Western Civilization: Volume II: Since 1500
Average customer rating: 3 out of 5 stars
  • Awesome Book
  • Great for CLEP resource
  • Revionist History
  • yikes
  • THIS BOOK SUCKS
Western Civilization: Volume II: Since 1500
Jackson J. Spielvogel
Manufacturer: Wadsworth Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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  1. Western Civilization: Volume I: To 1715 Western Civilization: Volume I: To 1715
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Accessories:
  1. Study Guide for Spielvogel's Western Civilization, Vol. 2, 6th Edition Study Guide for Spielvogel's Western Civilization, Vol. 2, 6th Edition
  2. HistoryNow: Western Civilization for Spielvogel's Western Civilization, 6th HistoryNow: Western Civilization for Spielvogel's Western Civilization, 6th

ASIN: 0534646042

Book Description

Best-selling text, WESTERN CIVILIZATION has helped over one million students learn about the present by exploring the past. Jack Spielvogel's engaging, chronological narrative weaves the political, economic, social, religious, intellectual, cultural, and military aspects of history into a gripping story that is as memorable as it is instructive. Each chapter offers a substantial introduction and conclusion, providing students a context for these disparate themes. The clear narrative of a single gifted author makes it easy for students to follow the story of Western civilization. Spielvogel gives the book depth by including over 150 maps and excerpts of over 200 primary sources--including official documents, poems, and songs--that enliven the past while introducing students to source material that forms the basis of historical scholarship. Available in many split options: WESTERN CIVILIZATION, Comprehensive, 6th Edition (Chapters 1-29), ISBN: 0534646026; WESTERN CIVILIZATION, Volume I, To 1715, 6th Edition (Chapters 1-16), ISBN:0534646034; WESTERN CIVILIZATION, Volume II, Since 1500, 6th Edition (Chapters 13-29), ISBN:0534646042; WESTERN CIVILIZATION, Volume A: To 1500, 6th Edition (Chapters 1-12), ISBN: 0534646050; WESTERN CIVILIZATION, Volume B: 1300-1815, 6th Edition (Chapters 11-19), ISBN:0534646069; WESTERN CIVILIZATION, Volume C: Since 1789, 6th Edition (Chapters 19-29), ISBN: 0534646077; WESTERN CIVILIZATION, Since 1300, 6th Edition (Chapters 11-29), ISBN:0534646085.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Awesome Book.......2006-05-19

Very easy explanation in book.........dont try to read whole book otherwise you will get sleep

5 out of 5 stars Great for CLEP resource.......2006-01-18

Got this book as well as Volume I and used them as my resources for taking the Western Civ I and II CLEPS. Perfect for the job, and helped me get a very good grade, highly recommend for anyone looking to use for that purpose.

1 out of 5 stars Revionist History.......2005-07-05

After being required to read this text for a class, I bought two other history books to which I could compare this one. I thought that Spielvogel was leaving out chunks of history, and revising the ones that he included, and I wanted to double check my facts before making any accusations. Well, boy was I right. This book makes the Publisher's tag line, "Changing the Way the World Learns" seem a little too true..

If you DO get this book, here are some things to look out for:

1. He is wrong on just about everything that has to do with art or music. He cites obscure artists and names them as the most popular, most of them had Christian themed work.

2. He glorifies Hitler and the Nazis and makes the Holocaust seem like nothing but a minor glitch in history.

3. The author has a degree in Reformation History and seems to be unable to help himself from relating every single event in history to religion. So keep in mind that Voltaire had more to offer history than an anti-Christian revisionist account of the fall of the Roman Empire, as Spielvogel states.

If I were you, I'd buy a different history book to read as well as this one, if this is required for a course. Preferably one that was published for the first time in the thirties or forties and has been updated since, so that its more clear it isn't revionist history. This one was first published in 2003.

Honestly, if I could give this book less than one star I would, but there's no such option on amazon.com...

1 out of 5 stars yikes.......2005-04-22

This book was horrible for AP Euro, it was not in chronological order and often confused our class. Also, he skipped over some events that were important to know for the AP exam.

1 out of 5 stars THIS BOOK SUCKS.......2004-12-30

Jackson J. Spielvogel has no sense of organization whatsoever. And as for those people who read this book for fun, SERIOUSLY need a life. I, however, am using this book as a text book for AP Euro and think it is absolutely ludicrous that we have to use it. It's confusing and needs to be written better. A LOT better. This book should get -1000000 stars.
Civilization in the West, Volume C (since 1789) (6th Edition) (MyHistoryLab Series)
Average customer rating: Not rated
    Civilization in the West, Volume C (since 1789) (6th Edition) (MyHistoryLab Series)
    Mark Kishlansky , Patrick Geary , and Patricia O'Brien
    Manufacturer: Longman
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Paperback

    Early CivilizationEarly Civilization | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books
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    ASIN: 0321236238

    Book Description

    Civilization in the West blends social and political history into a fascinating narrative that brings history to life.

    The authors tell a compelling story of Western Civilization that is enhanced by an image-based approach. “The Visual Record” chapter openers draw students in by illustrating a dominant theme of the chapter and exploring the dramatic changing contours of the West through standard maps, Map Discovery features and Geographical Tours of Europe. Discovering Western Civilization Online end-of-chapter Web site URLs make this the first Western Civilization book to include these resources.
    Sea of Thunder: Four Commanders and the Last Great Naval Campaign 1941-1945
    Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
    • No Bull...
    • Non-Fiction Thriller
    • Good Read, but.....
    • CORRECTION to Thomas' text
    • A good story
    Sea of Thunder: Four Commanders and the Last Great Naval Campaign 1941-1945
    Evan Thomas
    Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Hardcover

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    ASIN: 0743252217

    Book Description

    Evan Thomas takes us inside the naval war of 1941-1945 in the South Pacific in a way that blends the best of military and cultural history and riveting narrative drama. He follows four men throughout: Admiral William ("Bull") Halsey, the macho, gallant, racist American fleet commander; Admiral Takeo Kurita, the Japanese battleship commander charged with making what was, in essence, a suicidal fleet attack against the American invasion of the Philippines; Admiral Matome Ugaki, a self-styled samurai who was the commander of all kamikazes and himself the last kamikaze of the war; and Commander Ernest Evans, a Cherokee Indian and Annapolis graduate who led his destroyer on the last great charge in the last great naval battle in history.

    Sea of Thunder climaxes with the Battle of Leyte Gulf, the biggest naval battle ever fought, over four bloody and harrowing days in October 1944. We see Halsey make an epic blunder just as he reaches for true glory; we see the Japanese navy literally sailing in circles, torn between the desire to die heroically and the exhausted, unacceptable realization that death is futile; we sail with Commander Evans and the men of the USS Johnston into the jaws of the Japanese fleet and exult and suffer with them as they torpedo a cruiser, bluff and confuse the enemy -- and then, their ship sunk, endure fifty horrific hours in shark-infested water.

    Thomas, a journalist and historian, traveled to Japan, where he interviewed veterans of the Imperial Japanese Navy who survived the Battle of Leyte Gulf and friends and family of the two Japanese admirals. From new documents and interviews, he was able to piece together and answer mysteries about the Battle of Leyte Gulf that have puzzled historians for decades. He writes with a knowing feel for the clash of cultures.

    Sea of Thunder is a taut, fast-paced, suspenseful narrative of the last great naval war, an important contribution to the history of the Second World War.

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars No Bull..........2007-09-29

    It's no wonder were in the mess we are, when myoptic vision clouds reason.
    This was not a hit on Halsey..Duoh! This was a very good read. Maybe Ken burns took some info here?
    I see a lot of whinners(on other forums) saying the Japanese never had a plan to sue for peace if they took Hawaii..(?)
    Any way Good book.
    Thanks, Mr Evans

    5 out of 5 stars Non-Fiction Thriller.......2007-09-12

    A non-fiction historical work of serious scholarship that can compete with any thriller. An absolute page turner that's hard to put down. When Thomas finds the time to do this kind of research with his TV panelist and news magazine gigs is a mystery. He is an absolutely first rate writer and story teller, and Sea of Thunder is not to be missed.

    3 out of 5 stars Good Read, but............2007-08-06

    I got this book on Friday and finished it Saturday night. A decent book over all but as other reviewers have stated I find the revisionist aspect a bit much. I think the 'slam' on Halsey tended to be over-kill. The author even goes as far as mentioning the two occasions where Halsey sailed into typhoons to further his knocks on Halsey. Interesting, but not in the scope of the book. The author does point out the reasons behind Halsey's choice to go after Ozawa but only in passing. I found the study of Japanese vs. American admirals a bit slanted in the Japanese admiral's favor. As far as the 'racist' aspect of Halsey's statements "Kill Japs, Kill Japs. Kill more Japs" & etc. We only need to look at quotes by other Admirals and Generals to understand the purpose behind these statements. I gave it three stars only because it was a page-turner, I think what kept me reading was to see if the author was going to go into a more in-depth study of the choices made by the admirals and why they made them. I was left with the impression that the Japanese admirals made the choices they made mostly because of the training received at Eta Jima and the choices made by American admirals were due to some personal flaw as in Halsey's 'need' to get the Japanese carriers at all costs. What I wasn't left with was the stunning victory by the Americans and how important it was in shortening the war. I am just starting to read 'The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors' by James D. Hornfischer so I can compare two different author's views on the Leyte Gulf naval battles.

    3 out of 5 stars CORRECTION to Thomas' text.......2007-07-27

    Evan Thomas incorrectly states that Admrial Spruance's son married Admiral Halsey's daughter. In fact, Margaret Halsey married Preston Lea Spruance who was only distantly related to Admiral Spruance.
    - Halsey Spruance, a decendant of Margaret Halsey and Preston Lea Spruance

    4 out of 5 stars A good story.......2007-07-11

    I did not know as much about the battle before this book. Thomas gives an excellent perspective of all sides of the battle. I felt I was a bit oversold on the book and it did not live completely up to expectations which is why I only give it 4 out of 5.
    In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex
    Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
    • Fantastic
    • A Captivating Read.
    • one of the best maritime disaster books I've ever read
    • great book!!!
    • If only I could give this six stars!!
    In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex
    Nathaniel Philbrick
    Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Paperback

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    4. The Loss of the Ship Essex, Sunk by a Whale (Penguin Classics) The Loss of the Ship Essex, Sunk by a Whale (Penguin Classics)
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    ASIN: 0141001828
    Release Date: 2001-05-01

    Amazon.com

    The appeal of Dava Sobel's Longitude was, in part, that it illuminated a little-known piece of history through a series of captivating incidents and engaging personalities. Nathaniel Philbrick's In the Heart of the Sea is certainly cast from the same mold, examining the 19th-century Pacific whaling industry through the arc of the sinking of the whaleship Essex by a boisterous sperm whale. The story that inspired Herman Melville's classic Moby-Dick has a lot going for it--derring-do, cannibalism, rescue--and Philbrick proves an amiable and well-informed narrator, providing both context and detail. We learn about the importance and mechanics of blubber production--a vital source of oil--and we get the nuts and bolts of harpooning and life aboard whalers. We are spared neither the nitty-gritty of open boats nor the sucking of human bones dry.

    By sticking to the tried and tested Longitude formula, Philbrick has missed a slight trick or two. The epicenter of the whaling industry was Nantucket, a small island off Cape Cod; most of the whales were in the Pacific, necessitating a huge journey around the southernmost tip of South America. We never learn why no one ever tried to create an alternative whaling capital somewhere nearer. Similarly, Philbrick tells us that the story of the Essex was well known to Americans for decades, but he never explores how such legends fade from our consciousness. Philbrick would no doubt reply that such questions were beyond his remit, and you can't exactly accuse him of skimping on his research. By any standard, 50 pages of footnotes impress, though he wears his learning lightly. He doesn't get bogged down in turgid detail, and his narrative rattles along at a nice pace. When the storyline is as good as this, you can't really ask for more. --John Crace, Amazon.co.uk

    Book Description

    The ordeal of the whaleship Essex was an event as mythic in the nineteenth century as the sinking of the Titanic was in the twentieth. In 1819, the Essex left Nantucket for the South Pacific with twenty crew members aboard. In the middle of the South Pacific the ship was rammed and sunk by an angry sperm whale. The crew drifted for more than ninety days in three tiny whaleboats, succumbing to weather, hunger, disease, and ultimately turning to drastic measures in the fight for survival. Nathaniel Philbrick uses little-known documents-including a long-lost account written by the ship's cabin boy-and penetrating details about whaling and the Nantucket community to reveal the chilling events surrounding this epic maritime disaster. An intense and mesmerizing read, In the Heart of the Sea is a monumental work of history forever placing the Essex tragedy in the American historical canon.

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars Fantastic.......2007-09-24

    I am a big skeptic when I read these types of books. I always assume the author is filling in the substantial blanks in the story with his own interpretation & fluff. I did not feel that way with this authors version of the story.

    The story was really entertaining. It was a page turner that kept me up too late on work nights. I think I read the last 1/3 of it without putting it down.

    Highly recommended. You will learn a lot about whaling and Nantucket, both of which I surprisingly found captivating.

    5 out of 5 stars A Captivating Read........2007-08-17

    Knowing that this was not a fictional story added an element of intensity as I read this book. Truthfully, this would have made for good fictional reading as well. I enjoyed the character development and the way in which the story was told. I was on the edge of my seat, and looking forward to getting to the book every morning while reading this. In the Mr. Philbrick's words, "The Essex disaster is not a tale of adventure. It is a tragedy that happens to be one of the the greatest true stories ever told."

    5 out of 5 stars one of the best maritime disaster books I've ever read.......2007-08-13

    What a fantastic story told in a fascinating way. I've read many books about maritime disasters, and this one has gone to the top of the list. Nathaniel Philbrick is a great story-teller and meticulous researcher. I'm very, very impressed.

    5 out of 5 stars great book!!!.......2007-08-04

    Wow, this is a great book. The author is very skilled in telling historical facts and journal entries but into a story that is easy to read, full of factual informative information, and has great structure. If you like this book I would definitely suggest reading "Skeletons in the Sahara" another phenomenal book, it's not written by Nathaniel Philbrick, but also another amazing author who tells a tragic story of a crew and his captain lost at sea near Africa and the story of the few that survived.

    I also bought Nathaniel Philbrick's Mayflower but haven't had a chance to read it yet but look forward to doing so now since i've read In the Heart of the sea.

    5 out of 5 stars If only I could give this six stars!!.......2007-07-10

    This is a phenomenal book. I am putting it in my top five. It is that rare bit of nonfiction that keeps you on the edge of your seat. I am an avid horror reader, and although technically this book doesn't fit that genre, I am making a place for it on my horror shelf. This truly is a tragedy, and the depths of Captain Pollard's misfortune is staggering. Granted he wasn't a "fishy man," but he is a character you rooted for. Chase, more captain than first mate, was the true leader. He kept an almost obsessive watch over the rations and kept his battered boat in sailing shape despite the seemingly insurmountable odds set before his crew. This is an outstanding book. Philbrick is an excellent writer. I particularly like the way he handled the explanation of starvation and the effects on the psyche. I've heard some call the section about cannibalism gruesome, and it was, but in order to understand the sheer power of this tragedy, it was tactfully and, I think, brilliantly handled in this regard by Philbrick.

    Kudos to the author and kudos to the lucky reader who picks up this book!
    The Western Heritage: Combined Volume, TLC Edition (5th Edition)
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      The Western Heritage: Combined Volume, TLC Edition (5th Edition)
      Donald Kagan , Steven Ozment , and Frank M. Turner
      Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Paperback

      Early CivilizationEarly Civilization | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books
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      ASIN: 0132211076

      Book Description

      For introductory-level survey courses in Western Civilization and European History and Civilization; or a supplemental text in Art History or other basic cultural history survey courses.

      This highly visual brief survey of Western civilization provides an exceptionally balanced survey of the political, social, and cultural development of Western civilization-its strengths and weaknesses, and the controversies surrounding it. The Teaching & Learning Classroom edition of the highly successful The Western Heritage, Ninth Edition provides your students with the most help available in reading, thinking, and applying the material they are learning in the text and in lecture. A series of pedagogical aids, in text and out of class study companions, as well as complete instructor presentational and assessment support makes this text the perfect choice for those looking to make history come alive for their students.

      Ship of Ghosts: The Story of the USS Houston, FDR's Legendary Lost Cruiser, and the Epic Saga of Her Survivors
      Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
      • Excellent Book
      • Ship of Ghosts - A Must Read for all Generations
      • A good telling of the USS Houston and her crew
      • A Last-Minute Tribute
      • A Missing Piece of History
      Ship of Ghosts: The Story of the USS Houston, FDR's Legendary Lost Cruiser, and the Epic Saga of Her Survivors
      James D. Hornfischer
      Manufacturer: Bantam
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Hardcover

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      ASIN: 0553803905
      Release Date: 2006-10-31

      Book Description

      "Son, we’re going to Hell."

      The navigator of the USS Houston confided these prophetic words to a young officer as he and his captain charted a course into U.S. naval legend. Renowned as FDR’s favorite warship, the cruiser USS Houston was a prize target trapped in the far Pacific after Pearl Harbor. Without hope of reinforcement, her crew faced a superior Japanese force ruthlessly committed to total conquest. It wasn’t a fair fight, but the men of the Houston would wage it to the death.

      Hornfischer brings to life the awesome terror of nighttime naval battles that turned decks into strobe-lit slaughterhouses, the deadly rain of fire from Japanese bombers, and the almost superhuman effort of the crew as they miraculously escaped disaster again and again–until their luck ran out during a daring action in Sunda Strait. There, hopelessly outnumbered, the Houston was finally sunk and its survivors taken prisoner. For more than three years their fate would be a mystery to families waiting at home.

      In the brutal privation of jungle POW camps dubiously immortalized in such films as The Bridge on the River Kwai, the war continued for the men of the Houston—a life-and-death struggle to survive forced labor, starvation, disease, and psychological torture. Here is the gritty, unvarnished story of the infamous Burma–Thailand Death Railway glamorized by Hollywood, but which in reality mercilessly reduced men to little more than animals, who fought back against their dehumanization with dignity, ingenuity, sabotage, will–power—and the undying faith that their country would prevail.

      Using journals and letters, rare historical documents, including testimony from postwar Japanese war crimes tribunals, and the eyewitness accounts of Houston’s survivors, James Hornfischer has crafted an account of human valor so riveting and awe-inspiring, it’s easy to forget that every single word is true.

      Customer Reviews:

      5 out of 5 stars Excellent Book.......2007-09-28

      Excellent write-up on a little-known story. I had read of the Houston, but not of the fate of the survivors.

      5 out of 5 stars Ship of Ghosts - A Must Read for all Generations.......2007-07-31

      Mr. Hornfischer graced my University Area Rotary Club in Austin, his home town, with an excellent talk about the saga of some of our bravest men from the greatest generation. Of course, I bought a copy of the book and it took me a few days to get through it before I hand it to my father to read. Hornfisher shows an unlikely ability to truly connect the facts of the USS Houston and her POW survivors together to tell a compelling human story of the horrors of war and the ability of man to overcome any adversity. Hornfischer is a true patriot for documenting the courage of these brave men, and I am a better man for reading this great book.

      4 out of 5 stars A good telling of the USS Houston and her crew.......2007-06-18

      Ship of Ghosts is Mr. Hornfischer telling of the USS Houston and her crew during WWII. The USS Houston, known as the Galloping Ghost of the Java Coast (because of how many times the Japanese reported her sunk) was the flagship of the US Asiatic Fleet. In WWII she was responsible for holding and delaying the Japanese in taking Indonesia. Any ways, Mr. Hornfischer opens by telling us the early pre-war history of the USS Houston, how she was used by FDR as his yacht, and the history of the gentlemen whom Mr. Hornfischer interviewed.

      After telling us about the pre-war years, Mr. Hornfisher jumps into the action of the Battle of the Java Sea and Sunda Strait. This is then followed by telling us about the crews time as POW's and working on the "Death Railway". Most of this book deals with their experience as POW's (btw, the crew of the HMAS Perth has coverage in this book, not as much as the USS Houston, but it is recognized. Also, Mr. Hornfischer cover the men of the 2nd battalion, 131st Field Artillery). In the chapters dealing with the men being prisoners of war we learn about the poor conditions they kept in and how terrible it was working in Burma on the railway (interestingly, the conditions in Thailand were worse). An interesting fact the Mr. Hornfischer points out several times is how the movie The Bridge on the River Kwai poorly represented the conditions the men served under.

      Rating wise this book was very easy for me. A solid 4.5 stars. While Mr. Hornfischer did a commendable job telling us about the crew, I had two problems. First, was his book Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors was more solidly written than this one. There I felt as if I was there, this time I had someone telling me of the tale. My primary reason though for only 4.5 stars is that I'd read The Ghost That Died at Sunda Strait(by W.G. Winslow, a true 5 star book). Since I can't leave this as a half star I need to round the number. If I hadn't read Mr. Winslow's book prior, I might round up, however since I've read his book, this one gets rounded down. Sorry Mr. Hornfischer. A very good book though! It complements Mr. Winslow's nicely and picks up where Mr. Winslow chose to leave off. A very good job!

      5 out of 5 stars A Last-Minute Tribute.......2007-04-26

      With America's WW II veterans dying at the rate of 1,500 a day, we are clearly into "the last lap". Therefore, Jim Hornfischer's excellent treatment of the cruiser Houston comes none too soon. His taut narrative actually involves two stories between the covers of one book: the ship's early combat in the Pacific and the surviving crew members' 3 1/2 year struggle for survival ashore.

      There's a lesson for other researchers and authors: "the greatest generation" is fading fast, and its memories are fading even faster. Now is the time to grab the tape recorder or notepad and get the remaining veterans' stories while they are still accessible.

      5 out of 5 stars A Missing Piece of History.......2007-04-09

      Americans generally think they know about world War II if they know about Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, the Russian Front, and the Pacific War from the perspective of island hopping coming from the east side of the Pacific. What we usually overlook is the war in Southeast Asia. John Hornfischer has written what might be two books, one about the nearly-solo fight of an isloated ship in the face of the Japanese onslsught in 1942, and the other about the unbelievable suffering of prisoners of war in Japanese prison camps building the Thailand-Burma Railroad - familiar to most of us from the sanitized version seen in the movie, The Bridge on the River Kwai. The writing is good (though not overly great); but it is the content that makes this one of the best books written about World War II, the early struggle to give ground only very dearly, the suffering enduured by our soldiers, and finally the failure to meet the real needs of soldiers trying to readjust to society after three years of captivity.
      Family Houses by the Sea
      Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
      • Sumptuous and inspiring
      • One of our favorites
      • Family houses - eclectically by the sea
      • A Classic
      • Seaside Fantasies Brought to Life
      Family Houses by the Sea
      Alexandra D'Arnoux , and Jerome Darblay
      Manufacturer: Clarkson Potter
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Hardcover

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      1. Waterside Living: Inspirational Homes by Lakes, Rivers, and the Ocean Waterside Living: Inspirational Homes by Lakes, Rivers, and the Ocean
      2. Family Houses in the Country Family Houses in the Country
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      4. Seaside Style for the Home (Home Crafts) Seaside Style for the Home (Home Crafts)
      5. Seaside Style Seaside Style

      ASIN: 0517591650
      Release Date: 1993-07-27

      Book Description

      With its unforgettable images of oceanfront vistas and creative decorating details, Family Houses by the Sea invites us to sample the gracious possibilities of living within reach of a gentle offshore breeze. The book's beautiful photographs capture the varied but always engaging personalities of seaside homes around the world. Illustrations.

      Customer Reviews:

      5 out of 5 stars Sumptuous and inspiring.......2000-12-22

      I received this book for my birthday last year and still enjoy looking at it. In fact, I was getting ready to order it for a friend for the holidays when I saw an earlier review of this book that also mentioned another vacation home book called Second Home, I bought it, too. I highly recommend both books. This is wonderful dream book, as is Second Home. Second Home also includes pointers (throughout the book) on deciding where you might want to have a second home, real estate shopping tips, and ideas on building and decorating, too. Second Home is as inspiring as Family Houses by the Sea, but it offers the bonus of being practical and talking directly to me about what I can do to actually realize my dream of having a weekend house.

      4 out of 5 stars One of our favorites.......2000-11-17

      We are accumulating a wonderful little stack of books related to second homes as we plan a getaway of our own. This one is a favorite because of its dreamy photography. I also highly recommend SECOND HOME: Finding Your Place In The Fun, which is a new book that mixes dreamy photos of real homes with some helpful tips on finding a location as well as buying, building, remodeling, or decorating a second home. Like Family Houses, Second Home is a larger hardback book. Gorgeous.

      5 out of 5 stars Family houses - eclectically by the sea.......2000-10-07

      And therein lies the beauty of this book. Yes, some of the homes are older & some are rustic-but there's the sleek & contemporary too. In other words, something for everyone who loves to live by the water (or wishes they did). Buy this book to appreciate the different ways to express loving the natural light & atmosphere in a home that is reflective of the sea. You may not get Decorating Lessons 1-100 - but thats not the point. You can escape thru this book, dream thru it, share it, admire those who have created beautiful spaces in beautiful places - without displaying every obvious "seaside" nic-nac but with much good taste & class. Buy it for those pleasures & of knowing that kind of life does exist & can be lived by those to whom it means the most. To the authors - a beautiful volumn - thank you for seeking these places out & creating an arm chair trip to some incredibly beautiful spots by the water.

      5 out of 5 stars A Classic.......2000-09-08

      A beautiful book that captures what it feels, smells and looks like to live by the sea. If you want glitzy resort style houses then this book is not for you. The houses shown are not show cases for a glossy magazine but places filled with memories and life. It's my favourite beach house book.

      5 out of 5 stars Seaside Fantasies Brought to Life.......2000-06-30

      This book was my inspiration for a beach house I just finished completely cosmetically rehabilitating. The book took me all the way through the process by stimulating me with the beautiful visuals of its photos. I would look through it repeatedly, looking one time at flooring, another at windows, and so on, depending on where I was in my rehab process. I can't imagine it not being a superb stimulus for anyone.
      History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
      Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
      • Calculations are only as good as your numbers
      • Pants on fire?
      • Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
      • Very Interesting
      • History as Science Fiction
      History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
      Anatoly Fomenko
      Manufacturer: Mithec
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Paperback

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      3. Discovering the Mysteries of Ancient America: Lost History And Legends, Unearthed And Explored Discovering the Mysteries of Ancient America: Lost History And Legends, Unearthed And Explored
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      5. They Cast No Shadows: A Collection of Essays on the Illuminati, Revisionist History, and Suppressed Technologies They Cast No Shadows: A Collection of Essays on the Illuminati, Revisionist History, and Suppressed Technologies

      ASIN: 2913621058

      Book Description

      Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

      Customer Reviews:

      3 out of 5 stars Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

      Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

      5 out of 5 stars Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

      Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

      5 out of 5 stars Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

      There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

      For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

      5 out of 5 stars Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

      It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

      4 out of 5 stars History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

      Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

      I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

      Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

      Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
      Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

      I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

      This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.
      The Path Between the Seas: The Creation of the Panama Canal, 1870-1914
      Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
      • Another Excellent Historical Piece by Mccullough
      • The Path Between the SeasVery interesting
      • Panama Visitor
      • The building of the Panama Canal
      • Details beyond belief
      The Path Between the Seas: The Creation of the Panama Canal, 1870-1914
      Mccullough
      Manufacturer: INGRAM BOOK COMPANY
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Paperback

      GeneralGeneral | Central America | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
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      4. Truman Truman
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      ASIN: 0671244094

      Amazon.com

      On December 31, 1999, after nearly a century of rule, the United States officially ceded ownership of the Panama Canal to the nation of Panama. That nation did not exist when, in the mid-19th century, Europeans first began to explore the possibilities of creating a link between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans through the narrow but mountainous isthmus; Panama was then a remote and overlooked part of Colombia.

      All that changed, writes David McCullough in his magisterial history of the Canal, in 1848, when prospectors struck gold in California. A wave of fortune seekers descended on Panama from Europe and the eastern United States, seeking quick passage on California-bound ships in the Pacific, and the Panama Railroad, built to serve that traffic, was soon the highest-priced stock listed on the New York Exchange. To build a 51-mile-long ship canal to replace that railroad seemed an easy matter to some investors. But, as McCullough notes, the construction project came to involve the efforts of thousands of workers from many nations over four decades; eventually those workers, laboring in oppressive heat in a vast malarial swamp, removed enough soil and rock to build a pyramid a mile high. In the early years, they toiled under the direction of French entrepreneur Ferdinand de Lesseps, who went bankrupt while pursuing his dream of extending France's empire in the Americas. The United States then entered the picture, with President Theodore Roosevelt orchestrating the purchase of the canal--but not before helping foment a revolution that removed Panama from Colombian rule and placed it squarely in the American camp.

      The story of the Panama Canal is complex, full of heroes, villains, and victims. McCullough's long, richly detailed, and eminently literate book pays homage to an immense undertaking. --Gregory McNamee

      Book Description

      From the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Truman, here is the national bestselling epic chronicle of the creation of the Panama Canal. In The Path Between the Seas, acclaimed historian David McCullough delivers a first-rate drama of the sweeping human undertaking that led to the creation of this grand enterprise.

      The Path Between the Seas tells the story of the men and women who fought against all odds to fulfill the 400-year-old dream of constructing an aquatic passageway between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. It is a story of astonishing engineering feats, tremendous medical accomplishments, political power plays, heroic successes, and tragic failures. Applying his remarkable gift for writing lucid, lively exposition, McCullough weaves the many strands of the momentous event into a comprehensive and captivating tale.

      Winner of the National Book Award for history, the Francis Parkman Prize, the Samuel Eliot Morison Award, and the Cornelius Ryan Award (for the best book of the year on international affairs), The Path Between the Seas is a must-read for anyone interested in American history, the history of technology, international intrigue, and human drama.

      Download Description

      From the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Truman, here is the national bestselling epic chronicle of the creation of the Panama Canal. In The Path Between the Seas, acclaimed historian David McCullough delivers a first-rate drama of the sweeping human undertaking that led to the creation of this grand enterprise. The Path Between the Seas tells the story of the men and women who fought against all odds to fulfill the 400-year-old dream of constructing an aquatic passageway between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. It is a story of astonishing engineering feats, tremendous medical accomplishments, political power plays, heroic successes, and tragic failures. Applying his remarkable gift for writing lucid, lively exposition, McCullough weaves the many strands of the momentous event into a comprehensive and captivating tale. Winner of the National Book Award for history, the Francis Parkman Prize, the Samuel Eliot Morison Award, and the Cornelius Ryan Award (for the best book of the year on international affairs), The Path Between the Seas is a must-read for anyone interested in American history, the history of technology, international intrigue, and human drama.

      Customer Reviews:

      5 out of 5 stars Another Excellent Historical Piece by Mccullough.......2007-10-03

      Very well researched. Good narrative and excellent voice on the audio version. Not a boring moment combined with excellent history. Perfect audiobook, especially for long trips.

      5 out of 5 stars The Path Between the SeasVery interesting .......2007-10-01

      Very interesting and detailed history. Since I plan on visiting the Panama Canal soon, this book has greatly enlightened me as to all the engineering, building and political problems that went into and preceeded it's construction. I expect it will increase my enjoyment of the canal.

      5 out of 5 stars Panama Visitor.......2007-09-07

      I am getting ready for my second Panama Canal Cruise. I wanted to read this this book before my first Panama Cruise but didn't get to it. This is a hard read, as there are so many people to keep track of, especially during the French attempt to dig a canal. This is a very interesting part of U S and World History as told in vivid detail by David McCollugh.

      5 out of 5 stars The building of the Panama Canal.......2007-07-19

      David McCullough's book of the history of the Panama Canal is a well written and researched document on all aspects of the building of the canal, beginning with the French and completed by the United States. One gets a detailed understanding of the political, economic, and social conditions of France and the United States during these years and the people responsible for this engineering feat. McCullough vividly describes the jungles of Panama and the diseases and hardships endured by the workers. He gives great detail on the design and methods used to build the canal. This book offers history at its best.

      4 out of 5 stars Details beyond belief.......2007-07-08

      As another reviewer wrote, if you're looking for a book to keep you glued to the edge of your seat, this is not like the one for you. ON the other hand, if you really want to learn all the details and power plays that went into this adventure this is the book, although it does drag a bit at times. The reader will walk away with a working knowledge of this period of history and the major players, not to mention many of the minor ones.
      The Western Heritage, Combined, Eighth Edition
      Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
      • Absolutely outstanding...if you have the time for it
      • Poorly edited
      • Great for AP Euro!
      • Wonderful Overview of European History
      • Too complicated.
      The Western Heritage, Combined, Eighth Edition
      Donald M. Kagan , Steven Ozment , and Frank M. Turner
      Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Hardcover

      Early CivilizationEarly Civilization | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books
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      5. In Search of Fatima: A Palestinian Story In Search of Fatima: A Palestinian Story

      ASIN: 0131828398

      Book Description

      This authoritative book presents an engaging and accessible narrative account of the central developments in Western history. Seamlessly integrating coverage of social, cultural and political history, this book is presented in a flexible chronological organization, helping readers grasp the most significant developments that occurred during a single historical period, laying a useful foundation for the chapters to follow. Attempts to reflect the unprecedented impact of globalization on this century by featuring extensive coverage of popular culture, the relationship between Islam and the West, and the contribution of women in the history of Western Civilization. Some featured essay topics include ancient athletics, religious festivals, medieval games, diets, attitudes towards bathing, and the politics of rock music in the late 20th Century. Particular attention paid to women artists such as Artemisia Gentileschi, Rachel Ruysch, Elizabeth Vigee-Lebrun, Lady Butler, and Elizabeth Whiteread—through Art and the West essays. Great coverage of the experience of women in Western civilization, particularly new scholarship on women in the ancient world and the Middle Ages, during the scientific and industrial revolutions and under authoritarian governments of the twentieth century. Major sections on Islam and the Ottoman Empire cover topics such as the rise and decline of the Ottoman Empire from the 17th through the 20th centuries; Islam and the Enlightenment; Islam and the Romantic movement; Islam and Modernity; the French colonization of Algeria, from 1830-1962; Islamic immigration in the 20th-century Europe, and Islamic terrorism before and after September 11, 2001. For use by history career professionals.

      Customer Reviews:

      5 out of 5 stars Absolutely outstanding...if you have the time for it.......2007-07-27

      This was by far the most interesting history book that I have ever read. It is a brilliant amalgamation of facts, interesting analysis, maps, and historical documents that constantly touches on recurring themes throughout European History. I read it for the AP Euro class I took last year and, truthfully, it is the only thing you need to succeed on the essays of the AP test. However, all of the chapters are at least 30 pages long, with much material to comprehend and note-taking is necessary to remember much relevant information. If you have the time to put in to it, though, you will not regret slaving over this textbook.

      1 out of 5 stars Poorly edited.......2004-07-29

      This textbook is filled with misinformation, typos, and blatant grammatical errors. I hope professors stop requesting that students read this text. The only thing worse than the book is the compainion website. It has practice test questions that contradict the "real" test and quiz questions that they provide. If you take this course DL like I did, this really makes a big difference. I have spent the better half of the semester arguing for points from my professor (and winning) who apparently never bothered to read the tests or the text (I should get paid from him!!)
      One example, on a practice test, when you type in the name Pompey, a correct answer, it tells you that you are wrong because it is Pomey (there is no such Roman General)
      When you contact the publisher's website administrator, they tell you that you need to talk to your professor to get anything changed. That was two months ago, he nor they have done anything about it. I am not exagerating when I say that is one of at least 25 examples that I have noticed.

      Also, there is a lot of inconsistency in the writing styles of chapters. There is an overemphasis of women. Now, I am a women and I agree that we have been left out of history for way too long. This book has a section per chapter just reminding you how bad we had it throughout history. Chapter after chapter in the ancient and middle ages sections at least, women's lots did not change a lot. I think they could have just updated us when major advancements were made.

      4 out of 5 stars Great for AP Euro!.......2003-11-08

      I took AP Euro as a junior last year and actually really enjoyed this text. It was a lot better than the other book that had been used the previous year which was comprised almost completely of political history. The pictures are nice when you have a big chapter to read and the writing is simple to comprehend. The pitfalls of the book lie in the chapter on the French Revolution and it is obvioius that toward the end the deadline was coming up because numerous spelling errors and other typos were found throughout the final chapters. The formation of the E. U. and its development were almost not at all covered, but much of the material is excellent. In preparation for the AP test my class did not do very much in terms of information, but spent most of its time doing DBQ's and essays. I read the entire book cover to cover and did not even have to study for the AP test and recieved a five, so I highly reccomend this book but look somewhere else for the French Revolution or if you really want things structured in a strictly chronological formation.

      5 out of 5 stars Wonderful Overview of European History.......2003-04-15

      I am a junior in an AP European History class. My class uses two textbooks, one of which is Kagan's Western Heritage. The Kagan textbook is by far my favorite of the two textbooks to read. It is very interesting and thoroughly covers all the topics of European history, many of which are skipped in my other textbook. I am even considering buying the book so I can read the chapters my class skipped and keep it on hand as a reference. The order of the chapters is not at all difficult to follow as long as the reader has a basic knowledge of European History or looks at the timelines at the beginning of each section. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in Europe.

      2 out of 5 stars Too complicated........2002-09-27

      I am a freshman in high school, and this is my textbook in my AP European History class.

      The events depicted are often out of order, making it harder to understand the timeline. The writing seems inconsistent, sometimes short and understandable but often is long-winded and unclear. The authors of this book assume you have some knowledge of both of the geography in Europe and at least some knowledge of Europe's history already. In most of my fellow students' case, they assume wrong. If you do not already have some experience in studying Europe, then I would recommend searching for a different book.

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      1. Words of Wisdom: Daily Affirmations of Faith
      2. Zach's Lie
      3. Zebra In Lion Country: The Dean Of Small Cap Stocks Explains How To Invest In Small Rapidly Growin
      4. A History of Greece (Works in Ancient Philosophy)
      5. A History of the Twentieth Century: Volume 2, 1933-1951
      6. Advanced Social Psychology
      7. America Alone: The End of the World as We Know It
      8. America Alone: The End of the World as We Know It
      9. America Alone: The End of the World as We Know It
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