Surviving the Iron Curtain: A Microscopic View of What Life Was Like Inside a War-Torn Region

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A must-read book on surviving in Biafra

Surviving the iron curtain by Chief Uche Jim Ojiaku

Surviving the Iron Curtain: A Microscopic View of What Life Was Like Inside a War-Torn Region
Chief Uche Jim Ojiaku
Manufacturer: PublishAmerica
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1424170702
Release Date: 2007-03-26

Book Description

The NIGERIA-BIAFRA war started in mid 1967 when a tiny region of Nigeria seceded from Nigeria to become Biafra. With the complete support of the British government, Nigeria instituted a very powerful and effective blockade on Biafra. The only communication that Biafra had with the rest of the world was through the RED CROSS and CARITAS relief flights that were flown into Biafra at nights under heavy attacks from Nigerian forces. Some of the planes were shot down. With no powerful nation backing Biafra, coupled with the blockade and the consequent lack of food and medicine, surviving in Biafra became a matter of improvisements for both Biafran forces and citizens. In an area that was replete with diseases like malaria, typhoid and kwashiorkor, this book explains how the Biafran citizens were able to survive for almost three years until Biafra was defeated in January 1970.

Customer Reviews:

A must-read book on surviving in Biafra.......2007-05-07

Chief Jim Ojiaku has written a fantastic and excellent expose' of the events of the Nigerian civil war from the home perspective. The rendition of his experiences, his free style of writing, enabled him to compress a large volume of facts with eloquence and details, thus, reminding the reader about why 'war is raw'. Chief Ojiaku wrote from the heart--a testament of the originality that would be a point of reference for future writers, hence there were no bibliographical references. The book portrayed how a determined people (Biafrans) courageously persevered over a thirty-month bloody civil war in the face of adversity perpetrated by world super-powers who coerced the international community to look away while they helped the Federal Government of Nigeria in its failed effort to win the war in forty-eight hours, then resorted to blockade and blanket the Biafrans both by sea, air, and land and executed the blood-letting and starvation that led to an eventual surrender to peace in 1970.
Chief Ojiaku indicated that although the battle ended in the war front, the war rages on as people from the Biafran side continue to be marginalized in almost all aspects of Nigerian life--politics, university admissions, road constructions and what have you! This book showed that Chief Jim Ojiaku can successfully make use of good advice. Thanks to his brother in law--Professor Joe Akunna who sincerely advised him to put down his thoughts in black and white.
Surviving the iron curtain exemplified how Biafra was killed in a genocidal civil unrest, but the people refused to die. The planned extermination of the Biafrans from the surface of the earth--how civilians were tortured and starved, the poor state of Biafra, how ill-equipped young people joined the war to save their people, how the Biafrans used improvises to fight valiantly as the Biblical David against Goliath. Chief Uche Jim Ojiaku did not forget the benevolence of the Red Cross and other relief organizations in breaking the iron curtain despite enemy attack. Worst still was the only twenty pounds which Biafrans received from the Nigerian Government who had any bank account in Biafran banks--being the only rehabilitation received since after the war.
Chief Jim Ojiaku deliberately refused to deal with the blame game that characterizes every war. He was right to blame both sides in order to allow the reader to understand his reason for writing the book. Finally Biafra surrendered through the courage and bravery of Colonel Philip Effiong who helped to salvage the human skull that was left of Biafra--in 1970. I strongly recommend this book to all who profess to the Biafran cause-both old and young--a reminder of the indelible scar--that was Biafra.

Surviving the iron curtain by Chief Uche Jim Ojiaku.......2007-04-23

In reading Chief Uche Jim Ojiaku's book I learned a piece of history that needs to be read by everyone and the world needs to remember the horrors of the war between Nigeria and The Republic Of Biafra and a war that tore apart a country.
He tells of one story about his brother Emmanuel who is killed at the front at the young age of 19 and the beautiful touching letter his father writes to his dead son, "An Epitath To Lt. Emmanuel Ojiaku."

This letter is heart breaking and no one would forget reading it. He writes very lovingly about his mother, father, brothers and sisters and especially about his love for his people. He brings forth in his book many beautiful photographs and diagrams on the many foods in his region and explains in great detail on each food and how they're prepared.

This book is a must read. Jim brings forth the great love he has for his people, his family and most of all his great country.

I give Chief Uche Jim Ojiaku five stars ***** for a book well written.

Joseph Frank Baraba

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WELEASE BWIAN !!!
If you've seen the movie....

Life of Brian Screenplay (Monty Python)
Graham Chapman
Manufacturer: Methuen Publishing, Ltd.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0413741303

Book Description

The classic piece of cinematic blasphemy from 1979.

Customer Reviews:

WELEASE BWIAN !!!.......2003-08-25

Here it is MP fans, the screenplay from The Life Of Brian. Being out of print since 1979, I'm glad that Methuen Publishing has stepped up to get this screenplay back in circulation by putting it out in 2001. Illustrated with 19 b&w photos from the film, all your favorite lines from the movie are here to enjoy all over again. A solid effort by Methuen that they followed up a year later with the screenplay to Monty Python And The Holy Grail. And there was much rejoicing. Yea!!!

If you've seen the movie...........2002-12-19

The format is a mass-market paperback, but this isn't a novelization but rather the screenplay as the movie was made. You'll notice that last has a subtle distinction. Oftentimes screenplays differ notably from the movies as you see them--scenes are cut because they didn't work, cost too much to do, or just because of the limits of time. The screenplays of Brazil and Monty Python and the Holy Grail are full of wonderful little tidbits that didn't make it to the screen. Unfortunately, for Life of Brian, there's only the parts that did get made, which are funny indeed, but you've already seen them.

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Life Of Brian

Monty Pythons Life of Brian
Monty Python
Manufacturer: Penguin Putnam~mass
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0441482406

Customer Reviews:

Life Of Brian.......2002-03-01

Well, it's a book and it has words in it and some pictures of stuff and it's er...quite good. Actually this is a very good combination of script/behind-the-scenes and the usual surreal humour of the Pythons. Plus there is a full frontal nude page, where I swear you can see everything....

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Like a biography of a rock band
Fascinating Biographies on the six masters of British Humor

Life of Python
George Perry
Manufacturer: Little Brown & Co (P)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0316700150

Customer Reviews:

Like a biography of a rock band.......2003-01-26

Perry's first version of this biography of the Monty Python comedy team was published in 1983 and I read it in 1987. Some good friends who knew that I was python phanatic gave me this, not knowing of an earlier version--and how would they, because there is no indication on this book that it is a rewrite/reprint of anything. The indica page even states that this is a first edition and doesn't list the earlier book as the source of any material. Strange are the ways of publishers. The subject of Perry's writing deserves the update. The team has only grown in popularity over the intervening years and the members continue to entertain audiences with new work, from Gilliam's directing/writing career to Cleese's acting. The Life of Python reads like a biography of a rock band, which Python actually is more similar to than the traditional comedy group such as the Marx brothers. They are also, like the great rock groups of the sixties, now missing one member, making the chance of a true reformation impossible. Graham Chapman's death is not preventing Eric Idle from attempting a reunion "concert," this time to be presented in Las Vegas (the very idea of which appeals to the members' sense of humor).

The basic material of the book is to try to track each member of the group from their comedic beginnings to the formation of the troupe and then to the work following the cancellation of the TV series, all interwoven by time. Sounds like a mess, but it works. Perry interviewed all the members, sometimes more than once, and the book is liberally sprinkled with quotes. This new version has color photos as well as black and white, which fills the book (every page has a picture on it). This is probably the definitive biography of the group, although Kim "Howard" Johnson's The First 20X Years of Monty Python is a close second.

Fascinating Biographies on the six masters of British Humor.......2001-03-03

As a Monty Python follower, I love books like these. Although it's not full of hilarious lines, it does have great bios on all six members of the group. However, it starts with the pages completely out of order. This is apparently on purpose, but it doesn't help the book. I found it somehow easy to get into this book and read through the biographies. This book comes recommended, however, I always seem to get hold of such items right before they go out of stock. This one should still be out there. It's a treasure in my collection of Python books.

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Bioinformatics Programming in Python
Ruediger-Marcus Flaig
Manufacturer: Wiley-VCH
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Life Before and After Monty Python: The Solo Flights of the Flying Circus

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A good source of informations. Useful !

Life Before and After Monty Python: The Solo Flights of the Flying Circus
Kim "Howard" Johnson
Manufacturer: St Martins Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0312086954

Customer Reviews:

A good source of informations. Useful !.......1999-03-25

It's a detailed and exhaustive guide to the "solo" careers of the Python's members. More than a biography, this is a sort of diary, recordering their pre- and post-Python works (movies, tv shows, books,etc...) It can be useful, especially for those who (like me!) live in places in which the Monty Python are not so famous, and can't easily find material regarding them !

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THE LIFE OF BRIAN/ Montypythonscrapbook
Graham et al) Monty Python (Chapman
Manufacturer: Fred Jordan Books/ Grosset & Dunlap
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000P0R8D2

The Life of Python : And Now for Something Completely Different

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The Life of Python : And Now for Something Completely Different
George Perry
Manufacturer: Little, Brown & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000HMUGFU

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LIFE OF PYTHON.

Manufacturer: Pavilion Bks.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 090751622X

The Life of Python: The History of Something Completely Different

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A Wonderful Beginner's Guide
Great illustrations and coverage but repetitious
Bedside, Bathtub, Armchair Companion to Something Different
Nice summation of the comedy troupe.

The Life of Python: The History of Something Completely Different
George Perry
Manufacturer: Running Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1561385689

Customer Reviews:

A Wonderful Beginner's Guide.......2003-03-16

I found this book very interesting. I liked how Perry wrote an introduction of British Comedy leading up to Python. This gives you an idea of what the Pythons were up against.

I also thought it was nice to split up the book into the mini biographies of each Python and then to go into the Python years as a whole. I especially enjoyed the sections on John Cleese and Michael Palin. Perry has a way of picking out the more interesting details. He does a good job of outlining the Pythons early careers in television and comedy. I was also introduced to a few post-Python projects through this book.

This is a great book, although there are better in-depth ones. I would reccomend this book for those who are unfamiliar with Monty Python and who want to learn more, but individual biographies of each Python would be better if you want to get a more in-depth view of the Python People. Otherwise, a fantastic resource.

Great illustrations and coverage but repetitious.......2002-02-02

As a college student in the seventies, Monty Python's Flying Circus was part of my growing-up. Their brand of insane humor seems almost natural to me, since it was such a part of my life. This book, however, makes clear how revolutionary it really was.
Mostly, though, it's a history of Python, from what led into it both on television and at Oxford and (particularly) Cambridge, how it came about, and what happened afterwards. It discusses who worked with whom throughout (including on the show, which is significant: Graham Chapman and John Cleese were one pairing, Terry Jones and Michael Palin were another, while Eric Idle and Terry Gilliam tended to work alone).

It's copiously illustrated, including a demonstration of silly walks in the upper-right-hand corner that one can experience in motion by flipping the pages rapidly. My only quibble is that there seems to be an inordinate fondness for photographs from lesser-known efforts like Erik the Viking and The Missionaries.
The text is good overall, though it could be better organized. Early chapters cover the careers of each of the Pythons individually, then return to their history as a group. Since many of the Pythons worked together after the program went off, there's a significant amount of repetition as a result.

Overall, though, this is an excellent overview and appreciation of the Pythons and their remarkable accomplishments in bringing us a new brand of comedy.

Bedside, Bathtub, Armchair Companion to Something Different.......2000-05-06

I first read "The Life of Python" approzimately one month after my PBS station started running the series. I love it when I can find a book that goes beneath the facade, and shows you the backstage turmoils and et cetera; such is the case with this book. Not only do you get the inside story behind the scenes, but you also get mini-biographies of each of the Python team. This is a spectacular book for any Pythonite.

Nice summation of the comedy troupe........1996-10-21

The subject of Perry's writing deserves the update. The team has only grown in popularity over the intervening years and the members continue to entertain audiences with new work, from Gilliam's directing/writing career to Cleese's acting.

Perry's book reads like a biography of a rock band, which Python actually is more similar to than the traditional comedy group such as the Marx brothers. They are also, like the great rock groups of the sixties, now missing one member, making the chance of a true reformation impossible. Graham Chapman's death is not preventing Eric Idle from attempting a reunion "concert," this time to be presented in Las Vegas (the very idea of which appeals to the members' sense of humor).

This is probably the definitive biography of the group, although Kim "Howard" Johnson's The First 20X Years of Monty Python is a close second.

(This "review" originally appeared in First Impressions Installment Twenty-Two [http://www.owt.com/users/gcox/fi.contents.html].)

Customer Reviews:

Excellent introduction to the subject.......1998-08-05

Wanted Dead or Alive is an excellent overview of the American West in popular culture. While the conclusions within this anthology are all similar and reflect a revisionist (New Western History) slant, the vast array of topics covered, represent the only overview of the subject I am aware of.

Wanted Dead or Alive: The American West in Popular Culture

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Wanted Dead or Alive: The American West in Popular Culture
Richard, (editor) Aquila
Manufacturer: University of Illinois Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OQ87CI

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Programming Windows Games With Borland C++/Book and Disk
Nabajyoti Barkakati
Manufacturer: Sams Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0672302926

Book Description

The how-to guide for creating computer games! Intermediate and advanced programmers learn how to use object-oriented programming to write computer games.

Provides a quick overview of Windows programming with Borland C++ and OWL
Includes a disk containing shareware Windows games as well as source code and executable versions of SPUZZLE and BLOCKADE

Book Description

Meet AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT® and find out where to draw the line

Tour AutoCAD's new features, make CAD standards rule, and find the friendlier xref

Once upon a time, architectural drawings were created with - gasp -pencils, paper, and T-squares. Then came AutoCAD, with all its capabilities and complications. While this book won't turn back the clock, it will make it easy to explore AutoCAD 2004's new interface, conform with CAD standards, get the lowdown on 3D, and discover all the amazing things you and AutoCAD can do.

The Dummies Way

Explanations in plain English
"Get in, get out" information
Icons and other navigational aids
Tear-out cheat sheet
Top ten lists
A dash of humor and fun

Customer Reviews:

This book was a fustrating waste of my time and money.......2007-03-02

As an absolute beginner I naturally purchased this 'for Dummies' book in the assumption that I would be guided through Autocad in the simplest form possible.
But alas no, this book immediatly immersed me in confusion and fustration. With no precise step by step guides or no simple tutorial exercises, the author Mark Middelton has no business teaching to beginners.
He then has the audacity to give himself a five star review on this review page, and whine about any criticism of his book.
I suggest he reads Cheryl R Schrocks 'Exercise Workbook for Beginning Autocad' to experience a true professional teacher in action.

AutoCad Review.......2006-11-03

This is a great book for beginners of AutoCad. It takes you step by step through the the most basic operations to the more complex ones. Great book.

The "For Dummies" editors need to learn how to write!!!.......2006-04-19

In my pursuit to learn AutoCAD as quickly as I can, I have purchased the three main tutorial books for AutoCAD 2004.

While AutoCAD 2004 for Dummies by Mark Middlebrook is the most basic of the three (Duh... it's for dummies) it still covers much of the important material in a manner that a complete newbie could probably understand a specific instruction or chapter.

The way Mr. Middlebrook approaches AutoCAD though is pretty tough to comprehend. That is, he spends the entire book discussing various commands and how to approach a drawing, but never walks you through a project.

I found David Frey's book AutoCAD 2004 and AutoCAD LT 2004 a much better instructional book and while only slightly more techie he manages to walk you through a project that lets you truly understand what he's trying to teach you.

My biggest gripe with AutoCAD 2004 for Dummies is the incredible amount of typos! Gawd! I am a high school teacher and this guy would fail an essay that I assign at the high school level. What in the world is he doing writing a book if he can't spell or proofread? Either he or his editor should go back to English class. I see that Mr. Middlebrook himself has weighed in on this. Just so he knows, I'm looking at the fourth printing (I think... The information page says 10 9 8 7 6 5 4. Does that mean it's on the third or fourth printing? I'm not a librarian!) I only mention this because he says he's only found 5 mistakes. I've found at least a dozen pretty obvious ones, and a many, many minor ones.

The single most grievous mistake is on pages 100 and 101, Chapter 5, table 5-1. It is supposed to be a table of various tools you can use to draw objects. Other than the first one, each icon is incorrectly matched with a description! For example, he shows the "copy" tool icon, but then calls it a SPLine and gives the description for a SPLine. I count eight errors in that table alone. If you are truly a newbie to AutoCAD then you might never get it sorted out. This mistake alone merits not purchasing the book or asking of your money back because it's an example of how a "typo" can be critically damaging. No, I am not an English teacher, nor am I overly zealotous toward proofreading. However, I do have only a certain tolerance for typos and when they interfere with my learning the subject, then its time to move on to another resource.

While I have learned things from this book, it is clearly the least useful of the three I have bought. The two Sybex books by Frey and Omura have much more thought and effort put into them and are extremely comprehensive. I'd pick the Frey book first though.

I do not doubt for a second Mr. Middlebrook's knowledge or experience with AutoCAD. He clearly knows his stuff. I just wish he, and his editor, would learn to proofread. That, or hire me to proofread for you! I'm as literate as your editor, computer savvy, and experienced. Look me up.

The Dummies series could really learn from the mistakes made here. I'm done with the Dummies series. There are much better resources out there, at least on the topics that I'm interested in. They've lost my purchases. Good luck though!

This is a great book.......2004-08-03

AutoCAD is one of the most complex and powerful programs I have ever seen. It's necessary to understand some potentially intimidating concepts, like paper space, xrefs and plotting procedures. After reading previous reviews of this book, I suspect the reviewers may have been disillusioned when they didn't understand everything about the program after reading part of the book.

I know a good deal about this program and I was glad to get a list and read some commentary about what was new and what was unchanged from the last release. For an experienced user, keeping up with the changes is what it's all about.

Middlebrook is clearly very knowledgeable, but remembers what it's like to be a beginner and is able to write from the point of view of someone who is poking the buttons in this program for the first time. There are often several ways to do things with AutoCAD and it was great to see tips about the easiest way for a novice to do them. In addition to the "how to" there is commentary which illuminates the "why" behind the commands, techniques and concepts. You can't get that from the online help. As someone who has tried to explain this program to people myself, I think this is exactly what's needed.

He also writes from a non-AutoDesk point of view. I got the feeling that I was getting good information rather than the company line as well as some tips that I wouldn't expect to find in the program manuals and online help, like how to save a file so that other people who are using AutoCAD R14 can use it.

It's very readable, which is a rare thing considering the technical subject. There is a sense of humor and it is a pleasure to read.

The bottom line is that it's a great way to get up to speed with the changes if you already have experience with AutoCAD, and if I were learning this program for the first time I would definitely want to have this book in order to make sense out of the program.

...to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous criticism!.......2004-07-17

Are we looking at the same book?! At the risk of sounding like the defensive, whiny author (again!), I humbly submit:

A reader from Mc Lean, VA writes: "I picked up the manual that came with AutoCAD. The manual that came with the software was better than this book!" That's strange, since AutoCAD 2004 doesn't come with a printed manual.

wizard621 from Denver, CO writes: "There are so many typos, grammatical errors and mismatches between the examples and the software...." That's strange, too, since I recently went through the book in order to correct errors in preparation for a new printing. I found exactly five misspellings, no grammatical errors, and a handful of places where the description didn't match the software.

sbruce28 from Sandston, Virginia writes: "Doesn't anyone proof read [sic] anymore?" Yes, I do, the copy editor does, and the proofreader does. This kind of criticism is suspect when it comes from someone who doesn't realize that the verb is spelled "proofread" and who spells "AutoCAD" two different ways, both incorrect, in the same sentence.

I will agree that this book expects readers to be somewhat familiar with a few basic drafting concepts - such as scale, the representation of three-dimensional objects on two-dimensional sheets of paper, and how real-world objects are shown on (printed) technical drawings. If you don't understand or aren't willing to learn a little bit about how technical drawings are presented in your industry, then you probably aren't ready to use a CAD program.

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