Well researched and balanced
353658
The most powerful & well researched book on PEMF Therapy. It offers a very balanced and scientific comparison with many energy medicine devices... Its a must buy for anyone considering investing in such a device...
2014232
I'll admit that I learned of this book after seeing video clips of the infamous Fox news interview with author Reza Aslan, who comported himself so well in the face obnoxious ignorance. The book is meticulously researched, and generally quite readable. If you are interested in learning more about the historical context of Jesus' times, and are not seeking affirmation of your Christian beliefs, this is an excellent read. I am skeptical of a few of Aslan's points, but will resist the urge to delve into these. The point is that his own theses are rooted in solid research, and certainly worth your attention.
3771243
This is an excellently sourced and researched history of the Praetorian Guard.  I enjoy the study of history, and the early empire period of Rome is one of my favorite's to read about.  Approaching the book from that perspective, I had a great time reading and learning more about the guard.

This is a 'serious' history book, in that its well-researched, well-sourced, and cognizant of the potential fallacies of the primary and secondary source materials used.  Ample discussion is given to unknowns and discrepancies in the source material, and the discussion can get fairly detailed.  Personally I enjoyed it, but others may find their eyes glazing over when reading, for example, a section devoted to a detailed discussion of whether praetorians received 720 or 750 denarii per year.  If you're looking for a 'pop history' book, this is not it.

Thats not to say that the writing style is archaic or dense - its not.  Guy de la Bedoyere is eminently readable, and does a great job of summarizing the pertinent details of his research and presenting as clear and cogent a picture of ancient Rome as possible.  Sadly, my one qualm with the book, and the reason for the star deduction, is centered around this clarity.  The book is often repetitive with certain of its points and conclusions, to the point of distraction.  I'm fairly certain this was done in order to keep the narrative structured and clear for the lay-person, but I feel it went too far.

Overall, if you're interested in the Praetorian Guard, the early Roman Empire, or just history in general, then this is a great book to pick up.  I haven't read anything thats exactly like it in terms of its area of focus, making it more than just a re-tread of other scholarly works.  Its also very approachable (perhaps too approachable).  I definitely recommend it.
401036
Clendinen and Nagourney have performed a detailed documentation of a period in gay history (1950s through the late 80's) with a typical emphasis during the five year period surrounding the 1969 Stonewall riot.  The  history serves as a rich illustration of the individuals (although lacking  in academic detail as to why certain people were chosen to be highlighted  and others were not).  The book is based on a series of interviews made  during 1993 and especially 1994, with many who are no longer living.  As  such, the period of time to document the interviews and then the prolonged  period to get to print creates a book that while rich in period detail  (1965-1975) rapidly peters out in its discussion of AIDS, election of  Clinton, etc. which have greated far greater impacts on Gay rights, Gay  Culture and the evolving acceptance (as slow as it is) of gay people in  American society. A strong point is its balanced view and discussion of the  gay movement prior to Stonewall and its attempt to demystify the importance  given to this one particular event.  Its discussion of the ongoing  conflicts between the various social classes involved in the gay movement  and showing that this was present from the very start is important for any  younger gay person today trying to understand why certain onging tensions  and conflicts exist in the gay community and why certain national gay  rights groups exist (e.g., NGLTF, HRC, etc.).
2277785
This is a balanced account of a complex american leader. The author did a fine job of presenting the many facts in an unbiased way. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the expansion of the american nation or the treatment of our natives and their culture.
4628870
Reading the author's profile on the inside back flap I assumed him to be a left winger and the book to be appropriately slanted. I was wrong about the book being slanted. It is very well balanced politically and is quite interesting.

  Look at the table of contents above (Look Inside) to see what is covered as I will not go into detail about what is. Very good information is provided by the high profile terrorists in the recent news who were in most cases home grown and either went across the world to fight or committed terrorist acts here in The United States.

  The final chapter "Future Jihad" contained a couple of statements which I feel are deceptive. He criticises Donald Trump for his call to end all Muslim immigration to the States (which Trump had said at least temporarily, which was not mentioned in the book thereby making the statement seem more controversial) and other Republicans for voicing their opposition to the resettlement of Syrian refugees here, "despite the fact that refugees had played no role in any jihadist attack in the States since 9/11". (no I am not a Republican, but do appreciate fairness and balance) This does not in any way indicate that since they are refugees, no terrorist acts are likely to result. If there are more Muslims allowed into the country in appreciable amounts there are simply more of them to become radicalized or disenchanted with The U.S. if their life isn't so sweet for whatever reason. Also he states that since 93 American citizens have been killed by jihadists and far-right terrorists since 9/11, and 88,000 have been killed by gun violence then you are 5,000 times more likely to be killeed by a fellow citizen armed with a gun than by a terrorist inspired by the ideology of Osama bin Laden. It's not that simple. A very large percentage of gun murder victims are drug dealers and criminals killed by other criminals. These incidents don't necessarily increase the risk for average citizens. He also says that Britain with around a fifth of the population of the United States had 41 gun murders in 2010 while the U.S. had around 11,000. There's a good reason for that. Guns are pretty much illegal for citizens to own in Britain. You are much more likely to have your brain bashed out with a brick in Britain however.

  This small bone I had to pick with the author still doesn't take away a 5 star rating. I would have awarded 4.5 if I could.
487474
A rarity among JFK books. In a word, balanced.  Although Jake Carter comes from the conspiracy camp, he sets that aside as he brings in some noted researchers from both sides of the aisle to discuss an aspect of the case. The questions are straight forward and allow each of the interviewed subjects a chance to provide their insights.  It is a very good primer for one who is attempting to get both sides of the story and would be a useful addition to any class attempting to discuss the topic of the JFK Assassination. Only one critique, it should have been longer.
128638
James Sandos's history of the California missions is a great read.  The book is very balanced, describing the Franciscan mission activities sympathetically but pointing out that the missions brought European diseases to the Native Americans of coastal California, including syphilis. He also records the harsh treatment toward the Natives, which caused many to flee the missions and even to revolt. He suggests, however, that the Natives who were introduced to the Christian music of the era by the Franciscans were more likely to remain Catholics after the Franciscan missions were closed than those who had not been exposed to Christian music.  His description of Father Junipero Serra gives the reader a glimpse into the Franciscan view of the world--and Serra is also described in a balanced way.
2989688
Historians frequently try to take different angles on historical events and people to legitimize publishing books. John Ferling's book "The Ascent of George Washington," on the surface, may appear to be such a work. The author butts heads with previous biographers of Washington by looking at George Washington as a political figure.

Ferling goes well beyond the textbook story of Washington being disinterested in politics and coniving. The author shows time and time again Washington was no political simpleton. In fact, Washington was not only well attuned to politics, but was very much involved in them, whether it be while he was in the military or political office. Ferling backs up this idea with solid research. The end result is a book that gives a more balanced view of this American hero than anything else on Washington that I have read.

"The Ascent of George Washington," further confirms Washington's greatness, but it also makes Washington more human. It also shows that there were countless people other than Washington that helped put the building blocks of America into place. I recommend this book to people already well-versed about George Washington, and also to people with little knowledge of this monumental person in American history.
775482
Dr. Kirk Beattie's book on Egypt and Sadat is a balanced, authoritative piece of scholarship that isn't weighted with ideology and conjecture. The historical detail is here for diplomats, analysts, political scientists and historians, and so is the broad scope and backgrounding that will benefit the more general reader. Beattie does not write in the dense, impenetrable style necessarily employed by most academics, although his credentials are certainly world-class. Most notably, the scope of his interviews is remarkable, unequaled in any other book on the period. Anyone intersted in comprehending the origins of the ongoing Mideast imbroglio would do well to spend some time with Dr. Beattie's book on Sadat --- as well his previous volume on Egypt under Nasser.
455148
A balanced reporting of all points of view.  While the author's view is transparent, it shows a huge effort to present all positions as they would see the issues.  He shows his hopes and fears in a sensitive yet clear writing style.
I enjoyed his varied styles.  I was not as aware as I should have been of all the varieties of responses to the issue. I find his critique of American Ministry valid but sad.
4072426
I've spent the past couple of decades studying life in prehistoric societies, so I come to books like this with some skepticism as to whether the author will glorify, demonize, or just make a mess of his/her depiction. But I have to say that Mr. Robinson does a great job of providing a balanced and accurate view of how our ancestors probably lived. I won't go into detail here, but suffice it to say that I read nothing here that made me think he didn't have a firm grasp of the academic literature, and much that confirmed that he did. A wonderful book.
2703073
While most books on the subject tend to be written by dreamers of all ages, with never a chance to manage a single other person in their lives, but rather childish ideological zeal - this book is a pleasant contrast. I have read only a chapter on sale of offices, however. That is well-based and balanced, - and, as such, unavoidably comes up with helpful observations and conclusions. Highly recommended.
3255963
I have found that Dinesh D'Souza is able to,as Fox News would say, present things in a fair and balanced manner.  Having read "What's So Great About Christianity" I was looking forward to an unbiased and unemotional account and was not disappointed.  The "frosting on the cake" was that both President Obama and the author have some things in common so the reader got the feeling the author was qualified to draw the conclusions he made.  I tend to be more conservative and have a friend who is more to the liberal side, but we were able to agree that the presentation neither demonized nor deified the president.  I would definitely recommend this book to people who enjoy straight forward presentation of the facts that will allow you to draw your own conclusions.
1227615
This is a reasonably well written history of the Pakistani Army told from the perspective of the Pakistani Army. The book is very balanced in terms of its coverage of the army and its various wars. It tends, for example, to deliver well-rounded profiles of various figures including both their strong points and their weaknesses. The scope of the book is what makes it interesting in that it covers just about every imaginable issue and has now gone through five editions.

But its perspective should always be kept in mind. Its not going to be fair to civilian politicians or governments or always be comprehensively fair in its  treatment of multi-sided international issues. The power of the book is in understanding how the Pakistani army views the world and history. In that sense, its something you always want to read with other references to consult to get a more total picture.

Its often a dry read. But its an amazing and remarkably useful bit of scholarship. The book "Crossed Swords: Pakistan, Its Army, and the Wars Within" (Shuja Nawaz) is a more readable alternative for the casual reader.
3033514
Meticulously researched, balanced and multi perspective story, written in an engaging style. Could not put it down till I finished it.
4076673
Unbiased, fun to read, and recommended. I am looking forward to reading more about the topic as more research takes place