Product Description
Set in the sinister monastery of the Capuchins in Madrid, The Monk is a violent tale of ambition, murder, and incest.The great struggle between maintaining monastic vows and fulfilling personal ambitions leads its main character, the monk Ambrosio, to temptation and the breaking of his vows, then to sexual obsession and rape, and finally to murder in order to conceal his guilt.The only edition of this key gothic novel available, The Monk now offers a new introduction and notes that make it especially accessible to the modern reader. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Gothic Masterpiece
Why this book is not as popularly read as Mrs. Radcliffe's doorstops will remain a mystery to me deeper than any to be found in this delightfully wicked and addictively readable masterpiece. That the author was only 19 when it was published puts him in the precocious genius department. What most new readers to this novel won't realize until they start is how much fun it is to read. Yes, the wicked are really bad (they really do consort with Satan) and the good generally come to a bad end but the sheer narrative rush of the book, the nuggets of wit that show the author winking out now and then, and all the demonic clergy, gloomy sepulchers and restless ghosts that you could ever wish for take this novel into that enviable category of one-of-a-kind reading experiences. Lewis has the courage of his conventions and won't cop out at the end like Mrs. Radcliffe will which makes this more a successor to "The Castle of Otranto" than any of her productions. And the lustful goings on would bring a blush of modesty to any of her virginal heroines (you can see why this novel was expurgated for it's fourth edition). Yet the dangers and horrors come on so fast and thick that you won't be bored and will soon understand why this was a major hit when first published and gave the author the nickname "Monk" Lewis for the rest of his writing days (which in keeping with his Romantic peers, was way too short). If you can look past the archaic locutions and enjoy the Sturm und Drang rules of the game, this is a novel you won't want to miss.

The Last Gasp of Gothic Lit
The Monk is a useful place to end a discussion of 18th century literature.It was the last major gothic novel.Lewis was a one hit wonder, and his story of instant celebrity is recongizable to anyone who watches American Idol.Lewis had the benefit of having studied in Germany in his youth, at a time before many of the great contemporary German novels had been translated into English.Lewis was haunted by claims of plagarism throughout his life, though to a contemporary reader the relationship between the Monk and a book like Doctor Faustus resembles more one of influencer/infulenced than plagarism.
According to the introductory essay, Lewis wrote Monk with the idea that he would be creating the 18th century equivalent of a "smash hit."Lewis was smart, sophisiticated, from a good family.He was not an unconventional type.The Monk was controversial in a way that presages the response of authorities to literature during the Victorian period.There was a loud outcry about the 'blasphemous" nature of "The Monk," and Marquis de Sade was a huge fan.None the less, Lewis didn't suffer any kind of censure, after writing "The Monk" he went on serve in Parliament.
I thought that the Monk retained its... raciness. I was somewhat shocked by the explicit um... passion... of the titular character.Perhaps 50 pages of gripping prose is sheathed in 300 pages of confusing digression and lengthy verse.At times, Lewis' writing has the ostenacious genre-combining flavor of Thomas Pynchon, who is well known for his song lyrics.The Monk, like so many other 18th century novels, displays such an awareness of self and artifice that it leads you to question any distinction between "modern" and "post-modern" in the novel.Perhaps the more appropriate distinction when one considers the whole 300+ year history of the novel is "realism" vs. "non-realism."I, for one, am I on the non realism side.
It's surprising that this has not been turned into a Merchant and Ivory type movie production.Especially with the recent penchant for vampire themes and Hollywood's enduring fascination with Jane Austen narratives, you would think that this text would have been adapted.

The Gothic novel continues to take shape.
The lurid and the intellectual collide in "The Monk", Matthew Lewis' classic late-18th century Gothic novel that alighted a storm of controversy on its release and seems in many ways surprisingly modern today (unlike many such past controversial works, it retains some of its salaciousness today).This is one of my favourite novels, and has a lot to recommend to the 21st century reader.Spoilers for the ending follow.

It really isn't possible to fully understand "The Monk" unless you grasp the nature of the development of the early Gothic novel, and in particular the success of Ann Radcliffe's "The Mysteries of Udolpho".Radcliffe's work (considerably larger than "The Monk") was a huge hit on its release, famous for its heroine investigating the seemingly supernatural forces permeating her life, as well as hinted-at illicit relations and other skulduggery.Lewis was, like most readers, enraptured as he read it.However, he expressed extreme disappointment with "Udolpho"'s conclusion, where Radcliffe went on at length to show contrived logical explanations for everything, and to tamp down all of the previously-suggested immoralities.Radcliffe was aiming to make the form of the novel (and the genre) more 'respectable', but Lewis thought the whole thing was a copout, and resolved to do Radcliffe's story better.

The result is a story that embraces wholeheartedly all those things (and more) that Radcliffe was content to hint at: murder, incest, Satanism, and the pervasive supernatural.The story focuses on the gradual corruption of the title character, a monk named Ambrosio who is reputed to be the holiest member of a particular Spanish monastery.In particular, he becomes fascinated by a young woman named Antonia, who is perhaps the distilled essence of the virgin martyr figure.Meanwhile, other characters find themselves investigating the goings-on in a neighbouring nunnery, and ghosts and the Wandering Jew put in appearances.The chilling final pages will have readers torn between pity and satisfaction.

At the same time, one must understand that Lewis's literary goals do not run exclusively to the trashy.He uses the story to advance a number of ideas about institutions, as well as moral values.At the core of the story is a scathing critique of the ideas behind monasteries and clerical celibacy, as he argues that people who attempt to so thoroughly hide away from temptation do not have genuine virtue.We see this with Ambrosio, who quickly descends into depravity when the opportunity materializes.The nunnery likewise turns out to be ruled by a cruel and inhuman clutch of fanatics, and though the truth ultimately will out, it is only through an extraordinary outside intervention.Lewis also takes aim at ideas of female virtue, when take to extremes.Antonia is not just an innocent virgin, she is unnaturally innocent, to the point of having no survival skills.Ultimately, she dies because of this.Meanwhile, another female character has a child out of wedlock (while a nun!), and is given a happy ending, a daring decision by the standards of the times.

Very much a novel worth reading. ... Read more

Product Description
Originally published in 1871. 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

Product Description
The Monk is the most sensational of Gothic novels. The main plot concerns Ambrosio, an abbot of irreproachable holiness, who is seduced by a woman (or perhaps a demon) disguised as a novice, and who goes on to sell his soul to the Devil.An extravagant blend of sex, death, politics, Satanism, and poetry, the work greatly appealed to the Marquis de Sade.

The Broadview edition includes a critical introduction and appendices of historical materials that address the novel’s literary sources (in English, German, and Greek literature), historical contexts (the French Revolution, slavery and abolition debates, sexuality), critical reception, and influence. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Thr Monk
This book is an excellent read.It includes all the best elements of every enjoyable novel:Sex, murder, betrayal, and even ghosts!What could be better!It is the quintessential Gothic novel that was one of the first to hit the top seller list of the Victorian era, and deservably so.I was drawn immediately into it and have recommended it to all my friends.It is a book that bears reading multiple times and keeping it in the library for a long time to come. ... Read more

Product Description
The Monk: A Romance by Matthew Lewis

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Product Description
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

Product Description
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

Product Description
"The Monk" is Matthew G. Lewis's 1796 novel which is the tale of a monk who is tempted by carnal desire and led down a ruinous path of ungodliness. Ambrosio, a pious, well-respected monk in Spain, is lustfully tempted by his pupil, Matilda, a woman who has disguised herself as a monk. Having satisfied himself with her, he is overcome with carnal desire for the innocent Antonia. With the help of Matilda, who is actually Satan in disguise, Ambrosio seduces Antonia, a seduction that would ultimately lead to his downfall. Recognized as one of the first novels of the gothic genre, "The Monk" is a classic tale of the tragic ruin that may befall one tempted by desire. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Most Underread and Underappreciated Novel in Gothic Literature
I'd never heard of this book until it was assigned reading for my graduate 18th Century Lit class.That said, "The Monk" should be on every high school's summer reading list.

Ambrosio's story is strange, twisted, and ultimately horrifying.As I read and after I finished, I kept thinking this plot is worthy of Shakespeare.If Shakespeare had written a novel, "The Monk" would have been it.In fact I wrote a paper for class comparing Ambrosio to Macbeth.

Finally, I can't believe it hasn't been made into a film.

Gothic Pulp Written During Gothic Times!
This book is a glorious bit of trash. Skip the latest incarnation of Hollywood vampires and spend an afternoon absorbed in carriage chases, church burnings, rough sex, gory murders, ghosts, and pacts with the devil in this all-on-the-surface Gothic pulp novel. Despite being written over 200 years ago Lewis easily matches the visceral, gruesome style of modern day horror novelists like Stephen King or Clive Barker. For instance, a domineering mother superior character is literally trampled into mush by an angry crowd, and that's just one of dozens of creative death sequences.

Despite being labeled as a "classic," the actual quality of writing isn't particularly skilled. The characters are one dimensional and it's not a far stretch to call the book misogynistic as most the female characters fall into the "beautiful, sexy virgin" category or the "beautiful, sexy devil-bitch" category. But the pacing is great, the book moves, and the twisty plot satisfies.

I'd also recommend reading the intro to the book. Lewis' biography is almost as colorful as his novel, and it informs the reading.

Unholy Lust
As stated in the other reviews, The Monk certainly is for mature readers only. I'mnot an expert in the gothic genre, but I have read a gothic book or two in my day so here is my humble opinion. Although the descriptions in this book are centered around less than wholesome events, the book easily catches your attention and imagination. The langauge, in my opinion, is well written but less complex and easier to understand than some of the other books of its time.
Another thing I enjoyed about the monk was that it did not overdo the descriptions as I thought Radcliffe's The Mysteries of UdolphoThe Mysteries of Udolpho (Penguin Classics) did.

Some of the best qualities in the book were: the snipits of interesting poetry, The story of The Bleeding Nun (which in itself is an interesting story), and the concentration on several characters as opposed to just one.
Although the Monk is certainly not everyone's proverbial cup of tea, I think that if one enjoys the gothic novel with extreme elements of debauchery and is looking for a book without an overly complex venacular The Monk is a great read.

nice
i had just finished udolpho when i picked this one up. i really liked this book, it was a very masculine Gothic. it had some problems though. for instance, a maiden's value hinges on her virginity, this came up several times and the book was always in firm support of virginity regardless of the way it was taken or the person who took it. the story itself was fast paced and easy to read. i would encourage people to read it.

creepy
this is much better than Uldolpho, Otranto, or Okandale abby.(please pardon any misspellings of the names). it is rather creepy and i would think that the author must considered raping someone as well as i think that he must have seen a person drug down and murdered by an angry mob because, these scenes and the thoughts and sensations of the characters are very believable. it does have some dated attitudes that are annoying (i.e. i lost my maidenhead therefore i am no good and must die). as far as gothic novels go, this is one of the best. ... Read more

Product Description

C. S. Lewis's classic Narnia books spring to life in the hands of award-winning paper engineer Robert Sabuda. Each of the seven books in the series has its own pop-up spread rendered in spectacular detail with stunning special effects. Experience a different adventure from Narnia on every spread in this beautiful addition to the Narnia library—sure to enchant fans of both C. S. Lewis and Robert Sabuda.

Customer Reviews (81)

May be my favorite!
I am always excited to receive a new Robert Sabuda pop up book, but Narnia is a least one of my 2 favorites with Alice in Wonderland (which is incredible) being the other. The pop ups are fantastic (I especially love the lion), and the overview of the C. S. Lewis series is very well done.

It's a timeless keepsake!
This is the second book I have brought from these autors.I bought both as gifts.Unbeleiveable the workmanship that goes into this book!Well worth the price!

A wonderful book
This book was a Christmas present for one of my grandsons.He loved it!The book was in mint condition, wrapped in plastic.It was everything we hoped it would be.

Pop up mania
I am into pop up books, but this one is among the cream of the crop.It is well done and tells an amazing story.

Beautiful Illustrations
The text leaves a bit to be desired versus others in this series that have pull out pages with more storyline, however the illustrations are very beautiful. My three year old daughter enjoys the book very much, but she is still too young and rough with the delicate pop-ups to be allowed to read it alone. ... Read more

Product Description
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

Product Description
Terrified almost out of her senses at this formal address, the trembling Jessy now contrived to sob out a hope that her aunt had been mistaken, that Everard would still be able to prove his innocence. -- 'Innocence!' so impossible a supposition was of itself sufficient to set the whole assembly in an uproar. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (5)

Gothic Fiction at its Finest
"The Monk" has all the great elements of Gothic fiction: an innocent maiden, her charming suitor, an evil monk, sadistic nuns, the Catholic Church, a scary monastery, graveyards, the supernatural...and that's without giving away any of the plot. The reader follows the story of monk Ambrosio, from his days as a righteous spiritual leader to his first sin and, finally, on his journey of ever-degrading morality. Initially, it's hard not to feel sympathetic for the monk because of the way he was led into sinning. However, that sympathy rapidly disappears as we are led deeper and deeper into his depraved plot to seduce - and, when he cannot seduce, to take by force - the young, virtuous Antonia. While it can at times feel a little "overdone," as if the writer were throwing in as many Gothic conventions as he could get his hands on just for the sake of making the novel "more Gothic," the story is rife with genuine tragedy and terror (I don't recommend reading it at night!) that is sure to keep the reader holding his or her breath, wondering what will happen next.

The Gothic novel continues to take shape.
The lurid and the intellectual collide in "The Monk", Matthew Lewis' classic late-18th century Gothic novel that alighted a storm of controversy on its release and seems in many ways surprisingly modern today (unlike many such past controversial works, it retains some of its salaciousness today). This is one of my favourite novels, and has a lot to recommend to the 21st century reader. Spoilers for the ending follow.

It really isn't possible to fully understand "The Monk" unless you grasp the nature of the development of the early Gothic novel, and in particular the success of Ann Radcliffe's "The Mysteries of Udolpho". Radcliffe's work (considerably larger than "The Monk") was a huge hit on its release, famous for its heroine investigating the seemingly supernatural forces permeating her life, as well as hinted-at illicit relations and other skulduggery. Lewis was, like most readers, enraptured as he read it. However, he expressed extreme disappointment with "Udolpho"'s conclusion, where Radcliffe went on at length to show contrived logical explanations for everything, and to tamp down all of the previously-suggested immoralities. Radcliffe was aiming to make the novel (and the genre) more 'respectable', but Lewis thought the whole thing was a copout, and resolved to Radcliffe's story better.

The result is a story that embraces wholeheartedly all those things (and more) that Radcliffe was content to hint at: murder, incest, Satanism, and the pervasive supernatural. The story focuses on the gradual corruption of the title character, a monk named Ambrosio who is reputed to be the holiest member of a particular Spanish monastery. In particular, he becomes fascinated by a young woman named Antonia, who is perhaps the distilled essence of the virgin martyr figure. Meanwhile, other characters find themselves investigating the goings-on in a neighbouring nunnery, and ghosts and the Wandering Jew put in appearances. The chilling final pages will have readers torn between pity and satisfaction.

At the same time, one must understand that Lewis's literary goals do not run exclusively to the trashy. He uses the story to advance a number of ideas about institutions, as well as moral values. At the core of the story is a scathing critique of the ideas behind monasteries and clerical celibacy, as he argues that people who attempt to so thoroughly hide away from temptation do not have genuine virtue. We see this with Ambrosio, who quickly descends into depravity when the opportunity materializes. The nunnery likewise turns out to be ruled by a cruel and inhuman clutch of fanatics, and though the truth ultimately will out, it is only through an extraordinary outside intervention. Lewis also takes aim at ideas of female virtue, when take to extremes. Antonia is not just an innocent virgin, she is unnaturally innocent, to the point of having no survival skills. Ultimately, she dies because of this. Meanwhile, another female character has a child out of wedlock (while a nun!), and is given a happy ending, a daring decision by the standards of the times.

Very much a novel worth reading.

An oldie but goodie
We sometimes think that only good horror stories can be written today because folks in earlier times didn't have the ability to convey terror adequately. This book dispells that notion completely. Although it was written more than 200 years ago, in many ways it appears contemporary.

The plot is a bit convoluted, but it certainly moves along at a fast pace. Although there is not much character development, and it's difficult at times to sepatate the Dons, things such as that can be ignored by reading on into the story. Also, there is a lot of unnecessary dialogue, which seems common for the time, but skimming parts can be helpful, and the reader won't miss anything important.

While the book has definite sexual overtones, the mores of the time in which it was written kept the author from being more graphic in his details. That doesn't detract from the tale, because he does give enough detail to let the reader know what is happening. There are quite a group of characters, and following along can get somewhat confusing.

The scenes are well set, and there is an overwhelming feeling of terror and evil permeating the entire book. This book throws in everything but the kitchen sink! Some of the scenes, even with the writing constraints of the time, are truly frightening, and the many different appearances of Lucifer can bedazzle the reader, as they did the title character.

In the end goodness prevails (mostly) and the evildoers receive their just punishment, so think of this as a semi-modern morality play. Open the book, buckle on your seat belt, and go along for a thrilling ride!

Wonderful early Gothic fiction
The Monk is a wonderful book with a complex, fast paced, interwoven story. A number of characters taking the lead in various subplots which finally coming together at the the end in a sensible whole.Just as you get to a crisis in one story line, you switch to another subplot which heightens the suspense of the story.The characters are well written and likeable, with very human failings.Even the title character, the monk, who becomes the villain of the piece is somewhat sympathetic.The secondary characters are well written and often comic which creates a needed break from the gothic horror.

The book deeply condemns the monastic lifestyle and the conduct of certain members of the church.The author clearly has no respect for monks and nuns who remove themselves from life into an abbey.He feels the lifestyle promotes hypocracy and superstition, causes sin to be avoided through lack of opportunity rather than resisted (which is not truely being good), and keeps the members from thinking for themselves or providing true service to the world.

Overall, it is a fascinating tale and an interesting social commentary.

Sensational
Almost as entertaining as reading gothic fiction is reading
the introductions.Someone is *paying* these
academics, but they act as if they've been forced to
become circus geeks, biting the heads off chickens
for booze.You wonder if they signed their real name
to the article.The editor of "The Oxford Book of
Gothic Fiction" explains that, yes, gothic has a
particular meaning with regard to art and
architecture, but Horace Walpole didn't know that, and
used it to mean creepy and medieval, and she's
horribly embarrassed to have to call it "Gothic"
fiction for the next ten pages.She also tells you
that if you have a historical interest in this
fiction, you should start from page one, but if you
want to read GOOD literature, start on page 245 (i.e., with
Edgar Allen Poe). You wonder what the publisher thought of that advice.

Even worse is the author of the preface of the Dover edition
of "The Monk" by Matthew Gregory Lewis, who says right out in
the first paragraph that this is a terrible book ("It may
be admitted at once that this erst belauded romance has
little claim to perpetuation on its own merits."), and then
spends the entire preface suggesting other gothic
novels you'd be better off reading, although he really thinks
they're all a waste of your time.He works himself up
into such a high dudgeon, you can practically feel the
spittle hitting your face.

I don't know what he's talking about. "The Monk" is
one of the most splendid books I've read in a long time.It
has everything you'd want: A crumbling Abbey with a
monastery and a convent connected by a series of
vaults and caverns that contain mouldering skeletons,
the ghost of "the bleeding nun" who appears every 5
years at the stroke of midnight, a screech owl in the
cemetary, a pregnant nun, the Spanish Inquisition, a
naked woman cavorting with a bird, highwaymen, a
sadistic Prioress, a lustful Abbot, dead babies,
hollow statues, a mob riot and lynching, sleeping
potions and spells, and cameo appearances by the
Wandering Jew and Lucifer.The plot concerns an
innocent young virgin whose mother.... oh, never mind:
you'll never keep the plot straight anyway, not to
mention which one is Don Lorenzo and which is Don
Raymond.It's the nonstop action that will hook you.
It's amazing that the plot *can* zip along, given
that, at any given moment, at least one character is
near death because of convulsions brought on by terror
or love.It makes you wonder about the economy of
midieval Spain, if 1 in 10 people was bedridden at any
given time.

Did I mention the sex scenes?They're doozies!When
the lustful Abbott is holding a vigil at the bedside
of a woman pretending to be a monk who is dying of a
centipede bite, except the centipede didn't bite her,
it bit the abbott (never mind), the woman shakes off
delirium long enough to seduce the Abbott!At least,
I think she did.The writing gets vague at points,
since Lewis can't bring himself to mention female
body parts, instead using the word "charms" as a
blanket noun in sentences like "Through a
disarrangement of the bed covers, he could witness her
charms" or "thus he could disport himself upon his
mistress's charms".I'm not sure I'll ever be able to
use the word "charm" again, much less eat "Lucky
Charms".

Perhaps this is only worth reading for its historical
importance, or perhaps it's a lot of fun: I advise skipping
the insulting prologue by a professor who clearly
wishes he was a fraction as famous as M.G. Lewis
became by writing this book at the age of 19 in ten
weeks in 1795.

... Read more

Product Description
Noble and devout, Ambrosio is the abbot of a Spanish monastery and spends his days in prayer and preaching. However his monastery is harboring a malevolent force in the form of a young monk called Rosario. Rosario attaches himself to the abbot and then one fateful night reveals that he is in fact a beautiful woman in disguise. From this moment on Ambrosio finds himself seduced into a lurid maelstrom of sin and vice that it is impossible for him to resist.INCLUDES THE BRAVO OF VENICE ... Read more

Product Description
This is an OCR edition without illustrations or index. It may have numerous typos or missing text. However, purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original rare book from GeneralBooksClub.com. You can also preview excerpts from the book there. Purchasers are also entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Volume: 1; Original Published by: Printed by W. Bulmer and Co. ... for the author; and sold by J. Bell in 1801 in 505 pages; Subjects: Fiction / General; Fiction / Literary; ... Read more

Product Description

On October 22, 2002, more than 125 of the world's finest photographers set out on a unique global mission. Their instructions were simple: look beyond the daily news headlines, dig beneath the breaking stories, and capture what life is like on an ordinary day for the men and women of the United States Armed Forces around the world.

For 24 consecutive hours, this prize-winning team of civilian and military photographers -- working with the cooperation and support of the Department of Defense -- chronicled daily life in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard.

The resulting book of photographs documents the lives of elite units and freshly minted recruits; of cadets, generals, fire-fighters, medics, and MPs; of soldiers at desolate outposts and on strategic bases. It illustrates life in the cockpit of a fighter, on a Trident submarine, in an underground missile silo, and at computer terminals in a war room. It shows personnel patrolling borders, jungles, mountains, and harbors; training for special operations; and fighting terrorism.

It is a timeless portrait -- in indelible images and eloquent words -- of the men and women who wear the uniforms of the American military. They are your sons, daughters, spouses, neighbors, and friends.

Together these photographs provide an inspiring visual reminder of the routine and heroic operations, the sacrifices and dedication, that are necessary to defend America's freedoms 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Customer Reviews (8)

The Title of the book is descriptive enough.
Just imagine this, some photographers traveled all over the world to United States Military bases and took pictures of all our Armed Forces.

Everything from far off distant islands and duty stations, to forts and bases back home.

If your looking for pictures of the war, then don't look here, it was published in 2003.

But, if your looking for outstanding pictures of our military from before the war then look no further. My parents owned a copy for years and I put it in my room so it wouldn't disappear. Then I got a used copy for 0.01... just as good as a brand new copy thats never been opened and all I paid was shipping. Somehow I managed to wind up with two... whether or not I paid 2 cents is beside the point, I only paid for shipping once. A very generous mistake, regardless if it was mine or theirs. I could have just as easily wound up with 2 in the quantity box.

Anyway its a really neat book, all the pictures are great quality, have captions telling about where they were taken and what they are, and often telling who's in it but not always.

If you going to buy it, be smart, buy from a good seller and only play shipping + $0.01, but buy used... I've only got 2 out of probably over 50 books that have torn covers over the years off of Amazon, the reason I started buying off of here. So I don't have to deal with book stores and you can find what your looking for faster, without making a 30minute drive. haha.

"We do this because we believe in it. We don't need any other reward."

This is a magnificent and well deserved tribute to the men,women and families that have made the United States Armed Forces the greatest force for Peace and Freedom, not only for America,but also for the rest of the world who want to live in in peace and freedom as well as those throughout the world who have the same aspirations. They have had a long history ofdefeating evil organizations and countries that have attempting to dominate others by force. America has worked with others in defending against oppressors;but has often taken on the task virtually alone. This has never been more true than we see today in her endeavors with The War on Terror.
The only successful defense of Liberty and Freedom is the maintenance of a Military equipped with the best equipment,the most honorable intentions,and most of all the best personnel. Today,as America stands almost alone,free people everywhere,have to thank their lucky stars,that the Armed Forces of America exists. If you doubt this,just think of the mess the world would be in today,if what we see represented in this book ,were not existing,prticularly throughout the 20th Century as well as now as we move into the 21st.
So often the media concentrates too much on the negative and only reluctently even only covers the positive.
This book may at first only appear to be another military
coffee -table book. It is much more than that.It is an excellent portrayal of the people who give up all to serve their country.Thank God ,for these people of the past,those in uniform today and the need for their services in the future. The hope of future Peace and Freedom in the world without them is impossible to imagine.
We all owe them our thanks.

Beautiful tribute to the US Forces
As the wife of an active duty servicemember, I am so happy to see a book that shows the amount of work each and every soldier/sailor/airman/marine does on a day to day basis...and throughout all parts of the world.We have had the pleasure of living overseas during much of his time.We miss living in the US but we are proud to be over here while he serves his country.
--Vicki Landes, author of "Europe for the Senses - A Photographic Journal"

A Typical Day in the U.S. Military
Everyone has been talking about the United States military in the recent past, thanks to the ongoing war against Iraq. Photos are sent back from the Middle East showing the soldiers in their military garb with weapons in hand and we constantly hear about how the war is going. We expect this during times of war, but what takes place in a normal day when there is no war to fight? What do the military personnell do in a typical day?

These questions can be quickly answered by reading this book. It's mostly a collection of photographs, with only a minimal amount of wording. It starts out in the early morning hours, showing photos of military men and women eating breakfast and engaging in physical workouts, then proceeds throughout the day, ending with pictures of night time security workers checking highly sensitive places to make sure all is clear.

This book is 256 pages in length, but it includes mostly pictures, so it doesn't take very long to read. It is well- organized, too, with an introduction by Walter Cronkite and a world map on each page, indicating the area of the world where a particular picture was taken. And the photos, like I mentioned above, are organized in order of the time of day they were taken, allowing the reader to follow along from sunrise to sunset and gain a better understanding of what life is like in the military.

This coffee table- size book makes contains many great pictures, showing men and women at work and at play with their families and friends. It's a nice addition to any home library and it proves to be a good educational guide, letting readers see and understand exactly what takes place during a normal day for the United States military personnel.

The American Military Family passes in review
What a great theme to choose to revive the "A Day In the Life Of..." series!The predictably excellent photos (except for one field portrait where the camera's autofocus missed the subject) are a wonderful documentary of a single day in the globe-spanning mission of America's military.

Familiar images inevitably occur: Drill sergeants bawling out rattled recruits; wide-angle nose shots of fighter jets, flight deck sailors giving "launch" hand signals to carrier pilots; mud-slathered soldiers crawling through training courses, anonymity-suggesting group photos; and individual portraits showing the full range of humanity that calls America home.

There are also plenty of pleasing novelties, at least to me.A soldier in Hawaii snaps a salute while carrying a surfboard.Soldiers run station drills around a golf green, the only one on the one-hole course, in the Korean DMZ. A SEAL emerges, like Martin Sheen in Apocalypse Now, from the water.A seemingly prosaic picture of a cadet eating upon closer inspection reveals a meal of pancakes, cake, nachos, a pork chop, a hot dog, and other unharmonious victuals. Women and families are plentifully represented throughout.

We get representative shots of Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfield, a rear view of President Bush disembarking from Air Force One, a National Security Agency lab, and pictures of the troops in Afghanistan on the job.The closest thing to actual trouble that was going on on this day, that was allowed to be photographed, was a forensic investigator examining a Marine's sabotaged parachute.So, there are no pictures of military intelligence giving prisoners an interrogation, though there is a picture of Camp Gitmo.

This is a splendid album, technically and thematically, of America's best. ... Read more

Product Description
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Stories with the story
The Monk is a wonderful Faustian tale.However, this is far from just being about the monk himself.All the side characters get their chance to tell their tales.With each new story you realize when it was done, "Oh, yeah, forgot about the rest of the story."All of these overlapping tales do come together quite well. Be warned that the opening is a bit slow but like in a Dickens book you must pay attention to the beginning as it all gets wrapped up in the end.

The one drawback I saw was that of characters who are so emotionally distraught that they have to take to their sickbeds in grief.Guess when you have money you can afford to waste away for weeks.Makes me wonder how these people would handle the strain of having teenagers.

That aside this is a marvelous read and a true classic.If Faust wasn't already out there then this could have easily taken its place.For here we see the downfall of false piety and the triumph of true nobility of character.Oh, yes--there are also ghosts, murder, and broken hearts a plenty.

Wonderful and shocking
I LOVED this book!It got slow in a few parts but the ending is so shocking that it will leave you begging for more.Wow, totally suggest you read it. ... Read more