History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Average customer rating:

Well worth the read
A Pretty Good Book
Loved it!
A Lasting Work of Art:17,000/Day Visit The Sistine Chapel
The god within Man

Michelangelo and the Pope's Ceiling
Ross King
Manufacturer: Walker & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: B000MV8HCU

Amazon.com

Almost 500 years after Michelangelo Buonarroti frescoed the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Rome, the site still attracts throngs of visitors and is considered one of the artistic masterpieces of the world. Michelangelo and the Pope's Ceiling unveils the story behind the art's making, a story rife with all the drama of a modern-day soap opera.

The temperament of the day was dictated by the politics of the papal court, a corrupt and powerful office steeped in controversy; Pope Julius II even had a nickname, "Il Papa Terrible," to prove it. Along with his violent outbursts and warmongering, Pope Julius II took upon himself to restore the Sistine Chapel and pretty much intimidated Michelangelo into painting the ceiling even though the artist considered himself primarily a sculptor and was particularly unfamiliar with the temperamental art of fresco. Along with technical difficulties, personality conflicts, and money troubles, Michelangelo was plagued by health problems and competition in the form of the dashing and talented young painter Raphael.

Author Ross King offers an in-depth analysis of the complex historical background that led to the magnificence that is the Sistine Chapel ceiling along with detailed discussion of some of the ceiling's panels. King provides fabulous tidbits of information and weaves together a fascinating historical tale. --J.P. Cohen

Book Description

“There is no other work to compare with this for excellence, nor could there be,” wrote Vasari in his Lives of Artists.

The extraordinary story behind Michelangelo’s masterpiece in the Sistine Chapel - from the author of the acclaimed Brunelleschi’s Dome.

In 1508 Pope Julius II commissioned Michelangelo to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Though he considered himself primarily a sculptor not a painter, he laboured over it for the next four years and the result was one of the greatest masterpieces of all time.

Ross King’s fascinating new book tells the story of those four extraordinary years. Battling against ill health, financial difficulties, domestic problems and inadequate knowledge of the art of fresco, Michelangelo created figures so beautiful that, when they were unveiled in 1512, they stunned the onlookers. From Michelangelo’s experiments with the composition of pigment and plaster to his bitter rivalry with Raphael, who was working on the neighbouring Papal Apartments, Ross King paints a magnificent picture of day-to-day life on the Sistine scaffolding and outside in the upheaval of early sixteenth-century Rome.

From the Hardcover edition.

Customer Reviews:

Well worth the read.......2007-08-16

A master sculptor, who becomes a painter, to continue with his quest and passion as a sculptor. King's accounting of the painting of the sistine chapel ceiling is filled with details of day-to-day situations arranged and contrived by the artist. Micelangelo must use real world problem solving skills to deal with the realities of his times in his performance in completing a task of incrediable challenges. King convincingly clarifies and disarms some of the myths surrounding the work and working process. Clearly King has done his research and gives an insightful accounting of the life and times of Pope Julius II and his relationship with Michelangelo and other artist, architects and politicians. The warrior Pope maintains a love and support of the arts throughout his career with a special display of admiration and love for the artist, Michelanglo. He does all this while managing some strategic manuevers in an era of difficult and trying political arena. For anyone interested in the Renaissance art and artist of the time this approach to learning is a pleasant read. As for me, I am looking into what else Mr. King has to offer.

A Pretty Good Book.......2007-05-12

I found this an excellent read. It's pretty much a straight forward story of Michelangelo. It seemed to have updated information compared to "The Agony and the Ecstacy" and much less drama.

Loved it!.......2007-03-08

I am an art historian, and spent a year of grad school researching the restoration of Michelangelo's Sistine frescoes. I only with that this book had been published when I was still in grad school. Ross King writes very well, with good research of primary sources.

A Lasting Work of Art:17,000/Day Visit The Sistine Chapel.......2007-01-16

At the age of 33, the sculptor Micelanagelo Buonarroti, was summoned to Rome by Pope Julius II. Having been essentially fired from the job of sculpting the Pope's tomb, this strong willed artist defied and denied the invitation as long as he could. Since his patrons, the Medici, did not want a war over this, he reluctantly went. To finally arrive and learn that the task was a mamouth painting assignment must have been a shock. He was not a painter. He wanted to finish the tomb.

Then follows the amazing story of how he did it. This reluctant artist gave it his all created an enduring work of art. The book covers the fresco process, how paints were made and their components procured and how the sculptor turned painter defied the architect and built his own scaffold. Going in order of their creation, the panels are explained.

While Michelangelo is painting, Pope Julius is also busy. He's having Rapheal paint his apartments and making wars. At one point the fear of invasion is so great there was fear for the paintings. Michelangelo's family is busy too. They hound him for money and want to exploit his contacts.

The book tells the tale but leaves you wanting more. You're only teased with the character development of the two principles. For instance, that Michelangelo's father beat him for drawing as a child is merely mentioned. The reader doesn't have a feel for the personal relationship of Michelangelo and Julius, only the formal one. A few weeks ago I read Basilica which led me to this. The very brief sketches of Julius and Michelangelo in Basilica are more compelling.

Perhaps the hardcover has more photos. The paperback's are wanting but this can be remedied with several internet sites that have the images. The black and whites that appear with the text, such as Michelangelo's sketch of the scaffold and the various portraits, appear on the right pages to help the reader visualize the story and times.

The book will no doubt be a classic, because it brings together so much of the period in a highly readable style.

The god within Man.......2006-12-22

While I read this book, repeatedly I had to remind myself that despite the drama on so many pages [the drama of clashing personalities, the drama of papal-declared wars, the drama of artistic competition, the drama of family obligations/frustrations], this was no "historical novel." The "characters" were actual people who existed and a great deal of the action is actually accounted for through the original writings of Michelangelo himself [for example, to his brothers and father] as well as of his contemporaries like Vasari and Bramante.

The descriptions of what a day consisted of for Michelangelo and his assistants as they tackled all the logistics of painting something as epic [epic in space, style and substance] as the Sistine Chapel - well, even these "quieter" elements of King's story grabbed me. It made me respect Michelangelo more and more deeply as I read into what it took to retain the necessary funds for materials for scaffolding, plaster and paints, mixing the various paints, transfering the outlines of the images into the wet ceiling to accomplish the amazing frescoes that we still enjoy today, so many hundreds of years after their original creation.

Add to that, King manages something along the lines of an art-in-context education course - you learn about the politics of the day, who the power brokers were, whether it was the Pope himself or one of the many Medici, who owned what land and who pledged allegiance to who.

Finally, the paperback version that I read had many black & white images sprinkled throughout the chapters that are of Michelangelo's sketches and other works, along with a handful of color prints of the Sistine Chapel.
You will find yourself repeatedly returning to those color images as you read about Michelangelo's painting of Genesis or Noah or even the many architectural accents.

Michelangelo, even though he was essentially forced into this painting commission when what he truly desperately wanted was to design & execute a 3-story, 40-taue layout for Pope Julius II's burial in St. Peter's Basilica -- which we only get the slightest taste of with his powerful and amazing rendition of Moses, which is contained within the comparatively tiny San Pietro in Vincoli church -- created what should truly be considered of the wonders of the "modern" world... we will never see his equal and King does right by the man who had the ability to create reality with paint and marble like a god creating man out of some baser element.

King's words bring the era and the man to life.

Kiss the Hand You Cannot Bite: The Rise and Fall of the Ceausescus

Average customer rating:

Persecuted by Fate
Fine history of a dismal 20th Century Romania
Excels at recounting the Ceausescus' last days
About Ignorance and Leadership
A history of two evil buffoons who became leaders

Kiss the Hand You Cannot Bite: The Rise and Fall of the Ceausescus
Edward Behr
Manufacturer: Villard
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0679401288
Release Date: 1991-05-21

Customer Reviews:

Persecuted by Fate.......2006-09-03

This is probably the definitive look at the strange horrors of Communist-era Romania, culminating in the 1989 overthrow and execution of Nicolae and Elena Ceausescu. Edward Behr's treatment is both an investigative report into key events, and a historical analysis into the long-term social forces that culminated in Romania's terrible hardships. A history of imperial subjugation and frustrated ambitions steered Romania down the road to dictatorship, in the form of the dim-witted and histrionic Nicolae, and his manipulative and vindictive wife Elena. Behr usefully analyzes the state terror and recrimination fomented by the Ceausescus, to perpetuate their incompetent cult of personality and thoughtless oppression of the people. Also, the Romanian communists were as prone to bitter factionalism and denunciations as their Soviet overlords, while Behr finds that yet another party conspiracy manipulated the popular unrest of late 1989, to force a tragic continuation of the people's suffering under a new regime. This book is a generally excellent political and historical analysis, though there are some problems with Behr's narrative that keep it from being a consistent winner. The travails of the common people are merely alluded to in passing, with almost no examination of the horrifying disease, starvation, and child abandonment that were all over the world news at the time. And more fundamentally, this book was written almost immediately after the 1989 revolution, probably to cash in before public interest in the subject waned. This is a problem because Behr frequently vows to analyze how the Ceausescu dictatorship would leave a sorry legacy in Romania for decades to come, but not enough time had passed for him to make more than thin speculations on those everlasting horrors. [~doomsdayer520~]

Fine history of a dismal 20th Century Romania.......2006-04-28

The 20th Century will forever be remembered as one of supreme cruelty, and few nations can speak to this better than those who fell beneath the Iron Curtain. Romania, a proud Eastern European nation with a mix of Italians, Bulgarians and Hungarians among the native peoples, was a centerpiece to this. At the close of WWII, Communist forces rose up in Romania and neighboring nations, installing a home-brewed oppression under the guidance and repression of the Soviet Union. Romania's Communist experience was punctuated by distinct periods, the worst of which was the Nicolae and Elena Ceausescu rule of the 1970s and '80s.

With this background, Edward Behr does a fabulous job guiding the reader through a social and political history of Romania from its invasions of pre-1000 A.D., to the power-sharing rule under the Turks in later years, to the imported German royal family in the Industrialization of the latter 1800s. The nation was pulled in different directions by various interests - Hungarians, Transylvanians and Bessarabians (Moldovans) looking for dominion. Into this cauldron, Nicolae Ceausescu was born. Behr takes us through his childhood and upbringing, where the uneducated and unintelligent child was little more than a street thug who discovered, and followed without question, the Marxist-Leninist doctrine. He served powerful men within the Romanian Communist Party during the 'dark' years as a forbidden political party, was jailed for several years, and emerged at the end of WWII in the shadow of Romania's Communist rulers. His loyalty gained him titles, priviledge and eventually, the position of First Secretary. As Behr describes it, what began with hopes and indications of a break with Soviet doctrine, dissolved into Ceausescu's fascination with the cult of personality, his fear of betrayal, and Elena's pressures to keep them living at the peak while most Romanians suffered horrendously.

This book is well-written, very readable and an excellent overview of the troubles Romania has faced. While there are several interview snippets with members of the Ceausescu regime, and indications that Behr was given access to files of the Securitate (the Romanian secret police), there is nothing in the way of documentation. However, I have no reason to doubt that Behr traveled repeatedly and extensively in researching his book. Here's hoping that future authors follow this up by providing details on the Romanian Communist central planning function, and its fundamental break with the economic reality of the country.

Excels at recounting the Ceausescus' last days.......2005-10-28

Released in 1991 by Villard, now out of print.

There've been several books released on the Ceausescus so the reader may wonder how to distinguish them?

KISS THE HAND YOU CANNOT BITE has much information on Ceausescu's early years (how he became what he was), and the best accounting I've yet read of his last days and hours before his capture and execution. Also interesting are all the former government officials who now condemn Ceausescu. One wonders, if so many opposed him, why did Ceausescu remain in power for so long? I think many of these officials are rewriting their own personal histories.

By contrast, DOWNFALL: THE CEAUSESCUS AND THE ROMANIAN REVOLUTION by George Galloway and Bob Wylie, excels at recounting the events of '89 Revolution and the six months immeadiately following the revolution (e.g., the miner's revolt of June 1990, etc.). Excellent journalism, with a great many participants interviewed.

RED HORIZONS by Pacepa is a "slice of life" of the Ceausescus that covers several months in 1978, when Ceausescu was at the peak of his world prestige. Very lurid details.

About Ignorance and Leadership.......2005-04-04

I found the book interesting, rigorous and well-documented. Even though it echoes some American cliches about Europeans (like the Romanians' inherent anti-semitism) it outlines the cultural and historical context of Ceausescu's rise to power quite accurately.
I've read books on Ceausescu's lives before, such as Pacepa's "Red Horizons" but I needed a foreigner's take on this subject, a more objective one. Like most other historians, Behr makes a connection between Ceausescus' lack of education and megalomania, which is why I don't understand why he tries to extend this feature to all other rulers, especially the Hohenzollern kings, who were at least literate, if nothing else. Behr exposes Nicolae's personal issues (short stature, stuttering, bad temper, ignorance) as root causes for his vanity and erratic behavior as a leader, as well as Romanians' complacency and historical tendency to compromise, without romanticizing these features like Romanian writers do, most of whom consider them survival tools. He makes a point that I totally agree with: not only was Ceausescu made possible by the culture in which he lived, but he was encouraged to be that way by his peers (especially his wife). A ruling class made up of the most marginal elements of society was brought to power by the Russian tanks (ironically they eventually became fiercely anti-sovietic), which made the most backward features of the Balkan nation, like nepotism, corruption, lack of scrupules, bad taste, etc. the very leadership principles of Romania for 60 years. Ceausescu is bound to happen when the system of values is totally reversed, and Behr makes this clear with detachment and professionalism, without minimizing the responsability of the rest of Romanians.

A history of two evil buffoons who became leaders.......2003-12-29

While there were many indications of severe economic and social problems in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union during the last five years of the 1980's, the sudden collapse of Communism caught nearly everyone by surprise. However, the most amazing thing was the incredible lack of blood that was shed during the transition from the "proletarian dictatorships" to some form of representative government. The only significant deaths occurred in Rumania, where the change was a coup within the leadership class rather than a popular revolt. Since it was a coup, Rumania was the only country where the former leader had to be killed, and Nicolae and Elena Ceausescu were executed very early in the coup.
While this is a history of the Ceausescu regime, it is more so a history of Rumania in the twentieth century. It is an extensive probing of the national psyche, one that allowed a man to control more than was controlled in other east block countries while employing less terror. Although he was applauded in the west for his maverick stance regarding the Soviet line in Eastern Europe, Ceausescu was more of a buffoon than a leader, which is one of the primary reasons why the Soviet leadership allowed him so much leash. Despite enormous natural resources, Rumania is capable of feeding itself and has substantial oil reserves, by the 1980's it was the second poorest country in Europe, ahead of only Albania. Behr comes close to, but does not quite say that had Ceausescu been a capable leader, his challenging of the Soviet line would not have been tolerated and they would have engineered his removal. It is amazing to say that Rumania and the world would have been better off if the Soviets had simply had him assassinated. Furthermore, it most likely would have been applauded inside the country.
In reading through the book, you cannot help but wonder how the Ceausescus were able to control the country for so long. Some form of opposition to the Communist leadership existed in the other Eastern block countries, but was almost totally absent in Rumania. The relentless and ridiculous praise heaped on the Ceausescus by everyone was a façade that everyone except the Ceausescus seemed to be aware of. Behr spends a great deal of time probing for the reasons for this, making some progress, but still not arriving at a satisfactory answer.
Ceausescu has quite accurately been called a Communist Dracula, which is somewhat of an understatement. Dracula merely sucked the blood from his individual victims, while Ceausescu sucked the life essence from an entire nation. In this book, you learn what he did and at least some of the reasons why he was able to do it.

Russian and Soviet Economic Performance and Structure (Addison-Wesley Series in Economics)

Average customer rating:

Decent analysis, but bad editing

Russian and Soviet Economic Performance and Structure (Addison-Wesley Series in Economics)
Paul R. Gregory , and Robert C. Stuart
Manufacturer: Addison-Wesley Pub (Sd)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0321014278

Customer Reviews:

Decent analysis, but bad editing.......2003-04-26

To start off, the editors of this book must have been asleep when it crossed their desks: the numerous erros in spelling and grammar interrupt a generally lucid writing style, with numerous, critical errors even in charts and graphs. The worst editorial aspect of the book is that in several places, entire passages are repeated, sometimes immediately, other times in a different chapter. Being in the field, I know economists are not the most skilled writers, but I place all the blame at the doorstep of the publishing house.

That said, the book is fairly good at getting its point across. While the authors' stance on capitalism-vs-communism is clear, they generally present the facts in a clear manner, and they are evenhanded in their treatment of the opposing theories.

Book Description

A brilliant investigative marrative: How six average Soviet men rose to the pinnacle of Russia's battered economy.

David Hoffman, former Moscow bureau chief for The Washington Post, sheds light onto the hidden lives of Russia's most feared power brokers: the oligarchs. Focusing on six of these ruthless men Hoffman reveals how a few players managed to take over Russia's cash-strapped economy and then divvy it up in loans-for-shares deals.

Before perestroika, these men were normal Soviet citizens, stuck in a dead-end system, claustrophobic apartments, and long bread lines. But as Communism loosened, they found gaps in the economy and reaped huge fortunes by getting their hands on fast money. They were entrepreneurs. As the government weakened and their businesses flourished, they grew greedier. Now the stakes were higher. The state was auctioning off its own assets to the highest bidder. The tycoons go on wild borrowing sprees, taking billions of dollars from gullible western lenders. Meanwhile, Russia is building up a debt bomb. When the ruble finally collapses and Russia defaults, the tycoons try to save themselves by hiding their assets and running for cover. They turn against each other as each one faces a stark choice-annihilate or be annihilated.

The story of the old Russia was spies, dissidents, and missiles. This is the new Russia, where civil society and the rule of law have little or no meaning.

Customer Reviews:

Amazing.......2006-07-29

I have just finished reading The Oligarchs - all 496 pages of it, and I just wanted to let anyone know who was thinking of reading it that it is an absolutely, incredible piece of quality work. I enjoyed every page.

Good Job!.......2002-10-06

Much better than I expected, a serious work with a great deal of research invovled. It avoided the typical lurid embellishments of the genre, and also made the point of the important period of transistion in the Gorbachev period, where nascent Russian capitalism started. It lacks somewhat in that it focuses on only six men, and they are of varying importance in the post-Yeltsin period. As Putin reportedly said when asked about Berezovsky--"Who?" Nevertheless, a good job, an interesting read and thankfully avoids falling into the tabloid style of so much of the literature on the topic.

The Power of Six.......2002-04-28

David Hoffman's "The Oligarchs" documents in great detail the rise of 6 businessmen--Aleksandr Smolensky, Yuri Luzhkov, anatoly Chubais, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, Boris Berezovsky and Vladimir Gusinsky--who became the "oligarchs" who shaped the political and economic landscape of the New Russia. They were merely ordinary Russians until the Soviet Union collapsed. So how did a mere handful Russians end up controlling such an epic proportion of Russia's economy and have such great influence in its politics? And how did they manage to rise at Russia's decline? Hoffman's book will answer these questions by piecing together extensive research and interview to create a well-balanced, serious but at the same time, a downright fun and readable book. "The Oligarchs" is a landmark.

The Oligarchs: Wealth and Power in the New Russia

Average customer rating:

The Oligarchs
A good thumbnail sketch of the oligarchic interregnum
Provides Great Insight into Russia
Loving portrait of grand larceny
Great book to learn the new Russia!

The Oligarchs: Wealth and Power in the New Russia
David E. Hoffman
Manufacturer: PublicAffairs
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1586482025
Release Date: 2003-12-23

Book Description

Hailed as "the most dramatic and comprehensive account" of the early years of Russian capitalism (New York Times Book Review)

David Hoffman, former Moscow bureau chief for the Washington Post, sheds light onto the hidden lives of Russia's most feared power brokers: the oligarchs. Focusing on six of these cunning and ruthless men--Alexander Smolensky, Yuri Luzhkov, Anatoly Chubais, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, Boris Berezovsky, and Vladimir Gusinsky--Hoffman reveals how a few players rose to the pinnacle of Russia's new capitalism.

The oligarchs started small. Before perestroika, they lived the lives of Soviet citizens, stuck in a dead-end system, cramped apartments, and long bread lines. But as Communism loosened, they found gaps in the economy and reaped their first fortunes by getting their hands on fast money. As the government weakened and their businesses flourished, they grew greedier. The state auctioned off its own assets, and they grabbed the biggest oil companies, mines, and factories. They went on wild borrowing sprees, taking billions of dollars from gullible western lenders. When the ruble collapsed, the tycoons saved themselves by hiding their assets and running for cover. This is a saga of brilliant triumphs and magnificent failures, the untold story of how a rapacious, unruly capitalism was born out of the ashes of Soviet communism.

Customer Reviews:

The Oligarchs.......2006-08-04

I'm about a quarter into the book. I am very impressed. It is riveting. I went on a tour of Russia in June and wanted to know more about what is going on. I have talked my husband and sister into reading it. I think Americans get some insight into a country we know little about.

A good thumbnail sketch of the oligarchic interregnum.......2006-06-17

Daniel Hoffman of the Washington Post has written a good introduction to the interregnum between the reign of the Commununist Party of the USSR and the Presidency of Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin. When Communism and the Russian legal system collapsed, the boldest and brashest quickly amassed fortunes in rather unusual circumstances.

Hoffmann's account is a good introduction to these times and to the "oligarchs" who shaped these times. His book is by no means a work of investigative reporting, being liberally littered with phrases along the lines of "we'll never know the whole story", "there must have been more going on, but there are no authorative sources," "we can only surmise that much of the episode is opaque." Nor do I understand why Hoffman considers mayor Luzhkov of Moscow, Moscow's answer to Richard Joseph Daley of Chicago, an "oligarch."

All the same, this is a well-written and entertaining book about an extraordinary time.

Provides Great Insight into Russia.......2006-02-12

This book provides a great background to understand Russia and the current situation today. If you want to know about business and the history of Russia from the 80's forward, written in a way that reads like a novel, read this book.

Loving portrait of grand larceny.......2004-11-22

David Hoffman, the author of this fascinating book, intends to give us a portrait of dynamic, progressive entrepreneurs. But he actually gives us a picture of greedy criminals.

Russia's privatisation programme was huge, rapid and unprecedented. By 1996, 18,000 industrial enterprises, 80% of the total, employing 80% of Russia's industrial workers, producing 90% of Russia's industrial output, had been privatised.

Russia's 1992 Privatisation Programme, which the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs fought for, allowed directors and workers to buy 51% of the voting shares in their organisation, at a nominal price, using the enterprise's own funds. All were given vouchers, which could buy shares.

All too often, workers agreed not to interfere with the management, in exchange for promises of job security. Often, managers bought workers' shares before they had any market value, or outbid the workers, in collaboration with banks. In some cases, President Boris Yeltsin issued special decrees, excluding outsiders.

Factory managers used cooperatives, joint ventures and later, shell companies and offshore havens to leach cash and raw materials out of public enterprises. They created banks and trading companies that seized the factory's output and put the profits into their offshore accounts. Law and order were shredded.

These management buyouts led to short termism, parasitic profits (not productive investment, not rebuilding), asset stripping and capital flight (totalling possibly $150 billion between 1991 and 1999). Russia's wealth, produced by its workers, went into thousands of offshore bank accounts, real estate holdings and offshore companies.

For example, in 1993 Boris Berezovsky, Yeltsin's friend, bought 35,000 Ladas at low export prices from the producer Avtovaz, Russia's largest car factory, paying 10% down, the rest to be paid 30 months later in a time of huge inflation, nearly bankrupting the producer. He then sold them to Russians at high market prices, making $3000 a car, in a $105 million deal. Later, Berezovsky bought a third of the company for just $3 million, in a one-bidder auction. Berezovsky loaned the government $100 million for 51% of Sibneft, Russia's sixth biggest oil company, in 1995, and sold it to himself 18 months later for $110 million.

Anatoly Chubais, head of the State Privatization Committee, said of Russia's capitalists, "They steal and steal and steal. They are stealing absolutely everything and it is impossible to stop them." By 2002, five capitalists controlled 95% of Russia's aluminium, 18% of her oil, 40% of her copper, 20% of her steel and 20% of car production. The Mafia ran nearly half the private sector and owned half of Russia's largest banks. Criminal gangs controlled 80% of Avtovaz's output, which did not deter General Motors from starting up a joint venture with the giant car company.

"In sum, neither the workers nor their unions have much power over privatisation", said a US privatisation adviser. By 1999, 38% of Russia's people existed below the poverty line. 90% of the people endured worsening conditions, while the handful of arrogant capitalists made colossal profits by crime and corruption.

Great book to learn the new Russia!.......2004-09-09

Hoffman did a good job. Six main characters, Smolensky the Banker, Luzhkov the Mayor, Chubais the Economist-reformer, Khordorkovsky the oligarch, Berezovsky the Master Mind, and Gusinsky the TV Media King, controlled the Russia Yeltsin-regime economy. Many of them are Jewish, started from humble beginnings and got rich at the right place at the right time. Unfortunately, with 1998 stock crash, ruble devalutaion, Putin as the new president, their wealthy empires quickly fizzled. It is a must read for any one doing business in Russia.

Governing in Europe: Effective and Democratic?

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Governing in Europe: Effective and Democratic?
Fritz W. Scharpf
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

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All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
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ASIN: 0198295464

Book Description

The problem-solving capacity, and hence the democratic legitimacy, of national governments is being weakened by the dual processes of legal and economic integration in Europe; and the loss is not fully compensated by the development of effective and legitimate problem-solving capabilities at the European level. Professor Scharpf supports his position by examining the normative underpinnings of democratic legitimacy and by a detailed analysis of the structural asymmetry between the effectiveness of the legal instruments of `negative integration' which prevents governments from interfering with the free movements of goods, services, capital, and persons and the political constraints impeding positive political action at the European level. This is particularly true for policies pertaining to the welfare state. Governing in Europe explores strategies at the national level that could succeed in maintaining welfare state goals even under conditions of international economic competition, and it also discusses the conditions under which European policy could play a protective and enabling role with regard to these national solutions. The author suggests that if these opportunities should be used, multi-level governance in Europe could indeed regain both effectiveness and legitimacy.

Contemporary Cultures of Display (Art and Its Histories Series)

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Contemporary Cultures of Display (Art and Its Histories Series)

Manufacturer: Yale University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | History & Criticism | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0300077831

Book Description

This illuminating book examines trends in the display of art since the mid-twentieth century, focusing particularly on institutional issues. A series of case studies casts light on modern museums and their new audiences, current reliance on temporary exhibitions, the wider social context in which art is displayed today, the cult of the country house in Britain, and the art world in contemporary Ireland.

Zlata's Diary: A Child's Life in Sarajevo

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Great Book
Good read
It's a diary, not a book.
Zlata's Diary
Zlata's Review

Zlata's Diary: A Child's Life in Sarajevo
Zlata Filipovic
Manufacturer: Viking Adult
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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Bosnia and Herzegovina | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0670857246

Book Description

When ZlataÂ's Diary was first published at the height of the Bosnian conflict, it became an international bestseller and was compared to The Diary of Anne Frank, both for the freshness of its voice and the grimness of the world it describes. It begins as the day-today record of the life of a typical eleven-year-old girl, preoccupied by piano lessons and birthday parties. But as war engulfs Sarajevo, Zlata FilipoviÂ´c becomes a witness to food shortages and the deaths of friends and learns to wait out bombardments in a neighborÂ's cellar. Yet throughout she remains courageous and observant. The result is a book that has the power to move and instruct readers a world away.

Customer Reviews:

Great Book .......2007-05-25

Sheesh...this is the product of a child, not the work of a Pulitzer prize winning journalist. It is an excellent diary, an excellent primary source and an excellent text for a better understanding of the Yugoslav wars. Yes...it does only tell one point of view - hers - it is her diary! Some readers are offended because of the comparison to Anne Frank; a comparison that Filipovic and others make in the book. The comparison is totally fair. Both are intelligent children caught up in situations they have no control over during wars of ethnic cleansing and extermination. It is a testament to Zlata that she can make the connection to Anne Frank...obviously the rest of the world couldn't. They (We) abandoned the Jews sixty years ago and abandoned hundreds of thousands of Croats/Bosniaks/Serbs to genocide forty years later. Zlata remembered Anne Frank's words...the world didn't.

Good read.......2007-05-07

I remember reading this book as a child and picked it up again as an adult. It was a quick read, but really showed how a child deals with war. It made me think of how children in Iraq are feeling right now. Very interesting.

It's a diary, not a book........2007-05-04

To the reader who wrote comment "we all had our delusional moments when we were teenagers"...you should be ashamed of yourself. This "delusional moment" was war and struggle for survival in besieged city of Sarajevo.
Why don't you try and write a book, and/or diary, sitting in a basement without food, water and electricity for four years. All that while granates and bombs are raining on your city. In the meantime, one by one, all of your neighbors and friends are gone six feet under...
How about that for delusional moment...

Zlata's Diary.......2007-04-20

Zlata's Diary is about a young girl's diary named Mimi during the war in her town of Sarajeavo. She writes of the hardships of being a war child. She tells of the changes of her world during the war such as her parents may have grown older one year but looked ten years older. She is constantly hearing of people being shot and wounded. And how might I know this? She was asked if she had a diary. And guess what she did and it was sent to be published. I think this book was over all pretty well written. I would recomend this book to you if you liked the book The Diary Of Anne Frank. So to find out what happens pick up Zlata's Diary.
-Christine Lanier

Zlata's Review.......2007-04-18

Taylor (Lanier Middle School)

Zlata's Dairy is the real life issue of how an eleven year old girl struggles to stay alive during a civil war in Sarajevo, (1991-93) but more importantly trying to cope with the pain friends and family leaving to escape the war. During the whole process she decides to keep a diary which then later becomes published in the years 1992 and 1993.

This book tells a story of family, friendship, and most of all courage. Though a war might be going on, Zlata Filipovic still manages to go to school. Zlata lives in an average sized apartment with her mother and father.

The life lesson in this book is that no matter how hard things get you will always have your family there with you. And that thing's in life will get though, but eventually they will get better. Also never dwell on the bad things, but the good.

I personally do not like this book. The fact that this is a diary is one of the reasons I don't like this book, it skips around and does not tell you everything that happens.It also repeats everything, so all you are reading is what you read before.I would recamend this book to all, even though I did not like it, does'n mean you don't.

Japan and Britain in the Contemporary World: Responses to Common Issues (Nissan Institute Routledge Japanese Studies Series)

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Japan and Britain in the Contemporary World: Responses to Common Issues (Nissan Institute Routledge Japanese Studies Series)
Hugo Dobson
Manufacturer: Routledge
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Popular Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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Book Description

Britian and Japan in the Contemporary World provides up-to-date analyses of these two countries in terms of economics, politics, security and identity on the global, regional, subnational and civic levels.

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