This book was on a "LIST" that I found while I was looking for something completely different. The person who recommended it had also read and loved some of my other childhood favorites, like Robin McKinley's The BLue Sword. I figured I would give it a try, and I was very glad that I did.

The Perilous Gard manages to straddle a fine line between historical fiction and fantasy, taking the reader to pre-Elizabethan England, and to a world where superstition is not entirely unfounded. Pope also straddles the line between fear and awe for the Elven folk. Without actually liking them, or what they have done, her heroine feels sorrow for a world and a time lost, that can never be regained.

The only reason that this book didn't get a 5 was that it could've been 100 pages longer, and I still would've loved it. The other characters needed a chance to develop more depth, and I would've liked a little longer in the Faerie world. Still, if you are an adult fan of YA fantasy books, like Quest for a Maid, or The Blue Sword, you should read this book. And if you have children who read fantasy, and want a book that is fantastical, and yet still grounded in reality, buy this one, now!

My mother brought this book home for me about 8 years ago when I was in high school, and I absolutely could not put it down!!! Without going into too much plot detail (since other reviewers have already done a fine job of this), I would have to recommend this book to anyone with an interest in Elizabethan England, the folklore of Great Britain, or good solid fantasy novels in general. It's a great read for anyone over the age of 12, and it's especially great for girls and young women to read because of the heroine, Kate. There is something so real and appealing about her. She is very strong and intelligent when faced with an impossible situation, and in the end she finally gets recognized for the person she really is. Overall, this is an exceptional book, and will always rank among my all-time favorites.

I'm 20 now, and I first read this book when I was about 10. I've reread it at least once a month since then (after the initial five times I read it in a row) because I absolutely adore The Perilous Guard. There's a whole host of reasons for my adoration, but the main ones are, one, that I *love* historical fiction, two, that novels set in the same time period (1558, to be exact, although anything within a few hundred years works nicely, too) are one of my favorite things to read, three, that Elisabeth Marie Pope is a fantastic storyteller, four, that I love the ballads the book is peppered with (particularly "Tam-Lin," the ballad that helps form much of the plot),, and five, because the characters are all so well-drawn. I feel as if I really know them, that I could walk out on the street and see them there (if I lived in the appropriate time period, of course). I highly recomend this book to anyone of an appropriate age (above ten, in my opinion) to read and understand it, particularly if you like historical fiction mixed with "fantasy," a term I hesitate to use (although I am doing so as I cannot, at the moment, come up with anything better) since nothing that happens in the book is presented with a very fantasy-ish tone.

Having read several books on Jack the Ripper, I can enthusiastically declare Sugden's volume the best of the lot, for a number of reasons. First and foremost, this book is not about "Jack the Ripper" per se, but rather it is about the series of murders in Whitechapel and the ensuing investigation. It is the author's stated goal to present the facts as clearly as can be gleaned from extant police files and press reports of the time (albeit, in the latter case, cautiously and only when information is not available in official form). As other reviewers point out, Sugden is not trying to convince us that his own pet suspect is the Ripper. Whereas most Ripper books begin with a conclusion and are written with the arbitary purpose of convincing us that the author has identified the Ripper, this book actually saves the conclusion to the end. Even that conclusion, however, is not definitive. The author does, in the end, tell us why a certain suspect seems to fit the facts better than other named suspects, but he clearly states that there is no definitive proof as to whether or not that suspect was Jack, and he by no means accuses the man of the crimes. In the same vein, Sugden does not attack other writers in the field. That being said, he does point out flaws and outright mistakes in others' thinking. Even this, it must be said, is done in a noble fashion. Sugden is very determined to dispel a number of myths that have wrongly influenced Ripperology for many years, and his contribution toward this end is the most important contribution he makes. He goes to great lengths to not only point out false "facts" (such as the supposed pregnancy of Mary Kelly, for example, an idea that even Donald Rumbelow accepted when he wrote his Casebook) but to explain where these myths came from and why they were accepted by other writers.

Another wonderful thing about this book is Sugden's treatment of the victims. I must admit that I have always viewed the victims with some detachment--this is surely a personal shortcoming on my part, but it is one that many people may share, especially given that the victims were prostitutes in Victorian London over a century ago. In the pages of this book, though, these poor women actually become real and "human." I feel as if I knew them now, to at least a small degree, and, besides feeling pity and compassion for them, I have discovered that I actually liked a couple of them (especially Annie Camp). These women were not just poor "prostitutes." Other writers have done a good job of explaining the wretched conditions in Whitechapel, but no one else has made that world and its occupants really come alive and real to me before. Sugden deserves much praise for putting so much effort into researching, learning, and telling the true story of these women as comprehensively as possible.

In this book, you will find the most complete, objective story that can be told of the Whitechapel murders. "Facts" you have assumed were true will be brought to light and revealed to be myths. New information, particularly in regard to the victims, will be presented. You will not be shown Jack the Ripper, however. What do the facts tell us about Jack the Ripper? That is the question Sugden poses. He has some ideas, which he shares, but any "answers" to this mystery are ultimately left with the reader.

This book should be required reading for any person even remotely interested in Jack the Ripper. Sugden has written the sacred tome of Ripperology, in my opinion.

Sugden's biography of history's most notorious serial murderer is indeed "complete" and a must read for all students of the case and arm-char detectives alike. With deft story telling, a superb feel for timing and flow and exhaustive research, Sugden's narrative brings the world of Victorian London to life with vividness rarely encountered in non-fiction liturature. Every clue is inspected, every suspent examined as Abberline and Scotland Yard scour the shadowy, gas-lit alleys in the desperate persuit of a killer. Though technical at times and the accompanying photographs graphic, the book leaves no stone unturned. It puts to rest many of the rumors and false leads prevalent in Ripperania and arms the amateur sleuth with the facts needed to form their own theory as to the identity of the Phantom of Death. Read this one before any other Ripper book!

Jack the Ripper has been a fascination of mine for five or so years, and I've read lots of books about him and the murders, but "The Complete History" is surely the best. It's very accurate -- Sugden derives his information directly from the case files and press reports, instead of borrowing from previous books which can be misleading. In fact, he even goes out of the way to point out and correct errors from previous books.

And not only is the book very accurate, it is entertaining. A lot of Ripper books seem to be kind of dry, but not this one. I could see everything that was going on. Sugden made me feel for the victims, especially Annie Chapman and Liz Stride, and he did a good job portraying the terrible conditions and poverty of the East End.

Best of all in my opinion, the book does not advance Sugden's pet theory. He does talk about a few suspects, and remarks that one is more likely than the others, but he does say that there is no evidence against the man. It's a nice change from other Ripper books who go through comical contortions to pin the case on one particular individual.

It's a terrific book -- I've read it several times. If you must only read one book on Jack the Ripper, pick this one!

Herbert Werner's book has been printed many times, a testament to its writing and story. Werner joined the German Navy at the outset of World War II, and was able to rise through the ranks fo this extremely dangerous calling to command his own U-Boats by the end of the war. Werner writes his account from a chronological perpsective, from the early, easy successes to the end of the war and the bleak outlook Germany had ahead of them. Key events like the "Happy Time," the sinking of the Bismarck, the Battle of Britain and operation Sea Lion figure in, as do the attacks on Pearl Harbor, D-Day, and the waning days of the war.
Iron Coffins also exudes humanity, finding fault with the Nazi high command and the naval leadership that caused too many losses, weakened morale, and doomed Germany's effort. The title itself refers to Werner's view of the U-boats as floating deathtraps for most of their crews (perentage-wise, German U-boat crews had one of the top positions in any list of potential losses).

Werner was lucky to survive, given his job, and we are luckier still to have his account of U-boat work in World War II.

Reading World War II epics is a hobby of mine, and I can easily say that Iron Coffins is my all-time favorite book. I first read it in 1984 and couldn't put it down. I have read it about 15 times, and each time, it never ceases to captivate me at how Werner survived time and time again while the majority of his comrades met their fate at the bottom of the Atlantic. It is as if it was his destiny to preserve in writing this critical campaign of World War II. It tells you in vivid detail, the other side of the story-all Nazis were Germans, but not all Germans were Nazis. They had men, just like us, who would rather be somewhere else than in the heat of combat, wondering when they were going to get theirs. The vivid descriptions, going from Years of Glory to Disaster and Defeat made me feel like I was right there next to Werner, riding out the brutal storms in the North Atlantic, the ceaseless depth chargings, gasping for air, limping back into port, mauled and beaten, yet still alive. They went to war for their country. Nearly all of them perished. Now, read this tragic true story of one of the few U-boat commanders who lived to tell the tale. The Iron Coffin would not claim Herbert Werner's life. His book preserves the saga of Germany's undersea struggle. A masterpiece!

This is my all time favorite military history book I have read in my life!! Herbert Werner's life story is gripping and compelling with incredible real life accounts of daily life and death struggles as a U-boat commander. Great details of battle actions. This guy truely had "9 lives". How he ever survived was a miracle.

Vladislav Tamarov is barely nineteen when he is drafted into the Soviet army and sent to Afghanistan. His immersion in Soviet propaganda does not prepare him for what he will find there. His training has little to do with his assignment as a mine-sweeper. He serves his two years, somehow survives, and returns home to Leningrad. His life becomes chaotic. Somehow his Afghan experiences seem more real than the life he is living. Later he emigrates to the United States where he lives now, thirty-eight years old. But really, he never comes home from Afghanistan. In his spirit, he is still trapped in that war.

As luck would have it, Vlad (as he likes to be called) is a talented photographer and writer. Somehow he manages to keep a journal and take pictures during his entire tour of duty. Now he shares the pictures with us. Plain pictures of grim, haunted young men. Men who will never go home. Men who will die within hours of being photographed. Men resting briefly before the next battle or ambush. The book is built around these photographs, with accompanying text that is simple and spare.

Vlad serves his time, but really, he never comes home. In his spare, simple writing, his consciousness wanders back and forth between "home" and Afghanistan, never at peace. For him, only the war experience is real. The only people he can really feel at home with are Afghan veterans, and--interestingly--veterans of Viet Nam.

Afghanistan is not a sentimental book. It is a simple, plain-spoken account of a very bad time. It is a powerful statement about war, all war, yet it does not lecture the reader. It is not a book you enjoy, but it will make a deep impression on you. It is exquisite photo-journalism. I recommend it highly. Reviewed by Louis N. Gruber

This is the extremely poignant story of a young Russian from Leningrad by the name of Vladislav Tamarov who at the age of nineteen was conscripted into the Soviet Army knowing full well his destination upon completing his basic and airborne training, Afghanistan. Rarely if ever have I read a story such as this, told with the full depth of emotions over what someone has seen and been forced to participate in.

After his conscription, Vladislav went to basic and airborne training, where by his description the training was wholeheartedly inadequate to the task at hand. But then, armies can train basic trainees in the very basics of soldiering but they can never fully prepare them for the realities that lay ahead when facing actual combat. Of note is the fact that he and his fellow trainees spent a lot of time on the airborne training only to never use it in Afghanistan.

Armed with this most minimal of training, Vladislav and his fellow basic training graduates headed off for Afghanistan. Landing in Kabul he saw the first of many dichotomies where the people of Afghanistan attempted to continue to live their lives the best they could despite rocket attacks and a constant shifting between the Afghanistan government's forces and the Mujahadeen. To add to his already cumbersome load of trying to learn how to survive in combat, he was also immediately picked out to be a minesweeper, the job that few soldiers of any army wants to have.

Vladislav goes on to tell us of the many strife's and hardships that both he and his fellow soldiers endured and some which who did not survive. I found the style in which he told his story to be quite compelling as he tells it with a great depth of emotion to include areas where he seems to almost be in a dream/nightmare state where in one paragraph he's home, he's made it and in the next paragraph he's still in Afghanistan running for his life or attempting to save a friends life.

Of interest is how for quite some time at the beginning of this war the Soviet people were not told what was happening and why young soldiers were coming home in zinc coffins. To us, as Americans, it would seem unthinkable for our government to commit so many assets to a combat action without telling the general populace. To think that the USSR attempted to do is almost inconceivable.

Overall this is a story in pictures and words that is very telling of the experiences young men go through in war and the author deserves high praise for bringing it to print and those of us fortunate to have read it! I myself am in the Army and I found that I learned a great deal from this person that today I call a friend but back in my early days in the Army I was told he and his fellow soldiers were my enemy, thank God that's a war that never happened. I hope for him today that the demons of this war do not still haunt him for he and his fellow Afghansti have seen enough demons!

I highly recommend this book to any and all for it will certainly enrich your knowledge of the Soviet Afghan war and bring you in touch with the author who a truly honorable man who when he was but a mere teenager was forced to grow old before his time. {ssintrepid}

Vladislaw Tamarov, the author of "Afghanistan: A Russian Soldier's Story" was a mere 19 years old when he was drafted to Afghanistan. Once there, Tamarov was 'selected' to be a minesweeper, and he served almost two years before returning home to Leningrad. Tamarov was one of the lucky ones; he returned to tell the story of his time through photographs and journal entries.

Tamarov describes the history--official and unofficial--behind the Soviet presence in Afghanistan, training prior to deployment, and the four types of military action that took place there. Weapons are also described, and there are also photographs of unexploded mines, minesweepers at work, and many photographs of the other young men who served with Tamarov.

The one thing that struck me over and over again as I read this book was the word "WASTE." The photographs of the young soldiers who never returned home stand as a monument to the utter ridiculous waste that occurred under the name "Afghanistan War." What difference did it make to the world or humankind? Has anything changed as a result? Did the world improve immeasurably or even measurably for that matter? The answer to those questions is a single, loud resounding 'NO'. And the only message that can be drawn from this book is the utter futility and madness of war. I would like to commend the author for creating a memorial through his marvellous photographs for the men who seem to be destined just to become empty statistics. The young men memorialized in Tamorov's photographs did not belong in Afghanistan, and neither did they deserve to die. I am glad that someone was there to record their short lives before they were stolen away forever--displacedhuman

I happen to love fantasy books , though I only truely enjoy the ones that allow the characters to seep into you and you become them. For me this was one of those books that take you away and into the story Marian was a wonderful character that you never hear anything personal about but this told it from her . With this book, I have learned to see Marian more as Robin Hood's mate, not annoying female pest. Love the romance, intensity, and action.

I REALLY liked this book. In this story, Maid Marian is not some helpless damsel in distress, waiting for her knight in shining armor to rescue her. Instead she is a down-to-earth young girl who takes her life into her own hands, becomes a self-sufficient young woman, and learns to love.

Twists and turns, hate into romance, hardness into humor, a novella with all the key characterisitics to draw a hungry reader in. Especially with Maid Marian as a lead character, you wish there'd be a sequel. But no, this book stands on it's own pretty well, pretty darn well.

I have read this book many times, it is both humerous and touching. I enjoyed reading about Norton and his adventures. Gethers has the ability to make even mundane events sound very interesting, and he has the gift of being an entertaining writer. Any cat lover will just adore this book.

One of my best friends, and as it just so happens, one of my cats, Adam, "bought" me this book for Christmas, 2001.

I think he's trying to tell me something...

I didn't have a clue what this book was about, and almost didn't read it. I'm glad I did, because once I started, I didn't stop. The Cat Who Went to Paris is now one of my favorite books.

The star of the book is Norton (sorry, Peter -- but you're a close second!), a Scottish Fold who, as his human Peter Gethers (who also happens to be the author) describes him, is "an extraordinary cat."

Cat-hater Peter receives Norton as a gift when he's still a kitten. Seeing this cute little kitten, it's ears folded over, and he's suddenly converted to cat-addict. They develope a close bond -- maybe too close. Peter takes Norton everywhere, carrying him around the streets of New York in his jacket pocket as a kitten (as Norton gets older, he gets a shoulder bag to sit in). They fly across the US to California, go on dates together, and eventually, to Paris, where he meets Roman Polanski and Harrison Ford.

The Cat Who Went to Paris is as much about Norton as it is about Peter, and we, the reader, become so close to them, we're left feeling like old friends. Over the course of the book, Peter brings us into his personal life, and most significantly, the death of his father -- something I had to read through watering eyes. It's this closeness which makes this book so incredibly powerful and enjoyable and personal.

This is a novel of life (with a cat), and all the laughter, pain and love that goes along with it. If you own a cat, snuggle up with him or her and give this a read. Trust me, you'll want your little purring friend close while reading The Cat Who Went to Paris.

Peter Gethers book 'The cat who went to Paris' is a enchanting read about his beloved cat Nortan. I personally love this book as Gethers invites you to fall in love with Nortan. I highly recomend this book to anyone.i myself am not a cat lover and after reading this book wanted to go out and buy myself one.I have recommended this book to all my friends and they have all bought it and enjoyed it.

I have heard that Nortan unfortunatly passes away and i would like to offer my condolences to Peter Gethers.

Does anyone know if Peter Gethers is writing another book about Nortan? As i have hears rumours that he is, does anyone know when this book will be published?

I agree with other reviewers that this is an excellent book and well worth reading. The author certainly expresses a life-long appreciation of all things American. I understand the comments of others who are relieved that someone has more clearly demonstrated that all Germans were not Nazis. However, I suggest that this story also illustrates how many of the same non-Nazi Germans had little tolerance for immigrants, even those from their own country. When I lived in Germany, I witnessed continuing discrimination against non-German immigrants. While reading the references to horrific acts committed by German and Russian armies, I also could not help but recall the total destruction from allied incendiary bomb firestorms in Dresden, a city that at the time included a mass of refugees. There is a brief reference to this in the book. War is indeed hell. The author has done a very good job of telling his story through the eyes of a young boy. I was particularly taken by his ability to illustrate emotions resulting from the scarcity of basic necessities and the resulting hunger - for nourishment, shelter, warmth, and love.

Colonel Samuel,USAF ret., was born in Nazi Germany to a woman raised in a small town to the north of Berlin and to an officer in the Luftwaffe. German Boy: A Child in War is an account of his life from the age of 10, when he, his mother, and sister became refugees fleeing the advance of Soviet forces in January 1945, to the age of 15, when he emigrated to the United States with his mother and step-father. In between, he lived in both the Soviet and British zones of occupation. This book sets forth Colonel Samuel's vivid, honest, and unsentimental recollection of the devastation, privation, degradation, brutality, and starvation that he and his family witnessed and experienced during those years. It is well written and it takes hold of the reader from the first paragaph and stays with one long after the last sentence has been read.

"German Boy" is an important work. As a history, it relates something about a period of history that is not commonly known -- the horrors of World War II in Europe continued long after the fighting ended in May of 1945. As a personal account, it offers hope. Wolfgang Samuel, like millions of children before, during, and since World War II, directly experienced events through which no child should ever have to suffer. His story highlights the resilience of the individual and illustrates that with the will, the perseverance, optimism, and some luck, one can survive disaster and live a better life. This volume would make excellent supplemenary reading for high school and college history courses.

Those who find "German Boy" to be of interest may also consider reading another excellent book, which is titled, "A Woman in Berlin." The author is anonymous. As the title suggests, the book is a published journal written by a young woman while she was living in Berlin during the weeks before the fall of the city to the Soviets and through the first weeks of the Soviet occupation. It was published during the 1950s and is now out of print. However, it is not too difficult to find and it is well worth the effort.

This book was a present to me because my youngest brother saw much of Samuel's character in me. Some of the experiences Samuel had between 1945 and 1950, seem to universal to all German refugee children. However, some things he relates must have been researched. An example is that when his mother went back to East Germany, she came back hidden in a railroad car laden with coal. I heard that particular story before I was 5 years old. Despite the memories of his experiences (many which I seem to share), this is an excellent look into the life of German refugee families and is well worth reading. I would recommend that the reader reread it to get the full impact of life for MOST Germans during and immediately after WWII.

Whatever you think of Orwell and his two most famous works, 1984 and Animal Farm can be set aside when reading "Homage to Catalonia". The book's most valuable asset is that it lends credibility to Orwell's rather strong political views that are so eloquently expressed in his other works. It is one thing to rail against Communism or Totalitarianism, it's another thing entirely to pick up a gun and do something about it at great risk to life and limb. The book in and of itself is not a great book. It is a description of a rather banal civil war that at times is pathetic, comical, and as with any war, ultimately sad when taken at face value. That it is a non-fiction account of the author's participation at Catalonia sets it aside from Orwell's other work. It has made a few top 100 lists, however, I struggled to find a justification for such a lofty ranking. If you are a fan of Orwell, Huxley, etc or are a fan of European history then this book will appeal. Absent such a range of interests, the (potential) reader is probably better off searching elsewhere for an engrossing novel. Ultimately, I enjoyed this book to the extent that it allows for a much deeper perspective on Orwell and his philosphies.

George Orwell's Homage to Catalonia is an amazing look at the Spanish Civil War from one of its participants written within six months of the incidents described. This is an important book for historians of the period as well as an important piece of writing for those who love the fiction and ideas of Orwell as one can easily see their development through his experiences in Spain. The sections on the fighting in Barcelona between the Anarchists and the Communists (instead of against their true enemy, the Fascicts) as well as the subsequent suppression of the POUM are among the most riveting. He is always clear about his personal biases and he is not writing as an historian but as an observer who has been betrayed yet is still hopeful. The flashes of humour are among the many surprises in this very personal account of the devastation of a country and the growth of a writer.

I actually wrote this an extra credit book report:
A Homage to Homage to Catalonia
Homage to Catalonia is an account of Orwell's personal story of his experience in the Spanish Civil War and some reflections on the complex political situations involved. He wrote it in 1938 (I think so; the introduction didn't bother to mention when it was actually written as its author was obviously not a historian), only months after his experience. The reader is put the exciting situation of Europe before World War II. The fact he was writing about contemporary subjects makes it all the more interesting, because he did not have the advantage of knowing what was going to happen next making his opinions of what should be done more valid.
I started reading the book thinking it was going to be about Orwell's disillusionment with Stalinist Russia. If he ever did admire the USSR, he does not admit to it. He does however admit to only joining the POUM because that was the first group he found, though I do not believe he would have ever joined what he referred to as a right-wing Socialist group (though he was tempted at one point, as it was the only way to get to Madrid). It is certain he was disillusioned by several other things. The degree to which USSR-backed groups were not revolutionary, but only wished to perpetuate the "bourgeoisie democracy" I think did surprise them. He thought that this antirevolutionary policy may have been detrimental to anti-Franco cause, because, for example, it meant the Moors of Morocco could not be effectively allied with. This policy was similar to the USSR insisting the Chinese Communists allied with the moderates long after this made sense, though there they had the excuse that unindustrialized China was not ready for a revolution. One thing Orwell was certainly disillusioned about was journalism, due to the coverage of the Spanish Civil War and its disparity with what he was witnessing. On both sides he found simplifications and outright lies.
Orwell obviously cannot be fully objective about the topic. However, he is a journalist and does try. Orwell sums up this possibly downfall fairly well in saying "... beware of my partisanship, my mistakes of fact and the distortion inevitably caused by my having seen only one corner of events." His politics can be described as Marxist. He thought that a revolution was the only way to help the proletariat; it could not happen within the constraints of democracy. Outside of some the political commentary, the book is in fact a primary document and in this respect it is good to read regardless of his subjectivity, as his opinions are valuable in their own right.
I traveled to Spain a few years ago and found I agreed with his reflections on Spanish culture. He pointed out from time to time things in "typical Spanish fashion." Orwell noted how laid-back the Spanish are, the word incompetent could almost be used. For instance, it was often a hassle to pay the bill at a restaurant. It is like they did not want our money. I had attributed this as a reaction to Fascism, though it apparently predated it. In one of his few optimistic statements, he predicted Fascism would not be as bad as in Italy and Germany because of the inefficiency of the Spanish culture; they would just not be able to pull it off. From the little I know of the following decades, this was more or less bore out.
Homage to Catalonia remains an excellent read to anyone interested into this facet of the Spanish Civil War or Stalinist foreign policy in general. It gives a first person account of the soldier's view of the war; I think a fairly average one. Most accounts of war seem to be by people who take down their story because something unique happened to them. Orwell was probably planning to write a book regardless. So Orwell complains much more about boredom then he does carnage, as he was stationed where both he and the Fascists did not have enough firepower to go on the offensive.

I've read it countless times and it grips me every time. And considering the fact that I actually saw the movie first, (which was awful) that's really saying something. I felt for Noelle. It explains why she is so cold and uncaring to men. You really get in her head. And Catherine is easy to like also. Creating empathy for two rival women is a tricky thing to do, and Sidney Sheldon delivers with a punch. He is one of the greatest novelists ever. Don't pass up this book. The part where Noelle helps her friend who is a leader of the French Resistance will keep you on edge. This book is a great ride. I can't praise it enough. I read it in spanish edition....

I absolutely LOVED The Other Side Of Midnight. I found it very difficult to put it down; I was intrigued by Noelle, Larry,Catherine and especially Constantin Demiris.(what a MAJOR creep!!) Even though Noelle and Larry were completely immoral, despicable people, I could not help but feel sorry for them at the end of the book when they meet their ultimate fate. There were many twists and turns in this book and it really held my interest all the way. But if you think this book is good, read the sequel Memories of Midnight which is even better than TOSOM(if that is even possible) I highly recommend both of these books; Sheldon is an unbelievably gifted writer.(fyi, he is the same person who gave us the tv series "I Dream Of Jeannie"!!)

This was the first book by Sidney Sheldon I ever read. And I think the best! I have read other books of his, but this one and its sequel are by far my favorites! I have read them over and over again! No others compare to them. The way he writes is so wonderful and flowing I could read it all day, and often did! I found it very hard to put down. He has a way of making you love Noelle, even though she has done some cruel things. And the shocking ending leaves you hungry for more! Sidney Sheldon is my favorite author and I hope he keeps turning out the books for years to come!

This book is mandatory reading to anyone interested in the Wehrmacht's campaigns on the Eastern Front. The study has been meticulously researched, is reflective, well written, and evidence that the author is one of the foremost experts of German military operations against the Soviet Union during 1942. The book is a scholarly, detailed study of the Luftwaffe's campaigns during this critical year, yet provides perfect analytical context by explaining army operations, which the Luftwaffe was closely affiliated and therefore necessary for understanding its own activities, and also the strategic/political factors driving the Wehrmacht's overall campaign. It also demonstrates, to often overlooked in most campaign studies, the significant role that individual personalities can, and do, play in war. This book is a MUST read to anyone that is especially interested in the Luftwaffe, joint warfare, dynamic leadership and airpower. All military practitioners, scholars and commentators will thoroughly enjoy reading it.

Recently I ordered 'Stopped at Stalingrad' from amazon.com. It was well worth the puchase, as the book is both a profoundly researched study and an interesting read. It's a scholarly work which, undoubtedly, will become a classic in its field.

Dénes Bernád, Aviation Historian and Author

Hayward believes that German air doctrine was too narrowly focused on tactical air support and ignored strategic targets. In his book, Hayward supports his thesis by stating that during the battle for Stalingrad,the Luftwaffe paid too much attention to supporting the ground forces and not enough attention to interdicting the ferries carrying Russian soldiers across the Volga river. Hayward also criticizes the Luftwaffe for not bombing the Caucasusian oil fields which could have severely hampered the Russian war effort. Finally, Hayward writes that the Luftwaffe was spread out to thinly to support the main thrust at Stalingrad and Manstein's southern advance in the Caucasus. I would strongly reccomend this book to anyone whose interested in the faults of German military doctine during World War II.