The Nuremberg Trials: Volume I Bringing the Leaders of Nazi Germany to Justice by Terry Burrows Arcturus Publishing

This is a clear and concise, but surprisingly eloquent account of the Nuremberg Trials. It is extremely difficult to read, however, because it is just so grim and horrific.  I couldn't even read some of it.  For example, children were actually thrown into the ovens at some of the concentration camps! The horrors are just never-ending.

I have read a lot about the war, but I didn't know that Russian PO W's were branded and deliberately malnourished, and that Tchaikovsky's and Tolstoy's houses were desecrated by the Nazis.

There was some criticism of these trials - that the laws were made by the victors, for example, and that the Axis powers were not signatories to all of the treaties and agreements in question.  However, as Robert Jackson pointed out in his closing speech, the defendants 'prepared and waged wars of aggression, rearming in defiance of the Treaty of Versailles, and launching unprovoked attacks...' They also 'enslaved and plundered the populations of occupied countries...'and persecuted and murdered Jews and Christians'.  I agree with the conclusion that criticism of the judgments in the face of the horrific crimes which the Nazis committed is really just quibbling.

I received this free ebook from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

The Case of Miss Elliott: The Teahouse Detective: Volume 2 Baroness Orczy

This is an enjoyable, interessting and well-written set of detective stories. I found that I could only read a few at a time, however. Otherwise, they started to become a bit dry and repetitive, unfortunately. 

The book features 'the old man in the corner' who meets a young woman journalist in a coffee shop and solves a different case each time with reason and logic. This old man has watery blue eyes and a piece of string which he twists into knots as he tells her the stories, which range from the case of a poisoned horse and the robbery of expensive black diamonds to the murder of a young matron and other mysterious matters..  They are clever stories, but I would have liked to know a bit more about the young journalist.  Although I'd like to read all of the Baroness's detective stories, they don't have the magic of The Scarlet Pimpernel series.

I received this free ebook from Edelweiss.plus in return for an honest review.

All That Glitters: Anna Wintour, Tina Brown, and the Rivalry Inside America’s Richest Media Empire Thomas Maier

Grace Mirabella, the editor of American Vogue, was a bit irritable one day so she asked one of her employees, Anna Wintour, which job she really wanted. Anna replied, 'Yours!' (That's the way to get ahead!) Everyone knows how this story ended.

This book is an excellent analysis of Conde Nast in the glittering, powerful magazine world of the late 80s and early 90s. It features the rivalry between Anna Wintour of Vogue and Tina Brown, who turned Vanity Fair around by focusing on celebrities and money, making the magazine extremely commercial. Lots of wealthy people, such as Donald Trump, get a look in. They were both extremely powerful career women, so it is surprising that two men, Si Newhouse and Alexander Liberman really pulled the strings.

This is a fascinating book.

I received this free ebook from Edelweiss.plus in return for an honest review.

Creative Calling: Establish a Daily Practice, Infuse Your World with Meaning, and Succeed in Work + Life Chase Jarvis

This is an inspiring book, which has excellent advice about why you should explore your creativity and how to focus on creative pursuits, instead of giving up.  Chase Jarvis also tells how he became a successful sports photographer and provides tips on how to get ahead in a creative career.  However, this book is worth reading even if you want to  draw or write in your spare time.

I do wonder if the author is really too optimistic. Not everyone can make money in a creative calling which they love - it requires talent as well as hard work.  However, it's a useful book to read with wise advice.

I received this free ebook from Edelweis.plus in return for an honest review.

Condé Nast The Man and His Empire -- A Biography by Susan Ronald

This is a fascinating biography of the great magazine publisher, who was a surprisingly charming and elegant man. It goes into great detail about his tough childhood, driving ambition, wonderful ability to spot talent and his marriages. He also had a huge fight with Randolph Hearst, his main competition.

Interesting characters, such as the femme fatale Claire Booth Luce, Edna Chase and Carmel Snow also fill its pages. The story which I really liked was how ambitious creative people had to meet Conde Nast by invitation or accidentally to get anywhere. Elizabeth Miller spotted him one day and he saved her from a traffic accident. She fainted in his arms and babbled uncontrollably when she came to, and he immediately saw that she epitomized the 'Modern Look'. Elizabeth Miller became... the famous war photographer Lee Miller.

I received this free ebook from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

EDITION  Other

 Format     ISBN9781250180025

PRICE      $32.50 (USD)

Deep Waters A British Library Crime Classic by Martin Edwards Poisoned Pen Press

This is a fascinating and enjoyable collection of detective and mystery stories involving the sea with an interesting introduction. The collection includes the first Sherlock Holmes story, a Dr Thorndike and other stories with famous detectives. It is a wide-ranging collection of tales concerning many different topics, which sometimes require complicated solutions, such as the one about the gold bullion. They are all extremely atmospheric - you can sometimes see and feel the deep fog spreading through the countryside.

Be warned. Some of these stories are quite creepy, such as the Case of the Silver Bride.

I received this free ebook from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

DITION	Paperback
ISBN	9781464211775
PRICE	$14.99 (USD)

MacArthur’s Air Force by Bill Yenne

Many members of RSL Clubs in Australia might be astonished by General Macarthur's and General Kenny's opinion of the Australians in the Air Force. They considered them pretty useless, apparently. Luckily, they improved!

However, this book is mostly about the members of the American Air Force in the Pacific War. Although I found the battle for New Guinea the most interesting part of the book by far, because I am Australian, the account is well-researched and detailed. However, it is very technical and a reader who knows about all the different types of airplanes will find it more rewarding. Also, I found all the different divisions of the forces a bit confusing.

The book begins slowly, but becomes more interesting.

I received a free copy of this free ebook from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Wisdom for Living Learning to Follow Your Inner Guidance by Reynold Ruslan Feldman, Sharon Clark John Hunt Publishing Ltd

I am afraid that I found this difficult to get into. It is full of helpful advice, but I didn't find anything especially new in it. It is the kind of book which should be read slowly, however, and I probably have too many books to read at the moment!

I received this free ebook from NetGalley in return for an honest review.