It ain’t so much the things we don’t know that get us into trouble; nineteenth-century humorist Josh Billings remarked. "It’s the things we know that just ain’t so."In this bold New York Times bestseller; acclaimed author and talk-radio host Michael Medved zeroes in on ten of the biggest fallacies that millions of Americans believe about our country–in spite of incontrovertible evidence to the contrary. The Big Lies exposed and dissected include:• America was founded on genocide against Native Americans.• The United States is uniquely guilty for the crime of slavery and built its wealth on stolen African labor.• Aggressive governmental programs offer the only remedy for economic downturns and poverty.• The Founders intended a secular; not Christian; nation.Each of the ten lies is a grotesque; propagandistic misrepresentation of the historical record. Medved’s witty; well-documented rebuttal supplies the ammunition necessary to fire back the next time somebody tries to recycle destructive distortions about our nation.
#917146 in Books David King 2009-03-24 2009-03-24Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.00 x 1.00 x 5.20l; .74 #File Name: 0307337170464 pagesVienna 1814 How the Conquerors of Napoleon Made Love War and Peace at the Congress of Vienna
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. The Congress of Vienna; from personal affairs to state-to-state bargaining.By Liam H DooleyI knew nothing about this history; unlike many from Vienna and Europeans who know their history. I guess it is a situation where you can't know everything!That aside; this book is fascinating. It is a combination of a personal historical drama; war; high-stakes international relations; and culture. One might initially think that David King delves a bit too much into the sexual affairs of the senior participants; but soon one sees that this is part of the whole Congress and wheeling and dealing. In the old monarchic Europe; policy and family were intertwined in a way that we don't imagine possible today.My main complaint is that David King is a bit negative about Napoleon in a way that I found unprofessional. Name-calling Napoleon such as tyrant and conqueror projects a one-sided view of the French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars. Credit to King for suggesting that Napoleon tried to protect Jews and end slavery (the second time around). But there was no discussion of how all of the Napoleonic wars started; and the root causes of the French Revolution. This wasn't the place for it... but for that reason the one-sided name-calling should have been avoided.There are many ironies to note that the book highlights. First; that the slow pace of the Congress actually resulted in the "Allies" being able to defeat the returned Napoleon; as they were all in the same place at the same time. Second; that with Napoleon and France defeated; each side began to worry about one another's power - with Prussia and Russia becoming the greatest fear in an either/or assessment. When; in fact; as we know; they both became dominant powers in Europe to catastrophic result.Really a great read altogether.Liam H Dooleywww.liamhdooley.com0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Fantastic book about post-Napoleon EuropeBy VA 6OK; I know I liked the book when I'm upset I finished it. This book was a fantastic way to learn about post-Napoleon Europe ... reads like a novel; enjoyable cover to cover. Similar to all the books written about the years immediately following WWI and WWII; this one goes back to the previous century's war that defined all of Europe. The personalities are overwhelmingly entertaining; especially Metternich and Talleyrand. These two are just the tip of the iceberg; though; with an abundance of real characters; including royalty; diplomats; and soldiers. Admittedly; there is some guilty pleasure as some sections may belong on the gossip page; but I found this makes for a fun way to break up the more serious content. There are many fascinating individuals I "met" for the first time. It's the best book I've read for the royal personalities just before the Industrial Revolution. In short; highly recommended!0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Part of a very big story; well told.By Jeffrey HuntingtonThis is an account of the social (and sexual) side of the Congress of Vienna; which is certainly better reading than a history of the diplomatic negotiations The organization of Europe after the fall of Napoleon was determined more by the quirks; egos; and libidos of the monarchs than by any rational considerations of equity; workability; or even common decency. Metternich and Talleyrand come over as lovable rascals; and the withdrawal of Czar Alexander I into mystical cultism is outlined in some detail. Exactly why the Congress of Vienna resulted in right-wing repression in some countries while permitting others to progress through reform is perhaps too large a subject for a book of this length.You would need more than one book to understand the Congress of Vienna; but this one should be included
