In this book Admiral Woodward has provided the reader with an informative and candid view of a task force commander at war. His myriad of concerns; logistics, weather, technology, numbers, and the interference of politics and the modern media in the campaign are presented in a very readable format. It was interesting to read his asessments that Argentina could have won the war by concentrating their air attacks on the 2 British carriers (fortunately the Brits hadn't sold them) or the amphibs. As a naval officer, and a student of military history, it was refreshing to see a modern commander admit that such things as acceptable losses and expendable commands really do exist in the conduct of warfare. His humor and leadership style, warts and all, are a primer in command and control under fire. The book presents dramatic descriptions of many tragic episodes, such as the sinkings of the HMS Coventry and the Atlantic Conveyor. Unfortunately, since the book was written from a naval officer's point of view, the land campaign was given rather short notice therefore leaving out an important portion of the fight. I highly recommend the book for professionals and buffs alike.

This fine naval autobiography takes us behind the scenes of the Falklands sea/air (not ground) war and modern battle management in general. Admiral Woodward didn't exactly know what he was sailing into back in 1982, and makes no attempt to hide his personal sense of vulnerability as Britain's first fighting admiral in high-tech warfare. In fact, the entire book is refreshingly down-to-earth. Woodward is quick to note that he was tapped for the job because he happened to be the navy's closest flotilla commander at the time (in Gibraltar)--and confides that his superiors almost replaced him with a higher-ranking officer even as he led the task force into danger. This is no stuffed-shirt memoir.

Woodward and co-author Patrick Robinson weave accounts of grand strategy and military politics through a genuinely absorbing narrative of men and machines in heavy weather, incessant tactical maneuvering, and flashes of terrifying combat. Along the way, there are plenty of 'what-if's to chew on. We learn that Woodward had to manipulate London to get HMS Conqueror to sink the Argentine cruiser General Belgrano (British subs weren't under his tactical command). He explains why the sinking was both necessary and tragic, and how Conqueror watched but spared Argentine ships coming to Belgrano's aid. He also reveals that his ships almost shot down a Brazilian airliner mistaken for a pesky Argentine recon jet; he personally gave the order to withhold fire. And Woodward's character shines through his account of ordering HMS Alacrity on a potential suicide mission to scout mines--in an exceptionally gracious mea culpa of command, he praises the captain's sterling courage while faulting his own mundane direction.

Also fascinating are the individual stories of the high number of British ships damaged or sunk, and Woodward's frustration with underperforming anti-aircraft and anti-missile systems. This was more of a close call than the world knew at the time, as he makes abundantly clear. Ultimately, his modest approach on paper belies the fact that he and his task force pulled off a truly impressive naval feat. And it's a credit to Woodward the author-analyst that 'One Hundred Days' transcends the Falklands War to give an illuminating, first-person view of campaign and tactical battle coordination. It could find a home on bookshelves of Fortune 500 executives as well as students of naval and air operations. The style is also breezy (and occasionally humorous) enough for the casual reader. I've never seen it in a U.S. store, so thanks, Amazon.

A superior autobiography. Although the focus is plainly on the Falklands, the author provides a fascinating account of the RN's submarine training program -- which reminds one of why the British military, though tiny in size, still maintains some of the best trained warriors in the world.

The meat of the book retells the story of PM Thatcher's courageous decision to retake the Falklands. The author provides a fine defense of the UK's controversial decision to sink the Argentine crusier Belgrano and a compelling account of the terror visited upon his task force by (French-made) exocet anti-ship missles. Unlike many commanders' post-mortems, this book contains little of the standard blame shifting usually found in such works. The Admiral takes you through his decision-making process step-by-step never letting the reader forget that the decisions he made often were made on the basis on VERY incomplete information under intense time-pressure (from the US, the UN and the coming South Atlantic winter) and, often, under fire.

Overall, one comes away thinking the author would have done a bang-up job at Trafalger or Jutland . . . or even taking on the Soviet Navy in the North Atlantic. A must have for those interested in finding out what -- to paraphrase the Iron Duke -- a damn near run thing the Falklands campaign really was.

One of the best books I've ever read - engaging characters - crisp insight into their lives. Drinnan has a new book coming out this winter check this one out first

From the moment I picked this book up I couldn't put it down.

Set mainly in Sydney, Glove Puppet is the story of love between and man and boy and the tragic events that surround it. It demonstrates how the media, the law, and the public can totally misinterpret people's circumstances.

Order it now for when it is published in the U.S. - in fact order two copies - one for yourself and one for a friend because this is one book you'll want to keep and read again.

"Glove Puppet" is an outstanding "autobiography" of a 20-year old man (Vas) who was raised in the theatre.

This book is everything that is good about true literature and every bit as racey as a great porn novel.

We start off the book with meeting our young Vas in a train station where his mother is dying from an OD.. Enter now our tragic hero (well that is how I saw him).. He picks the boy up and wisks him into a different life.

Well Vas reaches puberty and things begin to spiral down from there.. First he seduces his "father" then several of his fathers lovers.. and then there is the prostitution.. Drugs and men..

And all this goes on within a plot that is clear and well defined.

This may be a short book but, it is one(like many men before me) that you should own and read.

It is about time someone took the time to write about one of the most talented and underrated bands out there---silverchair. Any fan will find this book enjoyable and interesting.

This is an excellent book to buy if you like silverchair, Spiderbait or You am i. It has a lot of really great information on all three groups. I love it, and anyone who buys it will, too.

If you're a fan of silverchair, Spiderbait, or You Am I, this book is a must. It's full of information on these three Australian bands as well as many pictures. Overall, Mathieson has done an excellent job on this book!

As one who has traveled in New Guinea 8 times, I found this book suspenseful and fascinating. Flannery vividly portrays the magnificent landscapes he explored, and introduces us to wild creatures that are disappearing from the earth. And he captures well the tragic impact of an outside world greedy for the island's natural resources, especially in Irian Jaya.

I have only two reservations. First, even recognizing that Flannery's mission was to collect rare mammals, I thought he conveyed too little of the richness and complexity of tribal life. The savage nature of the people was stressed, rather than their loyalties and kindnesses. Second, women were virtually invisible in the narrative.

I thoroughly enjoyed this wonderful book! In it, mammalogist Tim Flannery regales us with tales from his many years in New Guinea, searching for new species of mammals on the island, the second largest in the world. A difficult island to work in - highly mountainous; extremely few roads, most villages so isolated that they can only be reached by small planes flying to landing strips hacked out of the jungle; parts of it some of the rainiest spots on earth, some areas receiving 11 meters or more of rain a year; possessing many dangerous animals ranging from crocodiles to snakes to huge spiders; tropical diseases and parasites a real problem in many areas (including malaria and scrub typhus, from which Flannery almost died from when bit by an infected tick) ' Flannery had his work cut out for them as he spent over two decades on the island, both in the eastern half, the independent nation of Papua New Guinea, and the western section, Irian Jaya, part of Indonesia.

Flannery is a highly accomplished scientist, having discovered 16 new species of mammals in Melanesia, many of them in New Guinea. Many of these and others are described in the book, and make for fascinating reading. We meet the Black-tailed Giant-rat, the bite from its two centimeter long razor sharp incisors much feared by the inhabitants of the island. The Three-striped Dasyure, a vividly marked rat-sized marsupial predator, one of New Guinea's few mammals active during daylight hours. The Snow Mountains Robin, one of the rarest birds in the world, found in the high alpine regions of the Meren Glacier in Irian Jaya, one of the very few equatorial glaciers in the world. _Antechinus, a small carnivorous marsupial notable in that the male only lives for 11 months, existing only to breed. The diminutive, dingo-like New Guinea singing dog, which arrived in the islands some 2,000 years ago. The six o'clock cicada, a tremendously loud insect that received its name from its trill it emits roughly 6am and 6pm daily. The famous Birds of Paradise, breathtaking in their beauty, several species of which are extremely rare. He also describes the Long-fingered Triok, a black and white skunk smelling possum with the fourth finger of each hand a great elongated probe for finding insect larvae; you never know what he is going to find next lurking in the barely explored misty peaks and dripping jungles of the island.

Three of the most remarkable animals are ones that Flannery discovered or in one case rediscovered. One is _Maokopia ronaldi_, an extinct marsupial herbivore that once dwelt in the high mountain forests. Panda-like in appearance, size, and probably habits, Flannery named this new genus and species from fossils he found in Irian Jaya. Bulmer's Fruit-bat, a bat though extinct for 12,000 years, the largest cave dwelling bat in the world, Flannery was elated to have found them alive in extremely rugged western Papua New Guinea. The one though that Flannery is the most proud of discovering was the Dingiso, a new species of tree-kangaroo he found in the alpine areas of Irian Jaya, a beautiful black and white animal, surprising tame, threatened but fortunately partially protected by native taboos against harming them.

However, as remarkable as all of that is, one could argue that the real stars of this book are the people of New Guinea, particularly the indigenous Melanesian peoples that Flannery spends a great deal of time with and clearly loves. Much of his time researching in the field he was based out of the villages of such people as the Wopkaimin, the Telefol, and the Goilala where he became fast friends with many throughout the island, in both countries, viewing them not as savage barbarians, but as noble, often quite kind people, their older generation vast repositories of cultural and natural history lore. One of the most enjoyable aspects of the books were the many stories about life in those villages, some of the tales tragic, others heartwarming, and many hilarious.

Particularly fascinating was what he wrote about the history of cannibalism on the island. Apparently it did exist in the not too distant past, actually in the living memory of some of the villagers he encountered. Though not an every day occurrence by any means, cannibalism was an important part of New Guinea life; indeed, one group Flannery spent some time with, the Miyanmin, were once avid raiders, and actually referred to the neighboring Atbalmin people as 'bokis es bilong miplea,' which more or less translates into something like 'our refrigerator.' Though cannibalism is now a thing of the past, its effects are still felt he writes, as villages once got some of their population from raids of other villages, the adults of that village were consumed and the children raised as their own; now, that is no longer a source of new people for villages and some are facing some depopulation as a result.

Flannery sounds several cautionary notes in his book. Several species of New Guinea mammals and birds are in serious danger of extinction from over hunting. Though New Guinea is still a land largely without roads, more and more appear all the time, opening up virgin lands for hunters, loggers, and miners. Indeed in Irian Jaya the latter two are devastating ever larger sections of the island; the massive Freeport mine, which exports over ten million dollars worth of minerals daily, has destroyed large sections of forest with waste mine tailings.

He also worries about the future of the people, particularly in Irian Jaya. He believes that in an attempt to make that land more like the rest of Indonesia it is causing not only environmental damage but also cultural damage. Indeed there are concerns over human rights abuses in Irian Jaya, of dissidents disappearing, of remote villagers forced to wear modern clothing and abandon their pig eating culture by distant Muslim politicians, who often find native culture abhorrent.

Recommended.

Tim Flannery, whose been called the Australian Stephen Jay Gould, is a terrific writer. In this book he describes his trips to Irian Jaya and Papua New Guinea to collect biological specimens. However, this book is so much more -- he tells all about the people he encounters, his life, his work. This reads like an adventure story told by a sophisticated, interesting man. I really loved this book -- if you're interested in Natural History, the South Pacific or man's study of his surroundings than you'll have a great time reading Flannery's book!!

Thomas Keneally looks into his own family history, and ends up setting forth the fascinating story of Young Ireland, one of the most neglected periods of Irish history. With his great eye for detail and beautiful imagery, Keneally relates the story of such Irish legends as William Smith O'Brien, Thomas Meagher and John Mitchel. "The Great Shame" brings the lives of these and the other Irish legends of the time to vivid life, following them from their roots in Ireland, to their exile in Van Diemen's Land, and culminating in their glorious rebirth in Civil War America. Read this book!

I am Irish Australian and like Thomas Keneally and his children, my ancestors were forced to leave Ireland and start a new life in Australia.

As I have become older, and living now in the UK, I have become increasingly interested in what led my ancestors to come to Australia. I think Keneally has been struck by this thought as well - how did we become who we are? When you are descended from convicts, you find yourself wondering how life might have been different if they had not been deported - equally, you realise how lucky you are that as a consequence, you happen to have been born in one of the best places in the world. The British did not realise what a blessing they were bestowing upon us!

This book is not just a book about the Irish experience in Australia - it is more profoundly a history of Ireland itself. The Irish story, however, is much more than the potato famine or the rise of Sinn Fein or the Battle of the Boyne - it is also the lives led by its citizens, both in Ireland and abroad. To be Irish was a very special thing indeed, even though in most cases, this meant in fact that you were treated with suspicion and disdain.

The story of men and women such as Hugh Larkin deported to Australia for standing up for the families and land, is sadly common, even banal. But such people they were! I admire them so much for their fortitude and courage and this book is a tribute to them.

It is hard to imagine what it must have been like to have been forcefully removed from your families in those days of no telephones, faxes, planes - life truly meant life and those men and women left Ireland with little hope that they would ever be able to return. I have a small story to tell that helps put it all in context. My grandmother (sadly deceased) told us how when she was a child growing up in the Queensland bush in 1900, her aged father (not the convict! ) would ask her to sing, late in the evening at the barndances held at their farm, all the Irish songs to him and his cronies in the district who were all homesick for Ireland. The song the old men loved most, apparently, was "I'll take you home again Kathleen". The yearning for home was so deep for all of them.

Kenneally is a great Australian and I never enjoy his work more than when his sharp eyes and lyrical words are focused upon our country and the people who have made it what it is today. One of these days, Keneally will win the Nobel Prize, I am sure of it. He is a genial man and the love of his subject-matter shines through this extraordinary work.

I thoroughly recommend this book.

The story of what happened to the Irish political prisoners known as the Young Irelanders and the Fenians, in the 1850s and 60s, is expertly told by Australian writer Thomas Keneally in "The Great Shame." Sticking firmly to documented history, about the only thing Keneally leaves out is the nastier side of Fenianism, with its secret vendettas and occasional underlying brutality. But that all lies in the misty past, and Keneally has done a first-rate job of bringing much of this truculent history out into the light.

This is an epic journey, just as the formation of the Irish diaspora needs it to be. You never quite know where you are you going to go next, as ships sail back and forth from Ireland to Australia and from Australia to the Americas. It is the roaring days of sail just before steam, and gold is being discovered right and left on both sides of the Pacific, sufficient to lend impetus to various Fenian schemes through goldfields' fundraising.

One of the characters involved in the 50s was a man destined to become an American Civil War hero with the rank of general. He fought on the Union side while another Irishman who had fought the same battle as he had at home in Ireland, and had also been transported for it, fought with the Confederates. Such were the fortunes of war at that time.

The book also recounts how the Fenian forces tried on three occasions, prior to Confederation, to invade Canada in order to hurt the British in North America. They also had the long-term plan of mounting an invasion of Ireland from a Canadian base. It was all a bit pathetic in the end, but for a time, it was in deadly earnest and who could have said what the result might not have been had the Fenian forces succeeded.

Perhaps the most interesting part of a very entertaining book is the retelling of an attempted rescue from Western Australia of the last group of Fenian "lifers," all soldiers who had been cashiered from the British Army for their part in Fenian plots in England and Ireland. These men had little hope of ever leaving their prison, and were mostly ailing by the time American Fenians had raised the enormous sum needed to buy a ship to go to their rescue. The hair-raising tale of what happened is one of the nineteenth century's best adventure stories, and Keneally relishes the telling of it.

So this is a book which has everything an Irishman, or an Irishman at heart, could wish for. I wonder what the reaction of the English might be to such a tale. The evidence is somewhat damning, to the effect that political repression of the most odious kind was used during and after the famine. Of course, this is only referring to the nineteenth century and does not go back in any detail to the awful story of Cromwell's men or even earlier, which might lead one to think that the English, when they came to Ireland, only did so to practice.

If you've got any Irish blood in you, (and if you didn't previously know one way or the other, this may prove to be a glorious occasion for finding out) you'll fairly quickly be learning to say the old war cry, Erin go bragh. Ireland forever! It's a strange tale and one that should make us reflect about the nature of power and its misuse. It all seems so long ago now but that's just a mirage of sorts, for it was really only just the other day.

Lastly I should point out that writing a book like this must have been a sheer delight. Keneally seems to have visited many of the sites he talks about and they are often in out of the way places. I imagine that it was an absolute pleasure for him to write a book like this and I look forward to the day when he finds time to do it again. I can't recommend "The Great Shame" highly enough.

I found this book to be a good and handy guide to understanding the culture of the Philippines as an Canadian-American married to a lady from the Philippines and a part time resident of DAVAO CITY about half the year, the information has proven useful. It certainly was well worth the small price I paid if only for the tips on understanding my IN LAWS! Anyways, a well worth read.

Having been raised in one of the remote barangays in one of the remote provinces in Philippines, went to college in the city, and currently living in the U.S., I can relate to most of the things discussed in this book and how foreigners react to them. I still find our culture fascinating and I wouldn't hesitate to explain this to a foreigner who's interested to listen. But why the choice for the cover? Wouldn't it be nice if you put a picture of a 'bayanihan' or a child giving a 'mano po' to an elderly, instead of a man in white mask with a San Miguel Beer and a cigarette in hand? I know 'Sinulog' in Cebu, 'Dinagyang' in Iloilo, and 'Ati-ati' in Aklan, but these festivals do not reflect the 'culture shock' that's discussed in the book. It might give an impression that there's a lot of 'voo-doo' practitioners in the Phillipines. Ok..ok...let's not just the book by it's cover...Excellent reading for your 'Americanized' kid or your American in-law.

Alfredo and Grace Roces have compiled a great deal of material on the Psycho-social development of and application of "The Pilopino Culture". Rationales are given for certain behaviors, and comparisons with American Culture are made. As an American I find the information contained in this study of Pilipino Behavior, Life style, Social Interaction to be indespensible in studying the Pilopino People. I highly reccomend reading "Culture Shock" to anyone interested in comparing Cultural norms between American and Pilopino Culture. I am an American married to a Filipina. After reading Culture Shock I have developed a much better understanding of my wifes feelings about issues such as-Religion, Family, "Utang na loob", Extended vs. Nuclear Family, Sending money home to parents in the Philippines etc. There are now so many new concepts added to my knowledge of the Philippines that I lack both the time and space to discuss them with you. Get the book and enjoy a refreshing look at a new Culture! Mike McGrath-R.N./MICN/Webmaster

I came across this book last week in a bookstore and having read "Into the Timeless Realm", I decided to give it a shot. Well, what a find! I'm over half way through it and I just can't put it down. It's a wonderful story that reminds me of Jane Roberts' Oversoul 7 trilogy. I don't know if Michael Roads has ever read any of Jane's or Seth's books, but his works cover many of the same topics and reinforce the "you create your own reality" ideas put forth by Seth. I'm looking forward to the next 2 books in Mr. Roads' trilogy.

GETTING THERE is a full course meal with all the trimmings. I like to have a book effect me or stimulate me or take me for a ride. Here is a book to do all that. I have read this book twice and I recommend it to everyone. Michael Roads is making a contribution to the growth potential in all of us.

I have been to hear Michael talk and always leave with motivation and insight with which to effect change in my life. GETTING THERE sits waiting to do the same at any reading! Thanks Michael!

Michael Roads' books may not be for everyone, but they always strike a deep, resonant chord inside me. "Getting There" is no exception. If anything, I think Michael may have outdone himself this time. I'm not even finished with it yet, and I'm already writing this review and hoping he won't be long in writing another one.

Way to go, Michael!!!

At the beggining of Reef of Death, I felt like putting it down and not looking back. It seemed like a very poorly put together book and Pual Zindel seemed like he put very little research and effort into it, yet I kept reading. Reef of Death is about a teen nicknamed PC. He gets a call from his uncle inviting him to accompany him with a treasure hunt, pretty original huh? But it gets better. It's not pirates treasure, it's an old Aboriginal fortune that was saftley hidden a long time ago in the waters off of Australia. Now the Aboriginal village needs the money because they're getting kicked off their own land. PC, his uncle Cliff, an Aboriginal girl fom the village, and a few others set out to find the treasure but there is a strange freighter next to where the the treasure is supposed to be, and every time someone goes diving, a mini-whale-of-a-fish comes after them. This book picks up in the end and it makes you feel like Zindel is maturing in his writing the farther you read.

I recommend this book to anyone who likes horror and action. An example of horror is when the sea creature has killed Arnhen and is now ripping him to shreds. "It snapped at them as the girl saw Arnhem's torso float up to the surface, saw the white flash of spine and the circle of shredded, raw flesh." An example of action would be when Dr.Ecenbarger put a guard in the torture chair. A crab was put in a cage and then the cage was put on the guard's head. "The guard was dead only moments before the crab began the feast on his brain." In conclusion, I think anyone who likes horror stories and action, should read this book.

I am a HUGE Paul Zindel fan, and when I picked up this book and started reading, I almost fell asleep! I mean, a kid gets invited to look for treasure with his uncle. Sound familiar? I mean,how old is that? But after the first 20 pages or so, this book gets good.Really good. People geting eaten, torture chambers with people inside (That was REALLY gory)and an evil, man-eating fish. I mean, what more can we ask from life? HOW MUCH BETTER CAN A STORY GET?!?!?!?![.]

I found the book most interesting especially because of the historical insights that the author shared about life in Russia, China and finally in Australia. The contrasts between life in the Far East and life now in Australia for Gary and his family is amazing and it is wonderful to note the appreciation he has for the differences.
I always love stories about people and what they have coped with in their lives. Certainly Gary Nash will have inherited some of the strong and stoic qualities that his grandmother showed.
I found the book very enjoyable to read and the family tree was very useful to continuously revert back to as the story progressed. It has also been written in a very positive way and I would guess that this is why the Tarasov family managed to get to Australia and be successful.
Most enjoyable - well worth reading!

The Tarasov Saga is much more than a family history, although the author may well have set out with that outcome in mind. We begin in the days of the Russian Tsars and end in the suburbs of modern Australia.

What lies between is a remarkable story of the courage and unfailing will of a talented matriarch and her family, enduring through a world-shaking revoution and the little understood wars and struggles that enveloped the expatriate Russian community in China during the middle years of the 20th century.

I learned more about the fascinating history of these times, particularly the internal and external struggles of the Chinese with the Russians, Japanese and other foreign occupiers, than I ever imagined I could glean from the experiences of one family.

It's an easy and great read - I finished the book as I travelled through Russia from Moscow to St Petersburg and that added an extra dimension to the experience.

The Tarasov Saga is a gripping tale of upheaval and endurance, courage and determination which will keep you reading through the night. Through the author's chronicle of the life and times of one extraordinary family, I learned much that was new and fascinating about the history and culture of Revolutionary Russia and China in the 1920's.

The book could well have been called 'The Tarasov Women' for it is they who produced the strength and determination for survival. But they are not just heroines, they are also interesting people and you really care about their outcomes. You read on hoping they will succeed, feeling uplifted when they do and sad when life goes badly.

The photographs enhance the sense of time and place so that the reader almost becomes part of the family.

The Tarasov Saga left me wondering 'could I survive in such circumstances?' Good question. I recommend you read it and ponder.

This book had me absolutely cracking up. The porn temp scene is worth the price of admission. I adored the two narrators, a fiesty twenty-something old female New York drop Physicist, and a going-nowhere male Aussie bass player. How she got the Australian male voice down (The jacket says Shapiro is American) is amazing. Can't wait for another book from the writer.

I kind of knew Laurie at Syracuse University where she was by far the smartest, funniest girl on campus with a big warm smile.

I was so excited to read in Art News that there was a movie being made out of her book - which I just read. Here's my two cents....this is a book that I will pass on to everyone. If you don't find this laughter-inducing then you are a stiff, because I nearly wet my pants crying. Also very well written. It's great that comedy can come with intellgence. I'm jealous as hell, girl! You go!

I knew this book was going to be funny, my friend had been pushing for me to read it, but I didn't think it was haunt me afterwards. Whoever Laurie Gwen Shapiro is, well done!