Max Morgan-WittsRecensioni

The authors have researched numerous archives around the world to assemble a fascinating account of the eruption of Mount Pelée in 1902, which destroyed the city of St. Pierre on the island of Martinique. This book is a day-by-day account of the chain of events leading to the disaster, covering May 2nd to May 8th. It not only covers the eruption itself, but related events such as a flood of mud that destroys a sugar factory, a prison riot, and a voodoo uprising. It shows the short-sightedness of those in charge due to politics of an upcoming election. This tragedy could have been much less severe in terms of loss of life if action had been taken sooner.

The authors employ the technique of weaving together individual stories with descriptions of the bigger picture. The narrative is strictly a historical account and is light on scientific explanations, but it is very readable and flows nicely. The authors provide an extensive bibliography, but no footnotes relating content to sources. I had not read anything about this disaster previously and feel I learned a great deal.

Published in 1972, this book is narrative non-fiction about the SS Morro Castle, a ship that was returning from a pleasure cruise to Havana, containing over 500 passengers and crew, when it caught fire and ran aground in New Jersey, killing 134 people. This book attempts to prove it was arson by one of the radio operators. The authors also highlight contributing factors, such as untrained crew, lack of lifeboat drills, and other negligence. The story is based on interviews of many survivors and experts. There are a few questionable structural issues – the last part of the book basically recounts news articles. The details of this tragic shipwreck are vividly described. Much is based on circumstantial evidence, but the authors do make a plausible case for arson. It held my interest and has led me to further research this disaster. Recommended to those interested in history’s mysteries.

I added this book to my shelf after a friend had reviewed it. Last week while helping out at the library, I found it in the pile of books they were pulling from the shelves. I sat down and opened it up and the next time I looked up an hour and half had lapsed.

This is a riveting, day by day, account of the eruption of Pelee in 1902. Published in 1969, this book has stood the test of time. It reads more like an engrossing novel then a non-fictional account written by two news reporters. The research that went into this book is evident.

The story combines the everyday emotions and lives of the people living below the mountain, in St. Pierre. The authors also include all of the turmoil that was occurring: vodoo worshipers, the political motives, the involvement (or non-involvement) of the Catholic Church. So many lives were lost due to inaction by so many people. Insects and snakes invaded the town, even they were smart enough to come down off the mountain and "get out of Dodge". Political motives fueled those in charge and no evacuation orders were issued. Approximately 30,000 souls were lost, and an entire town wiped off the map.

The shocking true story of the St Louis, a ship loaded with desperate passengers fleeing Nazism and nowhere to land, is told with all the tension and drama of a top class thriller .

FG-3

Arrived Lausanne

This book deals with what is probably the most controversial decision in the history of warfare. It starts slowly but don't let that deter you from reading. By the time the account of the actual flight is reached, this had developed into one of the most compelling books I have read in a long time. Even knowing the outcome, I was riveted by the masterful storytelling of this major world event. The sectioning of the book also made complete sense on reaching the conclusion. A must read for the WWII enthusiast.

Not a success. Decent info on a subject I don't find all that interesting, but the story is pretty much a mess. We learn _what_ happened, with heavy foreshadowing and hinting and so on (the ship had less than 24 hours to live!...less than 5 hours to live!..less than...). Why...that's another question. Lots of plots going on, most of which seem unrelated. The authors have decided who did it and bring in a lot of info as to why - but it's all second- or third-hand stuff, and their theories leave out a lot of stuff. They also spend a lot of time being puzzled about why this person didn't report, and that jury didn't condemn, and...No answers, just questions. I had never heard of the Morro Castle or her wreck before; the authors claim the ship was second only to the Titanic, in her time, but it seems unlikely. So I've read it, that's fine, I won't ever reread this book and I won't seek out better info - though I might notice if I come across some. Yawn.

El mismo autor de Mossad relata con la misma agilidad el desarrollo científico más importante de la historia de la humanidad. Es un buen resumen sin la parte técnica del exhaustivo The Making of the Atomic Bomb de Richard Rhodes

Lots of ironies and happenstance surrounded the delivery of the first atomic bomb. FDR backed the beginning of the Manhattan Project without the knowledge of Congress using money off the books. Max Tibbetts, a pilot with an impeccable record who had been the first to fly a B-17 on a bombing raid across the English Channel and was in charge of flight testing the B-29, a plane that had killed its first test pilot and was thought by some to be too dangerous to fly, almost didn’t get the job to drop the bomb. In an interview he admitted he had gotten into trouble in high school for a backseat “dalliance” with a girl. Had he forgotten about it or lied about it he would not have been chosen. They were looking for someone who could be totally honest. Because of that his name would be forever enshrined with the bomb and Hiroshima, a city he had never heard of.

Use of the bomb was never a certainty. Neils Bohr, one of the scientists working on the project, thought science belonged to the world and wanted to open up the research to everyone. A laudable thought but in 1944? To the Germans and Japanese?

Thomas focuses mainly on two participants to get differing POV: Colonel Tibbetts as he prepared the 393 Bombing Group for the mission over Japan; and Officer Yokoyama in charge of the anti-aircraft guns on the hills surrounding Hiroshima. I had always been under the assumption that Hiroshima was primarily a civilian target targeted simply because after General LeMay’s firebombing of Japan there were few cities left to bomb. But, apparently Hiroshima was home to several military industrial sites producing many weapons, although by this stage of the war raw materials were in such short supply they were barely operating. Hiroshima, was highly vulnerable to air attack. All a bomber need do was drop its load within the bowl to be almost certain of causing damage. Apart from a single kidney-shaped hill in the eastern sector of the city, about half a mile long and two hundred feet high, Hiroshima was uniformly exposed to the spreading energy that big bombs generate. Structurally—like San Francisco in the earthquake and fire of 1906—Hiroshima was built to burn. Ninety percent of its houses were made of wood. Large groups of dwellings were clustered together. The Japanese had rationalized the fall of the Marianas and other Pacific Japanese bases by saying it was a strategic withdrawal to lure the Americans closer to the Homeland where they could be more easily destroyed.

In the U.S. secrecy surrounded all preparations for the atomic bomb development and attack. "Many thousands of man-hours and dollars had been spent on tapping telephones, secretly opening letters, collecting details of extramarital affairs, homosexual tendencies, and political affiliations. The dossiers represented the most thorough secret investigation until then carried out in the name of the U.S. government.

I still remain a bit astonished at the naive faith everyone had in the bomb. They really had no idea whether it would work and if it did, what the results might be. How far from the center would radioactivity extend, what would be the effects of the blinding flash, were just a couple of the many questions they had. The extraordinary secrecy probably had as much to do with their fear the bomb might not work as it did that it would work.

The United States, to this date, remains the only country ever to have used nuclear weapons in war.

OK, you've had your fun; now it's time to grow up.

The fate of the cruise ship Morrow Castle, which was lost in 1934, was tragic: The captain died, then the ship caught fire, and many people died because the ship was badly mishandled in its last hours. On this all would agree.

But why did the captain die, and why was the ship mishandled? These are valid and difficult questions which this book attempts to answer. But the results are, at best, puzzling. The book is full of things that sound like conspiracy theories: Someone wanted a shipwreck at Asbury Park to draw tourists. The captain thought someone was out to get him. The ship was smuggling weapons to Cuba.

But -- the Asbury Park suggestion had come fifty years earlier. The captain's actions are presented as paranoid, but the book gives little evidence as to why, and offers no suggestion as to who was out to get him. The weapons-smuggling may have happened, but it wasn't part of anything that happened to the ship. In the end, all the book suggests is that a radio operator set a fire. And its evidence for that contains a lot of Freudian psychology that we know is bunk. The radio operator involved may have been a psychopath -- but I'd need a lot more evidence than this.

Especially since the book has neither footnotes nor index. There is a bibliography, but it doesn't reveal what parts of the book are sourced and what is just conspiracy theory. Frankly, this book feels more like an historical novel than a history.

Having read this book, I am quite interested in learning more about the Morro Castle. But I'll be reading other sources to try to find out what I can trust.½

This book deals with what is probably the most controversial decision in the history of warfare. It starts slowly but don't let that deter you from reading. By the time the account of the actual flight is reached, this had developed into one of the most compelling books I have read in a long time. Even knowing the outcome, I was riveted by the masterful storytelling of this major world event. The sectioning of the book also made complete sense on reaching the conclusion. A must read for the WWII enthusiast.

Dit werk heeft de pretentie non-fictie te zijn, in werkelijkheid heeft het meer van een roman met fictieve gesprekken en misschien zelfs personen.

Excellent, well-written, sad, disturbing, thought-provoking. This is a book about the tragic journey of 937 Jews trying to escape Germany in 1939. The book is disturbing because I reflect on our country's refusal to act, and as I look about me, I see signs that such a terror as the Nazis posed is not restricted to Germany or to the 1930's and 40's. It is an expression of the darkness human nature is all too capable of - and the intolerance shown lately in this country toward anyone (commencement speakers, fast food restaurants and many others) who do not tow the Politically correct line makes me think such times are upon us again. The power exerted by these thought police is truly disturbing. Books like this remind us of history - if only we learn from it and do not allow the same mistakes to be made again.

Thomas and Witts cover a human-made disaster; the bombing of Hiroshima from the perspectives of both the Americans and Japanese, focusing on the air crew and residents of the city. Well written.

factual with some comentary on earthquake prepairedness

A description of the political and technological reasons for the destruction of the Basque City in 1937. The narrative manages to create an air of suspense even thought the readers do know what the outcome will be. The maps could be better, but the selection of photographs are good.½

quite boring, a little racist. illustrations good, colourful but very small.½

The Day the World Ended is the compelling story of the most lethal volcanic eruptions of the 20th Century. St Pierre on the French island of Martinique was, at 30,000 people, the largest city on the island and the location of the Governor's Palace. The book follows the course of events from mid-April to May 8th, when St. Pierre, and virtually all of its residents, ceased to exist. The book continues on, following the aftermath of the few survivors. An excellent work.

Verhaal van de aanslag op Johannes-Paulus II, in geromanceerde versie. Zeer speculatief½

Pontifex, het ware verhaal van het denken en doen van de laatste drie grote leiders van de katholieke kerk van de 20ste eeuw: Paulus VI, Johannes-Paulus I en II, zijnde de pontifex maximus, de stedehouder Gods als mens in zijn direkte omgeving in Rome.
Verhelderende lektuur.

While not terribly detailed it is a good read with interesting anecdotes highlighting the various stages. This is my only read on this topic, so I cannot compare it at all.

It's not the stories of the Wall Street tycoons which will resonate with you, but the stories of the ordinary mailman, and young newly weds whose lives are forever changed in the Midwest. It feels more like a soap opera than a history lesson, but surely this book deserves more attention then it receives. I passed it on to a friend, and already a list of 10 people are waiting to read this sad tale.

2051 Pontiff, by Gordon Thomas and Max Morgan-Witts (read 1 Feb 1987) This is a book by two investigative reporters, published in 1983. I found it intriguing and its verbal descriptions of known events extremely compelling. The descriptions of the announcement of the election on Oct 16, 1978, of John Paul II was high drama I found extremely moving, while the description of the shooting on May 13, 1981,was the most overpowering thing I have ever read, as far as I can remember. I found the whole book absorbing reading, though some knowledgeable people question the accuracy of some of the behind the scenes account. Allegedly; Cardinal Benelli had 70 votes on one ballot (75 would elect). He died Oct 25, 1982, so we would have a new Pope now, though Benelli was younger than John Paul II. This book has been a tremendous read.½