false 1948985 8 Bestselling author Nicholson Baker, recognized as one of the most dexterous and talented writers in America today, has created a compelling work of nonfiction bound to provoke discussion and controversy -- a wide-ranging, astonishingly fresh perspective on the political and social landscape that gave rise to World War II.<P><I>Human Smoke</i> delivers a closely textured, deeply moving indictment of the treasured myths that have romanticized much of the 1930s and '40s. Incorporating meticulous research and well-documented sources -- including newspaper and magazine articles, radio speeches, memoirs, and diaries -- the book juxtaposes hundreds of interrelated moments of decision, brutality, suffering, and mercy. Vivid glimpses of political leaders and their dissenters illuminate and examine the gradual, horrifying advance toward overt global war and Holocaust.<P>Praised by critics and readers alike for his exquisitely observant eye and deft, inimitable prose, Baker has assembled a narrative within <I>Human Smoke</i> that unfolds gracefully, tragically, and persuasively. This is an unforgettable book that makes a profound impact on our perceptions of historical events and mourns the unthinkable loss humanity has borne at its own hand. 1951835 book 11 3 2008 Human Smoke: The Beginnings of WWII, the End of Civilization total:308|5:107|4:132|3:48|2:13|1:8| 308 1241 741 103 5 6 false false Tue Mar 25 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Wed Feb 27 09:15:32 -0800 2008 Tue Mar 25 10:38:01 -0700 2008
Roosevelt knew about the Japanese navy moving toward Pearl Harbor.

Wi...more...]]> 5 5 false false Fri Apr 25 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Sat Apr 19 18:36:59 -0700 2008 Sun Apr 27 17:59:30 -0700 2008 more...]]> 2 3 false false Mon Nov 09 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Sat Sep 05 16:04:04 -0700 2009 Mon Nov 09 18:46:18 -0800 2009 more...]]> 4 4 false false Wed Jun 11 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Sat Mar 22 10:42:29 -0700 2008 Wed Jun 11 15:07:02 -0700 2008 more...]]> 5 2 false false Tue May 27 10:11:58 -0700 2008 Tue May 27 10:30:40 -0700 2008 Human Smoke: The Beginnings of WWII, the End of Civilization was a life-changing book for me.

Using an all factual anecdote approach, Baker completely revised my thoughts on how WWII started, especially casting Churchill into a very gray figure and Roosevelt into a much more gray light th...more...]]> 1 1 false false Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Thu May 01 10:15:30 -0700 2008 Thu May 01 10:46:32 -0700 2008
"1. The Fascizing processes occurring in Britain as a result of war are systematically exaggerated.
2. The actual record of Fascism, especially its pre-war history, is ignored or po...more...]]> 5 1 false false Sun Jun 01 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Fri Mar 14 13:22:32 -0700 2008 Mon Jun 09 17:16:03 -0700 2008 more...]]> 5 1 false false Thu Apr 10 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Mon Nov 19 06:05:55 -0800 2007 Fri Apr 11 07:20:08 -0700 2008 more...]]> 5 1 false false Tue Apr 15 10:19:15 -0700 2008 Wed Feb 27 11:21:30 -0800 2008 Wed Apr 09 18:22:09 -0700 2008
And yet, I'm saddened that so many people have been offended by this notion that war is w...more...]]> 5 0 false false Sat Nov 01 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Tue Mar 31 12:17:23 -0700 2009 Tue Mar 31 12:24:33 -0700 2009 more...]]> 0 0 false false Thu Feb 05 09:56:14 -0800 2009 Thu Feb 05 09:56:14 -0800 2009 It's no surprise that a pacifist portrayal of World War II will invite controversy. Yet what really seemed to divide reviewers of Human Smoke was not Baker's dovishness but his devices: the many short anecdotes and quotations that comprise this book. This style, which allows readers to reach their o...

more...]]> 5 1 false false Mon Mar 23 15:27:25 -0700 2009 Mon Mar 23 15:28:28 -0700 2009 3 0 false false Mon Dec 01 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Tue Nov 18 19:05:03 -0800 2008 Mon Dec 01 17:27:33 -0800 2008 more...]]> 4 0 false false Fri Feb 27 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Fri Mar 27 21:36:57 -0700 2009 Fri Mar 27 21:37:22 -0700 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Sat Aug 08 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Wed Jul 29 13:05:27 -0700 2009 Sat Aug 08 20:22:41 -0700 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Thu Mar 19 09:37:13 -0700 2009 Thu Mar 19 10:42:42 -0700 2009
It's challenging to figure out...more...]]> 0 0 false false Thu Oct 01 22:04:47 -0700 2009 Thu Oct 01 22:14:50 -0700 2009 more...]]> 3 0 false false Fri Feb 13 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Sun Jan 25 13:56:05 -0800 2009 Fri Feb 13 09:37:30 -0800 2009 more...]]> 1 1 false false Fri Mar 14 05:42:11 -0700 2008 Fri Mar 14 05:42:37 -0700 2008 4 0 false false Wed Sep 02 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Fri Mar 20 20:24:07 -0700 2009 Wed Sep 02 19:12:51 -0700 2009 more...]]> http://www.goodreads.com/book_link/follow/8?book_id=1948985