World War II from inside the Wehrmacht. Knappe, one of the Third Reich's best and brightest, trained under Rommel and distinguished himself rapidly, meeting the FÅhrer as a young peacetime soldier. He lived and fought through most of the major campaigns (France, Russia, Italy, the defense of Berlin), cheating death time after time, surviving for nearly five years as a Russian prisoner. Here, aided by Brusaw (The Business Writer's Handbook—not reviewed), Knappe offers precise, affecting memories of the WW II era—of his family, his circle, and a Jewish friend who had to leave Germany; of the way people lived in different places he was billeted, and of the textures of his life: the Russian winter and the hell of combat are palpable. No everyman, Knappe comes off as sensitive as well as dutiful, and remorseless in his respect for his own life. Yet the self-deceptions of nationalism and war appear in justifying asides here and there. He was bothered by the use of children in the war, he tells us, but outraged when a teenaged leader failed to report that they had fled their position, and he was nonplussed by a Russian woman who thought Fascism would be as bad as Communism. His memoir displays an unnerving acceptance of an establishment: There is no hint of civil disobedience. Knappe was disturbed about the treatment of Jews and wondered, ``Why invade Russian when we have a treaty?''- -but his ethic of discipline did not allow him the initiative of those who plotted to kill Hitler. Withal, a superb description of the German war machine from creation to defeat, and a fine, absorbing chronicle of a remarkable time. (Forty-five b&w photographs—not seen.)
Pub Date: July 1, 1992
ISBN: 0-517-58895-1
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Crown
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 1992
Lacks punch because it lacks supporting evidence.
An observer’s thoughts on America’s perceived moral decline and its government’s tendency toward autocracy.
According to Howard, America began sliding toward autocracy soon after it was founded, thanks to Chief Justice John Marshall, a John Adams appointee, whose federalistic decisions helped to concentrate power in the executive branch. Add to that a movement away from America’s "basicly (sic) Christian moral heritage," coupled with meddling by liberal and/or socialist elements within the government, and Howard sees the country rapidly heading toward the fate that met the ancient democracies in Greece and Rome. To put the current situation in context, Howard devotes large sections to explanations of the governments of the United States and Britain, as well as outlines key differences between ancient and modern democracies. However, he fails to provide many of the factual underpinnings necessary to back up his claims, such as the idea that "the total removal of limitations of the male democratic franchise" (i.e. allowing African-Americans and women to vote) limited democracy. Some of Howard’s other ideas that lack support include the notion that the intent of the Constitution’s framers more than 200 years ago should be the main factor in assessing a law’s constitutionality. Similarly, it’s debatable whether or not the British have “diluted their traditions” by allowing large numbers of immigrants into their country, or even that the United States is in a state of moral decline. These assertions are very much open to dispute, yet the author treats them as givens. This book begs for citations, or at least a bibliography, but the facts to back up the claims simply are not there.
Lacks punch because it lacks supporting evidence.Pub Date: May 7, 2001
ISBN: 978-0-7388-5189-2
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 27, 2010
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
This unappealing, disorganized, catastrophe of a cookbook paints an unhealthy picture of country fare. The authors (The Brooklyn Cookbook, 1991) tout this volume as an effort to keep the spirit of rural America alive and squealing. Unfortunately, with concoctions like the cholesterol-laden Midwest Spam Salad (that mystery meat done with a cup of Miracle Whip, three eggs, and a cup of cheddar cheese) and the pork-fat seasoned Venison Scrapple, readers will run for the big city. And who needs a recipe for greasy Greek Brown Butter Spaghetti (brown a stick of butter, pour over pasta, then toss with Parmesan cheese) or Tater Pigs (stuff one pork link sausage into a hole bored into an Idaho potato and bake) or Sugar on Snow (dribble warm maple syrup over crushed ice)? Any attempt to head directly to the few healthful, appetizing creations, like Esther Stipp's Yellow Squash Summer Soup made without cream (and only a little oil to sautÇ the onion and garlic) is thwarted by the authors' decision to organize these recipes according to the eight regions (New England, the South, the Great Lakes, etc.) and nearly 100 fairs at which they can be found. Furthermore, the recipes compete with an overabundance of information on the fairs themselves—including directions for getting there and where to park, and what fair exhibitor Sara Morris has been doing since her first 4-H exhibit in the third grade. Makes one grateful not to be a country boy.
Pub Date: Sept. 2, 1994
ISBN: 0-7868-6014-6
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Hyperion
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1994
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
