So I had Ann Kimmage at SUNY Plattsburgh for freshman comp. I read her book and I absolutly loved it. She tells her story in such a way that you feel like you are right along side of her. Livingi n Russia during the time she did was very dangerous. I loved the stories about her parents. They seemed like the coolest people out there. This book is great and it is true. Ann is a wonderful lady and a good teacher. No wonder why her book is awesome!

This book lives up to what it is supposed to be, an overview ofmodern European History. I am not fond of textbook overviews, butthat is what this is, and it does its job. It gives the reader a basic history from the French Revolution to the popular culture of the last 30 years. However, it is still a "textbook" and does not cover anything in depth.

The authors do two things in the book. First they give a brief overview of canoeing techniques, cautions and safety, and then a number of trips that can be taken in the Wisconsin, Upper Michigan, and Minnisota areas. Included are maps and sites, as well as cautions for rapids, barb wire, and other hazards which may need care or avoidance.

The area that was somewhat lacking was the way to piece the shorter trips together for a longer trip, since there was less camping information in the river descriptions. The inclusion of both whitewater sections as well as a number of sections of quiet water was helpful.

This is a fun little quote book that is priced right. It has, in chronological order, quotes from all of the presidents under the Constitution up to Clinton. This is rather a singular book, considering the scope of what the editor has done. Some presidents, such as Lincoln, Kennedy, or Reagan who have been blesses with blarney and gab, have great humorous quotes. Some presidents have a more philosophical bent, such as Jefferson and Madison, so a quote book does not do them justice. Others, such as Grant or Silent Cal Coolidge, are taciturn, so you need to track quotes down with a magnifying glass and metal detector.

This book has ample quotes from all of the then-42 presidents, and is great for people who like quote books, public speakers, politicians, or people looking for bullet-thoughts that hit the target.

Storey, developed this text for a writing program at Harvard. A historian by training, Storey does an excellent job of describing basic and advanced research and writing techniques. His text is succinct and lively, filled with well chosen examples. If you have ever wondered about the difference between a primary and secondary source or how to deal with contradictory evidence, this is the book for you. I assign it in my writing courses.

"High Treason" is a document written in blood about how government really works. Every American interested in their rights and in our system, should read this book with care. "High Treason" is a magnificent work because it understands the structure of power and how powerful men work. I have not read a more convincing book on the conspiracy to kill JFK. Posner and Livingston present an enormous amount of convincing evidence. I would place this book by Oliver Stone's masterpiece, "JFK." "High Treason" is an important book that I think should be read in schools. Not so much as to educate on the Kennedy assassination, but on the workings of our government and how power really works. I'm glad it has been republished with new information. I was so enfuriated by Gerald Posner's load of shit, "Case Closed." "High Treason" REALLY looks for the truth. And in the end, is disturbing.

This book took me by surprise after reading the 26 volumes of the Warren Report. This book shows you a concise, detailed account of all the evidence ignored by the Warren Commision and the House Select Committee on Assassinations. I highly recommend this book to anybody who believes that JFK's Assassination issue is closed.

This was the book that introduced me to the mysteries surrounding the JFK Assassination. Recently, I revisited this book and read it again. I am glad I did.

I found this book to be an interesting read. I also found it to be very direct and to the point about what the authors think happened. I appreciated how they lined the information out step by step by step to back up their beliefs.

I was particularly interested in the unusual deaths of those people who are associated with the JFK murder. The large number of deaths in the unusual manners indicate a conspiracy if nothing else does. I like that this was covered in this book because many books tend to miss this point.

There are many conspiracy theories out there. I found that this one had proof and evidence that seemed to back up what might have happened. This is a good book and can be a good introduction to the JFK mystery.

Ok, so I do consider myself a liberal person. But I also like to read facts in history books, not biased opinions of them. Unfortunaltely, this book is much more on the opinions side. Even though I agreed with many of the author's biases, it was still very annoying to feel that I am being fed someone's views instead of historical facts. If you don't agree with the author's views, this would be quite unpleasant.

In terms of the general coverage of history, the book does an ok job, but has a hard time keeping a thread - there is a lot of jumping around which makes it hard to follow, especially in an audio format. Nontheless, you do get an ok overview of American history (or at least of the author's opinions of the events).

In general, I would not recommend it unless you are desperate or just need a fast refresher and are willing to ignore all the opinionated pieces and tease out the facts.

This is an enjoyable book for adults who wish they remembered more from high school history class. Although it's a serious and factual book that cuts well above the "bathroom reader" category, it's not intended as an advanced text for historians. For example, the issues leading up to the civil war are covered in a single chapter. Obviously there's some simplification there. Expert historians would want several full books on the subject.

And while the book is serious and factual, it's not dull and lifeless like the high school history texts many of us remember. The author writes with an active style and includes occasional bits of humor. He's also willing to pass judgment after outlining the facts -- and that's what really makes this book insightful. For example, in describing George Washington he goes beyond the mythic, beatific hero accounts given in typical textbooks and talks about the man's earthy, human side as well as some of the his shortcomings.

I recommend this book to any adult who has forgotten high school history. I think it is especially valuable for parents whose children are learning about history in school -- you can refresh your knowledge and help your children learn. This book would even be good for older students (at least 8th grade) themselves to read, particularly if their teachers and textbooks just aren't making the material interesting enough.

This book does exactly what it is intended to do: provide a comprehensive, readable account of American History for those of us with significant gaps in our knowledge of the subject. However, be aware uninformed reader: never take for granted that everything you read is THE truth! There are always many ways of looking at things, and Kenneth Davis' perspective is just one of many! I actually read this book cover to cover; however, it would be equally good as a reference to use as necessary. I thought the play by play of each war was somewhat tedious, but loved the bits of foreshadowing that connected many events with what was yet to come. There's also a nice list in the back of supplemental historical fiction and nonfiction readings, should this book spark an interest in a particular topic for you, and you would like some direction in locating more information. Overall a great book for the intended audience.

This book is one of the worst works ever written on Andrew Jackson. My main problem is that the author seems to want to believe that the Democratic Party has basically been around in much the same form as it was during the New Deal. FDR may have been the savior of America in the 1930s, but Andrew Jackson was his prophet. This just is not true (Schlesinger also attempts to establish the kinship between the two in reverse in his three volumes on Roosevelt as well, but not in the same degree as he does here).
The only real eternal verities in American History are the ones originally represented by Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson at the establishment of the US. Simplified to their essence these are a belief in a strong federal government (Hamilton) or a weak one (Jefferson), a desire for wide spread equality (Jefferson) or confidence in the rich and well-born (Hamilton). Positions on these matters change throughout the extent of US history. There is no continuity between either of the two parties. Schelesinger's primary failing is not to recognize this.

Jackson and Roosevelt may have shared a basic vague sense of equality among the populace, but there the similarity ends. Each probably had a radically different view as to what peoples constituted the American nation. Words like "democracy" also changed over time in the 100 years that separate the age of Jackson with that of Roosevelt.

The biggest difference Roosevelt's notions of what government should and should not do would have been an anathema to Jackson. Jackson, who came into office determined to thwart John Q. Adams and Henry Clay's ideas of the federal government funding "internal improvements," would have been appalled by the New Deal. Jackson hated the idea that the federal government was funding roads and canals, the WPA and PWA would have sent a shiver down his spine. Roosevelt and Jackson had to radically differing views as to the role of the federal government. Arguments for any kinship between the two break down when one compares and contrasts their respective goals and visions. Jackson has more in common with Ronald Reagan than he did with FDR.

Another shortcoming in this book is its coverage of Jackson and the Indians. Were he to live in our own time, Jackson would be the most appalling racist and a large measure of his prejudice was focused against indians. While a number of other people did share Jackson's views, there were also those who did not and were appalled by the forced removal of indians from their property in Georgia for the discovery of gold there. Jackson did love the people, particularly if they were white and land speculators. Indians were not part of his calculation.

While Jackson is an interesting and important president, this is not the first book I would recommend. More useful is Robert Remini's three volumes on Jackson which is better at putting Jackson in the proper context.

I found it very hard to rate this book. In the end, I chose between three and four stars, and went with four. But, at various times, I considered everything from two to five.

This book has several serious problems. The most important is the incredible bias of the author. This bias is evident, to some extent, throughout the book, where Schlesinger's very liberal views taint almost everything he discusses. The last section of the book is particularly outrageous. It is, essentially, a very biased, distorted attack on legitimate policy views held by some moderates and conservatives. (By the way, I am not an arch-conservative; I'm a moderate who agrees with Schlesinger on many political and policy issues, but who doesn't think they should warp his account of history so much.)

Still, the book is a classic, and not without reason. It's well-written (unlike a lot of history I've been reading lately), lucid, and thoughtful. The story of Jackson and the politics of the first half of the 19th century is fascinating and very important to ones understanding of the development of the U.S. At the time at which this book was written, it advanced significantly our understanding of Jackson and this period -- even if subsequent research and analysis has improved on it. And, it's a good read.

So, I recommend this book as long as you go into it knowing its weaknesses and understanding that a lot in it is colored by Schlesinger's own political views.

As has been pointed out by other reviewers, Schlesinger's work is essentially an all-out assault on conservatism in American politics masked as a history of Jacksonian America. Not an attack on the "conservative" position on this or that topic, mind you. Rather, he argues that there is some sort of innate dark side in America - the conservatives - that has consistently and relentlessly tried to deprive society of freedom and liberty at every turn.

Schlesinger twists and bends and stretches American history in his attempt to show how the national saving grace of liberalism has continued in one uninterrupted line from Jefferson to Jackson to Lincoln to Wilson and, finally, to FDR, even though the issues, parties and arguments have changed radically. (Had this book been published in the late- rather the mid-twentieth century, I'm sure the author would have demonstrated the role Johnson, Carter and Clinton played in that continuum.)

Schlesinger saves his most impressive feat of historical casuistry for explaining how and why the Democratic Party wasn't "really" the political party of slavery and oppression. By 1848, in Schlesinger's analysis, the two central parties, Democrat and Whig, existed in name only. All the radical (read "truly liberal") elements of the Jacksonian tradition had joined the Republican Party by 1858 (conveniently allowing them to take credit for the Civil War and destroying American bondage), but were back in the Democratic Party by the time big business usurped the GOP during and after Reconstruction.

With such a contemptuous and sarcastic review, you might be wondering "so why the 4 stars"?

Well, it has been said that the field of economics progresses one funeral at a time - and I would argue the same holds true for the study of history. Whatever this book's faults, Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr. is one of the most influential historians of the twentieth century and this book shaped the minds and ideas of a generation of liberal intellectuals, including senior Democratic statesmen. For anyone interested in learning more about Jacksonian America and understanding one popular, albeit controversial, interpretation of its roots in modern American liberalism, this book is essential reading.

In her #1 New York Times bestseller, We Are Our Mothers Daughters, Cokie Roberts, co-anchor of ABC's This Week with Sam Donaldson and Cokie Roberts, examined the nature of women's roles, from mother to mechanic, sister to soldier through the illuminating lens of personal experience. Written with her characteristic disarming humor and affectionate intelligence, Cokie created an instant classic that hit #1 on the New York Times bestseller list where it remained for an astounding 26 weeks. Now, Cokie, who has been hailed by USA Today as a "custodian of time-honored values" joins forces with her husband of thirty-three years, political analyst and college professor Steve Roberts with FROM THIS DAY FORWARD an in-depth look at the institution of marriage, American-style. Part chronicle of their own courtship, marriage and family life, and part social/historical examination of marriage as an institution, FROM THIS DAY FORWARD uses the Roberts' personal stories as a springboard for discussing larger issues of love and marriage, work and family, parents and children. The book addresses such questions as: how in an age in which 50% of all marriages fail, why does the idea of marriage still endure, and what makes for ties that truly bind? Is it possible for marriage to flourish in a fractured culture in which families live thousands of miles apart? As the generations-old gate-keepers of family, religion and community fade away, what will take their place as the safeguards and strongholds of marriage? These issues and more are at the heart of this compelling look at the state of our unions.

Told in both Cokie's and Steve's words, FROM THIS DAY FORWARD offers a fascinating, intimate portrait of their own journey together, from their courtship in the early 1960's-a time when people married right out of college as a matter of course-through their days overseas, balancing two careers and the demands of family in the turbulent 1970's, to their status today as "long-marrieds" with married children of their own. They reveal candid snapshots of their relationship-from how they fell in love, to how they approached parenting with two careers, to how they worked through the conflicting desires and expectations that test every marriage.

Cokie and Steve also share stories of other American marriages: pioneers, slaves, immigrants, and Holocaust survivors. There is also a look at the surprising marriage of John and Abigail Adams, whose letters to each other reveal painful absences, heartbreaking tragedies, warm entreaties and wickedly funny, blisteringly honest exchanges. These extraordinary accounts show the universality of marriage-that cultural forces may change, but affairs of the heart do not.

FROM THIS DAY FORWARD celebrates modern marriage with all its glories and flaws and turns a warm, embracing spotlight on the issues confronting today's couples who are determined to have and to hold from this day forward. As Cokie and Steve conclude, "Marriage is an act of faith, as well as hope...an unlimited commitment to an unknowable partner." Filled with sage advice and written in a winning, fireside-chat style, FROM THIS DAY FORWARD is ultimately the story of all husbands and wives, the way they support each other and yet continue to grow and change as individuals.

Cokie and Steve Roberts opened themselves and their lives to us in this telling story about their own 33 plus year marriage. As a single woman it was wonderful to read about the compromises that each of them made and make in order to make the marriage succeed. They share honest and frank discussions about situations they had to work through and compromise on in their own marriage.

I want to thank Cokie and Steve for letting us into their lives. Looking forward to the next book!

Cokie Roberts first book--WE ARE OUR MOTHERS DAUGHTERS--was wonderful so I was thrilled to get this one as a gift. I was not disappointed. By sharing their insights and their lives, Cokie and Steve Robers have made a major contribution to the complex subject of marriage. I urge anyone who is married--or thinking of getting married--to read this superb book.

Yanks tells the story of the AEF in the Great War. It was written by John Eisenhower, the son of President Eisenhower. He is a military historian of note, and he does a wonderful job telling the fascinating, and often underrated story of America's contribution to the Great War. He portrays the lives of General Pershing and the other Allied high commanders. He also talks about famous soldiers like Billy Mitchell, Ulysses Grant McAlexander, and Sergeant Alvin C. York. He also discusses the early careers of World War Two heroes like George Marshall and George Patton. My only complaint about this book is that it does not talk about the lives of the regular soldiers that much. But, it is well written, and easy to read. It is the perfect book for anyone interested in America's military role in the Great War.

While history can often make for dry reading material, John D. Eisenhower, does an admirable job of making the story of the United States Army in World War I readable. The author provides numerous details that flesh out the bare skeleton provided by other authors. He covers the buildup of forces, including a generous section on the logistics of moving to Europe and supplying it once it arrived. Eisenhower, also, offers valuable information and insights on the American Expeditionary Force, from senior figures like Pershing and Harbord to early views of Patton and MacArthur. Eisenhower's coverage of the battles and conflicts involving the US Army are not comprehensive, and you have to wonder if they were really meant to be, or meant as examples from which the reader can infer the details of other battles not covered. The coverage of the political/command battles provides another facet of the US involvement missed by many other books.

As any serious reader of history knows, you cannot get the whole story from any one book or author. In order to get a balanced and comprehensive view of history, the reader must look to multiple sources. This book makes an excellent companion to John Keegan's The First World War, providing a missing piece. It provides a source of balance and detail that Keegan neglects. However, it is not the be all and end all of the story; there are still plenty of missing pieces.
P-)

GEN John D. Eisenhower (USMA'44)'s latest contribution to military history, YANKS, is a worthy addition to the libraries of anyone interested in World War I. As with his previous fine efforts (Bitter Woods, So Far From God, and Agent of Destiny), General Eisenhower's literary skills make for an "easy" read. The book is editorially well-written. More importantly for military historians, the book is exhaustively researched; drawing on numerous official sources and private papers. The book is extensively footnoted and has an impressive bibliography including several recent efforts on World War I. The book contains the all-important maps critical for understanding and "seeing" the numerous battles which are vividly portrayed. The book also offers numerous photographs drawn from official sources and individuals.

The book offers a good balance of official history combined with narration of the individuals' contributions to the US involvement in "The War to End All Wars." General Eisenhower offers his insights into the U.S. Army, the combat commanders, the conduct of the war and the personalities involved in the political struggle among the Allies concerning the U.S. effort.

In sum, a fine effort.