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 enlarge | Author: Nicholson Baker
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Category: Book
List Price: $30.00
Buy New: $5.98
You Save: $24.02 (80%)
New (50) Used (27) Collectible (1) from $5.98
Avg. Customer Rating:  65 reviews
Sales Rank: 13905
Media: Hardcover
Edition: 1
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 576
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.7
Dimensions (in): 9.4 x 6.2 x 1.6
ISBN: 1416567844
Dewey Decimal Number: 940.5311
EAN: 9781416567844
ASIN: 1416567844
Publication Date: March 11, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Ships immediately! Perfect and New! Has a publisher remainder mark. 1st Edition. 2008 Hardcover.
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| Customer Reviews:
 Wow! How easily people swallow revisionism and slander... September 13, 2008
4 out of 10 found this review helpful
How is it possible that so many people rate this book so high? Do they want to believe in passivism so much that they will accept distortions, errors, and lies from a man who is not a historian? Good grief! Baker used Wikipedia and the NYT as references. Wiki is a great casual reference for ordinary usage, but a book about such a serious topic needs primary sources. The NYT unaccountably under reported the slaughter of Jews throughout the war, yet Baker calls Churchill antisemitic. Even the title of his book "Human Smoke" is based on an error; Baker places imprisoned German Chief of Staff Halder in Auschwitz [where human smoke drifted into his room]. But...Halder was never there. The other distortions and errors would take more time than this books deserves or this space provides.
If you are pacifist who desperately wants to believe that the solution to all wars is to -- simply not fight. Then by all means read this book.
If you are a journalism teacher looking for an excellent example of how errors, half-truths and distortions can be made to sound authoritive. Then by all means read this book.
HOWEVER...if the truth of history, and if ethical writing are important to you, this book is a horrible waste of time.
 Question August 19, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
Reading this book makes me wonder -- can the US really entertain a black president? (I hope so.) We've certainly come a long way re acceptance of Catholics, Jews, women's and black's rights. But we still have a long way to go.
But what struck me after reading the book was, how would history have been changed had we applied the Marshall Plan (or similar) to post WW I Germany? The Marshall Plan has taught us (or should have) how completely our prosperity and well being is linked to the prosperity and well being of others.
What more can you ask of a book than that it make you think?
 Occasionally interesting August 11, 2008
1 out of 4 found this review helpful
Snippets of newspaper stories, writings from letters and diaries, speeches, etc. up to the end of 1941. The problem with this anthology is the lack of context and inclusion of frequently dull pieces of information-didn't add much to my knowledge of WWII.
 Eye Opening, Jaw Dropping August 3, 2008
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
I was first made aware of this book by an article on CNN. I immediately ordered the book from Amazon and totally disregarded (in fact I didn't even read them) the reviews here. I knew that this book would polarize everyone, before they even read it. I hope to provide an honest review.
I expected the book to be a collection of newspaper clippings, from which I could draw my own conclusions. Upon receiving and reading the book, I must report that this is not the case. Most (in truth almost all) of the articles are summarized and include information discovered after the war. While this is helpful from a historical point of view, it also allows the author to insert his own view (either by happenstance, or purposefully) which he does a bit too much. Personally, I support the pacifist cause, but would have preferred more attention to an unbiased presentation of the facts.
I must also admit that I was completely unprepared for the revelations which the book inspires. As a graduate of the class of '01, my education of WWII was wholly inadequate. I was taught in public school that Churchill & Roosevelt were saints and Hittler was the devil incarnate. After reading the information in this book, and verifying the sources, I've had an eye opening experience. As it happens, all 3 of them are devils. Heres a FEW of the things this book will reveal to you...
The reason why Germany invaded Poland, and the offer to give it back.
How Churchill twisted public opinion to become Prime Minister, and his bloodlust for civilian casualties.
Germany's attempts to export its Jewish population, and provide them their own country.
The refusal of ALL major nations to accept Jewish refugees, as a result of their own anti-semitism.
The reason why Germany invaded Russia.
The circumstances which caused the formation of the "final solution" to the Jewish question.
This book contains an EXTENSIVE bibliography, which will keep you busy for hours on end "verifying". The simple fact of the matter is, you can't go back and rewrite history, the truth eventually resurfaces itself. "Human Smoke" does just that, it revives the dead voices and breathes an air of truth. I believe any history buff, or inquisitive person will value and cherish this book. If you desire substance which challenges your own historical foundations, then read this book.
While I love this book and its message, I really was disappointed with the bias issue. While the facts are true, I would have preferred less "commentary".
TRIVIA July 22, 2008
2 out of 13 found this review helpful
Be aware that this is nothing more than a collection of mostly newspaper stories. 70% of the stories are of personal, trivial occurrences that are as boring as they are inconsequential. Any time items of consequence are brought up there is a complete lack of depth or follow through. The end result is a vapid book that is a rip off of time and money.
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