Book Description
My new friends have begun to suspect I haven’t told them the full story of my life.
“Why did you leave Sierra Leone?”
“Because there is a war.”
“You mean, you saw people running around with guns and shooting each other?”
“Yes, all the time.”
“Cool.”
I smile a little.
“You should tell us about it sometime.”
“Yes, sometime.”
This is how wars are fought now: by children, hopped-up on drugs and wielding AK-47s. Children have become soldiers of choice. In the more than fifty conflicts going on worldwide, it is estimated that there are some 300,000 child soldiers. Ishmael Beah used to be one of them.
What is war like through the eyes of a child soldier? How does one become a killer? How does one stop? Child soldiers have been profiled by journalists, and novelists have struggled to imagine their lives. But until now, there has not been a first-person account from someone who came through this hell and survived.
In A Long Way Gone, Beah, now twenty-five years old, tells a riveting story: how at the age of twelve, he fled attacking rebels and wandered a land rendered unrecognizable by violence. By thirteen, he’d been picked up by the government army, and Beah, at heart a gentle boy, found that he was capable of truly terrible acts.
This is a rare and mesmerizing account, told with real literary force and heartbreaking honesty.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent.......2007-10-18
What an interesting story. Having lived all over the world, it is very interesting how stories of civil strife always seem to include child soldiers whether Palestinian, Lebanese, Iranian, Liberian or Somalian.
I recommend this book for those interested in the world around them.
Heartbreaking!.......2007-10-18
This was one of my Book Club's selections for this fall. I thought it was easy to read and I am glad I saw the movie "Blood Diamond" before reading this. It's a difficult subject matter but worth reading.
Written too well........2007-10-15
I feel a little odd giving 5 stars to a book with such horrific subject matter. The fact is, the author has written such a clear account of all that happened in his life that I was physically affected by some of the chapters I read. No child should ever have to witness much less participate in the events that happened in Sierra Leone (or any war torn country). Beah is a true survivor. I think everyone NEEDS to read this book.
Enlightening........2007-10-03
I think this is a wonderful book, so moving and beautifully written that you wonder how a person can manage to lead a "normal" life after experiencing what he has been through. The author tells the story matter-of-factly without whining or complaining about the hand he's been dealt. Because of this, it makes the story even more impressive.
Not just a good read, a book that enlightens is a must-read.
Fantastic book. Recommend for all ages!.......2007-10-02
This book is truly amazing. It is almost unbelievable to read about the lives of people like Ishmael, but it's true, and it's happening today. Yes, in some parts it is certainly hard to read, but it's worth it. It is better to be shocked and scarred by this book than ignorant to it. Ishmael is a wonderfully optimistic person, and I think we can all learn a lot from his courage. In his own words, Ishmael is not an expert on the history of Sierra Lione, but by putting a face and name to this story, you will still learn a lot from him! I recommend this book to anyone and everyone!
Customer Reviews:
Great research tool, questionable organization.......2006-08-03
This is an absolutely invaluable resource for dating old photos. Don't expect much gearhead content- this is strictly a spotters guide, mostly compiled from sales art.
A few complaints about organization:
1. It's a compilation of three other books, so comparing, say, a '39 to a '40 Chevy or a '65 to a '66 Ford requires jumping ahead literally hundreds of pages. Even page numbering starts over in each new section.
2. It's ostensibly in sequence by manufacturer rather than year, but sometimes by model instead- for example, in 1965 and prior, 'Tempest' and 'Thunderbird' follow 'Studebaker', rather than being listed with Pontiac and Ford. Jump ahead to 1966, and they're back under the manufacturer again... makes navigation a serious act of patience.
3. No index, despite being 1,079 pages.
Warts and all, it's a fantastic resource.
The BEST Automobile Reference.......2003-03-06
Excellent reference guide to automobiles. Uses actual ads to present the cars. Also includes sticker prices. This is a great book!
M. E.
American Car Bible.......2000-03-16
The best quick reference guide for all makes and models of American automobiles I have ever seen. Gives key changes to look for to identify specific model years.
Book Description
525i, 530i, 535i, 540i, including Touring
The BMW 5 Series (E34) Service Manual: 1989-1995 is a comprehensive, single source of service information and specifications available specifically for BMW 5 Series from 1989 to 1995. The aim throughout this manual has been simplicity, clarity and completeness, with practical explanations, step-by-step procedures and accurate specifications. Whether you're a professional or a do-it-yourself BMW owner, this manual will help you understand, care for and repair your E34 5 Series.
Though the do-it-yourself BMW owner will find this manual indispensable as a source of detailed maintenance and repair information, the BMW owner who has no intention of working on his or her car will find that reading and owning this manual will make it possible to discuss repairs more intelligently with a professional technician.
Models and engines covered:
525i (M20 with DME 1.3) 1989-1990
525i (M50 with DME 3.1) 1991-1992
525i (M50TU/VANOS with DME 3.3.1) 1993-1995
530i (M60 with DME 3.3) 1994-1995
535i (M30 with DME 1.3) 1989-1993
540i (M60 with DME 3.3) 1994-1995
Transmissions covered:
Manual (remove, install, external service)
Getrag 260/5 and 260/6
Getrag S5D 250G
Getrag S6S 560G
Automatic (remove, install, external service)
ZF 4HP22/EH
A4S 310R (THM-R1)
ZF A5S 310Z
ZF A5S 560Z
Technical highlights:
* Maintenance procedures from brake fluid changes to resetting the Service Indicator. This manual tells you what to do, how and when to do it, and why it's important.
* Engine and cylinder head service, repair and reconditioning, including M50 and M60 timing chain setup and adjustment.
* Extensive engine management information for specific BMW 5-Series driveability problems, including reading Check Engine light fault codes.
* Transmission maintenance, troubleshooting, adjustment and repair, including hydraulic clutch, gearshift linkage, and driveshaft.
* Body adjustments and repairs, including sedan sunroof removal and adjustment.
* Heating and air conditioning repair, including A/C micro-filter and A/C component replacement.
* Wiring schematics for all circuits, including power distribution, grounds, and component locations.
* Comprehensive BMW factory tolerances, wear limits, adjustments, and tightening torques that you've come to expect from Bentley manuals.
Customer Reviews:
worth it.......2007-05-15
I always buy the shop manual for the cars that i have. this one is very good and at a good price
excellent service manual.......2005-09-23
Bentley did it again.. As a avid fix it guy, I find this book very helpful in situation where you want to fix simple things and or understand how the component works.. Simply go to the index and look for the part and there you go.... info at the palm of your hands.. This book gives all the info you need to start fixing your 5 series. I myself have a 1990 525i and this book help me fix some of the things that requires step-by-step guidance. I recommened this book for fixit yourself car guys out there.
Jeff
Great Book.......2005-09-18
If you do your own mechanic work, this book is a must. We needed to replace the heater blower fan motor and couldn't even find it. This book answered all our questions and provided step-by-step instructions for the work. Originally we thought the price was a bit high compared to books available from parts stores, but after glancing through it realized this book is worth every penny. Thank you Book Rack for making this title available.
Wery helpful manual.......2005-09-09
I can strongly recomend this produkt to other BMW owners, it is wery detailed and covers most of the isues that a good mecanical manual shood have.
5-Series Service Manual.......2005-09-09
I must say that although it took longer than was expected to arrive, once I received the manual, it was worth the wait.
This book covers everything one would need to know about items that either the novice (like myself) or mechanic would like to fix.
The pictures, the expanations are done extremely well, and I have followed them and fixed items that I thought were going to cost me and arm and a leg at BMW......
Get this book if you have any mechanical ability and prepare yourself for saving money!!!!
PS: Some of the things I have fixed myself are ones that my dealership said would have to be replaced, wrong..... the only thing that had to be replaced were bulbs at a cost of less than $3.00, instead of the entire module costing $250.00.
Book Description
The Meaning of Difference is a text-reader about the social construction of difference as it operates in American formulations of race, sex and gender, social class, and sexual orientation. The book is based the conviction that similar processes are at work in the construction of differences of color, sex and gender, class, and sexuality and that these processes likely also apply to other master statuses such as disability. Four framework essays provide the conceptual structure for the book. Following each framework essay is a set of readings that illustrate the concepts and processes described in the essays. The readings have been selected for readability, conceptual depth, and applicability to a variety of statuses.
Customer Reviews:
Diversity Explained.......2007-09-26
A good book. Gives all sides to Diversity issues and is coupled with many first hand articles that are very interesting. Definetly worth a read if you're interested in issues of diversity.
Great articles.......2007-09-23
Very interesting book, great perspective from lots of different authors on diverse social issues such a racial inequality, gender, and sexual orientation. The framework essays are also particularly interesting - I highly recommend it for anyone interested in sociological issues!
facinating insights.......2007-07-16
This book is great for anyone who is interested in questions like why do we as Americans' see white people and black people differently. It answers questions like this for gender, race, ethnicity and disability. The first chapter is terribly dry but it sets the stage for the rest of the book which is very insightful.
(There's a bit of good history in here as well).
Great book on diversity in America.......2006-11-10
This book gives a very broad and encompassing look at many of the topics that contribute to and affect diversity and differences in America today.
College Textbook.......2005-03-04
While the text offers important thought provoking articles and essays on Race Gender and Social Issues, it is not Student friendly text. A text with such a wide array of information should offer a section of review at the end of each reading. By having a review "for students", it ensures an understanding of concepts and objectives. Furthermore, it offers students a place to review when studying for exams. I give the text a 5 star rating for the informative articles and essays but 1 star for none existing review material.
Amazon.com
Donald Trump doesn't pull any punches when he surveys the American political scene: Pat Buchanan's "totally lost it," Al Gore is "an able, underrated man who seems confused," and Bill Bradley is simply a "disaster." But the real estate tycoon has some ideas of his own about how the United States should be run, and he shares them with the potential electorate for the 2000 presidential race in The America We Deserve. There aren't too many surprises here: Trump lambastes the government bureaucracy that's made a mess of the civic infrastructure, particularly the public school systems; he supports creating opportunities for business developers (both large and small); and he's tougher than tough on crime. He's also prepared to come down hard on America's enemies abroad, such as China, North Korea, and Cuba. Among the more interesting aspects of his platform is his desire to do away completely with soft money in campaign financing and allow unlimited personal contributions--along with full disclosure of political contributions, updated daily on the Internet.
The America We Deserve is an effective combination of Trump's straight-shooting personality and policy-wonk data points. As another American presidential campaign heats up, Trump raises issues that will force voters to give serious consideration to what they want in a candidate. --Ron Hogan
Book Description
In his most recent book, The America We Deserve Donald Trump shares his vision of the future. Donald Trump can afford to be more plainspoken than most politicians. He is not compromised by alliances and not connected to special-interest groups. In the political game, the politicians, the lobbyists, even the media get their marching orders from their financial backers. Trump has one financial backer: Trump. Throughout The America We Deserve, Trump points out problems and offers sensible, practical solutions. To help him formulate his ideas into well-researched and workable policies, Trump has secured the support and counsel of a group of domestic and foreign policy advisers, all with White House or senior policy experience. In his book, Trump lays out his concerns and solutions, virtually a platform on the major political issues facing our country. But this is not a dry, public-policy book. This is Donald Trump taking on the issues in his no-nonsense, unvarnished manner, offering populists, provocative, and sometimes dramatic solutions that no other politician would dare put foward. In three best-selling books, Donald Trump used stories of his deal-making and his dazzling life to captivate readers with his vision of just how far you can go if you dream the American Dream. In the America We Deserve, Trump takes all that he has learned from his successes, his failures, and his extraordinary comeback and uses those lessons to build a vision of what needs to be done to ensure that the American Dream he dreamed continues to be a possibility for everyone.
Customer Reviews:
One of Donalds best books ever! A must read, no matter what you think of the guy........2007-10-10
I wasn't sure what to expect, but I can say I was very surprised, captivated and motivated into action after reading this book. With the many different sides of Donald Trump in the public eye, this side may be one you have never seen nor heard completely. This isn't a book about The Donald, this is a book about The America We Deserve and should be living in today. A must read for everyone who believes that things aren't going the way they should be and looking for something actionable to do about it.
Truly the America We Deserve.......2007-09-18
I had heard such great things about this book that I had to read it. I was about 7 years too late, but I still think the book is good and worth reading. My only debate was Trump's weak argument to correct the school system. He really didn't have a plan to correct it other than stop feeding more money into the system. Other than that one area, the book was very appealing. I think his idea of having our country run the way a successful business CEO operates is worth a shot.
The best idea in the book is Trump's plan to impose a one time 14.25% tax on individuals whose net worth exceeds $10 million, which is a mere 1% of our population. This tax money would be used to pay off our national debt and restore the social security program. I know this tax would probably not be able to pay off our national debt today, but this is the kind of idea that would only evolve from the CEO of a company that has goals to meet in terms of the overall bottom line of their company's annual performance. Ideas of taxation on the richest individuals in America are far better than creating additional debt for our country, so that's why I agree with Trump that someone with a great business mind should run for President.
Another interesting chapter in the book was his prediction of another terrorist attack that would make a previous one in New York look feeble. A lot of the chapter mentioned the bioterrorism that we would encounter (i.e. anthrax), and I actually had to check the copyright on this book when I read this chapter.
I do recommend reading this book, but be aware that it's a bit outdated. The plans for national debt, social security, freedom from terrorists are outstanding. It makes you wonder how things might have turned out different for America had Trump run for President.
Who Can Disagree With The Title?.......2005-09-09
I think most anyone would agree with Mr. Trump that the America he describes within this book would be an ideal nation. The problem is, Donald Trump does not know anymore than anyone else about how to achieve the problems he very practically identifies. The math of what's lacking in this book could be described with an equation like this: A+X=C. A is where we are today in the America we have, C is the "America we deserve" now what is X that would get us to C? I have no idea. I wish someone knew.
But as far as Trump's observations go, he is frequently correct and in his "idealistic pragmatism" he has an observant eye when it comes to citing certain less than ideal, even intolerable, situations.
I liked Trump's comment that money is not the key to fixing America's education system. He demonstrated how in real dollars we spend more on education these days than in the recent past and yet see less achievement in return. His biting, dead-on observation that the teachers' union's position that salary increases for classroom instructors would elevate teachers' performances is akin to them saying, "Bribe us more and we'll agree to put more effort into the job we're already taking money to try our hardest at now."
VERY good point!
Trump was also correct in this 1999 book in foreseeing another terrorist attack on New York City that would make the 1993 World Trade Center attack seem minor. That predicition came tragically true on September 11, 2001. His warnings to prepare for further attacks are more true in 2005 than they were in the Clinton Years. As I'm writing this, Hurricane Katrina is in the headlines and the lack of coordinated management in helping its victims shows how unprepared this mighty nation truly is for disasters of a monumental scale. I'm sure our ever-patient foes are learning from this and I hope we Americans are as well.
But lest I come across as doling out more praise to Donald Trump than his book, sound though it is, merits, I have to come around to the fact that Trump's critial troubleshooting does not contain enough suggestions of how to improve the things he says are wrong. He's a smart man, not without faults, but he understands how business operates and I wish he had provided more insights in this book into how we can reach the hypothetical point C that would be the United States he takes delight in describing in his writings.
Classic Trump prose mixed with logic and wit.......2003-11-16
It's about time a guy like Donald Trump published this book. Whether you love him, hate him, or want him to fix his hair, The Donald presents fresh takes on age-old arguments and explains why he has what it takes.
While every other candidate in 2000 was writing books about their youths, military service, or whatever else, Trump uses his get-down-to-business style to attack issues (and people) and offer quick-witted solutions. The fact that I disagree on a few points does not take away from the quality of the book. If you want a straight-shooting tome from a guy who takes care of things himself, The America We Deserve is a must-read.
Trump beat Gore and he didn't even run!.......2003-11-10
According to surveys taken at that time, Trump was ahead of Gore and just behind G.W.Bush. No doubt if Trump would have run, Gore would have blamed him too!
After reading this book (actually re-reading) I really wish Trump would have run for President. He has some very good views on how to make this country stronger and certaintly would b e a better choice than the comedy team (RE: Democrats) that are running.
I particularly like Mr. Trumps ideas on how to save social security.
Mr. Trump, if you are reading this, you should consider running in 2004. Mr. Bush could use some real competition. Obviously right now, he doesn't have any. Your views could make for a stronger America.
Customer Reviews:
Gorgeous Book.......2006-10-02
I picked up this book years ago when it came out. Outstanding photographs throughout. Since then I married and moved a lot of my books into an office. I recently rearranged my office and found the Leibovitz book and looked through it again. I still am impressed with the images even after about 5 years of not viewing them. Really a time capsule of collected photos.
This is an excellent book and I would encourage you to get a copy if you have any interest in photography, pop culture or simply beautiful images.
Book Description
Drawing from his thirty-two-year radio career, the terrible truth of Boortz's book depicts his in-your-face brand of Libertarian politics. From questioning the true definitions of democracy and racism to challenging the entire Social Security system, he provides fresh insights into nagging social and political issues.
Customer Reviews:
A great book!.......2007-03-15
Short and to the point. Boortz as usual has pragmatic, common sense ideas and tells it like it is. He hits the nail on the head as far as the connection between liberals basing their ideas on feelings and emotions rather than stats and logic. Not to say there isn't a segment of conservatives that are exactly like this also, however liberals are more likely to display this. Hardcore liberals and leftists (as opposed to moderate ones) will probably not enjoy this book because of its truthful stance on the need to be an individual rather than be associated with a conceptual group.
About Time - Finally, a professional conservative opinionist........2007-02-22
I like my news and political science filtered through entertainers, so this book was great! Large print and short paragraphs, just like I like. Even a nitwit like me can follow politics now thanks to people like Neal Boortz!
So true.......2007-02-08
Neil rocks. So much of what he says I agree with.
Can't wait for his new book.
Nobody says it better.......2007-01-20
This is a must read for anyone that wants to understand the liberal mindset. He doesn't solve the problem but he makes is more understandable about why liberals think and act the way they do and why they are slowly ruining everything that is great about this country. Why do most college professors, journalists, and entertainers become liberals? Boortz has some brilliant ideas on this. Read the chapter on why America was not really meant to be a democracy, the founding fathers feared the effects of democracy.
One thing I don't understand......................2006-12-14
the one thing I don't understand about this book is the fact that boortz doesn't point out the fact that all liberals are mentally retarded and suffer from what doctors call the anti-american gene. it is quite amusing to me to hear all of the liberals whine and complain about a rich white man and this and that. maybe if you would get off your you know what you could make something of yourself. oh, but then you wouldn't have time to complain. I have a better solution for you though. since you are unhappy with the amount of dollars in your wallet, go down to mexico and exchange them for some pesos and salute the red, white, and green.
Average customer rating:
- fantastic photo book
- One Of The Most Celebrated Photographer of the 20th Century!
- Layers of Meaning Like the Brush Strokes of Old Masters
- The human face of celebrity
- Got Milk?
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Photographs: Annie Leibovitz 1970-1990
Annie Leibovitz
Manufacturer: HarperCollins Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Leibovitz, Annie
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A Photographer's Life: 1990-2005
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Women
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ASIN: 0060923466 |
Book Description
With more than 200 color and black-and-white photographs, this stunning collection spans the first 20 years of work by one of the most important photographers of our time.
Customer Reviews:
fantastic photo book.......2004-01-18
annie's book is an incredible collection of celebrity images with a series of text that describes her ascent to the top in her field
One Of The Most Celebrated Photographer of the 20th Century!.......2001-06-05
Annie Leibovitz's name is as recognizable as her photos. This collection spans two decades filled with her best work mostly from Vanity Fair and Rolling Stone, but including some previously unpublished ones. She has the knack to bring out the side of a celebrities personality unexpected, and a way to turn a comic photo on it's side for another uplift of laughter. Some serious, some funny and many sentimental, Annie Leibovitz's photos invoke thought, humor, tenderness and empathy in every frame. A woman from modest beginnings shows the world what she has accomplished so far. It is an impressive feat.
Layers of Meaning Like the Brush Strokes of Old Masters.......2001-01-17
Seeing so many celebrity photographs from the beginning of Ms. Leibovitz's career unveils many of the most effective methods that she uses to create her deep insights into the subject of the portrait. Although you may feel the subtlety of her work viscerally, these comparisons make it easier to appreciate the purposefulness of how the effects are brilliantly captured. If you are like me, this book will enhance your already deep appreciation of her work.
Before going into all the reasons I like this book, let me mention that the book contains tasteful nudity and sexual situations that would probably cause an R rating for a motion picture (or possibly something a bit stronger, like an R plus). Many parents would be uncomfortable with some of their children seeing these images. So judge the appropriateness of this wonderful book for your own family.
First, Ms. Leibovitz is looking for the soul of the person. Who are they at the core? This is captured by establishing a composition that overtly expresses this inner kernel of truth. For Roseanne Barr and Tom Arnold, this is captured by mud wrestling. For Muhammad Ali, you see a fully confident, capable man fully comfortable with himself and the world.
Second, she captures the subject's personality with posing and expression within the composition. Whoopi Goldberg's playfulness is captured by a composition that has little bits of her beautiful blackness emerging from a milk bath, with a characteristicly wry, happy smile.
Third, she shows the social mask that the subject uses. Lily Tomlin's face poses behind a television set image. Diane Keaton is shown wandering around with her face averted from the camera to capture her preference for privacy and appearance of shyness. Keith Haring appears wearing nothing but his painted on designs.
Fourth, she connects her subject to another person where that helps to establish part of the person's reality. John Lennon appears in foetal position with Yoko Ono, in that famous image from this book's cover. The Rolling Stones are literally flying through the air at the same time while performing. The Grateful Dead are asleep on each other's shoulders. Interestingly, she is usually able to do this with a humorous, light touch that dispells some of the celebrity power of the person.
Fifth, she lets a little slip in composure or a little blemish show where that adds to the underlying reality. Louis Armstrong looks scared in one classic portrait pose, while totally relaxed and in control in a less formal setting. Mick Jagger's partially healed scar is shown in another image. Jodie Foster puts on an intelligent expression that shows the Yale graduate rather than the young female star.
Sixth, she captures motion in ways that give the kinesthetics of the person and situation wonderfully. For example, a group of prisoners and family members hug at Soledad Prison in California at Christmas in 1971. You see many different relationships in this one image. It's like a microcosm of all humanity.
Here are my favorite images:
John Lennon, New York City, 1970
Louis Armstrong, Queens, New York, 1971
Christmas, 1971, Soledad Prison, California
The Grateful Dead, San Rafael, California, 1971
Ray Charles, San Francisco, 1972
Lily Tomlin, Los Angeles, 1973
Richard Pryor, Los Angeles, 1974
Andy Warhol, New York City, 1976
Tennessee Williams, Key West, Florida, 1974
Ron Kovic, Santa Monica, California, 1973
The Rolling Stones, Philadelphia, 1975
Brian Wilson, Malibu, California, 1976
Muhammad Ali, Chicago, 1978
Robert Penn Warren, Fairfield, Connecticut, 1980
John Lennon and Yoko Ono, New York City, December 8, 1981
Greg Louganis, Los Angeles, 1984
Bruce Springsteen, Asbury Park, New Jersey, 1987
Whoopi Goldberg, Berkeley, California, 1984
Twyla Tharp, New York City, 1989
Michael Jackson, Los Angeles, 1989
Mikhail Baryshnikov, New York City, 1989
After you have enjoyed the book, I suggest that you make a drawing that does a similar unveiling of someone you know well. You might even consider a self-portrait. Ms. Leibovitz says those are the hardest to do.
Look deeply into those all around you and see the truth . . . as well as the fictions.
The human face of celebrity.......2000-09-06
No-one captures the human face of celebrity on film like Annie Liebowitz (except for the brilliant Herb Ritts). This softback book is a wonderful chronological history of Annie's work over a 20 year period.
From the playful magic of Whoopi Goldberg in a bath of milk, Bette Midler under a blanket of roses and Sting baked in mud, this book shows the wit and insight of Annie Liebowitz. To lovers of either photography and/or celebrity this book is a must. Reasonably priced at $40 USD it also features the "foetus" shot of John Lennon and Yoko Ono. To students of photography, this book demonstrates her inventiveness and ability to portray the 'human' behind icons and public creations. A book you can leaf through time and time again whilst delighting in Ms Liebowitz's art.
Got Milk?.......2000-09-04
Annie Leibovitz has searching eyes which catch the light, the action, the expression of people the way Ansel Adams had the eyes for nature. In this beautiful coffee table book, one of the favorite pics is of Whoopi Goldberg. The contrast of her dark caramel skin peeking through the surface of a bright white milk bath is astounding. The curved artistic forms of Yoko Ono & John Lennon show them as they were--as one. You just want to slowly trace your finger over their shapes.
There are over 200 photos to delight the senses. Most are of famous people which Ms. L has had contacts with from her work at Rolling Stone and other venues. These performers seem to open up to this photographer and are willing to show something more than their "star" profile. Even people who are not into art or photography, like this book.
A grand illusionary celebration.
Thanks for your interest & comment vote--CDS
Book Description
Why do some democratic governments succeed and others fail? In a book that has received attention from policymakers and civic activists in America and around the world, Robert Putnam and his collaborators offer empirical evidence for the importance of "civic community" in developing successful institutions. Their focus is on a unique experiment begun in 1970 when Italy created new governments for each of its regions. After spending two decades analyzing the efficacy of these governments in such fields as agriculture, housing, and health services, they reveal patterns of associationism, trust, and cooperation that facilitate good governance and economic prosperity.
Customer Reviews:
"Civic-ness" and Democracy.......2006-08-31
In the early 1970s, political power was decentralized in Italy. The power once held by the central government in Rome was reallocated to the newly created regional governments. Constitutionally, the regions possessed similar political institutions. However, the regions varied socially, economically and in political context. Putnam, seeing a ready laboratory for social science, chose to study the role of environmental factors on institutional performance in the new regional governments. Institutions serve as Putnam's independent variable, while a number of environmental factors act as the dependent variables. As such three main research questions emerged; 1) how does institutional change affect identity, power, and strategy of the regional political actors, 2) how is institutional performance a function of history, and lastly 3) which features of social context most powerfully affect institutional performance (8).
In examining the institutional impacts on identity, power, and strategy of regional politicos, Putnam builds upon the "new institutionalism" proposed by March and Olsen. According to the new institutional paradigm: intuitions reshape the identities of political actors, redistribute political power, and instill new norms for political behavior. Putnam argues that the identity of regional political actors has evolved to create a system in which actors experience an "ideological depolarization." Party identity has become less extreme and regional politicians have taken a more centrist stance than their counterparts in the central government. This has lead regional politicos to develop a more accepting attitude of rival parties and a system of consensus in which inter-party conflict has been replaced by cooperation. The author argues that such changes in political identity occurred due to the institutional structure of the regional governments. As regional institutions became more developed, regional actors saw loyalty to regional constituents as more important than party loyalty. As such, pragmatism replaced ideology in regional politics (39).
In addition, the institutional changes reshaped the distribution of political resources. Putnam says that once institutions are in place, they create their own momentum. With political actors gaining more autonomy from the central authority, regional leaders began to form coalitions and demand greater recognition and power from the government in Rome. As such, the distribution of political power was changed so that an increasing amount of control fell to the regional government.
Also, the changes in institutional structures at the regional level caused changes to the political norms previously held by the regional constituents. First, because of the decentralization of power, the constituents and regional politicos are closer in proximity, which made regional politics, "hands-on, face-to-face." Politicians became more administratively motivated than politically motivated. In addition to the close proximity, regional actors adopted more democratic sentiments and less elitist views of governing. They became more concerned with regional issues than vying for political power at the national level. Such a relationship has lead to an increased legitimacy for regional governments. Still, the efficiency of the Italian regional governments is relative. Putnam writes, "Popular legitimacy of new institutions, even successful ones, grows only gradually" (60).
In addition to examining the impact of institutions on political actors, Putnam seeks to examine the relative performance of the new regional institutions. In order to test institutional performance, Putnam looks at two areas, responsiveness to constituents and the efficiency in conducting the business of the public. The author divides the indicators of institutional effectiveness into three broad spheres: policy process, policy pronouncement, and policy implementation. Policy process examines the institution's decision making process. Policy pronouncement examines the government's ability to recognize social needs and offer solutions, and policy implementation serves as a measure of the ability of the regional government to implement policy in the major sectors of activity. In Putnam's study it was unsurprisingly discovered that effectiveness and responsiveness as measures of institutional performance are closely related. In measuring performance, Putnam discovered that although institutionally the same, some regions performed better than others. Putnam attempts to explain the differences between institutional performance through an examination of regional socioeconomic modernity (economic growth following the industrial revolution) and civic community ("civic involvement and social solidarity") 83. Although Putnam readily admits that those regions which had a "head start" economically, most notably those regions in the north, are likely to have more efficient institutional performance than their southern neighbors, socioeconomic factors may not explain the whole story of performance difference. Rather, Putnam concentrates on the development of civic community as a catalyst for successful institutional performance.
A healthy civic community, according to Putnam, is a driving force behind a successful democratic government. In his description, Putnam sees four main themes that accompany civic community: civic engagement, political equality, solidarity/trust/tolerance, and associations. Civic engagement includes active political participation by members of the community. Members of the civic group must be interested in public affairs and be willing to work towards better the community as a whole. Political equality also is imperative for a healthy civic society. According to Putnam, a civic society with political equality is characterized by a horizontal power structure, one in which all parties are equal, as opposed to a hierarchical structure in which patronage and dependency are prominent. In the realm of individual and group interactions in the civic society, actors must have a sense of solidarity, trust, and tolerance. The author readily admits that the civic community will be far from conflict-free, but so long as participating parties maintain the premises of solidarity, trust, and tolerance, negotiation and comprise will occur, hopefully promoting a utilitarian sense of good.
Putnam calls the aggregation of civic engagement, political equality, solidarity/trust, and associations, and region's "civic-ness." Regions with a high level of "civic-ness" are less apt to have constituents who use a preference voting ballot, are more likely to turnout for referendum voting, read newspapers, and have a large variety of civic associations. In addition, Putnam discovers that constituents in regions with a higher level of civic-ness experience a greater trust and contentment with their governments. The author finds that those living in a region with a strong civic group have a greater trust in their elected officials, feel a good deal of participation in the political process, and that political leaders are genuinely concerned with the well-being of the populous. As such, Putnam argues that regions with greater "civic-ness" have a better quality of democracy than their less civic counterparts.
In developing a sense of "civic-ness" the problem of collective action may emerge. Putnam proposes a number of solutions to the collective action problem. First, Putnam builds upon the "soft" solutions proposed by Robert Bates. Such solutions include community development and creating a sense of trust between citizens. Putnam proposes increasing community development through the promotion of human capital development. The author argues that investments in social capital help alleviate collective action problems. Like monetary capital, once an investment in human capital occurs, social capital will grow exponentially. He writes, "Other sources of social capital, too, such as social norms and networks increase with use and diminish with disuse" (170). As such, in order for a sense of "civic-ness," and subsequently, effective and equitable institutions to emerge, first an investment of social capital must occur.
A Classic Text of Modern Political Science.......2005-11-21
Robert Putnam's work has become a Political Science classic. His work is part of new area of research -- civic participation. During the past decade, this area has exploded from obscurity twenty years ago to being one of the most popular fields today. Putnam's works have had a profound impact on many other areas in the Political Science world, from local governance to international political theory. Regardless of whether you agree with his theories, if you are at all interested in Political Science, it is a must read. Moreover, either "Marking Democracy Work" or "Bowling Alone" are becoming standard texts used in most 100 & 200 level undergraduate courses.
trite conclusions, flawed methodology... but engaging prose.......2002-04-04
It's unfortunate that given the opportunity and resources to study the birth and development of regional government in Italy over the course of twenty years, the best conclusions Putnam was able to draw from his observations are hackneyed paraphrases from Tocqueville. Most of his most careful fieldwork yields results that are stultifyingly obvious; and it's hard not to think that his questions and indicators were not deliberately chosen to demonstrate foregone conclusions. Probably most irritating to me is Putnam's irresponsible use of history as a tool for proving continuities that are largely imaginary.
That said, Making Democracy Work is not a boring read, and its flaws at least encourage the reader to contemplate the million ways the book and the study it describes might have been better.
Beginning in 1977, Putnam and his colleagues studied the performance and reception of the 15 regional governments that had been first established in 1970. Given pre-existing disparities among the regions -- economic, cultural, political, demographic, nevermind linguistic and geographic -- it's little surprise that the researchers found that not all the regional governments developed the same way. While he found that the 'institutional socialization' of the new parliamentary bodies had a consistently positive effect on the regional politicians' growing professionalism and willingness to explore constructive compromises with ideological opponents, the governments were not uniformly effective or responsive, nor were their constituents uniformly happy with their efforts.
Ruling out economics as a determining factor in these disparities (through a series of statistical negotiations that show an appalling lack of understanding about basic economics), and drawing heavily from Tocqueville's ideas about the mystical cultural underpinnings for successful democracy, Putnam constructed a 'civic community index' -- a list of indicators including newspaper readership, membership in associations, and what might be called 'enlightened' (abstract, issue-oriented) versus 'parochial' (personal) voting patterns. Again, it's small surprise that he finds a close correlation between the regions' scores on this index and their constituents' relative satisfaction or dissatisfaction with their regional governments.
Trying to explain why this might be so, Putnam then launches into a heavily simplified -- at times almost fanciful -- exposition of 1,000 years of Italian history in which somehow economic development patterns, demographics, religious institutions, and systems of political organization experience enormous changes while cultural traditions of 'civic-ness' remain more or less consistent, wonderfully cohering to the boundaries described by the modern regions and their scores on Putnam's civic community index. He concludes that habits die hard -- whether these be 'good' habits of mutual trust and social reciprocity or 'bad' habits of atomistic self-interest and traditionalist dependency -- and that the effects of institutional change on social and cultural norms is gradual, perhaps so gradual as to be almost imperceptible within a single lifetime.
Stopping just a hair's breadth short of claiming that culture determines economic and political success in the modern world, Putnam does the next worst thing, which is to give credit for present-day disparities in wealth and power to 'historical trends' in cultural development that don't bear close examination by anyone even slightly familiar with Italian history. For example, given Putnam's assessment of the disparity between North/Central Italy (very civic) and the 'amoral' South (terribly un-civic), the first with its innovative and republican cultural of mutual trust and democracy, the second with its stubbornly backward vertical social hierarchies, one could be forgiven for imagining that the South must certainly have been the base of support for Italian fascism in the 30s and 40s -- while in fact it was the gloriously civic-minded North that provided Mussolini with his most consistent support.
On the surface, there's nothing wrong with Putnam's basic political belief -- that democracy is strongest when it's built on a foundation of social reciprocity and trust, civic engagement, etc. My criticism shouldn't be taken as a condemnation of efforts to build or strengthen civil society, or to promote participatory democracy -- far from it! The trouble with Putnam's argument is its methodology, and the pernicious cultural determinism that lurks behind his rhetoric about path-dependent history.
It's NOT the economy, stupid . . . it's civics!.......2001-02-23
The central concept of Putnam's study is "institutions," but he frames these institutions as both an independent and a dependent variable. Positing that institutions shape politics, but institutions themselves are shaped by history, Putnam is able to explain both the causes and the effects of political institutions among Italian regions. The "effects" portion of his study is the lesser of the two in importance; basically, the fact that all Italian regions got identical institutions in 1970, and yet the performance of these institutions varied widely across Italy, sheds much doubt on the questionable theory that formal institutional design itself is a primary determinant of government performance (although most Italians North and South agree that the new regional governments have been a change for the better).
But if institutional design has limited explanatory power, then what other variable can better account for institutional performance? This is the more important half of Putnam's work, for it is where he shows that "social context and history profoundly condition the effectiveness of institutions" (182), by unveiling his more controversial and powerful independent variable: civic culture. What is civic culture? It goes by many names and concepts for Putnam (civic traditions, political culture, civic involvement, social capital, republican virtues) but in its most basic form it is "norms of reciprocity and networks of civic engagement" (167).
In contrast with the existence of this civic culture in Northern Italy, identified as having a millenium-long pedigree due to the North's highly decentralized political history, Putnam uses the concept of "amoral familism" to characterize the civic culture (or lack thereof) in Southern Italy. Amoral familism implies that reciprocity and engagement are limited to family relations and to vertical networks of hierarchical power alone (in contrast to more participatory and egalitarian horizontal networks in the North), and that all other social relations, as a consequence, are characterized by material self-interest. Tracing the evolution of amoral familism to Southern Italy's monarchical past, Putnam finds that Southern regions have been doomed to institutional failure by their civic legacy, just as the North was guaranteed a relatively easy success by theirs. Putnam summarizes these two divergent starting points as "vicious and virtuous circles that have led to contrasting, path-dependent social equilibria" (180).
To prove this main causal argument, that civic culture determines institutional performance, one would obviously need adequate measures for both civic culture and institutional performance. As evidence of institutional performance, or "good government," Putnam chooses twelve indicators: cabinet stability, budget promptness, statistical and information services, reform legislation, legislative innovation, day care centers, family clinics, industrial policy instruments, agricultural spending capacity, local health unit expenditures, housing and urban development and bureaucratic responsiveness. Putnam then further evaluates the validity of these indicators by surveying both elite and public opinions regarding the institutional performance of their regional governments, to see if the public's perception matches his own.
For evidence of his primary independent variable, civic culture, Putnam proposes four indicators to put his finger on this elusive entity. These indicators are: voluntary associations, newspaper readership, referenda turnout, and (lack of) personalized preference voting. Putnam also correlates these "objective" measures with more opinion-based survey indicators of civic culture.
Most of Putnam's evidence coheres quite well with his causal argument. His quantitative indicators of both institutional performance and civic culture are relatively broad and accurate, with the minor exceptions that would be inherent in any attempt to quantify a complex, multi-dimensional concept like "civic culture". The strong statistical correlations identified by the measurement of his indicators, backed up with corresponding qualitative evidence (some, but not all of it historical), can probably be taken as reliable evidence of a meaningful causal relationship (in Italy) between civic culture and institutional performance. Perhaps the most striking implication of these results is that the ubiquitous relationship between economic development and democracy is actually shown to "disappear" in a statistical sense. In other words, Putnam has controlled for economic development and found that civic culture predicts both democracy and economic development, perhaps even better than economic development itself. This finding, if confirmed in other studies and settings, would obviously topple quite a few of the canonical theories in comparative politics.
Intriguing Thesis - with reservations.......1998-11-08
Putnam's thesis on the importance of social capital in engendering the successful functioning of democracy is an intriguing idea that merits serious reflection in our context today. His study of the community-organizations in Italy, and their effects on the effective workings of democracy on a regional and national level, highlight the importance of civic organizations and their ability to inculcate in their members a sense of civic duty - which consequently leads to a vibrant democracy. This book is perhaps especially fitting in the American context today in light of declining interest in politics, diminishing belief in the efficacy of governing institutions in solving problems, and the general ethos of apathy and frustration felt around the nation in the realm of democracy (something that the most recent election's low voter turnout indicated). Although the study is interesting, the idea is perhaps a little less useful in the pragmatic sense; one could run into the question of a chicken-and-egg scenario where there is a debate between which came first: vibrant democracy or civic organizations. Regardless, the book is one of the best in its subject area and a recommended read for any student interested in such issues.
Book Description
With historical and multicultural sensitivity, this best-selling book probes the nature and causes of the major social changes confronting today's citizens. Using the latest research, current statistics, examples, charts, and tables, it delves into the social control and action issues inherent to each problem in a clear, easy-to-read format.
Balancing viewpoints and supporting material with research and policy, the book covers topics in a micro-to-macro format, pointing out the interrelationships among today's social problems and approaching them from several perspectives. The first few chapters focus on individual behaviors such as drug use and crime. The middle chapters deal with inequality and discrimination, discussing such topics as poverty, prejudice, sexism, ageism, family life, and work. The final chapters discuss the problems of cities, environmental pollution, and war and terrorism: matters of global significance.
Because the nature of the United States is changing, with health and health care crises, military invasions, economic downturn, shrinking public budgets and rising fiscal deficits, and environmental issues, this book becomes a necessary read for members of the medical profession that confront the tragedy of AIDS, law enforcement professionals who cope with crime and violence, elected officials and other political leaders who are expected to formulate sound social policies to address social problems, and citizens who wish to learn more about the social problems that are pervasive in our lives.
Customer Reviews:
For school.......2007-09-24
Took a little longer to get here then my other book but either then that it was sent pretty quick since I needed it for school.
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