History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

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She has done a lot better
Perfectly crafted
BLEAK AND SOMBER TALE
All that's missing is Bobby Ewing in the Shower
A Gothic Feel to a Modern Mystery with Psychological Overtones

The Black Tower
P.D. James
Manufacturer: Touchstone
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0743219619
Release Date: 2001-09-18

Book Description

Just recovered from a grave illness, Commander Adam Dalgliesh is called to the bedside of an elderly priest. When Dalgliesh arrives, Father Baddeley is dead. Is it merely his own brush with mortality that causes Dalgliesh to sense the shadow of death about to fall once more?

"Splendid, macabre," wrote the London Sunday Telegraph. "The Black Tower is a masterpiece," the London Sunday Times concurred.

Customer Reviews:

She has done a lot better.......2007-08-11

Unlike some authors (Jonathan Kellerman, Maeve Binchy, Steve Martini) who write some terrific books and then go downhill, PD James's books get better and better with time. It's her early works I can't stand. It's not just me, either. Some of her early novels were entirely rewritten for television to get people to watch. I once contacted PBS to see if I had missed some of her books that seemed so good on Mystery! They actually told me this. This book was about in the middle of her long career, but it just never captured my interest. Look at her settings--hospitals, nursing homes, monastaries, hardly the locales for a hotbed of action to keep you on the edge of your seat. This book is set at a home for the disabled with progressive diseases out in the middle of nowhere. Dalgliesh is working alone, in fact recovering from mono and pneumonia and goes there to visit an elderly priest who turns up dead of a heart attack. There isn't much to suggest crimes have in fact been committed and Dalgliesh's sudden deduction of what is going on at the end is not even remotely believable. The only interesting thing anyone does in this book is drop dead occasionally. It's not a police procedural. When I compare it to something like Death in Holy Orders, there's no reason to read this book. It isn't awful (and some of James's other books are really awful) but she has much better ones in her repertoire.

Perfectly crafted.......2007-05-31

This book begins in a gloomy mood and in a setting that seems hardly designed to hold a reader's attention: a nursing home. But the writing is so good that I stuck with it, and it all comes to a thrilling finale. Then I did something I rarely do: reread the book. This time I was completely bowled over by the quality of the writing. This is one of the most perfectly crafted books I have ever read. As such, I would rate it with such works as The Great Gatsby, Jude the Obscure, and Appointment in Samarra. What a surprise from a mystery novel.

BLEAK AND SOMBER TALE.......2006-08-11

Adam Dalgleish is back in this well written, though ultimately depressing and bleak thriller. Recuperating from a near-death illness, Adam is summoned to a small village by an old friend, a priest named Father Michael. However, when he gets there, his old friend has died of a heart attack, and Adam finds himself involved with a hospice for the young disabled, i.e., terminally ill patients. James serves up a host of pathetic, sad creatures and as usual, a cast of mostly unlikeable characters. Dalgliesh serves more as an observer than a detective, since he is having his own crisis of whether to retire or not, but he nonetheless manages to investigate a series of deaths that may or may not be murder.
James continues her mastery of atmospheric tension and the culprit's identity is expertly hidden until the end.

All that's missing is Bobby Ewing in the Shower.......2006-06-13

First I should admit that I'm not a PD James fan. In fact this is the first of her books that I've read. It may be that the darkness of this book gives me the wrong impression as to how she writes. It does remind me of Agatha Christie's type of stories but it may also be because the singular character of Commander Adam Dalgleish is going through a dark time related to a recent illness.

The story itself is nothing special, though it may have been in 1975, but now it's kind of dated. It may also be because I find her style to be a little slow or ponderous and I'm used to the writings of Ian Rankin and James Lee Burke. No I don't think that there needs to be a shooting or car chase every other page, but it would be nice to read about something other than a description of the scenary.

To be fair about it I am planning on reading one of her later stories in the series, and to catch up on the character by watching some of the episodes on PBS. Just one man's opinion.

A Gothic Feel to a Modern Mystery with Psychological Overtones.......2006-04-11

The Black Tower is a mystery novel that successfully explores despair. Adam Dalgliesh finds himself recovering from a debilitating atypical mononucleosis that had been inaccurately diagnosed as being fatal. While thought he was about to die, Dalgliesh takes a look at his life as detective . . . and decides there has to be something more.

Determined to resign from the force, his intention is interrupted by a request to visit for help from an old family friend, Father Baddeley.

Wondering what sort of evil Father Baddeley cannot handle on his own, Dalgliesh is shocked to find that his friend had died of natural causes shortly after Dalgliesh sent a note accepting the invitation. Baddeley's will leaves his money to Toynton Grange, a facility specializing in the progressively disabled, which really needs the money . . . and his books to Adam. Dalgliesh is surprised to find that the father's desk has been forced and that the latest part of his journal has disappeared. Adam decides to look around for some hint as to what the problem might have been that caused Father Baddeley to consult him.

Dalgliesh's instincts are aroused when he discovers that a patient, Victor Holroyd, had also died . . . but under strange circumstances just before Father Baddeley did.

Dalgliesh decides to use the excuse of packing up his books to hang around and see what he can learn. His black mood is continued by his interactions with the austere staff at Toynton Grange and the disabled people. Although Adam puts a brave face on his contacts with these disabled people, even they know that he's terribly disgusted by their deformities.

Having spent more time there, Dalgliesh learns a depressing story about the Victorian folly, the Black Tower, that exists near the grange.

As all of this bleakness serves to further depress Dalgliesh, he finds himself unable to understand what Father Baddeley was concerned about.

Meanwhile, other unexpected deaths occur. Dalgliesh seems even more at a loss than ever . . . until a clear spot opens up in his depression . . . and he's able to start thinking like a police investigator again. That leads to an exciting, memorable finish to the novel . . . one of P.D. James' best.

My main complaint about this novel is that Baroness James stretches the bleakness a little too far and a little too long for my taste. She got the mood across so well . . . that I found myself getting depressed reading the book.

The mystery itself isn't terribly mysterious, but it's adequate to carry the rest of the story. The mystery is well told, though, because the reader is given lots of insights into what's really going on to serve as a contrast to Dalgliesh's haze. Otherwise, this would have been a most boring and unrewarding novel.

Black Hills Family Fun Guide: Explore the Black Hills, Badlands & Devils Tower

Average customer rating:

shallow water
travel lover
Great guide for going to South Dakota with kids

Black Hills Family Fun Guide: Explore the Black Hills, Badlands & Devils Tower
Kindra Gordon
Manufacturer: Adventure Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Family Travel | Specialty Travel | Travel | Subjects | Books

General | Travel | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1591931398

Customer Reviews:

shallow water.......2007-09-14

This book is really geared to the lower denominator in terms of what there is to do in the Black Hills. Not very much insight that you can't get from the tourist info you get from flyers. Should say more about how anti-family Deadwood has become and about the incredible natural resources that are in the area.

travel lover.......2007-07-17

We just returned from South Dakota. We took our [...]grandson. The book was perfect for us. It gave us all the things that kids loved to do and we let him decide which ones he wanted to see. We had 5 days there and we used it all the time. We had bought another book but it was not nearly as good as this one.

Great guide for going to South Dakota with kids.......2007-07-12

We just got back from spending over a week in the Badlands and Black Hills. I turned to this book over and over since we brought 3 kids under the age of 10. A great resource when you're looking for things to do with kids. You'll need a separate book for hotels, restaurants, etc. but this book was exactly what I needed to plan activities throughout the day that my kids wouldn't be totally bored with.

The Elric Saga Part II The Vanishing Tower; The Bane of the Black Sword; Stormbringer.

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Super Reader
Amazing
Add this to your collection
Disappointed

The Elric Saga Part II The Vanishing Tower; The Bane of the Black Sword; Stormbringer.
Michael Moorcock
Manufacturer: Doubleday Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 1568650418

Customer Reviews:

Super Reader.......2007-08-30

The second of the Doubleday editions, this contains The Vanishing Tower, The Bane of the Black Sword and Stormbringer.

The Vanishing Tower

This book is also known as The Vanishing Tower. Elric is not a fan of the sorcerer Theleb K'aarna. In fact he is so much not a fan he would like to introduce him to the Black Blade, in an up close, personal, and body cavity penetrating kind of manner.

He is having a lot of problems getting to him though, until he gets help from The Sleeping Sorceress.

4 out of 5

The Bane of the Black Sword

The Bane of the Black Sword is also a collection.

The Stealer of Souls
Kings in Darkness
The Flamebringers (also called The Caravan of Forgotten Dreams)
To Rescue Tanelorn

The first three are adventures with Elric and Moonglum, and the latter is actually a story of Rackhir the Red Archer, one of the worthy individuals the Eternal Champion meets from time to time.

4.5 out of 5

Stormbringer

Stormbringer is the end of this Elric cycle. Many times Elric has struggle with his symbiotic relationship with the powerful demonsword Stormbringer. It gives him energy, but has caused him to destroy those close to him, earning him the sobriquets Kinslayer and Womanslayer, at times.

He finally faces the Dukes of Hell, again, and must summon all his creativity, and dig deep into the last of his bag of tricks, not the least of which are the Dragons of Melnibone.

This is the end for this Eternal Champion, as he faces his final destiny, and his place in the multiverse.

5 out of 5

Amazing.......2007-01-22

This book truly does leave you with a feeling of emptiness. But, combined with the 1st saga, it truly has left an impression of beauty entertwined with sadness that has stayed with me for over a decade. I have read this series 3 times now. A masterpiece. Truly one of the greatest fantasy stories ever written.

Add this to your collection.......2004-07-20

I've only read the Elric saga part 2 and that was a few years back, now I'm looking to read the rest of the series. I've read fantasy/sci-fi all my life and I would rate this saga right up there with Terry Brooks, Shannara series, Raymond Feists, Riftwar saga and Jordons, Wheel of Time Saga. If you enjoy any of the above this book is money well spent but good luck even the used bookstores recognize it's popularity and ask above average prices. It's a must have for my collection.

Disappointed.......2004-06-11

After reading Part 1 of this series, I had mixed feelings about the characters and storyline as a whole. Now, having finished the 2nd part I have to say that I am left with a rather disappointed feeling.

Elric is constantly pitying himself and making foolish decisions throughout the story. These are interspersed with noble acts that in themselves are unmoving. The author seems to try so hard to make Elric out to be an anguished hero with a dark side, but the attempts are so obvious and the subplots are so poorly developed that you really begin to not care about any of it.

Midway through the book, the flow of the storyline seems completely broken as Elric moves from one place to the other, encountering random events that seem to have no purpose other than to give him yet another poor excuse to demonstrate how anguished and tormented he is.

Book Description

"Provides scholars with a historical lens from which to view the higher education of black women . . . [and] how one generation of black women benefited from the work and sacrifices of the prior generation."--Adah L. Ward Randolph, Ohio University

"Keen historical and theoretical observation of African American women's relationship to educational institutions in the United States."--Heidi Lasley Barajas, University of Minnesota

Evans chronicles the stories of African American women who struggled for and won access to formal education, beginning in 1850, when Lucy Stanton, a student at Oberlin College, earned the first college diploma conferred on an African American woman. In the century between the Civil War and the civil rights movement, a critical increase in black women's educational attainment mirrored unprecedented national growth in American education. Evans reveals how black women demanded space as students and asserted their voices as educators--despite such barriers as violence, discrimination, and oppressive campus policies--contributing in significant ways to higher education in the United States. She argues that their experiences, ideas, and practices can inspire contemporary educators to create an intellectual democracy in which all people have a voice.

Among those Evans profiles are Anna Julia Cooper, who was born enslaved yet ultimately earned a doctoral degree from the Sorbonne, and Mary McLeod Bethune, founder of Bethune-Cookman College. Exposing the hypocrisy in American assertions of democracy and discrediting European notions of intellectual superiority, Cooper argued that all human beings had a right to grow. Bethune believed that education is the right of all citizens in a democracy. Both women's philosophies raised questions of how human and civil rights are intertwined with educational access, scholarly research, pedagogy, and community service. This first complete educational and intellectual history of black women carefully traces quantitative research, explores black women's collegiate memories, and identifies significant geographic patterns in America's institutional development. Evans reveals historic perspectives, patterns, and philosophies in academia that will be an important reference for scholars of gender, race, and education.

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Excellent Resource

Knits up the ravels

A Radiograph of LotR.

Splendid Tolkien Reference Work

a giant mass of undifferentiated trivia

Untangling Tolkien: A Chronology and Commentary for The Lord of the Rings
Michael W. Perry
Manufacturer: Inkling Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Tolkien on Film: Essays on Peter Jackson's the Lord of the Rings.

The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion

Understanding The Lord of the Rings: The Best of Tolkien Criticism

The Children of Húrin

The Essential J.R.R. Tolkien Sourcebook: A Fan's Guide to Middle-earth and Beyond

ASIN: 1587420198

Book Description

Here is the book that Tolkien fans have needed for half a century--a detailed, book-length chronology of J. R. R. Tolkien's complex tale. Whether you are a serious Tolkien fan or simply someone who enjoys reading the story over and over again, this is the book for you. It's the first totally new reference for The Lord of the Rings since the 1970s.

Beginning over 1400 years before the major events in Tolkien's epic, it describes, year-by-year, the amazing and imaginative background history that Tolkien created for his masterpiece. Then for the main narrative, it becomes a day-by-day reference, describing what each character does on that day and all the places where those events are described in Tolkien's writings. You can find out, for instance, what Merry and Pippin are doing as Sam perpares rabbit stew on the morning of March 7.

Probe deeper into Tolkien. See why someone as serious as Gandalf was interested in fun-loving Hobbits. Discover an exciting new plot, based on Tolkien's notes, that begins when Aragorn captures Gollum. Follow along as the Black Riders and Gandalf race for the Shire. Decide for yourself whether Sauron and the Ring have any ties to Hitler and Stalin. Explore what Tolkien believed about nature and technology.

A few facts illustrate how helpful this chronology is. Most of narrative is a deliberately confusing sea of next days and third days that leave readers as confused as the tale's main characters.The middle 60 percent of The Lord of the Rings gives the current date only once. In the narrative as a whole, the date is given only 23 times, or once for every 43 pages, and most of those come when the plot is moving slowly. That's why those who want to dig deeper and understand better what Tolkien was saying will find this book a must-have.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Resource.......2006-12-10

Perry has done a wonderful job in untangling the very intricate tale woven by J.R.R. Tolkien. Of particular help are the copious margin notes which reference exactly where Perry is drawing the information contained within that section of his book. The commentary made by the author is a welcomed pause for reflection on the events that are taking place and keep the book from being a mere listing of dates and events. I teach a course on J.R.R. Tolkien and have found Untangling Tolkien a valuable resource, since it covers the entire history of Middle-earth: what comes before The Hobbit and what takes place after The Lord of The Rings. Bravo Mr. Perry, I look forward to reading your other books.

Knits up the ravels.......2004-10-31

An amazing accomplishment by a dedicated Tolkien fan.

That is how I'd sum up the book Untanging Tolkien. Michael Perry has first unraveled all Tolkien's "dates" -- which can be extrapolated from phases of the moon -- and then knit them together again in a cohesive outline, presented in much greater detail than Tolkien's own timeline (found buried in Appendix A of LOTR). By incorporating information from other Tolkien writings, the author of Untangling Tolkien collates additional facts about all the characters and the circumstances surrounding the War of the Ring, folding them all into this detailed chronology. He includes material that sheds light on possible parallels between Tolkien's work and events that were contemporary, and he provides original commentary that suggests some additional motivations for Tolkien's characters. Sidebars offer references to every source for the information presented and for each conclusion the author has drawn.

I found the format, with quick-reference bulleted lists and clearly delineated sections and subheadings, well-organized and easy to use.

NOTE: I read the third printing that was published in May 2004. Apparently the author has corrected many of the errors that David Bratman objected to (below). You won't find a better overview or a more throrough treatment of time and dates in LOTR than Perry provides in this book.

A Radiograph of LotR........2003-12-27

This book is layed out as a chronological record of the events covered by Tolkein's masterpiece with prefaces that explain the calender system created by Tolkein and its conversion to our more mundane (and possibly inferior) system. The type is clear, and margin citations clear and present for every entry. It's primary utility, at which it succeeds admirably, is as a kind of radiograph of Tolkein's work that reveals its astonishing complexity more clearly and allows one to admire, and more importantly, explore the book itself more quickly, easily, and deeply.

The book also contains copious notes inline with the chronology. These vary from informative to tangential, but at worst do not detract from the book's primary function. Mr. Perry is perhaps foremost as Lewis scholar, and so C.S. Lewis, a close acquaintance and friend of Tolkein, makes a number of appearances. Also making appearances in the notes are William Shakespeare and Winston Churchill.

All in all, a unique book which will save anyone who wants to do an in depth study of LotR a lot of time.

Splendid Tolkien Reference Work.......2003-12-21

Superb, exhaustive chronology of Tolkien's Lord of the Rings saga. Perry does a superior job in untangling a number of thorny chronological issues in Tolkien's narrative, and he employs some fine literary detective work in reconstructing what events are happening across Middle Earth on any given date. Especially admirable is his reconstruction of how much moonlight there was during each day of Frodo and Sam's journey into Mordor.

In addition to chronology, Perry supplies a lot of background information about Tolkien's themes and sources, as well as biographical tidbits about Tolkien. For example, there are fascinating discussions of Tolkien's views of technology, freedom, and totalitarianism. Perry also discusses Tolkien's stance toward the misuse of Germanic myths by the Nazis.

This is a great resource for Tolkien-lovers everywhere.

a giant mass of undifferentiated trivia.......2003-12-21

A year-by-year, later day-by-day, chronicle of the war against Sauron from the founding of the Shire to the glorious conclusion seems at the outset like a good idea. Perry calls LOTR's Appendix B, the Tale of Years, "far from complete" but it covers the whole period: what he means is that it's not detailed enough for him. Appendix B won't tell you which day Sam cooked coney for Frodo; Perry will.

But alas, the book does not stop there. The entries are written as bullet lists like a PowerPoint presentation, and many add pointless little flowcharts such as two-generation family trees. They reduce Tolkien's magnificently complex subcreation into a giant mass of undifferentiated trivia. And each yearly or daily entry comes with its commentary, whether directly relevant, side points, broader considerations, or dogmatic essays in applicability. The unrelieved banality and inappropriateness of these must be read to be believed; as also the author's clumsy, grammatically inept style, and his smug superiority to the characters. (He frequently criticizes the good guys' "blunders," all of them more complex than he implies.)

There's actually some good chronological analysis and speculation hiding in here. But how can someone who knows his Tolkien that well say that the wizards were Valar, or that Rohan gave Isengard to Saruman (it wasn't theirs to give, and Saruman was made its warden, not a freeholder), that Boromir and Faramir had a sibling rivalry (Tolkien specifically says not), or suggest that Galadriel should have sent daily eagles to check up on the Fellowship?

These are not isolated examples: the bloopers and misconceived ideas go on and on. The whole book is like that: it has the soul of a PowerPoint presentation. I can't recommend it on any terms.

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Black Tower (Herculeah Jones Mystery)
Betsy Byars
Manufacturer: Viking Juvenile
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Mysteries, Espionage, & Detectives | Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery & Horror | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0670061743
Release Date: 2006-09-21

Book Description

At the eerie Hunt mansion, Herculeah has been reading aloud to Lionus Hunt, an elderly stroke victim who can only communicate by blinking his eyes (once for yes, twice for no). Mr. Hunt seems to be telling Herculeah something, but his gruff nurse won't allow her to ask him questions. What is Mr. Hunt trying to say? Is it about a murder that took place years ago in the mansion's black tower? And who is the strange old lady who also lives in the mansion? Herculeah's friend Meat thinks she's asking for trouble, but Herculeah won't quit until she gets to the bottom of this mystery.

From the Dark Tower: Afro-American Writers 1900 to 1960

Average customer rating:

From the Dark Tower: Afro-American Writers 1900 to 1960
Arthur Paul Davis
Manufacturer: Howard University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Average customer rating:

I think it's a balance
A Reluctant Two Stars (1.6 is closer to 2 than 1)

Dispatches from the Ebony Tower

Manufacturer: Columbia University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 023111477X

Amazon.com

In the wake of the civil rights and black power movements of the 1960s, a new discipline called black studies emerged in America's universities in the early 1970s. Now, as demonstrated in this diverse collection, black studies is firmly entrenched in the academic realm. But what is black studies? According to Columbia University professor Manning Marable, editor of Dispatches from the Ebony Tower, "the black intellectual tradition has always been descriptive, that is, presenting the reality of black life and experience from the point of view of the blacks themselves.... It has attempted to challenge and to critique the racism and stereotypes." Though the writers, poets, historians, and academics featured in this book cross many political and ideological lines, they all adhere to the spirit of this definition in their collective critiques. Among the highlights: Maulana Karenga and Molefi Kete Asante review the overall history of black studies and outline the doctrines of Afrocentricity; Marable and Henry Louis Gates Jr. debate the role of activism in black studies; Kamala Kempadoo and Brian Meeks chronicle the plight of black prostitution in the Caribbean and the political dimensions of Jamaica; Cornel West deconstructs Louis Farrakhan and the future of African American progressive leadership; esteemed historian John Hope Franklin offers a personal history of his life; and Amiri Baraka looks at the impact of, and resistance to, global white supremacy. In all, Dispatches from the Ebony Tower is a strong indication that African American intellectualism is alive and well. --Eugene Holley Jr.

Book Description

What constitutes black studies and where does this discipline stand at the end of the twentieth century? In this wide-ranging and original volume, Manning Marable -- one of the leading scholars of African American history -- gathers key materials from contemporary thinkers who interrogate the richly diverse content and multiple meanings of the collective experiences of black folk.

Here are numerous voices expressing very different political, cultural, and historical views, from black conservatives, to black separatists, to blacks who advocate radical democratic transformation. Here are topics ranging from race and revolution in Cuba, to the crack epidemic in Harlem, to Afrocentrism and its critics. All of these voices, however, are engaged in some aspect of what Marable sees as the essential triad of the black intellectual tradition: describing the reality of black life and experiences, critiquing racism and stereotypes, or proposing positive steps for the empowerment of black people.

Highlights from Dispatches from the Ebony Tower:

•Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Manning Marable debate the role of activism in black studies.

•John Hope Franklin reflects on his role as chair of the President's race initiative.

•Cornel West discusses topics that range from the future of the NAACP through the controversies surrounding Louis Farrakhan and black nationalism to the very question of what "race" means.

•Amiri Baraka lays out strategies for a radical new curriculum in our schools and universities.

•Marable's introduction provides a thorough overview of the history and current state of black studies in America.

Customer Reviews:

I think it's a balance.......2005-05-17

This book is very good for a foundational class in Black Studies or if people just wanted to briefly touch on current issues in the discipline. I believe that it was balance for you had your afrocentrics, your moderate, and your conservatives. I think this book highligihhts pertinent issues which you really can't find in many books.

A Reluctant Two Stars (1.6 is closer to 2 than 1).......2003-06-09

Some of these essays were close to valid. Or at least something like well thought out. (Essay on the Sex Industry in Latin America observed that some of the most militant black men are the "first ones to jump into bed with a white woman.")

Others (Amiri Baraka) were just rambling. When I read these books written by black "intellectuals" I wonder: Can people really believe *anything* subject to feedback from reality? Apparently they can in the case that they are academics-- which effectively means NO feedback from reality.

The value of this book, IMHO is to demonstrate to black people exactly why academics/ intellectuals are the perfect place to go if you want the WRONG information. WEB DuBois, for example. As much as everyone talks about him, it seems overlooked that he became disgusted when his ideas didn't get lauded with the praise and acceptance that he deserved. And he actually ended up dying a bitter old man and being buried in Ghana.

One thing that I see as a thread of commonality in all of these essays is that they obsessively reinterpret EVERY SINGLE ISSUE as something for political acion. Or collective action of some sort.

The other consistency is that they misunderstand the economics of "black issues." Everyone seems to think that if you take a sociological approach to these things (i.e.,nonsense uttered with seeming profundity--see Amiri Baraka) or repeat them enough times, they'll become true.

It might have been nice if they'd [=the various authors] shown a few more examples of where NOT to go, as learned from past mistakes (i.e., the political panacea), or critiqued what had actually happened when some of these earlier "intellectuals'" ideas had actually been put into practice. Or, derived the origin of some of the problems in reasonably concrete terms. (Housing projects and welfare roles leading to the destruction of the black family, for example.)

I hope that this stands as an example for blacks who take the time to read it just what *not* to do for economic success.

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