Coins Books

When I decided to start collecting coins again five years ago I heeded the advice I heard from many, 'Buy the book, before you buy the coin' and it has paid off time and again. Douglas Winter, a recoginized expert in American Gold coins, and James Halperin have created a book that is a MUST HAVE if you are collecting Carson City Gold coins. Fact filled, informative and up to date, this is a book that is the BEST resource when it comes to Gold coins minted in Carson City. I use it time and time again and never go to a coin show or attend an auction without consulting it first. Bravo Winter and Halperin!

A wonderful book with accurate, awesome information that
will definitely please the reader of this book. Doug
Winter and James Halperin are two of the highest regarded
experts on mintmarked gold known today...
Pick it up! You won't be disappointed.

This is an excellent historical and numismatic review of the Carson City branch mint and coinage. The book is extremely well-written, interesting, informative, and timely. Anyone interested in gold coins, Carson City branch products, or coins in general should find this an exceptional and easy read and an indispensable resource. Kudos to Doug Winter; please publish more!

Over the past year, I have become acquainted with Mr. Winters books on gold coins. I found them to be insightful, informative, and just plain fun. Unfortunately I was unable to get a copy of his first Carson City gold book, Gold Coins of the West. When I found out that he was updating, I immediately put in an order. When I finally got it, I read most of the book the first night. The first part of the on the Gold Rush and the founding of the Carson City Mint, and its subsequent political demise was interesting history, even for the non - coin collector. If you have any desire to learn about Carson City gold coins, this book is invaluable and will probably become the ultimate source book. The book is full of insights about the market and availablity of Carson City gold. If you have an interest in U.S. minted gold coins, the books by Doug Winter are an absolute must. Even though you may not be able to afford the coins themselves, Mr. Winters' books are the next best thing.
The only disappointment I have with this author is that he hasn't written a comprehensive, all-inclusive, volume on U.S. gold coins. Hopefully, he will....SOON!

As with other collectors of Carson City Gold Coinage I too eagerly awaited my copy to arrive. To have the knowledge and experience of Doug Winter at your fingertips, when considering the purchase of any CC Gold, provides the information needed to be an astute collector. His indepth analysis of each denomination by date is invaluable when making a determination whether a particular example is below, average, or above average for the grade and to what degree it is a date and/or a condition rarity. This book is a must have for anyone who is interested in the collecting of Carson City Gold Coinage.

Mark Goodman has created a wonderful book on coin photography. Concise and easy enough for an amateur like myself to learn from.

If you sell coins on the internet, or just want amazing pics of your prized coins and medals, it is a no-brainer to buy this book!

I'm very new to numismatic photography, but I'm very interested in creating the best quality images of my collection possible.

This book presents a good overview of the tools (camera, copystand, lights, post-editing software) and techniques for doing this.

It is a short and easy read for the novice, and more advanced photographers should appreciate the extra sections written to go a level deeper into each topic.

Imaging coins of various compositions (copper, proof silver, gold, etc) are discussed in detail. Raw and slabbed coins are also addressed throughout, and the many sample photos thoughtfully include the camera, aperture, and shutter settings.

Thanks to the advice presented here, you don't need to spend a fortune on creating good images. But with some small tool upgrates and some hints and tricks as presented by Mark Goodman, virtually anyone can make great photos!

The author, Mark Goodman, has put together a nice systematic presentation of the material. For example, Mark has broken down high, medium and low contrast coins into chapters. In each of the chapters, Mark selected representative examples of coins that fall into the relevant contrast category. Photos of each coin are presented with changes in lighting. The photos are compared and contrasted.

I have bought multiple copies of this book (as gifts) and have recommended this book to collectors of material other than numismatics as the principles in this book are universal.

Excellent book. Quick read. Immediate results. Nice reference material.

I've known Mark Goodman for a couple of years through an online forum for coins. His tips along the years have made my coin photography much better. He graciously provided PDF documents that were quite helpful along the way. I am counting on this book to really put me over the top and into a different class of coin imaging.

The book is well laid out and covers everything you need to become a top-notch coin photographer. It has beginner sections right along advanced sections, so this book is for anyone who owns a camera and wants to image coins.

I have yet to make it through the whole book... There is a lot of information to absorb. But my images are already improving and my skills were adequate before. Soon, they will be much more than adequate due to Mr. Goodman's instruction.

Thanks, Mark!

OUTSTANDING. Beyond doubt, this book is an indespensible addition to numismatic literature. In the Internet Age, coin photography is more important than ever. The body of work, hobby wide, will improve dramatically as hobbyists improve their skills - thanks to this book.

My son loves to count his bank - so this book is great for him. He loves knowing how much everything in it is worth and reading the text. Originally saw it at a friend's house and searched for it.

anyone trying to teach youngsters about saving should start with coin county ! wonderfully illistrated and original. fun and secretly educational . simply a must for age 4 to 10.

I gave this to my 5 year old grandson last year for Christmas. He has twice saved up $20 in the book and his mother takes him to the Dollar Store to chose some items. He is also learning about the value of different coins and equivalents.

We started an allowance for our almost 5 year old son and we were having a difficult time teaching him about saving. This book was the perfect tool! Now, instead of wanting to run out and spend the few coins he earns each week, he's excited about saving them up. And at the same time learning some math and money counting skills. I'll be purchasing this for several nieces and nephews as well.

Mr. Talbot's book appeals on so many levels, it is a "must buy" for any household with children who are curious about coins.

Pick it up for any child who is always wandering around with that spare penny, nickel, dime or quarter clutched in his or her little fist. The book provides a safe place to collect those coins, while storing them in such a way that they can be looked at from time to time.

This book is perfect for any child who is ready to learn about the distinguishing characteristics of these basic coins, and how we use those coins to add up to different amounts.

And the book walks little ones through the process of saving, a stepping stone in the lesson of the value of responsible money handling. The book's premise: "If I fill all the slots, then I will have..." You and your child can then decide how the amazing sum (over $20.00, ultimately) will be spent.

Our entire family is having fun with this book. I would pick it up again in a heartbeat, and will undoubtedly be giving it to everyone I know.

This book is truly terrific, thoroughly engaging. One can tell the author went to great lengths to find out every little detail because there are no real gaps in a story that spans over 7 decades. Just a delight to read.

As a successful collector of St. Gaudens $20 I say this is by far the better of the few books about the chicanery, sneeky dealings and inevitabe "sting" surrounding the 1933 $20 Saint Gaudens. The author wastes no time jumping into the thick of things and every page is full of insight and great reading. There's no fluff in this book, it's cover to cover great "stuff"....the players, the government, the mint officials and the setup man, Izzy Switt are all followed in a way worthy of a murder mystery. What's also great is that inasmuch as this will appeal to the general public, it's really appealing to coin collectors because of the author's research into the inner dealings of the coin world. One coin...one incredible non-fiction novel!

I procured an advance copy on ebay, and I loved it. I learned quite a bit about coin collecting, 20th century numismatics, King Farouk, and collectibles and the law. It was a very enjoyable read, and I highly recommend it, for both coin collectors and non-collectors.

Wow, who would have imagined that the world of coin collecting would be inhabited by the quirky collection of characters in this intriguing book? I loved the mystery of the story and the surprising and true journey of the double eagle. The book is very well written in a style that is both hard to put down and fun to read. I enjoyed the history of early twentieth century coins. The legal maneuverings in the story are great!
Read this book!

I know nothing about coin collecting, but I bought this book on a whim -- the cover is striking -- and read the whole thing the first night. King Farouk, Teddy Roosevelt, obsessed Secret Service agents, shady coin dealers, clever lawyers... this book has it all, and I just couldn't stop reading until I finished the whole thing. Double Eagle is so much more than the saga of a gold coin. It's a compelling narrative, a fascinating work of history, an incisive study of collecting mania and, most of all, a thriller that ends with a twist that will shock you. I'd give it six stars if I could.

Lovely book with ample and generously sized pictures (even tho I would love full-page sized!). This is indeed a beautiful coffee table book that will interest even the novice coin collector.

My husband dabbles in coin collecting and while Christmas shopping for something coin-related for him at Amazon.com I found a review of this book that sold me. When my husband opened the gift he was thrilled, saying "this is exactly the kind of book I love!" As a long-time admirer of the beauty in coins, not just the collectability, he is in seventh heaven when perusing the pages of this well-written and beautifully photographed book.I would highly recommend it for anyone with an interest in coins.

100 Greatest Comic Books100 Greatest American Currency Notes: The Stories Behind The Most Colonial, Confederate, Federal, Obsolete, and Private American Notes

I found this book to be a very interesting read. This book should be in every numismatist book collection. The updated version is a plus, what with the constant fluctuation of prices and weekly auction sales. Even top coin conventions are referencing this book when rare coins are on display and showcased. It was neat to see the "number 52 listed coin" at the recent Long Beach Coin Show. It put things into more perspective for me.. just a little bit more tangible that these coins "really" exist and can be viewed from time to time. Whitman also has top 100 lists for comic books and paper money that are very informative and fun to read.
It would have been nice to see the published coins in their encapsulated form (if slabbed)in my opinion. Overall an awesome coffee table book.

Just an incredible book. Beautiful color pictures and very interesting information on each coin. A complete history on each coin, market value and a very detailed description of each coin. This book isn't just for coin collectors. This book is for anyone who has an interest in the history of U.S. coins. A truly excellent addition to anyone's library.

Pardon the pun but I couldn't help it. Why Amazon shows this as a just-released book is odd; I saw it in a bookstore some time ago. It is, without a doubt, one of the most beautifully realized works to appear in some time. Its 200 pages are divided into description and a stunning photograph. The book appeals to all levels.

At a dinner party its placement on the coffee table is sure to engender conversation..."May I top off your drink while we review the Earring Dollar?" As a historical tome it presents the social, political and economic forces at work when these were minted. And for the coin lover it is pure "gold", a work that is simultaneously interesting, informative and pleasing to the eye.

The list, from a survey of the Professional Numismatists Guild, includes some well-known and some not so popular coins. One may argue with the list but it was composed by the best experts in the field and based on a criterion the uninitiated cannot understand. Of course there is the 1804 Silver Dollar (which we now know was not even minted in that year). There is also (in my opinion) an abundance of gold vs silver and copper. Yes, they are stunning coins and yes they are exorbitantly priced but they are not as well known. How many folks, for example, are aware that a four dollar gold piece was once issued?

Needless to say, the coins presented here are beyond the reach of the ordinary layman - or even the extraordinary one in some cases. But you can look and dream to your heart's content with this edition.

This is way more affordable and sufficient for the average coin collector who is interested in circulated coins of the world. Unless you want information on the modern commemoratives, this is the book for you.

I just wish they made one like it for the 19th century as well.

If your coin collecting started from a handful of change brought back from some exotic place by an uncle and has moved only a little ahead ever since, this is your book. This catalogue includes only "real" coins i.e. those which were available at face value not at issue price when issued and which were or still are used in actual transactions. It is neatly divided by countries and the coins are arranged according to their denominations, most of coins are represented in black and white photographs.
However, you should bear in mind that current circulating coins (and conseqently this catalogue) are just a part of a vast numismatic empire. Collecting is just like eating - you may be happy with the starters and live on salads and pasta for ever but at some point you may want to move ahead to more serious dishes - in this case commemorative coins and issues before 1901.
This is a perfect book for a coin collecting beginner but if you consider yourself a serious coin collector you should avoid starters and move on the real stuff. Krause will be more than happy to help you!

This book, like the Standard Catalog of World coins (1901-present) also by Krause et al, contains all you need to identify and price nearly every coin from every nation minted since 1901. The book begins with an identification guide containing images of common themes on each nation's coins (for example, the eagle on Egypt's coins), a chart/list of the various number systems (so you can read the denominations and dates on Arabic, Chinese/Japanese/Korean, Hebrew, and Thai coins, just to name a few), and a Hejira-Christian date chart (important for dating Arabic coins).

The main section of the book is organized first by country, then by era/dynasty, next by denomination (lowest to highest), and last by style (with KM number). Within each style are a list of dates, mintages, and prices at various conditions.

The main differences between this book and Standard Catalog of World Coins appear to be: (1) this book is half the thickness and half the weight, (2) this book is printed on higher-quality paper, and (3) this book doesn't contain as many coins that never went into circulation (commemoratives, etc.). So one might say that this book is aimed toward the collector, while the Standard Catalog is geared more toward the dealer.

Adequate-resolution black-and-white photographs of the vast majority (if not all) of the 20th century world circulation business-strike coinage.

Especially historically accurate. For example Germany is divided into the coinage of various coin-minting units of government over its tumultuous and shattered 20th-century history: Anhalt-Dessau, Baden, Bavaria, Bremen, Brunswick-Wolfenbuttel, Hamburg, Hesse-Darmstadt, Lippe-Detmold, Lubeck, Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Oldenburg, Prussia, Reuss-Obergreiz, Saxe-Altenburg, Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, Saxe-Meiningen, Saxe-Weimar-Eisenbach, Saxony, Schaumburg-Lippe, Waldeck-Pyrmont, Wurttemberg, German Empire (1871-1918), Weimar Republic (1919-1933), Third Reich (1933-1945), Federal Republic of Germany (West & unified) (1945-present), Saarland (1945-1957), and German Democratic Republic (East)(1945-1990). I consider that nation-state categorization alone impressive and intimate knowledge of coinage production in Germany, let alone the over-300 coin types documented among all of those coin-producing governments. Similar detail is taken with a multitude of other countries worldwide, with whose history I am less familiar.

Number of coins produced each year are given as are prices for typically 3 grades: very fine, extremely fine, and uncirculated.

The only way that Kraus could "improve" this book is to release a 19th century edition, an 18th century edition, a 17th century edition, and so forth, because it is disappointing to have the history truncated at 1901. Although I am not aware of such per-century editions slicing horizontally across the world, Krause has produced vertical slices by country, such as the history of German coins spanning multiple centuries, which of course overlaps in the 20th century with this book.

Chester Krause, et.al.'s Collecting World Coins widens the focus to world coins from 1901 to the present, appearing in its updated 9th edition to cover 330 coin-issuing countries and states. Over 20,000 coins are listed by date and valued in up to four grade levels. The black and white coin photos here are even more extensive and essential for identification.

Because I am only an occasional buyer of Franklin Halve Dollars, I want the best advise possible. That comes from Rick Tomaska's book "The complete Guide To FRANKLIN HALVE DOLLARS.

Excellent book for collectors of Franklin Half Dollars. Lots of GOOD information. A MUST HAVE for collectors.

Info virtually unavailable elsewhere

This is the best Franklin half dollar book I have seen. It starts out with a history of the series. Then it shows 5 tables showing which dates are the rarest. Next it gives detail on every date and mintmark, proof and mint. It gives the value for toned and untoned coins. It also gives historical price comparism and a census of how many have been graded by PCGS and NGC. The only bad thing about the book is it isn't that updated. The prices are from a couple years ago and then censuses are from late 1997. All together this will help you make a great profit off the half dollars you buy. DON"T WAIT, BUY IT!!!

I found this book to be informative on the series of Franklin Half Dollars. A must for anyone seriously considering collecting this series of coins. Although prices specified is outdated, this does not deter from its content.

Crafted from real-world experiences, Kathe Gogolewski engagingly weaves a story of ever-lasting love and compassion through the odd circumstances between herself and her father.

Life, death, conscious, unconsciousness and the materialistic take on all new meanings for anyone fortunate enough to read "The Golden Coin."

For those of us who have suffered the varying stages of grief, and experienced what seemed to be elements of the paranormal through our dreams- this book will touch your heart and ultimately bring you feelings of peace, joy and a deeper understanding of the meaning of life.

I love Amazon Shorts, as they offer a reader with scant time to spare an opportunity to fulfill desires for satisfying prose. Kathe Gogolewski spins a wonderful, compelling tale in only eight pages- brilliantly done!

We all have vivid dreams, and often we relate them to family and friends. They usually listen and say things like, "Wow! That was some dream alright." Seldom does this dream become a life changing experience for the listener. In "The Gold Coin" it does.

The author starts the narrative by describing a dream her father related to her when she visited him in the hospital. He dreamed that he was transported to a beautiful wild garden where he discovered that he was holding gold coins. He started giving them out to people who found that once they had a gold coin all their needs disappeared. These people passed them on to others who also gave them away.

As time passed, the author's memory of her father's dream faded, until fifteen years later when she suddenly remembered the dream in vivid detail. This began her journey toward self discovery. However, it was only after her father's death and through a series of events that she came to understand what the dream truly meant and to appreciate it as the gift it was, her father's gold coin to her.

This is a story of a daughter's love for her father, but most importantly, it is one woman's discovery of what really matters in life.

As the title suggests..I don't know whether to review or testify... this story and the telling of it touched my heart so deeply. The Message Kathe Gogolewski shares with us from her own deeply moving experience brings goose bumps...brings tears...brings a deep satisying JOY. Kathe orchestrates these reactions superbly, introducing us to her father, herself, and a dream he has shortly after surviving very serious heart surgery. She begins with her initial reaction...a clever "dream interpretation" meeting a somewhat bored reaction from the dreamer, her dad.

From that first well crafted word portrait, she proceeds to the next: Crisis over...life resumes. Some changes perhaps, but small ones...nothing as earth-moving as the dream itself would suggest. With the return to normalcy, the dream begins to fade from her life.

The picture changes again and once more her dad faces a life-threatening situation. Again the family gathers...again the emotions are stirred...only this time her father dies, his wife, children and grandchildren gathered round.

Now we follow her into grief... a grief in which previously held values prove inadequate to hold and explain, much less comfort the bereaved daughter of this kindly yet otherwise...so we might THINK...unremarkable man. Thus far, Ms. Gogolewski has described stages almost all of us have experienced at one time or another...stages made recognizable, even empathetic, by her vivid word portraits.

So far a great story...and one I enjoyed because I followed along with the loved ones of my own life so easily...so comfortably. But as good as it is thus far...it is nothing...NOTHING... to what Kathe shares with us next.

It begins with the kind of reunion any of us might have with the memory of a recently departed loved one...the finding of the three coins, which the bereaved daughter readily identifies with her dad's dream of long ago. Definitely beyond coincidence, yet nothing remarkable... sufficently unremarkable so that the coins remain forgotten in a pocket as the jeans go into the wash, then the dryer.

Yet it is here that the hand of the loving father reaches out from beyond the grave to comfort his beloved daughter and fill her with a message of Love and Truth that will no doubt sustain Kathe and any of us privileged to share this story for the rest of our lives. For Kathe it has the added bonus of telling her, not by faith but by KNOWLEDGE, that her dad is still there...still a part of her...not visible but real...discernable and loving as much as ever...and maybe even more so.

For all of us is the joy of the dream's significance...realized at last down to its most subtle nuance,combining the familiar spiritual imperative that one cannot truly possess something until one has let it go...a verity the true realization of which can be a joyful experience in itself... with an additional plus that instructs that by not merely letting go, but in giving to others, what the person retains is so much more than he or she had to begin with. For now two are enriched instead of one, the same "gold coin" enriching the giver...the receiver...then the ones to whom the receiver then gives, and so on down the line, resulting in a potentially limitless number of persons enriched by that one gold coin. For in the giving of it the giver receives true riches, a certain knowledge his needs will be fulfilled.

To this Eternal Truth so much more eloquently expressed in the simple yet majestic prose of the author than my fumbling efforts here have done, I am compelled to add my own Testimony. Hungry...homeless...separated from those I loved most in the world with no hope of reunion some fifteen years ago, I was rescued out of the blue by two saintly people who wanted nothing in return. I had been a proud man, confident in my not inconsiderable talents, my confidence only bloated by the siren song of worldly esteem. Then, in a devastating 24 hours, it was all swept away, and with it all that I had amassed in my pride and ambition, leaving me starving, apathetic and lying in a gutter where those good people found me.

As they slowly got me talking, thinking and eventually even laughing again, a previously inconceivable transformation occurred. As I was reunited with my beloved wife and children, I was united with entirely new values, values occuring to me not through preaching, but through the example of my rescuers. Within a couple years, I took my reunited family to a remote part of the world, to teach my skills to others who wanted desperately to learn them, rather than use them, as I'd previously intended, as a means to self-enrichment. And in sharing and passing these skills on, I discovered a joy the like of which I had never known...as pride and pretension vanished, there grew in their place a closeness with me my wife and children had not previously experienced and the satisfaction experienced by all underpaid but devoted teachers. When disability ended my practice of my profession some ten years later, I returned to America possessed of friends and a familial closeness previously undreamed of by me, and I now greet each new day on a small disability pension happier and more confident than ever that I have all the riches I could ever aspire to.

So it was that Kathe's eloquent, emotional rendering of the Heaven-sent experience with her dad and his dream those many years ago and after his death caused the tears and the goosebumps I mentioned at the outset. Kathe Gogolewski's story is Truth itself...a divinely inspired Truth she shares with us so vividly...inviting us all to begin, or continue, with whatever time may remain to us, to pass on to others whatever spiritual and material wealth we may possess, and in so doing to be spiritually, emotionally and yes, even materially enriched...as enriched as you will ever need to be. Five Stars

John W. Cassell

A very well told and touching story... with a lot of truth to it! A solid "moral" with a very peaceful and freeing message to the heart. This is not just a must-read, but a must-have and read again and again. Pass it on to others! You can feel the sincerity of the author through throughout the story. :)

A very touching and emotional story about a moment of connection between a father and a daughter. The definition of the connection as a gift to be passed on is what makes the story truly inspirational. A very nice lift in your day!

"The Mint on Carson Street" is the ultimate reference guide for Carson City coins. It provides descriptions, pedigrees, populations, mintages and more on each of the 111 coins in the CC set (plus a few special varieties). It has become my personal reference tool and I find myself using it on almost a daily basis. On that subject alone, this book is unparalleled and while it is all that, it is oh so much more. Rusty Goe's crafty writing virtually takes you on a time machine ride as he recounts the glorious history of those lives and times (late 1860's through the mid 1890's) via both story and pictures. When you buy this book, it is like you're getting six great books in one. It is a fascinating read for everyone. The "Gilded Age"....The "Old West"...."CC Coins"....The Comstock Lode"....If you are a passionate fan on any one or all of those subjects, there is a pretty good chance you have already read this book. If you haven't read it, or you are not one of those persons, pick up a copy today, read it and by the time you are finished, you will be!

Rusty Goe's new book describing the history of The Carson City Mint and its coinage is a MUST read for collectors of these coins. Rusty tells how to build valuable sets of CC coins and gives a history of their price appreciation. Rarity and pedigree information are included. Great READ!

Weimar White

There are books on mint products from the Carson City Mint and there are books on the history of Nevada but there has never been a book that so expertly weaves together the stories of the people who made significant events come to pass, the political climate of the post-Civil War United States and territories that were not yet states, Congressional action and reaction to the economy and the contentious matter of money backed by either precious metals or paper, the trials and challenges of a start-up assaying and coining operation, all in the exciting context of the Comstock Lode phenomenon and the mining industry that changed the west.

This book is written with unmistakable passion for the benefit of Comstock and Carson City enthusiasts. But it will be highly regarded by historians, numismatists, coin and memorabilia collectors, scholars, and every investor who may want to become acquainted with the pleasurable pursuit of a truly scarce and sought after tangible collectible. The book also contains statistical information and insights into surviving populations of coins in relation to the quantities originally minted. It has taken a place of prominence among the books I own.

I received this book as a gift and was only expecting it to be a synopsis of Carson City coins. I was not expecting all of the wonderful history! It is a fascinating read as well as being so informative. I really enjoyed reading about so many of the people who influenced not only Carson City and Nevada history, but United States history, as well. In the back is a complete guide to all of the coins minted in Carson City.
The book itself is quite beautiful, inside and out. It contains many pictures of historical people and places. The cover is so nice, you will not want to stash it in your bookcase, but place it on the coffee table for others to enjoy (and envy!)
Thanks again, Mom and Dad, for the beautiful book!

The Carson City coinsthat intrigue us today serve to memorialize the prominent--and not so well known--deeds which occurred between the Civil War and the turn of the century. During this era of giant personalities, the growing pains of the nation created both hardship and jubilant excess in a brand new Nevada (Halloween, 1864).
This phenomenon of the old west is lovingly presented by Rusty Goe in THE MINT ON CARSON STREET. Though little-known outside numismatic circles Rusty has delved into every cranny of the period, all the while becoming one of the supremely knowledgeable and formidable operatives in U.S.coins. His colleagues and trading competitors will attest to his skill and high integrity.
The book (tome,really), Rusty's memorial to an incomparable time and place, is not merely to read, but to dive into and swim around. Some of its delights: recapturing an obscure but haunting part of our exuberant national adolescence, demystifying many of the intricacies in the rare coin market, and serving as a permanent and valuable resource reference. The manner of presentation is that of a veteran of many adventures and well-fought battles lovingly sharing his most prized experiences with those who are disposed to value and appreciate the accounts.
THE MINT ON CARSON STREET has pride of place in my book collection.

This book is about the rise of Christianity as a form of revolution -- an overthrow of the existing Roman order. The author argues that Christians carried out this revolution by loving their enemies and supporting -- rather than fighting -- the existing Roman political-social order. This revolution was then met with a failed Roman counterinsurgency. The author uses the modern theoretical framework of fourth generation warfare (4GW) and counterinsurgency (COIN) to explain these events.

Early on in the book Daniel Abbott lays out a framework for generational change. Abbott believes each higher generation of war operates deeper into an enemies Observe-Orient-Decide-Act (OODA) loop. He states the Christian Roman-era revolution was a fourth generation of war. It wasn't fully clear as to how 4GW is analogous to the Observe-Orient part of the loop. The author's explanation is that 4GW blurs the line between peace and war. However, it isn't fully clear to me as to how this blurring relates to going "deeper" into the loop. The author raises, what seems to be, another requirement of 4GW -- breaking the will of the enemy. That seems to be an adequate requirement for 4GW, however, it doesn't seem to be essential. An actor could break the will of an enemy in numerous ways -- like attrition-style bombing -- and not be fourth generation war. This suggests that the author's definition of 4GW needs to be more rigorously defined. Also, John Boyd modelled the OODA after the scientific methodological process. The author's model for generational war is problematic insofar as a 5GW enemy can avoid the very process -- observation -- a strategic theorist could use to identify a particular generation, which raises questions about how one could support or falsify the theory. A facet of a good inference to best explanation is being able to explain observations. If a theory purports to describe phenomenon that cannot be observed then how do the theorists go on to explain a non-observable event? However, the purpose of the book was not to explain the generations so much as to describe 4GW in early Christianity. So it would be unfair to expect the author to do a complete evaluation of the model and the theory.

Another highlight of the book was a key aspect of Christianity's power -- patience. The author argues that Christians combined patience with long-term strategy to topple the Romans. For example, they waited-out the barbarian attacks and continued to support the Roman power infrastructure knowing their time might come, which reminded me of the Akira Kurosawa movie Yojimbo. The classicist Robert Greene has also written a number of books on patience being a key for obtaining power and that impatience is a principle impediment to power. Abbott's thoughts certainly add to Greene's ideas as well. Perhaps a major weakness that 4GW exploits is a society, and political elite, that lack patience.

The most interesting part of the book was the discussion of Penetration-Isolation-Subdue
/Submit-Reorient-Reharmonise (PISRR) steps to victory. Abbott does a great job of explaining this from the perspective of Christian strategy. The final chapters of the book focus on individual areas of the PISRR. The only problem I could find in this part of the discussion was that the author seemed to make a hasty generalisation from one statement by Paul to an entire theory about the role of women in Christian strategy (Chapter 5). The author would need more sources and observed instances to back up those claims.

Is the book true? As stated above I would have liked to seen more sources to evaluate what the author was saying. The major source for the book is the Bible itself. Other sources are written documents as well. Some individuals might have a problem with this, especially cross-disciplinary readers, for instance archaeologists, who analyse history from a variety of sources. However, Abbott does point to more research in this area, such as Rodney Stark, at the end of the book. I would also recommend reading Volume 1 of Michael Mann's 'The Sources of Social Power' that has a chapter on Christianity as a "decentralized civilizing community" that spread on the back of Roman strengths like trade routes. It is a nice companion to Abbott's book.

Finishing up, this is an interesting book. It has some methodological weaknesses but like all inductive theories it'll either be strengthened or rejected in time. The author has great potential to write more about the unique generational war model based on the OODA loop and I hope he will write a book about it. The author also lays out a number of people who would be interested in the book. I think the following individuals would also like it:

* Those interested in the history of revolution.
* Those interested in case studies of early political economy particularly ideological power versus military and economic power.
* Those interested in nonviolent military strategy.

The brief book outlines Abbott's application of generational war theory and contemporary military strategy to Christianity's peaceful conquest of the Roman Empire. Rome was extremely successful at defending against military and political threats. Christianity succeeded because it didn't set out to conquer Rome, but to co-opt it. They succeeded because they "loved their enemies" and turned every Christian man and woman into a cultural warrior. Less than three centuries later, they won.

My background in these areas is very limited, and alphabet-soup of strategic theories (PISRR, OODA, etc.) can be intimidating. Fortunatly, Strategies takes each theory one step at a time and makes it easy for laypersons to comprehend things like a 'Penetrate-Isloate-Subvert/Subdue-Reorient-Reharmonize' loop. This is the book's biggest strength in my opinion. Many, if not most, of its complex ideas are best illustrated graphically, and Abbott is not afraid to supplement his explanations with a plethora of clear, simply constructed graphs and charts. Even if early Christianity in particular is not of interest to you, Strategies is worth picking up just for the clear explanations of military theory that is relevant in today's political debates - Counter-Insurgency Operations (COIN) in particular. Other examples, such as Vichy France and IMB, assist the reader's understanding.

Its hard to quibble with Abbott's theory. I would have liked a slightly longer book, that supported some of his claims more. Descriptively, 4GW has great explanatory power for the rise of Christianity in Rome, but its difficult for me to believe that the apostles had the strategic co-option of the Empire in mind when they penned Matthew 5:41, Ephesians 1:10 or 1 Timothy 2:12. Strategies is for the most part a work of political science and history, but it slides into theology at points, especially in Chapter 7. Although Abbott is right, some more support for his characterizations of the world's three major religions is needed. It wouldn't be too difficult for someone wanting to pick a fight to find Islamic thinkers opposed to legalism or to bring up 2.256 in the Koran.

However, these problems are only a couple steps about spotting typos. The book is a must for anyone with an interest in broad war theory, counter-insurgency and the rise of Christianity, and makes current ideas accessible to those with little background in them.

What if I told you that Jesus and St. Paul were the architects of the greatest insurgent (fourth-generation warfare) campaign ever? What if I used Scripture and contemporary Roman records to show exactly how they did it (and how the Romans recognized the threat and responded, ultimately failing)? That's exactly what Daniel Abbott does in "Revolutionary Strategies in Early Christianity: 4th Generation Warfare (4GW) Against the Roman Empire, and the Counterinsurgency (COIN) Campaign to Save It". In an intellectual tour de force, Dan not only convincingly explains how precepts such as "If someone forces to you to go one mile, go with him two miles" and "I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a
man; she must be silent" served as foundations for the Christian revolution; he then explains how Muhammed designed Islam to defeat Christianity. And to top things off Dan analogizes the two religions to Microsoft and IBM. At just over 40 pages Dan's book is a short, clear, and profound read. It WILL change the way you look at history, current events, and the future, whether you're an atheist, agnostic, or a practicing Catholic like me. I realize that last sentence defies credulity, but the ideas in this book ARE that powerful!

The one and the only Dan Tdaxp has published his first (and by no means last) book. 'Revolutionary Strategies' applies contemporary military theory to the Christianization of the Roman Empire. Using biblical sources and secondary histories to deduce the strategy of early Christians, Dan argues that the Christian movement adopted a strategy with regards to the Roman Empire that is analogous to 4th Generation War: By loving their enemies (the Romans), the Christians ultimately destroyed the Roman will to resist Christianity. As Christianity spread throughout the Roman Empire, it came to be seen by the Romans as a useful pillar to uphold the legitimacy and authority of the state as it was confronted by external enemies (re: pesky barbarians). Thus, Constantine's vision in 312 comes at a fortuitous time, as Rome was ripe to embrace Christianity, waiting patiently for its embrace.

The best of Dan's strategic analysis involves integrating Boyd's PISRR steps to victory and the gendering of different aspects of war. PISRR stands for Penetrate-Isolate-Subdue/Subvert-Reorganize-Reharmonize. However, to successfully PISRR an enemy, and harmonize its existence according to one's own strategy, it is necessary to use both male Panzers and female Soldats. Panzers crash gates, Soldats build societies. Using one without the other leaves one strategically vulnerable to further annihalation or eventual subversion. Femininity and Masculinity go hand in hand in warfare, a velvet glove to an iron fist. Christian Panzers spread the Good Word, Soldats ensured it stayed in the hearts and minds of the people. When the Empire was weak, it could switch to a Christian ideology that was already well received among the people. Thus, Christians destroyed the Roman will to resist it, as it became more rational to embrace it.

At least that's what I got out of it (without revealing too much).

However, no good review should be completely uncritical. So allow me to pick a fight. Instead of 4GW, might it be more consistent with xGW to think of this as 5GW? To quote Dan:

Your enemy must not feel that he is not on your side" (see [..]

By loving the Romans and respecting their political rule, the Christians were trying to keep the Romans from perceiving them as enemies, despite the fact that Christian social norms were non-hierarchal (everyone equal in the eyes of God) and threatening to the patriarchal Roman social order. Thus, I see carrying the equipment of Roman soldiers (as instructed by Jesus in Matthew 5:41) as a way to falsify the Roman characterization of Christians as enemies. Loving your enemy is the best way to make him not think of you as an enemy.

Either way, this is a sweet book that gets me thinking about xGW in pre-modern terms. Check it out, and then go read Dan's blog, www.dreaming5gw.com, and the blogs of those esteemed contributors.

Dan has done a remarkable job applying contemporary theories of warfare and network science to the early Christian / late Roman era. The most notable strength in Revolutionary Strategies is his inventive correlation of the defensive strategies employed by Caiaphas (the chief antagonist of Jesus's ministries) to those of Diocletian (the late-3rd century Roman emperor who ordered the most severe persecution of the Christian faithful). Accompanying this analysis is a very cogent application of the theories of Boyd (Penetrate - Isolate - Subvert - Reorient - Reharmonize, or PISRR), with modern examples like Vichy France that match the dynamics in the early Christian church.

Both Caiaphas and Diocletian sought to preserve the status quo. For Caiaphas, appeasing Rome was his primary objective: a rogue rabbi who preached of other-worldly gifts would have reflected poorly upon him and his hierarchy. Diocletian clearly understood the management complexities of so vast an empire, and seemed to adeptly address many of the most-pressing ills that plagued the Empire (poor civic participation, an army spread thin on the borders with little to no interior defenses) despite his rampant cronyism (particularly in the establishment of the Tetrarchy). But for the first 18 years of his reign Diocletian was unconcerned about the "Christian threat" - and if it not for Galerius would likely have never ordered the Great Persecution.

Most significantly, Dan's book opens several new fronts on the debate over the nature of insurgency - and counterinsurgency. For instance, is the ex post facto presumption of "co-option" by the splinter Jewish sect that has become the Christian church practical? Or, rather, was the Christian faith "culturally appropriated" by the Roman empire upon Emperor Constantine's conversion to Christianity in the early 4th century? While Dan asserts the former through the hypernetworking of the Apostle Paul, I believe this is a topic worthy of broader study. For instance, was Paul (née Saul of Tarsus, a Pharisee) savvy enough to realize that his peers in Jewish leadership were attracting the ire of Rome? Did Paul's ministries throughout the Mediterranean seek to increase the rift between Jerusalem and the splinter sect of Christian faithful? And were the Gospels written in a manner to give Rome (and particularly Pilate) a "pass" in the crucifixion of Jesus? (Note that three of the four Gospels were published immediately prior to the First Jewish-Roman War and the subsequent destruction of the Temple in 70 A.D.)

Dan also provides another benchmark in the evolving theory of the "generations of war", to wit his development of a taxonomy to differentiate between the various generational constructs. Though I disagree with his assertions that the "0th" (zeroth) generation connotes a form of "total war" and that 3rd generation warfare connotes "better minds", Dan brings value by identifying possible relationships across the xGW generations and inviting further dialogue.

This is perhaps the greatest utility of Revolutionary Strategies: proffering novel ideas in order to provoke debate. Just as the spiritual values of the Romans were initially at odds with the splinter Jewish sect we now call Christians, the different cognitive approaches of Islam and Christianity - one society favoring creativity and innovation, the other cherishing rote memorization - will have similar consequences for our own unfolding century.