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Author: Harrison E. Salisbury
ASIN : 0306812983
Sales Rank : 144694
Brand : DaCapo Press
Studio : Da Capo Press
Binding : Paperback
EAN : 9780306812989
ISBN : 0306812983
Number Of Pages : 640
Release Date : December 16, 2003
Publisher : Da Capo Press
Manufacturer : Da Capo Press
Availability : Usually ships in 24 hours
Label : Da Capo Press
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December 07, 2007.
Inspiration for thwarted problem-solvers.
Rating: 5
Dava Sobel is a natural-born storyteller. She has given herself a huge topic to cover (the discovery of a way of establishing longitude at sea, the endowment and administration of a Longitude Prize, and the pursuit of that prize by various people in the 17th and 18th centuries); she has deftly described the scientific issues that make the problem seemingly impossible to solve; and she vividly brings to life the many key figures who had a hand in how the discovery eventually played out--the good, the bad, and the petty. I think it is Sobel's unjaundiced eye, her ability to examine human nature clearly and without apology that makes this book so appealing. Time and again I found myself saying, "Notthing has changed. People are still like that!" Human beings continue to be motivated by greed, ego, and envy. We continue to bend rules when it suits our need and we continue to sabotage the best efforts of others. The 18th century practice of slandering one's professional foes in pamphlets certainly has its equivalents in blog-smears. Character assasination seems to be one of humanity's most abiding pastimes. But in the end, Sobel's story is one of human ingenuity, personal sacrifice, and total commitment. In this instance at least, the good guy wins. And with Sobel's popular account of John Harrision, the inventor of the first successful chronometer, she manages to drag this obscure inventor's name out of anonymity and give him the recognition he clearly deserves. "With his marine clocks, John Harrision tested the waters of space-time. He succeeded, against all odds, in using the fourth--temporal--dimension to link points on the three-dimensional globe. He wrested the world's whereabouts from the stars, and locked the secret in a pocket watch."
There is an edition of LONGITUDE that includes many illustrations. I've seen it in stores and can vouch for its quality. But Sobel's writing is so visual and impactful that I would recommend choosing the edition without picutures. Let your imagination do the work. This is a great read.
December 02, 2007.
Worth reading for better appreciation of navigation methods today.
Rating: 4
This book was the choice of one of my book club memebers who got a little tired of all the novels that have been chosen over the years. It's a short book - about 175 pages - and, we were assured, an easy read. The Introduction by Neil Armstrong was fascinating and set the tone for a most interesting narative about the invention of the chronometer and its impact on marine navigation. My ancestors were whalers, and I've read several Books about expeditions and voyages pre-nineteenth century. Still, I had no clue how important the ability to determine longitude was.
Dava Sobel has a scientific mind, yet is able to make her information palatable to the non-scientific reader. I highly reccommend this book; it will broaden your horizons and make you appreciate those who came before. You will think differently about the amazing world we take for granted today with GPS navigation on our cell phones and the dashboards of our cars.
December 28, 2006.
Humorously Informing.
Rating: 3
It gave good details on the characters involved, and it had humor to go along with it. This probably wouldn't catch many teenager's attention, but it did catch my attention because of the wittiness. If you want to learn more information on the history of Longitude this would be a good book to read!
December 27, 2006.
If History Class was like this....
Rating: 5
I would not go so far as to say I hated history in school, but it was far from my favorite subject. As I read Longitude I found myself wanting to search out more information and explore the people and science on my own. Heck, if Dava Sobel had been writing our text books, I might have been a history major. I would reccommend Longitude to any and everyone - the budding history scholar, the salty old sailor, the astronomy buff or the normal joe looking for a good read. The science is approachable, the history intriguing and the story of Harrison's drive and determination inspiring. I would especially reccommend the edition with the plates showing the actual clocks/watches built by Harrison.
December 14, 2007.
Bold Explorer.
Rating: 4
I got this book to read while I was rafting the Grand Canyon. It was well worth it. John Wesley Powell's description of his unbelivable expedition helped me put into words the spectacular scenes that makes up the Grand Canyon. I recommend this book to anyone who is considering traveling down the Colorado River.
December 25, 2006.
Perilous journey into a sublime landscape.
Rating: 5
Anyone who is enthralled by the beauty of the Southwest, or as Powell defines it - the Colorado River watershed, should read this book. It's not the same now as it was in his day. For one thing, Glen Canyon, which he named, is now submerged under Lake Powell (could any name be more ironic?). No one today can feel the same kind of wonder and awe as Powell and his companions did as they pushed their boats into the raging rapids of the muddy Colorado without having any idea of what was ahead. Even the part of the Colorado watershed that has not been developed, and there is a considerable extent of land under protective status, today has nothing like the remoteness that Powell experienced. Everything has been mapped and carefully scutinized.
Yet, anyone who has spent some time sizing up the immense water-carved rock canyons, can still feel something of the sublimity that Powell felt. It requires more imagination; it is true, but anyone who is determined to make more of a commitment than just standing at the rim of the Grand Canyon can still experience the really sublime features of this landscape. How much more difficult will it be in the future? Will these wilderness wonders become more degraded?
The book describes by daily journal entries the historic river run of 1868 starting at the Flaming Gorge in Wyoming and ending at the Virgin River as well as a follow-up expedition the next year. Powell does not overdo the apprehensions and hardships of himself and companions, nor does he make mention that he accomplished the physical exertion of climbing the canyon walls and navigating the boats with one arm: but largely confines himself to descriptions of the events and the incredible landforms. The extent of the journey and all the spectacular features that he finds and names is impressive. That Powell's group experienced hardships there can be no doubt.
One of the more interesting parts of the book to me was the way Powell approached the Indian tribe that killed his three companions, who decided to abandon the expedition and hike out of the Canyon. In those frontier days, it was the accepted norm to meet violence with violence. But Powell, I thought here, really showed himself to be an exceptional human being. He had a inquiring mind and a sincere desire to learn everything he could without inflicting retribution.
December 09, 2006.
It is shameful that students today don't know this man!.
Rating: 5
I find it totally unexcuseable that today's young college students (especially earth and environmental science types) do not know this man; yet, they all know Edward Abbey. Powell was not a scientist by today's standards but yet he managed to do many great things. He stood in opposition to the popular belief at that time that the West was a virgin Utopian land awaiting industrial and population exploitation from eastern society. He saw a great empty space in the National maps of the West and set about to explore and understand and map this area. He was a geologist, ecologist, ethnologist, and anthropologist all wrapped up in a persona that was at one time a soldier and commander. His exploration of the Grand Canyon and the Colorado River is a terrific read for anyone looking for an adventure read. Its a scientific quest turned whitewater adventure. Abbey, on the other hand, has never done anything as substantial as what Powell did for our basic knowledge and appreciation of the West. Furthermore, Powell's vision isn't clouded by the selfish, militant, eco-geek goggles through which Abbey viewed the West.
December 30, 2005.
A classic, I guess.
Rating: 4
John Wesley Powell was a fascinating guy.
John Wesley Powell was a scientist, geologist, and Civil War veteran whose right arm was shot off by a cannonball; he was the man who named Glen Canyon, and the man Lake Powell was named for. He was the first man to lead an expedition down the Colorado--the first two expeditions, actually--back when the river flowed wild, without dams.
He didn't worry about all the details like a knowledgeable crew, funds, both arms, having an experienced crew, not knowing if there was a Niagara-sized waterfall around the next bend or not, and so on--he just went. He understood you don't need experience to gain experience. He and his crew paid for their inexperience by nearly drowning, nearly starving, and by misadventure after misadventure but in the end MOST of their group emerged from the southern end of the Grand Canyon with stories, experiences, and first-hand knowledge of a part of the world that few people had ever seen before.
(Three of his crew abandoned the expedition, and their fates are uncertain.)
This is Powell's story. It's also a story of the geology of the Colorado Plateau, of the Colorado River, and of the West. It's not a perfect account, but it is a classic one. Powell's prose is at times high-falutin', he recklessly combines details from his first and second expedition, and he gives too little credit to his crew, but he is always an optimist, and always fun to read.
Take a river trip, and take this along. Or, take "Down the Great Unknown" by Edward Dolnick--that's a good account of that trip as well. (I actually prefer it.)
December 13, 2005.
A great adventure story .
Rating: 5
This is a classic adventure tale, inspiring in that it's a true story of courage and endurance. John Wesley Powell and his companions (including a wonderful illustrator) set out on the Colorado River to chart what was the last unexplored territory of the U.S., the Grand Canyon. Powell was a Civil War veteran who, despite the loss of one of his arms, took on the mighty untamed Colorado in wooden lorries. He is the person for whom Lake Powell is named and interestingly his story is featured in a short IMAX film about the Grand Canyon. The book had originally been sold to a magazine in serial form and Powell's adventure followed avidly by "folks back East". Reading this book transports you back to a different time when the written word was the primary means of reporting stories like this.
December 19, 2007.
What a terrific and absorbing book!.
Rating: 5
Many New Yorkers have heard of the Astor Place Riots, and this book really brings them back in colorful detail. The riot itself is almost an afterthought: this is a dual biography of two of the mid-19th century's most eccentric actors, and a vivid glimpse at America and Britain of the time. A real "can't put it down" rip-roaring read. If I had to find something to complain about, it would be "not enough illustrations."
Well worth the read--grab this one.
December 12, 2007.
From Boston to Patagonia by Train.
Rating: 5
What an adventure. As I wrote in my review of the "Great Railway Bazaar," treat yourself to traveling the easy way and read one of Paul Theroux's books.
Peter Mathiessen described the "Old Patagonian Express" perfectly: "Sharp-eyed, honest, and exceptionally well-written...an implacable landscape, conveyed through a series of marvelous encounters."
December 25, 2007.
Another Wonderful Travel Expose by the Inimitable Theroux!.
Rating: 5
Terrific in every way, as all of Theroux's travel Books are! Not a word too many, and not an insight overlooked in this adventure through the Americas. Wonderful, beautiful, and a treasured book in my library.
December 18, 2006.
Take a trip.
Rating: 4
One of Theroux's best train trips. You can really feel the shifting landscapes as he moves through the latitudes...
December 23, 2006.
"The journey, not the arrival, matters; the voyage, not the landing.".
Rating: 4
In 1979, Paul Theroux departed from his childhood home in Medford, Massachusetts, and began his train journey from the East Coast of the United States to Patagonia, on the southern tip of Argentina. A seasoned traveler, fluent in Spanish, Theroux brings to life his trip through the northern and southern hemispheres, traveling without a schedule and observing his fellow passengers on the train and people at stops along the way.
In Texas he is astonished at the contrasts between Laredo on the Texas side of the Rio Grande and Nuevo Laredo across the border in Mexico, commenting on society and governments. Traveling through Mexico and Guatemala, he observes the poverty of the Indians and their lack of opportunities. In El Salvador he attends a soccer game and gets caught up in the melee and riots which follow it. In Costa Rica, the cleanest country he has visited, he finds himself stuck on the train with Mr. Thornberry, a New Hampshire tourist so boring that Theroux cannot wait to escape him--only to have Mr. Thornberry "save his life" by offering him a place to stay upon his arrival in Limon. In Panama he meets the "Zonians," from the Canal Zone, and in Cali, Colombia, he meets a married "priest" who cannot tell his devout mother in Belfast that he has "left" the church to marry and have children.
Throughout his trip, Theroux reads classics, particularly enjoying Boswell's Life of Dr. Johnson and Edgar Allen Poe's The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym, both of which provide ironic reference points for his own journey. For literature lovers, the most fascinating section occurs in Buenos Aires, where Theroux spends many days visiting blind writer Jorge Luis Borges, who persuades Theroux to read to him. Ironically, one of Borges's favorite novels is The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym. As Theroux takes notes on his meetings with Borges, he becomes Borges's Boswell.
More an observer than a participant, Theroux has an unfortunate air of superiority about what he sees and hears. Sparing little sympathy for American and German tourists, he rarely gets excited about his surroundings, expressing genuine emotion only when he talks with three boys, ages ten to twelve, who live in a doorway and scavenge for food because their rural families have abandoned them. Theroux's self-congratulatory attitude gets a bit wearisome, but the picture of Central and South America, thirty years ago, and the section with Borges are unparalleled. With beautiful, carefully observed prose and a great ear for dialogue, Theroux's Patagonia Express is a landmark travel memoir. n Mary Whipple
December 09, 2006.
you can forgive Paul Theroux .
Rating: 5
A remark that one reads often about Paul Theroux is that he is grouchy, critical of the people he meets, and generally unpleasant. Some readers seem to suggest that this makes him a worse traveller, not being pure-of-heart or sufficiently open-minded. On the other hand, some others suggest he is worth reading as a travel writer precisely because he's not afraid to tell-it-like-it-is. I think it is likely that both of these ideas are wrong.
When Paul Theroux writes a travel book, he is not a journalist writing simply to produce a faithful depicition of the places he visits. He is not a social crusader writing in order educate the reader about the lives of the poor or to stimulate the reader to see the richness of life outside of North American. He certainly not an egotist like Thomas Friedman who writes in order to put himself in a positive light. He is simply an intelligent man who has enough humility to try to write down what he has experienced without drawing too many clumsy conclusions or false symmetries. When he writes that he didn't like a certain person sleeping in his train compartment, he doesn't expect the reader to sympathize with either him or the unpleasant companion. I don't think he means to argue that his dislike has any special significance beyond the fact that it was part of the travel story that he is telling. I like the fact that when Theroux narrates an encounter with someone in his travels he doesn't smooth out the details to make the encounter unambiguously positive or negative. For example, when he describes meeting Jorge Borges, the Argentine writer, he clearly admires Borges' memory and sensitivity and yet he doesn't avoid commenting on Borges' stuttering and his clowning smile. And yet again I don't think Theroux's remarks are meant to be cynical or knowing. When he tells-it-like-it-is he is not trying to steer an intellectual or moral high road and he is not valiantly trying to see past illusions. I believe that when he writes down a conversation or encounter he intends only to include his side as one of the characters in his story.
Theroux has the patience to travel by train across a hemisphere and, thankfully for this reader, he has the patience to delay the moment when the mind can no longer calmly observe and rashly commits itself to streamlined answers and silly pet theories about what one sees and what it 'really' means. His Books are, to me, humble because in them he shows us moments when he feels superior and they are wise because he doesn't try to step outside of his story to engage in falsely-wise pronoucements.
It doesn't matter whether Paul Therous is a 'good' traveller or not. Few travellers have the writing ability to produce any sort of record of their travels anyway, whatever their nature. The reason one ought to read Paul Theroux is be reminded of what the world and oneself can look like through the eyes of an ardent traveller who just happens to love Books a bit more than he loves people.
December 09, 2007.
Rome than and now.
Rating: 5
Great book
love to see rome then and now
makes history come alive
December 25, 2007.
Time machine.
Rating: 5
This book uses overlays to show what Ancient Rome looked like when everything was new and in good shape. Then, you can flip the overlay and see how things look now. I always wondered how things looked then and wished I had a time machine to go back to those days. This book is the second-best thing to a time machine. The artists have done a great job of reconstructing the famous buildings, forums and temples. The book is well worth the money and is less expensive from Amazon than buying it in Rome.
December 10, 2006.
Good Book.
Rating: 5
This is a great book but way too expensive. I could have bought the exact book in Rome for less than half the price from a vendor at the Colosseum but decided to wait until I got home.
December 22, 2004.
You Won't Regret.
Rating: 5
You definitely won't regret buying this book. It has interesting historical information as well as pictures on what is Rome all about. It helps a lot to see what the places looked like when they was first built, and what is left of them today. I think the price for this book is a little steep. I mean considering that when I was in Rome in September 2003 it was sold right by the calcium for 10 euros. So you be the judge. But over all, from most of the Books that were sold around this one left the most impression.
December 31, 2001.
best little book on rome.
Rating: 5
I purchased a pocket size copy of this book in Rome on holiday It was great help to understand what we were looking at and we could see how it did look in the past. When we got home it was great helping us understanding and labeling our own pictures. I even included past pictures next to the ones I had taken to complete my own album. It is great when watching our videos and people ask what different buildings are.Marylou
December 17, 2007.
Every American should read this book.
Rating: 5
A common comment these days amongst military families is "our country isn't at war...our military is...the country is at the mall." Although our country is still at war, the only ones truly sacrificing are the military and their families. (and for many those sacrfices will continue for a lifetime, no matter when this war ends.) I nodded and sobbed and laughed throughout this book. Kristin is an amazing writer and managed to do incredibly thorough research to follow these families through their experiences. A military spouse herself who has dealt with multiple deployments, she captures the challenges. We wish every person in Congress would study Books like this so they have a full view of the impact of their decisions.
Kathie Hightower, coauthor of Help! I'm a Military Spouse...I Get a Life Too!
December 06, 2007.
An Awesome Read!.
Rating: 5
I haven't even received my copy yet, but I've already read this book several times (borrowed from a friend) and wanted a copy of my own. From the moment I picked it up, I couldn't put it down. This book takes you on an emotional rollercoaster that you'll appreciate whether you're a military spouse or not. I cried along with the women during their trying times and rejoiced with them at their husband's homecomings. The author captures the essence of the moments exactly. I would reccomend this book to anyone looking for a good read, just remember to bring the tissues!
December 16, 2007.
good read for Military spouses.
Rating: 3
This was a decent book for Military spouses and civilians alike. It explains the hardships that we endure, the pain of saying goodbye to our loved ones, and the stress of running a household alone. I learned a few things from this book even though I've been a Marine's wife for a few years now. The only thing that I didn't really like about this book was that it focused too solely on Army spouses. It confused me, being that the author's husband is a Navy Chaplain serving with the Marine Corps. She definitely should have included Marine Corps, Navy, and Air Force spouses in this book. And the whole situation with the one wife conspiring to get her husband out of the Army and speaking at anti-war protests was unbelievable. It's one thing to not agree with a war, but it's another thing to protest what your husband does for a living. All in all, I give this book 3 stars- it's a bit confusing at times, since it jumps around a lot. But I recommend it for a spouse who is new to military life, especially an Army spouse.
**Until they all come home**
December 13, 2007.
A Moving Account of Deployment Issues for Those Left Behind.
Rating: 5
I was looking for information on deployment and got so much more from Kristin Henderson's book! Moving, emotional, real-life accounts that touch the heart and help us civilians better comprehend the challenges of wartime delpoyment. Kristin interviews a variety of spouses and 'significant others' recounting their respective experiences, all with very different perspectives.
It's definitely a book that you won't put down until the last chapter is read!
December 15, 2007.
Not what I was expecting.
Rating: 2
After reading so many wonderful reviews for this book, I felt that I needed to read it. My husband is currently deployed and I'm always looking for related books.
As I got further and further into the book I found I was increasingly disappointed. The book is very scattered - to the point of frequent confusion. While the stories of the women are very touching and easy to relate to, I found it difficult to keep all the the details for each story together because of the nature in which the book was written. Henderson does a good job of working through the policies of the Army, though again it was so scattered and frequently interjected in the middle of a story.
While the stories of the women are well told, I was disappointed that the aspect of being a wife with no children was practically ignored. Yes, one of the characters is childless, but Henderson didn't discuss that dynamic and that disappointed me. Not every military spouse has children, childless spouses face different (and hard) challenges because of that.
All in all it wasn't a bad book, but I wasn't as impressed with it as some of the other reviewers.
December 09, 2007.
Nice Buy - wonderful new book.
Rating: 5
Beautiful photography of the historical past with beautiful photography of the same scene today. Wonderful coffee table book. Interesting to the longtime Washingtonian.
December 28, 2007.
A bit jumpy.
Rating: 4
I am currently using this textbook for my History from 1460-1877 online and find that this book is very detailed. There are a lot of details in this book that I have not had in any other history book. The American Promise focuses on some certain historical times, places and people that have been a bit looked over in other books. The only problem I have come across with this textbook is that you have to go back and forth quite a bit to cross-reference. It seems some information may be lacking and the book itself is trying to get too many details instead of focusing on the larger picture of some things or just skipping over some major historical times.
December 13, 2005.
Comprehensive History 1 Textbook.
Rating: 5
I really like this textbook because it presents the material in a way that I can easily grasp and remember. Past history Books have bored me, but this one isn't too bad :) It's also great that it's in paperback because that makes it cheaper!
December 26, 2007.
Informative, Readable, Superb.
Rating: 5
This gripping narrative looks at the horrific siege of Leningrad from 1941-1944. Author Harrison Salisbury opens by examining Soviet Russia on the eve of the June, 1941 invasion - when commanders that suspected a German attack dared not prepare and risk the wrath of Stalin. Then the author describes the invasion, the approach of Nazi tank columns, and the surrounding of Leningrad's 2.5 million residents (and 500,000 defenders) at the end of August, 1941. Readers learn of the city's leadership, its battered but defiant defenders, and Stalin's machinations. The author devotes many chapters to the horrific winter of 1941-1942, when the besieged city ran out of food and coal. Imagine trying to survive on daily food rations of a few ounces of bread, in a frozen city with no heat or electricity, and with German bombs and shells falling daily. Dogs, cats, and birds disappeared into frying pans, and brave truckers brought in some supplies over a frozen Lake Lagoda, but over 250,000 civilians died of starvation during that first winter. After describing that horrific first winter, the author bascially fast forwards to the massive Russian offensive in January of 1944 that ended the siege. Then he concludes with a brief post-war epilogue that mentions survivors, rebuilding, and Stalin's brutal purge of the city's leadership.
Journalist Harrison Salisbury (1908-1993) wrote readable prose that almost makes us feel as if we're inside Leningrad during the siege. His book does need better maps - even with a handy atlas I couldn't locate every town and river mentioned. Still this is gripping history, considered by some as definitive, and well worth your time. Readers might also enjoy many of the author's other works on Russia, China, etc.
December 14, 2006.
the 900 days; .
Rating: 2
Having made 2 trips to
St. Petersburg in the past 3 years, both guides highly recommended this book. It is incredibly well written, both the background leading up to the atack as well as the hardships over the next 2+ years. The fortitude and heroism portrayed give a much better understanding of the Russian people and what they endured.
December 17, 2006.
Superb example of how history should be written.
Rating: 5
Salisbury gave us a monumental work of history: not just in scope, but in depth. This is a book which entwines the epic story with the human story, basing both on the kind of scholarship too few writers are dedicated enough to accomplish. I wrote a well-received history on the early satellites (The First Space Race, Texas A&M, 2004) which I was proud of, but I can't resist the feeling that Salisbury did as much research for every chapter as I did for an entire book.
As always with a well-written history, there are lessons which are important for our own times. The most striking example comes at the beginning of the book, where the reader learns the German invasion of Russia was anything but the complete surprise Russan leaders claimed it was. The German preperations were too large to hide, and all kinds of intelligence, even exact dates, made it into the briefings given to the Russian leadership. But Stalin had his own view of the way things were, and anything to the contrary was ignored or disparaged. The Russians were also victimized by a system in which initiative was dangerous: military and civilian officials who read the tea leaves and tried to take some preparatory action on their own were slapped down. Salisbury shows us, in sometimes-agonizing detail, how these factors resulted in what may have been the most brutal, dehumanizing, and costly battle in history. I agree with some other reviewers that more maps and photographs would be useful, but that's a minor quibble.
This book is a breathtaking achivement.
December 02, 2006.
Surviving the Deadliest Battle in Human History.
Rating: 5
If "war is hell," as General Sherman said, then at the innermost circle of hell you'll find the 900-day siege of Leningrad (now renamed St. Petersburg). It was, by all accounts, the deadliest battle in human history. More than 300,000 Soviet soldiers perished, plus uncounted thousands of Germans. Inside the blockade zone, an estimated 1.2 million civilians slowly starved to death as Hitler and Stalin used the city like a giant chess piece on the Eastern Front.
The late Harrison Salisbury captured this epic struggle better than anyone else in "The 900 Days," a book every student of 20th century history should read at least once. He begins the story with Leningrad at peace during the balmy "white nights" of June 1941. Culture is flourishing throughout the city. Composers, writers, musicians and artists are busy at work. Families are vacationing on the Baltic coast. Meanwhile, Stalin and his minions are in a massive state of denial about the coming Nazi assault, despite dozens of warnings and signs.
After the first few fascinating chapters, "The 900 Days" can be slow going as Salisbury details the military intrigue and paranoia that decimated the Soviet leadership in the years leading up to the siege, which yielded tragic consequences for Russian defenses in 1941 and 1942. If you're primarily interested in the human side of the story, skip to Part IV on page 393.
The emotional core of this book is the immense civilian catastrophe that took place during the 2.5 year siege. Despite heroic attempts by local citizens and Young Communist brigades, the city became a slow-motion killing zone without nearly enough food, fuel or even fresh water to sustain the population. People resorted to the most desperate and barbaric measures to stay alive. (Warning: Not for children or the squeamish.) Compassion and brutality roamed the streets simultaneously.
Ultimately, the siege was broken in January 1944, but not before Leningrad was largely destroyed. Stalin gets much of the blame for failing to evacuate more civilians earlier on. But the real lesson of "The 900 Days" is that human suffering has no limit in times of war. Let's not forget that before we start another one.
Final note: This book is relatively short on maps, photos and diagrams. Some courageous publisher should republish the book with a complete set of photos from the period, many of which are available at the St. Petersburg library.
December 21, 2006.
Good, but something missing.
Rating: 3
The first part of the book is fantastic in its description of the time leading up to Barbarossa, the simple shock the Soviets had and the almost refusal to believe by Stalin.
The first half of the book I would give 5 stars. The detail is almost overwhelming. If one is not familiar with cyrilic and has at least a rough grasp of the Russian language, it is very difficult to keep all the names of generals, party officials, and city administrators separated. A few more maps would have been better, to help the reader get a better grasp of the situation described. I constantly found myslef going back to the maps at the beginning, trying to figure out specifics, and giving up because many of the places mentioned in the text were not on the map. However, the portrayal of the Soviet military structure is vivid and gives one a good image of what happened. The description of the Tallinn disaster was exceptionally good. The first half resembles the 25 years he spent researching the events.
The second half of the book is lacking. The description of the starvation is very gruesome and disturbing, which is accurate historically. The timeline, which is fairly orderly at the beginning, takes a nose dive about half way through. Here, it seems that Salisbary was finding new information as he wrote the book, and including it. Therefore, events are presented in random order. Then the book just stops, and says that the city was still in blockade and then the war was over.
Some of the other reviewers have accurately described the over emphasis on the plight of writers, poets, and playwrights. The ordinary citizen is not represented, nor is the average soldier given adequate attention.
The German side of the engagement is almost non-existant. Beevor's book on Stalingrad is much better at describing the events. But as for Leningrad, Salisbary's book is still the best I have read on the subject.
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