The Claims of Culture: Equality and Diversity in the Global Era

Book Description

How can liberal democracy best be realized in a world fraught with conflicting new forms of identity politics and intensifying conflicts over culture? This book brings unparalleled clarity to the contemporary debate over this question. Maintaining that cultures are themselves torn by conflicts about their own boundaries, Seyla Benhabib challenges the assumption shared by many theorists and activists that cultures are clearly defined wholes. She argues that much debate--including that of "strong" multiculturalism, which sees cultures as distinct pieces of a mosaic--is dominated by this faulty belief, one with grave consequences for how we think injustices among groups should be redressed and human diversity achieved. Benhabib masterfully presents an alternative approach, developing an understanding of cultures as continually creating, re-creating, and renegotiating the imagined boundaries between "us" and "them."

Drawing on contemporary cultural politics from Western Europe, Canada, and the United States, Benhabib develops a double-track model of deliberative democracy that permits maximum cultural contestation within the official public sphere as well as in and through social movements and the institutions of civil society. Agreeing with political liberals that constitutional and legal universalism should be preserved at the level of polity, she nonetheless contends that such a model is necessary to resolve multicultural conflicts.

Analyzing in detail the transformation of citizenship practices in European Union countries, Benhabib concludes that flexible citizenship, certain kinds of legal pluralism and models of institutional powersharing are quite compatible with deliberative democracy, as long as they are in accord with egalitarian reciprocity, voluntary self-ascription, and freedom of exit and association. The Claims of Culture offers invaluable insight to all those, whether students or scholars, lawyers or policymakers, who strive to bridge the gap between the theory and practice of cultural politics in the twenty-first century.

Customer Reviews:

A Must-Read.......2003-11-18

Seyla Benhabib's important new book "The Claims of Culture" addresses a constellation of issues with which our contemporary liberal democratic society must deal in an age of cultural diversity both within the political boundaries the nation-state and at the global level. As Benhabib makes very clear, in this context we face a dual imperative of remaining sensitive to the plurality of the ways people both near and far choose how to live, while simultaneously seeking out a mode of reflexive ethical universalism that can provide foundations for normatively addressing crises with world-reach. We must also look askance at approaches to cultural diversity, which reify boundaries and in turn fail to take account of the fluid process of renegotiation and recreation constitutive of the contemporary practices of social and political self-definition.
The book is gracefully and limpidly written. Benhabib's has a masterful grasp of the multiple literatures involved in her undertaking and is a virtuoso of conveying their multiform ideas both incisively and reliably. This work is a must read for anyone interested cultural studies or political theory or their often-ignored yet undoubtedly intimate relationship.

Unreadable and Laborious.......2003-10-16

Quite simply, this is one of the most poorly written books I've ever seen. Benhabib's basic points are lost in a jungle of jargon that appears to be written only for herself or for a very tight circle of over-specialized academics who share the same unintelligible language. Tragically, Benhabib's points about the evolutionary nature of culture and its fit within democratic societies are valid, interesting, and worthy of contemplation, but her writing prevents most people from ever grasping them. Simply put, don't buy this book. If it is required for a course, as it was for me, tell your professor to pick something else.

Legalizing Misandry: From Public Shame to Systemic Discrimination Against Men

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Faulty scholarship fails to make a compelling case
This is essentially a perfect book
A Flawless Deconstruction of State Sponsored Hate.
Scholarship as sexual warfare
Misandry Courageously Discussed by Scholars

Legalizing Misandry: From Public Shame to Systemic Discrimination Against Men
Paul Nathanson , and Katherine Young
Manufacturer: McGill-Queen's University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0773528628

Book Description

Lurid and sensationalized events such as the public response to Lorena Bobbitt after she cut off her abusive husband's penis, prurient fascination provoked by Anita Hill's allegations about Clarence Thomas, and the exploitation of the mass murder of fourteen women in Montreal have been processed through popular culture since the 1990s to produce pervasive misandry - contempt for men, the counterpart of misogyny. Paul Nathanson and Katherine Young believe that this reveals a shift in the United States and Canada to a worldview based on ideological feminism, which presents all issues from the point of view of women and, in the process, explicitly or implicitly attacks men as a class. They argue that ideological feminism is silently reshaping law, pubic policy, education, and journalism. Legalizing Misandry offers lively and compelling evidence to demonstrate the pervasiveness of this new thinking - from the courts, classrooms, government committees, and corporate bureaucracies to laws and policies affecting employment, marriage, divorce, custody, sexual harassment, violence, and human rights.

Customer Reviews:

Faulty scholarship fails to make a compelling case.......2007-05-31

Nathanson and Young fail to situate their analysis of misandry in popular culture within a wider cultural or historical context, and in doing so, significantly reduce the strength of their argument. Furthermore, their thinly veiled anti-feminism is conveyed through appallingly faulty and deceptive scholarship, proving a much greater desire to assert their political case than adhere to any sort of academic research standards. This book should never have been published by a university.

This is essentially a perfect book.......2007-05-19

I am about half-way through my second reading of this book, and am noticing even moreso than on the first, how much work the authors have done, in the design and laying out of their facts, explanations, and theories (which by the way, are all true).
If someone, say my best friend (male), had told me even just a couple years ago that there was a branch of feminism which seeks some sort of utopia, and in the process is undermining basic human rights and threatening the very existence of men, I would have told him he was a paranoid lunatic. After having read "Spreading Misandry" (the authors' previous work) and now "Legalizing..", I would say my friend is one of the very few who knows what is going on underneath the surface of the misandric culture we live in. Yes unfortunately, very few..notice the extremely small number of reviewers here. It really is depressing, isn't it? The way I figure it there are only two ways out of the current situation (at least in the short run): either 1) There will have to be at least a couple high-level female politicians and judges, who have tremendous integrity and who will challenge feminism; or 2) There will need to be a massive "man's march" on Washington and in other cities, consisting of one million or more guys.

A Flawless Deconstruction of State Sponsored Hate. .......2006-09-18

With Legalizing Misandry, Nathanson and Young continue with the outstanding scholarship and analysis they first put forth in 2001 with Spreading Misandry, which was the first work in this trilogy. In fact, if anything, this is an even more meticulous study of the subject than was their earlier (and perfect) endeavor; although, considering that it took them five years to produce it, we should not really be surprised. The text is extremely thick and its endnotes lengthy. Unlike the feminist academics they debunk, both authors are dedicated to intellectual rigor and scholarship. Currently, I am writing a book about women and have numerous citations of SM already, but I now have to go back and add "2001" to my original endnotes because delineation must be made between volumes one and two. It is a pity that McGill could not have given this one more publicity. I heard about its release months after it became available. Something this monumental deserves serious PR, and I wish they would have spent the cash or exerted the energy to get the word out. Nathanson and Young have exactly the type of sober insight which is most needed in our times of over-emotion and sound byte politicking. I eagerly await the final installment to the series.

I should note that, despite the tremendous amount of time I've spent studying it, part of me still cannot believe the way in which serious minds are so influenced by feminist hogwash. It would take only a few seconds of searching to disprove many of their lies, but the conformity and laziness of our politicians and judges appears to be endless. They don't want to think and they resent us making them do so. The only broad based way to rollback misandric laws and codes is to rollback the size of the state. The state has always been the muscle behind feminist totalitarianism because the average person would never support their views and desires. Without the state they are nothing. In our current environment, in my humble opinion, only a libertarian stance will remedy the situation. Slashing budgets and bureaucracies is the only way to free ourselves from abusive laws and statist coercion.

Scholarship as sexual warfare.......2006-06-26

One of the more intriguing questions which this massive and massively-researched volume will raise in the months and years to come is the degree to which it will be politicized, i.e., viewed as a salvo "in favor of" males in a gender war conceived by academic feminists as a marxist political-group war between oppressors and oppressed. Academic feminist scholarship explicitly has an activist political agenda, which means among other things that it opportunistically exploits the tolerance of the modern university in the name of pursuit of an ethic of truth-seeking in order to advance what can be called an ethic of power-seeking. In that context, "Legalizing Misandry" will be seen by academic feminists as "just another" (though necessarily formidable) blow aimed at resisting feminist attack strategy in behalf of the enemy (no quotes) male.

Perhaps the single most important thing Nathonson and Young do is refuse to draw back from saying that academic feminists--most of the feminists they discuss are professional scholar-teachers, most with PhDs--are unabashed hatemongers. In going so far they only stop short of annoncing that the "gender war" is in no way a metaphor, that feminists are just as determined to wreak damage on males as they contend males are determined to wreak on them.

In a way, it will be interesting to see just how far this gauntlet thrown down to academic feminists will be picked up by them and responded to. To admit that feminists are explicitly anti-male, for instance, is to open up the whole academic industry of "Women' Studies"--which includes the female professors who teach in them--to the charge that they violate federal, state, and institutional regulations against hostile environment sexual harassment. We may yet see female professors, and indeed female management types in the workplace, banished like males have been to the shadowy darkness of having sexual harassment charges on their resumes, with all the attendant difficulty of getting new jobs that this implies. It would indeed be ironic that feminists would suffer the same fate, since it was precisely feminist activists who formulated, brokered, and finally put into the U. S. code of federal regulations these very sexual harassment laws.

The tone of "Legalizing Misandry" is considerbly more outspoken, even edgy, by comparison with that of the preceding volume "Spreading Misandry." Clearly, the co-authors find themselves less able than previously to maintain the cold distance of investigative impersonality when dealing with the vast evidence that we have on our hands in Canada and U. S. nothing less than a civil war founded on gender. That it is a war--so far--without combat should not be allowed to dilute this characterization on the assumption that war is always combat. There's a difference--you can have one without the other--and that's what Nathanson and Young end up describing in overwhelming detail. It's a real war, and this book may go a considerable distance to persuading a critical mass of North American males finally to recognize that fact.

Misandry Courageously Discussed by Scholars.......2006-06-25

Following on their study of the systematic hatred of men (misandry) in the popular media--SPREADING MISANDRY--two Canadian scholars present in this volume the second of a trilogy on the topic. The third will discuss misandry as it is being proselytized in college and university classrooms. They have no need for shocking journalistic revelations and rhetoric, but rely instead on sober, close examination of court decisions that have slowly but surely changed the way men are treated under the law in Canada and the United States. The authors show how interest groups, lobbying and media pressure have leveraged a sea change in the treatment of men, especially as husbands and fathers. Their position is ethical. The focus of their examination is ideological feminism's effect on the framing of legal sanctions by our nation's courts that are stacked against men. As a result of the influence of ideological feminism, certain topics may not be discussed in academe, the media will always support its agenda, and increasingly in the home, husbands and fathers are identified as dangerous and evil. Demonizing men in this way is the work of misandry. Its sources are complex, but they rest solidly in ideological feminism. The authors' plea is for reasoned consideration of misandry and exposure of its motives. After reading this book, no one can fail to admit that we have reached a point where it is increasingly thought to be a shame to have been born male in North America. And we cannot forget that what is promoted here soon sends out spores to settle and grow elsewhere in the world. For now, this reader is grateful to the authors of this volume in the series of their studies for their courage in offering a point of view that those who are in academe know quite well MAY NOT be brought up in committee and faculty meetings and, soon, in all classrooms.

My worry is above all for boys, the sons and students of men who are portrayed as evil, not only in the popular media but also increasingly in the eyes of the law. That boys are leaving school should not surprise us at all. That fathers are leaving their sons is also no less unpredictable in such a climate. Scholars of divorce may find a fuller understanding of their topic by reading this volume of Nathanson and Young's trilogy.

It must be made clear that this is NOT an exercise in victim studies. Nor do the authors call for a counter-revolution to the positive feminism that brought women into the workplace and politics. They make no declarations. Instead they present evidence and examine arguments.

This is an important work in ethics, gender studies, and history. It deserves wide readership, media exposure, and discussion in academe.

The Riddle of Amish Culture (Center Books in Anabaptist Studies)

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More In Depth Look at the Amish
They call everybody English!
Great book
Amish life: the same and yet so different
More than buggies

The Riddle of Amish Culture (Center Books in Anabaptist Studies)
Donald B. Kraybill
Manufacturer: Johns Hopkins University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 080186772X

Book Description

Since its publication in 1989, The Riddle of Amish Culture has become recognized as a classic work on one of America's most distinctive religious communities. But many changes have occurred within Amish society over the past decade, from westward migrations and a greater familiarity with technology to the dramatic shift away from farming into small business which is transforming Amish culture. For this revised edition, Donald B. Kraybill has taken these recent changes into account, incorporating new demographic research and new interviews he has conducted among the Amish. In addition, he includes a new chapter describing Amish recreation and social gatherings, and he applies the concept of "social capital" to his sensitive and penetrating interpretation of how the Amish have preserved their social networks and the solidarity of their community.

Customer Reviews:

More In Depth Look at the Amish.......2007-10-03

This is a more in depth look at living Amish through the eyes of its adherants that what's offered in the 11 People's Place books that are priced at $6.95 each. What I don't like is Amish became trendy, for some a life long trend after it sold out with Weird Al's Amish Paradise. The picture from the CD single of Amish Paradise looks like Weird Al lost his humor. Weird Al was hilarious in the 80s, then in the 90s he grew up quick and just wasn't funny any more, taking himself too seriously on Running with Scissors and looking Amish and younger on the poorly planned Poodle Hat. Anyway, the closest I fall into his getting ready to be a life long traditional old order Anabaptist Amish. The big no no is a car and the second big no no is a computer. Don't believe what you heard about the Amish in school- yes it is a big deal because the average Amish family averages 7 kids and they often live on multi million dollar farms, feeding at times a whole country. The Amish are not a joke, they are not even weird- they are serious people who actually were more content leading a plain lifestyle. Divorce is forbidden in most branches of Amish. Weird Al, I hope you're making this work well you do look a lot younger on Poodle Hat.

They call everybody English!.......2007-09-10

My experience with Amish people is limited to having lunch with an Amish family who were neighbors of friends in Ohio. My (ex)wife expressed approval that corn-on-the-cob was being served. The hostess said, "I didn't realize English liked corn-on-the-cob!" My wife (whose name was Ryan) replied, "Irish, not English!" This little vignette is an example of Amish anomaly. If you want to read about the whole thing - why and how, read this book. The most fascinating thing I learned is that the Amish leadership do not apply their rules in a rote fashion. Each modern technology is considered by the criteria of whether or not it will help or hurt the unity of the Amish family and people.

Great book.......2007-01-07

Timely shipment and in great condition. I was very pleased with order. Very educating.

Amish life: the same and yet so different.......2006-09-04

Not your typical photographic essay. Discusses in depth the complexities of the Amish nation's dynamic interelations with the larger English society. Amish life has, apparently, changed greatly in the last century, whether it be gas stoves, business ventures, fiberglass buggies, or toxic chemicals spewn from modern devices pulled by horses, although such details vary somewhat from church district to church district. There are no easy outs for those born into the faith and no easy ins for those born outside. A more truly revealing book on the Amish would have to be written by someone in the inside, which will not happen. However, Kraybill's work is a sympathetic, comprehensive, and revealing work. An informative read also suggested for public and academic libaries.

More than buggies.......2006-05-09

Kraybill knows his topic. He's a prof. at Messiah College, a top-drawer evangelial school with Anabaptist/Brethren roots, located near PA Amish country. He has studied and written on the Amish since the mid-80s. He is also a clear communicator, able to summarize complicated material with ease.

He is clearly very sympathetic to most of the Amish distinctives, though he is able to maintain a critical stance.

To me the Amish are more than simply a curious cultural oddity. They offer some insights into ways for Christians to confront and stand apart from Modernity and materialism. Though Kraybill shows, they may be subtly Modernist in their very rejection of Modernity.

The Amish are also important as an example of an extreme Anabaptist tradition. The 16th century European Xianity can be divided into three groups: Roman Caholics, Reformation, and Anabaptist. Surely the latter, while smallest of the three in the 16th cent., has long been ascending in contemporary America. Anabaptist distinctives -- sectarianism, believer baptism, emphasis on piety over intellect, anticlerical, antisacramental, democratic in church polity, etc. -- are now dominant in American evangelicalism. How important then to understand the Amish, as a fairly well-preserved example of the early Anabaptist tradition.

Anyway, wonderful book. Worth repeated readings.

Treasure in Clay Jars: Patterns in Missional Faithfulness (The Gospel and Our Culture Series)

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From William B. Eerdmans
Excellent practical missional church resource

Treasure in Clay Jars: Patterns in Missional Faithfulness (The Gospel and Our Culture Series)

Manufacturer: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 080282692X

Customer Reviews:

From William B. Eerdmans.......2007-05-22

If you saw a missional church, what would it look like? What patterns of behavior and practice would you find there? Building on the ground laid by the book Missional Church: A Vision for the Sending of the Church in North America (Darrell Guder et al. 1998), this book centers on case studies of nine missional congregations from across North America that are diverse in their denominational affiliations, worship styles, political stances, and socioeconomic backgrounds. The book explores eight concrete "patterns" common to these churches. Although the patterns may be different in each setting, they can be recognized in any congregation seeking to participate in God's mission in the world. The team that authored this book believes that "missional" says something not so much about the activities of the church as its character: "The church does not exist for itself, but for participation in God's mission of reconciliation... Mission is the character of the church in whatever context it exists." The congregations studied here are "clay jars," but each carries in its witness a remarkable treasure that points to God's power and purposes.

Excellent practical missional church resource.......2006-03-22

This book gives some very good practical insights into the Missional Church movement. The examples come from a variety of churches in a variety of contexts. The principles or practices of missional churches are described and explained in real live church contexts. I'm reading this with my session (leadership board) now. So far folks seem to be tracking pretty well, but still some translation is needed to the lay reader. At least that is true in my situation.

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Informative Book about people behaviour
A book that will make you laugh, but not one you willl learn a lot from...
A Canadian primer for outsiders, with tongue firmly in cheek
funny
A Refreshing Look at Canadian Lifestyle

How to Be a Canadian
Will Ferguson , and Ian Ferguson
Manufacturer: Douglas & McIntyre
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1550548913

Book Description

It isn’t always easy being Canadian, according to Will Ferguson, but it can be a lot of fun. Asked to write a follow-up to his runaway bestseller Why I Hate Canadians, Ferguson, who’s Canadian himself, recruited his brother Ian — comedy writer and executive producer of the Canadian series Sin City and a Canadian too — to create this ultimate guide to the country's cultural quirks. The result is a hilarious inside look at that unique species, the Canadian, and their thoughts on such diverse subjects as beer, sex, dating rituals, sports, politics, religion, social rules — and, of course, their trademark death-defying search for the middle of any road.

Customer Reviews:

Informative Book about people behaviour.......2007-05-13

Despite the comedy its a book full of information ABOOT Canada :)

A book that will make you laugh, but not one you willl learn a lot from..........2007-03-17

"How to be a Canadian", written by Will and Ian Ferguson (both Canadian), is a short book that aims at making you laugh by making fun of some stereotypes regarding Canada and Canadians.

I must confess that I thought that some parts of this book were a bit boring. On the other hand, I couldn't help but laugh when the authors say that their "sophisticated sense of self-identity (namely, that as Canadians, Canadians are, in fact, Canadian) is only the tip of the proverbial iceberg. More important still is what Canadians aren't: American". I also liked the way in which Will and Ian give strange examples in order to help the reader to understand Canadian media, or when they wisely point out that "one of the most important aspects of assimilating into a particular culture is getting interested in the national obsession" (that is, hockey), among other things.

On the whole, I believe that "How to be a Canadian" is a book that will make you laugh, but not one you willl learn a lot from. All the same, and provided you take that into account, recommended....

Belen Alcat

A Canadian primer for outsiders, with tongue firmly in cheek.......2007-01-04

Being Canadian (I am not, but know a few who are) is clearly as odd a thing as being any other nationality, but with the distinction that Canadians define themselves more often by what they are not (i.e., overly cultured, overly ambitious, American, French (if you live outside Quebec), English (if you don't) etc, etc). Canadians have a reputation for reticence about themselves, which leads many people (most often those who live right next door in a place that actively exports its ideas) regrettably not to know much about them.

So this book mines a rich seam of eccentric humor in many different ways (there is an entire chapter on "Eh?", for one). It reads like a series of stand-alone humorous pieces - which also makes it perfect for reading episodically while seated - if you get my drift.

It is, in effect, an "Idiot's Guide" type of book, but has the merit of not attempting to be an encyclopedia, which suits the material very well, and allows for interesting anecdotes both about Canada and about the process of writing the book.

There are many parts that made me laugh really hard, the chapter on Canadian cuisine for one. I can confirm that much of what is written is very accurate from my own observation. And the overall effect, while obviously needing to be funny and light reading, gives outsiders a really helpful quick study of the mystery of Canada and Canadians in particular.

Highly recommended.

funny.......2006-12-22

Very funny, even though I was expecting to learn something different with this book but it kept me reading it with a smile.

A Refreshing Look at Canadian Lifestyle.......2006-02-27

This book did not only generate some chuckles. I was laughing out loud all through this! It's witty, upfront and very real. Will and Ian have presented a fascinating look at Canadian life...from the perspective of two of our funniest! How to Be a Canadian looks at everything about us from a highly amusing yet down-to-earth and completely believable way. Thanks for blabbing about us, guys!

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A Man's Adventure, A Nation's Fate
Two Gun Cohen
Two-Gun, A Factually Complete Biography, With Extras!
It Was So Dull That I Couldn't Finish It
Informative and Intriguing

Two-Gun Cohen: A Biography
Daniel S. Levy
Manufacturer: Thomas Dunne Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Customer Reviews:

A Man's Adventure, A Nation's Fate.......2003-04-17

First of all, I should say that my primary reason for reading this book was not because of some particular interest in the story of Two-Gun Cohen. My first attraction to this book grew from my interest in the history of China, and particularly modern China, which I date from the Macartney's mission in 1783. This book did not disappoint. It is a very useful addition to the study of China in the period from the 1911 revolution through the Communist revolution of 1949 and beyond. It gives very little insight into the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), but there is lots of stuff written on that period.

I have not read anything else by this author, so I cannot make comparisons to his other work, but I will say one thing: I like a guy who does his homework. This book is nothing if not well researched. That is, in fact, it's main strength. I used to be a country school teacher-believe me, I have heard every excuse in the book for why the homework wasn't done. And I have become weary in recent years of "historians" who pretend to be writing history, but in fact have no interest in what actually happened. Ever go to a library and try to get Gore Vidal's "Lincoln?" It's in the fiction section. Or how about Oliver Stone, who openly admits (without any sense of shame) that he plays loose with the facts? That kind of stuff sells to a nation of people who are products of the American public school system. But for those who really care about what actually happened, a higher standard must prevail. Daniel Levy holds to that standard, and even helps to establish it, because his careful workmanship serves as an example to those who would address the same period. Bottom line: this is just very good history.

Now to the story. This book addresses the question of who Cohen is in comparison with how he presented himself, or allowed himself to be presented. Cohen was not the "mover and shaker" that he is sometimes said to be. But he was not just a worthless pretender, either. As I see it, Cohen distinguished himself in two areas: He was a very good body guard for Sun Yat Sen, and he also had the dubious distinction of being a first rate gun runner. Other than that, he doesn't seem to have been able to get by without some kind of a hustle. He started life as a petty crook, and this set a pattern that really prevented him from having dependable, gainful employment when the chips were down. I don't mean that he could never get away from the life of crime. What I mean is that, because he took the easy way out as a youth, he never took the time to learn a trade. I always encourage young people to develop a marketable skill that they can fall back on if they ever need to. This is something Cohen never did, and there was a time in his later life when it really would have come in handy. While Sun Yat Sen was alive, Cohen was riding high. But after he died, and especially after World War II, Cohen suffered a long period of marginal or nonexistent employment. Nothing wrong with being an adventurer, but it really helps if you have a trade skill to take you through the dry periods.

Toward the end of his life, Cohen did manage to secure some very good work as a consultant because of his contacts in China. These connections, by the way, were genuine. It would be grandiose in the extreme to suggest that Cohen shaped the future of China. But he was well acquainted with some of those who did. That part of his self-presentation was not made up.

I gave this book five stars because it was so well researched. But it is also a very personal story of a man that I think, in some way, we all aspire to be. I respect Cohen for daring to step out and discover a world that so many of his peers shied away from. He was not satisfied with the ordinary. And he was in many ways a very likeable, if sometimes pathetic person. This was a very enjoyable book. It is not as quick a read as some others, partly because the author went to great lengths to verify his assertions. But I think any honest reader will find it to be a worthy contribution to the literature.

Two Gun Cohen.......2002-11-29

Two Gun Cohen is bigger than life. Like most biographies it is not a fast reading book, but it is a great book for anyone interested in the history of western Canada, China or interested in Jewish biography. I read the book after visiting places in England where Two Gun Cohen spent his youth,in the cities of western Canada where he spent his youth and China where he spend his mid life. The book is not for anyone that is not interested in history or biographies of unusual people. For me it was a great book; I wish that it was still available in hard cover, I am buying two addional copies for two friends of mine.

Two-Gun, A Factually Complete Biography, With Extras!.......2000-11-23

I long ago heard of Two-Gun Cohen, and was pleased when I found out that there was finally a biography of him. Daniel Levy has crafted a clear, well written account of Cohen and taken the time to delve deeply into his life. I was amazed at what Levy uncovered, from Cohen's World War I medical files (I am surprised that such material still survives), to the dossiers the State Department kept on him and the depositions chronicling Cohen's various court visits. More importantly, Levy obviously took pains to get Cohen's life right and to track down those who knew him well. For by going through his encyclopedic footnotes and seeing all the people he spoke to, one realizes that if Levy solely relied on the cold documentary history of records and newspaper clips, Cohen would have come across as a less interesting and much rougher character. What Levy has presented us with is a well-rounded view of this adventurer, and written a riveting and graceful history of an amazing man.

It Was So Dull That I Couldn't Finish It.......2000-05-03

It's rare when I...(leave a)...biography unread. But I gave upabout halfway through what should have been much more fascinating andreadable. Instead, Daniel Levy writes a rather dull portrait ofCohen, making him into just another hoodlum. There's no verve or excitement here, despite the criminal life Cohen leads in Canada or the revolutions he sees in China. It also doesn't help that this book is rife with bad grammar and sentence structure. Didn't anyone edit this?

A dull book all the way to the point when I said, "enough!" END

Informative and Intriguing.......2000-04-07

Levy does a remarkable job of telling the story of Two-Gun Cohen, from his humble roots as an immigrant Jewish youth in London to his early days in Canada to his glory days in China as a bodyguard for Sun Yat-Sen. It is the remarkable tale of a self-made man that reads in large part like a "boy's adventure" story of the mid-1900s -- except that the whole thing is true. Some may take issue with Levy's debunking the many myths that Cohen erected around his life, but such scholarship does noting to diminish the character, charm and accomplishments of the man.

So, You Want to Be Canadian: All About the Most Fascinating People in the World and the Magical Place They Call Home

Average customer rating:

Good book but too short
cute but a little light on content
Enjoyed reading it.
Cute and funny for the Canada lover
A CANADIAN

So, You Want to Be Canadian: All About the Most Fascinating People in the World and the Magical Place They Call Home
Kerry Colburn , and Rob Sorensen
Manufacturer: Chronicle Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0811845354

Book Description

So, you want to be Canadian? Who doesn't these days? Canucks are enjoying a major renaissance in attention, from their enlightened social policies to their wild and wooly pop culture. This playful, trivia-packed book is a long-overdue celebration of all things Canadian, from the mysteries of "eh?" to the difference between an Ogo Pogo and a Windingo to how to prepare moose stroganoff (mmm!). Featuring a dreamy list of Canadian hotties, a toe-tapping roundup of Canadian smash hit songs, a handy Canadian American translator, and pointers on how to eat, dress, and apologize like a Canadian if you weren't lucky enough to be born a Canuck, So, You Want to Be Canadian demonstrates once and for all why Canada is so cool (formerly just cold).

Customer Reviews:

Good book but too short.......2007-01-18

I am really interested in exploring the option to live in Canada - that's why I purchased this book in the first place. The book references to life in Canada in a humourous manner and is practically intented to familiarize Americans with the Canadian facon de vivre.. It was a fast and fun read though I wished it had more information on everyday Canadian life basics and differences between cities like Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa.

cute but a little light on content.......2006-07-05

If you're looking for a humorous quick read this book will suffice. However, its not going to make you go "yep that's me" or "I recognize that" as much as others of the genre might

Enjoyed reading it........2006-01-03

This is a most interesting read, mostly comedic, but it is really a hoot to read.

Cute and funny for the Canada lover.......2005-09-12

This book has a wealth of quirky Canada facts and is overall an enjoyable read. A true Canadian would probally know most of the information in this volume, so this makes a great gift for that Canadian wannabe you know (or your friend the draft dodger.) Quirky and cute, I would buy this book for anyone who ever said "So what's up with Canada anyway?" This will difinitively answer their question.

A CANADIAN.......2005-05-06

I have to say that I absolutely loved this book! Not only is it very funny, its also informative for Americans who know little/nothing about Canada and gives a humorous sterotypical view of Canada. I have to say that if you were canadian you might find this funnier than americans because you know all the stereotypes and understand things like Poutine (fries with cheese), toques(hats) and the word "eh". There is many cute little diagrams throughout the book, and would be a perfect gift for an american friend, or give a canadian living in united states a good laugh. Definately worth buying!

Confessions of an Igloo Dweller: Memories of the Old Arctic

Average customer rating:

I couldn't put it down
A really good book
"Yes, but is it Art?"
Gripping, non-judgemental, true-life narrative.

Confessions of an Igloo Dweller: Memories of the Old Arctic
James Houston
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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White Dawn: An Eskimo Sage: An Eskimo Saga

ASIN: 0395788900

Book Description

James Houston lived among Inuit in the Canadian Arctic between 1948 and 1962. He slept in their igloos, ate raw fish and seal meat, wore skin clothing, traveled by dog team, hunted walrus,learned how to build a snowhouse, and raised a family. While doing so, he helped change the Arctic. Impressed by the natural artistic skills of the people, he encouraged the development of exhibits and sales of Inuit art in the south - sales that have brought millions of dollars to its creators. Confessions of an Igloo Dweller, a wonderful piece of storytelling, recounts Houston's fascinating and often hilarious adventures among a confident, smiling people who spoke no English. Taking readers into the heart of Inuit culture, it joins the tradition established by Fridtjof Nansen, Vilhjalmur Stefansson, and Farley Mowat. A book full of adventure and anecdote as well as the delights of art and the hazards of cold, it is illustrated with forty drawings by the author.

Customer Reviews:

I couldn't put it down.......1999-12-03

This book was a delight to read. Mr. Houston's admiration for the Inuit culture is evident on every page. Many of the passages and stories are thought provoking and educational. I especially enjoyed his descriptions of bewilderment turned to enlightenment by such unassuming teachers.

A really good book.......1999-09-09

Really enjoyable. This man's interraelationship with a disappearing culture and the hurdles he faced in the Arctic wilderness are tangible and detailed. Mostly this book is about a youth (his own) - lost but still remembered. I read Joseph Conrad's Youth at the same time and the themes were quite similar.

"Yes, but is it Art?".......1997-08-15

First this is a book about art. If you have ever wondered how those most beautiful Eskimo sculptures and prints have found their way to your local gallery; this book tells you how.

Mr. Houston was the first artist to recognize and search out the Inuit artforms and to deliver them to the art markets "outside". In every detail, name by name, you can read about the Inuit art culture from the very first stone figures and bone scluptures, to the latest prints.

Second this is a book about Arctic. Adventure on a epic scale. Mr. Houstons' honeymoon was one of the very few trips from east to west across Baffin Island by sled. Mr and Mrs. Houston spent years in the Arctic living in the Inuit way; both their sons spoke Inuktitut in preference to English and preferred raw seal meat to... well that was all there was to eat.

Sadly there are in this book no prints of the Inuit art, nor photos of the artists, nor any example of the art described in the text. For all the journeys by sled, boat, plane, and on foot there are no suitable maps. For a book about a culture that is so completely linked to geography, there are no maps for the reader to follow nor plates for the art lover to love.

The most astonsihing event of the book occurs on page 9. A very young Mr. Houston steps off of a plane in the Hudson's Bay Arctic, looks around, and flatly refuses to live any place else; He stays for 15 years.

You can add Mr. Houston to the list with Barry Lopez, William Vollmann , Farley Mowat, and John McPhee; thoes writers that get the Arctic Expericence

Gripping, non-judgemental, true-life narrative........1997-06-12

This is one of the finest first-person, historical narratives I've read for many years. Mr. Houston provides a unique, non-judgemental series of observations and first-hand stories about the Inuit and his own experiences living among them and working with them and, most importantly, learning from them. He is very honest in relating his own foibles and potentially life-threatening mistakes. His style is very easy to read and personal and I could not put this book down after starting it. Mr. Houston lived a highly privileged and unique life among a pre-literate but very evolved group during a crucial turning point for their culture. This is a rare and wonderful narrative.

The Invasion Within: The Contest of Cultures in Colonial North America (The Cultural Origins of North America)

Average customer rating:

Excellent book

The Invasion Within: The Contest of Cultures in Colonial North America (The Cultural Origins of North America)
James Axtell
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0195041542

Book Description

Colonial North America was not only a battleground for furs and land, but also for allegiances and even souls. In the three-sided struggle for empire, the English and French colonists were locked in heated competition for native allies and religious converts. Axtell sharply contrasts the English efforts to "civilize" the Indians with the French willingness to accept native lifestyles, and reveals why the struggle for control over the continent became a fascinating contest of cultures between shrewd opponents lasting nearly 150 years.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent book.......2006-02-04

Axtell is interested in acculturation and the "imapct the major competing cultures of Eastern North America- English, French, and Indian- had had on each other, especially when they set out consciously to educate or convert their rivals." (p.IX) This book reveals the social and cultural interactions in the norteast of North America. The author rejects the prejudice of the moral superiority of the Europeans over the "savage" Indians and gives a profound account of the cultural interactions and conversions among the English, French, and Indian inhabitants of northeast North America. The English had the weakest cultural impact, according to the author. The French were more flexible and more successful in bringing new converts, but the Indians were the most successful cultural power, concludes Axtell, thanks to their more natural lifestyle and tolerance towards the cultures of the Europeans, who wanted to settle among them.

It's an excellent book that tells the story of Colonial North America from a very interesting angle and it is a definite must for readers interested in social and cultural history of North America.

Average customer rating:

SHAT-NER! SHAT-NER! SHAT-NER!!!
Why Is That Monster Asking These Questions?
Self Deprecating Prose, Or An Apology?
"This really is William Shatner, and I stink!"
Funny book about facing reality

Get a Life! (Star Trek)
William Shatner
Manufacturer: Atria
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0671021311

Amazon.com

For years, William Shatner's attitude toward Star Trek conventions was strictly professional: he'd typically fly in the day of his appearance, go straight from the airport to the stage, and then leave as quickly as possible. But when he went on an extensive tour to promote Generations, he became "Ebenezer Scrooge on Christmas morning." Soon he was talking to fellow cast members, convention organizers, and the fans themselves, discovering how love of a science fiction show had helped create a tight-knit community.

In the course of this book, Shatner gives us a short history of Trek fandom, reveals the thinking behind Paramount's decision to kill off James T. Kirk, briefly explains the origins of the infamous Saturday Night Live sketch that gives the book its title, holds a seminar with the three other starship captains, and even takes lessons on the proper way to imitate Kirk from the master, Kevin Pollak, an actor/comedian. (Among the insights gained: those dramatic pauses in Kirk's speeches were the result of Shatner trying to remember his next line.) And there are plenty of jokes at the expense of Leonard Nimoy, as well as a few skewering Shatner. (The "elephant story" is a classic in itself. Once, when Shatner was on a photo safari in Africa, an elephant did number two on his head. He tells the story at cons, and the fans seem to love it, for some reason.) But the most touching segments of Get a Life! are Shatner's interviews with the fans, particularly those to whom the show and the fan community have given a social and emotional lifeline. Once you've read the conversations with the shy veterinary student who made friends by dressing his cats in Star Trek uniforms, or with a young woman whose severe emotional and sexual trauma had led to the development of multiple personalities that included three healing presences in the form of Kirk, Spock, and McCoy, you will never be able to make a Trekkie joke quite so readily again. --Ron Hogan

Book Description

Get A Life! with the possible exception of "Beam me up, Scotty," is clearly the most repeated catchphrase in the history of Star Trek®. Poking fun at Star Trek's gung-ho fans and conventions in a now infamous Saturday Night Live sketch, William Shatner's comic rallying cry has been indelibly emblazoned into the collective psyche of trekkers everywhere. Through the years, the phrase has spurred laughter, anger, controversy, and far more than its fair share of debate. It's now also given birth to an honest, sentimental, insightful book.

Uncomfortable with speaking onstage, William Shatner had spent the better part of the previous quarter century steadfastly avoiding convention appearances. However, to publicize the release of Star Trek Generations, Shatner agreed to a rare series of speaking engagements at Star Trek conventions around the globe. He was jolted by an unavoidable dose of reality.

Shatner was met with wild enthusiasm, love, and good humor at convention after convention. Touched and fascinated, he was overwhelmed with the realization that in almost three decades of starship hopping, he'd never really taken the time to enjoy or understand Star Trek's fans or their conventions. That's when the light bulb clicked on; that's when "Captain Kirk" dove headfirst into action.

For the past several years, William Shatner has been treating each Star Trek convention like an enormous research project. Interviewing fans, dealers, fellow castmembers, convention organizers, and promoters -- even going undercover beneath alien makeup -- Shatner's been scouring convention floors. Having grilled trekkers and trekkies in all corners of the planet, Shatner's had his eyes opened and his mind boggled. He's amassed a small mountain of research material, and cultivated his findings in Get A Life!

This is a first-person journey of discovery told with self-deprecating wit, unflagging honesty, and his trademark enthusiasm and humor. Get a Life! tells William Shatner's own story of how the actor who played the now deceased starship captain, James T. Kirk, can finally come to grips with his past, his fans, their love, and his own intergalactic legacy.

Customer Reviews:

SHAT-NER! SHAT-NER! SHAT-NER!!!.......2007-03-21

Funny, witty, creative, insightful, deep hearted, informative..etc. So many differnet terms you can use to describe this very enjoyable write up by the former Admiral Kirk himself.

This late 1990's book takes the reader through a wide variety of emotions, knowledge and underground information when dealing with all things that go on at the various and too many to count "Star Trek Conventions" around the country and even the world. William Shatner has always been facinated by the type of people that show up at the various conventions, dressed up like characters on the show and worshipping every word he has to say as if it was from the mighty ship captain himself. But one thing Mr. Shatner never did, was actually focus on what was going on around him. He would fly into the location, quickly be escorted in right before he was to speak, do his 45 minute talk to the crowd quickly, wave goodbye and get his pay check and head back home and do it again when he was up to it. That was all it was to him. But suddenly the Captain was killed off in Star Trek: Generations and had no more TV shows to do. Now he was being booked to more conventions then ever, and thats when he realized, that he had never even understood the people that he was addressing all of these times. That was until he decided to write this book and quite a book it is.

You will go through the entire gambit of emotions with this book. It is never nasty or spiteful. If anything William is very humble and seems to be genuine in his hopes to learn about the fans and the conventions that he has always thought was just full of crazy fans who need to "Get a Life" as he famously said on the just as famous Saturday Night Live skit so many years ago. Mr. Shatner has a way of being friendly, down to Earth and talks in this book not as a serious author, but as the same William Shatner we have always seen and heard everytime we see him. He learns everything there is to learn about the people who go to these conventions. The types of things they buy. The types of costumes they wear. The history of how the conventions started in the first place. Talks a lot about things that he himself has to deal with when associating with the fans. Answers a lot of questions he has been asked over the years. And even has some very touching and deep moments when some of the fans are explaining why they love Star Trek so much. It is quite surprising when you hear some of the answers they give and how much the show and entire series really means to them.

This is a must read to anyone who is into Star Trek, gone to a convention or just enjoys learning more about the Star Trek fan base and history. It is quite informative and just very interesting. William even goes undercover in a mask at various points so no one will know that thier beloved captain is walking amongst them and has some interesting revelations as he observes first hand what is going on at the various tables, shows and speaker sessions that each convention is made up of. I really couldn't put this book down. The moment I started reading it I was hooked and I'm not even that big a Trekie. I never even been to a convention and still haven't even seen every episode. But something drew me into this book which really just had a very high intrest level that won't bore you for a moment. The interviews are short and sweet and the humor constant and even gets in a few moments to poke fun at a certain Mr. Nemoy who Shatner has kept close contact with over the years.

I really was quite surprised in all honesty at how good this book was. We all know the image we have of Shatner. Being a hammy, over acting so and so who steals lines, talks in huge pauses and seems to eat up the screen time. And he freely admits to or even tries to explain all of these views people have on him without holding back any shame of admiting truths or non-truths to us. But after reading this book you are almost humbled and regretful that you even thought of him in that way. He truly shows a new side of him that you never expected. It is not often that actors on a TV show would even care to learn more about their fans or the people that worship them so dearly. I will definitely be reading this book again soon enough just to see what I missed and to laugh yet again. Some of the stories and situations are just laugh out loud moments that you can't believe you are reading. He doesn't hold anything back and you really get a new respect for the man we had watched in various movies and television episodes over the years. Most of all he has always cherished and loved the fact that he played Captain Kirk and doesn't run away from the fact of what people percieve him as any longer.

Anyone who is into Star Trek or even those non-Trek fans who want just a nice light read when they have read all the deep Non-Fiction pieces out there.. has to read this book. I can promise you, it will be a pure enjoyment and enlightening experience that will break some of the images and stereotypes the majority of people have had over the fanatic fans who frequent these conventions. The only complaint I had was I wanted even more. It just never seemed enough. The captain may have died in the movies but this book is proof enough he isn't going anywhere any time soon. He will be with the Trek fans for a very long time to come. And I think we should all be very nervous for that fact as he will be watching from now on.

Why Is That Monster Asking These Questions?.......2006-10-05

The book title comes from a bit William Shatner performed on Saturday Night Live where he bellows out the line when the audience at a Star Trek convention gets a little....well, out of the galaxy.

It started an oftentimes silly debate on whether Shatner actually meant what he said, with fans lining up in several camps of thought. Shatner had avoided appearing at the ever-popular conventions and books by other castmembers were none-to-kind at times to the fine captain.

But as anything in the entertainment business, never means never doubt that things can change. Shatner agreed to promote Star Trek Generations through a series a speaking engagements. And this is where his humor takes over.

Shatner takes a basic premise - chronicling the phenomena of Star Trek through fans, castmembers, memorabilia dealers and convention promoters - and turns it into an event shrouded in mystery; he dons a monster outfit and sets out to interview folks at the conventions.

The pictures are priceless and the text not only gives the reader a true appreciation on what the series has meant to so many people, but how the research gave Shatner a vehicle to come to terms with the legacy he left through the TV series and movies.

Self Deprecating Prose, Or An Apology?.......2006-04-06

The first chapter where he describes the death of Kirk's character and the author's interviews were the most entertaining. The author using plenty of humor admits that for ages he was clueless about what "Star Trek" truly meant to the shows fans. This part gets a little erratic. But, he gives numerous examples of how he learned to appreciate both the fans and the show that made him famous.

"This really is William Shatner, and I stink!".......2005-01-03

The man who popularized the phrase, "Get a life!" writes a book to deal the dirt on those people for whom the expression most applies. It sounds like a wacky idea, but it actually turned out quite well. William Shatner and his co-author Chris Kreski have a pleasant, enjoyable, breezy prose style and what they're talking about it actually interesting. There's an entire strange sub-culture that goes on in science fiction fandom and it's fascinating to get a peek at it. Unfortunately, since this comes from William Shatner, it's not going to get at the darker side (through no fault of the author), but for what it is, it succeeds.

First of all, I should state that while I'm a fan of (a few of) the Star Trek series, I'm not terribly big into fandom. So while I'm certainly not ignorant of the vocabulary, I was a bit fuzzy on the details. But once the stories and the backstage secrets are revealed, well, it turns out there aren't that many big surprises. Shatner may have been astonished to learn that fans were as interested in hanging out with each as with the "stars", but it shouldn't come as a shock to most other people.

The book is more a journey of exploration than a straightforward journalistic look at fandom. The journey belongs to William Shatner. Apparently at one time he was famous among fan-circles for arriving shortly before his appearances, saying a few quick words and then counting his money on the next flight out of town. But after his character was killed off in one of the Star Trek movies, he decided to take a closer look at what went on at the convention scene.

GET A LIFE! begins with a potted history of organized Star Trek fandom. Given that Shatner freely admits to have had nothing at all to do with that, I can only assume that this portion of the book was researched by either Shatner or Kreski. Although the progression isn't exactly unexpected, I enjoyed reading about how it came about.

The book then moves into Shatner's relationship with fandom. Moving from his aforementioned "take the money and run" approach to gradual curiosity to understanding, reading his journey is quite interesting to see how someone from outside looks in.

Now, human nature being what it is, we can gather that not everything is warm hugs and embraces within fandom. I'm no fool; a quick look around the Internet can bring up thousands of flame-wars, feuds, angry grudges, various "he said / she said" battles and, in some extreme cases, lawsuits and restraining orders between various members of fandom. The book never gets into this topic, which I found a bit of a disappointment.

The portrayal of fandom is almost overwhelmingly positive. Lip service is paid to the looniest aspects - the folks who dress in Star Trek uniforms to inappropriate venues - but for the most part, anything negative is glossed over. The reasons for this rest on the author. I imagine it must be virtually impossible for William Shatner to go to a convention and not be greeted by a venerable wall of yes-men who happily tell him that everything is running fine, everyone connected with the organization is well liked and that there's nothing bad going on at all.

Still, despite possible inaccuracies and/or omissions, I did enjoy reading this one. It's funny, amusing and quick to read. There are numerous unrelated anecdotes, but I didn't find them at all distracting. Overall, I liked reading this. It's not the deepest sociological study you'll ever read, but the look it takes at certain individual fans is especially interesting. The thought of William Shatner donning a latex match and wandering through the dealers room to do research is certainly an amusing idea.

Funny book about facing reality.......2004-10-06

William Shatner's love hate relationship with the show that made him famous or notorious depending on his mood under went a strange metamorphic change that came ironically after his character was killed off in Generations movie (Star Trek VII).

Shatner's book tell that story of his changing attitude toward Star Trek, its fanatic fans and the phenomenon that the show created all over the world. Its well written, often filled with humor as he reflects on what he have learned since his changed of heart. It also a great book since it deal with coming to terms with his past and how it was all catching up to him. I think Shatner finally began to realized that no matter what he does for the rest of his life, he will always be connected with Star Trek, always be known as "Captain James T. Kirk of the Starship Enterprise" and that the way it will be long after he's dead and buried.

So with that in mind, this book comes recommended. Its story of William Shatner and not Star Trek in general. He writes on his experiences regarding the phenomenon he helped create over 37 years ago and how he think about it when he wrote the book. (I thought his impression on autographs was very interesting.)

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