Not All Soldiers Wore Pants : A Witty World War II Wac Tells All

Book Description

The author describes with a mixture of humor and history, her experiences in the Women's Army Corps during World War II. Her entertaining account generates chuckles among veterans and persons serving in the military today, and to all who enjoy a good laugh while learning about these first pioneering women.

Customer Reviews:

Wonderfully humorous fast-read........1999-03-28

One of the best books I've read about the experiences of WACs in WWII. The book was easy to read. The author has a terrific sense of humor and a gift for putting it on paper. She gave me a real feel for the struggle of adjusting to Army life at a time when women were entering the 'Real Army' for the first time. A truly delightful reading experience.

Book Description

By positing that the father of modern psychiatry was "fundamentally an artist," Lesley Chamberlain explores the meaning of Freud's life and work through a new lens. His rigorous examination of the dynamism and structures of the unconscious, she argues, is in itself an important work of art. Drawing on Freud's writing on art and aesthetics, Chamberlain uses part biography and part critique to recast the legacy of a genius in The Secret Artist.

Customer Reviews:

Has plenty of notes (pp. 229-318).......2005-11-10

This book is a lot like the comedy film, "The Aristocrats." Maybe not at the beginning, where the ability of writers is in the long dark tunnel of trying to find something to say, but by Chapter 8, "Music, Painting, and Comedy of the Night," parts of the book which seem like a documentary on the editorial board of `The Onion' are secondary to considerations of "hysterical conversions" (p. 189), which, "if it resembles a work of art, then the genre in question is surreal or absurd. Compulsive neurosis generates more meanings, but the wrong ones." (p. 189). The Ratman is associated with an "Oriental" (p. 190) torture as an example of "the perverse tergiversation of a psyche in conflict," (p. 190). "In the unconscious our passions are headless, with detachable identities, like live parts kept in stock in a joke shop, which we can draw on any time we need to assemble an identity." As in the comics retelling of imaginative variety acts, "our unconscious minds, unconstrained by the need to produce a grammatical or logical structure, behave like circus acts, throwing all definite reality into the air." (p. 191). "A chiasmus is inscribed in the Oedipal family situation where, against the norm, son loves mother and daughter loves father. This is the prime instance of animated rhetoric lying at the heart of Freud's view of the world." (p. 192). It is also key to a variety act called "The Aristocrats," according to the joke endlessly embellished in the movie "The Aristocrats."

The intellectual activities of modern life mirror a world in which "the same person can feel love and hostility, attraction and the desire to gain revenge. Splitting and doubling seem to be approximate psychic mobilizations of the synecdoche, another trope by which the name of part of the object stands in for the whole (or the whole stands for the part) but then acquires a new poetic life of its own in the poetic text." (pp. 192-193).

"Freud amplifies the unconscious; he creates a fantastic arena for what, in a desperate attempt at meaning, we call our personality; like Nietzsche he shows the sustaining power of metaphor, but also that we live in the depths of delusion. Nietzsche and Freud tell us that the human mind primarily has a gift for the ornamentation of life, not the analytical confrontation of which Western culture was for so long proud." (p. 194). This book seems entirely serious when it confronts "A chill comes over one at the spectacle of so much unconscious mimicry ruling once proud human autonomy" (p. 194) in Freud "writing perhaps the most bizarre poems to life ever to have entered the Western canon, for they are close to nonsense." (p. 194). Also, with a note of appreciation, "Nietzsche is a musician. Freud is a painter." (p. 195).

The Secret Irony.......2002-10-10

This book is a failure. While Chamberlain attempts to create both an authentic biograhpy and insightful literary criticism, she succeeds at neither. Her central premise relies upon the notion that Freud was really an artist at heart, who invented a new artistic practice to complement these repressed desires. While this idea on its own is not altogether flawed, the argument is marred by Chamberlain's constant cries to be heard as an intelligent and unconventional author. Chamberlain pretensiously reminds the reader of the apparent ingenuity and unorthodox nature of her claim every 7 pages; a claim mind you, that is as unprovable as it is unsupportable. There is no additional perspective gained from this reading. Shocking fact: their is no clear boundary between science and art! This book illustrates controversy for controversy's sake and is its own best example of "pen envy." Freud or Chamberlain: who really wishes to be The Secret Artist? Don't waste your time with this one.

For students of Freud's pioneering work.......2002-05-11

The Secret Artist: A Close Reading Of Sigmund Freud by journalist and educator Lesley Chamberlain is a deep and perceptive study of the written works of Sigmund Freud, considered to be the founder of modern psychotherapy. In an effort to help readers better understand the mind of Freud, The Secret Artist closely dissects his writings with intense attention to detail. A thoughtful, scholarly, erudite, informative work, The Secret Artist is very highly recommended reading for students of Freud's pioneering work, as well as the non-specialist general reader with an interest in the history of psychotherapy.

Modernity's debt to Freud.......2002-02-17

Early in this terrific book the versatile British scholar Lesley Chamberlain writes of the young Sigmund Freud that what he "wanted and already expected was success," and that his writings "radiate the confidence and ambition and talent that would make it possible; but also the complexity that would not make it easy." This is a complex story and a scholarly work that presupposes the reader's positive regard for Freud (if not as a scientist, as an artist) and then aims to greatly enlarge upon it.

Freud the analyst is revealed as a "secret artist," not furtively artistic but, rather, unconsciously artistic. He was, she writes, a pioneer and an utterly original thinker and writer who contributed amply to our present-day notions of the forms and possibilities of literature. In her view Freud virtually "fathered the creative writing class" by legitimizing not only subject matter but writing forms that had hitherto been considered unsuitable for public consumption. From Freud we inherited new literary forms for self-revelation, self-discovery, and confession.

Chamberlain shows how Freud devised "the "double-well," an "artistic form with a moral component," a new way to tell a story in which "a dream sits on the divide." His stories about his patients have more in common with contemporary novellas than the medical case histories of their time, extending at times "a typical Freudian invitation to the reader, to pull the [...] thread and see where it leads."

Chamberlain examines Freud positively without minimizing his shortcomings. "Freud was not a model of tolerance by today's standards, " she writes, and cites his views on homosexuality, women's sexuality (on which she says he was "underinformed"). Nonetheless, Chamberlain writes that Freud "gave us a more relaxed attitude toward sex, freed from values of God and the soul, and gender, and divorced from insensitive stereotypes." This is, then, no small thing.

Chamberlain has accomplished an unusual and stimulating combination of biography, literary analysis, intelligent conjecture, and thrilling narrative. Her writing is crystal-clear, she tackles complicated things, and explains them wonderfully well. Freud's wide-ranging creative and personal relationships to philosophy, the visual arts, poetry, nature, music are explored. Along with a good index and bibliography, here are over a hundred pages of fluid and impossible-to-resist (because so interesting and energetic) "Notes, Arguments, and Explanations."

Well worth reading.

Book Description

Unlike a leg in a cast, invisible chronic illness (ICI) has no observable symptoms. Consequently, people who suffer from chronic fatigue, chronic pain, and many other miseries often endure not only the ailment but dismissive and negative reactions from others. Since its first publication, Sick and Tired of Feeling Sick and Tired has offered hope and coping strategies to thousands of people who suffer from ICI. Paul Donoghue and Mary Siegel teach their readers how to rethink how they themselves view their illness and how to communicate with loved ones and doctors in a way that meets their needs. The authors' understanding makes readers feel they have been heard for the first time. For this edition, the authors include a new introduction drawing on the experiences of the many people who have responded to the book and to their lectures and television appearances. They expand the definition of ICI to include other ailments such as depression, addiction, and obsessive-compulsive disorders. They bring the resource material, including Web sites, up to the present, and they offer fresh insights on four topics that often emerge: guilt, how ICI affects the family, meaningfulness, and defining acceptance.

Customer Reviews:

Sound Advice.......2007-01-11

This book is an excellent combination of concrete examples and reflective thought about what it means to be constantly ill. Filled with specific stories of individuals and their struggles, it also has a section on more constructive steps one can take to interact more fruitfully with ones friends, family and society in general. It does a good job of helping one to be feel understood without allowing self pity to be the dominant emotion.

Start their New Year with this book.......2006-12-27

A friend recommended this book to me when I got sick, and I'm so grateful he did. I've been sick for two years, but I know I'm not alone or crazy.

Now one of my family members has finally agreed to read this book. I plan to start her New Year with it.

Comforted and Informed Instead of Sick and Tired.......2006-04-30

Dr. Donaghue and Dr. Siegel have given us a gem of a book! By drawing on their own personal experiences as well as the experiences of their patients, they have presented a through and comforting introduction to living with chronic illness.

After months of living with my own invisible illness, I finally read this book and by chapter 2 I could not put it down. I have dog-eared and highlighted, circled and starred. I have made sure my parents and friends have read sections. It is like glimpsing into my own mind. They anticipated and answered all of my worries, frustrations, annoyances, and fears. They offered practical, sympathetic advice on how to deal with the difficulty of living with an invisible illness.

First class in a mostly invisible and sometimes "Lost" class.......2005-04-19

This is one of a handful of books that give insight and help to a problem that is killing people, if not eating them up alive.
The handbooks that are available for this topic are few, but those that are there are brilliant.
The exposition and the methods made available by this book is truly a life saver. In many respects though, we still have a long way to go. Progress will not be made unless the surgeons who treat the sufferers of this disorder/disease are made to understand what is happening. It is a very real issue, and there are some rehab staff who see it all too often, but the high paid Doctors do not acknowledge this issue.
An excellent accompanying book for this one is CRY OF THE DAMAGED MAN... and it is a traumatic book, but it shows how one surgeon came to realise what his patients were going through.
I have had people I know and care for treated look psychos by the establishment Doctors.
One of the worst places to have this range of problems is in Australia, particularly Victoria, Australia, and Tasmania , Australia.
A relative of mine in Tasmania had a horrible accident that left him with life long pain, which the Doctors and his immediate family all said were psychological. He suffered for a lifetime, and eventually killed himself to stop the pain. A couple of family members knew what he was going through and believed him. They helped him immensely, but the Doctors he was treated by were educated during the period of B F Skinner, and such a horrible legacy that man Left that it warped several generations. Including the perpetrator of some vicious books, Ainslie Mears... a Doctor very affected by B F Skinner.
In Victoria, the TAC sentences people with the problems described in this book to a lifetime of pain. The Victoria, Australia government body is all about money; there is no humanity in it. In one case a friend came to the United States for diagnosis and a treatment regime, and upon returning to the Vicious Victoria, the Doctors were livid with rage that she had gone to a place that understood her problem; she had dared to question their "God" like authority.

For those of you reading this who do not have the problems covered by the rubric of Chronic Pain, or the so called Invisible Chronic Pain, you need to learn; some people you know may be going through this, and whilst you cannot truly understand the pain, the words to say that mean the most are, I'll be there for you.
Gradually these pain problems are being truly documented thanks to major advances in technology. The Doctors who have denied the existence of this problem have a lot to answer for, and in some cases have blood on their hands.

This is truly a breakthrough book.
There are ways and means available now that can help manage these pain problems. Eventually there will be treatments. If you know someone who is going through the problems discussed in this book, a gift of this book may very well be a life saver.

This book made a difference for me, as has the various other books in this area; also, Emmett Millers work has been of vital importance.

I No Longer Feel Alone.......2005-04-03

I still don't have a name for my almost constant pain and exhaustion, but I have learned so much from this book. I discovered that I am not the only one who was told by their doctor that my pain is due to stress or depression. I struggle daily with questions raised in the book such as , "Is it just all in my head ?", "will I always be sick ?", and "Am I just weak or overly-sensitive?". The authors do a wonderful job of explaining why we ask these questions and doubt ourselves. I highly suggest buying a copy of this book for yourself and your physician !

Average customer rating:

Better than homemade

Great book

quick tasty recipes

Cake Mix Magic 2: 125 More Easy Desserts ... Good as Homemade
Jill Snider
Manufacturer: Robert Rose
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Cakes | Baking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
General | Baking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
General | Quick & Easy | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Cake Mix Magic

Complete Cake Mix Magic

Duncan Hines Cake Mix Magic

Cake Mix Cookies: More Than 175 Delectable Cookie Recipes That Begin With a Box of Cake Mix

Brownie Mix Bliss: More Than 175 Very Chocolate Recipes for Brownies, Bars, Cookies and Other Decadent Desserts Made with Boxed Brownie Mix

ASIN: 077880058X

Book Description

Cake mixes are more popular than ever and it's no surprise. Pressed for time, today's bakers love the quality, dependability and convenience that a cake mix offers. Better still, cake mixes are incredibly versatile. Keep one or two in the pantry along with a few other basic ingredients and you'll be ready to bake everything from cakes to squares, muffins and even cookies.

In Cake Mix Magic 2, you will discover more ways than you ever imagined to transform a good cake into a great cake or a mouthwatering dessert, simply by adding tasty but readily available ingredients such as nuts, chocolate, sour cream or fruit. As she did in her first best seller, Cake Mix Magic, Jill Snider provides you with the perfect shortcut solution. Now you can have delicious cakes that taste homemade in less than half the time it would take to bake from scratch. An no one will ever guess that your delightful desserts came from a box.

Here is just a sampling from the wide variety of baked treats: Cookies 'n' Cream Cake, Triple Raspberry Treat, Lemon Cream Torte, Chocolate Carmel Pecan Cake, Pineapple Coconut Dream Bars, Apple Crisp Cake, Cranberry Almond Coffee Cake, Spicy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, No-Bake Bumbleberry Cheesecake, Almond Crisps.

More than 125 delicious cake mix recipes
From single layer to special occasion cakes
Know your ingredients section
Baking equipment essentials
Tips and techniques for perfect cake baking every time
Everything from cheesecakes to cookies
16 color photographs

Customer Reviews:

Better than homemade.......2007-04-20

I absolutely love this book. Everytime I make a recipe using this book, I get many compliments, and requests for the recipe. Delicious!!! Just got through making the Chocolate Caramel Pecan Cake, it is a keeper.

Great book.......2006-05-16

This book has some really great recipes and are really easy. I never cook and made a batch of cookies from a recipe in this book. My husband was in shock and is already requesting more cookies. Our friends loved them as well. This book was well worth the money.

quick tasty recipes.......2003-03-27

The recipes in this book are easy,quick and turn out wonderful.I like the time I save by using mixes and like the title says it really tastes homemade or from scratch.I have never really used cake mixes before as I used to prefer doing everything myself but this book has changed my mind!

Customer Reviews:

My opinion of this book........2000-12-28

I have owned this book since it came out and it is the most informative veterinary manual that I own. I have always loved science and horses and I have many books on veterinary books for horses as I want to become a veterinarian. I am still in highschool but by reading this book I already have a very good understanding to many complicated veterinary subjects and situations and I am sure that by knowing what I have learned from this book will help me in university. If you have any interest at all in horses or science or wish to be a veterinarian some day I recommend this book. It teaches you everything you need to know.

Average customer rating:

Great stitches, but chart key is missing a critical symbol

Not exactly an encyclopedia

Good book, but be warned

Disappointing

Great resource, but sometimes frustrating

ENCYCLOPEDIA OF KNITTING: A Step-by-Step Visual Guide, With an Inspirational Gallery of Finished Works
Lesley Stanfield , and Melody Griffiths
Manufacturer: Running Press Book Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Reference | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Knitting | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Textile Arts | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Art | Encyclopedias | Reference | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Donna Kooler's Encyclopedia of Knitting

Knitter's Handbook : A Comprehensive Guide to the Principles and Techniques of Handknitting

A Passion for Knitting : Step-by-Step Illustrated Techniques, Easy Contemporary Patterns, and Essential Resources for Becoming Part of the World of Knitting

450 Knitting Stitches (The Harmony Guide , Vol 2)

A Treasury of Knitting Patterns

ASIN: 0762408057

Book Description

Decorative, meditative, practical, and rewarding, the time-honored craft of knitting has seen a tremendous renewal or interest recently. These days it seems all the hippest people are knitting their own scarves, sweaters, hats, and socks. This latest addition to our popular Encylcopedia of Art Techniques series includes dozens of designs and techniques for this appealing and practical craft, with clear step-by-step instructions and an A-to-Z format for easy reference. It's all here, from basic stitches to complex creations, plus a gallery of fabulous classic and contemporary designs for inspiration.

Customer Reviews:

Great stitches, but chart key is missing a critical symbol.......2007-03-13

This book has a great number of stitches; I believe that there are 250. They are organized in a logical way: ribs, twists and lace. Although, I bought the book specifically for the stitches, I discovered that it contained very useful information that a knitting newbie could easily benefit from, including the importance of checking your gauge.

It was definitely worth every penny, particularly if you bore of using other people's patterns, and want to go beyond stockinette or garter stitches.

HOWEVER, there is one negative is that there is a critical piece of information missing. There is also no corrections/errata page found on the publisher's website. However, I did manage to track down the correction simply by using my sleuth-like nature and annoying every contact on the publisher's website LOL. I did manage to find the correction on someone's blog, I think it was webigail's. Anyway, I would have given the book 5-stars, but I had to put in too much work to find the correction.

I have heard that the error is going to be fixed with the next batch of books, which doesn't help those of us who already own it. Thank goodness someone did have the correction.

Not exactly an encyclopedia.......2004-04-16

Either I don't know what an encyclopedia is, or the pages of my copy of the book are mixed up. The subjects are not alphabetical, but are nonetheless logically organized.

The strengths of this book are:
1. Its stich collection (I especially like that the patterns are all named).
2. Its clear diagrams demonstrating techniques.
3. Its multiple techniques and styles of knitting (especially casting on, casting off, increasing and decreasing).

The weaknesses of this book are:

1. Most topics are only touched upon, not described in length.
2. It is almost entirely about flat knitting (with knitting in the round only mentioned on one page!)
3. Its lack of any projects to demonstrate why you might want to use a technique. I suppose someday I might find a reason to use bias or chevron knitting, and I will be able to do it using this book, but the authors gave no reason why I would want to.

I wouldn't say this is extremely comprehensive, but a lot of subjects are touched on, and the photos are beautiful and inspiring. I got it when I first took up knitting, and while it was not very useful in teaching me knitting, it is a handy reference and a nice source of inspiration.

Good book, but be warned.......2003-12-09

Definitely a good reference but there are errors in their charted stitch patterns and no online "errata" pages with corrections.

Disappointing.......2003-04-14

I was going to give the book 2 stars, but decided to give it 3 since there are some patterns that are quite pretty and that I haven't seen anywhere else. The photography is well done, but I thought that it was more inspirational than instructional. The word "encyclopedia" in the title extremely misleading. This book is by no means encyclopedic in scope! ...Some patterns are given in chart form and some instructions are written out -- why not be consistent? Also, I had to flip around to find the chart legends (they didn't say where it was in the stitch section of the book). Oh well, if glossy pages, colorful photos and glitzy models (wearing sweaters for which no instructions are given!) inspire you, I guess this would be a nice but nonessential addition to your library. I'm keeping the book because of the 3 or 4 stitches I think are cute...

Great resource, but sometimes frustrating.......2001-03-24

This book is terrific in a lot of ways. I love the organization. It's a great resource when you ask yourself "Isn't there another way to cast on?" The pictures are gorgeous, and the directions are reasonably clear.

There are some frustrating aspects, though. The stitch library is good but could have more in it. Some of the pictures in the stitch library don't have instructions for the pattern. Actually, the book is full of beautiful sweaters -- and no patterns! I understand that the book is a basic reference, not a pattern book, but it would be nice if you could at least send away for the patterns.

also, the book provides just a smattering of info about designers and how to design sweaters. it's almost to the point where I asked myself, why did they bother if they weren't going to tell me more?

Overall, I'm pleased with the book and I do use it all the time. It would be a better book if some areas were deeper and other areas were just dropped out entirely.

Book Description

First published in 1933 by the author, this book has gained the stature of a much-loved gardening classic. Senator Aiken love the native flowers of the woods, fields and streams of his youth, and he sought to conserve them by propagating them in his nursery in Putney, Vermont. In this book the reader can learn the secrets and techniques Aiken painstakingly developed to raise more than 250 species of native wildflowers and ferns in his own gardens.

Average customer rating:

Pioneering With Wildflowers
George D. Aiken
Manufacturer: New York: Stephen Daye Press, 1946
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NV9XV8

Average customer rating:

Pioneering with Wildflowers
George D. Aiken
Manufacturer: George D. Aiken
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000O9O27E

Average customer rating:

Pioneering with Wildflowers
Senator George D. Aiken
Manufacturer: Prentice-Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000O6CU30

Average customer rating:

Pioneering with Wildflowers
Senator George D. Aiken
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NUFN7M

Pioneering with Wildflowers. The Richly Illustrated Guide to Identifying and Cultivating Wildflowers.

Average customer rating:

Pioneering with Wildflowers. The Richly Illustrated Guide to Identifying and Cultivating Wildflowers.
George D. Aiken
Manufacturer: Prentice - Hall Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000I38L14

Average customer rating:

James Billington's classic from our time

INSIDERS' VIEW!

Salutari Illuminati

The firey embers of the Revolutionary Faith still haunt us..

Fire in the Minds of Men: Origins of the Revolutionary Faith
James H. Billington
Manufacturer: Basic Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | United States | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Tragedy & Hope: A History of the World in Our Time

Matrix of Power:How the World Has Been Controlled By Powerful People Without Your Knowledge

Wall Street & the Bolshevik Revolution

Anglo-American Establishment

That Old-Time Religion: The Story of Religious Foundations

ASIN: 0465024076

Customer Reviews:

James Billington's classic from our time.......2006-05-21

This is one of the great history books of our time.

Billington provides a comprehensive account of the revolutionary obsession from the 18th until the 20th century. He examines in particular national and socialist revolution and the cast of sometimes bizarre characters, cults and conspiracies that peppered these movements.

Beautifully written, it is a joy to read. Billington treats his subject matter with empathy but is by no means a revolutionist himself.

Gibbon's "Decline aand Fall of the Roman Empire" is still being read today more than three centuries after it was penned. Billington's book will be a must read centuries from now too.

INSIDERS' VIEW!.......2006-05-18

This is another MUST read for ALL AMERICANS or any serious minded student of history,professional or not.Mr.Billington,who I believe is still head of the Library of Congress(though he MAY have recently retired)was appointted,to that position by Reagan, explores the role secret societies have played in revolutionary movements since the time of the AMERICAN/FRENCH revolution to the RUSSIAN revolution.It MAY change your view on "How the World Really Works.I stole that lasy phrase from the late Mr.Wanniski-a conservative.

Salutari Illuminati.......2003-02-04

Noone has mentioned the cousin to this book which is Carrol Quigly's "Tragedy and Hope". Dr Quigly went to Harvard and taught at Georgetown where he, according to Clinton in his inaugual address, became the mentor to future president Bill Clinton. Please read my review of Quigly's work where I reveal a third book that is just as essential as Billingtons and Quiglys...and that throws a curve even at the most well read and learned!

The firey embers of the Revolutionary Faith still haunt us.........2002-12-30

~Fire in the Minds of Men: Origins of the Revolutionary Faith~ is an intriguing intellectual history that traces the developments of the so called revolutionary faith. The tumultuous upheavals and violent revolutions of the twentieth century were spawned by revolutionary ideologies fomented in the nineteenth century. These secular ideologies became full-fledged secular surrogates for religious belief and likewise sought the overthrow of traditional authority whether political or religious with the subsequent creation of a new order. The contagious revolutionary fervor of the French Revolution, which was wrought from 1789 to 1791, had its origin in the utopian Rousseau and German Romanticism. Billington'a sweeping narrative begins amidst this fervor, which beset the eighteenth century.

Billington astutely observes that a flame of idealistic German Romanticism kindled the flames of the early revolutions. Groups like the Illuminati** (yes it did exist) led by the idealistic Adam Weishaupt clung to a Rousseauian vision of leading all humanity to moral perfection free from the trappings of all established political and religious authority. This group and other revolutionary secular sects sought to emulate the hierarchy and organization of the Jesuits. The Illuminati and its related groups were the revolutionaries who sought to bring about an end to the old order and liberate humanity into a blissful universal utopia of liberty, equality and fraternity. Billington interestingly devotes a full chapter on the occult organization of the early revolutionaries, which continued to inspire their latter day progeny. The new secular revolutionary of the time was enamored in occultic symbols, numerology, abstractions and rituals. Billington traces the developments of the revolutionary faith, which was consummated in the Revolution of 1789, throughout the nineteenth century.

Despite, various incarnations of revolutionary ideologies from anarchism to romantic utopian socialism to scientific socialism to syndicalism, a basic schism emerged in the revolutionary faith. Many of these ideologies didn't whither away, but rather metamorphisized and fused with one another. This schism played itself out in the ideological struggle between followers of Marx and Proudhon. Billington elaborates on this schism, and distinguishes between those who believed most in fraternity (and its idea that the nation was the vehicle of deliverance) and those who believed most in equality (and its idea that the social class was a vehicle of deliverance.) The chapter National vs. Social Revolution chronicles the revolutionary fracture that came about in the mid-1800's. What emerged from this schism were the totalitarian movements of the twentieth century. The heirs of the national revolutionary tradition, "fortified fraternity with equality" and gave birth to Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany. National revolutionaries of the twentieth century found their fraternity in the abstractions of Volk (People) or the (Reich) Nation. The social revolutionaries, on the other hand, lofted equality above all but bound it to fraternity. They gave rise to Bolshevism and Communist movements. Ironically, as Billington notes, "The most violent and authoritarian movements in Germany and Russia each intensified one form of the revolutionary faith by adopting signficant elements of the other." Nazism was abbreviation for "national socialism" while Communism under Stalin came to be defined as "socialism in one country." Both of these revolutionary faiths whether of the national revolutionary tradition or the social revolutionary tradition were millenarian social religions. Both revolutionary factions wanted a new order to supplant the old traditional order. Likewise, both factions offered a salvific promise of a glorious future for an enlightened humanity, which would be paid for in the cleansing blood of revolutionaries and dissidents alike.

Billington devotes a chapter to revolutionary syndicalism and its various subsects and the 'social nationalism' and the fascist mutation that emerged. Mussolini was the heir of French syndicalists like Sorel and Valois and revolutionary Italian nationalists like Mazzini. Mussolini polished his brand of corporatist-syndicalist ideology turning syndicalism's rejection of state authority on its nose, but he embraced its organization, which sought to link trade union organization (syndicates) with mass action aimed at created a new order. Some scholars like Neev Sternhell have pointed that fascism represents a revision of Marxian socialism, rejecting its materialism and class struggle ethos in favor of an idealistic spiritual ideology made manifest in the pagan state while continually embracing an anti-liberal, anti-bourgeois, anti-parliamentary ideology like that of the Marxist.) Further bridging the nineteenth and twentieth century, Billington offers a chapter on 'Lenin's Path to Power,' which traces the revolutionary activities of he and his cohorts in bringing about the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917.

In his introduction, Billington offers a optimistic view of the future and professes a solace and contentment since it seems that the moderation and temperance of clasical liberals like Lafayette seems to have won out over the extremists. After the French Revolution, even the revolutionaries grew tired and weary of the bloodshed and violence while ridding themselves of extremists like Robspierre, but will history repeat itself?

This is a compelling book and a must to understand the ideologies driving the totalitarianism and the blood soaked revolutions of the past century. I've hesistated to review this book until I read it thoroughly and reread to digest its major findings. It remains a invaluable work in understanding the totalitarian horrors, which plagued us during the twentieth century. The author James Billington boasts some pretty impressive credentials as a Librarian of Congress and international studies scholar. He demonstrates a remarkable expertise and interest in Russian history as well.

**(And yes, the Illuminati existed. No, contrary to pop culture conspiracy theories, it does not still exist. However, Billington leaves little doubt that it ignited a fire in the minds of men, which has undoubtedly influenced, changed and perhaps scarred our generation through the revolutionary fervor and the wasteland created by the social upheveals and wars of the past blood-soaked century. The Illuminati waned while other revolutionary extremists rallied to pick up its torch. The indeliable mark Illuminatism has left on history and the present time leaves little wonder that the gullible who hear of its eighteenth-century exploits are so apt to still believe it still exists.)

Average customer rating:

Fire in the Minds of Men: Origins of the Revolutionary Faith
James H. Billington
Manufacturer: Basic Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000KX79O2

Average customer rating:

FIRE IN THE MINDS OF MEN ORIGINS OF THE REVOLUTIONARY FAITH
James H. Billington
Manufacturer: Basic Books, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000J0G9EC

Average customer rating:
Engraved Work of F L Griggs Etchings &
Russell G Alexander
Manufacturer: SHAKESPEARE HEAD PRESS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000Q9HX5A

Average customer rating:
The Engraved Work of F.L. Griggs; Etchings and Dry-Points 1912-1928.
Russell George ALEXANDER
Manufacturer: see notes for publisher info
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000MXDLII

Average customer rating:
A Gothic Vision: F. L. Griggs and His Work. (Signed, Numbered Edition)
Francis Adams Comstock
Manufacturer: Boston Public Library/Ashmolean Museum
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000U3PAL6

Average customer rating:
Gothic Vision: F.L. Griggs and His Works
Francis Comstock
Manufacturer: Boston Public Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0685595528

Average customer rating:
Highways and Byways in Oxford and the Cotswolds
Herbert Arthur Evans , and F.L. Griggs
Manufacturer: Lapridge Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Great Britain | Europe | Travel | Subjects | Books
Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books | Beaches | Business Travel | Cruises | Essays & Travelogues | Food & Lodging | Guidebooks | Pictorial | Reference | Spas | Tips | Tourist Destinations & Museums | Travel Writing
ASIN: 0951858963

Average customer rating:
Modern Masters of Etching: F. L. Griggs
Malcolm C Salaman
Manufacturer: The Studio
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000KL7IFE

Average customer rating:
Weald and Downland Country
Wilfrid Ball , and F.L. Griggs
Manufacturer: J. Salmon Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Great Britain | Europe | Travel | Subjects | Books
General | England | Great Britain | Europe | Travel | Subjects | Books
Guidebooks | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 189843526X

Average customer rating:
The Campden Society presents a tribute to F.L. Griggs: Exhibition of etchings, drawings, watercolours etc. from the Ashmolean Museum and private collections [held at] Chipping Campden School Hall
Frederick Landseer Maur Griggs
Manufacturer: s.n
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0007CB212

Average customer rating:
THE EARTHLY PARADISE: F. CAYLEY ROBINSON, F. L. GRIGGS AND THE PAINTER-CRAFTSMEN OF THE BIRMINGHAM GROUP.

Manufacturer: Fine Art Society
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000HL0JV2

Average customer rating:
The engraved work of F.L. Griggs, A.R.A., R.E.;: Etchings & dry-points, 1912-1928,
Russell George Alexander
Manufacturer: Shakespeare Head Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B00085QGQE

Book Description

New insight into the girl whose diary changed the world

Few people know that Anne Frank and her sister, Margot, had pen pals in the United States: Juanita and Betty Wagner, of Danville, Iowa. Although the girls corresponded only briefly, their letters capture a poignant moment in Anne's life, before the Nazis arrived.

Through interviews with people who knew Anne, Margot, Juanita, Betty, and their friends, author Susan Goldman Rubin skillfully contrasts the realities of life in rural America and urban Holland through the duration of World War II. Packed with firsthand reports, photographs (many never before published), and intriguing new information, Searching for Anne Frank provides a vivid look at lives torn apart by war-a subject that has great relevance for today's readers.

Customer Reviews:

The Real Anne & Her Penpals........2005-06-16

This would make a perfect addition to every middle school library as the history in letters and pictures is simply spectacular. It is a lovely book about three girls and their families during a devastating time of war abroad and the Haloucast. One girl is famous because of the diary, given to her on her thirteenth birthday, a red plaid, on June 12, 1942, which survived long after she died in a concentration camp.

I became interested in Annelies Marie Frank in 1956 when a call went out all over the United States for a look-alike to portray her in the movie. They wanted an unknown, so (foolish me) sent in my picture full lenght with shorts and barefoot. Though I looked something like her in the face, I guess they didn't want a 'Southern' accent on a Dutch girl. Millie Perkins, a model, won out over all of us commoners, though I did receive a letter from Twentieth Century Fox -- don't remember who signed it. I got rid of all my movie memorbilia twenty years ago. Lots of movie posters given to me by an usher at the Tennessee Theater and autographed glossy 8X10s ended up in the garbage can!

The 1959 movie won three Oscars. By then, I was a married woman. I did have a penpal in Sabadell, Spain outside of Barcelona, though he was an older factory worker, not a young girl.

Two Iowa sisters, Betty and Juanita, in Danville were given Anne's address in Amsterdam by a teacher. My picture was in Your Hit Parade magazine and Carlos' borther saw it and wrote to me first, to Kingsville, Texas, but it found its way back to Knoxville, Tennessee! Amazing. Now you can't get a Priority Mail to a few miles, from one post office in town to someone who works in downtown.

Anne attended a Montessori school in 1941 and led a privileged life. We in America did not live so well. Her diary was published in Dutch as THE ANNEX in 1947, and in English, THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK in 1952.

This book in textbook binding was published in association with the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles, California. It is a keepsake for any girl (or woman who lived through those times).

Offers unique insight into Anne Frank's famous Diary.......2004-02-07

Published in association with the Simon Wiesenthal Center-Museum of Tolerance Library and Archives, Searching For Anne Frank: Letters From Amsterdam To Iowa by Susan Goldman Rubin surveys the correspondence between Anne Frank and ten-year-old Juanita Wagner of Danville, Iowa. Juanita chose Anne's name off of a list provided by her teacher for a pen-pal experience; each girl was to see a very different view of the horrific events unfolding in World War II. This poignant look at the brief correspondence between two young girls, filled with black-and-white and color photographs, offers unique insight into Anne Frank's famous Diary, and is a highly recommended addition to personal, academic, and community library 20th Century Biography collections and Holocaust Studies reading lists.

This Is An Amazing Book.......2004-01-22

I would rate this book higher than 5 Stars if I could! This is an amazing book. Every young person and every person for that matter should see these photographs and read the text together with the "Diary of Anne Frank". This is a definitely must see. Congratulations to the author on such an important work. The drums of war were sounding in the background as these young pen pals began their correspondence. Who could have imagined the horrors yet to come? That Anne Frank had a pen pal in the United States and that the letters and photos were preserved is just astounding. Through this book, readers can feel Anne Frank's world and return for just a moment to the days just prior to the Nazi Hell to feel more strongly what was lost. I recommend this book to all and especially for young people learning about the Holocaust in a synagogue or church setting.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books