The Mixed Bag of Books

DIFFERENT BOOKS TO CONSIDER
By Alex Ness
Sunday July 10, 2022

The shame of reviewing, or calling what I do as reviewing, comes from the fact that I despise having to share less than positive views of a product I know someone of talent created. Their hours of labor and efforts have worth, and usually, I try to avoid any comment when a work doesn't work for me, since most of the time I could argue, correctly, that it would have worked for someone else. But I hope here in this article, to give reasons to read various offerings or know before reading, what the flaws might be.

In this article I offer one book that fails for the right reasons. One set of books that are interesting but fail in ways that some might not agree with me regarding, and two sets of books without such flaws.  (All books purchased by me, or acquired through trade or as a gift).

HIDDEN HORRORS: Japanese War Crimes in World War II by Yuki Tanaka with foreword by John W. Dower, is well written, as it tells what it does with clarity and obvious purpose. The purpose of the book is to attempt to discuss war crimes committed by members of the Japanese military in World War II. But it really doesn't discuss the prime subject as well as relay the facts of it. It speaks of things that are terrible, but tries to balance them by pointing out that it wasn't unusual since the Allies and their partner in the Axis pact Germany all committed similar crimes. There is an attempt in the book to equate abuse of civilians, slaughter of prisoners of war, cannibalism towards the same, rape, and neglect through starvation, as well as murder of wounded prisoners, with the use of nuclear weapons to end the war by the US. The use of bombing against civilian targets, through nuclear weapons, fire bombs or normal arsenals of bombs, was not a crime of war, particularly, since all sides participated in that exact behavior. While I believe that the use of nuclear weapons was unnecessary and likely done in an act of racial hatred, it was only different in scope of damage. The use of strategic bombing did not make any party of war criminal, in as much as war itself is not criminal.

Historian John Dower is a voice of reason regarding the bestial violence of the Pacific War of the larger conflict of World War Two.  His books demonstrate the racial views that underpinned the course of behavior in the Pacific War. But open and vile racism along with killing aren't the issue that led Japanese soldiers to commit on a regular basis terrible acts.  As such, there are far better books to consider what was done, including those by Dower. The purpose I had reading this book was to gain further insight into how a people who are manifestly disciplined and thoughtful, creative and culturally important, could commit such acts, on a relatively regular basis. As such there are far better books, particularly, The Pacific War by Saburo Ienaga, which shook the country of Japan's cultural elite, for the brutal honesty it presented. Japan's Secret War is a book written with bias, but it does demonstrate the case that if it was wrong for the Allies to use nuclear weapons, the Japanese seem to have pursued similar weapons, and with a mind towards use. Japan's Infamous Unit 731 tells a story sadly similar to the story of Nazi science, carried out in Concentration camps and other locations, where brutal acts in the name of science were carried out. It is necessary to consider how the Unit 731 data was used and what happened to the leaders involved.

I KNOW WHAT I SAW: Modern-Day Encounters with Monsters of New Urban Legend and Ancient Lore by Linda S. Godfrey is a work that has quality and an interesting subject. It is however somewhat close to ridiculous.Written in a reportorial style, the work is newsy, serious enough without entering dry science data, and with a quality of thought that is commendable. I think the subject matter, once you've delved into it, goes far beyond credulity. And as such, along with the other works I've read by Godfrey, I think true believers would find this an awesome work, but most people would find it silly. Arguing that a witness of an event knows what they saw, the author speaks towards an attempt to legitimize eye witness accounts, by suggesting that without proof, one might find reason to believe. Interestingly, Linda Godfrey argues a couple different theories. One, that whatever society believes through myth and legends, is probably false. Two, that the number of reports suggests something, and the reports and their similarity in kind and behavior of unknown creature are remarkably similar.

Whatever people see, it seems to be fulfilling something in our ideas, but probably isn't what we are afraid that we are seeing.  Now, as much as it might sound as I dislike these books, I don't. And I think they are well done, with great covers and interior look. I just don't think I believe this, and as a book about real encounters, it becomes a thorn in the side of the premise, if your starting point is, eh, I doubt it. So, while this isn't meant negatively, I think what it is is good, for what it is, it doesn't work for me.

THE FAERIE QUEENE Books 1-6 Many people who've read me are aware that I have an affection for the work by Edmund Spenser. The collection shown is one that I've read but do not own. The art accompanying the written work is magnificent. The editorial commentary and presentation is brilliant beyond words.  So, if you like or love the Faerie Queene, find this series, read even deeper than ever before with the help of editorial commentary, and appreciate the lavish art and detail offered. It is quite magnificent, deserving of such treatment.

I own three of the four books shown by Robert M Schoch, Ph. D, with Voices of the Rocks being a book I read but do not own. I plan to change that.  The content of all four books is especially well written, since the result of academic minds pondering great theories can be difficult, dry or plain old uninteresting.  But Schoch's words create a concept that I've learned a great deal from, appreciate for the newness of it, and think it is needed throughout academia.  His idea of the world being older and more complex is not entirely new, but how he explains it, displays it, and proves it make the simplest minded reader able to see the bigger picture.  His ideas on the page make me aware of the mysteries that have still not been solved, but offers hope that they can be solved.

First with his work with John Anthony West, he discovered proof that the ancient Sphinx might well be far older than otherwise thought.  Some called the work fringe theory, but it is far from that.  In fact, the defense from the Egyptology orthodoxy becomes more and more fringe with every new piece of data... There is reason to believe that what was thought to be the case, is not. Schoch's works, especially in Voyages of the Pyramid Builders, can be seen as enlightened, logical, and moving. Far from using his imagination, he uses the data known and suggests that our world was far more advanced and civilized, and that perhaps catastrophes caused the general human population to lose their awareness of the excellence of the past.  His warnings of past solar outbursts that will affect future civilization is well considered by me, and I think with so much of the modern world's data being electronic, archives turned over to digital collections, one major outburst from the sun would change the present, and destroy our future.  All of Schoch's work needs to be considered by more, and responsible academics and leaders.  It is important.

About Getting Reviews from Me

I can be found on Facebook, Twitter or through email Alexanderness63@gmail.com. I accept hard copies, so when you inquire at any of these places, I'll follow through by telling you my street address. I no longer have a post box, although I regret that.  It was a crushing defeat to no longer have a p.o. box, when I came to realize I was getting so little product it made no sense to pay for the privilege to not receive mail at both my home and at the post office. If you send hard copies for review I will always review them, but if you prefer to send pdf or ebooks to my email, I will review these at my discretion. I don't share my pdf/ebooks, so you can avoid worry that I'd dispense them for free to others.



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