Book Review for: "the Royal Sisters"

Book Review for: the Royal Sisters
Written by Jean Plaidy
Broadway Books
ISBN: 978-0-307-719-52-2
Avail: print and ebook
3.5 Stars

Plaidy pens an intimate look at Mary and Anne Stuart, the sisters who both reigned as Queens of England. Mary and Anne have both been raised Protestant, whereas their father is Catholic to the bone. When England citizens choose the sisters over the father, they choose a course that the nation will follow to the present.

The novel opens with Charles II on the throne, his brother, James, is his heir. Charles is crafty. To that end, he has ensured his nieces have been raised in the Anglican faith. Mary is married and living in Holland with her husband, William. Eighteen-year-old Anne entertains a secret liaison with John Sheffield, Earl Mulgrave. When Charles discovers what Anne's been up to, he goes about finding her a husband and settles is George of Sweden. Anne is happy enough in her marriage and she tries to secure an heir.

Charles dies and James comes to the throne, but the British people are apprehensive due to his open practice of Catholism. When his wife becomes pregnant and gives birth to the Prince of Wales, the British find any excuse to send him packing. The Glorious Revolution occurs. James flees England and his daughter, Mary, along with her husband, ascends to the throne.

Mary is gracious! and an apt Queen Regina, but she is sadden over her loveless marriage. That's not her only problem. Mary is unable to draw close to Anne due to Sarah Churchill's interference and Anne refuses to forsake Sarah's friendship. With Mary, childless, she realizes the heir to the throne after Anne is Anne's young son, William, but can the sisters find peace between them so as to secure the Anglican/Protestant succession for future generations?

Plaidy's love for the British documentary shines in "the Royal Sisters." She's done her research and it shows. What makes Mary and Anne's story so poignant is how their strengths and weaknesses-Plaidy features painting them as deliciously human. Anne's strengths are her love for her son and loyalty. Mary shares these strengths. Yet both Mary and Anne suffer in their hearts for the wrong done their father they've.

What does exceptionally well is Plaidy blend fiction and fact to tell the story. She has an incredible knack of slipping in little known facts into the story as well, which makes her historicals stand out. Where is her writing style in Plaidy lags, often slipping into a "telling" style narrative, as opposed to showing the story. This style requires a bit more patience from the reader, but if you're a fan of the Plaidy's ability to weave fact and fiction, it doesn't hinder your ability to embrace the story.

Overall, "the Royal Sisters" tells a story of love, greed, loyalty, and betrayal that will leave you wanting to find out more about the Stuarts.

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.

South East Asia - Time to Learn More Book Review

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Today, China is one of our largest trading partners. And there is a lot of controversy going on between South and North Korea. Recently we've seen violence in Burma, and challenges regarding water rights, and civil unrest in these regions. We all know how the United States of America has been involved in Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Burma, and most of us are aware of the economies of such countries like Thailand. We also realize from Emerging Markets standpoints that Singapore has hit the ball out of the park.

But what else do you personally really know about the South East Asian nations? If you don't know much, perhaps it's time that you studied up a little, and learned a little bit more. There is a lot to know about the cultures, religions, history, and how the last 50-years have changed things, more importantly we must consider the importance of this region in the next 50-years.

Perhaps for this reason there's a very good book I'd like to recommend to you. And I spent some time at the library last week reading through it, taking notes, and was quite pleased with all the information I have gathered. The name of the book is;

"Times Arrow, Times Cycle: Globalization in Southeast Asia Over La Duree" by Peter A. Coclanis, Institute of South East Asian Studies Publishing, Singapore, (2006), 76 pages, ISBN: 981-2303-75-8.

Currently, now in 2011 we are watching the culmination of the expansion of Southeast Asia, the incredible inflation which is now causing havoc. We are watching how many nations are preventing the inflows of capital from the Western world into their banks, to prevent the runaway inflation of food, and other commodities. It's amazing how well this author predicted much of what he saw. In hindsight it's obvious he knew what he was talking about.

Now then, the information in that book is just as important today as it was back in 2006, in fact the history didn't change, it's still there, and still quite accurate. It also helps us understand how we got from there to here, and knowing what we know today from the current events, and the topics we read in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, the BBC, and watch on CNN, it is easy to predict the next five years.

Still, you need a base of information understand about the history, culture, economy, and way of life to fully comprehend what's going on, and where we will be going. Please consider all this and I recommend this book.

Lance Winslow is an Online Author, his latest eBook about Boat Detailing is now available in the "Lance Winslow Small Business Series" titled; "How to Start a Boat Cleaning Business" (a Nook Book available at the Barnes and Noble Website). Lance Winslow is semi-retired and Founder of the Online Think Tank http://www.worldthinktank.net/ - You may contact Lance Winslow by email for dialogue, discourse, discussion, or debate on interesting topics.

Book Review - Ghost Soldiers: The Epic Account of World War II's Greatest Rescue Mission

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Most war stories would be listed as a historical account. There are few war stories that should be listed as inspirational and even an invaluable life lesson. The book,"Ghost Soldiers: The Epic Account of World War II's Greatest Rescue Mission" is one of those war stories. This book was even made into a movie, "The Great Raid", back in 2005.

To understand the urgency of rescuing those prisoners who have been prisoners for several years, you will appreciate the timing of the rescue. More than likely, the prisoners would have been killed soon. It was a pattern that was happening around the Philippines during the inevitable re-taking of the Philippines by the Allied forces. Many POWs were massacred in the Southern part of the Philippines since it was a burden for the Japanese Imperial Army to keep these prisoners.

Many of us may not experience the atrocities of a Death March or the tribulations of a prison camp. We can learn lessons of perseverance, team work, commitment, and inspiration from the soldiers who took part in this rescue. We can learn lessons of endurance, patience, comradeship, and triumph from the prisoners at Cabanatuan.

The men involved in the rescue mission came from differing background and had different perspectives and personalities. This rescue mission is a testament on how team work and team building can succeed. Failure was not (and cannot be) an option. This is a story of a precise rescue plan with a timely execution and what it takes to succeed at it. The "why" was more important than "how".

On a personal note, my father-in-law survived the Death March but my uncle did not survive. The story of those who endured and those who perished is one that is inspiring and humbling. There have been several movies and books that discusses this triumphant tragedy in history. Prior to reading this book, I did not realize there was such a daring mission to rescue some of the survivors of the Death March who were imprisoned in Cabanatuan. America is one of a few countries where they would risk lives to rescue lives. It is important to leave no one behind- whether you bring them back alive or even dead. There is value for the soldier and their life. There are many rescue missions done by various military armies. A majority of them have been done by the American army. This says a lot about the importance of the G.I. (the American soldier) and how they are valued by their country.

As an author, Pascasio Felisilda recently published the book "Nanay: Lessons from a Mother". This is a very inspiring book. Its simplicity empowers the message and story about a legacy that is worth living. The book is available through http://www.ebookstand.com/book_details/Nanay_Lessons_from_a_Mother_PAPERBACK_VERSION or through

http://www.amazon.com/Nanay-Lessons-Mother-Felisilda-Pascasio/dp/1589096673/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1291229112&sr=1-1

Evolution Without Darwin? America Without Lincoln? A Review of "The Unbelievers"

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"The Unbelievers: The Evolution of Modern Atheism" by S. J. Joshi (Prometheus Books, Amherst, NY, 2011), contains chapters on fourteen contributors to the evolution of atheism. The fourteen characters profiled are Thomas Henry Huxley, Leslie Stephen, John Stuart Mill, Friedrich Nietzsche, Mark Twain, Clarence Darrow, H.L. Mencken, H.P. Lovecraft, Bertrand Russell, Madalyn Murray O'Hare, Gore Vidal, Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris and Christopher Hitchens.

On what basis did Joshi make these selections, omitting so many? No coherent explanation is offered. In fact, the author acknowledges an absence of objective criteria in his choices that span 150 years of dissent from orthodoxy. However, the introduction does contain this surprising statement: "I will confess that in some instances I have chosen some thinkers and rejected others chiefly because I do or do not share an intellectual sympathy with them."

That lame remark is Joshi's excuse for the stunning omission of Robert Green Ingersoll. This seems odd, given that he acknowledges that Ingersoll was "probably the most celebrated American freethinker of the 19th century." I suspect few free-thought scholars would list a few of those Joshi does include, particularly H.P. Lovecraft, Leslie Stephen and Thomas Henry Huxley. Little in the chapters about their lives and contributions to atheism give the impression that these three warrant inclusion on such a short list, nor does it seem appropriate to mix four living writers with those who lived in earlier times. The contemporary authors might better have been described in a single chapter. A possible explanation for including Lovecraft can be sensed from the author's Wikipedia page: "S. T. Joshi is an award-winning Indian American literary critic, novelist and a leading figure in the study of Howard Phillips Lovecraft and other authors of weird and fantastic fiction." That must be it-he favored Lovecraft because he knew so much about him and maybe slighted others, particularly Ingersoll, owing to an inadequate appreciation of his astonishing career.

Joshi does admit that he "does not share an intellectual sympathy with him" (Ingersoll). Maybe he should have put that aside. Imagine a historian on American history omitting Lincoln due to not sharing something about Lincoln's intellectual contributions. This omission undermines the book's value. It's quite appalling, actually, and colors all else. The fact of the matter, in my view and I think most others familiar with Ingersoll's life and work would agree, is that the combined impact of the 14 described skeptics might very well be less consequential to America's progress against the harm of religion than that of greatest orator of the 19th century. (At the time of this writing, four of the 14 still live, though two-Gore and Hitchens, are barely hanging on.)

A few of the chapter profiles contain new and interesting information. And the slim introduction describing the history of atheism offers useful perspectives. A few of note include the following:

* It is rare to find any thinker of note since the 17th century "who does not harbor some doubts about many phases of religious orthodoxy."

* Repelled by centuries of religious warfare, dozens of philosophers in the 17th and 18th centuries made "fervent pleas for religious toleration-pleas that ultimately prevailed in the West."

* By the 19th century, tools brought to bear by a diverse array of thinkers to challenge religion included not merely "logical analysis, scientific discovery and careful scrutiny of religious texts but also...weapons of satire, mockery and ridicule."

* In the West, with the exception of America, "the battle is over-atheism has won" (i.e., over religion). The reason America remains firmly wedded and controlled by a religious mindset is the poor state of public education that "has created an unfortunate cleavage between the tiny band of intellectual elites and the vast mass of the ignorant and ill educated."

Readers unfamiliar with the 14 worthy figures might benefit from and enjoy this book.

However, anyone who knows anything about the impact of Colonel Ingersoll, orator extraordinaire and noted lawyer, political king-maker, champion of liberty and intellectual giant who left behind a prodigious library of profound eloquence, will be off-put in the extreme at his omission.

Publisher of the ARDELL WELLNESS REPORT (AWR) - a weekly electronic newsletter devoted to commentaries on current issues that affect personal and social well being from a quality of life perspective. The emphasis is on REAL wellness, which is also the topic of Don's latest book. Read about it here - https://www.createspace.com/3478226 - The "REAL" acronym reflects key issues embraced and advanced in Don's philosophy, namely, Reason, Exuberance, Athleticism and Liberty. Sample copy of Don's latest edition by request. If you like it, you can sign up - the price is right - free. Contact Don at awr.realwellness@gmail.com

Say It Loud, By: Catherine Ellis and Stephen Drury Smith - Book Review

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The presentation is interesting whether or not you agree with the authors. The book discusses Malcolm X and his famous "By any means necessary" reference to dislodging racism. In my own experience, a more inclusive teaching of global history and culture would accomplish this aim. The current texts tend to be Eurocentric; however, this is changing ever so slowly with the inclusion of Latin America, Asia and select countries like South Africa.

Malcolm's famous pilgrimage to Mecca is cited. In addition, Malcolm X believed that the local residents should own, operate and control the economic entities within their neighborhood and sphere of influence. I agree. Residents should own and control the economic factors of production within their community.

There is an excellent discussion of Lorraine Hansberry. Her best known work, A Raisin in the Sun, was inspired by the family's legal battle against racially segregated housing laws in the Washington Park Subdivision of the South Side of Chicago. The chapter on Dr. Martin Luther King was excellent. In particular, he stated that "the Negro lives in the basement of the Great Society". There has been improvement in my lifetime. Specifically, African Americans have more representation at the very top of the United States Government. i.e. Presidency, Cabinet, Supreme Court, The Congress, Governorships etc.

On his death, nearly 100 cities exploded in random violence. Dr. King's Citizen Education Program emphasized literacy, consumer education and Planned Parenthood. Operation Breadbasket in Chicago resulted in 2200 new jobs and nearly $18MM in incremental yearly income. Dr. King sought to achieve "A Higher Synthesis" which will have integrated the best of theoretic Socialist systems and the Free Market.

Obviously, Socialism had negations in the form of too much government control, Gosplan under the old Soviet Union, unrealistic quotas and sporadic expropriations. The Free Markets have negations in the form of too much corporate greed, over-consumption of scarce resources, labor exploitation and insufficient coordination of government oversight. The latter part of the book discusses President Obama and his call to provide health care to the sick, jobs to the jobless and education to a broader segment of society and its children. I believe that the book succeeds in presenting a fair recitation of African American History through the prism of the famous people quoted and discussed at length.

Reviewed by: Dr. Joseph S. Maresca

http://www.pacificbookreview.com/

"Ladies of Liberty" Book Review

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Early American history is normally taught with an emphasis on the old aristocratic male white Anglo-Saxon protestants. "Ladies of Liberty" is an attempt to add diversity heralded leaders in American history by putting women in the spotlight in a biographical book about early American leaders. Cokie Roberts also has an interest in early American women's history because she likes emphasizing the personal lives of leaders.

Cokie Roberts failed to write a feminist book. Her book still fits neatly into a version of American history that puts aristocratic men in the spotlight. Her book emphasizes women impacting history in traditional female roles such as supporters to men, advisers to men, teachers, and nurturers of children. The great idealistic mavericks who do not have the privileged background do not receive enough credit in this book.

This version of early American history fails to be feminist or egalitarian, but at least Roberts does tell a version of history that highlights personal lives and ties historical events and politics to the personal lives of citizens. This politically incorrect book is still enlightening and entertaining because of its focus on personal lives of important figures.

This book is entertaining because Cokie Roberts knows how to choose the great stories. But Cokie Roberts is not a great storyteller. Roberts rambles through her stories in a stream of consciousness fashion. She drones through some stories and cuts other stories short abruptly. She normally switches topics too quickly. Her writing style is confusing.

Roberts does not offer much insight in her book. Her level of analysis is not for the most serious readers. This is a book that is more for entertainment than enlightenment on American history. "Ladies of LIberty" does not offer a unique perspective.

Roberts narrates history with the usual lack of criticism of corrupt leaders that one can expect from an American history book. This book glorifies corrupt American leaders.

The most entertaining aspect of this book is how there is a very human portrayal of leaders who are corrupt and insane. Adding women to American history shows a human side of the powerful men in their lives, even if those men are weird and lack moral compasses.

The other entertaining aspect of this book is the gossipy nature of the narrations. The book only includes the best gossip from prominent women's correspondence at that time. "Ladies of Liberty" only shares the gossip that is relevant to understanding its cast of characters.

"Ladies of Liberty" is not a book for everyone. It is a book for readers with long attention spans that also appreciate unserious reading. It is geared towards readers who prefer women's entertainment because of its gossipy and intimate stories about women. Readers who only have time for the most relevant and enlightening historical reading will be disappointed by "Ladies of Liberty." Readers with short attention spans will not have patience for reading through this entire book.

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.

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/