The Odyssey of a Southerner: The Life and Times of Guslavus Woodson Smith

Book Description

Science and Religion assesses the impact of social, political and intellectual change upon Anglican circles, with reference to Oxford University in the decades which followed the French Revolution and the Napoleonic wars. More particularly, the career of Baden Powell, father of the more famous founder of the Boy Scout movement, offers material for an important case-study in intellectual and political reorientation: his early militancy in right-wing Anglican movements slowly turned to a more tolerant attitude towards radical theological, philosophical and scientific trends. During the 1840s and 1850s, Baden Powell became a fearless proponent of new dialogues in transcendentalism in theology, positivism in philosophy, and pre-Darwinian evolutionary theories in biology. He was for instance the first prominent Anglican to express full support for Darwin’s Origin of Species. Analysis of his many publications, and of his interaction with such contemporaries as Richard Whately, John Henry and Francis Newman, Robert Chambers, William Benjamin Carpenter, George Henry Lewes and George Eliot, reveals hitherto unnoticed dimensions of mid-nineteenth-century British intellectual and social life.

Customer Reviews:

Getting the story right.......2006-06-20

It's one of the cardinal beliefs of the Darwin Legend that prior to the publication of the Origin, there was scarcely any acquaintance with evolution theory among England's scientists or the general public, let alone any favorable opinion. Huxley, Wallace, and George Romanes strongly endorsed this belief as part of their hallelujah to Darwin's originality. In this they followed Darwin, who expressed the same opinion, claiming that although he had talked with many naturalists, never had he found anyone who endorsed evolution. He insisted on this view despite two pre-Origin evolutionists who publicly offered their own defense of evolution as proof to the contrary. More amazing still, he didn't revise his spurious claim to originality, in the closing chapter of Origin, even after he had added, in the 3rd edition, a lengthy statement on transmutation theory prior to the publication of his book.

The articulate response to the Origin clearly exposes the error. In his outstanding study, A Victorian Sensation, James Secord documents the spread of awareness of `transmutation' as England responded to the anonymously published Vestiges of the Natural History of Creation (1844). The present study performs a like service for the period 1820-1860. His focal character, Baden Powell, was Savilian professor of geometry at Oxford from the mid-1820s until his death in 1860. Corsi tracks a progression from Baden Powell's initial apologetics, concerned with reconciling faith and reason, to complete abandonment of any ascription of literal truth to Scripture. What remains is Unitarianism. This position had been available in post-Cromwell England, when it was known as Latitudinarianism (also Deism). Indeed it was continuous among some clergy from that time. But Baden Powell came to it through his endeavor to integrate an evolutionary natural history with faith. Rather than writing an intellectual biography, Corsi uses Baden Powell's placement in English thought to describe the relevant intellectual culture.

England's encounter with transmutation was stimulated by the reception of French evolutionary thought, which the author described in his outstanding study, The Age of Lamarck. One of the earliest expressions of transmutationism was the 1816 anatomical lectures of William Lawrence. J. H. Green in 1824 and Jones Quain in 1830 lectured at the College of Physicians on anatomy and physiology considered from an evolutionary point of view. During this time David Brewster, Robert Grant, and Robert Knox studied transmutationist natural history in France and brought it back with them. Corsi writes: `During the 1830s the debate on the succession of species through the ages of the earth became a central feature of the natural sciences. Awareness of French developments created great anxiety among British intellectuals, in particular the Christian apologists. It could indeed be argued that the first phase of the debate on species in Britain represented the reaction to new trends in French science' (p. 228). One such response was Peter Mark Roget's Animal and Vegetable Creation Considered with Reference to Natural Theology 1834. Roget endorsed Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire's theory of unity of composition and endorsed Serres-Tiedemann theory of embryonic recapitulation of evolutionary phylogenesis. Yet he maintained that species were immutable--clearly a precarious position.

Corsi is in agreement with Secord that the anonymous publication of the Vestiges introduced a strong stimulus to scholarly natural history as well as exciting enormous public interest. The book innovated by arguing the case for natural history uncompromised by any concessions to religious doctrine and by setting out the story, beginning with the nebular hypothesis of the origin of the solar system, and continuing to the origin and evolution of life, including the primate origin of the human species. The author, Robert Chambers, endorsed non-catastrophic continuous variation in the geological record and rejected the interpretation of the fossil record which showed long periods of stasis interrupted by sudden introduction of new species. This was the dominant view among French authors; and it was adopted by Darwin. The theological question Chambers resolved by opting for a superintending Providence that set natural laws and then did not intervene. (This is basically the Cartesian-Spinozist position at the basis of Deism). Corsi states: `the question of species was discussed with full awareness of the epistemological, cosmological and theological issues involved . . . the question of species became the highly publicized ground for the confrontation between those who believed that nature was governed by laws, and those who insisted on the continuous intervention of God in natural and human affairs'. A canvass of the views of Whewell, Lyell, Brewster, Sedgwick and other leading lights shows the variety of positions taken to prevent slippage into the unbearable materialism that Chambers' position seemed to imply. Lyell is perhaps the most interesting of these authors because he wished avoid accepting species evolution, especially the natural origin of man (with its materialist implication) but at the same time wished to avoid acknowledging divine intervention anywhere in the natural scheme of things. That takes fancy footwork, including silences and evasion.

It's indicative of how much there is to learn about the history of evolutionary thought that so few science historians, let alone Neo-Darwinians, recognize Baden Powell's name and contributions. Yet he claimed to have forestalled Chambers' position and identified it with his own (p. 274). Corsi is to be commended and thanked for this outstanding contribution. But it's a pity that the Cambridge Press has priced the book out of the market.

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Drug Awareness

The Side Effects Bible: The Dietary Solution to Unwanted Side Effects of Common Medications
Frederic Md Vagnini , and Barry Phd Fox
Manufacturer: Broadway
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Nutrition | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Reference | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Supplements | Alternative Medicine | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
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The Essential Herb-Drug-Vitamin Interaction Guide: The Safe Way to Use Medications and Supplements Together

Toxic Overload: A Doctor's Plan for Combating the Illnesses Caused by Chemicals in Our Foods, Our Homes, and Our Medicine Cabinets

Count Down Your Age

Mineral Miracle: Stopping Cartilage Loss & Inflammation Naturally

Dr. Vagnini's Healthy Heart Plan: A Surgeon's Approach to Natural and Allopathic Treatment for Cardiovascular Wellness

Accessories:

RESPeRATE Blood Pressure Lowering Device

Airborne Effervescent Health Formula, Original Orange, 10 Tablets (Pack of 3)

ASIN: 0767918835
Release Date: 2005-05-03

Book Description

Fatigue, dry mouth, weight gain, nausea, liver damage, stroke, heart failure. Every year tens of millions of Americans suffer from such unwelcome consequences of over-the-counter and prescription drugs. Most believe these side effects are the inevitable price they must pay for restoring health. But that is not the case. Drawing on cutting-edge scientific research, The Side Effects Bible reveals that up to thirty percent of drug-induced side effects are caused because the drug saps the human body of essential vitamins and minerals—everyday nutrients that can easily be replaced by following the simple, healthy dietary and supplement guidelines outlined in this first-of-its-kind reference guide. Even minor deficiencies of necessary nutrients can bring on major difficulties, and The Side Effects Bible will tell readers what to eat for every drug they take.

Customer Reviews:

Drug Awareness.......2005-10-24

This important book describes the side effects of common medications and their dietary solutions. To use this book first find the generic name of the drug you are researching. Then search the index to learn of the medication, its possible side effects, which nutrients it destroys, and the supplements and foods you can use to negate its effects. Then discuss what you've learned with your physician to make sure the nutrient won't interfere with other drugs, worsen a medical problem, etc.

Chapter 1 tells of an example of "nutrient robbery" which can be responsible for the side effects from many medications (p.3). Many common drugs interfere with your ability to digest, absorb, transport, metabolize, synthesize, utilize, or excrete vitamins, mineral, and other vital substances. Examples are given (p.4). Certain drugs increase the rate of excretion of nutrients from the body, and cause the side effects (p.5). Even a small deficiency can be dangerous, such as vitamin C and calcium (p.6). Statin drugs for high cholesterol require their use for a life-time (p.7), and this can harm the heart (p.8)! Common antibiotics can be dangerous thieves of nutrients (p.10).

Chapter 2 discusses various nutrients, what they do for you, and the problems caused when you lack them. They tell what drugs cause their loss. Did you know of the side effects of sodium bicarbonate (p.25)? Broccoli is high in chromium (p.29). Aspirin interferes with iron, too much iron can cause diabetes, cirrhosis, and heart damage (p.41). Many antibiotics can cause a loss of nutrients such as niacin (pp.49-50), potassium (pp.54-55), riboflavin (p.57), and thiamine (p.65). Aspirin interferes with vitamin C (p.75).

Chapter 3 lists all the drugs with what they do, possible side effects, and their nutritional depletions. You should refer to this chapter if you are taking any medications, or have done so in the past.

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Not Just A Cookbook

This is a wonderful way to learn about Italy...

carol field is the italian tradition maven

EATS-A-GOOD BOOK!

Celebrating Italy: Tastes & Traditions of Italy as Revealed Through Its Feasts, Festivals & Sumptuous Foods, The
Carol Field
Manufacturer: William Morrow Cookbooks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Italian | European | Regional & International | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Customs & Traditions | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
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In Nonna's Kitchen: Recipes and Traditions from Italy's Grandmothers

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Focaccia: Simple Breads from the Italian Oven

Preserving Our Italian Heritage

ASIN: 0060977221

Book Description

Italians are passionate about their food and love to celebrate together. At annual village festivals the food is cooked in mammoth proportions, the cobblestone streets become jammed with costumed processions and happy crowds sit and enjoy a communal meal that is a ritual of connection and neighborly love.

In Celebrating Italy, Carol Field takes the reader to these exuberant civic feasts and highlights their very special and ancient recipes. The result is one of the most remarkable cookbooks ever written, for in exploring festivals, Field has opened a bright new window on Italian culture and its sumptuous food.

Recipes include the victory dinner of Risotto Fratacchione -- red onions and sausages eaten after Siena's famous Palio; the Sorbir d'Agnoli -- stuffed pasta in wine-spiked broth that the Mantuans eat on Christmas Day, and Pane di Cena's sweet milk bread rolls, which is made to last all through Easter Week in Sicily.

Customer Reviews:

Not Just A Cookbook.......2000-02-25

Carol Field's Celebrating Italy is as much an Italian cultural reference book as it is a cookbook. I loved reading through all the different holidays celebrated in Italy complete with traditional recipes. Having lived in Italy for 8 years myself, Carol's stories made me long for a return trip.. Being the Italian Cooking Host @ Bella Online I found the recipes true to their cultural origins, but yet given with clear, easy to follow directions. If you are as fascinated with Italian cuisine as I am, you'll love this book!

This is a wonderful way to learn about Italy..........2000-02-16

I bought this book from Amazon.com because of its title alone but was so easily assimilated into Carol's amazing talent of recreating events with the written word that I found it difficult to put down. She put me right IN the festival! Because I live in Italy I have been able to visit a good number of the festivals that she describes in this book and have found her descriptions to be so accurate as to be scary. She seems to have found a way to penetrate the soul of these manifestations in a manner that not even many Italians can do.

I praise this not as a cookbook or a collection of recipes, but as a literary work that can be taken seriously as a 'training manual' on the spirit of Italian celebration. I recommend it to anyone who harbors a love of Italy and wants to know more about its inner being...

carol field is the italian tradition maven.......1998-02-28

I highly recommend all Carol Field books, even if you don't cook. She TAKES you to Italy and FEEDS you. She writes engrossing and vividly descriptive literature which also happens to contain really great, authentic Italian recipes. Celebrating Italy will make you want to move to Italy and eat all day and night.

EATS-A-GOOD BOOK!.......1998-01-09

This book is full of everything that makes being alive(not to mention being ITALIAN) so wonderful...! Traditions, recipes, slices from everyday ife that make you feel the "specialness" of every single day. Carol's research and her love shine through in CELEBRATING ITALY, so much so, be prepared to take a trip to one of the small towns she describes so mouth-wateringly delicious! Carol made me hungry for tradition, hungry to go back to things I always cherished in my heart. Can't wait for your next book, Carol! Con Amore, Terry Stellini

Book Description

The ultimate reference work on saddle-fitting, packed with practical tips and technical information.

Customer Reviews:

Practical??.......2007-04-22

As a person of over 30 years experience making saddles, fitting saddles, and helping people with saddle fit problems, this book falls short of its title "Practical". The word "practical" would lead one to believe there was some useful advice on how to remedy saddle fit problems. Rather the reader is constantly admonished to call his/her local saddle fitter who should be certified by the Society of Master Saddlers. This book was written for a British audience who may have access to such trained personnel close at hand. However, that is not the case in the USA or many other parts of the world. As a saddlemaker, I would not advocate untrained people try to remedy a saddle fitting problem, but a horseman/woman needs to be aware that a problem exists so that (s)he can call a knowledgeable saddler to assess the problem and offer a solution. It's difficlt to determine where a saddle fit problem exists based on what's shown in this book.

Despite the fact that the author states on the cover of the book that there is also fitting advice for western saddles and a host of other kinds of saddles that are not the typical "English" saddle, the book falls woefully short other than a cursory photo of the type of saddle in question. The photos used to illustrate a western saddle are of poorly made export saddles from Mexico. The subject of western saddle fitting is just as complex as English saddle fitting and would require a separate book, more than the three photos shown which offer no information as to the mechanics of how the western tree should fit a horse and rider.

Even though the author makes specific mention of various bones and muscle groups which influence saddle fit, nowhere in the book is there a diagram of horse anatomy shown. Despite the lovely color photos of saddles sitting on a horse's back, it would not be posible for the untrained eye to discern why or why not the saddle shown fits that particular horse.

The various English saddle styles shown in the color photos could be gleaned from a large saddlery catalog without buying this book. And if the reader is looking for pictures of different styles of western saddles used for various disciplines other than trail riding, (s)he will be sadly disappointed.

Proper saddle fit is crucial to the horse's well-being and the rider's ability to ride in harmony and comfort. But ths book is not the best place to get that information. The reader would do better to buy Dr. Joyce Harman's book titled "Your Horse's Pain Free Back" to gain some basics on horse anatomy and how it relates to saddle fit.
Verlane

What saddle fitting is........2006-12-04

I thought this book lacked alot of information. The writer talked about parts of the saddle but didn't have diagrams to show the parts. It is a book that that glazes over saddle fitting. It is good to tell someone about saddle fitting but not to learn much.

Book Description

Woodworkers are always looking for ways to make their workshops function better for them. Dedicated workstations make woodworking more efficient. For space-challenged woodworkers, modular systems allow the benefits of a well-equipped shop in a minimum of space. This book shows how to apply the workstation approach to the shop and how to store and protect your valuable tools.

Developer workstations: Systems productivity tools (Operations and systems report)

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Developer workstations: Systems productivity tools (Operations and systems report)
Inc Life Office Management
Manufacturer: Life Office Management Association
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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Workstations and Tool Storage
Fine Woodworki
Manufacturer: TAUNTON PRESS (CHLL)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000K2INW0

Customer Reviews:

For gardeners in Australia.......2001-08-13

This work aims to be a guide to the ornamental shrubs commonly grown in Australia. It seems to perform this task quite adequately and should also be usable in any area with a climate comparable to Australia. It does contain a few typically Australian shrubs which may be hard to obtain or grow outside of Australia, but these are few. Most of the shrubs treated are common to gardens worldwide.

The color pictures which were added for the reprint (on separate pages) are decent, but small and quite orthodox.

Book Description

The story is told in the form of an allegory featuring a family of bears. This child-centered look at family violence encourages victims to take action to help break the cycle of abuse.

Hear My Roar : A Story of Family Violence

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Hear My Roar : A Story of Family Violence
Ty Hochban
Manufacturer: Annick Press, Limited
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000KPFAX2

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The Life and Works of Frank Lloyd Wright

ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0760734992

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Frank Lloyd Wright His Life Work His Wor
Olgivanna Ll Wright
Manufacturer: HORIZON PRESS PUBLISHERS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000Q9PVPO

Average customer rating:

Best book I have read about Frank Lloyd Wright

Frank Lloyd Wright: His Life, His Work, His Words
Olgivanna Lloyd Wright
Manufacturer: Horizon Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0818000120

Customer Reviews:

Best book I have read about Frank Lloyd Wright.......2002-10-18

How much you enjoy this book probably depends on how much of a Wrightaphile you are. It is not an easy read, but is the best book I have read about his "organic" architecture philosophy. It also emphasizes how much his mother played a part in his life in appreciating nature and developing the foundations for his later architecture. Some times I felt like I was getting the Olgivanna marketing slant, but overall I felt she was very true to his vision of architecture. You will learn a to appreciate what Wright was attempting to do even if you don't agree with whether he actually accomplished it.

Frank Lloyd Wright: His Life, His Work, His Words

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Frank Lloyd Wright: His Life, His Work, His Words
Olgivanna Lloyd Wright
Manufacturer: Horizon Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000IMTEIE

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Life & Works of Frank Lloyd Wright
Thomas a Heinz
Manufacturer: Grange Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 1840135247

The Life and Works of Frank Lloyd Wright

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It's a quality book folks
Uneven Text but some Great Pictures

The Life and Works of Frank Lloyd Wright
Maria Costantino
Manufacturer: Courage Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

Artists, Architects & Photographers | Arts & Literature | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0762403780

Customer Reviews:

It's a quality book folks.......2007-03-27

Size is wonderful when it comes to big color photos of FLW's work. There's about 4 full pages of text and the book is probably a fifth text. Otherwise it's photos, about 18 black and white photos, all in the front as historical introduction about a third of them pictures of people involved while the rest of the book has color photos on every page with 19 of those being the entire page and 8 of those extending onto about half of the facing page. Real nice use of the size of the book with those 19 photos. The rest have a white paper border of about a half inch. There's an appendices listing both his constructed works as well as the less frequently seen, at least in his large photo books, a list of projects. There's a 12 page In Context intro liberally filled with photos discussing the state of American in the years that FLW was beginning his career. Most of the book's photos are exterior shots. A very nice book. It's 14" x 14" really gives the photos a boost. It's a real nice book, I'm glad to own it.

Uneven Text but some Great Pictures.......2002-03-21

This book is a good read and includes some wonderful, large pictures. There are many facts about the various houses, etc. that are contained in this book that I haven't found in other books on Frank Lloyd Wright's works.

However, the text often doesn't relate to the pictures on the pages, which makes it 'uncomfortable' and awkward to read and refer to the pictures at the same time.

Book Description

This beautifully illustrated book takes you through the journey of the life and works of well-known architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Filled with full-color photographs of every one of his existing building, as well as archival photos of many of his buildings that have been destroyed, this complete collection is an irresistible homage to Frank Lloyd Wright, the man and the architect.

Customer Reviews:

Very nice photo-book about Wright's architecture........2004-08-23

This book was a gift from my sister after visiting Wright's Falling Water in Ohiopyle, PA. I've always been interested in some of Wright's work...not so much the architecture, but the detail he put into his work. I'm trying to incorporate some of his Mission-type look into rugs for personal use, and was looking in this book for examples. No close-ups of detail disappointed me, as well as the lack of biographical information and more detail on specific methods used in some of the more well-known homes, as well as impact he had on architecture over-all.

This is a great coffee-table book, and I enjoyed the smallness of the book overall which allowed me to take it to bed to read. Brilliant photographs through the whole book, but I wish they had shown more sides or views of the homes.

Karen Sadler

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The Life and Works of Frank Lloyd Wright
Maria Costantino
Manufacturer: Grange Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

Reference | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Spanish | Foreign Language Nonfiction | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Biografías y memorias | Libros en español | Formats | Books

The life work of the American architect Frank Lloyd Wright

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The life work of the American architect Frank Lloyd Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright
Manufacturer: C.A. Mees
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

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The life work of the American architect, Frank Lloyd Wright
H. Th Wijdeveld
Manufacturer: distributed by A. Kroch and son, Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0007F74OI

Book Description

This is the remarkable story of a man who has become a legend in his own lifetime. Simon Wiesenthal spent four and a half years in Mauthausen concentration camp during the Second World War. With the exception of his wife, all his immediate family were exterminated, and he himself ended the war a living skeleton. Since then, he has achieved international renown for his tireless tracking down of Nazi war criminals—including his capture of Eichmann, the “desk murderer” who masterminded Hitler’s Final Solution, and Stangl the overlord of Treblinka—and for his pursuit of Mengele of Auschwitz, the dreaded “Angel of Death.” To this day his work continues, his motivation simply expressed in the words: “Justice, not vengeance.” The accounts of inspired detective work that lie behind Wiesenthal’s successful apprehension of the fugitives reads as excitingly as any thriller, but Alan Levy’s book is much more than that. It is an award-winning examination of the work of one of the greatest Jewish figures of the twentieth century. 8 pages of black-and-white photographs bring to life this gripping account of the life-long pursuit of justice by the man who declared “So long as the criminals are free, the war has not ended for me.” “Wiesenthal has played his part in a disturbing episode of post-war history. [A] readable and intelligent book.”—The Times (London)

Customer Reviews:

Thought provoking.......2007-04-12

This is an unusually well written book. The sections on Weisenthal's early years are fascinating, but ultimately, this is not a biography, as it is the story of Weisenthal's " clients " which is the most haunting. Don't agree with other reviewers that the book is non critical of Weisenthal - within a supportive framework, the author makes it quite clear just how hopelessly wrong Weisenthal got it on Mengele, and there are plenty of quotes from his detractors, including leading Jews.

One of the best books on the Holocaust and its aftermath I have read.

Not a work of scholarship.......2006-07-22

This book is well intentioned and should certainly be read, but it is not a work of scholarship. It is poorly written too. It is frustrating.

The book does not live up to its title. The author reveals little of Wiesenthal's files. For that, it is recommended you turn to Wiesenthal's books.

The book is poorly structured, bounding together several biographical entries, largely unconnected with one another. Some entries span a few pages, others span over one hundred. The main entries concern Eichmann, Wallenberg, Mengele, Stangl. Raoul Wallenberg the hero finds himself squeezed between mass murderers Eichmann and Mengele.

This is the sort of book that makes you want to read more, to look up details, to check facts, to find out more. It creates needs more than it satisfies them. It is a frustrating book.

The book is well intentioned, but poorly written. It consists of a string of assertions that are not backed up by references. It suffers from the weaknesses of an eyewitness account, except that the writer, Alan Levy, has not witnessed anything himself. And he does not tell us where his facts come from.

In several places, Alan Levy corrects Simon Wiesenthal. Wiesenthal's writings are full of mistakes, we are told. Alan Levy compares the two versions of Wiesenthal's memoirs to show how his views have changed over time. He corrects this or that assertion, but because he never tells us where his facts come from, this is a useless exercise bordering on the profane.

Simon Wiesenthal was not a scholar and he has often been wrong. But this is mostly because he relied on eyewitnesses' accounts and anonymous denunciations. It is also because, driven as he was by a desire to bring to justice nazi mass murderers, his strategy was to keep the hunt alive by publicizing believeable nazi spottings as well as not-so-believeable spottings. What reasons does Alan Levy have for writing such a sloppy book?

This is a frustrating book because it is full of facts we would like to check, but cannot because there are no references to the sources.

Turn instead to: Raoul Wallenberg, by Sharon Linnea. Into That Darkness: From Mercy Killing to Mass Murder, by Gitta Sereny (this is a biography of Stangl). Mengele: The Complete Story, by Gerald L. Posner. Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on the Banality of Evil, by Hannah Arendt. The Sunflower, by Simon Wiesenthal.

maybe a thriller, surely not a biography.......2006-04-02

I was quite disappointed by this book (I hesitated between 2 and 3 stars, and finally opted for 2, to balance the enthusiastic reviews that this book gets)
When I started reading it, i had great expectations. Here was a book that would tell me the story of Simon wiesenthal, a survivor of the Holocaust that swore to hunt Nazi around the world, and bring them in front of justice.
The description of wartime and the horror of concentration camps is quite good (although anything written by Primo Levi is much better). The wartime life of wiesenthal himself is well described, although it sounds a little romanticized. It could have set the ground to understand what drove this man in his postwar hunt. But that's where the disappointment comes : it doesn't. The book goes back and forth between a mere collection of facts and a blindly admirative account of Wiesenthal's life. Whatever Wiesenthal says is right, whatever Wiesenthal does is great. What this book lacks is independant investigation. The author seems to be satisfied with Wiesenthal accounts on pretty much everything in the book. Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to say Wisenthal lied on anything. But a biograph should not rely solely on the testimonies of his subject. And when he does quote somebody else, the quote is not properly referenced (there is a certain flakiness in Levy's journalistic methods).
Rather than giving fuzzy criticism, let's look at one particular example:
Page 136 is symptomatic of the lazy writing in this book : the first part of the page is a long citation of Annah Arendt, explaining how Eichman got out of Europe after the war (Levy doesn't give the reference of the quote). Then he goes on to quote an ecclesiast who helped Eichman getting out, testifying how he didn't realized that the person he was helping was a Nazi (Levy also ironizes about the fake innocence of the priest). Here, once again, we don't know where the quote is coming from. Did Levy directly asked the ecclesiast ? I doubt. More probably Levy got this quote from Wiesenthal himself (probably from one of his books). This is symptomatic from this book : it comes so close from a direct testimony of Wiesenthal that he even forgets to remind us when he actually is quoting him. So then, why not just reading one of Wiesenthal's books instead?
This is just an example taken randomly. Other -more serious- points on which Levy doesn't take much distance from Wiesenthal include :
-when Wiesenthal proposed that Eichman be dressed a a Nazi during his trial (page 156, Levy qualifies this idea as "emotionally right", I personally find it grotesque)
-On the controversy between Wiesenthal and Israel's secret services as to who took the most important part in Eichman's capture (once again, all we have his Wiesenthal point of view, taken for granted).

The function of a biography (and this book is advertised as a biography) is to give a balanced, honest account on one man's personality, not trying to hide its complexity. On that regard, Alan Levy partially fails.
As I read again my comments, I realize that I have been a little bit harsh. The book is not bad, it is just that it is written more like a thriller than a book on history.

Riveting...Then Boring.......2005-02-03

First of all, I'd like to state the book (most of it) was quite riveting. Levy begins with a look at Wiesenthal's experience as a young Jew in pre-war Europe. He later chronicles Simon's life during the war in the camps and his search for his family after the war. The stories make for fascinating reading. Then, Levy writes how Simon got into the business of Nazi hunting.

The chapters describing the hunts for Adolf Eichmann (and the rivals between Mossad and Wiesenthal), Josef Mengele, and Franz Stangl were absoluting quality reading. After the chapters on these three Nazis, and the brief chapter on the concentration camp guards, the book takes a different path and describes the ordeal of Raoul Wallenberg. Although Wallenberg was not a Nazi, but a humanist dedicating to saving the lives of Jews, I had to ask myself what this chapter was doing in the book. Nevertheless, it was quite fascinating to read about the ordeal Wallenberg faced and to read what actually happened to him during the war, and especially, after the war.

At this point, you can quit reading the book. The next chapters dealt with Bruno Kriesky and Kurt Waldheim. I didn't have a clue who Bruno was. (I believe he became chancellor of Austria during the '70s). Why was he in this book? As far as I can tell, it was due to Simon and Bruno not liking each other. Bruno was a Jew who claimed that he was not a Jew and tried to distance himself from Jews during the war. He didn't kill any Jews, so why have his story in this book? It's wasted space.

As far as Waldheim is concerned, the jury appears to be out as far as his guilt is concerned. There never seems to be direct evidence pointing to Waldheim as to whether he was responsible for killing partisans (or at least KNEW some killings took place)
in Yugoslavia. Waldheim's superiors (during the war) say that he did not have the authority to kill or order killings; a sargaent who reported to Waldheim said that he did. Some say he was present at the time the killings took place; others said he was not. Some say that as part of intelligence, and as a lowly lieutenant, Waldheim would not have known about partisan killings. Others said how did he not know? If no one knows the truth, why read it about in this book? Even the Yugoslavian government has refused to prosecute. So, I may ask, why fill 150 pages of this book if there is no conclusive evidence that Waldheim is guilty? The later part of these chapters were very boring. The book was about hunting murderous NAZIS, not about people who were ashamed of being Jewish or about German Army officers.

The book should have included the hunt for Nazi Klaus Barbie and other Nazis who eluded capture for many years. Then, I would have rated this book 4 stars. But, to include chapters on Bruno Kriesky and Kurt Waldheim? A real time waster.

A great addition to Holocaust literature.......2003-07-11

Alan Levy does an excellent job documenting both the life of Weisenthal and of the killers he hunted. One of the most striking points is the change in the ideas and attitude of these war criminals from the pre- to post- war period. The continued complicity of governments in hiding these fugitives until today is unbelievable as is the existence of clandestine organizations such as Odessa, which directly assist them.

One of the most interesting parts of the book I found was about Kurt Waldheim and the struggle that former military personal have with admission of their involvement with the German army. Living in Europe, it is easy to assume the collective guilt of the older generation of Germans and Austrians, but much harder to imagine the choices they faced both during and after the war. We get to imagine it from both the side of master and slave in the course of this book. I am currently living in a former Communist country, where Stb agents (Czech KGB) and Communist party members were some of the first to profit from the change to capitalism, so I can clearly imagine in some ways how the post-war period was for both Germany and Austria. The inclination to forget the past and move on is great, and yet, at least here, the same "leaders" have managed to change outfits with such little protest. It is 12 years since the fall of communism and there have been so few investigations here of the crimes of former government officials, that the situation seems comic. The people of Czechoslavakia just as the Germans did before them, want to forget, and yet justice will only be done when people with Simon Weisenthal's courage and drive become involved.

Levy goes to great lengths to highlight the Weisenthal coda defining the difference between a war criminal and personnel who were aware and complicit during the time war crimes were occurring. Weisenthal placed a great deal of emphasis on both truth and morality in his work, but the author shows balance in pointing out that he didn't always get it right.

This is a great read and a book that is hard to put down. Highly recommended.

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Nazi Hunter: The Wiesenthal File

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Binding: Hardcover
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Nazi Hunter - the Wiesenthal File - How Simon Wiesenthal Hunted Down the Nazi War Criminals
Alan Levy
Manufacturer: Robinson
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