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Steve R. - Reviews

1 to 10 of 10
The Age of Surveillance Capitalism: The Fight for a Human Future at the New Frontier of Power
Review Date: 5/26/2023


The subject matter - the pervasive way in which our privacy rights are being usurped by Google, Facebook and a multitude of other companies through smart devices - is of the utmost importance, and yet the book suffers from the dense writing style of Zuboff, limiting its potential readership. I strongly encourage everyone to do their due diligence on this subject and to safeguard their privacy to the (limited) extent possible (Duck Duck Go vs. Google; Avast vs. Chrome, etc) but unless you're dedicated, I think the average reader is going to find this slow going.


The Deadly Stroke
The Deadly Stroke
Author: Warren Tute
Book Type: Hardcover
  • Currently 4/5 Stars.
 1
Review Date: 12/18/2008


An excellent overview about a largely unknown and ignored phase of World War II. Namely: The British attack and destruction of the French Fleet in 1940. The victor writes the history books, as they say, so this blemish has mostly gone unacknowledged.

This book gives a blow-by-blow breakdown on the events leading up to the bombardment, and the aftermath as well.


Death on the Black Sea: The Untold Story of the 'Struma' and World War II's Holocaust at Sea
Review Date: 11/15/2010
Helpful Score: 1


I have to say, one thing that sticks in my craw is the use of exaggeration to sell books. This wasn't the worst maritime civilian loss during WWII, nor was it even close.

The Wilhelm Gustloff is recognized as the greatest sea tragedy of ALL time, with in excess of 8500 persons drowned (and some say in excess of 10,000) on January 30, 1945. Yes, you have to subtract the military personnel from the total but even then, you far exceed the Struma's civilian loss of less than 800 persons. In fact, almost 4,000 of those lost in the Gustloff were children, over 40 times as many as the Struma and five times the entire Struma total!

Every loss of life is tragic, but using exaggerated verbiage to sell books is a shame. The Struma's history is interesting enough without it.


The Fall of Berlin 1945
The Fall of Berlin 1945
Author: Antony Beevor
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 4.1/5 Stars.
 9
Review Date: 9/3/2009
Helpful Score: 1


An excellent in-depth look at the fall of Berlin, encompassing both the Allies and Axis point of view, but also the citizens who endured countless hardships. Beever doesn't hold back or sugarcoat the atrocities inflicted on the citizens by the Red Army, and his in-depth look at the final days from inside Hitler's Bunker is top-notch.


Go in and Sink
Go in and Sink
Author: Douglas Reeman
Book Type: Paperback
  ?
Review Date: 10/29/2007


Also published as "His Majesty's U-Boat"


Hitler, Donitz, and the Baltic Sea: The Third Reich's Last Hope, 1944-1945
Review Date: 9/3/2009


Extremely well researched, this book details the last months of the war on the Eastern Front and the relationship that Admiral Donitz had with Adolf Hitler. It also raises interesting questions and provides thought-provoking answers as the reasons behind many of Hitler's actions late in the war.


The Kindly Ones
The Kindly Ones
Author: Jonathan Littell
Book Type: Hardcover
  • Currently 2.5/5 Stars.
 8
Review Date: 9/27/2012
Helpful Score: 1


Well, I DID make it through the 975 pages, and I'll be honest, it wasn't always easy. Let me start by saying, it's truly a work of art; I can't conceive of how ones is able to write such a book. Not only is there an insane amount of research required, but to write in this style is amazing. That's not to say I enjoyed the book... the subject matter is difficult and there were times that the stream of conscious style of writing, especially for a person whose mental status is in question for much of the book, was a chore to wade through and process. This book was a best seller in France, yet I just can't imagine THAT many people reading it.


Quarantine
Quarantine
Author: Josh Webster
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 3.3/5 Stars.
 3
Review Date: 4/14/2008


He was a genius. The CIA wanted him. And they knew how to get him. A son with Cystic Fibrosis, and the endless unpaid medical bills, left Dr. James Lockton no choice but to accept the offer. The CIA foots the bill...and he builds them the ultimate weapon. A microscopic organism that kills.

But the controlled conditions of a top-secret laboratory on an isolated island are never far removed from the world of greed, corruption and fear. A botched attempt to steal the virus unleashes it into the water supply.

The ultimate nightmare begins.


Science Fictions: How Fraud, Bias, Negligence, and Hype Undermine the Search for Truth
Review Date: 5/26/2023


A terrific book that will open your eyes and make you question (as we all clearly should) scientific claims based on a single study. It's enjoyable, enlightening reading, and I encourage everyone not to ignore the footnotes.


Weak Link: The Feminization of the American Military
Weak Link: The Feminization of the American Military
Author: Brian Mitchell
Book Type: Hardcover
  • Currently 3/5 Stars.
 1
Review Date: 1/9/2015


This book is a strong indictment of political correctness and the compromises made to accommodate same. What's especially concerning is that even more has happened since the book's publishing as the slippery slope has seriously compromised the effectiveness of our nation's military. Read this book, then read more on the subject. And then speak out.

On the downside, Mitchell's biases are evident, and he uses flowery language to make his case on occasion where I'd prefer actual hard evidence.


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