"Black Earth The Holocaust As History And Warning" by Timothy Snyder---Book Review

Ever since its release date of September 8, 2015, I had been seeing this book quoted in all sorts of legitimate writing both in the public media and in more academic articles about World War II, the Holocaust, genocide, and totalitarian governments.  I am always involved in reading, research, and writing about liberal issues, dystopian governments, totalitarian governments, etc. and became particularly involved in these issues with the tragic rise to prominence of the TRAITOR & International Terrorist Trump.  But I never ordered the book because my to be read list is always too long.  Then in October 2017 my wife, Candice, and I took a long vacation in the Desert Southwest.  On October 6, 2017, we happened to visit the El Paso Holocaust Museum which will receive a much deserved post on this blog sometime soon. When we completed out tour and went into the gift shop, the first thing to catch my eye was a copy of this book which I immediately bought.  I finally finished reading it a few weeks ago and should have done so before October 2017 had passed.  

Photo Of Timothy Snyder by The Book Haven

"Black Earth..." is a wonderful piece of historical writing by one of the true experts on the subjects of the Holocaust, World War II, and Eastern Europe.  Timothy Snyder has written a dozen or so books on a wide ranging list of subjects in at least four languages.  It is reported in the latest issue of "The Nation" that he has just released his latest book, "The Road to Unfreedom: Russia, Europe, America". Mr. Snyder is a professor of history at Yale University and is said to be able to do research in at least eight languages.  To say the least, he is a prolific author, highly acclaimed professor, and prodigious researcher.  The worst thing I can say about "Black Earth..." or Mr. Snyder is that he writes like a Yale professor of history.  By that I mean that this is a complex, well researched, lengthy, and studious book.  But do not let that keep you from reading it.  The broad ranging analysis and statistical examination of the Holocaust, Hitler's ideas, and the execution of the war across all of Europe is highly educational and worthy of your time.  The last three chapters and the conclusion are the least amount of this book that anyone should allow themselves to skip by with reading.  On page 320 in the conclusion, Snyder writes "There is little reason to think that we are ethically superior to the Europeans of the 1930's and 1940's, or for that matter less vulnerable to the kind of ideas that Hitler so successfully promulgated and realized."  That statement is absolutely true about America today.  

We are seeing a time in our country where a usurper, TRAITOR, international terrorist, racist,  demagogue, and would be dictator has been allowed to conspire and commit TREASON with an enemy of America and is still tolerated by a significant portion of America and allowed to live inside the White House with the assistance of a Russian Owned Criminal Syndicate.  In early May, TRAITOR and international terrorist Trump stated that immigrants "...aren't people. These are animals."  Those very same words were spoken by his hero, Adolph Hitler about Jews before and during the Holocaust.  On several other occasions, TRAITOR and international terrorist Trump has used words written and spoken by Adolph Hitler.  His followers, just as Hitler's followers did, cheer him on during these occasions, defend his use of them afterwards, and base their own hate filled actions on such quotes and actions.  Timothy Snyder is dead center on target when he says that "...there is little reason to think we are ethically superior...".  It is my sincere hope and heartfelt suggestion that each of you who reads this book review will also read "Black Earth...", take the information and ideas it contains to heart, and take future actions to prevent the possibility that another Holocaust directed Muslims, Hispanics, immigrants, the poor, the elderly, and the young can arise in America.  

Skyrider Publishing--Caveat Emptor

Recently, I needed a copy of the Pearl S. Buck novel, "Sons", and after a quick scan of available copies on Amazon I ordered a copy through Amazon which it turned out was printed, not published, by a somewhat shadowy organization called "Skyrider Publishing".  The book was labeled as "New" and when it arrived it appeared to be new based on a superficial examination.  The cover was plain with only a nondescript, remotely oriental looking symbol on the front cover between the title on the top and name of the author on the bottom.  But as I began to read it a week or two later, I realized that it had no publisher's page, prefatory material, copyright, or afterword of any kind.  The only way to know its origin is to the last page in the book, opposite the snow white, inside, rear cover where you find a bar code or UPC and the statement "Made In The USA Lexington, KY 31 March 2018".  The inside front cover is also snow white and opposite a title page which simply says in black letters "Sons By Pearl S. Buck".  When you turn the title page, the text begins immediately and proceeds throughout the book with no white space at the end of a chapter.  The next chapter is simply numbered in Roman numerals and begins with a paragraph break after the preceding chapter.  The text is rife with spelling and grammatical errors which I know  from reading other works by Pearl S. Buck would not be in an original copy from the legitimate publishers.  By the time I had discovered these serious flaws in the book, I had already had it for several days after I had received it.  Incidentally, I had ordered it on March 26, 2018, five days before the date listed on that back page. 

I did a Google Search that day for Skyrider Publishing and again today, May 29, 2018, as I am writing this blog post.  I can find almost nothing about Skyrider Publishing on the Internet where you can always find a plethora of information about even the most obscure of subjects.  There is a Facebook page for Skyrider Publishing which has almost no information on it and a blog which is loaded with old novels and other books which all appear to have been out of copyright when they were put on the blog.  This is only a guess but it appears that Skyrider Publishing is an arm of Amazon and used to rapidly reproduce out of copyright books, sell them as new, and turn a quick profit on legally and morally shaky work produced in a shoddy manner.  

I will never again knowingly purchase another book created by Skyrider Publishing and will strongly and eternally urge anyone I can influence to do the same. If I ever unknowingly purchase such a book, I will immediately return it to the seller and demand a refund. Caveat Emptor!  Let the buyer beware!  Always keep your eyes open when you are buying books and never knowingly or unknowingly support any organization which is reproducing formerly copyrighted work for a fast buck. 

"A Higher Loyalty Truth, Lies, And Leadership" by James Comey---Book Review

Comey, James. A Higher Loyalty Truth, Lies, And Leadership (New York, Flatiron Books 2018)

If you are only going to read one book this year, this is the book you should read!  

Once in a while a book comes along that is the most important book in print at that time.  For the year 2018, this is that book.  At this time (May 29, 2018), this book is ranked #3 on the New York Times Best Sellers List and has spent five weeks on the list.  I pre-ordered it, read it immediately, and should have written about it on this blog on the same day I finished it.  I apologize for that delay.  But "A Higher Loyalty..." is not the most important book of the year because it is a best seller.  The reverse is true.  It is a best seller because, Thank God, a major portion of the readers in America realize that is an incredibly important work.  This book is an autobiographical and historical work by one of the two most important men in the world, James Comey, who is literally standing in the breach protecting this country and the world from a would be dictator, TRAITOR Trump. 

Photo of Robert Mueller and James Comey by The Washington Times

Now let me put at least one of the major misunderstandings about this book to rest for you.  This book is not, in any major way, about TRAITOR Trump.  It is about James Comey, his life and career, and the important values and people who shaped him into the patriot, hero, attorney, public servant, and practicing Christian he is today.  In fact, TRAITOR Trump is mentioned only two or three times in the first one hundred pages of the book and only then to place James Comey, his life's work, and his incredibly unjust firing in their proper perspective.  The book is a masterfully written piece of work which is a fast read, enlightening in many areas, and very well constructed and fluid in its progress from opening to conclusion.  James Comey grew up in a devoutly religious home and was raised to be respectful, ambitious, hard working, and honest.  That is exactly who he turned out to be. The book progresses from his early childhood when he was heavily influenced by being a victim of a violent burglary to the day he was unjustly and criminally fired by TRAITOR Trump.  Mr. Comey discusses and explains the values he was exposed to by his parents, his long and loving relationship with wife and children, his exemplary career as a US Attorney and Director of the FBI, his successful career working for two duly elected presidents each from a different political party, and his deep commitment to the country. 

Photo Of James Comey & His Family by ABC News

Without much discussion of TRAITOR Trump at all, James Comey is able to skillfully elucidate the general public about the inherent differences between an American Patriot and a traitor, a committed Christian and a man who is irreligious at best, an absolutely honest man and a career criminal, a bastion of truth and a pathological liar, and an outstanding citizen and a self-serving representative of all that is evil in the world.  James Comey is a man who should be hailed as the hero he is and he will be as the full load of evidence mounts against TRAITOR Trump.  Buy this book as soon as you can get a copy in your hands.  Read it from cover to cover as soon as you have it in your hands.  Then pass it on to someone else with the stipulation that they must read it and pass it on ad infinitum.

If you are only going to read one book this year, this is the book you should read! 

Republicans And Brown Headed Cowbirds

I frequently sit at my computer located in our family room window and read Internet news stories, work on research for both my own writing and my personal interests, and watch the birds which my wife and I feed outside our window on the pavement of our driveway.  Like every one who feeds birds regularly, we sometimes encounter nuisances such as squirrels, rabbits, crows, and, worst of all, brown headed cowbirds.  Recently, I was taking my daily walk at our local park, Old Mill Park, in our hometown of West Liberty, KY, and encountered a small family group having a Memorial Weekend picnic at one of the picnic tables near the Licking River which borders the park.  As I walked past on the walking path, one of the women who was sitting at a picnic table under a tree commented that a bird egg was on the ground under the tree.  I asked them if they knew the habits of brown headed cowbirds in nesting and laying their eggs.  None of the people had heard of the species and their habits.  But as I was explaining the life cycle of brown headed cowbirds, it suddenly dawned on me that brown headed cowbirds are exactly like Republicans and vice versa.  Let me explain.  

Old Mill Park Amphitheater Photo by West Liberty Tourism Commission

  

According to the Audubon website Guide To Birds page about the brown headed cowbird we can learn several things about the species and its striking similarity to Republicans both singularly and plurally.  Without a doubt, the brown headed cowbird is the most Republican of birds.   As the naturalists and writers at Audubon say, "Cowbirds lay their eggs in nests of other birds. Heavy parasitism by cowbirds has pushed some species to the status of "endangered" and has probably hurt populations of some others."  Republicans, both individually and in groups have for many years and currently endangered many kinds of people and animals species in the world.  As of today, TRAITOR & International Terrorist Trump has endangered the lives of 800,000 Immigrant Dreamers by bringing an end to the federal program which allows these people who came to America as children to remain in the country and eventually to gain citizenship.  He has endangered the lives of hundreds of thousands of Syrian citizens of all ages who are suffering under a dictatorship which is bombing them with poisonous gases which have been banned from use in war for many years.  His decision to give advance warning to Syrian President Assad and Russian President Putin that he intended to pull all US troops out of Syria gave them the green light to resume bombing with poisonous gases and resulted in the horrible attack on Syrian rebels and their children in early April 2018.  By living in a nest built by Russian President Vladimir Putin, TRAITOR & International Terrorist Trump has made it highly likely that the Syrian dictator will persist in power and murder thousands more Syrian patriots and their children.  More than 3.5 million Puerto Ricans, all United States citizens continue to suffer from a lack of nearly all basic community services because the illegitimate Russian Owned Criminal Syndicate, which occupies the White House on the strength of TREASON, has chosen to refuse to provide disaster relief services to this US owned territory simply because they are Hispanic, did not vote for the TRAITOR & International Terrorist Trump, and do not support him today.  How much more like a brown headed cowbird can you be? 

The Audubon website goes on to say this about the brown headed cowbird: "Female may lay nearly one egg per day for several weeks, up to 40 in a season, exceptionally 70 or more. Female often removes an egg from "host" nest before laying one of her own. Known to have laid eggs in nests of over 220 species of birds, and over 140 of those are known to have raised young cowbirds. Young: Fed by "host" parents. Develop rapidly, and leave nest usually after 10-11 days."  Republicans, especially those of higher wealth levels, frequently send their own children to finishing schools, residential schools, and other private schools in order to free themselves of the presence of their own offspring until they are old enough to function minimally successfully on their own.  Oakcrest School, a favorite of parents of girls who describe themselves as "conservative", has an annual tuition of nearly $30,000.  The Heights in Maryland, a conservative school for boys has a similar annual tuition.  While attending such a school for several years might not be exactly like being a bird of a different feather growing up fast in the nest of a robin, cardinal, or oriole, these children of moneyed Republican parents are being nurtured, fed, clothed, and housed by relative strangers.  

The Audubon website also delivers highly interesting information about the mating habits of brown headed cowbirds.  "In breeding season, male displays by fluffing up body feathers, partly spreading wings and tail, and bowing deeply while singing. Groups of males sometimes perch together, singing and displaying."  Now doesn't that sound an awfully lot like a Republican Congress in their continuing effort to minimize, deny, and support the ongoing damage which TRAITOR & International Terrorist Trump is doing to America, Democracy, and the world at large?  Of course we must address the opening reference to that sentence about "breeding season".  At this link, you will find a list of ten of the most egregious sexual scandals among Republican politicians who might have been "...fluffing up body feathers...singing and displaying" during the illicit encounters which brought about their public embarrassments.  How much more like a cowbird could they be??? Please note that I did not even mention Stormy Daniels.  The website allaboutbirds.org further describes male brown headed cowbirds in this manner:  "Males gather on lawns to strut and display for mates."  Somehow, that sentence instantly makes me visualize a Rose Garden appearance by the orange headed cowbird himself.