State Collaboration and Development Strategies in China (Routledgecurzon Studies in the Growth Economies of Asia, 44)

Book Description

This book looks at Singapore and China to examine governmental collaboration on a foreign direct investment oriented strategy. Focusing on the unique collaborative venture, the Suzhou Industrial Park project, the author explores the economic, political and social relationships between Singapore and China throughout the course of the scheme as well as discussing why certain strategies were adopted, how they were implemented and their outcomes.

State Collaboration and Development Strategies in China (RoutledgeCurzon Studies in the Growth Economies of Asia)

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State Collaboration and Development Strategies in China (RoutledgeCurzon Studies in the Growth Economies of Asia)
Alexius Pereira Alexius A. Pereira
Manufacturer: NY
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000MU907M

Book Description

This digital document is a journal article from Journal of Pragmatics, published by Elsevier in 2007. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Media Library immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

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Book Description

Immunological Recognition of Peptides in Medicine and Biology gives a state-of-the-art overview on the use of peptides and peptide-ligand interactions, and the critical role they play in recognition patterns for the regulation of various biological functions. A wide range of applications are discussed, including some experimental preclinical ones such as epitope mapping, peptide libraries, and production of amino acid-specific antibodies and their therapeutic use in oncology and infectious disease vaccines. Each chapter also includes step-by-step protocols to aid in actual experiments. Several alternative techniques and strategies are discussed by different authors offering the reader an opportunity to select the most favorable application for a specific biological problem.

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INTRODUCTION TO RADIOANALYTICAL PHYSICS.
G. Deconninck
Manufacturer: Akademiai Kiado,
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 9630512491

Amazon.com

My eyes tend to glaze over when I encounter YAPBAQPs (Yet Another Popular Book About Quantum Physics). But this volume captured my attention, and imagination. Told in the same way as Alice in Wonderland (with many of the original passages re-tooled to their new purpose) and a hint of Flatland, Gilmore guides us through the principles of Quantum mechanics in a truly lively and fun way. I suspect it may even be a good read for teens or extremely bright children.

Book Description

Alice is about to enter a whole new Wonderland. It's Quantumland--a kind of intellectual amusement park, smaller than an atom, where each attraction demonstrates a different aspect of quantum theory. There she'll meet an Emperor who thinks his new clothes into existence, dance with the Three Quark Brothers at the Particle MASSquerade, travel back in time (running into herself), and experience all kinds of quantum effects. Readers will learn about the Uncertainty Principle, wave functions, the Pauli Principle, and other elusive concepts.

Customer Reviews:

A brief and whimsical tour of quantum physics.......2005-12-18

I read this book as a junior in high school and loved it. It's a wonderful introduction to quantum physics for those whose interests are pique but just simply don't know much about the topic. It isn't meant for those who already know the basic nor those who analyze every word of a text; it is meant to be a very basic beginner's book. As that, I think it works very well. It's witty while trying to explain difficult topics. It doesn't talk down to you. Overall, a good book.

Whimsical but confusing.......2005-10-25

I bought Alice in Quantumland for my bright soon-to-be 12-year-old daughter. She's very interested in quantum physics, but I'm afraid this book will be daunting for her.

The writing style is generally good -- smart but accessible and witty. My main complaint is that all of the complicated points are explained purely through words, in fact, through long blocks of text.

Even most adult-oriented books on quantum physics that I've seen in the past come with plenty of diagrams to explain concepts like interference, uncertainty, etc. This book features some amusing (and well-drawn) illustrations of the characters, but the absence of explanatory diagrams is a major weakness.

The concepts explained here are paradoxical and difficult. The narrative helps make them a little easier to understand, but the lack of visual aids keeps this book from being truly great.

Suggestion to the author and publisher: Add some simple diagrams of quantum phenomena in the next edition!

To busy to go through a physics textbook?.......2005-07-04

This book is an excellent guide for understanding the quantum theories that abound. The allegory provides an amusing and interesting perspective which both the casual reader of physics and the advanced student could perhaps profit from. Well worth the money.

Confusing and Funny.......2005-01-03

Alice in Quantumland is an entertaining novel that is sure to get the basics of quantum physics across to its readers. Gilmore teaches his readers the basics of complex concepts through lovable characters that are sure to hook his readers. While the concepts are hard to grasp without formal teaching Gilmore presents them in a way that makes it easier to understand. Characters such as the kind and lovable Quantum Mechanic or even the Classics Mechanic help to keep the readers entertained while teaching them new concepts.

However, if you have never taken any type of physics course and have no background in chemistry, this book may come across as very confusing. The concepts can be very difficult to grasp. It is hard to understand how someone can be in six different places at once without having a physicist standing behind you explaining quantum physics while you read about Alice's adventures. As Gilmore explains in the Preface, "Neils Bohr, the father figure of quantum mechanics in its early days is said to have remarked that anyone who did not feel dizzy when thinking about quantum theory had not understood it."

Yet, once the concepts are understood there is an underlying bit of humor that makes the book amusing. There are characters such as the ugly duckling, the little mermaid, and even the emperor with new clothes. Bad puns and old storybook characters appear in this book making the adventures of Alice rather humorous.

As a junior in high school with two older siblings majoring in physics I recommend reading this book (provided you have some physics knowledge or siblings that can explain quantum mechanics). If you are able to understand the concepts of quantum mechanics the book is hilarious and will call you back to read it again and again.

Big Time let down.......2002-01-21

I was really excited by the idea behind this book- making learning about quantum physics interesting and entertaining. The problem was, the analogies were just too imprecise and seemed to muddle things up. I got incredibly bored with the book as things were never explained properly. The best part of the book is the little blurbs and notes at the end which actually explain what is going on. The actual content of the book just seems to confuse rather than explain.

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Excellent text and overall coverage

The Journey of a lifetime!

The Middle East: A History, Vol. 2, Fifth Edition
Sydney Nettleton Fisher , and William Ochsenwald
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Langua
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Asia | History | Subjects | Books
General | Middle East | History | Subjects | Books
General | World | History | Subjects | Books
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Sources in the History of the Modern Middle East

Islam: The Straight Path

Struggle and Survival in the Modern Middle East

Islam: The Straight Path Updated with New Epilogue

A History of the Modern Middle East

ASIN: 007021719X

Book Description

Praised for its straightforward and accessible style, this text provides a general introduction to the chief elements in Middle Eastern History, thereby allowing individuals to proceed into more specialized topics and themes with a firm understanding of information and analysis.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent text and overall coverage.......2007-02-22

This is an excellent, excellent book for the topic and coverage. Easily accessible and clearly written and organized, it is a pleasure to read. Some assumptions are made, but the short glossary can eliminate most of the problems with terms and vocabulary. The worst part is that there is not an updated version available in the two volume format. The authors do a superb job of linking themes, issues and personalities across the temporal and topographical space.

The Journey of a lifetime!.......2000-03-24

Fisher and Ochsenwald are extaordinary as they guide the reader through thousands of years of a truly fascinating history. They give tremedous insight on the development of Iraq, Iran and Saudi Arabia as well as the importance of the physical borders of the Middle east region. A Tremendous buy for Students as well as those interested in tracing their heritage's culture and progress. This is the best history book money can buy DON'T MISS OUT on a most incredible read!

Book Description

I recommend it for anyone interested in peering into the future.--The Smithsonian Institute Air & Space Magazine

Customer Reviews:

Harry has the guts to tell it like it is and can be!.......1999-09-30

This is a must-read for any thinking person. The author charts the course for the future, and exposes the foibles of the past and present. The title will become apropos in the first 40 pages. I have been reading his works since 1959, and consider this man to be one of the unrecognized visionaries of our time. There is no escaping the truths in this work, even if you work for NASA and its subcontractors, as I have. No book offers more promise for the future of safe and routine space flight without mental flights of fancy better than this one. I hope to meet this author one day. Harry still has it!

A decent realistic book.......1999-09-17

A good book on an economically wise spacecraft made from old junkyard parts and walmart parts. It is a reusable spacecraft called the SSTO. Single Stage To Orbit

Interesting...inspiring book.......1999-06-14

I enjoyed this book very much and although it rants and raves a bit it delivers a strong message. Unfortunately the Delta Clipper was recently destroyed when a landing gear failed. Luckily several other companies seem interested in SSTO's so there is always hope.

An eye-opening portrayal of aerospace R&D!.......1998-03-13

"Halfway to Anywhere" provides an interesting history of a very current subject matter in modern technology, namely the "Reusable Launch Vehicle" (SSTO, etc). The book provides the necessary science background, and proceeds to tell of the development of the SSTO concept and the related X-vehicle programs that have been getting increased attention of late.

A good portion of the book is spent describing recent developments and how they have been "molded" by organizational egos, political maneuvering, and power plays, by everyone including industry, NASA, Congress, the DOD, and various "interest groups". As an engineer and researcher myself, I often found it tempting to sit back and snicker with an anti-establishment attitude at what often appears to be unwise or biased decisions that were not for the "better good" of our country. This said, I think that the reader must bear in mind that there is usually more than one side to an issue, and rarely will they be justly told by the same source. While originally scoffed at, as Stine's history unfolds, the SSTO concept becomes generally accepted. A degree of reconciliation develops between the various "factions", though a distinct "I told you so" attitude in the book's wording occasionally distracts the reader from the most effective message of the book, namely the importance of this work, both technologically, and economically.

In short, Stine gives a sometimes-biased, though always interesting account of what the subject of Reusable Launch Vehicles is all about (at least at present). Perhaps more importantly, he tells us WHY we should care, particularly in light of the relatively small costs, and the potentially large return on investment. Of course it must continue to be done "correctly", and not evolve into a thinly disguised "technical jobs program" that produces little more than paper at the cost of billions.

The Future is Sooner Than You Think.......1997-02-09

In twenty-five years, aeronautics progressed from the plywood 'Spruce Goose' to the 747. Twenty-five years have passed since the Space Shuttle was designed. Isn't it time for a Next Generation shuttle? G. Harry Stine says yes. In the next five years -- not twenty-five -- we can build a reusable rocket that carries passengers into space as cheaply as jets span continents today. If you've dreamt of exploring "Infinity -- and Beyond!", don't join the astronaut corps -- and hold off fantasizing about Star Trek. Read this book, and prepare for the very real and sooner-than-you-thought age of private citizens venturing into the Final Frontier

Halfway To Anywhere Achieving America's Destiny in Space

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Halfway To Anywhere Achieving America's Destiny in Space
G. Harry, (Foreword by Pete Conrad, Astronaut, and Wolfgang H. Demisch, Bankers Trust) Stine
Manufacturer: M. Evans & Co.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000W4NI8K

Book Description

This digital document is an article from San Diego Business Journal, published by CBJ, L.P. on December 3, 2001. The length of the article is 895 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Desert pacific council, boy scouts of America: Camp Balboa's 85-Year History and Future. (Scouting Timeless Values).(the Boy Scouts of America are seeking another 50 year lease of Camp Balboa in San Diego)(Brief Article)
Author: Daniel V. McAllister
Publication: San Diego Business Journal (Magazine/Journal)
Date: December 3, 2001
Publisher: CBJ, L.P.
Volume: 22 Issue: 49 Page: C1(2)

Article Type: Brief Article

Distributed by Thomson Gale

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Women and Money: The Independent Woman's Guide to Financial Security for Life
Francis Leonard
Manufacturer: Addison Wesley Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OOTDRS

Customer Reviews:

Highly reccomended !!.......2006-12-21

Ostensibly a memoir written around the author's tour in Vietnam during 1966-1967, this book is far deeper and more thought-provoking than the usual Vietnam-era `We wuz in Vietnam and you done us wrong" books that fill the marketplace today.

As crew chief / door gunner on a UH-1D Huey helicopter, author William H. McDonald saw and experienced sufficient combat for him to win a Distinguished Flying Cross, the Bronze Star, a Purple Heart, as well as 14 Air Medals; his combat exploits alone would make for an enthralling story.

But while fighting in Vietnam was a major part of McDonald's life, it by no means consumed him, as his book illustrates. "A Spiritual Warrior's Journey" is a collection of absorbing and charming vignettes and slices of McDonald, from early childhood through his marriage, to his active `retirement' and subsequent return to Vietnam.

McDonald's story has an appeal to those who believe in a higher power, and to be more definitive, a compassionate higher power that assists and looks out for those human beings receptive to God's love and directions. His book is replete with stories of his life in which a higher power interceded to keep him alive, keep him fed, and keep him on what he believes is the right path in his life. And fortunately so, because his recounting of how poorly his mother treated him in his early years, and continued to treat him badly as he matured, is truly saddening. It would have been easy for the author to sink into the morass of drugs and alcohol as did many veterans of his era, yet it is clearly his belief in this higher power that kept his attitude and life far happier and more satisfied than most.

"A Spiritual Warrior's Journey" is a unique book, and one well worth reading. Written in a casual, conversational, and very personal style, it is surprisingly understated yet very positive : Yes, the author has had a difficult childhood, yes, combat in Vietnam was cruel, bloody, and merciless, but for those who can keep their eye on the bigger cosmic picture, you are not only not alone, but there is a higher power who always has your back.

A look at the human side of a Son, Father and a Warrior.......2006-09-01

Every Vietnam Veteran, who believes he has figured out the answers to all his problems, needs to read and re-read this book. For the most part, "We didn't know We didn't know" It took years of healing as well as many delayed casualties before most of us began learning about PTSD. So........where are the Veterans Center Personnel when you need them? Obviously not reading very much!
This book should be mandatory reading for every Veteran who enters a program for PTSD. This incredible book is an"Interstate road map" to recovery. Especially for those who heed it's advice, explore it's pain, and recognize the emotional flash backs experienced in the war's aftermath.
Many Vietnam war veteran's had extreme difficulty overcoming the rejection and discrimination they met upon returning from the war. For many,their life spiraled out of control as they sank deeper into an emotional abyss. This is a book written by a man who experienced it all. He overcame poverty, a disfunctional family,a terrible childhood, and the insanity of war, while setting a benchmark for integrity, family values, and making a difference. This is a book for those who think that they can't make it any further.
W.H. McDonald is still making, a huge difference for those who will read his words. It is certainly worth the price of this book.

A Real "Page Turner".......2006-07-15

I found Bill's book a life changing experience. His triumphs over his horrible childhood experiences made me re-think my own and I was able to forgive many people out of the past, and thus change my present. I found this book exciting, memorable, and
once I started reading, I was unable to put it down. I purchased several more copies for people I thought would also have a life changing experience with it, and loaned out my personal, autographed copy to others. The feed-back has been tremendous. CONGRATULATIONS BILL!! Another job well done.

You'll love this, and it will change your life!.......2006-06-22

Life's journey for all of us is as distinctive as our fingerprints. Bill McDonald's remarkable journey --- from tragedies to triumphs --- is a beautifully detailed trip through his childhood to the Vietnam War and into an adulthood of wisdom. His insights teach us about ourselves.

But a warning, leave your preconceptions behind. When you open the pages of A SPIRITUAL WARRIOR'S JOURNEY: The Inspiring Life Story of a Mystical Warrior, you are entering a world where the commonplace becomes magical, and coincidence suddenly makes sense.

McDonald is a warrior, a veteran of Vietnam, during which he won the Silver Star. An athlete and prize-winning student, his childhood home was dominated by a violent stepfather and a negligent mother. At the age of nine, he spent a year isolated in a hospital room with a near-fatal disease.

In Vietnam, he saved the lives of many soldiers because he sensed danger that could be avoided. In one case, he refused to allow a helicopter to take off, risking his reputation and a threat of court martial. He had several near-misses in combat when by all rights he should have been killed but bravely saved not only himself but others.

His are not the meanderings of a self-important scribe, but are backed up by U.S. government documents and eye-witnesses.

Throughout the rest of his life, McDonald used his "sense" to raise a family and help others through difficult times. He was also instrumental in the making of the award-winning Vietnam War documentary "Shadow of the Blade," released in theaters in 2003.

I unequivocally recommend this book. Read it. It will change your life for the better. It certainly has mine.

Magical, Inspiring.......2004-06-12

W. H. McDonald's book, "A Spiritual Warrior's Journey", is both compelling and inspiring. His writing goes far beyond a description of his wartime experience-it probes his innermost feelings during those experiences and brings meaning and purpose to them all. In a fascinating and very different autobiography, the author explains how the horrors of war affected and changed him, and they brought insight and awareness into his life. He shares the magic of these self-discoveries with the reader in a compelling book that can only leave one breathless and anxious to meet this very special man.

Book Description

Comparative information detailing the cultural, legal and historical environments of foundations in international settings has been scarce - until now. Written by scholars from six countries, this text covers philanthropic foundations in the world's busiest commercial centers - the U.S. and Eastern and Western Europe. It reports on the structures and mindsets that shape foundations' gift giving, and discusses different aspects of foundation management. Case studies of the French and Italian foundation communities and a comparative legal chapter are especially notable.

Private Funds, Public Purpose Philanthropic Foundations in International Perspective

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Private Funds, Public Purpose Philanthropic Foundations in International Perspective
Helmut K. Anheier
Manufacturer: NY
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000N7KJRY

Book Description

Mark Tabb won't ignore the facts about the hectic pace of modern life that we are, ironically, often too tired to acknowledge and change. In his candid and spiritually insightful Living with Less, he declares, "The only way to get more out of life is to choose less. Less stuff. Less activity. Less wanting more. . . . May God give us the courage to choose less stress in order that we might experience more of the life he has planned for us."

Customer Reviews:

Christian Priorities.......2007-08-31

You need to know that this is a book about Christianity, which I did not realize when I bought it. No problem, as I am a Christian, but I was surprised by the content once I started reading. It was a good thing. I was looking for advice on reining in our materialistic lives, and I found it here. He does not make the reader feel bad if they are not dirt poor, but makes very lucid suggestions for how to live your life with or without financial means. This is a great follow-up to Rick Warren's Purpose Driven Life (still the best Christian life guide I have ever read).

Living with God.......2006-10-21

I'm all for simplicity and living with less so that's why I picked up a copy of this book at the library. I was really, really disappointed to find that this was a book about living simply but with God. If I wanted a sermon, I'd go to church. If you're looking for a book about simplicity or looking to scale back I recommend Frugal Living for Dummies, The Everything Budgeting Book, Living the Simple Life or The Joy of Simple Living.

Skimming the surface - but a good introduction.......2006-10-12

I read this book after reading a number of books on simple living, particularly from a Christian perspective, and perhaps that's why I found it less compelling than the other reviewers. I really felt that this book only skimmed the surface of the value of simplicity, so for me, was not a helpful resource at all. I became annoyed at the way the author endlessly quotes brand names (did he get commissions from Best Buy stores?) and relied heavily on a theology of a highly interventionist God.

It's easy reading thouh, almost like a sermon series, and if you are caught in a busy, materialist lifestyle it would be helpful, and fun to read. However, if, like me, you are already living simply and are looking for something to give you further inspiration, this is probably not the book for you,

What I needed to know and when I needed to hear it!.......2006-02-16

The day I opened up the book "Living With Less..." I was not in the mood to review or read any book much less a book talking about living with less! BUT after I began reading... from the very first page I was a captive audience member! This book was talking about me and so many other folks like me. As I read my spirit began to lift, a smile slowly took over my face, and a light-bulb went on in my head or over my head, I don't know which, but I got it! It all made perfect sense! Did I need or does anyone need all the clutter we have in our lives? Did owning more stuff mean I was successful? I learned from this well-written, thought provoking book that the answer was a resounding 'NO' to both of these questions!

This is a must read! Reading it just makes you feel so darn good about what you already have in your life! Good Job!

H. Renay Anderson
Author of "The After Party - Why Women Wear Shoes They Know Will Eventually Hurt Their Feet", Mystery Book Editor for Bella Online, BBW Reviewer, and EuroReviewer

Spiritual side of scaling back.......2006-02-11

Because this book's title, Living with Less: The Upside of Downsizing Your Life, implies it will provide specific help for readers who want to "cut back," it is only fair to begin a review of it by pointing out what the book does not give readers. There are no financial budgeting systems by which to earn less money while still meeting expenses for daily life; there are no time management plans by which to add hours to your day for leisure time and cultural activities while still living up to your family and job responsibilities; and there are no magic formulas by which you can relax more while still staying faithful to an exercise regime for good health. This book doesn't cover pragmatic solutions for today's world.

Instead, Tabb explores how to enhance one's personal character by developing humility, cutting back to a slower pace, and enhancing a sense of servitude to others. The value of this book is that it causes individuals to question what is of genuine merit in their lives. Tabb makes some good points about how we need to listen more to other people, share more, teach more, love more, and appreciate more. He quotes everyone from Solomon to Dave Barry in making the point that accumulating "stuff" is not the secret of happiness.

My recommendation is not to read the book in one or two sittings, as I did, because of its repetition of theme and examples. However, reading one chapter every week or so can provide perspective regarding the need to pull back a bit from the hectic antics of our break-neck-speed world. Even the Bible tells us to "be temperate in all things." -- Dr. Dennis E. Hensley, Christian Book Previews.com

Downsizing Your Home with Style: Living Well In a Smaller Space

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Downsizing Your Home with Style: Living Well In a Smaller Space
Lauri Ward
Manufacturer: Collins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Decorating | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0061170976
Release Date: 2007-10-30

Book Description

No matter your reason for downsizing--whether you are moving from the suburbs to the city, or you are trading the larger family home for a smaller, more manageable one, or perhaps you are just looking to simplify life--the transition can be a challenge. When you're moving a lifetime's accumulation of belongings from a larger home into a jewel box, the task can seem overwhelming--and so can your emotions. How do you decide what to pack and what to part with? Where will you put the contents of your attic, basement, and/or garage? What if the ceilings are lower, the windows are smaller, or your living room rug would fill the entire space? How can you use the stuff you've got so that it functions well and looks right?

Downsizing Your Home with Style answers all of these questions and more. A professional decorator in New York City for over thirty years, Lauri Ward is an expert in making small spaces both elegant and functional. From the initial evaluation of your new home to one year after you have settled in, she takes you through every step with detailed tips, lists of good buys, tricks of the trade, photographs, and anecdotal examples, so that achieving spectacular results is simple and affordable.

Learn How To:

Create more storage

Make your stuff look smaller and your space look bigger

Update and modernize your favorite old pieces

Multipurpose your rooms and furniture

Find a new home for the stuff you no longer need

Having less room doesn't mean that your home can't be even more stylish. Downsizing Your Home with Style shows you how to reduce what you have to the best and most loved, so that your new space can be even more special. After all, downsizing isn't about restrictions and sacrifice. It's about living more simply and calmly; it's about leading a richer life by having less.

Average customer rating:

I haven't read the book but...

Downsizing Your Home
Edward Skarda
Manufacturer: Xlibris Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Real Estate | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1413407722

Customer Reviews:

I haven't read the book but..........2003-10-11

this author has the same initials and the same last name as me!
from.....anonymous....

Book Description

Caught in the crossfire of Nazi oppression, two people triumph in this story of courage, luck and passion during one of the darkest moments of the 20th Century. After surviving a perilous escape from Auschwitz's infamous death camps, William Herskovic miraculously made his way across Nazi-occupied Europe. Becoming one of the first recorded eyewitnesses of Hitler's atrocities, he alerted the underground, and was eventually credited with the rescue of hundreds, perhaps thousands, bound for the gas chambers.

Mireille, still merely a teenager, managed to hide her parents in attics and rural homes, risking her life daily to venture out for the food to keep them alive. The Herskovic family survived the perils of the Holocaust with their souls and spirits soaring.

Customer Reviews:

Hate, love, and hope in such close proximity.......2006-04-04

Escape To Life follows one family's amazing, horrifying journey through the Holocaust. It is a firsthand account of awful events in human history that you will read and wish that they had not occurred on this planet. But they did, and this account is as tragic as it is ultimately triumphant and hopeful.

Something I found truly amazing is how quick the victims in this book (of which there are many) are willing to offer kind excuses for the people who betray them and hurt them most. A Rabbi refuses Willy aid, and Willy's first thought is one of compassion and understanding. The Rabbi must be afraid. He's not a terrible person, he must just be as terrified as the rest of the poor victims. The same for neighbors who could have taken Willy and his fellow escapees in, but deny them. Again, Willy does not attribute this to hate or evil-doing. He attributes it to fear and paranoia. Where the victims could have been bitter and remorseless, they are forgiving and empathetic. Truly inspiring and downright amazing, coming from a man (Willy) who learns that his wife Esther and daughters were killed in the Auschwitz gas chambers. Amazing, considering that his future wife Mirele discovers that her first husband died right after the liberation as a result of the Nazi death camp.

Hope is the message printed on every page. Hope that human beings are not evil, but they can be misled and coerced into doing evil things. Even the title of the book is positive and hopeful -- Escape To Life could have very easily been Escape From Death. But instead the message is upbeat. Life goes on, but the past cannot be forgotten. Life goes on, but the horrible truths from our past must be learned from so they never happen again.

Personally, my heart beat faster with every flip of the page. I wanted every one of these kind, decent people to survive and live long, happy lives. But that was not the case. I wanted every married couple broken apart to be reunited with their children. But that was not the case. What does happen is people are horribly mistreated and withstand hate on an immeasurable scale, and ultimately succeed. William and Mirele survive and build a life and family together and are eternally grateful to those who aided them.

I gained a lot from reading this book. 'Tragic' doesn't begin to describe it, yet 'hopeful' somehow describes it perfectly. It's a book you will read and never forget. I think that was the idea behind its existence.

Absorbing, sometimes suspenseful, sometimes brutally severe.......2003-12-12

Escape To Life: A Journey Through The Holocaust is an amazingly upbeat biography of Maria and William Herskovic, two remarkable and determined holocaust survivors. William escaped an Auschwitz labor camp and became one of the first recorded eyewitnesses to Hitler's crimes against humanity, and is credited with the rescue of hundreds from the gas chambers; Maria was a teenage girl who hid her parents from the Nazis and daily risked life to provide them with food. An absorbing, sometimes suspenseful, sometimes brutally severe account of the struggle to survive in the face of humans perpetrating inhuman cruelty, Escape To Life is a welcome and impressive contribution to Holocaust Studies collections and reading lists.

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