Book Description
From the best-selling author of Black Hawk Down comes a riveting, definitive chronicle of the Iran hostage crisis, America's first battle with militant Islam. On November 4, 1979, a group of radical Islamist students, inspired by the revolutionary Iranian leader Ayatollah Khomeini, stormed the U.S. embassy in Tehran. They took fifty-two Americans hostage, and kept nearly all of them hostage for 444 days.
In Guests of the Ayatollah, Mark Bowden tells this sweeping story through the eyes of the hostages, the soldiers in a new special forces unit sent to free them, their radical, naïve captors, and the diplomats working to end the crisis. Bowden takes us inside the hostages' cells and inside the Oval Office for meetings with President Carter and his exhausted team. We travel to international capitals where shadowy figures held clandestine negotiations, and to the deserts of Iran, where a courageous, desperate attempt to rescue the hostages exploded into tragic failure. Bowden dedicated five years to this research, including numerous trips to Iran and countless interviews with those involved on both sides.
Guests of the Ayatollah is a detailed, brilliantly re-created, and suspenseful account of a crisis that gripped and ultimately changed the world.
Customer Reviews:
The First "War On Terror" (or should have been)........2007-09-28
This book provides an excellent explanation of the crisis, which partly cost Jimmy Carter the election and where America should have conducted its first "War On Terror" (perhaps, that would have dealt with the current "president" of Iran and the others with him sooner, rather than later, and he wouldn't have come to the U.S.). True, the U.S. shouldn't have let the Shah in, but it wasn't right for the "students", including the current "president" of Iran to take people hostage. I applaud all those who stood up to these thugs, and Bowden gives great detail. He also provides excellent notes and descriptions of what happened to the hostages, after their release. I have my own thoughts about what should have happened, after our people arrived safely in the U.S., but I won't go into them here. Suffice it to say that if anyone wants to understand why we are having the troubles we are with Iran, read this. I wouldn't have wanted to have been in former President Carter's position. I think it was a betrayal, after what the hostages went through, that the U.S., in the succeeding administration, did "deals" with these people, and admitting this "terrorist thug" [Ahmenejad] into our country recently; a former hostage taker, but this is an example how our political system works. [Sometimes, we're our own worst enemy.] Anyway, an important book.
War on Terror.......2007-09-20
The author is correct in his use of the term "inapt" for the phrase "war on terror." It was indeed inapt prior to 9/11 and certainly was not in use in 1979. But it's appropriate use since 9/11 means that finally after nearly 30 years we are taking the threat seriously and have finally begun to wage this necessary war.
Good book, heavily biased.......2007-09-14
An excellent blow by blow account of the Iranian hostage crisis. Bowden's bias knocks a star off. He basically sides with the hostage takers--describing them as just a bunch of goofy misguided kids engaged in mere horseplay. The hostages weren't tortued and beaten that bad, and plus they "mistakenly" referred to their captors as "ragheads." How ignorant! Perhaps Bowden thinks they should have stayed there a little longer just to make up for such transgressions?
In an attempt to make Jimmy Carter look competent, he wisely spends little time on the President's futile attempts to resolve the crisis--keeping the focus on the hostages themselves. But it's still a factual account--and the facts don't lie; Carter was a horrible negotiator. It was only a year into the crisis he figured out what "contingency" meant. Bowden's sly parallel of Ronald Reagan with the Ayatollah at the end of the book is also not lost.
Well-written and thought-provoking.......2007-09-06
What more could there be to say about a crisis that happened a quarter century ago? As it turns out, there are some very important things to say about it, and Mark Bowden's masterful history of that crisis says them.
First, this is an absolutely first-rate "you are there" account of what the American hostages went through as Iran descended into chaos and near madness after the ouster of the shah. You will literally feel their anger, fear, and depression, and you will feel their pride when they can defy or denigrate their captors, even fleetingly. However, you will feel the smugness and religious certainty of their captors, too. Make no mistake: Bowden clearly sees the American diplomats as victims of an outrageous act; there is no moral relativity here.
Second, the book is thought-provoking in ways I didn't expect. The ostensible trigger for the crisis was the decision by the US to admit the shah to this country for treatment of the cancer that would eventually kill him. However, that decision was sold to President Carter by his Secretary of State, Cyrus Vance, who in turn was sold on it by Henry Kissinger and David Rockefeller. As the years roll on, it's interesting how many disastrous US foreign policy decisions come back to Kissinger.
Further, the CIA was no better then at understanding and predicting events in the Islamic world than they are now. Shortly before the crisis erupted, the agency reported that the religious radicals would soon be relegated to the background there, so the US could deal with an emerging secular state with confidence. In reality, the country degenerated into a hurricane of religious nuttiness that soon swept aside all of the secular leaders. Quite literally, no one at all was really in charge of anything in Iran, and that's the reason the crisis dragged on for over a year.
This brings us to the role of President Carter. Nearly everyone felt at the time that he was too weak and vacillating to resolve the crisis. Not so; he tirelessly attempted to find a way to deal with the situation, but every attempt failed when the connection at the Iranian end fell apart. No one could have done much more, which is why presidential candidate Ronald Reagan continually criticized Carter, but never offered a word of explanation about what he would do.
The failed rescue attempt was blamed on Carter, too, but as Bowden makes clear, it had little chance of succeeding, mostly because the equipment available at the time was inadequate, and the situation was impossible. Even if Delta Force had made it to Tehran, it's likely that most or all of the hostages and rescuers would have died in the operation. Carter and the troops deserve credit for daring the attempt, even in the face of near-certain failure.
This book is must reading as the authoritative account of the first battle in the war with the "Islamofascists." And it's worth reading as a rich account of the courage that the hostages and their would-be rescuers displayed in very trying circumstances.
Excellent telling of the Iran Hostage Crisis.......2007-07-10
For those interested in history and especially the history of the relationship between Iran and the U.S., this book is essential. This book is well written, fine storytelling, and appropriately detailed without belaboring the point. Probably the best one source history of the hostage crisis. Some may find it a little too charitable to President Carter, but it appears to be a fair portrayal.
Book Description
During the Second World War, six million Jews--as well as other targeted groups such as Gypsies, Poles, the handicapped, and homosexuals--were systematically murdered by Adolf Hitlers Nazis and their collaborators. The Holocaust Chronicle, written and fact-checked by top scholars, recounts the long, complex, anguishing story of the most terrible crime of the 20th century. A massive, oversized hardcover of more than 750 pages, The Holocaust Chronicle: A History in Words and Pictures is an excitingly unique, not for-profit endeavor that is a personal project of the publisher, Louis Weber, C.E.O. of Chicago-based Publications International, Ltd. As a book publisher, I am in a unique position to create this ambitious project, Weber says. The son of Polish Jews who settled in America in the 1920s, Weber conceived The Holocaust Chronicle in order to give something back to the Jewish community, and to bring the truth of the Holocaust to as many people as possible. The mission of The Holocaust Chronicle is to report the facts, clearly and free of bias or agenda. Featured are more than 2000 photographs selected after intensive research in the collections of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. and Yad Vashem in Jerusalem, as well as other archives and private collections located around the world. Many of these images are in full color and most are published in book form for the first time. The photographs chronicle the Holocaust in starkly visual terms, capturing victims and perpetrators alike, as well as Allied leaders and the multitude of peripheral figures. Caption-text is detailed, and rich with facts and human interest. The books 3000-item timeline of Holocaust-related events is unprecedented in its scope and ambition. Spanning the years 1000 B.C. to 1999 A.D., the timeline pinpoints deportations, atrocities, and important developments in the Nazis Final Solution, as well as individual acts of cruelty, compassion, and heroic Jewish resistance. Illustrated chapter-opener essays place the most important years of the Holocaust and its immediate aftermath, 1933-1946, into sharp perspective. Nearly 300 sidebars detail significant people, places, issues, and events. More than 30 full-color, specially commissioned maps show the reader where events took place.
The sentiments and hatreds that gave rise to the Holocaust were not confined to the 12 years of Adolf Hitlers Thousand-Year Reich. The books illustrated prologue surveys the antisemitism that was expressed over many centuries in Europe as bloody pogroms, exclusionary laws, and other persecution. The illustrated epilogue documents the long, painful healing process that has lasted for generations and may never be completed.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent Book on The Holocaust.......2007-04-12
They say, "a picture is worth a thousand words." But sometimes you need to put words into context to understand the picture. This encyclopedia does just that: It chronicles the history of the Holocaust from beginning to end, providing literally hundreds of pictures with detailed commentary. Several scholars and historians paid their contributions to this project, making it a very comprehensive book. What you will find inside may very well change your views on humanity.
The authors will take you on a journey to examine one of History's darkest events. And while you may wonder how a "civilized" society could possibly be capable and willing of committing such heinous crimes, the authors do offer some explanations. A brief history of anti-Semitism is outlined and its links to the Third Reich are pointed out to explain the roots of the Holocaust. The slaughter of the Gypsies, Jehovah Witnesses, homosexuals, mentally ill and others are also documented, including the controversies surrounding the Vatican, in which the authors objectively cite both defenders and critics of Pius XII and the Catholic Church, leaving the reader to form his or her own opinion. From the rise of Hitler to the aftermath of the Final Solution, this book covers it all.
Anyone looking for a complete, yet introductory study on the Holocaust should pick up this book. Although it is massive in size, don't be intimidated; most pages are filled with pictures. I must warn, however, that many of the pictures are very explicit, and personally, I would not recommend anyone under 14 to view them. But aside from that, this book is very well put together and it will inform you as much as it will shock you. I highly recommend it.
The Holocaust Chronicle.......2007-02-16
Excellent source of information. My 16 year old granddaughter is studying the Holocaust in school this year and she has a younger sister and brother that will find this helpful at a later date. I feel so strongly that this period of our history should never be forgotten, so I am pleased to leave this book out for anyone to pick up while visiting me.
The enabling preconditions, actual events and aftermath of the Holocaust........2006-09-13
Three books in one: A detailed 1) history, 2)timeline and 3)personal vignettes that create a rich hologram-like view of the enabling preconditions, actual events and aftermath of the Genocide of the Jews of Europe at the hands of the Nazis.
Back in July of this year, I wrote a review of Ellie Wiesel's "Night," a new edition that had been translated by his own daughter. This small book captured the essence of one man's subjective experience with the subject of this much larger effort, contributed to by dozens of historians and scholars and published by a non-profit organization. This is not a `sit down and read a book today' publication. Each of it's 750 richly illustrated pages are packed with personal stories about individual people, a detailed on-going time-line, detailed with specific events beginning in 1500 BCE (The modern Jewish term for "BC", standing for "Before the Common Era."), and passing through the establishment of the State of Israel and into the late 1990's, and a continuous narrative history of more details than most people have ever imagined were available in the telling of this particularly horrific tale of humanity gone wrong. There is, in fact, so much information, that each page calls for a slow overview, and then at least several readings to capture the totality of what is being presented. It is a book to which ongoing time must be devoted to really appreciate what it gives us: As Dragnet's Sgt. Joe Friday would have said, "Nothing but the facts."
The Preconditions:
Through hundreds of historical, scholarly, organizational and literary references, this book makes it clear that without certain preconditions having been developing in European (and, indeed, in world-wide) culture for many centuries, Hitler could never of orchestrated what in the Jewish Community is referred to as the Sho'ah. Ascribing Germany's readiness to follow their fascist leader and his cronies into the annihilation of about six-million Jews as well as millions of Catholics, Gypsies, Jehovah's Witnesses, physically handicapped and mentally ill people, homosexuals and others to the aftermath of Versailles is shown to be a gross over-simplification. Anti Semitism (not always known by that now well-known name) had existed across the face of much of the globe for many centuries. The realities across the world, indeed including here in our own United States, were active contributors to creating the preconditions that allowed the Holocaust to happen. Impressive in this particular book is that unlike so many others, the authors painstakingly provide documentary evidence and facts that support this and other key concepts. As is the case with the other two parallel tracks of this volume, the actual events of the Holocaust itself and the aftermath, the preconditions are examined and documented through all three of the `tracks' of this book: The narrative history, the timeline and the individual storied and personal vignettes.
The Event Itself:
The Holocaust itself - the trail leading up to the actualization of what was referred to, privately amongst the Nazi leadership, as the "Final Solution?" - and their ultimate efforts to completely eliminate Jewry from the face of the parts of the world they controlled are carefully documented as well. This is the part of the story best known to modern audiences, but is given here a context far more comprehensive than what has been attempted before - and it is all written in non-technical terms that make the massive information it contains available to most people who 1) can read, 2) are interested in the subject, and 3) are willing to spend the appreciable time it takes to go through and absorb the rather massive amount of information contained in these pages. The events of planful, deliberate genocide are not and can not be fully separated from the preconditions described both earlier in the book and periodically referred to as the timeline progresses.
No one is held harmless. From the Nazis themselves, to the many nations of the Earth, including our own, that denied sanctuary via more open immigration policies in the late 1930's when it became undeniably clear what the goals and activities of Hitler's regime was.
The Aftermath:
This section of the book concerns itself with what happened as a result of the genocide, both in the short run and continuing into modern times. The establishment of the State of Israel, the multiple issues associated with that; the Germany of the post-war era, both as a modern economic force as well as the bearer of so much of the responsibility for one of mankind's darkest hours, the relationships of the Catholic Church and of the American government to the past, present and future of humanity: None of these escape the attention of the authors and compilers of this impressive, comprehensive and engaging book.
Suffice it to say that this review only scratches the surface of the material covered and the depths to which it is articulated in this volume. I make no apologies for being relatively brief. If you have the interest and the time, this is one of those handful of published works that just might change your life. It is simply not possible to have so much revealed, in so many forms at so many levels, and not be somehow reshaped by the experience.
The most reader-friendly and clearest description of one of humanities greatest calamities I have ever read. I think you will agree.
A Crying Shame...And A Constant Reminder!.......2006-06-10
As a child who lived in the Chicago housing projects prior to moving to Germany I became lost for words as I turned the pages of one of the most moving books I've ever experienced. Places I've seen as a playful child running across the country side now become surreal in my mind as I think about the innocent lives that were slaughtered on that same ground. And now that I've observed the photographs of my Jewish brothers and sisters in this book "The Holocaust Chronicle" some things will never be the same for me. I also believe that you will view life differently after you've read this book.
For one this book describes the ghetto's of Europe during the Holocaust using pictures and words that one would never imagine. It has so much depth and meaning even in the words that it is quite amazing. For instance the word "ghetto" (which in the United States has become a word referencing the slums where poor Americans live) will no longer have the same meaning for me as it use to. Some call the Housing Projects that I came from in Chicago a ghetto...but this is a poor, poor use of the word now that I've observed the ghettos of Europe during the Holocaust. Read the book and you'll see exactly what I mean.
The Holocaust Chronicle is an excellent resource for virtually anything you would like to know about this event in history. This book should instantly become a part of all libraries in every community, private and personal.
Having lived in Germany for nearly 5 years as a lad I've alway's considered myself quite a history buff especially concerning military affairs since my father spent his whole life serving the U.S. Army. But I must say this amazing book proves that I am very ignorant of what went on from 1933-1946. The humiliation, the physical and mental anguish, even the use of art and symbols were all reconstructed to try to destroy the Jew but thank God they were delivered from the hands of their enemies. Although this book does not turn its face away from death but sometimes deals with it head on it still contains with in it the hope of deliverance, the determination of faith and the triumph of those who suffer persecution.
I have now done much diligence to understand this part of history so that I can connect with other human beings on this planet in a way that is respectful. I must say Louis Weber the publisher and all the contributing Authors and Consultants who poured their hearts and souls into the development of "The Holocaust Chronicle" deserve much credit.
Although there is much suffering between these pages the details within this book give us great understanding. It helps us all to realize, respect and appreciate why we should be committed to never allow this to happen again regardless of our religious beliefs, cultural, racial or ethnic background. As you turn the pages you will be exposed to the criminals but at the same time you will find yourself rejoicing when heroic men and women went beyond what their government would not give them the authority to do. Please hurry up and get this book, read it today and share your ideas with others as I dedicate this review to my Jewish mother Anita Gold.
Your Servant,
Deremiah, *CPE
Nothing short of extraordinary........2006-03-11
This book is massive! It is far larger than any of my college texts. Yet, every one of the nearly 800 pages is poignant and necessary. This easy-to-read chronicle of one of the most incomprehensible tragedies in all of history is extremely well-written in prose that is eloquent and yet still quite succinct. Nearly each page contains photographs that display different perspectives on the Holocaust, each one helping to comprise the complete picture of the atrocities which took place. On many pages there are more photographs than words, and each one truly tells its own story. In reading this chronicle and studying the photographs you will experience a range of emotions you never would have believed you were capable of experiencing. It is true that we can never feel how the concentration camp prisoners felt; we can never know the starvation, the death, the oppression that they and others affected by the Holocaust knew all too well--but the Holocaust chronicle brings us perhaps one step closer than we've ever been to understanding this world of unthinkable brutality and suffering.
Book Description
Paul Thompson's
The Terror Timeline offers a complete and thorough history of the many roads that converged on 9/11, including the development of Islamic fundamentalism, the activities of bin Laden and al-Qaeda, and the failures of U.S. investigations and counterterrorism efforts. It traces the actions (and inactions) of every important figure in the war on terror, both before and after 9/11, bringing them together in a volume that offers a comprehensive and provocative look at this complex subject. Packed with little-known facts and disturbing questions,
The Terror Timeline is the first complete reference guide to the events of 9/11 and the war on terror -- the definitive primer on the most momentous issue of our times.
Customer Reviews:
Not That Great...Save Your Money.......2007-07-28
I originally purchased this book as a reference for my dissertation. It only takes the reading of a few pages to realize that this is anything but an unbiased look at the events leading up to the tragic events of September 11, 2001. The author's obvious hatred of the Bush administration is evident after only reading a few pages and what is being touted as "scholarly research" is nothing more than a bunch of newspaper and magazine articles formed into a book. This doesn't make the work scholarly, it makes the author lazy. The author himself, in the acknowledgement section, even admits he had "volunteers" help him write portions of the book. If you really want to know what terrorism is about, without the political spin, I recommend "The Age of Sacred Terror" by Daniel Benjamin and Steven Simon or "Voices of Terror" by Walter Laqueur. "The Age of Sacred Terror" will give any real scholar of terrorism a much greater insight into the history of terrorism and how that leads to what happened on 9/11. "Voices of Terror" is a great collection of writings by the most notorious terror organizations like Al Qaeda and Hamas and this too will give great insight into the thinking of the leaders of such organizations. Both offer a more unbiased look at terrorism and its relationship to 9/11. If you are doing any type of research and you are planning to use this book---save your money.
The terror Timeline.......2007-07-03
Item arrived quickly and in great condition. My husband is enjoying reading it. Thank you.
Detailed, accessible, and exhaustively researched.......2007-03-14
Thompson's masterful research project has birthed a resource of immense value to those desirous of an accurate history of the 9/11 tragedy. Each bit of information is followed immediately by its source, and there are nearly 600 pages of relevant documentation in this volume. Thompson's book is, as advertised, comprehensive and thought-provoking. You will not be carrying it in your shirt pocket, but you will want to page through several sections of the book every week, in order to understand the enormity both of 9/11 and of the curious and catastrophic U.S. responses to it.
A 9/11 Study Must.......2007-01-21
For anyone interested in performing an in-depth study of the heinous 9/11 attacks on our nation and our hearts, this book is an absolutely essential starting forum. One can easily surmise the heart-felt dedication of this author and the learning of the basic structure of evil of those who planned, financed and forced this on our country. I highly recommend this book.
Terror Timeline .......2007-01-04
This a great book to use as reference and is laid out in a manner that even a person that does not keep up with the International news can understand and follow. The writer does not give his own ideas and thoughts, he only uses content from other magazines and news publishers. Probably one of the best books I have ever read in regards to the 911 attack, and one that everyone should read and be able to form their own opinion in regards to 911 and our government.
Average customer rating:
- Fabulous book!!
- Great Buy!
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America's Century
DK Publishing
Manufacturer: DK ADULT
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 General
| 20th Century
| United States
| Americas
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| United States
| Americas
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Americas
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Reference
| Historical Study
| History
| Subjects
| Books
20th Century
| World
| History
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0789453398 |
Amazon.com
"America irate over Lusitania sinking" (May 1915). "Americans and Russians meet at Elbe" (April 1945). "U.S. goes on the offensive in Vietnam" (December 1965). "U.S. launches cruise missiles" (August 1998). America's Century tells the history of the belligerent 20th century in the form of modern newspaper articles. Though at times it seems that the 20th century was constantly racked by war, the entries in this weighty tome cover everything from military history, political changes, and scientific discoveries to cultural milestones and obituary notices. For example, headlines from 1967 include "Vince Lombardi's Packers defeat Kansas City in first Super Bowl," "Detroit race riot worst in U.S. history," "3 astronauts burn to death on launching pad in Apollo tragedy," and "Ali stripped of title for resisting draft."
This lavishly illustrated book covers much of the same ground as The 20th Century Day by Day, but focuses specifically on the American experience. In addition to the now familiar newspaper format, the century has been divided up into three major periods, each of which is introduced with a brief overview. Perfect for browsing, it is difficult to put down--not surprising, when each turn of the page reveals gems such as "Trouble ahead: Casey Jones wrecks train, saves passengers" (April 1900), "Lucky Lindy hops over the Atlantic" (May 1927), "Radio Martian landing terrifies Americans" (October 1938), "Americans are in space" (July 1961), "Reagan aims high with space shield idea" (March 1983), and "California okays marijuana" (November 1996). There are even photos from the worldwide celebrations on December 31, 1999. America's Century is a beautiful book that will thrill any history buff. --Sunny Delaney
Book Description
Over 1000 vintage and contemporary American photographs tell the story of our nation.
Here's a book that takes advantage of the unique perspective offered by the new century. 1,300 photographs and illustrations, along with newspaper-style articles, tell the story of the nation's rise to world leadership. In addition to economic and democratic prowess, America's Century reveals achievements in the arts, popular culture and sports. This comprehensive volume revisits the events that shaped a nation's consciousness, from the Great Depression to the moon landing, from the civil unrest of the sixties to the booming economy of the nineties. This fascinating look at the last 100 years of America's journey will entertain and amaze.
Customer Reviews:
Fabulous book!!.......2002-01-28
I grabbed this book off the shelf at the library and have had to continuously return to check it out again and again, and again. I'm finally going to buy it.
The book's "chapters" are divided up by year, going chronologically from 1900 to 2000. Each year has newspaper articles and photos of events, styles, sports, politics, etc. It does a great job of re-creating the excitement of the times. It also puts certain things into perspective. For example, being born in the 70's, I had a hard time really understanding why racism was so prevelent. I was able to read about Jackie Robinson and other significant turning points--such as the first black actor on Broadway. I still find it difficult to believe how we could be so racist just a short time ago.
It's really riveting to read and see the events each year and how things change. Some inventions don't seem important at the time but turn out to be huge.
This book is a real page turner, but due to how it is divided up, can easily be something you slowly savor over the long-haul.
I strongly encourage you to pick up a copy and experience history, one news story at a time.
Great Buy!.......2001-02-05
This is such a gorgeous book! I bought it as a birthday gift for my dad and was so impressed I went out and got one for my collection. Great pictures and a great buy!
Average customer rating:
- Delightful reading
- Delightful reading
- Must Read for Anyone Interested in Am. in the 20th Century
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A Century Of Women: The Most Influential Events in Twentieth-Century Women's History
Deborah Felder
Manufacturer: Citadel
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
20th Century
| World
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Women in History
| World
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Sociology
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Marriage & Family
| Sociology
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Social Groups
| Sociology
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Women's Studies
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
History
| Women's Studies
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 1559724854 |
Customer Reviews:
Delightful reading.......2001-10-04
This book is a delight to read, both for the breadth of events included and for the writing itself. Some events are clearly important - such as the founding of the ILGWU - others are less well-known, such as the passing of the Sheppard-Towner Act, the first federally funded health program. Ms Felder's dry wit lightens some topics, like the history of the bra and the premiere of Ozzie and Harriet, but she keeps her focus on the deeper significance. Events are chronological, so you can read straight through or browse -- and enjoy the photos and art too.
Delightful reading.......2001-10-04
This book is a delight to read, both for the breadth of events included and for the writing itself. Some events are clearly important - such as the founding of the ILGWU - others are less well-known, such as the passing of the Sheppard-Towner Act, the first federally funded health program. Ms Felder's dry wit lightens some topics, like the history of the bra and the premiere of Ozzie and Harriet, but she keeps her focus on the deeper significance. Events are chronological, so you can read straight through or browse -- and enjoy the photos and art too.
Must Read for Anyone Interested in Am. in the 20th Century.......2000-09-22
This is a truly impressive performance that synthesizes an amazing amount of information to highlight the crucial developments women made in America in the 20th century and the factors that affected not just women but all of us. Impressively researched and gracefully written, the book is a must, particularly for mothers to give their daughters and vice versa.
Well done, Ms. Felder, and keep up the good work.
Amazon.com
At the dawn of the 20th century, a man named L. Frank Baum had just written a story about a magical land called Oz, and the Wright brothers had made the first powered flight. On the eve of the 21st century, the world is connected via the Internet, and the Spice Girls mingle with Nelson Mandela. In the intervening years the world has undergone countless dramatic changes and discoveries. Written with children in mind, this unusual, compelling volume fills in as many of the gaps as possible, revealing in journalistic articles the events that altered the course of history. Headlines from "Australia Gains Its Independence" to "Prague Is Invaded" to "King Dies, but Dream Lives On" add a sense of immediacy to past events. This comprehensive historical resource uses photos, time line panels, and special features (the Russian Revolution, the Roaring Twenties, the Great Depression, the Space Race, etc.) to unfold, year by year, the century's triumphs and defeats. In caption-style quotations interwoven throughout, children reveal their hopes for the future and memories of the past.
Beautifully designed and thoroughly researched, this big history book is a far cry from the textbooks of elementary school. Granted, it doesn't delve deeply into any one subject, but it touches thoughtfully on thousands of important topics, giving a sweeping overview of the 20th century's events, people, places, trends, and inventions. With more than 3,500 photographs and lively, dramatic writing, this addictive book truly brings history to life. (Ages 9 and older) --Emilie Coulter
Book Description
This lavishly illustrated, chronologically organized reference gives children an unparalleled overview of this most eventful of centuries. Features include sections on the U.S. government, sports, music, movies, and theater, plus an introduction in which children give their thoughts on the century behind and the millennium ahead.
Customer Reviews:
Good & enjoyable overview of the 20th Century.......2005-08-31
I bought this book for my 13yo son as a supplement to his 8th grade history. He ended up reading almost the whole book the first day it arrived, even though I planned to use it for several weeks. Since then, he has reread several sections, and really enjoys it.
There is a lot of information in this book (as might be expected from a DK book.) Each year has at least a 2 page spread with lots of pictures and around 4 short articles. (These articles are interesting enough that not only my 11 & 13yo sons have read them, but I also was quite interested by many of them.) In addition, there is a short box at the bottom of the pages for the year with short headlines for other important events of the year, in medicine, sports, politics, entertainment, etc. Many years have 4-6 pages dedicated to them, instead of only 2.
There are also introductory pages with features like what children of the past thought the late 20th/early 21st century would be like, what modern day children think are the best and worst things about the past century, children's thoughts and hopes for the 21st century, etc.
Overall, this book is an excellent starting point for any child or teen wanting to know more about the 20th century. It is even a pretty good starting point for adults. (Teens and adults will want to find more books or other sources to learn more about their favorite eras/topics, however.)
An excellent history of modern times for young readers........2000-07-14
Ages 8 and older will appreciate Children's History Of The 20thCentury, a fine reference which deserves ongoing recommendation as anexcellent history of modern times. Bright contemporary color photos blend with a timeline of 20th century leaders, events, and history in an exceptional coverage.
Lively and Entertaining.......1999-10-22
This is a beautifully designed book and will take readers on a lively and entertaining journey through the 20th century's events. Details are scant, but the photos make for a scrapbook effect. If you enjoy this book, then you should also look at Larry Dane Brimner's millennium book, The Official M&M's Book of the Millennium, which explains how we got to this point in time.
Customer Reviews:
Not great..........2007-01-22
I'm using this book in a 10th grade general global history survey course. The actual text is easy to understand, but the problem is that the writing style gives no sense of which events were extremely important and which ones were less so, instead putting them all in the same long, boring paragraphs. Also, I'm no grammar expert, but I feel like it's very badly proofread and there are awkward phrasings/typos. It does include all the information though, so if used alongside a book of promary sources it would probably be okay. My teacher decided to use it for the information on Japan, but instead of the WW II section, we used Brinton's "A History of Civilization", which does a much better job of presenting the causes/events leading up to the war.
Book Description
Benjamin Franklin conceived of it. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle endorsed it. Winston Churchill campaigned for it. Kaiser Wilhelm first employed it. Woodrow Wilson and Franklin Roosevelt went to war with it, and more recently the United States fought an energy crisis with it. For several months every year, for better or worse, daylight savings time affects vast numbers of people throughout the world. And from Ben Franklin’s era to today, its story has been an intriguing and sometimes-bizarre amalgam of colorful personalities and serious technical issues, purported costs and perceived benefits, conflicts between interest groups and government policymakers. It impacts diverse and unexpected areas, including agricultural practices, street crime, the reporting of sports scores, traffic accidents, the inheritance rights of twins, and voter turnout. Illustrated with a popular look at science and history, Seize the Daylight presents an intriguing and surprisingly entertaining story of our attempt to regulate the sunlight hours.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent History of DST.......2007-02-17
This book really opened my eyes to the story of "Daylight Saving Time".
It was a fast read and I recommend it to anyone who is involved in DST.
:)
Highly recommended.
As informative as it is interesting.......2007-02-12
I grew up hearing as an explanation for Daylight Saving Time that it was "good for the farmers." It turns out that this is a widespread misconception, and it also turns out not to be true: farmers have in fact historically opposed the adoption or expansion of DST because of the inconveniences it imposes on them. Another childhood illusion put to bed, if decades late.
Since 1986 the U.S. has observed DST from the first Sunday of April to the last Sunday of October. Beginning in 2007, DST is to be expanded by three weeks (in accordance with the Energy Policy Act of 2005). It will now begin on the second Sunday of March and extend until the first Sunday of November. Given this change I figured it was high time for me to find out what Daylight Saving Time is all about.
I review below David Prerau's Seize the Daylight: The Curious and Contentious Story of Daylight Saving Time. It's the first of two DST-related books that have been weighing down my TBR shelves. Both books were published in 2005--the idea of exploring DST apparently being very much in the air in the first years of the new millennium.
---
Benjamin Franklin proposed in 1784, when he was serving as the American minister to France, that Parisians conserve energy--in the form of candle wax and tallow--by changing their habits, rising with the sun rather than sleeping in with their shutters closed against the daylight. The idea never caught on, and it is at any rate impractical as it would depend on the alteration of individual habits on a large scale for it to have any chance of working for a community. Over a hundred years later, in 1905, a certain William Willett devised an alternative plan for increasing the number of usable daylight hours during England's summer months. His plan, what we now call Daylight Saving Time, called for setting the nation's clocks forward in the spring (he initially imagined the time being changed in 20-minute increments on each of four successive Sundays) and back in the fall, thus not relying on people to alter their sleep patterns on an individual basis. His idea didn't catch on either, at least not immediately. In his book Seize the Daylight: The Curious and Contentious Story of Daylight Saving Time author David Prerau, who has coauthored government reports on the effects of DST, traces the complex history of DST from Willett's tireless campaigning on behalf of its adoption to the modern era. Prerau also provides a chapter on the two artificial adjustments to natural sun time that men adopted prior to the introduction of DST. (Mean solar time was adopted starting in the late 18th century. It differs from apparent solar time in that the length of a day is a constant throughout the year rather than depending on the amount of daylight in any given day, which varies throughout the year. The second artificial adjustment was standard time, adopted in the late 19th century, which is when a single mean time is recognized over a large area.)
The history of DST has been, as Prerau's subtitle asserts, a highly contentious one, the case for and against its adoption taken up over the years by a variety of special interest groups--the railroads, theater operators, purveyors of sporting goods, golfers and farmers and concerned parents and religious purists. Political cartoonist jumped to portray its inconveniences. Presidents and prime ministers came to recognize its merits as an economizing measure. And scientists and astronomers were divided on the question of implementing it. The editors of the scientific journal Nature, for example, ridiculed DST early on by equating the time change with the artificial elevation of thermometer readings in the winter:
"'It would be more reasonable to change the readings of a thermometer at a particular season than to alter the time shown on the clock, which is another scientific instrument.' They wondered if perhaps another bill would be proposed 'to increase the readings of thermometers by ten degrees during the winter months, so that 32F shall be 42F. One temperature can be called another just as easily as 2 A.M. can be expressed as 3 A.M.; but the change of name in neither case causes a change of condition.'"
It's surprising just how many people have had an axe to grind one way or another on the DST issue.
The implementation of DST was neither a quick affair nor a straightforward one. Initially adopted in the U.S. during World War I, for example, it was repealed in 1919, retained in pockets of the country between the Wars, adopted again and expanded during Wold War II, and repealed again by Truman after the War. It remained in use by local option in the decades following, and wasn't adopted as national law until 1966. Even now its implementation is not entirely regular, as certain states and territories have opted not to observe DST. In short, the history of Daylight Saving Time is a confusing mess. Transforming the complex story of its adoption in the U.S. and England and elsewhere in the world into a readable narrative is a great accomplishment.
Prerau's book is packed with information, some of which certainly surprised me. I'd had no idea, for example, that it was standard as late as the 19th century for communities to determine their time locally, so that the time from town to town would vary by minutes depending on how the communities were situated from one another longitudinally.
"As long as travel and communications were relatively slow, it didn't much matter that, for instance, in the United States when it was 12:00 noon in Chicago it was 12:31 in Pittsburgh, 12:24 in Cleveland, 12:17 in Toledo, 12:13 in Cincinnati, 12:09 in Louisville, 12:07 in Indianapolis, 11:50 in St. Louis, 11:48 in Dubuque, 11:39 in St. Paul, and 11:27 in Omaha. The relaxed pace of travel, the lack of instant communications, the inherent inaccuracy of contemporary clocks, and the less frantic pace of life all made minor time variations unimportant."
What a strange world our great-grandparents inhabited.
Prerau sometimes errs on the side of including too many details in his book, but for the most part the story he tells is fascinating, and the book well written. Seize the Daylight is a nice example of a type of book that I particularly enjoy, one that is as informative as it is interesting to read, one that sheds light on a convention or invention that quietly informs our daily lives but which few of us bother to investigate on our own. Seize the Daylight definitely rewards the reading.
Debra Hamel -- author of Trying Neaira: The True Story of a Courtesan's Scandalous Life in Ancient Greece (Yale University Press, 2003)
Timely Topic.......2006-02-23
Prerau has done a fine job chronicling the history of DST. Every reader is certain to find something here he didn't know (Example: Having been overseas 1973-75, I was completely unaware that the U.S. had ever experienced a period of year-round DST!) I'd prefer he had spent more time exploring the available evidence of DST's "advantages" and "disadvantages," which he comes to rather late in the book.
New legislation in 2005 will extend the period of Daylight Saving Time in the U.S. considerably, so this topic is "timely" in more ways than one. Whether you love or hate DST, this book provides a useful foundation of history and fact as the controversy bubbles on.
A Detailed Review of an Interesting Subject.......2005-08-12
I never realized that Daylight Saving Time (DST) had such a controversial and turbulent history. I believe that the author has done an excellent job in detailing DST's evolution, often in excruciating detail, right up to the current, yet still fluctuating, situation. The writing is clear and engaging making the book very easy to read. The book also contains many caricatures that were published over the years clearly expressing people's views on this most contentious issue. I highly recommended this book to anyone, especially those interested in recent history. The fact that this subject has recently made the news makes this book very timely.
A grudging five stars.......2005-08-05
This is a very well-written book that thoroughly details the history behind timekeeping, as society evolved from each city observing local "sun time" (high noon = sun at highest point in the sky) and the increasing need for synchronization brought on by the industrial revolution and advancing technology such as railroads and telegraphs. Beginning with Benjamin Franklin and William Willett, various arguments are advanced for the idea of moving the clock forward in the summertime in order to cause society to be more active during morning daylight, in order to reduce the need for artificial lighting. This practice is haphazardly observed by various countries until WWI and WWII illustrate the practical utility of the idea. In the US, daylight saving time (DST) is haphazardly implemented, until legislation eventually standardizes the observance in the 1960's.
The reason that I give a "grudging" five stars is that I still personally disagree with DST. Biological circadian rythms do not easily go backward, and I believe that one day research will describe the deleterious effects (sleepy drivers, morning heart attacks, reduced productivity in schools and workplaces, etc.) that can be directly traced to disrupted biological rythms that take weeks or months to recover from the artificially disrupted schedule. These effects, when fully identified, may more than fully counteract any marginal beneficial economic advantage from energy conservation. If DST is such a good idea let's move the time zones one hour forward and then leave them there rather than shift back and forth twice a year. This book does not even address the issue of circadiam rhythyms, except for a one-sentence mention on the second to last page. A full evaluation of DST must include this important factor, as anyone who drags out of bed for weeks after "spring forward" day, sipping cup after cup of coffee just to awaken, can personally attest.
Book Description
The Black Washingtonians
THE ANACOSTIA MUSEUM ILLUSTRATED CHRONOLOGY
A history of African American life in our nation's capital, in words and pictures
From the Smithsonian Institution's renowned Anacostia Museum and Center for African American History and Culture comes this elegantly illustrated, beautifully written, fact-filled history of the African Americans who have lived, worked, struggled, prospered, suffered, and built a vibrant community in Washington, D.C.
This striking volume puts the resources of the world's finest museum of African American history at your fingertips. Its hundreds of photographs, period illustrations, and documents from the world-famous collections at the Anacostia and other Smithsonian museums take you on a fascinating journey through time from the early eighteenth century to the present.
Featuring a thoughtful foreword by Eleanor Holmes Norton and an afterword by Howard University's E. Ethelbert Miller, The Black Washingtonians introduces you to a host of African American men and women who have made the city what it is today and explores their achievements in politics, business, education, religion, sports, entertainment, and the arts.
Customer Reviews:
Beautiful Compilation.......2006-01-13
I was raised in Washington, DC so this book is particularly close to my heart. It chronicles more than 300 years of black history in the nation's capital. From stories about slavery to the March on Washington, DC has a strong and varied African American history. It is arranged chronologically, with interesting tidbits and mini profiles on the sides. The pictures alone tell a wonderful story. A great addition to any history buff's shelf!
Books:
- 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)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Books Index
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