I found this book gives a lot of insight to evaders and some of the less well known facts of the war. The book has a fairly fast pace but also has a lot of detail. The first three stories deal with downed flyers in France and Belgium who eventually made it to Spain and then British held Gibraltar. Spain was sympathetic to Germany, and treated evaders harshly until 1943 when it became politically necessary for them to develop a better relationship with the Allies.

The fourth story is of a later evader in Belgium who was able to meet the oncoming Allies in 1944 instead of going to Spain. The fifth story details the evasion of an entire bomber crew from the island of Corfu over to Albania. They stayed at a guerilla camp in the mountains and eventually escaped by ship to Italy after much hardship. The final story is of of a flyer who evaded through Italy. Originally captured by the Germans upon landing, he was released from jail with many others when Italy signed an armistice with the allies. He spent the rest of his time evading the Germans and travelling around Italy (with much help from Italian partisans) and finally escaping to the Allied lines after many setbacks.

One of the central themes of the book is the sacrifice made by the occupied population to feed and help the Allied fliers escape. Every story has a follow-up at the end about the later life of the evader and what happened to the people that helped them evade (if known).

Do not start reding this book if you have important things to do because you will not be able to put it down. The book chronicles the evasion of several downed airmen in WWII Europe, how they evaded, the people that helped them and the trials and risks they endured. It is well written and informative and will make you glad that you never had to fly in combat, bail out of a plane or crash land and find yourself in a lonely and hostile land.

Telling the stories of 6 separate evasion episodes in Europe in WWII, General Caine writes a gripping book. I literally could not put down this book once started! Other than screaming "screenplay", the true tales are incredible and fascinating. The evasion stories are detailed enough to make sense, but not a textbook to confound you. The risks taken by the underground and resistence are as powerful as the efforts of the airmen who get back alive. This is a GREAT book; ideal for anyone with any interest in history, WWII, human courage, and escape sagas.

When Gregori Rasputin and the Russian Imperial Family are killed in the early 1900's, a conspiracy to take over the Russian throne by the evil monk dies with them. But decades later a valuable letter written by the Czarina is discovered. It alludes to a vast treasure, and sparks the hopes of the Russian people that a Czar will come to lead them to prosperity. When an American college student accidentally discovers the treasure, he is proclaimed Czar despite his protests. The young man is the focus of one struggle after the other. He becomes the central figure between Russia and the rebel state of Chechnia, Russia and the U.S., and the communist faction that just won't quit. Help comes from the most unexpected source. While the young man wrestles with his desire to return home, he finds courage he didn't know he had, and even discovers the love of his life. Will the Russian people get the Czar they've been looking for? Was it from God? You decide . . .

AMERICAN CZAR was featured in the May 2000 edition of ForeWord Magazine.

Here is what they had to say:

"...Written by a master story-teller, Martin tells a tale that is difficult to put down, yet at the same time, is a quick read with true-to-life characters and circumstances which relate to everyone no matter where they live."

Brenda Ramsbacher, ForeWord Magazine, May 2000.

" . . .

AMERICAN CZAR is rich with human truths of people dreaming of a better life. As John quickly learns, sometimes it's the ordinary people who can do extraordinary things if only given a chance. Written by a master story-teller, Martin tells a tale that is difficult to put down, yet at the same time, is a quick read with true-to-life characters and circumstances which relate to everyone no matter where they live."

Brenda Ramsbacher, ForeWord Magazine, May 2000.

This was a very readable account of Amsterdams history. Of course it would take a five volume history to do full justice to the city but this was admirable in its ability to cover high points while not being a dull textbook account.The prose was very good and not dry at all.

I read this book in preparation for a visit to Amsterdam, and my visit was far more enjoyable and interesting as a result. You owe it to the Amsterdammers to read this book before spending any amount of time in their city--you'll have a much deeper understanding to inform your stay. Imagine reading stories about Chicago by Studs Terkel before visiting that city.

It's really too bad, though, that such a good book has suffered such incompetent editing. Harvard University Press should be ashamed of itself--misspellings, strange punctuation, inconsistent formatting--did anyone actually look at the copy before it went to press?

I loved this book. After visiting and falling in love with Amsterdam, I sought to learn more of its history. This book does a great job of putting you inside the city throughout its long and remarkable history. From the first settlements at the edge of the wetlands to its zenith as the world's foremost trading power to modern times, author Mak makes the history come alive by focusing on individuals as well as the average Amsterdamer. Blom's translation is impeccable (I often find that Dutch translates very well to English). Highly recommended to the discerning traveler or the merely curious.

An awesome book. Let's just say that our tour guide in Greece use this book as a reference. As an educator I found this book to be extrememly useful. How many of us actually knew that all these marble ruins were fully painted in their prime? The overlays and information are wonderful. Highly recommended.

I first saw this book while on vacation in Greece...Naturally, I looked up the places my husband and I had visited and the book portrays them beautifully! There's great historical detail in the text as well as outstandingly accurate illustrations of prominent Greek sites and monuments. The 'see-through' pages give an incredible glimpse of what ancient Greece looked like over 2000 years ago. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who has been to Greece, wants to go to Greece or is studying Greece. It is written for all ages! For any educator teaching Greek history this would be a highly useful 'textbook'.Enjoy!

This beautiful book has full page color photos of the ruins of ancient Greek temples and theaters, with transparent overlays filling in how these magnificent buildings would have looked when first built. It includes photos of statues and architectural details, with a general overview of ancient Greek history and explanations of the buildings' purposes and histories. Most of the buildings shown are on mainland Greece, but the Palace at Knossos and the sanctuary of Apollo on Delos are also included. These buildings are spectacular!

And Then There Was One... is a historical memoir covering the era from 1910 t o 1945. Author Michael Stone was born in Latvia in 1910, grew up in Moscow, relocated to Berlin with his family to escape the Communist Revolution, and emigrated to the United States when the Nazis emerged to take control. And Then There Was One... is a riveting personal saga that spans nations, and offers a very personal view of cataclysmic events that reshaped human history and the world. Enhanced with an appendix, bibliography, and index, And Then There Was One... is highly recommended reading.

(...)Twentieth century lives are often studies in chaos, disruption, and just one damned thing after another. For Michael Stone, born in 1910, it's a century of the murder of Jews and of coming to America and having the freedom to build a successful life. But a successful and culture life was Stone's in Latvia, born into a family of prosperous entrepreneurs. Memories, experiences, fascinating bits of information—The Cotton Club, speeches in Columbus Circle, in the Latvian army, upbringing, siblings and parents, and meeting European men and women who, through their experiences, would define the times. But also there is the malady of the century: the Nazi murder of Jews. A horrifying depiction of the roundup of the Jews of Riga: "Those actions were representative of a number of carefully planned acts of extermination of Jews, not only in various cities in Latvia, but also in other parts of Nazi-occupied regions in Europe." And the terrible personal experiences of Stone. "My initial reaction to being transferred from the hands of the Gestapo to the regular, green-uniformed police calmed me a bit." In an important sense, this is a modern American life: coming from war-torn Europe, a man prospers but remembers, for future generations, the terrible things done in Europe. And it is a history of all of Europe as that history affected poor, helpless people. Stone remembers in a thoughtful, scrupulously detailed way: And Then There Was One is a clearheaded and instructive memoir, related with passion, and with enormous sorrow(...)

Unlike traditional history books, which are written many years after events have actually occurred, this unusual book tells of the cataclysmic world events of the the first half of the last century from the perspective of one who was there. The reader will get a graphic description of the different cultures, customs and events as they then existed.

There are not many people today who can say that they were acctually present in Moscow when the Bolshevic revolution was unfolding. Michael Stone was there. In this meticulously researched volume, Mr. Stone vividly describes how he survived the bloody two-year civil war when his mother was brutally killed. He goes on to describe his family's flight from Russia to the Weimar Republic. He provides a first-hand account of the World War II from the German perspective. Mr. Stone writes with passion about his experience of being arrested by the Gestapo on charges of high treason, which carried a mandatory sentence of decapitation (He was ultimately pardoned by Hermann Goering, personally!) We are fortunate that Mr. Stone, who was thrust into the middle of the century's greatest historic events, survived to preserve the truth from his unique perspective.

This is a must read for all history buffs.

This book is as well written as any about WWII "Thunderbolts" that I have read. Not only do you get an American perspective, there are comments made by the Germans as well. I tried reading "Winter Journey With The 9th", but it paled in comparison to this one. The big difference really boils down to is this book is written by a pilot who can write versus a third person account.

Angels Zero is a fascinating history of Lt. Brulle's experiences during WWII. It reveals an amazing recap of an almost daily report on his P-47 group's activities, including the names of many of his fellow pilots. It shows what a terrific effort he must have put forth in researching the records and logs of the various squadrons and units. The book flowed nicely and was easy reading. As an ex-infantry and artillery guy (Korean War time frame) I got a totally different perspective on the European warfare scene. I really had no feel for Air Force side of the operation and Brulle's book gave me a sense of what their lives were like. Bob takes one all the way through his military experience from his induction to discharge. There are several lighter sides to the book as he describes his visiting with relatives in Holland and buzzing their homes as well as more somber moments where he relates the losses of pilots he had trained, lived and played with. All in all, it is an entertaining and educational book and I'd recommend it to everyone.

I was personally was a beneficary of the support provided by the author's unit, the 366th Fighter Group, during the Battle of Hurtgen Forest which occurred during November up to mid-December, 1944. The author's descriptions of the missions he flew during that battle are outstanding as was the support provided to my unit - 28th Infantry Regiment, 8th Infantry Division.

Mr. Brulle's technique and phrasing brings a clear jnderstanding to the uninitiated of what the low level figther-bombers did, the circumstances surrounding those missions, mission resuilts, weather conditions as well as the emotions and feelings of the pilots.

To those who thought that a fighter -pilot's life during World War II consisted of three hot meals a day, clean sheets, pressed uniforms, an eight hour duty day - think again. This infantryman changed his mind. Read the book and learn what the dive-bomber pilots actually went through during the war.

The book has lighter moments also. Mr. Brulle tells of meeting his relatives in Belgium while on a short leave and the interesting results during a subsequent fly-over of their farm.

The book is well written, informative, interesting, easy to read, and contains a number of photographs as well as a three-view drawing of the P47 that Mr. Brulle flew.

Excellent material on the early Irish history

This text is a crucial element in the genealogical history of many old Irish and Scotish families (who can trace their roots to Ireland). This text includes the Latin, Gaelic and English translations of the original books. Although the beginning volumes were written about 500 to 1000 years after the events occurred, the stories that one finds included there are fascinating, and add to any family history (provided you can trace back that far!) a depth that is difficult to find elsewhere. I post a web site that traces the roots of the Buchanan clan, and have used a copy of the text available from the NY Public Library as one of my sources. Numerous individuals have e-mailed me asking for sources to purchase this text, and it would be helpful if it would be reprinted. For now, ask your local library to get the book for you on interlibrary loan from the NY Public Library (or others). Needless to say, I highly recommend this text and would be the first to purchase it if it were reprinted.

'The Annals of the Four Masters' is one of the most important documents for students of Irish, British, European and ancient history. You will not find much of this history in your high school or even college text books. John O'Donovan, a 19th century antiquarian undertook the enormous task of interpreting this account of Irish history as written in gaelic by the Four Masters, legendary scribes from a Donegal monastery. On the left hand page you get the original gaelic text, on the right the english translation, some anecdotes are in Latin. The anecdotes are as rich in reading as the text and include some by the late 19th century historian Charles O'Conor of Belengare, Ireland. REPRINT THESE VOLUMES....for here lie the dormant pages of Irish, British, Norman, Saxon, Scotish, Iberian, Hiberian, Milesian, Pictish and Gaelic history and perhaps the key to unraveling are current problems. Stephen Vincent O`Rourke

As an architect, I appreciate John McGuire's personal descriptions of my favorite places in Rome. The illustrations are some of the best I have ever seen. This past Christmas, I gave this book to several friends as a bon voyage gift. We spent the morning over coffee discussing how well Rome is described in this book. Anyone interested in Rome would enjoy reading this book.

I am sorry to see that this book is no longer in print. Before a trip to Rome, I purchased 'An Architect's Rome' and read it from cover to cover. Reading 'An Architect's Rome' helped me plan my trip and as I read my enthusiasm for Rome increased. By the time I arrived in Rome I felt as if I knew the city and was returning to visit my favorite places. The author transfered his love for the city to me. On the author's recommendation I took the Ostia Antica day trip and thoroughly enjoyed the day. This is the best book on Rome that I have read.

I visited Rome three years ago, and saw most of what McGuire describes and illustrates with excellent pen and ink sketches and water colors. If I had the book then, I could have saved time, seen more, and I think, appreciated what I did see and visit to a greater extent. I am an architect. Perhaps this is why I so enjoyed McGuire's book. Most people who visit Rome do so because of its remarkable architecture. This volume will enhance their visit.

This is an amazing atlas presenting in-depth covering of the long and turbulent history of Armenia. There are numerous publications on Armenian history, but they either contain plain maps, or plan text. This one not only presents an enormous number of extremely valuable and rare historical maps covering about three thousand years' history, but also presents in a very reader-friendly style unbiased historical facts associated with every single map. More than that, it presents invaluable statistical information, such as the population by regions. It also presents very intriguing architectural data. One of invaluable features of the book is the coverage of the Armenian genocide and the first republic.
This is more than a book - it is a great treasure that anyone interested in history in general and Armenian history in particular MUST have.

I cannot imagine a more comprehensive effort on telling -and mapping- the history of a people. This atlas is a delight to go to once and again. It contains a treasury of well-explained and well-presented historical facts on the Armenian nation, whose boundaries have suffered so many changes throughout the ages.
The price...is steep but well justified. My only comment would be that,if you are interested in a superficial or introductory work, you are paying here for more than you need. If, however, you want to go deep, this atlas is a must. In addition to the maps, the text is very rich and I can't think of any item of information on the Armenian people that would not be covered here.

Mr. Hewson's book requires a large coffee table with sturdy legs. Well worth the price, it will fascinate all ethnicities by its girth. The painstakingly rendered maps are only part of the magic. The accompanying research of each period of the history of this Region, (which encompasses more than just the Armenian culture) incorporates many sources to deliver a volume that is at once simple enough for the novice researcher and involved enough for those already familiar with the subject matter.

This is a must-read book for US servicemen given the coming conflict in Afghanistan that provides important information about our likely Afghan opponents and the lessons learnt over the decades by the Brits. The lessons learnt then have relevance still today and the book should appear on officer and NCO required reading lists.

This book has provided me with a good solid overview and a list of further resource material.

This is an informative, well-written and impressively researched account of how British and Indian units fought on the North-West Frontier of India for nearly a 100 years. Fighting against the Pathan tribes became almost a way of life for imperial troops during repeated skirmishes and major campaigns in the period covered by the book. It effectively combines detailed and lively accounts of important battles with analysis of how the military prepared itself for this very specialised form of unconventional warfare.

Moreman provides a wealth of new information about frontier fighting and a detailed bibliography that makes it a must for all interested in British imperial military history. I thoroughly recommend it other readers.