Book Description
In this startling new book, New York Times bestselling author Robert Spencer, provides a warts-and-all portrait of the Prophet of Islam and draws out what his life implies for reforming Islam and repulsing Islamic terrorists. Spencer relies solely on primary sources considered reliable by Muslims and evaluates modern biographies to show how Muhammad has been changed for Western audiences, lulling them into consoling but false conclusions.
Customer Reviews:
Oh political bias..........2007-10-04
While it is certainly true that Spencer utilizes recognized primary sources to construct his arguments, he fails entirely to place the sources in context, or interpret them in a manner consistent with the vast majority of Muslims. I find it heavily amusing that he believes so strongly in Islam's intolerance that he includes it in his title. The reason for this amusement is that up until modern times (Ottoman Empire forward), Islam was arguably the most tolerant of the three religions of the book. In addition to this, Islam is the only one of the three which allows for Muslims, Christians, and Jews to be judged equally (Al-Baqarah 112). When compared to Christianity's views on salvation, and its history of Conversion by the sword (1st-5th crusades, Spanish Inquisition), Islam looks quite tolerant.
take Spencer with a grain of salt. His citations of the hadiths, Qur'an, and other primary sources may be correct, but his conclusions are massively off. You would be better off reading the Qur'an yourself and making your own decisions, as it is fairly obvious that Spencer is merely playing off of America's current ignorance of Islam to paint a picture consistent with our stereotypes.
A Very Eye Opening Book!.......2007-10-03
This is a very eye opening book about the founder of one of the world's most dominant religions. The author uses Muslim references to obtain his facts. He also quotes Muslim scholars and what they have to say. It is not a long book, but it is packed with very informative and very eye opening information about Muhammad and his followers. This book will help people understand the ideas and motivation behind why so many Muslims in the Middle East and elsewhere can be dangerous. This is not a book on Muslims today, as a rule, but does greatly help one understand why many radical Muslims act as they do. It is an easy read and very informative. He explains why the Jewish people are looked down upon along with the Christians, and goes into why the various areas like Medina and Mecca are so important to Islam. I think this is a very good book for anyone wanting to greater understand the reasoning behind Islam, and the man that founded it.
Wht Everyone Needs to Know.......2007-10-01
This is a detailed exploration of the meaning of the Qur'an, and the sayings of Muhammad. Spencer informs the reader that the Qur'an is not set down in chronological order. Rather, it is arranged from longest verse to shortest verse.
As the word of God, the Qur'an can never be amended by man, but verses can be abrogated by God. God can change His mind, and make earlier verses void. However, those same voided verses must remain in the Qur'an, as God did not direct that the voided verses should be removed.
Spencer guides the reader through this confusion, by explaining which verses are still in effect. The reader needs to obtain one of the translations of the Qur'an, referenced by Spencer, inorder to be able to to lookup the Qu'ranic verses to which he refers.
The peaceful verses of the Qur'an, with regard to the treatment of nonbelievers, date from the Meccan period, when Islam was struggling to get established. Those verses of the Qur'an, added after Muhammad fled to Medina, exhort the believers to make war upon the nonbelievers, and to spread the religion by force.
Those who mantain that Islam is a religion of peace, are referenceing verses which have been abrogated, or voided,and are no longer in effect.
A must read for anyone seeking to understand Islam.
A Must Buy for those Intolerant of Islam and Muslims........2007-10-01
This is a good book for anti-Islamic enthusiasts. But if one is looking for a good book on Islam and Islam's Prophet Muhammad, I'm afraid one will have to look elswhere.
Firstly, many non-scholars who write books about Islam will not use normal hermeneutical principles when reading and interpreting Quran passages, even if they are biblical scholars who believe the Bible must be interpreted according to specific principles. For instance, several there are passages in several chapters of the Quran that give rules for defensive warfare. The early Muslim state was attacked by the rulers of Mecca who didn't want to remove the idols from the Kaaba because of the prestige Mecca had being the focus of worship for all the tribes of the Arabian Penninsula. Thus, the Meccan rulers declared war on the early Muslims, continuing the persecution against the early Muslims on a larger scale now that there was an Islamic state in Medina. It was not until then that Muslims fought any wars. Some chapters of the Quran will have passages without conditions when discussing warfare, but these passages must be interpreted by those passages which have conditions. Certainly, not all who call themselves Muslims follow that interpretative principle. But then, not all Christians have at all times and places have followed the traditional Christian view of a just war, either.
Secondly, after the death of Islam's prophet, the Islamic Government soon became imperialist. The Myth is that Islam was spread by the sword. However, later caliphs (successors to the Prophet) conquered lands so they get get the taxes from the Christians and Jews and Zoroastrians and others, despite the Quranic teaching that warfare must be defensive. Traditional Sunni Muslims usually believe their were only 4 very good Caliphs, the first 4 after the death of Islam's Prophet (Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali Ibn Talib). Traditional Shia Muslims believe only Ali Ibn Talib (cousin of Muhammad and husband of his daughter Fatima) was a very good caliph. After the murder of Ali, the Caliphate became a dynasty of the Ummayad family. The first Ummayad ruler, Muhawiya, was the son of Abu Sufyan, the leader of the Meccans who became a Muslim after a treaty between the Muslim State and Mecca was broken by agents of the Meccans. Muhawiya's son, Caliph Yazid, demanded fealty from Ali's son Husain and would not let Husain and his followers go into exile. When Husain refused to give fealty to a Caliph that Husain believed openly did not emulate the Prophet, Yazid's army fought and killed Husain small group of follows and all but one of his sons. In the time of the Ummayad dynasty, the name of Ali was cursed within the Islamic caliphate. Many histories which came to be used by Sunni Muslims were written at the time of the Ummayads that sometimes have different accounts of early Islamic history than in the Shia books. These books are considered "authentic" by the Sunnis but are not considered to always be reliable by Shias.
Some examples of differences between one Sunni history or another, and one Sunni history and Shia history follow: Some Sunni histories say that Muhammad had a speck of "black" taken from his heart by the Angel Gabriel. Shias state that never happened. Some Sunni books state that that Muhammad didn't know he was supposed to be a Prophet and also that he was afraid and thought he was demon-possesed. Not so according to Shia books. One Sunni history states that Muhammad consumated his marriage to Aisha the daughter of future caliph Abu Bakr when she was 9 years old. What many anti-Muslim scholars will not tell you is that other Sunni histories say she was 14 or 15 years old, and that Shia books say she was 18, and that Muhammad was not really interested in marrying her but did so to please Abu Bakr and his party. Now, why would histories that paint Muhammad in a bad light be written during the Ummayad dynasty? Perhaps to undermine Ali and Husain and their supporters (who became know later as the Shia Muslims).
Thus, The Truth about Muhammad does not really give the whole truth about Muhammad. Why not buy the classic Sunni histories and read them for yourself. They are available in English translation. One can buy Shia books that discuss Muslim history from the Shia viewpoint (although not all the histories have been translated into English).
However, for those who don't want to understand Muslims, one can read this book. There are those who call themselves Muslims who don't want to try to understand Christianity or the West. What happens when one group doesn't want to understand the other? I believe the answer is too obvious to state here.
Muhammad was a con artist.......2007-10-01
Perhaps it was the sequence of presentation, but I marvaled at the great number of revelations allegedly from Allah,conveniently acquired that Muhammad used to find answers to simple daily problems. I can't believe that. It is too convenient for the man.
Book Description
New York Times columnist Frank Rich examines the trail of fictions manufactured by the Bush administration from 9/11 to Hurricane Katrina, exposing the most brilliant spin campaign ever waged.
When America was attacked on 9/11, its citizens almost unanimously rallied behind its new, untested president as he went to war. What they didn't know at the time was that the Bush administration's highest priority was not to vanquish Al Qaeda but to consolidate its own power at any cost. It was a mission that could be accomplished only by a propaganda presidency in which reality was steadily replaced by a scenario of the White House's own invention-and such was that scenario's devious brilliance that it fashioned a second war against an enemy that did not attack America on 9/11, intimidated the Democrats into incoherence and impotence, and turned a presidential election into an irrelevant referendum on macho imagery and same-sex marriage.
As only he can, acclaimed New York Times columnist Frank Rich delivers a step-by-step chronicle of how skillfully the White House built its house of cards and how the institutions that should have exposed these fictions, the mainstream news media, were too often left powerless by the administration's relentless attack machine, their own post-9/11 timidity, and an unending parade of self-inflicted scandals (typified by those at The New York Times). Demonstrating the candor and conviction that have made him one of our most trusted and incisive public voices, Rich brilliantly and meticulously illuminates the White House's disturbing love affair with "truthiness," and the ways in which a bungled war, a seemingly obscure Washington leak, and a devastating hurricane at long last revealed the man-behind-the-curtain and the story that had so effectively been sold to the nation, as god-given patriotic fact.
Customer Reviews:
Too much sarcasm.......2007-09-10
Too much sarcasm from start to finish. It's a far-left view of the Bush administration where author Frank Rich seems to be visibly upset at any Republican administration. He uses references to Jon Stewart's, The Daily Show along with Saturday Night Live numerous times to back his opinions on current political events. In my view, an author of his age background and experience should not have written this farcical, liberal montage of jabs at the office of the President of the United States. Better luck next time Frank.
BRAVO!! Succinct yet complete, and thoroughly absorbing........2007-08-23
By his piece-by-piece dismantling of the façade that is the Bush administration, Rich offers the most plausible and perhaps definitive explanation of Bush-Cheney-Rove & Co.'s rush to war, leaving an unparalleled trail of destruction - Manhattan, New Orleans, Iraq, our constitution and civil liberties, our treasury, our international prestige, and perhaps our way of life - so massive in scope we may never recover from the hubris, deception, cynicism, incompetence, and lawlessness wrought by this gang of crooks.
Approximately since LBJ, television has had the effect of focusing then magnifying the character flaws of our presidents, until, appropriately, professional actor Reagan came along and made the camera work for him. With personal guru Rove behind the curtain directing Bush's every move, word, and decision, W. shamelessly honed this skill to big-brother perfection, until the façade could no longer outpace the complete lack of substance - character, wisdom, intellect, ability - beneath. The consequences of Bush being so exceptionally unqualified for the ultimate responsibility he so unlikely attained became too much for even the Wizard to keep up the ruse. And it all came crashing down.
Rich also pays attention to the cultural context - our infinite indulgence for infotainment, the Enron values - that allowed these charlatans to lead us not just into temptation (endless wars, tax cuts and debt that will break us) but infernal damnation.
There's a case for impeachment and conviction on nearly every page. We can sit it out and pray that W. doesn't wreak more devastation before it's all over, or we can impeach him and Cheney now. That's assuming we can evict them both without them taking us down with them. More than Nixon and all the crooks before or since, these guys belong in prison.
Kudos to Rich for a thorough chronicle of our national nightmare since September 2001. Read it and weep for our country and all we've lost.
Hubris Without Limits.......2007-07-22
There can be little doubt that George W Bush is a lightweight. I can say this from a distance as I am not an American but simply an observer of events. It is a great shame that so many people judge America by his actions. This is most unfair. America is so much more than this simpleton.
I read "The Greatest Story Ever Sold" with keen expectations of gaining some insight to the machinations of American political life. Unfortunately, this was not to be the case. This book is very superficial. Even with the benefit of hindsight where we can see events with greater clarity than when they are actually unfolding, Frank Rich sheds little light on matters. This is unfortunate. He was working with such potentially great material.
We all know what a monumental error it was for Bush to land on an aircraft carrier with a "Mission Accomplished" sign in the background. This was hubris of immense proportions. A wiser head would never have been involved in such stupidity. I'm certain earlier presidents would have at least thought twice before going ahead. But not this man. His naivety is without bounds.
Where to now? Iraq seems like a giant vortex. Civil war has been unleashed and outsiders seem to hold no sway. Perhaps it is best to just stand back and let time determine an outcome.
Overall, Frank Rich's book has value only in so far as we are reminded of Bush's mendacity. But do we really need reminding? How could we forget?
Best Yet on Iraq and Bush.......2007-07-14
I've read one book after another in my effort to understand how America has gone so wrong so fast. This is the best, right up there with Fiasco and One Percent Doctrine. I look forward to Rich's next foray of book length and hope he will attack the most important and as yet unanswered question of this era --- in the face of a cheerleading national press corps, how did the American people nevertheless reject this war and its leaders even before Katrina,etc. had disclosed their utter incompetence, stupidity, and disdain for us all.....in the answer to this question lies the future of all that is decent in our nation.....
A Soldier is Surprised When He Wakes Up One Morning.......2007-06-20
Imagine if you were one of several soldiers wounded in the Iraqi war who woke up one morning to find that there was a letter to the editor in your newspaper that supported the war and had your signature on it, but you didn't write that letter, and knew nothing about it.. The letter was written by the PR team in your federal government. Or picture this: President Bush is standing at night in the now brilliantly lit Jackson square in New Orleans talking optimistically about the city. Well at least the square seems lit up nicely so we guess the electricity is back on. The speech ends, the flood lights go off, and the square is plunged into total darkness.
This is a book detailing how the government lied and created propaganda to further their cause in both the war, and in the aftermath of Katrina. It's a fascinating book because it follows a time line that shows clearly how the public comments made by public officials changed over time. In fact there is a 78 page time line appendix in the book that details these morphing statements date by date. The book tells about the fake reporters at press conferences, the fake news columnists, and the fake "news" articles that the government distributed to gullible media. As one government person stated, "we create our own reality." When Specialist Wilson asked Rumsfeld why he and his men didn't have adequate armor Rumsfeld said it was a matter of production and capability. That was a lie that was outed quickly when it was revealed that one supplier, ArmorWorks said it could quickly increase production by 100%. During the battle in Falluja we were told that there were 3000 Iraqi soldiers fighting the battle. Reporters on the scene said that the Iraqi soldiers showed up after the fighting was over, posed in their neat, clean uniforms and departed. Certainly you remember the frequent comments about the thousands of Iraqis that have been trained or are almost completely trained. Somehow they never seem to materialize.
You've probably heard a lot of this stuff, but Mr. Rich brings out the deceit of all the Washington shapeshifters in wonderful - or perhaps the word should be horrible - detail. You see the action flow, and learn about a lot of governmental skullduggery that will make you cringe. It's spellbinding reading.
Book Description
Drawing from his thirty-two-year radio career, the terrible truth of Boortz's book depicts his in-your-face brand of Libertarian politics. From questioning the true definitions of democracy and racism to challenging the entire Social Security system, he provides fresh insights into nagging social and political issues.
Customer Reviews:
A great book!.......2007-03-15
Short and to the point. Boortz as usual has pragmatic, common sense ideas and tells it like it is. He hits the nail on the head as far as the connection between liberals basing their ideas on feelings and emotions rather than stats and logic. Not to say there isn't a segment of conservatives that are exactly like this also, however liberals are more likely to display this. Hardcore liberals and leftists (as opposed to moderate ones) will probably not enjoy this book because of its truthful stance on the need to be an individual rather than be associated with a conceptual group.
About Time - Finally, a professional conservative opinionist........2007-02-22
I like my news and political science filtered through entertainers, so this book was great! Large print and short paragraphs, just like I like. Even a nitwit like me can follow politics now thanks to people like Neal Boortz!
So true.......2007-02-08
Neil rocks. So much of what he says I agree with.
Can't wait for his new book.
Nobody says it better.......2007-01-20
This is a must read for anyone that wants to understand the liberal mindset. He doesn't solve the problem but he makes is more understandable about why liberals think and act the way they do and why they are slowly ruining everything that is great about this country. Why do most college professors, journalists, and entertainers become liberals? Boortz has some brilliant ideas on this. Read the chapter on why America was not really meant to be a democracy, the founding fathers feared the effects of democracy.
One thing I don't understand......................2006-12-14
the one thing I don't understand about this book is the fact that boortz doesn't point out the fact that all liberals are mentally retarded and suffer from what doctors call the anti-american gene. it is quite amusing to me to hear all of the liberals whine and complain about a rich white man and this and that. maybe if you would get off your you know what you could make something of yourself. oh, but then you wouldn't have time to complain. I have a better solution for you though. since you are unhappy with the amount of dollars in your wallet, go down to mexico and exchange them for some pesos and salute the red, white, and green.
Amazon.com
Gandhi's nonviolent struggles in South Africa and India had already brought him to such a level of notoriety, adulation, and controversy that when asked to write an autobiography midway through his career, he took it as an opportunity to explain himself. Although accepting of his status as a great innovator in the struggle against racism, violence, and, just then, colonialism, Gandhi feared that enthusiasm for his ideas tended to exceed a deeper understanding. He says that he was after truth rooted in devotion to God and attributed the turning points, successes, and challenges in his life to the will of God. His attempts to get closer to this divine power led him to seek purity through simple living, dietary practices (he called himself a fruitarian), celibacy, and ahimsa, a life without violence. It is in this sense that he calls his book The Story of My Experiments with Truth, offering it also as a reference for those who would follow in his footsteps. A reader expecting a complete accounting of his actions, however, will be sorely disappointed.
Although Gandhi presents his episodes chronologically, he happily leaves wide gaps, such as the entire satyagraha struggle in South Africa, for which he refers the reader to another of his books. And writing for his contemporaries, he takes it for granted that the reader is familiar with the major events of his life and of the political milieu of early 20th-century India. For the objective story, try Yogesh Chadha's Gandhi: A Life. For the inner world of a man held as a criminal by the British, a hero by Muslims, and a holy man by Hindus, look no further than these experiments. --Brian Bruya
Book Description
Mohandas K. Gandhi is one of the most inspiring figures of our time. In his classic autobiography he recounts the story of his life and how he developed his concept of active nonviolent resistance, which propelled the Indian struggle for independence and countless other nonviolent struggles of the twentieth century. In a new foreword, noted peace expert and teacher Sissela Bok urges us to adopt Gandhi's "attitude of experimenting, of tesing what will and will not bear close scrutiny, what can and cannot be adapted to new circumstances,"in order to bring about change in our own lives and communities. All royalties earned on this book are paid to the Navajivan Trust, founded by Gandhi, for use in carrying on his work.
Customer Reviews:
Great book, excellent read.......2007-09-02
This book, the autobiography of Mohandas k. Gandhi, the father of modern India, is a must read. if you have any interest in Gandhi, non violence or just want a glimpse into the life of a spiritually guided person, then this book if a must read.
Good read.......2007-06-22
I enjoyed this book. I wish this book was written sometime after India's independence as more important events unfolded later. I also think that the reader needs background on India and its culture to understand some chapters. Overall, a good one!
Autobiography: The Story of My Experiments with Truth.......2007-06-12
The book was delivered on time and though it was a used item, it was in excellent condition. No complaints; very satisfied.
Story of "experiments" & lessons.......2007-06-01
This book could also be called: "What I learned in the first half of my life"
Not only useful for knowing Gandhi's experiences & character, but will also offer valuable lessons, insight & wisdom.
What is your expectation?.......2007-04-16
Your view of this book will depend to a great extent on the reasons you choose to read the book and the extent of your historical knowledge about Gandhi in particular and the history of India in general.
I must confess that I was disappointed because I was reading the book with the expectation that I would gain a better understanding of Gandhi and his place in Indian history.
The book is not really an autobiography. It covers only a limited period of his life. And those periods are not fully convered. For example, there are references to time he spent in jail in Africa but there is nothing in the book about the details of the time spent in jail or the reasons he was jailed. He only relates bits and pieces of his life.
The book would be much more beneficial to someone who had a strong historical knowledge of Gandhi.
There are many people introduced in the book but no adequate background information on them. There is much discussion about certain events but there is inadequate discussion about the background of the events. This goes on throughout the book. There are many people, places and movements that I did not fully understand because he either assumes the reader knows or in some cases it directs the reader to other publications.
The book is not complete within itself. To truly appreciate the book, you need more backgound information.
Because the book only covers a certain period of his life, I am left to wonder if he changes his thinking as he progresses. Gandhi subtitled the book, "The story of my Experiments With Truth". But there are a lot of things that makes you wonder about what led him to his position on being a father and husband. He seemed to have little concern for his wife or his children.
It was interesting getting an inside look at the man. However it seems much more suitable for advanced study than as a first exposure to the life of Gandhi.
Book Description
In the run-up to the invasion of Iraq, Scott Ritter's War on Iraq was embraced by the antiwar movement in America even though his claims that Iraq had been effectively disarmed were ignored by both the Bush administration and the mainstream media. In the wake of the debacle, Ritter has been vindicated. Now Ritter, a former United Nations weapons inspector, has set his sights on the White House's hyping of Iran's alleged nuclear weapons program. In Target Iran he once again sets the record straight.
This book offers Ritter's “national intelligence assessment” of the Iranian imbroglio. He examines the Bush administration's regime-change policy and the potential of Iran to threaten U.S. national security interests. The author also considers how the country is seen by other interested parties, including the United Kingdom (Tony Blair may once again be called upon by Bush to provide an international “cover” in any confrontation), Israel (the Israelis view Iran as their number one threat today), and the International Atomic Energy Agency (responsible for inspecting the alleged nuclear program).
Customer Reviews:
The story still goes on!.......2007-08-29
This book has many merits and is surely the best you can find if you are looking for a good overview of the Iranian nuclear issue up to the end of 2006. Included is the critical role of Israel, the US policy toward Tehran, the IAEA efforts (and some of its techniques) and many more. The problem is that the story is still going on and none knows how (and when) it will end. Thus I think it's rather premature to buy a book only for a synopsis of the US-Israel-Iran crisis, while new developments happen nearly every day. Mr Scott has also no comments on the possible "military solutions" (except a few lines stating that they will be catastrophic as a choice), something that I found disappointing to say the least.
A must read.......2007-06-10
The subject matter is of increasing importance for Americans and the world. Mr. Ritter once again lays open the myths that surround another nation that is very misunderstood by the U.S. government and the people. As the U.S. moves closer and closer to a possible confrontation with Iran this book becomes increasingly important for Americans to be able to equip themselves with the facts so they can see through the rhetoric that is put forth by an increasingly hostile administration.
It is essential that we are not caught ignorant once again while this administration leads this country into another blunder in the Middle East. Mr. Ritter does an excellent job laying out what the international community has done to confront Iran's intransigence, and how the U.S. has hindered and complicated matters behind the scenes and publicly. His message once again seems prescient hopefully this time his warnings will be heeded, but the only way that will happen is if American's acquaint themselves with the facts so they won't succumb to the fear tactics yet again.
The main criticisms I have with this book is its choppy narrative and the lack of sources noted. The narrative seems to bounce around a lot which can be a little confusing at times. The lack of noting his sources becomes problematic when discussing the book or the issue because you can't point to Mr. Ritter's source and say that's where he gets his information. Mr. Ritter's earlier works gives him the credibility needed to pull this off, but for those that are die hard interventionists it would have helped to be able to see the sources.
These are the reasons I could not give this book five stars, but the importance of the subject makes this book a must read. I would certainly recommend this book to everyone.
Different nation, same US Foreign policy: Regime change.......2007-05-23
Just a few points to consider:
1. Iran was determined to have Nuclear capability by 2006.
2. Ahmadinejad is all bark, and no bite (literally, since he doesn't control Iran's nuclear forces and is NOT the man with the ultimate power in Iran, whic resides in the hands of Khamenie who has declared that the use of atomic bombs under any circumstances is not legitimate under Islam).
The book is well written and not only tells you about the politics involved, but also the technology of developing nuclear capability. The chapters are very long, and I noticed atleast twice that the publisher printed "Iraq" when the author meant to say "Iran" (see top of page 200)
More pics/maps would have been nice.
Great book, but read the conclusion first........2007-02-09
READ THE CONCLUSION AND POSTSCRIPT FIRST.
This is a very important book. Based on its rank in Amazon sales (in the 4000s or so), it's being purchased by quite a few people.
But there are only ten (ten) Amazon reviews. Only ten reviews of a book that gives authoritative, on-the-ground facts about Iran's nuclear capabilities.
Why so few Amazon reviews? Here's our guess. Readers get totally bogged down in the minutiae of weapons inspection, of Mossad spy disinformation, of EU vacillation, of the UN teetering on a Security Council resolution . . ..
But who reads the entire book? It's a total drudge read until you get to the CONCLUSION and POSTSCRIPT on pages 197-219. Those 22 pages tell the whole story.
We strongly recommend that you read these pages first. After you read the Conclusion and Postscript, then go back and read the knowledgeable detail in the first 196 pages. This is a great book, showing what's actually gone on, step by step, in the inspections done by Mohammed EI Baradei, IAEA Director, and his team.
The Iranians are nowhere close to having nuclear capabilities.
This is the conclusion of Scott Ritter, one of the men who took part in the Iraqi inspections, announced that Saddam had NO "weapons of mass destruction," and was completely ignored by a war-hungry Bush administration. And Scott Ritter was completely right. We went to war with Iraq for NO REASON AT ALL.
So, read the conclusion and the postscript first. Here he says with admirable clarity what others are saying--including Stephen Walt and John Mearsherimer (book forthcoming), James Petras, and Jimmy Carter.
We need to take back our country.
Israel and America are two separate countries. Iran is no danger to the US. It's Israel's problem (if it is a threat, which evidently it is not), but, as Ritter says, "Once again [as in Iraq], the world finds itself on the brink of another Middle East war in which the United States is using trumped-up charges centered around false threats of weapons of mass destruction. . ." ( p, 201) As Ritter shows, all these false threats are being orchestrated by Israel and its friends in the United States.
Israel itself has a formidable nuclear arsenal, uninspected by anybody--IAEA in particular. And they are not even members of the NPT (Non-Proliferation Treaty).
Ritter acknowledges Israel's feelings of paranoia, but points out that in this case those feelings will lead to its own destruction.
And what about the United States? What could be the outcome for the US of such a war? This is the most disturbing part of the book. Anyone who is familiar with the location of Iran knows that they are strategically placed to stop the flow of a great deal of the oil that reaches the West. Result? Our economy would grind to a miserable slowdown when the price of oil goes to $150-200 a barrel. Other results, equally horrifying, are described by Ritter.
Scott Ritter is a patriot who knows what he is talking about. He has all the credentials to be credible. We had better listen to him.
We'd better listen to him soon.
The word is out that an attack is being planned for this spring. Let's hope it's not true.
A Must Read!!.......2007-02-08
While the country debates the troop "surge" the administration and its Israeli "Ally" plan the next war right under our noses. Too bad there is such little discussion of this in the mainstream press.
Ritter's book is well written and authoratative.
Book Description
On April 20, 1999, Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris, two seniors at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, walked into their school and shot to death twelve students and one teacher, and wounded many others. It was the worst single act of murder at a school in U.S. history.
Few people knew Dylan Klebold or Eric Harris better than Brooks Brown. Brown and Klebold were best friends in grade school, and years later, at Columbine, Brown was privy to some of Harris and Klebold's darkest fantasies and most troubling revelations After the shootings, Brown was even accused by the police of having been in on the massacre--simply because he had been friends with the killers.
Now, for the first time, Brown, with journalist Rob Merritt, gets to tell his full version of the story. He describes the warning signs that were missed or ignored, and the evidence that was kept hidden from the public after the murders. He takes on those who say that rock music or video games caused Klebold and Harris to kill their classmates and explores what it might have been that pushed these two young men, from supposedly stable families, to harbor such violent and apocalyptic dreams.
Shocking as well as inspirational and insightful, No Easy Answers is an authentic wake-up call for all the psychologists, authorities, parents, and law enforcement personnel who have attempted to understand the murders at Columbine High School. As the title suggests, the book offers no easy answers, but instead presents the unvarnished facts about growing up as an alienated teenager in America today."If there is any solace to come out of a tragedy of the magnitude of the Columbine shooting, it is what lessons might be learned in its aftermath. With bravery, wit, and striking honesty, Brooks Brown and Rob Merritt allow us a glimpse into what led to that event, what happened afterward, and most importantly, why any community would be naive to think it might not happen to them, too. How thin is the line between a bully and a victim? Who is to blame, when a community is turned inside out? As No Easy Answers suggests, it may just be the community itself. And it offers up a question of that resonates after the last page is turned: What can you and I do to keep this from happening again? If you're a parent, read this with your child; if you're a teen, leave this on your parents' bedside table--and above all else, start the conversation too much of this world is unwilling to have." --
Jodi Picoult, author of the New York Times #1 bestselling novel Nineteen Minutes
Customer Reviews:
Great Book.......2007-09-01
I have Writen many papers on Columbine High School when I was in school. I have looked at web site, looked at all the information that I found I have spoken with people and authority's for my papers. Brooks Browns book told quite a bit that had never been told before that shows friendship and distructive behavior. It talks about how Dylan and Eric began their friendship, unless someone who was there in the library or in the school writes a book we will never know who said what. What happened we only have the accounts that have been told to others and their family's. This is a great book and if you want to know how Eric and Dylan started off this is the book for you.
Bullying and Teasing As Possible Causes of School Violence.......2007-05-22
"No Easy Answer" is a look at the Columbine massacre from the perspective of Brooks Brown, a friend of the two shooters. As a retired middle school teacher, I can tell you that the bullying and teasing described in this book does go on. This book is a page-turner that gives the reader a look at the sociology of the present-day high school. I highly recommend "No Easy Answers" for anyone interested in learning more about school shootings. I also recommend the young adult novel "Give a Boy a Gun" by Todd Strassor.
No Easy Answers: The Truth Behind Columbine.......2007-03-14
This was a very interesting account by a young man who had some insights that few have of this most tragic event in our history. As a school administrator it was a wake-up call.
Learn the whole truth about the causes of Columbine.......2006-12-13
The Roman poet Virgil once wrote, "From a single crime, know the nation."
Brooks Brown, who knew both Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris, gives a unique perspective on the root causes that may have led to the infamous Columbine massacre, a list that includes intense bullying, preferential treatment given to athletes and a culturally-ingrained intolerance for anyone deemed to be different from the status quo.
Detractors of both the book and the author seem to be entirely missing the point Brown makes in this book, i.e., the same sort of "bullying" behavior that one reads in the hostile comments left on the various reviews here are just the sort of thing that probably helped to perpetuate the hate and discontent felt at Columbine. When will people ever learn, one must ask?
All in all, this one is an excellent read and I highly recommend it for learning the whole truth behind the causes of the Columbine massacre.
You've Gone Way Over Your 15 Minutes of Fame Brooks.......2006-10-28
Forget the 13 who were murdered and all those wounded on April 20, 1999; forget the pain of their families; Forget Harris and Klebold; Forget them all because I have just realized the real victim of Columbine was Brooks Brown. It has to be so. I just read as much in 277 annoying pages.
I made a deal with myself awhile back. When I start a book I am committed to finishing it. This worthless waste of paper really tested my will.
Brown seems to have an exaggerated opinion of his 'role' in the lives of Harris and Klebold, the whole massacre in general as well as it's aftermath. And it seems that as time goes by he will do just about anything to keep his name 'out there' regarding this tragedy and that includes typing (I refuse to call it writing) this poorly planned book.
If anyone knows of an objectively written, well researched book on Columbine, drop me a line. The subject is incredibly interesting on so many levels, but unfortunately Brooks Brown doesn't touch on any of them.
Book Description
In this age of uncertainty we are all looking for answers. Every day we cope with another report. Anthrax in New York, Florida and Washington, D.C. Arrests nationwide. Threats from Afghanistan. While we may not be able to stop terrorism, we can stop terror. Fear Less shows readers how to manage their own fear and enhance their own safety. It anwers the questions we are currently asking. Where can I be safe? What is the risk of further attacks? How can I protect my family? Is it okay to be afraid? What should I avoid? At this moment, its hard to imagine a more important, more comforting, and more necessary book. The world may not be all right, but you can be, with Fear Less.
Customer Reviews:
A Terrific Book.......2007-04-20
This book calms down silly fears and brings rational thought and analysis to what is truly to be feared and what is not. Very good reading.
Fear Less by Gavin DeBeckker.......2006-07-17
This book was purchased and sent to Iraq to my grandson
who is in the Military Police in Baghdad. He should be
home on a two-week leave next month.
So, I can't review the book. He has the second book by
Gavin DeBeckker, which I purchased from your company and
has indicated he thought it was very good and helpful.
Elizabeth Ergovich
Great Quick Read.......2006-02-13
Quick easy read. I wish I had read this right after 9/11 as it has taken me some time to come to the same conclusions this book offers. Even though that is when this book was written to be read, it didn't hurt to get some reasurance I am now on the right track. I like de Becker's style. He seems like a real classy guy.
Excellent Ideas.......2005-09-02
Another hit from Gavin De Becker. Once again his common sense, see-it-for-what-it-is approach is on the mark. After reading this book you will not look at the news media the same, if you care to look at it much at all! The scare tactics thrown in our faces every day take on an almost comical appearance when you see them for what they are. Do yourself a favor and do as the title suggests, read this book and fear less.
Good Read.......2005-05-15
de Becker does a good job at putting the risks of terrorism into perspective with other risks we face everyday. Also, de Becker encourages the reader to be informed and aware of situations that could be indicators of trouble. Well worth the read.
Book Description
Which cultural values, beliefs, and attitudes best promote democracy, social justice, and prosperity? How can we use the forces that shape cultural change, such as religion, child-rearing practices, education, and political leadership, to promote these values in the Third World--and for underachieving minorities in the First World? In this book, Lawrence E. Harrison offers intriguing answers to these questions, in a valuable follow-up to his acclaimed Culture Matters. Drawing on a three-year research project that explored the cultural values of dozens of nations--from Botswana, Sweden, and India to China, Egypt, and Chile--Harrison offers a provocative look at values around the globe, revealing how each nation's culture has propelled or retarded their political and economic progress. The book presents 25 factors that operate very differently in cultures prone to progress and those that resist it, including one's influence over destiny, the importance attached to education, the extent to which people identify with and trust others, and the role of women in society. Harrison pulls no punches, and many of his findings will be controversial. He argues, for example, that Protestantism, Confucianism, and Judaism have been more successful in promoting progress than Catholicism, Orthodox Christianity, and Islam. Harrison rejects the Bush administration's doctrine that "the values of freedom are right and true for every person, in every society." Thus nations like Iraq and Afghanistan--where illiteracy, particularly among women, and mistrust are high and traditions of cooperation and compromise are scant--are likely to resist democracy. Most important, the book outlines a series of practical guidelines that developing nations and lagging minority groups can use to enhance their political, social, and economic well-being. Contradicting the arguments of multiculturalists, this book contends that when it comes to promoting human progress, some cultures are clearly more effective than others. It convincingly shows which values, beliefs, and attitudes work and how we can foster them.
Customer Reviews:
A Companion Read To GUNS, GERMS, AND STEEL.......2007-08-28
If you like books that offer explanations for humankind's big questions, this book attemps such. Depending on how much stock you put in Harrison's well-conceived and sufficiently supported (in my opinion) thoery, it can be construed to either add to or take precedence over Diamond's GUNS, GERMS, AND STEEL. I think together these books help to explain the world's current political situation (mess). Unlike Diamond's "geography is fate" analysis, much can be accomplished politically to correct Harrison's "culture is fate" explanation. Culture relativists, hackneyed liberals, and Bushian neo-cons will all take offense - that in itself may be sufficient reason to read it. The writing and editing could have been better, but because there were many contributors this is somewhat excusable.
Our burden.......2007-07-14
Harrison's mind strikes me as one still anchored in colonialism, albeit, a new, hip, updated version. It would do us all well to first read Rudyard Kipling's poem, The White Man's Burden (1899) before we dive into Mr. Harrison's book; the real purpose of which, I suspect, is to save the dark-skinned "Half-devil and half-child" heathens from themselves.
Reality is the cure for ideology........2006-11-12
I must say that reading this book was a quantum leap from the last several political books that I've read, which were written by pundits. This book is a bit dry at times, but it contains real reasearch about reality.
The "take home lesson" I got out of reading this book is:
First, "Freedom and Democracy" isn't for every nation because a nation, or culture, must have certain values internalized before freedom or democracy can work. This is a rebuke to ideologues on the "right" who think that we can superimpose our style of government on any nation out there.
However, this book is also a stinging rebuttal of the leftist who believes that John Lennon's "Imagine" expressed the ideal for humanity. "Imagine no religion..." No, we really can't afford to "imagine no religion" because it seems that decentralized Christianity (Protestantism) gave the world the most "progressive" culture that has even been. And, we can't "Imagine no possessions" because it is the possibility of home ownership that gives people a stake in their society.
Finally, this book delivers a body blow to "multiculturalism". Some cultures are sick, and this book explains how they can get better.
I could go on, but my point is that an exhaustive study has been completed that ties culture to "progress", and it's probably not what anyone who is narcissistically attached to a particular political ideology wants to hear. However, it is in this book, which I would recommend to anyone interested in politics and culture.
Foreign Policy Makers Must Read!.......2006-08-15
Professor Harrison's book is a well researched, timely and necessary study of why some cultures do better than others and how outside forces may or may not affect change when desired. The cases described within are necessary background for decisions being made today,and I sincerely hope our policymakers will study them. This book is a perfect complement to the Jared Diamond thesis and one should not be read without the other. A pivotal book for our times.
For political scientists and sociologists, not economists.......2006-07-08
I found this book to be too diffuse in its coverage to be of much use to me. It tries to cover 25 cultural factors for many situations and is generally lacking in quantitative analysis. I found it hard to see how the various cultural factors are related, and what their importance is in specific situations. Thus I believe that political scientists and sociologists will find the book of greater value than economists. Perhaps it tries to do too much at one time.
The Spring 2006 issue of the Journal of Economic Perspectives has a symposium of articles on cultural economics, and I found David Landes' article on the development of China and Europe over the last millennium, and the economic analysis of a few cultural factors like "trust" by Guiso et al to be of greater interest to me as an economist because of their specific and quantitative nature. Since Kahneman and Tversky did their pioneering work, a whole new field of cultural or psychological economics has been opened and it may take many years before we have a comprehensive economics based on people as they are and not on "economic man." Certainly "culture matters", but it is too soon for an economic synthesis of the field.
Customer Reviews:
"Formerly ignorance was the enemy, today it is falsehood.".......2005-08-29
Our future depends "on the correct or incorrect, honest or dishonest use of information." "Formerly ignorance was the enemy, today it is falsehood." Communism and Nazism are both dead, hence it's an interesting point that the Left wants to keep Nazism "alive," so to speak; apparently to sustain the myth that the Right is the danger which we must remain vigilant against, as they continue to trumpet the notion of collectiveness and anti-capitalism under other guises; as well as the notion that enlightened government can transform society if given the power to do so. In a way this is to be expected: "A school of thought that knows it is in a state of decline struggles even more fiercely to preserve its identity." Revel is not at all surprised consequently that French textbooks even into 1980 continued to embellish Sovietism. (I'd add further that Hitler denunciations still out number anti-Stalin comments 1000-1. Moreover, how many films touching on Lenin or Stalin have been made? Why nothing on film about communism/Soviet brutality in Eastern Europe and the Baltics/ Soviet Gulags/Red terror wholesale murderings/show trials & Soviet anti-semitism...just to name a few subjects that are ignored while Nazi issues/characters/events feature in countless films.) But just because the French Revolution, and its communistic offspring, can be seen to have proved a failure (in Eastern Europe, the USSR, Cambodia, Vietnam, Cuba, Angola, Mozambique, North Korea, et al) doesn't mean fans of such states' 'motives' have reconsidered their inclined views. As Lauret Fabius, the former socialist prime minister of France, has put it: "Socialism is a direction." As long as it can claim anything supposedly positive (Castro's famed health system, for instance) it gets a pass on everything else. That's why Stalin always got the benefit of any possible doubts from those so inclined; and such explains the Left's silence when the Soviet Union singed a pact with Hitler, and later when it invaded Czechoslovkia, Hungary, & Afghanistan (all the while railing against the WEST over Pinochet's Chile and South African apartheid & other such states led by more Rightist governments). Last year on TV I saw a prominent author (Simon Winchester) toss an aside that "of course I have great admiration for the Rosenbergs." This notwithstanding the publication, just several years ago, of the "Venona" cables & Russian documents which conclusively prove that the Rosenbergs were traitors. Such is the epitome of Mr. Revel's point: "Arguments/disoveries are not imposed by intellectual conviction." Revel quotes Jonathan Swift in support of this notion: "You cannot reason a person out of something he has not been reasoned into." Such folks are simply going to hold onto their instinctive beliefs & society is going to simply have to wait them out. Revel compares the dyanamic to the developement of science. Scientific theories often do not triumph over other theories on facts, but rather by having the staying power to hold their own while the previous theories wither on the vine (and the previous theory adherents give way to a succeeding generation). In short, with all our developement in education, the accessibility of travel & information, etc., we as a people are not getting any wiser. Society is getting wiser, however, but unfortuantely at high cost. (The lesson of failed communism, of government not being able to transform society without recourse to terror, cost tens of millions of lives.) Things would be a lot easier, of course, if people tried using their own brains more. Once something fails over and over again it behooves us to recognize that fact and consider alternate means to achieve the goal at hand. Likewise, throwing money at problems that have made neglible progress with the wheebarrels full of funding that they have already received is simply not rational. How many times have you heard, "You know, you have a point there. Maybe I'm wrong & ought to reconsider this issue." Instead of taking /
Excellant - A Must read for all lovers of Democracy.......1999-11-17
Revel shows the major paradox of the 20th century. When we have a vast array of information at our fingertips, we simply overlook the truth out there and embrace the lies given. He shows that Democracies only thrive in an aura of truth but they will ultimately fail in a arena of lies. He poignantly shows how the politicians, scientists, educators and the media give up truth to follow their own agenda propagated by fallacies.
Book Description
The United States spends greatly more per person on health care than any other country but the evidence shows that care is often poor and inappropriate. Despite expenditures of 1.7 trillion dollars in 2003, and growing substantially each year, services remain fragmented and poorly coordinated, and more than 46 million people are uninsured. Why can't America, with its vast array of resources, sophisticated technologies, superior medical research and educational institutions, and talented health care professionals, produce higher quality care and better outcomes?
In The Truth about Health Care, David Mechanic explains how health care in America has evolved in ways that favor a myriad of economic, professional, and political interests over those of patients. While money has always had a place in medical care, "big money" and the quest for profits has become dominant, making meaningful reforms difficult to achieve. Mechanic acknowledges that railing against these influences, which are here to stay, can achieve only so much. Instead, he asks whether it is possible to convert what is best about health care in America into a well functioning system that better serves the entire population.
Bringing decades of experience as an active health policy participant, researcher, teacher, and consultant to the public and private sectors, Mechanic examines the strengths and weaknesses of our system and how it has evolved. He pays special attention to areas often neglected in policy discussions, such as the loss of public trust in medicine, the tragic state of long-term care, and the relationship of mental health to health care.
For anyone who has been frustrated by uncoordinated health networks, insurance denials, and other obstacles to obtaining appropriate care, this book will provide a refreshing and frank look at the system's current and future dilemmas. Mechanic's thoughtful roadmap describes how health plans, healthcare professionals, policymakers, and consumer groups can work together to improve access, quality, fairness, and health outcomes in America.
Customer Reviews:
Critical Analysis by an Expert on Health Care.......2007-09-14
A slim volume, this book is critical reading for anyone who wants to understand and improve health care for everyone--by making the system work better for those who currently have access and helping to craft workable solutions to the millions left out. David Mechanic has been writing about health care for decades. Mechanic's incisive analysis gets at the fundamental conflicts of values and cash behind the intractable problem of health and health care in the United States.
Not an easy read........2007-03-15
You need a magnifying glass to read the incredibly small print - which reads like a textbook. Not an easy read.
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- The Wind in the Willows
- The World's Healthiest Foods, Essential Guide for the Healthiest Way of Eating
- The Worst Person in the World: And 202 Strong Contenders
- Top Secret Restaurant Recipes 2: More Amazing Clones of Famous Dishes from America's Favorite Restaurant Chains
- Travels with Charley in Search of America
- Water for Elephants: A Novel
- We're All Doing Time: A Guide to Getting Free
- Women Poets of the Italian Renaissance: Courtly Ladies and Courtesans
- World of Shakespeare: The Complete Plays and Sonnets of William Shakespeare (38 Volume Library)
- World of Shakespeare: The Complete Plays and Sonnets of William Shakespeare (38 Volume Library)
Books Index
Books Home
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General
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
America Alone: The End of the World as We Know It
The Politically Incorrect Guide(tm) to Islam (and the Crusades) (Politically Incorrect Guides)
Because They Hate: A Survivor of Islamic Terror Warns America
While Europe Slept: How Radical Islam is Destroying the West from Within
Infidel
