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In this family account of life in wartime Britain, the thoughts of old and young, the centrally involved and the isolated, jostle continuously. This volume contains insights into the ways of government and workings of Whitehall, the position of the Church of England, and the problems of education among a vast conscript army. It is also a social document of the manner in which the disruptions and danger of life were coped with during wartime. ... Read more

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One of the series VC'S OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR, this book details the men who won Victoria Crosses on the Western Front and the actions that led to the awards.Shows the different racial and social backgrounds of the men and celebrates their courage and sacrifice. ... Read more

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In this family account of life in wartime Britain, the thoughts of old and young, the centrally involved and the isolated, jostle continuously. This volume contains insights into the ways of government and workings of Whitehall, the position of the Church of England, and the problems of education among a vast conscript army. It is also a social document of the manner in which the disruptions and danger of life were coped with during wartime. ... Read more

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The rise of Bertrand du Guesclin ranks as one of the most spectacular adventures in a fourteenth century rich in heroic tales. A poor Breton squire, ungainly and unlettered, he came of age at the onset of the Hundred Years War. He spent two decades engaged in irregular warfare in his native province before he became a knight, and was recognised by Charles V as the captain France needed. Du Guesclin fought on campaign from Normandy to Andalusia, tasted victory, was taken captive - and was finally victorious again, over such famed adversaries as Sir John Chandos and the Black Prince. He won a dukedom in Spain, but it was as Constable of France that he spearheaded the reconquest of French provinces lost after the defeat at Poitiers.His body was laid to rest among kings in the royal basilica of Saint-Denis, enshrined as the Tenth Worthy, hero of the last Old French epic, but Du Guesclin's spirit lives on in literature and folk memory, as flower of chivalry, soldier's soldier, patriot, and liberator of his country.RICHARD VERNIER is Professor Emeritus, Romance Languages and Literatures, Wayne State University. ... Read more

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Within three generations (1426 to 1485), and through the dark and dangerous years of the Wars of the Roses, the Pastons established themselves as a family of consequence, both in their native Norfolk and within court circles. Ambitious and highly mobile - womenfolk as well as men -they kept in touch by correspondence, usually but not invariably through the medium of a clerk. These letters, a rare survival, break upon us across the centuries with the urgency, and sometimes the violence,of their preoccupations: defending property, fighting court cases, making the right alliances, and, on the domestic side, managing their estates, conducting their courtships, stocking their cupboards. Selected and presented here with Richard Barber's invaluable linking narrative, they bring the middle ages triumphantly to life. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Unmatched by any history book
Unmatched by any history book, these letters constitute a rich and intimate glimpse into the 15th century.

Spanning several generations of the redoubtable Paston family, they are a unique record of their rise to eminence in their native Norfolk, and of the life during the upheavels of the civil wars between Yorkists and Lancastrians. ... Read more

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The Pattons is an exceptional portrait of the famous military family, eloquently written by the grandson of its most illustrious member, George S. Patton. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

An Intimate portrait of a remarkable American family
I enjoy reading biographies of men and women who truly accomplished something of significance in their lifetimes, and this is one such book.What makes this one special is that the author, being General Patton's grandson, had access to previously unpublished family records - mementos, letters, notes, and diaries, etc.These keepsakes gave him great insight into his family's history, an insight which he shares with his readers, allowing them to sense what the Patton family members saw, felt, and experienced down through the years from the time of the American Revolution up to the time of General Patton's death in 1945.In essence, we get to peek ever so caringly into their minds, hearts, and private lives.

As you might imagine, this book isn't much about war and killing.That wasn't the author's intent.Rather, he tells the personal stories of his ancestors and of his very human, psychologically frail, grandfather, as he sees them.In doing so, he paints a remarkable picture of his grandfather, "Georgie," as a boy and man driven to succeed by family myths and legends, out for glory at all costs, frequently remote, sometimes childish, often uncertain, and usually his own worst enemy.Best of all: He tells this story with such clarity, insight, honesty, and candor, and paints such an intimate portrait of General Patton and his forebears that it is hard to put this book down.

In reading it, I couldn't help but wonder if, perhaps, Robert Patton wrote it to help him gain some understanding of his own grandfather and if he succeeded.And, curiously, I also wondered if he was proud of the general or even liked him.Only the author would know.In any case, this book ranks right up there with the best biographies that I have read in recent years.

Excellent
Despite being written by a relative, this book is a stunningly even-handed story of several generations of the Patton family and their interaction with American history. Of course, the background and ancestory leads up to providing what is - to this reviewer - as clear an understanding of what made George S. Patton what he was as will ever be written.

But, do not skip through those early chapters because it is essential to learn and understand not just how thse men and women shaped him, but how they themselves contributed to what America became. Patton's mysticism was not unique to him. Many of his ancestors were equally in thrall to similar views and actions such as seeking to view a long dead relative in his coffin.

George Patton was a product of his family and upbringing; as such, his actions were driven by his need to live up to what the family expected as well as his perception of those expectations.nIn that aspect, all his actions, each and every one of them, was done with the impliciti belief that what he did and how he did it was subject to inspection and approval of those ancestors. Thus, this vainglorious and arrogant man, this womanizer, this loud-mouthed bully was also at times a most insecure individual who feared not just the disapproval of fanmily but also his country.

The author also makes it clear his own conflicts arising from his ancestory. It seems he - along with one brother - sought to break with the family military past by not going to West Point or join the service. At the same time, he admits an element of guilt about his choice. Late, very late, in the narrative, Mr. Patton provides an update on his siblings and himself. I'll not let the notional cat-out-of-the-bag, but it does provide at least one possible reason for a modicum of regret.

A marvelous story told with love, respect and honesty.

Written by his grandson
Anyone interested in General Patton and his family will not be disapointed by this well written, candid account.

Forward Knight!
In writing "The Patton's" Robert Patton has succeeded in an area where most of the previous biographers of his famous Grandfather have failed, namely he manages to humanize the legend and reveal the man behind the myth. This is not a Biography in the strictest sense, rather it's a genealogical history. Here "Georgie" is viewed in the context of his ancestors, and through the prism of his family. Evaluating him in this light, the reader gets a much truer understanding of the part that his upbringing played in formulating the various aspects of his character. As a family member, the author surely has his own opinions of the people involved, but he keeps these to a minimum, letting the rich array of family sources speak for themselves, and presents an amazingly well-balanced, concise portrait of his subjects, he doesn't go out of his way to trash his Grandfather's reputation (as so many tell-all books written by relatives of celebrities today seem only too happy to do) nor does he seek to glorify his accomplishments. He merely sought to chronicle one family's devotion to public service, but most importantly to each other.

Although this book can stand quite nicely on its own, those looking for an in-depth analysis of Patton's military campaigns should be warned, this book gives only a general overview of Patton's wartime service. Therefore, it is my humble opinion that this book will be best appreciated when read in conjunction with other books such as:

War As I Knew It The Patton Papers, 1885-1940 The Patton Papers 1940-1945 Patton: The Man Behind the Legend, 1885-1945 Patton: A Genius for War The Button Box: A Daughter's Loving Memoir Of Mrs. George S. Patton

to get a more complete picture of this legendary and controversial figure.

A Must Read for any Patton Fan
Robert Patton has written a great work not only for general readership but a lasting legacy to the Patton descendants.He delves into family history & writes about more than just names & dates.This book tells the story of the Patton ancestors that shaped the life of General George S. Patton Jr.

After reading this book you can clearly see the values & mindsets that drove 'Old Blood & Guts' & made him a legendary figure.It would be inappropriate to just read the military career of Patton & try to form an opinion of him without understanding the inner workings of the family & circumstances that shaped him.This book fills in so many gaps that are left out by other authors & extends past the general's death by following up with other family members.

Robert Patton should be commended for telling the whole story without leaving out the negative incidents.He tells the story, good & bad.To leave out negative incidents would be to ignore the occurences that were as much a part of Patton as were his glorious successes on the battlefield.It has been said that "We are the sum total of all our experiences".This clearly explains the man behind the legend & Robert Patton has done him justice. ... Read more

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In this book, the author reveals evidence surrounding the secretive dealings between Hitler and the British Royal Family. Details of the Prince of Wales' growing admiration for Hitler's brand of fascism, and his disenchantment with the way Britain was being run have been unearthed in German archives previously suppressed by King George VI. The evidence suggests that the Prince, who later became Edward VIII, was not only involved in an extraordinary plot, involving the actor Errol Flynn, to murder his brother and sister-in-law while they were on an official visit to America in 1939, but that he was a player in a little-known Nazi operation codenamed "Dove", which aimed to start in insurrection in Ireland with Nazi backing and with the assistance of Sean Russell, Chief of Staff of the IRA. ... Read more

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The story of the 19 fighter pilots who received Britian's highest honor, the Victoria Cross, in World War I and their aircraft that figured in the action. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

A Special Slice of History
Being a Lincoln fan, I pride myself on keeping up on the latest books that come out, and usually, one way or another, end up purchasing them. So, imagine my surprise when I visited a local bookstore, and was browsing in its impressive Lincoln section to find this jew, "The Lincoln Family Album". What, a book that I hadn't heard of?

At first, I thought it was just a simple recounting of the many familiar books with Lincoln photos in it. But upon glancing inside, I realized how wrong assumptions are. The pictures in this book are from the actual Lincoln photograph album, kept through the family generation after generation, until the last surviving member of the clan died in 1985. Up until then, the book lived in secrecy, but now, in this stunning paperback, the photographs have been reproduced. Each page contains a picture, and a small vignette that describes the person in the picture, and why it would be found in the Lincoln family album.

I found myself engrossed, not only in the pictures, but the information contained in each page. For some reason, the pictures came more alive to me with this information than any other picture book of Lincoln. Especially touching are the pictures of Lincoln's kids, Tad, Willie, and Robert. As proud parents would, they are well-documented in this book.

If you are a devotee of Lincoln, I highly recommend this book. With an engrossing first chapter that talks about how photography was catching on just as Lincoln became President, and a wealth of knowledge of the Lincoln family, this book is sure to please you!!

Review of "The Lincoln Family Album"
Mark Neely has compiled a fascinating collection of the Lincoln family's pictures from their family album. What's interesting is what is NOT included in the album: not many photographs of Abraham Lincoln, perhaps the most photographed president of the 19th century. But the pictures of his children and grandchildren are especially interesting and poignant, especially those of a grandson named Abraham (Robert's son) who died at 16 but who bore an uncanny likeness to his famous grandfather. An important addition to any serious Lincoln student's library. ... Read more

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'Twas my fortune, my Lord, in my juvenile Years, _Musas cum Marte commutare_, and truly I have Reason to blush, when I consider the small Advantage I have reap'd from that Change. But lest it should be imputed to my Want of Merit, I have wrote these Memoirs, and leave the World to judge of my Deserts. ... Read more

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As the elder daughter of an emperor whose wife had presented him with no sons, Isabel stood to inherit the monarchy of Brazil with the passing of Dom Pedro II. On three separate occasions, Isabel was named regent, or head of state, when her father was required to leave the country for extended periods. On each occasion, she served as the dutiful daughter, following her father's instructions to the letter and resisting any attempts at personal aggrandizement. During her third regency, as her father recuperated in Europe, rather than accumulate personal power and oppose the forces of republicanism and abolition, Isabel personally led the struggle to pass the Gold Law of 1888 abolishing slavery throughout Brazil, thus ridding the country of one of the institutions upon which traditional monarchical Brazil was based and speeding the downfall of the monarchy, the monarchy she would inherit, in 1889.

Princess Isabel of Brazil examines Isabel's role as an extraordinary woman who had access to material wealth and education and power, in patriarchal nineteenth-century Brazil. Professor Barman looks at how her life was constrained by her subordinate roles as daughter, wife, mother, and even as empress-in-waiting, using the fascinating career of Isabel to examine the interplay of gender and power in the nineteenth century.

This new book is an excellent resource for courses biography, women's studies, and Latin American history courses.

... Read more

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It took courage and imagination for Katrin to confront the assumptions and half-truths that had taken root in the family... You get a vivid sense of a particular kind of German conservatism and of how, weirdly, it found an outlet in the upstart, part-pagan thuggery of Nazisim...The Himmler Brothers raises more questions than it answers, but that doesn't lessen in the slightest my admiration of Katrin Himmler for having written it. --.

One can only admire the bravery of Katrin Himmler . . . In a way, Katrin Himmler's book is not a story about the past, but one about the present. The most interesting details are the ones she gives of her own quest. --.

Katrin Himmler's book is important: in its meticulous detail, we see the enduring truth of the phrase "the banality of evil". It shows how a family from a cultured Munich background could produce the greatest mass murderer in the history of the world and how its other members willingly followed him on a Faustian pact with evil. --Sunday Telegraph ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

The Himmler Brothers: A German Family History
This is an excellent book, a must read for anyone interested in Heinrich Himmler.I agree with David Cesarani of the Literary Review, who said this is "A courageous work"--Many thanks to Katrin Himmler for writing this.

What motivated the Nazi leaders?
I'm interested in anything that sheds light on what happened in the thirties and forties to allow the Nazi party to come to power. This book gives excellent insight into the condition of the times and the background of a man whose name causes many to shiver with horror. This simple story is engaging and you won't forget easily forget it. Lots to think about...

Worth it the wait
Katrin has access to many family documents that were not published before, it is nice to see the family and their history, and have a look on how that typical German Family got so far in the ranks of the Nazi regime. I love studying about the Second War, and this was one of the best I've read. Loved it. ... Read more

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Wonderful Work
I can honestly say that this book is the most interesting I have read in a good while.The correspondence between members of this family gives a very personal and descriptive insight into their life in South Carolina just before, during and after the Civil War.It is very easy to feel as if you know the family personally by the time you are finished with the book.This work has won a permanent place on my bookshelf...and a second reading. ... Read more

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This account of the Bronte family traces their Irish ancestry from its murky origins around 1710, to 1820 when the Bronte family arrived at Haworth Parsonage, Yorkshire. Patrick Brunty was the eldest of a family of ten from Ballynaskeagh near Newry in County Down. His parents were uneducated and impoverished, but his father, Hugh, was known locally as a storyteller whose repertoire included the strange tale of Welsh Brunty, almost certainly a prototype for Heathcliff. Through an enormous act of will, he won a scholarship to St John's College, Cambridge, when he changed his name to Bronte. After graduation, Patrick was ordained a Church of England priest and held various ministries until finally he arrived in Haworth with his wife suffering from cancer and six young children. He cherished literary ambitions which he passed on to Charlotte, Emily and Anne; and this book points out certain themes and stories in their novels which could only have come from a profound knowledge of their Irish roots. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Before the Bronte sisters
This is an interesting and easy to read history of the Bronte family.This book focusses more on Patrick Bronte and his antecedents than on his famous offspring and, perhaps, fills in some gaps about the origins of one of the most famous literary families.

Of special interest to me was the tale of the first male to be named Welsh Bronte, and the similarities between his story and the character of Heathcliff.

Recommended to those who are interested in the Irish roots of the Bronte family history.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith ... Read more