Customer Reviews:
Good Primer.......2005-07-29
This is an anthology of articles defining Conservatism in America in modern times. Chapters include the limitations of the state, the social order (race, education, religion), and the impact of social science. Somewhat outdated now, but in defining what Conservatism is all about, it's still pretty strong.
Book Description
A revised translation of one of the most important of Jung's longer works. The volume also contains an appendix of four shorter papers on psychological typology, published between 1913 and 1935.
Customer Reviews:
Jung defines his model of the psyche and how it works.......2004-12-01
With the possible exception of "The Symbolic Life," this is my favorite of the books in "The Collected Works" of C. G. Jung. Maybe it's synchronistic that one is CW18 and the other is CW8? In any case, this volume includes Jung's thoughts on many of his breakthrough ideas and concepts and describes his model of the psyche. His model adds a 3rd dimension (the collective unconscious) to Freud's (conscious and subconscious). Though, of course, Jung calls the subconscious the personal unconscious. This 3 dimensional view translates the subconscious into the home of the psychological complexes. Jung applied the mathematical concept of complexes (a complex number has a real or rational part plus an irrational [I'd call it non-rational] part which is a multiple of "i" = the square root of minus one). Jung didn't like what he called neologisms = newly created words; especially when an analogous word was already available. He also considered himself an empirical scientist and did not believe his theories were the last word in psychology.
p. 297 The purpose of research is not to imagine that one possesses the theory which alone is right, but doubting all theories, to approach gradually nearer to the truth.
In this volume, Jung explores the relationships among these three layers of the psyche as related to the real world and our knowledge of it.
p. 171 All knowledge is the result of imposing some kind of order upon the reactions of the psychic system as they flow into our consciousness-an order that reflects the behavior of a metapsychic reality or that which is in itself real.
People project their inner psyche upon the external world-very similar to the Tibetan Buddhist Dzogchen and Mahamudra philosophies in which the real world is empty of an inherent nature (it arises only dependent upon causes) and the reality we perceive is an integrated projection of sentient beings, itself being dependently arising. Of course, Jung did study Eastern philosophies and religions.
p. 207 A poorly developed consciousness, for instance which because of massed projections is inordinately impressed by concrete or apparently concrete things and states, will naturally see in the instinctual drives the source of all reality. It remains blissfully unaware of the spirituality of such a philosophical surmise.
Also, his theory of synchronicity (meaningful coincidences) supports this view of the relationship of psyche to matter. This is a bit reminiscent of the Einstein's view (now part of modern physics) that matter and energy are of the same nature.
p. 215 it is not only possible but fairly probable, even, that psyche and matter are two different aspects of one and the same thing. The synchronicity phenomena point, it seems to me, in this direction, for they show that the nonpsychic can behave like the psychic, and vice versa, without there being any causal connection between them.
However, the danger of identifying, incorrectly, to the world of matter on one hand is matched by the danger of identifying with the collective unconscious' Archetypes on the other.
p. 221 Subjective consciousness must, in order to escape this doom, avoid identification with collective consciousness by recognizing its shadow as well as the existence and the importance of the archetypes. These later are an effective defense against the brute force of collective consciousness and the mass psyche that goes with it.
Rather balance is to be sought in the Individuation process.
p. 223 Psychology actualizes the unconscious urge to consciousness. It is, in fact, the coming to consciousness of the psychic process. And--
p. 225 Conscious wholeness consists in a successful union of ego and self, so that both preserve their intrinsic qualities. If, instead of this union, the ego is overpowered by the self, then the self too does not attain the form it ought to have, but remains fixed on a primitive level and can express itself only through archaic symbols...If the ego is dissolved in identification with the self, it gives rise to a sort of nebulous superman with a puffed-up ego and a deflated self.
p. 226 Individuation does not shut one out from the world, but gathers the world to oneself.
This implies that we withdraw our projections from the world and make the unconscious conscious.
p. 342 Like primitives, we are at first wholly unconscious of our actions, and only discover long afterwards why it was that we acted in a certain way. In the meantime we content ourselves with all sorts of rationalizations of our behavior, all of them equally inadequate.
A megadose of profound psychology.......2003-06-19
_The Structure and Dynamics of the Psyche_ is one of the better volumes out of the Princeton/Bollingen series of Jung's collected works, and is absolutely essential for any serious Jungian. I will go over the essays in sequence:
First comes an essay entitled "On Psychic Energy". This is the most difficult essay in this volume. Generally, Jung discusses his concept of the "canalization of libildo". This is interesting in that Jung tries to redefine "libido" by moving away from its traditional, purely sexual connotation. For Jung, libido is simply a generic form of psychic energy which can be redirected or "canalized" into both sexual AND non-sexual activities, such as religious rituals, dances, chants, and incantations. It is only when our intrinsic need for ritual is supressed that we find our libido forced to direct its energies into sexual perversion. Although the concept is interesting, the writing style of this essay is rather vague and opaque, and if you find yourself bogged down, I strongly suggest you skip this first essay. Don't worry - it's all downhill after this essay. The rest of the book is much more lucid and readable.
Next comes an essay called "The Transcendent Function", which basically deals with the healing breakthrough which is the goal of the patient in psychotherapy. Next is an essay dealing with the "Complex Theory". This essay deals with word-association tests in which the experimenter observes the subjects reations and hesitations when given a word that evokes embarrassing or painful memories. Both of these essays are very useful and informative.
Next we have about three more short but very profound and informative essays. Then comes the centerpiece of the book, a potent and spectaculuar classic of 20th century psychology entitled "On the Nature of the Psyche". This, along with "Answer to Job" is one of Jung's very best essays. It deals with an astounding range of topics, including the limitations and paradoxes associated with epistemology, and the dualistic and paradoxical interrelationship between subjective, inner psyche and the objective/outer world. This essay has much to say about the limitations of our subjectivity, and the degree to which we depend on other people and the outside world to attain consciousness. Jung does an excellent job in demarcating the thin line which divides the outer world and the sum of our subjective perceptions. Overall, this essay is a mind warping trip into a sea of paradoxical mysteries of the psyche.
After a short essay dealing with spirits, we come to a series of three great essays: "Spirit and Life", "Basic Postulates of Analytical Psychology", and "Analytical Psychology and Weltanschauung". These fantastic essays deal expertly with the delicate issue of fate and determinism vs. freewill, and the idea of achieving an objective attitude or "Weltanscauung". Jung warns against attempting to unite everyone under one objetive attitude or "ism". This can only lead to repression, nationalistic, racist, and PATRIOTIC BIAS, and ultimately, war. According to Jung, when one nation unites under an "ism" or Weltanschauung which is erronously believed to be objective and appropriate for everyone, we will end up with a repression of indivdual, diverse opinions at best, and at worst, will have a worldwide tragedy resulting from our quest to force this attitude on other people. (and yes, according to Jung's book, DEMOCRACY also counts as one of those "ism's" that we should not try to force on to other people). Of course this tragedy will be carried out under the banner of patriotism.
Next we have three more short essays which are very good, especially "The Soul and Death". After that, we have the famous essay, "Syncronicity", which is available by itself in paperback if you only want that. This is a fascinating essay dealing with paranormal psychic phenomena such as psychokinesis, ESP, and telepathy. If you want to see more details on this essay, see my corresponding review for the stand-alone paperback version.
Overall, _The Structure and Dynamics of the Psyche_ is a monumental, epic work. A true magnum opus of psychology, I recommend this volume to anyone who is willing to take on a challenge for the pursuit of self-knowledge.
can't believe it's not available.......2000-06-02
This book is hardcore Jung explaining with his famous spectrum analogy the "third thing" of the psyche, that imaginal space wedged between matter and spirit. Very technical.
This is an absolutely essential reference on the Psyche.......1997-12-17
This is the most practical description of the structure and dynamics of the psyche available. It is a working reference that enables real self-understanding, the understanding of others, and the understanding of the dynamics between the two. With all of the mis-spent resources in the last ninety years on the study of behavior, and the growth of the behaviorists, this reference really enables a person to learn the details of the pre-cursors to behavior. In today's so-called knowledge-based work environment, a solid understanding of the psyche is essential, since 90% of the work is not what one would consider observable behavior. It's nice to know that such a valuable book is still available and still useful. It should be paired with Jung's Psychological Types, and the Two volume set of William James, practical psychology books. Wes Stillwagon
Average customer rating:
- Updates are always good.
- Don't use this book if you are preparing for 70-291.
- The book for Windows DNS
- Good review
- An absolutely painless way to fill your DNS knowledge gap!
|
DNS on Windows Server 2003
Cricket Liu ,
Matt Larson , and
Robbie Allen
Manufacturer: O'Reilly Media, Inc.
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Windows Server Cookbook for Windows Server 2003 and Windows 2000
ASIN: 0596005628 |
Book Description
While computers and other devices identify each other on networks or the Internet by using unique addresses made up of numbers, humans rely on the Domain Name System (DNS), the distributed database that allows us to identify machines by name. DNS does the work of translating domain names into numerical IP addresses, routing mail to its proper destination, and many other services, so that users require little or no knowledge of the system. If you're a network or system administrator, however, configuring, implementing, and maintaining DNS zones can be a formidable challenge. And now, with Windows Server 2003, an understanding of the workings of DNS is even more critical. DNS on Windows Server 20003 is a special Windows-oriented edition of the classic DNS and BIND, updated to document the many changes to DNS, large and small, found in Windows Server 2003. Veteran O'Reilly authors, Cricket Liu, Matt Larson, and Robbie Allen explain the whole system in terms of the new Windows Server 2003, from starting and stopping a DNS service to establishing an organization's namespace in the global hierarchy. Besides covering general issues like installing, setting up, and maintaining the server, DNS on Windows Server 2003 tackles the many issues specific to the new Windows environment, including the use of the dnscmd program to manage the Microsoft DNS Server from the command line and development using the WMI DNS provider to manage the name server programmatically. The book also documents new features of the Microsoft DNS Server in Windows Server 2003, including conditional forwarding and zone storage in Active Directory (AD) application partitions. DNS on Windows Server 2003 provides grounding in:
- Security issues
- System tuning
- Caching
- Zone change notification
- Troubleshooting
- Planning for growth
If you're a Windows administrator, DNS on Windows Server 2003 is the operations manual you need for working with DNS every day. If you're a Windows user who simply wants to take the mystery out of the Internet, this book is a readable introduction to the Internet's architecture and inner workings.
Customer Reviews:
Updates are always good........2007-07-30
I was already fimilar with DNS from the first issues of this book. But this new issue does cover Microsoft DNS which I believe is excellent.
More ISP and System Admins nowadays are reliaing on MS DNS because it comes free with Microsoft Servers, high performance, it has a text based like Unix DNS, it is easy to maintain and the big reason is that it's easy to pass on the DNS responsibilities to any lower cost IT staff.
Don't use this book if you are preparing for 70-291........2007-07-25
I just recently bought this book because of the fine reviews people gave.
The reason i bought this book is to get a clearer understanding of DNS related to Server 2003. I don't want to be a paper MCSE so i look voor as
much study material on the subject where i can get my hands on.
To cut corners if you are studying for the 70-291 please buy this book read it and come back here and tell how much it helped you. For me it was
a waste of money. The info can be obtained by smart Google searches.
That was my oppinion now about the book itself.
It starts very good i have to say with the explaination of DNS in an overview. The book is ok until you are getting at chapter 5 of the 16th chapters.
Chapter 5 is about MX records Exhange etc. The chapter is much to brief in my oppinion arround 9 pages or 4 A4 pages.
Chapter 7 is better but after that downhill. I skipped chapters.
Chapter 15 and 16 are again uphill.
To recap my experiences, the Book starts very promising in the first 4 chapters, they walk you through the installation of some DNS servers, and
the strange thing is they leave that path. The stuf gets boring to read over the chapters that follow and it turns out in a dry textbook.
TO end there is an old saying in Holland perhaps english speakers know it also: 'In the land of the blind one eye is King'. Consultants
are being payed to Design and set up in this case DNS solutions, its like shooting in your own foot to write well written books on those subjects.
And thats the problem, i found the official Microsoft 70-291 and the DNS discussed there of a better quality, a big Shame on you guys!!
Matt Larson, Cricket Liu and Robbie Allen.
The book for Windows DNS.......2007-07-06
I got this book coming from a BIND background and wanting to move to Windows DNS (I do have a valid reason). The first few chapters cover DNS background similar to the BIND book. After that it moves on into how to do things in the Windows world. It uses examples that are straight from the BIND book but done in Windows 2003. There are lots of screen shots and clear explanation. One of the really good things, for those coming from a *nix background, are the chapters on running from a command line and using PERL scripts to manage DNS. Overall it is a great book for anyone running DNS on Windows.
Good review.......2007-02-20
Well written book, it needs to be updated for newer operating systems that are now being used. Good examples and illustrations, the book will be a good review or refresher for those that haven't been around DNS in a while.
An absolutely painless way to fill your DNS knowledge gap!.......2006-10-25
I find O'Reilly books to be like Cisco's or Apple's books, in that they place a value on being readable, witty, and scrupulously technical. You will understand DNS on Win2K3 if you read this book.
Book Description
In this book are the essential beliefs and theories of a great teacher and American artist, Robert Henri. While it embodies the entire system of his teaching, with much technical advice and critical comment for the student, it also contains inspiration for those to whom the happiness to be found through all the arts is important.
Customer Reviews:
Every painter should own this book........2007-03-10
George Bellows, Edward Hopper, Patrick Henry Bruce, Stuart Davis, Rockwell Kent, Guy DuBois, Alfred Maurer, Carl Sprinchorn and countless others studied with Henri and went on to do great work. There are too many for this to be simply coincidence. The "Art Spirit" is the closest thing we can get to the Kool-Aid that flowed in Henri's classroom. One can glean quite a bit from the pages of this book. It is both practical and inspirational. I have to say that it can be a bit frustrating not being able to see anything or ask a question, but its much better than nothing (thank you Ms. Ryerson!). Buy a copy and read it.
An Art Spirit for Everyone.......2007-01-08
The Art Spirit. Now there's a bold title. The implication is not only that there is such a specifically identifiable thing as an "art spirit", but also that the author, painter, and teacher, Robert Henri knows these specifics; a bold implication indeed. The difficulty (wherein lies the boldness) whenever one attaches the word spirit -or spiritual- to anything, there are, of course, as many understandings or perceptions of that word as there are hearers and readers of that word. This may exist to no greater degree and appear no more obvious than in the world of visual arts. Henri himself acknowledges this, writing in the forward, "...the opinions are presented more as paintings are hung on a wall, to be looked at at will and to be taken for what they are worth. If they have a suggestive value and stimulate to independent thought, they will attain the object of their presentation..." And later, "There is no idea that anyone should agree with any of the comments or that anyone should follow the advice given. If they irritate to activity in quite a different direction, it will be just as well." Although he embraces this free thinking, to-each-his-own, take what you will from it approach, it is merely one of the specific personality characteristics evidenced in the Art Spirit. Henri intends to show there is an "art spirit", and it is the province of every human being.
This is the crux of the issue for Henri, his point of departure from other artist/writers, and the chief value of this book: The Art Spirit is attainable by anyone, can be exhibited by everyone.
Other works on the subject tend to be either the less specific, more nebulous notions where we are expected to buy the fancy explanations and just accept that there is something spiritual, or of the spirit, going on here, or the very specific, artist-only oriented varieties. For example, consider Mandarin's grid "composition" series and his writing about them. While his theosophically induced explanations may help some to a degree of understanding, we are essentially left to take his word for what we are supposed to be seeing in the canvas. In his "Concerning the Spiritual in Art", although Kandinsky presages Henri -discussing psycho-emotional, expressive, and contemplative states of artists out in the real world and before the canvas- he ultimately leaves it with the artist, not really taking it out of the studio and into the factory, construction site, or office cubicle as Henri does. Whereas Kandinsky seems to digress at times into a sort of "how -to" instruction guide for defining and placing spiritual elements into a picture, Henri takes it further, defining his Art Spirit, then setting about showing us how to tell when it's present. This every-man definition is offered at the very beginning of his book:
"Art when really understood is the province of every human being.
It is simply a question of doing things, anything, well. It is not an outside, extra thing.
When the artist is alive in any person, whatever his kind of work may be, he becomes an inventive, searching, daring, self-expressing creature. He becomes interesting to other people. He disturbs, upsets, enlightens, and he opens ways for a better understanding. Where those who are not artists are trying to close the book, he opens it, shows there are still more pages possible.
The world would stagnate without him, and the world would be beautiful with him; for he is interesting to himself and he is interesting to others. He does not have to be a painter or sculptor to be an artist. He can work in any medium. He simply has to find the gain in the work itself, not outside it."
Henri then spends two hundred and forty five more pages illuminating and reiterating how one is -or can be- an inventive, searching, daring, self-expressing creature; how to live life to the fullest. The Art Spirit manifests itself in the appreciation of the non-material things in life; in the "true student" who self-educates and explores feelings, meanings, who contemplates, who really sees, who learns to express "who is you"; in what comes from the external world and inside you; in the full enjoyment in the living of life; in doing a thing well ... anything.
Henri accomplishes a difficult task here; a book with specific and important information for the artist, yet within that structure filled with insight and compelling ideas for the non-artist. One is urged to make a full reading, since quite often both are mingled in the same sentence or statement. For example, a non-painter might be tempted to skip the ten-page section on brush strokes (pg. 62-72), seeing no need for it. The unfortunate reader would then miss out on many little gems of insight and information. What is a brushstroke but a purposeful committed action by an artist? So then, consider the message in these statements when you substitute the word "stroke" with "action" or even "attitude" (parenthetical insertions are mine ):
"Strokes carry a message whether you will it or not. The stroke is just like the artist (person) at the time he makes it. All the certainties, all the uncertainties, all the bigness of his spirit and all the littleness are in it."
"There are more strokes which laugh, and there are more strokes which bind laughter, which freeze the face into a set immoveable grimace."
"(There are) bad strokes which are bad because a brush (a method) or a condition of paint (situation) were chosen which could not render them."
While Henri plays to both artist and non-artist audiences, it is at these times when he addresses the artist more directly he more closely aligns himself with Kandinsky. Both men bring their great passion for the subject into their text in their strong, clear, and pleasing voice. Kandinsky, sounding alternately-yet only slightly more- poetic here, technical there; Henri with a bit more enthusiasm. They share the same territory on many issues, such as the shape, direction, and function of line, intention of every stroke, careful planning followed by exuberant expression and more. Yet, while they may travel the same road, they do not share the same vehicle. There is an important distinction in each man's approach to spirituality, or the art spirit. For Kandinsky, there is a spirit world out there, and a spiritually inspired painter can -and should- find ways to represent both that indwelling spirit and that exterior spirit world to which we are all connected. Henri says (when) we search the external world with appreciation and wonder, and we search within ourselves, and when we become more self-expressing creatures, we have the art spirit...we are the art spirit. Kandinsky believes only non-objective images can reveal the spiritual, Henri says it matters not what you paint but how you paint it-compelled by the spirit. So while Kandinsky can use the "psychic effect" (pg. 24) of color to manipulate the viewer's emotional state toward a comprehension of the spiritual, Henri says the artist's mark itself can manifest the Art Spirit. While, in both cases it takes a more or less purposeful opening up to the notion of the spirit, for Henri it is not trying to grasp the spirit and record it, it is about internalizing and building the spirit inside ourselves, and our resulting expressions will, by definition, represent the Spirit. And it is possible for all of us.
The long quote above (from pg. 5) is written exactly as printed in the fifth edition printing not only as expository text, but as a means of illustrating Henri's bright, clear and energetic voice that runs throughout this book. The subtitle for The Art Spirit reads, "notes, articles, fragments of letters and talks to students, bearing on the concept and technique of picture making, the study of art in general, and on appreciation," and that is exactly how it reads. Much of this is due to Henri's considerable gift of communication, and the balance is credited to the physical layout of the book. There are no chapters, even very few headings to sections, lending itself very well to opening to any page and beginning to read. At times, a lecture, or perhaps advice to a single student goes on for five, six, seven pages. Other times, pages are divided into two or three sections, or set up in individual sentences which concern the same subject, yet stand on their own. The resulting effect is the feeling of being in the very classroom of Professor Henri. There are also considerable instances of repetition here, albeit in subtle variations. The index, however, is usefully repetitious as well, helping to differentiate between those subtleties when one may be in need of a specific quote or reference.
The last thirty pages are exact notes taken by Margery Ryerson, a Henri student who eventually compiled the notes, fragments, etc.(in the revised edition, she is credited as Editor). This is an excellent addition to the book. Reading Henri's comments and insights in her necessarily abbreviated, note-taking style provides fresh psychological weight to the reality of Henri's classroom.
One area of disappointment concerns the photograph illustrations of Henri and his work. In the fifth edition, the plates are in black and white. Although understandable at the time of inclusion (1930), they do not allow for close comparison with Henri's ideas and techniques about painting elaborated in the text. The real disappointment is to find that the current edition available from booksellers has not updated to colorplates, but jettisoned the pictures entirely, save for the full color cover.
I recommend The Art Spirit to anyone involved in the creative process. It is a must have, particularly for those times when one may be experiencing a creative burnout, or to shake off the cobwebs. I am recommending The Art Spirit to non-artists as well -anyone who is looking for a little spark, a little positive push toward self-actualization.
For the artist, I am not recommending The Art Spirit over the Kandinsky classic; I see Henri's work as more of a continuation, or a rounding out of what Kandinsky started years before. Artists and aspiring art appreciators must read both if there is to be any hope of understanding
Excellent.......2006-10-20
If you are an artist, have an interest in art or even just like to read thought provoking quotes then you could do a lot worse than have this on your shelf. The book is collection of conversations, thoughts, writings. There isn't much of a structure to it - more a random collection although the index helps somewhat. It lends itself to just opening the book at a random page and reading whats there. It contains one salient point after the other on the how's, whys and wherefores of painting, drawing and sculpture. This book should be on every artists shelf.
"Art," before commercialism took over........2006-09-13
Finally a review of art, for the sake of art, without becoming cluttered by commercial concerns. Paint color, composition, line...The book is written as a painting with no particular beginning, middle, or end. It needs to be absorbed as a whole to fully appreciate its contents. The pedantic English can tire but it does not subtract from the freshness of the message and the pleasure it provides to every student of art.
an eternal favorite.......2006-02-04
"There are moments in our lives, there are moments in a day, when we seem to see beyond the usual. Such are the moments of our greatest happiness. Such are the moments of our greatest wisdom. If one could but recall his vision by some sort of sign. It was in this hope that the arts were invented. Sign-posts on the way to what may be. Sign-posts toward greater knowledge." Robert Henri
Twenty two years ago when I discovered this book I could not have imagined the impact it would continue to have on my life. Robert Henri speaks of both the technical side of art and the art experience. I have re-read this book, a little bit at a time, many times over the years and have found something new to appreciate each time.
While I find less and less time in my life for my artwork, I am able to enjoy beauty and clarity in all of it's everyday forms. The trick is to remember to capture it in your mind. When I feel I have lost the ability to appreciate everyday beauty, I pick up this book. It never fails to rejuvinate my mind and inspire me.
Book Description
Words that Shook the World celebrates over 40 of the most extraordinary speeches of the last 100 years. Illustrated with dramatic black-and-white photographs, the book sets each of the speeches and speakers within a historical context that includes timelines and contemporary press commentary. In addition, readers are brought inside every paragraph of 20 of these magical speeches to discover what has made these words so powerful. And, best of all, two audio CDs reveal the passion of many of these extraordinary individuals as they faced their audiences, opened their hearts, and spoke Words that Shook the World.
Customer Reviews:
Total Inspiration!.......2004-02-17
Oh my goodness. What an inspiration!
With all of the negative things in politics and the news today what a wonderful refuge and inspiration to read about and read the words of these amazing men and women, and to hear them in their own voices.
I never knew about Teddy Roosevelt's environmental speech way back in 1903, loved reading the entire "luckiest man" speech by Lou Gehrig, the entire "only thing to fear is fear itself" speech by FDR and the magical words of Einstein. Who knew that he could write and speak that brilliantly.
But my favorites were Barbara Jordan, who sent chills down my spine with her amazing voice and, of course, reading the entire "I Have A Dream" speech with Mr. Greene's analysis of every paragraph. I knew it was great but, with this insight into WHY it was great it has become even more amazing to me.
If only leaders spoke today, and lead today, like the leaders in this book!!
Words that shook my pocketbook.......2004-02-05
What a joke. I could have put together those speeches by going on-line but purchased the book since it had a CD of the speeches. The historical notes are very helpful but not as complete as would be expected. Also, in so far as the CD , it does not say they are excerpts on the cover of my book. Not anywhere! I sat down with my kids on Martin Luther King's birthday to listen to his "I have a dream" speech only to find that the CD contains less than 1 minute, barely 35 or so seconds of Dr. King's voice. What a disappointment it was. I had put so much emphasis on that day, history lesson and all and the final climax was to be an after-dinner family event to listen to Dr. King's unforgettable speech in his own voice. The same holds true about all the other speeches, they are excerpts. You would think that for the cost all the speeches would be complete. The cost cannot be much more, you already have had to have permission to do the excerpt. Like I said, you can listen to all of these on-line, complete. How very sad that the author believes we would rather listen to his voice introducing these great icons of our past rather than the actual historical figure's voice.
Step back into history.......2003-12-30
Richard Greene does an excellent job presenting the historical context of these important 20th century speeches and then provides a blow-by-blow analysis of what makes them great. For those of us who were not born yet or were too young to appreciate Churchill, FDR, John Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Albert Einstein and other great people of the 20th century this book is a wonderful way to go back in time and experience history. The book contains the full text of over 40 speeches and short excerpts from twenty of them on the two accompanying CDs.
My only complaint is that the excerpts on the CD are too short. For example, the excerpt from Martin Luther King's "I have a Dream" speech is only 39 seconds long. This is probably the best speech of the 20th century -- I would like to hear the whole thing. If the cost of producing the CDs is the reason for the short excerpts I would much rather hear the original speeches than the introductions by the book's author.
I have no issues with the selection of the speeches. Yes, they are biased towards Americans, and some are perhaps there are better choices for a few of them, but with over 40 speeches included it is not a great loss to skip a few. Most of them are unequivocally great speeches and this book does a great job presenting them.
Poor selection.......2003-12-10
I wouldn't touch a book that lists a speech delivered as an eulogy for Princess Diana as a something that 'shook the world'.
It also suffers from the sin common to most Americans- being blind to most things that happen outside America. The author has no clue on what happened elsewhere in the world- for instance misses out on the powerful oratory of Nehru and Gandhi that to no small extent was reponsible for the British Empire to come crumbling down. Instead we have a roster of American presidents starting with Teddy Roosevelt and ending with Dubya..
Perhaps 'Words that shook America' or even 'Words that shook me' would have been a more accurate title.
Ever give a speech? You need this book........2003-04-21
I've been a speech coach, writer and teacher for 18 years, and there are many times in the past when I've wished I've had something like this book -- to use with clients, to quote from, to inspire students. All the greatest speeches of the last century are here, and they deserve study. To have many of them on a cd just adds to the usefulness of the book. You can hear the magnificent cadences of speakers like Kennedy and King, Jr and learn how it's done. For all those who give presentations or speeches -- or for anyone who cares about great rhetoric and moments when the world was changed by the collision of words and passion -- this book is a must-have.
Book Description
Outline of a theory of practice is recognized as a major theoretical text on the foundations of anthropology and sociology. Pierre Bourdieu, a distinguished French anthropologist, develops a theory of practice which is simultaneously a critique of the methods and postures of social science and a general account of how human action should be understood. With his central concept of the habitus, the principle which negotiates between objective structures and practices, Bourdieu is able to transcend the dichotomies which have shaped theoretical thinking about the social world. The author draws on his fieldwork in Kabylia (Algeria) to illustrate his theoretical propositions. With detailed study of matrimonial strategies and the role of rite and myth, he analyses the dialectical process of the ‘incorporation of structures’ and the objectification of habitus, whereby social formations tend to reproduce themselves. A rigorous consistent materialist approach lays the foundations for a theory of symbolic capital and, through analysis of the different modes of domination, a theory of symbolic power.
Customer Reviews:
Bourdieu kicks Foucault's ..........2002-12-01
How could anyone put Foucault above Bourdieu? Bourdieu has a rigorous sociology behind his work & provides a real theoretical groundwork to reconcile materialist, interpretive/symbolic and interactionist perspectives. Foucault on the other hand has led anthropologists down a slippery slope of prevarication, vagueness, grandstanding and an obsession with a hollow & impoverished idea of what constitutes a "critical" stance.
excellent ideas, a lot of ethnography.......2000-10-29
For anyone interested in cultural studies or in ethnology/ anthropology/ sociology, _Outline_ is a must read.
Bourdieu, a teacher of Foucault, has been rated France's 2nd most influential scholar (after Foucault) and for good reason. In _Outline_, Bourdieu provides a well-grounded introduction to his main concepts and gives a great deal of supporting detail to support his interpretations.
At times, his descriptions of the Kabyle culture seem to be far too long for persons who are reading him as a general social theorist. If you do not have a deep-rooted love of sociology or other culturally-immersive social sciences, you might prefer his _Logic of Practice_, which has less ethnology in it, or _Practical Reason_, which has nearly none.
If you are a student of culture, however, you will find these extended examples to be excellent background material and useful illustrations of Bourdieu's concepts.
In terms of writing style, Bourdieu is uneconomical, but the payoff is worth slogging through his difficult prose.
Book Description
The words Abraham Lincoln spoke at the dedication of the Soldiers' National Cemetery at Gettysburg comprise perhaps the most famous speech in history. It has been quoted by popes, presidents, prime ministers, and revolutionaries around the world. From "Four score and seven years ago..." to "government of the people, by the people, for the people," Lincoln's words echo in the American conscience. Many books have been written about the Gettysburg Address and yet, as Lincoln scholar Gabor Boritt shows, there is much that we don't know about the speech. In The Gettysburg Gospel he reconstructs what really happened in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, on November 19, 1863. Boritt tears away a century of myths, lies, and legends to give us a clear understanding of the greatest American's greatest speech.
In the aftermath of the bloodiest battle ever fought in North America, the little town of Gettysburg was engulfed in the worst man-made disaster in U.S. history: close to 21,000 wounded; very few doctors; heroic women coping in houses, barns, and churches turned into hospitals; dead horses and mules rotting in farmyards and fields; and at least 7,000 dead soldiers who had to be dug up, identified, and reburied. This was where Lincoln had to come to explain why the horror of war must continue.
Planning America's first national cemetery revitalized the traumatized people of Gettysburg, but the dedication ceremonies overwhelmed the town. Lincoln was not certain until the last moment whether he could come. But he knew the significance of the occasion and wrote his remarks with care -- the first speech since his inauguration that he prepared before delivering it. A careful analysis of the Address and the public reaction to it form the center of this book. Boritt shows how Lincoln responded to the politics of the time and also clarifies which text he spoke from and how and when he wrote the various versions. Few people initially recognized the importance of the speech; it was frequently and, at times, hilariously misreported. But over the years the speech would grow into American scripture. It would acquire new and broader meanings. It would be better understood, but also misunderstood and misinterpreted to suit beliefs very different from Lincoln's.
The Gettysburg Gospel is based on years of scholarship as well as a deep understanding of Lincoln and of Gettysburg itself. It draws on vital documents essential to appreciating Lincoln's great speech and its evolution into American gospel. This is an indispensable book for anyone interested in the Gettysburg Address, Abraham Lincoln, the Civil War, or American history.
Customer Reviews:
Interesting, But It Felt Slanted.......2007-09-14
I found this an interesting, but possibly flawed book.
The history and detail was fascinating, as was the examination (and inclusion!) of Everett's speech, of which I'd heard, but had never read. The description of Gettysburg immediately after the battle, and in the days surrounding the dedication ceremony was truly a window into another era.
However, as the book continued, and the instances of "Good, God fearing Republicans, struggling to save the country" and "Bad, pro-slavery/appeasement-minded Democrats not caring about the Union" mounted, I felt I was reading a political text that was slanted to support the current national situation, and not a dispassionate historical examination of the events of a century and a half gone. Other reviewers have mentioned this occurance as an interetsing coincidence. Even though I'm a Republican, I was jarred by the tone.
As a result, my enjoyment of the book was lessened, as was my trust of the text and the author's use selected references.
An interesting book, but too interpretive for my tastes. Read it, but have a pinch of salt ready.
Strange title for a good read.......2007-07-11
It truly is amazing that so many words and books can be written about a speech that is but 272 words long. Gabor Boritt's book is an enjoyable and easy read on Lincoln's most famous speech.
Much of the book deals with the immediate aftermath of the terrible Gettysburg battle with the author painting a vivid picture of the terrible scene which must have greeted the eye on July 4th.
It is interesting that the famous address did not get immediate general approval. Boritt shows that the speech was almost forgotten until the 1880's.
As with most Lincoln supporters, the author attempts to show that the speech was not written on the train to Gettysburg and that Lincoln gave the speech considerable thought. The truth is no one knows, but a good argument can be made for the proposition that Lincoln must have given it little thought prior to the event. Who in their right mind is going to travel from Washington to Gettysburg and DECIDE to present an address of only 272 words. The words came from the heart and from years of experience and empathy. Just as Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" speech was somewhat spontaneous (although a very similar speech was presented at Cobo Hall, Detroit some weeks previously), there is strong circumstantial evidence that Lincoln put this speech together at short notice.
I have no idea why the book is sub-titled "The Lincoln Speech that Nobody Knows," but Boritt does provide a number of slightly different versions of the speech in the appendix. Most of the differences are minor to put it mildly. The author's description of how the speech initially got little response but grew to be appreciated over time to be a work of genius is well developed.
Paradoxically, the most enjoyable section of the book is the full text of Edward Everett's speech which I read fully for the first time. You can appreciate why Everett was seen as a great orator because of his ability to paint pictures with words although his two hour address can hardly be described as uplifting. Almost all of the speech was taken up with a chronological history of the events at Gettysburg (spoken from memory) and the aging orator failed to properly commend and eulogize the thousands who had given their life on the adjacent battlefield.
The book has copious appendices, bibliography, notes which provide a rich resource for serious students of Lincoln and Gettysburg. Overall, an enjoyable not too studious read on the topic.
Lincoln and the Gettysburg Gospel is a Gem of Exegetical Clarification of the greatest political speech in world history........2007-05-31
The Gettysburg Address was delivered by President Abraham Lincoln on November 19, 1863. The battle had been fought in July but now a National Cemetery was to dedicated honoring the Union dead who had died that the United States might live.
What a day it was ! A beautiful autumn crisp with the promise of a warm sky sailing serenly over the sight of the bloodiest batlle in American history. A day when the renowned orator Edward Everett spoke for over two hours drawing analogies between Gettysburg and those men who died to preserve Athenian democracy. Everett gave a detailed account of the battle emphasizing the legitimacy of the Union effort. He also spoke with insight on the superiority of the federal government to which the individual states pledged their loyalty.
And then...after the bands and the songs, the prayers and the cheers were silent the sixteenth President of the United States rose to speak. He had a mild form of smallpox; had lost his son Willie to death in the White House and had a son Tad who was ill back home in Washington DC.
Lincoln spoke his 272 words concluding with his immortal words, "''that the goverment of the people, by the people and for the people shall not perish from the earth."
Lincoln drew on a lifetime of study to produce this masterpiece. The Declaration of Independence; the oratory of Webster and Clay, Shakespeare and the Bible all played a role in his crafting of the speech. If the Emancipation Proclamation was prose genius then the Gettysburg Address is poetry sublime in its assertion of indivdual freedom and the right of human beings to breathe free air.
The speech was neglected, for the most part, by contemporary press accounts. Only in the 1880s when the movement to reconcile NOrth and South picked up steam did it take on an importance in the American heart that has never been usurped, The GA inspired black fighters for Civil Rights as the twentieth century led to a cry for racial equality in our nation. Men like Martin Luther King Jr and Nelson Mandela in South Africa were inspired by Lincoln's words.
Boritt's book is divided into several sections. The first two hundred pages deal with the account of the night and the day Lincoln spent in Gettysburg in 1863. We learn of the horrific battlefield casualties and see closeup the preparations made and the carrying out of the ceremony on November 19th. Other sections deal with the five authentic copies of the Gettysburg Address; the complete text of Edward Everett's two hour oration that day; an extensive bibliography and notes. Professor Boritt also shows us pictures of the drafts as written in longhand by Lincoln.
The book is also a fascinating look into how the Gettysburg Address achieved mythic fame since it was first uttered on that November day. In a moving final chapter we read the address in the context of a 9-11 obervance of the attack on the World Trade Center.
As long as our United States lives we all pray that the Gettysburg Address will be there to inspire us to work for equality and justice for all of our citizens regardless of race, religion or political affiliation.
Boritt is one of the best scholars on the life of Lincoln and the Civil War era. Anyone who teaches the Civil War in the classroom should make use of this outstanding work of scholarship and love.
More Focus Please!.......2007-04-15
Boritt's 'Gettysburg Gospel' is one of the very few Civil War books that I could not get into. Stylistically, this book is way too haphazard and unorganized to be considered one of the best books in the Lincoln cannon. Boritt falls into the trap that Garry Wills fell into in his "Lincoln at Gettysburg." The two authors try to be over-elegant and verbose because their book itself is about one of the greatest triumphs of the English language rather then a singular event. Boritt (and Wills for that matter) would be better to just write in a plain, inelegant fashion without the grossly excessive verbiage which permeates this book. Wills, in all fairness, can get away with it, but the more academic Boritt has a difficult time indeed. For example, Boritt writes early on in describing the dead on the battlefield: "Others even pulled bodies from shallow graves. A weapon is worth a great deal. Who cares who the dead man was? Who was it? Dead." This kind of useless prose brings the momentum of this book down time and time again.
For Civil War enthusiasts themselves, many already knew that Everett went on for a very long time before Lincoln delivered his address. One of the things that surprised me was the lack of analysis of the address itself. That disappointed me because the book was subtitled as: `The Lincoln Speech Nobody Knows." In order to get a fresh analysis that Wills does not offer in his book, the reader will have to turn to the appendix to get the several versions of the address. Overall, more focus and less sentimentality would have made for a leaner, more coherent account of the making of the address and it's meaning through the last 140 years.
Read Wills Instead.......2007-04-08
The main text of this book is a loose, often disjointed accumulation of facts surrounding the dedication of the cemetery. That portion of the book is mostly filler since only a small portion deals with the Address. If that were the whole book, I would give it 2 stars. However, the Appendices, including Everett's full address, all versions of Lincoln's Address, and the scientific evaluations of the relative accuracies of the versions, are very enlightening. Read Wills' Lincoln at Gettysburg for a much more insightful book on the speech itself. Skip the text in this one and go directly to the Appendices.
Book Description
The "Address Directory of Celebrities in Entertainment, Sports, and Business & Politics" has over 30,000 names with addresses of the most popular celebrities today as well as the stars of the past. Every effort is made to provide you with the current and complete address of famous people in entertainment, sports, business and politics you admire and wish to contact. The author and publisher have searched every source such as movies, TV shows, U.S. newspapers, magazines and the internet to provide you with celebrity names and addresses. A powerful database is used to identify the most current and accurate address of your celebrity. Along with the celebrity addresses are lists of the celebrity's hobbies, charity causes, their career awards, a complete list of celebrity birthdays, places to receive in-person autographs, sample letters, autograph associations and clubs, celebrity websites, celebrity biographies listed on the internet. In addition, the publisher has listed all celebrity updates on his website for free use by readers. There is an excellent customer service department with a toll free number available for you to use with questions about your celebrity. If you are an autograph collector, fundraiser, business person, student, teacher, researcher or anyone wanting to contact a celebrity, we are your trusted source of celebrity information. Buy your copy of "The Address Directory of Celebrities in Entertainment, Sports, Business and Politics" with confidence and satisfaction that you are getting the best source of celebrity addresses.
Customer Reviews:
Impressive customer service !.......2005-03-16
I e-mailed the publisher to ask for an update of a celebrity address. He was fast with an answer. He also mentioned he has started a new service to autograph collectors. He will answer any question on the subject of autoghaph collecting for FREE!
I will use the e-mail address for finding out autograph prices, how and where to buy and sell autographs plus anything else I can think of. A great offer!
Here's The List of Celebrity Autographs.......2005-02-10
I have known David Moore for many years and he is the only author of celebrity directories that uses and updates his address list on daily basis. For me, here is a list of celebrities who I have contacted and received autographs through the mail. They are: Sarah Jessica Parker, Bill Gates, Roy Clark, Gillian Anderson, Nicholas Cage, Bill Cosby, James Garner, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, Gary Trudeau, Olivia Newton-John, Brandi Chastain, James Watson, Sandra Day O'Connor, Harmon Killebrew, George Bush, Betty Ford, Jimmy Carter, Leann Rhimes, Muhammad Ali, Angela Landsbury, Reba McEntire, Jay Leno, Faith Hill, Tommy John, Tom Hanks, Michael Eisner, Nolan Ryan, Tony Bennet, Colin Powell, Robert Duvall, John Mellencamp, Whoopi Goldberg and many others. If you want excellent results and great customer service, I highly recommend David Moore's book.
This Author is an Expert.......2005-01-14
After I purchased this book I contacted the author, Mr. Moore to ask him about collecting autographs by index cards or by photographs. He was prompt and very informative with his reply. If you want questions answered about auotgraph collecting, get in touch with him, you will be happy you did.
Amazing book.......2005-01-11
The reader and reviewer who wrote this book is the ULTIMATE has it right. This book is everything an autograph collector needs. Besides the thousands of celebrity addresses, this book backs up the names with celebrity facts. If you want a complete history of actors it is there under the website named in the book, if you want other facts to write to the celebrity about it is there. (the book has celebrity hobbies, celebrity charities, celebrity birthdays, celebrity hangouts and a lot of useful facts about celebrities)This is the only celebrity directory I will ever need. The price of this book is well worth it!!
A Huge List of Celebrity Addresses.......1999-11-20
I am an autograph collector and I was happy to see how complete this book is. I collect astronauts who have walked on the moon, hi-tech business people such as Bill Gates, movie actors like Tom Hanks and baseball sluggers like Sammy Sousa and Mark McGuire. They are in this books with thousands more. It is well organized and I liked the extra features of sample letters and questions & answers about autograph collecting. It is a very good reference for autograph collectors.
Book Description
The definitive compendium of classic and modern oratory expanded—with a new preface on what makes a speech "great."
An instant classic when it was first published a decade ago and now enriched by seventeen new speeches, Lend Me Your Ears contains more than two hundred outstanding moments of oratory. This third edition is selected, arranged, and introduced by William Safire, who honed his skills as a presidential speechwriter. He is considered by many to be America's most influential political columnist and most elegant explicator of our language. Covering speeches from Demosthenes to George W. Bush, this latest edition includes the words of Cromwell to the "Rump Parliament," Orson Welles eulogizing Darryl F. Zanuck, General George Patton exhorting his troops before D-Day, and Ruth Bader Ginsburg speaking on Bush v. Gore. A new section incorporates speeches that were never delivered: what Kennedy was scheduled to say in Dallas; what Safire wrote for Nixon if the first moon landing met with disaster; and what Clinton originally planned to say after his grand jury testimony but swapped for a much fiercer speech.
Customer Reviews:
Lend me your ears and eyes.......2007-01-11
Over 2000 years of the best speeches imaginable. One can sit for 10 minutes or 3 hours and devour the words of history's greatest men and women. A must for every student, political scientist and would be politician.
Shame on Norton! Listen to MLK "I have a dream" while reading this book.......2006-10-02
The text they have in the first edition of this book for the "I have a dream" speech so deviates from the actual speech, it leads you to wonder two things: a) what kind of crappy editors are reviewing this stuff? and b) if the MLK speech is so screwed up, can you trust the text they provide of the older speeches that you cannot verify by listening to recordings?
This sucks. I am seriously disappointed by the editors at Norton.
A Great Resource.......2006-04-12
It is so difficult to do justice to a book about great speeches. By definition, the content should be good - even great, which is partly why this book is such a rich treasure. The other reason why Lend Me Your Ears is such a useful resource is the commentary provided by editor William Safire.
Safire opens the book with "An Introductory Address." It is a witty treatise on the elements of a great speech. The ten steps (plus a "secret eleventh")he outlines are not original, but in total provide very good guidelines for the budding speechwriter.
Safire then provides context and a brief critique for each of the speeches referenced. These speeches range from ancient Greece to today. Some of them are not great speeches, some are not by nice people, but in their own way the speeches were effective - sometimes horribly so e.g. Adolph Hitler, Lenin, Stalin.
His commentary on Hitler for instance explains very simply and lucidly why this "curse of Hitler," in Winston Churchill's words, became so compelling to many Germans. "Hitler's speeches often lacked the strength of coherence, but with slashing racism and the powerful imagery of nationalism, he was able to delight and control crowds resentful of the reminders of past defeats."
I'm not sure if the reader will ever get to all the speeches in the book, but it is a great shelf item, to pick up at will, browse, imagine you were there when Lincoln spoke at Gettysburg, when Lou Gehrig bids farewell to baseball (in a beautiful short address)and when Senator Everett Dirksen extols the virtue of the Marigold. I kid you not.
Two gems I really appreciated and are little nuggets. Branch Rickey discovers the quality that makes a baseball player great (Ty Cobb), and Richard Nixon's eulogy for Senator Dirksen, which Safire admits he was partly responsible for.
For the keen student of communication and speech, this book is a treasure.
A classic work made up of classic works.......2006-02-17
Aside from the great speeches ( two hundred of them ) that constitute this volume and are its heart, there is also the informative introductory commentary of William Safire. This commentary serves not only as guide to each particular speech, but in general terms as a kind of extended essay on the art of speechmaking. And Safire makes it clear throughout that he views speechmaking as an art.
The anthology contains the great standard political speeches, Pericles, Demosthenes, Burke , Lincoln . It contains elegies and tributes, sermons , speeches of social responsibility, media speeches, speeches which mark out landmark occaisions in history.
This is a classic work which is made up of classic works. And in it is a must- have work for anyone who wishes to understand and know the art of speechmaking.
A book to be read and re-read and re-read and re-read. . . .......2005-12-27
If and when you first get this book, you'll find that it reads easily and fascinatingly from cover to cover. The real proof of the book's value, however, will come in the number of times that you pick it up off of the shelf and re-read favorite speeches. I've had my copy for several years now, and I have repeatedly referenced it whenever I needed inspiration.
No amount of general tutelage about the use of rhetoric can substitute for the instructive and emotive power of experiencing the great speeches of history. And this book includes one terrific, landmark speech, one after the other.
They come in all stripes: great political speeches, speeches of conscience and courage, and even some hilariously funny ones, among others.
A few notes on a few of the selections:
Lincoln's great speeches are here. For my money, the Second Inaugural is even more thrilling than the Gettysburg Address.
Martin Luther King's noble and inspiring "I Have a Dream" speech is here, of course, but it's worth reading time and again despite its familiarity. Everyone hears the climax of this speech repeated so frequently on video, that the balance and brilliant flow of the longer speech is sometimes forgotten. It is beautiful from start to finish, not just at the end.
I have a particular fondness for speeches of defiance and courage. Elizabeth I's speech to her troops as they prepared to face the Spanish Armada is amazing; you'll be ready to march to hell for her blindfolded after you read it. Nathan Sharansky's moving and courageous speech as he is about to be sentenced to a gulag by a Soviet court is a reminder of the power of conscience. I myself am not terribly religious, but I am thrilled by Martin Luther's speech wherein he defends his religious writings. It is a speech of courage and conviction that should inspire people of all creeds.
There is also some great hilarious stuff in here also. One speech on the Senate floor mocking the glories of a pork project in Duluth, Minnesota, will have you in stitches. And for those who are looking for the perfect put-down, look no further than the speech of William Pitt the Elder in response to an elderly member of the House of Commons: "Sir, the atrocious crime of being a young man, which the honorable gentleman has with such spirit and decency charged upon me, I shall neither attempt to palliate nor deny, but content myself with wishing that I may be one of those whose follies may cease with their youth, and not of that number who are ignorant in spite of experience." Slam!
Read, savor, and learn -- time and again.
Customer Reviews:
Whorf is real linguistics.......2006-04-19
The reviewer claiming that Whorf is out of favor in the field of linguistics has a skewed idea of the disipline. Plenty of first-class linguists, including John Lucy, Stephen Levinson, Eve Danziger, Michael Silverstein, Penny Lee, John Gumperz and others take direct inspiration in their cutting-edge research from Whorf.
It is important to understand that the term "Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis" is a misnomer, a misreading that developed in the positivistic 50s after Whorf was dead. He was too smart to refer to his "Principal of Linguistic Relativity" (his term) as a 'hypothesis'. It's closer to an axiom, not an empirically testable hypothesis. This book is not for beginners, but read it carefully and you will gain much insight into the connections between language and thought. If you want a discussion of language for total beginners, Edward Sapir's book _Language_, first published in 1921 has been in continuous print for good reason--it's still excellent and relevant.
Real Linguistics.......2005-03-08
It's an interesting topic, no doubt, but the Whorf Hypothesis has gone out of favor in the field of linguistics.
I recommend Pinker for not-too-technical linguistic reading.
This book is worth it........2002-12-10
This was the first time I had read a book about linguistics. For some time I had heard about Benjamin Lee Whorf and his seminal work on American Indian languages. This is his most famous book, a book of some of his papers during the 30's and 40's.
Unfortunately, given my lack of linguistic knowledge I did not understand much of the terminology throughout his more academic papers such as "Some Verbal Categories of Hopi" or "Gestalt Technique of Stem Composition in Shawnee". Nevertheless there is plenty to read which discusses languages without too much academic terminology, although there is always some. His most interesting reads are the more general ones such as "Language, Mind and Reality" or "Language and Logic".
Whorf makes the fascinating assertion, new for his time, that the language we speak, to some degree at least, forces us to orient our view of the world in a certain direction, for example the noun based structure of Indo-European languages forces it into considering the world as made up of interacting fixed parts whereas Hopi doesn't even have a tense system and doesn't consider the past or the future and sees events as either manifest or unmanifest. A completely different way of viewing the world and yet possessing its own internal logic and ability to express whatever is necessary. This is something Whorf stresses throughout and the so-called `primitive' languages of for example, the native Americans, is far from this western perspective. In fact Hopi stands out as being a language ideally suited to the new physics.
Whorf really lives in two worlds regarding his linguistic studies 1. the fascinating metaphysical world of language constructions throughout the world, i.e. the world view generated by these languages and 2. the strict linguistic approach to languages with its own very formal and structured method to analyse languages, see for example the formulaic approach for one-syllable English words in the paper entitled "Linguistics as an Exact Science".
This book is worth it as no doubt the one by Sapir as well.
Lovers of language will love this book!.......2001-11-05
This book was required reading when I was in college, and it made such an impression on me that 50 years later I sought it out, and re-read it. Anyone interested in communication, and the impact language has on society ( or how society impacts language!) will find the examples of words used (and not used)in various cultures fascinating.
The Structure of the Language We Use.......2001-10-16
Whorf (1899-1941), trained as a chemical engineer, worked as a fire prevention consultant and did original work in linguistic anthropology. He remains best know for advocating that the structure of language not only reflects but influences our world view and behavior. "We dissect nature along lines laid down by our native languages. The categories and types that we isolate from the world of phenomena we do not find there because they stare every observer in the face; on the contrary, the world is presented in a kaleidoscopic flux of impressions which has to be organized by our minds--and this means largely by the linguistic systems in our minds. We cut nature up, organize it into concepts, and ascribe significances as we do, largely because we are parties to an agreement to organize it this way--an agreement that holds throughout our speech community and is codified in the patterns of our language" (213). This has been called "the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis," (acknowledging Whorf's mentor, linguistic anthropologist Edward Sapir) although it seems sufficiently general for many hypotheses to be derived from it. Alfred Korzybski independently developed similar notions, writing,"...we read unconsciously into the world the structure of the language we use" (Science and Sanity 60). Students of Korzybski's General Semantics have a particular concern for the practical implications and applications of such views. Read This Book!
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