Franco: A Concise Biography

Book Description

General Francisco Franco came to prominence during the days of David Lloyd George and Woodrow Wilson and was able to cling to absolute political power until his death in 1975. Over his fifty-year career, he became one of the four dictators who changed the face of Europe during the twentieth century.

Franco joined the Spanish Army when he was barely fifteen years old. In 1926 he became the youngest general in Europe and, driven by an astonishing sense of his own greatness, was recognized as sole military commander of the Nationalist zone during the Spanish Civil War. His ambition was always to hold on to the power that he had secured. In practice, this meant winning the Spanish Civil War and surviving the fall of the fascist regimes of Hitler and Mussolini and the international isolation that followed their defeat.

But behind the military heroics and dexterous political footwork lay an insecure and vengeful man, wracked by contradictory impulses. Although fueled by a single-minded determination to succeed, he was full of self-doubt. A bold and sometimes inspirational soldier in Africa, he became an indecisive, hesitant military commander during the Civil War. Filled with a burning conviction that his destiny was bound up with the medieval kings of Spain and God Himself, he appeared shy, withdrawn, and humble. Ruthlessly intent on wiping out all political opposition, he denied heatedly that he was a dictator. A stubborn man, he could be remarkably flexible when it came to safeguarding his power.

This psychological biography considers Franco's mental state, as well as his political motivation. In doing so, it succeeds admirably in getting under the skin of Europe's most enduring dictator.

Customer Reviews:

patetica...........2005-12-18

descrpcion del español mas grande del siglo XX, el unico que vencio al comunismo en los campos de batalla, el unico.

Propagandistic, biased psychobabble.......2003-12-06

Previous reviewers have said it all, so I'll just sum it up: Mrs. Hodges' only motive to write this book was obviously her deep hatred toward Franco. In line with other apologists of the deeply flawed, undemocratic Republican rule, she glosses over the outrages and injustices committed by the Spanish Republican government but spends an inordinate amount of time analyzing - in a rather silly psychobabbly fashion - every single episode in Franco's life which may reveal "sinister" connotations. This strange book tries very hard to uphold the myth of the Spanish Civil War as a good fight against "fascist" totalitarianism. In fact, it was Franco who fought for independent Spain against Stalinist totalitarian dictature.

POOR.......2003-10-02

Previous reviewers are right on the mark concerning the poor quality of this book. My criticisms with this book are primarily twofold.

1.Hodges, like her husband Paul Preston another Franco biographer, seem bent on attempting to psychoanalyze every pronouncement, decision and action ever made by Franco. Psycho history, whether from the left or the right, is generally bad history in that it leads the historian into a very ambiguous area of interpretation. This type of history becomes particularly dangerous when the historian, like Hodges, possesses a visceral dislike for her subject. That is certainly the case here.

2. While Hodges possess a firm grasp of figures, dates and personalities, She fails, in my view, to capture the quintessentially Spanish nature of the Franco. Above all else, Franco was an uncompromisng nationalist who displayed the unique Spanish conciousness of tradition, conservative Catholicism and political expediency. Franco would as quickly manipulate the Right as he would crush the Left if he thought it would advance Spain. One has only to trace his relationship with Nazi Germany or even the Spanish Falange as cases in point. Like many Spaniards of all classes in the 1930s, he could be critical of the institutional heirarchy of the Catholic Church. What he and many Spaniards couldn't tolerate and branded "anti-Spain" was the indiscriminate killing of priests and sacking of churches by the extreme Left. Yes, Franco was certainly no democrat and he could casually brutalize any opposition, particularly during and immediatly after the Civil War. But both Franco and the many interested readers are more deserving of a sober, balanced treatment than this diatribe delivers.

Concise is Good.......2003-09-07

The author is the wife of Paul Preston, a British leftist scholar of the Spanish Civil War who wrote his own biography of Franco a few years ago. From everything I can see from this book Ms. Hodges largely relies on her husband's research. Her main contribution, I believe she is a psychiatrist, is to attempt to psychoanalyze Franco. Thus motivations for various actions of Franco are attributed to conflicts with his father, feelings of inadequacy and sexual insecurities. This technique of course gives an author freedom to say virtually anything about any historical figure since internal motivations are rarely known based upon external evidence and the whole process is often speculation dressed up in psychological jargon.

The author makes no attempt to hide her biases: she despises Franco. Judging from several snide comments in the book I also assume that she doesn't think much of the Catholic Church.
Inconvenient facts are completely ignored. While highlighting Nationalist atrocities during the Spanish Civil War, she completely ignores Republican atrocities. The author notes the support of much of the Church for Franco while not mentioning the massacre of tens of thousands of priests, brothers, sisters and lay Catholics at the beginning of the War which propelled the Church into the arms of the Nationalists. This is polemic and not history.

The only virtue of this book is that it is concise. It has nothing of value to say about Franco or his times. Avoid this book unless, like me, you just have to have every English language work on the Spanish Civil War.

Franco: a concise biography.......2003-01-07

How many thousand ways can a book irritate you?

This took me near the limit. Before I criticise, I appreciated the fact, albeit in part borrowed from Hodge's partner, that there was a genuine understanding of Spain and Franco from a historical perspective. So plus points for a genuine feeling of accuracy in terms of dates and places.

But irritate it did.

Reasons are several. Mostly it is clear that the author dislikes -- very deeply -- the subject of the biography. Hardly a good start to an informed criticism. Especially one that aims to open up the psychology of the man. Look for a word of praise for Franco and the best you will find are epithets that end up looking bland like "brave". Look for words of disgust and it's difficult where to stop.

(And as an aside why does every sentence seem to have an adjective or adverb in it? Do we have to say personal when we talk about "Franco's personal animosity"? Leisure being enforced, enjoyment being physical, people are deeply impressed, profoundly reassured etc. And why the persistent cliches, sometimes convoluted, of "strutting the international stage", "dizzy ascent up the heirarchical ladder" "cold wind of reality was, however, blowing hard"?)

At best this mostly one-sided view of Franco -- and I am no admirer of him at all -- reduced this to pyschohistory babble. At least be impartial if you're trying to explain someone's thinking was my conclusion.

The book wasn't helped by a mass of allusions to other writers.

To quote somebody else, even a husband here, is no great proof of anything. Surely this is superficial scholarship when you quote commentators rather than sources? And I for one wondered how phrases like "according to Norma Dixon" (who he/she?) to name one of several could have passed through the sub-editing process.

So is this book meant to be an academic one -- it is stuffed full of footnotes -- then why the baby explanation of Freud's Oedipus complex?

The answer is that it doesn't know. It teeters between the two. So, at its worst you are presented with familial/psychological reasons for all the defects of Spain's most bloody dictator but no understanding of what it felt like to be in the man's presence. Sadly more so when we look at the early years on Franco's way up from being a young soldier.

Hundreds of commentators said that he was a charismatic man -- phrases like "an aura of silence and power" abound from quite early on. One biographer even said he had never seen a man with such extraordinary bladder control in that he could remain immovable at his desk for hours on end!

For this reason it was a shame that Franco's own account of his military life in Morocco is glossed over in favour of emphasising his own (and deliberately fictionalised) account of the same story.

This book is not irredeemably bad. Far from it. The writing, despite its horrendous love of qualifiers, is good. There is a real sense that the author knows what she is talking about and for someone wanting to find out about Franco, this is arguably an able primer.

But sad to say, a bit indistinguished for all that.

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Franco : A Concise Biography
Gabrielle Ashford Hodges
Manufacturer: Thomas Dunne Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OTLN3U

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Franco, A Concise Biography
Gabrielle Ashford Hodges
Manufacturer: Weidenfeld & Nicolson
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OROAJQ

Customer Reviews:

Fun for far beyond the age recommendations!.......2007-03-13

My daughter noticed the spine of this book at a thrift store and knew right away it was a Baby Einstein book. She is completely taken with anything Baby Einstein, although I am more of a sceptic, and sort of leary of the whole "super-baby" culture I think it promotes. However, this book is just plain fun. It has a little mirror on every page, with suggestions about funny faces that characters are making and that you can try to make too. It seemed odd that it was said to be meant for age 0-9 months. I think 9 months is about the age when you really get started with enjoying books, although I know that is not the politically correct way to think right now! Mirrors are fun for all ages, and 2 is a great age to talk about facial expressions and feelings by using the mirrors. I thought the mirrors were well made and the book in general well designed.

Pretty good.......2007-01-09

Our son likes this book and he's 4 months old. However, it's not his favorite and we really have to put it in his face for him to even notice it, so I can't give it 5 stars.

Good.......2006-08-18

Book is good and of course, my baby loves the mirrors. Cute illustrations.

Its okay.......2006-07-02

The mirrors are okay, not the greatest but they work and serve their purpose. When reading the book to my child I do have to hold the book at an angle where he can see himself instead of the angle I would normally use to read a book.

Also, in the book the cow is male. Since the traditional definition of a cow is a female bovine, I think it would be SMARTER to have the cow refered to as a she.

But, my child loves the book.

Great book for interaction!.......2006-05-22

Someone gave me this book as a shower gift. When my daughter was a few months old, I started dutifully reading to her every day. This book quickly became one of MY favorites because it's not as painfully dull to read as a lot of books for babies. Since at 4-5 months, she was still pretty much a blob, I'd at least entertain myself by doing all the expressions the characters make. Finally, she started expecting them, so when we'd get to the cow, she'd turn to me, so I could 'puff and blow' and make her giggle. Progress!

When she got a little older and could pick out books herself, she consistently picked this one to read. So we probably read it a few times a days for several months. We had to get a 2nd copy because she destroyed the 1st one by "reading" it so often.

As with a lot of baby toys, it got buried, pushed to the side for a while. When she was about 14 months old, we were reading another book that had Jane the monkey in it (Jane's Animal Expedition - another great book) and Claire looked at Jane and made the 'super silly face' I had made for months with this book. I quickly pulled this book back out and she made all the faces that I had done for her months before that she hadn't seen in 2-3 months. Wow - my first lesson in how much kids are absorbing and remembering when you have no idea that they are.

Now, whenever she sees a monkey, hears the word monkey or the name Jane, she makes her super silly face. It's quite a fun party trick.

Man in the Mirror: John Howard Griffin and the Story of Black Like Me

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A Worthy Read for a Detailed Analysis of Black Like Me

Man in the Mirror: John Howard Griffin and the Story of Black Like Me
Robert Bonazzi
Manufacturer: Orbis Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Authors | Arts & Literature | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1570751188

Customer Reviews:

A Worthy Read for a Detailed Analysis of Black Like Me.......2000-07-14

For those interested in Griffin's experiment which became the book, BLACK LIKE ME, Bonazzi's book is an insightful resource. He gives additional sources and background material that describe the influences and personal inner journey that lead him to the BLACK LIKE ME experience and beyond. If you stick with the book to the end you will receive a glimpse into the deeply spiritual orientation which motivated Griffin's life work. This book is an important contribution to the understanding of BLACK LIKE ME, which in itself is significant enough to need re-reading for the 21st century.

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An Inside Look at this Book... from a different perspective

The Mirror and Me
Common
Manufacturer: Hip Hop Schoolhouse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0976867400
Release Date: 2005-10-01

Book Description

Kare is a young South African boy trying to adjust to a new school in New York City. When his schoolmates tease him because he is different, Kare attempts to change himself in order to fit in. After struggling with peer pressure, Kare finally realizes that in order to earn the respect of his friends, he must love himself first.

Customer Reviews:

An Inside Look at this Book... from a different perspective.......2007-02-22

I have not yet read this book, but I am about to order it.

So why am I writing this review? Yesterday, while waiting for the C train, I had the absolute pleasure of meeting the illustrator, Lorraine West. What started with something as simple as her asking my friend and I if we had been waiting long, turned into a conversation that went onto the train (for which we DID wait long). Lorraine asked us to look at some digital pictures of her art for her next book she is illustrating with Common.

Wow. THIS is an example of someone who should DEFINITELY be in the business of children's books. Her art truly reflects the story line and she did a ton of great research. She doesn't water it down, there's nothing cartoonish... just beautiful, deep, brilliance.

I can't wait to add these books to my personal and classroom libraries and to see more from Lorraine. Truly an inspiring individual.

Who's in the Mirror?: Finding the Real Me (Boys Town Teens and Relationships)

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Who's in the Mirror?: Finding the Real Me (Boys Town Teens and Relationships)
Val J. Peter , and Ronald W. Herron
Manufacturer: Boys Town Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1889322202

Book Description

Winner of The National Parenting Center's Seal of Approval

As children mature into adolescence, the impact of their peers, the media, and the surrounding culture can sometimes overwhelm the influence of parents, teachers, and other caring adults, and even their own better judgment.

This book helps young people look critically at the world around them--television, movies, the music industry, and even their friends and acquaintances. Included are discussions of getting along with parents and teachers, dating, falling in love, body image, and eating disorders.

Customer Reviews:

A must read..........2002-01-17

As a disabled woman, I really loved this book, and could identify with many aspects of Connie's life. An educating book to those who are not disabled.

Honest and Funny.......2002-01-13

I read this book a few years a go and loved it. I think it was an honest book. I know it is because I have SMA like the author so I am a good judge of the subject. This book is not "Preachy" or filled with religious meaning like some disabled books. Nor does it make the disabled look needy or helpless. It's just about her life. It's not supposed to go in to great detail of specific disability issues...that's what essays and textbooks are for. Even so, I do think it does give the average "walkie-talkie" insight of disabled culture. Everything from care, school, career and romance. The writing is in everyday language and shows her humor in dealing with her struggles. The main flaw is the poor edit job. I didn't find it too distracting (if you can handle reading a personal journal you should be OK with this book) and the book is a quick read. There is a great need for books on adults with born with disabilities and disabled women. I'm glad this book made it!

A Great Leader--A Great Woman.......2001-10-04

I finished this book last night, and I was frankly infuriated by some of the earlier reviews posted about this book. This is probably the most illuminating book about the day to day existence of an extremely disabled person; which holds back nothing, that has ever been written. Panzarino, who, despite her disability was a powerful force for chance in the way the disabled are treated in society, passed away on the 4th of July of this year. Her passing only makes this book more poignant. Panzarino's style is eloquent and engaging; her story both heartbreaking and inspirational. This book is a MUST read for anyone interested in reading fascinating biographies of women who have truly helped to change the world, as well as a great tool for understanding what those with disabilities go through in a world that wasn't designed with them in mind. This book changed my view of the world profoundly. I am planning on buying it for all my friends as Xmas gifts--and hope that Connie's incredible courage wil inspire them as much as it did me.

unorganized and poorly written.......1999-10-31

I could barely finish this unorganized story told in plain language. The topics covered are important. Yet, the writing and selfish spin of the book left a very bad taste in my mouth.

a baldly honest inside look into a disabled womin's life.......1999-09-09

Ms. Panzarino presents an accurate and passionate account of an absolutely remarkable life. She survived the disability that should have killed her as a child, the terrible pressures of her home, where she and her mother were trapped in a dance with no help for either. She fought her family and the "abled" world for her independence and THRIVED as a whole womin in a society which assigns a half-life to the disabled adult. I am new to the disabled community, having suffered a major stroke at the age of 49 and two small ones since. They have left me nearly speechless but I cannot even imagine the world Ms. Panzrino has had to live in. I can only admire this brave womin's strength, fortitude, intelligence and candor. The reviewer who did not see the life story and daily life of a disabled person did NOT read the same book I read!! This is and excellent read by an enlightened individual! My only disappointment is that there has not been a follow-up book since this wonderful tome was written!

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Cuddle Me! (Mirror Mirror)
Christopher Inns
Manufacturer: Kingfisher
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Board book

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ASIN: 0753458462

Book Description

This fun board book lets toddlers see themselves as five different adorable animals: a sleepy koala, a tiger cub, a playful puppy, a mischievous monkey, and a bouncy bunny. Young children will love sharing this book and a cuddle with a parent.

I See You, You See Me: A Touch-And-Feel With Mirror

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My baby loves it.
Another Lamaze great!

I See You, You See Me: A Touch-And-Feel With Mirror
Stephanie St. Pierre
Manufacturer: Metro Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Board book

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ASIN: 1586637290

Customer Reviews:

My baby loves it........2003-12-30

I saw this at the store and bought it because it has a high quality mirror that doesn't distort. However, my twelve month old doesn't pay much attention to the mirror yet--he likes the Touch and Feel part of the book, especially the lion's mane and a leaf and a tongue, etc. It is better than most Touch and Feels, in my opinion.
We went on a long airplane ride yesterday and I was so glad I packed this book in my diaper bag because it kept his attention for quite a while.

Another Lamaze great!.......2003-05-10

I got this for my son's upcoming first birthday, and I was pleasantly surprised at the cute touch and feel elements as well as the high quality mirror. Most mirrors in baby books are mylar and are very distorted, but this one gives a true reflection, and it is situated at the top of the book so it's seen from every page. This book would be great for even young infants because it has short simple text and large illustrations. It features different jungle animals and children, with a touch and feel element on each animal's picture. For example, there is a satin leaf covering a giraffe's face that you lift up. Text reads "Giraffe has eyes. Peek at me. Peek at you." The opposing page has a lion with a felt mane that reads "Lion has hair. So do you." Each page encourages the baby to look in the mirror. I know my son will love this, and he can be a pretty discriminating book critic! He is fascinated by touch and feel and lift the flap books, especially by Lamaze. They are the only ones I will buy sight unseen, because I know they are good quality. Will not disappoint!

Being Right Here: A Dzogchen Treasure Text of Nuden Dorje entitled The Mirror of Clear Meaning

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Translation of Terma (Treasure Text)

Being Right Here: A Dzogchen Treasure Text of Nuden Dorje entitled The Mirror of Clear Meaning
James Low
Manufacturer: Snow Lion Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Buddhism | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1559392088

Book Description

This treasured text of Nuden Dorjie renders a very clear and authentic account of the view and essential meditation of dzogchen, the practice of nondual experience.

Customer Reviews:

Translation of Terma (Treasure Text).......2004-11-29

This book helped to solve my curiosity (though a sample size of one is certainly insufficient) as to what a Treasure Text or Terma is like. James Low provides a bilingual presentation of Nuden Dorje's "The Mirror of Clear Meaning." Unfortunately, I didn't really get much from the text. It's mostly preliminary practices readily available in many contemporary books now in English. If you like James Low books, you can also read his "Simply Being."

Baby Einstein: El concurso: Baby Einstein: Mirror Me (Baby Einstein)

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Baby Einstein: El concurso: Baby Einstein: Mirror Me (Baby Einstein)
Susana del Moral , and Nadeem Zaidi
Manufacturer: Silver Dolphin en Espanol
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Board book

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ASIN: 9707184582

Book Description

Babies love nothing better than making faces and looking in a mirror, and this colorful book encourages them to do both! The book's characters, including Bard, make faces that little ones can try to mimic, in the process teaching them the name of each part of their face. The result can be checked in the two mirrors that appear on every page. Baby Einstein: El concurso, un libro con espejos lets babies and toddlers have fun while learning about their eyes, nose, mouth, and ears.

Broken Mirrors (I Only Feel Handicapped When You Treat Me That Way) [ VHS Video Tape ] (Circle Square Gang Videos, Volume #12)

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Broken Mirrors (I Only Feel Handicapped When You Treat Me That Way) [ VHS Video Tape ] (Circle Square Gang Videos, Volume #12)

ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000VL887U

Product Description

VHS Video Tape. 45 minutes.

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