Book Description
In this, his first major book, Mark Steyn--probably the most widely read, and wittiest, columnist in the English-speaking world--takes on the great poison of the twenty-first century: the anti-Americanism that fuels both Old Europe and radical Islam. America, Steyn argues, will have to stand alone. The world will be divided between America and the rest; and for our sake America had better win.
Customer Reviews:
Unfortunately True.......2007-10-14
Every single American should read this book! He explains exactly how the Muslims are conquering the world. More wives = more babies = more Muslims = more terrorism. This is a religion that should nor even exist in the 21st century. They are commanded to murder everyone that refuses to convert to Islam. Most Americans do not understand that the greatest threat to the future of the world (especially America) is the Muslim religion.
America Alone.......2007-10-11
Every person in the USA should read this book. Today in the Dallas Morning news(10/10/07)there is an editorial by Anne Applebaum verifing one of the facts stated it this book. Ms. Ayaan Hirsi Ali, who is under death threat because of her comments about the mistreatment of women in the Dutch Muslin community had to move to the US because the Dutch say it is too expensive to protect her and she will not shut up. No free speech for her. Mohammed Bouyeri murdered the Dutch writer, Theo Van Gohg, because he made a film about the oppression of Muslim women.
Funny, but also an important message........2007-10-11
While I cannot say that anybody reading this should have more kids just out of the guilt this book might give you, it is an important message about the sad effects of low birthrates. Mark Steyn has a quick wit and funny tone that is clearly not politically correct (good for him). Anybody who enjoys a good laugh or is concerned about terrorism should read this.
A Must-Read!.......2007-10-10
This book was every bit as good as I had heard. I've always enjoyed Mark Steyn, but hadn't gotten a chance to read this yet because I had a stack of books in front of it. That's my loss, because this was one of the most profound and eye-opening books I've ever read. To be honest, I pay pretty close attention to this conflict we find ourselves in, so most of the individual facts in this book weren't exactly foreign to me. But Steyn pulls all this together and presents it in such a concise, clear and entertaining way that I was able to put the pieces together in a way I hadn't even imagined. His demographic data alone is shocking, and should make every person in Europe and Canada sit up and take serious note - I'll be paying very close attention to what happens over the next few years "across the pond", as they say, for how goes Europe, so will eventually go America. I plan to buy several more copies of this book and hand them out to friends and family. I highly suggest it.
Excelent book. Really crunches the numbers like no other book........2007-10-05
This book really lays out the problems with hard numbers and facts in a way I have never seen and is easy to understand. I recomend this book to anyone who is worried about the muslim issue. People in Europe better read it asap!
Amazon.com
Jared Diamond's Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed is the glass-half-empty follow-up to his Pulitzer Prize-winning Guns, Germs, and Steel. While Guns, Germs, and Steel explained the geographic and environmental reasons why some human populations have flourished, Collapse uses the same factors to examine why ancient societies, including the Anasazi of the American Southwest and the Viking colonies of Greenland, as well as modern ones such as Rwanda, have fallen apart. Not every collapse has an environmental origin, but an eco-meltdown is often the main catalyst, he argues, particularly when combined with society's response to (or disregard for) the coming disaster. Still, right from the outset of Collapse, the author makes clear that this is not a mere environmentalist's diatribe. He begins by setting the book's main question in the small communities of present-day Montana as they face a decline in living standards and a depletion of natural resources. Once-vital mines now leak toxins into the soil, while prion diseases infect some deer and elk and older hydroelectric dams have become decrepit. On all these issues, and particularly with the hot-button topic of logging and wildfires, Diamond writes with equanimity.
Because he's addressing such significant issues within a vast span of time, Diamond can occasionally speak too briefly and assume too much, and at times his shorthand remarks may cause careful readers to raise an eyebrow. But in general, Diamond provides fine and well-reasoned historical examples, making the case that many times, economic and environmental concerns are one and the same. With Collapse, Diamond hopes to jog our collective memory to keep us from falling for false analogies or forgetting prior experiences, and thereby save us from potential devastations to come. While it might seem a stretch to use medieval Greenland and the Maya to convince a skeptic about the seriousness of global warming, it's exactly this type of cross-referencing that makes Collapse so compelling. --Jennifer Buckendorff
Book Description
In his runaway bestseller Guns, Germs, and Steel, Jared Diamond brilliantly examined the circumstances that allowed Western civilizations to dominate much of the world. Now he probes the other side of the equation: What caused some of the great civilizations of the past to fall into ruin, and what can we learn from their fates? Using a vast historical and geographical perspective ranging from Easter Island and the Maya to Viking Greenland and modern Montana, Diamond traces a fundamental pattern of environmental catastrophe—one whose warning signs can be seen in our modern world and that we ignore at our peril. Blending the most recent scientific advances into a narrative that is impossible to put down, Collapse exposes the deepest mysteries of the past even as it offers hope for the future.
“Diamond's most influential gift may be his ability to write about geopolitical and environmental systems in ways that don't just educate and provoke, but entertain.” —The Seattle Times
“Extremely persuasive . . . replete with fascinating stories, a treasure trove of historical anecdotes [and] haunting statistics.” —The Boston Globe
“Extraordinary in erudition and originality, compelling in [its] ability to relate the digitized pandemonium of the present to the hushed agrarian sunrises of the far past.” —The New York Times Book Review
Customer Reviews:
Collapse.......2007-10-17
The author did research into the ancient societies to come up with some lessons for our own future. Very interesting reading.
A Life-Changing Book.......2007-10-13
This extraordinary book will change the way you look at life and man's fate. Unlike Al Gore, Diamond deliberately under-argues his case, which makes it all the more compelling. And unlike Gore, he does not open himself to easy and cheap criticism by focusing on just one factor like climactic warming. He clearly believes in global warming from man-made effects. But what he demonstrates is the full range of our environmental quandary.
Putting aside global warming, how do we deal with the inherent limits on absolutely vital commodities -- sunlight, fossil fuels, fresh water,building materials, clean air, clean water, good land, the productive value of agricultural land? Then he shows the pressure of and irreversible momentum of population growth and the ambition of third world peoples to achieve the standard of living of first world peoples. Then he shows how even the first world cannot continue to sustain that standard.
Combined with this are the examples of past civlizations that failed by not solving their environmental problems. Most chilling is how those societies could remain in denial and do nothing until too late.
Diamond does include examples of successful societies that managed their environmental challenges. And he professes to be an optimist. But I find myself increasingly pessimistic about man's fate after reading this book. The Earth is a jealous mistress, and we cannot afford to take her for granted and to ignore the fragility of the environment and resources on which we depend.
The book is also extraordinary for its exploration of political and cultural issues. One of the most interesting chapters is his comparison of the Dominican Republic and Haiti -- two very different societies on two halves of the same island. He argues quite convincingly that the very different fates of the two societies are attributable to political, historical, and cultural developments. Though there are some differences between each half of the island, each is blessed with the same essential environment. Hence this is a great test case for proving or disproving environmental determinism -- and Diamond comes out against determinism.
Similarly compelling is the Rwanda chapter, which demonstrates that while the small differences and petty resentments between races can be the spark for genocidal conflict, race really doesn't explain the conflict. What explains the conflict is political manipulation of race and the great pressure asserted by declining wealth and resource limitations.
Diamond predicts that wars may well become more common in the new century given the competition for resources. This is a depressing observation for those who hoped that the lessons of the Twentieth Century would make wars far less common.
This is a terrific book and a must-read.
Brilliant. Engaging. Informative.........2007-10-01
Amazing book. He manages to hold my interest while providing a wealth of facts.
Mostly on the mark.......2007-09-28
Diamond hits pretty much on the mark all the way across the board. Weakness: for the most part ignores or minimizes the effect of marketing/advertising/propaganda on human consumption patterns. Strengths: one of the few books on this broad subject that actually deals with over-population; indeed, had he concentrated more on this one most important issue, I would have given "Collapse" 5 stars.
I would strongly recommend this book for anyone concerned with the future of the human race.
Collapse review.......2007-09-24
Another excellent book. I realized when I bought this book that I own and have enjoyed all of Jared Diamond's books. His topics and hypostheses are fascinating and compelling.
Average customer rating:
- Excellent.
- Organization? Is that not in the authors' dictionary?
- book
- Try Harder
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Worlds Together, Worlds Apart: A History of the Modern World (1300 to the Present)
Robert Tignor ,
Jeremy Adelman ,
Stephen Aron ,
Stephen Kokin ,
Suxanne Marchand ,
Gyan Prakash ,
Suzanne Marchand ,
Michael Tsin , and
Stephen Kotkin
Manufacturer: W. W. Norton & Company
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Worlds of History Volume Two: A Comparative Reader: Since 1400
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The Great Divergence: China, Europe, and the Making of the Modern World Economy.
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Human Record
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Worlds Together Worlds Apart Study Guide: History of Modern World (1300 to Present)
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Ecological Imperialism: The Biological Expansion of Europe, 9001900 (Studies in Environment and History)
ASIN: 0393977463 |
Book Description
This provocative narrative history dramatically departs from the standard "rise of the West" storyline that has driven world historiography for a century. A stellar group of historians paint a decidedly different modern world history, one in which the rise of the West was not predetermined and where global integration has manifested itself in fits and starts rather than as a smooth process over the last seven centuries. This fresh interpretation, driven by powerful ideas and colorful stories, promises to engage readers for decades to come.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent........2007-03-31
Unlike the previous reviewers I found Tignor's text to be a highly lucid and comprehensive account of world history. If you have not read much history than you will have to be patient at first with the writing style as it is chock full of information and concepts that can seem disconnected an quite abstract. Yet, if you have the perseverance to stick with it, you be rewarded with a rich understanding of the themes that run through the narrative of human history. Strongly recommended.
Organization? Is that not in the authors' dictionary?.......2005-11-02
While this book contains valuable information it seems horribly put together in seemingly random order. Many-a-times I found that I would be reading the exact same sentence in Chapter 3 as in Chapter 4. The authors largely ignored any sort of geographical or chronological organization and just puts sections in wherever the mood struck them.
book.......2005-10-04
the book arrived in the same condition they said it would and arrived when they said it would
Try Harder.......2003-10-30
Not only does this provocative narrative dramatically depart from the admittedly tired "rise of the West" storyline - it departs from the purpose of an educational text altogether. The writing in this book is, in a word, pathetic; the authors don't even appear to have a grasp of how to construct a paragraph. The powerful ideas and the context-hungry hodge-podge of stories in this interpretation of the history of civilization since 1300 are skewed by the authors' blatant preoccupation with the cultural dis-integration of contemporary Globalism - to the point of affecting the architecture of the book itself. Readers who flee from the possibility of understanding anything will certainly be engaged by the colorful pictures in this book. The rest of you would do well to keep shopping.
Book Description
A contributed volume of readings on using sociology to create practical social and organizational change.
Applying Sociology: Making a Better World is a book about putting sociological ideas into action. The editors, sociologists and educators, who are active in both government and private sectors, have assembled a collection of readings by contributors who bring a wealth of practical experience and innovative ideas to the field.
For anyone interested in Sociology.
Book Description
This comprehensive, student-friendly introductory textbook emphasizes the reality of social change and its impact on individuals, groups, and societies throughout the world. The text carefully balances contemporary and classic theory and research, with special attention to the works of female and minority social scientists and cross-cultural studies. Kornblum applies all the major perspectives of sociology without giving undue emphasis to any single approach.
Customer Reviews:
Fast Service/Great Product.......2007-09-06
I ordered this book for my Intro to Soc class and Amazon had it 40 dollars cheaper than the on campus book store brand new. Book came in exactly as described. New and In Packaging.
Book for school.......2007-02-13
Good book for my class, informative. Arrived on time and in great condition.
Amazon.com
Explaining what William McNeill called The Rise of the West has become the central problem in the study of global history. In Guns, Germs, and Steel Jared Diamond presents the biologist's answer: geography, demography, and ecological happenstance. Diamond evenhandedly reviews human history on every continent since the Ice Age at a rate that emphasizes only the broadest movements of peoples and ideas. Yet his survey is binocular: one eye has the rather distant vision of the evolutionary biologist, while the other eye--and his heart--belongs to the people of New Guinea, where he has done field work for more than 30 years.
Book Description
Winner of the Pulitzer Prize. In this "artful, informative, and delightful" (William H. McNeill, New York Review of Books) book, Jared Diamond convincingly argues that geographical and environmental factors shaped the modern world. Societies that had had a head start in food production advanced beyond the hunter-gatherer stage, and then developed religion --as well as nasty germs and potent weapons of war --and adventured on sea and land to conquer and decimate preliterate cultures. A major advance in our understanding of human societies, Guns, Germs, and Steel chronicles the way that the modern world came to be and stunningly dismantles racially based theories of human history. Winner of the Pulitzer Prize, the Phi Beta Kappa Award in Science, the Rhone-Poulenc Prize, and the Commonwealth club of California's Gold Medal.
Customer Reviews:
Very insightful, a worth while read.......2007-10-06
I highly recommend reading this book. Diamond provides compelling evidence for the disparity between civilizations. Any fan of history or just anyone curious about the rise of our current state will find a great read in Guns, Germs, and Steel.
guns,germs and steel.......2007-10-05
great perspective other than what we in western cultures traditionally have in in our relations with 3rd world countries
Dimly Focused.......2007-09-25
Though erudite and crammed with information, some of it a bit arcane, "Guns, Germs, and Steel"suffers somewhat from a blunted point of view. Is the author trying to tell us that some of our assumptions concerning the rise of cultural norms are over simplified? If so, he might have done so more forcefully with fewer words, more carefully selected facts, and perhaps a more lucid writing style. Do some societies prevail because their native tongue is more efficient and expressive than those employed by other cultures? Following that theme might have made for a more intriguing book. Are there some determinisms at work in every culture which inhibit the fulfillment of its destiny? Maybe the author thinks so, but the massive brush used to paint such a scenario causes the entire work to shimmy through a mass of frequently fascinating material without conclusions. The book's excessive length detracts from its compelling points: we live, some of the time, at the mercy of gigantic forces we do not control. Do genetics control our formation, or climate, or enormous economic systems? And who can give us convincing answers? Anthropologists, sociologists, and psychologists of course come to mind. But what of poets, seers, artists, and theologians? Maybe Jared Diamond knows, but by the time he finishes inundating us with facts, some slightly pretentious, it's hard to tell for sure. I had hoped this book's scope and claim would give convincing guidance. But because it lacks definite focus, it did not.
Guns Germs and Steel review.......2007-09-24
This is an excellent book, the hypothesis is very compelling and interesting. I watched the DVD in addition to the book and I was not disappointed at all. Worth the read!
A modern, scientific "just so" story.......2007-09-23
One of the most important books of our time; it single-handedly wipes out every justification for racism, and gets to the roots of why humans groups are where they are presently. An amazing synthesis of disciplines into one very readable explanation of how it came to pass that Europeans happened to be the ones that colonized the rest of the planet instead of some other group. The most clear example I've ever seen of why archaeology, and all the social sciences are not only important but vital to modern people. The better our understanding of the past the more likely we are to be able to let go of the emotionality that keeps us at each other's throats. A modern "just so" story.
Amazon.com
Edith Hamilton loved the ancient Western myths with a passion--and this classic compendium is her tribute. "The tales of Greek mythology do not throw any clear light upon what early mankind was like," Hamilton explains in her introduction. "They do throw an abundance of light upon what early Greeks were like--a matter, it would seem, of more importance to us, who are their descendents intellectually, artistically, and politically. Nothing we learn about them is alien to ourselves." Fans of Greek mythology will find all the great stories and characters here--Perseus, Hercules, and Odysseus--each discussed in generous detail by the voice of an impressively knowledgeable and engaging (with occasional lapses) narrator. This is also an excellent primer for middle- and high-school students who are studying ancient Greek and Roman culture and literature. --Gail Hudson
Book Description
Edith Hamilton loved the ancient Western myths with a passion--and this classic compendium is her tribute. "The tales of Greek mythology do not throw any clear light upon what early mankind was like," Hamilton explains in her introduction. "They do throw an abundance of light upon what early Greeks were like--a matter, it would seem, of more importance to us, who are their descendents intellectually, artistically, and politically. Nothing we learn about them is alien to ourselves." Fans of Greek mythology will find all the great stories and characters here--Perseus, Hercules, and Odysseus--each discussed in generous detail by the voice of an impressively knowledgeable and engaging (with occasional lapses) narrator. This is also an excellent primer for middle- and high-school students who are studying ancient Greek and Roman culture and literature. --Gail Hudson
Customer Reviews:
Mythology.......2007-08-20
I purchased this item for my son. He said it was good reading and had a lot of information.
interesting book.......2007-01-06
I've always been interested in greek mythology so this book was a good source of information I really like greek mythology storys about GOds and Goddesses and heros so I have to say I really liked this book.
one of the better written retellings of the Greek Myths.......2006-09-06
Edith Hamilton (now passed) has a living work of art in her stead by the name of Mythology. This congolmerate work of the world's oldest known tales is likely the most concise and accredited version worthy of the haughtiest bookshelf.
I breezed through most of the short stories and really ate up the ones of tragic love and happily ever afters, but through this version, readers can easily distinguish the story being told and enjoy the characters. Hamilton's writing it prosaic and timeless, perfect for Greek Myths. This collection is something that can even be of use to students of all ages and I can easily see myself coming back to this book a great many times for not only learning but enjoyment.
Highly recommended read, especially for the Greek in all of us!
Mythology.......2006-05-19
This book, mythology by Edith Hamilton is a pretty good book for pleasure and it has pretty good information too. The only downside of this book is that it doesnt keep your intrest that well. After the introduction, most parts are exciting, but there are still a few dull parts.
This book goes through many sections of greek mythology and a bit of norse mythology at the end. At first, the book starts out with talking about the gods and goddesses and then it moves onto stories of the gods and demi gods. This is a easy to understand book that is also a lot of fun if you are looking at it from a certain point of view.
Your Beginning And Ending Reference Book For Greek/Roman Myths.......2005-10-24
This Is One I First Read In High School And Have Returned To Often.Dame Edith's Reference Book Is The Definative Encyclopedia Of Mythology.
This Is A Book That Can Be Read By Lovers Of Adventure At Any Age.Arranged In Interesting And Fun Chapters Starting With The Beginning Of The World Where Mother Earth And Father Heaven Give Birth To The Titans,To The Birth Of THEIR Children And How They Took Over The World When The Twelve Major Gods And Goddesses Overpowered Them,To The Forming Of Man And The Gift Of Woman To Him.From There It Branches To The Everyday Heros And The Children Of The Gods-Jason And The Argonauts,Hercules,Perseus And His Battle With Medusa,And Many More.
All Of These Wonderous Stories Are Here To Enjoy Over And Over And Over Again.And You Can Find And Love Them In This Volume.It Even Includes Their Roman Counterparts And An Introduction To Egyptian Mythology As Well.You Won't Be Bored,And You Will Never Be Tired Of Them.
What The Magic Of Reading Is Made Of.
Book Description
The noted critic and a Palestinian now teaching at Columbia University,examines the way in which the West observes the Arabs.
Customer Reviews:
Orientalism by Edward Said.......2007-10-17
Orientalism is an easy to understand book by Edward Said, a must read for anyone interested in the current conflicts between East and West. How the creation of the "Orient" is a necessity to justify the West's aggression since the Middle Age's. His analysis is of the Near East, but is applicable to all non Western cultures.
The Old Stone Thrower Is At It Again.......2007-09-20
The old stone thrower is at it again, expounding his one-sided, biased view of history. Said made a career of being a highly-visible defender of the Palestinians; was even a member of the PLO executive council. Too bad he was silent about Yasir Arafat's theft of hundreds of millions of dollars earmarked for the Palestinians. He would rather blame the Jews for the Palestinians misfortunes, which they were the SOLE author of. What hypocrisy!
Philology to Think Tanks - Then and Now.......2007-07-17
Orientalism simplistically might be classified as the application of specialized knowledge developed by Occidentals then used by Occidentals to the long term detriment or destruction of Oriental values and states. Said carries the reader from century old philological works to area studies conducted by think tank specialists in Washington. It is the story of East vs. West raging since the 7th century and may rage for centuries to come
It is not an easy journey to follow Said's details, but he offers insights to ponder regarding East-West relationships in these dangerous times. As an engineer trained in science and mathematics, I found Said's discussion of the schematic authority of written materials fascinating. It is easier to become lost in worlds founded mainly on opinions and prestige than on rigorous applications of first principles of science.
I would have preferred additional materials from the post WW11 era and less on the writers of the 19th century, but he is writing for an audience that will be hostile and he goes to pains to identify his sources and his reasoning over many pages. Very worthwhile read.
Serious reading for a serious time.......2007-03-27
I could not stop reading this book. It is difficult at times given that it's serious criticism and I thought I had given up criticism when I left academia behind, but for anyone who wants a deeper understanding of why the US is in Iraq, why there are so many autocratic regimes in the Middle East, why the West cannot find real solutions for the plague that is terrorism, and why there is terrorism in the first place...this books is a good place to start. Said lays the ground work of colonialism and its repercussions.
Wish it were on sparknotes.......2007-02-19
but it's not, and sometimes one has to grow up and read challenging but important criticism. A seminal book for all readers.
Book Description
India is everywhere: on magazine covers and cinema marquees, at the gym and in the kitchen, in corporate boardrooms and on Capitol Hill. Through incisive reportage and illuminating analysis, Mira Kamdar explores India's astonishing transformation from a developing country into a global powerhouse. She takes us inside India, reporting on the people, companies, and policies defining the new India and revealing how it will profoundly affect our future -- financially, culturally, politically.
The world's fastest-growing democracy, India has the youngest population on the planet, and a middle class as big as the population of the entire United States. Its market has the potential to become the world's largest. As one film producer told Kamdar when they met in New York, "Who needs the American audience? There are only 300 million people here." Not only is India the ideal market for the next new thing, but with a highly skilled English-speaking workforce, elite educational institutions, and growing foreign investment, India is emerging as an innovator of the technology that is driving the next phase of the global economy.
While India is celebrating its meteoric rise, it is also racing against time to bring the benefits of the twenty-first century to the 800 million Indians who live on less than two dollars per day, to find the sustainable energy to fuel its explosive economic growth, and to navigate international and domestic politics to ensure India's security and its status as a global power. India is the world in microcosm: the challenges it faces are universal -- from combating terrorism, poverty, and disease to protecting the environment and creating jobs. The urgency of these challenges for India is spurring innovative solutions, which will catapult it to the top of the new world order. If India succeeds, it will not only save itself, it will save us all. If it fails, we will all suffer. As goes India, so goes the world.
Mira Kamdar tells the dramatic story of a nation in the midst of redefining itself and our world. Provocative, timely, and essential, Planet India is the groundbreaking book that will convince Americans just how high the stakes are -- what there is to lose, and what there is to gain from India's meteoric rise.
DID YOU KNOW?
•
India is the world's fourth-largest economy.
•
By 2034, India will be the most populous country on Earth, with 1.6 billion people.
•
India's middle class is already larger than the entire population of the United States.
•
One out of three of the world's malnourished children live in India.
•
India is home to the biggest youth population on earth:
600 million people are under the age of 25.
•
72,000,000 cell phones will be sold in India in 2007.
•
India just edged past the United States to become the second-most-preferred destination for foreign direct investment after China.
•
In 1991, Indians purchased 150,000 automobiles; in 2007, they are expected to purchase 10 million.
•
By 2008, India's total pool of qualified graduates will be more than twice as large as China's.
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By 2015, an estimated 3.5 million white-collar U.S. jobs will be offshored.
•
India is the largest arms importer in the developing world.
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American corporations expect to earn $20 to $40 billion from the civilian nuclear agreement with India.
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In 2007, there are 2.2 million Indian Americans, a number expected to double every decade.
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Twenty-nine percent of India's population speaks English -- that's 350 million people.
Customer Reviews:
Pro-India, Anti-America Cheerleading.......2007-07-31
This book lacks objectivity or analysis -- as one other reviewer stated, it is a breathless gush of cheerleading and sympathetic attitudes towards India, devoid of any analytic content.
The book is doubles as an equally gullible critique of American capitalism and world leadership. These passages lack all analytical depth and seriousness -- you can hear better critiques of America by spending twenty minutes at a protest.
The author believes that India is the solution to The Problem That Is The Hated America, which feels forced. Your time is much better spent on other things. I'm actually asking for my money back from the company that sold this to me.
I nearly gave up on this book about 1/3 through...........2007-07-31
...but then it really got good. The first 1/3 of the book is full of gee-whiz statistics on growth. It is also full of what I call "Reader's Digest" subchapters that gush excessively, in the genre of: ("Mr. X ushered me into his elegant office, high above the immaculate tech campus. Sales grew at 83% last year, mainly due to American outsourcing...") or ("the girls upon graduation could produce PowerPoint presentations;") just what the world needs more of.
Then we get into the really great parts of the book. All of India's shortcomings are examined realistically, from pollution of the groundwater and air, caste differences, religious hatred, a dozen or two languages, the bomb, the lack of any real education or medical care or opportunity for most of the vast population, corruption, the suppression of women, lack of electricity and airports, global warming, ethnic uprisings, Pakistan, China, etc, and no punches are pulled.
In short there is a real question as to whether success in India will be like success in Mexico: a widening gap between rich and poor that grows worse each decade. Several reviewers have inferred from the book that global success for India is inevitable. Perhaps, but not necessarily.
The book is really superb. I liken it to "Guns, Germs, and Steel" which explained how physical and cultural geography determined why certain areas of the globe prospered in centuries past. Planet India gives us the physical and cultural elements to try and deduce India's future. Frankly, it's not looking good, except for a small oligarchic class. But good luck to them, and good luck to America.
Just because I am not as positive on the outcome does not make this book any less fascinating. Enjoy!
Excellent, but incomplete..........2007-07-28
Mira Kamdar presents an excellent overview on modern India and its increasing influence on America and the world. She makes clear arguments for India's influence on economic, cultural, and social developments but leaves out an important one; spirituality. The impact of Hindu and Buddhist spirutuality on America and the world is ever increasing but for some reason, she decided not to discuss it (or lost a fight with the editors/publishers). I would be glad to see a second edition of this book which included the increasing spiritual impact of India on the rest of the world, and what it means for all of us.
A great introduction to India.......2007-07-26
This is really a great book not to miss. India might very well be the political balance to China when the United States declines and eventually falls.
I did go to Bombay some years back for a friend¡¦s wedding, but I honestly never viewed India as a major economic or military power. Poverty was rampant, and I heard of stories of families killing female babies because they are a financial drain to them (infanticide).
Corruption is also rampant in India, and the author tells the stories of famous Indians who were harassed when they spoke out against corruption. Corruption is rampant in my country as well and I learnt to keep my mouth shut.
The author points out the many tragic challenges facing Indians. HIV is a major problem in India now, with probably 20 million Indians already infected with AIDS. Poverty, infanticide, corruption, and crime are problems that can be solved through education, caring, and policing. India can easily surmount those challenges if the government puts its mind to it.
India is now a nuclear nation, and this worries some that this could lead to an arms race, especially with Pakistan and China. The US is counting on India as a military balance in the region. There has been many instances where the possibility of nuclear war between India and Pakistan was at a critical point.
India is the world's fastest-growing democracy. It also has the youngest population on the planet, and a middle class as big as the population of the entire United States. Its market has the potential to become the world's largest. As one film producer said, "Who needs the American audience? There are only 300 million people here."
Although most Indians highly respected the US in the 90s, most don¡¦t anymore after Bush junior took office. Many are against the offensive strategies of the US, especially the war in Iraq.
The number of American Indians is increasing, which is giving India a powerful voice in its lobbying attempts in Washington. Some say India¡¦s lobbyist in D.C. will attain the power of the Jewish lobbyists in the near future.
The author does warn that India must not follow the American system, but rather invent its own. That concept is very interesting.
I was fascinated by the chapter on how polluted the water is in some regions of India, and of the thousands who die as a result of poisoning and of cancer. According to the author, this water pollution has entered packaged food.
There are also stories of suicides due to the inability to pay back loan sharks who charge 10% a month!
The author also describes how in cities the rich live next to poor neighborhoods and manage to completely ignore them or pretend like they did not exist. The nature of man is the same everywhere.
Here are some facts about India taken from the book¡¦s back cover:
Þ India is the world's fourth-largest economy.
Þ By 2034, India will be the most populous country on Earth, with 1.6 billion people.
Þ One out of three of the world's malnourished children live in India.
Þ 600 million people are under the age of 25.
Þ 72,000,000 cell phones will be sold in India in 2007.
Þ India just edged past the United States to become the second-most-preferred destination for foreign direct investment after China.
Þ In 1991, Indians purchased 150,000 automobiles; in 2007, they are expected to purchase 10 million.
Þ By 2008, India's total pool of qualified graduates will be more than twice as large as China's.
Þ By 2015, an estimated 3.5 million white-collar U.S. jobs will be offshored.
Þ India is the largest arms importer in the developing world.
Þ American corporations expect to earn $20 to $40 billion from the civilian nuclear agreement with India.
Þ In 2007, there are 2.2 million Indian Americans, a number expected to double every decade.
Þ Twenty-nine percent of India's population speaks English -- that's 350 million people.
One reviewer on amazon.com had the following to say:
"This book reads more like a dream of what India could be rather than an objective assessment of what it is. It is proof that Indians continue to suffer from a serious inferiority complex with the constant need to assert their "greatness" without down-to-earth critical assessment of reality facing the country."
I personally enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.
Planet India: Well-written Book about the good, the bad and the ugly sides of India.......2007-07-20
Title: Planet India; How the Fastest Growing Democracy Is Transforming America and the World
By Mira Kamdar
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Category: Politics/ Current Events
Pages: 336
ISBN: 0743296850
Review By: Diana Rohini LaVigne, Indian Life & Style Magazine
Award-winning writer Mira Kamdar has done it again and used her writing skill to engage the world in opening up discussions on the impact India is having globally.
At a time when India is so much a part of our daily vocabulary, Kamdar compiles the facts, figures and statistics on how India is and will impact us in the United States as well as globally. Her analysis is not only compelling but is delivered in a way for any layman to understand.
Understanding the companies, the people, the culture and the society is vital if the rest of the world wants to learn more about how this third world place has so quickly taken center stage among the giants.
But this dramatic story doesn't just show India's journey of redefining itself but also of the real life challenges it faces on the road ahead. It is India's time to shine or sink and this book will enlighten you about the complexities surrounding the different destinies.
Although it's filled with facts and figures, Planet India was easy to comprehend and presented complex topics in simple terms. It's a great modern resource book for India. I passed along my copy to a college and I've missed having it on my book shelf so many times when a heated debate arises over a dinner party and I am looking to reference it. My advice: Don't give your copy off, keep it close and keep it near! It's a book worth keeping and a great conversation piece for friends and family.
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