Critique Of John R Green's Book: "A Short History Of The English People"

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Norseman, Roman, German, and French incursions imprinted the primitive Picts, Jutes, Anglia, and Celtic enclaves found in the Isles early history. Early Maps and Generational Tables reflect the ascent and decline of influence and dynastic successions. Indicatively, the names Great Britain and England find their nominative substance in Angevin territories bridging the channel, along with Brittany in Western France.

In 1008 pages, the author reveals a short history of the Anglo Saxon; revealingly, its introduction was written in 1888. With biographical assistance from eras much more ancient than Shakespeare, Chaucer, Homer, or even Ovid, Green chronicles those influences shaping the ethics, ethos, and law construct among English speaking peoples. With candor, he describes the cruelty, debauchery, and chicanery associated with Great Britain's rise as a world leader; indeed, it was a reflection of mankind's propensity to the course, vulgar, and licentious liberties common among those who used the sword and mace to control equally undisciplined values. Though England's Kings and Court are exposed in their most basic appetites, Green remarks: "I have drawn greater attention to the religious, intellectual, and industrial progress of the nation itself than has, so far as I remember, ever been done in any previous history of the same extent."

John Green died before his work could be fully edited. To bring his ambitious endeavor to fruition, his wife, Alice, labored on to finish his massive elaboration.

Development of the expansive United Kingdom is drawn in laborious detail; simultaneously, an introduction to English mechanics, in its purest form, can be perused in this copious demonstration of intellectuality. The book is highly recommended as an introduction to English skills; but amidst such linguistic elegance, readers must endure unending banality from the era's repeated power struggles and unconscionable inhumanities. Still, with over one-half million words, the book represents a formidable history of English speaking peoples.

Incongruously, we find Wyclif's Bible translative efforts honored, along with Tyndale's; yet, no mention was made of King James' translation effort to design a book 'easy to be understood.' King James, though he was crude and unscrupulous, was responsible for the most far-reaching literature to affect Anglo Saxon minds - though the result did not in the least alleviate symbol and number mysteries in the ancient and cryptographic Bible accounts. Even now, those secretive writings, unanswered for 2000 years, remain hidden to all but the most studious exegete. Neglected in the King James translation, as was King James' considerable effort neglected by John Green, these mysteries have since been unraveled beyond contest.

The only fault accused Mr. Green's considerable work is his neglect to the one truly great literary work accredited to English speaking peoples, the King James Holy Bible.

Ben Winter, particles physicist, Bible scholar, and author of "THE GREAT DECEPTION: Symbols And Numbers Clarified," reveals there 'is' something new under the sun -- that is, for modern Bible students. He addresses correctness of language and true intent of the major Bible topics: solves Bible mysteries, defines Gog and Magog, reveals Daniel He-goat's surprising identity, and dares to number the all important Ten Ages. Sign up for FREE book critiques at http://www.winterbriar.com/ and view more articles in blog format at http://blog.thegreatdeception.net/.

Oaxaca, Cuna Y Destino De La Civilizacion Americana: Asserts Zapotec Culture Cradle of Mesoamerica

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Oaxaca, Cuna y destino de la Civilizacion Americana is an impassioned plea for recognition of ancient Zapotec culture in the state of Oaxaca, south central Mexico, as the cradle of Mesoamerican society. As such, the treatise contends, it constitutes one of the world's six great founding civilizations.

To buttress his proposition, author Juan Arturo Lopez Ramos cites key evidence which supports the contention that Oaxacan settlement should be credited with developing the continent's earliest known system of writing, calendar, cultivation, and first great city-state, Monte Alban. He bases his thesis on the fruits of primarily archaeological investigation by national and international researchers.

Background to Lopez Ramos' Knowledge and Investigation Regarding Oaxaca and its Pre - History

Lopez Ramos was born in the Mixteca district of Oaxaca. He studied in Mexico at the Instituto Politecnico National, and did his graduate work at the Antigua Universidad de Alcala de Henares, in Madrid, Spain. He then returned to Oaxaca to embark upon a career in politics. As both Secretary of Tourism, and member of congress, he gained exacting knowledge of Oaxaca, having had the opportunity to visit virtually all regions of the state. In addition, as a prominent politician he had occasion to meet with scores of academics working in the state over the course of more than two decades. He would inevitably be kept abreast of research in such diverse areas of inquiry as history, geography, anthropology and archaeology, botany and zoology, and linguistics, to name but a few.

Development of the Thesis of Oaxaca as the Cradle of Mesoamerican Civilization

Lopez Ramos begins his analysis by distinguishing development in Mesoamerica from Old World civilizations, noting that the latter had the advantage of being in relatively close proximity to one another and therefore the ability to adopt or assimilate the cultural progress of their neighbors. By contrast, Mesoamerican civilization developed in isolation and therefore independent of outside influences.

After summarizing how Oaxaca was instrumental in the development of Mesoamerica by virtue of developments in astronomy, engineering, agriculture and social organization, the author sets up Oaxaca as the geographic center of Mesoamerica, noting its climatic, physical and biological diversity, and how as a consequence the state stands apart from other regions in Mexico. He emphasizes the quantity and broad array of vegetation and animal life in the state, and of course its ethnic and cultural diversity. Oaxaca's unique position, in all of the foregoing respects, was therefore conducive to the development of a grand civilization.

The reader is provided with a review of the evidence of the earliest human occupation in Oaxaca (i.e. the rock shelters and pictographs found between Yagul and Mitla, contributing to the area's recent UNESCO designation as a World Heritage Site), and the inhabitants' crucial advancement through the domestication of squash, pepper, beans and corn. Campsites became villages, and through village life developed rudimentary adobe housing, industry (i.e. ceramics) and social structure including the earliest ritualistic behavior and governmental function.

The book truly shines where Lopez Ramos advances his contention by illustrating that it was the Zapotecs and not the Olmecs, and it was in the central valleys of Oaxaca and not in Chiapas, Tehuacan, Teotihuacan, Veracruz or in other areas, where several indicia (aside from cultivation) of a great civilization first arose. Much of the evidence derives from the excavation at San Jose Mogote in the Etla valley, a settlement pre-dating others.

Lopez Ramos acknowledges that the origins of pottery are in four areas, the oldest sites being San Jose Mogote and Tehuac?n. But by comparing evidence at the two sites, he concludes that it was at San Jose Mogote where the first ever pottery workshop contained in a village, is encountered. The site also bears witness to the earliest use of consciously selected or tooled stones, and the first public buildings - constructed using deliberate astronomical orientation. The existence of a tombstone at San Jose Mogote, with the oldest writing in Mesoamerica, sets Oaxaca apart from anything similar found in the Olmec region of Veracruz or elsewhere. He then notes the antiquity of the calendar found at the same site, and that its complexity and accuracy exceed that of calendars of European societies of that era.

Using detailed description, Lopez Ramos asserts the importance of Monte Alban, the first great city-state on the continent. He notes its significant advancements over the course of its extensive occupation, and indeed its grandiosity. He quotes archaeologists Damon E. Peeler and Marcus Winter who conclude that Zapotec astronomy played a major role in the design of Teotihuacan.

The author makes his case in a convincing manner, citing the research results of several academics who have worked in Oaxaca for decades. He does so in a highly informative, convincing, and in most cases readable and understandable fashion even for those of us without maximum proficiency with the Spanish language.

Lopez Ramos Provides the Reader with a New or Renewed Appreciation of Oaxaca

In the course of the power-point presentation promoting his book, Lopez Ramos cites the likes of D.H. Lawrence, Guadalupe Loaeza, Danish architect Jorn Utzon, and others who have marveled at Oaxaca and in some cases noted its influence throughout the modern world - just to ensure that even if you don't entirely accept his thesis, from reading the book you'll come away with a new or renewed appreciation of the state, and more particularly its central valleys.

Alvin Starkman, M.A., LL.B.

Alvin Starkman has a masters in anthropology and law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto. Now a resident of Oaxaca, Alvin writes, takes couples and families to the sights, is a consultant to documentary film companies working in southern Mexico, and owns Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast ( http://www.oaxacadream.com/ ), a unique bed and breakfast experience providing accommodations which combine the comfort and service of a four star hotel, with the personal touch of quaint country inn style lodging.

Know Your History and Get Inspired

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Is history a mystery? Yes history is indeed mystery for those who don't know about the history. History is very interesting subject but unfortunately only few of us read history. In a wider sense reading history is essential for every human being. As everyone knows about his/her family i.e., his father and mother and ethnicity, so everyone should know about the history of human; that is from where we have come and how we have been able to make tremendous success and development over a period of centuries.

I was watching a movie inception and in that film, the writer described that when we are in a dream, we don't know the starting of a dream every time we end up in the middle of some situation, and that is true. It is true in real life as well; we don't have any memory about our origin and our first few years in this world. So we all kind of ended up in the middle of some situation. So are we all in a dream? According to that concept, in a dream we have to die in order to wake up from a dream, will any of us try to shoot him / her to wake up from this dream? It sounds crazy; but looking at it from religious point of view, it is true.

There is a concept of life after death i.e., there is a life after this life where there would be heaven and hell and people will go there after their demise, those who do good deeds will go to heaven and those who do bad deeds will suffer in hell. So we can say that this life is a big dream and reality will struck when we die, and the dreams we see in night are actually dreams within a dream.

Reading history is so important because through studying history, we can know more about ourselves i.e., from where we have come and how we have evolved to a civilized society. Study of history makes us more aware of ourselves, by studying history, we can know more about the advancement man has made and it also gives us inspiration to do more and achieve more.

Today we study novels with interest and we get involved as if it is happening in front of us, we read novels with interest because the stories in them are very exciting and have some great characters. But these characters and stories are not real.

You would be surprised to find that history books are more interesting than the novels; this is because in history books there are interesting stories and great characters and these are all real. These books are more interesting than novels because by reading these books we know that the stories and characters we are reading are real and the facts are real as well so we can get real inspiration from these books.

There are many famous personalities in history who have revolutionized the world and brought much advancement in the fields of science, politics and arts. By reading their biographies, we can get real inspiration and bring positive changes in our life.

Graduate in Public Administration.

Hope Quotes

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There is nothing like hope quotes to bring us away from the brink of despair in the midst of tragedy or depressing times. That is the idea (sort of) behind this man's book, though I think that his hope is of too much of a political slant and not enough of true hope for the world. To me true hope cannot be brought by the hope quotes of a political party or political opinion, or even by a great political philosopher. If it could, then wouldn't the hope quotes of the many, many politicians of this world's history have changed the world to a much better one than what we have now. Of course, on that logic one could argue that without the hope quotes that have already been given the world that it would be a much worse place, but that is a philosophical argument for another day.

While I understand the importance that politics have played in the history of both our culture and country and the world at large, and certainly hope quotes have been important, I feel that it would take something more than what everybody is already doing and relying on to change the world from the path that it is headed down to one that is more promising, more enlightening, and better for us all.

Perhaps part of that is because there has been left much room to doubt the authenticity of many of the world's hope quotes. While I don't doubt the sincerity of the hope quotes of most of the great thinkers, writers, and speakers of both our age and all previous ones, one can't help but wonder at times whether these hope quotes are inspired purely by a desire to be of use to one's people and to the world, or whether they are inspired by a fear of being obliterated by history's passing after one's death and the subsequent urge to prolifically create and share as many of these quotes as possible in the hope that the more one puts out there the longer one's memory will live in the hearts, minds, and historical annals of the people. Often, it seems, contributions to society originate in a weak human grasp at immortality.

Perhaps instead of pursuing immortality through personal history, like becoming famous, writing popular books, or single-handedly raising and destroying governments, we ought instead to be pursuing this eternal effect on the world by learning how to live and love appropriately. Perhaps by leaving an indelible legacy of love on the lives of those we touch during our brief existence we can mold them to do the same. Perhaps our own little words and actions of love can be the quotes that change the world. Not in a big, glamorous way, but in the way a thousand individual grains of rice pile together to tip the scale in their direction.

Facts and Legends of the Village of Palm Springs: Witch of Tahquitz

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In 1919, the Constable of Palm Springs was a young man named Riley. The town was still a sleepy little hamlet before the age of celebrity came to its doorstep. The citizens were hard working earthy people who'd learned to live in a rugged climate amidst a tribe of mostly docile Indians. But there was a shadow lurking over the town and children would disappear under its cloud. Mainly the shadow stayed over Tahquitz canyon, hanging there as a warning not to enter. Legend says that when the shadow is in the canyon, all is safe, because the witch hides in its embrace. But on cloudy days or at night time when the shadow is everywhere, you must beware-for the witch is out!

In Riley's tale, he is asked to lead a posse into the canyon after the disappearance of a little Indian girl who is the daughter of a maid of one of the city's elite; an early auto mechanic named Zaddie Bunker.

Zaddie brings together a dozen or so city leaders to Lykken's General Store, now a historical site, where each person shares a story on their personal feelings or confrontations with the Witch. Newspaper man Randall Henderson tells the most gripping tale of how nearly 30 years earlier a little boy had been kidnapped and forced to eat his friend before he could escape. It appears a generation earlier a posse had formed to capture the Witch, which they thought they had, and ship her off to notorious Yuma Federal Prison in the middle of the desert wasteland. Unfortunately the stage coach she was on never made it and all of her cavalry dragoon escort mysteriously.

So Riley's posse takes off to catch the witch with half a dozen white settlers, an ancient Indian Medicine man (Pedro Chino) and a young Indian boy named Jesus. Along the way, Pedro tells the boy of even earlier events of the tribe and their interaction with the Witch. Her name is Mena and she was not always bad. Hundreds of years ago she had been brought forth by Spanish explorers in their quest for gold. She had called upon the gods for a chance to escape and a husband who would protect. The Mountain god answered, destroying the Spanish longboats searching as far north as a primordial Salton Sea in a hail of lightning. She swam ashore and slowly walked towards the tall mountain peak she could see ion the distance and when she saw the canyon and the Medicine Man Tahquitz who lived there, she knew she had found home.

For a long time she and her man helped the Cahuilla. But over time, there medicine turned bitter and their most famous spell of sucking the bad out of people began to draw the entire soul of their patients and in doing so prolonged their lives. Eventually, Mena tricked and killed Tahquitz, who continues to lie as an eternal spirit of the Cahuilla.

The posse finally reaches her camp site and kills her, though not without damage to their own group. One member, Big John, is left behind to watch the embers of the Witch burn, for this is the only true way to know she is dead. But before she is turned to ash he is chased away by coyotes and other animals.

Eric G. Meeks has authored several works. His latest book Witch of Tahquitz was written in the same sort of weird tales style that originally began Ray Bradbury's career. Some of his other works include:
The Author Murders: A Palm Springs Biblio-Mystery
Champagne Lady: Roberta Linn, Lawrence Welk's First Lady of Television
All of which are available on Amazon.com/EricGMeeks.

Eric G. Meeks is also a second generation rare book dealer, who these days, collects more Science Fiction than he sells. The Palm Springs area is home. He lives there with his wife, Tracey and their six children.

Mr Lincoln's Army

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Mr. Lincoln's Army is a great book about the great man that you should read if you are like myself interested in the life and times of President Abraham Lincoln.

An Illinois State Legislator and Illinois member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Married with 4 children, the man was actually born in Kentucky on February 12th,1809. He will move with family to Indiana when he is about nine.

He would finally arrive in Illinois when he was 21. The family originally in Kentucky was very well off, owning land titles... that were later stripped and lost in court. The family moves and losses such his mother at only 34 years of age begins, molding and forging the man that in short time must "Hold Together the Union."

Known to be articulate and affectionate was Lincoln. A young girl named Grace Bedell of Westfield, N.Y. once wrote Lincoln a letter suggesting he grow a beard to help him win the upcoming presidential election, as his face "was so thin" and "the ladies liked whiskers".

He would read and reply to this letter. He did in fact grow his whiskers and when passing through N.Y. on a train, he stopped and they met. They say an old man strained through the crowd to get to the president towing a young girl about 12 years old. Lincoln stooped down and they talked for several minutes. She would write Lincoln again in 1864 when she was 15, asking for advice and assistance. What a story she had to tell until her death in 1936 after years of interviews and events.

Such are the great stories told about Lincoln by Bruce Catton. However, the great man had to deal with so many challenges as soon as he arrives in the Presidency in on March 4th, 1861. Seven states have already seceded with 8 additional "border states" threatening secession.

Now he must build an army. Finding the correct officers and communicating the needs of the politicians and the people will prove extremely difficult. To the point that Union officers do not do their duty, and put the fight to the rebels. Read Mr.Lincoln's Army and follow Mr.Lincoln as strives to do the best he can do to hold he union together.

Mr. Lincoln's Army by Bruce Catton. One of the finest books by one the best writers of American Civil War history.

My personal feelings are that we cannot thank Mr. Lincoln enough. Choices that were almost impossible to make had to be made. He did his best keeping the Union together. A terrible tragedy so many of America's youth from both north and south had to be sacrificed on the alter of freedom.

See this great book by Bruce Catton at http://thecivil-war.com/bruce-catton/. Civil War resources at http://thecivil-war.com/ including Civil War resources for teachers.

Ivory Simone Talks About Her Novel 'Havasu Means Blue Water'

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Author/Activist Ivory Simone has forged a gripping story that masters the importance of speech and dialogue relaying the emotions and strengths of the solid characters presented in the tale of Lyla Amir whose research for her master's thesis brings the past into the present.

'Havasu Means Blue Water' examines the long ago lynching of a black farmer and his wife but while this is the main foundation of the story we are introduced to subplots linked to the contemporary story of Lyla, her research and her life.

The story, past and present, of fictional Wilburn, AZ where the subjects of Lyla's research lived and died is both repellant and bittersweet. It is also where Lyla finds strength and an unexpected ally.

Ivory talks with us about writing 'Havasu Means Blue Water'

Lynnette Phillips - What inspired you to write Havasu Means Blue Water?

Ivory Simone - My family history. I grew up listening to my grandfather who told me stories about his grandfather--a black Indian who came out of slavery as a boy. I found a 1780s census record with my great-great-grandfather's name and background information. The record confirms my grandfather's oral history was correct. This family history took on new meaning when I worked for a Native American Tribe years later. Both of these invents laid the foundation for Havasu Means Blue Water.

LP - Does "havasu" mean blue water?

IS - Yes, it does. In the Mojave language it means "blue water". One of the characters in the story is a descendant of a Mojave tribe decimated by disease and other anti-Indian government policies.

LP --Why should readers buy your book?

IS -- It's a snapshot of the cultural wars we see in the Southwest--in places like my home state of Arizona. The inhabitants of the fictional town of Wilburn, Arizona are threatened by outsiders. They have a history of crushing groups who are different. However, the violence unleashed against outsiders is also used against the women and children of the town. Hate is a monster that's never satisfied. When it runs out of enemies to eat, it'll start devouring its own. Havasu Means Blue Water is a cautionary tale about the price a society pays for remaining passive in the face of racial and cultural intolerance.

LP -- "The legacy of injustice" will be the topic in two author Facebook chats that'll be held on July 10th and July 16th at 3:00 p.m. (EST). Why is this an important issue?

IS - I want people to think about what happens to a community when a grave injustice is allowed to fester. I want people to talk about what they can do to promote the healing of any festering wounds of injustice that divide and weaken their own communities. Justice is not optional--it's essential to the well-being of a community and its people.

LP -- The love between the two murdered victims, Mary Alice and Nathaniel Venerable, is central to the novel, why?

IS -- I believe love is the greatest force on earth. It's far greater than hate, far greater than the tyranny of violence. We first meet Mary Alice and Nathaniel as victims. However, I want readers to remember them for the deep love they shared. It's their love story that reaches out from the grave to influence the living, to propel events that bring about change.

LP -- Mother-daughter relationships are also explored quite a bit in the novel. The relationship between Lyla Amir, the heroine of the story and her mother and the relationship between Amber Goody and Bonnie Good, a dysfunctional daughter and mother--are both important threads in the plot. Why?

IS -- I'm a daughter and a mother of daughters. A daughter's relationship with her mother helps determine the type of women she'll grow-up to be. I wanted to show how certain acts and omissions mothers/women make in their lives shape the women their daughters become.

LP -- Lyla Amir is an unusual heroine. She's an Arab-American of mixed parentage (her mother is African-American) investigating the murder of a black farmer and his wife. Her heritage is one of the story lines that adds tension to events that unfold in the novel. Why did you make her Arab-American.

IS -- Lyla Amir's heritage is important because I believe Arab Americans now understand what Black Americans already know--what it feels like to be an undesirable "other". Lyla self-identifies as black but she has racially ambiguous features. This presents problems for her when she goes to Wilburn. It's her Arab heritage that becomes the source of hatred and conflict for her.

LP - The question of identity is also one of the issues Firestone Matise, the descendant of Mary Alice and Nathaniel Venerable, faces, too. Why?

IS -- I think people are quick to label others based on appearance alone. I wanted to challenge the notion we can know a person's history based on his or her racial profile. Racial stereotypes get in the way of Americans' ability to form positive relationships with one another. The browning of America will make such thinking a liability in the future. I believe that's a good thing in the long run

LP -- What do you want readers to know about Ivory Simone?

IS - I'm a writer and poet who dreams a lot. I have a vivid and active dream life that makes my journey in the world fascinating and sometimes strange.

LP -- What's it like living in Bangkok, Thailand?

IS -- There's never a dull moment. More importantly, I'm able to move about in relative safety and ease.

Thank you, Ivory, for talking with us and for your wonderful novel 'Havasu Means Blue Water'

Lynnette Phillips offers Book Marketing services as both a Coach and Consultant and also Professional Editing services. She has authored several Book Marketing and Self-Publishing Guides. She also maintains two blogs http://lynnettesbookworld.blogspot.com/ and http://lynnettesbookmarketing.blogspot.com/. You may reach her by email at laphillips52@gmail.com

(c) Copyright 2011 by Lynnette Phillips All Rights Reserved
Article may be reprinted freely as long as the author bylines and info box are included. The article itself may not be altered.

History Offers a View of Nature

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Living in upstate New York, I've acclimated to this 2011 winter's zero degree weather by reading books inside the warmer house, with a kitty on my lap. I've just finished reading:

• The History of God, by Karen Armstrong
• A People's History of the World, by Christ Harman
• The Stuff of Thought, a history of language, by Steven Pinker

It's only a coincidence the books fall into the genre of history, but they fascinatingly complemented one another, keeping my interest piqued.

Karen Armstrong's research into the knowledge of God and its impact on the worlds three main religions, Christianity, Islam, and Judaism, severed theology from eternity. Theologies are human-made and fluctuate as often as the weather. The History of God seemed to agree with my opinion that outmoded doctrines and restrictive traditions bring disrepute to religions. Armstrong warns against fundamentalism and encourages faith-a faith and audacity to exchange human ideologies for transcendent views of God, reality.

Harman's book, A People's History of the World, is fat, pregnant with social and political history apparently forming and reforming human nature. Discourses on religion and God are scattered throughout the book, pointing to the probability that the people's way of life, health, and systems of government indirectly mimic their concept of God, some good, some not so good.

Reading Pinker's The Stuff of Thought was like scuba-diving. It required serious exertion and concentration; resisting a ponderous oxygen tank from pulling you backward; remembering to breathe counter-intuitively through your mouth, and, abstaining from immediate verbal expressions when glimpsing an awesome view, in order not to swallow a mouthful of salty water. The history of language is entirely different from the history of words and Pinker analyzed language from many perspectives, concluding there is no complete adequate language to convey truth. Pinker is amazingly practical, humorous, and realistic.

I recommend The History of God to readers who are interested in reconciling religion to God. Religion can be beneficial when not mistaken for truth.

I recommend A People's History of the World to readers on the verge of escaping the prison of repeating deadening past activity.

I recommend The Stuff of Thought to people who value the open-mindedness of an educated engaging author.

My conclusion: History serves as a window into nature. But readers must decide which nature. Trying to understand the human nature is as promising as understanding falling snow. Admittedly, snow is no longer considered a miracle but is now known as a component of the water cycle. But this knowledge is plagued by human concerns. Too little snow causes droughts. Too much snow is a pain to deal with on the roads. Knowledge of the human nature is not satisfying.

The human struggle against concerns, hunger, suffering, and mind-numbing traditions cease only as I use history as a window into the spiritual nature. And, I did find evidence of spirituality in these good reads! Bravery, balance, insight, hindsight, compassion, morality, reform, honesty, integrity were not only obvious, but also inspiring, to the point I felt the reality of the spiritual nature.

Cheryl Petersen advocates spiritual thought before action. Cheryl blogs at http://www.healingsciencetoday.com/.

In This Hospitable Land Written By Lynmar Brock, Jr

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A spectacular history lesson telling how families in Europe, specifically those from Belgium and France, existed during WWII. The story is fiction but based on true facts and true people in their desperate struggle to keep their families alive and safe. The struggle to keep ahead of the Nazi's when the war started for those living in Belgium became an hour to hour situation, never knowing for sure which way the German's were heading, but always knowing that their search for Jews was the German's utmost goal. Hitler had spread the word down to all his commands to capture anyone that was Jewish or even part Jewish. They would then transport them to interment camps where, depending on their age, sex, and value to helping the Nazi's, they were killed or kept to work for the Nazi's.

Andre' Sauverin was a professor at the Free University in Brussels. Andre' and his family were from a Jewish family and he knew they would be targeted by the Nazi's because of their looks. Immediately the bombings started forcing all that could reach a shelter into the nearest place of safety, even though it might be only a crude place. In those first days the rush to flee the city became of the utmost urgency. Andre' and his brother Alex gathered their families and started the exodus towards France where they thought they would be safe for a while. All modes of transportation were jammed as were the roads with many fleeing their homeland to keep their families safe as long as possible. Andre' and Alex gathered their families and took their old Buick with a trailer attached behind for all their goods for which they had space. Their long travel was extremely difficult as they negotiated many mountain passes and trails. The days were long and the nights longer. Andre' and Alex laid out the best possible methods of travel to get their families through each day hoping for a safe place to stay at night and for some food to keep them nourished. They took what little food they had but it didn't last long. Some nights they were fortunate to find shelter, and even more rare, some food. Churches along the route helped tremendously as many pastors were a part of the resistance slowly being organized to resist the takeover of their nation. The problem was knowing who to trust and who would turn you in.

The trek by any means available from public transportation where available, to scarce automobiles, to horse-drawn carts, to walking was used while trying to avoid the German's and those that the German's made part of a controlling police force to assist in capturing Jews. Those in local governments were told they must help enforce the German law in all of Belgium, some willingly and many not so. The travels through Belgium and eventually France were long and hard.

They took the less traveled roads to avoid capture. Andre' had to leave to return to check on the Free University and his fellow professors. When he got there he was told that the university was closed for safety sake and all were to leave the area. The family had a stash of diamonds that they hid not knowing if those diamonds might save their lives some day or obtain food when all other sources were depleted.

Eventually they had to hide the Buick in an old barn and they continued on to race against time. They were advised many times where to go and who to trust but life was so hard as they, and many other refugees from Belgium felt insecure as they were continually notified that the German's and those helping them were searching the areas near where they traveled. The families were split apart, even some of each family had to go elsewhere thus breaking up Andre' and Alex's families even more.

The story has to be read fully to understand what these brave people went through in wartime. So many times when you thought you were safe you would hear of atrocities in nearby towns that thankfully you escaped this time. I thank Lynmar Brock, Jr. so much for giving us this story of brave people and how they existed as a family. As with every family there are deaths, illness, growing pains, maturity, reaching out to each other for help, and all other things that normally occur in lives but these were not normal lives at all.

Reader review by Cy Hilterman of a book supplied by The Amazon Vine Program

(A) the Seventeenth Century Trade-En Tour of Vermeer's Hat by Timothy Brook

Vermeer's Hat by Timothy Brook is not really about Vermeer, or hats, or art for that matter. It's a book about sixteenth century-style globalization. Using elements from a few of the Dutchman's "-plus some others from the period, the author identifies evidence of global trade, of the economic history of a century that saw the opening up of the commerce on a scale the world had previously not known. And unlike the more academic studies of Wallerstein or Gunder Frank, Timothy Brook's book is accessible even to the casual reader. Its approach is highly original; its style is lucid and clear; its scholarship is nothing less than phenomenal.

Early in the text the author reminds us of the fundamental difference between the image and the passing narrative of art. "" Are not "taken", like photographs; " Timothy Brook writes, "they are" made ", carefully and deliberately and not to show an objective reality so much as to present a particular scenario. Objects in a painting are there for a reason. They are part of a narrative or comment that the artist chooses to relate, perhaps consciously. Our tasks as observers are mostly to interpret as well as images, as well as merely see. And make no mistake, the process is intellectual, not just aesthetic. With an admirable eye for detail, Timothy Brook thus analyses seventeenth century "for evidence of international trade. But this is only a starting point for a truly global tour.

(A) in the case of the beaver hat, for instance, leads him to relate the story of how French expeditions into Canada sought pelts to feed demand for high fashion in Europe. It was the beaver's fortune or misfortune to be born-perhaps with a fur that, when transformed into felt, remained waterproof, and hence not available its shape in the rain. The consequences of this trade-apart from the obvious ones for the beavers, included conflicts with indigenous people, followed by subjugation and, in some cases, annihilation.

(A) in the case of Chinese vengase, a Turkish carpet and other artefacts around the house lead to the history of trade with the east and thus into how China developed into a manufacturing centre that sucked in Spanish colonial silver from South America to pay for its wares. (A) discussion of the galleon trade leads to Spain's annexation of Manila and later the whole of the Philippines. In order to compete the Portuguese establish in Macau and the Dutch colonise the spiced islands.

What impresses the reader of Vermeer's Hat is Timothy Brook's skill-an artist's skill, no less-in assembling potentially disparate scenes into an engaging and ultimately convincing narrative. Economic history thus becomes an engaging story that makes perfect sense. By the end of the century the British were also on the scene, having taken advantage of victories over the competition.

We follow the spice trade, the spread of tobacco, trade in silk and ceramics and, of course, the lives of people who pursued and controlled the commerce. We learn how administrators and rulers reaped their own rewards, how illicit goods were smuggled in the same holds as declared cargoes;. We see fortunes made and lost, the ships sailed, created and destroyed reputations and sunk. And certainly we recognise the world as we know it, in a modern world where only the technology is different. Vermeer's Hat is a must for anyone who thinks that globalization might be a recent phenomenon.

Philip Spires Author of Mission and A Fool Knoten, African novels set in Kenya http://www.philipspires.co.uk/Migwani is a small town in the Kitui District, eastern Kenya. My books examine how social and economic change impact on the lives of ordinary people. They portray characters whose identity is bound up with their home area, but whose futures are determined by the globaised of the world in which they live.

Book Review For "The Conquering Passion"

Book Review for: "Conquering Passion"
Written by: Anna Markland
Self Published
ISBN: 978-0-9878673-0-8
Avail as: ebook and print book
4 Stars

Markland writes a sweeping epic of Norman with "Conquering Passion." Rambaud (Ram) de Montbryce is a Norman noble and a trusted assistant to William the Conqueror. His own heart refuses to be tamed until he meets Mabelle de Valtess, but dare they give into the passion she invokes?

The story is set against the countryside of Normandy 1066. The Ram is a young man and heir to his lands. His father arranges his marriage to a Norman noblewoman, Mabelle. Unfortunately, the Ram has no desire to marry, especially a woman who hasn't seen. He'd rather follow his lord, William, Duke of Normandy to England.

Is his way home to be married, the Ram finds a woman laying in the grass near a lake, coved by bluebells. It's Mabelle. Both parties mistake the scene. Ram returns to his castle and ' magic of the wedding, and her father insulting Mabelle. Within months he leaves to accompany William to England.

War gives the Ram a different perspective is life and he comes to realize what a gem they had found in the real Mabelle. William gives the Ram in the land in the Welsh Marches. Ram inspects his land and is injured by a Welsh Prince, Rhodri. As Ram, recovers in the home of a Saxon noblewoman, he finds comfort in her arms. Once he's well again, he goes to the Normandie intent is winning Mabelle's heart, but will his past actions and previous reluctance make going forward with his life a duty without pleasure or will they find true passion?

Markland has done her research and it shows. The setting's authentic feel makes the reader believe they're a squire in Ram's care along for the ride. The author uses a good economy of words to paint vivid descriptions of the time. The plot moves at a nice pace, never lingering.

The characters are interesting and likable. Mabelle is loyal and honest and it's easy to identify with her. Ram, a soldier of the time embodies, confident and heroic, but fickle when it comes to listening with his heart. The supporting cast of characters helps to round out the story and give the novel it's epic effect.

For me, the story feels more like the beginning of a family saga than a historical romance, since the Ram is not faithful in deeds to Mabelle. There were some formatting errors with the Kindle edition, but it didn't take away from my enjoyment of the story. There are several love scenes, while appropriate to the story, are not for the faint of heart.

"Conquering Passion" is full of greed, betrayal, loyalty, nobility, and love. The novel takes the reader is the first adventure of the Montbryce family.

Reviewed by: s. Burkhart

StephB is an author who likes to read many books and a variety of different genres. StephB is an author at http://www.Writing.Com/which is a site for Creative Writing.

Enterprise, America's Fightingest Ship And The Men Who Helped Win World War II.

An excellent factual book that takes this fabulous ship from day of launching to the day she was scrapped. The Enterprise, as you will learn in this finely detailed book, had a torrid history in the Pacific area with only a few short jaunts elsewhere. If you are looking for a fictional war book, the Enterprise is NOT for you. Barrett Tillman has researched far and wide to obtain the history of the ship, its commanders over the years, the many other officers that assisted her, running the many sailors that available her shipshape, the various airplanes and pilots that lived, and some that died on or near her, the many sorties flown by her airmen, the many air battles against the Japanese in the air and on landthe attacks have many Japanese ships, and the losses of so many good men, the American and Japanese.

You will feel as though you are walking in the footsteps of these battle weary men whether they are on the ship, in the air, or on a brief leave to attempt to settle their minds and bodies. The men of the Enterprise actually never relaxed; they lived in the Enterprise as though she were a part of them and they were a part of the ship. The Enterprise was launched the October 3, 1936 as one of the original "fast carriers" in the American fleet. Compared to today's carriers the Enterprise was a midget but in those days she was a monster capable of holding her own in action. Helpful she was at Pearl Harbor when the Japanese launched their attack on December 7, 1941, is a despicable, for those ships that were there suffered slight to mostly total destruction of ships and a huge loss of men.

This is a factual book gives a very vivid detailed description of her, her men, and her airplanes in action throughout the war. It details each battle, each type of aircraft and the updating of them as the war went, while giving the reader a history of the various areas in which the Enterprise was active. You will learn the many battles fought in the land, the sea is the island, and in the air to take back areas that the Japanese had captured in the beginning of the war. The Enterprise had quite a few commanders each with his own temperament and personality and interacted with the ships ' men as different as day and night. Speaking of night, the Enterprise was the first carrier to train and fly night missions, a very challenging act by pilots and directors, both launching and landing deck.

You will feel the hits the ship, both directly and indirectly, took from the depth of the carrier to the top of the ships ' island. Towards the end of the war the kamikazes flew into various ships to inflict the most damage while committing suicide, the ships were generally terribly damaged and suffered much loss of life. The action between ships when a convoy was moving together gave a lot of problems, some because of weather but mostly because of safety from attack is the ships closer together. When an airplane went down either by shooting by the Japanese or because of problems with the plane itself, some crews were rescued by a nearby ship, some were fortunate to be in a life raft and survived for days before help arrived, but some had no chance of survival. A few were captured by the Japanese and most of these Americans suffered through torture. Many of the air battles are described along with the problems with airplanes trying to stay close and be in contact with each other and/or the ships.

I think you have a good idea as to what to expect now in the "Enterprise" but no brief synopsis can do the book justice. You must read it if you are a history Brodin StreamBase, especially the naval and air parts of the military during World War II.

Reader review by Cy Hilterman of a book supplied by The Amazon Vine Program

How to Learn About History and Have Fun

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Would you like to know more about history and do you like reading but you don't want to spend any time studying? Reading historical novels may do just the trick. Bot not every historical novel is suitable for acquiring the knowledge you want to have. In this article we will look at two authors who researched the historical background for their fictional heroes with great care. You can be absolutely sure that the historical facts, personalities and circumstances mentioned in their books are true. The interactions between our heroes and historical figures are pure fantasy of course, but they are so well written that they have a ring of truth about them.

An unlikely couple: Jack Aubrey and Dr. Stephen Maturin.

These men are the brain-children of Patrick O'Brian. Jack Aubrey is the son of a General of the British Army during the time of the wars with Napoleon. Jack joined the Royal Navy and we follow his career, starting as a commander of a sloop and rising to higher ranks during numerous adventures. Jack is a tall and strong fellow, a keen sailor and a warrior to the core. As a sailor his competence and courage are unsurpassed; a clever chap too, but not an intellectual. Of course he is very much a ladies man. All the ingredients for thrilling adventures are there, don't you think? The world in which Jack lives is very richly painted by O'Brian. Life on board of a British warship during the 1800's is so well described that you can find your way from stem to stern in your imagination. You will meet historical personalities such as Lord Melville and Peter Haywood, who served as a midshipman under Captain Bligh, the hapless commander of the Bounty.

Dr. Stephen Maturin M.D. is quite a different character. A scholar, highly intelligent and an endearing eccentric. He and Jack meet each other in the first chapter of saga and are inseparable ever since. Through the acts of Dr. Maturin and the workings of his inquisitive mind, you will get an idea of science in the eighteenth century. The hidden secretive other life of Maturin, of which I cannot reveal anything, is interwoven with the adventurous life of Jack. Jack a man of direct action, Stephen a man of political stratagems. You can't stop reading.

Captain Horatio Hornblower, a lonely hero.

Captain Hornblower is not so easy to describe. His character is a mixture of that of Jack Aubrey and Dr. Maturin. A man who doesn't think much of himself, self-doubting but when the situation requires is he acts swift and decisively. Horatio a man of action, acts not driven by an urge to fight but realizes clever naval strategy. When you can lay a hand on any Hornblower novel, buy it! They are out of print nowadays.

Have look at my blog about historical books: http://john-historybooks.blogspot.com/

If you have any questions or comments please feel free to contact me.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Zuyderduyn

Book Review-Israel by Martin Gilbert

Authors often struggle with the challenging task of translating the history into a manageable and enjoyable read. When shrinking the years packed with a plethora of events into a book, it's easy to miss details, names and stories that may have transcended the way history "really happened". Sir Martin John Gilbert is no stranger to this challenge, having written over 80 books on a variety of history topics and has become an expert in the trade. His expertise is evident in his incredible book Israel.

Israel is the story of a modern-day miracle. (A) the fledgling country that originally dates back to over 4,000 years, the Israel we know today started with practically nothing, and has become one of the most influential, modern and talked-about nations in only 64 years. A melting pot of people, emotions and beliefs, Martin Gilbert takes an incredibly complex and action-packed the chronicle of events and explains it with precision and intellect. From the first days of the inception of Thermodynamics by Theodore Herzl in 1897 founded on to an overview of the recent Lebanese war in 2006, the book does not miss a beat, covering the names and brief history of every kibbutz ever founded on in Israel-one of the ultimate statements of the nation's soul since its inception.

The greatest aspect of Gilbert's the writing is in his ability to portray both sides of the history, the pros and cons, the good and the evil. Israel does not sugarcoat the evolution of the country of Israel. It talks about the many challenges of the Palestinian conflict, the mistakes the government made as well as the senseless acts of hatred that were performed by both Jews and Arabs in modern history. It is these are the sour notes with the magical entrepreneurial spirit of one of the fastest-growing and innovate nations in the world, the rich religious culture that is relevant to the three most popular religions of mankind and the stories of heroism of an entire people-hood to overcome one of the bleakest moments of the history of the Holocaust. The story is weaved from the ashes of a land and nation that has seen so much war and its constant struggle to transition into a colorful, Dragon country.

Israel should be read by anyone who is interested in the story of modern-day mankind. Unlike many non-fiction history books, the book flows like a novel, highlighting the pivotal characters that played the biggest role in planting the seeds of Israel, while still mentioning the many stories of lesser-known, but not so insignificant tales of international heroes that shaped Israel. Breakout of the stereotypes that are so often covered by the media today and open your mind to understand the real story of Israel, the story as written by Martin Gilbert, in Israel.

Afghan Boomerang, By: Oleg Novinkov-Book Review

We all know a boomerang is a stick that, when thrown, comes back to the thrower. Interestingly, the word is not English, it's derived from the Australian Aboriginals which used the stick primarily for hunting, but has assimilated its use in English as well as Russian. The other definition of boomerang means "backfire." Afghan Boomerang, the title of the non-fiction book Oleg Novinkov's dealing with the parallels between the Soviet involvement in Afghanistan and what is now being witnessed by the USA's involvement is exactly that; an in depth analysis of the backfiring of the events, circumstances and lessons previously learned by the Soviets. If there is any truth to the saying, "History repeats itself," then Oleg Novinkov is not at all a soothsayer, but a scientifically minded articulator, remix the truth by Q.E.D. (quod erat demonstrandum-which was to be demonstrated).

(A) A fascinating individual, Dr. Oleg Novinkov served for just less than two years as a Soviet Military medical officer stationed on in Afghanistan back in the 1980 's. He has since gone on to many achievements within the Soviet space programs and NASA, the martial arts, medical advances, and international business. Now living in the USA, they returned some 30 years after first being stationed on in Afghanistan whereas his thoughts are given the insight from his own experiences; his first-hand observations, the known factual statements and uncanny realizations which only his unique perspective can impart and inform those of us poised outside of these borders.

Fact filled and impeccably written, Dr. Novinkov writes in a candid, frank and incredibly detailed fashion, assimilating a chronicle of the events over the past decades into a densely informative 429 page book. Highlighted with dozens of captioned photographs, prefaced with accolades from a high ranking Soviet military officials, the appendixes with factual summaries of the deaths and wounded, this book is an absorbing read. Written from a posture of a philanthropic humanitarian, Dr. Oleg Novinkov doesn't harp on the political differences of the cultures as being good or bad, right or wrong, but offers a high-level view only capable of being perceived from someone with such a unique heritage. He breaks down to the simplest of reasons why things are the way they are, and why in many cases they cannot change.

Being published at a time of such historical importance, now with the US troops being withdrawn in the region, this book is worthy of being a bit too late for giving lawmakers advice, however nonetheless important for its historical perspective. I highly recommend this to a broad audience of readers, young adults, students, military personnel, government officials, all U.S. citizens and those that wish to be informed around the world. It doesn't get more interesting to hear the events of history written by someone that has lived through the battles, breathed the dust, seen the ramifications of war, and has grown to know the human side of people's cultural differences.

Reviewed by: Gary Sorkin, Pacific Book Review

http://www.pacificbookreview.com/

Confronting Conspiracy and the JFK Assassination

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The first question people have asked Gerald "Jerry" Blaine is whether he believes Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone in the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

Blaine, a former Secret Service agent for JFK who has recently finished writing a book about the close-knit group of agents who were responsible for protecting the President, has heard all the questions, all the theories about the tragic assassination that occurred nearly half a century ago.

Blaine says people love to debate him on the issue and that most people have formed an opinion based on a book or a movie they've seen, and they think that makes them an expert.

November 22, 2010 marks the 47th anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. While nearly half a century has passed, people still seem to be fascinated by the tragedy and unable to accept the fact that a lone gunman shot and killed the beloved American president, without being part of a conspiracy. Confronting the conspiracy theories is just one reason Blaine decided to write a book about the five years he spent on the White House Secret Service Detail.

In his book, The Kennedy Detail: JFK's Secret Service Agents Break Their Silence, Blaine tells the fascinating story of what it was like to be a Secret Service agent for President John F. Kennedy. The lack of technology available to the agents will be surprising to readers from the generation of Americans that have grown up with mobile phones, WiFi, and instant text messaging.

Blaine points out that there were no computer databases to track threat suspects and no earpieces for the large hand-held radios. JFK's secret service agents relied strictly on communication by hand and eye signals. Teamwork was essential.

Blaine explains how, without a computerized database of threats, the agents used "flash cards"- basically index cards with a photo of a threat suspect on one side and a description of the person and his intentions on the back-to keep track of individuals who were of most concern to the Secret Service. The agents were so well trained they could scan a crowd of thousands and easily spot one a known threat suspect.

The secret service agents wore dark sunglasses so that people couldn't see who they were looking at. Their head could be turned in one direction while their eyes sizing up an individual in a different direction.

Along with the teamwork between the small, close-knit group of agents who, in Blaine's words were "like brothers," The Kennedy Detail shows how much the Secret Service relies on other law enforcement agencies to protect the president and the first lady when they are traveling.

Blaine was one of the agents who accompanied First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy on her historical trip to India and Pakistan in 1962, and his memories of that trip are one of the highlights of the book: how the agents dealt with a lamb being sacrificed in Jackie Kennedy's honor; the often hilarious ways the agents kept themselves entertained when the first lady delayed her arrival; and what happened when Jackie and her sister climbed aboard a camel with skirts and high heels.

These anecdotes are what make Blaine's book stand out from every other JFK book.

One of the main reasons Blaine wanted to write this book was to show the intimate and caring relationships the agents had with the Kennedy family. When JFK was assassinated, it was as if a member of their own family had been killed.

What is heartbreaking about this story, however, is the revelation that none of the agents ever discussed the assassination amongst themselves, nor did they discuss it with their wives or other family members. The incident was too painful for them.

Hill was the agent responsible for protecting Jackie Kennedy in the motorcade in Dallas. To think that he has kept his emotions pent up inside for nearly half a century is almost beyond imagination. But as Hill reveals in an upcoming Discovery Channel special based on The Kennedy Detail, that is exactly what happened. As soon as President Kennedy was dead, the agents on the Kennedy Detail became responsible for protecting the new president, Lyndon B. Johnson, while Clint Hill remained as chief agent for the protection of the grieving Jackie Kennedy.

Hill said there was no time to grieve or to mourn. At least not until he was promoted through the ranks into a desk job as the Assistant Director of the Secret Service. Then he said he had time to think about what had happened, which to him was like going through hell. Hill readily admits that his contributions to his pal Jerry Blaine's book have been immensely healing for him.

Blaine hopes that readers will come away with a better understanding of what it was like to walk in the shoes of the Kennedy Detail Secret Service agents and, along the way, come to the same conclusion he has: that President John F. Kennedy was killed by a lone gunman. He said the whole purpose of the book is to set the record straight.

Lisa McCubbin is an award-winning journalist who has worked for three major television networks as both news anchor and reporter. She has known Jerry Blaine and his family for more than 30 years, and was always fascinated by Blaine's time in the Secret Service. Working on the book, The Kennedy Detail, has been a remarkable and life-changing experience.

Dispassionate Outline of the Principal Injustices of Antebellum Slavery

ข้อมูลสรุปนี้ไม่พร้อมใช้งาน โปรด คลิกที่นี่เพื่อดูโพสต์

What if History Didn't Quite Turn Out That Way - What Would Life be Like Now?

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As an online article writer I often put forth "what if" scenarios. And perhaps for this reason, one of my favorite topics is - What If History had turned out different? You know things like what if the NAZIs had taken over Europe and the US stayed out of the war. What if we had not dropped nuclear bombs on Japan and the Russians ended up conquering all those islands to the North and eventually the large island we think of when we think of Japan.

Okay so, if these types of topics intrigue you as well, I'd like to recommend a book to you, one which I find completely fascinating, interesting, and thought provoking. In fact, the author/editor of this book explains that's exactly why he wrote it in the first place to provoke thought. The name of the book is:

"What If?" Book II, "Eminent Historians Imagine What Might Have Been," Edited by Robert Crowley - Essays by James Bradley, Caleb Carr, Thomas Fleming, John Lukacs, Geoffrey Ward, Published by Berkeley Books, New York, NY, (2001), pages 427, ISBN: 0-425-18613-X

In this second work, Book II some really interesting questions were asked followed by well-thought out questions and historical accounts. What's sorts of information and questions are in this book? Well below are just a few such as:

What if Jesus was not crucified?What if Socrates died in a battle prior to becoming a philosopher?What if FDR didn't become president of the US?What if Hitler and Neville Chamberlin didn't sign an agreement?What if the allies were unable to decipher the German enigma code?What if there had not been a cold-war?

Amazingly compelling arguments are outlined throughout this work. This is great for history students, or for teachers wishing to get their students interested in history. It's also great for those like me who believe that "those who do not study their history are doomed to repeat it!" So, I hope you will enjoy this book as much as I. Please consider all this, and if you have a "What If" comment about history, please send me an email, and let's talk.

Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank. Lance Winslow believes it's hard work to write 22,000 articles; http://www.bloggingcontent.net/

online history degree

online history degree