Customer Reviews (1)

They Deserved Each Other
This is a classic account of the events leading up to the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, the treaty negotiations and the effects resulting from the German imposition of a disastrous peace on the Bolshevik regime.Highly recommended both for its portraits of the participants, and its narrative skill.One can only wish the events left the casual reader with someone to admire, or even like, but sometimes in historical conflicts both sides are contemptible.Students will find this very helpful in sorting out a chaotic and consequential series of events. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (4)

very slow to ship item
I had to contact the seller several times to see if she was going to ship this item. She was on vacation for part of the time.

Informative, Readable, Affordable
Reporter: Mr. Gandhi, what do you think of Western civilization?
Mahatma Gandhi: I think it would be an excellent idea!

Despite Gandhi's irony, studying Western Civ is still quite valuable, not least because it's now shorn of most ethnocentric biases.The 2010 incarnation of McKay's standard text is not only a sound teaching tool, judicious pruning has reduced both length and especially cost.(Overpricing is a major drawback of earlier editions and almost all college survey texts.)The "Brief History" has a further improved organization, probably the best available for such texts.Each chapter has previews of main themes; key questions highlighting subsections; andcloses with a summary review segment. This structure helps readers to grasp the most significant developments through an unavoidable cascade of detail.Along with well-chosen illustrations and superior maps, perhaps the best feature is the primary source excerpt at each chapter's end.This alerts students to the fundamental importance, and fascination, of original evidence in writing history. It's like having a source reader inside: 2 books (almost) in 1.The writing is consistently clear, sometimes pithy by survey-text standards.I will use it again because it works for students, whose opinion matters the most.

(Adapted from my Nov 2005 Amazon review of McKay, History of Western Society from Antiquity to 1500, ISBN 0618522697.)

Happy with textbook
I am very happy with the textbook and it is in good condition. Shipping seemed to take long though.

Terrible Experience
Never received the product, terrible experience with amazon.com. Took my money and no way to contact anyone to correct problem!! I have attempted to contact seller 3 times. Will now try to cancel through credit card company. ... Read more

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A clear and compelling diagnosis and prescription for the most alarming social problem in American history: the all-but-inevitable explosion in violent crime in the best ten years. Charts & tables.Amazon.com Review
If it is difficult to take seriously a book on crime-fighting thatstarts by calling the Reagan-Bush drug war "the most successful attackon a serious social problem in the last quarter-century," consider thatthe authors up the ante with their alarmist forecasts of an approaching waveof youthful "super-predators," members of "the youngest,biggest and baddest generation any society has ever known." Evidence forthis army of thugs seems slight in the face of sharp nationwide declines inrates of violent crime, but then former drug czar and self-appointed virtueexpert William Bennett is preaching to the choir here anyway. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Bennett's warped interpretation
I couldn't agree more with the last two reader reviews, and would like to add a bit more.This work has two fatal flaws that undermine all of his analysis. It consistenly confuses correlation and causality, and deliberatly ignores portions of counter-arguments inconvenient to Bennett's conclusion.

Even using government funded studies, developed no doubt by Bennett's ideological kin, his defense of marijuana prohibition relies on an abusurd logical extension.First he shows that cocaine is a cause of violence.This is already a tenuous position in and of itself since he does nothing to disprove that cocaine prohibition is not responsible for more violence than the drug's pharmacological properties.The he relies on the long-defunct gateway theory to show that a lax approach to marijuana will generate thousands more violent cocaine addicts.Thus, marijuana must be thoroughly repressed.Yeah, obviously... no other way around that one.

He states with indignation that more 15-18 year olds see marijuana as relatively harmless than any time in the preceeding decade and a half. Well, unfortunately even a moral fiat from the good Dr. Bennett cannot change the fact that the perception of pot as relatively harmless is, for the most part, accurate; no matter how uncomfortable it may make him.

What about the claims that supply side drug interdiction is fatally flawed as a long term strategy?No worries, according to Body Count, since it worked in the very short run in 1992, it must be effective.

The 60% drop in casual drug use between 1980 and 1992 a smashing success, akin to saving 60% of the rainforest or preventing 60% of unwanted pregnancies?You bet, of course Bennett fails to mention that the same period saw an unprecedented rise in drug market violence, an INCREASING number of 'hard core' drug abusers, destruction of civil liberties, a mushrooming prison population, the shredding of urban America's remaining social fabric, the demonization of blacks and junkies as drug war enemies, skyrocketing quantities of preventable and drug related AIDS cases, a burgeoning culture of intolerance, and the list goes on.

To top it all off, in this book Bennett has the gall to criticize the media for not depicting the drug war as a success, when he, himself was frequently the one on national tv using fear-mongering rhetoric to drive the perception of a failing drug war.

Good, but not perfect
Filled with useful information, this book blows away some of the standard liberal myths about crime - such as that "prison doesn't work" and "guns cause crime". But they also prove their even-handedness by dealing to a few standard conservative myths too However, I'd have to add that I disagree with some of the (lesser) conclusions drawn by the authors in the final chapter, particularly regarding "moral poverty" and the war on drugs. All the same, they did succeed in making me re-evaluate my position on drugs considerably. The book was worth buying for all the data in it alone, particularly the appendix with criminal histories of 40 "low-level" offenders - most illuminating! All the rest is a bonus, and it is largely clearly and cogently argued. It does have to be said that the religious viewpoint of the authors does tend to show at times, particularly in the final chapter, which will tend to put some people off (myself included!). Don't let this blind you to the many valid points they have to make, however.

whacking the mole
So if it's not the handicaps we've imposed on cops and prosecutors, and it's not institutionalized racism, and it's not material want, then what is the fundamental cause of predatory street crime.

Moral poverty.

...[M]oral poverty is the poverty of being without loving, capable, responsible adults who teach you right from wrong; the poverty of being without parents and other authorities who habituate you to feel joy at others' joy, pain at others' pain, satisfaction when you do right, remorse when you do wrong; the poverty of growing up in the virtual absence of people who teach morality by their own everyday example and who insist that you follow suit. ...

The twin character scars left by moral poverty--lack of impulse control and lack of empathy--reinforce each other and make it far more likely that the individual will succumb to either the temptations of crime, or the blandishments of drugs, or, as so often happens, both. -Body Count

One of the more comforting aspects of conservatism is that you can adopt one set of principles--mostelements of which are hundreds (capitalism and republican democracy) or even thousands (10Commandments, Golden Rule, Sermon on the Mount) of years old, and have stood the test oftime--and then stick with it your whole adult life.At any given moment several of the positions youadhere to will certainly be out of favor, but just as surely the tide will eventually turn back in yourfavor.New ideas and fancy fads will come and go, leaving trend-sucking liberals with their headsspinning, but you can just stick to your guns and ignore them all, secure in the knowledge that folkswill eventually return to their senses and come scurrying back to the timeless virtues.This isespecially the case when it comes to Crime and Punishment.Few issues, other than the equallyintractable Taxation and Education,have been so susceptible over the years to "innovative" thinkingand "radical" solutions as the problem of Crime.But time and again we all end up returning to theconservative mantra : what's needed are a societal emphasis on loving families and traditional morality,vigorous law enforcement, and harsh punishments.

This book then is an unsurprising call for a return to these first principles, in particular a clarion callfor an effort to combat moral poverty, and, equally unsurprisingly, its policy prescriptions arecurrently back in vogue. Between the candidacy of Joe Lieberman and the victory of George W. Bush,religious belief is once again a central part of our national debate, morality is a hot topic, and a broadconsensus has formed around the idea that faith-based institutions, with their manifest moralcomponent, are better at delivering social services than government bureaucracies.Coauthor JohnDiIulio has, in fact, been named to be the coordinator of President Bush's Faith Based Initiative.And,what with now former President Clinton mired in a new scandal (which will inevitably come to beknown as Pardongate) Bill Bennett is popping up all over the networks and editorial pages, getting tosay, "I told you so" and preach the importance of morality in public life.

Meanwhile, in New York City, Rudy Guliani has proven that crime can be reduced and civic mannersrestored by relentlessly prosecuting even minor infractions. Perhaps most importantly, reforms likebuilding more prisons, Three Strikes and You're Out, mandatory sentencing, and incarcerating evenlow level drug offenders, have helped to bring about a tremendous reduction in crime rates.It wouldseem that, in a sense, this book has been made superfluous by the very success of the ideas itadvocates.

But never fear, already we hear calls to relax drug laws (many of them fueled by the new movieTraffic) amidst hand-wringing over the burgeoning prison population.Perhaps the best aspect of thisbook is that the authors actually go beyond just drugs and demonstrate the close connection betweenalcohol and crime.One of the most effective arguments of those who support legalization of drugs isthe comparison to alcohol.The authors head off this line of reasoning by indicting alcohol too. You've got to admire a conservatism so fierce and intellectually honest that it's basically willing torefight some of the battles of Prohibition.

Another phenomenon we've witnessed in recent years is one of those patented psychic disconnects onthe part of liberals that we conservatives so treasure, folks on the Left have actually taken to arguingthat the statistics showing a drop in crime can not be right because of the size of the current prisonpopulation.Their characteristically fuzzy logic maintains that if crime really were going down therewould perforce be less people in prison.This confusion over cause and effect, obvious as it seems,and the accompanying appeals to middle class white guilt will inevitably lead to an eventual relaxingof our guard and the pendulum will swing back towards leniency and permissiveness.

This book is somewhat dated now, because of its reliance on statistics and because too much of what ithas to say has been adopted as public policy, but put it on a shelf for a few years and you'll be able totake it down during the next explosion in crime.Think of public policy making as a huge game of"Whack the Mole" conservatives always remain poised with the same hammer (a consistent set ofideas) and periodically have to bang away with the hammer when experimentation with liberal ideasmanages to unleash a plague of vermin.Lift this book and you wield the hammer.

GRADE : B-

Another rant from the Republican Party's Travis Bickle
William Bennett must have loved that famous Scorsese film "TaxiDriver."

Here we see William Bennett muttering, perhaps a wee bitmore eloquent than Scorsese's protagonist, at the "dirt" and"scum" and "filth" of "criminals," all thewhile ignoring their own trails of blood and sorrow.

Bennett's policieshave helped created an economic climate where one can make a fortuneselling crack and crystal meth.

'Nuff said about Bennett's"morality."

The truth is painful to trendy America
No, this book won't play well with the MTV genertation.But it obviously contains a powerful message to have elicited such venom from the "with it" reviewers of the national media.

The core of this work is that moral standards, not materialism, ensure safe and orderly communities.The lack of morality and socialization of young people results in a significant increase in crime, disorder and fear.If potential readers are concerned about the necessity of safe communities, this book is worthwhile.

Does the Nike ad that stated, "Just do it!" seem vaguely disturbing?Does that fact that many people are just doing whatever pops into their heads (including destructive and violent behavior) worry you?Do you wonder whether our society will "tolerate" itself into chaos?This work can provide not only insight, but some answers, too.

The people whose heroes are Dennis Rodman or the Spice Girls won't like this book.Members of "Act U! p" will find it hersesy.Social bureaucrats will be appalled. But it's worth reading just to find out what set the self-indulgent, neo-intelligentsia howling! ... Read more

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Sir John W. Wheeler-Bennett tells the story of how the German Army, having survived the disaster of 1918, proceeded to dominate the political life of the German Republic, exercising a virtually paramount degree of power and influence by its very withdrawal from the active arena of politics: and of how, when later it was mistaken enough to play politics instead of controlling them, it began a descent which only ended in abject defeat - militarily, politically and spiritually. The author reveals the extent of the responsibility of the Army for bringing the Nazi regime to power, for tolerating the infamies of that regime once it had attained power, and for not taking the measures - at a time when only the Army could have taken them - to remove it from power. In this second edition a new foreword by Professor Richard Overy sets Wheeler-Bennett's classic text in a modern context.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

The Relationship Between Adolf Hitler and the German Army
Sir John Wheeler-Bennett served the British government in Germany during the 1920s and early 1930s and knew many of the key figures in this narrative personally.He barely escaped Hitler's wrath during the 1934 "Night of the Long Knives" when he was targeted for murder by an SS death squad.

Yet despite his personal involvement in these events, (or perhaps because of them),Wheeler-Bennett offers an amazing and exhaustively detailed account of the political-military nexus in Germany from the end of World War I until the end of World War II.Originally intended to be only a history of the anti-Nazi resistance within the military, Wheeler-Bennett wisely extended his scope to deal with all facets of the political-military relationship.

This is a dense book, and not one for the casual reader or student just beginning his studies on Nazi Germany or the Second World War in Europe.But for those seeking a truly detailed and informative narrative of this topic, Wheeler-Bennett's "The Nemesis of Power, The German Army in Politics, 1918-1945" is sure to prove informative.

THE book to read on the German army in the inter-war period
I was privileged to know and study under Sir John Wheeler-Bennett in the last six years of his life, when he taught at New York University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. He was a charming, courtly, witty and brilliant man, a thoroughly-trained historian and diplomat, who lived through the period he studied and knew most of the great figures of his time.That is a very rare combination.

Wheeler-Bennett was an insider, a member of the Duff Cooper-Winston Churchill group, who lived in Germany for a considerable part of the inter-war period, until a fortuitous combination of a trip and a warning enabled him to escape being killed during the "Night of the Long Knives."He maintained clandestine ties with some dissident members of the German General Staff through the war, and directed the Allies' organization and publication of the German Archives thereafter.

"Nemesis of Power" is not a quick read, but it is absolutely fascinating, and it still has a great deal of invaluable information more than forty-five years after its writing. ... Read more

Product Description
Calling Joseph Smith "one of the grossest and most infamous impostors that ever appeared upon the face of the earth," John Cook Bennett exposes a viper's nest of bitterness and corruption in his inflammatory "History of the Saints", which appeared in 1842. Issuing dire warnings of a Mormon conspiracy to overthrow the government, Bennett catalogs the "Mormon Monster's career of imposture, iniquity, and treason" while presenting testimonies to his own unsullied character. Castigating the church and everyone associated with it, he describes the elaborate "seraglio" - the hierarchy of females at the disposal of men of power - and the Mormons' military and civic organization, as well as their secret societies, including the Danites, an elite group of spies and informers who purportedly dressed as women while engaged in their dark schemes. This same John Bennett had been Joseph Smith's assistant president and close confidant, as well as the mayor of the city of Nauvoo, a major general of its militia, and a chancellor of its university. Andrew F.Smith's introduction examines this enigmatic character, putting Bennett's disavowal of the church and his near-fanatical crusade into perspective. He sketches Bennett's Barnumesque adult life and his initial embracing of Mormonism, as well as the events that turned him against it. He also discusses the book's publication history, its reception by the Mormons and the press, and Bennett's habit of editing himself out of accounts of Mormon misdeeds in which he was involved. Although generally dismissed by Mormon scholars as the work either of a true believer who went astray or of an opportunist masquerading as a devout religious convert, "Bennett's History" did correctly report on Smith's polygamy and predict the rise of a Mormon theocracy, though not in the location he expected. Wherever the truth lies, History of the Saints is a titillating concoction of indignation, revelation, and vituperation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Early frontier tell-all about the Latter-Day Saints
"The History of the Saints", famous for being the book that blew the lid off of Mormon polygamy, is a very informative early expose' of the church's fraudulent origins and Joseph Smith's personal corruption. Although written by a man who was himself something of an amoral self-promoter and adventurer, the book's claims are mainly backed up by contemporary evidence or subsequent historical findings. And even though more modern books, with their greater historical perspective, impartiality and more judicious selection of material, might serve the reader better than this 1842 work, it is still of interest as a primary source for what the American public was learning of Joseph Smith and his movement as it was being born.

It's a strange book all right. Passionate, personal, vindictive, written with all the high-flown self righteousness that 19th century polemics and personal hypocrisy could muster, Mr. Bennett gathered into one book all the anti-Mormon ammunition he could find. A onetime high-ranking Mormon and intimate friend of Joseph Smith (although Bennett claims he only joined the church to expose its criminal designs) Bennett was expelled for sexual misconduct, which was when he began his public crusade to destroy his erstwhile faith and its prophet. A thoroughgoing lecher, opportunist and all-around rogue- which probably endeared him to the Prophet- Bennett's book can nevertheless be trusted. In the first place, the vast majority of this work is made up of testimony by people who had nothing to do with John Bennett, and which had been previously published in other author's works. Of the few original revelations Bennett makes, they either have been confirmed or supported by history, or they ring with utter plausibility according to what we know of Joseph Smith. And some of what you will read in this book are:

*Sworn affidavits by the Smith family's neighbors, friends and in-laws testifying to the entire clan's superstition, indolence and dishonesty.
*An affidavit by a close friend of Joseph Smith's, testifying that he heard Smith admit that the story of the Golden Plates started out as a joke to fool his credulous family.
*Affidavits by the citizens of Conneaut, OH swearing that the names and historical incidents in the Book or Mormon came from an unpublished manuscript that had been read to them by a now-deceased neighbor some 20 years before Joseph Smith found his Golden Bible.
*Bennett's own account of how Joseph Smith asked him to go to New York City and secretly have golden plates engraved, so that they could exhibit it as the famous Golden Bible found by Joseph and charge admission to the curious masses.

Many other revelations are included here, including the first eyewitness account of the Mormons' polygamy, the Danite assassins, Joseph's dreams of a North American empire, the Prophet's phrenological chart, and much more. As I said, the interested reader would probably do better by reading a more modern history of Joseph Smith and Mormonism, particularly Fawn Brodie's "No Man Knows My History." However, there's one incident from this book I'd like to quote in full, because it doesn't seem to get much attention anymore, even though it seems like a good example of Smith's hypocrisy and self-awareness. Bennett and Smith were riding along the banks of the Mississippi, when Smith initiated the following conversation:

"General Harris...says that you have no faith, and that you do not believe we shall ever obtain our inheritance in Jackson County, Missouri." Though somewhat perplexed by the Prophet's remark, and still more by his manner, I coldly replied, "What does Harris know about my belief, or the real state of my mind? I like to tease him now and then about it, as he is so firm in the faith, and takes it all in such good part." "Well," said Joe, laughing heartily, "I guess you have got about as much faith as I have. Ha! ha! ha!" "I should judge about as much," was my reply.

Bennett was a Scoundrel: But Does his Book Ring True?
This is quite an interesting book, and one that all interested in the the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints should read. I give it 5 stars not because I believe everything in it, but because I believe its claims should be seriously considered.

After the LDS church's exodus from Missouri in the winter of 1838-1839 the always opportunistic John Cook Bennett (1804-1867) saw a chance to get ahead by helping the Mormons who were coming as refugees into Illinois. In 1840 he moved to the Mormon stronghold at Nauvoo and ingratiated himself with Joseph Smith, who was impressed with his persona and powerful connections in the state. Bennett demonstrated his considerable organizational ability and leadership talent on behalf of the Mormons in the fall of 1840 by spearheading the effort to guide the Nauvoo City Charter through the State Legislature. He then helped to organize the Nauvoo Legion and secured for it arms from the state arsenal. After these successes, Joseph Smith was even more impressed with the sophisticated physician/politician/businessman/army officer, and he rewarded him with great power and influence in Nauvoo, something that Bennett apparently craved more than anything else. Smith made Bennett a major general in the Nauvoo Legion and helped him win the election as mayor of the city early in 1841. Soon afterward Stephen A. Douglas appointed him Master in Chancery for Hancock County. No one else in Nauvoo had risen so quickly.

But Bennett's fall was just as rapid. He and Smith soon quarreled over a variety of issues. They became rivals on several levels--church business, city issues, political activities, and especially the sexual escapade of Mormon polygamy--and the clashes soon became overburdening. By May 1842 a public break had taken place, both Bennett and Smith charging each other with all types of crimes. There can be no doubt that sexual politics played the key role, as both accused the other of indiscretions. Smith's powerful position as the church's prophet ensured that he won the battle for the allegiance of the citizens of Nauvoo, however, and Bennett fled the town. He then set about to expose Smith in speeches across the state and in letters to Illinois newspapers.

Bennett, of course, knew about Joseph Smith's most volatile theological innovation, the concept of plural marriage. Gossip about the practice had swirled about Mormonism since the mid-1830s--an 1835 General Conference had even adopted a resolution explicitly denying the charge--but the practice emerged full-blown in Nauvoo during the early 1840s. By the time of Bennett's disaffection, Smith had married no fewer than eight women and because of his close association with Smith, Bennett knew about some of these liaisons. Bennett brought this most explosive of all issues to public attention in 1842, and this book is a key part of that campaign.

Bennett was especially aware of the marriage of Joseph Smith to Louisa Beaman on April 5, 1841, and discusses it in this 1842 book-length expose of the church. Smith wanted desperately to keep plural marriage a secret, however, and took steps to ensure that no one would violate the confidence. If he was not sure of a person's loyalty, and therefore silence, the prophet apparently attempted either to coerce or to destroy credibility. Bennett, whose reputation was not exactly clean on this score anyway, became the target of a smear campaign in Nauvoo. He was charged with everything from rape to attempted murder, and his character has ever after been sullied. While there is certainly some truth to the charges made by Joseph Smith against John Bennett in 1842, some of them were mere fabrications. He became a scapegoat for secret polygamy--seduction, deception, and hypocrisy.

Even though some were probably untrue, in this book Bennett countered with his own set of charges against Joseph Smith. Many of his depictions in this book on the evolution of Mormon theocracy, temple endowments, and plural marriage, however, proved to have been pretty much on the mark. Within days of leaving Nauvoo Bennett launched into an expose of Mormonism on the lecture circuit and in newspapers and magazines. His series of four letters to an Illinois newspaper, the "Sangamo Journal," became the basis for this book. The core of it is a discussion of plural marriage, or "spiritual wifery," and the frank discussions scandalized non-Mormon readers and convinced many that Smith was involved in secret sexual activity with various women.

In it Bennett boldly named people who could attest to the truth of his assertions, and he included some documents, including a letter Smith sent to Nancy Rigdon, urging her to put aside her objections and engage in polygamous relations with him. The prophet flatly denied any wrongdoing, however, and most Mormons believed him.

It is important after more than a century and a half to reassess Bennett's charges in this book and to ascertain for oneself their legitimacy. For example, corroboration for some of Bennett's expose came from Sarah Pratt, the wife of Mormon apostle Orson Pratt, who is on record as having to rebuff Joseph Smith in 1842 when he asked her to become his "spiritual wife" while her husband was on a mission to England and Scotland. This incident, of course, presents a very difficult historical problem for any belief that Mormon plural marriage was ordained of God since it violates the dictum of a woman having "but one husband."

I believe there is more to the Bennett expose than most have been willing to acknowledge in the past. Bennett was an opportunitist and a scoundrel, but I think he also reports truthfully on a lot of what was taking place in Nauvoo in the 1840s. Bennett was castigated as the "fiendish" originator of weird sexual practices with women rather than Smith, who certainly originated polygamy. Bennett was, in fact, made the scapegoat for activities that the Nauvoo Mormons did not want to acknowledge in Smith or in the Mormon community generally.

Read this book with a critical mind, check its charges against other accounts, and decide for yourself. I recommend it on that basis.

Scoundrel of the 19th century
This book is an embarrassment.Poorly organized, full of debased lies so incredible that one wonders rather the author himself actually believed them, and of such a personally vindictive nature that the reader feels as though he/she have just sat through a 330 page temper-tantrum.I can't believe anyone takes this book seriously.
The first obvious clue to the unreliability of this book is Bennett's 60-page tribute to himself.It's been said, and I agree wholeheartedly, that anyone who needs that much space to prove the good nature of his character is a scoundrel of the worst sort.And scoundrel he was. He sold college diplomas under auspicies of a bogus university.At one time he abandoned a wife and children in Ohio.He was famous for seducing young women with the promise that, should they get pregnant, he would perform an abortion on them (he was a doctor by trade).Yet these facts (and many others) are oddly left out of his first-chapter shrine to himself.And, wisely so, for if anyone knew the true character of the man, no one would have read the rest of his book.
So, what is contained in the rest of his book?Actually, there is very little of Bennett's own material.The bulk of the work is simply a series of very long excerpts from previous anti-Mormon books.So, what does one have to profit from reading this work?Absolutely nothing.

This book is not a rehash of old material.
First of all this book is not cliche or a rehash of earlier material as other reviewers have stated. This book is also not very good. The book is written by John Bennett the first mayor of Nauvoo and one of the first major opponents of the Mormon movement. It is one of the first works of anti-mormon literature. I give it a five not because of any inherent academic achievement by Bennett (it has none the book was little more than a money making scheme and a political tool) but because of what we can learn about early mormon dissenters and their views of Mormonism. It also has great significance as a first hand account, albeit a biased one but all views of Mormonism are obviously biased one way or the other.

passe...
Overpriced for the cliche approach. I'm sure I should have purchased a more innovative work. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

fruitful
the first two and last chapters were pretty much useless to me; however, there was a large middle area that had some good information.for instance, i didn't know that Gurdjieff was a lady's man (i.e. womanizer).although, i'm not surprised.he's as much a one-of-a-kind guru as Aleister Crowley.

yes, some really good insight.Bennett himself takes some of the Work in right hand path ways (union with God the ultimate prize, etc.), but otherwise the book was fruitful in my 4th way research.

Venger As'Nas Satanis
Cult of Cthulhu High Priest

Background on Mr. G's sources plus more
Although Gurdjieff never revealed his sources, he hinted at them over and over in his writings. Here we have Mr. Bennett, a renaissance man himself, who spoke dozens of languages, travelled extensively in these areas, had a personal relationship with G., and access to his family and friends. This is the ultimate Gurdjieff book about Gurdjieff that everyone who studies the Sufis, the Fourth Way, or Gurdjieff, must read, more than once.

Mr. Bennett also gives insider tips and hints and previously unreleased material.

New to Gurdjieff - Start Here!
J. G. Bennett did a wonderful job of introductory biography and summarizing the main concepts attributed to Gurdjieff in this book. I found especially fascinating Bennett's discussion of Gurdjieff's relationship with the Sarmoun or Sarman Brotherhood. What is also quite interesting to me about Gurdjieff is that he seemed to attract a very high caliber of thinker. I know that many people believe Gurdjieff has a cult following. But this cult includes Ouspensky, Bennett, Nicoll, Orage, etc. All of these people are very competent independent thinkers. Bennett is certainly no slouch as a philosopher, since he wrote about many things besides Gurdjieff's system. Overall, I was quite impressed with this book and look forward to reading other books by John G. Bennett.

One of the best introductions to Gurdjieff and his philosophy
J.G. Bennett was an associate of Gurdjieff and writes of him with authority.
Bennett held many careers in his life a soldier, linguist, mystic and engineer.He was very much the stereotype of Englishman of his times. He presents himself as both level headed and a skeptic. How much of a skeptic he was I leave the reader to decide but in this volume Bennett tells the story of Gurdjieff's search for the truth and of his teachings. Those with even a passing interest in Gurdjieff will find this book fascinating.
The first half some might find a little difficult to slog through as Bennett mentions varous arcane philosophies and places in Central Asia with which most of us in the West are unfamiliar but
it is well worth the time invested. The second half of the bookgoes into Gurjieff's teaching methods and his philosophy.
As Gurdjieff encouraged skepticism: if you must, read it as a skeptic, but I believe the average reader will find Gurdjieff's travels and his philosophy fascinating.
I have known some to find his insights very useful in everyday life.
Both a good inroduction and overview to one of the most fascinating figures of the 20th century.

Highly recommended


Jim Connell"Hallstatt Prince"

A Masterpiece
J.G. Bennett's at his best. Together with "Masters of Wisdom" he
prooves that he understood Gurdjieff's mission and brought it many steps further and closer. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Long Pilgrimage--a remarkable story & teaching
This is one powerful book -- one of John Bennett's best, I think, having read several of them carefully. Bennett is much better known for his sudies in Sufism, Subud, and the philosophies of Gurdjieff & Ouspensky.But this one is written with perhaps more humility than any of his others.I don't see how one could read even a few pages, without wanting to make some changes in one's life -- the book makes the ancient Hindu scriptures come alive for the modern Western reader, without necessitating belief in anything traditional -- it establishes practices that can be integrated into modern life without pre-supposing group work or work with a teacher -- it explains clearly where & why you might need a teacher, a group, or a religion for that matter. Many books that "tell you what to do" don't simultaneously leave you room to direct your own path according to your own intelligence and discrimination. This book is amazingly different and thus singularly profound.

One can wish that we knew more about Govinda's meetings with people all over the world during and after his pilgrimage, but as he himself is quoted, roughly: "I am not important; this teaching is important."

Anyone interested in comparative mysticism from a practical standpoint (i.e. with the hope of applying a book as a teaching, to one's own life)can only be very thankful that Dawn Horse took it upon itself to republish this story and methodology almost 10 years after Bennett had died -- and 20 years after the original edition. However, if you are the type who judges a book by its preface, the Dawn Horse preface can be disregarded.Written by Georg Feuerstein, apparently a devotee of Master Da Free John, the preface is an almost hilarious non sequitor to the book itself.Mr. Feuerstein presumes to be able to pigeonhole both the level of soul-evolution of the Shivapuri Baba and the method he taught, according to a system of levels defined by an ad hoc terminology atributed to Da Free John.

Such an attempt at categorization is indeed ludicrous in the face of a story like this:After reaching the age of 18, the Baba spent 25 years alone in the forest as an adult, came out sane enough to spend another 50 or so years travelling the world, mostly on foot, meeting Queen Victoria and many other world leaders.Bennett, who was no dilletante at comparative religion himself, was amazed at how at home the Shivapuri Baba was in several religious traditions -- as if he belonged to each, completely.And Bennett did not travel to meet the Baba at his home in Nepal until the man was over 135 years old! I have heard a couple of tapes of their conversations, and it is remarkable to hear the Baba answer any question put by Bennett, instantly, with no hesitation, and with complete relevance.Introduce me to someone like that -- and over 100 years old! Bennett, in his introduction, gives some sense of what it must have been like to meet so rare a person.But again, it was the teaching of "Right Life" or Swadharma that the Baba emphasized, over and above any interest in his person, in spite of the awesome authority with which he spoke. ... Read more

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Emory Univ., Atlanta, GA. Comprehensive reference to infectious disease and infection control in the hospital environment. For health care professionals and students. Extensive references. 81 contributors, 75 U.S. DNLM: Cross infection--prevention & control. ... Read more

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General Books publication date: 2009Original publication date: 1954Original Publisher: Pacific Coast PublishersSubjects: VirginiaNotes: This is a black and white OCR reprint of the original. It has no illustrations and there may be typos or missing text.When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million books for free.Excerpt: BUTLER of Yatton Co., Worcester; Sharnbrooke, Co., Bedford; Little Burch Hall, Essex; Kent Island, Maryland; Westmoreland and Stafford Counties, Virginia; and South Carolina. This family originated in Worcestershire, England, where it is found soon after the conquest. It seems to be clearly traceable from father to son from the time of KING JOHN, (1199-1216) down to this day.The arms of this family were "argent on a chief indented sable three covered cups or". These arms are still extant in some of the ancient churches in Worcester. (Habington's Survey of Worcester", see index).Pedigrees of this family are shown in the Visitations of Worcester (1569, Harl. Vol. 27, p. 30); of Bedfore (Harl. 19); of Essex (Harl. 13, p. 365). The first two pedigrees extend back to the time King John and can apparently be verified.A branch of this family became possessed, through marriage, of the manor of Barham, Teston Court, Kent, and an account of this family is given in Hasteds, History of Kent which will be quoted (Vol. II, p. 291).Hasted says, "This family is descended from Thomas Pincerna who lived in the reign of King John, and sealed with a covered cup, with this inscription, as appears by old deeds of the family, encircling the seal, -- 'Sigillum Thomas Pincerna', probably from his being chief Butler to the Prince. Whence his successors assumed the name of Butler or Boteler. His descendant was Robert Le Boteler, called in a Latin deed without a date, Robertus Pincerna, as is supposed likewise from his office; and he had issue thr... ... Read more

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Comments from lone Walkers of the fourth way
This book is a Must for underestanding certain process in the conscience development.It clarified a wide rank of phenomena that is real hard to attach by oneself without propper gidance and goes further in the topicsexplained in "Deeper Man" by Mr. Bennet. Mr. Bennet is not merelya follower of Mr. Gurdjieff teaching, but he develops it in order to be ofreal help for the cientific and logical mind.This book is a clear andconcise descriptions of the energy levels in wich everything is inmersed.Of course there is no way to prove "objectivelly" some of thepoints exposed here, but, as a person who has been for over 10 yearsworking with the ideas of the 4th way, I have found very clarifying ideasover certain topics of the WORK; it sets crucial reference points tounderestanding the Work Ideas and procedures.

This is not by any means a"beginners book", I would reccomend to read before"Psichology of man's possible evolution", "The FourthWay" by P. Ouspensky and "Theory of celestial influence" byRodney Collin. ... Read more

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With an emphasis on social history, this text provides a high-interest narrative for students, integrating political and cultural phenomena into its socially oriented narrative. Highlights of the new seventh edition include: * New! "Images in Society"--Four photo essays comparing visual sources from similar periods will teach students how to analyse visual sources as historical data * New! Pedagogical features increased in this revision include: Key Terms, Comparative time lines, Chapter outlines * Extensive topics revision: Expanded Egyptian religion section New! Material on the polls and Greek democracy New! Discussion of the Romanization of Italy and the provinces New! Material on the origins of Christian sacraments Revised discussion on the Peace of God New! In depth exploration of the cultural consequences of the Crusades Revised section on the Atlantic Slave Trade Updated material on nationalism to incorporate new scholarship Reworked Chapter 31 to include globalisation, and offering updated coverage of recent world events including those of November 11 ... Read more

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Originally published in 1909.This volume from the Cornell University Library's print collections was scanned on an APT BookScan and converted to JPG 2000 format by Kirtas Technologies.All titles scanned cover to cover and pages may include marks notations and other marginalia present in the original volume. ... Read more

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This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishing's Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone! ... Read more

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This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

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Webster's bibliographic and event-based timelines are comprehensive in scope, covering virtually all topics, geographic locations and people. They do so from a linguistic point of view, and in the case of this book, the focus is on "John Bennett," including when used in literature (e.g. all authors that might have John Bennett in their name). As such, this book represents the largest compilation of timeline events associated with John Bennett when it is used in proper noun form. Webster's timelines cover bibliographic citations, patented inventions, as well as non-conventional and alternative meanings which capture ambiguities in usage. These furthermore cover all parts of speech (possessive, institutional usage, geographic usage) and contexts, including pop culture, the arts, social sciences (linguistics, history, geography, economics, sociology, political science), business, computer science, literature, law, medicine, psychology, mathematics, chemistry, physics, biology and other physical sciences. This "data dump" results in a comprehensive set of entries for a bibliographic and/or event-based timeline on the proper name John Bennett, since editorial decisions to include or exclude events is purely a linguistic process. The resulting entries are used under license or with permission, used under "fair use" conditions, used in agreement with the original authors, or are in the public domain. ... Read more