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A Good Read
Good and solidPeople who are into listening to scary 'true' stories by the campfire will probably like this a lot. It's like one of those stories you heard of which you just KNEW they weren't real, but gave you the chills anyway. That's also the case here. You go through the story asking yourself if what's going on is the legend being forfilled or if there's a more down-to-earth thing going on. Grant Morisson does what he does best, he's giving clues without giving it away, keeping the reader on his toes. Klaus Jansons art is suitable for the story and especially the way he draws the architectural backgrounds deserve some credit. I don't think many people who are into Batman comics will feel disappointed after reading this.
Grant Morrison the Antichrist?

Disappointing in the ExtremeI have long been fascinated with George B. McClellan as not only a Civil War general, but as a Civil War personality as well. Here we have a man who should have been the one, single, Union military success - a man who had it all: brains, looks, youth, education, and family. And yet, there is no single Union general who managed to accomplish so little in over a year's time, with so much.
I hoped that Thomas J. Rowland's "George B. McClellan & Civil War History: In the Shadow of Grant and Sherman" would provide some insight into McClellan's flawed character that did not come forth from modern biographers such as Stephen Sears. Yet within Rowland's work, I was sorely disappointed.
Rowland sets forth to disprove Little Mac's critics by doing the one thing in Civil War writing that I abhor - rather than building up his subject, and letting McClellan's story stand on its own - he sets out to drag everyone else down. For some strange reason, there appears to be more and more of this going on in Civil War historiography of late, much to the detriment of our understanding of history.
Rowland sets out to outline the perceived problems with McClellan's personality and generalship, and rather than refute the contentions directly, often sets out to discredit others such as Grant, Sherman, and Edwin Stanton. If Rowland's guy cannot stand tall, then no one else will, as well. For example, we have on page 67 a typical statement of Rowland's: "The notion that McClellan was the butt of more embarrassing incidents than anyone else is greatly diminished by any extended review of the war's comical and tragic mistakes." And from there, rather than review Little Mac, Rowland sets out to review other participants on history's stage.
Rowland attempts to minimize McClellan's flaws by qualifying his admittance of such flaws throughout the book. Thus, we see Rowland admit, cautiously, that McClellan could be petty, vain, and vindictive "on occasion." In other places, his review of other historian's work is tinged with statements like "Unfortunately, that is not entirely true." The reader is left to try to ponder which portions are partially true, and partially not.
This book is not a comprehensive analysis of the life and times of General George B. McClellan, but a selected bibliography of truth and half-truth that uses only what the author wants the public to see about McClellan - and more importantly, anyone else held in higher esteem than the Young Napoleon that can be drawn down to the perceived level that history holds McClellan.
All in all, this was a very disappointing work. If you want to come to grips with the enigma that was McClellan, this book will leave you very short of your expectations.
George McClellan RevisitedIn the chapter discussing McClellan's lesser faults, the author notes that both Grant and Sherman had similar faults, but they weren't judged by these faults nor should McClellan's strategic abilities be evaluated by his peccadilloes. Acknowledging that McClellan played a major role in his poor working relations with Lincoln, the author notes that "....the president was not frank about how military goals were to be shaped by the political dimensions of the rebellion." In addition, Stanton's dislike of McClellan did not help in the commander's poor relationship with the president. However, the author does not imply that McClellan was faultless noting "....his failure to delegate authority and his obstinate secrecy" Another fault was his unwillingness to take risks. The greatest question is whether he made the best use of the Army of the Potomac. Rowland concludes that "In any comparison with other Civil War commanders, particularly those to whom he is unfavorably compared, McClellan's personal shortcomings were not that remarkable."
Chapter 4's discussion of the early months of war provides valuable insight into the ultimate conduct of the war. The widely held Northern belief that most Southerners were not committed secessionists initially led to a limited war strategy. After the First Manassas McClellan recommended that to restore the Union in the shortest time, the North had to "crust the rebellion at one blow...." Rowland notes "McClellan's was....a well reasoned strategic proposal. His conservative views.... reflected....widespread appeal throughout the North at that time...." In support of this strategy, he launched the Peninsula Campaign which was undermined by Washington politics and lack of support. The book states
"....the half defeat on the Peninsula.... spelled the end of the conciliatory" strategy. For this campaign to succeed, joint operations were mandatory; and the author observes that in the early stages of the war, the inability of Federal armies to cooperate in joint operations contrasted sharply with the military situation Grant inherited in 1864.
The review of civilian leaders alarm regarding Washington's safety is noteworthy. Extraordinary concerns for the capital's safety contrasted with months of endless nagging McClellan to assume the offensive. However the troops needed for an offensive had to come from those providing the capital's defense. Both McClellan and Grant faced the problem of Washington's safety with McClellan trying to comply and Grant often giving only limited support. The book concludes "McClellan's Peninsula campaign, the first major Federal offensive in East, experienced problems uniquely its own, not the least....was the administration's failure to sustain plans they had.... agreed to support." During the first two war years, many Northerners believed the Confederates would be quickly defeated perhaps in one major campaign. When McClellan assumed command in 1861, he inherited an untrained and disorganized army. The author notes that McClellan implemented schools of instruction and all volunteers were given basic training directed by an experienced officer. In addition, he recognized the deficit in trained officers (several were political hacks) and arranged effective training. The book frequently notes, that the training and organizing of the army was a major contribution. Considering, the sheer folly of his predecessor's taking an unprepared army to defeat at the First Bull Run, McClellan's unwillingness to assume the offensive in 1861 with an untrained army was prudent and not excessive caution. Unfortunately, in 1862, politics and lack of support doomed his Peninsula campaign.
Rowland writes "....little attention is paid to the context in which McClellan dealt with the difficulties that faced the Federal army in the first fifteen months of the war. ....his early tenure deprived him of the advantage of leading mature and seasoned civilian soldiers, adapted to the demands of a new age of warfare...." As one historian noted, McClellan "suffered the frictions and frustrations of being first." The text notes that Sherman observed that Napoleon took three years to build an army and "....here it is expected in ninety days..." The author notes the irony that McClellan was relieved of command when "He had effectively divided Lee's army into widely separated halves, intending to drive between them. The celerity of those moves alarmed Lee...." This could have been a critical blow.
The text continues that McClellan might have been forgiven a multiple of failures had he kept his eye on the military objective, the destruction of the Army of Northern Virginia. However, McClellan's strategy to capture Richmond was not without merit as Richmond was a critical manufacturing, transportation and financial center. The Tredegar Iron Works alone justified the capture of Richmond. Richmond's fall during the first two war years would have been devastating to the Confederacy. Regarding Antietam, Rowland correctly notes that regardless of McClellan's shortcomings, Antietam was a Union victory. McClellan had stopped Lee from delivering a demoralizing blow on northern soil.
The book concludes, "McClellan's strategy, though reflective of the unrealistic war aims of the years 1861-62,was cogent, reasoned, and consistent with conventional military wisdom.... McClellan can scarcely be elevated to the ranks of the great captains of war, but he was hardly the worst that the conflict dragged into the center stage."
The book is somewhat repetitious and devotes too much space to comparing McClellan's faults with similar faults of Grant and Sherman. However, the book is worth reading for its discussion of Union military and political strategy during the first two years of the Civil War.
Were character flaws "peculiar to McClellan"?

The best so far...
The loves of my life.My one problem: the insertion of Barda and Orion into the team. Kirby was a god, but only he really knew how to handle them. Their membership makes the team too top heavy and make other more thoughtful characters like J'onn J'onzz, Zauriel and Aquaman seem as though they're out of place and awkward. But still an enjoyable read and a fine comicbook. Five stars for reinvigorating what thought to be a dying franchise--the super hero team book.
Why I'm arrogant(bonus:Why the Jla needs more than the big 7

Much ado about country...
This book is Not DepressingOverall, the writing and reporting are of high quality. "No Depression" allows you to get to know artists who the mainstream music press have largely ignored. That said, it is rather limited in its scope. I would also have enjoyed a CD review section, but all you get instead is a list of the best 101 alt. country CDs of all time as picked by the editors of the magazine. While the book isn't perfect, it is still a good read for those of us who love the music.
embracing the gentle fold of post-modern twang-rock.After three years as No Depression magazine's editing team, Blackstock and Alden carefully selected thirty-eight artist interview and profiles, some offering more depth than others, to serve as this book-length introduction for would-be fans. Blackstock and Alden have sewn a patchwork of insightful vignettes together, hoping to indulge the reader in the warmth and snuggle of a culturally rich alt-country scene between matte paperback covers.
Interviews and profiles run the gamut from legends Waylon Jennings and Jason & the Scorchers up through the 1990s revival and rock-country infusions of artists like Whiskeytown, Wilco, Son Volt, and Iris Dement. As the only definitive volume on the genre, the collection provides a much-needed history lesson for the under-informed, yet enthusiastic twenty-something alt-country enthusiasts.
And what exactly is alt-country? Speckled with occasional lofty intellectualisms and metaphorical definitions, if nothing else, a close read might yield a college English major's understanding of post-modern, deconstructionist tendencies in contemporary music (occasionally it gives the impression of thesis work.) Through it all though, a tangible definition speaks through a friendly, barstool, next-door conversational style. In his profile of Austin bluegrass-punkers the Bad Livers, Grant Alden offers a resonant clutch-line of insight: "Straight lines rarely happen in nature, and it's the colliding arcs that are responsible for most of what's worth listening to." In fact, Blackstock and Alden hesitate to define alt-country at all, instead preferring to elevate original, informed musicians from the sticky mess of bubblegum top 40 bands so pervasive on the airwaves of corporate radio. The volume's parenthetical subtitle bears more significance than any definition might convey. Whatever alt-country is, original perspectives are something we can all appreciate.


Not For The General Reader
Out of Print?
Emperors, Ceasors, Imperators, O My!Aggripina the younger stands out among all the women ,( if one can discount Livia, Augustus wife in Graves incomparable "I, Claudius", where he portrays Livia as villai) who is married to aging Claudius, the fourth emperor. She runs the kingdom in his name and manages to bypass Claudius own son and places her son, Nero on the throne. How does Nero reward her? He lets her go out on a faulty boat to drown. What are sons for?
Few emperors, imperators were tyrants, megalomanias and sadists and most of them were murdered by conspiracy. Why any body wanted to be one is puzzling as no doubt they all knew the history so well. So Lord Acton is right. It is human nature to lust for Absolute power.
The Roman history is fascinating read of human nature, ambition, treachery, power and above all its glory.


Is there anything this book cannot do?Though Dr. Mohamadi does seem to digress occasionally by discussing countries like Yemen, overall this is a solid first effort. If possible, I would have awarded this book with 6 stars.
Mohamadi Drops a "Fellowship Bomb" on Literary Community
Excellent and Exotic: A Must Read

Don't Be Swayed by One Movement
The time is upon us...
Lord Have Mercy on Us

Do you believe in ghosts?
I was supposed to be on that flight`
The Ghost of FLight 401

Fair
gorgeous art, enigmatic story, worth checking outIncredible watercolor artwork by Muth... 'nuff said
Grant Morrison the Antichrist?

Do you need a grant? Write one yourself with this bookIt is not a guide for starting small businesses, it is for the organization or non-profit that needs an infusion of cash to make their dreams happen. The truth is, funds are out there waiting for someone that can present their case lucidly, with creativity and intelligence.
This volume includes sections such as: proposal ideas, selecting a funding source, writing the proposal (with each section outlined). It additionally includes a large number of helpful forms, checklists and evaluation materials.
As mentioned by other reviewers, the greatest need is now for a new edition. The Internet does offer a whole new world of funding opportunities and methods. Still, with this book and some simple search engine tools, you would be able to utilize the latest technologies with the basics of this book to develop your funding proposals.
Best book on the market for grantseekers
Very popular book on grant writing in our library