It doesn't get any more real than this!! I really enjoyed this book. It lets you really get to know the people in the book who are real and not just some made up characters. I hope to see more of these type of books from Joseph Rodriguez. I also like the idea that someone made above about the author doing an update to this book. That would be great!!!

Finally someone writes a book and tells the truth i grew up in East los and believe me it was hard but something we chose,we chose to gangbang and finally someone was real about it and wrote this book showing the way it really is and what we really go threw.........THANKS,VBTP

I live in East L.A., and I know two of the young guys that were in the book. This is what life for us is really like.Im 19, and the guys that came out in the book are around 22 now. I think that this guy has come a really long way and hopefully when he looks back at this book he will realize that he has turned into a better and smarter person.The author has my support in whatever he does. To come here to the neighborhood and write about what goes on in here is opening society's eyes to the everyday struggles and pressures that our young Chicano men have to go through. Behind every picture that Joseph has taken there is a story,and the people that live through it are the authors. I am sure that Joseph has some how helped these guys, because when I first met Porky the first thing he told me was that Pony and him had came out in a book!I think that this book should be updated and see how everyone is doing now.I recommend this book to anyone that wants to see some of the hardships of life.Pony died after this book was made but his smile and memory are always with me.When you see his face in this book don't think of it as another gang member, but as someone who was sill a kid that got caught up in the gang life.

"Merdeka Square" ("Freedom Square")

For the Western spies on the prowl in Jakarta, 1965 was the best of times and the worst of times. The political climate was as sordid as a Turkish steam bath and just as tricky to find your way about in. But there was real intelligence work to be done. The agents saw their task as saving Indonesia from the creeping Red menace. The country's Communist Party was Asia's largest outside China and was gaining influence over President Soekarno. His wavering threatened to destabilize an already shaky Southeast Asia as the Soviet Union's influence and investments in Indonesia soured, whilst China increased its hold on political life.

The West, alarmed by the growing communist influence in Asia, funded six assassination attempts against President Soekarno and, when these failed, coerced and bribed a group of generals to overthrow their charismatic leader. Secretly, Australia deployed its SAS along the Malay/Indonesian border and for three years these special forces troops penetrated deep into Indonesia, killing the Soviet backed enemy, the skies above protected by nuclear-armed British Vulcan bombers which flew regular, covert missions over Indonesia's densely populated cities.

Among the secret service agents watching these developments was Harry Bradshaw, whose sexual adventures land him in a Soviet entrapment. His protégé is Murray Stephenson, a trained ASIS agent whose position in the embassy provides a colorful background for the sinister, dangerous machinations and turmoil which brought President Soeharto to power, resulting in the slaughter of half a million Indonesians.

Based on fact, the story commences with Murray being recruited by the Secret Service and sent to Indonesia where he assimilates easily, reporting on student unrest as university campuses are infiltrated by communist elements. Handsome, young and fluent in Bahasa Indonesia, Murray's sexual exploits lead him into dangerous liaisons with influential Javanese women, one a member of the spiritualist sect, Subud, the other an active officer of the communist women's militia.

When Bradshaw is murdered by the Soviets, his replacement, the Melbourne based ASIS chief, obviously unfriendly to his predecessor's protégé, tragically creates an air of distrust amongst the Jakarta based agents. Murray becomes reluctant to pass all his intelligence findings back to Melbourne, confiding in the Military Attaché who accompanies the agent on his mission to save the life of the man who would become the Indonesian president for the next three decades.

This is the inside story to The Years of Living Dangerously. In 1965 as three different factions move to effect their coup d'etat against the ailing president, we find the Americans backing a group of generals whilst Murray is deeply involved in the intrigue surrounding the communists own plans to effect a takeover. Secretly, the West also supports a junior general by the name of Soeharto.

-2-
During the last days of September a list is given to the communists who sweep silently into Jakarta and commence their bloody coup. Six generals are captured and murdered, unwittingly clearing the way for Soeharto to assume power the following day. Tanks fill the capital as two hundred thousand troops swarm over the city, split loyalties spawning firefights throughout Jakarta which falls to the communists for less than one day. Soeharto's headquarters face the US embassy on Merdeka Square and it is here, alongside the national monument, that the young general makes his bold move. Within hours he recaptures the capital.

The Soviets move to shore up their own position, fearing that the West had effected the coup which would result in Indonesia turning from its Russian allies. The KGB First Secretary contacts anti-Soeharto army officers, who set about plotting to kill the pro-West, General Soeharto whose forces commence their campaign of slaughter across the nation, throwing the archipelago into civil war.

Murray's communist lover Yanti temporarily escapes the purge only to be captured, interrogated and executed. His other companion, the seductive Ade, has been reporting on Murray activities to the interim military regime that attempts to execute the Australian spy.

Traitorous military elements initiate a plot to kill Soeharto, foiled by Murray who manages to prevent the new leader's aircraft from taking off with the deadly bomb on board.

Murray returns to Melbourne and, disillusioned with the Secret Service, resigns.
As he leaves the building there is a curt exchange between him and the new ASIS chief, and the reader is introduced to Stephen Coleman, Murray's replacement who takes the story into the post coup period of corruption, murder and the amassing of incredible wealth as Indonesia leaps forward. The sequel is titled "The Timor Man".

Having lived and worked in Asia,with a number of years in Indonesia, Kerry Collison's books have not only given me substantial pleasure in his presentation of life in this giant archipelago, but has also provided me with a much deeper understanding of what makes these people tick. Move over Tom Clancy! We have a new author in town!

If you like Tom Clancy you will love this book. Also if you have any interest in looking into the minds of the Indonesian government or military then this book is for you. Kerry Collison writes about a subject he lived not just something he read about in history books. The writing style is not the traditional American style, which gives the story more power. Kerry carries his readers along with his characters as if you were there. Great read I look forward to reading the second in the Trilogy.

When fighting in Kosovo began breaking out and hitting news tabloids in mid-1998, the problem was that few people knew about this region's history, let alone its location on the globe. No one could quite understand the motives of Serbs and Albanians, who were at odds with each other. When NATO began bombing rump Yugoslavia for its conduct against Kosovo Albanian civilians, uncritical (and heavily biased) media reports and press coverage were the only source of information that one could turn to for background. While this may have been better than nothing, this information was far from providing a critical and satisfactory explanation and understanding. This was the case, until Tim Judah wrote his second book, the current one now under review.

Judah is a Balkan expert, who speaks numerous languages (including Serbo-Croatian and Albanian) and has written several articles for many newspapers and magazines throughout the world. His previous book ("The Serbs: History, Myth and the Destruction of Yugoslavia" [New Haven, 1997 and 2000]) put the Bosnian war into its proper context, while the current puts Kosovo into its respective context. The first chapter is a short, condensed history of Kosovo leading up to the end of the Second World War, while the next sizable portion of the book details key events and personalities throughout the 1980s and 1990s that shaped modern-day Kosovo and unwittingly turned it toward a war-path. Judah discusses the outbreaks of violence in late 1997, the failed efforts of Western diplomats in stopping the bloodshed, a critical and thrilling chapter chronicling the failed Rambouillet peace accords in February 1999, a chapter chronicling NATO's 78-day bombing campaign against Yugoslavia, and the aftermath of Kosovo's tragic conflict: vengeful Albanians returning home and killing Serbs and Roma.

Integral to Judah's work is his assessment of NATO's conduct in the conflict. His thesis is that the entire war was one of "human error," where Western diplomats foolishly believed that they could make Serbia's Milosevic back down within one week. Milosevic, on the other hand, believed NATO to be bluffing and took the alleged bluff. Tensions mounted within the NATO alliance, other world superpowers (in the military sense, aka. Russia and China) began bracing themselves for toil with the US, while Albanian and Serb civilians were either massacred or blown up by NATO's firepower. Totally unprepared of what to expect, NATO carried out blunder after blunder, failed to stop massacres in Kosovo and perhaps made the Balkans even more tense and unstable than before.

It is imperative that readers consult Judah's work for every meticulous detail surrounding Kosovo's recent history. Readers should consult other recent works in understanding Kosovo's ancient past to determine if Serbs really have rightful historical claims to the province, for Judah's first chapter is merely a primer. Of course, there are those critics out there that will cite, as I mentioned in another review, that Judah is not a "professional historian." It is likely that his knowledge, experience and excellent writing style makes his book more valuable and a much better, thrilling and informative read than the work of any academic.

No matter how much graphic TV footage we saw and how many acres of newsprint we read on the Kosovo crisis, nothing gave us enough information about what was really going on. As with any war situation, information was often unavoidably contradictory and confused, tainted with propaganda. Politicians and historians and revisionists will probably mull over the recent events in Kosovo for years before presenting their views.

In the meantime we have war correspondents cranking up the pace with instant records. While the accounts of war journalists lack the historical perspective that can only occur over time, their freshness and immediacy can be electrifying and there is still opportunity for analysis.

Tim Judah's book is a fine example of what can be achieved. This is not a hasty account. Judah presents a surprisingly fair overview of the Kosovo crisis, which he has rigorously researched with exhaustive notes.

Judah fleshes out the major players from the 12th century to the 20th. He traces Kosovo's troubled history back to the Field of the Blackbirds in 1389 when the Serbian Prince Lazar and the Ottoman Sultan Murad faced off becaused Lazar refused to submit to Ottoman rule. Lazar and Murad died, the Serbs lost the battle. Orthodox Christians and Muslims co-existed uneasily for over 600 years, but Judah's details for much of that time are sketchy. Anyway, we get the picture: that's a long time to hone a grudge and perfect the most savage methods of revenge. He has more information about the history of Balkan bloodshed in the 20th century.

Fast forward to 1999 where Judah examines the polarisation of the murderous Milsosovic regime as the Kosovo crisis unfolds, he gives frontline reports of atrocities, details the burgeoning humanitarian disaster and the intense machinations behind the scenes as the crisis unfolded.

His account of the how the Kosovo Albanian and Serbian delegations, NATO and international peacemakers confronted each other over cheese and claret in a chateau in Rambouillet is as astute as it is entertaining. Judah dispells propaganda on all sides. There was also a lot of background about the formation of the KLA I had known nothing about.

He is contemptuous of experts in far away places passing judgment on the tragic events that unfolded, a viewpoint fairly typical of reporters in the field

Judah's objectivity has allowed for clarity - the hallmark of a great journalist. And this certainly is a great read by a journalist with formidable research skills and meticulous attention to detail.

A book for those who were watching one of the biggest scenes of crime at the end of the 20th century from the TV screens. To try to learn and understand the complexity of the problem which layed "down there" for decades and nobody wasn't interested to solve it until the mass killing came to the scene. To understand the importance of the issue and to justify the right NATO air war. And, Tim has done a great job. He uses real people to tell their stories, politicans and the independent historic facts. Well writen, too. Read it.

I have read this book and looked at the pictures for so long that I feel as though I have been to Lebanon. It not only shows some of the beautiful cedar trees and sights, but also the everyday lives of people and the food (the best thing in Lebanon). I highly recomend purchasing this book for a family member, friend, or even a gift to yourself.

Promote the Real Lebanon, give this book to all your family members and friends. It is a marvellous gift to keep and show.

On the seventh day God rested and slept. In a dream he saw what was missing, a place absolute artistry which would be haven for him and those who appreciated the mysteries. He woke up early the next morning and proceeded to toy with his artistic ideas. And there was Lebanon. A symphony, written early at the dawn of time, carved by a lover-God a gift to all the lovers who would populate this earth. The Authors

excellent book - great presentation, well written, super photographs. much information that can really be used while at the same time being highly readable. wouldn't think of arriving in chicago without it!

I moved to Chicago a few months ago, and so I was able to road-test this book extensively. I found it to be an invaluable resource to just about anything going on in the Windy City. You can feel that the author lived here for an extensive period of time. As with most big cities, things change fast in Chicago, so I am eagerly awaiting the second edition!

This thoughtfully written and informative guide answers all the questions that a traveler would have before setting off for Chicago. In fact, it would benefit someone who has lived in Chicago for many years. The author's knowledge of what it is like to live in Chicago - as opposed to simply knowing something about the attractions, restaurants, hotels, etc. - sets this guide apart from others.

Dr.Hourani brilliantly describes both the history of the Middle East conflict and it's effect on generations of families. The story of his family is so vividly told that one feels that he wishes to know them. I couldn't put the book down. It is a real page-turner.

A Nostalgic journey, a must for anyone interested in history of the Levant.

Dr. Hourani does a masterful job of weaving the story of four generations of his fascinating family into the rich tapestry that is the Middle East. His unique separation of historical text from family saga provides both an enjoyable read, and a concise study of the region. Hourani is particularly effective in articulating the struggles of the Palestinian people.
A very timely book!

As an American woman who had already been to Egypt and experienced many different things with regard to cultural differences, I decided to purchase this book before returning again . It was a relief to get some insight on certain situations to avoid (as a woman) and how to enjoy this wonderful country while maintaining a deep respect for it's people's beliefs and customs.

There are two types of travel books: Those we skim through and those we read. As a book to skim, it's ok. It does not have much to reference quickly, if at all. However, as a book to read and to contemplate, it is very good. If you buy this book, take the time to read it carefully from cover to cover. Unlike a lot of commentaries on foreign culture, which tend to be trite, this author is very respectful of Egyptian culture without being ingratiating.

Wilson's book provided me with the "cultural common sense" that made for a successful stay in Egypt in June 2000. Her chatty tone invited me, as a reader, into her own experiences living in Egypt and set a context for me to be open to the warmth of the Egyptians as well as to be prepared for the very real challenges of travel here. While other books provided guidance to the sights, Wilson's provided guidance to the people and customs. I'll be returning to Egypt for future work and will rely on her book as a continuing resource.

This book is a good book,Because it's funny at times and it's a kind of book that you can just sit down and readwithout having to worry about what'sgoing to happen next!It has so much creativity in it thats why you don't have to worry.This book is about a teenage witch that is living with her two aunts,Zelda and Hilda.She is having a hard time these days especially being a teenager and a witch at the same time.it's hard for her to just get through the day without anyone figuring out that shes a witch.If i had to rate this book eith a 1to10 i would give it a 8.

A bucket on fruit punch in her head? An avalanche of Popcorn, in her locker? A cold banana pudding on her bed? A TOOTHPASTE ON A TOILET SEAT? Now that's a definite "eww!". All this happened to Sabrina the day the new exchange student from China named Mei Hua came in Westbridge. She, with her Mona Lisa smile looked like a nice shy girl but... yeah right! She has a big crush on Harvey Kinkle and she has Libby Chessler and her family as family guest in Westbridge. Doesn't mean she's mean like Libby, but she's a mischievious fox according to Grandmother Chu. Sabrina is on the pursuit to get the fox from Chinatown, New York City to the Great Wall of China. Two thumbs up great book filled with magic and laughter. Also recommend: Harvest Moon, I'll Zap Manatthan and Eight Spells A Week (Super Edition)

The best! I don't blame Sabrina for being jealous- Harvey's a HUNK!

Paul Carrell's HITLER MOVES EAST is a great work on the first half of the Russian Campaign. Not surprisingly, it is a slower to immerse yourself into the story compared to SCORCHED EARTH by virtue of Carrell explaining the prepratory decision making processes. Carrell successfully lays out tactical and operational histories with a supplment of occassional personal accounts, then interconnects them to provide a solid history. HME is an exciting work that encompasses the first half of the largest and bloodiest campaign in the history of warfare. ONE WARNING: THIS BOOK IS BIASED. EX: Interesting to this work is Carrell's rationalization of Hitler's motivation to invade the Soviet Union!

This is simply a great battlefield narrative of the German-Russian conflict of WW2. Virtually all place names mentioned in the book are referenced in the excellent battlefield maps. This is unlike any other book I've read on the Eastern Front. An intimate knowledge of European Russian geography is not required. Battlefield troops movements are well described in the narrative and through the maps. It is also written in a lively and dramatic fashion and touches on individual exploits as well as painting the vast canvas of the battles of armies. It is the most readable of the narratives on the subject I've read to see how the war was won/lost on the battlefield.
Be aware this is not a full account of the War. It could be said that this is a military account from the German Wermacht's point of view. It was written during the "Cold War" and Soviet Sources by many were considered suspect. No mention is made of the NAZI atrocities in European Russian during the German occupation or barbaric treatment of the Russian prisoner either. Political or diplomatic aspects of the war are not covered.
This doesn't detract from the fact that for those that love a great battlefield account and want to know how the war was fought over this vast mostly overlooked (in English Language) front, this is a great read.

This as an excellent book for anyone interested in learning about the battles on the Eastern Front. Paul Carrell not only gives the big picture view of the war in the East but also includes many detailed first hand accounts of the fighting. To bad this book is no longer in print. By far the best work I have read on Hitlers war against the Soviet Union. I highly recommend it!

Calling Israel a colonial settler state is a distortion. It is saying they are alien to the Middle East. Nothing could be further from the truth. For one thing, the population of a colonial settler state speaks a language not native of the region, and generally practices a faith previously unknown to the region, in form or in doctrine. Not only do the Jews of Israel adhere to a faith that is born in the Middle East, but they adhere to the oldest faith in the Middle East still in practice today. They do speak not a colonial language, but a middle Eastern language: Hebrew, a language that probably predates the other middle Eastern languages still spoken today. The closest language to the Arabic language is the Hebrew language, and of all living languages, the closest language to the Hebrew language is the Arabic. So where else should Jews establish a state but in the Middle East, where they once had a state?

A nation with a colonial spirit would never speak a Semitic language, the Israelis do: Hebrew. The colonial population has the mother land to return to. The Israelis have nowhere else to go; they returned to Israel to escape persecution both in Europe and in the Arab world. Those who have no trouble with hatred against Israelis will have not much more trouble with hatred against Jews.

The question of Israel is therefore one of fairness. If there are dozens of countries with a Christian particularity or a Christian majority, and dozen others with a Moslem particularity or a majority, then Zionism stands for the right of Jews to have one country on earth with a Jewish particularity or majority. To refuse to recognize that right is racist, since it is a refusal to accept Jews on equal footing with others. By contrast, supporting Israel means supporting a people who was deprived of a country for two millenia to finally have one.

While the settlements in the West Bank are an issue for some, the issue here is a territorial dispute with the Palestinians, and territorial disputes are everywhere. This issue is conveniently exploited by those who want to spread hostile feelings against Jews and Israel. Such an attitude only perpetuates the Arab Jewish conflict, to the benefit of neither Arabs nor Jews.

That Mr. Rodinson may be Jewish does not make his refusal to accept Israel among the nations any less racist or antisemitic. When a group is opressed and under pressure, the negative image this group suffers can at instances feed back to some of its members. Such members decide then to contribute to the hostility against their own people and articulate the prejudice. Though this phenomenon may be surprising, there are many examples of it. For instance, it is well known that women conspired in their own oppression. Also, it was recently revealed that some of the most virulent anti-gay speeches given by a homophobic leader in the United States, were written by a speech writer who himself is gay. During the era of slavery, some Africans were instrumental in capturing and delivering other Africans.

Maxime Rodinson was an independent Marxist scholar and expert on the Middle East who sympathized with the Palestinian cause. When he wrote this book, the Six Days War of 1967 had just ended, with Israel gobbling up the territory of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, territories they occupy to this day. One major war and two intifadas later, the Palestinian people have refused to give up their fight against the Zionist state. Rodinson’s book is still essential reading if you want to understand why Palestinians and other Arab peoples hate the government of Israel. The book does a great job of showing why Israel is essentially a result of colonialism--even with its unique features. And it is especially good at anticipating and answering counter-arguments to this position. This makes it an excellent weapon in the debates over this subject today, as the U.S. is preparing to launch a war with Iraq, which will bring the Palestinian question to the center of world politics.

The author is from a Jewish family and taught in the Middle East for seven years. He responds to critics who called him "schizophrenic" by pointing out that "belief in the infallibility of one's own 'ethnic' group is a frequent phenomenon in the history of human groups. It is called racism." Further, he explains how "European supremacy had planted in the minds of even the most deprived of those who shared in it the idea that any territory outside Europe was open to European occupation."

Growing up in the middle of the US, not knowing anyone Jewish, my introduction to Zionism was the heroic portrayal in "Exodus." I found Rodinson's account of the arguments offered for the creation of the state of Israel eye-opening. It can help others who got pro-imperialist education like mine to understand the demand of the Palestinian people for a democratic, secular state of Palestine that would offer equal rights to all who live and work there.