I read this book in a college class and loved it. It is very well-written and structured, and perfect for the casual reader of history. Reflecting on the broader intellectual impact of the Civil War rather than the details of the battles was very interesting.

This is THE book on the Soviet Armed Forces as they were just before the breakup of the USSR. The author visted military units all over the former Soviet Union to provide an extensive, up-close look at the Red Army. Several of the Soviet officers we are introduced to in this book are now prominent (sometimes infamous) Russian political figures. Every branch of service is covered: infantry, the tank force, navy, air force, the elite Airborne/Air Assault units, etc. Also contains the first real look inside the near-mythical Spetznaz forces. Incredible illustrations from front to back. A real find for the Soviet/Russian military enthusiast. Do yourself a favor and find a copy of this book.

It's really a shame that The Insulted and Injured is as hard to find as it is; though it's not on as grand a scale as most of Dostoevsky's better known novels, it may be as touching as anything he wrote. Narrated by a young author, Vanya, who has just released his first novel (which bears an obvious resemblance to Dostoevsky's own first novel, Poor Folk, making me wonder how much of the story might be autobiographical), it consists of two gradually converging subplots. One deals with Vanya's close friend and former love object, Natasha, who has left her family to live with her new lover, Alyosha. Alyosha is the saintly but dimwitted son of Prince Valkovsky, who hopes to gain financially by marrying Alyosha off to an heiress, Katya. Valkovsky's cruel machinations to break up Alyosha and Natasha make him one of the most memorable "predatory types" (a la Stavrogin in The Possessed) that Dostoevsky created. The other branch of the plot deals with the approximately 13-year old orphan Nellie, whom Vanya saves from an abusive household by taking her into his apartment, and whose deceased mother's story in some ways parallels that of Natasha. It's unusual to see a well-developed character as young as Nellie in a Dostoevsky novel, but Nellie may be one of his most moving creations, and she in particular shows the influence of Dickens (whom Dostoevsky is known to have read during the Siberian exile near the end of which this novel was conceived).

The Insulted and Injured could justly be criticized for melodrama, as the characters' behavior is a bit too extreme to be believed. There's not even a hint of jealousy anywhere in the love quadrilateral between Vanya, Natasha, Alyosha, and Katya, as none of them want anything other than the happiness of their beloved--whether that happiness is with someone else is utterly (and unrealistically) immaterial to them. Also, at the other end of the spectrum, Prince Valkovsky is rather implausibly evil, especially toward his own son, who though not exactly brilliant has done nothing to justify Valkovsky's cruelty. However, these extreme charcters make the novel very emotionally involving and didn't realy bother me while I was reading it, though of course your mileage may vary.

One of the most important themes throughout Dostoevsky's work is the expiative value of suffering, and The Insulted and Injured, with its tragically moving plot and characters, develops that theme splendidly. At this writing, unfortunately, Amazon lists it as unavailable; hopefully that will change soon. (Also, although at present the out-of-print search service isn't offered for this translation, it is available for a translation under the title "The Insulted and Humiliated," so you might try searching under that title.)

Insurgent Images: The Agitprop Murals Of Mike Alewitz by muralist and labor activist Mike Alewitz in collaboration with historian and academician Paul Buhle presents a vibrant, full-color presentation of the vivid and powerfully themed mural artworks done by Alewitz, an outspoken labor activist since the 1940s. Presenting a strong political theme of worker's rights and solidarity, capturing the imagination with its outspoken message, and offered alongside a sensible commentary that places pieces in context to the labor and humanitarian issues they illustrated, Insurgent Images is a stunning collection of art created to serve showcase and advance the cause of worker and human rights.

Research guides must be judged on the usefulness, not their readability, but Bauchner and Ramani have done pretty well in both regards in this very practical guide. Their subject matter is timely, important, and sexy, and it is clear that both have delved into their subjects deep enough to ferret out the less useful information. Bauchner's book list is quality-oriented, and the Internet resources are carefully cataloged. Both authors are careful to note the strengths and limitations of Internet research, and both offer helpful research tips based on experience. For example, Bauchner suggests checking for the most current developments on the EU Data Directive. No doubt, he has encountered researchers who failed to heed such common-sense advice. Overall, Bauchner and Ramani have taken complex subjects about which there is voluminous information available and presented a readable guide that should save researchers time while directing them to the most useful and valid sources.

Excellent historical details and great starting point for understanding the Victorian-era cavalry troop. Great pictures, documents,and maps aid in understanding the life and times of a dragoon/lancer/hussar during the Crimean War.

With the increase in the EU's powers the discussion about its perceived democratic deficit has received a boost. This collection looks at the issue from a variety of fields. Included in the discussion are the role of Euro-parties, EU lobbying and the interrelation between EU policy making and national institutions. Part 3 and 4 deal with the legitimacy of the EU institutions and the future of EU democracy.

This in-depth study helps to understand the problems and issues connected with the slogan "democratic deficit". As Anderson and Burns point out in their contribution we may not witness a deficit but rather a post-parliamentary democracy which cannot be measured with the yardstick of liberal democracy as applied to the traditional nation state.

Br. Jeffrey Gros, FSC and his colleague Ann Riggs have provided their readers with a clear, accurate and very readable introduction to the history and theology of the Ecumenical Movement from a Roman Catholic perspective. Completely devoid of polemics, the author is straightforward on the issues which divide and unite Christianity

All too often people think of the Enlightenment as a group of smart people thinking about why we are so wonderful. The flip side of Enlightenment thinking is that to make Europeans seem so wonderful, the Philosophes described themselves against an Other, who possessed all the undesirable traits not accepted by the "Enlightened" people. Wolff shows how the Philosophes, with limited actual knowledge of Eastern Europe, used the civilizations east of Germany to show the benefits of living in the West. During the Enlightenment the language used to describe Eastern Europe ascribed barbaric qualities to the people and offered little faith that the people could ever "evolve" as Western Europeans had. Wolff uses maps and traveler's accounts to show the influence the philosphes had on perceptions of Eastern Europe. It is rather disconcerting to note that many of these same perceptions persist today.