I read this book in 1980; at the time I was chairman of the democratic party in my county. I really began to do some serious soul searching. I finally concluded I was going to leave my party, as It no longer represented it's founder Mr Thomas Jefferson. This small simple easy to read book totally changed my life That same year I met Jim Hansen, he was making his first run for congress from the state of Utah, I made a deal with him, I would vote for him if he would read The Law by Bastiat. He promised, and I did. I received a nice letter from Jim after he was elected. " Never read a book that has so impressed me". P.S. "Find Yourself another copy, Im keeping Yours". Jim.

Best three dollars ever spent. Ron Steele Moab, Utah

Though written in 1850 the ideas expressed by the author are so true today. Unfortunately, we have a government today dominated by liberals, who believe they need to use the law to take from the producers and give to the lazy, and conservatives, who, while claiming to stand for many of the things in this book, in reality join with the liberals to keep us in a strangle hold of big government-using the law to control us rather than using it to prevent injustice as intended. This should be required reading for every congressman. It is a short, easy read that could be referred back to often.

Fredric Bastiat was a 19th century French law-maker, economist and author. He wrote a number of highly technical works of economic theory, books that are still considered valuable contributions to free-market economic thought. But his least technical work, a pamphlet called The Law, has proven to be perhaps his most enduring from a modern political standpoint.

Written in 1850, just two years after the French Revolution of 1848, the Law is part treatise and part polemic, an appeal to the French people reminding them of the proper sphere of the law and government and begging them to turn away from their descent into socialism. The Law is also a summary of much of what Bastiat considered to be important from his own work; at the time The Law was written he was very sick, and he would be dead within a year of its publication. As a French patriot, Bastiat was deeply moved by the disintegration he saw in French society.

As the last vestiges of the class-society were replaced and the new "democratic" order was being instituted, the State was more and more being used as a means by which groups of citizens (special interests) could plunder one another through taxes, transfer payments, tariffs, etc, committing what Bastiat calls "legal plunder." As he saw it, the law was being perverted into a so-called "creative" entity, through which controlling groups would seek to enforce their particular agendas at the expense and through the pocketbooks of the people in general.

Bastiat argues that the law should be properly viewed as the formal embodiment of Force. That is, human laws should be the organized and formal construction of justice. Just law, he says, is nothing more than the organization of the human right to self-defense. This is a surprisingly narrow definition, perhaps almost too narrow to be truly useful. But I can imagine that Bastiat wouldn't have seen much moral value in the philosophy of pragmatism; he certainly would have made a bad present-day politician, a "flaw" which I find highly admirable.

Bastiat is revered by many modern libertarians as one of the founding fathers of their ideology, and rightly so. But it seems to me that his work is more accurately anarcho-capitalist than libertarian. To say that Bastiat is arguing for "limited" government is a gross understatement. In fact, Bastiat seems instead to be arguing for the abolition of most all of what today we would call The Government. Many libertarians, for example, probably wouldn't argue the abolition of all forms of taxation on moral grounds. Personally I appreciate his definition of plunder as "...tariffs, protection, benefits, subsidies, encouragements, progressive taxation, public schools, guaranteed jobs, guaranteed profits, minimum wages, a right to relief, a right to the tools of labor, free credit, and so on, and so on..."

Obviously although Bastiat may not share the views of modern libertarians in every respect, they have much to respect in him. And of course, the average economic and social liberal won't care for him at all, as he makes a special point of going after the vast majority of liberal sacred cows. But more surprisingly, the Religious Right should be wary of taking Bastiat on as too great of an ally. Although Bastiat and his book have been instrumental in forming many right-wing/libertarian ideas about free markets and the proper role of government, Bastiat argues forcefully against the use of the law as a tool for the shaping of moral values. Jerry Falwell and Bastiat are notably out of step with one another. I can imagine that Bastiat would not have much use for the Congressional institution of days of prayer, or for teacher-led prayer in the public schools he so despised, for anti-drug and pro-abstinence programs, or for the ministerial functions that many politicians have sought to usurp.

Conservatives have an unfortunate habit of revering political figures. But as Bastiat says, "There are too many 'great' men in the world--legislators, organizers, do-gooders, leaders of the people, fathers of nations, and so on, and so on. Too many persons place themselves above mankind; they make a career of organizing it, patronizing it, and ruling it."

Bastiat didn't believe in the inherent value of rulers of men. Many conservatives hope that their sons will grow up to be leaders in a political sense. Bastiat believed that we would be better served if more people sought to be useful, productive, inventive and moral, instead of trying to lead all the rest of society. Society will function much more desirably when we relinquish the desire for power over our fellow men, and instead seek power over our own actions.

Although Bastiat's views on law and government may be too simplistic and dated to be implemented literally in a modern society, I believe that there is still much instruction to be had from this book. I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in developing an understanding of the roots of modern libertarian thought.

"Information Technology Control and Audit" is an outstanding book! It provides a step by step of IS auditing process and tremendous amount of up to date information on IT control as well as audit related issues. This book provides information starting from the importance of control and auditability, audit role in Computer Information System, the use of Computer-Assisted Audit Tools and Techniques in audit, and the complexities of CIS operations and control issues. The appendixes of this book are also valuable. We can find audit cases that are related to real life situation, professional standards applying to IT, and samples of audit program on them. This book is really worth to read. If you can only keep one book with you, this book is the one!

The Information Technology Control and Audit's book provides a step by step and an up-to-date information of information audit in today's complex and fast changing computing environment. I have gone through chapter by chapter and I found that this book is like a tour guide for the new people who is entering in IS area. It provides a thorough guidance on the audit process in an IS environment, control in system development process, application risks and control, operational controls, using tools and techniques in IT operation review, many more topics related to IS audit. In addition to the people who are already in the IS area, this book is like an audit bible where you can find all the information you need to refer to regarding an IS audit. Besides, this book also talks about the legal issues in IS auditing today and in the future and its impacts to IS auditor's role in assisting management and legal counsel. Not to forget the appendix's section, which consists of some, useful IS audit case's study, a bibliography of selected publications for information technology auditors, professional standards that apply to information technology, glossary, and a sample of audit programs. These gives us a reference where to find both standards and guidelines related to information technology established by professional organizations in addition to a better understanding of IS audit that is covered in the first several chapters. I strongly recommend this book to everyone who wants to know or need a deeper understanding of IS auditing.

PROS: Information Technology Control and Audit is a great book. If you are interested in the profession of IT auditing, then this book is for you. This book covers everything you need to know about the field of IT auditing. Topics covered in this book include: CAATs , IT auditing standards and guidelines, audit planning, internal controls, auditing of operation systems , auditing of applications, auditing of the software development process, auditing of CIS operation and network security. In addition, This book is a very good research tool. Its appendices have lots of information about IT professional organizations. Students and IT professionals who want more detail information about a particular topic covered in this book can visit these organizations' web site for more information. To help people without technical IT skill, this book has a glossary that explains complex IT terms in plain English.

CONS: I found some minor spelling errors. Also, this book does not have any colorful charts and graphs. This makes it look really boring.

Don't be too swayed by the word "outrageous" in the title of this book. That may be there to attract attention, but needless to say, physicist Kip Thorne does a good job of explaining the more bizarre aspects of the universe in this book. Thorne's writing style is very accessible and down to earth, as he explains relativity, black holes, quantum mechanics, and even time warps. However, you'll still need to be really on the ball to understand many of these extremely complicated topics. I was impressed by Thorne's ability to explain bizarre concepts like gravitational time dilation and Einstein's theory of relativity to non-eggheads. But some of the more arcane aspects of quantum gravity or unified field theories will be beyond even the most well tuned laymen who read this book. Thorne also keeps the mood light by giving us the human side of advanced physics research, focusing on the friendships, rivalries, and personalities of the world's leading minds. This extends from Einstein in the beginning to Hawking in the present, and dozens of other less famous but almost as brilliant minds in between.

Watch out for some inconsistency in this book however, as Thorne sometimes gets into too much sentimental detail about the scientists' social lives (including his own), while the middle of the book sags as it digresses into the mechanical specs of radio telescopes and gravitational wave detectors. Also, beware of Thorne's suspiciously enthusiastic endorsements of gravitational wave research in chapter 10, as this is his own field of research, and I suspect he's trying to promote the need for funding. There's also a little intellectual arrogance here, as several times Thorne proclaims that the laws of quantum mechanics, as they are currently understood (which isn't much), are "indisputable" or "incontrovertible." Scientists used to say the same thing about Newton's laws until they were weakened by Einstein. Then the theories of Einstein (worshipped by every physicist in this book) were weakened by quantum mechanics. You never know, the knowledge presented in this book may someday be overthrown as well. But in the meantime, Thorne does a great job of explaining it to those of us who are interested but don't have multiple PhD's.

Let's start off by saying that this book is not for everyone. This is, however, a beautifully written book that should be read by anyone that intends to go into relativity physics.

Professor Thorne wonderfully combined the history development of Black Holes, along with enough ancedotes to satisfy science seekers. There are tons of diagrams, background stories, and enough to keep the reader going.

However, it may be too complex of a book for the layman. It is very hardcore, and may be a little slow for casual readers, with enough details to confuse a reader the first time through.

The book also demonstrates the futuristic predictions and applications of Black Holes, from being a power plant, to wormholes in space. It was easily understood.

Bottom Line: If you're into physics, or have a lot of time, go out and buy this book, because it's worth every penny. This gives a good background history on the slow progress of Black Holes, and includes ancedotes from Hawkings to Landau. It is highly recommended if you want to learn more than just "What is a Black Hole?" As others have suggested, "Gravitation" by Thorne, Wheeler and Misner would be a more complex book if you have the background for it.

I thought not. I was wrong. The reason: Kip Thorne. I really enjoyed the reading of this book because it offers the theoretical face of the so-called "Black Holes Mechanics" and a very important and delightful part, the history behind the theorems. The book begins with several chapters dedicated almost exclusively to the bases of the Special Theory of Relativity and the General Theory of Relativity, which describes the gravitation field in almost any place of our universe (if you get the book you will see why I say "almost"). Thereafter, the text covers the most important aspects of stellar implosion, which, in fact, brings Black Holes into existence. Once you are immersed in the very topic of the holes, the author studied profoundly their properties with informative boxes, spacetime diagrams, lots of references about discoveries, people and, the great difference with others books, an outstanding and thorough historical background. By the end, the author presents the most excitement predictions about the future use of Black Holes and the yet ill-understood Quantum Gravity Theory (predictions like backward time travel and wormholes). Finally, Kip Thorne closed the book with an excellent glossary of exotic terms and a list of principal characters that appeared throughout the text. I can say, without any doubt, that this is one of the most illustrative and complete books I have ever read, and in my opinion, is a book that every "Black Hole serious student" might have in his/her shelve. If you are looking for a less technical book, I suggest you "Black Holes: A Traveler's Guide" by Clifford Pickover. Nevertheless, if you want a higher challenge, get the book "Gravitation" by Thorne, Wheeler and Misner.

Bernard Cornwell's 'Richard Sharpe' series is one of the best historical fiction series ever written, and to have a new Sharpe adventure is a pleasure! Even better is to now have an adventure of Richard Sharpe's younger soldiering days before Wellington promoted him to Lieutenant in 1809 Spain, to read of Sharpe's adventures in India, and it is my hope that Mr. Cornwell brings us more of Sharpe's adventures in India (although I will miss reading about Sharpe's escapades,adventures, and battles with Sergeant Patrick Harper at his side). SHARPE'S TIGER, although an adventure in itself to be read at any period in the SHARPE series, is another wonderful way to introduce readers to Richard Sharpe, the best damn soldier ever in the British Army, now or ever!

I really have to hand it to all the positive reviewers for this series and this book in particular; you are right. Sharpe is outstanding and I can't wait to read more of the series. After months reading positive reviews of some of the earlier books in the series (and by earlier I mean those that were published first in time) I decided to give Cornwell a go. What I expected was a rip roaring adventure and I was not disappointed. In fact, I was esctatic! Believe everything good you read about Sharpe's Tiger: the book is fun without being light. Cornwell includes some very helpful maps and his prose is extremely colorful. He is particularly good at describing battle scenes and dialogue. Expect to finish this book at record time; its not short, its just that you will want to read just one more exciting chapter. Now, if only movies could be this good!

This is the first Sharpe novel I've read and what a mistake it was to wait so long. My general avoidance of fiction, especially of the serial nature, caused me to foolishly ignore this series. Sharpe's Tiger was a mixed blessing: Yes, I loved the book, but as another reviewer warned, I am now addicted. Thankfully, I picked the right book to start with, this being the first chronologically in Sharpe's military career.

Now, rather than go into detail about the plot and characters (which have been adequately covered in other reviews) I wanted to underscore how impressed I am with the historical accuracy. Cornwell has been first rate in his attention to detail and in describing the conditions of military life in the British Army of the period, even in drawing distinctions between regular army regiments and those of the British East India Company.

But even more impressive is the amount of research that must have gone into writing such a novel. With historical fiction you always have people such as myself looking for errors and making pedantic statements like, "But the 52nd Regiment of Foot was never involved in the attack on Java". But Sharpe's Tiger, and presumably the rest of the series, is meticulously researched. Probably not one person in 10,000 has heard of the battle of Mallavelly (the only reference I have found is in Vol.4 of Fortescue's History of the British Army which is, sadly, long ago out-of-print) yet Cornwell presents a robust picture of this engagement.

Being particularly interested in the Peninsular War (the setting for many of the other Sharpe adventures), I was elated to finally discovered what so many fans of Cornwell had known for a long time: The Sharpe series, like Hornblower, is sure to be a classic of this genre.

Pfff. I'm a girl, and I started reading these when I was 11. I haven't read any of the ones by Frederick Christian, but I've read four of the ones written by Oliver Strange, and I find him just as good as Max Brand and maybe even better than Louis L'Amour (and I have 45 of his books, so it's not like I don't "get" westerns). I can see why they would stop publishing them, but really, why can't they just change the name? But at least I can find them in old book stores in Pakistan.

The Sudden books by Fred Christian are okay, not as good as the originals by Oliver Strange. It is sad that some people cannot look past the "political incorrectness" of the language and just enjoy the stories. They are the best westerns that I have ever read, as good as Louis L'Amour. I read them all as a teenager and am lucky enough to have kept them all. My son also loved them. James Green, Sudden, is a hero in every sense of the word. If you like westerns you could not help but love these stories.

As a young kid I loved to read, so when I was introduced to the SUDDEN book series written by Oliver Strange and later continued by Frederick H Christian, I went out and bought every copy as soon as they were available in the bookstores. I found that reading these books were even more easier to visualise than seeing an actual Western film on TV. The humour, the slang, the handsome Jim Green ( the SUDDEN character) comes to life before your eyes. It feels like you are riding right next to him.
I have read a couple of L'Amour's and J.T Edson's books, but I have never before or since then, read a western book that I could not put down, (that I did not want to lend out, that I kept hidden and locked away, from family and friends), until I read a SUDDEN.
Had I known, that these books would be out of print so soon, I would have devoted more time to protecting my copies. I have been searching for these books for years since I was a teenager, I am almost 40 and those in my island who have copies refuse to let them go (but I do not blame them). I have only one SUDDEN book now. I won't stop searching for these books until I have them all under my wing. Cause once you pick up a SUDDEN book, like all the rest of us desperately searching, you will never put it down and then you will be one of the thousands, searching for the other lost books of the SUDDEN series. To me, these books are worth more than gold.

The Count of Monte Cristo is the kind of book that the author has a wonderful idea, but has the thought spread too thin over the novel to keep the reader's attention. Alexandre Dumas is an excellent writer but seems to accentuate too many subplots that are unimportant. He also focuses on numerous small and confusing characters.
The basic plot, is about human nature, particularly revenge of a young man named Edmond Dantés. At the age of nineteen, Dantés has a series of important events happen to him. He is convicted of being a Bonapartist by two jealous rivals. He is unable to marry the lovely Mercedes and he is no longer capable become captain of the Pharaon, the merchant ship, on which he used to work on as a first mate. He is thrown into the notorious dungeon, Chateau d'if, for fourteen years. He escapes with a large secret: the map to the famed treasure of Spada. Naturally, he'll use it for his revenge. As they say, the rich can do anything.
The book has so many intricate subplots and minor characters that the real plot seems to be lost in a hurricane of court intrigues, treasonous affairs, and numerous social gatherings. There are at least nine chapters concerning meals and balls, ranging from brunches to dinners, suppers to breakfasts, from a mere ball to a summer ball, and everything in-between. If you understand the difference between a baron and a count, then these things would obviously make sense, and may even be interesting to you. If you don't know the difference, prepare to be a little confused.
Getting to the action takes a while, but when it comes, Dumas gives you a good read. From being captured by bandits, meeting Dantes's old fiancé (who is now married to his arch rival and has a child), to getting even with all those evil men who planned his imprisonment. Although, if you're not at the action yet, get ready for a long, not-so interesting read. Dumas, still manages to throw in some unimportant details and small talk in-between the action. You can't just go skipping around the book, because there are too many important details embedded in the small talk. If you don't read every word, I guarantee you'll get lost.
This book is jam-packed with murderous action, so if that sounds good to you, you should consider reading this book. If you are looking for a challenge then this is a book for you. We recommend this book to older, more advanced readers.

The Count of Monte Cristo is the best book I've read in quite a long while. I wasn't expecting it to be. Frankly, I tend to have low expectations for 19th-century European novels in regard to sheer readability. Like vegetables and trips to the dentist, they tend to be more good for you than simply good. Add in the fact that the unabridged version is over 1000 pages, and I felt sure that the Count would be a somewhat difficult companion.

Nothing could be farther from the truth! Edmond Dantes' adventures kept me fully engrossed from beginning to end. I was disappointed to turn the final page, left longing for more.

If you've seen a movie version of Count of Monte Cristo, expect surprises. I had seen both the Richard Chamberlain and Jim Caviezel versions before reading the book (mmmm . . . Jim Caviezel), but neither were entirely true to the storyline or the mood of the original.

Edmond himself is a thoroughly satisfying and seductive hero. (The reader must take with a grain of salt the numerous references to his drug habit; at the time, opium was unfortunatly de rigeur for a Romantic hero.) The secondary characters are equally engrossing, from the admirable Maximilian Morrel to the villainous Danglars; and the ingenious machinations by which Edmond contrives to reward the deserving and doom the guilty make the chapters fly by.

I would encourage everyone to be sure and get the unabridged version of this masterpiece. It is by no means slow or ponderous, and the thought of what must be left on the cutting room floor to reduce this book to half its size makes me wince.

After watching the movie and then finding myself compelled to read the book, I wrote a review for the DVD version of this great classic by Alexandre Dumas. I did give the adulterated movie 3 stars, even with its deviation from the far superior storyline of the novel (this story does not lend itself to being told in a 2-hour movie). But rather than 3 stars, the book is well deserving of 5, and then some. The tale of the Count is one of heavy, dark intrigue. This is not light reading, and the story will tax your patience and demand of you significant time and concentration if you are to mine its riches. Those with an attention span of a six-year-old need not apply, although any person, young or old, who yields to the lessons being lived out will come away from this book with impressive knowledge regarding the pitfalls of willful ignorance, deceit, and pride; and hopefully a better appreciation for justice, compassion, and love. As for the story itself, Edmond Dantes, a young man of considerable good character, finds himself wrongly imprisoned under dreadful circumstances. He eventually is tutored in prison by a man with extraordinary wisdom-just as the reader is tutored without realizing it as he reads the unfolding chapters. Edmond loses all, gains eternal wisdom and insight, and then begins his true journey into lands where friends and foes experience his heavy influence. The story is one of desperation and deliverance, defeat and despair, and ultimately of triumph at an awful cost. Spiritual applications abound throughout as learned from within dungeons to palaces, and our notions of justice and mercy are sorely tested as a wronged man loses all and then begins to execute what he considers to be, and may well be, God's judgment. If you dedicate the time and attention that this book deserves, you will not be disappointed. If you want to speed-read and add another title to your library card, save your efforts and do not insult the worthwhile messages that this book can bring to the soul. I say soul, but for those with spiritual understanding, the better term is spirit, for this is above all a spiritual book if you have that kind of understanding. The movie alludes to it; the book embodies it. Having now read the book and carefully endured the more tedious portions to ensure that I missed little, I can only say that we do ourselves much disservice by not committing the time to study works such as this. Love, hate, revenge, mercy, justice, and forgiveness are explored in detail in the lives of Edmond Dantes (the Count) and his friends and foes. This complicated novel is unbelievably rich in its timeless spiritual lessons.

Wow, was I ever surprised as all heck when this novel ended up being one of the greatest I've ever read. Not having too much background on Roman history, my preliminary thought was that I would be turned off after reading the first fifty pages. However, that thought was soon contradicted, and I found myself staying up an extra half hour every night just to see the following events.

I, Claudius is, without a doubt, a masterpiece in historical fiction. Much like Lonesome Dove, it made me more open-minded towards different types of literature. It has its own intellecutal wit, superfluous yet absorbing description, and a great storyline. Graves does a superb job at expressing the bad people surrounding Claudius (Livia, Tiberius, Caligula) and the good (Postumus, Augustus, Germanicus). I'm sure this wasn't an easy novel for Graves to write and it's an example of extreme determination and research.

Those reasons can be accountable for it being considered one of the greatest American novels of all time. However, there are certain aspects about it that some overlook. Take the character of Claudius. Though the customs and culture of Ancient Rome are far different than that of late 90's America, the position of Claudius is not. He is an outcast. People look towards him with disgust and make fun of his disabilities. He is barely given any chances and does not exactly have the greatest family life. Yet in the end, he does prevail as Emperor, even though he does not want to be. Let a teenager with tolerance and time read this novel, and most likely they will see how Claudius can relate to many others nowadays. Claudius, I believe, is one of the most dignified and respectable characters in literature. In spite of the harsh criticism, he remains resolute and loyal.

I guess that's it. So I end with saying that this novel is a sure pleaser. HIGHLY, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. I still have yet to read CLAUDIUS THE GOD.

There isn't a single negative comment that can be raised against Robert Graves' magnum opus, the "I, Claudius" series. The work is sublime, transcendent, spectacularly well-written...and always engaging. Every page is dripping with humor and intrigue, kings and pretenders, savages and aesthetes. This is the quintessential work by an amazing classicist, scholar and man.

"I, Claudius" recounts Imperial Rome (from Augustus to Nero) from the perspective of a stuttering, half-lamed, studied dim-wit, the Emperor Claudius. Using Suetonius and Tacitus as his main sources, Graves constructs a marvelous narrative of the precocious and turbulent time that was Rome's imperial birth, childhood and adolescence. Certainly, Octavian (later Augustus) was the father of Imperial Rome, but it is with plots and debauches of subsequent rulers that Graves' story really comes alive.

At the close of the first book, we're presented with the death of the completely deranged, self-styled god, Caligula, and the rise to power, as long prophesied, of Tiberius Claudius Drusus Nero Germanicus (Claudius), the "fool" of the ancient Claudian family, the stammerer...and, at long last, the Emperor of Rome!

Reading Tacitus and Suetonius, it's easy to see why Graves would be inspired to fictionalize such a history. The pages...these so-called histories read like tabloid sensations, military annals and superstitious prayer books all rolled into one. Graves does a marvelous job of capturing the essence of one of the most famous periods in Western history.

Livy, Tacitus, Suetonius, Pollio: eat your heart out. Graves wins the day!

The book was given to me by my sister, who's just secured her M.A. in art history. She raved about the book and I honestly was not interested in reading it. However, this season's Hollywood release of GLADIATOR motivated me into understanding the machinations of Roman Imperial life. I read the book in three sittings! Absolutely amazing; the clevely written anecdotes thunder through today's "not-so-advanced" society.

The three mediums of film (GLADIATOR), TV and printed text collide into an zeitgeist epiphany: after reading this masterfully crafted tome, we may analyze the recent pop culture phenomenon, CBS' SURVIVOR, as "more of the same" in human nature. Humans adore intrigue, scheming and interpersonal conflict.

Robert Graves' sequel, CLAUDIUS THE GOD, will likely be devoured with equal literary relish.

This book would also serve as a colourful source for students of history, politics, psychology and anthropology.

Romanov.... that is a very powerful name... and yet, it is just a name, you were either born with it or you weren't... but for the simple fact of bearing this name, many people had to die... and yet it is just a name. It is a name that says POWER, LOVE, INTRIGUE, MYSTERY, ESCAPE, TRAGEDY.... but it is also a name that for Nicholas, Alexandra, Olga, Tatiana, Maria, Anastasia and Alexei meant FAMILY, and as a family they stuck together, through illness, war, infamy, and even death.
This book tells an incredible love story, that could beat any novel out there, and proves that life is always more mysterious, magical but also more cruel than fiction. It portrays the Romanovs as a family, and gives you an insight on their lives, their thoughts, their letters, their friends and their sufferings. It also lets you take a peek at Tsarist Russia, its power, its magic, its fancies, its relations with other empires, and many other things.
Robert Massie is an expert on this subject, and you can see that a lot of research went into creating this book.
I gave it 4 stars and not 5 because it is a bit outdated when it comes to the finding and retreaval of the bodies, but this is covered in a latter book by the same author.
Highly recommended, especially is you like history.

This is generally considered to be the definitive biography of Tsar Nicholas II and his wife, Alexandra. Massie's expert storytelling is well-suited to the compelling story of the last Russian tsar and his consort. The history of Russia was no doubt changed by the deliberate myopia and general inadquacies of these two people. Nevertheless, Massie manages to uncover a more sympathetic side to the ill-fated duo. Massie's writing is as good as that of any acclaimed novelist - there's a fascinating and fastpaced plot, finely nuanced lead characters, an intriguing supporting cast, all against a beautiful background of a majestic bygone era.

This book was researched and written before the fall of the Soviet empire when the state archives were opened and new information about the Romanovs was revealed. Consequently, this book is necessarily incomplete, especially as concerns the execution of the royal family. Massie has since written another text called "The Romanovs: The Last Chapter" which devels deeply into the newly available data and the forensic studies that followed. Consider it an essential volume II to "Nicholas and Alexandra".

Most book lovers have a little list of super-favorites that they turn to year after year, and this classic by Robert Massie has been on my list for more than two decades. Massie brings the last years of the Russian Imperial court to astounding life, turning meticulously researched detail into a tapestry more compelling than fiction. You feel you've been there and met the Romanovs and the people around them, walked their halls, ridden in their trains, even faced their final terrors. Its as good as stepping into a time machine. How many times have I looked up from this paperback (I've gone through several copies over the years) and found that I've lost track of time. Recently, several lavishly illustrated books have come out with long-hidden photos of what NICHOLAS & ALEXANDRA describes -- gorgeous though those photo books are, they do not give you as powerful a sense of time and place as Massie's exceptionally readable prose. Details of Russian history, which could be ponderous for most readers, become lively and engrossing here. I love history, and no book in the genre pulls me back as often (or with as much satisfaction) as Massie's NICHOLAS & ALEXANDRA.

This novel has ideas, romance, violence, adventure, mysticism, and politics, so it can't be boring even if some reviewers complain about its slow start. Set in the middle of Nero's tenure in power, in the First century AD, it tells the story of Vinitius, a Roman military officer from a Patricious family with good standing at the court. He has the friendship and protection of Petronius, the Arbiter of Elegancy, a sensual, rich and cultivated man with much influence in court. Vinitius falls in love with the beautiful slave Ligia, who is a Christian living with a Roman Patricious family also converted to Christianity. Through his obsession with her, he gradually discovers the new religion and realizes the moral pit in which his culture has been decaying. Then Nero sets Rome on fire and Vinitius finds out that he'll have to rebel against the State in order to gain love. He is baptized and suffers persecution. Then he has to rescue his beloved from the Colliseum, just when she's going to be throwed in to the lions. The end is mystical and completely beautiful, and that's when you understand the title, which means "Where are you going, my Lord?", and is pronounced by St. Peter as he is fleeing Rome.

A very entertaining and rewarding novel, it is also a fictional testimony of the early years of Christendom. My favorite character is Petronius, a liberal, magnanimous and "cool" Pagan Roman who finds disgrace for protecting those he loves. very recommended.

Given that Mr Sienkiewicz won the Nobel literary prize for mainly this work, that alone is a pretty good bet for reading it. Written in the 1890's, this book is seen as one of the world's first "bestseller" novels, and is definitely an epic of, well, epic proportions.

Unfortunately, the book does suffer slightly as a result of the translation, as noted by an earlier reviewer, so if you can read Polish, do get the original version. Nevertheless, although the book starts off a tad slow, think of the beginning as a push off from a cliff, because after that it's as fast paced a thriller as money can buy.

A basic exposure to Roman and Christian history will make the book really come alive. Although certain "facts" are not correct, or have been omitted, remember that the book is meant to be fiction. The historical events are merely a platform for a passionate love story between a pagan Roman and a Christian girl. However, it is the seeming impossibility of this love, together with descriptions of the nearly moronic Roman "royal court", keeps you reading well into the night. The emotional roller-coaster makes you, the reader, feel exhausted.

Definitely recommended, and one of the most enjoyable books I've read.

If you liked this, do check out his other novels - especially the brilliant "Teutonic Knights" which is another epic of a young Polish knight (and of course a lovely maiden or two thrown in for good measure) and the history of middle ages Poland up to the battle of Grunwald where the Teutonic Knights were defeated.

Quo Vadis has impacted my life greatly. I have never seen a book that explores the Christian view on romance and early Christianity so clearly. It was nourishing and exciting. This is a character-driven story, and I don't see how anyone could put it down. The verisimilitude of Rome was astonishing! Hey, high school students, this is a great way to get a grip on how things worked in early A.D. Rome. Nero, Lydia, Marcus, and Petronius were unforgetable characters. This is love at its greatest! Romance the way it should be, unselfish and pure. The transformation we see of Marcus motives of love is the most piercing literature I've ever read. It has been a year since I've read it and I'm still raving about it! Hey, guys, this is a cool book for men to learn about love. I'm telling you, it is worth it!

For many years, I searched for the "ultimate" Bible. Being an avid New King James Version reader, we don't always have as many resources available as the King James or NIV people. My most useful Bible study tool is many, many cross-references, which I always looked for in NKJV Bibles that had the most. The Thompson Chain has much more than the standard cross-references. The chain references are just that: you go to the alphabetical index to find your subject, (which there are listed around 4,400 different topics) and you go to the first reference, and simply chain through the scripture references. In other words, they are cross-referenced in sequence order! The topics are as detailed as "blue" and as extensive as "God"; these more extensive subjects are then broken down into various sub- topics. Also, in the back of the Bible, the subjects are listed by title, then all the references are given, and the more main ones are chained throughout the scriptures, and some topics' scriptures are written out in the back also! There are also absolutely no commentaries, nor any conclusions drawn in this Bible! I would 100% recommend this Bible (in any version you use) for those of us who love many, many cross references, and believe first and foremost to compare scripture with scripture (1Cor. 2:13) in Bible studies. For those who like this, this Bible has everything!

I have owned one version or another of the Chain Reference Bible since I was a teenager in the seventies. My 'standard' Bible has been the large print KJV for many, many years and it remains the first Bible I pick up. I purchased the NIV Chain Reference, but just didn't like the translation, it just didn't 'read' right for me. I've enjoyed the NAS translation, but it is awfully dry reading when the heart desires poetry. So, I ended up purchasing the NKJV. It has been a real pleasure to read, combining the elegance of the KJV with a modern and accurate adaptation.

As for the chain reference system used by Thompson, it's such a part of my Bible reading and study that I'd have a really hard time switching to another system. Some of the illustrations and charts have been revised from my older KJV, but not to an extreme. The Thompson system remains, for me, the quickest and easiest way to study a topic through the Bible, or just through either the New or Old Testament. The Bible also includes an excellent concordance; for someone new to chain reference study they can start with the traditional concordance and work their way into the Thompson system. Also included are excellent maps, revised from the earlier versions, and a historical dictionary with photos of significant Biblical locations, with explanations.

I agree with another reviewer that Nelson Bibles are, in general, not made for people with serious intentions on daily Bible use. They are constructed down to a price, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, as these can provide a very inexpensive introduction to the Bible. However, when one is ready to use a Bible in a serious, daily way, a better Bible will easily pay for its higher price.

Though this Bible is well-made, it is NOT as well made as my older, large print KJV. My older Bible has whipstitching clearly seen in front and back, with pages secured as well today as when I bought it. This newer Bible appears to have pages that are glued in like cheaper ones. Additionally, the paper is comletely different than my older edition, and thinner. The older paper had almost an eggshell texture, whereas the newer paper is much slicker and thinner. In first use it's really quite difficult to get the pages apart. However, it's still a very well-made Bible, just not up to the standard of the older ones. That should in no way deter someone from buying it, though.

As a one-volume Biblical library, I haven't seen anything to beat the Thompson's. As another reviewer noted, it's also refreshingly free of editorial bias, which certainly can't be said of all its competitors. Most of all, each of us needs to find a Bible they can live with daily, and any Bible available is better than none at all! Thompson Bibles aren't inexpensive but they will last twice as long as cheaper Bibles, particularly if kept in a cover. Also, the supplemental atlases and historical additions might well save purchase of other books to accompany Biblical study. Highly recommended!

My old, marked-up Thompson Bible is the "Olde Reliable" that I keep coming back to. I have been using it for over thirty years and find it invaluable to "quick find" verses on nearly evey imaginable topic.

On the plus side, are the MANY chain referrences with marginal "PILOT" numbers and brief word discriptions which also serve as mini-commentary on the verses. While the chains may not contain all the referrences a particular denomination may wish to emphasize, it more than make up for it with an ABUNDANCE of referrences most scholars whould never even think to look up! The handy exhaustive indexes, concordance, cross-references and helps enable the user to find nearly every subject in the Bible.

On the minus side, 1.) the text is rather small and 2.) it would be benificial if the bold-face marginal headings were included in the OT as well as the New.

Overall rating:FIVE-STAR EXCELLENT!!! It is a lifetime of research and study marvelously condensed into a handy-sized volume for both home study and portibility. I heartily recommend it for new Christians as well as those who "think they know it all". As advertised, it is a Bible that will SURPRISE you. Get it!