JOCK LEWES: Co-Founder of the SAS

Book Description

Jock Lewes developed many of the characteristic SAS weapons and tactics, as revealed here by his nephew John Lewes, who has had full access to his uncle's extensive and vividly-written diaries and letters. This hitherto unknown chapter in the early history of the world's premier special forces unit has been very popular and is now available in paperback.

Customer Reviews:

The Founder of the SAS.......2000-09-17

A major contribution to the early history of the SAS, this outstanding biography of Jock Lewes persuasively argues that he was the real founder of the elite British commando corps in World War II not David Stirling. Lewes had not only developed the concept of the corps but had begun training his men before he was joined by David Stirling. Lewes was a brilliant innovator, experimenting with early parachute techniques and creating the Lewes bomb, who was initially sceptical of enlisting Stirling.

Written by his nephew, with access to family friends and unused private papers, the biography successfully argues its case without doing an injustice to Stirling. On the contrary, it shows that the ultimate success of the unit was due to a successful partnership in which the two men played distinct but essential roles. Stirling was crucial in promoting support for the formal adoption of the SAS among doubtful commanders at HQ.

The biography reads like a good thriller maintaining suspense throughout. Well over half the book is devoted to the years before the war, beginning with his boyhood in Australia. There are memorable vignettes of Oxford in the 1930s, where Jock led the Oxford University Boat Club in its first victory against Cambridge in many years, and the Berlin Olympics. Jock emerges in these early chapters as a charismatic and visionary leader long before his founding of the SAS.

"Jock Lewes" is a work of revision which will change the text book accounts of the origins of the SAS.

Book Description

Thomas Bayes (1702 - 1761) was an English clergyman and mathematician. Until around 1950, he was considered a minor contributor to the history of mathematics, and if he was known at all it was because his name was attached to a simple theorem in the calculus of probabilities. Since then, however, that theorem and the problem Bayes was able to solve with it have become the basis for an important branch of statistical methodology, the problem of inverse probability. Little is known of Bayes' life and few records mentioning him remain. Dale has meticulously researched the material and here gives a picture of Bayes and his time, as well as the intellectual and social climate in which Bayes worked. The writing is both instructive and entertaining, representing superb historical scholarship and excellent mathematics. (these are comments from our reviewers)

Amazon.com

"Indulge yourself and be fabulous because of it" is the motto of The Hamptons--a 40-mile oceanfront stretch of Long Island where New York City's rich and famous frolic--and of Pescatore's diet. Former medical director of the Atkins Center, Pescatore incorporates what he believes to be the best of both low-carb and Mediterranean diets. The Hamptons Diet eliminates "unhealthful foods that your body does not metabolize well," Pescatore explains. His diet is high in monounsaturated fats (especially macadamia nut oil), vegetables, fish, lean meats, nuts, whole grains, and low-sugar fruits: "real food"--unprocessed, unrefined, mostly organic. Pescatore tells anecdotes about his rich and famous clients (first names only) who achieved health and weight loss with his program. His writing is peppy and easy to follow, though he falls into self-praise a bit much. He explains his concepts clearly, although you might want to skim some of his 21 pages about the properties of 32 different oils. About half the book consists of a 30-day menu plan and recipes that certainly don't shout "I'm dieting": quiche, pancakes, hot dogs, burgers stuffed with blue cheese, steak salad, ham, casserole, meatballs (with veal, pork, chuck, and cheese), and pork chops, for example. --Joan Price

Book Description

Diet secrets of the rich, famous, and thin!

Where health meets style, where the world-renowned Hamptons meet the Mediterranean—that's the Hamptons Diet, a weight-loss plan that has been a breakthrough success for some of the world's leading celebrities. In The Hamptons Diet, Dr. Fred Pescatore, one of the world's most highly visible diet experts, offers you a prescription for losing weight quickly while looking great and staying healthy that's inspired by the healthy lifestyles and demanding palates of the rich and famous. With the Hamptons Diet, you eat healthy carbohydrates and ample protein, achieving a naturally low-glycemic balance. In this satisfying, easy-to-follow program, you get everything you need to lose weight quickly and safely, including thirty days of meal plans, a secret ingredient—macadamia nut oil, which boosts your metabolism and is the healthiest cooking oil on the planet—and almost 200 sumptuous recipes.

"Dr. Pescatore's diet is delicious and sound and represents one of the best options."
—Ann Louise Gittleman, author of the New York Times bestselling The Fat Flush Plan and The Fast Track One-Day Detox Diet

"Dr. Pescatore's The Hamptons Diet takes the Diet Revolution to the next level—a healthy, sensible diet and lifestyle plan that will make us all thinner, happier, and healthier."
—Fran Gare, N.D., Southampton, author of Anti-Aging Diet Evolution

Download Description

The Atkins diet meets The South Beach Diet . . . dieting secrets of the rich, famous—and thin!
Atkins results. Hamptons style. As the former medical director of the Atkins Center and a frequent guest on radio and television, Dr. Fred Pescatore is one of today's most highly visible low-carb diet doctors. And his visibility is sure to increase now that he is taking over the customer base of the Atkins Center, following Dr. Atkins's untimely death in early 2003. Building on the low-carb, Mediterranean-style diet plan he pioneered in Thin For Good, Dr. Pescatore now presents The Hamptons Diet, a program that introduces a secret ingredient—macadamia nut oil, the most monounsaturated oil on the planet—among other delicious components. Complete with 30-day meal plans featuring more than 100 mouthwatering recipes from celebrity chefs and just in time for the summer beach season, The Hamptons Diet is 2004's exciting new low-carb diet book—a deliciously satisfying, medically sound weight-loss program that can help anyone slim down and feel like the rich, famous, and thin.

Fred Pescatore, MD (New York, NY, East Hampton, NY, and Dallas, T-X), is the head of the Centers for Integrative and Complementary Medicine and the author of Thin For Good (0-471-41012-8).

Customer Reviews:

This diet is a bucket load of hogwash........2006-07-10

I didn't want to believe it. I wanted it to be the diet that finally works for me. Foolishly I ignored the reviews here before I purchased it thinking the reviews were so much sour grapes. I was dead wrong. The only purpose of this book is to line the author's pockets so he can afford to live in the Hamptons.

Another reviewer mentioned that all of the postive reviews must be from employees or plants to trick us into buying the book. That reviewer was right. There are several positive reviews, but in my humble opinion they simply don't have a ring of truth about them.

This book is worthless. Dont' waste your money.

don't bother.......2006-02-09

Saw on a news article that this is the newest diet craze and I bought this book to see what the hype is. Having lost over 100 lbs., I pretty much figured it out not to have sugar and stay away from white flours, grains, etc. Common sense is better than this book.

Best Diet ... A Winner.......2005-01-18

I have tried every diet under the sun and this is truly the best. Weight comes off fast, no hunger pangs, and plenty of energy. This is a life-style change diet that I can be on the rest of my life. The benefits are that the whole foods and nutrition shoul also reduce my risk of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. The focus on good fats is outstanding!

A TOTAL WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY.......2004-09-09

This was hardly a diet book, rather it is an infomercial posing as literature. Every other sentence seems to be about the virtues not of the diet but of a specific product. Macademia Nut Oil, and not just any generic macadamia nut oil but instead only one specific brand. Not too surprisingly other reviewers have indicated that the good doctor apparently is the owner of the company. I can't believe the positive reviews here, they had to be posted by someone in the author's employment. This book was such an insult to anyone with intelligence. Another reviewer refered to the author as a SNAKE OIL salesman and I highly agree. Please save your time and money and don't buy this book.

he Hamptons Diet : Lose Weight Quickly and Safely with the D.......2004-08-06

I'm a tried and true veteran dieter (just ask my husband). This diet is effortless because the recipes are so wonderful. This way of eating can easily become one's lfestyle. Concerning the price of MacNut Oil: Yes it is expensive, but I only use a 1-2 tablespoons/day and it is delicious. I pick the recipes that are affordable for our family. Many of the food such as ground chuck, chicken breast, and eggs are foods we normally eat. What's wonderful about this book is that the recipes make these foods taste amazing. I love this book. It's is easy to read. This will be a dietary lifestyle for me and my family. THANK YOU Dr. Pescatore!!

Average customer rating:

a great variety of chocolate cookies

The Ultimate Chocolate Cookie Book

The Ultimate Chocolate Cookie Book: From Chocolate Melties to Whoopie Pies, Chocolate Biscotti to Black and Whites, with Dozens of Chocolate Chip Cookies and Hundreds More
Bruce Weinstein , and Mark Scarbrough
Manufacturer: William Morrow Cookbooks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Chocolate | Baking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Cookies | Baking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Desserts | Baking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Ultimate Brownie Book: Thousands of Ways to Make America's Favorite Treat, including Blondies, Frostings, and Doctored Brownie Mixes

Big Fat Cookies

The Ultimate Muffin Book: More Than 600 Recipes for Sweet and Savory Muffins

The Ultimate Peanut Butter Book: Savory and Sweet, Breakfast to Dessert, Hundereds of Ways to Use America's Favorite Spread

Ultimate Potato Book: Hundreds of Ways to Turn America's Favorite Side Dish into a Meal

ASIN: 0060562749
Release Date: 2004-09-21

Book Description

Can you ever have enough chocolate? Not Likely!

Customer Reviews:

a great variety of chocolate cookies.......2007-07-27

This book has every imaginable kind of chocolate cookie that is worth making. So far, the recipes that I have tried make fantastic cookies. Perfect for both the everyday cookie baker and those who just need to make the occasional batch around the holidays.

The Ultimate Chocolate Cookie Book.......2007-03-10

There are some fantastic chocolate chip recipes in this book. They are yummy. My husband even made some of them.

Product Description

Owners who have just acquired a pedigreed pup, and dog lovers planning to purchase a pet, will value Living With a Pet books for their in-depth presentation of the special characteristics and needs of the breed being considered. These books give readers detailed understanding of the animal's daily needs, adaptability to training, physical and personality traits, specific strengths and weaknesses, ability to learn, susceptibility to health problems, and more. Books are filled with full-color photos and attractive sidebar features. Hardcover w/jacket / 128 Pages / 7 3/4 x 9 1/2 / 2000

What About Golden Retrievers: The Joy and Realities of Living with a Golden (What About?)

Average customer rating:

Very Informative
Great first book

What About Golden Retrievers: The Joy and Realities of Living with a Golden (What About?)
Daniel, DVM Rice
Manufacturer: Howell Book House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

All Amazon Upgrade | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books

Home & Garden | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0764540874

Book Description

How long do Golden Retrievers live?

How much does it cost to keep a Golden?

What kind of training do Goldens need to become good pets?

That little Golden Retriever puppy is so adorable-but is he the right dog for you? Many prospective dog owners don't ask the questions they should when deciding to bring a new puppy home. Now, the What About? series is here to help you understand the real-life implications of your decision, saving you time, money, and potential heartache-and protecting you and the dog from the consequences of an inappropriate choice.

Drawing upon the expertise of Golden Retriever breeders, owners, rescue organizations, veterinarians, and trainers, What About Golden Retrievers? provides honest, reliable advice on what it's really like to own and raise a Golden-no punches pulled. In a friendly, easy-to-follow Q&A format, veterinarian dan Rice offers solid, proven guidance in choosing and raising a Golden, including:

Breed characteristics · Behavior · Costs of ownership · Development in all life stages · Diet · Exercise requirements · Genetics and why it's important · Health and general care · Temperament · Training requirements · Working with behaviorists, trainers, and veterinarians · And more

Don't be taken by surprise. Get the answers you need now-before you get that Golden Retriever puppy-and make a smart, informed decision.

Download Description

The lowdown on the AKC's second most popular breed

How long does a Golden Retriever live? Do I have to train him? How much exercise does a Golden need? These are just a few of the questions a new owner of a Golden Retriever might-and should-ask. What About Golden Retrievers? holds all the answers, providing a wealth of important, highly useful information about the realities of what it means to own a Golden. Presented in a question-and-answer format that makes it easy for readers to find the exact help they need, this to-the-point guide offers real-life, honest answers to the tough questions, such as: Is a Golden a good family companion? How much does it cost to keep a Golden? What are the hereditary health problems of the breed, and how do you find a dog who is free of them?

Dan Rice, DVM (Sun City, AZ), spent several decades at the Denver Small Animal Hospital, specializing in small animal medicine and surgery. He has also been the house veterinarian for an Iditarod team and a kennel of hunting dogs. Rice has written numerous books about animals for adults and children.

Customer Reviews:

Very Informative.......2006-02-02

This book has alot of information in it. Much of it seems geared toward people who are thinking about getting a golden or have a golden puppy, neither of which apply to me because my two goldens are 3 years old. I did learn a few new and interesting things from it and it was worth what I paid for it. For the new or prospective golden owner this book would be extremely helpful.

Great first book.......2004-02-23

I borrowed the local library's copy of this book an found a lot of good information on what I needed to know before I got my Golden puppy, and what to expect with age. For such a thin book it touched on a lot of good topics. It starts off with how the Golden was historically used to explain certain behaviors, and even has a list of questions to evaluate whether a Golden is really going to fit into your lifestyle. If you already have a Golden Retriever or are just thinking about getting one, I recommended at least reading this book.

Customer Reviews:

a great chance to see what happens before...........2007-03-13

This book is filled with sketches from some of the best costume designers alive! The chance to see the different sketching styles and read their interviews is a rare opportunity. The book scratches the surface, giving only few pages to each designer, but I felt that the wide scope of the book was a positive balance to that. Each designer represented is interviewed for several pages and offer their unique perspective on costume design.
Every costume design student should own this book and Lynn Pecktal needs to get working on the sequel!

Review of Costume Design: Techniques of Modern Masters.......2007-01-10

As a student in costume design, I found this book to be of great interest and indeed help in gaining a deeper understanding of the challenges facing costume designers.
The writing documents interviews of 18 professionals who tell about their lives and careers, the joys and difficulties of costume designing and the odd tip for aspiring students
The designer's sketches are plentiful and in glorious colour and while the book would not suit as a text book for costume design methodology it is an excellent source of inspiration.

Great for inspiration!.......2006-07-02

This is a great book that I bought when I was starting out in costuming. I found it to be a fun read for those who are interested in costume design. It isn't really a resourse book, but if you love costuming or design, it has wonderful interviews with famous costume designers that I found interesting and inspiring. For those times of the year that I wonder why I am still in the costume business (October) this is a great book to rekindle my love for design and theatre. The renderings are beautiful. For designers who do renderings, these would be good to refer to, to see different styles of presentation.

Not what you think it is..........2005-04-15

While this book is absolutely gorgeous, it isn't a book *about* costume rendering. It's not a how-to book, but I'll add that it's a wonderful book for inspiration. The text portion (that I find is often skipped over in favor of looking at the pretty pictures) is worth a read as well, since it goes into some detail on various costumers' processes. Good book, but not an essential read for costume students.

This is a fabulous tool for study of costume renderings!.......1999-04-28

I have searched for this book in hardback form and I am so glad it is back as a paperback. The conversations with the designers are invigorating and enlightening for all of us in the design business. It is also a constant source for excellence in costume renderings. I find myself going back to the pages over and over again for refinement and inspiration in my own rendering techniques. A must have for every costume designer!

Customer Reviews:

50 Garden Projects - Engaging and Diverse.......2005-05-05

Nancy Bubel (1992) has written a book containing many different types of garden projects. There is something here for any gardener. The information for each project is filled with enthusiasm - on everything from how to ripe tomatoes in early June and great plants for homebrewed teas to starting a butterfy garden and choosing the right wildflowers for your yard.

Many wonderful projects include:

1. How to create a terrarium - page 244
2. Try container gardening - page 117
3. Grow your own grapes - page 54
4. Grow a traditional medicine garden - page 275
5. Make your yard bird-friendly - page 263

This great book is available on Amazon for as low as 88 cents. There are 33 copies as of this writing.

(Mt Laurel)

Average customer rating:

52 weekend garden projects, 1993
Nancy Bubel
Manufacturer: Rodale Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0875965717

John Deere 52 Backyard Landscaping Projects: Designing, Planting, and Building the Yard of Your Dreams One Weekend at a Time

Average customer rating:

John Deere 52 Backyard Landscaping Projects: Designing, Planting, and Building the Yard of Your Dreams One Weekend at a Time
Kristen Hampshire
Manufacturer: Creative Publishing international
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Garden Design | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Landscape | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Book Description

The second in a series of John Deere books published by Quayside, John Deere 52 Backyard Landscaping Projects is the perfect companion and follow-up to John Deere Landscaping and Lawn Care. Once homeowners have a handle on what they need to do to their yard and when the need to do it in order to keep their lawn and landscape green and healthy, they will want to learn how to improve upon it. John Deere 52 Backyard Landscaping Projects provides simple projects that are relevant to today's homeowners. While most books cover, design, building, planting with an extensive gardening section devoted to plant care, types, etc. this book is unique in that it offers simple weekend landscaping projects and it carried the John Deere stamp of approval.

Easy to follow step-by-step instructions
All projects can be completed in a weekend's time

Average customer rating:

good book for the Typical Male Type

Please Comment on this book

The Father's Survival Guide To Raising Twins: Pregnancy Through The First Year
Anthony J. Valtos
Manufacturer: Authorhouse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Family Health | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
General | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Twins! : Expert Advice from two practicing physicians on pregnancy, birth and the first y

Everything You Need to Know to Have a Healthy Twin Pregnancy

Double Duty : The Parents' Guide to Raising Twins, from Pregnancy Through the School Years

ASIN: 1418498653

Customer Reviews:

good book for the Typical Male Type.......2005-08-11

If you aren't a sports buff or into drinking beer- if you don't go out with the guys for male bonding activites, you will find this book sadly disappointing. We are saving it for another friend of ours-- she has a husband that fits the description of the dad in the book. Coach of the soccer team, football etc.
My husband says it was a bit amusing, but mostly he had a hard time making himself read it after the first few pages.... we will keep trying to find something else for him, or maybe I can convince him to write a book instead!

Please Comment on this book.......2005-06-02

Hi. I haven't read the book yet, but I would like to read some comments from those of you that have brought the book and read it.

Product Description

A photo collection Photos and reportages of settlers of the southern area of Patagonia, Santa Cruz Province. High quality. Una colecci??n fotogr??fica Hermosas fotograf??as y entrevistas a personajes caracter??sticos de las pampas santacruce??as, la regi??n m??s sure??a de la Patagonia. Libro de alta calidad gr??fica.

Book Description

Here, in a magnificently illustrated volume, are the diaries and documents left from the longest surviving concentration of Jews trapped in Nazi Europe. There are over 200 photographs showing ghetto life, carefully matched with texts from the diaries, to present an illustrated narrative of the course of the Holocaust through this single community. The US Holocaust Memorial Museum has highlighted the Lodz Ghetto books and film as essential resources for anyone who wishes to understand the Jewish response to the Nazi Holocaust.

Customer Reviews:

Important document.......2005-06-26

This book is probably one of the most moving and important books that you can read. It was so sensitive that in the city of Lodz in the mid-nineties, every time a copy of it, or the documentary of the same name, was shown, it disappeared. I bought both this book and the video from the Holocaust Museum in Washington, when I was back in the United States. I had to keep them under my bed for safekeeping, when I was in Lodz in 1994-6, as a Peace Corps volunteer.
Many young people in Lodz never knew what had happened in their own city and were shocked. Some had only heard distorted stories from the wartime generation.
In 2004 my own book using the facts of the Lodz Ghetto, many from this book, and life in Lodz in the nineties was released as A Stairwell in Lodz.

A good but deeply disjointed book.......2001-06-19

This book is an anthology of 128 orders, proclamations, speeches, poems, and other ephemera that have survived from the wartime Lodz ghetto.

I first came across the tragic history of the Ghetto in a sidebar in 'The Rough Guide' to Poland (the best Polish guide book). It is an extraordinary story: within 2 days of the 1939 occupation of Lodz (pronounced 'Wootch'), a large industrial city some 50 miles South-West of Warsaw, the Germans started a general and increasing anti-Semitic terror, and shortly afterwards herded the 230,000-odd Lodz Jews into a slum area. Chaim Rumkowski, a failed businessman (velvet manufacturer) with an interest in child welfare and Zionism, was appointed 'Elder of the Jews' by the Germans, and established himself as a dictator, supported by informers, sycophants, and the 'Kripo' police. Those opposing him were selected for the transports to Chelmno, which, unbeknownst but increasingly suspected, was a death camp. Rumkowski's strategy for survival was work: 'a gold currency of the highest calibre - the labour of Jewish hands'; `only work can save us from the worst calamity'; `work protects us from annihilation', and, in forcing the population to work for food, he fuelled the Nazi war effort. In 1944, with the advance of the Red Army from the East, the Ghetto was liquidated with the survivors being sent to Oswiecim - or, to give it its German name, Auschwitz. This book is a collection of some of the literary fragments that remain.

The book follows the chronological progress of the Ghetto, from its establishment (1940); the deportation into the Ghetto of some 20,000 Jews from Hamburg, 3,000 Polish Jews, 5,000 Gypsies (Rumkowski: `I've explained that we cannot live together with them. Gypsies are the sort of people who can do anything. First they rob and then they set fire... .'), and Jews from Prague, Luxembourg, Berlin, Cologne, Vienna, Frankfurt... (1941); the `Nightmarish Days' when, in 1942, the Germans liquidated the hospitals and demanded the surrender to them of children (with the sickening speech by Rumkowski: `In my old age I must stretch out my hands and beg: Brothers and sisters, hand them over to me! Fathers and mothers, give me your children!'), until the final rounds of deportations and the liberation of the Ghetto in 1944: 10,000 survived; 60,000 died in the Ghetto (mostly, apparently, from hunger); 130,000 died at Chelmno or Oswiecim.

There are German documents (`To: The Eldest of the Jews. July 16h., 1942. Re: Machines in the Ghetto. I request that you immediately investigate whether there is a Bone Grinder in the ghetto, either with a motor or hand-driven. The special command in Chelmno is interested in such a grinder. On behalf of F.W. Ribbe, Assistant Director, Ghetto Administration'), Yiddish poems, diaries, fragments of notes, transcripts of Rumkowski's speeches and proclamations. The shattered fragments of a surprisingly rich cultural life.

The works selected for publication have been beautifully translated from the original Polish, Hebrew, Yiddish, and German. The translation is of the highest order. The book is also illustrated with photographs, including some in colour, which are also of high quality. The notations to the texts are also good.

However, the book falls down badly in other areas. It should have a map, showing readers where Lodz, Chelmno, and Oswiecim are (there is a map of the Ghetto itself). It has a grossly inadequate contents page, and no index. However, the most serious failing is the woefully inadequate Foreword, which fails to put the Ghetto into an historical, Polish, or wider framework, or the texts into a literary context. The reader is, more or less, simply presented with the texts and left to get on with it.

I suspect that much of this parsimony is the responsibility of the publishers, but the editors must be held responsible for the failure to help the reader place the texts in context, and I suspect that their reticence has much to do with the contentious problem of Polish-Jewish relations, and wider questions about Zionism, the lack of resistance to the Germans (indeed, the collaboration with the Germans), the dictatorship of Rumkowski, and so on.

We learn, for example, from captions to photographs: 'A gypsy camp adjacent to the ghetto did not have any sanitation system and was quickly wiped out by typhus'; 'SS Reichsfuher Heinrich Himmler is greeted on his arrival in the ghetto by Rumkowski, June 7, 1941.' There is nothing else in the book about the Gypsy camp or Himmler's visit. Similarly, there are only minor references to the non-Jewish Polish population of Lodz (who also suffered hugely under Nazi occupation). There is one, minor, document about the dispute between Speer (Minister of Armaments), who wanted to preserve the Ghetto as a valuable contributor to the war effort, and Himmler, who eventually succeeded in enforcing the `Final Solution'. Poems are included within the anthology, translated from Yiddish, but there is no attempt to explain the literary merit behind them.

The concentration on the Ghetto is both a strength and a weakness of the book; ultimately, however, it undermines the book. In particular, I should have liked to have heard more about the heroic Warsaw Ghetto uprising (1943) and the Warsaw uprising (1944), and how they impacted on the Lodz Ghetto. I think that it is wrong not to acknowledge, at least, the parallel suffering of the non-Jewish population; for the record, the Germans immediately rounded up the entire hierarchy of the Church, all Trade Unionists, Communists, and intellectuals (which appears to have been defined as anyone with a degree), and sent them to Oswiecim, and those remaining were considered `untermensch' (sub-human), suitable only for slave labour. Some 25% of Poland's population - which included, of course, a large and well-integrated Jewish population - were killed during the war: a higher proportion than any other country.

In conclusion, the book never answers the question `what is it?' Is it a record of historical documents; a literary anthology; or a collection of ephemera organised chronologically? How can a reader respond to the documents, as they are presented without any editorial help?

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books