Book Description
With his characteristic investigative eye and Menckenesque prose,
R. Emmett Tyrrell Jr. sheds new light on Bill Clinton's post-presidential emotional depression, globe trotting and international deal-making, financial ties to China and the United Arab Emirates, ongoing womanizing, vital support role in Hillary Clinton's anticipated run for the White House, and possible role as America's first "First Man."
Customer Reviews:
Tyrell: American Sphincter.......2007-09-19
Moron Tyrell is yet another wingnut who can't accept that Clinton is gone. They must all have a secret yearning for Hillary in '08 to make their pathetic lives seem worthwhile. Maybe they're all in denial after seven years of G. W. Dumbass and the weekly scandals of his crooks and cronies.
Clinton Crackup.......2007-09-19
While I hated to see Clinton move into the presidency, and, of course, hated his actions even more following Lewinsky, it's a wonder that we still have a country at all. I most certainly would not buy anything that might give him (or her, for that matter) any type of grace, and only scanned the pages at a local bookstore. That was quite enough for me, thank you very much. Now, unfortunately, it looks as though Miseries Clinton might be our next president. Hold onto your wallets, people!
Well done - Emmett needs a thesaurus though.......2007-09-07
No secret that Tyrrell does not like the Clintons. Somehow, those supporting Clinton have a big problem with a book like this and have NO problem with books claiming Bush knew about 9/11, Bush is in tight with the Saudis, etc.
If nothing else, this book is VERY thorough. There were times when I was reading it that I thought "How did the editor let THAT stay in the book?"
Tyrrell has a habit of writing to an MBA level. Which I guess is ok but there are those of us who, while having a complete control of the English language, we don't feel the need to try to impress people with it.
So many times, I read this thinking the author could have used a different word to mean the same thing and not come across as high-brow. Bill Buckley can get away with - he's about the only one.
Bottom line - the book is solid reading, powerful, and damning to Bill and Hillary.
Too Much of the Clintons is Never Enough.......2007-08-30
Sure, the title is hyperbolic, the writing has little of that flinty incisiveness of muckrakers like Tarbell and Sinclair, a good deal of the material is old news, the editing could have been better, but, oh, what fun! For political junkies like me, Our Bill and his lovely Life Partner are simply the gifts that keep on giving. As the wide diversity and vigor of reviewers' reactions demonstrate, love 'em or hate 'em, they are simply fascinating.
Now, one can't expect the shenanigans of Post-Prez Bill to be as interesting as his time in the Oval Office if only because, for instance, there has bobbed to the surface no stained women's clothing--yet. Nonetheless, the mind reels and the spirit soars as Tyrrell not only revisits the low crimes and misde-wieners of the Clintons' time in the Arkansas governor's mansion and the White House, but takes us on a poignant tour of Our Bill's meanderings in the real world, i.e., the world where his only power derives from political suasion and the relentless pursuit of greater wealth. If nothing else, Tyrrell's listing of the President's last-minute pardons and commutations, complete with the crimes committed by those receiving those astonishing absolutions, is worth the price of admission. No one, least of all Bill himself, has ever explained or rationalized how these low-lives deserved legal reclamation, justifying the inevitable conclusion of critics then and now that they were exchanged for past, present, or future consideration, much of it brokered by the Clinton and Rodham siblings.
And then there's Hillary. Just as I conclude my reading, what breaks but another campaign contribution imbroglio involving The Hill. Turns out that Norman Hsu, one of the Mrs.'s large contributors for the last several years, is a wanted fugitive from California justice and is somehow related to the Paw family of Daly City, several members of whom have made contributions coincident with those of Mr. Hsu which may or may not have been illegally funded by the latter. Mr. Paw, also Chinese, is a mail carrier, and yet the family has somehow found 45 G's to give to The Hill. The eyes tear and the throat constricts with mirth as one of the Paw family members turns out to be named Winkle. (Does the Supreme Being stay up at night devising names for those involved in Clinton scandals, you know the rich Marc Rich, et al? Does Winkle have siblings named Blinkle and Nod? But I digress.)
Astute readers will recall that Our Bill had some problems with Chinese contributors during his reign. One might have thought that those painful experiences would have convinced the Clintons they should limit their Chinese contacts to calling for take-out, but I guess not.
I'm not saying your life won't be complete if you don't read this book, but I found it a very enjoyable meander through these troubled lives. Think of it as a between-meal snack as we await The Hill's nomination for the presidency. Then it can serve as a reference point for the inevitable--and entirely justified--dredging up of the Clinton scandals by the Hillary Haters. Pray with me to the political gods that all this comes to pass: it will be a great 2008!
The Clinton Crackup.......2007-08-23
I have read the book. Tyrell is a gifted writer who records the continuing docu-drama of Bill Clinton's life. Coming away from this book there is the sense of flawed personality aspects outweighing good ones. I,too, wonder why people continue to find Clinton viable, attractive and charming. He is much to be pitied. Are Bill and Hillary a sign of the times - the narcissistic epitome of anything goes?
What Bill does fascinates us all - some love him, some don't. He "is" a national security leak and the continuing saga confirms it. One thing the book makes clear - if you set your sights on a particular goal and then
work towards it you will achieve it. Bill and Hillary had been working a long time to achieve their ambition. Though he did not win by a majority, other forces helped in the achievement of Bill's amibition.
These 2 people are very focused individuals. The truth of their lives is appallingly clear. If we are a product of our times, what does that say
about the kind of people we elect to high office. And how did we get to this cultural state of affairs.
Book Description
NSCA's Essentials of Personal Training is the ideal authoritative resource for personal trainers, health and fitness instructors, exercise scientists, and other fitness professionals, as well as the primary preparation source for the NSCA-Certified Personal Trainer® examination.
Edited by Roger W. Earle and Thomas R. Baechle, editors of Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning, Second Edition, the book includes more than 240 photographs and contributions from leading personal training experts who provide the scientific principles, concepts, and theories of personal training as well as practical applications for health and fitness.
Experts in anatomy, exercise physiology, and biomechanics and other exercise scientists work with respected personal trainers, physical therapists, and sport psychologists to provide in-depth coverage of the knowledge, skills, and abilities required of personal trainers. Special coverage is given to exercise technique, including teaching approaches involving free-weight and machine exercises, cardiovascular activities, flexibility, and speed training. A special feature of this text is the manner in which the program designs are offered for the typically healthy client as well as for those clients presenting unique challenges to the personal trainer.
NSCA's Essentials of Personal Training supplies comprehensive information on proper stretching, resistance training, aerobic endurance training, and plyometrics techniques. Additionally, the text covers critical information about the business aspects of personal training, including facility and equipment maintenance and legal issues that many trainers face.
The following are some of the text's features:
· More than 240 full-color photographs that clearly illustrate and accurately explain proper stretching, resistance training, aerobic endurance training, and plyometrics techniques
· Student study tools—including chapter objectives, key points, sidebars with practical applications, chapter questions, and a comprehensive glossary—that help readers prepare for the NSCA-CPT® exam
· Targeted expert information that will give readers the expertise to deal with clients who have special exercise needs, such as pregnant women, older adults, athletes, and overweight clients
· Scientific and applied information geared toward personal training client consultation and evaluation, exercise technique, program design, and safety and legal issues
NSCA's Essentials of Personal Training is the most comprehensive reference available for personal trainers and other fitness professionals. As an exam preparation tool, it is unmatched in its scope and relevance to the NSCA-Certified Personal Trainer® examination. It is an essential reference for anyone preparing for or already working in a career as a personal trainer.
Customer Reviews:
Highly recommended as an NSCA-PT study guide, or reference book........2005-08-07
This is pretty much the only book I've been reading for the past couple of months as I prepared for the NSCA's personal trainer exam. I am fairly sure I passed the exam, and I doubt I could have passed without the help of this book and NSCA's exercise techniques DVD which is sold separately. [Update - I DID pass the exam! :-) ] This 674 text is packed full of information and can not be breezed through Harriet Klausner style.
For the most part, I like the book, both as a study guide for the NSCA-PT exam and as a reference for someone in the fitness industry. Each chapter is written by one or more experts on that area of fitness or nutrition. Since the table of contents is not provided on the product page, I've listed the contents at the end. Most of the content is fairly well written, although it could use some tightening up in spots, or additional clarification in others. Being a visual learner, I appreciate the multitude of illustrations, drawings, and tables, and I can't think of any I didn't find helpful. For example, they don't just tell you what partner-assisted and partner-resisted towing are, they provide photographs of them. They don't just tell you what the barbell grips are, they provide illustrations of four grips. Tables are not just in black and white, but alternate rows have tan or light blue backgrounds, making it easier to read. Information in the tables is detailed, for example table 9.1, Coronary Artery Disease Risk Factor Thresholds from ACSM. Through no fault of the publishers, some of the information in this table is already outdated, as the latest data for hypercholesterolemia uses LDLs at >100 mg/dL (instead of >130 mg/dL) and the low HDLs is considered
<40 mg/dL, not
<35 mg/dL. That is the only information in the book that I know is out of date. Overall, it's a practical book, both for studying for the exam and as a reference book.
Unfortunately, this book has enough flaws that when combined, knock it down a star:
* Editing - I found scattered typos throughout the book. In addition, in the plyometrics chapter, when I was reading the paragraph titled "Pretraining Evaluation," on page 442, I experienced a deja vous. I had read the exact same paragraph on page 434.
* Study Questions - Many 21st century textbooks are packed with study questions and features to help the student learn and retain the material. Each chapter contains four multiple-choice study questions, which approximate the difficulty of the NSCA exam. That's okay, but I think there should have been more, perhaps 10 per chapter. The four study questions barely scratched the surface in covering the material. In addition, several study questions had typographical errors.
* Some of the material on the exam was not covered in the textbook. Please don't email me about this as it is not ethical for me to share those questions. In my opinion, if the material is important enough to be on the exam, it's important enough to include in the textbook.
*Difficulty of using the index. Throughout my studying and after the exam, there were some things that I know are in the book that I tried to look up-unsuccessfully. I tried several different words or phrases to find a concept, and still couldn't find many of them. For example, they briefly discuss water aerobics in the text, but neither "water aerobics" nor "aquatics" are in the index. I think the index needs to be fleshed out with more words that are likely ways one would phrase a concept.
Despite the flaws, it's a book worth having for the reasons mentioned earlier. After reading the NSCA textbook, I felt much more knowledgeable in certain aspects of fitness compared to when I read the ACE personal trainer manual (the edition used in 1999) or ACSM's Guidelines for Exercise Training and Prescription, 6th ed. These areas include special populations, plyometrics, exercise techniques, and the specifics of putting someone on a weight training program (choosing the exercises, determining reps and weights, progressing the weights), etc.
Since there is no table of contents provided on the product page, here's an abbreviated version:
Part I. Exercise Sciences
Ch. 1. Muscle, Nervous, Skeletal Systems
Ch. 2. Cardiovascular and Respiratory Systems
Ch. 3 Bioenergetics
Ch. 4. Biomechanics
Ch. 5. Resistance Training Adaptations
Ch. 6. Aerobic Training Adaptations
Ch. 7. Nutrition
Ch. 8. Exercise Psychology
Part II. Initial Consultation and Evaluation
Ch. 9. Client Consultation and Health Appraisal
Ch. 10. Fitness Assessment Selection and Administration
Ch. 11. Fitness Testing Protocols and Norms
Part III. Exercise Technique
Ch. 12. Flexibility, Body-Weight, and Stability Ball Exercises
Ch. 13. Resistance Training Exercise Techniques
Ch. 14. Cardiovascular Activity Techniques
Part IV. Program Design
Ch. 15. Resistance Training Program Design
Ch. 16. Aerobic Endurance Training Program Design
Ch. 17. Plyometric and Speed Training
Part V. Clients With Unique Needs
Ch. 18. Clients Who Are Pregnant, Older, or Preadolescent
Ch. 19. Clients With Nutritional and Metabolic Concerns
Ch. 20. Clients With Cardiovascular and Respiratory Conditions
Ch. 21. Clients With Orthopedic, Injury, and Rehabilitation Concerns
Ch. 22. Clients With Spinal Cord Injury, Multiple Sclerosis, Epilepsy and Cerebral Palsy
Ch. 23. Resistance Training for Clients Who Are Athletes
Part VI. Safety and Legal Issues
Ch. 24. Facility and Equipment Layout and Maintenance
Ch. 25. Legal Issues in Personal Training
Great book.......2005-01-11
My personal trainer in NYC Joe DiAngelo http://www.musclebomb.com introduced me to this book. I loved it.
Great boook for people who wants to get into great shape. Must read.
THIS BOOK IS THE ONLY ONE YOU'LL NEED!.......2004-01-28
THIS IS A MUST-HAVE FOR PROFESSIONAL PERSONAL TRAINERS! This book gives both the foundational exercise-science information but also the practical information to use with an actual client!
Book Description
From the acclaimed bestselling author of The Conquerors
Michael Beschloss has brought us a brilliantly readable and inspiring saga about crucial times in America's history when a courageous President dramatically changed the future of the United States.
With surprising new sources and a dazzling command of history and human character, Beschloss brings to life these flawed, complex men -- and their wives, families, friends and foes. Never have we had a more intimate, behind-the-scenes view of Presidents coping with the supreme dilemmas of their lives.
You will be in the room with the private George Washington, braving threats of impeachment and assassination to make peace with England. John Adams, incurring his party's "unrelenting hatred" by refusing to fight France and warning his enemies, "Great is the guilt of an unnecessary war." Andrew Jackson, in a death struggle against the corrupt Bank of the United States. Abraham Lincoln, risking his Presidency to insist that slaves be freed.
Beschloss also shows us Theodore Roosevelt, taunting J. P. Morgan and the Wall Street leaders who dominated his party. Franklin Roosevelt, defying the isolationists -- and maybe the law -- to stop Adolf Hitler. Harry Truman, risking a walkout by top officials to recognize a Jewish state. John Kennedy, the belated champion of civil rights, complaining that he has cost himself a second term. And finally, two hundred years after Washington, Ronald Reagan, irking some of his oldest backers to seek an end to the Cold War.
As Beschloss shows in this gripping and important book, none of these Presidents was eager to incur ridicule, vilification or threats of political destruction and even assassination. But in the end, bolstered by friends and family, hidden private beliefs and, sometimes, religious faith, each ultimately proved himself to be, in Andrew Jackson's words, "born for the storm."
Customer Reviews:
Excellent book - must read for adults and young adults.......2007-10-03
I enthusiatically recommend this book. I read it and gave it to my son to read to illustrate the difficulties in doing the right thing - even if it costs you your carrer.
Easy and entertaining read as well.
Not what I expected.......2007-10-01
Michael Beschloss is a fine historian, and the book is well-researched. Unfortunately, the examples he provides show little in the way of actual courage. If anything, they paint a series of portraits of presidents who acted less out of courage than out of self-preservation. Nearly all of them resisted mightily before doing what was right, or -- in the case of Andrew Jackson -- used a veil of bravery to disguise the real motive: petty vengeance. How disappointing to find that these men whose actions have reverberated throughout history were less noble than we believed.
I was also disappointed in the writing, which was choppy and often inelegant.
Fun, Informative Read.......2007-09-30
Beschloss writes well and this is a very engaging read. I differ with his politics in places, but he is even handed. FDR's actions in the book don't sound like courage as much self-exalting opportunism.
Beschloss has inside information in various settings from interviews with family members, etc. which really adds to the account.
This is a great read and very informative.
Presidential Courage.......2007-09-22
Excellent book! I could hardly put it down. Beschloss tells the story of presidents who, in spite of their personal failures, took a stand for what they believed was right and, often aganst a massive tide of public opinion, changed the course of American history for the better.
Missing important courageous actions.......2007-09-15
I attempted to read his book, but frankly I just couldnt get into it. I made several attempts. I enjoy political history. But there are two issues that he failed to talk about. Correct me if I am wrong. These are important courageous stands taken by presidents.
1. Harry Truman had no chance of winning election in 1948. Blacks didnt vote in large numbers (mainly because of impediments at the polls). He had two major third party candidates to deal with in addition to the Republican candidate. In 1948 in the middle of the campaign, he signed an executive order intergrating the armed services. He had nothing to win. Many whites would not vote for him because of it. But he signed it anyway.
2. Lyndon Johnson knew that if he signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Democrats would lose the south for decades. Up until 1964, it was the solid south for Democrats. After 1964, it has been practically the solid south for Republicans. Johnson knew what would happen, but he signed the bill anyway.
[...]
Amazon.com
For years the popular myth surrounding the Vietnam War was that the Joint Chiefs of Staff knew what it would take to win but were consistently thwarted or ignored by the politicians in power. Now H. R. McMaster shatters this and other misconceptions about the military and Vietnam in Dereliction of Duty. Himself a West Point graduate, McMaster painstakingly waded through every memo and report concerning Vietnam from every meeting of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to build a comprehensive picture of a house divided against itself: a president and his coterie of advisors obsessed with keeping Vietnam from becoming a political issue versus the Joint Chiefs themselves, mired in interservice rivalries and unable to reach any unified goals or conclusions about the country's conduct in the war.
McMaster stresses two elements in his discussion of America's failure in Vietnam: the hubris of Johnson and his advisors and the weakness of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Dereliction of Duty provides both a thorough exploration of the military's role in determining Vietnam policy and a telling portrait of the men most responsible.
Book Description
"The war in Vietnam was not lost in the field, nor was it lost on the front pages of the New York Times or the college campuses. It was lost in Washington, D.C." -- H. R. McMaster (from the Conclusion)
Dereliction Of Duty is a stunning new analysis of how and why the United States became involved in an all-out and disastrous war in Southeast Asia. Fully and convincingly researched, based on recently released transcripts and personal accounts of crucial meetings, confrontations and decisions, it is the only book that fully re-creates what happened and why. It also pinpoints the policies and decisions that got the United States into the morass and reveals who made these decisions and the motives behind them, disproving the published theories of other historians and excuses of the participants.
Dereliction Of Duty covers the story in strong narrative fashion, focusing on a fascinating cast of characters: President Lyndon Johnson, Robert McNamara, General Maxwell Taylor, McGeorge Bundy and other top aides who deliberately deceived the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the U.S. Congress and the American public.
Sure to generate controversy, Dereliction Of Duty is an explosive and authoritative new look at the controversy concerning the United States involvement in Vietnam.
Customer Reviews:
A Timeless Classic!.......2007-08-28
The Vietnam War took the lives of 58,000 Americans and over one million Vietnamese, while consuming billions of U.S. dollars and leaving Vietnam in ruins. It also led Americans to question the integrity of their government as never before.
McMaster provides a detailed history of the top-level decision-making in Washington regarding the war. Readers clearly realize that while General Taylor (then Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff) and Secretary Mcnamara consistently withheld, watered-down, and misrepresented JCS views to LBJ, McNamara also bent Vietnamese leadership positions to his own and kept the JCS out of the decision-making loop to create a greatly "overstated" sense of unanimity.
The JCS, however, were far from blameless. Some allowed themselves to be bought off in return for service enlargement (Marines), reappointing General LeMay despite his bombastic attitude (Air Force), or maintenance within the existing power structure (Navy). Meanwhile, the group never seemed to get beyond inter-service rivalry - eg. the Air Force proposing "solutions" that featured bombing, the Marines proposing multiple point invasion and enclave-holding, etc. About the only thing they agreed on was that Mcnamara's strategy of limited response was doomed to failure - the French had already failed with 500,000 troops in North Vietnam, and an early Pentagon war game had eerily predicted the eventual direction of the war.
Why LBJ's direction? On the one hand, he feared being blamed for losing Vietnam to the Communists (aka Truman vs. China), while on the other did not want to detract from his re-election efforts and subsequent passage of the Great Society initiative through Congress.
Other reasons for the JCS' silence include the "lesson" of Truman vs. MacArthur, early training on allegiance to civilian control (however, this also include Congress, which also ended up woefully misinformed).
Mcmaster concludes that the Vietnam War was not lost in the field, nor on college campuses, nor the pages of the New York Times - rather it was lost in Washington, almost from the beginning.
What have we learned from "Dereliction of Duty?" At one point, it was "recommended" reading at the Pentagon's top level. On the other hand, General Sinseki clearly was pushed out prior to the Iraq War for telling the truth, as was Bush's chief economic advisor (Lindsay) for giving an unvarnished economic estimate of projected costs. Other lower-level generals have resigned to speak out rather than continue to support the Iraq War. At the same time, General Powell, in his new role as Secretary of State also failed to model forthright and assertive behavior to rebut Cheney, Rumsfeld et al, while Secretary Rumsfeld clearly failed to learn anything from McNamara's failures. Meanwhile, the book's author (Mcmaster) has been passed over twice so far for further promotion to Brigadier General.
Bottom Line: I do not question the loyalty or integrity of those in current military leadership positions. However, we have still managed to repeat the Vietnam leadership failures in Iraq.
Interesting subject matter, bad book.......2007-04-03
The subject of the is book is very interesting, so I struggled through to the end (with plenty of skimming), but this guy can't tell a story. Too dry, too long, no sense of style.
Tayloe Nickey
Recent history ignored - again.......2007-03-24
This book presents a lacerating indictment of Lyndon Johnson, Robert McNamara, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and other ancillary characters in the run-up to the Vietnam War. Short sighted political thinking on the part of Johnson, equally short-sighted inter-service rivalries amongst the Joint Chiefs (as well as a failure to speak out in the face of idiotic strategic military decision making), and a hubristic sense of infallibility on the part of McNamara are described - with compelling historical evidence - as the key sources of the fiasco. The parallels with the war in Iraq are obvious. A disturbing work that once again demonstrates that far too many political and military leaders are seemingly incapable of (a) learning from history, and (b) acting on anything but the most narrow, short-term agendas - mostly centered around the advancement of their careers.
Made me realize that we might be heading in same direction!.......2007-02-18
I was blown away by DERILECTION OF DUTY, written and read by
H.R. McMaster . . . though written some 10 years ago, it is perhaps
even more relevant now than it was then because of the Iraq conflict.
McMaster, a West Point graduate, thoroughly researched the
decisions that led to the conflict in Vietnam . . . he points out that
we were repeatedly lied to as a nation, not only by President
Johnson, but by Robert McNamara, Maxwell Taylor, and a whole
host of other individuals.
In retrospect, I'm glad that "only" 58,000 Americans died
from that conflict . . . but what scared me the most in listening to
this book was that we seem to be heading in the same direction!
"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it".......2007-01-22
The above quotation from George Santayana perfectly explains why Major McMaster's 1997 book is so richly relevant today. The debacle that was the Viet Nam War is a story of hubris, intransigence, misplaced ideology and unbridled ego that led to the needless deaths of 58,209 American soldiers and over a million Vietnamese.
The war was predicated on a lie, maintained by lies and even today, thirty years later, most of what we think we know about the war turns out to be lies.
The war led to the downfall of at least two presidents, and even more importantly, world opinion toward the United States. Our national policy since the defeat in Hanoi has been one of "trying to recover our national dignity" at home and trying to rekindle trembling respect in the world community.
It is supremely ironic therefore that the policymakers who could benefit most from the lessons of Viet Nam seem not to have studied the facts behind the lies, and instead rely on some of the same failed advisors whose faulty military strategy got us into this mess. It is not only ironic but appalling.
Book Description
In 1845, just seven years after his escape from slavery, the young Frederick Douglass published this powerful account of his life in bondage and his triumph over oppression. The book, which marked the beginning of Douglass’s career as an impassioned writer, journalist, and orator for the abolitionist cause, reveals the terrors he faced as a slave, the brutalities of his owners and overseers, and his harrowing escape to the North. It has become a classic of American autobiography.
This edition of the book, based on the authoritative text that appears in Yale University Press’s multivolume edition of the Frederick Douglass Papers, is the only edition of Douglass’s Narrative designated as an Approved Text by the Modern Language Association’s Committee on Scholarly Editions. It includes a chronology of Douglass’s life, a thorough introduction by the eminent Douglass scholar John Blassingame, historical notes, and reader responses to the first edition of 1845.
“None so dramatically as Douglass integrated both the horror and the great quest of the African-American experience into the deep stream of American autobiography. He advanced and extended that tradition and is rightfully designated one of its greatest practitioners.”—John W. Blassingame, from the introduction
Customer Reviews:
Forgotten American Political Classic, Best Slave Narrative Reading .......2007-10-07
I read this book some years ago and thought it the best American personnal slave narrative ever written.A forerunner of the 20th century's ,'Autobiography of Malcolm X'.This book is sadly forgotten by many,both among black and white educators.Frederick Douglass was more than an "American Moses",he could have been called ,an 'American Frederick Engels'.Douglass had the power of literacy,which the European-American christians always wanted surpressed and restricted for everybody,especially slaves and the church laity.Douglass had the power of knowledge,and the ablity to reason,which in turn leads to a better society.The more freedom of knowledge is restricted by authorities,the more explosive the base of society becomes.The free exchange of ideas has always allowed a democracy to flourish,and inturn a more stable and progressive society,a 'Great Society'.Frederick Douglass' Washingtonian beacon house still stands proudly on the hill overlooking the scenic and political landscape.This book is a short classic narrative,yet still worthy of investing one's time reading today.
fantastic reading.......2007-07-31
I love reading about history,part of history that everyone should read about. I would recommend to everyone...
Simply the best narrative I have read..........2007-07-18
As society moves about, the slavery of the past remains alive and well. "Sweep it under the rug and do not bring it up" is the mindset of many. This type of suppression is often brought about because of the known guilt of an unfair past. American slavery has deep roots, reading the life of Fredrick Douglass, will help unveil some of the true history of America.
At one point in the book Douglass realized he had past the time of being an indentured servant and knew that being a slave for life was his fate. He was treated with little if no respect. Douglass described Mr. Severe, one of his "masters", as a man who would whip a slave for almost no reason at all (22). Dougless illustrated that Mr. Severe had no respect for his slaves, but treated them as if they were not human.
Many people may think that Douglass story was the exception, but that's not the case. Many times through out the book Douglass spoke of other slave's punishment as far worse than his own. He even recorded the murder of two slaves in Talbot, Maryland and stated that the slave owner never paid for the crime (31-33). This type of abuse almost seems unfathomable, but it's reality.
Studying the origins of slavery can allow us to see the disgusting progression of the enslavement of human life and stripping of human character. Douglass' narrative provides the reader with a glimpse into the life of a slave. The emotional state of Douglass was strong, considering the abuse that he underwent during his life. The narrative of Fredrick Douglass is a superb read for anyone wanting to get a first hand understanding of the life of an American slave.
must read, best on the psychology of slavery, particularly on owners.......2007-01-18
This is an absolutely amazing narrative, of the growth of an individual from the most brutish of slave lives to a free man who took pride in his work and his mind, which he then bent to political action. While told as a story, this book is actually an essay on personal struggle and development: to respect himself, to change his circumstances, to be re-born. At that, it is extremely powerful and moving. The reader empathizes completely with his rage, his awakening, and his striving to grow. He came to the point where he would rather fight back than die slowly, never to be dominated in his spirit.
But it also points to the effect of slavery on their owners. While there are the standard cruel and selfish ones, who are attempting to "break" his spirit in order to domesticate him, the story of how it twists the souls of essentially good people that is the most interesting and shocking. It is like a sickness, their total and unresponsible power, that extingusihes their empathy and replaces it with the most horrible selfishness, as they debase themselves with cruelty. You get the whippings and routine humilations, but also what that does to the perpetrators. This means that the book never descends into stereotypes, but reads as an extremely fresh story by a thoughtful, indeed brilliant, man.
THere are also many interesting asides, which are often philosophical. He points out the hypocrisy of southern christians, who make the worst and most cruel and self-righteous slavers, all while justifying their behavior by the bible. He also recounts how he expected that the "refinement" of the southern gentleman and their leisure would be impsooble in the North, which he pictured as poor as the non-slave holding population in the South - but he discovers an entirely different kind of economic life, in which men worked and prospered and deveoped themselves even more than what he had observed on plantations. But the most important thing is his recounting of his inner journey, which was encouraged by his learning to read as a way to overcome the ignorence that made for "contented slaves."
There is so much food for thought on the human spirit as well as wonder at how the US has evolved. Highest recommendation. If you like this, you should also read Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, by Harriat A. Jacobs.
Breaking the bonds of slavery.......2006-07-14
This nonfiction revels in importance simply because of its magnitude in not only the fight against slavery in the latter part of the 1800s (and the subsequent abolition), but also because of its brutal honesty for an individual who should be considered an ancestor of civil rights. Fredrick Douglass narrates in detail many of the terrors, horrors, and injustices that he and those around him had to endure during his years as a slave in Maryland. He describes the beatings, whippings, tortures and even deaths that he was close to and had no power to stop. He makes the point that slaveholders gained control over slaves by dehumanizing them, making them ignorant against their own accord, and ultimately having control over them. Frederick does everything in his power to negate this dehumanization, and begins to learn to read and write, but with more knowledge gained he has a stronger sense of loathing those who enslave him: "The more I read, the more I was led to abhor and detest my enslavers. I could regard them in no better light than a band of successful robbers who had left their homes, and gone to Africa, and stolen us from our homes..."
He should be considered a hero for standing up to hardships with little or no support on his side, and finding strength to get past these when he had seemingly had his spirit broken. One important moment is the incident with Edward Covey, the notorious "slave breaker", when rather than giving in, Frederick gets into a rather lengthy physical fight. From this time onward, Frederick is resolved to never let others get the best of him, try to force him to do anything against his will, without a fight. Later he resolves that when the right time comes, he will try to run from slavery and escape. When he is able to land in New York, a kind-hearted man, David Ruggles, comes to his aid and helps him get work.
Historically, this is an important story for Americans to know. Douglass' account is a short narrative (a little over one hundred pages), and reads rather quickly, but in that short time he is able to illustrate just how degrading the issue of slavery had become. His autobiography shows the importance of change, the lows with which others sometimes subject each other to, and the essence of taking up a fight against injustices.
Book Description
More than 370 edible wild plants, plus 37 poisonous look-alikes, are described here, with 400 drawings and 78 color photographs showing precisely how to recognize each species. Also included are habitat descriptions, lists of plants by season, and preparation instructions for 22 different food uses.
Customer Reviews:
Up to the usual Peterson Field Guides standards.......2007-03-23
Although this book is well written and organized, I have one minor complaint...
If you are going to depend on a book to decide whether or not you can eat something without poisoning yourself, the pictures next to the plant descriptions ought to be in color rather than black and white sketches.
excellent seller and product.......2007-02-13
Item as described and received in a timely manner... an excellent buying experience!
Wonderful.......2007-01-10
This is a very comprehensive book that I am learning much from. It is exhaustive in showing edible plants, many that I didnt realize.
Not quite as good as the medicinal.......2006-08-17
The pictures aren't good enough to make identification easy. Good information if you have another book to identify the plants with.
perfect choice.......2005-09-13
As usual the Petersen Guide did not disappoint me. It's exactly what I wanted for plant identification
Book Description
This is Volume II (Since 1863) of AMERICAN PASSAGES, SECOND EDITION that examines U.S. history the way people live--in the flow of time. Rather than pursuing one topic (such as politics, culture, society, reform, the military, or economics) at a time, each chapter of the text interweaves important themes and issues into one interrelated narrative. Through this method of presentation, students can observe the many ways that events, movements, and groups of people have served to shape history and can learn to make connections between these themes and issues. References to the book's fully integrated Web site allow students to experience history from the vantage of those who lived it. AMERICAN PASSAGES: A HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES, SECOND EDITION is available in the following split options: American Passages, Comprehensive, Second Edition (Chapters 1?32) ISBN: 0534607411; American Passages, Volume I: To 1877, Second Edition (Chapters 1?16) ISBN: 053460742X; American Passages, Volume II: Since 1863, Second Edition (Chapters 15?32) ISBN: 0534607438.
Book Description
This highly-regarded introduction to politics in America is clearly and concisely written, providing the reader with a great basis for understanding our political system. Included in this edition is a study of politics in Texas, an important facet of politics in our country. With its timely illustrations, case studies, and explanation of current controversies, it is a must-read for anyone interested in how our political system functions. This lively, absorbing narrative examines the struggle for power: the participants, stakes, processes, and the institutional arenas. This Texas edition includes additional chapters concerning politics in that state: the social and economic milieu; the Texas Constitution; interest groups, political parties and elections; the legislature; the executive branch and bureaucracy; the judiciary; and local government in Texas. For anyone interested in our American political system; especially those with an interest in Texas politics, including government workers, policymakers, and politicians.
Customer Reviews:
Politics in America, National Version by Thomas R. Dye [Hardcover] .......2005-09-22
I am well satisfied with the purchase of this book, Great seller and price.
good overview of government, though a bit biased.......2002-11-10
Overall this book is a good overview of the american political system. The structures of the beurocracy, executive, congressional, and judicial branches are covered very thoroughly. However, I found that the author inserted a bit too much of his own Republican biases in it. There is a whole section devoted to "government waste" - a common election tactic by Republicans. While it is true that the government is wasteful- all beurocracies are to some extent- a recent survey showed the US gov't to be the 3rd most efficient in the world. Also, sprinkled throughout the book are convinient three paragraph long and very shallow "Counterpoints" which try to convince readers of republican principles from the flat tax to the abolition of affirmative action. The most egragrious offenses come in various profiles "people in polics" of various leaders in politics. Invariably, the Republicans profiled have their personal strengths asserted with a folksy charm, while the Democrats are given a far away overview as well as mention of some trivial personal faults (Barbara Boxer's overdrafts from the House banks- a trivial issue in the big picture of things- is in her bio). And of course there are also the "Liberal ratings" in it- with the late Paul Wellstone topping the list. In addition to all of this, the general wording of the book and word choice used betrays the clearly Republican biases of the author. Overall the book is not a bad book, it does a good and thorough job at outlining the structure of the federal government, however, reader beware of the biases of the author.
Good introductory-level textbook........2000-08-06
I just finished taking a class called "Introduction to American Politics" and this was our only textbook. I found the textbook to be easy to read, clearly written, and factually accurate. I fear that many students, like myself, who have already studied some in this area may find the book to be too simplified, and will get bored reading about the basics of material which is already familiar to them. The book is great for the novice, but is definitely not upperclassmen material.
Book Description
This volume brings together over 40 selections of enduring intellectual value--classic articles, book excerpts, and research studies--that have shaped the study of education and our contemporary understanding of it.
Customer Reviews:
Multicultural Meltdown.......2000-08-23
This book is full of essays by educators from different time periods and cultures in this past century. E.D. Hirsch, James Baldwin, Frieire, Elizabeth Cady Stanton along with many others talk about various realms of education--from schooling to cultural oppression, funding, equality, women in education and a plethora of other topics. This book is great to catch a glimpse of various opinions and some articles are very popular in their own right. It is a great book for people learning about different viewpoints in education, but it is not a book to read as if it were a course unless the instructor formulated the whole course around the book. There are so many topics and issues that a person could have a hard time figuring out what to discuss. It is fabulous for those who need to broaden their horizons in terms of learning about educational writers in the past hundred years.
Book Description
With more than 300 photos, this new edition shows how to identify more than 500 healing plants. Descriptive text includes information on where the plants are found, as well as their known medicinal uses. An index to medical topics, symbols next to plant descriptions, and organization of plants by colors all make this an essential guide to understanding the traditional medicinal uses of the plants around us. At a time when interest in herbs and natural medicine has never been higher, the second edition of this essential guide shows how to identify more than five hundred kinds of healing plants. More than three hundred new color photos illustrate their flowers, leaves, and fruits. The updated descriptive text includes information on where the plants are found as well as their known medicinal uses. An index to medical topics is helpful for quickly locating information on specific ailments, from asthma and headaches to colds and stomachaches. Symbols next to plant descriptions give readers a quick visual alert to plants that are poisonous or may cause allergic reactions. Organized by plant color for fast identification, this guide is an indispensable tool for understanding the traditional medicinal uses of the plants and herbs around us.
Customer Reviews:
MUST HAVE in yoru library.......2007-09-23
This is another book I am constantly referencing. It is small enough to pack in your backpack or coat pocket if you want to identify plants in the wild.
Steven Foster also provides clear photographs to make it far easier to determine the plants.
The descriptions are good and have helped me several times identify plants in my region.
A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants and Herbs: Of Eastern and Central North America (Peterson Field Guides (R)).......2007-05-15
Hard to follow, a good book for adviance students of herbist.
A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants and Herbs: Of Eastern and Central North America (Peterson Field Guides (R)).......2007-02-08
This Is also A Book To have around no matter what, Very good book, Full of awsome information that you need . Very Reccomended for those the love the woods and nature , Good the have with you if you hike or go on nature walks
Excellent.......2007-01-10
Very helpful in identifying the plants, the pictures are wonderful and also for identifying some of the uses these plants have been used for
THE Standard, Of Course.......2006-09-24
The best of its genre, and the standard in visual identification guides for field work and species' recognition. Almost every item is illustrated with color photographs, though I wish there were more images of each item, for year-round accurate ID. If I could afford to, I'd own the entire publication list of "A Field Guide To...". :-)
I'll share a secret to successful purchasing. I borrow books & titles I'm interested in buying, from local library--this has proven the BEST method for being sure one's needs & expectations are met, especially in non-fiction reference materials.
Books:
- The Complete Book of Fly Fishing
- The Complete Hans Christian Andersen Fairy Tales
- The Complete Wreck (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Books 1-13)
- The Dark Is Rising Sequence: Silver on the Tree; The Grey King; Greenwitch; The Dark Is Rising; and Over Sea, Under Stone
- The Dead Beat: Lost Souls, Lucky Stiffs, and the Perverse Pleasures of Obituaries (P.S.)
- The Divine Comedy: Inferno; Purgatorio; Paradiso (Everyman's Library)
- The Divine Comedy: Inferno; Purgatorio; Paradiso (Everyman's Library)
- The Divine Comedy of Dante Alighieri: Volume 2: Purgatorio (Divine Comedy of Dante Alighieri)
- The Divine Comedy of Dante Alighieri: Volume 2: Purgatorio (Divine Comedy of Dante Alighieri)
- The Dollmaker
Books Index
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General
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The Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy's Dossier on Hillary Clinton
Outrage: How Illegal Immigration, the United Nations, Congressional Ripoffs, Student Loan Overcharges, Tobacco Companies, Trade Protection, and Drug Companies Are Ripping Us Off . . . And
Her Way: The Hopes and Ambitions of Hillary Rodham Clinton
A Woman in Charge: The Life of Hillary Rodham Clinton
The Extreme Makeover of Hillary (Rodham) Clinton
