Why We Love: The Nature And Chemistry Of Romantic Love

Book Description

"If you want flashes and particular experiences of romantic love, read novels. If you want to understand this central quality of human nature to its roots, read Why We Love." Edward O. Wilson In Why We Love, renowned anthropologist Helen Fisher offers a new map of the phenomenon of love-from its origins in the brain to the thrilling havoc it creates in our bodies and behavior. Working with a team of scientists to scan the brains of people who had just fallen madly in love, Fisher proved what psychologists had until recently only suspected: when you fall in love, specific areas of the brain "light up" with increased blood flow. This sweeping new book uses this data to argue that romantic passion is hardwired into our brains by millions of years of evolution. It is not an emotion; it is a drive as powerful as hunger. Provocative, enlightening, engaging, and persuasive, Why We Love offers radical new answers to age-old questions: what love is, who we love-and how to keep love alive.

Customer Reviews:

Memorable.......2007-09-19

There was a lot of detailed scientific information that was actually quite interesting to learn about and also to retain. A lot of the things I read in here I've never forgotten. It gets into physical chemistry - pheromones, neurotransmitters, the big role that the neurotransmitter dopamine plays in love, as well as the hormone oxytocin (in females). Anyway, I'd highly recommend this to anyone interested in dissecting why we're attracted to certain people and the chemicals our brain releases when we are in love.

Too wordy.......2007-09-19

The whole of the book can probably fit on 20 pages if it wasn't for references to irrelevant personalities that lived centuries ago and said obvious things. Why do books of this kind feel compelled to quote Shakespear in the original with all those arcane words? It just makes it hard to read. Once you do take the time to decipher them, the ideas are so obvious that it's really not necessary to mention them. For example (and I'm approximating because I don't have the book around), a chapter would be titled "Passion" and then the author just has to mention some guy in the 12th century who said something like "Passion consumes you day and night". Everybody knows how passion feels, let's move on.

But to be fair, I did find the info on chemical processes involved in love very interesting.

Dr. Fisher as Dr. Phil?.......2007-08-23

I read Why We Love after reading Dr. Fisher's earlier works: I do not think this book is as intriguing and as insightful as they were. Anyway, the subject matter of Fisher's research is romantic love, which she regards as a fundamental human drive. Romantic love is a "device" employed by Evolution, to attract and nurture a relationship with a mate. Animals display a variety of behaviors to entice mates, and so do humans who use primarily the senses of smell and sight to impress members of the opposite sex. Traditionally, men respond to visual stimuli and females to verbal communication in the process of forming pair bonding, which is yet another evolutionary device to ensure the perpetuation of the species. Just as she suggested in her previous works, a study of the statistics of divorce indicates that it peaks at around three or four years after marriage/birth of children, suggesting that from an evolutionary perspective, once a child was reared, it made "sense" to go out of the relationship and create new opportunities for the reproduction of the species. In her research conducted on the brain scans of people who were madly in love, she documented the role of dopamine and norepinephrine play in a "lover's high." As the levels of these chemicals rise, serotonin decreases; as they lower, lethargy, despondency and depression set in. She also documented how the hormones oxytocin and vasopressin are responsible for generating feelings of attachment; these hormones are also released during orgasm. Fisher also mentioned how John Allan Lee and Robert Sternberg wrote about different types of love: having read both authors, I strongly recommend them to readers interested in the topic of love.
The most intriguing chapter in Fisher's book was chapter eight, entitled "Taking Control of Passion." Riding on the wave of psychologists' research, Fisher, an anthropologist, sets forth some very useful and practical suggestions how to make romance last and how to overcome depression once a relationship is over. Is Dr. Fisher morphing into Dr. Phil?

absolutely wonderful - a definite read!.......2006-11-17

As a chemist, when I am told something I usually respond by asking, "Why?" More times than not, the answer i receive is less than sufficient.
Recently I was heartbroken by my fiance when he left me. I didn't understand why I began to feel tired, angry, sad, etc. at the slightest thought of him.
Then I came across this book, which gave insight as to why I was feeling all of these mixed emotions, and supplied with scientific support. It is a mind stimulating, descriptive book explaining the biology and chemistry of Love in humans (with a couple of incredibly interesting sections on the behavior of some other animals). Anyone that has ever had their heart broken can easily relate to this book and should definitely invest a bit of time reading about "why we love."

As Entertaining as it is Enlightening. .......2006-08-20

Dr. Helen Fisher's Why We Love is the rarest of books as it manages to simultaneously be both scientific and conversational in tone. All the citations, studies, and interpretations one would hope to find are present here along with personal anecdotes, and endless quotations from literary figures. Dr. Fisher is a physical anthropologist who should not be confused with those batty ideologues found on the other, lower order, end of her profession who deny the basis of biological differences existing between the sexes. The evidence that love is but a series of chemical reactions in the brain undertaken as a means to advance our reproductive goals is both robust and highly believable. I've studied different works on this topic, but was particularly impressed by the thoroughness of her explanations--particularly for why a man falls in love with a particular woman. Dr. Fisher, after detailing man's obsession with youth and beauty, outlined various additional factors impacting on the formation of love such as a desire on the part of man to rescue and aid women in distress. A woman's need for assistance and his accompanying need to feel valued are no minor components in the recipe which produces attachment. An additional area of value was the subsection describing why feelings of love are heightened when a couple do something novel together. This was quite intriguing as the argument is quite convincing. Indeed, it explains much about what we describe as romantic. As a narrator, Dr. Fisher is far from detached, but I mention this more as commendation than criticism because her biases are transparent and her enthusiasm is contagious. That she communicates so effectively with readers is yet another reason why finishing this text was effortless. There is considerably more oomph in these 220 pages than a glance at its index would suggest. My only criticism is that Dr. Fisher needed to attach an answer key to the "Being in Love" questionnaire included in the Appendix. Without some way to systematically quantify responses, the reader's efforts will not be very meaningful. Regardless, this is an outstanding book which is very educational and meant for popular consumption.

The Super Anti-Oxidants: Why They Will Change the Face of Healthcare in the 21st Century

Average customer rating:

I LOVE THE TOPIC AND GENERALLY ENJOY READING BOOKS IN THIS GENRE: THIS BOOK IS THE EXCEPTION
Repetitive, un-referenced and narrow-minded
Lots of info
What More Could You Possibly Need To Know?
Yep - Balch is right on target, again!

The Super Anti-Oxidants: Why They Will Change the Face of Healthcare in the 21st Century
James F. Balch
Manufacturer: M. Evans and Company, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0871318946

Amazon.com

By now you've probably heard that antioxidants are good for you, but a growing number of researchers are beginning to believe that adequate or even more-than-adequate amounts are absolutely vital to our health and well-being. This book by James F. Balch, M.D., author of the bestselling Prescription for Nutritional Healing, describes a wide range of antioxidant substances in food and extracted into supplements that can help prevent or conquer illness and even slow the aging process itself. As Balch points out, when our bodies turn oxygen into energy the reaction creates damaging byproducts known as free radicals, which "eat away" at us almost as rust does metal. Antioxidants help keep free radicals from forming and eliminate those already in the body, putting the brakes on at least some of this long-term damage. But while many people are aware of the antioxidant value of vitamins such as C and E, there are also powerful free-radical-scavenging substances in a wide variety of products-- including fish oils, tree barks, herbs, wine, and tea, as well as colorful fruits and vegetables. Because antioxidants may be more effective in combination, Balch makes a good case for taking concentrated antioxidant supplements as well as eating a diverse diet. A few of the substances he mentions are controversial (and he's careful to provide brief cautions), but it wouldn't be surprising if many of the antioxidants he recommends eventually become mainstream tonics. --Ben Kallen

Book Description

This book provides detailed information about various illnesses and how they can be prevented or cured through the use of anti-oxidants.

Customer Reviews:

I LOVE THE TOPIC AND GENERALLY ENJOY READING BOOKS IN THIS GENRE: THIS BOOK IS THE EXCEPTION.......2007-07-26

IN A NUTSHELL: WRITTEN IN A DUMBED-DOWN CONDESCENDING MANNER WITHOUT MUCH SUBSTANCE

Since the Author of this book is an M.D. I was rather shocked and disappointed with his style of writing which included making numerous unsubstantiated claims mixed in with very insulting and distracting humor. An earlier reviewer compared the text of this book with "reading the back of a cereal box" and sadly I must agree.

Also, the author has an annoying habit of quoting many other writers in the field, most often Dr. Michael Murray, which tended to reinforce my notion that one should be reading a different book on this very important and worthwhile topic.

There are obvious errors and ommisions within the text, the worst which is the author's constant compulsion for not referencing the results of the numerous studies that have been conducted and which do demonstrate the importance of anti-oxidants in our daily diets. Instead, he simply makes statements without any referencing. Somehow everything within this book is distilled down to anti-oxidants vs. free radicals which is an obvious oversimplification.

Repetitive, un-referenced and narrow-minded.......2004-06-08

As a well-read reviewer on this subject, perhaps I am being overcritical. However, I found his testimony throughout the book that the only purpose of antioxidant consumption is to desotry fre radicals to be missing the point of good nutrition. He tries to extrapolate all benficial qualities of antioxidant rich food to their free radical scavenging abilities, which he does not back up with valid scientific sources. He neglects the vast epidemiological studies attributing better health from of consumption of antioxidant-rich foods because of their high fiber, unsaturdated fats, and low cholesterol.

I was also irked by his too-common slip-ups in seemingly basic biochemistry and toxicology. I understand his thesis that free radicals are one of the primary contributors to disease, but he tries to extend this theory to situations in which free radicals pale in comparison to other carcinogens in terms of their disease-promoting potential. For example, ciagrette smoke contains a group of scientifcally-proven very potent carcinogens, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, that he neglects entirely in explaining smoke's toxicity. Of course, he says that cigarette smoke is carcinogenic because of its radical producing chemicals, which he chooses not to name.

In addition, he mistakenly says that alpha lipoic acid is an amino acid that is an integral part of an antioxidant enzyme, when in fact alpha lipoic acid is a lipid (and antioxidant itself). Lastly, I was concerned with his suggestion that people take oral supplements of antioxidant enzymes to render free radicals harmless, as the HCl and proteases of our stomach and small intestine would surely destory any activity of these "enzymes" before they can can catalyze the intended reaction.

There are many claims throughout the book that are not backed by any scientific data, the majority of which I cannot argue against due to my incomplete knowledge of the subject. However, the fact that on several instances I found his science not only un-referenced, but also wrong, stopped me from finishing the book. I might as well have read the back of a cereal box, on which marketers attempt to persuade kids why vitamins are good for them (and henceforth their product).

For a more holistic and factual review of good nutrition, try "Diet for a New America" by John Robbins.

Lots of info.......2002-12-30

If your looking for a book to help you learn about the amazing powers of Anti-Oxidants this is a great book loaded with plenty of info. Worth the price.

What More Could You Possibly Need To Know?.......2002-05-08

This book is a tell-all source for the person wanting to learn about antioxidants and/or free radical damage. The only thing this book does not tell you is the absolute best supplements on the market today that contain all of the antioxidants listed in this book. But I can tell you that . . ....

Yep - Balch is right on target, again!.......2000-08-04

I couldn't agree more with the focus of Balch's book on Anti-Oxidants! We can no longer expect our food to contain enough of those wonderful supplements necessary for our bodies to sustain/prolong life in these stressful/toxic times. YES we need to eat well - cut out that fast food - to keep our everyday focus on being healthy, but unfortunately that isn't enough. If this book isn't enough to convince you (which I believe it is) access a site, PapaNature, and research further their documentation on anti-oxidants. They offer the same combinations as Balch recommends to his readership.

The New Science of Strong Materials or Why You Don't Fall through the Floor (Princeton Science Library)

Average customer rating:

Good Text, as an engineering student
Must Read
A great book, but buy "Structures" instead
Thoroughly Enjoyable!
Elegant, Simple and Fascinating

The New Science of Strong Materials or Why You Don't Fall through the Floor (Princeton Science Library)
J. E. Gordon
Manufacturer: Princeton University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0691125481

Book Description

This new edition of J. E. Gordon's classic introduction to the properties of materials used in engineering answers some fundamental and fascinating questions about how the material world around us functions. In particular, Gordon focuses on so-called strong materials, such as metals, wood, ceramics, glass, and bone. For each material in question, Gordon explains the unique physical and chemical basis for its inherent structural qualities in irrepressibly fresh and simple terms. He also shows how an in-depth understanding of these materials' intrinsic strengths (and weaknesses) guides our engineering choices, allowing us to build the structures that support our modern society. Philip Ball's new introduction describes Gordon's career and the impact of his innovations in materials research, while also discussing how the field has evolved since Gordon wrote this enduring example of first-rate scientific communication.

Customer Reviews:

Good Text, as an engineering student.......2006-11-10

Good text for fracture mechanics enthusiasts- material failure, strength of materials.
Good reading, if you are an engineer, scientist, or not. Great examples. Dry british writing, but if you can get through it and the silly jokes, you can learn a lot.

Must Read.......2004-08-05

Reading this before embarking on university studies was an inspiration and I still come back to it now, it has a lot to offer all ages and disciplines.

A great book, but buy "Structures" instead.......2004-07-11

This book is part of the Princeton Science Library, the best collection of books on mathematics and science for the intelligent layman. Like other books in that series, it is succinct and clearly written. I read it and thoroughly enjoyed it. All of the positive reader reviews are right on.

Because I liked it so much, I purchased "Structures," also by Professor Gordon. As it turned out, that book covers the same material, but in greater breadth and depth, and with more illustrations. There's much to be said for reading both books, but if you're only going to read one, "Structures" is the one.

Thoroughly Enjoyable!.......2004-07-02

I wish to echo the comments of all the previous reviewers. This is a delightful book!

Subjects such as elasticity of materials quickly bog down in mathematical detail and in the process of learning the subject, the student or interested person may quickly lose touch with what they're actually trying to grasp. This book is mostly a nonmathematical treatment (there are only a handful of mathematical formulas, chemistry equations and graphs throughout the book) which describes in a practical way what really happens with materials. Of course a deep understanding of this topic requires the full mathematical treatment, but this book certainly makes the subject accessible and engaging to anyone interested in the question "Why Don't You Fall Through the Floor?"

I agree with the reviewer who felt this is the kind of book that an undergraduate engineering, physics or applied mathematics student should read along with the more technical textbooks when first introduced to the subject of behavior of materials.

Elegant, Simple and Fascinating.......2001-10-24

Professor Gordon is the sort of teacher I would have appreciated in school. One imagines him as a grey haired gentleman in rumpled slacks and cardigan with a pipe and sneakers who makes it his kindly mission in life to fill his students with a zest for his chosen calling.

His explanations are elegant, simple and fascinating. I can't think of higher praise for someone trying to make sense of a discipline as complicated as materials science.

The problem with most academics is an inherent need to appear learned. This leads to obscure and convoluted explanations that are, if not overtly, at least subconsciously designed to maintain the gap between the ignorant masses and the enlightened adepts. Even when such academics make a conscious attempt to simplify, their efforts are too often sabotaged by the bad habits of a lifetime.

This is why good popularisers are so difficult to come by, and why the Gordons of the world should be so prized.

This book isn't just about the science of materials, but about how such an exotic subject actually connects with our everyday lives. We live in a certain way, and not in a different way, because of the strengths, weaknesses, costs and working difficulties in the materials that we use. I don't think most laymen ever bother thinking about the world in quite this way.

This book is not actually meant for engineers or scientists, although most such technos would greatly benefit from reading it (if only to learn the meaning of true grasp and clarity). Its true benefit is to those curious laymen who wish to know more, but who find the usual explanations beyond them.

This book should be required reading for all undergraduates, not just aspiring scientists or engineers. In fact, it should be especially required for non-technical types.

Average customer rating:

Great book for parents, parents-to-be, and clinicians.

A must-read for all parents and parents-to-be

Outstanding INformation for communication scholars and sociologists alike!

Why Love Matters

Not just for professionals

Why Love Matters: How Affection Shapes a Baby's Brain
Sue Gerhardt
Manufacturer: Brunner-Routledge
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Science of Parenting

Parenting From the Inside Out

Becoming Attached: First Relationships and How They Shape Our Capacity to Love

The Developing Mind: How Relationships and the Brain Interact to Shape Who We Are

The Neuroscience of Human Relationships: Attachment and the Developing Social Brain

ASIN: 1583918175

Book Description

Why Love Matters explains why love is essential to brain development in the early years of life, particularly to the development of our social and emotional brain systems, and presents the startling discoveries that provide the answers to how our emotional lives work. Sue Gerhardt considers how the earliest relationship shapes the baby's nervous system, with lasting consequences, and how our adult life is influenced by infancy despite our inability to remember babyhood. The way that we respond to stress, in particular, depends on how our brains are set up to deal with it in early life. Gerhardt shows how the development of the brain can affect future emotional well being, and goes on to look at specific early 'pathways' that can lead to conditions such as anorexia, addiction, and anti-social behavior. Early experience leaves its mark, not only in our degree of confidence in other people, but also in the structure and functioning of the brain. Why Love Matters is a lively and very accessible interpretation of the latest findings in neuroscience, psychology, psychoanalysis and biochemistry. It will be invaluable to psychotherapists and psychoanalysts, mental health professionals, parents and all those concerned with the central importance of brain development in relation to many later adult difficulties.

Customer Reviews:

Great book for parents, parents-to-be, and clinicians........2007-09-30

This book really opened my eyes to the fundamentals of brain development in infancy. I had no idea how much the actual physiology of the brain is affected by infant experience, not just the psychological. Sources are well cited, ideas are well backed up in scientific research, and the information is presented in a way which benefits lay readers as well as researchers (with an introduction about brain structure and development).

I suggest every parent-to-be get a hold of this book. One reviewer was dissapointed by the lack of specific exercises to play with. However, I don't think they are necessary because this book gives specifics about why certain strategies affect infants. I think understanding why certain types of parenting work better than others makes parents more likely to come up with the kind of adaptive spontaneous strategies which come out of such a way of thinking. You could also check out Brazelton for more specific info about exercises to do with your baby.

As a side note, once you read this book and make decisions about parenting based on the exhaustive research cited within, you will not only feel more confident about your parenting, but you will be able to defend against attacks from helpful but persistent grandparents, in-laws, and friends - should you want to engage in such discussions.

A must-read for all parents and parents-to-be.......2007-02-01

Why Love Matters offers an eloquent overview of the latest scientific research on attachment. The author has accomplished the formidable task of linking the concrete language of neurochemistry to the more abstract area of attachment theory. In so doing, she has greatly clarified the nature-nurture argument. Her book beautifully establishes the critical importance of close emotional attachment for optimum brain development in childhood, and one's subsequent capacity for love and trust in adulthood. Why Love Matters is an essential new work in the field of attachment.

Jan Hunt, author of The Natural Child: Parenting From the Heart

Outstanding INformation for communication scholars and sociologists alike!.......2006-09-01

The text is well written and provides readily accessible information related to cognitive development and lifelong impacts. I believe the comparison of nature/nurture and the ensuing debates in this area are well served by this material. Any parent, communication scholar, or educator would be well served by reading this text. The only conflict I had with this book was the title, which may mislead people seeking pop press to believing that this is one of those frothy self-help books. When I finished the book, I could feel and hear the applause for the author!

Why Love Matters.......2006-02-25

A scientific, psychoanalytic look at brain development differences in babies who are loved, cuddled, touched vs babies whose mothers are cold. The book focuses on the relationship between mother and child and gives us an understanding of "how babies needs cannot be put off". We as adults, need to adjust our schedules to babies needs. Not receiving the stimulation necessary has been shown to affect brain development.

Not just for professionals.......2005-08-14

This book offers an overview of baby brain development that makes me want to learn more and to educate others about the crucial nature of responsive infant care. It is a must read for those who work with families in any capacity as well as those with infants at home.

In Praise of Hard Industries: Why Manufacturing, Not the Information Economy, Is the key to Future Prosperity

Average customer rating:

A Gaijin that understands......
Fingleton's track record has held up well
In Praise of Lefty Big Government Mercantilism
This book is a fraud!
Fingleton is right on target

In Praise of Hard Industries: Why Manufacturing, Not the Information Economy, Is the key to Future Prosperity
Eamonn Fingleton
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0395899680

Amazon.com

The supertanker is the image that has come to symbolize America's economic might over the last decade--rock solid and steady. Low inflation, high productivity, and a booming stock market have combined to help create one of the most prosperous periods in American history. But Eamonn Fingleton would argue that this ship is steering the wrong course, and that lurking just below the waterline are some troublesome leaks.

Fingleton argues that American business is sacrificing its once valuable manufacturing base in favor of the new economy, or postindustrialism--an umbrella under which he includes the service, software, information, and entertainment industries, among others. While he writes that he does not seek to dismiss the merits of postindustrialism--although he calls the financial-services industry a "cuckoo in the economy's nest"--Fingleton finds fault with the new economy in three areas: the mix of jobs it produces, its slow income growth, and the fact that postindustrial activities don't export very well. At the same time, he believes that modern manufacturing has become wrongly associated with low-wage or stagnant economies--Japan, in particular, which, he argues, is not the basket case that many believe it to be. At the heart of Fingleton's argument is the idea that postindustrial activities are relatively easy to pursue compared to manufacturing, which requires much more capital and know-how but offers far more upside in the long run. His prescription for revitalizing manufacturing includes boosting savings, directing much of it into industrial investment, and instituting a trade policy designed to allow manufacturing to thrive in the United States.

While Fingleton's dour assessment of the new economy seems overdone, his basic argument about the relative worth of manufacturing is well articulated. In Praise of Hard Industries is a good contrarian read for policymakers, managers, and anyone interested in a different view of both the U.S. and Japanese economies. --Harry C. Edwards

Book Description

Challenging conventional wisdom, Eamonn Fingleton argues that manufacturing expertise -- not the new information economy -- is crucial to jobs, exports, and growth. It is universally accepted that the future of the U.S. economy depends on its successful adaptation to a postindustrial, information-based global economy. The same conventional wisdom says that advanced economies should abandon manufacturing in favor of information-driven services such as finance, entertainment, and software. In this surprising and provocative book, the acclaimed financial journalist Eamonn Fingleton demonstrates that by every measure, including high-wage job creation, contribution to national income, and balance of trade, the manufacturing sector outperforms the "new economy." In Praise of Hard Industries argues with compelling logic that America's long-term economic success depends on its strategic advantage as a manufacturer of sophisticated equipment and producer goods.

Customer Reviews:

A Gaijin that understands.............2006-07-08

This is a good book following the same premises as earlier works. It amazes me the scorn Eamonn has recieved from naive reviewers who clearly have limited knowledge of Japanese business approaches and government practices, let alone U.S. hard industry facts.......The U.S and Japan economic drivers vary greatly as they measure themselves quite differntly despite the attempts of most so called western experts trying to interpret the strengths of the japanese economy....I suppose these reviewers dont consider the growing japan trade deficit a problem either, which by the way is less than China's..The key US/Japan differences: Government models. Advanced manufacturing and a flexible pro-business government were cornerstones for Americas rise to power and leadership...japan is now more effective in these areas than the U.S with respect to sustaining key industries....No nation has ever lead the world w/o a strong manufacturing base, period...we are clearly in decline in this area, and U.S. politicians, business leaders etc., fool the uneducated mainstraim with explainations like wage issues and outsourcing when the failure or political inability to invest in large capital costs for U.S. factories and retooling are of primary issue, which REMOVES the key high wage jobs from our middle class. Many of our industries are now hollowed out with key outsourcing dependencies forcing much smaller margins than our competitors, and weakening any prior political clout...Dont believe me...ask Westinghouse, or any U.S. LCD firm what percentage of the $20B LCD market they own, and what they expect in the future...afterall, Westinghouse developed LCD technology (answer: close to zero)....Advanced Manufacturing prowress has always been an economic weapon. The lack therof has splintered to become larger issues in the economy, and product development areas, as well as national security vulnerabilities..... Alexander Hamilton would role in his grave if he were alive today. And he would certainly work closely with Eamonn to fix our mess if its not too late already..

Fingleton's track record has held up well.......2006-05-18

The two "negative" reviews of this book are peculiar. This is the paperback version of a hardcover book, published with a different title -- not an uncommon practice in publishing. The complaint of the reviewers is that the contents are the same as the hardcover original! Well, yes, that's the point of a reprint.

More substantively, the author has earned a hearing through his decades-long reporting from Japan and his stubborn, well-documented contrarian outlook. For instance, he shows beyond question that during the long years of Japan's "collapse," its advanced manufacturing sector continued to grow -- in technological sophistication, and in world market share. Judge for yourself after reading, but look past the negative reviews. DISCLOSURE: I am a friend of the author's but am writing because I feel he deserves a hearing.

In Praise of Lefty Big Government Mercantilism .......2005-12-29

Being an engineer in the aerospace industry I was highly interested in this book based on my experiences from the vantage point a "hard industry." I personally believe that it's in our long term interests to maintain a strong manufacturing base because that's the foundation of real wealth, not legal services or newswires. So this book sounded like the perfect source of information to explain our current economic situation, give an assessment of how bad or how good it really is, and suggest ways to improve it. Oh, how very, very wrong I was . . .

This book started off strong, . . . for about four pages. After that a litany of tortured logic, un-sourced assertions, facts taken completely out of context except for the author's subjectively added adjectives, Orwellian double-speak, sleight of hand arguments, flat out ridiculuos statements, contradictory assessments, and even emotional vitriol coalesced not so much into an argument for industry but one for eighteenth century mercantilism with perhaps a sprinkling of far left George Soros on top to serve as an update for the twenty first century.

Even a broken watch is correct twice a day though, so there were some good points in the book which buy it the 2 star rating. These include:

- Manufacturing provides a large source of proprietary knowledge which both improves productivity and serves as a barrier of entry, creating an industry with a large base of high paying jobs, provided it's run right. (A big if.)

- High wage nations can still compete effectively with low wage nations in manufacturing by being capital intensive.

- Americans need to save more and our education system needs to produce more engineers and technically oriented graduates.

- There is some excess in the financial services and managers of publicly traded companies take too short term a view, leading them to sell the company upriver in the long run because of a personal temporary short term gain. (i.e. Enron)

A scholarly, fair, and comprehensive book that focused on the above would be extremely interesting and useful. This is not what you'll get in this book though. Instead you'll get:

A begining section about postindustrialism, things like the internet, information technology, financial services, etc., the things that make the services based economy. In three chapters the author simply sets up straw men by taking the worst examples of post industrial advocates, instead of presenting a comprehensive picture of the post industrial argument. Not being satisfied with this he proceeds to beat the straw men, set them on fire, and piss on the smoldering remains. This is where vitriol even comes out, where he equates the post-industrialists to people incapable of even thinking. If someone has to go to this extreme to make their argument, they probably don't have one. Most telling he leaves the final assessment of the value of the internet to a feminist. To me, this would be like leaving the final assessment of how good a bicycle is to, oh, I don't know, let's say a fish.

A middle section extolls the virtues of manufacturing. This is a bunch of hand picked anectdotal stories and there's no overview of manufacturing in the world or its real impact on economies at large. This is the kind of subject that screams for reams of data, charts of GDP growth over time, pie charts of the breakdown of economies into services, manufacture, agriculture, etc. You will get none of that. There's little value except in reassuring the obvious, high wage nations CAN do manufacturing. Many of these cherry-picked anectdotal examples still don't quite dove-tail with all his claims about manufacturing though! You also know you're being left in the dark with a plethora of CYA disclaimer statments like "while Industry_X has certainly had its share of problems recently . . ." at the begining of a section.

A final section basically amounts to an attack on laissez-faire, free markets, and the concept of free trade. George Soros and a bunch of other lefties, with Pat Buchanan thrown in for "balance", should be listened to instead.

The worst part of this book is the author's lack of an ability to make any sort of coherent argument. Examples of twisted thinking abound:

- A post-industrial "industry" grows five times over in a certain period. The author then goes onto explain how this is not really real growth but something that in reality is bad. Later he proves how great a manufacturing industry is because in the same period it grows a whopping 60%! Self contradictory evaluations of the performance of services vs manufacturing is common and always falls down on the side that the manufacturing industry is far far better than the service industry even when all the standard economic indicators suggest otherwise. The author's challenge to the reader seems to be "who are you going to believe? Me, or your lying eyes?"

- He rips into American post industrial industries as being labor intensive and vulnerable to low wage nations because Americans are no smarter or more creative or more anything than laborers around the world. Later he talks about how great German manufacturing is because Germans are so much more diligent than the rest of the world's workers.

- The only facts he presents - and they are surprisingly thin and overwhelmed by mere assertions - are always modified by his subjective opinion and never put in context. When describing service industries "paltry" $50 million revenues, "only" 60,000 jobs, "disappointing" 24% of revenues from foreign sources is common. But when describing manufacturing "a very high" $6 million revenues, "a good mix" of 1,500 jobs, and similar glowing assessments are inevitable despite the number to follow. A number in and of itself means nothing. The fact the author leaves out any head on, direct comparison between industries is telling.

- Official figures are the ultimate source of information when they agree with what the author believes. When the official figures don't agree with him, he finds some loner who does and then barely explains how this time around the official figures are somehow wrong. When attacking his straw men though, he accuses them of ignoring official figures and quoting some loner.

- Gems of Orwellian double-speak sentences include examples like "Solar is already a fully competitive source of energy in remote areas that do not have grid electricity. (pg. 184)" I.e. it's competitive where there is NO competition! And "Even in Singapore, one of the freest societies in the East, the savings rate was successfully boosted by a system of forced savings . . . (pg. 229)" That's not very free if it's FORCED is it? (His defense of solar is one of the most hilariously pathetic eight pages I've ever read and really is worth the price of the book. He capstones it with the "most encouraging" observation that solar cells have gone from producing one third of the energy used to make them before they wore out - that is consuming more total energy in their manufacture than they eventually make!- to now producing three times as much energy as required to produce them before they wear out. Wow, what an achievement. Any ACTUAL power source converts many thousands of times the energy used to manufacture it before it's internal workings wear out, but whatever . . .)

- Americans are dumb and the only successful American companies basically blundered into monopolies on standards. The American economy, despite the statistics, is in bad shape. The Japanese instead are eight feet tall, can read people's minds and see through lead. The Japanese economy, despite the statistics, is in really great shape. This type of persistently biased characterization makes you question everything he claims, and eliminates any value or truth he might actually have in his arguments. The author basically can't get out of his own way.

- He always attacks opponents of his viewpoint by claiming that they don't put numbers into context, are using twisted logic, making mere assertions instead of quoting facts, etc., apparently oblivious that these are the very same tactics he himself uses!

- He claims Boeing is no longer a good company because 30% of components in a Boeing aircraft are now made abroad vs. 2% in the 1960's. This is actually because foreign manufacturing for those components happens to be better and cheaper. America isn't doing that badly in aerospace by the way. The author fails to mention that 50% of the "European" Airbus is made in America. This is an example of free trade actually distributing production to where it is most efficient.

The list goes on and on to ridiculous proportions. You'd have to buy the book to see them all because there's at least one thing an alert and critical reader can find highly questionable on each page.

All in all, this book was way off the mark and a highly squandered opportunity. It's really a mercantilist argument, and the only common thread that I could see in all the author's cloudy reasoning is that nation's should do everything in their power to export more than they import no matter what. It's NOT, unfortunately, a book about how to revitalize American manufacturing in a globalized world.

This book is a fraud!.......2005-12-07

This book is nothing but a slightly updated re issue of "In Praise of Hard Industries" with an Introduction issued as a paperback. The publishers page even states right at the top quote: "Previously published as In Praise of Hard Industries in 1989 by Houghton Mifflin".

You might want to read this if you haven't read the original, but I find it very deceptive indeed to re issue it with a different name hoping to entice readers of the previous book into thinking they are going to get something other than a few cosmetic changes here and there!

Fingleton is right on target.......2004-12-01

I've lived in Japan for over 5 years and worked in both the manufacturing and sales/marketing side for a technology company. I also speak and read Japanese. I know this culture - particularly the aspect that Japanese are both proud of and recognize as vital to prosperity - manufacturing, or, to include the craft trades, "thing making".

Reading "In Praise of Hard Industries" had me cheering, out loud sometimes. This guy hits it right on the head on every single aspect and effortlessly argues away the myths that Americans like to cling to as the economy falls into ruin - the viability of America's "service economy", superior American creativity, American wealth - all illusions that persist because Americans aren't educated enough or in the right way to be able to see the flimsiness of the financial channel commentators' arguments.

Were's so far out of the game in manufacturing technology - both in terms of skill and mindset - that I don't know if we can ever get back in. Throw on top of that the skills in market resesarch and product marketing and sales and the prospects look even worse. Japanese companies have honed all these razor sharp and are super competetive. And our measures would certainly be complicated by the fact that the strong penetration of Japanese companies into our country as *employers* brings them strong political influence within our own borders. It's the Trojan Horse! But whatever the measures, we have to start with an honest discussion of the facts - a look in the mirror, a wakeup call. This book, along with Fingleton's others and his website, are just that.

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Why Chemical Reactions Happen
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Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
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Why We Love: The Nature and Chemistry of Romantic Love

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Why We Love: The Nature and Chemistry of Romantic Love

Manufacturer: Henry Holt and Company
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Binding: Paperback
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¿Por qué amamos? (Why We Love. The Nature and Chemistry of Romantic Love)
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In this groundbreaking exploration of our most complex and mysterious emotion, renowned anthropologist Helen Fisher explains why this experience—which cuts across time, geography, and gender—is a force as powerful as the need for food or sleep. With new research, Fisher shows exactly what you experience when you fall in love, why you choose certain people, and how love affects your sex drive and feelings of attachment.

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Martensites are crystalline solids that display dazzling patterns at the microscopic scales. This microstructure gives rise to unusual macroscopic properties like the shape-memory effect. Starting with the crystalline structure, this book describes a theoretical framework for studying martensites and uses the theory to explain why these materials form microstructure. The macroscopic consequences of the microstructure are subsequently discussed. Complete with a piece of shape-memory wire and numerous examples from real materials, this book represents a successful case study in multiscale modelling, giving a clear understanding of the link between microstructure and macroscopic properties. Beautifully written, in a most clear and pedagogical manner, it holds appeal for a broad audience. On the one hand, it introduces modern modelling techniques to those trained in materials science, mechanics and physics, and shows how these techniques can be used in real-world problems. On the other hand, it introduces physical phenomena to those trained in mathematics, and demonstrates how such phenomena give rise to interesting mathematical problems.

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Clear, concise, authorative.......2004-02-12

This book, by one of the current experts in the field of martensitic transformations, shall remain unsurpassed in the clarity of its explanations. If you're interested in this field you should have this text.

Atomic Energy (The How and Why Wonder Book - Science Library, Volume III)

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