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!
Book Description
Do you want to get ahead in life?
Climb the ladder to personal success?
The secret, master networker Keith Ferrazzi claims, is in reaching out to other people. As Ferrazzi discovered early in life, what distinguishes highly successful people from everyone else is the way they use the power of relationships—so that everyone wins.
In Never Eat Alone, Ferrazzi lays out the specific steps—and inner mindset—he uses to reach out to connect with the thousands of colleagues, friends, and associates on his Rolodex, people he has helped and who have helped him.
The son of a small-town steelworker and a cleaning lady, Ferrazzi first used his remarkable ability to connect with others to pave the way to a scholarship at Yale, a Harvard MBA, and several top executive posts. Not yet out of his thirties, he developed a network of relationships that stretched from Washington’s corridors of power to Hollywood’s A-list, leading to him being named one of Crain’s 40 Under 40 and selected as a Global Leader for Tomorrow by the Davos World Economic Forum.
Ferrazzi's form of connecting to the world around him is based on generosity, helping friends connect with other friends. Ferrazzi distinguishes genuine relationship-building from the crude, desperate glad-handling usually associated with “networking.” He then distills his system of reaching out to people into practical, proven principles. Among them:
Don’t keep score: It’s never simply about getting what you want. It’s about getting what you want and making sure that the people who are important to you get what they want, too.
“Ping” constantly: The Ins and Outs of reaching out to those in your circle of contacts all the time—not just when you need something.
Never eat alone: The dynamics of status are the same whether you’re working at a corporation or attending a society event— “invisibility” is a fate worse than failure.
In the course of the book, Ferrazzi outlines the timeless strategies shared by the world’s most connected individuals, from Katherine Graham to Bill Clinton, Vernon Jordan to the Dalai Lama.
Chock full of specific advice on handling rejection, getting past gatekeepers, becoming a “conference commando,” and more, Never Eat Alone is destined to take its place alongside How to Win Friends and Influence People as an inspirational classic.
Download Description
Do you want to get ahead in life?
Climb the ladder to personal success?
The secret, master networker Keith Ferrazzi claims, is in reaching out to other people. As Ferrazzi discovered early in life, what distinguishes highly successful people from everyone else is the way they use the power of relationships–so that everyone wins.
In Never Eat Alone, Ferrazzi lays out the specific steps–and inner mindset–he uses to reach out to connect with the thousands of colleagues, friends, and associates on his Rolodex, people he has helped and who have helped him.
The son of a small–town steelworker and a cleaning lady, Ferrazzi first used his remarkable ability to connect with others to pave the way to a scholarship at Yale, a Harvard MBA, and several top executive posts. Not yet out of his thirties, he developed a network of relationships that stretched from Washington’s corridors of power to Hollywood’s A–list, leading to him being named one of Crain’s 40 Under 40 and selected as a Global Leader for Tomorrow by the Davos World Economic Forum.
Ferrazzi’s form of connecting to the world around him is based on generosity, helping friends connect with other friends. Ferrazzi distinguishes genuine relationship–building from the crude, desperate glad–handling usually associated with “networking.” He then distills his system of reaching out to people into practical, proven principles. Among them:
Don’t keep score: It’s never simply about getting what you want. It’s about getting what you want and making sure that the people who are important to you get what they want, too.
“Ping” constantly: The Ins and Outs of reaching out to those in your circle of contacts all the time–not just when you need something.
Never eat alone: The dynamics of status are the same whether you’re working at a corporation or attending a society event&mdash “invisibility” is a fate worse than failure.
In the course of the book, Ferrazzi outlines the timeless strategies shared by the world’s most connected individuals, from Katherine Graham to Bill Clinton, Vernon Jordan to the Dalai Lama.
Chock full of specific advice on handling rejection, getting past gatekeepers, becoming a “conference commando,” and more, Never Eat Alone is destined to take its place alongside How to Win Friends and Influence People as an inspirational classic.
Customer Reviews:
Simple, but good advice.......2007-10-17
The advice presented in this book is quite simple and nothing is really new. Don't expect any advice based on the academic writing on social networks. Still I liked the style of writing and good practical examples. The key problem is naturally to implement the author's advice. He has for instance great advice on dinner parties, but the key difficulty is to get moving and doing it. In this regard, a book cannot really do much. Still, this book makes it as easy as possible.
Not impressed.......2007-10-15
This stuff put into practice would spread your network to thin and you wouldn't make real friends with anybody. I didn't gain anything from reading this book.
too basic.......2007-10-14
some good ideas but would expect a book like this to sell for $4.00 to $6.00. Here is the gist of the book: middle class childhood and was able to get into Yale where he met people, became friends and kept in touch with. Guess what, he was able to tap the network and help himself... wow who knew? So, if you are going to a City college you might no be meeting the "right" people. Seriously, for those with no clue about being social, this book may help them. Marketing can be learned... many of us (even experienced markeing people) at time can be a wall flower. Don't fret, just follow up and talk about things other than work.... kids, pets, sports, etc.
Be a better connector.......2007-10-14
Your don't have to be a super-connector like Ferrazzi to be a better connector in your own life. I took away some useful perspectives that I am starting to incorporate into my own routines. For instance, this book helped me recognize the potential value that lies hidden in my own Outlook address book.
I have begun to turn the regrets I felt for not keeping in touch into actions. "Never Eat Alone" is not only a great title for this book, but also a concept that helps to remind me of the simple opportunities available on a daily basis to better connect with the people around me.
My networking bible.......2007-10-09
This is the best book I've read thus far on networking. I try to meet and have lunch with someone new in my organization at least once a month and touch base with existing contacts after reading this book. It is a must have, even for the shy person. This book will help open doors for you. I read and passed this book along to other co-workers and they absolutely loved it. I highly recommend!
Customer Reviews:
School book.......2007-09-04
Book required for my course, ordered it was delivered the day classes started, I'm a happy man
Quality.......2005-09-06
This book was received quickly and was in perfect shape. I appreciate the promptness.
Excellent introductory text!.......2002-10-29
Parrillo's text is a helpful overview of the sociology of race and ethnicity in the United States taken from a group-to-group approach. Major sociological contributions on these matters are covered through the lens of particular groups that are most affected (e.g. LA riots are covered under black Americans but not under Korean Americans). The most recent edition is especially helpful as comments are made in conjunction with post-September 11th consequences on race and ethnic issues. The role of religion in racial dynamics and the continuing changes in immigration is a helpful addition as well as it is a rising area of study with race and ethnicity.
The book if it suffers in any direction is the judgment call of organizing the text by ethnic group. As suggested earlier, some issues like the LA riots deal with multiple groups and yet this text places such a topic under only one group.
As an undergraduate text, it also has an added bonus of photographs which may make the material seem less abstract and more accessible. Additionally its use of the basic "functionalist" "conflict" and "interactionist" perspectives allows students who have taken an introductory class in sociology to have a language from which to bridge between a general study of sociology and a more specific look at one area within sociology.
Overall this is an excellent textbook and I highly recommend it for classroom use and for use in scholarly research to gain access to the complex field of race and ethnicity.
From the Foreword author:.......1999-02-27
Strangers to These Shores is a comprehensive examination of the sharpest edges and more nuanced qualities of American pluralism. In its 14 chapters, Professor Parrillo provides students/readers--and those for whom it is not assigned--with a well conceived, carefully constructed, and highly readable introduction to a very complex subject. -- Peter I. Rose, Smith College
Average customer rating:
- Almost inspiring
- Where's my book.
- On My Own: The Art of Being a Woman Alone
- The power of flying solo
|
On My Own: The Art of Being a Woman Alone
Florence Falk
Manufacturer: Harmony
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 Interpersonal Relations
| Relationships
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Love & Romance
| Relationships
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Self-Help
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Personal Transformation
| Self-Help
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Psychology & Counseling
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Gender
| By Topic
| Psychology & Counseling
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Sociology
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Women
| Sociology
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Women's Studies
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Prime: Adventures and Advice on Sex, Love, and the Sensual Years
-
How Not to Be Afraid of Your Own Life: Opening Your Heart to Confidence, Intimacy, and Joy
-
A Weekend to Change Your Life: Find Your Authentic Self After a Lifetime of Being All Things to All People
-
The Water Will Hold You: A Skeptic Learns to Pray
-
Single: The Art of Being Satisfied, Fulfilled and Independent
ASIN: 1400098106
Release Date: 2007-03-20 |
Book Description
At some point over the course of the average American woman’s life, she will find herself alone, whether she is divorced, widowed, single, or in a loveless, isolating relationship. And when that time comes, it is likely that she will be at a loss as to how to handle it. As a society, we have an unspoken but omnipresent belief that a woman alone is an outcast, inherently flawed in some way. In this invigorating, supportive book, psychotherapist Florence Falk aims to take the fear, doubt, confusion, and helplessness out of being a woman alone. Falk invites all women to find their own paths toward an authentic selfhood, to discover the pleasures and riches of solitude, and to reconnect with others through a newfound sense of self-confidence.
Like so many women before her, Florence Falk found herself divorced, alone, and unsure of herself. Soon she realized that by embracing her solitude for what it was—a potentially enriching and life-altering experience—she could turn what once would have felt like “loneliness” into a far more positive and empowered “aloneness.” Falk notes that each of us has two opposing drives: one causes us to yearn to make close connections with others, and the other pulls us back into ourselves, into the need for selfhood and certainty that can only be shaped through solitude. In order to be whole, she says, we must heed both of those impulses. But in our modern culture, the former is stressed while the latter is neglected, even vilified. On My Own boldly shifts that paradigm.
With inspiring, intimate stories of women from all backgrounds, Falk illuminates the essential role that being alone plays in women’s lives. Whether she is in a stable relationship or on her own, every woman must learn to be by herself; for if she can be fully free, unfettered by society’s stigmas about being alone, life and all its possibilities will open up for her. And as Falk demonstrates, once a woman has discovered the richness of solitude, she is not likely to give it up so easily.
Customer Reviews:
Almost inspiring.......2007-08-24
The Art of Being a Woman Alone - now there's a subject which needed to be addressed. Women today (and for most of recorded history) have been culturally expected - even driven - to sacrifice themselves for others. More recently, ideals emerged which allowed women to seek their own interests and careers, and in todays world, most women know instinctively that they HAVE to be able to support themselves (and children if they have them) as men are no longer required to support them.
This, understandably, creates pressure.
In our modern drive to have everything, women have lost their Self. By losing one's Self, according to Falk, a person loses the ability to stand alone, to be self-sufficient, to enjoy solitude without being lonely and bereft. In addition, when one's Self is damaged or missing, there is nothing protecting you from psychic damage from friends, lovers, and the world in general.
In many ways, our culture resists the import of a woman who is able to stand alone. If you are valuing your own self, you are selfish - a horrible accusation to make of any girl or mother. If you cultivate your own interests, or enjoy your own company, you are self-absorbed - again, a negative. Falk wants us to take joy in selfishness, as we re-imagine ourselves and make peace with who we truly are. She wishes that more women would take time to be self-absorbed, to glory in the creative, WHOLE person who has been submerged for so long by our society, our relationships, and abuse.
Which brings me to the "almost inspiring." Falk finds it necessary to trace in microscopic detail the failed relationships, parental and peer abuse, and overarching societal pressure which causes modern women to lose their Self. This is an amazing downer in a book intended to inspire. In those pages (which are a majority of the book) there is a passivity - a helplessness in the face of a powerful and malevolent grinding cultural poverty. Comparing this to her stirring call for Self-awareness, I found it difficult when she failed to transfer this individual awareness into culture at large.
One example speaks of a girl, gifted and pretty, from an "academic" hippie family, and the teasing and social abuse she suffered at middle and high school. The girl, now a middle-aged woman, is only now dealing with this pain. Nowhere is it suggested that if the girl had a Self-aware mentor, she could have learned to stand ALONE and to rise above the taunts of her peers. Repeatedly, women and girls in her examples are left with gaping psychic wounds which are bemoaned as evil and spirit-breaking, but with no counter-examples to show HOW, if one is taught to grow into her Self from the start, those wounds could be minimized or avoided.
Much of this comes from the author's own experiences, as late in life she rediscovered herself and fought free of years of living for others. I do applaud women who, at any age, realize that no matter what or who is in your life, a healthy person's focus must be on themselves FIRST. However, I think that a celebration of women's rights to be whole people in themselves should try to show how to achieve that from the start, rather than passively accepting the damage until some midlife "eureka" is reached.
In spite of this, this book is stirring and powerful, and begs for women to accept that we CAN be alone and powerful, we CAN be at peace with our true Selves, and we CAN recover from childhood trauma and the pressures of life. This is an important message for everyone.
Where's my book. .......2007-07-07
I'd love to write a review and I'd love to have the book, but apparently it was sent to my old address, wasn't forwarded, and was sent back. I'd love it if you'd reship it to me at my new address: Barb Haynes, 108 Panico Trail, Murphy, NC 28907. Thanks
On My Own: The Art of Being a Woman Alone.......2007-05-14
This book was in great shape and was very inspirational. I have recommended it to several women of my age group.
The power of flying solo.......2007-04-17
On My Own is a revolutionary book. Florence Falk offers deep insight about the social and cultural frames that encourage women to see being alone as a "problem". Beautifully written, it traces, with true sensitivity, the many complex and often conflicting forces that 'contribute' to a woman's 'aloneness'. She boldly encourage us to shatter the paradigm, and reframes solitude as a positive state, a place of power, to be celebrated and explored with enthusiasm.
Around this country, millions of women, single or deeply lonely in their relationships, wrestle with questions about the role and place of partnership in their lives. This remarkable book offers us a way to see our aloneness in a new way....helping us to celebrate our solitude as a state of liberation.
It's hard to imagine a woman whose life would not be touched by reading this book. For many women, Falk's message will come as a key, unlocking a door they may never have known was even there.... and lives will change, forever. For some, perhaps, it will be revolutionary, and the change will come with great force. For others, it may be like a small stone, dropped into water, the rings rippling out gently, wider and wider... but either way, I am convinced, lives will transform. Give this book to a woman you know who is ready for freedom!
Average customer rating:
- Beautiful!
- Geat Book
- Suspense, romance and a happy ending!
- A Wonderful Story
- Did I miss something?
|
Two Alone
Sandra Brown
Manufacturer: Mira
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Romance
| Subjects
| Books
Romantic Suspense
| Romance
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Brown, Sandra
| ( B )
| Authors, A-Z
| Romance
| Subjects
| Books
Hardcover
| Brown, Sandra
| ( B )
| Authors, A-Z
| Romance
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Contemporary
| Romance
| Subjects
| Books
Look Inside Fiction Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Romance Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Play Dirty: A Novel
-
Long Time Coming
-
High Noon
-
Temperatures Rising
-
A Whole New Light
ASIN: 0778324311 |
Book Description
But after a plane crash stranded them in the remote reaches of the north, the strangers had no choice but to depend on one another.
Beautiful and self-confident businesswoman Rusty Carlson was hurt, terrified and alone with a man she feared. But one thing was certain—she would surely die without his help.
Vietnam vet Cooper Landry had a deep-rooted grudge against beautiful women like Rusty. Experience had taught him they were takers. But he'd survived far worse dangers, and this time he'd be damned if he'd let her risk his chance for survival.
But there were predators in the dense woods— both animal and human—and the odds were against them. They could handle that. What Rusty and Cooper weren't prepared for was the discovery that they desired more than just survival—.
Customer Reviews:
Beautiful!.......2007-09-07
Sandra Brown has written another great love story. Rich, beautiful and wonderfully ambitious Rusty Carlson and ruggedly handsome Vietname Vet Cooper Landry are the only survivors of a horrific plane crash. Determined to survive, they forge a mutually beneficial relationship that turns to love. There is everything that makes this a terrific read....romance, passion, and a good story. Read it, you will not regret it.
Geat Book.......2007-08-05
Sandra Brown is one of my favorite authors and this book did not disappoint me. Her plots and characters are very detailed. It is a must Read!
Suspense, romance and a happy ending!.......2007-07-18
I enjoyed this Sandra Brown book because of the suspense of a plane crash and how they survived. I enjoy a nice love story that's not too complicated and that ends well.
A Wonderful Story.......2007-07-17
My friend gave me this book to read since she knew I had read several of Sandra Brown's novels and I'm happy to report that I was not disappointed in one of my favorite authors. I won't elaborate on the story as there are excellent reviews of "Two Alone" that have already been posted except to add that SB created top-notched characters in Rusty Carlson and Cooper Landry. I just kept rooting for them all the way through the book. Well written story and I'd gladly recommend it to my friends.
Did I miss something?.......2007-05-29
I just finished this book yesterday and I can't even remember the names of the lead characters, that's how interesting I found it to be. I thought it might get better if I kept reading but, sadly, it didn't. I either love Sandra Brown's work or I hate it and sometimes I wonder, after reading work like French Silk, White Hot, Tidings of Great Joy (or whatever that one was) and Two Alone if this could possibly be the same woman who wrote Envy, The Alibi, Witness, Richochet and Chill Factor. The guy in this book was a total jerk and bully and I got seriously tired of the girl's whining. I was turned off that they took up residence in a cabin where two disgusting cavemen had lived and ate from their dishes and took baths in their tub and after offing them (rightfully so), they cohabited there like Ma & Pa Ingalls with her cooking and cleaning and him going off into the wild to slay their supper. It was just a bit too quirky. However, being that I'm always willing to read her books, I picked up Demon Rumm after chucking Two Alone and I have to say, I don't want to put it down. It started out good and gets better with every page I turn. If people thought Two Alone was good, they should read some of the previously mentioned ones. She's a lot better author than this.
Book Description
Loren Christensen shows you over 300 ways you can add variety to your daily martial arts training routine. Whether you're a student looking for fun new solo drills to spice up your home training or an instructor in search of new ways to pump up your classes, you won't be disappointed. This incredible collection of drills, techniques and exercises will take your workouts to the next level. Learn to:
*Organize your solo workouts to the get maximum results from even the shortest training session
*Improve your speed and power with dozens of inside tips and tricks
*Beat boredom and get excited about your solo training sessions
*Become a well rounded fighter by adding essential skills that your instructor may not be teaching you
*Safely experiment with new techniques to find your ideal personal style of training
*Get an edge on your opponents with training methods that will make you unstoppable in the ring or on the street
Not only will you learn enough new training strategies and methods to keep you busy for years, but Loren Cristensen's no-nonsense writing style will get you up and moving even on the days you rather skip your solo workout. Packed with solid advice and kick-butt motivation, this book will become your favorite training partner.
Customer Reviews:
A wealth of information and by a great author(s).......2007-06-27
I first purchased "The Fighter's Body: An Owner's Manual: Your Guide to Diet, Nutrition, Exercise and Excellence in the Martial Arts" and found it to be very practical and focused on what I needed to focus on as a studying martial artists. I followed this book up with:
- Timing in the Fighting Arts: Your Guide to Winning in the Ring and Surviving on the Street
- Solo Training: The Martial Artist's Guide to Training Alone
- Fighter's Fact Book: Over 400 Concepts, Principles, and Drills to Make You a Better Fighter
All of these are great books and I look forward to selling my house (I had to hide Bob from perspective buyers... that face!) so that I can put Bob in my new garage and start abusing him with all of these new concepts... one by one... it will take a while!
Thanks!
David
Blah!.......2007-05-14
This book was everything you already knew, put into writing. I diagree with a few of the techniques, but that is because I prectice muay thai not tae kwon do. I also thought there was lots of stuff that was left out of the book. There are lots of things you can do at your house to train for martial arts that were not included in this book. I recoment you go get the Bas Rutten martial arts work out. You'll love it if you are serious.
Enlighting!.......2006-07-06
The ideas and training was really helpful, a good tool for training at home when you have no partner to train with.
Not very useful for me.......2006-06-28
I agree, solo practice is very important. If you have no clue what you could practice alone, are training karate / tkd / krav maga, and fairly novice, there might be some good drills for you.
If you train something "softer", or martial arts that emphasize body unity (Chinese MA, Judo, Aikido, systema etc), this is probably not your book.
A problem whith this book is that it has plenty of drills, but the detailed instructions on the techniques are lacking. This is OK if you assume the reader has trained longer, or atleast gets the details from their own teacher. But if you've trained longer, i doubt you'll get much new info from this book. And if you've trained less, IMO you need more detailed info. If you need to ask the details from your teacher, you'd be better off asking the drills from your teacher too.
Atleast one good option is "Attack proof" by Perkins / Ridenhour / Kovalsky. It's more a self-defence book, but had drills i found actually useful and new to me.
Excelent for beginers, and for Fitness.......2005-12-20
This is a very good book. Don't look into it though if your a black belt or higher, won't offer too much. This book offers great basic intruction, although it does detail on form, I'd listen to my instructor over this book. It comes from a karate point of view, but the drill are good for all martial art forms. No, there's no great training secrets or anything like that in this book. Any book or person that claims to know a secret of training is lying anyway. These bread and butter (basic) moves and drills will help you become faster and stronger when practiced regualrly. I increased my kicked height and speed, as well as my punching power and speed by using this book.
Amazon.com
Few people outside certain scholarly circles had heard the name Robert D. Putnam before 1995. But then this self-described "obscure academic" hit a nerve with a journal article called "Bowling Alone." Suddenly he found himself invited to Camp David, his picture in People magazine, and his thesis at the center of a raging debate. In a nutshell, he argued that civil society was breaking down as Americans became more disconnected from their families, neighbors, communities, and the republic itself. The organizations that gave life to democracy were fraying. Bowling became his driving metaphor. Years ago, he wrote, thousands of people belonged to bowling leagues. Today, however, they're more likely to bowl alone:
Television, two-career families, suburban sprawl, generational changes in values--these and other changes in American society have meant that fewer and fewer of us find that the League of Women Voters, or the United Way, or the Shriners, or the monthly bridge club, or even a Sunday picnic with friends fits the way we have come to live. Our growing social-capital deficit threatens educational performance, safe neighborhoods, equitable tax collection, democratic responsiveness, everyday honesty, and even our health and happiness.
The conclusions reached in the book Bowling Alone rest on a mountain of data gathered by Putnam and a team of researchers since his original essay appeared. Its breadth of information is astounding--yes, he really has statistics showing people are less likely to take Sunday picnics nowadays. Dozens of charts and graphs track everything from trends in PTA participation to the number of times Americans say they give "the finger" to other drivers each year. If nothing else, Bowling Alone is a fascinating collection of factoids. Yet it does seem to provide an explanation for why "we tell pollsters that we wish we lived in a more civil, more trustworthy, more collectively caring community." What's more, writes Putnam, "Americans are right that the bonds of our communities have withered, and we are right to fear that this transformation has very real costs." Putnam takes a stab at suggesting how things might change, but the book's real strength is in its diagnosis rather than its proposed solutions. Bowling Alone won't make Putnam any less controversial, but it may come to be known as a path-breaking work of scholarship, one whose influence has a long reach into the 21st century. --John J. Miller
Book Description
Once we bowled in leagues, usually after work -- but no longer. This seemingly small phenomenon symbolizes a significant social change that Robert Putnam has identified in this brilliant volume, Bowling Alone, which The Economist hailed as "a prodigious achievement."
Drawing on vast new data that reveal Americans' changing behavior, Putnam shows how we have become increasingly disconnected from one another and how social structures -- whether they be PTA, church, or political parties -- have disintegrated. Until the publication of this groundbreaking work, no one had so deftly diagnosed the harm that these broken bonds have wreaked on our physical and civic health, nor had anyone exalted their fundamental power in creating a society that is happy, healthy, and safe.
Like defining works from the past, such as The Lonely Crowd and The Affluent Society, and like the works of C. Wright Mills and Betty Friedan, Putnam's Bowling Alone has identified a central crisis at the heart of our society and suggests what we can do.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent Data, Interesting Story... may be limited by logical fallacy.......2007-09-19
This is a well written book about the decline of certain activities that have historically been central to the "social capital" of American society and the pervasive consequences on American lives. While I think much of Putnam's story is on the mark, I believe his diagnosis of the problem depends on several logical flaws and this could potentially imply that different conclusions should be reached. Let me explain:
The book basically says, "here's a laundry list of activities that Americans don't do as often as they used to including clubs, religious activities, unions, house parties, picnics, etc." The evidence is overwhelming that all of these activities have become less common as a share of American activities. They're all major components of what we typically consider social activities. Putnam therefore concludes that Americans are building less social capital. Does this evidence lead to this conclusion? Let's replace some of the words and concepts and perhaps we can illustrate why it may not.
Assume Americans are spending less money (or a smaller percentage of their income) on makeup, perfume, and hair salons (I don't necessarily believe this is true, but for the sake of the example). We consider all of these activities beautification. Now would a reduction in the share of household wealth spent on these activities necessarily imply that Americans care less about beauty or are less beautiful? What if we "forget" to mention (or simply miss) that people are now spending a huge share of wealth on plastic surgery and that this didn't even exist in our "reference period?" What if people are spending less on makeup because they get far more "beauty" for the same amount of money today?
To be truly conclusive, Putnam needs to not only prove that people are spending less total time on social activities but that these social activities are less rewarding on the whole (and what we've replaced them with are not more rewarding than our losses).
Critical to this point is the question, "what is it that social capital is supposed to deliver?" I took the time to write this review instead of socializing. I won't necessarily receive any direct compensation from a reader as I might have gotten from the friend (emotional support, contact to a job, introduction to a significant other, fun of company). It appears that I've lost social capital. BUT, how many of your friends would you have needed to ask before you got a review like this (or others submitted here). How many friendships would I have had to make to get the benefit of the other reviews that I've read on Amazon. Am I worse off or have I simply participated in a less personal exchange that is of much greater value to society (and in the long run to myself)?
In the same vein, I may not go hang out with my friends the way my parents did, but I can IM and TXT my friends no matter where they are in the country. I may not meet my neighbor but I can share interest in games or politics or economics with people around the country and I'd like to think I get a lot out of my participation in these kinds of communities. Is my life really worse if I can't invite all of these people to the bowling alley with me? Is my life or my participation in society really diminished if I don't attend a meeting in their physical presence?
If I had no friends in town, certainly the cost would be real. But I would never trade my deep personal relationships with friends in New York, Pittsburgh, and Chicago for a dozen bowling buddies here in Columbus.
Despite my concerns regarding the specific arguments and conclusions, I actually enjoyed the book and encourage people to read it. However, the book only receives 4 stars because the data may not necessarily justify the conclusions and readers are therefore cautioned about taking it all at face value.
Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community.......2007-09-10
Why does the idea of community seem to have vanished? Why are we not as close to our neighbors as our grandparents used to be? What are the changes that have accorded in these last few generations that have caused such isolation? Read Bowling Alone to find out what has killed the spirit of neighborliness and volunteerism.
Social Capital without a shared vision??.......2007-07-12
Putnam has done a good job of marshalling an incredible amount of graphs, tables, charts, etc. while still keeping the reader's (my!) interest. He makes an impressive case on 2 fronts: one, that we're less socially connected today, and not as socially invested as we once were; and two, this state of affairs is not a good thing in many ways (personal and social health, etc.). The book is far less convincing when it appears to suggest that the great template for a generation that DID invest heavily in social capital was the generation that had its heyday in the post-war years. In other words, the "greatest generation." While I believe that they were heavily socially invested, and developed many and wide-ranging ways to increase that social capital, I do NOT believe that our (or future) generations can replicate that. We now celebrate tolerance and diversity today, in fact worship at their feet. Previous generations in this country did not, and that's the rub. You need a society that's pretty much agreed on what makes a good life or a good person before you can get large numbers of people to sign on to groups that nourish that idea. Today, we live in a circus atmosphere in which there is no right or wrong way to live, as long as you stay out of my hair. That might be well and good, but HARDLY a vision that will inspire any investature of social capital. I don't think Putnam sees this difficulty clearly enough (although he does mention it) because if this difficulty is insurmountable (as I think it is unless society undergoes a sea-change in belief) there is NO remedy for modern society's fragmentation. I guess what I'm saying is that you need a vision of community that the vast majority of movers, shakers, and regular folks have bought into, before you can talk about recapturing that sense of community. And today we don't have that, not even close. Tolerance and diversity both act to fragment community and that process is only accelerated when such attitudes are held by societal leaders. Putnam also needs to focus more on the decade of the 60s (say from 1963 - 1973) and fess up to the fact that people--whether they totally bought into the cult of the individual that sprang from that time or not--were ALL affected by that decade. Society simply looked at things differently (specifcally authority-mediated knowledge) when they came out this end of that decade. We can't go back, and Putnam ought to know that every time he sits in a faculty meeting at Harvard and looks at the non-conformist dress, jewelry and lifestyles that are exhibited there (imagine their wardrobe and attire on 1950s' Harvard faculty!). Each generation learns its knowledge base from authority-mediated knowledge transfer--either formally or informally, from sacred texts to how to use a crescent wrench. The post-60s generations simply do not and cannot look or accept authority like the generations that Putnam praises for their civic involvement. He castigates television for much of the problem but to me that's more symptom of this deeper cause (else why is the older generation somehow nearly immune to watching TV as much as the younger). I also wonder when Putnam tries to make a case for how social involvement can help the individual but using a quick vignette of an affluent couple who try and increase social involvement and capital by NOT taking their kid out of public school. This coming from a professor at the most well-known PRIVATE institution of higher learning in the country?? I wonder how many of his colleagues have their children in public schools, or would put them in some of the worse public schools, far from Cambridge, Mass? still, this is a thoughtful book and societal critique, whether you agree with his assessment or not. It will engage you.
A thoroughly researched opus -- a must-read for anyone interested in American society.......2007-06-18
As I read through Putnam's book, I was repeatedly impressed by how thoroughly researched his points were. Bowling Alone has over 100 figures and tables dispersed throughout, and while that would be considered an "overly academic" death knell for most books, this book comes out as both interesting and highly readable. The points are backed up by hard facts and Putnam is very careful to state which opinions are his own as opposed to some other source's. His style of reasoning and argument always includes an examination of possible alternative explanations, which is something all non-fiction writing of this type should require.
In this book you will learn a good deal about the advantages and disadvantages of community groups and why America -- as a society -- has drifted away from the close-knit communities of the 1950s and early 60s. Bowling Alone is one of those rare books that has a little bit of everything: sociology, psychology, urban planning, political commentary, and good old-fashioned statistical analysis. And these topics are all covered in a way that bring the social phenomena to light without getting bogged down in the numbers. Putnam's book is truly an impressive piece of work.
does not make an adequate argument.......2007-04-07
This is a fairly academic description of the decline of civil society. It is well written and the information is clearly presented. The arguments are clear and easy to understand although not truly persuasive. This book spends an inordinate amount of time hammering a point that is obvious enough- Americans join and participate in fewer groups than they used to. I like most people already believed that when I read the book synopsis. Instead of detailed data about the mempership decline in churches and bridge clubs etc., more analysis about the causes and effects of this decline should have been included.
As for the argument of this book, did not convince me. The chapter on the dark side of social groups provided a superficial argument for why social groups promote equality and fraternity. I did not care for the reliance on constructs such as the principles of liberty, equality and fraternity (those are just part of french enlightenment ideals, they are not some kind of measurable benchmarks to make sweeping judgements about society with).
In the end, I am the generation x-y child of parents that were active in a number of social organizations, PTA, neighborhood get togethers etc. I belong to no groups and do not spend time with my neighbors. Like most people my age, I have observed my parents involvement in groups and do not wish to follow suit. The author did not seem to take any time to analyze why people would willingly abandon a civic life when they know exactly what they are missing. I do not see America degenerating because of people's desire to live highly independant existances.
Average customer rating:
- Suspense and action, with psychological twists
- Alone, The BEST
- WOW - Great Book!
- Liked this One the Best so Far....
- Gardner rocks
|
Alone
Lisa Gardner
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Thrillers
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
Suspense
| Thrillers
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
Look Inside Fiction Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Mystery & Thriller Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
General
| Mystery & Thrillers
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
General
| Thrillers
| Mystery & Thrillers
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Suspense
| Thrillers
| Mystery & Thrillers
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
All 4-for-3 Deals
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
The Next Accident
-
The Other Daughter
-
The Third Victim
-
The Perfect Husband
-
Gone
ASIN: 0553584537
Release Date: 2005-12-27 |
Book Description
Alone . . . Massachusetts State Trooper Bobby Dodge watches a tense hostage standoff unfold through the scope of his sniper rifle. Just across the street, in wealthy Back Bay, Boston, an armed man has barricaded himself with his wife and child. The man’s finger tightens on the trigger and Dodge has only a split second to react . . . and forever pay the consequences.
Alone . . . that’s where the nightmare began for cool, beautiful, and dangerously sexy Catherine Rose Gagnon. Twenty-five years ago, she was buried underground during a month-long nightmare of abduction and abuse. Now her husband has just been killed. Her father-in-law, the powerful Judge Gagnon, blames Catherine for his son’s death . . . and for the series of unexplained illnesses that have sent her own young son repeatedly to the hospital.
Alone . . . a madman survived solitary confinement in a maximum security prison where he’d done hard time for the most sadistic of crimes. Now he walks the streets a free man, invisible, anonymous . . . and filled with an unquenchable rage for vengeance. What brings them together is a moment of violence—but what connects them is a passion far deeper and much more dangerous. For a killer is loose who’s woven such an intricate web of evil that no one is above suspicion, no one is beyond harm, and no one will see death coming until it has them cornered, helpless, and alone.
From the Hardcover edition.
Download Description
LISA GARDNER is the New York Times bestselling author of The Killing Hour, The Survivors Club, The Next Accident, The Other Daughter, The Third Victim, and The Perfect Husband. She lives with her husband, Anthony, in New England, where she is at work on her next novel of suspense.
From the Hardcover edition.
Customer Reviews:
Suspense and action, with psychological twists.......2007-10-16
Lisa Gardner's "Alone" reads like a television miniseries and if you are after suspense, action and some psychological twists, this is a fine novel for sheer enjoyment.
Bobby is a SWAT team member with the Massachusetts State Police. He's called into a hostage situation and from the moment he pulls the trigger, nothing is as it seems to be in what began as a "standard" domestic hostage situation. From the relationship of Bobby to the hostage to his own psychological problems, author Gardner develops a thread of surprising twists and increasing suspense until the culmination of a scene of incredible suspense. I don't want to provide any spoilers here and I suggest if you like this kind of fiction, you avoid reading ahead as it really affects the entertainment value.
If you like television drama, this is a book that moves fast and has plenty of action. The characters are those you'd find in any film--in fact, this reads rather like a screenplay. So for most casual readers, this is a very pleasing suspense novel. Compared to some others I've read by Gardner, I'd have to say, "Alone" is by far the best and deserves to be filmed. It's not great literature--this is pure reading entertainment. Great for the beach, a plane ride or being stuck at the doctor's office.
Alone, The BEST.......2007-09-05
Edge of the seat reading is Lisa Gardner's style in all her books. Not only does she deliver an excellent mystery, but she always teaches or educates about something in her books. I always hate to fall asleep as I want to stay up all evening and finish her books. She's great!
WOW - Great Book!.......2007-08-30
This was the first book I've read by Lisa Gardner and it was great! Your attention is grabbed at the very beginning of the story and keeps up the pace until the conclusion. I couldn't read it fast enough. I have ordered some other books by her and hope they are just as good. Full of suspense, mystery and intrigue - Just the way I like them. Definitely 5 Stars!
Liked this One the Best so Far...........2007-08-24
I've read about 5 or 6 of Ms. Gardner's books and I definitely like this one the best. Unfortunately, I read Hide first, so it completely ruined this book, because the whole backstory of Catherine and Bobby is written about in Hide.
Some of the plot is a bit over the top, like believing that Catherine could orchestrate the killing of her husband, and that Catherine is just soooo beautiful that she can manipulate everyone with her sex appeal. However, other aspects of the book, i.e., Nathan's illness, Richard Umbrio's role, Jimmy Gagnon's family, etc, kept my interest and it ended up being a good read.
Gardner rocks.......2007-07-20
Gardner's novels are well-written and suspenseful. I love them! She's my new favorite "cop" author next to John Sandford and Jonathan Kellerman, also excellent. Kellerman's hero is a psychologist but his pal, Milo the cop, is great. Good combo. Gardner does the same setup with her characters. Sandford is slowing down a bit but still worth a read.
Customer Reviews:
Great resource.......2007-03-14
This is a fantastic resource for literacy instruction. The author provides lots of practical tips and techniques for each approach as well as the theory behind each one. It's easy to read, too.
Substantive, responsible, engaging, and practical.......2006-11-06
This is a fantastic book. It is intelligently written and engaging. It is far more interesting to read than, for example, Reutzel and Cooter's "Teaching Children to Read: From Basals to Books," which is stultifying by comparison. Gunning does not insult the reader's intelligence. This book is rooted in the research and, apparently, in considerable experience and thought on the author's part. Full of wise, useful, and detailed practical advice. Highly recommended.
this is a great book .......2006-03-23
This is a great book that will help future teachers and parents to teach their children literacy. It has information about how to help children to understand reading and how one can help them to learn. This book has good information for anyone who wants to become a better reader. The only thing that I dislike about the book is that the chapters are long, but it is worth it.
Very useful text.......2006-03-16
This is a very useful, and up to date text. I'm in an education program right now that focuses heavily on literacy. This text book has become my bible! This text even carries complete lists of children's books to use for teaching certain ages and subjects!
I love this book and I'm sure I'll be using it for years to come!
Customer Reviews:
Brilliantly Written European History - 1932 to 1940.......2007-09-16
The Last Lion, Alone covers the history of Europe from the time Hitler first came to power in Germany to the time that Hitler invaded the Low Countries and World War II began. During this period Churchill, who continually fought against the appeasement policies of Chamberlain, rose from Back Bench irrelevance to become Brittan's Prime Minister.
The history of this period is a gripping saga of one man's malicious attempt to dominate Europe and another man's noble efforts to stop him - a classical case of good vs evil - told as an almost unbelievable story in the words of a master story teller.
Grab a bottle of Scotch and have at this book!.......2007-07-03
William Manchester informs and entertains in this excellent historical account of the critical years leading up to WWII, juxtaposing the appeasement practices of predecessors Baldwin and Chamberlain with the unwavering belief in the principles of freedom held by Churchill. The book (along with Manchester's first volume) gives terrific insight into the transition from the glory days of the British Empire to the Post WWI apathy that beset the British public. As well, the work provides delightful commentary on the characters surrounding Churhill's life including his colorful mother Jennie, his wife Clementine and his nemesis Adolf Hitler.
Churchill was begging...........2006-10-06
After the fall of France in June 1940, Winston Churchill was begging USA President Roosevelt for military aid (in fact, all sorts of support was then needed) as no one knew what would the 'fate' of the French fleet was going to be.
Churchill kept reminding the American president that Britain would not surrender even if left alone.
Churchill was defiant despite the fact that the two 'key' American ambassadors, in France and Great Britain, were pro Hitler (or at least they were not anti-Nazi).
Joseph Kennedy (USA Ambassador to GB) openly cautioned his fellow Americans against entering the war because the 'allies' would soon be beaten.
However, I would have liked to see more comments about the position and reaction of the king - king George VI.
Was he indifferent?
We should remember that Hitler had been addressing the King as the man whom the British Government circles have loathed, and as the only 'hope' for a reconciliation between the Third Reich and GB.
In this context it is true that Churchill was indeed ALONE
absolutely a delight to read.......2006-01-26
I was adrift when I finished this volume.
grasping at pathetic things to read for a while - nothing satisfied - Manchester can set the stage, his historical background is so rich that you'll find yourself spouting about it to your friends.
You'll learn more from this book than a two semester course in 20th century history.
Churchill himself is the lead player in a panapoly of exciting elements. But manchester never lets the reader forget the place in history - the man was a masterful writer.
solitary courage.......2005-12-29
No better profile of Churchill 1932-40 exists. Whetted with acrimony and disdain, Churchill is ultimately proved right (and his real task commences).
This is a work of the first order. `The Last Lion' (1874-1932) is also worthy.
Gilbert (worth reading) pales in comparison.
Books:
- And If I Perish: Frontline U.S. Army Nurses in World War II
- Barragan: Space and Shadow, Walls and Colour
- Beyond The Shadow of Doubt
- Born on a Blue Day: Inside the Extraordinary Mind of an Autistic Savant
- Breaker's Reef (Cape Refuge, No. 4)
- Christine Falls: A Novel
- Comets, Stars, the Moon, and Mars: Space Poems and Paintings
- Configuring Juniper Networks NetScreen & SSG Firewalls
- Creative Whack Pack
- Da Brudderhood of Zeeba Zeeba Eata: A Pearls Before Swine Collection
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Wake The Dead
- Redline the Stars
- Chiral Intermediates
- History: Fiction or Science
- History: Fiction or Science
- Protein Purification Techniques: A Practical Approach
- Painted Keepsakes: A Book about Birthmarks
- Design Through Discovery: An Introduction
- Design Basics, Multimedia Edition
- The Ineffective Soldier V1: Breakdown & Recovery
The Truth About Muhammad: Founder of the World's Most Intolerant Religion
Unstoppable Global Warming: Every 1,500 Years
While Europe Slept: How Radical Islam is Destroying the West from Within
The Politically Incorrect Guide(tm) to Islam (and the Crusades) (Politically Incorrect Guides)
The Face of the Tiger
