"The Writings on the Wall" by Terry Tillman is my favorite Cold War book. I had the pleasure of becoming acquainted with the author shortly after the book was published and learned that his book is more than just historical - it is about the universal human spirit of loving freedon, life and each other. I commend the book to anyone interested in enhancing international understanding and world peace.

"The Writings on the Wall" by Terry Tillman is without a doubt my favorite book on the Cold War and the breaking down of the Berlin Wall. In graphic pictures and quotes it captures the essence of the times and the humanness of what was going on, not just a factual account.

"The Writings on the Wall" by Terry Tillman is a wonderful book of powerful photographs and pearls of wisdom by various people. The book inspired me to think about many levels of walls that we build, from emotional to the physical, and the power we have to knock them down.

I took this book with me to Munich and followed its recommendations closely. As a result, I found some terrific places off the usual tourist beat that made for some great memories. I strongly recommend this book to any beer lovers who want to get beyond the Hofbrauhaus.

This is an absolutely terrific book, even if you're not a serious beer drinker. Everything you'll need to know about Munich and Bavaria is here; from how to ride the subway, how to greet people along the way, even how to correctly hold your stein without looking like a rookie. And what would a trip to the Hofbrauhaus be without singing? The words to the best beer drinking songs are in the back of the book! Day trips, food and beer reviews, entertainment and directions are all included. A word about beer gardens...don't be put off with the idea that they are just big parks serving beer to roudy and abusive drunks. The owners do not tolerate that kind of behavior. Beer gardens are a very civilized, cultural part of Bavaria, and they just so happen to be a lot of fun too. Ein, Zwei, Drei, g'suffa!!!

I have visited Munich at least a dozen of times since then the iron curtain dropped down. It is very pity that I've read this book just now. Today I already know almost the every place and beer garden described in the book. And I think, that anyone going to Munich will find this book a must if he/she wants to find the best in German beers. Now Munich is a quite popular place to visit for many Russian tourists, especially during the Octoberfest time. But even if you are not going to Munich, this is a good read. The descriptions of the beer gardens are very entertaining and correct. Recommend it!

This is an excellent book of faith, hope and the inestimable power of prayer. It is the story of Father Goldmann, a seminarian, soldier and priest, who despite, the evils of his time, achieves his goal of becoming a priest through the prayers of many.

It also shows the evils of propaganda on both sides which tries to paint the enemy as all evil and that all must be dealt with harshly. Yes, the Nazis were evil and their plans and goals were evil. They were merciless to their enemies. We see also that the Allies were not the "knights in shining armor" as portrayed in our history books. They often acted in the same manner as the Nazis. Above all this book shows what the Christian virtues of faith, hope and charity can do. It shows, above all, the mysterious workings of God and the power of prayer and sacrifice.

This book is highly recommended for all.

I had a hard time putting this book down. I finished it in 3 days which for me, with a busy work and family life, is quite an accomplishment.

This book will bolster your faith in God, the Sacraments, and in the life of prayer. There are many examples in this book about how prayers were answered.

I also found Fr. Goldmann's audacity, at times funny, to be quite remarkable.

This is a must read.

A friend gave me this book to read and told me that I would enjoy the story of Fr. Goldmann. She warned me that it had moments of ugliness and horrible accountings; since it was written about the life of a Nazi. Fr. Goldmann started out in his village as a simple altar boy with a strong faith in God. This faith stayed with him during his trials as a Franciscan novitiate, caught up in the life of an SS officer for Hitler, through filthy and depraved situations and led him to his ultimate destiny. The Holy Father gave him special permission to serve as a priest to the many people surviving the horrors of war in camps and prisons. With the prayers of devout nuns and friends and his constant, guiding faith and fortitude in God, Fr. Goldmann helped many souls to their final rest by administering the Sacraments and the offering of the Mass. The simple everyday gifts of food and shelter and our local parish church mean so much more after I discovered the situations that faced people caught up in the struggle to stay alive and keep their Faith during the wartime.

In the epilogue, I marvelled at Fr. Goldmann's missionary work that he accomplished in Japan starting with his primary struggle in learning the Japanese language. His childhood dream was to go to Japan. He managed to build up the Church there and inspire many Japanese to become devout Christians and serve the Lord. His further work with the poorest in Tokyo, "the ragpickers", gave us insight into the conditions of the people. How he helped students and mothers with families was a constant inspiration. This story makes you want to go out and work for the Faith and offer prayer wherever it is needed.

The cover image stopped me in my tracks at the bookstore, and I bought multiple copies. The young woman at the checkout counter was mesmerized by the image as well. The illustrations inside equal or surpass the one on the cover.

The images are detailed but not fussy. They are highly evocative of German Romanticism -- very moody, dreamy, somewhat melancholy, with an emphasis on the grandeur of Nature. If you enjoy the illustrations of Maurice Sendak, Edward Gorey, Arthur Rackham, et al., you will like this book.

Like Barrett's artwork, Poole's text tells the classic tale soberly, including the queen's botched attempts to strangle Snow White with silken laces and prick her with a poison comb. There is also more mention of Snow White's mother and father than in many retellings. This version is certainly more in line with magical/mystical/matriarchal imagery than Disney's.

Some of the images -- e.g., drops of blood -- and the story itself may be too intense for very young readers. For me, this book is a contemporary gem and is worth seeking out.

Wonderful illustrations, of course, but also the story includes the incident with the poisoned comb (left out in many editions). A great book for parents looking to replace the Disney-fied version for their children.

If you like this, also check out the same author/illustrator team's collaboration on "Joan of Arc."

The illustrations are beautiful without being frou-frou, serious without being creepy. Highly recommended for ages 4-8.

This is the well-known story of a princess whose evil stepmother tries to have her killed. The huntsmen could not go through with it and tells Snow White to run away. When she does she finds herself in the company of seven small men. They live in a house very happily until the queen finds that Snow White is not dead. She finds Snow White and tricks her into eating a poisoned apple. Snow White dies. She is awoken from her death by the kiss of a prince and they live happily ever after.
The reason I enjoyed this version of Snow White more than others that I have read was that is was not as much of a fairy tail like story and more of a darker approach to it. The seven dwarfs, for example, are not shown as happy little creatures that sing and dance all day long. They are merely shown as small, kind men. The illustrations in this book are so beautiful even though they are not the bright colors that would usually go along with this story.

I am a fan of Michael Phillips and his talent for taking historical facts and weaving faith building stories around them. He had done another wonder with this story of WWII and I have loaned my copy out several times.

A first step in the journey of a deeper understanding of the Father's love.

A must "read" for those who enjoy historical fiction from a Godly perspective.

Just finished the last of the Secret of the Rose series..."Dawn of Liberty."
A lot of spiritural digestion to do. Will stay with me forever.

Love, Obedience, Forgiveness and more Love = all action words.

I read this series a couple of years ago and I absolutely loved it - my husband was fascinated as well and he usually doesn't read fiction at all. It is fascinating how the author combines history, fiction and christian values. Myself I was deeply touched and moved by the different characters - I lived right with them. Since reading these books roses are even more special to me. After finishing one book I couldn't wait to start with the next one!

The title suggests this book is comprised of reminiscing reflections from sadistic, self-satisfied Nazi war criminals. In fact, most of the observations in written and spoken testimonies, diaries and documents, suggest the 'Perpetrators and Bystanders' were appalled. Frequently, however, they were only bothered by the manner of the beatings and executions. Those whose material contributed to this book had to see starved women beg for their lives-- soon to be corpses pulled from gas chambers by hooks on sticks inserted into their mouths to make for easy dragging-- Nazi mass executions of Jews by bullet in which many near dead tumbled into communal graves begged to be shot again, or even crowbar execution beatings by SS-supervised Ukrainians, and so on, before returning to enjoy their privileged lives away from real military action.

In a section on the camps, an SS Doctor, Johannes Kremer, Mengele-like, describes how he 'reserves' certain starving prisoners who are particularly interesting to him medically, for warm disections. On the next entry of his diary he says: "'There was roast hare for lunch'a real fat leg'with dumplings and red cabbage'" His remark, chosen for the title of this chapter: "Food in the officers' mess excellent."

There are a number of photographs throughout the book, which were taken in spite of it being forbidden.

For those of us born after 1945, there is an impenetrable membrane between us and a proper sense of these important recent events. (If you visit Auschwitz/Birkenau you may be struck by how modern everything looks. It was not that long ago.) We may ask how it is possible for civilized people with families to commit and tolerate such affronts to humanity, and then quietly return to their lives with a clear conscience. Hauntingly, there is an even worse question, if I had been born in the right time and place, and had been fed the right propaganda, could I have done it? In some way, am I doing it now?

Such books as this make me mournful and trouble my sleep. I consider this necessary reading for anyone hoping see a little deeper into this terrible odyssey shared by perpetrators and victims.

I also recommend Nazi Hunter, the Wiesenthal File, by Alan Levy, which is by no means similar in style or perspective, but contains a wealth of information.

This book really makes one shiver. I have read a number of books on the holocaust and World War 2 and this book absolute is the rawest of the books covering the genocide. That is not to say the book had a blow by blow account of the methods of killing, but just the history of this group of solders and the off handed way the mass killing was described. The people doing this killing were just normal guys, not unlike friends, family or myself. Wow, it is just amazing to me the way they try to justify what they were in charge of, the crimes against humanity that they committed. That is what was so disturbing to me. It is much easier to think that the mass killing was done by some group of homicidal maniacs let out of the asylum and given guns that that is not the case.

The details you get here are very hard to take once you have finished the book and think about it. This is one of the few books that for weeks after I finished it I would continue to think about it I do not think I can recommend this book enough; it really gives you a feel for the tremendous crime that took place. You will not be able to stop reading the book until you have completed it. I could go on and on. Even if you are not overly interested in WW 2 or the Holocaust you should read this book, there is no way you will not be griped by it.

Read it but be careful! The abyss will look back at you. The reports, letters and diary excerpts... This is really the backside of the nazi grandiose facade. Not forget the Holocaust? This book will never let you forget.

Now in the twilight of his years Manchester has revealed he lacks the mental focus necessary to complete his trilogy on the life of Winston Churchill (while heroically fending off his publisher's suggestion that he graft on a co-author to complete it). In its zeal to conjure some way to make more money off the Manchester name, is it perhaps time for this publisher to ponder why one of the greatest biographers and historians in memory can only be read by combing the bins of used bookstalls or grasping the dog-eared library tome?

The Arms of Krupp (out of print), and many others of the canon are seminal works with a devoted readership. Perhaps the right marketing opportunity simply has yet to strike. Making a movie (and a bad one at that) about Pearl Harbor popped even the questionable Gordon Prange back into prominence. Clearly, in these days when book publishers are conveniently tied into the entertainment world as a matter of corporate domain, the lonely vigil of the Manchester devotee must await the serendipity of Hollywood. Until then, Mr. Manchester I laud you with the words of one still in print:

"To me fair friend you can never be old,
For as you were when first your eye I eyed,
Such seems your beauty still."

How DARE they let this book go out of print! This is one of the most brilliant histories of recent years, a classic to go along with Bill Shirer's "Rise and fall of the Third Reich" and Barbara Tuchman's "August 1914"/"The guns of August", to which it is an excellent companion. It captures both eras and characters wonderfully well. ABove all, Manchester is a passionate historian. No academic distance for hîm. The words burn with anger at the treatment of the slave workers of the Third Reich - and their murdered offspring, to whom the book is dedicated. Long it may be but it bears rereading, because nobody ought to forget this stuff.

This is an excellent book about a family struggle. It looks lengthy however; I am waiting for a sequel. One of the things I like to do is to read books that become movies and movies that are novelized. You are right this would have to be a mini-series. Ha, I will bet you did not notice that in the book William Manchester mentions that the movie "Major Barbara"; the only play actually written by George Bernard Shaw was modeled on the Krupp family.

Wow!! This picture book works on so many different levels. I just read it to my 23 sixth graders. Very powerful stuff. As an introduction to the Holocaust, I'd rank this book # 1...it will evoke a boatload of questions amongst your readers (and listeners!). Excellent writing craft to study!! The unfolding of the story will make readers predict and predict. "I wonder..." questions will surface at the end of this book..."What really happened to Rose Blanche?" framed a long, rich discussion in our class!...
Buy it, read it, buy one for a friend!!
Frank Murphy

I was first read this book in a drama class for teachers in training. I have never seen so many people cry at once. This book has the potential to be used in so many ways in the classroom, as it touches peoples hearts. Both children and adults can see the world through Rose's German eyes (a view not often portrayed in allied history), and explore the deeper meanings in both the text and the beautiful illustrations. The more you look at the pictures, the more you can see. If any teacher needs a book to study the second world war, I recomend Rose Blanche.

This beautiful picture book will help make the Holocaust accessible to very young readers. Rose Blanche is a deeply moving story that will affect nearly all who read it. The detailed illustrations are drawn from a perspective that gives the reader a sense of security whilst offering a vivid view of the fate of others not so secure. Because this story is an allegory, it can be appreciated by readers of many ages. On one level, this is simply the story of one girl, Rose Blanche, finding out for herself what is happening to her countrymen and trying to help. On another level, Rose Blanche stands for all who helped the Jews, even though to do so meant certain death for the rescuers. This quiet book inspires courage.

I read this book this past year, my sophmore year in High School. This book told pieces of the hell Mr. Eisner had to go through and how he managed to survive. I was told by my teacher (and several other students in my class) that this was a "hard read" and it would take a little while to finish. I, however, was so entranced by Jack's words that I had to keep on going and finished it in over a course of a day. Not only did I get to read Jack Eisner's book, but I got to meet him in person when, not only did he come to the university (where I attended his first speech), but at my High School, where I again attended his speech and even got to shake this man's hand. To actually get to meet him was something all together and made the book even more wonderful. Soon everyone who lived during that time, who actually fought or survived the horrors of that world, will be gone, but through Jack's book, and other's like his, we will never forget. That is one thing that Jack said, we must never forget. I guarantee anyone can like this book ... it shows you a first hand prospective of how things actually went on in the Ghetto and the camps, although it just barely skims the surface of some of the things that happened.

Jack Eisner chronicles more than his survival in this autobiography. "The Survivor of the Holocaust" is a young man's story of adventure, courage, love, and history.

If you know an adolescent who needs to read a historical perspective for school, I highly recommend this book. The adventure will keep the youngster's attention while he/she learns about the darkest chapter of the 20th century.

I read this book a few years ago and have recommended it to everyone interested in that incredible period of world history. It is beautifully written and absolutely amazing how this young boy escaped many horrendous events. I could only think that God had a plan and purpose for his life, perhaps to tell this story. I wonder what happened to Jack Eisner and if he's written other books.

If you were a fan of Dietrich and were allowed to own only ONE book about this woman, then this should be the book to own. To reiterate another reviewer's thought -- it is EXQUISITE.

This is a dream of a book. Full of glorious photos and facts. I highly reccommend this to all Dietrich and film fans. All public figures should be the subject of a book like this.

A delicacy! The best book of photographs I have seen on Dietrich and a compendium of beauty, not only hers but all that was created through and with her. A must have book.