Well-written, entertaining and informative
598787
Type.  General History
Pros. Well-researched, good coverage of subject
Cons. None to speak of
Rating. 3 1/2 Stars
This well-written overview of World War II naval warfare in the Arctic regions is both entertaining and informative.
The book begins by painting a picture of the arduous nature of warfare in the Arctic, which both the convoys and their predators had to endure - the cold, the foul weather, ice buildup, the slim chances of survival upon entering the frigid waters, and atmospheric conditions which complicated communications.
After providing some background on the Washington naval treaty and the gradual buildup of German naval power, the author points out that the Kriegsmarine's major handicap, lack of air support, was shared in some proportion by the Allies as well. The theory behind convoys, and the lack of attention initially devoted by the British to air and submarine threats, are also covered, in addition to a description of life on corvettes (the so-called cheap-and-nasties) and developments in anti-submarine warfare.
Specific battles covered include Germany's invasion of Norway; the actions of German surface raiders, Luftwaffe, and U-boats against various PQ and QP convoys; and an interesting chapter on weather ships and the change in strategy which led to setting weather teams ashore, and the efforts of small groups of Norwegians, Danes, Inuit, and others to locate and destroy these land-based stations.
Naturally convoy PQ-17, whose name is often used in company with words like "disaster" and "debacle", is covered in detail. PQ-18 also merits a full chapter. Further chapters focus on other convoy operations and battles; the destruction of the Scharnhorst; and the loss of the Tirpitz.
A very valuable aspect of this book is that the author presents the points of view of all parties involved in these operations, emphasizing that in this particular theater, the same fears and sufferings were shared by all, and the common enemy was the Arctic itself.
The author takes a dim view of Russia throughout the book, quoting veteran Merchant Mariners to demonstrate that the Soviets did little to aid the Allies in their efforts to transport the goods that Russia ostensibly needed, and that the Soviets harbored resentment against their allies because of the disparity in wealth between Soviet citizens and convoy personnel.
The leadership of all nations comes in for the author's criticism for their lack of coordination and cooperation between different service arms. The book finishes with an evaluation of the overall necessity and utility of the Arctic convoys. Did the supplies conveyed really save Russia from defeat? Or was it merely political expediency, the need to keep Russia in the war and on the Allies' side, that was the motivation behind these convoys?
Evans believes that Russia was never in danger of defeat; her resources were too vast, her winters too severe, her people too inured against Nazism and its racial views. He examines the question of why the Persian Gulf route (along the U.S. east coast, through the Panama Canal, down the west coast of South America, through the Madagascar Strait to the Indian Ocean, and finally through the Strait of Hormuz to the Persian Gulf) was not used instead, as it would have meant many fewer casualties, friendlier weather conditions, and fewer encounters with prowling adversaries. Although the route was much longer, more cargo would have been delivered because there would have been fewer losses along the way. Evans' answer, that Stalin insisted on speed over safety, once more emphasizes the political reasons behind the continued use of the Arctic route that those compelled to endure it came to refer to as the Suicide Run.
Review written by Tonya Allen.
This review was published on 18 Jun, 2000.
2077292
Fantastic! Educational and highly informative, while still engaging and entertaining.
1910343
This is an engaging look at an extraordinary program for people interested in working professionally with wild animals.  If I were a lot younger, I would enroll in this school in a heartbeat.  The descriptions of the programs and the daily life of the students and their animal charges, many times funny, sometimes tragic, is excellent reading - lively, entertaining and informative, and well written into the bargain.  My only quibble is one mentioned in another review - so many animals are mentioned by their "given" names after being introduced to us only once, that I couldn't keep track of which animal was later being referenced.  Was "Sam" the wombat or the tiger?  I had to constantly look back to find out who was biting whom.  Apart from that, this is a really interesting and entertaining book.
913603
Hamlett has written an informative guide that is both entertaining and educational. Filled with on-target and no-nonsense advice, the insight "Could It Be A Movie" will give you is worth its weight in gold. Highly recommended!

Eric Lilleor

Former Editor-in-Chief/Publisher of SCREENTALK Magazine
3612325
I don't understand how people could complain about this book being too complex, poorly-written, or poorly organized. Everything is presented clearly and logically, and the case studies are relevant and interesting. I found it simple to read, informative, enlightening, and actually fun for the most part. My only criticism is that the authors don't, in my opinion, give an entirely neutral treatment of some of the politically-charged issues raised in their book. It seemed as though they would sometimes more heavliy emphasize one point of view (their point of view, quite obviously) over others.
2631461
Eric does a fantastic job of entertaining and educating all in the same paragraph.  I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in business, relationships, even a bit of history.  If you can't learn something from this book, while getting a laugh or two, something is seriously wrong.  A must-read for anyone who has an interest in what makes us tick.
3453944
In this breezy and entertaining account of customer service, the reader is treated to an excellent overview of the common issues, underlying and emerging technologies, and the impact of outsourcing/offshoring on customer service.  The recounting of Comcast's trouble with customer service provides an excellent backdrop for the discussion in the entire book.  Snippets about notable traits on customer service in a good number of well-known companies such as Dell, FedEx, AmTrak, AMEX, Amazon, etc. provide an interesting read.  Readers may be surprised that there are no examples from the healthcare industry(insurance companies should be a gold mine of customer-service-gone-bad stories).  While the author is very successful in providing a good context for some of the following discussions (on speech technology and impact of outsourcing on the customers and the call center operators, for instance), the subtitle of the book may come across as a mild oversell if the reader interprets it in a "psychological" context.  Nevertheless, the discussion on outsourcing and a well-balanced account (rarely mentioned at least in Western media)from operators in India, Latin America and Saudi, touches upon some of our inherent biases and predispositions.  The discussions centering on GetHuman in the context of emerging speech technologies and general patience of customers is engaging, though Yellin could have perhaps used that as the central theme to justify her subtitle. The sparse set of notes and citations in the book is surprising for a book that provides an excellent background for the industry and its current/emerging themes.  Overall, a good entertaining read.
3825134
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2311083
This well written account of a true story is excellent.  As a history buff, I find it fascinating, but I also believe that it is so entertaining that non-history buffs, who just enjoy a good story, will also love it.  Highly recommended.
188409
Very well written. An easy, fun and informative read.
2911852
Dave's book is educational, informative, and very entertaining to read.  As an avid listener of Dave's radio program, I was hoping his book was capture his tone and reflect his personality. I was not disappointed.  His commonsense approach is easy to follow and leaves very little to chance.  Purchasing this book will be money well spent.
1888798
This is an extremely informative and entertaining book, consisting of about 200 vignettes of American history organized in thematic chapters (Forgotten by History, Running for President, War, Business and the Economy, etc.) It is ideal for readers who like their information packed into concise bytes. A perfect book for people who prefer to do their reading "on the run."

The author clearly has done prodigious research, not only digging up new stories, but also arriving at fresh interpretations of well-known ones. His treatment of Robert E. Lee, for example, is fascinating: he looks at Lee not as a failed general, but as the great President he might have become had he accepted Lincoln's offer to fight for the North. The author comes up with numerous shockers, all carefully documented, such as that the stock market after the 1929 Crash rebounded in 1936, not 1954 as commonly assumed.  He shows that the Marshall Plan was no bigger than all the aid plans that had gone before. World War I, illustrates Morris, did not impose the harsh penalties and reparations that John Maynard Keynes talked about in his Economic Consequences of the Peace; in actual fact, World War II had even tougher peace terms than did World War I. (The author is a graduate of Harvard Business School and brings his financial knowledge to bear). Most wars are won by logistics and good hygiene, he argues, not by generals' strategies or tactics. He shows that Neville Chamberlain had good reason to cut his deal with Hitler in 1938. Four times, he demonstrates, we have had the outcome of a Presidential election determined at the whim of a single individual.

The author's imaginative approach results in a history that is "revised."  It is not "revisionist" or ideological, but rather simply fresh thinking by a man who is clearly unconstrained by conventional academic shibboleths. He undoubtedly will welcome any controversy  resulting from his new insights and attempts to dig deeper into the roots of well accepted historical truths. The result is a book that challenges long-held beliefs and is also delightfully written.
4026386
This book is entertaining, informative and inspiring. Sean B. Carroll has chosen great tales (many likely to be new to most readers) and uses a very accessible language to educate us about a wide range of biological subjects. The focus is regulation. Regulation of cholesterol levels. Regulation of population sizes in ecosystems. Regulation of gene expression. Regulation of blood pressure following shock... The connection between these vastly different levels of complexity lies in ubiquitous and simple logical circuitry: inhibitors, and inhibitors of inhibitors, regulating gene expression or physiology or population sizes, etc. The book is a quick read and left me wanting for more: more stories, more details, more universal rules.
2051921
I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the paranormal, especially those who are interested in true ghost stories with a historical background. But, I have to say, most anyone would enjoy this book. I am not a ghost story person, but I picked this up at a friend's house and read it for lack of anything else to read. I found it highly entertaining, well-written and very informative. The great thing about 'Ghosts of Old Louisville' is that author at no time tries to convince the reader of anything. Even at the beginning of the book, he states that he has merely put these stories together for entertainment purposes, and people can either chose to believe them or not. He doesn't care either way, as long as people are learning something about the Old Louisville Historic Preservation District, a unique and colorful neighborhood with a wealth of lavish architecture, haunted mansions and local history. This neighborhood has been billed as a future Savannah or Charleston, and having been to all three places, I can indeed see the similarities.

One thing I found particularly commendable is that the writer has managed to weave other fascinating bits into his stories - descritions of frequent dinner parties that make your mouth water, for example. He has masterfuuly incorporated streams of dialogue (something not easy to do) into the accounts that bring them to life and add a whole new dimension to the story. And, his descriptions at time verge on the brink of poetry, but I suspect he has done this to create a cohesive unit in keeping with Victorian style and flair. These interesting stories are centered in wonderful old Victorian mansions, but with his prose, colorful descriptions and modes of entertaining, he has managed to bring a Victorian past to life in the present. He has successfully recreated a distint mood that does a great service to his neighborhood and the state of Kentucky.

I will read anything else this author puts out and I look forward to his next collection of ghost stories. Will it be soon, I hope?
3214387
This is well written, easy to read, interesting and informative. The description and facts balance each other well to make this a page turner from beginning to end. The writing style and choice of content combine to capture the imagination convincingly. I received this as a LibraryThing Early Reviewer.
1289668
I highly recommend this well-written, easy to understand, sometimes funny and very entertaining book. Good for those interested in psychology but also for a general audience who are curious about the subject. You'll learn new things about human nature, read about things you already knew about behavior and some may even amaze you!  You can't go wrong with this one!
959007
I loved this book! It was not only very informative, it was an entertaining read. It has made me conscious of a few of the tricks my mind plays on me.. I've recommended it to several people and given it as a gift to one (so far!)