The Last Citadel: Petersburg, Virginia, June 1864-April 1865

Customer Reviews:

Nice portrayal of the battle for and siege of Petersburg.......2007-07-21

This is a very nice rendering of the Battle of Petersburg. Many Civil War buffs recall General Robert E. Lee's words: "We must destroy this Army of Grant's before he gets to the James River. If he gets there it will become a siege, and then it will be a mere question of time."

This book provides in great detail the battle for Petersburg. It provides insights into General Beauregard's wise disposition of forces at the start of the battle, and his weak opponent, General "Baldy" Smith, who was quite tentative at that time. And the usually reliable Winfield Scott Hancock did not have one of his finer days at the outset.

There follow the tales: the well conceived breaking off of the engagement at Cold Harbor and Grant's subsequent movement across the James River to Petersburg; the pendulum swings, as Grant lengthened the Confederate trenches by attacking and lengthening his own trenches; the Battle of the Crater, a great lost opportunity (the final act of incompetence by General Ambrose Burnside, as he was relieved after his ineffectual generalship here); the Confederate raid on the Union's "beefsteak" by Wade Hampton; Gordon's desperate effort to break out; Sheridan's crushing defeat of Pickett at Five Forks; Grant's subsequent statement that "I have ordered a general assault along the lines."

Then, the race to Appomattox Station began. . . .

Sometimes, the tale becomes a bit stale. Overall, though, this is a very useful volume on the key siege at Petersburg.

"The Last Cidadel "-A lost oppurtunity to tell the story!.......2005-11-25

I purchased this book with great anticipation. After reading it I am still anticipating being treated to a stratgic review of the final approach to this phase of the conflict. The author's treatment of the this part of civil war history seems disjointed.
We get snipets of various encounters between the Army of Northern Virginia and the Army of the Potomic but with no indepth joining narrative explaining the context and the implication of the outcome. The maps are almost useless in format and connection with the current text. It is possible that Tredueau has done the best job possible with a meager record of this period of history. I still believe however that an opputunity exists for someone to tell a compelling story of this phase of the war.

A Very Good Treatment of the Petersburg Campaign.......2005-09-07

Many Civil War histories cover the Petersburg Campaign in a fell swoop of attrition warfare, privation among the defenders and inhabitants of Petersburg and Grant's slow and methodical picking of Lee's lock hold on this strategic Southern transportation hub. Trudeau gives description to the very many major battles that encompassed Grant's attempts to first break through Lee's stout defensive lines then string the Confederates thinly by forcing them to extend to their right to cover remaining rail lines.

This is an excellent book which covers the strategy, battles, siege warfare, life in the trenches and civilian existence during the 290 plus day siege (the longest siege of any American city). Anyone familiar with Trudeau's more recent Gettysburg, will appreciate the author's enlivenment of the big picture with contemporary observations by participants of all ranks. Many fascinating details of the siege emerge in this telling such as the City Point sabotage, the Great Beef Raid, as well as the more familiar Grant's stolen march across the James, Battle of the Crater, and breakthrough following Five Forks.

The only curiosity is that the author did not treat Five Forks and Dinwiddie Courthouse in detail, treating them as out-of-theater events like the capture of Atlanta and Thomas' victories over Hood. My only guess is that as they were fought under Sheridan -- recently from the Shenandoah - the author considered these not part and parcel of the Petersburg Campaign. I think the historical record differs from that assumption, but it does not take away from an altogether fine book.

I do agree with some of the quibbles about lack of detail on some of the maps. While not true for every beginning of chapter map, there were a few which did not contain enough detail to allow them to be easily followed. On the other hand, he does have maps for every major engagement plus a good overall map showing all of the fortifications along each side's lines.

Any Civil War enthusiast looking for a very good treatment of the Siege of Petersburg will be well satisfied with this book.

Comprehensive, but not Perfect.......2004-08-17

There are a lot of good things about Trudeau's book. It's meticulous, easy to read, interesting, and most importantly, it encompasses the entire siege campaign.

Trudeau's sequel to Bloody Roads South has the same strengths as the first book. With that said, it has the same problems:

#1 - The maps are pitiful. Like the prequel, this book's maps are few and far between, and the maps themselves are cluttered. The battle actions are zoomed in from an overall map via arrows, and there is no legend giving any idea of distance between lines.

#2 - There are no footnotes or endnotes, so the reader can't be sure just what resource is being used for what information. At the end of the book, Trudeau lists some of the sources he used in each chapter, but for students of the war who are used to books with 100+ notes per chapter, this style is disconcerting.

#3 - Maybe it's just an effort to be objective, but there is almost no editorial commentary offered by the author himself. Trudeau simply takes the sources and quotes them or reports what happened, without interjecting any of his own commentary on who was to blame, what went critically wrong or right, or anything like that.

Despite those gripes, the book is certainly well worth the read. The highlight of the book is probably the chapter about the Battle of the Crater. Throughout the book, Trudeau does a good job of splicing together official record reports with the subsequent action, but it works remarkably well in this chapter, as he goes back and forth between the action and the Joint Committee testimony on what happened.

All in all, he does a good job of presenting both armies' viewpoints and mindsets, as well as that of the townspeople. I'm not sure why he didn't cover the action at Five Forks between Pickett and Sheridan/Warren, but everything else was covered well.

"If it becomes a siege, it's just a matter of time...".......2003-11-29

"I have ordered a general assault along the lines". With these words, Ulysses Grant initiated the attack that ended the siege at Petersburg in April of 1864 and set in motion the slow retreat of the Confederacy that ultimately ended with their surrender at Appomattox Court House. Noted Civil War historian Noah Trudeau covers this episode of the war comprehensively with "The Last Citadel". Using many first-person accounts and scholarship long ignored by historians, Trudeau has crafted an intriguing look at this often overlooked portion of the war and presents a nice bridge between the much analyzed battle at Cold Harbor and the equally scrutinized Confederate surrender at Appomattox.

Trudeau's strength in this work is his compelling descriptions of the military actions and tactics as the Union forces steal a march on Confederate general R.E. Lee, leaving the front at Cold Harbor and nearly taking Petersburg before Lee can mount a counter-offensive. Only the hesitancy of Union general Baldy Smith (undoubtedly leary from his defeat at Cold Harbor) at exploiting a major opportunity with the Confederate works lightly manned, prevents Petersburg from falling and potentially ending the war many months early. Confederate general P.G.T. Beauregard manages this small force effectively and is able to interdict this minor Union offensive until Lee can get his forces to Petersburg.

Probing Union forces then learn that Lee is fronting Petersburg in force and Grant now must decide to attack in full force or settle in for a siege. Trudeau makes an effective argument for Grant's rationale for siege warfare, documenting the many lessons learned from the Federal defeats at Cold Harbor. Once Grant's troops are entrenched, Trudeau covers the many engagements that ensue as Grant encircles the city. Battles south of town along the Weldon Railroad (a major Confederate supply line that Grant is successful at blocking) and the more well-known encounters at the "Crater" and Fort Stedman are balanced with the many smaller skirmishes north of the city, mainly at Deep Bottom and Bermuda Hundred. Trudeau is effective at showing how this slow strangle-hold of the town ultimately drives the Confederate leadership to abandon both Petersburg and the capital at Richmond, essentially sealing the fate of the rebellion.

Although, as mentioned above, Trudeau uses many diary/journal accounts of this period, he fails in my view to really give the feeling of siege warfare, however. It seems that we go from one battle description to the next, and although he devotes some space to discussing the civilian life and actions in town, this period of the war covered 10 months and I never got the true sense of anxiety and frustration that most assuredly they all felt. Another criticism (a fairly normal one coming from readers of military tactics) is the lack of maps. Trudeau includes a confusing set of maps at the beginning of each chapter and the the reader is expected to refer to these throughout the text. I sometimes had to backtrack 40-50 pages to refer to a map and this not only added undue time, but also detracted from the reading quality as well. Trudeau obviously learned this lesson well as his most recent work (this book was written in 1991) on the battle at Gettysburg was annoted with many timely and useful maps. Finally, the seminal battle at Five Forks is curiously given short shrift here. This Union victory was the key ingredient that Grant needed to complete his encirclement of the city and was a major contributor to the Confederate decision to retreat. Also, the actions of Federal generals Philip Sheridan and Gouvenour Warren at Five Forks had far reaching implications for the rest of the war and should have been included. These criticisms are fairly minor however and should not make one hesitate to read this book.

A fast paced and militarily strong account of this little covered portion of the Civil War, Noah Trudeau adds to his already growing reputation as a leading modern Civil War historian with this work. Civil War buffs wil love it and the general reader will certainly get something from it if they are willing to invest the time. Overall I enjoyed this book and would recommend it highly.

The Last Citadel: Petersburg, Virginia, June 1864-April 1865
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The Last Citadel: Petersburg, Virginia, June 1864-April 1865
Noah Andre Trudeau
Manufacturer: Little, Brown
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OK9FL6

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The Last Citadel: Petersburg, Virginia June 1864-April 1865
Noah Andre Trudeau
Manufacturer: Louisiana State Univ Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000MBUJM6

Customer Reviews:

Some good, some not so good.......2006-02-23

I am an avid follower of Byzantine history, and have just begun reading the book (hence my rating is tentative). I appreciate the level of language--it is not overly technical. Mr. McLachlan does a nice job at the outset of his description of the Arian problem, but here's where the problem comes in. On p. 18 he claims that "Constantine convinced the clergy to compromise. Christ and the Father, it was decreed, were 'of like substance,' a statement vague enough to be acceptable to both sides." This is factually wrong. The Council of Nicaea decreed that the Father and the Son were of the same substance (homoousios in Greek), not of like substance. This issue is important to me, because I'm looking for an introductory-level history of Byzantium that gets the theological aspects straight, so I can share it with others. I am hoping that this error proves to be the exception.

(And just a suggestion. I note that Mr. McLachlan's degree is in archaeology, and specializes in history and travel. It might be worth considering having someone theologically trained to review those portions of the book which deal with theological topics such as this, before it is printed or before it is re-issued.)

Schiavo's Review Misleading, Inaccurate.......2005-11-08

As the author of this book, I find Mr. Schiavo's review curious to say the least. Disregard the rating I give. Authors should not rate their own work but the form required I give one and I could not let this misleading review stand unchallenged.

His comment that I do not use compound sentences and dependent clauses is simply false. Even the sentence he quotes (out of context) about the Second Ecumenical Council contains a dependent clause.

The mercy of Belisarius towards the Italians depended on the time and situation. Sometimes he was merciful, but many times he was not. The sentence he quotes reads in full, "THIS TIME Belisarius did not restrain himself and looted the towns and villages along the way." (emphasis added) Schiavo's comparison of the "Secret History" of Procopius to the National Enquirer is a gross exaggeration. Yes, Procopius wrote other books, but they were written as official histories (propaganda, in other words) and therefore must be seen as suspect. The "Secret History" was just that, a history not to be seen by the public in which the author could vent his grievances over the misrule of Justinian. Of course it must be taken with a grain of salt, as all primary sources should. I even warn the reader of this on page 53 when I say the passage on Theodora "reads like the angry diatribe of an alienated employee." That does not mean it can be dismissed out of hand.

The quote on the Second Ecumenical Council is taken out of context. The passage makes clear that the Patriarch was not put above the Pope, but was made to be exactly what I said, the highest church official, not the head of the church. The next paragraph talks about how the penitence of the emperor Theodosius at Milan led later emperors to draw away from the Pope. The long passages about later struggles with the Pope make it clear that the Second Ecumenical Council did not free the Eastern Church from Papal influence, despite what medieval Greeks would have liked to believe.

As to my "housebroken dhimmitude," Schiavo ignores the passages where I talk about Muslim massacres of Christians, Muslims destroying Christian towns, and Christians being led away into slavery. Apparently there weren't enough of them to make an anti-Islamic screed, which would have proven to Mr. Schiavo that I wasn't "housebroken."

In sum, his review is as one-sided and poorly researched as he claims my book to be. I suggest readers decide for themselves.

Cursory, poorly written, with errors.......2005-11-06

I purchased this book under the assumption that it would contain at least a few color plates-after all, it is billed as "An Illustrated History." But I should have "looked inside the book" first. The illustrations are all b&w and don't come close to doing justice to the glory of Byzantine mosaic and painting.

The text is similarly lackluster. While I sympathize with the author's dilemma of having to squeeze 1,100 years of history into a 240 page book, there is no excuse for bad writing and shoddy research. The prose is dreadfully stilted, as if the author has never heard of dependent clauses or compound sentences. Truly, the text could have been lifted verbatim from the Weekly Reader or some other elementary school-level periodical.

The errors scattered throughout the text are similarly unacceptable. A few examples will suffice: The author claims that the general Belisarius "did not restrain himself and looted towns and villages" during his invasion of Italy. This statement is simply false. While Naples was sacked as punishment for a long and unwarranted siege, the strict policy of Belisarius was to respect the rights of the Italians-even to the point where he forced one of his own generals to return some ill-gotten booty to an Italian citizen. This error is perhaps explained by the fact that the author only used the "Secret History" of Procopius as a primary source for this period, totally ignoring the 6 other books of public history written by this same ancient author. This is the equivalent of using only the National Enquirer Magazine to write a history of 21st century America.

Another error is the statement that the Second Ecumenical Council in 381 AD "established the patriarch of Constantinople as the highest Church official." It did no such thing. The Council, in fact, made the patriarch of Constantinople the second bishop in the Church after only the Pope of Rome.

Perhaps worst of all is the slant the author gives to the text during the later Byzantine periods, creating an image of the Western Crusaders as vicious, bigoted, murdering barbarians while presenting the Muslims as tolerant intellectuals who were completely justified as they conquered their way across the then-Christian lands of Syria, Asia Minor, and the Balkans. While it is certainly true that the Crusaders were not without blame for some of their actions, a little balance would have been nice. The author is consistently unable to cover Islamic atrocities--even obliquely. Nowhere does he mention the destruction of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem and the subsequent persecution of Christians by Hakem, Caliph of Egypt as a root cause of the Crusades. Furthermore, though he has several opportunities, the author does not bother to mention the destruction of the beautiful and ancient Church of the Holy Apostles in Constantinople after the conquest of that city by the Turks. He refers to it simply as "lost." The word "janissaries" appears a couple times, but the author merely explains that they were an "elite army of slaves raised from childhood in the Sultan's care." He does not bother to mention that they were the children of Christian families who were ripped from their homes, brainwashed into fanatical Islamists, and forced to serve as an army whose sole purpose was the conquest of more Christian lands. That the author chose to take the path of housebroken dhimmitude instead of scholarly objectivity when writing this book is irksome to say the least.

Upon finishing this book, it became clear to me that it may likely be used as a textbook in a mid-level university course in Byzantine or Medieval History. If you are a professor who is considering this book, I would recommend that you use Vasiliev's classic "History of the Byzantine Empire" instead which is still readily available. If you are a student and your professor has assigned this book, please be aware of its failings and know that what you are reading is not good or accurate history. Chances are, your library has a copy of Vasiliev's History--I recommend you read that if you want to get a better understanding of this fascinating subject.

Byzantium: An Illustrated History.......2005-03-07

I found this book to be compelling as well as interesting, especially since the author spends enough time to highlight the more personal sides of the major characters of the Byzantine Empire. Knowing the dates and places may be important but understanding "why" the events took place is even more important in the continuing study of mankind. The author does a wonderful job of explaining the nuances of the men and women who have made the Byzantium Empire such a compelling study still today.

The only thing that could make this a better book is if there were more of it.

Jim Purdy - Tucson, Arizona, USA

Byzantium and the ancient East (The new illustrated history of the world)

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Byzantium and the ancient East (The new illustrated history of the world)
Anthony Bryer
Manufacturer: Hamlyn
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Binding: Unknown Binding

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ASIN: B0007FWKI8

Byzantium and the East, 2300 B.C.-A.D. 1413 (New illustrated history of the world)

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Byzantium and the East, 2300 B.C.-A.D. 1413 (New illustrated history of the world)
Anthony Bryer
Manufacturer: Paul Hamlyn
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Binding: Unknown Binding

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ASIN: B0007I6A4K

Byzantium and the East-2300 Bc-ad-1413 (THE NEW ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF THE WORLD)

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Byzantium and the East-2300 Bc-ad-1413 (THE NEW ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF THE WORLD)

Manufacturer: HAMLYN
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000FGKMHK

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Byzantium and the East-2300 Bc-ad-1413 HE NEW ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF THE WORLD

Constantinople 1453: The End of Byzantium (Praeger Illustrated Military History)

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Great book on an important date in history
A Pretty Good Reference For A Little Known Siege
No, It's Not a Good Overview
So ended the Roman Army after almost 2 thousand years of service
Great Overview

Constantinople 1453: The End of Byzantium (Praeger Illustrated Military History)
David Nicolle
Manufacturer: Praeger Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0275988562

Book Description

This title details the epic four-month siege of the city of Constantinople, last vestige of the once mighty Roman and Byzantine Empires. Mehmet 'The Conqueror' led an army of 80,000 men with a massive siege train against the city. Defending were a mere 10,000 men under the Emperor Constantine XI. The Turkish artillery battered the ancient city walls mercilessly, levelling a large section. A gallant defence held off the massive Turkish assault for several hours. Refusing appeals to flee, Constantine returned to the breaches and fought until overwhelmed and killed. Thus died the last Emperor of the Byzantines and with him his once glorious empire. David Nicolle examines one of the most famous military encounters in history, which marked the final demise of the Roman/Byzantine Empire.

Customer Reviews:

Great book on an important date in history.......2007-05-30

This is a richly illustrated book on one of the most important events in history-1453. It chronicles the last hours of the once-mighty Byzantine Empire and how its capitol(Constantinople-modern day Istanbul) fell to the Ottoman Turks. Over 96 pages of writings, illustrations, and captions dominate this book. Its an excellent guide to begin your journey into ancient warfare history.

A Pretty Good Reference For A Little Known Siege.......2006-06-29

Generally speaking, this book is written at the high standard expected from the Osprey Publishing Company. Nevertheless, there are a few areas that could be better. First, some of the maps are too complicated and contain an inordinate amount of information. The result is a very confusing map where large amounts of text are printed in an extremely small font. Some of this information is simply unnecessary. On one map, the editor appears to have been asleep at the switch. The graphic map depicting the final phase of the siege contains the same paragraph printed twice.

The writing style is also a bit confusing. Numerous characters were involved in this battle. Some of these people are not mentioned in the Opposing Commanders section. Individuals such as Ishak Pasha and Mahmud Pasha are not mentioned until well into the book. Thus, the reader is forced to figure out the significance of these people.

One positive aspect of the book is found in the full color battle scenes which are very well done. In addition, they contain a single paragraph narrative of what the artist is trying to depict. The reader can clearly and quickly grasp the concept being presented. This is in contract to other Osprey books where the reader must flip back and forth between pages to identify a plethora of characters that are crammed into the picture.

All things considered, the author does an excellent job of depicting the siege. At times, he appears to be showing off his immense knowledge of the subject matter by inserting unknown names or referencing vague sources. Nevertheless, the book moves along at a decent pace and follows a logical progression. Bottom line, this is a pretty good reference book. The reader will definitely come away with a much better understanding of this great battle.

No, It's Not a Good Overview.......2006-05-05

Mr. Nicolle's little opus on the fall of Constantinople to the Turks is a concise overview of the end of the last vestige of the Roman Empire. It's a long, sad, and complicated bit of history, well-chronicled and illustrated by eye-witnesses and historians of the period. In fact, you can find most of their accounts for free in the public domain and 'Constantinople 1453' is too concise. It adds little.

Even the mechanics of the Byzantine walls, the cannons, and the siege are more than the length of this book allows. But a true treatment of the story requires an understanding of the relations between the Papacy and Orthodoxy, the rise of the Sultans, and Genoese and Venetian trading states.

I'm sorry, but just the last sad day in May 1453 deserves more space and much more love than the author affords. When Constantine XI Pelalogos gave his last noble speech, the crowds wept. Then, the people of the city went to Liturgy at Hagia Sophia, wept, and hugged and forgave each other. The servants in the Imperial Palace wept among the geraniums, and the Emperor himself went once more into the breach to die with his people. Everyone in the ancient city knew that doom was upon them yet they chose to a man not to flee. Just that alone deserved more loving treatment than this book gave it.

Those really interested in the topic might be better off reading Lord Norwich's superb history of Byzantium.

So ended the Roman Army after almost 2 thousand years of service.......2005-07-01

If one wants to get a good quick overview of the Fall of the once Great City of Constantinople to the Turks.Then one could do a whole lot worse than this thin little book. The only real problem that the whole story can not be told in just 80 pages. But if you want to know about the siege and sack of the city, then here you go.It does a good job tellings of Constantine XI, his forces and the Sultan and his troops. Its a sad story that was a disaster for Eastern Europe and shifted the center of power to the Atlantic States of Europe.

Great Overview.......2002-06-23

Constantinople 1453: The End of Byzantium is a well written, but concise, history of the fall of Constantinople. The book is written in the clasical Ospery tradition and as a result gives the reader all that is necessary to understand the pivatol historical event.

What the book could not do, given the limited space avaliable, is put the the event in context. If the reader is looking for an indepth analysis of why Constantinople fell this is not the book for you. It would be impossible to cover centuries of history in 90 pages. If however, you are looking for the basics of the battle, the players and the whys and wherefores the book is excellent.

I have read extensively on the subjrect and was looking for something to read that concentrated on the fall of Constantinople. I was not disappointed.

A History of Private Life: Volume 1 From Pagan Rome to Byzantium
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A History of Private Life: Volume 1 From Pagan Rome to Byzantium
Paul; Translated By: Goldhammer, Arthur Edited By: Veyne
Manufacturer: Harvard University
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000NT353C

Britain's Greek Empire. Reflections on the history of the Ionian Islands from the fall of Byzantium.
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Britain's Greek Empire. Reflections on the history of the Ionian Islands from the fall of Byzantium.
Michael Pratt
Manufacturer: Rex Collings
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NUWBAY

Constantinople 1453 : The End of Byzantium (Praeger Illustrated Military History)
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Constantinople 1453 : The End of Byzantium (Praeger Illustrated Military History)
David Nicolle
Manufacturer: NY
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Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000MUFW4M

Constantinople 1453: The End of Byzantium (Praeger Illustrated Military History)
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Constantinople 1453: The End of Byzantium (Praeger Illustrated Military History)
David Nicolle
Manufacturer: Praeger Publishers
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Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000ORIB6O

Weather: A Visual Guide (Visual Guides)
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Fantastic book for general readers.

Beautiful Pictures, Bad Geography...

Misinformation, errors, clueless and useless content...

Good Mix

Weather: A Visual Guide (Visual Guides)
Bruce Buckley , Edward J. Hopkins , and Richard Whitaker
Manufacturer: Firefly Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Weather for Dummies

ASIN: 1552979571

Book Description

An introductory guide to understanding weather and its effect on our lives.

It is human nature to try to understand, predict and control the weather that affects crops, wildlife...even one's mood. The world's favorite topic of conversation is also the subject of increasing scientific study.

Weather explores how weather works and its effect at a local and global level, revealing the importance of climate in determining landscape, flora and fauna, and the overall quality of our lives.

Using dramatic never-before-published aerial and satellite photography, this book provides up-to-the-minute information about a fascinating spectrum of natural phenomena:

Extreme weather such as tornadoes and hurricanes
Natural events that affect the weather
Forecasting and predicting weather
How weather affects life on Earth
Climate change.

Colorful diagrams provide at-a-glance understanding about complex issues with explanations for interpreting weather signs and charts. Weather simplifies the many aspects of climate with easy-to-understand text and lively illustrations.

Customer Reviews:

Fantastic book for general readers........2005-09-11

Despite the very bad reviews in here, I decided to go to Barnes and
Noble, took a look at the book, and bought it in there. After moving to Seattle, I wondered why the weather in Northwestern America might be like this, and Katrina desaster was also a motivation for me to want to understand how weather works. And I have no desire to try to understand it in expert level (nor do I have time to do so).
First of all, this book is not for weather majors or experts.
this book is for general readers who don't have a clue about how weather works but want to know. For that purpuse, I haven't found any better book than this. I'm not a geologist or weather expert. So, I can't say how accurate this book is. However this book explains things so well with a lot of beautiful pictures. Saying that this book doesn't have any content, all misinformation, etc. is simply over-exaggerating minor mistakes that any books might have. Go to the bookstore and see it yourself. You will love this book.
Even though you don't like the content for any reason, the beautiful pictures themselves will worth the money. However, there is no reason why casual readers who want to know about whether would not like the contents of this book. Don't let skeptic's over-exaggerated nitpicking discourage your owning this wonderful book.

This is one of the books from which you can learn science without studying, and with pleasure. And you don't even need to have any science background to read this book. All you need is curiosity. As a reader, I thank authors to create this wonderful book.

Beautiful Pictures, Bad Geography..........2005-08-03

This book is full of absolutely stunning photography.

The author fails Geography 101. In the caption of a photo of a Southern California wildfire, he describes the location as Simi Valley, California, near Yosemite National Park. Well, yes, they're in the same, very large state, but near? Not by my definition - they're a 6-7 hour drive apart. An error that egregious makes me question the text credibility throughout.

Misinformation, errors, clueless and useless content..........2005-07-30

Wow, it has really been a long time since I've seen a book this awful. First though, let me say the book does contain a nice collection of pretty pictures. That's about all its got going for it.

First off, the book has no actual content. Every two pages is spread of pictures with a small paragraph loosely relating to a supposed topic. The pictures don't really relate, however. So basically, you're not going to learn anything about weather from the text.

Fine, it is a "visual" guide. There is a major fundamental flaw here as well. The captions of the photos are laced with errors, misinformation, misleading statements and demonstrate an apalling level of cluelessness on the part of the authors/editors. It is very clear someone went trolling through the stock photo agencies and grabbed some "weather related" photos and then more or less made up captions for them.

I have only a limited background in the topics covered, but just in thumbing through I found numerous errors including obviously incorrect dates, geographic errors and claims that images were of phenomona that they clearly don't represent. Worse still, a wide varity of images are also altered with no indication that they are artists renderings or photo adaptations.

In summary, pure fluff, minimal content, and most of the content that does exist is flat out wrong, either through neglect, ineptitude or plain fabrication.

Flip through it in the library or bookstore but otherwise don't waste your money or encourage future publication of this low-rate psuedo-science garbage.

Good Mix.......2005-02-22

This is a good mix. It may only be four stars if you are looking for particularly things alone (e.g., educational, photos, etc.). However, as a combination, it does a very good job and one that I will keep. Some of the simple things, like the cloud charts, make it much easier for the novice and don't cloud the issue like more complicated books.

Weather and Climate: An Illustrated Guide to Science (Science Visual Resources)

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Weather and Climate: An Illustrated Guide to Science (Science Visual Resources)
Diagram Group
Manufacturer: Chelsea House Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0816061696

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Weather-a Visual Guide

Manufacturer: Easton Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Leather Bound

Product Description

LEATHER BOUND book accented in 22kt gold!

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