Customer Reviews:
Read This; Then Watch "Nuremberg" (TNT dvd).......2007-01-03
A great companion to the TNT Network movie "Nuremberg" of a few years ago (available on dvd). You'll come away with a good understanding of an important era of history.
Unique Look Inside the Trials.......2006-12-14
I didn't know what to expect from this book, but I was very glad I picked it up. It began a little slowly, but gained momentum quickly and soon had me unable to put it down. Dr. Gilbert, the psychologist and diarist, delivers an in-depth and intimate portrayal of the mental make-up of the Nazi's on trial at Nuremberg. I came away from this book feeling as though I had been at Dr. Gilbert's side throughout the trial, speaking to each defendant individually on a daily basis.
A real "fly-on-the-wall", behind the scenes view of the Nuremberg trials. Highly recommended.
Ex Book .......2006-10-25
Also see Nuremberg Goering's Last Stand , with Hannes Hellmann as HGm History Channel, Ex 5 Stars.
Intriguing Look At The Meaning of The Nuremberg Trials.......2003-03-21
As a person who has read a number of books relating to tghis subject, nothing so defines the striking differences between the nature of the Third Reich from the constitutional democracies that largely comprised the Allies as the way in which the defendants of the trials at Nuremberg were handled. With painstaking precision and at extraordinary cost in terms of international arm-twisting and back-door deals, the proponents of a judicial proceeding designed to illustrate the manifest individual guilt of the various Nazi officials forged a result that still stands today as a model of a non-retributive effort in the face of extraordinary pressure. While one can hardly describe the Nuremberg trials as unflawed or perfect, they did prove to the world that the Allies were willing to subscribe to the existing canon of law to judge the actions of the Nazis.
Doing so was anything but easy, Indeed, achieving a fair result that would literally convince the watching world of the guilt of the participants in the war was anything but easy, and moving toward that deliberate goal is a theme providing an interesting theme punctuating the pace of the book. Churchill wanted revenge by way of summary trials and quick retribution, while the Russians just wanted to string up the whole group in a mass hanging. Yet American Supreme Court Justice Robert Jackson was able to resolve the differences well enough to proceed, although at times the reader wonders if the trials will be anything like the fair-minded judicial event he has in mind. Indeed, the back-stabbing, personal ambitions, and petty jealousies of the various factions, trial officials, and individual defendants becomes a kind of political circus that sometimes resembles nothing so much as vaudevillian showboating.
Still, the efforts at conducting a fair and open forum for the world to watch as the prosecution and defense teams clashed before the international tribunal prevailed, and the trials concluded with mixed results in terms of the results. Most of the defendants were found guilty, and many were hanged. Yet few observers doubted that the defendants had had their day in court along with and adequate opportunity to defend their actions to a watching world. Given how little justice and liberty they collectively allowed for their tens of millions of victims, it is remarkable just how civilized and dignified a proceeding the Nuremberg trials were, with all their theatrics and subterranean undercurrents.
One marvels at the fact that after fifty years the world still stands in awe at the deliberate, careful, and methodical way in which the Allies achieved the result of a rational and fair trial of the defendants in history's most horrific modern nightmare, the terror of the Third Reich. This is an interesting and absorbing book, and a fascinating and entertaining book to read. It was also particularly interesting to me because it explores the lives of each of the defendants in looking at their individual guilt. I recommend it to anyone interested in learning more about these singular trials and their impact on history
Monsters of the Dritte Reich, or just a mirror?.......2002-12-20
Ever have the urge to get into the mind of a monster just to see how he thinks? Sound like another serial killer book? Well, in a sense, Nuremberg Diary is that, but it is so much more as well.
About a month ago, I watched the TNT production about the Nuremberg trial and took note of the names of some of the characters portrayed in it. The character of Captain Gilbert interested me. He was a prison psychologist who visited with many of the prisoners in their cells... spending an inordinate amount of time with Goering. I speculated that very probably that individual might have written a book after the trial.
I did a search on his name and guess what... he did indeed write a book about his experiences. It was published originally by Farrar, Straus & Company in 1947... barely a year after the Nuremberg trial was over. I quickly emailed a query off to Tracy at The Attic... could she get me a copy? The reply came back a day or so later... yes, she could, it would cost a certain amount... and if I wanted one with the dust-cover still intact... a certain amount plus about eight bucks... if I remember right. I placed the order and a few weeks later (coming from Canada), it arrived and Tracy emailed me to come pick it up. I showed up the next day to behold a beautifully preserved first-edition copy with the name "Clayton J. Golding" inscribed with an old-fashioned fountain pen. Thanks Tracy... good scrounge!
What's the book about? Well, some of you web-surfers are a bit young, I suppose.
After WWII was over, the victorious Allies decided to have a trial... charging 23 of the aforementioned monsters with four separate offenses. Two of the defendants, Robert Ley and Hermann Goering, killed themselves before sentence could be carried out, Ley, barely before the trial was even started. The others were either convicted and had their sentence carried out, or were released with a "not guilty" verdict... leaving them to the tender mercies of the German government.
During most of their time in captivity, an American officer, the aforementioned Captain G. M. Gilbert, Phd., for a time the Prison Psychologist, had access to the prisoners in their cells as well as at other times. He administered psychological tests... including intelligence tests, (they were all of fairly high intelligence... which I found a bit surprising) interviewed them at length, and even visited with some of their families... most noteworthy, the wife and daughter of Hermann Goering. Most importantly, he kept a journal... making careful notes as soon as he left the presence of the individual in question.
The book is lengthy, comprising some 471 pages, including the index. I found it to be fascinating at the outset, though the oft repeated anti-Semitic Nazi party line became a bit tedious toward the end.
Surprisingly, the defendants were willing to talk to Captain Gilbert quite openly... displaying lewdness, bigotry, hatred, stupidity, piousness, resignation, and every extreme of emotion that any group of men might display under similar pressures. One can really get a flavor for what these men of Hitler's inner sanctum were like.
After finishing this book, I was left with some questions, and a rather disturbing conclusion, that should not have surprised me but did. I wondered why they decided to try all these men simultaneously. Normally criminals are tried separately, not as a group. The defendants were judged guilty/not guilty of different crimes, indeed they were widely different in beliefs and temperament as well as tasking within the Dritte Reich. So why did they do it that way? The sentencing tends to support my questioning this as they were not sentenced as a group.
Initially, Goering was able to exert his yet considerable influence upon his co-defendants. As things began to heat up, and people saw, among other things, the incredible wealth of stolen artwork in Goering's larder, the absolutely horrifying conditions of the concentration camps, the lies, the signatures on orders, etc., his hold on them was broken. It was broken further when he was prevented from communicating with them. It was surprising how powerful he was perceived to be by the others who would hang with him... almost literally. Gilbert shows this in great detail by the words and activities of the other prisoners he chronicled.
I was surprised by what I saw of the monsters of the Dritte Reich. What surprised me most was that they were not monsters at all. They were just ordinary men. As a group, more intelligent on the average than most, but still fairly run-of-the-mill in terms of character and judgment. Yes, they were racists, certainly they were guilty of many crimes... but for all that, they were not significantly different from many other men of their time... not so very different than men of our own era. They sought to put the blame on others, to justify their actions by comparing themselves to other men in history, to deny knowledge... much like our own politicians do when they get some body part from the nether regions caught in a trap. (I was very much reminded of the words of William Jefferson Clinton during the Monica scandal.)
This is the truly scary part... the fact that they were not monsters. For if they were not monsters, then what makes them different from any one of us? Could not any of us, even including those of us blessed with high intellect, be seduced by a charismatic leader?
This is one that more people should be reading today, lest history repeat itself. The message is timeless... and should never, ever, be forgotten.
Dale A. Raby
Editor/Publisher
The Green Bay Web
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NUREMBERG DIARY.
Manufacturer: Eyre and Spottiswoode
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000HIHRJC |
Customer Reviews:
HANGMAN'S DIARY WITH A VIGOROUS STYLE.......2007-06-05
Franz Schmidt's diary is written in a pity, vigorous style which probably reflects the way he went about his unenviable business. The supporting material is just what is needed to make us understand the world of Franz Schmidt.
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Nuremberg Diaries
Manufacturer: Signet
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000GTE05Q |
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Nuremberg Diary
Manufacturer: Easton Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Leather Bound
 General
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ASIN: B000G2S9OG |
Product Description
BRAND NEW! Leather bound book accented in 22kt gold.
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Nuremberg Diary
Gilbert
Manufacturer: Gilbert
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0000CKZCP |
Customer Reviews:
Great Book--A Must Read--This is for all Civil War Buffs.......1999-09-02
This book is a must for Yankee Historian
Tremendous book,Eyeopening to the Southern view of the Civil.......1999-09-01
Fantastic book about the southern struggle to build an empire!All northern history teachers should read this book.I am a U.S.History teacher who wrote a story about my greatgrandfather who was in prison in Texas during the Civil War and DFrazier contacted me for info,thus I have now read his book and it is superb!
Excellent book on a lesser known aspect of the War........1998-12-09
I found this book to be an exciting and revealing look into the western campaign of the Civial War. Dr. Frazier is an incredible story teller as well as a thorough researcher. A must read for anyone interested in the role of the western Confederacy.
Book Description
"September 11 changed everything." How often have we heard or thought that since that awful morning? Yet for 14 months, September 11 seemed to have changed very little in American politics; the nation's electorate still seemed split evenly between the parties, divided along cultural lines. But as the results of the 2002 elections came in, it became clear that something had indeed changed, as Republicans made down-the-line gains from the statehouses to Capitol Hill.
The Republican romp is only one of the topics treated in the 2004 edition of "the bible of American politics." In his introduction to this new edition, Michael Barone describes how and why the nation came to elect Republican majorities in both the House of Representatives and Senate in 2002—and what it will mean for politics and governance. Barone's introduction leads off the completely redesigned Almanac of American Politics 2004, which contains all the information journalists, politicians, academics, and citizens have come to expect from the nation's leading political reference work. With insightful and colorful profiles of every governor and every member of Congress as well as updated narrative profiles filled with economic, social, historical and political background information about all 50 states and 435 House districts, The Almanac of American Politics remains the indispensable guide to the American political scene. The 2004 edition also includes a look at how redistricting will alter American politics over the course of the next decade; photographs of all 535 members of Congress and the 50 governors; and voting records on important legislation, including congressional vote ratings by National Journal and a dozen influential interest groups.
More Feature of the 2004 Almanac
* Updated Census data and richly detailed congressional district maps
* 2002 election results for each member of Congress
* 2004 election analysis
* Presidential results by state and by congressional district
Customer Reviews:
The passive-aggressive swipes at liberals ruin it.......2004-06-21
This book would deserve a higher rating except for the fact that what makes it most appealing - the in-depth essays about states and districts and their elected officials - is shot through with the bias of Mr. Barone.
The book is rife with loaded phrases and backhanded compliments about Democrats and any person on the left. "Pro-choice" gets called a "brilliant euphemism", but there's no similar samrt-alecky comments about "pro-life" (even though the question of "life" is what the debate is all about). Every Democrat's base is - guess who? - the teachers unions and the trial lawyers. This is like saying George Bush does everything because Karl Rove told him to. The book has loads of this sort of conservative claptrap and bias. Republicans get full treatments of their earnest struggle to do right in an imperfect world; Democrats get brushed off by noting how they politicized some issue.
Until the editors get a fair writer, or Cohen starts speaking up more, this book will remain a shadow of what it could be.
What a Great Resource!.......2004-01-20
As a self-confessed political junkie and political science/history major, I cannot be without this book. This book gives great information on each member of Congress and all 50 governors. There is also a wealth of statistics in this book from voting stats to demographic information that is incredibly useful. Since the last edition of this book, the editors have added many new features to this almanac, such as prior winning percentages for long-serving members of Congress and a more in-depth break down of a state/district's demographic information. For those who love politics as much as I do, this book is truly indispensable, especially in an election year.
The book that brought us Newt Gingrich.......2004-01-14
Before The Almanac of American Politics came along in the late 1960's, Congress was widely seen as either an impenetrable series of arcane rules, procedures, rituals, and conflicts which only experts could understand in detail--the prevailing view of political scientists--or a bunch of oddball characters who occasionally hindered or unjustly attracted attention from the great men serving as President--the prevailing view of journalists.
The Alamanac of American Politics created a new and more accurate paradigm. The workings of Congress, it said, were comprehensible to informed and intelligent people. The personalities of Members of Congress, while occasionally idiosyncratic, were generally integrated with the purposeful actions members of Congress were taking on behalf of their geographical constituencies, their supporters, and their visions of local and national interests.
In short, Members of Congress were rational actors acting within both a geographic and national context. Tip O'Neill's famous saying--"All politics are local"--was only partly true. All politics was also national. Citizens with national goals only had to find citizens with local sensitivites who shared their national goals to oppose incumbent Members of Congress.
Congress is a far more competitive and short-tenured organization than it was before this series was written.
Without The Almanac of American Politics, there would have been far fewer anti-war and pro-enviroment challenges in the early 1970's. The Democratic gains of 1974 and 1976 would have been far less sweeping. So would the Republican gains of 1980, 1994, and 2002. Had this series never been written, you never would have heard of Newt Gingrich.
The compilation of information can be a profoundly political act. If you are at all interested in politics, you should read this book. You should not read it as a compilation of interesting trivia. You should read it knowing that people who count see it a guide to action.
Biased, but worthy.......2003-10-27
As he's done for the past 30 years, Mr Barone & company give us a decent snapshot of each district, member of Congress and Governor. His conservative bias shines through, but he still does a fairly good job. Congressional Quarterly's equivalent does a better job of describing each district and seems unbiased, yet the Almanacs of American Politics are a bit less dry.
It's a good reference point for C-SPAN junkies or anyone else interested in the workings of our government.
All the information you need in one place.......2003-08-31
This is the first time that I've purchased this series of almanacs by Michael Barone. After surveying the book for awhile (obviously it'd be impractical to just sit down and read it through), the information you get isn't really "exclusive" or "hard to find." This almanac isn't for someone looking for that sort of information - everything in this book can be easily accessed through various websites.
So what earns this book a 5/5? Well, it puts all sorts of information in one place. Racial demographics of congressional districts, bios of legislators, and financial information are all available in this book, and easily found since Barone organizes all information by state. An index is provided if you're unsure of what CD a particular Congressman might be in.
Purchasing this book also gives you access to the Almanac's website, which gives you electronic versions of the last few editions of the almanac as well as the current one. What would be nice is if National Journal offered this online access at a lower price in lieu of purchasing the book... but overall, it's a must have for anyone that follows politics.
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The USA and Canada 2004 (USA and Canada)
Eur
Manufacturer: Routledge
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Economic Conditions
| Economics
| Business & Investing
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| Books
Reference
| Politics
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Sociology
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Yearbooks & Annuals
| Almanacs & Yearbooks
| Reference
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General
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General
| Americas
| History
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ASIN: 1857431901 |
Book Description
Provides essential statistical and directory material on these two great North American nations and their constituent states, provinces, and territories
Completely revised and updated, this sixth edition brings together statistical, factual, and directory information on USA and Canada, including:
* Over 600 pages of in-depth analysis and thoroughly researched data
* Comprehensive geographical, historical, economic, and political information
* Contributions from acknowledged regional experts
Introductory Essays
Leading experts on the area analyze topics of regional interest and importance such as immigration; the environment; economic development; and USA, Canada, and the Pacific Rim
Country Surveys
Individual chapters on each country include:
* Details of Presidents/Prime Ministers; a chronology; geographic and demographic details; and tables on area and population
* Essays covering the economy; social issues; public affairs, including new essays on Bush's Domestic Policy; US Foreign Policy: The War Against Terrorism; USA's Role in the Middle East; and Aboriginal People's in Canada; plus a select bibliography for sources of further research
* Statistical survey with demographic and economic data using the latest statistics from government and official sources
* Directory with essential names, addresses, and contact numbers covering the Constitution, government, political organizations, diplomatic organizations, religious groups, the media, finance, trade and industry, and tourism
Book Description
For seventy years, The Natural Gardens of North Carolina has been a must-read volume for anyone interested in wildflowers, native plants, ecology, or conservation in the state. This handsome revised edition features new line drawings and color photographs, an appendix that updates the botanical nomenclature, an introduction that focuses on B. W. Wells and his passion for the state's landscape, and an afterword that discusses the continuing relevance of Wells's ideas.
One of the first scientists to write and lecture about ecology, Wells introduced North Carolinians to the extraordinary tapestry of "natural gardens," or plant communities, within the state's borders back in 1932. His purpose was to help readers understand a plant within its community--a pioneering concept at the time--and to promote conservation. Moving from the Atlantic coast westward, Wells identifies eleven major natural gardens: the sand dune community, salt marsh, freshwater marsh, swamp forest, aquatic vegetation, evergreen shrub bog (or pocosin), grass-sedge bog (or savanna), sandhill, old-field community, upland forest, and high mountain spruce-fir forest. He devotes the first part of his book to a general account of the vegetation and habitats of each community and then identifies and describes the wildflowers that are found there.
Books:
- On the Ice: An Intimate Portrait of Life at McMurdo Station, Antarctica (World As Home, The)
- On the Warrior's Path: Philosophy, Fighting, and Martial Arts Mythology
- Once Upon a Time When We Were Colored
- Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions: Second Edition (Owlet Book)
- Pasquale's Nose: Idle Days in an Italian Town
- Pocahontas, Powhatan, Opechancanough: Three Indian Lives Changed by Jamestown
- Ponzi's Scheme: The True Story of a Financial Legend
- Scars of Sweet Paradise: The Life and Times of Janis Joplin
- Shot in the Heart
- Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- I Feel Good: A Memoir of a Life of Soul
- History: Fiction or Science
- Classic Japanese Porcelain: Imari and Kakiemon
- Dress Her in Indigo
- Criticizing Photographs: An Introduction to Understanding Images
- Chemistry: The Molecular Science
- His Promised Land: The Autobiography of John P. Parker, Former Slave and Conductor on the Undergroun
- The Candy Darlings
- Blue Ridge Range: The Gentle Mountains
- Plant Disease Management: Principles and Practices
Nuremberg : Infamy on Trial
Interrogations: The Nazi Elite in Allied Hands, 1945
The Nuremberg Interviews
Albert Speer: His Battle with Truth
The Nuremberg War Crimes Trial, 1945-46: A Documentary History (The Bedford Series in History and Culture)
