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Mein Kampf
Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
*Best price found from Amazon Marketplace seller
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*Amazon: £5.65
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 Customer Reviews
a very good book, 16 Nov 2008
a very romantic and enlightening read, really opened my eyes to new things
heil the fuhrer
Just a note about this particular version of the book., 03 Nov 2008
It's a very interesting book and all, but I'm really just posting up this review to say that the version for sale on this page contains more than a few confusing spelling/grammatical errors. Also, anyone who judges books by their covers might not be surprised to find out that the editor likes to paint Hitler as an evil monster etc. rather than keeping his ideas to himself and letting the reader make up their own mind.
Appaling quality, 25 Oct 2008
This review is a warning regarding the actual physical quality of the book, rather than the content.
I ordered this very same version of Mein kampf off Amazon and just reading it was a battle (no fault of Adolf's!)
a) It is littered with typos. I lost count of the time I had to re-read a sentence to make sense of it because of basic errors; 'that' instead of 'than', etc.
b) Dozens (literally) of the pages were stuck together along the leading (opening) edge. I had to rip apart so many pages that hadn't been separated that the book now looks like it's been gnawed at by a rotweiller
c) Huge chunks of pages came away from the binding. My copy has about 15-20 sections that now protrude from edge when closed, because they came out. The first chunk of pages popped away from the binding when I opened it to look at the photos in the middle. Seriously, what was it bound together with, saliva?
If you want to read Mein Kampf I suggest you purchase a different copy to this. Reading it was a physical chore; tearing pages apart, holding chunks into the spine, etc. etc.
My copy of this book looks like it was hand-made by a one-armed blind man with no love for his craft.
an informative, dark read, 27 Sep 2008
I read Mein Kampf in the hope of understanding some of the madness of Hitler's actions and wasn't disappointed. Although written in the 1920s what can be found here is a sort of blue print for World war Two.Through the book Hitler exposes the dark side of the human race and tries to manipulate the reader into agreeing with him. Unlike the German people of the time the reader has the luxury of knowing the evil of his plan. An informative and dark book that gives history a slightly different slant
RRRRR-----ZZZZZZZ------RRRRR-----ZZZZZ, 08 Aug 2008
Well, may be I m going against the flow here, but this book, is one of the most boring, poorly written, waste of money and paper i ve ever read for ages.. Its full of hate, written by a guy who throw up his bitterness and hate of everything non German during pages after pages after pages..., like you would throw up when You re drunk....
It s brilliant to put you to sleep if you ve got insomnia though...
we all know about the context in which it was written and what it lead to. so, no need to make some fuss about it and call it a must read. when it s an absolute piece of human junk.and fuel for hate...
well. i read it.. did not like it, .. but that s my personal opinion.
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Journal
Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
*Best price found from Amazon Marketplace seller
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*Amazon: £8.94
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Customer Reviews
a very good book, 16 Nov 2008
a very romantic and enlightening read, really opened my eyes to new things
heil the fuhrer
Just a note about this particular version of the book., 03 Nov 2008
It's a very interesting book and all, but I'm really just posting up this review to say that the version for sale on this page contains more than a few confusing spelling/grammatical errors. Also, anyone who judges books by their covers might not be surprised to find out that the editor likes to paint Hitler as an evil monster etc. rather than keeping his ideas to himself and letting the reader make up their own mind.
Appaling quality, 25 Oct 2008
This review is a warning regarding the actual physical quality of the book, rather than the content.
I ordered this very same version of Mein kampf off Amazon and just reading it was a battle (no fault of Adolf's!)
a) It is littered with typos. I lost count of the time I had to re-read a sentence to make sense of it because of basic errors; 'that' instead of 'than', etc.
b) Dozens (literally) of the pages were stuck together along the leading (opening) edge. I had to rip apart so many pages that hadn't been separated that the book now looks like it's been gnawed at by a rotweiller
c) Huge chunks of pages came away from the binding. My copy has about 15-20 sections that now protrude from edge when closed, because they came out. The first chunk of pages popped away from the binding when I opened it to look at the photos in the middle. Seriously, what was it bound together with, saliva?
If you want to read Mein Kampf I suggest you purchase a different copy to this. Reading it was a physical chore; tearing pages apart, holding chunks into the spine, etc. etc.
My copy of this book looks like it was hand-made by a one-armed blind man with no love for his craft.
an informative, dark read, 27 Sep 2008
I read Mein Kampf in the hope of understanding some of the madness of Hitler's actions and wasn't disappointed. Although written in the 1920s what can be found here is a sort of blue print for World war Two.Through the book Hitler exposes the dark side of the human race and tries to manipulate the reader into agreeing with him. Unlike the German people of the time the reader has the luxury of knowing the evil of his plan. An informative and dark book that gives history a slightly different slant
RRRRR-----ZZZZZZZ------RRRRR-----ZZZZZ, 08 Aug 2008
Well, may be I m going against the flow here, but this book, is one of the most boring, poorly written, waste of money and paper i ve ever read for ages.. Its full of hate, written by a guy who throw up his bitterness and hate of everything non German during pages after pages after pages..., like you would throw up when You re drunk....
It s brilliant to put you to sleep if you ve got insomnia though...
we all know about the context in which it was written and what it lead to. so, no need to make some fuss about it and call it a must read. when it s an absolute piece of human junk.and fuel for hate...
well. i read it.. did not like it, .. but that s my personal opinion.
Mud, Blood and Glory, 25 Sep 2008
what was the great war like from the perspective of the officer in the trenches, well here you have got the chance to find out for yourselves, the entries are only rough and brief but they tell an incredible story of courage and bravery, the diary includes commentry written by the author it wasn't meant to be widely published, only to be read by his family and perhaps therein lies its charm
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Product Description
The famously taciturn South African president reveals much of himself in Long Walk to Freedom. A good deal of this autobiography was written secretly while Mandela was imprisoned for 27 years on Robben Island by South Africa's apartheid regime. Among the book's interesting revelations is Mandela's ambivalence toward his lifetime of devotion to public works. It cost him two marriages and kept him distant from a family life he might otherwise have cherished. Long Walk to Freedom also discloses a strong and generous spirit that refused to be broken under the most trying circumstances--a spirit in which just about everybody can find something to admire. --Amazon.com
Customer Reviews
a very good book, 16 Nov 2008
a very romantic and enlightening read, really opened my eyes to new things
heil the fuhrer
Just a note about this particular version of the book., 03 Nov 2008
It's a very interesting book and all, but I'm really just posting up this review to say that the version for sale on this page contains more than a few confusing spelling/grammatical errors. Also, anyone who judges books by their covers might not be surprised to find out that the editor likes to paint Hitler as an evil monster etc. rather than keeping his ideas to himself and letting the reader make up their own mind.
Appaling quality, 25 Oct 2008
This review is a warning regarding the actual physical quality of the book, rather than the content.
I ordered this very same version of Mein kampf off Amazon and just reading it was a battle (no fault of Adolf's!)
a) It is littered with typos. I lost count of the time I had to re-read a sentence to make sense of it because of basic errors; 'that' instead of 'than', etc.
b) Dozens (literally) of the pages were stuck together along the leading (opening) edge. I had to rip apart so many pages that hadn't been separated that the book now looks like it's been gnawed at by a rotweiller
c) Huge chunks of pages came away from the binding. My copy has about 15-20 sections that now protrude from edge when closed, because they came out. The first chunk of pages popped away from the binding when I opened it to look at the photos in the middle. Seriously, what was it bound together with, saliva?
If you want to read Mein Kampf I suggest you purchase a different copy to this. Reading it was a physical chore; tearing pages apart, holding chunks into the spine, etc. etc.
My copy of this book looks like it was hand-made by a one-armed blind man with no love for his craft.
an informative, dark read, 27 Sep 2008
I read Mein Kampf in the hope of understanding some of the madness of Hitler's actions and wasn't disappointed. Although written in the 1920s what can be found here is a sort of blue print for World war Two.Through the book Hitler exposes the dark side of the human race and tries to manipulate the reader into agreeing with him. Unlike the German people of the time the reader has the luxury of knowing the evil of his plan. An informative and dark book that gives history a slightly different slant
RRRRR-----ZZZZZZZ------RRRRR-----ZZZZZ, 08 Aug 2008
Well, may be I m going against the flow here, but this book, is one of the most boring, poorly written, waste of money and paper i ve ever read for ages.. Its full of hate, written by a guy who throw up his bitterness and hate of everything non German during pages after pages after pages..., like you would throw up when You re drunk....
It s brilliant to put you to sleep if you ve got insomnia though...
we all know about the context in which it was written and what it lead to. so, no need to make some fuss about it and call it a must read. when it s an absolute piece of human junk.and fuel for hate...
well. i read it.. did not like it, .. but that s my personal opinion.
Mud, Blood and Glory, 25 Sep 2008
what was the great war like from the perspective of the officer in the trenches, well here you have got the chance to find out for yourselves, the entries are only rough and brief but they tell an incredible story of courage and bravery, the diary includes commentry written by the author it wasn't meant to be widely published, only to be read by his family and perhaps therein lies its charm
Portrait of a Leader for All Times, 19 Nov 2008
If you read only one autobiography this year, I recommend this one.
Leadership breakthroughs are few and far between. They are even rarer in the political arena. Although I had closely followed the path to an integrated democracy in South Africa (and worked hard on the anti-apartheid sanctions and boycotts), much of Nelson Mandela's struggle was hidden to me at the time. Only after the reconciliation had gone on for a number of years did it become apart how remarkable this man's contribution has been.
Recently, I read Playing the Enemy which described some of the nuances in how Mandela conceived of creating a peaceful transition through an unauthorized sole negotiation from a prison cell. Those stories impressed me even more. Now, I had to read the autobiography. And I'm glad I did.
Let me warn you, however, that Nelson Mandela is so self-effacing that the real story of what he accomplished and how he did it doesn't fully come through in the autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom. I recommend that you read Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game That Made a Nation first.
What the autobiography will do is show the cultural and social backgrounds of the struggle and how critical it was that Mandela be a man of honor, principle, and loyalty. He was a leader for the whole nation even when many people didn't want him to be in the nation. It's a remarkable way to be, a way that few people can accomplish.
The apartheid system was as vile a way to treat citizens as anything that has come along since Germany in the 1930s. It's hard to imagine that it arose after World War II and was so difficult to break.
The treatment of the African National Congress's leaders will appall you. Their grace will delight you.
May every nation have a Nelson Mandela to lead it!
The book you should read after this one, 31 Oct 2008
Seretse Khama (the first president of Botswana on its independence) was a man greatly admired by Mandela. They had many qualities in common. Khama also had many obstacles put in his way by the UK, Rhodesian and South Africa governments and showed the same greatness of character as Mandela. Susan Williams' book 'Colour bar' chronicles Khama's story brillaintly, and I think that if you enjoyed 'Long walk to freedom' then you'll get a lot from this book too.
Those undaunted by the page count will be justly rewarded, 21 Oct 2008
Anyone who has heard of this book but hasn't read it will be at least familiar with its size - it's a doorstep of a book - but those undaunted by the page count will be justly rewarded.
Mandela's life has been characterised by the 27 years he spent incarcerated on Robben Island as a political prisoner for his involvement with the anti-apartheid African National Congress. Understandably this period in his life (where he covertly wrote a large portion of the book) is covered in some detail as he attempts to explain the tedium and challenge this time presents each man. However, this book sets that period in the context of Mandela's life as well as its historical and political context.
Mandela's childhood and early years were the most interesting part for me as I'm always curious to see how people came to be who they are, and the size of the book allows Mandela to do this period in his life justice without sacrificing detail of his later political life.
Mandela's penchant for detail is apparent, from the administrative procedures of the ANC to details of meetings with the National Party Leadership towards the end. Friends of mine have said that the political detail was dull and too detailed but the book would not be complete without that depth and to me this reflects Mandela the man and his manner of thinking.
Throughout the book Mandela employs compelling language and even shows himself to be an entertainer - never better than in court, using the legal system and his apparent courtroom flair to show the state prosecutor to be inadequate and unjust.
In reading this book and recalling the events you are participating in history and cementing the lessons of the past. This is a timely moment to read The Long Walk to Freedom as you will put down the book and pick up the newspapers to continue almost uninterrupted as Zimbabwe swings in the opposite direction and Thabo Mbeki resigns as leader of the ruling ANC in South Africa.
If this book was a story and if you didn't know how it ended you would never believe that the ANC party that Mandela gave his whole life to would ever be allowed to participate in Government, let alone lead the South Africa today.
Still my favourite, and I'm trying to replace it!, 25 Aug 2008
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, absolutely engaging. The early most significant struggles of his life depicted in this book fight with you as you try to find a good point to stop for the day.
A must read for everyone!
It will get you interested!, 21 May 2008
I have never really been that interested in politics; I would say I have a level of interest in UK politics as that is where I live but not foreign politics so for me, buying and then reading such a long book, I really wondered whether I would get through it.
I have to say, it was interesting from the start and difficult to put down. I am not even an avid book reader but if you are curious about people generally, then this is a great book to get into. This isn't just about Nelson Mandela, fighting apartheid. It's about someone who started out similar to us - just an ordinary person but who had a simple but enjoyable childhood - different in relation to culture and upbringing.
If you don't understand politics, you don't need to know a great deal and neither do you have to have indepth knowledge of South African history.
I came away with a feeling of understanding this person - even knowing him to a certain extent because of how much he lets you into his thoughts and his heart. I also gained knowledge and interest from South African politics. I am in my 30s - all that I heard on television as a child myself during the Thatcher years, remembering the song Free Nelson Mandela - it all means so much more to me now.
But this book not only gives you insight into Nelson Mandela as a politician, but as a person. Even that has great interest in itself. If you are similar to me and you read this book, you'll not be disappointed.
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Somme Mud
Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
*Best price found from Amazon Marketplace seller
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*Amazon: £3.63
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Customer Reviews
a very good book, 16 Nov 2008
a very romantic and enlightening read, really opened my eyes to new things
heil the fuhrer
Just a note about this particular version of the book., 03 Nov 2008
It's a very interesting book and all, but I'm really just posting up this review to say that the version for sale on this page contains more than a few confusing spelling/grammatical errors. Also, anyone who judges books by their covers might not be surprised to find out that the editor likes to paint Hitler as an evil monster etc. rather than keeping his ideas to himself and letting the reader make up their own mind.
Appaling quality, 25 Oct 2008
This review is a warning regarding the actual physical quality of the book, rather than the content.
I ordered this very same version of Mein kampf off Amazon and just reading it was a battle (no fault of Adolf's!)
a) It is littered with typos. I lost count of the time I had to re-read a sentence to make sense of it because of basic errors; 'that' instead of 'than', etc.
b) Dozens (literally) of the pages were stuck together along the leading (opening) edge. I had to rip apart so many pages that hadn't been separated that the book now looks like it's been gnawed at by a rotweiller
c) Huge chunks of pages came away from the binding. My copy has about 15-20 sections that now protrude from edge when closed, because they came out. The first chunk of pages popped away from the binding when I opened it to look at the photos in the middle. Seriously, what was it bound together with, saliva?
If you want to read Mein Kampf I suggest you purchase a different copy to this. Reading it was a physical chore; tearing pages apart, holding chunks into the spine, etc. etc.
My copy of this book looks like it was hand-made by a one-armed blind man with no love for his craft.
an informative, dark read, 27 Sep 2008
I read Mein Kampf in the hope of understanding some of the madness of Hitler's actions and wasn't disappointed. Although written in the 1920s what can be found here is a sort of blue print for World war Two.Through the book Hitler exposes the dark side of the human race and tries to manipulate the reader into agreeing with him. Unlike the German people of the time the reader has the luxury of knowing the evil of his plan. An informative and dark book that gives history a slightly different slant
RRRRR-----ZZZZZZZ------RRRRR-----ZZZZZ, 08 Aug 2008
Well, may be I m going against the flow here, but this book, is one of the most boring, poorly written, waste of money and paper i ve ever read for ages.. Its full of hate, written by a guy who throw up his bitterness and hate of everything non German during pages after pages after pages..., like you would throw up when You re drunk....
It s brilliant to put you to sleep if you ve got insomnia though...
we all know about the context in which it was written and what it lead to. so, no need to make some fuss about it and call it a must read. when it s an absolute piece of human junk.and fuel for hate...
well. i read it.. did not like it, .. but that s my personal opinion.
Mud, Blood and Glory, 25 Sep 2008
what was the great war like from the perspective of the officer in the trenches, well here you have got the chance to find out for yourselves, the entries are only rough and brief but they tell an incredible story of courage and bravery, the diary includes commentry written by the author it wasn't meant to be widely published, only to be read by his family and perhaps therein lies its charm
Portrait of a Leader for All Times, 19 Nov 2008
If you read only one autobiography this year, I recommend this one.
Leadership breakthroughs are few and far between. They are even rarer in the political arena. Although I had closely followed the path to an integrated democracy in South Africa (and worked hard on the anti-apartheid sanctions and boycotts), much of Nelson Mandela's struggle was hidden to me at the time. Only after the reconciliation had gone on for a number of years did it become apart how remarkable this man's contribution has been.
Recently, I read Playing the Enemy which described some of the nuances in how Mandela conceived of creating a peaceful transition through an unauthorized sole negotiation from a prison cell. Those stories impressed me even more. Now, I had to read the autobiography. And I'm glad I did.
Let me warn you, however, that Nelson Mandela is so self-effacing that the real story of what he accomplished and how he did it doesn't fully come through in the autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom. I recommend that you read Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game That Made a Nation first.
What the autobiography will do is show the cultural and social backgrounds of the struggle and how critical it was that Mandela be a man of honor, principle, and loyalty. He was a leader for the whole nation even when many people didn't want him to be in the nation. It's a remarkable way to be, a way that few people can accomplish.
The apartheid system was as vile a way to treat citizens as anything that has come along since Germany in the 1930s. It's hard to imagine that it arose after World War II and was so difficult to break.
The treatment of the African National Congress's leaders will appall you. Their grace will delight you.
May every nation have a Nelson Mandela to lead it!
The book you should read after this one, 31 Oct 2008
Seretse Khama (the first president of Botswana on its independence) was a man greatly admired by Mandela. They had many qualities in common. Khama also had many obstacles put in his way by the UK, Rhodesian and South Africa governments and showed the same greatness of character as Mandela. Susan Williams' book 'Colour bar' chronicles Khama's story brillaintly, and I think that if you enjoyed 'Long walk to freedom' then you'll get a lot from this book too.
Those undaunted by the page count will be justly rewarded, 21 Oct 2008
Anyone who has heard of this book but hasn't read it will be at least familiar with its size - it's a doorstep of a book - but those undaunted by the page count will be justly rewarded.
Mandela's life has been characterised by the 27 years he spent incarcerated on Robben Island as a political prisoner for his involvement with the anti-apartheid African National Congress. Understandably this period in his life (where he covertly wrote a large portion of the book) is covered in some detail as he attempts to explain the tedium and challenge this time presents each man. However, this book sets that period in the context of Mandela's life as well as its historical and political context.
Mandela's childhood and early years were the most interesting part for me as I'm always curious to see how people came to be who they are, and the size of the book allows Mandela to do this period in his life justice without sacrificing detail of his later political life.
Mandela's penchant for detail is apparent, from the administrative procedures of the ANC to details of meetings with the National Party Leadership towards the end. Friends of mine have said that the political detail was dull and too detailed but the book would not be complete without that depth and to me this reflects Mandela the man and his manner of thinking.
Throughout the book Mandela employs compelling language and even shows himself to be an entertainer - never better than in court, using the legal system and his apparent courtroom flair to show the state prosecutor to be inadequate and unjust.
In reading this book and recalling the events you are participating in history and cementing the lessons of the past. This is a timely moment to read The Long Walk to Freedom as you will put down the book and pick up the newspapers to continue almost uninterrupted as Zimbabwe swings in the opposite direction and Thabo Mbeki resigns as leader of the ruling ANC in South Africa.
If this book was a story and if you didn't know how it ended you would never believe that the ANC party that Mandela gave his whole life to would ever be allowed to participate in Government, let alone lead the South Africa today.
Still my favourite, and I'm trying to replace it!, 25 Aug 2008
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, absolutely engaging. The early most significant struggles of his life depicted in this book fight with you as you try to find a good point to stop for the day.
A must read for everyone!
It will get you interested!, 21 May 2008
I have never really been that interested in politics; I would say I have a level of interest in UK politics as that is where I live but not foreign politics so for me, buying and then reading such a long book, I really wondered whether I would get through it.
I have to say, it was interesting from the start and difficult to put down. I am not even an avid book reader but if you are curious about people generally, then this is a great book to get into. This isn't just about Nelson Mandela, fighting apartheid. It's about someone who started out similar to us - just an ordinary person but who had a simple but enjoyable childhood - different in relation to culture and upbringing.
If you don't understand politics, you don't need to know a great deal and neither do you have to have indepth knowledge of South African history.
I came away with a feeling of understanding this person - even knowing him to a certain extent because of how much he lets you into his thoughts and his heart. I also gained knowledge and interest from South African politics. I am in my 30s - all that I heard on television as a child myself during the Thatcher years, remembering the song Free Nelson Mandela - it all means so much more to me now.
But this book not only gives you insight into Nelson Mandela as a politician, but as a person. Even that has great interest in itself. If you are similar to me and you read this book, you'll not be disappointed.
A book that should be read, 19 Nov 2008
wait on whilst the dead men are buried. A shallow grave marked by a rifle stuck up in the mud is all that can be done. It gives some satisfaction to do that, although we are well aware the men so buried will be thrown up and reburied by shellfire time after time until the fighting shifts on from here. Some day they may have real graves. What a lot to look forward to! It's as well their people can't fully realize what finding a soldier's grave really means.
If there is one book that everyone should read on warfare, or just a book that should be read, this is it. Edward Lynch left Australia on 22nd August 1916 as a young man of 18 volunteering to serve on the Western Front. He returned to his homeland in 1919, lived through three of the most turbulent years of modern history.
In 1921 he started to write of his experiences, twenty one school exercise books full. The initial idea was to publish the story, but due to circumstances at the time this never happened. After his death the volumes resurfaced when Edward's grandson Mike Lynch passed the volumes to the editor Will Davies.
The result is a story that stands with any of the so called `classics' of the Great War and is superior to most. The story is that of a young private `Nulla' and his experience of some of the fiercest fighting in the area of the Somme from late 1916 through to 1918.
The descriptions of actions including the firing of the mines on the Messines Ridge, tanks and the start of air re-supply. Interspersed are the personal asides, food contaminated with gas, the mod swings that effected individuals, the flashes of humour, including the description of Janker's for going AWOL, cleaning the trace chains of artillery harness, `We spent a whole day cleaning trace chains and polishing each link with spit sand and blasphemy'.
Technically the book is very accurate, the story can be followed on maps, trench maps and panoramas, giving a wider understanding of small actions that took place during the period. The book draws few if any conclusions as to the rights and wrongs of the conflict, it praises and castigates offices, men and the enemy as the situation demands.
This book is something special; Edward Lynch deserves a place amongst the revered author's of the Great War, an accolade he deserved but never got.
Faction?, 26 Sep 2008
Having read many WWI books recently, I'm afraid that as I read I increasingly got the feeling that this was just too much of a novel. Faction. Whilst it is clearly based on his real experiences, I felt that there was just too much embroidery, and then you are left wondering 'well how much of this can I really believe?'. Many books of memoirs were written just after the First World War and many Publishers were bored with the prospect of yet another. Doubtless writers felt that they had to 'spice it up' a little. I felt disappointed after I'd finished it. I've read War novels that I've found more believable. Sorry. Perhaps his war record was just as he says.
Somme Mud - Goodbye to All that revisited?, 30 Aug 2008
The story is of Nulla and his regular close nit cast of characters - Longun, Darky, Snow, Farmer, Jacob and others.
The book covers some territory covered before. Most similarly by Robert Graves book - Goodbye to all that.
Lynch does not delve deeply into the reasons for the war - which obviously contrasts with Graves. However Lynch does not shy away from describing the horror of the conflict.
He mostly provides an illuminating insight of the (very effective) fighting capacity of the AIF. They are ruthless killers of "Fritz" - no more ruthlessly described as when a German Brass band spotted on an opposite hill about to enter a French village are clinically shot up.
A lot of the book talks humorously of events but sometimes a paragraph brings up his inner thoughts in startlingly relief:
"We remember when these two marched ahead of us carrying not canes but their lives, and leading us not to a sit-down dinner but to assault Fritz trenches or pill-boxes, or those deadly machine-gun nests from which so many of our mates collected their R.I.P.
Some of us remember, too, when these two were just diggers in the ranks following on after other leaders who have since passed on. Some home to Australia maimed in body in spirit, soured and seared, or happy to have got out of it all at any cost. Others who found their last long resting place in the slimy Somme mud, or amid the utter desolation that is Flanders. Others still whose remains lie shattered and scattered in the hundred tiny graves that house all that is left of a man who caught the burst of a 9.2"
His war was about mates and luck - and plenty of both. His prose is sincere and direct - I suspect rather like the man and his mates.
Outstanding WW1 Memoir, 22 Jul 2008
This is a great memoir, instantly ranking with book such as frank Richard's Old Soldiers Never Die as among the most evocative voices of the Great War as seen by the PBI. Lynch was an Australian, fighting with the 45th Battalion AIF from late 1916 to the end of the war. The centrepieces of this book are the descriptions of hand to hand trench fighting, which are raw and immediate. The most chilling description (apart from numerous descriptions of shellfire) are the images of the Somme battlefield in the freezing winter of 1916-1917, with casualties still frozen into the postures of brutal trench combat.
This is the Great War memoir of our time, if such as statement isn't something of a paradox. Lynch's Australian sensibility, his cheerful challenges to authority and the democratic flavour of Anzac `mateship' are more attuned to a 20th century sensibility than some of the more literary laments to the `futility' of the war in the 1920s and 1930s. (The attitudes to other races in the opening chapter are shocking but not surprising for a memoir of the time; their omission would have been a pointless and historically dishonest piece of editing).
A singular and powerfully important memoir of 1914-1918.
One of the best books about the war on the western front, 16 Jul 2008
I have read many books on the first world war and the western front in particular. Many of these have been excellent, such as the Lyn McDonald books, which give great insight into the horrors that the ordinary soldier had to endure. What sets this work apart from them is that it is a full acount of the war, written by an ordinary man in exceptional circumstances. It soon becomes clear that staying alive was just as difficult during spells of 'holding the line' as it was during a major battle. An incredible tale, honestly told with bravery and dignity. A must-read.
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Customer Reviews
a very good book, 16 Nov 2008
a very romantic and enlightening read, really opened my eyes to new things
heil the fuhrer
Just a note about this particular version of the book., 03 Nov 2008
It's a very interesting book and all, but I'm really just posting up this review to say that the version for sale on this page contains more than a few confusing spelling/grammatical errors. Also, anyone who judges books by their covers might not be surprised to find out that the editor likes to paint Hitler as an evil monster etc. rather than keeping his ideas to himself and letting the reader make up their own mind.
Appaling quality, 25 Oct 2008
This review is a warning regarding the actual physical quality of the book, rather than the content.
I ordered this very same version of Mein kampf off Amazon and just reading it was a battle (no fault of Adolf's!)
a) It is littered with typos. I lost count of the time I had to re-read a sentence to make sense of it because of basic errors; 'that' instead of 'than', etc.
b) Dozens (literally) of the pages were stuck together along the leading (opening) edge. I had to rip apart so many pages that hadn't been separated that the book now looks like it's been gnawed at by a rotweiller
c) Huge chunks of pages came away from the binding. My copy has about 15-20 sections that now protrude from edge when closed, because they came out. The first chunk of pages popped away from the binding when I opened it to look at the photos in the middle. Seriously, what was it bound together with, saliva?
If you want to read Mein Kampf I suggest you purchase a different copy to this. Reading it was a physical chore; tearing pages apart, holding chunks into the spine, etc. etc.
My copy of this book looks like it was hand-made by a one-armed blind man with no love for his craft.
an informative, dark read, 27 Sep 2008
I read Mein Kampf in the hope of understanding some of the madness of Hitler's actions and wasn't disappointed. Although written in the 1920s what can be found here is a sort of blue print for World war Two.Through the book Hitler exposes the dark side of the human race and tries to manipulate the reader into agreeing with him. Unlike the German people of the time the reader has the luxury of knowing the evil of his plan. An informative and dark book that gives history a slightly different slant
RRRRR-----ZZZZZZZ------RRRRR-----ZZZZZ, 08 Aug 2008
Well, may be I m going against the flow here, but this book, is one of the most boring, poorly written, waste of money and paper i ve ever read for ages.. Its full of hate, written by a guy who throw up his bitterness and hate of everything non German during pages after pages after pages..., like you would throw up when You re drunk....
It s brilliant to put you to sleep if you ve got insomnia though...
we all know about the context in which it was written and what it lead to. so, no need to make some fuss about it and call it a must read. when it s an absolute piece of human junk.and fuel for hate...
well. i read it.. did not like it, .. but that s my personal opinion.
Mud, Blood and Glory, 25 Sep 2008
what was the great war like from the perspective of the officer in the trenches, well here you have got the chance to find out for yourselves, the entries are only rough and brief but they tell an incredible story of courage and bravery, the diary includes commentry written by the author it wasn't meant to be widely published, only to be read by his family and perhaps therein lies its charm
Portrait of a Leader for All Times, 19 Nov 2008
If you read only one autobiography this year, I recommend this one.
Leadership breakthroughs are few and far between. They are even rarer in the political arena. Although I had closely followed the path to an integrated democracy in South Africa (and worked hard on the anti-apartheid sanctions and boycotts), much of Nelson Mandela's struggle was hidden to me at the time. Only after the reconciliation had gone on for a number of years did it become apart how remarkable this man's contribution has been.
Recently, I read Playing the Enemy which described some of the nuances in how Mandela conceived of creating a peaceful transition through an unauthorized sole negotiation from a prison cell. Those stories impressed me even more. Now, I had to read the autobiography. And I'm glad I did.
Let me warn you, however, that Nelson Mandela is so self-effacing that the real story of what he accomplished and how he did it doesn't fully come through in the autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom. I recommend that you read Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game That Made a Nation first.
What the autobiography will do is show the cultural and social backgrounds of the struggle and how critical it was that Mandela be a man of honor, principle, and loyalty. He was a leader for the whole nation even when many people didn't want him to be in the nation. It's a remarkable way to be, a way that few people can accomplish.
The apartheid system was as vile a way to treat citizens as anything that has come along since Germany in the 1930s. It's hard to imagine that it arose after World War II and was so difficult to break.
The treatment of the African National Congress's leaders will appall you. Their grace will delight you.
May every nation have a Nelson Mandela to lead it!
The book you should read after this one, 31 Oct 2008
Seretse Khama (the first president of Botswana on its independence) was a man greatly admired by Mandela. They had many qualities in common. Khama also had many obstacles put in his way by the UK, Rhodesian and South Africa governments and showed the same greatness of character as Mandela. Susan Williams' book 'Colour bar' chronicles Khama's story brillaintly, and I think that if you enjoyed 'Long walk to freedom' then you'll get a lot from this book too.
Those undaunted by the page count will be justly rewarded, 21 Oct 2008
Anyone who has heard of this book but hasn't read it will be at least familiar with its size - it's a doorstep of a book - but those undaunted by the page count will be justly rewarded.
Mandela's life has been characterised by the 27 years he spent incarcerated on Robben Island as a political prisoner for his involvement with the anti-apartheid African National Congress. Understandably this period in his life (where he covertly wrote a large portion of the book) is covered in some detail as he attempts to explain the tedium and challenge this time presents each man. However, this book sets that period in the context of Mandela's life as well as its historical and political context.
Mandela's childhood and early years were the most interesting part for me as I'm always curious to see how people came to be who they are, and the size of the book allows Mandela to do this period in his life justice without sacrificing detail of his later political life.
Mandela's penchant for detail is apparent, from the administrative procedures of the ANC to details of meetings with the National Party Leadership towards the end. Friends of mine have said that the political detail was dull and too detailed but the book would not be complete without that depth and to me this reflects Mandela the man and his manner of thinking.
Throughout the book Mandela employs compelling language and even shows himself to be an entertainer - never better than in court, using the legal system and his apparent courtroom flair to show the state prosecutor to be inadequate and unjust.
In reading this book and recalling the events you are participating in history and cementing the lessons of the past. This is a timely moment to read The Long Walk to Freedom as you will put down the book and pick up the newspapers to continue almost uninterrupted as Zimbabwe swings in the opposite direction and Thabo Mbeki resigns as leader of the ruling ANC in South Africa.
If this book was a story and if you didn't know how it ended you would never believe that the ANC party that Mandela gave his whole life to would ever be allowed to participate in Government, let alone lead the South Africa today.
Still my favourite, and I'm trying to replace it!, 25 Aug 2008
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, absolutely engaging. The early most significant struggles of his life depicted in this book fight with you as you try to find a good point to stop for the day.
A must read for everyone!
It will get you interested!, 21 May 2008
I have never really been that interested in politics; I would say I have a level of interest in UK politics as that is where I live but not foreign politics so for me, buying and then reading such a long book, I really wondered whether I would get through it.
I have to say, it was interesting from the start and difficult to put down. I am not even an avid book reader but if you are curious about people generally, then this is a great book to get into. This isn't just about Nelson Mandela, fighting apartheid. It's about someone who started out similar to us - just an ordinary person but who had a simple but enjoyable childhood - different in relation to culture and upbringing.
If you don't understand politics, you don't need to know a great deal and neither do you have to have indepth knowledge of South African history.
I came away with a feeling of understanding this person - even knowing him to a certain extent because of how much he lets you into his thoughts and his heart. I also gained knowledge and interest from South African politics. I am in my 30s - all that I heard on television as a child myself during the Thatcher years, remembering the song Free Nelson Mandela - it all means so much more to me now.
But this book not only gives you insight into Nelson Mandela as a politician, but as a person. Even that has great interest in itself. If you are similar to me and you read this book, you'll not be disappointed.
A book that should be read, 19 Nov 2008
wait on whilst the dead men are buried. A shallow grave marked by a rifle stuck up in the mud is all that can be done. It gives some satisfaction to do that, although we are well aware the men so buried will be thrown up and reburied by shellfire time after time until the fighting shifts on from here. Some day they may have real graves. What a lot to look forward to! It's as well their people can't fully realize what finding a soldier's grave really means.
If there is one book that everyone should read on warfare, or just a book that should be read, this is it. Edward Lynch left Australia on 22nd August 1916 as a young man of 18 volunteering to serve on the Western Front. He returned to his homeland in 1919, lived through three of the most turbulent years of modern history.
In 1921 he started to write of his experiences, twenty one school exercise books full. The initial idea was to publish the story, but due to circumstances at the time this never happened. After his death the volumes resurfaced when Edward's grandson Mike Lynch passed the volumes to the editor Will Davies.
The result is a story that stands with any of the so called `classics' of the Great War and is superior to most. The story is that of a young private `Nulla' and his experience of some of the fiercest fighting in the area of the Somme from late 1916 through to 1918.
The descriptions of actions including the firing of the mines on the Messines Ridge, tanks and the start of air re-supply. Interspersed are the personal asides, food contaminated with gas, the mod swings that effected individuals, the flashes of humour, including the description of Janker's for going AWOL, cleaning the trace chains of artillery harness, `We spent a whole day cleaning trace chains and polishing each link with spit sand and blasphemy'.
Technically the book is very accurate, the story can be followed on maps, trench maps and panoramas, giving a wider understanding of small actions that took place during the period. The book draws few if any conclusions as to the rights and wrongs of the conflict, it praises and castigates offices, men and the enemy as the situation demands.
This book is something special; Edward Lynch deserves a place amongst the revered author's of the Great War, an accolade he deserved but never got.
Faction?, 26 Sep 2008
Having read many WWI books recently, I'm afraid that as I read I increasingly got the feeling that this was just too much of a novel. Faction. Whilst it is clearly based on his real experiences, I felt that there was just too much embroidery, and then you are left wondering 'well how much of this can I really believe?'. Many books of memoirs were written just after the First World War and many Publishers were bored with the prospect of yet another. Doubtless writers felt that they had to 'spice it up' a little. I felt disappointed after I'd finished it. I've read War novels that I've found more believable. Sorry. Perhaps his war record was just as he says.
Somme Mud - Goodbye to All that revisited?, 30 Aug 2008
The story is of Nulla and his regular close nit cast of characters - Longun, Darky, Snow, Farmer, Jacob and others.
The book covers some territory covered before. Most similarly by Robert Graves book - Goodbye to all that.
Lynch does not delve deeply into the reasons for the war - which obviously contrasts with Graves. However Lynch does not shy away from describing the horror of the conflict.
He mostly provides an illuminating insight of the (very effective) fighting capacity of the AIF. They are ruthless killers of "Fritz" - no more ruthlessly described as when a German Brass band spotted on an opposite hill about to enter a French village are clinically shot up.
A lot of the book talks humorously of events but sometimes a paragraph brings up his inner thoughts in startlingly relief:
"We remember when these two marched ahead of us carrying not canes but their lives, and leading us not to a sit-down dinner but to assault Fritz trenches or pill-boxes, or those deadly machine-gun nests from which so many of our mates collected their R.I.P.
Some of us remember, too, when these two were just diggers in the ranks following on after other leaders who have since passed on. Some home to Australia maimed in body in spirit, soured and seared, or happy to have got out of it all at any cost. Others who found their last long resting place in the slimy Somme mud, or amid the utter desolation that is Flanders. Others still whose remains lie shattered and scattered in the hundred tiny graves that house all that is left of a man who caught the burst of a 9.2"
His war was about mates and luck - and plenty of both. His prose is sincere and direct - I suspect rather like the man and his mates.
Outstanding WW1 Memoir, 22 Jul 2008
This is a great memoir, instantly ranking with book such as frank Richard's Old Soldiers Never Die as among the most evocative voices of the Great War as seen by the PBI. Lynch was an Australian, fighting with the 45th Battalion AIF from late 1916 to the end of the war. The centrepieces of this book are the descriptions of hand to hand trench fighting, which are raw and immediate. The most chilling description (apart from numerous descriptions of shellfire) are the images of the Somme battlefield in the freezing winter of 1916-1917, with casualties still frozen into the postures of brutal trench combat.
This is the Great War memoir of our time, if such as statement isn't something of a paradox. Lynch's Australian sensibility, his cheerful challenges to authority and the democratic flavour of Anzac `mateship' are more attuned to a 20th century sensibility than some of the more literary laments to the `futility' of the war in the 1920s and 1930s. (The attitudes to other races in the opening chapter are shocking but not surprising for a memoir of the time; their omission would have been a pointless and historically dishonest piece of editing).
A singular and powerfully important memoir of 1914-1918.
One of the best books about the war on the western front, 16 Jul 2008
I have read many books on the first world war and the western front in particular. Many of these have been excellent, such as the Lyn McDonald books, which give great insight into the horrors that the ordinary soldier had to endure. What sets this work apart from them is that it is a full acount of the war, written by an ordinary man in exceptional circumstances. It soon becomes clear that staying alive was just as difficult during spells of 'holding the line' as it was during a major battle. An incredible tale, honestly told with bravery and dignity. A must-read.
Disappointing, 15 Jul 2008
Truly the worst holocaust testimony ever written.So many mistakes throughout the whole text.Two examples of which were when Mr Muller mentions the camp orchestra in Birkenau,there was none, it was in Auschwitz 1.He also quotes that Kramer was in Birkenau and had came from Auschwitz 2.Both are one and the same place But important errors like these were repeated in every chapter and the worry for me is that Holocaust deniers may pick up on these simple blunders.Mr Mullers over use of adjectives and repetition of statements at times resulted in the book bordering on being boring.It read more like a students written essay who wasnt fully informed ,rather than an actual Holocaust survivors memoirs.Ive read many more imformative Holocaust testimonies and even Mr Muller must have been disappointed with the finished article.I tend to believe that the foreword said it all.
ochmister, 06 Jun 2008
Simple, one of the best books I have ever read. Very sad, sometimes un believable. But believe, this really happened and should not be forgotton. My respect goes to the author.
An account by somebody who witnessed everything first hand., 16 May 2008
There have been countless books written about Hitlers Final solution mostly by historians and occasionally by eyewitness survivors.
You can read account after account of conditions in the final months leading to the Russians eventual entry into the camp but few books will be as informative as this one written by camp Sonderkommando Filip Muller whose actual job was to operate the crematoria and dispose of the thousands of corpses.
During the latter half of 1944 an incredible 10,000+ were liquidated on a daily basis.This may appear too far fetched to comprehend at first but when you realise that those in command from Hitler right down to Himmlers eventual realisation that the war was turning against them a dramatic escelation in gassing took place until mass shootings were the norm and corpses were burnt round the clock in open pits.
At the height of the liquidation Berkenhau had over ten ovens working night and day resulting in a massive escalation of gassings.In early 1944,10,000 prisoners were murdered every day and there were sufficient ovens to cope with the huge number of bodies.
Filip was there as all this was going on and later as the mass of bodies became too overwhelming to cope with it was the Sonderkommandos duty to remove the rotting corpses for disposal in the ovens.
There are certain passages that will really make one think momentarily on the question of mans inhumanity towards his fellow man.
The arrival and first trial of mass gassings where under extream brutality men women and children were forced to undress knowingly they were facing certain death.
Possibly the most heart rending extracts are to be found on page 48 where Filip having discovered the arrival of his father at the camp has to cremate his body after his death from tythus.Fellow workmen working alongside him at the blazing ovens recite a prayer.
The book really brings the true barbarity of camp life to the reader.
The inhumanity of certain Kapos or team leaders given trusted duties by the SS who were extreamly sadistic beating fellow prisoners to death due to anger against what the SS were doing to their fellow countrymen.
Whilst reading the first two chapters one clearly realises these are the genuine testimony of somebody who lived on a daily basis where systematic murder was common place.Unless you witnessed at first hand you couldnot make up such testimony such as these.
As i have already said you can write about this highly documented period in history but unless you were physically there in person to witness these events no amount of research will reveal the actual truth.
This is why Filip Mullers book is so important,as less than a handfull of Sonderkommandos at Auschwitz actually lived to bear witness to their testimony.Every few months new Sonderkommandos were appointed whilst those working at the cremetoria were gassed with other prisoners so that the truth of Genocide was never allowed to escape.Filips survival is the more amazing in that he survived and bared witness to the atrocities.
Unless you were actually there in person you cannot envisage the horrors and brutality of camp guards and SS officers.Muller recounts day to day life within the confines of Auschwitz-Berkenhau like only a fellow prisoner could relate.
His matter of fact account of unimaginable horrors makes compelling reading if not unpleasant reading.He has not withheld any of the material that will disgust or distress us,everything has been accounted for right up to his amazing survival.
As a Sonderkommando he was to some extent safe as his services were of great importance to the camps efficient running.Without him and other workers the mass murder couldnot have taken place at such a large scale.
A book that is extreamly well written by somebody who actually knows what went on within the camp.Few books can bring home the true meaning of genocide as can this one.
If you are looking for great detail on events and life within Hitlers largest death camp then this book will not disappoint.
Brings the Reality of what went on home !, 11 May 2008
I visited Auschwitz earlier this year. I wish I had read this book before I had gone as it really brought home the terrible crimes that went on in this place. If you are interested in Auschwitz then this is a must read !
Gripping, 28 Apr 2008
What an amazing account of the holocaust and believe me I have read a few!
This book gives a gripping account of one mans survival in the death factory that can only be described as hell on earth.
The author is a testimony to courage and mans desire to stay alive at all costs.
Buy this now!
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Customer Reviews
a very good book, 16 Nov 2008
a very romantic and enlightening read, really opened my eyes to new things
heil the fuhrer
Just a note about this particular version of the book., 03 Nov 2008
It's a very interesting book and all, but I'm really just posting up this review to say that the version for sale on this page contains more than a few confusing spelling/grammatical errors. Also, anyone who judges books by their covers might not be surprised to find out that the editor likes to paint Hitler as an evil monster etc. rather than keeping his ideas to himself and letting the reader make up their own mind.
Appaling quality, 25 Oct 2008
This review is a warning regarding the actual physical quality of the book, rather than the content.
I ordered this very same version of Mein kampf off Amazon and just reading it was a battle (no fault of Adolf's!)
a) It is littered with typos. I lost count of the time I had to re-read a sentence to make sense of it because of basic errors; 'that' instead of 'than', etc.
b) Dozens (literally) of the pages were stuck together along the leading (opening) edge. I had to rip apart so many pages that hadn't been separated that the book now looks like it's been gnawed at by a rotweiller
c) Huge chunks of pages came away from the binding. My copy has about 15-20 sections that now protrude from edge when closed, because they came out. The first chunk of pages popped away from the binding when I opened it to look at the photos in the middle. Seriously, what was it bound together with, saliva?
If you want to read Mein Kampf I suggest you purchase a different copy to this. Reading it was a physical chore; tearing pages apart, holding chunks into the spine, etc. etc.
My copy of this book looks like it was hand-made by a one-armed blind man with no love for his craft.
an informative, dark read, 27 Sep 2008
I read Mein Kampf in the hope of understanding some of the madness of Hitler's actions and wasn't disappointed. Although written in the 1920s what can be found here is a sort of blue print for World war Two.Through the book Hitler exposes the dark side of the human race and tries to manipulate the reader into agreeing with him. Unlike the German people of the time the reader has the luxury of knowing the evil of his plan. An informative and dark book that gives history a slightly different slant
RRRRR-----ZZZZZZZ------RRRRR-----ZZZZZ, 08 Aug 2008
Well, may be I m going against the flow here, but this book, is one of the most boring, poorly written, waste of money and paper i ve ever read for ages.. Its full of hate, written by a guy who throw up his bitterness and hate of everything non German during pages after pages after pages..., like you would throw up when You re drunk....
It s brilliant to put you to sleep if you ve got insomnia though...
we all know about the context in which it was written and what it lead to. so, no need to make some fuss about it and call it a must read. when it s an absolute piece of human junk.and fuel for hate...
well. i read it.. did not like it, .. but that s my personal opinion.
Mud, Blood and Glory, 25 Sep 2008
what was the great war like from the perspective of the officer in the trenches, well here you have got the chance to find out for yourselves, the entries are only rough and brief but they tell an incredible story of courage and bravery, the diary includes commentry written by the author it wasn't meant to be widely published, only to be read by his family and perhaps therein lies its charm
Portrait of a Leader for All Times, 19 Nov 2008
If you read only one autobiography this year, I recommend this one.
Leadership breakthroughs are few and far between. They are even rarer in the political arena. Although I had closely followed the path to an integrated democracy in South Africa (and worked hard on the anti-apartheid sanctions and boycotts), much of Nelson Mandela's struggle was hidden to me at the time. Only after the reconciliation had gone on for a number of years did it become apart how remarkable this man's contribution has been.
Recently, I read Playing the Enemy which described some of the nuances in how Mandela conceived of creating a peaceful transition through an unauthorized sole negotiation from a prison cell. Those stories impressed me even more. Now, I had to read the autobiography. And I'm glad I did.
Let me warn you, however, that Nelson Mandela is so self-effacing that the real story of what he accomplished and how he did it doesn't fully come through in the autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom. I recommend that you read Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game That Made a Nation first.
What the autobiography will do is show the cultural and social backgrounds of the struggle and how critical it was that Mandela be a man of honor, principle, and loyalty. He was a leader for the whole nation even when many people didn't want him to be in the nation. It's a remarkable way to be, a way that few people can accomplish.
The apartheid system was as vile a way to treat citizens as anything that has come along since Germany in the 1930s. It's hard to imagine that it arose after World War II and was so difficult to break.
The treatment of the African National Congress's leaders will appall you. Their grace will delight you.
May every nation have a Nelson Mandela to lead it!
The book you should read after this one, 31 Oct 2008
Seretse Khama (the first president of Botswana on its independence) was a man greatly admired by Mandela. They had many qualities in common. Khama also had many obstacles put in his way by the UK, Rhodesian and South Africa governments and showed the same greatness of character as Mandela. Susan Williams' book 'Colour bar' chronicles Khama's story brillaintly, and I think that if you enjoyed 'Long walk to freedom' then you'll get a lot from this book too.
Those undaunted by the page count will be justly rewarded, 21 Oct 2008
Anyone who has heard of this book but hasn't read it will be at least familiar with its size - it's a doorstep of a book - but those undaunted by the page count will be justly rewarded.
Mandela's life has been characterised by the 27 years he spent incarcerated on Robben Island as a political prisoner for his involvement with the anti-apartheid African National Congress. Understandably this period in his life (where he covertly wrote a large portion of the book) is covered in some detail as he attempts to explain the tedium and challenge this time presents each man. However, this book sets that period in the context of Mandela's life as well as its historical and political context.
Mandela's childhood and early years were the most interesting part for me as I'm always curious to see how people came to be who they are, and the size of the book allows Mandela to do this period in his life justice without sacrificing detail of his later political life.
Mandela's penchant for detail is apparent, from the administrative procedures of the ANC to details of meetings with the National Party Leadership towards the end. Friends of mine have said that the political detail was dull and too detailed but the book would not be complete without that depth and to me this reflects Mandela the man and his manner of thinking.
Throughout the book Mandela employs compelling language and even shows himself to be an entertainer - never better than in court, using the legal system and his apparent courtroom flair to show the state prosecutor to be inadequate and unjust.
In reading this book and recalling the events you are participating in history and cementing the lessons of the past. This is a timely moment to read The Long Walk to Freedom as you will put down the book and pick up the newspapers to continue almost uninterrupted as Zimbabwe swings in the opposite direction and Thabo Mbeki resigns as leader of the ruling ANC in South Africa.
If this book was a story and if you didn't know how it ended you would never believe that the ANC party that Mandela gave his whole life to would ever be allowed to participate in Government, let alone lead the South Africa today.
Still my favourite, and I'm trying to replace it!, 25 Aug 2008
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, absolutely engaging. The early most significant struggles of his life depicted in this book fight with you as you try to find a good point to stop for the day.
A must read for everyone!
It will get you interested!, 21 May 2008
I have never really been that interested in politics; I would say I have a level of interest in UK politics as that is where I live but not foreign politics so for me, buying and then reading such a long book, I really wondered whether I would get through it.
I have to say, it was interesting from the start and difficult to put down. I am not even an avid book reader but if you are curious about people generally, then this is a great book to get into. This isn't just about Nelson Mandela, fighting apartheid. It's about someone who started out similar to us - just an ordinary person but who had a simple but enjoyable childhood - different in relation to culture and upbringing.
If you don't understand politics, you don't need to know a great deal and neither do you have to have indepth knowledge of South African history.
I came away with a feeling of understanding this person - even knowing him to a certain extent because of how much he lets you into his thoughts and his heart. I also gained knowledge and interest from South African politics. I am in my 30s - all that I heard on television as a child myself during the Thatcher years, remembering the song Free Nelson Mandela - it all means so much more to me now.
But this book not only gives you insight into Nelson Mandela as a politician, but as a person. Even that has great interest in itself. If you are similar to me and you read this book, you'll not be disappointed.
A book that should be read, 19 Nov 2008
wait on whilst the dead men are buried. A shallow grave marked by a rifle stuck up in the mud is all that can be done. It gives some satisfaction to do that, although we are well aware the men so buried will be thrown up and reburied by shellfire time after time until the fighting shifts on from here. Some day they may have real graves. What a lot to look forward to! It's as well their people can't fully realize what finding a soldier's grave really means.
If there is one book that everyone should read on warfare, or just a book that should be read, this is it. Edward Lynch left Australia on 22nd August 1916 as a young man of 18 volunteering to serve on the Western Front. He returned to his homeland in 1919, lived through three of the most turbulent years of modern history.
In 1921 he started to write of his experiences, twenty one school exercise books full. The initial idea was to publish the story, but due to circumstances at the time this never happened. After his death the volumes resurfaced when Edward's grandson Mike Lynch passed the volumes to the editor Will Davies.
The result is a story that stands with any of the so called `classics' of the Great War and is superior to most. The story is that of a young private `Nulla' and his experience of some of the fiercest fighting in the area of the Somme from late 1916 through to 1918.
The descriptions of actions including the firing of the mines on the Messines Ridge, tanks and the start of air re-supply. Interspersed are the personal asides, food contaminated with gas, the mod swings that effected individuals, the flashes of humour, including the description of Janker's for going AWOL, cleaning the trace chains of artillery harness, `We spent a whole day cleaning trace chains and polishing each link with spit sand and blasphemy'.
Technically the book is very accurate, the story can be followed on maps, trench maps and panoramas, giving a wider understanding of small actions that took place during the period. The book draws few if any conclusions as to the rights and wrongs of the conflict, it praises and castigates offices, men and the enemy as the situation demands.
This book is something special; Edward Lynch deserves a place amongst the revered author's of the Great War, an accolade he deserved but never got.
Faction?, 26 Sep 2008
Having read many WWI books recently, I'm afraid that as I read I increasingly got the feeling that this was just too much of a novel. Faction. Whilst it is clearly based on his real experiences, I felt that there was just too much embroidery, and then you are left wondering 'well how much of this can I really believe?'. Many books of memoirs were written just after the First World War and many Publishers were bored with the prospect of yet another. Doubtless writers felt that they had to 'spice it up' a little. I felt disappointed after I'd finished it. I've read War novels that I've found more believable. Sorry. Perhaps his war record was just as he says.
Somme Mud - Goodbye to All that revisited?, 30 Aug 2008
The story is of Nulla and his regular close nit cast of characters - Longun, Darky, Snow, Farmer, Jacob and others.
The book covers some territory covered before. Most similarly by Robert Graves book - Goodbye to all that.
Lynch does not delve deeply into the reasons for the war - which obviously contrasts with Graves. However Lynch does not shy away from describing the horror of the conflict.
He mostly provides an illuminating insight of the (very effective) fighting capacity of the AIF. They are ruthless killers of "Fritz" - no more ruthlessly described as when a German Brass band spotted on an opposite hill about to enter a French village are clinically shot up.
A lot of the book talks humorously of events but sometimes a paragraph brings up his inner thoughts in startlingly relief:
"We remember when these two marched ahead of us carrying not canes but their lives, and leading us not to a sit-down dinner but to assault Fritz trenches or pill-boxes, or those deadly machine-gun nests from which so many of our mates collected their R.I.P.
Some of us remember, too, when these two were just diggers in the ranks following on after other leaders who have since passed on. Some home to Australia maimed in body in spirit, soured and seared, or happy to have got out of it all at any cost. Others who found their last long resting place in the slimy Somme mud, or amid the utter desolation that is Flanders. Others still whose remains lie shattered and scattered in the hundred tiny graves that house all that is left of a man who caught the burst of a 9.2"
His war was about mates and luck - and plenty of both. His prose is sincere and direct - I suspect rather like the man and his mates.
Outstanding WW1 Memoir, 22 Jul 2008
This is a great memoir, instantly ranking with book such as frank Richard's Old Soldiers Never Die as among the most evocative voices of the Great War as seen by the PBI. Lynch was an Australian, fighting with the 45th Battalion AIF from late 1916 to the end of the war. The centrepieces of this book are the descriptions of hand to hand trench fighting, which are raw and immediate. The most chilling description (apart from numerous descriptions of shellfire) are the images of the Somme battlefield in the freezing winter of 1916-1917, with casualties still frozen into the postures of brutal trench combat.
This is the Great War memoir of our time, if such as statement isn't something of a paradox. Lynch's Australian sensibility, his cheerful challenges to authority and the democratic flavour of Anzac `mateship' are more attuned to a 20th century sensibility than some of the more literary laments to the `futility' of the war in the 1920s and 1930s. (The attitudes to other races in the opening chapter are shocking but not surprising for a memoir of the time; their omission would have been a pointless and historically dishonest piece of editing).
A singular and powerfully important memoir of 1914-1918.
One of the best books about the war on the western front, 16 Jul 2008
I have read many books on the first world war and the western front in particular. Many of these have been excellent, such as the Lyn McDonald books, which give great insight into the horrors that the ordinary soldier had to endure. What sets this work apart from them is that it is a full acount of the war, written by an ordinary man in exceptional circumstances. It soon becomes clear that staying alive was just as difficult during spells of 'holding the line' as it was during a major battle. An incredible tale, honestly told with bravery and dignity. A must-read.
Disappointing, 15 Jul 2008
Truly the worst holocaust testimony ever written.So many mistakes throughout the whole text.Two examples of which were when Mr Muller mentions the camp orchestra in Birkenau,there was none, it was in Auschwitz 1.He also quotes that Kramer was in Birkenau and had came from Auschwitz 2.Both are one and the same place But important errors like these were repeated in every chapter and the worry for me is that Holocaust deniers may pick up on these simple blunders.Mr Mullers over use of adjectives and repetition of statements at times resulted in the book bordering on being boring.It read more like a students written essay who wasnt fully informed ,rather than an actual Holocaust survivors memoirs.Ive read many more imformative Holocaust testimonies and even Mr Muller must have been disappointed with the finished article.I tend to believe that the foreword said it all.
ochmister, 06 Jun 2008
Simple, one of the best books I have ever read. Very sad, sometimes un believable. But believe, this really happened and should not be forgotton. My respect goes to the author.
An account by somebody who witnessed everything first hand., 16 May 2008
There have been countless books written about Hitlers Final solution mostly by historians and occasionally by eyewitness survivors.
You can read account after account of conditions in the final months leading to the Russians eventual entry into the camp but few books will be as informative as this one written by camp Sonderkommando Filip Muller whose actual job was to operate the crematoria and dispose of the thousands of corpses.
During the latter half of 1944 an incredible 10,000+ were liquidated on a daily basis.This may appear too far fetched to comprehend at first but when you realise that those in command from Hitler right down to Himmlers eventual realisation that the war was turning against them a dramatic escelation in gassing took place until mass shootings were the norm and corpses were burnt round the clock in open pits.
At the height of the liquidation Berkenhau had over ten ovens working night and day resulting in a massive escalation of gassings.In early 1944,10,000 prisoners were murdered every day and there were sufficient ovens to cope with the huge number of bodies.
Filip was there as all this was going on and later as the mass of bodies became too overwhelming to cope with it was the Sonderkommandos duty to remove the rotting corpses for disposal in the ovens.
There are certain passages that will really make one think momentarily on the question of mans inhumanity towards his fellow man.
The arrival and first trial of mass gassings where under extream brutality men women and children were forced to undress knowingly they were facing certain death.
Possibly the most heart rending extracts are to be found on page 48 where Filip having discovered the arrival of his father at the camp has to cremate his body after his death from tythus.Fellow workmen working alongside him at the blazing ovens recite a prayer.
The book really brings the true barbarity of camp life to the reader.
The inhumanity of certain Kapos or team leaders given trusted duties by the SS who were extreamly sadistic beating fellow prisoners to death due to anger against what the SS were doing to their fellow countrymen.
Whilst reading the first two chapters one clearly realises these are the genuine testimony of somebody who lived on a daily basis where systematic murder was common place.Unless you witnessed at first hand you couldnot make up such testimony such as these.
As i have already said you can write about this highly documented period in history but unless you were physically there in person to witness these events no amount of research will reveal the actual truth.
This is why Filip Mullers book is so important,as less than a handfull of Sonderkommandos at Auschwitz actually lived to bear witness to their testimony.Every few months new Sonderkommandos were appointed whilst those working at the cremetoria were gassed with other prisoners so that the truth of Genocide was never allowed to escape.Filips survival is the more amazing in that he survived and bared witness to the atrocities.
Unless you were actually there in person you cannot envisage the horrors and brutality of camp guards and SS officers.Muller recounts day to day life within the confines of Auschwitz-Berkenhau like only a fellow prisoner could relate.
His matter of fact account of unimaginable horrors makes compelling reading if not unpleasant reading.He has not withheld any of the material that will disgust or distress us,everything has been accounted for right up to his amazing survival.
As a Sonderkommando he was to some extent safe as his services were of great importance to the camps efficient running.Without him and other workers the mass murder couldnot have taken place at such a large scale.
A book that is extreamly well written by somebody who actually knows what went on within the camp.Few books can bring home the true meaning of genocide as can this one.
If you are looking for great detail on events and life within Hitlers largest death camp then this book will not disappoint.
Brings the Reality of what went on home !, 11 May 2008
I visited Auschwitz earlier this year. I wish I had read this book before I had gone as it really brought home the terrible crimes that went on in this place. If you are interested in Auschwitz then this is a must read !
Gripping, 28 Apr 2008
What an amazing account of the holocaust and believe me I have read a few!
This book gives a gripping account of one mans survival in the death factory that can only be described as hell on earth.
The author is a testimony to courage and mans desire to stay alive at all costs.
Buy this now!
These stories must be told, 21 Oct 2008
Due to the current climate, there is alot of material coming from operational theatres and the quality seems to range from really good to truly excellent (Pete 'Walt' Mercer, hang your head in shame). All these stories, whether personal memoires (Sniper One,Eight Lives Down)or battlegroup actions (Condor Blues,Dusty Warriors)couldnt be as affectively written as fiction due to truth is always being more gripping, knowing these guys are real and what is described actually happened.
Major Chris Hunter has one serious set of cahoonas, and has been duly recognised for them. He did his job on the ground under immense pressure on himself as an operator and leader and he and his team came through the other side with their head held high, not just for him, his team and unit but his stormy personal life left back home. Success and tragedy however often meander side by side, as the audience will see.
I loved this book cos not only does it give an insight to the brilliant job the boys are doing under terrible restrictions imposed on them,its also true to (army)life with the humourous passages that run through it. If you've never served or known anyone who has served you will find it funny. If you have, you'll outwardly laugh whilst agreeing with everything you read - from the description of orange and green screech to the guide to leaving the army. The British Army soldier's sense of humour is unrivaled.
Read this book, learn and understand why the British Army soldier is worth so many more of the soldiers of other countries we stand alongside. Chris, I'd buy you and your guys a pint anyday.
A human soldier's story, 08 Oct 2008
this story is another great one for those who want to keep up with the real events in iraq. This time the story focuses on a bomb disposal expert, whoi against the wishes of his family manages to get an iraq posting, and demonsstrates not only the danger of the job, but the human triumph this man had to achieve to juggle his job with his family life, one of few soldier accounts to do this. Only reason it gets 4 stars is its got few exciting firefights in, such as sniper one
Eight Lives Down - Major Chris Hunter, 01 Oct 2008
What a phenomenal read this was. A mind bending roller coaster of a book that gets you in to the head of an ATO on duty in the middle east. From his moments of elation, to the dark fear that he experiences, every page is an eyeopener to exactly what goes on in the forces in this part of the world. It will be getting read again.
So disappointing, 07 Sep 2008
I have read and thoroughly enjoyed many books of this genre. So, I settled down to read this one, full of anticipation. Within the first paragraph, I was irritated. Within the first page I had become annoyed, and before the end of the second page, I had thrown it down.
Why?
The whole thing had for some inexplicable reason, been written in the present tense. Why, why why? Was it an attempt to make it more exciting? If so, it doesn't work. Was it an attempt to be clever? Didn't work. Was it an attempt to be different? It certainly succeeded there.
It is an unnatural way to write and to read. It reminded me of the 'Janet and John' method that many people were exposed to as children.
I feel cheated. This should have been a thumping good read, but it wasn't. Even though I tried to go back to it a couple of times. Tomorrow, it will be donated to a charity shop --- along with some good books.
well written and inspirational, 30 Aug 2008
Too good to do justice to here. Well written, exciting, insightful and touching. A hige amount of respect is due to Chris for his actions and in the honesty of his writing.
No question - a book to order.
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Customer Reviews
a very good book, 16 Nov 2008
a very romantic and enlightening read, really opened my eyes to new things
heil the fuhrer
Just a note about this particular version of the book., 03 Nov 2008
It's a very interesting book and all, but I'm really just posting up this review to say that the version for sale on this page contains more than a few confusing spelling/grammatical errors. Also, anyone who judges books by their covers might not be surprised to find out that the editor likes to paint Hitler as an evil monster etc. rather than keeping his ideas to himself and letting the reader make up their own mind.
Appaling quality, 25 Oct 2008
This review is a warning regarding the actual physical quality of the book, rather than the content.
I ordered this very same version of Mein kampf off Amazon and just reading it was a battle (no fault of Adolf's!)
a) It is littered with typos. I lost count of the time I had to re-read a sentence to make sense of it because of basic errors; 'that' instead of 'than', etc.
b) Dozens (literally) of the pages were stuck together along the leading (opening) edge. I had to rip apart so many pages that hadn't been separated that the book now looks like it's been gnawed at by a rotweiller
c) Huge chunks of pages came away from the binding. My copy has about 15-20 sections that now protrude from edge when closed, because they came out. The first chunk of pages popped away from the binding when I opened it to look at the photos in the middle. Seriously, what was it bound together with, saliva?
If you want to read Mein Kampf I suggest you purchase a different copy to this. Reading it was a physical chore; tearing pages apart, holding chunks into the spine, etc. etc.
My copy of this book looks like it was hand-made by a one-armed blind man with no love for his craft.
an informative, dark read, 27 Sep 2008
I read Mein Kampf in the hope of understanding some of the madness of Hitler's actions and wasn't disappointed. Although written in the 1920s what can be found here is a sort of blue print for World war Two.Through the book Hitler exposes the dark side of the human race and tries to manipulate the reader into agreeing with him. Unlike the German people of the time the reader has the luxury of knowing the evil of his plan. An informative and dark book that gives history a slightly different slant
RRRRR-----ZZZZZZZ------RRRRR-----ZZZZZ, 08 Aug 2008
Well, may be I m going against the flow here, but this book, is one of the most boring, poorly written, waste of money and paper i ve ever read for ages.. Its full of hate, written by a guy who throw up his bitterness and hate of everything non German during pages after pages after pages..., like you would throw up when You re drunk....
It s brilliant to put you to sleep if you ve got insomnia though...
we all know about the context in which it was written and what it lead to. so, no need to make some fuss about it and call it a must read. when it s an absolute piece of human junk.and fuel for hate...
well. i read it.. did not like it, .. but that s my personal opinion.
Mud, Blood and Glory, 25 Sep 2008
what was the great war like from the perspective of the officer in the trenches, well here you have got the chance to find out for yourselves, the entries are only rough and brief but they tell an incredible story of courage and bravery, the diary includes commentry written by the author it wasn't meant to be widely published, only to be read by his family and perhaps therein lies its charm
Portrait of a Leader for All Times, 19 Nov 2008
If you read only one autobiography this year, I recommend this one.
Leadership breakthroughs are few and far between. They are even rarer in the political arena. Although I had closely followed the path to an integrated democracy in South Africa (and worked hard on the anti-apartheid sanctions and boycotts), much of Nelson Mandela's struggle was hidden to me at the time. Only after the reconciliation had gone on for a number of years did it become apart how remarkable this man's contribution has been.
Recently, I read Playing the Enemy which described some of the nuances in how Mandela conceived of creating a peaceful transition through an unauthorized sole negotiation from a prison cell. Those stories impressed me even more. Now, I had to read the autobiography. And I'm glad I did.
Let me warn you, however, that Nelson Mandela is so self-effacing that the real story of what he accomplished and how he did it doesn't fully come through in the autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom. I recommend that you read Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game That Made a Nation first.
What the autobiography will do is show the cultural and social backgrounds of the struggle and how critical it was that Mandela be a man of honor, principle, and loyalty. He was a leader for the whole nation even when many people didn't want him to be in the nation. It's a remarkable way to be, a way that few people can accomplish.
The apartheid system was as vile a way to treat citizens as anything that has come along since Germany in the 1930s. It's hard to imagine that it arose after World War II and was so difficult to break.
The treatment of the African National Congress's leaders will appall you. Their grace will delight you.
May every nation have a Nelson Mandela to lead it!
The book you should read after this one, 31 Oct 2008
Seretse Khama (the first president of Botswana on its independence) was a man greatly admired by Mandela. They had many qualities in common. Khama also had many obstacles put in his way by the UK, Rhodesian and South Africa governments and showed the same greatness of character as Mandela. Susan Williams' book 'Colour bar' chronicles Khama's story brillaintly, and I think that if you enjoyed 'Long walk to freedom' then you'll get a lot from this book too.
Those undaunted by the page count will be justly rewarded, 21 Oct 2008
Anyone who has heard of this book but hasn't read it will be at least familiar with its size - it's a doorstep of a book - but those undaunted by the page count will be justly rewarded.
Mandela's life has been characterised by the 27 years he spent incarcerated on Robben Island as a political prisoner for his involvement with the anti-apartheid African National Congress. Understandably this period in his life (where he covertly wrote a large portion of the book) is covered in some detail as he attempts to explain the tedium and challenge this time presents each man. However, this book sets that period in the context of Mandela's life as well as its historical and political context.
Mandela's childhood and early years were the most interesting part for me as I'm always curious to see how people came to be who they are, and the size of the book allows Mandela to do this period in his life justice without sacrificing detail of his later political life.
Mandela's penchant for detail is apparent, from the administrative procedures of the ANC to details of meetings with the National Party Leadership towards the end. Friends of mine have said that the political detail was dull and too detailed but the book would not be complete without that depth and to me this reflects Mandela the man and his manner of thinking.
Throughout the book Mandela employs compelling language and even shows himself to be an entertainer - never better than in court, using the legal system and his apparent courtroom flair to show the state prosecutor to be inadequate and unjust.
In reading this book and recalling the events you are participating in history and cementing the lessons of the past. This is a timely moment to read The Long Walk to Freedom as you will put down the book and pick up the newspapers to continue almost uninterrupted as Zimbabwe swings in the opposite direction and Thabo Mbeki resigns as leader of the ruling ANC in South Africa.
If this book was a story and if you didn't know how it ended you would never believe that the ANC party that Mandela gave his whole life to would ever be allowed to participate in Government, let alone lead the South Africa today.
Still my fav | | |