A true American odyssey; Robert Heller chronicles the journey from his childhood in wartime Germany to the United States and his career that led him to be a Governor of the Federal Reserve Board and the President of VISA U.S.A.In this entertaining and spell-binding book; he vividly describes the dramatic events of his childhood during World War II as he and his mother survive in the cellars and caves of Germany; while his father leads a rather uneventful life as a translator for the German army. After coming to the U.S.; he sets out on a career as a professor at UCLA and then occupies leadership positions at the International Monetary Fund and Bank of America. President Reagan appoints him to the powerful Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. He takes us behind the scenes at the Fed as he serves alongside with Paul Volcker and Alan Greenspan; revealing what went on behind closed doors in the formulation of U.S. monetary policy and during the banking crisis. He chronicles his return to the private sector; detailing the confused scenes as the credit card giant VISA is torn between chaos and order during his challenging service at the helm of that organization. The book concludes with an insider’s candid and cogent observations of America’s boardrooms and presents numerous lessons learned and obstacles overcome during the course of a most successful career.
#487620 in Books Solomon Northup Sue Eakin 2017-09-20Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.00 x .91 x 6.00l; 1.17 #File Name: 0989794814362 pagesTwelve Years a Slave Enhanced Edition by Dr Sue Eakin Based on a Lifetime Project New Info Images Maps
Review
181 of 184 people found the following review helpful. The definitive edition of a powerful storyBy J. JohnstonIf you were; like me; looking to read Twelve Years a Slave and were looking through the various Kindle versions of the book; stop right here -- you've found the version you want. For just a dollar the Eakin "enhanced version" is absolutely loaded with historical features; annotations; and pictures that add tremendous depth and context to an amazing story; and is easily the best version on .The Northup book itself is; of course; marvelous. As slave stories go; this one is; in my view; without peer. Northup's s captivating tale -- which has gained attention because of the movie that shares the book's title -- is told in exacting detail with an easy prose. He sets the stage masterfully; describing people and places before proceeding into the narrative. Unlike works of fiction; this book is so compelling because; by all accounts; it is true. There is no polemical axe to grind; as with Uncle Tom (a novel at one point wryly referenced by Northup). Here you see both the brutality of slavery and the moments of kindness by slaves and even some slave owners. Solomon tells the story with clarity and intelligence.Because Twelve Years a Slave is in the public domain; I initially searched for free copies elsewhere. Unfortunately; the free versions I found on other sites were pretty badly formatted; so spending a dollar for a polished version on proved worthwhile. That said; while most of the versions are while noticeably cleaner than the free site versions; nearly all of the entries are barebones versions with no extra material; and most of their introductions; such as they are; are done by novelists or movie producers. That's fine; but at the end of the day they're not historians.Sue Eakin is. As a scholar who devoted her life to Northup's story; she fills in the gaps in a way that is honest and easy to follow. She traces Northup's life before the book; brings outside contemporary sources into the picture; and; most interestingly; discusses the mystery behind Northup's life after the book. All of this is done via footnotes and appendices; meaning that they are there if you want them but don't interfere with the book proper. As if that's not enough; the e-book has a website full of great pictures of everything from Epps's house to the ship's manifest that has Northup's slave name on it.It's hard to go wrong with this edition; especially given that it is currently priced the same as the other; far more basic; editions on . Highly recommended.4 of 4 people found the following review helpful. It's great that this book has been re-discoveredBy Critical RationalistI had never heard of Northup's book before seeing the movie; but although the movie strives to do justice to the book; the book is far more detailed and realistic. Its straightforward; honest; unpretentious style details the inhumanity and brutality of slavery -- not in the third person as most of us read in history books; but in first person; up close and personal. It is riveting. Reading the book a century and a half later; one can see why the Civil War was inevitable. One also can easily identify a whole host of southern racist attitudes that the Civil War did not eradicate and that in various forms remain with us to this day.In a somewhat fortunate happenstance; I had recently read "Two Years Before the Mast;" by Richard Henry Dana; which was published barely a decade earlier than Northup's book; describing in equally intricate detail - and remarkably similar literary style -- the hard life aboard a merchant ship. (It's a free Kindle book.) Dana; of course; chose his fate; but Northup's and Dana's books; read together; give one a real feel for the nasty; brutish; and short aspects of life in the mid-19th century.I chose to get Eakin's annotated version; and I found the annotations to be well-researched; factual rather than opinionated (and disagree with the reviewer who found them "downplaying" the brutality); and useful if one wants to use Google Earth or a search engine to look at places and peripheral documents and photos. The annotated version costs the same as the unannotated version. The book itself is public domain so it is probably available for free if one wants; but no matter what edition one has; it's a great read for anyone aged 12 and up.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. A TOUCHING ACCOUNT OF LIFE IN SLAVERYBy Schuyler T Wallace“Twelve Years a Slave†is a riveting biography by Solomon Northup; an uneducated free black man who was lured from his home in New York state to Washington D.C. where he was kidnapped by slavers. He was transported to the pens of Richmond Virginia and subsequently sold into slavery in Louisiana. His story is short and stark. Although largely uneducated; his miserable life after the kidnapping and for the twelve years he was enslaved is told with clarity and urgency in his yearning for freedom.What makes this story even more appealing is the effort the late Dr. Sue Eakin expended to study the Northup’s written account and provide understanding as to how a free man of color could possibly have his freedom snatched away and then be denied the justice he deserved when the misdeed was discovered. Neither the slavers nor the brutal plantation owners were ever prosecuted. Solomon Northup has provided the description of his live as a slave. Dr. Eakin has used his experience to explore the concept; the manipulation; and the erosion of justice implicit to the practice of slavery.Northup tried to regain his meager life after being returned to his wife and children but his lack of education and technical skills relegated him to a life of spotty employment and indebtedness. Eventually he simply disappeared; leading to much speculation about his fate. Was he kidnapped again and returned to slavery? Was he murdered for his notoriety and highly visible stance on abolitionism? Did he succumb to alcohol and live a homeless life? No one knows; his wife never said; and a gravesite has never been found.This book is fascinating. Northup’s account takes up about two thirds of the volume and Dr. Eakins’ studious research and comments form the final third. Northup’s story has been called the second most influential accounting of slavery in the United States behind Harriet Beecher Stowe’s “Uncle Tom’s Cabin.†Solomon Northup’s ghost writer; David Wilson; must have relished the thought of gaining the wealth that Stowe achieved but; although it was published less than a year after Stowe’s 1852 publication date and it sold well; it went out of print in 1856; the victim of plain non-fiction versus heart wrenching fiction.I couldn’t put the book down. The inhumanity of slavery as presented by one who lived it was touching and heartbreaking.Schuyler T WallaceAuthor of TIN LIZARD TALES
