Book Description
The appearance, more than sixty years after the Spanish Civil War ended, of mass graves containing victims of Francisco Franco’s death squads finally broke what Spaniards call “the pact of forgetting”—the unwritten understanding that their recent, painful past was best left unexplored. At this charged moment, Giles Tremlett embarked on a journey around the country and through its history to discover why some of Europe’s most voluble people have kept silent so long.
Ghosts of Spain is the fascinating result of that journey. In elegant and passionate prose, Tremlett unveils the tinderbox of disagreements that mark the country today. Delving into such emotional questions as who caused the Civil War, why Basque terrorists kill, why Catalans hate Madrid, and whether the Islamist bombers who killed 190 people in 2004 dreamed of a return to Spain’s Moorish past, Tremlett finds the ghosts of the past everywhere. At the same time, he offers trenchant observations on more quotidian aspects of Spanish life today: the reasons, for example, Spaniards dislike authority figures, but are cowed by a doctor’s white coat, and how women have embraced feminism without men noticing.
Drawing on the author’s twenty years of experience living in Spain, Ghosts of Spain is a revelatory book about one of Europe’s most exciting countries.
Customer Reviews:
An outsider's insight.......2007-05-28
A British journalist who has lived 20 years in Spain, married and raising his 2 children in Madrid, the author investigates, reveals and muses upon Spanish culture, history and the forces of the "two Spains" as they come together, or rub against each other, in forming the modern Spanish world. A fascinating look at Spain, its subcultures from the Basques to the Catalans to flamenco to the Galicians, to drug culture to tourism and the very difficult and delicate process of choosing to forget the differences of the Spanish Civil War and Franco's regime in order to move forward in a country that was once the most powerful on earth.
I like Spain and its history. This is one of the very best insights into modern Spain. Highly recommended.
A Pale Secret.......2007-05-22
A liberal British newspaper reporter's hit and miss attempt at a book explaining Spain (his nearly adopted country) to us outsiders. Some hits (like how modern Spain handles the dark legacy of Franco) are offset by a number of misses.
Historical facts, or guesses as to historical facts, get thrown in as space fillers; events that catch Mr. Tremlett's fancy are highlighted, whether reflective of the whole Spanish society or not; the level of writing is often barely above that of a talented reporter on deadline. The final meandering chapter entitled "Moderns and Ruins", especially, cries out for editing.
Great book about a fascinating country.......2007-05-19
This is a great journalistic account of the social and political changes that have transformed Spain up to the present day. Tremlett discusses the country's past and present in fairly equal measure. He begins by looking at the legacies of the Spanish Civil War, discussing how only in the past decade has the full scale of the atrocities that took place come to light. He discusses how Spaniards whose relatives were killed by the Francoists have pushed in recent years for their relatives to be given decent burials. He also writes an interesting chapter on Franco's overall legacy, arguing that after his death and the country's transition to democracy he has been largely purged from public discourse. Despite this collective amnesia that he identifies, Tremlett points out that the same left-right cleavage that drove the war still lurks below the surface of Spanish society. The book also contains chapters on the Basque, Catalan, and Galician regions. Tremlett provides very insightful analysis of the origins of and main forces behind Basque and Catalan nationalism, while his chapter on Galicia details that region's emergence as a conduit for Columbian cocaine. One of my favorite chapters looked at gender relations in Spain, in which Tremlett provides some very amusing anecdotes that reveal contrasts between Spain and his native Britain. This chapter also discusses Tremlett's quest to understand the paradox of how a country can be so awash in brothels (which, he reports, 1/4 of Spanish men visited) yet relatively conservative in terms of the sexual mores of its people.
Other subjects covered here include Spain's emergence as a global tourism magnet (and the corruption that has often emerged alongside it) and the 2004 Madrid train bombing, which indirectly led to the defeat of the ruling party in the elections several days later. This was an interesting chapter, in which Tramlett looked at the ways in which the main parties tried to capitalize on this tragedy for political gain. Overall, I found Tremlett to be a very keen analyst of social and political relations, and there weren't really any weak chapters. For instance, I considered skipping a chapter on flamenco music, not being particularly interested in the musical form itself, but the chapter ended up including a fascinating discussion of the social history of Spain's gypsies.
Overall, I would heartily recommend this book to anybody interested in Spanish history, culture, and/or politics. I would NOT recommend it to those expecting more of a travel guide type of book; although Tremlett does visit and write evocatively about numerous regions, such descriptions are not the main substance of this book. If I had to make one minor criticism, it is that the chapters themselves were often not tightly organized. For example, the chapter on the Basques jumps from past to present and does not really follow any sort of structure. This wasn't really a problem for me, because Tremlett writes well and never bored me, but it might be a problem to some. Another minor complaint is that the book doesn't include a map, which might have been useful for readers like me who aren't intimately familiar with Spain's geography. Overall, though, I think that this is social and political journalism at its finest, and anybody wishing to learn more about this fascinating country could do worse than to start here!
Spain's a Fun Country to Visit.......2007-04-29
The first time tht I went to Spain the country was still under Franco. When getting off the plane, every arriving passenger was photographed. This set a tone that made you never forget where you were. Now going to Spain is like going to any other country. There is no problem going from one city to another. The people are friendly to Americans. The food, trains, hotels, highways are all good.
This book looks underneath these obvious outward trappings to the held over anguish from the Franco time. He also looks further backwards to the regional conflicts with Basque seperatists, and more recently to the Islamist bombers who killed 190 people using bomb attacks in 2004.
Spain remains a little bit different than the rest of Western Europe. Mr. Tremlett has lived in Spain for twenty years and has done an excellent job of bringing together the history and the current situation to explain the current country that is Spain.
The Real Spain.......2007-04-15
Giles Tremlett has written a highly readable, incisive portrait of Spain today--its problems and its pleasures. His presentation of the manner in which Spain has chosen to deal with the aftermath of Francisco Franco's death is particularly well written and revealing. He examines how the decades of dictatorship and brutal repression have been swept under the rug of collective consciousness by Spaniards choosing not to confront it or attempt to reconcile themselves with this difficult episode in their nation's history. The author's years of closely observing Spain, and reporting on its politics and culture for Britain's most respected newspaper, The Guardian, have given him a wonderful sense of both the large picture and the quotidian details, which do so much to bring this book to life.
Anyone wanting a sense of what today's Spain is all about will find it in these pages.
Average customer rating:
- The Hobo Philosopher
- Fantastic read
- Never Question Your Sanity ,,, It's not You
- .......not a secret anymore......
- A BRILLIANT BIOGRAPHY - WELL DONE!
|
The Last Lion: Winston Spencer Churchill, Visions of Glory
William Manchester
Manufacturer: Little, Brown and Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 Irish
| Ethnic & National
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Political
| Leaders & Notable People
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Churchill, Winston
| U.K. Prime Ministers
| Leaders & Notable People
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Churchill, Winston
| ( C )
| People, A-Z
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
General
| England
| Europe
| History
| Subjects
| Books
19th Century
| England
| Europe
| History
| Subjects
| Books
20th Century
| England
| Europe
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Ireland
| Europe
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
-
The Last Lion: Winston Spencer Churchill, Alone 1932-1940
-
American Caesar: Douglas MacArthur 1880 - 1964
-
The Wit & Wisdom of Winston Churchill
-
Never Give In!: The Best of Winston Churchill's Speeches
-
The Last Lion: Winston Spencer Churchill: Alone, 1932-1940
ASIN: 0316545031 |
Customer Reviews:
The Hobo Philosopher.......2007-09-21
This is William Manchester at his best. This is fascinating reading and fascinating writing. Of course Winston Churchill was quite a character but to be honest I didn't know that fact until I read this book and its companion volume.
After reading this book I put it to my mind that I would read everything that Manchester wrote. I've got a couple more to go. You can't miss with this purchase. A great story, great writing, and good history. What more could you ask for?
Fantastic read.......2007-06-18
I am a little half way through the book, but it already is one of the best books I have ever read. The book deserves all the accolade. Manchester's approach to biography is a little different from many others in that he did not shy away from coloring the narrative with events that were yet to occur. He always hinted the historical significance of events in light of what happened later. I find this extremely helpful. For example: Churchill's fascination with early airplanes, his conception of tanks when dealing with a domestic riot are just two examples. These illuminated Churchill was indeed ahead of his peers in recognizing important trends.
The buildup to WWI is masterful. The book weaves Churchill's struggle with the Irish Home rule question together with the naval arms race with Germany in 1913. Since we know WWI started in 1914, the realization that Churchill and the British government were struggling with a domestic problem (which surely was exploited by the German Kaiser) enhances our understanding of the immediate pre-war times.
I knew the old US of A was not a world player before WWI. This book adds to that impression. Until the outbreak of the war, the US is just not on Churhill's radar: it does not show up much in his writing, travel, and speech. Yes, he did a book tour in the US, but that was before he started his political career.
Can't wait to read the second half of the book.
Never Question Your Sanity ,,, It's not You.......2006-12-22
This book should be read (before, after or with) The End of the World as We Know It. The scenarios are almost interchangable.
.......not a secret anymore.............2006-12-11
Actually it is very sad to mention this blunder against humanity:
When the Ottoman Empire joined the Central Powers in October and November 1914, Britain's communications with India and the East via the Suez canal was immediately placed in jeopardy.
There was a secret agreement with Germany signed in August 1914 by the Young Turks that was troubling the Russians and taken as warning of the forthcoming trouble to The Tsar. The Russians regarded their Caucasian terrirories were also placed in jeopardy.
Consequently, the British and French, in order to protect their future `colonies' and bisect the `sick man of Europe', had to act forcefully. They opened another front in the South with the Gallipoli (1915) and Mesopotamian campaigns.
Anxious to score his first military encounter with `the enemy', Winston Churchill, in his capacity as Lord of Navy, prematurely urged a combined French and British naval incursion into Gallipoli. But the Turks were successful in repelling the British, French, and Australia and New Zealand Army Corps. and pushed their eventual withdrawal and evacuation.
((By contrast, in Mesopotamia - Iraq- after the disastrous Siege of Kut (1915-16), British Empire forces - mainly of Indian troops - reorganized and captured Baghdad (March 1917). Further to the west in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign, initial British failures were overcome when Jerusalem was captured in December 1917, and the Egyptian Expeditionary Force under Field Marshal Edmund Allenby, broke the Ottoman forces at the Battle of Megiddo in September 1918))
Russia, the protector of the Greek Orthothox Armenian population, sent her best troops in the Caucasus. The Turkish, Vice-Generalissimo Enver Pasha, supreme commander of the ex Ottoman Empire armed forces, was a very ambitious man. His aim and everpresent dream was to conquer central Asia. Enver Pasha, like Winston Churchill, was not a practical soldier. He launched an offensive with 100,000 soldiers against the Russians in the Caucasus in December of 1914.
His main enemy was the severe Weather conditions.
Insisting on a frontal attack against Russian positions in the mountains , Enver lost over 80% of his troops at the Battle of Sarikamis, in the heart of the tough winter season.
In 1917, Russian Grand Duke Nicholas assumed senior control over the Caucasus front. Nicholas tried to have a railway built from Russia (Georgia) to the conquered territories with a view to bringing up more supplies for a new offensive. But, in March of 1917 (February in the pre-revolutionary Russian calendar), the Czar was overthrown in the February Revolution and the Russian army began to slowly fall apart.
Hence, the protector of the Armenians was gone.
Winston Churchill blunder in Gallipoli, opened patched over wounds and re-ignited animosities between the Turks and their Armenian neighbors. In 1915, the Armenians were the victims of his cowardice. The Turks committed a HOLOCAUST against the Armenians that immediately started after WC debacle in Gallipolis.
The mass murder of the Armenians was indeed the first Holocaust of the twentieth century.
A BRILLIANT BIOGRAPHY - WELL DONE!.......2006-07-27
This is a brilliantly written biography of one of the most fascinating characters in history. Like most of Mnchester's work (I must admit to being a big fan), this is a very readable biography, well researched and holds the reader's interest from page to page. We see so much of Churchhill in his role as a WWII leader that we tend to forget there was a young man, living, learning and growing before the back and white films we see today. It is good to be reminded of this from time to time. It is also, for those interested, to learn how a world leader of Churchill's calibre came into being, how he developed and why he was the way he was. This work gives us great insight to those questions. Cannot recommend this work highly enough.
Amazon.com
For Whom the Bell Tolls begins and ends in a pine-scented forest, somewhere in Spain. The year is 1937 and the Spanish Civil War is in full swing. Robert Jordan, a demolitions expert attached to the International Brigades, lies "flat on the brown, pine-needled floor of the forest, his chin on his folded arms, and high overhead the wind blew in the tops of the pine trees." The sylvan setting, however, is at sharp odds with the reason Jordan is there: he has come to blow up a bridge on behalf of the antifascist guerrilla forces. He hopes he'll be able to rely on their local leader, Pablo, to help carry out the mission, but upon meeting him, Jordan has his doubts: "I don't like that sadness, he thought. That sadness is bad. That's the sadness they get before they quit or before they betray. That is the sadness that comes before the sell-out." For Pablo, it seems, has had enough of the war. He has amassed for himself a small herd of horses and wants only to stay quietly in the hills and attract as little attention as possible. Jordan's arrival--and his mission--have seriously alarmed him.
"I am tired of being hunted. Here we are all right. Now if you blow a bridge here, we will be hunted. If they know we are here and hunt for us with planes, they will find us. If they send Moors to hunt us out, they will find us and we must go. I am tired of all this. You hear?" He turned to Robert Jordan. "What right have you, a foreigner, to come to me and tell me what I must do?"
In one short chapter Hemingway lays out the blueprint for what is to come: Jordan's sense of duty versus Pablo's dangerous self-interest and weariness with the war. Complicating matters even more are two members of the guerrilla leader's small band: his "woman" Pilar, and Maria, a young woman whom Pablo rescued from a Republican prison train. Unlike her man, Pilar is still fiercely devoted to the cause and as Pablo's loyalty wanes, she becomes the moral center of the group. Soon Jordan finds himself caught between the two, even as his own resolve is tested by his growing feelings for Maria.
For Whom the Bell Tolls combines two of the author's recurring obsessions: war and personal honor. The pivotal battle scene involving El Sordo's last stand is a showcase for Hemingway's narrative powers, but the quieter, ongoing conflict within Robert Jordan as he struggles to fulfill his mission perhaps at the cost of his own life is a testament to his creator's psychological acuity. By turns brutal and compassionate, it is arguably Hemingway's most mature work and one of the best war novels of the 20th century. --Alix Wilber
Book Description
In 1937 Ernest Hemingway traveled to Spain to cover the civil war there for the North American Newspaper Alliance. Three years later he completed the greatest novel to emerge from "the good fight," For Whom the Bell Tolls. The story of Robert Jordan, a young American in the International Brigades attached to an antifascist guerilla unit in the mountains of Spain, it tells of loyalty and courage, love and defeat, and the tragic death of an ideal. In his portrayal of Jordan's love for the beautiful Maria and his superb account of El Sordo's last stand, in his brilliant travesty of La Pasionaria and his unwillingness to believe in blind faith, Hemingway surpasses his achievement in The Sun Also Rises and A Farewell to Arms to create a work at once rare and beautiful, strong and brutal, compassionate, moving, and wise. "If the function of a writer is to reveal reality," Maxwell Perkins wrote Hemingway after reading the manuscript, "no one ever so completely performed it." Greater in power, broader in scope, and more intensely emotional than any of the author's previous works, it stands as one of the best war novels of all time.
Download Description
In 1937 Ernest Hemingway traveled to Spain to cover the civil war there for the North American Newspaper Alliance. Three years later he completed the greatest novel to emerge from "the good fight," For Whom the Bell Tolls. The story of Robert Jordan, a young American in the International Brigades attached to an antifascist guerilla unit in the mountains of Spain, it tells of loyalty and courage, love and defeat, and the tragic death of an ideal. In his portrayal of Jordan's love for the beautiful Maria and his superb account of El Sordo's last stand, in his brilliant travesty of La Pasionaria and his unwillingness to believe in blind faith, Hemingway surpasses his achievement in The Sun Also Rises and A Farewell to Arms to create a work at once rare and beautiful, strong and brutal, compassionate, moving and wise. "If the function of a writer is to reveal reality," Maxwell Perkins wrote to Hemingway after reading the manuscript, "no one ever so completely performed it." Greater in power, broader in scope, and more intensely emotional than any of the author's previous works, it stands as one of the best war novels of all time.
Customer Reviews:
A classic - buy it........2007-09-25
I first read this about 40 years ago. I just re-purchased it. This is a classic novel.
Lazy and messy.......2007-09-06
The Spanish Civil War was surely the most brutal and tragic civil war of the twentieth century. It not only pitted Spaniard against Spaniard, but became a kind of bloody curtain-raiser for World War II, with Nazi Germany and Mussolini's Italy lining up on the side of Franco's insurgents and the USSR backing the embattled left-leaning Republic. (The Western democracies - who might have prevented Spain from going fascist - followed a pusillanimous "hands off" policy which only emboldened the insurgents and their supporters.) Into this vortex came many writers and intellectuals. They were to witness brutality, betrayals, great valour, the corruption of ideals, and the consequences of ruthless Realpolitik.
So with all that in mind, here's an interesting question. If you were an author trying to write the great Spanish Civil War novel, would you choose to (1) sequester your handful of characters up in the mountains away from the main action; (2) write 500 pages covering a mere three days during which time nobody has anything to do; and (3) make the central character non-Spanish?
500 pages about three days of waiting is the book's central problem. It turns the novel into the opposite of an epic. To have taken a canvas as sweeping as the three years of the Spanish Civil War and shrink it down to such a compass-point was an unfathomable decision on the author's part. From this self-inflicted literary ambush there is no escape for Hemingway: you either need excellent descriptive prose or superb psychological insight to carve a good story from such crooked timber, for, after all, what else is left to describe in such a situation save inner musings and the outer landscape?
The prose is the next problem. Much has been made of Hemingway's 'deceptively simple' writing style. However, I found it impossible to read "For Whom the Bells Tolls" without forming the impression that that his reputation for putatively well-masked complexity is itself the deception. Consider the following extracts [from the Vintage edition]:
A hole in a hillside is described as:
"both deep and profound"
[p. 444]
Characters exchange such dialogue as:
'Well, then. Oh, then. Oh, then. Oh.'
[p. 166]
'Maria.'
'Yes.'
'Maria.'
'Yes.'
'Maria.'
'Oh, yes. Please.'
[p. 272]
'But use thy head. Thou hast much head. Use it.'
[p. 444]
Which brings us to the Hemingway penchant for meaningless repetition:
"In an impossible situation you hang on until night to get away. You try to last out until night to get back in. You are all right, maybe, if you can stick it out until dark and then get back in."
[p. 174]
"So a woman like that Pilar practically pushed this girl into your sleeping bag and what happens? Yes, what happens? What happens? You tell me what happens, please. That is just what happens. That is exactly what happens."
[p. 175]
Followed by some impressive run-on rants as the author becomes completely carried away describing love scenes (How many women - even in the thirties - were seduced by being repeatedly called 'rabbit'?)
My favourite passage is when one of the characters reveals to Joaquín that la Pasionara has a son in Russia. Instead of naming the character, Hemingway chooses to write the following clanking line:
"'If we insult them a little?' the man who had spoken to Joaquín about la Pasionara's son in Russia asked."
[p. 324]
On and on it goes like this. For three days. In a cave. This book has now gone into the umpteenth printing and neither the spelling nor grammar have been corrected ("... the flakes was dropping diagonally ..." [p. 185]; "... and then brining it down ..." [p. 213]; "... the felling when the Inglés gave the order ..." [p. 380]; at one point André Marty is referred to as "Mary" [p. 437]).
So it needs to be said openly. Hemingway pundits who make excuses for this sort of thing have a lot of explaining to do: otherwise they are obliged to defend similarly poor writing when they find it outside the world of Nobel laureates.
Oh, Buttercup.......2007-08-30
I read this book a couple years ago and loved it. War, adventure, love, it's like The Princess Bride minus lighthearted fairytale-ness. I highly recommend it.
excelsior!.......2007-08-05
must be where Metallica got the song name from. Anyways this is one of but many authors that, like Nirvana singer Kurt Cobain decided to take the easy way out. In the meantime he penned this great literature that is a great book. I don't care what anybody says, the old man and the sea is boring and short and so with that I bid you good day and happy reading!
My first venture into Hemingway.......2007-08-03
This was my first time reading a book by Hemingway, and it was not all I had hoped for. The Spanish Civil War is one of my major interests (it was the subject of my undergraduate research thesis) and so I ordered this book with great anticipation. Unfortunately, I was not completely satisfied.
"For Whom the Bell Tolls" gives a great understanding of the personalities and characters of the Spanish people. It also is balanced in the sense that it shows that atrocities were committed by both sides.
However, my main complaint with the book is that it seems like nothing happens. It is not until probably the last 100 pages or so that action begins to take place. (Granted, there were many instances during the Spanish Civil War where the lines were at a standstill and nothing DID happen, so perhaps in that sense it is quite accurate). But despite how much Hemingway tries to build up to the destruction of the bridge, it's not exciting by the time you actually get to that point.
The other thing that irritated me (and this is just as a Spanish speaker) was that the dialogue is written as though it was literally translated word-for-word from Spanish conversation rather than translated for meaning. For example, the dialogue reads, "That he comes soon," ("que venga pronto") instead of, "I hope he comes soon," or "He better come soon." It just makes the dialogue awkward and unnatural.
Despite my complaints, I will not let this be my only reading of Hemingway and I will try out something else of his in the near future.
Amazon.com
"I wonder what is the appropriate first action when you come from a country at war and set foot on peaceful soil. Mine was to rush to the tobacco-kiosk and buy as many cigars and cigarettes as I could stuff into my pockets." Most war correspondents observe wars and then tell stories about the battles, the soldiers and the civilians. George Orwell--novelist, journalist, sometime socialist--actually traded his press pass for a uniform and fought against Franco's Fascists in the Spanish Civil War during 1936 and 1937. He put his politics and his formidable conscience to the toughest tests during those days in the trenches in the Catalan section of Spain. Then, after nearly getting killed, he went back to England and wrote a gripping account of his experiences, as well as a complex analysis of the political machinations that led to the defeat of the socialist Republicans and the victory of the Fascists.
Book Description
In 1936 Orwell went to Spain to report on the Civil War and instead joined the fight against the Fascists. This famous account describes the war and Orwell’s experiences. Introduction by Lionel Trilling.
Customer Reviews:
Against the war... any kind of war........2007-08-13
Maybe the best plea against _any_ type of war. I recommend it strongly to everyone.
Unattractive topic made surprisingly interesting.......2007-07-18
George Orwell must be an excellent writer because, in all honesty, I wasn't overwhelmingly interested in reading about the Spanish Civil War. Nevertheless, I really, really liked this book.
Understanding the history behind the war isn't a necessity, but I definitely recommend bringing yourself up to speed via wikipedia before starting. That way, Orwell's personal recollections, which are the meat of the book, will be more relevant to you.
Orwell presents a refreshingly honest account of the war and his own evolving take on it. Spain's resulting chaos is a prescient warning for those who take too passionately and seriously partisan politics. Orwell shows that it never takes too long before ideals are thrown out the window to be replaced by the centuries repeated same old quest for power.
I recommend this book to anyone interested in the Spanish Civil War, human nature's struggle for power, or Orwell's insightful, often humorous observations.
George Orwell's interesting memoir of his experiences in the Spanish Civil War.......2007-05-23
"Homage to Catalonia" is a memoir of George Orwell's experiences during the Spanish Civil War. A committed socialist, Orwell was right in the thick of the action fighting on the side of the doomed Republic.
The book is at its best when it gives Orwell's first-hand account of life as a soldier, but is less compelling when he attempts to explain the complicated Republican politics, rivally, and in-fighting of the time.
Orwell's socialist politics also seem rather naive these days, given what has happened in the intervening 70 years.
Interesting for its personal insights, but read Anthony Beevor's great book for a comprehensive history of the Spanish Civil War.
Revolution & Politics: A Must-Read.......2007-02-19
George Orwell was one of the century's most honest, decent, and lucid writers about the human element in warfare and poltical revolution. His antitotalitarian novels "Animal Farm" and "1984," which made him famous, grew partly from his acute understanding of the events of World War II and partly from his personal experiences as a Loyalist volunteer in the Spanish Civil War, which is the subject of "Homage to Catalonia."
Orwell was a Marxist-Leninist in the 1930s, sufficiently committed to risk his own life in battle to help bring about a people's revolution in Spain. This memoir, written in 1937-38 while the war was still on, records how his idealism was battered by the cynical, pro-USSR politics he saw betray the Marxist ideal on the one hand, and the irreducible practicality of most ordinary people that makes it an impossible dream on the other. In the process, Orwell's contempt for the low standards of news-media accuracy only increased. Fans of Fox and CNN, take note.
By 1947 Orwell, the Marxist idealist, had become convinced that despite all their shortcomings and failures, the liberal Western democracies had developed the best form of political governance yet possible. Since the 1930s, one might observe, a leavening of socialist thought in these nations has brought about societies that are closer to Marx's egalitarian goals than the inflexible, authoritarian regimes that he directly inspired. The good intentions of "people's revolutions" are sure to be betrayed by the most ruthless leaders and factions they create. For every socioeconomic wrong they correct, such revolutions inevitably create many more of their own, totalitarian control and denial of due process being among the worst.
"Homage to Catalonia," written at the moment of Orwell's complete break with the Leninist variety of Marxism, is a model of fair-minded reporting. Anyone interested in the Spanish Civil War, the '30s, revolutionary politics, or even "For Whom the Bell Tolls," should read this book.
As somebody else mentioned, the fine recent movie "Land and Freedom" takes its inspiration from Orwell's book and ought to be watched in conjunction with it. Though fitted out with an imaginary love story, it is completely faithful to Orwell's spirit in "Homage to Catalonia."
Compulsively readable..........2007-02-16
As with most everything Orwell, this book will not have you leafing ahead impatiently to find out if and when things get good. If there is one book you read on the Spanish Civil War (and I bet it will be only one), this should be it.
Customer Reviews:
MyShelf.com Book Reviewer.......2003-02-09
Joan Schulze's talent is breathtaking. She seems to magically transform simple textile materials into breathing, talking works of art.
She takes her love for the time-honored tradition of quilting to new, modern-day heights and creates priceless masterpieces. In The Art of Joan Shulze, readers will have the opportunity to view some of her most spectacular works which project such rich, vibrant colors that they seem to leap off the pages.
As an added bonus, the author has included some original stories to enhance her memorable work and essays by well-known artists, celebrating Ms. Schulze's achievements. Fans world-wide should put this book on their to-buy list. It will become a treasured keepsake, worthy of being passed down to future generations.
Customer Reviews:
Brilliantly Written European History - 1932 to 1940.......2007-09-16
The Last Lion, Alone covers the history of Europe from the time Hitler first came to power in Germany to the time that Hitler invaded the Low Countries and World War II began. During this period Churchill, who continually fought against the appeasement policies of Chamberlain, rose from Back Bench irrelevance to become Brittan's Prime Minister.
The history of this period is a gripping saga of one man's malicious attempt to dominate Europe and another man's noble efforts to stop him - a classical case of good vs evil - told as an almost unbelievable story in the words of a master story teller.
Grab a bottle of Scotch and have at this book!.......2007-07-03
William Manchester informs and entertains in this excellent historical account of the critical years leading up to WWII, juxtaposing the appeasement practices of predecessors Baldwin and Chamberlain with the unwavering belief in the principles of freedom held by Churchill. The book (along with Manchester's first volume) gives terrific insight into the transition from the glory days of the British Empire to the Post WWI apathy that beset the British public. As well, the work provides delightful commentary on the characters surrounding Churhill's life including his colorful mother Jennie, his wife Clementine and his nemesis Adolf Hitler.
Churchill was begging...........2006-10-06
After the fall of France in June 1940, Winston Churchill was begging USA President Roosevelt for military aid (in fact, all sorts of support was then needed) as no one knew what would the 'fate' of the French fleet was going to be.
Churchill kept reminding the American president that Britain would not surrender even if left alone.
Churchill was defiant despite the fact that the two 'key' American ambassadors, in France and Great Britain, were pro Hitler (or at least they were not anti-Nazi).
Joseph Kennedy (USA Ambassador to GB) openly cautioned his fellow Americans against entering the war because the 'allies' would soon be beaten.
However, I would have liked to see more comments about the position and reaction of the king - king George VI.
Was he indifferent?
We should remember that Hitler had been addressing the King as the man whom the British Government circles have loathed, and as the only 'hope' for a reconciliation between the Third Reich and GB.
In this context it is true that Churchill was indeed ALONE
absolutely a delight to read.......2006-01-26
I was adrift when I finished this volume.
grasping at pathetic things to read for a while - nothing satisfied - Manchester can set the stage, his historical background is so rich that you'll find yourself spouting about it to your friends.
You'll learn more from this book than a two semester course in 20th century history.
Churchill himself is the lead player in a panapoly of exciting elements. But manchester never lets the reader forget the place in history - the man was a masterful writer.
solitary courage.......2005-12-29
No better profile of Churchill 1932-40 exists. Whetted with acrimony and disdain, Churchill is ultimately proved right (and his real task commences).
This is a work of the first order. `The Last Lion' (1874-1932) is also worthy.
Gilbert (worth reading) pales in comparison.
Amazon.com
Rosemary and Peter Grant and those assisting them have spend twenty years on Daphne Major, an island in the Galapagos studying natural selection. They recognize each individual bird on the island, when there are four hundred at the time of the author's visit, or when there are over a thousand. They have observed about twenty generations of finches -- continuously.
Jonathan Weiner follows these scientists as they watch Darwin's finches and come up with a new understanding of life itself.
Book Description
Winner of the Pulitzer Prize
On a desert island in the heart of the Galapagos archipelago, where Darwin received his first inklings of the theory of evolution, two scientists, Peter and Rosemary Grant, have spent twenty years proving that Darwin did not know the strength of his own theory. For among the finches of Daphne Major, natural selection is neither rare nor slow: it is taking place by the hour, and we can watch.
In this dramatic story of groundbreaking scientific research, Jonathan Weiner follows these scientists as they watch Darwin's finches and come up with a new understanding of life itself.
The Beak of the Finch is an elegantly written and compelling masterpiece of theory and explication in the tradition of Stephen Jay Gould.
Customer Reviews:
The Beak of the Finch.......2007-07-16
Brilliant writing and organization shows that evolution can occur in as short a time frame as two years. Never boring. The non-scientist will find this book of our changing world a good read.
Wonderful science and a great narrative.......2007-04-14
"Beak" is perhaps the best popular book on evolution between Darwin and Dawkins.
Thoughtful, educated persons must know certain facts about the physical world. One of those facts is evolution. Evolution happens, it is not "just a theory."
As the author explains through the story of the work of Peter and Rosemary Grant, we can see natural selection operate in real time, season by season, in fish, birds, bacteria, and throughout the natural world. The explanation of evolution may be somewhat more open to debate but you can't participate meaningfully in the debate without being armed with some facts.
Don't bring a knife to an intellectual gunfight. Arm yourselves.
One of the Best Books on Nature.......2007-02-22
I have read much on evolution, and the evolution controversy in (primarily) the United States. This book does a wonderful job of demonstrating how scientists, right now, are recording and observing natural selection in action. Before I read this book I was not aware of how much information we really have about evolution and natural selection occurring in "the wild" on an everday basis. This book provides thorough mathematical evidence and predictive models of how natural selection changes the morphology of Darwin's Finches on the Galapogos Islands. It interleaves that story with a decent primer on evolution and snippets of other, similar research, going on right now too.
For example, it describes some fasicinating experiments conducted showing how quickly natural selection will change the color of Amazonian guppies based solely on the color of the rocks in the pools in which the guppies live, and the frequency of predation. It is amazing. As I read more about evolution, I see that rates of evolution vary widely. Evolution operating slowly (over 1000's or millions of years) is pretty obvious. This book provides a window into the amazing world of "rapid" evolution.
The best part about it is that it is as much a journalistic endeavor as a well-written book. This is NOT a polemic about why evolution is better than other ideas. This book simply reports the facts. If you don't understand evolution or believe it can be true after reading this book, then you aren't really trying to understand.
Finally, this book deserves the awards and accolades. It is well-written, well-researched, and well-organized. I don't give many books five stars, but this one is worth it. I would recommend it for anyone: scientists, kids, and just people interested in learning and fascinated by the world around us.
Excellent quality -- arrived in good time.......2007-02-10
The book is in excellent shape, and it arrived in a timely fashion.
Beyond Darwin.......2007-01-19
If you're only slightly interested in the ways the evolution works, then this is it. But beware to have some knowledge about the basics of evolution before moving on to this book. There's a bit of a steep learning curve when you're not all to familiair with Darwin's brilliant theory. It also gives a nice insight in the way scientists work.
Book Description
Claudio Bravo is one of the world's greatest hyperrealist painters, but such a label is too simple and insufficient for his dramatic, enigmatic work. He is known for his use of color, which seems to become more extravagant with the passage of time, and the increasingly mysterious arrangement of objects in his photo-perfect still lifes.Arranged in more or less chronological order, this newly updated volume traces Bravo's four decades of painting and drawing. The book also includes a catalogue raisonné, lists of exhibitions and collections, and bibliography, making it an invaluable resource for scholars as well as a highly readable profile of a remarkable man. "Bravo's paintings combine the precision of hyperrealism with the lush texture of a centuries-old classic, leaving one to ponder how, say, a rendering of a goat-each strand of hair taken into account-can mirror reality so acutely and, at the same time, transcend it." -New York Times Book Review
Customer Reviews:
one of the best artbook i have..........2007-06-06
wow! this is everything you want in an artwork...namely, tons of art! in an era where i have a feeling a lot of artists couldn't draw their way out of a paper bag, claudio bravo is here to remind us what real art actually looks like. a subperb draftsman who can draw as good as any of the old masters, and an excellent painter as well who pays attention to light and color and texture. save up for this one if you have to, but get it if you like realism at its best or are a fan of brillant still life paintings.
Don't buy this book if you have the first one........2006-07-10
Had I known that the book would be a complete repeat of his last book I would not have purchasted it. Only a few new paintings. I was extreemly dissapointed. The publersher should be ashamed of this product.
Worth its weight!.......2006-02-24
Claudio Bravo's expanded tome is packed with decades worth of his catholic (note: small "c") version of realism. In their pureness of representation and presentation objects presented often elide with the ideal and the abstract. See for yourself, just look at the painting of wool yarns shown on the dust cover.
One cannot help but come away with the feeling that Bravo's sense of color and compositional taste are spot on!
A Generous Feast for Lovers of Realism.......2005-12-04
Representational art - observing and painting what is actually seen by the artist - remains the constant in the fluctuating trends and movements in art history. There are times when realist painting is praised and times when it is loathed as passé and static. But in the hands of its masters, and Claudio Bravo the Chilean artist painting in Tangiers is certainly one of them, it is a zenith of creativity.
This lavishly illustrated book is a visual delight, including the inordinately beautiful drawings seldom seen in addition to the paintings of figures, of still lifes, of color and light and intensity as few others can imitate. As with all representational artists Bravo has his champions and his detractors, some viewers finding his work from lewd to boring while others stand in awe of the painters amazing gifts of incorporating light and mood where few other artists tread.
The accompanying written essays are interesting to a degree but hardly inform about Bravo's craft while speculating about his life. Even in the hands of brilliant writer Paul Bowles there is little to learn about painting beyond the author-drawn similarities of expatriate creative lives. Recommended for lovers of beauty. Grady Harp, December 05
Claudio Bravo, perfection on canvas.......2004-11-02
I can still remember the very day I first saw Bravo's work, it was through this book and since then there has been no other artist that has moved me to such an extent. Being an artist myself, I am in awe at his control over his medium, he is surpassed by no other. One thing I love about his work is the fact that he has distinguished himself from the all other realists and the trends therein which are rather predictable. His still lifes are a breath of fresh air, departing from the usual ho-hum, I agree fully with Adam Narcross' exclamation regarding Bravo's still lifes,"...His are the only ones I thought worth a damn". From figurative to landscape, pencil to paint and all in between, his work carries a solidity and tangibility scarcely found elsewhere. He gives the viewer a feast for the eyes, orchestrating the details and emphasizing the overall form in such an impeccable way as to hide all evidence of the hours and hours of toil and effort by human hands, camouflaging complexity in the mist of beauty. He paints from his Home studio and utilizes the glow of Mediterranean sunlight to the advantage of the work. In his work, Light and Color dominate, giving the viewer a sense that he is actually there in Tangier as a guest in Bravo's very home, like a glorified Vermeer. Unfortunately, I have never seen his originals, but the books that available are truly the next best thing, I was lucky and was able to order this one for roughly $80 and should be getting it Nov. 2004, until then I'll keep on checking it out at the library...I bet they can't wait to finally get their book back so someone else can see it for a change!
Book Description
A fresh and acclaimed account of the Spanish Civil War by the bestselling author of Stalingrad and The Fall Of Berlin 1945
To mark the 70th anniversary of the Spanish Civil War's outbreak, Antony Beevor has written a completely updated and revised account of one of the most bitter and hard-fought wars of the twentieth century. With new material gleaned from the Russian archives and numerous other sources, this brisk and accessible book (Spain's #1 bestseller for twelve weeks), provides a balanced and penetrating perspective, explaining the tensions that led to this terrible overture to World War II and affording new insights into the war—its causes, course, and consequences.
Customer Reviews:
España: An economic miracle in today's Europe!.......2007-10-01
Interested in understanding today's western world? this might be the book to start the quest... A miracle in Europe, no doubt, España didn't turn around its economy by just watching, but by huge ammounts of work and sacrifice. El Generalisimo Francisco Franco might have been the smartest leader in those days in Europe... perhaps he knew how to wait...
Just the Facts.......2007-09-13
I bought this book because I felt the need to learn something about the background to Rebecca Pawel's novels. Now I understand something of the genesis of brutal hatred between the two halves of the Spanish population of 1940. Truly in this war everyone's ideals were betrayed.
One complaint. A map of the historic regions of Spain would have made sense of the constant references to Aragon, Estremadura, etc.
Detailed examination of the Spanish Civil War.......2007-07-08
Antony Beevor again undertakes a highly researched, detailed and thorough examination of the highly complex Spanish Civil War. Worth buying for anyone with an interest or for those students of history.
Dress Rehearsal.......2007-06-04
This is a fine, well-balanced study of the Spanish Civil War; its origins, the military course of the conflict, the developments on both the Nationalist and Republican sides, and the War's immediate aftermath.
Whatever the outcome of the War might have been, it would have been (and was) a disaster for the country, and it is fundamental to an understanding of Spain's place in modern Europe.
I do not think that the author takes side or neglects either: he is critical of both, adopting a realist approach about the character of Republican Spain rather than a romantic one. This book contains no rose-tinted view of the type of Spain that might have emerged in the event of a Republican victory.
The Spanish Civil War was important as it cast a reflection on wider European politics of the time: the rise of fascist power, the caution and fear of the USSR, and the cynicism of the British. No country shines brightly in this. Indeed, one can understand Churchill's concerns about how readily the British ruling classes might have cooperated with German invaders after studying their reactions to events in Spain.
The most famous work on the Spanish Civil War is perhaps Hugh Thomas's huge tome. Beevor's book is about half as long and has been updated recently. So, although Thomas's work is still well worth a read, Beevor's book might be more manageable.
G Rodgers
Good-but the Bias shows through.......2007-05-22
While this is a generally commendable book, and pulls a great amount of information from 1st hand accounts, scrutinized histories, and analysis of new archival information, Beevor lets slip an occasional anti-Traditionalist bias. He seems to accept that digging up corpses and desecrating graves was an acceptable practice, and that much of what the left did was necessary to "modernize" devotional Catholics.
I am not convinced that devotional religious people are backwards, nor do they need modernizing. Much of the Carlist response to the blasphemies of the left, and eventually Franco's taking up traditional Catholicism seems to be a logical and justified response to a violent assault on religion.
Still the book is very good, needs another edit if it goes into another publication, and could use better maps. Completely useful, if one takes note of the slight bias of the author.
Amazon.com
In America, when somebody does you wrong, you take 'em to court. W. R. Grace and Beatrice Foods had been dumping a cancer-causing industrial solvent into the water table of Woburn, Massachusetts, for years; in 1981, the families of eight leukemia victims sued. However, A Civil Action demonstrates powerfully that--even with the families' hotshot lawyers and the evidence on their side--justice is elusive, particularly when it involves malfeasance by megacorporations. Much of the legal infighting can cause the eyes to glaze. But the story is saved by great characters: the flawed, flamboyant Jan Schlichtmann and his group of bulldogs for the prosecution; Jerome Facher, the enigmatic lawyer for Beatrice, who proves to be more than a match; John J. Riley, the duplicitous, porcine tannery owner; and a host of others. It's impossible not to feel the drama of this methodical book, impossible not to grieve for the parents who lost children, and impossible not to share Schlichtmann's desperation as he runs out of money. A Civil Action reads like one long advertisement for a few well-placed Molotov cocktails. (But that wouldn't make for a very long book, now would it?)
Amazon.com Audiobook Review
Every element of great drama--tragic deaths, titanic greed, a flawed hero--already existed in Jonathan Harr's A Civil Action. John Shea's reading provides the finishing touch: a great voice. Shea, an Obie Award-winning stage actor, is probably best known for his roles in a handful of films in the '80s, including Missing and Windy City. His smooth, disciplined reading guides us through some of the book's heavy traffic--lots of medical information, many characters with complex backgrounds, multiple carcinogenic chemicals--without for a second allowing us to get lost in those details. We never forget we're heading toward one of modern journalism's great clashes of good and evil, and even if we know in advance which side wins, the narrative path to that conclusion is always riveting. (Running time: 4 hours, 4 cassettes) --Lou Schuler
Book Description
"The legal thriller of the decade." --Cleveland Plain Dealer
Now a Major Motion Picture!
In this true story of an epic courtroom showdown, two of the nation's largest corporations stand accused of causing the deaths of children. Representing the bereaved parents, the unlikeliest of heroes emerges: a young, flamboyant Porsche-driving lawyer who hopes to win millions of dollars and ends up nearly losing everything, including his sanity. A searing, compelling tale of a legal system gone awry--one in which greed and power fight an unending struggle against justice--
A Civil Action is also the story of how one determined man can ultimately make a difference. With an unstoppable narrative power, it is an unforgettable reading experience.
Customer Reviews:
A Must Read.......2007-10-16
We ride the roller coaster that attorney Jan Schlictmann is on in pursuit of justice for the families of Woburn Massachsetts who sue a megacorporation because they developed leukimia from unknowingly living in an area contaminated by toxic pollution.
I particularly liked this book because it is the best account of what it is like to be civil trial attorney handling large cases. The book has deservedly one numerous accolades. Not only is the book a page turner, but is gives those thinking of entering law school a look into the often very messy business of being a lawyer. Can a case really last years and years and years? Is the truth really that hard to discover for your client? Do lawyers really have to do go through all of this? A must read for anyone thinking about law school. Even if you have no connection to the law, you will find this book is one of the best you will ever read.
A compelling story; mediocre literature.......2007-09-28
First, I don't think this book is for everyone. I think the difference between this book and those written by someone like John Grisham illustrates the reason. Although Grisham's books are also mediocre literature, the nuances of his books aren't lost on the average reader. The things that give Grisham's books there suspense are easy for nearly everyone to understand; a book like The Firm is a case in point. Conversely, the suspense and frustrations which are inherent in "A Civil Action" are the products of rules of civil procedure which the average reader simply won't understand. For those not voiced in such legal themes at least on an elementary level the source of the suspense must be taken at the author's word.
To be sure, the true story captured in this book is compelling; contamination of a city's water supply and the likeliness that the contamination caused a whole litany of health problems for that city's residents is a story that will do more than peak your interest. However, the guts of this book focuses mostly on the head lawyer for the victims. Jan Schlichtmann isn't exactly the type of character you find yourself rooting for (he's arrogant, greedy, and loves the spotlight). Further, this book focuses mostly on how Schlichtmann managed to screw up. The most emotion-invoking feature of the book is the ever present conflict between Schlichtmann and Judge Skinner. Again, this conflict is imbedded with underlying legal themes which makes the story not completely approachable.
I was torn between giving this book three or four stars. For the law students out there it will probable be an enjoyable read. However, I think this book deserves three stars in the end. As popular literature it is okay; nothing to write home about. Further, in keeping with the modern style, the author presents his readers with nothing virtuous to take home with them... no idea, or principle, or thought that will inspire the readers in the course of their lives. Perhaps I shouldn't expect as much, and particularly not from a piece of popular fiction such as this. Nevertheless, there are too many other good books out there. Take this one on a plane with you; if you don't finish it by the time your trip ends don't worry about it.
A Civil Action.......2007-05-30
ISBN 0679772677 - A true story, A Civil Action is the story of several families in Woburn, Massachusetts, who find their children - and themselves - suffering health problems apparently caused by the dumping of chemicals by two companies. The Riley Tannery (a subsidiary of Beatrice Foods) and W.R. Grace are accused of negligently, even knowingly, contaminating the groundwater in east Woburn by dumping toxins. Young children are the first and most obvious group to become sick, dying of leukemia in numbers that defy statistics. Their case is handed off from firm to firm until it finds a home in the heart of personal injury lawyer Jan Schilchtmann.
Told repeatedly that the case is bound to become a money-sucking wreck, Jan pours everything he's got into winning it, driving himself to bankruptcy and his law firm to the brink and beyond. As one of early the "ambulance chasers", Jan's used to settling most cases before they wind up in court, but he somehow manages to avoid every good opportunity to get out with his shirt still on. Facing off against high-priced lawyers who have very deep pockets behind them, he and his firm stand little chance of winning even a portion of what their clients want - and what they want is more apology than cash.
Author Harr followed Schlichtmann and his team for a good portion of the story, and I felt a bit sorry for the author. It seems glaringly obvious where the fault lies (which, quite honestly, could be because of the way Harr wrote it), and the outcome seems inevitable: Grace and Beatrice will end up forking over large amounts of cash to the families and have to admit wrongdoing. When it doesn't go that way, Harr's probably too far invested in the story to put it aside. I say this because the books seems to be building to the obvious conclusion... and then sort of peters out, ending with a whimper. A fascinating, and appalling, story that really does not make a good "story" - but is so well researched and told that it rises above the strangely incomplete ending.
Because it IS a true story, the reader should assume that there are two sides to most stories but several people come out looking like they deserve their own little corner of hell. Judge Skinner, for what seems like flagrant disinterest in the law OR common sense; Anne Anderson and the Zona family, for making it about money when they swore it wasn't and the sheer nerve of suing a guy who has taken on a case for them that no one else wanted to touch and lost everything in the process. There are others, and the case seems to be still alive in some ways, with reviewers posting strange diatribes about people who weren't even mentioned in the book (Ken Grant, for one).
Worth reading, but the suggestion that you should read it like a novel, which I've seen in other reviews, might leave you vaguely disappointed - this is real life, and the fairytale ending that a novel would have doesn't exist.
This copy includes a 1996 Afterword, which does help make up a little bit for the ending which, as I said, seems to just peter out.
A Civil Action.......2007-03-17
Was required by a law class to read this...but actually found it very enjoyable and easy to read. It flows like a fictional novel.
A Legal Thriller of the sadest kind, a true story.......2006-12-02
A Civil Action is a legal thriller born of profound human tragedy. Without a doubt, A Civil Action is compelling and sets up a good case scenario where ordinary folks are caught up between tragedy and justice. The behind-the-scene look at the law, its players, and victims revealed some sad truths about the practice of law in the face of obvious corporate wrongdoing.
Books:
- Grace (Eventually): Thoughts on Faith
- Hegemony or Survival: America's Quest for Global Dominance (American Empire Project)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- New Trading Systems and Methods
- Final Confessions of NFL Assassin Jack Tatum
- Capital, the State and Labour: A Global Perspective
- Blueprint for Immortality
- Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds
- History: Fiction or Science
- Electron Microscopy I: 5th Asia-Pacific Electron Microscopy Conference : Beijing, China, 2-6 August
- Dress Smart: A Guide To Effective Personal Packaging
- Accounting for the New Business: The Strategies and Practices You Need to Account for Your Success
- 1999 Vermont Business Directory: The Ultimate Sales and Credit Tool
The Battle for Spain: The Spanish Civil War 1936-1939
The New Spaniards, 2nd Edition
Iberia
Paris: The Secret History
Once Upon a Country: A Palestinian Life
