Triumph Reviews

"The Mystery Of Capital" is a text on development economics and the history of economic thought. It addresses development economics by analyzing roles played by incentives and institutions in shaping the evolution of markets in third world countries. In addition, it addresses the development of economic thought by demonstrating how the notion of capital evolved in the West to encompass incentives for transforming property into productive assets over time. In doing this, de Soto seeks to provide a solution to the dilemma haunting the third world: how to create a system of rules to put the proper economic incentives in place while respecting existing institutions that currently drive economic behavior.

In the book, de Soto argues that it is the inability to produce capital, rather than a lack of respect for private property or the rule of law per se, which inhibits rapid economic growth in the third world. He notes there is a difference between protecting property rights and producing capital. Specifically, he states that over time in the West, mechanisms were developed within systems of property rights to produce capital very quickly. He asserts that many westerners are oblivious to these mechanisms, and that they "...view them as parts of the system that protects property, not as interlocking mechanisms for fixing the economic potential of an asset in such a way that it can be converted into capital."

He defines property as a mediating device that captures and stores the mechanisms necessary to run a market economy. He states that it "...seeds the system by making people accountable and assets fungible, by tracking transactions, and so providing all the mechanisms required for the monetary and banking system to work and for investment to function." He relates the idea of property to capital by pointing out that - rather than a mere representation of assets on paper - it is a process through which a society extracts value from those assets. Therefore, property is not the assets themselves but an expression of how those assets should be used.

From this, de Soto develops his theory of how the West grew rich. He argues that American property systems flourished because they incorporated legal rights to allow people to use their property to create capital. He lists occupancy, preemption, homesteading, miners' laws, and other mechanisms for bringing informal property rights into the legal arena as examples of how Western systems created a new economic order providing the right incentives for massive growth to occur. He believes this evolution occurred under America's legal umbrella rather than Britain's because America's system responded to shifting political attitudes more quickly than Britain's - where the common law had entrenched a static system hostile to extralegal notions of property.

These extralegal notions of property are crucial, de Soto notes, because they dominate most economic transactions in the third world. He points out that with their formal economies so heavily regulated, black markets are the only systems available to most third world residents. As a result, most businesses in the third world incur heavy visible costs in the form of paying bribes, making payments outside legal channels, and operating through dispersed networks without a source of credit. However, the largest costs - which are invisible - are the absence of institutions necessary to create incentives for people to raise investment funds, achieve economies of scale, or protect their innovations in the marketplace.

Thus, de Soto argues, the problem with most proposals to establish property rights and the rule of law is that they ignore existing black market institutions that already guide economic activity in third world countries. He explains that when new legal institutions are created, those institutions must embrace contracts and arrangements that exist under the black market, or they will be rejected over time. He believes the solution is for reformers to codify black market rules so they can be made uniform within individual countries. Thus, leaders can compare these rules to other newly proposed frameworks and create an individual set that best enables them to create a system that is legitimate and self-enforceable over time.

De Soto's book sheds important light on many of the problems inherent in development economics. His insights into the evolution of market institutions to provide incentives for people to both protect their property and use it productively explain many of the frustrations experienced by officials at international aid agencies and third world governments. These leaders would do well to heed his advice.

The Mystery of Capital attempts to explain the reasons why a capitalist system has not favored all people in third world nations in the same degree. Although Hernando de Soto focuses primarily in urban areas, he explains that there are far too many, if not difficult, obstacles for most citizens of third world countries to truly benefit from a capitalistic system. He has research poor neighborhoods in third world nations, and has found plenty of dead capital that could be put to use for the benefit of all people in such nations, if only politicians and lawmakers realize the enormous potential. Apparently, the value of property and extralegal businesses are far greater than the aggregate value of decades of foreign direct investments into those third world countries researched. Such assets are considered dead capital because they have been obtained or developed extralegally. Buildings and businesses exist, but they were not properly registered with the corresponding authorities, and in most cases developed in Government-owned land. A seemingly vibrant extralegal economy goes unnoticed. Why? The level of bureaucracy is overbearing, and therefore it becomes expensive for most people to go through the necessary steps for property establishing a business.

Hernando de Soto does not give you a definite method as to how to unlock "hidden capital", but it does give guidelines for developing a meaningful way to turn such unregistered assets into capital; the basis of a capitalistic system. He also offers some history as to how this kind of predicament was tackled by lawmakers in developed nations such as the United States and England. By using history, Hernando de Soto attempts to fill in the gap between theory and reality.

Hernando de Soto's ideas cannot and should not be ignored. This book will open many eyes to the nature of capital. The author suggests a radically simple yet enormously challenging way of bringing the world's impoverished billions onto the track of capitalism and development: give them legal property rights to what they "own." The author's intriguing case is that a lack of property rights - not a lack of entrepreneurial zeal or competence - stymies development in the former East Bloc and Third World countries. This seemed to be a shockingly original notion when the author first propounded it in his bestseller The Other Patch, and it still does. If the book has a flaw, we warn, it is that the author's undisguised missionary ardor sometimes makes one wonder whether he is merely a zealot. Even if he were one, the book would merit reading.

Do not fall into the belief that Day will describe a problem and then offer constructive criticism on how we, as Catholics, should respond to improve the situation. No, he just complains. It gets so boring hearing people criticise the Church (whether justly or no), who never expend the effort to
think of something to DO to correct the situation. There is no generosity contained within these covers.

Scathing & bitter, yes. Well written, no. After 150 pages of Day's disjointed tirades, I simply gave up. I gave it one star simply because the comparison between what Day perceives as the current music situation and Bauhaus architechture was actually interesting and rather unique. Otherwise, it would have gotten 0.

I must be truly blessed to have spent 37 years as a Catholic across the US and Europe, and only once attended Mass at a church which even vaguely resembled this depiction.

Why spend $17? Pick it up at a book store and read the last 2 and a half pages - the only part of the book truly worth reading: a 10 point guide to a good music ministry. (The only concise, well written part of the book, which is concurrently the only part I would endorse.)

Day's writing is internally inconsistent, disorganized and occasionally down right offensive.

As a Catholic music minister at a parish which subscribes to all 10 of Day's points about good music ministry, I was bored to tears. I was also struck by the fact that he spent 150+ pages criticising Taste, *not* theological content. Who actually believes that Taste can be regimented?

While repeatedly extolling Germany and Austria as shining examples of Catholic music heritage (as if every single piece of music written there was the equal of Bach or Mozart), he provides a scattered, disjointed argument (I think it was an argument) over 30 or 40 pages about "ethnic" Catholics in the US and their great music at Masses, but the high mass is awful, or maybe it was the low mass with their great "ethnic" enthuiasm in their folk music ... but folk music is bad, if it's American folk music ...???

Having attended Mass in both Germany and Austria, I can vouch that not every church there plays Mozart/Bach on Sundays. And, when I was in Vienna listening to the Vienna Boy's Choir at Easter Sunday Mass, not everyone was singing ...

Suffice to say that Day's prime book he recommends (Gather III) contains not just one, but all of the music about which Day
complains. Why? Because the hymnal also contains all the music Day praises - it is well balanced.

We are not Catholic because our tastes are Universal - it would be a very boring Church, if that were so.

This book is written for people who already share the author's opinion. Preaching to the converted is not something for which
we should strive. This book will assuredly offend the "stunted Divas screeching in microphones" and "folky" liturgical directors, driving them away from any persuasive argument which Day might have offered. Of course, since he doesn't offer any, the fact that he's offensive to those he ridicules is probably moot.

Mr. Day has written a scathing, and sometimes angry review of the musical/liturgical situation in all too many Catholic (and many Protestant) churches today. A well-done critique of most modern church music, pointing out both the musical flaws and the theological ones. There were a few points that as a clergyman and a musician I could pick at, but nothing major. I hope that every parish priest, every church music director, and every parish liturgist takes this book to heart.

This is not a book about one particular type of mass versus another, its about achieving practical, meaningful, enjoyable community worship. A few years ago out of curiosity, I attended a tridentine sung mass. I had never been to a high mass in latin before and I found it a much deeper spiritual experience than the post Vatican II mass I was used to. The solemnity, the ritual, and the music combined to let me understand the grave import of the ceremony, and become deeply aware of the special presence of God, what's more it was joyous and enjoyable. However, when I tried to rationalise the experience, figure out exactly why this mass and its "old church" music allowed me to feel so deeply compared to my normal experiece of mass - I couldn't do it, (surely the mass is the mass, whatever the liturgical style, I said to myself). In this book Thomad Day explains why for many people catholic communal worship can be a bland experience, even an irritating chore, devoid for the most part of any sense of the divine, and by referring to catholic tradition he suggests simple, effective, commonsense methods for improving the community worship experience. For any concerned catholic layperson - I thoroughly recommend it.

Triumph is the most accessible resource for those interested in the history of the Catholic Church who don't want to major in theology. Crocker does a great job telling the story of the Catholic Church as a collection of stories and not as a mere listing of prominent figures and events. The prose is easy to read and does not require a lot of background information like church doctrine or political environments. Everything that is important to the narrative is defined.

There are two shortcomings to this book. First, at times he seems more church apologist that objective chronicler. While this may be a refreshing change to those of us used to unsubstantiated attacks against Catholicism, in all fairness I must admit at times he seems to over-correct. Second, the book is too short to amply consider its 2000-year-old subject. At times, this constraint caused Crocker to skimp on coverage of important matters such as Vatican II and the growth of the church into the New World and other colonies like the Philippines.

Before I read this book I had no idea of how the Catholic Church had become what it is today. All I had ever heard of the history of the Church was filled with flaming anti-Catholic rhetoric against the Inquisition, selling indulgences, and the Crusades. It is nice to know the full history involving the immeasurable good that the Church also did throughout world history. Although at many times it seems the author is being one-sided against Protestants, I'd like to remind you that it may just be possible that the Church itself was being wronged by the people he was talking about at the time. I know that in todays day and age it is difficult for people to put things into shades of good and evil, or right and wrong, but in the religious sense that usually is the case.

Please attempt to put your learned anti-Catholic biases aside before you read the book. Heck, until I was 18 all I had ever heard was that the hierarchy of the Catholic church was a terrible, worthless institution that only did harm, and I'm a Catholic! I was terribly mislead, and thanks to this book, now I know why I should have thought differently! I'd recommend this book to any Catholic who is questioning what makes your religion different from any other Christian one, and why you should accept the faith over the other big name religions inside Christianity and out.

This book proves what every person who has studied both history and theology has learned - that any prayerful and open-minded study of the history of Christ's Church, in concert with Scripture, leads inevitably toward one conclusion.

Crocker does a wonderful job of presenting a fair view of the history of Christ's Church and the often imperfect people who have been a part of it.

How much you enjoy and benefit from this book depends entirely on what you bring to it. If you, as I, are a World War I "buff" and have read just about anything you could get your hands on about the great conflict, it will be a disapppintment. On the other hand, if you are just getting started on the subject and wish a solid overview of the tragic Flanders fighting which devoured more men than any other sector, this may be the book for you. But be warned, Groom's treatment is entirely derivative, obviously relying entirely on secondary sources. Consequently, he offers no fresh insights either into the fighting or the respective strategies behind it and, in general, betrays a relatively amateurish approach to the subject. Overall, a decent stab at a complex story by a non-historian, but one that evidences its author's shortcomings throughout.

Winston Groom's latest historical work 'A Storm in Flanders', offers the reader an interesting and satisfying overview of the fighting around the Ypres Salient between 1914 and 1918. The book is 276 pages in length of which over 260 is text. This account cannot be considered comprehensive in its study of the Ypres Salient in the Great War, for that you will need to look elsewhere. However what Mr Groom does offer is a compelling look at the numerous battles fought around the Ypres Salient, including one of the most dreadful battles of World War One, Passchendaele, the Third Battle of Ypres.

The author has attempted to give you, the reader, an insight into the lives of the soldier huddled in his wet trench under constant artillery fire, where thousands of soldiers lost their lives in daily 'wastage', even during quiet periods. The story is told mainly from the British point of view, with numerous first-hand accounts offered throughout the book. The narrative is fast paced and you never get tired or bored with the story. I have read many books on the Great War and I never cease to wonder why these brave men endured what they did and for so long.

The author provides the reader with details about the introduction of new weapons of destruction unleashed for the first time during the Great War. Stories of how poisons gas was utilized by the Germans and then the Allies, followed by accounts of the victims and witnesses to the effects of gas are truly horrendous. Then follows the introduction of massive underground mines and the flame-thrower to combat the trench systems and machine gun posts of the enemy. The author doesn't spare you the details of what happened to men during the fighting in the trenches and the terrible affects of an artillery bombardment or a underground mine exploding under a trench packed with soldiers.

The beauty of this book is that it really gives you an idea what these poor men, from both sides of the conflict, had to live through. The oft told story about Lieutenant General Kiggell viewing the battlefield after Passchendaele fell, breaking down into tears, crying out "Good God, did we really send men to fight in that." still saddens me, regardless of how many times I read it.

If nothing else this, book will offer the first time reader of the fighting around Ypres a good understanding of the terrible battles fought there and will entice many to follow up with further reading. As such I can recommend many good titles to follow through on with for those who may be interested:

'In Flanders Fields' by Leon Wolff
'They Called it Passchendaele' by Lyn MacDonald
'Passchendaele: The Untold Story' by Robin Prior & Trevor Wilson
'Passchendaele: the Sacrificial Ground' by Nigel Steel & Peter Hart
'Passchendaele: The Story Behind the Tragic Victory of 1917' by Philip Warner

Of these Lyn MacDonald's account is one of the more interesting in that she utilises many accounts of the soldiers who fought during that terrible battle. Robin Prior and Trevor Wilson's account also offers much new information and has received much acclaim of late.

Any person who reads this book will not fail to come away impressed with the stolid courage of the officers and men involved in this terrible carnage and if that's the least this book does then that is more than enough as far as I am concerned.

I have a long-standing interest in history in general and military history in particular. After reading dozens if not hundreds of these books, I have found that the ones that stick with me are the ones that are beautifully written.

"A Storm in Flanders" is such a book, focusing on the British experience in the Ypres Salient during World War I. Groom wrote "Forrest Gump," as well as several history books. He knows how to put a sentence together and how to tell a gripping story. Once I picked this book up and started reading, I was hooked.

Much as Stephen Ambrose has done in his elegant books about World War II, Groom moves seamlessly between the generals in their chateaus and the grunts in their trenches. He makes use of diaries and poetry to tell the human story of a struggle that is all too often reduced to an abstract description of maneuver and battle. And he is very fair in his assessments--he acknowledges the criticisms of General Haig and many of the other leaders of the war, but he is always careful to balance these views with other considerations. The result is a well-told tale, fair and sympathetic to everyone involved.

The story of the Ypres Salient is not pretty. Groom does not pull his punches and does his best to give the reader, sitting in a comfortable armchair, some sense of just how horrible the Great War was. In a passage that I found especially memorable, Groom quotes Lieutenant Alfred J. Angel of the Royal Fusiliers during Third Ypres: "The stench was horrible, for the bodies were not corpses in the normal sense. With all the shell-fire and bombardments they'd been continually disturbed, and the whole place was a mess of filth and slime and bones and decomposing bits of flesh."

How anyone could live and fight in this hell on earth without going mad is simply beyond my comprehension, yet many British, French and German soldiers managed to do just that for four years running. Groom doesn't delve too deeply into the psychology of the soldiers, observing that "the search for 'why' and 'how' remains elusive and any effort to reason it out is to fashion a mirror of hell itself." He is probably right in saying that "[a] truly sobering thing would be a glimpse of what was actually going on in their minds during the fighting. That would not only be sobering; it would be perfectly frightening."

If you like a "A Storm in Flanders," I would recommend two other books. The first is "Face of Battle" by John Keegan, which tries to explain how soldiers keep fighting despite the horrors of war and the threat of instant death. The second is Sir Martin Gilbert's "The First World War," which describes the entire war using a relentless chronology that is truly compelling. Neither of these books is as well written as Groom's "A Storm in Flanders," but both are well worth the effort to read.

Phillips make a compelling argument that the three wars, English Civil War of 1640, American Revolution of 1776, and American Civil War of 1861, all carry the same dynamics between combatants. Those dynamics, Catholic vs. Protestant, Reformer vs. Conservative, Land Holder vs. Artisan, tumble down from one war to the next, and Phillips does a thorough job of explaining them. However, my only complaint with the book is that he was too thorough. I am an avid reader of history as a hobby, so I am a stranger neither to details in demographics nor dealing with person and place names unfamiliar to me. But I read history because it is fascinating stuff with outrageous personalities and remarkable coincidences, things that fiction simply cannot create and call "plausible". This book was more of a thesis--dry and heavy going.

I recommend the book to those who want to look at these wars, and the relationship between the USA and the UK, in a new light. The conclusions are eye-opening and thought provoking. But the path to getting to those conclusions is a tough one, so I do not recommend this book to those who read history as a happy diversion from daily routine.

I just completed Keven Phillips book The Cousins Wars and found it both fascinating and difficult reading. It was fascinating because it demonstrated the importance of religion, politics, sectarianism, and economics in shaping the history of both America and Great Britain. The author persuasively argues the interrelationships between the English Civil War of the 1640s, the American Revolution, and our Civil War. He explains who are the losers and who the winners in this march of history. I was especially moved and disturbed by the facts he presented vis-a-vis England and Ireland, the latter being one of the losers. Oliver Cromwell's invasion, the famine, the lack of English support for industrial growth in Ireland all allowed England to almost destroy the Irish people. Much of the motivation for this was religious--the fear of Popish plots and invasions by Catholic forces. Other losers were blacks and native Americans. The winners were those captains of industry who combined Yankee imperialism with religious ferver. It was difficult reading the book because of the many factions who shaped our history. It was like reading about the Balkans. There are so many nuances within a given group that at times it was hard to separate the good guys from the bad guys. All in all this is an excellent book which adds immensely to our understanding of the British Empire and now our own.

This book details the amazing parallels between British and American history as no other history book I have ever read has done. With a broad net that includes ethnic politics and religion, Kevin Phillips writes a great account of over 200 years of history on both sides of the Atlantic, detailing how the successive uprisings, the three "Cousins' Wars", were caused in large part by uprisings of Puritanism. A convincing and amazing book.

This one was also great, but I must admit that Glory winning by 20 lengths is somewhat outlandish. I wish everyone would stop this "the next Just Victory" business too. It's so silly. But At least Glory got over his spooking, but Ben Cavell is kind off too fake like. Also, someone should help get Cindy off her high horse, and it's not Glory. But we also have to remember what her past must have been like. She was in tough foster homes, having to fight for what was hers, and no one wanted her ever. That's a very sticky situation. So give Cindy some slack. Also, please make these books just a little longer. they are my favorite series, I have 1-19 and 36.

I really liked this book, and it was the second I read in the series, I couldn't put it down. But now that I've read more in this series, I see more problems with this book. It's just that Glory winning his first race ever by 20 lengths is slighly outlandish, and something about Cindy just gives me a weird feeling. She's nothing like Ash and Sammy, and I know everyone's different, but she acts like her life depends on Glory's winning, and she doesn't seem to have a whole relationship with the colt. But it's still very good, and I reccomend it.

i just love how glory runs he seems to do everything in his power to do hsi best. i say he shoudl win the derby- but i won't say to much. cindy is a littel bratty but is tolerable. Glory is the best horse for cindy and she shoudl keep him.

A friend gave me this book about a year ago but I never got around to reading it because it looked like one of those old-fashioned stories about good versus evil with good triumphant, etc etc etc. I picked up the book after Christmas and read it, and it offered comfort and hope during a dark winter. Evil came our way on September 11th and no one seemed to know what to do about it except help each other survive and overcome those who hate us with such irrational fury. Mr. Rustad's novel is about overcoming evil, and I'd give it ten stars if I could.

The Triumph & Glory grabbed me from the first page and kept me hooked, it is terrific! why isn't the next one out yet ? ? ?
I'm waiting . . . .

This novel has a finish that will really make you think about what is important in life. I loved the people in the story, especially Wilson, the hero pilot who just did his job and didn't expect to live through the war but knew the world wasn't going to stop turning just because he died. All he cared about was not letting down his friends and doing what was right. It cost him dearly, but respect isn't something you get just for showing up, you have to earn it, and Wilson certainly did.

Scott McCartney has written an excellent counterbalance to the current literature on the invention of the computer. It is a fine contrast to Herman Goldstine's book on the subject. Here, we see a johnny-come-lately view of the great mathematician John von Neumann, a man whose profound insight into the future value of an all-electronic calculating machine gives him the shared title of inventor of computer science (along with A. Turing), not the computer. This book leaves us no doubt, it was Eckert and Mauchly's creation, a plum that many others wanted credit for once it matured. The general purpose electronic computer is fittingly the invention of an electrical engineer (Eckert) and a visionary physicist (Mauchly). This is also a good resource on the entry by women into the world of computers. I was only disappointed that McCartney did not include a bit more of the technical, engineering details about ENIAC, and its comparison to the COLOSSUS, perhaps in an appendix.

I found ENIAC to be a fascinating story. It reminded me somewhat of some the characters in "A Beautiful Mind" - and, in fact, the books do overlap in their discussion of the post-War icons of scientific academia.

For those of us who grew up in the industry on the IBM side of things, ENIAC chronicles another force in computer history - the Sperry-Rand dynasty, which today is manifested as Unisys, now a struggling niche mainframe vendor trying to reinvent itself with an industrial-class Windows box.

The latter part of the book focuses on the subterfuge and betrayal visited upon the book's protagonists - Mauchly and Eckert. At first this read like general conspiracy theory stuff, but upon further reflection of my own professional life, where I have seen what some people will do to advance their careers or even qualify for an exam, I realized the story is certainly probable. Von Neumann, Atanasoff, and Brainerd come off as despicable characters, successful in their own right but with reputations forever marred due to their treachery. Mauchly and Eckert's lack of business prowess prevented them from recovering from their detractors' attacks.

In the long run, the injustice done to the duo did further the computer industry by opening up competition, although one can argue that IBM - the juggernaut of the industry - should have been the sole focus of the courts rather than Sperry-Rand.

The book is a quick-read, well-researched, and well-documented. I was hoping it would have been slightly more technical, but all-in-all a good read.

Anybody who has taken an introductory computer science course has heard about how Mauchly and Eckert built ENIAC, the first electronic computer, which was originally intended to compute artillery shell trajectories during World War II. Here is the amazing story of the building of ENIAC, and how Mauchly and Eckert deserve far more credit for this triumph than the customary footnote they are usually given in computer science textbooks. After all, it was they who actually turned theory into real electrical wiring and vacuum tubes. This book questions whether John von Neumann deserves as much credit as he is sometimes given for being the "Father of the Modern Computer."

Although this book is aimed at the 9-12 age group, it is actually written for Tara's younger fans with its large print, double spacing and limited vocabulary. Like most children's books, it is bright, cheery, and very positive. It makes for a great "read aloud" book especially for parents with all those exclamation points.

It seems many reviewers feel the book is too fluffy or childish, but after all, it is marketed as a children's book, not something for readers over 12 years of age. It reads more like a fan magazine, and if you're looking for a book with more detail and depth on Ms. Lipinski, read Christine Brennan's somewhat biased account of Tara in "Edge of Glory", also available at Amazon.com. (Note: Brennan is not a Tara fan.)

My only gripe with "Triumph on Ice" was the writing style. In an effort to capture Tara's youthful enthusiasm and her confident attitude, co-writer Emily Costello overdoes it and Tara comes off sounding rather conceited and full of herself. Given Tara's busy schedule during the time this book was published, I doubt that she even penned a single word. It sounds more like Emily Costello wrote this book based on taped phone interviews with Tara.

As one reviewer said, hopefully Ms. Lipinski will rewrite this book. Personally, I would like to see Ms. Lipinski actually write a more detailed and in-depth autobiography after she has matured and has experienced more of what life has to offer.

OUTstanding! This book is great! It made me belive that I could be a figure Skater I just love this book. I would to anything to meet Tara.

I bought this book cuz of tara and TARA IS SO OPEN IN THIS BOOK! Its incredible for young skaters. A tRuE iNsPiRaTiOn!

This is an exceptional biography. The research that went intothis book and the comprehensive references included are mostimpressive. This is the story of the man, Ulysses S. Grant, not thelegend. In this work, Grant's greatest triumphs as well as his most dismal failures are exposed. I found his early life as a cadet at West Point and as a quartermaster officer in the Mexican-American War most interesting. After that war he was assigned as an infantry officer in California where he became depressed and fell to drink. He resigned from the service and was a failure at almost everything he tried, finally working as a store clerk for his father. When the Civil War started, Grant helped recruit volunteer regiments and train them. He had very little political pull and had to fight for his appointment as Colonel. He distinguished himself in the Western Campaigns and was promoted to Major General in the Regular Army. Because of his successes and the failures of other generals, he was appointed Lieutenant General of the Army. This caused all kinds of bitterness from rivals and political cronies. Grant then led the Union Armies into Virginia where he faced Lee. What followed was a long and hard fought campaign. The battles of the Wilderness, Spotsylvania, Cold Harbor, and the Petersburg and Appomattox Campaigns finally brought the Army of Northern Virginia to surrender. Through all the fighting, Grant never gave up and continually pressed forward. Some of Grant's hardest battles were with the bottle, the press, politicians and incompetent people under his command. Grant hated war, was sickened by the loss of life, and did everything in his power to bring the conflict to an end.

One need only read the reviews of this book by James McPherson in The New Republic and Robert Remini in The New York Times Book Review to realize that here is a book that many prominent historians phrase highly. Thus I was bemused by some of the criticisms directed toward this book, and none so much as that offered by Robert Redman, a fellow who appears to be a few bricks shy of a load in his celebration of George Thomas and his denigration of Ulysses S. Grant. Mr. Redman simply does not know what he is talking about (and neither do several of his positing buddies). Here, to balance this, is some of what UCLA professor Joan Waugh had to say:

Brooks D. Simpson's splendid new biography of Ulysses S. Grant recounts the remarkable story of the thirty-nine-year-old clerk who rose swiftly through the ranks of the Northern army during the Civil War to command the entire Union military effort, win the war, and secure the peace. In this first volume of two, Simpson spends little time on Grant's early life. The bulk of the book offers a meticulously researched account of his military career in the Civil War. Simpson's Grant is a complex, intelligent, and ultimately masterful leader of men and of armies. Although Simpson does not shy from discussions of miscues and mistakes, in the end his evaluation of Gen. Ulysses S. Grant is positive, even glowing. **** The chapters that cover Grant's subsequent career in the war show Simpson's mastery of both military and political sources as well as his talent for fine writing. Simpson avoids the "great battles and leaders" syndrome by linking the story of Grant and the western theater with a close and careful contextual analysis of why he emerged by 1864 as the leading general of the Northern armies. Lincoln exulted: "Grant is the first general I have had!" We learn why Lincoln's estimation of Grant was so high as Simpson describes Grant's hard-won victories at Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Vicksburg, and Chattanooga. The last two battles were masterpieces of strategy that placed Grant among the top generals in history. Simpson argues that Grant developed the political skills that complimented and strengthened his martial abilities. He was an enthusiastic supporter of Lincoln's policies, especially the use of black soldiers, and emphatically denied he had any interest in running for office.

So much for Mr. Redman and his fellow critics.

A wonderful book, with brillant, sizzling prose! A must buy!