Frank Polite"s _Hyde_ is a complex longpoem in a stanzaic form called panthera -- which he claims is Turkish, but which may be his own tongue-in-cheek invention. Like the cat for which the verse form is named, the poem/story prowls and pounces through many countries as it hunts down Hyde, the assassin/bodyguard hero, and MiLady, the gorgeous heroine. Villains, Malador (get it?) and Fatoush are repeatedly foiled by quick-witted Hyde.

Like Polite's previous work, this is a lot of fun. It tricks and traps like a panther, and Hydes many clever word plays in its narrative.

This book is written assuming the reader has already read Robert Louis Stevenson's _The Strange Case of Doctor Jeckyll and Mister Hyde,_ one of the classics of horror/science fiction. It's an interesting companion volume in which the author picks apart Stevenson's assertion that the two men, Jeckyll and Hyde, are the same individual. Every reader has to make up their own mind whether they buy the argument, but it's incontrovertable that Donald Thomas makes a good case.

A book for a rather specific audience. If you are very interested in London (living there would count) and architectural/city planning oddities, this is the book for you. There are whole chapters about how best to rebuild the city after the Great Fire of 1666, alternative monuments to Nelson and other famous British heroes, and (my favorite) an ambitious man's attempt to outdo Paris with a tower better than Eiffel's. The book is full of architect's drawings and sketches (black and white only), all by the original planner or others from the period. This book is very hard to rate on a 1-10 scale because it's either something you are really interested in, or it's incredible boring. I gave it a seven, because the authors came up with a unique subject and cover it with as much interest and detail as is possible. However, you have to be VERY interested in the subject. As an non-architect American who is fascinated with the U.K. and has done my fair share of reading about Victorian (and before) design, but has only visited London once, I was lost at many points. The book has endless references to various concepts of how St. Paul's cathedral might have been or how it could have been improved, but it makes the assumption that the reader is intimately familiar with its current appearance. There are no comparisons with its present form, just the alternatives. And the architectural drawings and discussions about the placements of buildings were sometimes too much for me. I bought it hoping for a leisurely read about grand schemes for London filled with humorous stories about the failed plans for a "railway down the middle of the Thames" (as indicated on the back cover), and got more detail and specifics than I expected. However, if you are a Londoner (and I would welcome your second, much more authoritative, opinion), historical architect, or other interested someone who isn't put off by the above warnings, this is the best (if not only) book on the topic.

The Marketization of Social Security edited by John Dixon and Mark Hyde provides the reader with a comparative look at social security programs in different countries. Allowing readers to have an international perspective of social security programs. It highlights Chile, Brazil, Britain, New Zealand, Canada (specifically Ontario), Zimbabwe, and the United States. Quite a mix of countries for one to swallow in the mere 219 pages, but don't sweat it. The reading is very interesting and captures the reader's interest in a short time. An international comparison of social security systems is a great way to learn about in where specific social security programs thrive.
The title of this book can be intimidating to the reader, if they do not have a working knowledge of business jargon. After cracking the seam of the book, the first two chapters give the reader enough background information to allow them to understand the book. The following chapters provide examples of marketization in the various countries, each shedding light on a different aspect of the issue. These chapters clear up any shadows that the reader may have surrounding the marketization of social security. There is some overlapping in the issues discussed in the chapters, but each one also has a unique aspect from the country that contributes to the readers growing knowledge on various social security programs. The overlapping allows the readers to compare and contrast how the government has adapted the various programs to fit the specific needs of the recipients.
This book allows the reader to gain a working knowledge and formulate an educated opinion on the current social security debate occurring the in the United States. By looking closely at these highlighted countries one is able to see what works and does not work in specific countries. It also discusses the factors that must be in place for marketization to be successful. Readers of this book will learn about social security systems in other countries and how they have evolved. The Marketization of Social Security is worth a read just for the first two chapters. They will provide a quick overview of the underlying reasons for social security programs. After reading the complete work, the reader will come away with an insight into the different methods used by other countries. Thus, improving their understanding of the social security system currently in place in the United States. It is a quick read that is worth the time put into. This book rewards the time spent reading its contents.

I first read this book about 15 years ago with great interest as it was written about one of my wifes relatives this is the second book about the life of James Douglas Stark,a fearless soldier of the ww1 the first book, also written by Hyde is called passport to helland is more to do with his feats during the first world war both books make fascinating reading

i thought this book was very funny.i learned a lot of things i didn't really need to know! the thing is ,i thought the worst case scenario handbook was better. you should read this though, you might find it amusing!

As the title states, this is not a biography of Red Cloud. It is, instead, the history of his people-the Oglala-as far back as the middle of the 17th century. However, while Hyde's speculation on the early history is probably the most valuable part, the various migrations and splits of the Sioux are a little hard to follow and make for slow going. It is not until he reaches more familiar territory, from about the Grattan Fight on, that the pace picks up.

This work, originally written in the 1930's and updated in the late 50's appears to be very well researched. However it has it's flaws. Hyde has difficulty overcoming a certain cultural bias, and he has a habit of picking and choosing the information that most supports his point of view. For example, time and again, he laments the poor memory of Indians when it comes to relating their own history, and belittles them for mythologizing certain events at the expense of accuracy. However he insists that it was the Crazy Horse village which J.J. Reynolds attacked and destroyed on the Powder in 1876, and not a Cheyenne village as the Indians of the time asserted, and as is now widely accepted by historians. And in this case he bases his theory on the accounts of certain Indians who said that they saw Crazy Horse fleeing up the bluffs with a small child on his back. The notion of course is rediculous. Crazy Horse's own daughter had died by then, and the idea that the great war chief could come up with nothing better to do during an attack than pick up stray children makes no sense.

Hyde also asserts without doubt, that Crazy Horse, in his last days was planning to break out of the Red Cloud agency with his band, and was not simply escaping to Spotted Tail for sanctuary from his enemies. While this may be true, he has absolutely no evidence to base it on. Having said this, Hyde's habit of pronouncing opposing views as "blatantly absurd" is somewhat refreshing, and keeps the narrative more interesting.

Anyone who studies the Plains Indians must add this to their library, however, they should keep in mind, that it represents only one point of view.

This 1962 book has a Foreword by Ian Fleming ("James Bond is not in fact a hero, but an efficient and not very attractive blunt instrument in the hands of government ... a highly romanticized version of the true spy") who first met William Stephenson ("A Man Called Intrepid") when he was on a mission to Washington in 1941. Stephenson was sent to New York in 1940 to protect British shipping of war material (and to gather information on enemy activities for appropriate counter-measures), and to promote public opinion in favor of American intervention on the side of Britain. Any offensive actions would have to remain secret. This was part of Economic Warfare.

Chapter 2 documents the important political decisions made at the time by President Roosevelt and others in 1940. Fifty coal burning destroyers were sent to Britain at a critical time. The Sperry bomb-sight was leased after they learned the Germans had the plans. Chapter 3 tells of the propaganda campaign to discredit isolationists and Nazi supporters, and the methods used to cripple or harass German officials. Censorship of the mails was used to track down spies and saboteurs. Chapter 4 tells of the intrigues with the Vichy French government. The personal secretary of the Vichy ambassador was recruited into a business to gain knowledge of his affairs. This was used to discredit the Embassy. A British agent was placed in close contact with the Embassy to gain information from her male friends.

Chapter 5 tells of the Special Operations of economic warfare: to manufacture evidence of the facts believed to be true but which could not otherwise be proved! They had a laboratory to fabricate letters and other documents. The imprint of any typewrite on earth could be reproduced faultlessly. It tells how letters were created to condemn a Czech collaborator! Another game was to subject Fascist sympathizers to petty persecution to waste time in confusion, and get them into trouble. It tells how a forged letter was created to cause the cancellation of the Italian airline franchise, an important Axis channel of communication. Brazil then broke with the Axis. Chapter 6 tells of the OSS during WW2. Stephenson did everything to help Donovan get the position. The new organization faced two bureaucratic rivals: the FBI, and the military intelligence departments. It was mainly through the assistance of BSC that they survived. Intelligence and other trained experts were put at Donovan's disposal. It explains how a short-wave station in Boston was used to broadcast propaganda.

Chapter 7 repeats various anecdotes from the war. They used astrological predictions for propaganda! The techniques to use polling to control voting and win elections was written in 1943 by David Ogilvy. Since then the US Government has used these techniques both overtly and covertly. It tells how stories were given to principal journalists and feature writers, and how columnist Drew Pearson acquired information. Chapter 8 tells how President Roosevelt sent a message to Stephenson on November 27: "Japanese negotiations off. Services expect action within two weeks". How this happened is a matter of history. There is a discussion on the use and value of double agents. He tells of the training given to secret agents at Oshawa. Sabotage to French locomotives alone nearly equaled the number disabled by air action. The information from a Soviet code clerk in Canada exposed their spy system. The final tribute was that the BSC helped to reduce the number of American casualties.

Does this book show how a small group shapes and controls the events that affect our lives?

This 1962 book has a Foreword by Ian Fleming ("James Bond is not in fact a hero, but an efficient and not very attractive blunt instrument in the hands of government ... a highly romanticized version of the true spy") who first met William Stephenson ("A Man Called Intrepid") when he was on a mission to Washington in 1941. Stephenson was sent to New York in 1940 to protect British shipping of war material (and to gather information on enemy activities for appropriate counter-measures), and to promote public opinion in favor of American intervention on the side of Britain. Any offensive actions would have to remain secret. This was part of Economic Warfare.

Chapter 2 documents the important political decisions made at the time by President Roosevelt and others in 1940. Fifty coal burning destroyers were sent to Britain at a critical time. The Sperry bomb-sight was leased after they learned the Germans had the plans. Chapter 3 tells of the propaganda campaign to discredit isolationists and Nazi supporters, and the methods used to cripple or harass German officials. Censorship of the mails was used to track down spies and saboteurs. Chapter 4 tells of the intrigues with the Vichy French government. The personal secretary of the Vichy ambassador was recruited into a business to gain knowledge of his affairs. This was used to discredit the Embassy. A British agent was placed in close contact with the Embassy to gain information from her male friends.

Chapter 5 tells of the Special Operations of economic warfare: to manufacture evidence of the facts believed to be true but which could not otherwise be proved! They had a laboratory to fabricate letters and other documents. The imprint of any typewrite on earth could be reproduced faultlessly. It tells how letters were created to condemn a Czech collaborator! Another game was to subject Fascist sympathizers to petty persecution to waste time in confusion, and get them into trouble. It tells how a forged letter was created to cause the cancellation of the Italian airline franchise, an important Axis channel of communication. Brazil then broke with the Axis. Chapter 6 tells of the OSS during WW2. Stephenson did everything to help Donovan get the position. The new organization faced two bureaucratic rivals: the FBI, and the military intelligence departments. It was mainly through the assistance of BSC that they survived. Intelligence and other trained experts were put at Donovan's disposal. It explains how a short-wave station in Boston was used to broadcast propaganda.

Chapter 7 repeats various anecdotes from the war. They used astrological predictions for propaganda! The techniques to use polling to control voting and win elections was written in 1943 by David Ogilvy. Since then the US Government has used these techniques both overtly and covertly. It tells how stories were given to principal journalists and feature writers, and how columnist Drew Pearson acquired information. Chapter 8 tells how President Roosevelt sent a message to Stephenson on November 27: "Japanese negotiations off. Services expect action within two weeks". How this happened is a matter of history. There is a discussion on the use and value of double agents. He tells of the training given to secret agents at Oshawa. Sabotage to French locomotives alone nearly equaled the number disabled by air action. The information from a Soviet code clerk in Canada exposed their spy system. The final tribute was that the BSC helped to reduce the number of American casualties.

Does this book show how a small group shapes and controls the events that affect our lives?

Hyde's chronicle begins with the surrender of the Sioux to the U. S. government, and the beginning of the "noble experiment" of transforming Native Americans into Neo-Europeans (by making them farmers, for example). The book ends with the tragedy of the Wounded Knee massacre, and can be read as an analysis of all the factors leading up to that incident, which revealed the failure of said experiment.

Hyde recounts the many factors which led to the resumption of hostilities between a small minority of Sioux and the U. S. Army. the author clearly has favorite villains on both sides: from religious philanthropists on the East coast, who had never met a live Sioux in his native habitat, to Sitting Bull who went about caching firearms, to the corrupt politicians who replaced relatively knowledgeable Indian agents with inexperienced political cronies. Hyde paints the portrait of all of these actors and more with verve and detail.

Missing from Hyde's account is any in-depth analysis of Sioux culture that would allow us to understand the appeal of the Ghost Dance. Instead, Hyde's account posits that Sioux and white are motivated by the same factors: greed, political infighting, fear, hatred, and hunger. But Hyde's focus on action and decision, his love of detail, and his sardonic style make for gripping and informative reading. Recommended for anyone interested in frontier history or in the fraught relationship between whites and Native Americans.