? You know the kind that took small, shiny snapshots that were kept in large, rectangular scrapbooks with matte black pages, the snapshots held in place with black adhesive corners? This book is filled with them and each tells a story. But since the reader has no idea who the "models" are, each story is a mystery.

Why is that well-dressed woman saluting the ocean liner as she walks briskly by? Or, is she simply holding her hat down in a strong wind? Who buried those kids in the sand? Why is Gramma being forced to play with a hula-hoop?

"Summer Vacation" is real nostalgia for those who lived and grew up in the 40's and 50's. And it is imagined nostalgia for younger, inquisitive minds. It is a book to treasure and my only complaint is that it should have been, at least, twice its length.

When I was thinking about writing the history of a professional society, I was urged to do some reading on professions. It was discouraging. The authorities had been going in circles for years, until Abbott came along and clarified the topic. His book was well-received; as I recall he was a visiting professor in New Jersey before it was published, and a full professor at Chicago soon afterwards.

Actually, there are several new ideas. One them is that professions restrict their markets when they attempt to raise their fees by adding barriers to entry. Since demand is stable or rising, this creates opportunity for other groups to move in "below." As physicians' time becomes ever more valuable, RNs achieve the status of practitioners and LPNs fill in. Aides are now certified, and so on. This seminal idea was published in 1988. Almost ten years later, Clayton Christensen described in his well-regarded Innovators' Dilemma how a corporate fixation on upselling existing customers assured that less lucrative markets would be neglected, providing rich opportunities for new entrants. The parallel is striking.

Whether you have any interest in his topic, Abbott's exposition is worth studying as a model of effective rhetoric. And the writing is vivid; he worked for years in a large mental hospital, "After five years, . . . I had helped administer several tons of thorazine, mellaril and their cousins . . ."

This is a great book for reading about the relationship of the US and Japan in the years prior to WWII (It ends with the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor). It describes Japanese strategic aims in a historical context, as well as the pressures that the US was under on both sides of the Pacific to enter WWII. It gives a great accounting of our relations in China during the same period.

A lot of people have heard about FDR's steering us into the war. Read this book if you want to know how and why he did it.

Peter Steinhauer is obviously one of the great photographers of our time. Buy this book, you won't be sorry.

I have read this several times, and still enjoy it. From the opening line through the end, I laughed and cried.

The novel is a farce, set against the backdrop of college in the 1970's on the GI bill--but as with most farces, it has a serious point. The lead character, Eddie Delano, discovers that almost everyone he meets hides a true identity behind a facade.

Since Delano has gone around my circle of friends, we often refer to people and events from the book as if they were real. I sometimes describe acquaintances as 'a little like Sam' or having 'Alice's taste in health food!' This book prompted me to ask myself, 'How many of us went through that era pretending to be someone different than who we really were?' Yet I find that younger friends (who didn't 'survive' the 60's and 70's) recognize that in the book even sooner.

I give Delano thumbs up for the kind of love of human beings, with all our quirks and hangups, that you find in authors from a previous age.

Eddie Delano and his world are a stitch! And like surgical stitches, Orozco's satirical needlings of domestic and college life sting as well as correct social and psychological deformities that characterized the surreal sixties. No target, large or small, eludes the author's jaundiced eye (check out the back cover art) or his sharp-honed pen--you'll feel its prick on every page. One asks no more of good satire. Combining the complete arsenal of satirical, humorous, comedic, slapstick, and burlesque techniques, this novel starts you laughing and wincing on page one, with Eddie's admission that he shot off his big toe to avoid Viet Nam, and sustains it through the hilariously implausible and implosive self-destruction of the whole sick crew. And they are legion: hustlers, cheaters, political poseurs, worm farmers, gender freaks, and doobie brothers (all of whom inhale). If you participated, especially as a student, in those hallucinogenic days, had children who did, taught that generation, or just nostalgically miss those sweet, sweaty summers of love, this is the book for you. Almost forgot. There's some interesting sex, too.

DELANO is a real treat. It's everything it claims to be. It's one of the fastest paced books I've ever read. I enjoyed the characters very much. Sam is one of the most unusual people ever put in a story. The part about the worm farm had me laughing out loud so hard, people stopped to see what was going on. I even liked the villans, like Winston. What a jerk! But he says things that make you think. The best character is Eddie. I won't give away anymore. This should be a movie.

Goodwin manages to pull off a delicate balancing act in No Ordinary Time. She spends a great portion of the book discussing the consequences of the large issues (race relations, labor/production struggles, military preparedness) facing the country during this period. Yet, she also spends as much time noting the personal issues, like Franklin and Eleanor's struggles with their marriage and the tragic travails of Missy LeHand. The result of this balancing act is a wonderfully complete depiction that gives one an appreciation of not only the complexities of the time, but also of the incredible intelligence and character of the Roosevelts. The comprehensive nature of the book makes it difficult to imagine that a better book on the Roosevelt presidency during World War II can be written.

A reader may get a little lost trying to keep track of all the names, especially when they appear only once every fifty or one hundred pages. Fortunately, the index in the back is very useful for finding the first appearance and description of these characters. Still, this minor drawback does not offset the powerful lessons that the book teaches. For those who equate government with partisan bickering and gridlock, it is heartening to know that such conditions existed during World War II, yet were overcome with persistence and ingenuity. For those who did not live thorough those times, it gives a vivid portrayal of the sacrifices and challenges that all Americans endured. Finally, it shows that Roosevelt's belief that people will respond successfully when given a challenge and the freedom to rise to that challenge is true. These are all powerful lessons that not only illuminate our past, but give us a guideline for our future. Ultimately, that is the mark of a successful historical book. Goodwin should be (and has rightfully been) commended for making such a book.

I have been a fan of Doris Kearns Goodwin after hearing her speak at a leadership conference. All of her descriptions of events were built around the people that made the key decisions or influenced the events to occur.

This Pulitzer Prize book is equally well researched on both of the book's characters, Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt. In reading the book, you feel like you are actually living in the White House during the events leading up to and during the Depression and World War II.

The author is so thorough in the details gathered from her research from diaries and letters, that the book is not a fast read. However it is a fascinating portrait of two extraordinary individuals that led our nation through extraordinary events and personally influenced historical change in the way we live as Americans that forever changed our fabric.

I highly recommend to any Franklin or Eleanor Roosevelt reader...through this work, you cannot understand one without knowing the other.

This is one of the finest books I have ever read about America's involvement in World War II. Not only has Goodwin thoroughly researched her subject, but she knows how to tell it in an easily readable, "can't put it down" manner. Writing an informative, wonderfully illustrative book about the home front during mankind's biggest, deadliest war is a feat, but making readers feel as if they are actually living and experiencing that time is another accomplishment altogether. Goodwin does this in a book that will be read hundreds of years from now.

Anyone who wishes to get the feel for what it was like during this tumultuous time should buy this book, read it, and then read it again.

Many people of FDR's inner circle are profiled and narrated, including Lucy Mercer, the woman FDR fell in love with and nearly divorced Eleanor over; Missy LeHand, FDR's personal assistant whom many referred to as his "real" wife; as well as Ikes, Morgenthau, Stimson and most importantly, Harry Hopkins.

Goodwin also debunks some myths about the FDR presidency, both good and bad. Some World War II "Did You Know" tidbits covered:

1. Nearly 105,000 refugees from Nazism reached the U.S., more than any other country. Palestine was second with 55,000. No one disputes that the number should have been much, much higher, but today's attitudes would lead people to believe that we turned everyone away. Footnote - during FDR's presidency, only 3 percent of the population was Jewish - but 15 percent of his appointments were Jewish. Our greatest wartime president was no Anti-Semite.

2. The journey of the St. Louis. The author gives adequate attention to one of the great tragedies of the war, and an enormous stain on FDR's legacy.

3. Goodwin thoroughly covers the internment of Japanese-Americans - another enormous stain on FDR's presidency. But what is often ignored is the overwhelming pressure on FDR from a tremendous number of people to confine anyone even remotely related to the Japanese. This should not have mattered to FDR, and tragically, it did. One can only wonder if this was part of FDR's dealmaking mentality to accomplish many of his goals to prepare for and wage war. Quite possibly, if he didn't go along with this tragic idea, he many not have received cooperation on many of his other initiatives. People also tend to forget that this was all out war following a tragic, unprovoked attack. Many of the same things are happening to people of Arab decent following the 9/11 attacks, and the Bush administration doesn't hesitate to throw the rule book or Constitution out the window with people of Arab decent, all in the name of fighting terrorism. Rooting out sympathizers and spies was a principle reason in confining the Japanese. This is not a justification for internment, merely part of the reason.

4. Eleanor played a big role in trying to convince Congress to pass legislation that allowed British children to come to the U.S. so they could be out of harm's way during the bombing of Britian. William Schulte of Indiana tried to get the provision expanded to include all European children under 16 - including German Jewish children. The provision never made it to the Senate floor for a vote.

Goodwin also covers FDR's reasoning and motives behind lend-lease, the brilliant idea to provide war matériel to the Allies when they couldn't afford it. Even Stalin said that lend-lease was one of the biggest factors in winning the war.

In short, this is one of the most informative and educational books written yet about what the home front was like, and the thinking and wisdom that went into many of the decisions about the war. It also offers many wonderful insights into FDR and Eleanor, and their complex relationship that was really more of a partnership.

This brilliant tome belongs on any World War II bookshelf. I'd give it six stars if I could.

Jack Cray, the American assassin sent deep into Germany during the The Third Reich's final days, is the focus point of this gripping WWII thriller. There is romance, and action, and suspense abounding. Though several of the plot twists can be forseen by regular readers of this genre, it does not make the story any less fascinating in the telling. If you liked Daniel Silva's The Unlikely Spy or John Lee's The Ninth Man, you will enjoy this exciting tale of an indomitable American's spy mission to infiltrate the German high command. This page-turner is peopled with just the right mix of sinister Nazis who are always just a breath away from capturing the good guys who are working to save the free world. It was also interesting to read the unsettling descriptions of German civilan life during the closing days of the war, to see how the Nazi's war machine had so adversely affected the average German's life in so many ways. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys WWII spy thrillers. A good one.

Why did it take me so long to find this author? Five Past Midnight is another great World War II novel, that zooms in at a fast pace, on a central hero in the American Rangers. He receives support for his mission from several other unexpected and atypical heroes. As a student of history, particularly military history, I enjoyed this book thoroughly. I learned more about Nazi Germany, at the same time that I raced along with the main hero on his mission. I felt like I was there with him all the way, and glad that I was not the one doing the mission. James Bond has nothing on CPT Jack Cray, but unlike Bond, Cray has the personal problems that go with his type of work. In my mind, this makes Cray more like the real heroes we see in the American military all the time. Being an Army Reservist, I admit to a prejudice in favor of people who serve their country, even if I did start as a draftee.

This was the first Thayer book that I read, in paperback, and I enjoyed it so much that I went out and bought in hardback, so I can reread it for years to come. I now have 11 more Thayer books to look forward to reading. Find his books fast, before everyone else discovers how good Thayer is, because his older books will start to disappear when they do.

Five Past Midnight is an extremely suspenseful and dramatic fictional story about the Nazi powerhouse in World War II. The author, James Thayer, draws a captivating picture of what might have happened had Adolf Hitler's assassination attempt been successful. The American assassin, Jack Cray, escapes a POW camp and takes the reader on a journey of clever sniper tactics and cold- blooded killing, and he will not stop until he completes his mission. Cray gets aid from a few important characters along the way. Katrina von Tornitz is a young and widowed spy for the allies, adding a perfect dose of romantic spin to the tale. Otto Dietrich is brought back into the world after being imprisoned by the Gestapo to track down the well-known and feared American killer, adding suspense to the story. Thayer makes the characters very real. I could almost hear their voices while reading. The way he described Hitler through the characters emotions and thoughts was remarkable. The bunker scene, where Hitler was residing toward the end of the book, was particularly amazing. I recommend the book to any one with a taste for suspense, and those who enjoy history or war related topics.

I would like to congratuate Frank Delano on writing "The Omnipowerful Brand" book. I found the entire book captivating and full of valuable information. I believe proper branding and brand image is key to being successful in the market place. Your book provides the headlights in guiding the development of successful brand names and how to build a powerful brand image. As my company is just starting up, "The Omnipowerful Brand" will be referenced for many years. Thank you for providing this valuable information. I hope my competition doesn't read it. --

According to Delano, "...the first half of this book is focused on the seven proven principles and a proven process to find a great brand name -- a brand name that launches the product, service, or business venture into the world's marketplace or replaces one that has proven to be a marketing dud....The book's second half is devoted to what it takes to build a great brand name into the omnipowerful brand -- a brand that transcends the very product that put it on the map."

Delano delivers on this promise.

The "omnipowerful brand" is that which has the most appropriate name, that which transcends what it is and does, and that which (in effect) takes on a life of its own. It has its own distinctive personality. Some names become generic: "Xeroxing" can be accomplished on several different brands of photocopiers. Some names have a permanent association with their company: "AAdvantage" with American Airlines. (What are the names of the other major airlines' frequent flier programs?) Names are important. For Delano, the naming of any product or service is critically important. However, great names are essentially worthless if they are misnomers: failing to be and/or do what they explicitly or implicitly promise.

In the final chapter, Delano observes: "America's best-run companies...pay close attention to all the key elements that affect the health and vigor of their most prized asset -- the brand....The best news of all is that the omnipowerful brand is within reach of every company regardless of its size or business sector." Even companies with little (if any) money to spend on advertising can still derive substantial benefit from The Omnipowerful Brand. It will help them to answer such basic questions as these: We know who we are and what we sell but what is our brand? What makes it unique? How can we nourish and strengthen it? How can we leverage it? The answers to these questions will help any company as continues to orbit in a perilous galaxy.

"This is simply the best book I've ever read on building a powerhouse brand. Delano has done a masterful job. You'll come away with a blue print for creating a 'great' brand name and what it takes to create what Delano calls an 'omnipowerful 'brand. Delano's client stories are a fascinating read. Believe me, this is a must read for anyone involved in brand management, marketing, advertising, sales, or public relations." -- Ann Trotter