Amazon.com's Best of 2001
Working in his garden one day, Michael Pollan hit pay dirt in the form of an idea: do plants, he wondered, use humans as much as we use them? While the question is not entirely original, the way Pollan examines this complex coevolution by looking at the natural world from the perspective of plants is unique. The result is a fascinating and engaging look at the true nature of domestication.
In making his point, Pollan focuses on the relationship between humans and four specific plants: apples, tulips, marijuana, and potatoes. He uses the history of John Chapman (Johnny Appleseed) to illustrate how both the apple's sweetness and its role in the production of alcoholic cider made it appealing to settlers moving west, thus greatly expanding the plant's range. He also explains how human manipulation of the plant has weakened it, so that "modern apples require more pesticide than any other food crop." The tulipomania of 17th-century Holland is a backdrop for his examination of the role the tulip's beauty played in wildly influencing human behavior to both the benefit and detriment of the plant (the markings that made the tulip so attractive to the Dutch were actually caused by a virus). His excellent discussion of the potato combines a history of the plant with a prime example of how biotechnology is changing our relationship to nature. As part of his research, Pollan visited the Monsanto company headquarters and planted some of their NewLeaf brand potatoes in his garden--seeds that had been genetically engineered to produce their own insecticide. Though they worked as advertised, he made some startling discoveries, primarily that the NewLeaf plants themselves are registered as a pesticide by the EPA and that federal law prohibits anyone from reaping more than one crop per seed packet. And in a interesting aside, he explains how a global desire for consistently perfect French fries contributes to both damaging monoculture and the genetic engineering necessary to support it.
Pollan has read widely on the subject and elegantly combines literary, historical, philosophical, and scientific references with engaging anecdotes, giving readers much to ponder while weeding their gardens. --Shawn Carkonen
Book Description
Every schoolchild learns about the mutually beneficial dance of honeybees and flowers: The bee collects nectar and pollen to make honey and, in the process, spreads the flowers’ genes far and wide. In
The Botany of Desire, Michael Pollan ingeniously demonstrates how people and domesticated plants have formed a similarly reciprocal relationship. He masterfully links four fundamental human desires—sweetness, beauty, intoxication, and control—with the plants that satisfy them: the apple, the tulip, marijuana, and the potato. In telling the stories of four familiar species, Pollan illustrates how the plants have evolved to satisfy humankind’s most basic yearnings. And just as we’ve benefited from these plants, we have also done well by them. So who is really domesticating whom?
Customer Reviews:
A Fascinating Read.......2007-10-07
The Botany of Desire by Michael Pollan challenges the notion that mankind can control the natural world, subjugating plants to the will of the gardener. Through a discussion of four plants closely associated with human cultivation: apple, tulip, marijuana, and potato, Pollan demonstrates that organisms which possess traits desirable to the gardener have been able manipulate humans to cultivate them. Each plant has a different strategy for assuring that humans will continue to include it in their gardens. The apple, for example, is an extremely diverse species whose seeds contain millions of possible variations of both the fruit produced and the tree itself. Whether one is looking to make hard cider or munch on a crisp green fruit, the apple tree has the genetic code to produce the fruit humans look for.
In The Botany of Desire, Pollan focuses on the four plants mentioned above, placing each plant in a category, and explains how plants within that category possess characteristics which make them desirable to humans. The apple and other fruits appeal to our sense of taste, and, if fermented, our desire for inebriation. The tulip appeals to mankind's sense of beauty; marijuana, our desire to achieve an altered state of mind; the potato our need for nourishment and desire to genetically engineer crops. In short, each of these plants is successful in an evolutionary sense because it causes us to cultivate it.
Although Pollan's book is an intriguing read, I found it unsettling that he often rattles off facts and figures without citing a direct source, such as the assertion on page 219: "a potato farmer in Idaho spends roughly $1,950 an acre (mainly on chemicals, electricity and water)." Pollan does include a few pages of sources in the back of his book, but he could make a stronger argument that would stand up to academic scrutiny with the addition of endnotes.
In addition to a vast amount of research and traveling prior to writing this book, Pollan makes The Botany of Desire a quality literary work by using recurring themes to tie the four parts of the book together. Through returning to his garden at many points over the course of the book, Pollan is able to tie all four of his subjects into a common space. Approaching the reader as a fellow gardener gives him or her a sense of connection to Pollan and his garden. By the end of the book, I felt as though I knew Michael Pollan and his garden intimately. Another example of this continuity is Dionysus, the Greek god of wine and revelry. Dionysus appears in both chapters one and three, were Pollan relates him to cider, Johnny Appleseed, and mind-altering substances.
Overall, Pollan's clear style and journalistic narrative flows easily and keeps the reader entertained throughout the book. He makes effective use of descriptive details and personal experiences to relate to the reader as he argues his theme of plants manipulating humans to include them in their gardens. The Botany of Desire is a must read for anyone interested in how plants we encounter on a daily basis cause us to cultivate them around the globe.
Too much information.......2007-09-16
Started out liking the chapter on Apples, less the next and so on. It seemed like I was getting the same story in each chapter only more elaborate and wordy.
Just buy this book........................2007-09-05
I am not a botanist.Yet. But the study of evolution is quite an exciting journey, made more exciting by the mind melting,eloquent ideas posed by Mr. Pollan. Bought the audio book version, and I can't stop listining to it. From the story of Johnyy Appleseed, to Holland in search of the history of Tulips, the Amazing Marijuana Plant, and the control of the Potato. Seemed random to me. Not any more. Incredible book.
We are the world.......2007-08-31
Pollan's book is a vivid reminder of how intricately human society is woven into the ecological framework of the planet and in particular that of plants. His descriptions of how our societies have affected and been affected by just four plants opens up a series of thought-provoking questions to mull over the next time you find yourself in a garden, at the dinner table, or taking a walk outdoors. It's written with sensitivity towards those he disagrees with, and this gentle touch makes the story he's relating much more effective at prompting you as reader to engage. The weakest part of the book is the chapter on Tulips, but that is hard to criticize since the chapters on apples, marijuana and potatoes are so good.
Read this Book!
human psychology in the garden.......2007-08-02
Human psychology from the plant's perspective? Yep. That's precisely the topic of this book. When our ancestors began breeding plants to serve our desires they inevitably laid those desires bare in the phenotypes in their gardens. Pollan is impressively aware of many current themes in evolutionary biology (e.g., the function of sexual reproduction), and admirably willing to tell a story with the patience and breadth it deserves (hence four 100-page chapters instead of the usual one hundred, A.D.D. 4-page chapters). This book is not for everyone, but if you have intellectual curiosity about why some plants have come to dominate our world, this book will give you many answers and even more tools. There's nothing better I can say about a book.
Book Description
In 2001, the Smithsonian Institution presented the landmark photographic exhibition History Through Deaf Eyes, representing nearly 200 years of United States deaf history. Drawing heavily on the extensive archives at Gallaudet University, the curators created an exhibition that drew more than 400,000 people viewed at the Smithsonian and in 12 cities during a five-year national tour. Its popularity prompted the production of a documentary film for national broadcast on the Public Broadcasting System. Now, the photographs, quotes, and stories from this remarkable exhibit and documentary have been assembled in a book of stunning beauty and poignant images, Through Deaf Eyes: A Photographic History of an American Community.
Featuring more than 200 full-color photographs, Through Deaf Eyes depicts the story of Deaf America and also affords readers the opportunity to learn about the nation’s broader history. The values and judgments of society have had an impact on the education, employment, and family life of deaf people, while historical eras often can be illuminated by examination through a Deaf lens. Photographs reveal the character of Deaf people in school settings, the workplace, during wartime, and using their cultural signature, American Sign Language. For both deaf and hearing readers, the Deaf community portrayed in Through Deaf Eyes offers a unique and fascinating perspective on the value of human difference.
Customer Reviews:
A superb and appreciated contribution to personal, academic, and community American History reference collections.......2007-09-03
The combined effort of Douglas C. Baynton (Associate Professor of History, University of Iowa), Jack R. Gannon (Curator of the History Through Deaf Eyes exhibition), and Jean Lindquist Borgey (Director of the History Through Deaf Eyes Project, Gallaudet University, Washington, DC), "Through Deaf Eyes: A Photographic History Of An American Community" is the companion volume to an acclaimed PBS television documentary based on a landmark photographic exhibition at the Smithsonian Institution in 2001 celebrating almost 200 years of United States Deaf History. The deaf have been a cultural and linguistic minority in America almost from its inception. The more than 200 photographs, the many quotes, and compelling stories compiled in "Through Deaf Eyes" provides the reader with informed and informative insights into a fascinating and specialized aspect of American history with respect to deaf people in school settings, the workplace, during wartime, the development and impact of American Sign Language, and more. "Through Deaf Eyes" is a superb and appreciated contribution to personal, academic, and community American History reference collections and supplemental reading lists.
Through Deaf Eyes: .......2007-06-28
What a wonderful, well put together book about Deaf History. I am a hearing person, who is taking American sign language. I have been reading many books on Deaf culture to get a better understanding about the deaf people over time,and the opsticals that they have had/ and still have to overcome. I found this book very well put together and I enjoyed reading it very much. If you are intrested in American sign language, I would recommend others to include this book into your library collection. The photos were wonderful to look as as well.
Photographic Narrative of American Deaf History.......2007-05-18
What began as photographic exhibit at the Smithsonian from the archives of Gallaudet University evolved into the DVD by the same name as this companion book.
This is well done photo collection with written narrative of the 200 year story of deaf among us, with their accomplishments, frustrations and striving to be a part of the American mosaic.
They do pull it off, even against the obstacles of the oralism, and treatment as handicapped rather than language/cultural minority.
Worth having as companion with the DVD.
Average customer rating:
- An excellent start....
- An Epic Fantasy
- Eye of the World by Robert Jordan
- Nothing but Praise for THISBook, but a Word of Warning for the Series
- One of the best
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The Eye of the World: Book One of 'The Wheel of Time' (Wheel of Time)
Robert Jordan
Manufacturer: Audio Renaissance
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Similar Items:
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The Great Hunt (The Wheel of Time, Book 2)
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The Dragon Reborn (The Wheel of Time, Book 3)
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The Shadow Rising (The Wheel of Time, Book 4)
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The Fires of Heaven (The Wheel of Time, Book 5)
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Lord of Chaos (The Wheel of Time, Book 6)
ASIN: 1593974329 |
Book Description
In one short decade, Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time has become the bestselling American fantasy series of all time-comparable in depth and scope to J.R.R. Tolkien's legendary trilogy, The Lord of The Rings. Now, the first two titles in the series, The Eye of the World and The Great Hunt, are available unabridged on CD.In the THE EYE OF THE WORLD three young friends; Rand, Matt and Perrin are attacked by subhuman monsters,bestial Trollocs. With the help of Lady Moiraine, an Aes Sedai, a woman who can wield the One Power and her Warder, Lan--the young boys flee their homeland. But they are pursued relentlessly by the forces of the evil Dark One--and begin an adventure across an imaginative, fantastical world of strange wonders and deadly horror--where goodness stands on the brink of destruction--for the Wheel of Time is weaving a web in the pattern of ages, a web to entangle the world.
Customer Reviews:
An excellent start...........2007-10-01
to a captivating series. The audiobook is well done with readings by kate reading and michael kramer.
An Epic Fantasy.......2007-09-20
Robert Jordan's The Eye of the World, part of the Wheel of Time series, is an epic fantasy. He creates a Tolkien-ish world, full of strange creatures. Rand, a simple farm boy from an out-of-the-way village believes most of those creatures to be travelers' tales, until about 100 of them attack his village. With the help of Lady Moiraine and her companion Lan, they defeat the minotaur-like Trollocs, and their leader, and evil Myrddraal. Rand and his two friends are forced to flee the village, with Trollocs hunting them down on the orders of the Dark One. Moiraine reveals herself as an Aes Sedai, with strange and powerful magical abilities. She uses her amazing magic to get them away from the Trollocs, while Lan helps with his own fighting powers. He is her Warder, one of many mythical fighters sworn to protect a certain Aes Sedai. They journey through a land full of perils, to discover why the Dark One is after Rand and his friends.
This book has filled me with delight, as it is so well described. I might as well have been there, pushing my way through the crowded streets of Caemlyn, or riding as fast as I could to get away from the Trollocs. I am already reading the prequel, then I'll move on to the 9+ books that follow The Eye of the World. If you enjoyed Tolkien, or any other typical fantasy book, you will like this one. The traditional band of good guys, pursued by the servants of some evil guy, combined with some of the best wording and use of magic I have ever read, really makes this book hard to put down. I find myself reading late into the night, even when I am drop-dead exhausted, just because I want to know what happens next. This is a must-read for readers who enjoy fantasy.
Ava W.
Grade 6
Ms. Kawatachi
Eye of the World by Robert Jordan.......2007-09-19
I tried. I gave it over two years of my life and I still couldn't keep going till the end. Of course, the real end will probably be book fifteen or twenty or, heaven forbid, twenty-five and up. I'm talking about Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series. Currently there are eleven books in the series, the latest, Knife of Dream, came out last October. The first book, Eye of the World, started out really well and I felt like I'd discovered a great new epic fantasy series similar to that of Lord of the Rings. The first book proved this and I thought it was great; I was also very excited at the notion of there being so many books in the series, with the story still incomplete. The second book, The Great Hunt, while not as mind-mashingly great as the first book, was still a great read, as was the third, The Dragon Reborn, where we find out that the main character is the guy prophesied to save the world, essentially. Eight books from th ere and the big showdown still hasn't come, while Jordan has continued to drag out into the hundreds and thousands of pages scenes, descriptions, and characters bickering at each other about the same thing while repetitively employing their annoying habits, to the point where I feel like I'm reading a children's nursery rhyme. Then there's the whole deal with the main character, Rand, having his undeniable love for three of the women characters, which he is okay with, and which they are okay with, apparently, and are quite willing to share him amongst themselves. I may have kept sloughing through the series better if there'd been a lot less purple prose and books four to ten had been condensed into say books four to six, which would've made more sense and made the stories move along better. Around book five I began spotting the routine the books go through: a few hundred pages of sitting around talking, explaining and regurgitating what's happened in the past books, bitching at each other; then about four hundred pages of people painstakingly crawling from a starting point to a destination (and bear in mind that these people can "travel" through vortexes real fast), and then the last hundred pages is a big action scene. At book seven, Crown of Thorns, halfway through, I decided I'd wasted enough time on Mr. Jordan and his wordiness, so I employed a slow speed-reading method which got me through them a lot faster. In about three days I reached the end of book nine and decided I'd had it and it just wasn't worth any more of my time. At this point I'd been able to summarize each book into three or four sentences, and I'd decided that if I can do that, maybe it's just not worth it and I should put my reading time to something more important that I'd enjoy reading more.
So here I am Mr. Jordan, signing off on your series that held so much promise and crashed and burned like a planet falling into a sun. Oh, and you know what, I'm not the only one who thinks this way. There are other people I know who've given up earlier than me, and others who've not even bothered to start because they know it's going to end bad.
On the plus side, I get to sell all my Robert Jordan books and make money off him!
For more book reviews, and other writings, go to www.alexctelander.com
Nothing but Praise for THISBook, but a Word of Warning for the Series.......2007-09-19
This book is one of my all-time favorite fantasy novels. Through the course of my life (I first read the book when I was in 6th grade), I have successfully recommended the book to at least a dozen people. It takes place in a rich, vibrant imaginary world full of intriguing details, fascinating magic, and its own engaging history. The plot of this book is compelling, and I loved the adventure that I encountered at each twist and turn of the storyline.
But what really makes this a phenomenal book is the characters. The characters are fully-fleshed out, very complex, and extremely likeable, a feat that I've found many fantasy authors are unable to achieve. You care about the characters, you want them to succeed, and they seem real. Your enthusiasm continues to rise as the main characters (who start out as country-bumpkins) develop their skills and become adept swordsmen, savvy magic-wielders, or skilled leaders, yet retain a bit of the wide-eyed wonder they had at the beginning. This book is a must-read for anyone over the age of 11 who enjoys fantasy.
HOWEVER, a word of warning is due for the rest of series in two respects. First of all, the author of the series sadly died a few days ago, leaving the series unfinished. He had been working on book 12, so only 11 books (plus one prequel) have been published. The community of Wheel of Time lovers will unfortunately never know how it all ends.
Secondly, and more importantly perhaps, after around book 6 of the series, the books begin to go downhill in quality. I am sorry to speak ill of the author so soon after his passing, but somewhere along the way, he realized that each of his books was a best-seller and decided to draw out the series as long as he could. As a result, the books (starting with around book 7) do not have the amount of adventure and action necessary to sustain a reader's interest. These books are all long - roughly 700 pages. In the first 6 books, the investment in time is worth it. After that, you feel like you are wasting your time reading a story in which nothing significant is happening. Personally, even though I loved the series at the beginning, even I stopped reading the books after book 9.
In short, if you are the type of person who can read and enjoy a book knowing that a) the series is ultimately unfinished, and b) the quality of the series will eventually diminish, then pick up this book. I guarantee you will enjoy the series for the first 6 books. After that, don't say you haven't been warned.
One of the best.......2007-09-08
The Eye of the World is the beginning of what is, quite simply, the best fantasy story ever told. The Eye of the World is a fantastic book that will leave you utterly hooked. You will have no choice but to move on to the Great Hunt, and then the absolutely mind blowing Dragon Reborn.
I highly recommend this book to anyone with the ability to read English. If you can't read English, find a translated version! I don't know how you're reading this, but kudos to you. Seriously, I don't care if you like or dislike fantasy. One's life is simply not complete without reading this.
It's basically the Lord of the Rings, but better. I know, nerds across the nation have just declared war against me for saying that. It's simply true though.
Parents, this book is great for kids maybe 12 and up. Before you give it to them though, read it yourself. You'll love it too.
Customer Reviews:
very good, eye-opening ... spicy, too!.......2002-05-28
This book was challenging, convicting and exciting. Brown writes humorously and concisely. At times he writes a bit too epigramatically or too much in pseudo-journalese. Brown closes humbly: he admits he's as guilty of greed and complacency as we are.
My favorite aspect of this book is that it is not just a book *about* liberation theology. This a *devotional* based on liberation theology (in fact, this was my devotional on and off for half a year). Happily, Brown includes whole passages of scripture for study. True, the third world (better, "two-thirds world") interpretations are jarring. For example, the OT reality behind Jesus quoting (and most Bibles mistranslating!) Isaiah's "day of the Lord's favor" almost knocked me out of my seat (see Luke 4).
Two other virtues of this book are 1) that Brown examines other parallel passages in each chapter (to provide a larger biblical basis), and 2) the pointed questions and scenarios Brown poses at the end of each chapter. This book is good for private or group study or just straight reading. Also, Brown offers a good list for further reading.
Some of the other reviews of this book are revealing. Why do we USAmericans get so upset about our capitalism and our money? Because our hearts (and our emotions) are where our treasure is, and vice versa? Why do we have so many problems with these "radical, militant, Marxist" liberation theologians? Because they point out how the God of the Bible has problems with greed, rugged individualism and national elitism? Why do we see Brown and "his ilk" twisting Scripture and eisegeting Marxism into the Bible? Because we don't like to hear Scripture echoed from the nouths of those for and by whom it was written: the poor and oppressed? If the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil (I Tim 6:10) and if you cannot serve both God and money (Matt 6:24), why do we cling so firmly to money? What would the big loss be anyway in losing our economic clout -- if we truly hope for *heavenly* riches? The more you live and share with "the least of these" (Matt 25:31ff), I've found, the less radical Brown, et al. sound. Raving neo-McCarthyists deal the Bible a grave blow by capitulating social justice and economic parity into the hands of Marxists. Marx subverted God's Word to his ends (he was raised a Jew, remember), not the other way around.
I am looking for more contemporary books of this nature (it was published in 1984), but will probably "just settle for" reading Gutierrez, Romero, Arrupe, et al. -- precisely what Brown would hope for his readers to do, I think. (PS, I recommend Haugen's _Good News About Injustice_ and Are's _Israeli Peace, Palestinian Justice_. I also recommend watching _Romero_ and _The Mission_ for some liberation visuals!)
Jesus Christ as Activist.......2002-02-04
I really liked this book and it opened my eyes to a fresh interpretation of the Bible... I started thinking of all the things that never seem to get mentioned when I go to church... I looked at Communion in a completely different light... I saw the Good Samaritan story for what it is... When I listen to a televangelist going on and on about Faith in Christ it seems like they're just trying to convince themselves... I accept Christ... Now lets move on to what he told us to do... Robert McAfee Brown shows how the Christianity of the rich is like watered down milk toast... Every time I turn to some Christian radio program it's always about the evils of homosexuality, alcohol or adultery... It's like a broken record with these guys... I've studied every religion of the world and I never really considered converting to Christianity till I read Unexpected News... I don't see this book as Marxist propaganda... I see it as the only antidote to the Capitalist-Communist conundrum... Jesus spoke truth to power... He stood up to the religious leaders of the time and I'm sure he would have stood up to the Communists as well... The status quo church of today wants you to believe but they don't want you to actually walk in the footsteps of Christ because we would have too many people like Gandhi and Martin Luther King running around changing things... I've heard so-called Christians tell me, "Oh you don't have to do anything like that... Christ did it all for you... You just have to believe." I feel like saying, "I already believe... I just want to know what to do!" This book challenges you to actually do something...
Thoughtful Perspective Encourages Action, Responsibility.......2000-03-30
In this book, the author explores the fundamental beliefs of Liberation Theology, common in much of Latin America. Yet he goes further, selecting 10 specific Bible passages, and interpreting them from another perspective.
I found this book extremely thought-provoking. While there are portions that I personally do not agree with, many of Brown's comments will forever color my reading of the Bible. What does it mean that Jesus favored the poor and oppressed? What does that mean for me, as a North American Christian? Brown points a finger at every reader, saying that we have a responsibility to take an active role in helping those around us -- whether that be next door or around the world.
The author may step on a few toes as he goes about making his point, but I firmly agree with him. The rest of the world has a distict perspective on the Bible, and we need to realize that North America does not have a monopoly on Christianity.
In regards to the prevailing Marxist theme, I lived in Central America for four months and saw firsthand many of the realities that brought about the formation of this theology. Socialism, when God is brought into the picture, is not the evil that the United States likes to depict. In many impoverished countries and to many people, it is one of the few options to improve the quality of life.
I highly recommend this book to anyone with the courage to question entrenched beliefs and see life and Scripture through the eyes of much of the impoverished world -- all two-thirds of it.
Product Description
The Naval Institute Press is pleased to make available for the first time this cloth edition of a now-classic war memoir that was a best seller in both Japan and the United States during the 1960s. Originally published as a paperback in 1961, it has long been treasured by World War II buffs and professional historians for its insights into the Japanese side of the surface war in the Pacific. The book has been credited with correcting errors in U.S. accounts of various battles and with revealing details of high-level Imperial Japanese Navy strategy meetings. The author, Captain Tameichi Hara, was a survivor of more than one hundred sorties against the Allies and was known throughout Japan as the Unsinkable Captain. Called the workhorses of the navy, Japanese destroyers shouldered the heaviest burden of the surface war and took part in scores of intense sea battles, many of which Captain Hara describes here. In the early days of the war victories were common, but by 1943, the lack of proper maintenance of the destroyers and sufficient supplies, along with Allied development of scientific equipment and superior aircraft, took its toll. On April 7, 1945, during the Japanese navy s last sortie, Captain Hara managed to survive the sinking of his own ship only to witness the demise of the famed Japanese battleship Yamato off Okinawa. A hero to his countrymen, Captain Hara exemplified the best in Japanese surface commanders: highly skilled (he wrote the manual on torpedo warfare), hard driving, and aggressive. Moreover, he maintained a code of honor worthy of his samurai grandfather, and, as readers of this book have come to appreciate, he was as free with praise for American courage and resourcefulness as he was critical of himself and his senior commanders. The book s popularity over the past forty-six years testifies to the author s success at writing an objective account of what happened that provides not only a fascinating eyewitness record of the war, but also an honest and dispassionate assessment of Japan s high command. Captain Hara s sage advice on leadership is as applicable today as it was when written. For readers new to this book and for those who have read and re-read their paperback editions until they have fallen apart, this new hardcover edition assures them a permanent source of reference and enjoyment.
Customer Reviews:
A good view of naval history.......2007-09-10
Excellent view of the naval WWII war in the Pacific from the viewpoint of a knowledgeable Japanese officer who was in many of the battles. Very readable and informative.
Five stars and two thumbs up!.......2007-08-07
I read this book in paperback the summer before I started college in 1972. I still have the old Ballantine paperback in my personal library here in my office - along with many other classic WWII memoirs and histories which were released between the early '60's and '70's - and they remain to this day the backbone of any historians efforts to understand the conflict from a human perspective.
Hara was there. Regardless of the rhetoric,and the apologetics of his stance, it's impossible to argue with the eyewitness accounts he provides, and the detail of his style.
He creates at once a sympathetic and enthralled audience for his side of the story - one which needed telling, and which wasn't available until he committed it to print.
An enduring classic; this one belongs on the shelf of any person who wants to thoroughly understand the Pacific War.
Japanese Destroyer Captain...WWII.......2007-06-11
I recently had the oppertunity to read "Japanese Destroyer Captain: Pearl Harbor, Guadalcanal, Midway-The Great Naval Battles as seen Through Japanese Eyes.
Tameichi Hara paints an interesting palet of not just the Naval engagments, but the social and economic upheavels in Japan during the war. The hardships he mentions on the civilian population were horrendous, and the reader soon realizes that the "bitter taste" of war is universal for every nation that finds itself at war.
The Naval battles and discription of those engagements was enough to give the "arm-chair" Admirals and Captains cold chills, however, sometimes I felt that Tameichi Hara was too redundent, and...much more of a tactician than I wanted to read about.
Overall, a very good book, and one worth reading for anyone who has the slightist interest in history, and Naval wafare.
Outlines the life of a Japanese Destroyer Captain in the Pacific conflict 1941-45.......2007-06-11
I first read this book in the early 1970's, on the life of Tameichi Hara and his activities while a destroyer captain during the Pacific conflict in World War Two. I found it a very interesting read, on his life and what led up to his involvement in most of the major actions against the U.S. Pacific fleet, especially in the Solomon Islands. The book is well written and kept me just as entranced the second time as it did the first. It is refreshing to have a Japanese version of the events instead of an American one. Well recommended.
Through Japanese Eyes..........2007-06-10
Growing up, I read as much as I could of the Pacific Theater during World War II. I was disappointed that so much was available from the U.S. side, with very little published on the Japanese side. Of course one reason for that was so many Japanese died during the war. So it was a great pleasure to find this book. Hara fought in almost every major surface engagement during the war, and still lived to tell about it. As another reviewer wrote, Hara gets into some of the technical aspects, notably his work before the war on the "Long Lance" torpedo. This weapon was one of the few systems that was superior to the allies- and was a surprise to them in 1941. It had extremely long range and a large warhead and was used with devestating effect during the night battles around Guadalcanal, many of which Hara was an eyewitness of.
In short, if you are interested in WW2 Naval History, this book is a "must have" for your library.
Book Description
The author has combed the works of contemporary Arab chronicles of the Crusades, eyewitnesses and often participants. He retells their story and offers insights into the historical forces that shape Arab and Islamic consciousness today.
Customer Reviews:
Unusual Historic Perspective, Written in Suspense.......2007-08-21
The quality of this book speaks for itself, if it is written from the non-Western perspective of the crusades, but manages to score an average of 4,5 of 5 stars from 74 primarily US reviews prior to mine. Especially as the overall sentiment in these reviews stays virtually the same, pre 9-11, immediately post 9-11, during the Bush Crusades and after them.
The book has been written in 1983 in French, translated into English in 1984 and published in the US in 1985. As such, the book would need an update, not only concerning the Bush Crusades, but also about the information that the wannabe assasin of Pope John Paul II in 1981 wasn't the Muslim Turk Mehmet Ali Agca by himself, but a ploy: The puppet master was in the Soviet polit bureau, via Bulgarian and East German secret service ploys. The author Amin Maalouf was born in Lebanon and migrated to France in 1976, during the Lebanese (religious) civil war. He's an Arab Christian.
The book is not meant to inform on the European political, religious, financial and other motivations for the crusades, but starts with the troops arriving in Muslim territories. Hence, it is also not concerned with the prior Muslim conquest of the previously Christian territories. Which in turn had been European-invaded empires by the Romans and Greek, the Jews before that, then the Egyptians, prior to that the Akan and prior in turn the San (Bushmen). But even they were invading "Neanderthal" territory. So please, to anyone: Don't assume, "you" were there originally... (I left out some Asian invaders.) I hoped to find out anything at all about the Christian Nubian empires (either one or all of Nobadia, Makuria, Alwa), which were left alone till then, but got invaded by the Muslims as revenge for helping the Europeans in one of the crusades. Only Abyssinia (today's Ethiopia) remained exempted from the jihad. Not a word even of their existence. So, here's a message: There's a third perspective, one which is even more difficult to find any information of... (Please leave a comment on any known source.)
The title of the book makes the non-Western perspective clear, however, it isn't entirely correct either. But then again, book titles rarely are as the authors often do not have any control over the titles, changed for commercial reasons by the publishers. The author is Arab - not Muslim -, the main sources are historic Arab historians, yet the perspective is written from non-Arab leaders as well, such as Turks, Kurds, Persians, Egyptians. But also Armenians and other local Christians. In addition, it is not about "the crusades", as that would imply all of them. "Of course", it's only about those, which were directed against the Eastern Muslim territories. Not those against Muslim territories in Iberia, not those against Christian "heretics" such as the Waldensians within Europe, not those against European Jews (which were automatic part of any crusade), not those against European "pagans", such as the original Baltic Prussians, which for political reasons some Germans adopted the name from, and not those crusades, which didn't make it to the desired Muslim destinations, such as the Shepherds Crusades and also not the Children's Crusade, as the few surviving kids who really made it to the destination, were enslaved before they could leave the ships. By reading this book's view, you won't get a feeling of "crusades" either, but of one single 200-year-war, with several reinforcements - not numerically listed - of European troops. Who are called "Franj". Referring to all of them, such as the French, Italians, Germans, English etc. The same as all Muslims are headed under "Arabs" in the English title. Differentiations were made towards the "Rum" (pronounce similar to Roome), the Byzantine Christians and of course all the local minority Christians. The German title, translated into English, is more polemic, but more precise at the same time: "The Holy War of the Barbarians".
Most reviewers point out that the book is NOT polemicly subjective against Westerners in contrast to an adulation of the Muslims. I find it even intriguing that the author refrains from listing the civilizing effect on Europe, the crusades had (and earlier Muslim invasions of Iberia and later ones of Eastern and Central Europe). Before the crusades, Europeans didn't have essential items such as sugar and shoes (instead honey and rag/fur wrappings). Not to mention hygiene, which was lost after the Roman empire. The book does mention medicine and a reviewer criticizes that as arbitrary quoting by the author. However, it is historic fact that the Muslims re-introduced medicine into Europe. For one thing, it was considered heretic in Europe to dissect corpses, making it impossible for "doctors" to know, how humans look like inside. It is often said, the Muslims got sophisticated medicine originally from the Romans and Greeks. Part of it, however, all of them received medicine from ancient Black Egyptians. In fact, the latter were able to diagnose fine bone crackings/fractures, something TODAY'S Westernes (nor anybody else) haven't the faintest idea, how they did that without x-rays. Some reviewers think the mentioned cannibalism of some crusaders has to be reproduced historic Muslim propaganda. Not so. There are Western sources, by the crusaders themselves. As the leaders were not able to prevent the masses - not soldiers - travelling with them to engage in that, as they had no control over them anymore. For an elaboration read the 1957 Western book The Pursuit of the Millennium: Revolutionary Millenarians and Mystical Anarchists of the Middle Ages (Galaxy Books). I would like to note that it is amazing how little the author engages in what might be considered biased. For example, he is stating, referring to the last medievil Franj invasion of Egypt: "Never again would the Occidentals attempt to invade the land of the Nile." But in 1798, the Franj returned under Corsican Napoleon. In the 19th century, the UK occupied Egypt, in the 20th century warring resumed, with Israel. Yet, the author isn't using history for tempting more contemporary issues.
The Perspective Everybody Must Read.......2007-08-17
I ordered this book along with one on the Crusades from the Christian perspective (or the 'Western' perspective) hoping to get each side of the story, so to speak.
In picking up both books I was a bit apprehensive wondering whether or not they would be overly one-sided. For example, I was not looking for a piece of 'slam' journalism justifying the Middle East's current ills on the invasions of Crusaders 1000 years ago. This book is certainly not that. Mr. Maalouf painstakingly takes the stories of the Crusades, written by Arab chroniclers, court attendants of the Sultans, and other historical records written during the Crusades themselves, and gives you the story of the Crusades through Arab eyes.
What I found very refreshing about Mr. Maalouf's writing is that he simply didn't rely on the writings as the end all to tell the story, when it was clear that the contemporaneous writings aren't telling the whole story. At times when accounts don't seem credible, or when two accounts differ substantially (such as over the number of deaths at a battle), Mr. Maalouf looks past the hyperbole and rhetoric that can often accompany such tales and notifies the reader that the conflicts exist, or that agreement over such details has not been reached. He then generally takes the effort to research city populations, and army sizes, etc. to come to a satisfactory answer to the question posed. As you can imagine, there are accounts of "10,000" people slaughtered - when we know, now, that the town probably was not big enough to hold more than a couple thousand. Mr. Maalouf goes out of his way to bring you the truth, and not just the rhetoric of the day.
Another thing I truly enjoyed about this account was that the author went out of his way to put the words and writings of the chroniclers in their proper context, which, as you can imagine, makes a big difference, especially for Westerners who may be unfamiliar with Muslims/Arab tradition and the Middle Eastern makeup of the time. For example, before, during, and after the Crusades, the Middle East was wrought with fighting not just between Muslims and Christians, but also between other Muslims (Shia vs. Sunni, Kurd v. Arab v. Persian v. Turk, etc.), and from with other non-Muslim and non-Christan foes (Arabs v. Mongols). The sultans were battling each other. The different sects were battling each other. The Turks and the Persians were encroaching on Arab lands, as were the Byzantines and the Mongols. The Crusaders were attacking Jerusalem. During some points, some Muslim groups even allied themselves with the Crusaders to fight other Muslim groups. Thus, each chronicler (the Crusades lasted hundreds of years) wrote in a different time with a different attitude towards the peoples and places. Some wrote during relative peace, when Christian and Arab coexisted, while some wrote during all-out war. Some wrote when the tensions between Muslims themselves were high, some when there was relative accord. Some chroniclers wrote during periods of Muslim domination, and some wrote during times where it seemed inevitable the Christians would control the Middle East and Islam would die out. Mr. Maalouf ably ties all of the stories together, explaining the different attitudes among chroniclers.
All in all, an excellent book. It is eye-opening, not because it tells some one-sided story as interpreted by today's Muslims, but because it really gives you an understanding about how the people felt then. It truly does tell the story through their eyes - the Arabs of 1000 years ago.
Oh, and it is a "quick" read. That is, nothing in this book bogs down the reader or requires you to grab other books for explanation.
An oftentime misunderstood book.......2007-07-19
This is a good book and a great read. However, it is often read as a "real" history book, which it is not by a long shot, and probably was not intended as such either - Amin Malouf is a very political author, after all. Malouf has written an elegant text as well worth reading as many other introductory books to the crusades. It is telling, however, that the passage most often quoted from "The Crusades through Arab Eyes", Usama ibn Munquidhs 12th-century negative third-hand commentary on "frankish" medicine, has been cut and pasted by Malouf from its original context, omitting the autobiographer's original first-hand positive assessment of the newcomer's medical arts. That example is hardly the only one it the book that makes it readily apparent that Malouf is not a historian and lacks a lot of in-depth knowledge of the period he describes (or worse, has decided to omit details he does not find support his take on things). I read this book much as I read Malouf's other works of historical fiction, but I would not treat it as a real history book.
Through a mirror darkly..........2007-06-27
This is a good companion to a serious study of the Crusades. It gives a lot of interesting info on the state of the arab muslim world in the time period, and the effect the invasion of the Franks had on Islamic identity and political cohesion. The parallels to modern times are inescapable, especialy as regards the seemingly absolute inability of the arab muslim world to unite around a single leader for longer than that leaders lifespan, and sometimes not even that long. What it does accomplish is to humanize the inhabitants of the levant during the crusades, abolishing the "richard lionheart"/ chivalrous knights ideal westerners may still carry. Heat, dirt, disease, terror, death, these were the daily companions of the Crusades, and thier gifts to the people of the eastern mediterranean coast.
Cultures Clash and Culture Deceives.......2007-04-19
This book explains the crusades as primarily political invasions, without much true spirituality involved for many participants. He shows, interestingly, that many Christians were better treated under Muslim rulers than under the rule of Europeans. You will benefit from seeing how there were good people on all sides of the conflicts, as well as the bad.
An important part of this book, is the Epilogue. In this summary, a comparison is made of the "Franj-administered" and "Occidental-administered" territories, with emphasis on the rights and responsibilities of rulers and subjects. There is a lot of wisdom in this comparison, and should be studied well by those attempting to envision institution-building in the future. Especially when any act of violence against the western lands or westerners can be portrayed in Arab media simply as vengeance for expeditions in 1191AD. For reviews of similar books, see the resources pages at civilsociety at seedwiki. Thanks.
Book Description
Mike Campbell thoroughly and cleary examines the many eyewitness accounts by U.S. servicemen and natives who saw Amelia Earhart, Fred Noonan and their plane on the island of Saipan after the time the U.S. government declared the Electra to have crashed at sea.
Customer Reviews:
Alex V. Mandel.......2004-02-29
I am interested in Amelia Earhart and her disappearance mystery for 21 years. I have read this book and my impression is very positive.
During decades there were a lot of books, articles etc. written about this subject (Earhart's disappearance), but alas too frequently they were overflooded by rumors, baseless guesses, stretches and speculations without any firm factual support.
The Mike Campbell's book is principally different. It is based on firm first-hand evidence from many independent sources, whose credibility gives no food for doubts - there are former US Soldiers, who really were on the place of events and saw what they saw.
The book is free of guesses and speculations - authors doesn't builds some "versions" or "theories" but just presents the data obtained by them during many years from many independent sources, with extensive details, and the book includes many written reports and official documents.
As result the book gives a very complete and convincing picture about What Happened with Amelia Earhart. The book is written with clear accuracy and respect to facts and to the "subject" of the book - the great heroine of 20th century and US history, whose name alas was already too frequently used for unfair speculations of any sorts. Mike Campbell's book makes an extremely good job for to correct this sad error.
I would highly recommend this book for anybody interested in this great mystery.
Alex V.Mandel
Book Description
"A vivid and compelling book." (
Time magazine)
Erik Weihenmayer was born with retinoscheses, a degenerative eye disorder that would leave him blind by the age of thirteen. But Erik was determined to rise above this devastating disability and lead a fulfilling and exciting life.
In this poignant and inspiring memoir, he shares his struggle to push past the limits imposed on him by his visual impairment-and by a seeing world. He speaks movingly of the role his family played in his battle to break through the barriers of blindness: the mother who prayed for the miracle that would restore her son's sight and the father who encouraged him to strive for that distant mountaintop. And he tells the story of his dream to climb the world's Seven Summits, and how he is turning that dream into astonishing reality (something fewer than a hundred mountaineers have done).
From the snow-capped summit of McKinley to the towering peaks of Aconcagua and Kilimanjaro to the ultimate challenge, Mount Everest, this is a story about daring to dream in the face of impossible odds. It is about finding the courage to reach for that ultimate summit, and transforming your life into something truly miraculous.
"I admire you immensely. You are an inspiration to other blind people and plenty of folks who can see just fine." (Jon Krakauer, author of
Into Thin Air)
Customer Reviews:
Touch the Top of the World: A Blind Man's Journey to Climb Farther than the Eye Can See: My Story.......2007-08-03
Erik spoke at the American Dental Assoc. conference in Denver where my husband got the
chance to meet him. He autographed a copy of the book "To Gray, Reach!".
I happened upon it while cleaning last week and was immediately intrigued. I
used to rock climb but have not been actively involved in the sport for a
couple years. Anyway, I have never written to any author before but was so
impressed with Erik's gift of story telling that I had to write. He is one
funny dude. I laughed out loud at his adventures and dialog with his
climibing partners. It brought back fond memories of previous climbing trips
and the fun times I shared with my climbing buddies. I will probably never
climb any of the seven summits but was able to enjoy expericing these climbs
through his words.
I am an Occupational Therapist and meet people everyday in my work that
exhibit self-limiting behavior that prevents them from living full,
enriched, healthy lives. I am going to recommend Erik's book to encourage
others to REACH! Thanks for a great book! What a refreshing way to look at
life...
Believe the Unbelievable .......2007-03-29
This was a terrific book that I could not put down. The story was easy to concentrate on and I learned a lot when reading it. I learned that blind people are a lot more capable than people say, what the visually impaired go through, and mountain climbing. Though the story is true, it is unbelievable that Erik Weihenmayer could climb the seven summits, especially Mount Everest. Even though I don't really read autobiographies or biographies, this book appealed to me. Erik is an incredible writer, and it is easy to connect with the characters in the book. I would definitely recommend this book to others because you learn to believe the unbelievable.
Great Book - Highly Recommended.......2007-02-10
My company had Erik speak to us and as part of a day long meeting. At the end, we all got signed copies of the book for free. I am not an avid reader but grabbed the book on the way to the airport for a flight. Very quickly I found that I couldn't put the book down which doesn't happen that often. Unlike some of the other reviewers, I found myself more fascinated by his life growing up and his experiences outside of climbing. The climbing part was good too but I probably didn't appreciate it nearly as much as a climber that understands the true challenges a person faces on the mountains they summited.
I was very impressed with his overall writing style. He was very descriptive in each story which gave you a feel of being there. Erik also does a good job of making the reader laugh throughout each story. I got several strange looks in the airport as I laughed while reading some of his antics.
It was great listening to Erik speak, also. I wish I had read the book before he talked with us so I could have better appreciated his visit. He was a fun guy to listen to and very friendly.
One of My New Favorite Books.......2006-05-22
Before beginning this review, I read the reviews of others; good and bad. I'm shocked at the venom spewed by people who called Erik Weihenmayer an arrogant jerk based on what they read. I had the opposite impression, but grant that the essence of an individual cannot be captured in the pages of a book. Many, many biographies have been written, yet, all fall short of completely describing the individual. Erik displayed unabashed love for his family, his wife, his friends, even his guide dog. He spent equal time describing his failures and his triumphs. He exposes his frailties by describing the trial and error involved in learning to effectively teach sighted children. He points out that the road to his successes were not his alone, but his, his family's, his wife's, his climbing partners', even his young students who were insightful and helpful when it came to his teaching. I especially liked that he described the antics, the pranks and the everyday 'slice of life' moments. I thouroughly enjoyed this book, so much that I can't imagine how anyone could NOT like it. But, there are all kinds people in this world and we all make it go 'round. I'd give it a perfect five, but it stops short of telling about climbing all seven summits. I'd prefer he'd waited until then to write his bio.
Soar to New Heights.......2006-05-14
I just finished reading the most wonderful book I have ever read. It's personal, it's a journey, it's an inspiration. And I don't even know how to make a tribute to the author. He seems like one of the more wonderful people in this world. The fact that he did what most of us couldn't is phenomenal; the fact that he enjoyed it is more. I was absorbed with this book from beginning to end.
The book is Touch the Top of the World by Erik Weihenmayer. I think it's the book of the year, a must-read, an inspiring journey. Regardless of who you are as a person, you'll want to read this. Imagine a young boy who loses his eyesight totally by the time he's 13, a boy who journeys farther than the eye can see. And a gentleman who wants, no, I think "desires" is a better word, to reach success with humility and a whole bunch of hard work.
When he was young, Erik didn't want to admit to his blindness to himself or anyone else. It took some effort for him to accept this dilemma, which he tells the reading audience about, but it never ever held him back from accomplishing his goals. Admittedly, he had a wonderful family support system that wouldn't let him give into this perceived handicap. In the book, he tells how his family played an important role to help him break through the barriers of his blindness.
Erik climbed Denali, Uhuru, Everest, El Capitan, among a host of other mountains, and reached the summit of each. To Erik, "a summit is less of a physical place and more of a metaphor for the meaning of your life. You can make your life what you want it to be." In his own words: "I don't climb mountains to prove to anyone that blind people can to this or that. I climb for the same reason an artist paints a picture: because it brings me great joy."
Here is a story that could also become your favorite. Erik's life focuses on people understanding their potential rather than making apologies for their limitations. If there is a message in this book (and I believe there is and there's more than just one), it's this:
Whatever you decide to do in this life, don't quit. Don't ever quit. Even when you are at the lowest point in your life and everything seems to be crumbling around you. That's when you should pull yourself, with all your strength and more, up off the floor, sort to speak, and move on with your life.
I highly recommend this book. Yes, he climbs mountains but that's not all he does. He taught middle school and was a wrestling coach, he is a world athlete, and is now a motivational speaker. He is a marvelous person, full of fortitude, tenacity, and extraordinary vision. This is a must-read.
Book Description
An original vision of world history that reveals the larger patterns of human cooperation and conflict from the earliest times.
Why did the first civilizations emerge when and where they did? How did Islam become a unifying force in the world of its birth? What enabled the West to project its goods and power around the world from the fifteenth century on? Why was agriculture invented seven times and the Internet just once?
In a spirited contribution to the quickening discussion of world-historical questions such as these, J. R. and William H. McNeill explore the webs that have drawn humans together in patterns of interaction and exchange, cooperation and competition, since the beginning. Whether small or large, loose or dense, these webs have provided the medium for the movement of ideas, goods, power, and money within and across cultures, societies, and nations. Avoiding any determinism, environmental or cultural, the McNeills give us a synthesizing picture of the big patterns of world history in a rich, open-ended, concise account. Maps, 25 b/w illustrations.
Customer Reviews:
I needed this book for class, but I am enjoying it ........2007-09-28
I purchased the book because it was assigned for my world history class. I expected it to be dry and straightforward. However that is has not been the case so far. I have read about five chapters and the book postulates interesting and fun theories about human development.
The history of soil erosion.......2006-07-21
By the 1990s, U.S miners moved about 4 billion tons of rock per year, and the world figures was about five times that. "All this mining corroded the lithosphere with a warren of underground shafts and chambers, and after the appearance of the requisite earth-moving machinery, pockmarked the earth's surface with thousands of huge open pits, mainly in the United States, Russia, Germany, and Australia.
Pulse One: Eroded soil ends up in reservoirs and lakes, affecting aquatic life. It silts up shorelines, harbors, and river channels, requiring dredging. The first pulse came when agriculture in the Middle East, India, and China emerged from the river valleys and spread over former forest lands. This occurred slowly, say between 2000 B.C to 1000 AD, as states, economies, and population grew- and as iron tools made clearing forest easier. Where ever existing vegetation was cut or burned to make way for crops or animals, faster erosion resulted. China's loess plateau typifies the first pulse. Some 40 million people live in an area the size of France; it is one of the worlds most eroded landscapes; soil consist of windborne deposits from Mongolia; before cultivation forests cover most of the loess plateau; by 1990 soil erosion carries off 2.2 billion tons of topsoil a year; the soil in the Dahe gave it the name "Yellow river".
Pulse Two: The second global surge in soil erosion came with the frontier expansion of Europe and the integration of world agricultural markets. The pulse began with the European conquest and the Euro-African settlements; thickly settle mountainous regions of the Andes and Central America's agricultural terraces fell apart and soil erosion spurred; cultivators would leave fields bare and hoofed animals loosened up more soil; European settlers had the power to move populations into marginal lands, such as steep lands where the soil was unstable; the lands came under the plow; in Rhodesia, Africa, white farms introduced plows and commercial agriculture plant wheat, tobacco, coffee, and other crops; the create a spate of erosion in Kenya and Rhodesia; people huddle in smaller area and made it more tempting to farm unstable soils; soil erosion accelerated promoting tree cutting; more incentive for cash crop increase pressure to produce; cattle and soil husbandry caused over grazing problems; Canals, railroads, steamships, and telegraphs knitted the world markets together making sense to plow up North America praire, run tens of thousands of sheep over lower slopes of New Zealand Southern Alps in order to sale to burgeoning urban populations far away. Plain development had its affects: dust storms in Saskatchewan darkened the skiess as 3 to 4 million hectares of prairie land was completely destroyed.
Third pulse. The third pulse gathered in the 1950s. Populations experienced an unprecedented level of health and survival. "Demographic growth, often together with state policies and land tenure patterns, spurred land hunger and land clearing, even on steep and marginal lands. Lowland peasants migrated to highland regions, mountain peasants invaded rainforests, and still others colonized semiarid lands. Once, ingrained agronomic knowledge and familiar animals and technology often proved inappropriate to new settings." "Technology changes in agriculture, specifically the adoption of heavy machinery, led to soil compaction after 1930, and especially after 1950, as tractor grew in size. " Soil compaction inhibit plant growth. Industrial pollution and heavy use of nitrogen fertilizers after 1960 led to soil acidification, especially in Europe. By 1990 soil irrigation had salinization 7% of the world's land.
Soil degradation now effects one third of the world's land surface; a quarter of the earths cultivate land area; about 2 billion hectacres; 430 million hectacres are irreversible destroyed; in China, 1978 erosion forced the abandonment of 31 percent of the arable land; the US loses 1.7 billion tons to erosion each year; a cost of $150 per person.
What bird's eye?.......2004-06-28
I love ambitious books, and today's world needs big perspectives. But this book is rooted more in current American values than in historical facts.
To give just a few examples: where else could the authors have found the wisdom that the first gardeners were women? or that farming could only take off after private property became the norm? The book is full of assumptions, and sometimes at the expense of the facts. Stating that Napoleon unified the French in the 1800-1810s, when France had been a centralized kingdom and European superpower for six centuries, is like saying that GWBush is the uniter of the Americans. To prove a point about exchanges speeding up, the book says that it in 1650, it would take a Dutch ship a year to go from Java to Amsterdam. But a famous dutch ship's journal relates of Bontekoe's adventurous journey there around 1620. Although plagued by tropical storms, losing his mast, losing his way, losing time to help other ships and the brandy on board catching on fire setting off a gunpowder explosion, he did Europe to Java in 10 months and came back in 9.
So I love the scope of this book but reading it is very disappointing. Jared Diamond or Marvin Harris are in a completely different league, culturally as well as scientifically.
A major work for general readers.......2003-12-13
W.H. McNeill has written several of the top 20 works for specialists and general audience on general history. This work is a breathtaking overview of world history seen in the context of environment.
People who rightly were thrilled by Diamond's "Guns, Germs and Steel" should go on and enjoy this rare treat: lucid and easy to understand, based on a wealth of erudition connected with plain sense, a new vision.
Young readers might get ideas about a change of courses. As a university professor I immediately took this book up as reading matter for my students - mostly engineers and lawyers at present.
Great Overall View of History.......2003-06-13
The Human Web is an excellent summary of human history. It is indeed a bird's eye view in that it looks at the broad overall sweep of human affairs and doesn't bog down in unnecessary detail. The major theme is the construction and expansion of human webs, or interconnections that tie cultures and civilizations together ever more tightly. If space voyagers ever arrived on Earth (and could read a human language) this book would be one of the first things I hope we hand them to help them understand us.
Customer Reviews:
Could be so much better..........2007-01-23
I was disappointed with the book. Although the book is well done, good quality and big pictures, the photos were just "nice".
I expected more.
There were a few beautiful images, but none "jaw dropping", and in general, I think they had no poetry, no soul.
To me it seemed like an average person photographing from a helicopter (= scared animals), not a true artist capturing the magic of Africa.
I was even bored half way through. I recommend checking it out at your local bookstore before ordering it through Amazon, to make sure you're getting what you expect.
Nick Brandt's book, despite very different in style, causes much more emotion.
Somewhat Disappointing.......2006-11-14
Having spent time in Africa, I was expecting really spectacular photos, given the promos I had seen and read. My anticipation wasn't rewarded, however. Unique vantagepoints, but compositions could be better, and there is no text to help compensate.
A Great book of Africa & Photography.......2006-02-26
This is a coffee table book that you will be drawn to many times-not just the first time. The photography is of course beautiful, and the selection is diverse. I love it.
Mike
Gorgeous Images; Great Gift Item.......2005-12-26
I saw Bobby Haas at the National Geographic this fall as he presented these images and launched their exhibition of his work. The images are truly astounding. The landscape and wildlife of Africa have often been captured through gorgeous photography, but I've never seen anything like this. Haas's aerial photography really shows us this remarkable part of the world from a whole new angle. He was a great lecturer, too, very enthusiastic and filled with exciting tales of his adventures. The book is beautiful and it made a great Christmas gift for my parents, who have traveled extensively in Africa and loved seeing places they had visited in such a new way.
The images are unique!.......2005-10-30
This book was just a feature on The Sunday Morning Show. The views of Africa that this man has captured from a helicoper are very moving. I not only want to own this book I wish I could go to Washington DC and see the exhibit of the original photographs. An exhibition of Robert Haas's photographs can be viewed in National Geographic's M Street Building, October 25, 2005, to January 25, 2006. But if that is not possible buy the book.
Books:
- The Cellulite Solution: A Doctor's Program for Losing Lumps, Bumps, Dimples, and Stretch Marks
- The Death of Ivan Ilych and Other Stories: Family Happiness; The Kreutzer Sonata; Master and Man (Signet Classics)
- The Divine Comedy: Inferno - Purgatory - Paradise (Naxos AudioBooks)
- The Epidemic: The Rot of American Culture, Absentee and Permissive Parenting, and the Resultant Plague of Joyless, Selfish Children
- The Extraordinary Cases of Sherlock Holmes (Puffin Classics)
- The First Epistle of St. Peter: The Greek Text With Introduction, Notes, and Essays
- The Hidden Key to Harry Potter: Understanding the Meaning, Genius, and Popularity of Joanne Rowling's Harry Potter Novels
- The Last Tycoons: The Secret History of Lazard Frères & Co.
- The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes: The Novels (A Study in Scarlet, The Sign of Four, The Hound of the Baskervilles, The Valley of Fear)
- The Outsiders
Books Index
Books Home
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The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals
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What to Eat
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life
