Book Description
Praise for The Cancer Treatment Revolution
"A wonderful journey through modern medical science, told with warmth and insight, brought to life through the stories of people confronting cancer. This book will inspire and educate both laymen and caregivers."
—Jerome Groopman, M.D., author of The Measure of Our Days and The Anatomy of Hope and Recanati, Professor, Harvard Medical School
"This is probably the best book on cancer that exists--beautifully written and unfailingly interesting, conveying a clear sense of hope for cancer patients and survivors. Cancer treatment has come a long way but not without intense struggles and passions, which David Nathan narrates from the inside as one of the leading players. He explains cancer more clearly than anyone else, and his portraits of great cancer doctors are sharp and unforgettable, a contribution to history."
—Richard Preston, author of The Hot Zone and The Demon in the Freezer
"No one is better positioned to tell the tale of the cancer treatment revolution of the last half century than David Nathan. A brilliant physician-scientist, he has been present at the cusps of history in this life-and-death field. The story he tells here is fascinating, and his book is captivating."
—Atul Gawande, M.D., author of Complications: A Surgeon's Notes on an Imperfect Science and Better: A Surgeon's Notes on Performance and Assistant Professor of Surgery, Harvard Medical School
"David Nathan is a true storyteller. In The Cancer Treatment Revolution, he tells stories that bridge cancer patients and cancer research as few others could. These gripping tales will be appreciated by those who live with cancer and those who strive to create new therapies."
—Thomas Cech, Ph.D., recipient of the 1989 Nobel Prize in Chemistry and President of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute
"David Nathan, one of the nation's preeminent clinician-scientists, tells the stories of three cancer patients, revealing compelling human facets--the dedication of the remarkable teams that care for these patients and, even more, the bravery and fortitude of the patients and their families."
—Harold Varmus, M.D., recipient of the 1989 Nobel Prize in Medicine, President of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, and former director of the National Institutes of Health
"Engaged by the compelling triumphs and tragedies of patients whose normal lives are inevitably altered by a life-threatening cancer, the reader of The Cancer Treatment Revolution will easily appreciate the impact of the new cancer diagnostics and therapies compared to even relatively recent cancer treatments."
—Karen Antman, M.D., Dean, Boston University School of Medicine
"This personal, highly readable account by one of the leaders of the cancer treatment revolution explains how the revolution has come about and how it will change the future."
—Sir Paul Nurse, Ph.D., President of Rockefeller University and recipient of the 2001 Nobel Prize in Medicine
Customer Reviews:
A promise of Hope.......2007-05-13
The reader is left with the feeling that just around the corner specific cancer killing drugs will be available (as opposed to the current drugs which kill all cells in sight...(which is why patients become gravely ill from "chemo" treatments). The problem is, of course, how far is the corner..10 years, 20, more?
Still,it is worth reading and gives hope where there may only have been despair...
Cancer Treatment Revolution --- review.......2007-05-12
Very clearly written, warm hearted. To me the title suggested a more comprehensive coverage than there is. There is a very good introductory chapter and then 3 individual cases as examples of the medical progress. An excellent start on the subject.
Book Description
One of the most influential experts on military history and strategy has now written his magnum opus, an original and provocative account of the past hundred years of global conflict. The Changing Face of War is the book that reveals the path that led to the impasse in Iraq, why powerful standing armies are now helpless against ill-equipped insurgents, and how the security of sovereign nations may be maintained in the future.
While paying close attention to the unpredictable human element, Martin van Creveld takes us on a journey from the last century’s clashes of massive armies to today’s short, high-tech, lopsided skirmishes and frustrating quagmires. Here is the world as it was in 1900, controlled by a handful of “great powers,” mostly European, with the memories of eighteenth-century wars still fresh. Armies were still led by officers riding on horses, messages conveyed by hand, drum, and bugle. As the telegraph, telephone, and radio revolutionized communications, big-gun battleships like the British Dreadnought, the tank, and the airplane altered warfare.
Van Creveld paints a powerful portrait of World War I, in which armies would be counted in the millions, casualties–such as those in the cataclysmic battle of the Marne–would become staggering, and deadly new weapons, such as poison gas, would be introduced. Ultimately, Germany’s plans to outmaneuver her enemies to victory came to naught as the battle lines ossified and the winners proved to be those who could produce the most weapons and provide the most soldiers.
The Changing Face of War then propels us to the even greater global carnage of World War II. Innovations in armored warfare and airpower, along with technological breakthroughs from radar to the atom bomb, transformed war from simple slaughter to a complex event requiring new expertise–all in the service of savagery, from Pearl Harbor to Dachau to Hiroshima. The further development of nuclear weapons during the Cold War shifts nations from fighting wars to deterring them: The number of active troops shrinks and the influence of the military declines as civilian think tanks set policy and volunteer forces “decouple” the idea of defense from the world of everyday people.
War today, van Crevald tells us, is a mix of the ancient and the advanced, as state-of-the-art armies fail to defeat small groups of crudely outfitted guerrilla and terrorists, a pattern that began with Britain’s exit from India and culminating in American misadventures in Vietnam and Iraq, examples of what the author calls a “long, almost unbroken record of failure.”
How to learn from the recent past to reshape the military for this new challenge–how to still save, in a sense, the free world–is the ultimate lesson of this big, bold, and cautionary work. The Changing Face of War is sure to become the standard source on this essential subject.
Customer Reviews:
Eh, it's ok........2007-06-27
I had high hopes for this book, but it let me down, perhaps because I was led to believe the author would opine on strategy which he did not frequently do. His writing style is a little difficult to follow and I blame the editor for this. Van Creveld did not do a lot to string together what worked, what failed, and what might have been done differently. I thought I would blow through it as a page turner, but it ended up taking me over a month because it was kind of boring.
disappointment.......2007-06-14
Mr. Van Creveld is an angry old man, which is really a shame since he also is one the worlds foremost military historians. Sandly enough, Van Creveld this time let his anger at the civil-military stablishment have the best of him. The last part of the book, the reason why I bought it in the first place is confusing, shallow and somewhat nihilistic. Someone of Van Creveld's stature should have produced something better.
An Anti-American Polemic.......2007-06-01
Prior to reading the Changing Face of War, I regarded Martin van Creveld as a gifted military historian, particularly for his Supplying War. However, van Creveld's latest book is riddled with factual errors and biased, unsupported conclusions. Readers should be quick to note the complete absence of charts, tables, maps or appendices to support the author's arguments. Instead of finding incisive historical insight, I found this to be a poorly-researched effort, with weak arguments, badly argued.
The Changing Face of War consists of seven chapters, each covering a major period of military history since 1900. To be fair, the first two chapters covering 1900-1918 are interesting, but these chapters seem more like synthesis of existing historical opinion rather than fresh analysis. Furthermore, the fact that the author dismisses the Boer War and the Russo-Japanese War as irrelevant gives an early indication about the author's suspect methodology. It's in the third chapter, on the period 1919-1939, that the book begins to change from history to polemic. The author displays a marked tendency to use derogatory stereotypes, twice referring to Italian soldiers as "cowards" and British officers as "Colonel Blimps." This tendency to use stereotypes and generalizations grows worse as the book progresses, until one can actually sense the author's loathing. By the time that he reaches the chapter on World War II, the author is content to synthesize Keegan et al, adding nothing original of his own.
Throughout this book, I was disturbed by the large number of factual errors, that could have been avoided with even cursory research of standard secondary sources. I counted at least 26 significant errors, but I can only highlight a few here:
1. pp. 48, "trench systems [in WW I] were completed by the laying of millions upon millions of mines..." [anti-personnel mines not developed until the 1930s]
2. pp. 103, "France never built or completed a carrier." [the carrier Bearn was completed in 1935].
3. pp. 108, claims the French air force avoided combat in 1940 [In fact, France lost 294 fighters in air-air combat in 1940 and shot down over 300 Luftwaffe aircraft].
4. pp. 109, "In 1939, the Poles tried to use horses against German tanks." [this time-worn propaganda has long been discounted].
5. pp. 116, "the Battle of Annual in May 1921" [actually July 21, 1921].
6. pp. 126, "most Polish aircraft were destroyed on the ground." [only 24 of 260 lost were destroyed on ground].
7. pp. 130, "the Luftwaffe destroyed some 8,000 aircraft" on the first day of Operation Barbarossa. [more like 1,200].
8. pp. 130, "Army Group North reached the outskirts of Leningrad by July 10, 1941.." [it was early September 1941].
9. pp. 139, claims only 3 Japanese carriers sunk at Midway [it was 4].
10. pp. 159, "When US troops entered Aachen in October 1944, they found it deserted even by the birds." [U.S. troops found 7,000 civilians in Aachen].
11. pp. 161, says General McNair was killed by bombardment for Operation Goodwood [it was Cobra].
It is in the fifth chapter, on the Cold War, that the author shows his true colors. He writes that, "the Americans were much more aggressive" than the Communists (ignoring Communist aggression in Korea, Vietnam and Afghanistan). Van Creveld clearly sees America as a menace, claiming that long before President Bush, "the United States has behaved less responsibly than any other country on earth." He derides Americans, "who see their country as uniquely chosen and uniquely moral." At one point he compares American methods with Nazi methods and says at least the Nazis weren't hypocrites. He then goes on to praise North Korean and Iran for standing up to the United States, saying "Pyongyang's apparent decision to go nuclear makes perfect sense" and "whoever rules in Tehran has excellent reason to build such weapons as fast as possible." Readers should realize by this point that the author has embarked upon a polemical tirade, axe in hand to slay the American Ogre, and that the history lesson has stopped.
Of course, the whole purpose of this book was to give the author a scholarly platform to bash the U.S. war in Iraq, which he does with great glee. First, the author makes the general argument that since 1945, regular armies have an unbroken record of defeat by insurgents and terrorists. This begs the question, why spend more than half the work discussing pre-1945 warfare or naval warfare, which have little to do with counter-insurgency. Second, the author argues that the U.S. has learned nothing from the conflicts in Algeria or Vietnam and that it cannot win in Iraq.
It is apparent that the author is very ignorant about the course of the war in Iraq, since he seems to feel that U.S. troops there are the same kind of disgruntled, pot-smoking draftees as 1968. He feels that the US Army in Iraq was already demoralized by 2004 although if this were true, why would amputees be fighting to get back to the war? Van Creveld also fails to look at the insurgents and see their problems, such as the increasing difficulty in getting more suicide volunteers or lack of a political program. It is unfortunate that the author has written this book, because he could have added something to the debate on Iraq with a bit of research and self-restraint, but instead he chose to indulge in America-bashing and irresponsible generalizations.
Best military / strategy book this year.......2007-05-01
A "must-read" for any military history / strategy aficionado...
The must-read book about war for 2007.......2007-04-30
This book helps us clear our minds of misconceptions and baseless optimism so can we begin the long process of adapting to a world in which a new form of war has obsoleted our current armed forces and ended the military dominance of the western developed nations. A new face of war, indeed.
The author shows how the current state of warfare as the result of long-term trends. He is well qualified to do so, as the author of seventeen books which cover the range of the military arts -- including logistics, command, technology, gender, and history.
Only after putting current events in a larger context does he move to analysis of how we and our foes fight, and why. An analysis of 20th century wars comprises the largest part of the book. It ends on an optimistic note, showing how events in Iraq suggest that our current fighting doctrines need drastic revision. He also provides a few tips. Not solutions, but pointers in the direction from which remedies might be found.
In only 270 pages The Changing Face of War provides a concise summary of van Creveld's vast body of work on military theory and practice - and the best description to date of a serious danger we face. It is an easy read due to the clarity of his vision and the grace of his writing. This book is a must-read for two kinds of people:
1. Professionals in the military arts or military history, or those with an amateur interest in these.
2. Anyone interested in the survival of our civilization, as military inferiority is seldom associated with longevity of societies.
Customer Reviews:
Is this relevant now?.......2007-02-11
This book includes Naomi Wolf and bell hooks. How are these women supposed to be the voices of a new generation? Of third-wave feminism? They simply are not. They have contributed enormously to women's political voice, and we thank them for it. But writing this review as a woman in her 20s, they are not my generation and they are not the voices of my generation. We have new battles and choices to make, and we have to respond or uphold to the old ones in our own "new" way as well. Not theirs.
A very important work on Third Wave Feminism.......2007-01-17
I'm a sociologist who is currently teaching an intriguing course on Feminist Thought. I adopted this book as a required text and told my class on the first day that this will be the best and most important text we will read. I can't tell you how much I enjoyed the essays in this book. Its most important contribution is to present issues that third-wave feminists are concerned about. I really enjoyed Manifesta and other books on third-wave feminism but To Be Real is definitely the best. Walker is an incredible editor and her introduction is fantastic. Angela Davis does a great job at the end of delineating this book's important contributions. If you have any interest in understanding contemporary feminist issues then I beseech you to read this book! Just to let you know, the author is Alice Walker's daughter and is a very very important thought-leader in contemporary feminist thought. I hope to meet her one day and convey how much I gained from reading this seminal (I mean ovarian) work.
As the Title Implies...For "Real" go here..........2005-12-12
Just finished reading this evocative book and I am compelled to share that it imparts many views [on feminism] that I hadn't even considered. Most certainly, it brings to the fore new/revised theories of "WHAT is feminism and how is it manifest in my life?" From one essay to the next, substantive content reached out and informed on meaningful levels. Frequently I'd pause, consider, read on and take in the many experiences shared. Very well represented in terms of breadth, scope, aesthetic perspectives. A visionary work. This book doesn't compete with the established feminist focus; rather it seeks to make it more practical in the here and now, where feminism's [shifting]relevance and relativity are being addressed both collectively and individually. It gives voice to those women and men who desire to genuinely, fully harmonize/actualize in the world they've inherited from the perpectives they reflect. Definitely worth exploring.
The truth may be shocking, but it is always a good read.......2005-02-19
I have to admitt, at times, I was shocked by the honesty of some of the pieces in this book. The information shared was very personal but made the experience that much more personal and eye opening. I found myself relating to women and men on issues I had never given much thought.
I particularly enjoyed Jason Shultz's "Getting off on Feminism" and Naomi Wolf's "Brideland." Interestingly, they both involve weddings--Shutlz deals with a feminist bachelor party and Wolf deals with the lure of weddings.
Overall, it was a great book. I highly recommend it. Even if you wouldn't consider yourself a feminist, read it, and you may find out some interesting things about yourself.
This was supposed to respect my generation of feminists??.......2003-05-15
Having read this book for my feminist theories class, I was shocked at the celebrity afterward from Angela Davis, which admitted she hadn't initially thought our generation of feminist theorists was important enough to read for their own sakes.
Because Davis had once pointedly lectured both the women's movement and mainstream society about the dangers of making presumptions (and subsequently allowing those preconcieved notions to guide your own politics) I had hoped she (more than any other second waver name-dropped in this project) would also be aware of the dangers from ageism.
My heart consequently fell as I realizes she was never actually interested in 'bridging' or mentoring with my generation of feminist activist/theorists, but simply touting her own horn about how great she was, and how by implication we would somehow never be able to match up. Ironically, the multipronged social justice strategies she freely champions in other settings become impossible with her own condescending view of 'feminist activism' since a single generation of activists will not live forever, and younger ones might provide critical insights for victory (that is assuming they were allowed to speak in meaningful ways, and were listened to).
No, Davis might not like everything in exactly the format that is said by the newer theorists, but then the proverbial million dollar question begs: Why lend your name and words to something you don't particularly care for at all anyways?
Editor Walker (daughter of Alice Walker) bears some responsibilty for this literary mess since she seems to have culled 'famous feminists' from her mother's rolodex without pondering if they would actually treat herself or the audience as whole people, instead of annoying interlopers who are threatining 'other's' feminist movement.
Such, a shame too because this book really could have been a huge breakthrough with the correct editing.
Book Description
From the evolution revolution to revolutionary politics, from Western humanism to Eastern mysticism, from feminism to gay rights, An Unchanging Faith in a Changing World will help you understand not only this world but your role in changing it with God's message of love, forgiveness, and salvation.
Customer Reviews:
Consistent exposition of an evangelical worldview.......2001-09-28
Boa and Bowman's book offers a consisten presentation of an evangelical Christian worldview. Contrary to another reviewer of this book, evangelicals are not inconsistent when they maintain that we are saved through faith alone and at the same time maintain that there are moral absolutes that we ought to uphold. The evangelical view is not that works are unimportant, but that none of us can attain a right standing before God on the basis of our works. In other words, being good is definitely important, but none of us is good enough. That's why Christ died on the cross! The whole point is that we have all violated God's moral absolute standards, and therefore we all deserve his punishment. Yet, by his mercy, we may be forgiven and reconciled to God, and spared that punishment, because Christ died in our place. This basic Christian belief cannot be maintained without also maintaining that such moral absolutes exist.
I highly recommend this book.
A little inconsistent..........2000-06-18
This book is indeed interesting, some of the time. There are long stretches of paragraphs that are a bit of a struggle to read through, particularly the sections on psychology and postmodernism.
The most interesting passages are about the other major religions,how they came to be, and the influence they have on Christianity.
Now back to the reason I claim this book to be inconsistent. There are sections that expound on a "faith only" salvation, and how fundamentalist "cults" believe too much in a literal translation of the bible and salvation through "works." While these authors go to great lengths to show that faith is the only need for salvation, the second half of the book discusses declining morality in the world. If works are not necessary to Christianity, then why should morality be promoted? Wouldn't living a moral life be a "work?" I find it foolish to say that all you must do to be saved is believe and have faith. Why would the bible exist with all of those "rules and regulations", if faith alone was enough to save?
This book is otherwise a fine discourse on upholding your belief in an almighty God and His plans for His creation.
Book Description
Contemplative Prayer.... Mantra Mediatation... Centering Prayer... Reiki..Labyrinths. Are there practices Scriptual? If not, then why are they being promoted in Christian organizations, colleges and churches throughout the worlds?
Customer Reviews:
Very well researched book.......2007-10-02
Seems like most of the books I have been reading lately have all been by authors that will read of few books someone else has written on a subject and then put them all together in their own book, So you just keep getting the same information over and over. It is obvious that this author has actually studied and researched his subjects and offers new information that most people can not see. I have studied the New Age Movement for many years and have read many many books. A Time of Departing gave me a better understanding of several subjects. You will be impressed!!
The most complete study of the current apostacy in the church.......2007-09-14
My husband and I have both read this book, and purchased multiple copies to give to friends. Ray Yungen has succeeded in bringing forth the truth about the current trends in the church and those who are promoting them. Any Christian with discernment will find this book a necessity in these days, for it truly helps the reader make sense of the new terms and trends within the church and the spirit of error within each one. We have referenced it time and again. Lighthouse Trails publishing/Research is truly a light for truth in this world of spiritual deception. Many thanks for publishing this great book for Mr. Yungen.
The "savage wolves" are here........2007-09-04
In Acts 20, Paul tells the elders of the church in Ephesus that after he leaves, "savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them."
Ray Yungen gives the same warning today! Contemplative practices are in the church. Men have arisen and are distorting the truth...and they have many followers. If you are committed to Biblical, Christ-centered Christianity, you need to understand the history, the process, and the promoters of contemplative prayer. This book is the place to start your own study of this not-so-new New Age practice invading the church.
A Must Read!.......2007-09-03
This book opened my eyes to a movement within the evangelical church that is very dangerous. Mr. Yungen's book will equip the reader to discern the sign of the times.
a must read!!!!.......2007-08-31
Ray Yungen does an excellent work on exposing the new age filtering into the church today. Thought provoking and never dull, I would recommend this book to anyone who has questions about what is going on in Christiandom today. This book I have used many times to evaluate books that are in question that are being promoted as Christian material today.
Book Description
If the Democratic party wants to learn how to court the evangelical community, they'd do well to learn from Tony Hall. As a Congressman, Tony Hall was reluctant to wear his faith on his sleeve. But during a prayer meeting on Capitol Hill one day a friend asked him, "Tony, don't you think it's time you brought God into your workplace?" He knew his friend was right. If he was to be true to the faith he professed, he must find a way to bring God into the political world in which he worked.
He found the answer to this dilemma in one of the most awful places he's ever visited-Ethiopia. He realized, as he watched a doctor combing the crowds of starving Africans looking for a half-dozen whose lives he could save, that he would travel among the hungry and bring their needs to the attention of his colleagues in Washington. He even took the step of going on a much-publicized 22-day fast to call for attention to these issues.
Years later, and after traveling to more than 100 countries, Tony Hall has seen it all. He's seen desperation, honor, starvation, redemption, and hope. He's seen the dramatic stories of people around the world who are willing to make their lives count. From the dark corners of a political prison in Romania to the barren landscape of famine-stricken Africa, people are suffering and we can help.
Customer Reviews:
A Compelling Vision About What Really Matters.......2006-08-08
Living in the Washington DC area, we rarely hear about men like Tony Hall and Frank Wolf--members of opposing parties who have spent decades working together to address poverty, hunger and oppression. Sadly, this doesn't happen often enough. Reading this book, however, gave me hope that people of different viewpoints really might be able to come together around these vital issues.
This book is easy to read but hard to forget...I highly recommend it.
Anecdotes by Hall provide great example for everyone.......2006-06-12
The scenes described by Tony Hall, and his actions taken during the various events, provide compelling examples of relevant moral leadership in today's political arena.
His advice to the Democratic party should be heeded by any politician in either party who truly wants to make a difference; it is sage advice, applicable to anyone wanting to live purposefully.
High marks for this book, for its author and for those who read it.
A life changing read.......2006-06-01
Don't read this slender hardcover, CHANGING THE FACE OF HUNGER, unless you are ready to change your life.
In 1984, Tony Hall (a congressman for almost 24 years) went to Ethiopia to help ferry supplies to a camp run by the World Vision Christian relief organization. What he experienced changed his life.
Imagine doctors who must work in an area fenced in by barbed wire because of the press of Ethiopians outside desperately trying to thrust their children into the hands of anyone who can help save them from starvation.
Imagine that these thousands of severely malnourished people are suffering from dehydration, dysentery, malaria, cholera and tuberculosis.
Imagine doctors trying to pick the six or seven children they can save each day.
Imagine that everywhere you go to try and help, there is perpetual civil war. You are a moving target and frequently have to dive out of your vehicle to avoid being killed by gunfire.
Imagine that this is not the worst.
Imagine after seeing this, you drive to where tens of thousands of Ethiopians are waiting in the blazing sun, hoping for food. All are malnourished. Most are close to death. Many are nearly naked because they have no clothes. Imagine that 25 children die before your eyes in the next few hours.
Imagine seeing children who are dying alone. Their parents are already dead.
This is not a book for the faint of heart. I was in tears by the second page. But then, perhaps it is a book for the faint of heart...and for all of us. Perhaps it is time that we let ourselves be moved by the terrible facts of hunger and injustice.
But we don't know what to do. We aren't even aware of the people who need our help. We could make a difference if we did as Mother Teresa admonished Hall: "Do the thing that is in front of you."
"I'm writing this book to put these things in front of you," says Hall.
This is a book about how people --- Democrats and Republicans, Southerners and Midwesterners, Jews and Christians, Roman Catholics and Evangelicals, liberals and conservatives, men and women --- can change the world. "I will work with anyone who shares a common goal with me," writes Hall. With this in mind, this strong man of faith has traveled to more than 100 countries, bringing the needs of the hungry, the persecuted, and the suffering to the attention of those who can help.
In his book, you'll see what difference love and focused attention can make to severely mentally disabled children, the outcasts, the terminally ill, unwed pregnant women, AIDS patients, orphans, the lepers, the polio victims, and the dying. You'll see how small business loans can change the face of poverty and give people hope and dignity. You'll see how corrupt regimes hold countries in bondage and must be courageously confronted.
It's all about starting to care about the people around us, Hall says. Do you know your next-door neighbor? Has someone just lost a loved one? What are the needs right in your community? What are the needs of the people on your street? Making a difference begins right where we live. "If you scratch the surface a little bit, you'll find something you can do."
Hall's enthusiasm is infectious. He is compelling as he writes about his personal 22-day fast that raised consciousness about hunger. "...If you let him, God will use you. No matter how small the work or large the work, if you want to be used, you will be. That's how God works. He works through people." And, as Hall quotes Mahatma Gandhi, "You must be the change you wish to see in the world." This book is a good place to start.
Best Nonfiction Book of 2006.......2006-05-08
Tony P. Hall is one of those rarest of creatures, a true humanitarian who used his positions (a Congressman from Ohio and Ambassador to the U.N) of power and influence to aid the world's poor and hungry. Changing the Face of Hunger inspires us to action to address modern day's greatest injustice, that too many of the world's peoples will die unnecessarily as a result of hunger and disease. Tony Hall's call for us to follow the example of Mother Teresa and "do what's in front of us" in combating life's injustices is today's clarion calling. Read this book and change the world.
Book Description
The dramatic changes that have taken place both in global society and in the church have implications for how the church does missions in the twenty-first century. These trends include the rise of postmodernism, the spiritual decline in the West and the advance of the gospel in the rest of the world, and the impact of technology on society and missions. The Changing Face of World Missions is for the mission-minded church leader or lay person who wants to understand these trends. Each chapter identifies and evaluates a trend, examines it in light of Scripture, and proposes a practical response. Important terms are defined, and sidebars help readers think through the issues on their own.
Customer Reviews:
Change your worldview!.......2006-02-23
If you think you're fairly well informed re: church and mission issues, think again. The authors of this book cover the mega issues of our time and the challenges we face as Christians in addressing them. I'll read this book again before I'm ready to talk about it, there's so much here.
Book Description
Stunning in its sweep, Americas is the most authoritative history available of contemporary Latin America and the Caribbean. From Mexico to Tierra del Fuego, and from Cuba to Trinidad and Tobago, Americas examines the historical, demographic, political, social, cultural, religious, and economic trends in the region. For this new edition Peter Winn has provided a new preface and made revisions throughout to include the most up-to-date information on changes and developments in Latin America since the last revised edition of 1999.
Customer Reviews:
Massive overview of Latin American and Caribbean history, culture, and politics .......2007-03-24
_Americas_ by Peter Winn is a massive (600 page) overview of Latin America and the Caribbean, a good introduction to the region for those unfamiliar with it. While a bit dry at times, it is nonetheless informative and interesting.
The first chapter introduces the region to the reader and provides a few interesting facts. The author noted for instance that the region is far from Spanish-speaking only; while over 300 million (in 1992) speak Spanish, there are 150 million Portuguese speakers, English, Dutch, and French is also spoken in the Caribbean and northeastern South America, as well as five major indigenous languages or language groups (Nahuatl, the language of the Aztecs, by over one million people, over 2 million speakers of the various Mayan languages, 8 million speakers of Quechua, the language of the Incas, half a million speakers of the highland language of the Aymara, and large numbers of Guarani speakers in Paraguay).
The second chapter discusses the legacy of colonial times, focusing particularly on the legacy of Spain's New World empire. Much of the region was shaped by Spain's division of the region under viceroys and "mini-viceroys" (which provided the territorial basis of most of today's republics), its people's intermarriage with people of different races (which they called castas and are today called mestizo - mixed Amerindian and European - and mulatto - mixed African and European), the Church's coming to terms with indigenous religions (as a "social safety valve and an as an aid to conversion," producing a complex layering of beliefs), and (along with the Portuguese in Brazil), the planting of labor-intensive crops like sugar that required the importation of African slaves.
Chapters three and four focus on the history of Argentina, covering the development of Argentine estancias (ranches) and its booming beef export business, the evolution of Buenos Aires (more Italian than Argentine for many years, styled as the "Paris of South America," and later shaped by internal migrations from the Andean provinces), and the rise and fall of Juan Domingo and Evita Peron.
Chapter five deals with the history of Brazil, grappling with Brazilian notions of grandeza (greatness, a sense of optimism about the country's future), the good and bad legacies of the economic "miracle" since 1960, the development of the "bureaucratic authoritarian regime" (a type of military government later emulated in Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay), and its huge disparities of wealth (in 1974 it had more unequal income distribution than India).
The sixth chapter discusses the issue of internal migration in Latin America and the Caribbean. Since World War II over one hundred million people have moved within the region to seek their fortunes elsewhere, a migration largely of rural people to their nation's cities, often forming huge squatter settlements (favelas in Brazil, villas miserias or "towns of misery" in Argentina) and enlarging capital cities (30 million Mexicans for instance migrated to Mexico City, making it the largest metropolitan area in the world).
Chapter seven looks at the status of Amerindians in the region today, particularly in the four nations that contain the great majority of them (Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, and Guatemala).
The eighth chapter looks at blacks today in the area. As in the previous chapter, issues of formal discrimination and social prejudice are discussed, with non-whites either trying to "pass" to join their country's creole and mestizo elites, or instead reaffirm and revitalize their heritage, all part of a "complex color consciousness" in the region, something not seen in the United States. The author compared and contrasted issues of African heritage in two nations on one island (Haiti and the Dominican Republic) and also looked at Brazil and Trinidad.
Chapter nine examines the role and history of women, examining their political roles in Chile in detail.
Chapter ten looks at the development and role of the Catholic Church as well as competing religions. Though more Catholics live in Latin America and the Caribbean than anywhere else (3 out of 5) and Brazil has the world's largest national church (with 110 million believers and 350 bishops), Catholicism is hardly static in the region. Winn discussed the politicization of the Church and the development of liberation theology as well as the appearance of rivals such as the Pentecostals (a growing presence in Brazil) and the existence of non-Christian religions like Umbanda (a Brazilian blend of African religion and European pseudoscience) and Haitian Voodoo (which, along with Brazilian Candomble, are more purely African).
Chapter eleven looks at the paintings, poetry, music, and literature of Latin America and the Caribbean, looking at among other things the "three greats" of the Mexican mural movement (Rivera, Siqueiros, and Jose Clemente), the samba (Brazil's national dance), and the telenovela (the Latin American soap opera, which has surprisingly old origins).
Chapter twelve looked at international relations (particularly with the United States) and issues of sovereignty. Winn examined U.S. intervention in the region, the struggles of nations like Jamaica to maintain some control over the export of their raw materials (in their case, bauxite), the cocaine trade and its complex legacy in Colombia, and growing regional economic integration.
The thirteenth chapter looks at the problem of rebellions and revolutions in the region and examines several recent examples. He looked at common causes of revolutions, such as economic inequality, unrepresentative government, integration of the state into the world economy which produced economic and social dislocation and rising (and unmet) political and economic aspirations, and identification of the old regime with foreign interests. He examined revolutions and civil wars in Mexico, Cuba, Nicaragua, El Salvador, and most recently in Peru with the Sendero Luminoso or Shining Path.
Finally, chapter fourteen looks at Latin American and Caribbean peoples in the United States, looking at their growing numbers in the U.S., examining the history of Mexicans and later Central Americans in Los Angeles, Cubans in Miami, Puerto Ricans in New York City as well as Dominican and Haitian immigrant communities, and closing by examining issues of integration and assimilation of Latinos in the U.S.
Interesting book.......2006-11-06
I like how this book addresses a social issue in Latin America through a specific country's struggle with it. I had to read this book for one of my Latin American History classes in college and it was worth reading.
Nice overall review.......2000-11-06
Most inhabitants of the US and Canada have, in reality, only a vague notion of the history of Latin America, of the rest of this hemisphere. And that's a shame, because there's a lot to be learned here.
The book reviews the history of a number of countries and regions, and does a pretty good job at it. It's obviously not the most in-depth treatment; the subject is too broad to allow that. But neither does it gloss over key events and concepts; it's long enough to be able to hit the high points.
If you have an interest in the history of Latin America but don't have much of a foundation on which to start, this will give you an excellent beginning point.
Book Description
Since the assassination of Rafik Hariri in early 2005, Lebanese politics has been plunged into a new era. Will Syrian withdrawal send the country back into civil war? How will the seismic political shifts underway affect the stability of the region? At the center of the turmoil stands one player that will affect the outcome more than any other: Hezbollah. Hezbollah, or the "Party of God", is one of the most powerful and the most misunderstood forces in Middle Eastern politics. In this new edition of her acclaimed book, Judith Harik explains what it actually believes in, what its real relationship with other regional players is, and in what direction it is heading. Hezbollah arose amidst the chaos of the Lebanese civil war to resist the Israeli invasion of 1982. Based amongst the poor Shi'ite population, it takes its inspiration from the Iranian revolution and the teachings of Ayatollah Khomeini. Today Hezbollah's military wing controls the major fault-line of the Middle East: the Lebanese-Israeli border. To the US, Hezbollah represents one of the most dangerous terrorist networks in the world. In Lebanon, it is a democratically elected party within the Lebanese parliament, backed not just by Shi'ites, but by Christians and secular Muslims. To the wider Arab world, Hezbollah is a legend: the only Arab fighting force to have defeated Israel, forcing its withdrawal from south Lebanon in 2000. Harik draws on her considerable first-hand experience of the movement to tell the story of how a clandestine, radical militia transformed itself into a seemingly moderate and mainstream player in the Lebanese political arena. She looks at key questions: why do so many non-Shiites support them? Who controls the movement--the Mullahs, or the grassroots? Harik's penetrating analysis helps us make sense of fast-moving events as the future of Lebanon--and the region--hangs in the balance.
Customer Reviews:
overtly biased and somewhat inconsistent look at hezbollah.......2007-05-01
Harik is an American Political Science professor at the American University of Beirut and as such has had an upclose and personal perspective on Hezbollah for some time now. But rather than using her relatively unique perspective as an American academic to provide a revealing look at Hezbollah, Harik has written a fairly straightforward history of the group that does not go into enough detail and is hampered by her obvious sympathy for the group.
The basic thesis of the book is that Hezbollah has transformed itself from what some would call a terrorist organization in the early 80s, to a legitimate Lebanese political party that is capable of compromise. She takes the reader through Hezbollah's early days and describes the domestic political context that led to the group's rise. She also places a fair amount of weight on the regional context and goes into great detail to explain to her audience how Hezbollah is affected by Israel, Syria, Iran, and the U.S. This is the book's greatest strength since these outside actors have a huge impact on Hezbollah and no book that ignores the regional context would be complete.
However, Harik presents Hezbollah as if it were a homogenous actor that has no internal struggles. The only key figures of Hezbollah that Harik takes the time to descirbe are Hassan Nasrallah (some Americans will remember him from the war w/Israel in the summer of 06), and Mohammed Fadlallah. This is problematic because no political organization is without internal divisions or debates, but Harik never really acknowledges this. Presumably, she would have access to many members of Hezbollah and would be able to present a much more detailed look at the internal dynamics of the group, but unfortunately she never does. It seems odd that she would spend so much time describing the history of the group (which was already well-known) and not take the time to tell her audience how the group really functions.
The other main problem with the book is that Harik is plainly a "fan" of Hezbollah and it is hard to tell at times whether or not she is leaving out a wealth of information that does not affirm her perception of the group. This becomes clear when she describes actions by the U.S. or Israel as always being negative in nature, when they're really just acting out of their own perceived interests in the same way that Hezbollah does. You don't have to agree with or like what the U.S. does or with what Hezbollah does, but when you clearly pick a side and cannot be critical of your side, the argument ceases to be a serious academic study.
Anyone wanting to learn more about Hezbollah should read this book. For the most part it is well-written and easy to follow. At the same time, the reader should be aware that Harik is presenting a very one-sided look at her subject and that additional research will certainly be necessary after reading her book.
One man's terrorist.............2006-08-31
With 'Hezbollah: The Changing Face of Terrorism' Judith Palmer Harik has achieved a comprehensive and highly detailed history of the militant group. Her stated goal is to determine whether Hezbollah is a legitimate fighting force, as many in the Arab world believe, or simply a terrorist organization. While it is clear that the author leans toward the former, she does, to her credit, give an ample amount of attention to the view held by Israelis and Americans. So while her conclusions are certainly debatable, she essentially sticks to the facts. She thoroughly discusses Hezbollah's origins as a direct offshoot of the Iranian Revolution, for the purpose of combatting Israel. She discusses at length, their political objectives, their religious beliefs, and their transformation from radical militia, to mainstream political party. She also effectively puts the movement into the context of the general Mid-East conflict. My only criticism of the book, aside from the author's bias, is that it is severely academic in tone. The average lay reader might find it a bit too tedious. That being said, I would still recommend 'Hezbollah: The Changing Face of Terrorism' as a solid introduction to the the subject.
Makes you think!.......2006-08-18
Dr. Harik provides an in depth analysis of the struggle between Hezbollah and the Israelis as well as the roles of the U.S., Syria and Iran. I learned more in the first few pages than in hours of mainstream media. HIGHLY recommend it!
The Transformation of Hizbullah.......2004-10-23
Judith Palmer Harik has written an entirely descriptive book on Hizbullah.I read her book extremely carefully and searched for a glimpse of originality, but to no avail. Even when she talks about Hizbullah's transformation from a fundamentalist military orgainization into a mainstream political movement--to fit the requirements of political activity in the Lebanese domestic context--she fails to recognize the dynamics of this lively process of transformation. Harik's books in rich in information, but alas it is mostly unprocessed and unintegrated.
Book Description
For thirty years the director of the Wiener Library in London, the leading institute for the study of anti-Semitism, Walter Laqueur here offers both a comprehensive history of anti-Semitism as well as an illuminating look at the newest wave of this phenomenon. Laqueur begins with an invaluable historical account of this pernicious problem, tracing the evolution from a predominantly religious anti-Semitism--stretching back to the middle ages--to a racial anti-Semitism that developed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The author then uses this historical account as backdrop to a brilliant analysis of the newest species of anti-Semitism, explaining its origins and rationale, how it manifests itself, in what ways and why it is different from anti-Semitism in past ages, and what forms it may take in the future. The book reveals that what was historically a preoccupation of Christian and right-wing movements has become in our time even more frequent among Muslims and left-wing groups. Moreover, Laqueur argues that we can't simply equate this new anti-Semitism with anti-Zionism and write it off as merely anti-Israel sentiments. National and religious minority groups have been systematically persecuted from Indonesia, to Bangladesh, Rwanda, and beyond, but their fate has not generated much indignation in Europe and America. If Israel alone is singled out for heated condemnation, is the root of this reaction simply anti-Zionism or is it anti-Semitism? Here is both a summing up of the entire trajectory of anti-Semitism--the first comprehensive history of its kind--and an exploration of the new wave of anti-Semitism that will be of interest to all concerned about the future of Jews, Judaism, and Israel.
Customer Reviews:
Best book on Anti-Semitism.......2006-10-08
As I see it, Laqueur's book has advantages over the many other works on the same subject:
1) The author has a sure footing in two millennia of European history. Here and there I found myself in disagreement on matters of fact and interpretation. I looked these things up and found that in all of these cases Laqueur was right and I was wrong. This is not to say that there won't be specialists who can find errors here and there. There is no book that is immune to error. But I do not think that such errors will be numerous or grave.
2) The author is even-handed and sober. He flogs no ideology or partisan program. He is patient with the views of others, even when these are offensive.
3) He has taken the trouble of studying, in depth, what anti-Semites have to say. There are no second-hand condemnations based on handed-down opinions.
4) He knows the byways of history: shadowy characters like Abram Leon, the National Bolshevists, Michael Neumann, Horst Mahler, to name just a few, wander through these pages. Generally it is only the sectologists -- the historians of Trotskyism, the chroniclers of neo-Nazism, etc. -- who bother to tell us much about such figures. But where sectologists are interested only in these shadows, Laqueur shows us the shadows by way of illuminating the broader picture. He lets us travel both byways and highways.
When the messiah finally arrives, books will be perfect. This has not yet happened, and I must report that, indeed, there are things that I wish were better in this book.
Laqueur has no footnotes and only rarely makes direct reference to other scholars. Most of the time this is not a big problem since the facts that he adduces are generally well known, and, with Wikipedia and other internet resources widely available, a reader can often provide his own references, as indeed I have done. Sometimes, however, a topic cries out for emendation by footnote. On page 49, for example, the author mentions the "Deutsche Christen," a Nazi formation of Protestants who repudiated the Old Testament as Jewish. ("Deutsche Christen" is not found in the book's index.) Well, the reader should have been referred here to more information on this group. As it happens, the group Deutsche Christen was repudiated by the Nazi leadership and lost all influence after 1933, and the reader of the present book will be misled if all he reads is what he reads here.
I am also not happy with the long list of (unannotated) recommended readings. It is too long to be of much help. I would have liked to see a much shorter, annotated list of things that the interested reader should look into.
Laqueur tells us that there are about 40,000 books about modern anti-Semitism. My own overall opinion of his work is best expressed by the fact that I have ordered a copy for each of my nine grandchildren. I have included my youngest, now three, because of my confidence that by the time he reaches reading age for this sort of thing -- roughly ten years from now -- this book will still most likely stand as the best scholarly treatment of anti-Semitism.
An excellent book.......2006-07-13
This thoughtful and rather comprehensive book got me to come up with my own definition of anti-Semitism:
Anti-Semitism is participation in a gratuitous war against the Jews.
I know that most folks may disagree with this definition. But I feel it removes some of the mysteriousness from this phenomenon, reducing it to a special case of war in general, an easier topic for many of us to relate to than, say, "hatred." I would call the mass murderers of Jews in World War Two "anti-Semites" whether they hated Jews or not. My definition also makes it easier to characterize acts (including slander) as anti-Semitic when they clearly contribute to such a war against the Jews (even if the perpetrators deny any intent to oppose all Jews). It means that wars against Israel's existence or against the existence of Judaism are anti-Semitic. It means that the wholehearted and gratuitous support that Mahatma Gandhi gave to the enemies of the Jews in the 1930s was anti-Semitic. And it means that mere constructive criticism of Jews, Jewish behavior, Judaism, Israel, the Hebrew language, or Zionist behavior is not anti-Semitic. There is surely a line between constructive criticism and acts of war.
My inclusion of the word "gratuitous" avoids issues of whether justified wars (or wars of self-defense) against the Jews are necessarily anti-Semitic. They aren't. A gratuitous war is by definition not truly one of self-defense. And the morality of such a war is (again by definition) very dubious at best.
The wars against the Jews for the past one (or two) thousand years appear to have been almost entirely gratuitous, so we need to ask ourselves about the persistence of such counterproductive fights. Now, what does Walter Laqueur tell us about this phenomenon?
Laqueur is one of "the last surviving members of a generation that lived through" European anti-Semitism "in its most extreme form." That is why, having lost his parents and family in this period, it is no surprise that he does not treat anti-Semitism as a laughing matter (as opposed to Canadian professor Michael Neumann, who Laqueur says has argued that where anti-Semitism exists, "it ought to be treated as a huge joke" or Mikis Theodorakis, who has said both that there really isn't any anti-Semitism and that the Jews are "the root of all evil"). Again, not surprisingly, Laqueur is "unlikely to overreact, crying `wolf' at the appearance of every mouse or mosquito."
There is plenty of good material in this book. We see how in the 1930s, Jews were told to move to Jerusalem; now they are told to move out of Jerusalem. We see so-called liberals saying that Jews would be tolerated only if they ceased to be Jews (notice that by my definition, that is pure anti-Semitism).
We learn about the remarkably vicious anti-Semitism of Saint John Chrysostom, Saint Augustine, and Martin Luther. Of the three, Augustine was the most moderate, but not by much, as Laqueur does mention that even Augustine explicitly wished that all the Jews be put to death by the sword. We see all sorts of preposterous conspiracy theories, such as an alliance of the Jews and Freemasons. We see anti-Semites declare that Jesus Christ could not have been Jewish (as a Pagan, I've also seen anti-Semites refuse to have anything to do with Christianity because Jesus was Jewish). We also learn about blood libels, the "Protocols," and the misuse of the Talmud to slander Judaism.
We learn a number of aspects in which the treatment of Jews during World War Two was qualitatively different (and worse) than even the simultaneous treatment of Gypsies, homosexuals, Slavs, Jehovah's Witnesses, or Communists.
We then get to anti-Semitism on the Left. That includes Holocaust denial (an automatic idea, given that if anti-Semitism can lead naturally to such consequences, most folks would not want to be part of an anti-Semitic movement). And we see some Arab Muslims argue simultaneously both that the Holocaust never took place and that it was justified. We see claims that the Jews are obviously trying to take over the world, even though if they are, it is strange that they are starting with a small region (the Levant) which has no natural resources (and which they could simply buy with no trouble were they permitted to bid for it at an open auction).
We see those on the so-called extreme left claim that all nations have a right to a state except for the Jews. To Laqueur's credit, he admits that it may be unreasonable to call such people (especially if they are pro-terrorist) members of the "left." I certainly think of such attitudes as a defining aspect of the anti-Semitic right wing. And that is all the more true for those who are against rights for women or homosexuals. As Laqueur says, this "New Left" closely resembles a medieval church.
Laqueur tells us about theories that Jewish "self-hatred" is an unusual and significant phenomenon. Laqueur doesn't buy it, and I agree with Laqueur here. He also strongly implies that if there were fifty million more Jews in Israel (with Israel correspondingly larger), the attacks on Israel would greatly diminish. That sounds quite plausible. On the other hand, he indicates that even though there is plenty of anti-Semitism in the absence of Jews (he cites Pakistan as one example), anti-Semitism would greatly diminish if there were no Jews. That may seem obvious, but my feeling is that since the attacks on Jews are gratuitous in the first place, the war would simply continue unabated against other victims.
As Laqueur relates, Sheik Qaradhawi says "that `there is no dialogue between us and the Jews except for the sword and rifle.'" I think that makes it clear that the failure here is on the part of the anti-Semites, and that whatever happens to the Jews, the anti-Semites will lose.
I disagree with much of Laqueur's politics, but I highly recommend this book.
Advance Praise for The Changing Face of Antisemitism.......2006-05-23
"Walter Laqueur provides us with powerful new insights into an age-old problem. Distinguished scholarship and an authoritative moral voice are the hallmarks of this important book. Anyone wanting to understand the history and persistence of anti-Jewish hatred should read it." -- Abraham H. Foxman, National Director, Anti-Defamation League and author of Never Again?: The Threat of the New Anti-Semitism
"Once more, Walter Laqueur has brought his formidable learning, incisive style, and sheer brilliance in writing concise and yet gripping history to a subject matter of extraordinary complexity. The result is vintage Laqueur and an extremely valuable contribution to the subject of the history of antisemitism." -- Michael Stanislawski, Nathan J. Miller Professor of Jewish History, Columbia University
"Walter Laqueur has written a thoughtful book about a difficult subject, bringing history and his own keen analytical skill together in a new way. Engagingly written, it offers both an overview of the past and an analysis of the 'new antisemitism.' He treats antisemitism sympathetically, even as he largely avoids the apologetics that characterize so much writing on the subject." -- Mark R. Cohen, author of Under Crescent and Cross: The Jews in the Middle Ages
"A remarkable and eminently readable review of antisemitism throughout history from the persecution of the early Israelites in Egypt to the recent attacks on Jewish targets in twenty-first century Europe. Laqueur describes with skill and precision antisemitism's context in every era--be it economic, religious, social, or political." -- Rabbi Andrew Baker, Director of International Jewish Affairs, The American Jewish Committee
"A brilliant, lucid and compelling survey of a social, psychological, cultural, political and intellectual malady that has preoccupied and distorted European and Arab societies, Christian and Muslim civilizations, and both the political right and the political left. In this short volume, Laqueur provides an elegant, fast-paced and immensely readable account of a complex, confounding and still-mutating condition that continues to afflict our world. This book is a vital contribution to our understanding of an important and disturbing dimension of our past--and, as Laqueur so incisively shows, of our present and our future. There is no other book like it." -- Walter Reich, Yitzhak Rabin Memorial Professor of International Affairs, George Washington University
Books:
- The Chocolate War (Readers Circle)
- The Color of Magic
- The Complete Maus: A Survivor's Tale
- The Dharma Bums
- The End of Days: Armageddon and Prophecies of the Return (The Earth Chronicles)
- The First Days Of School: How To Be An Effective Teacher
- The Gashouse Gang: How Dizzy Dean, Leo Durocher, Branch Rickey, Pepper Martin, and Their Colorful, Come-from-Behind Ball Club Won the World Series--and America's Heart--During the Great Depression
- The Good Husband of Zebra Drive (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency 8)
- The Last Dance: Encountering Death and Dying
- The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty: Delhi, 1857
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