Charles Ashbacher Reviews

  Review of Time to Shine: Applications of Solar Energy Technology , by Michael Grupp, ISBN 9781118016213 Five out of five stars Dated, but still relevant. Published in 2012, this book predates the dramatic decline in the cost of electricity generated by solar panels. However, that is not as significant as it could be, for the bulk of the coverage involves other ways solar power can be captured. There is an extensive treatment of devices such as solar powered water heaters and designing buildings where the winter sun that is lower in the sky shines into the windows to heat the building and the higher summer sun does not.   The examination of the efficiency of these tactics is done using graphs and equations, it is necessary to have a significant understanding of these tools to follow the coverage. What is the strength of the book is the examination of uses of solar energy that have been relegated to a lower tier of usage due to the dramatically increased efficiency o...

  Review of Inevitable Revolutions: The United States in Central America , by Walter LaFeber, ISBN 0393302121 Five out of five stars Great power domination of small nations   The first true attempt by the United States to exert power over Central America was the statement that became known as the Monroe Doctrine. It was first stated in 1823 by President James Monroe and was written by then Secretary of State John Quincy Adams. It was shortly after most of the nations in Central and South America had gained independence from their European rulers and stated that any attempt by any European nation to take control of a nation in the Western Hemisphere would be considered a threat to U. S. security.   For the next several decades, the United States was busy expanding westward and except for the war with Mexico that led to vast territorial acquisitions, the United States generally stayed out of the affairs of the rest of the Western Hemisphere. However, that changed ...

  Review of Introduction to Global Military History: 1775 to the Present Day, Second Edition , by Jeremy Black, ISBN 9780415629201 Five out of five stars Mention of many largely ignored wars.   The best thing about this book is that it covers conflicts that are generally ignored, the most depressing thing is that there are so many of them. One chapter is devoted to each of the world wars, fourteen pages covering World War I and 34 pages covering World War II. Of course, this means that the coverage of both is only superficial.   The start date coincides with the outbreak of the revolution of the American colonies against Great Britain. The French revolution and the rise and fall of Napolean are covered. What was impressive was that there are several pages devoted to conflicts in Asia during this time frame. The Russian Empire was engaged in expansion to both the south and east. China engaged in conflicts with her southern neighbors and there was a continuation o...

  Review of Star Trek: The Great Starship Race , by Diane Carey, ISBN 0671872508 Four out of five stars Great power conflict over new Federation entry   After centuries of hoping that they were not alone in the universe, yet almost reaching the conclusion they were, the Rey were contacted by the Federation. Overjoyed to learn that there were many intelligent species in the universe, the extremely emotional Rey welcomed the contact and applied to join the Federation.   To celebrate the event, the Rey sponsored a race between warp driven ships of various types. Rules were put in place to level the playing field and the racecourse was marked out by beacons that required complex analysis in order to avoid going wildly off course. There is some preliminary trash talking between Captain Kirk representing the Federation and some of the other captains. In typical Kirk style there is a specific interchange between Kirk and a woman from his past.   The race is abou...

  Review of Accidental Czar: The Life and Lies of Vladimir Putin , by Andrew S. Weiss and Brian Brown, ISBN 9781250760753 Five out of five stars Should be mandatory reading for decision makers   This book should be required reading for all government decision makers in the western world. It should also be strongly recommended for all voters in the United States. Using the format of a graphic novel, the authors provide one of the most important history lessons available today.   The book is a chronicle of the rise of a low-level functionary in the Soviet security apparatus to what is the modern-day equivalent of the Czar of all the Russians. That person is of course Vladimir Putin, the undisputed dictator of Russia. From his humble beginnings in the HR department of the KGB and shadowing people whose actions were questionable, Putin witnessed the disintegration of the Soviet Empire and the sudden collapse of the Soviet Union into a collection of independent state...

  Review of America Faces the Next War , by Frank H. Simonds Five out of five stars Dead-on predictions of the Second World War   This book was published in 1933, when Adolf Hitler was rising to absolute power in Germany. Simonds cites Hitler’s writings and speeches as evidence that another war would break out in Europe. He also criticizes the victors of Britain and France in their vindictive actions against Germany as well as the withdrawal of the United States from taking an active part in the overall governance of Europe.   The worldwide Depression was at its deepest point and the widespread devastation and despair that it created is also put forward by Simonds. There are few people that have been as prescient as Simonds in putting forward a thesis as to what will happen in the future. It is unfortunate that few in power paid serious attention to what he was saying.

  Review of War In Val D’orcia: An Italian War Diary 1943-1944 , by Iris Origo, ISBN 0879234768 Five out of five stars An account of war with many factions Val D’orcia is a location in the province of Tuscany, Italy, which is approximately one-third of the distance down the Italian peninsula. Iris Origo was an English writer and with her husband, purchased an estate at La Foce in Tuscany in the 1920’s. At the time, Italy was ruled by the Fascist party led by Mussolini.   At first, other than the men going off to fight, the outbreak of the Second World War did not have a significant effect on Tuscany. However, once the Allies conquered North Africa and launched their invasion of Italy through Sicily, the reality of the war started hitting all of Italy. The first step in the Allied invasion of Italy took place in July 1943 and the diary entries begin in January of 1943 and are sporadic until April of 1943.   After Mussolini was deposed and Italy left the Axis,...