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Blood and Thunder: The Epic Story of Kit Carson and the Conquest of the American West 134 reviews
Hampton Sides
Anchor, 2007
great choice for history buffs & western fans
+ Excellent
+ Blood and Thunder recommended for non-history buffs
+ Great Book
+ An amazing epic of American History
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1919: Volume Two of the U.S.A. Trilogy 8 reviews
John Dos Passos
Mariner Books, 2000
The one thing that enslaves people more than any other to the servitude of war is nationalism
+ Mariner/Houghton Mifflin paperback is shoddily typeset--avoid!
+ Great book - problematic edition
Those words, written by John Dos Passos while serving as a Red Cross Ambulance Driver during the First World War, provide the underlying theme for "1919", Volume II of Dos Passos' "USA Trilogy".
Dos Passos is one of the (now) lesser known literary giants of the first half of the 20th-century. ...
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Freakonomics [Revised and Expanded]: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything1581 reviews
Stephen J. Dubner
William Morrow, 2006
A much-appreciated gift
+ Sociology-flavored econ
+ Enlightened
I purchased this book as a gift for my fiance. He really enjoyed and appreciated it. Now it's my turn to read it!
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The Secret Life of Houdini: The Making of America's First Superhero45 reviews
William Kalush, Larry Sloman
Atria, 2007
Superb Biography Filled With Intrigue
+ A Man and Myth
+ This biography lays out a scenario where Houdini was an international spy
+ A good biography once you skip the hype
+ A Great Human Being
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The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl (Edition 001)188 reviews
Timothy Egan
Mariner Books, 2006
A healthy reminder of how easy we have it.
+ The Worst Hard Time
+ Non-fiction that Reads Like a Novel
+ I had no clue
+ Dust to Bust
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The Ten-Cent Plague: The Great Comic-Book Scare and How It Changed America28 reviews
David Hajdu
Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2008
OH! DO BEWARE OF MRS. GRUNDY!
+ A real-life horror story
+ As engrossing as any four-star comic-book
+ An American Tragedy
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The Yiddish Policemen's Union: A Novel 291 reviews
Michael Chabon
HarperCollins, 2007
Ghetto Mentality Retrogression
+ Chabon's best to date
+ Bittersweet like woodsmoke
The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon: Ghetto Mentality Retrogression
Review by Arthur L. Finkle
Mr. Chabon writes a masterpiece of a "what-if" portion of history. In this case, what if the Jews lost their War on Independence on 1948?
The solution was one proffered at that time, ...
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Charlie Wilson's War: The Extraordinary Story of How the Wildest Man in Congress and a Rogue CIA Agent ...204 reviews
George Crile
Grove Press, 2007
The Best Non-Fiction I've Ever Read
+ Rollicking good story, but...
+ The enemies of our enemies are not our friends...
+ Absolutely Recommended Reading
+ This Book Kept My Interests
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The Moon and Sixpence
William Somerset Maugham
BiblioBazaar, 2007
I confess that when first I made acquaintance with Charles Strickland I never for a moment discerned that there was in him anything out of the ordinary.
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Terrorist: A Novel144 reviews
John Updike
Ballantine Books, 2007
Important book- flaws are minor
The story here is well described by other reviewers. Mr Updike sets out to answer two questions that have haunted Americans since 9/11 i.e., why do they hate us and what makes someone become a terrorist. The answer to both questions is the same. Two words, the Koran. Hatred of infidels is ...
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Casino Royale (James Bond Novels)130 reviews
Ian Fleming
Penguin (Non-Classics), 2002
BOND BEGINS
+ Awesome Book!
+ Great read!
It's always interesting reading the first book dealing with a popular character, whether it be Conan, Tarzan or Sherlock Holmes.
The same is true with James Bond.
Two things strike me as really fascinating about this book.
First of all, the first half of the book deals with the card game ...
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The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid: A Memoir62 reviews
Bill Bryson
Broadway, 2007
a book to savor, but...
+ The always funny Bill Bryson
+ Excellent Book
+ Very...well, Bryson
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Uncommon Carriers30 reviews
John McPhee
Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2007
Not a novel!
+ Extraordinary book about ordinary jobs
+ Uncommon Carriers -- uncommonly good
+ Transporters
+ McPhee Delivers
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The March: A Novel161 reviews
E.L. Doctorow
Random House Trade Paperbacks, 2006
Near the end
+ As good as any of Doctorow's great works
+ History Illuminated
+ A Good Snap Shot of the Civil War
+ An enjoyable read
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The Road (Oprah's Book Club)1606 reviews
Cormac McCarthy
Vintage Books, 2007
Wow. What a great book but - whew - don't expect to be lift up.
Another outstanding book from Cormac. And out of his normal genre. I really enjoyed the book but it is gonna leave you feeling like you need some sunshine afterwards. Dark book, dark story telling done very well.
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Falling Man: A Novel83 reviews
Don DeLillo
Scribner, 2008
After The Planes
+ Don't know if this qualifies as a 'review'.
+ DeLillo's sad concession to a career obsession
I couldn't pick this up when it first came out. I listened to it recently on CD during a long drive and with each mile, I felt the growing weight and gravity, lived with the men and women grappling with the aftermath, after the planes. There is a phrase in "Falling Man" that covers lots of ground ...
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Nicholas And Alexandra 108 reviews
Robert K. Massie
Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers, 2005
A Heartbreaking History
+ A Transformative Reading Experience
+ The Tragedy of The Twentieth Century
+ best book on royal couple
+ Among my Top 20 Books
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The Conquerors: Roosevelt, Truman and the Destruction of Hitler's Germany, 1941-194594 reviews
Michael R. Beschloss
Simon & Schuster, 2003
A great read
+ How Allies planned for post-war world
+ The Not So Private War of Henry Morgenthau
Reading this book made me understand more about the complex war Roosevelt fought, against not only Germany, but also his own supporters and allies. Recommended.
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Dean and Me: (A Love Story)90 reviews
Jerry Lewis, James Kaplan
Broadway, 2006
WOW
+ Good book - Dean & Me
+ Loved it!
+ Dean and Me (A love story)
+ Dean and Jerry
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The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream624 reviews
Barack Obama
Three Rivers Press, 2007
Obama
+ Great Book!
+ President Barack Obama
+ Excellent !
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