In the 1950s and early 1960s, the director of Montreal's Allen Memorial Institute, Dr. Ewen Cameron, exposed his patients to treatment methods now considered barbaric. Attempting to wipe brains clean of "undesirable" behavior and reprogram new behavior, he kept patients in chemical sleep for weeks and months at a time, while they listened to tape recorded messages that repeated endlessly. Furthermore, he exposed them to massive amounts of electroshock that resulted in brain damage in some recipients.

"In the Sleep Room: The Story of the CIA Brainwashing Experiments in Canada," by Anne Collins, details some of the stories of Dr. Cameron's patients and how, more recently, they sued the CIA because it partially funded his work. Cameron's work in "psychic driving" (the term he used to call his process) caught the interest of the CIA and it secretly funded the program for a few years. However, Cameron continued his work after this funding stopped. Because it was the CIA that provided some of the money for these experiments, it caused a stir in Canada, regardless of the fact that the Canadian government funded Cameron before, during, and after the CIA chipped in.

"In the Sleep Room" provided a sketch of who Ewen Cameron was and what his ambitions were. I did not find the book overly critical of Cameron or Psychiatry. Historical background was provided on Cameron's treatments, and overall, the book was balanced. This book provides a good starting point for those interested in learning about Dr. Cameron and his infamous treatments. It is also attractive reading for those interested in gaining some insight into the events that placed attention on the ethics of treatments and higher concern for the consent of treatment.

July 15, 1410 is an important date in Polish history. For on this date, the Polish, Lithuanians, and hired Czech mercenaries won an epic battle against the Teutonic Knights. This battle is know as "Tannenburg" to the Germans, "Grunwald" to the Polish, and "Zalgiris" to the Lithuanians.

"Tannenburg 1410: Disaster for the Teutonic Knights" by Stephen Turnbull and illustrated by Richard Hook is a concise account of the origins of the campaign, the battle itself, and its aftermath. This volume has photographs of various castles, views of the battlefield, statues, and paintings. Various maps and illustrations are also included.

In the 96 pages of this book, the reader is given a thorough overview of the events that lead up to this significant battle, how the battle unfolded, and the effects of the Polish/Lithuanian victory.

"Poland 1939: The Birth of Blitzkrieg" is written by Steven J. Zaloga and illustrated by Howard Gerrard. In this 96 page volume, the author concisely outlines the German invasion of Poland, which began WWII. This includes: opposing commanders, opposing plans, opposing armies, the campaign, and the battlefield today. Throughout the entire book, there are many black-and-white photographs and several color maps.

This is an excellent resource for those interested in the events and related issues of the German invasion of Poland in September 1939.

Zemsta (2002), directed by Andrzej Wajda, is a story set in the17th century. It is based on Alekesander Fredro's epic poem about two quarreling families that live in the same castle divided by a brick wall.

The film is similar to a play, and the characters even occasionally talk to the audience. Much of the dialogue is in rhyme (in Polish anyway, not in the English subtitles). Roman Polanski plays a leading role in this film, and he even sings.

Zemsta is 100 minutes long, spoken in Polish, but has optional English subtitles. This DVD also has special features, such as about the film and cast.

James A. Michener's "Poland" is a historic fiction that spans eight hundred years. The story of three families is recounted from the 1200s to the 1980s. These families include the wealthy noble (Lubonski), poor gentry (Bukowski), and the peasant (Buk). Although it was hard for me to leave some of the characters behind as time moved on, the new ones in the next period turned out to be just as interesting.

It is an interesting experience to read about how these three families developed through history and one gains a larger perspective on how families could progress to get to their present state.

This book is amazing because it reads easy like a novel, but also includes a great deal of history throughout the entire book. The reader becomes acquainted with nearly a thousand years of the colorful history of Poland. The details of the history of Poland are horrific, to the point that you wish they did not happen. I kept reminding myself that these events described, or ones similar to them, did happened. In the 800 years covered in the book, Poland was invaded by nearly all her neighbors. Among the many invaders, there were the Germans from the west, Russians from the east, Swedes from the north, and Austrians from the south, as well as invaders from more distant lands such as the Turks and Tartars. Important battles in Poland's history, such as Grunwald (1410), are described in detail.

If I had known how good this book was, I would have read it much sooner. This book is not a mere novel, but an experience.

The Saragossa Manuscript (Rekopis znaleziony w Saragossie) is a classic Polish film directed by Wojciech Has. The story is not straightforward and resembles a complicated tapestry. It begins with two men from opposing armies finding a book during the Napoleonic wars in Spain. The book describes the adventures of one of the soldier's ancestors, Alfonse Van Worden (Zbigniew Cybulski). We watch Van Worden's adventures and the people he meets tell him their stories. Like a nesting egg, the movie becomes a story in a story in a story. The stories interlink and overlap, each filling us in with details the others where not aware of.

The Saragossa Manuscript looks beautiful in black and white, its music is just as appealing and acts as a frame to this wonderful portrait. The theme of this film also adds to its richness as it combines the supernatural with great storytelling. It nearly resembles a horror with creepy ghosts and ghouls, but is also humorous and erotic. The buxom women in this film are beautiful and give it an alluring aura and invigorating energy. Albeit the story is sophisticated, many of the tales are about normal people and even resemble a romance at times. We are left to wonder if the supernatural events are actual or just tricks.

I think The Saragossa Manuscript is absolutely delightful. Running three hours in long, every minute is enjoyable and adds to the overall story. I consider it to be a one of the best Polish movies of all time and may even appeal to those who usually don't watch world cinema.

"The Polish Army 1939-45" by Steven J. Zaloga is a concise overview of the uniforms, equipment, and history of Polish armies during WWII. The book has eight full-page color illustrations by Richard Hook, which the author also discusses and explains. This volume is filled with black and white photos, includes a map, and has illustrations of rank and divisional insignia. The book is worth reading to get an insight into the Polish armies and their activities during WWII.

"Polish First Names" by Sophie Hodorowicz Knab is a collection of about 400 Polish girls' and boys' first names. For each name, the English spelling is given as well as various spellings the name has had over the centuries. Additionally, the meaning, history, diminutives, and feast days of each name is given.

I read this book cover to cover and found it very interesting. Unfortunately, some Polish names were excluded from the book. Nonetheless, this book is a great reference on Polish names and their meaning.

"Poland in World War II: An Illustrated Military History" by Andrew Hempel is a great overview of the Polish military effort in the second World War. This book is a concise outline, and not a lengthy volume, so it makes a great introduction to the topic. With more than 50 black-and-white photographs, the people and events described are brought to life.

As this book is concise and written in a straightforward manner, it makes great reading for young people or even postgraduates like me interested in the topic.

"Polish Armies: 1569-1696 (1)" is the first book in a two-part set. Some of the topics covered in this volume are organization and recruitment, types of cavalry and infantry, armor and weapons, flags, command insignia, and field signs. This book is filled with photographs and illustrations that bring to life this period. Eight full-page artworks depict various uniforms with high attention to detail.

The book is very well written, and Polish history is brought to life in words and pictures. Many aspects of this time are concisely described in this volume. After reading this book, you will want to read its second part.