Book Description
The dust storms that terrorized the High Plains in the darkest years of the Depression were like nothing ever seen before or since. Timothy Egan's critically acclaimed account rescues this iconic chapter of American history from the shadows in a tour de force of historical reportage. Following a dozen families and their communities through the rise and fall of the region, Egan tells of their desperate attempts to carry on through blinding black dust blizzards, crop failure, and the death of loved ones. Brilliantly capturing the terrifying drama of catastrophe, Egan does equal justice to the human characters who become his heroes, "the stoic, long-suffering men and women whose lives he opens up with urgency and respect" (New York Times). In an era that promises ever-greater natural disasters, "The Worst Hard Time" is "arguably the best nonfiction book yet" (Austin Statesman Journal) on the greatest environmental disaster ever to be visited upon our land and a powerful cautionary tale about the dangers of trifling with nature.
Customer Reviews:
It's Good --- but is it National-Book-Award good?.......2007-10-16
I liked this book. For the most part.
It's an exciting account of an amazing and horrific time in the nation's history, and its descriptions of the dust storms as they came in over the prairies are absolutely terrifying--but I think it's far from the great book that it could have been.
The story, of course, is one of the great stories of American history, and will no doubt enthrall any readers unfamiliar with the 1930s Dust Bowl. But the book fails, I think, in bringing across the full scope of it all, focusing so intently on handful of towns and counties (and always forgetting to remind us what states these towns are in) that it feels like more like a gathering of a number of isolated occurrences. It also fails to provide all the facts that the story begs to contain. And it kind of peters off toward the end, as if the author just grew tired of the subject.
Is this a good book? Sure. I enjoyed it. But would I have given it the National Book Award? No. And is it the best book on the subject? No, again. I prefer the book "Dust Bowl," by Donald Worster, which I found to be much more thorough and vivid in its treatment of the subject.
Outstanding.......2007-10-10
The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl
This is an outstanding book! I had no idea how bad the Dust Bowl was. I was so impressed with the book that I bought a copy for each of my 3 siblings.
Unbelievable!.......2007-10-03
This book was fantastic. Although the majority of books I read are fiction, I'm not hesitant to read good non-fiction. This book was so well written that it reads like a taut novel. Along with Seabiscuit and The Devil in the White City, it is one of the best historical books I've read. Very well researched and thought out. You almost can't believe that this could have actually happened. You feel like you know the characters, and you certainly root for them even though you seemingly know how it will turn out. I would recommend this book to any avid reader - fiction or non-fiction.
Hopefully, we will learn from our past.......2007-10-02
This is an important event in US history that is so relevant today, supplying more fuel for both side of the ongoing debate on global warming.
I found it a bit difficult to stay connected to the characters. In spite of that, the story remained interesting, showing the plight and hardships endured by the generation before us, and bringing us an awareness of our fragile ecosystem.
Eye Opening and Hard to Put Down.......2007-09-25
A must read for history buffs and readers in general. Information places the midwest, its people, and past in an entirely different light of appreciation. (Absolutely Facinating)!
Book Description
America's health care system is unraveling. Every day, millions of hard-working people struggle to find affordable medical treatment for themselves and their families—unable to pay for prescription drugs and regular checkups, let alone hospital visits. Some of these people end up losing money. Others end up losing something even more valuable: their health or even their lives. In this powerful work of original reportage, Jonathan Cohn travels across the United States—the only country in the developed world that does not guarantee access to medical care as a right of citizenship—to investigate why this crisis is happening and to see firsthand its impact on ordinary Americans.
The stories he brings back are tragic and infuriating. In Boston, a heart attack victim becomes a casualty of emergency room overcrowding when she is turned away from the one hospital that could treat her. In South Central L.A., a security guard loses part of his vision when he can't find affordable treatment for his diabetes. In the middle of the prairie heartland, a retired meatpacker sells his house to pay for the medications that keep him and his aging wife alive. And, in a tiny village tucked into the Catskill mountains, a mother of three young children decides against a costly doctor's visit—and lets a deadly cancer go undetected—because her husband's high-tech job no longer provides health insurance.
Passionate, illuminating, and often devastating, Sick interweaves these stories with clear-eyed reporting from Washington and takes us inside the medical industry to chronicle the decline of America's health care system—and lays bare the consequences any one of us could suffer if we don't replace it.
Customer Reviews:
A compelling read.......2007-10-14
This book is a great read, that yet again, puts a much needed human face on our health care crisis.
Good reading.......2007-08-16
I needed to read this book for a class I was taking. But, it was not a chore to read at all. It was very informative and gave me answers to questions I had regarding the health care situation here in the United States. The book is very easy to read and I could hardly put it down. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to know more about the health care crisis.
Right on Target.......2007-08-09
This book just begins to describe the issues with our health care system. The for-profits skim the lucrative services from the "not-for-profits", leaving us all with the tab. We are all subsidizing the for profit entities and paying their dividends.
Do people really think the US Government does not control the US healthcare system now? Medicare and Medicaid represent over half of hospital and physician payments and everything else is heavily regulated by the US government now! We have a government run and controlled system now and it is operating poorly!
Good convincing argument for reform.......2007-07-16
SICK by Jonathan Cohn is, thankfully, one of many books coming out these days about problems with our health care system in the United States. The style of the book is brilliant, since in the first eight chapters Cohn carefully examines various aspects of health care and uses case studies of people who fall through the cracks to illustrate problems that exist. As this book explains, we have excellent medical facilities in the U.S., but the terrible problem is that many people are denied consistent access to those facilities. Many of the people Cohn uses as case studies die because of lack of access. He provides enough detail about those people to make you see them as real people and thus to empathize with their plights, yet he also provides quite a lot of "technical" detail about health care. If, on the other hand, Cohn had focused totally on the technical aspects and policies, he would have lost everyone but the policy wonks. And if he had focused totally on personal stories, the book would not have been educational enough. Instead he strikes a very good balance between the two.
Another neat balancing act that Cohn performs involves solutions to our health care crisis. SICK mainly examines the situation with our health care system, and is not mainly about solutions. There are other books out there focusing more on that. Cohn deals with solutions only in the last chapter, which runs 17 pages. In that space, he clearly advocates a government-run universal health care system. He holds up France as a good model to emulate, where he says there is universal coverage, quick and easy access to care, and overall better results than we get. And yet the French pay far less than we do for health care, as does everyone else in the world! Cohn could have devoted more space to his proposed solution (maybe in a sequel?), but I believe his method of focusing on problems will convince more people of its prudence, since many Americans are opposed to more government intrusion in health care. Everyone who reads SICK must surely conclude that SOMETHING must be done to seriously reform health care in the U.S. If there is some better answer than government-run universal care, what is it, and why hasn't someone done it already? The burden of proof is on the nay-sayers.
Let's not panic and create a new American health care crisis.......2007-07-11
The author argues for single tiered universal health care - probably government administrated. As both a middle class consumer and a retired surgeon I agree (don't we all) that our medical insurance system needs fixing. But let's consider this further: Are the people of this nation really willing to pay for great health care for everyone? It won't be cheap. In the past 15 or so years Americans have shown that they want first-rate services, but have not been willing to vote for tax increases to cover them. By contrast, many of the European Countries that are cited as having successful healthcare financing systems have notably higher taxes.
So what are we really likely to get? At minimum a two-tiered system - the wealthy and the rest of us. Do we want that? If not, how many tiers are acceptable and who should administer them? The federal government? The private insurance companies?
So far the nationally-administered systems in this country have manifested several weaknesses. The MCARE system is a highly regulated system, setting prices, frequency of service, deciding the criteria for who can receive what treatment, how long a patient can stay in the hospital and much more. About 15 years ago, to contain costs, HCFA coined the phrase "the best the system can afford" and has since continued to reduce MCARE reimbursement, hospital stay length and covered services. MCAID is even more subject to economic pressures, and a quick review of its history shows that Congress has consistently balanced their budgets by cutting MCAID. Most recently, Congress passed a pharmacy reimbursement bill which prevents MCARE from negotiating pharmaceutical prices, a standard HMO practice.
In the short run patient's may be getting a bargain, but many of the finer physicians are opting out of being MCARE providers, or leaving practice because of the low compensation and heavy regulation that inteferes with their ability to effectively treat patients. And among those that are staying in practice, more and more doctors are choosing to provide non-covered services such as plastic surgery or diet counseling and products, creating a shortage of physicians in many areas.
Finally, contrary to popular belief, MCARE is a tiered system, in that it requires a monthly premium (which some can't afford), and allows for purchase of a secondary insurance (that many more cannot afford) to cover the required copayment.
We all know that conventional insurance has many of the same weaknesses and consequences. So what now?
I think a satisfactory system is developing through the efforts of state politicians that are working to design complex systems to meet a multitude of health care needs. This has spurred a dialogue that is highly educational and, I believe, over time will result in multi-tiered systems that will; provide a variety of choices for those that can afford health care coverage, eliminate discrimination against folks with pre-existing conditions and aging bodies, and fund a respectable level of health care (that can't be reduced by a budget-stressed Congress) for those who can't afford health care coverage.
Book Description
Although its brown vans are on every block and its delivery service reaches more than 200 countries, UPS is among the world’s most underestimated and misunderstood companies.
For the first time, a UPS “lifer” tells the behind-the-scenes story of how a small messenger service became a business giant. Big Brown reveals the remarkable 100-year history of UPS and the life of its founder Jim Casey—one of the greatest unknown capitalists of the twentieth century. Casey pursued a Spartan business philosophy that emphasized military discipline, drab uniforms, and reliability over flash—a model that is still reflected in UPS culture today.
Big Brown examines all the seeming paradoxes about UPS: from its traditional management style and strict policies coupled with high employee loyalty and strong labor relations; from its historical “anti-marketing” bias (why brown?) to its sterling brand loyalty and reputation for quality.
Customer Reviews:
The 20th Century and UPS.......2007-08-31
"Big Brown"is one of the few books on Big Business that I have enjoyed. I kept reading because the author managed to bring in enough context to help me identify with the times as the company grew throughout the 20th century -- much as my experience expanded during those years. The personal story of the founders of UPS reminded me that big business often starts small and grows with perseverance.To the unsophisticated corporate person,it was a good reminder that all successful big entities are not run by blatant profiteers. The book personalizes the century's truly amazing growth in communications and transportation technology.
Uncritical Look at UPS.......2007-08-28
Author Greg Niemann worked for UPS for thirty-five years progressing from loader to management ranks. In Big Brown, he takes us through a brief but not very critical history of this giant of the delivery business.
The book is an interesting, light read but if not an official history of UPS, it is not far off it. The problem with (semi-) official histories is that they tend to be hagiographic and fail to give a genuine insight into the corporation. Compare this book to that written on FedEx by Roger Frock (Changing How the World does Business: FedEx's Incredible Journey to Success) which is much more compelling because of its warts and all detail.
Chapter one leads with "UPS drivers are strong. They're dependable. They're polite. They're determined."!! This tends to be the type of writing throughout the book.
The author attempts to give some detail on UPS founder Jim Casey who started the company in a Seattle basement in 1907. Casey though was a pretty reclusive figure who never sought the limelight. Indeed author Niemann references Casey as the "greatest American capitalist you have never heard of." Some of Casey's management principles were ahead of their time including the proposition - revolutionary at the time - that employees should "achieve a good measure of personal satisfaction and ... aid in the advancement of the interests of all the rest of us."
The famous UPS brown color was chosen because the original management believed that Seattle department stores would be reluctant to relinquish their deliveries to a company with high profile, conspicuous vans.
UPS differs from FedEx and other major carriers in that it is unionized, Although the Teamsters Union forced a general strike in 1997 costing the company $750 million and unknown loss of good will, relations in general have been good. Work conditions are excellent with drivers earning up to $70,000 per annum and six to nine weeks paid leave per year. (Can this be right?) Interestingly, UPS members are vital to the survival of the Teamsters Union as they count for one-fifth of the union's 1.4 million members!!
UPS is a highly structured company governed by the UPS Policy Book which suggests a very conservative company. Family members are not employed under any circumstances (until the original member leaves or retires.) In a rather peculiar turn of phrase, Niemann writes "UPS mandates informality in several ways"!
Although not dealt with in any great depth, UPS was slow to deal with the launch of FedEx (then Federated Express). Indeed, it took eight years for UPS to set up its own air service to combat the FedEx operation. Today UPS is the world's ninth largest airline.
The latter parts of the book are particularly interesting as we see the global growth of UPS both as a carrier and a supply chain expert.
Overall, if you want a general overview of this company, this book fits the bill, but the lack of detail and the generally sycophantic style to the commentary does take away from the overall value of the book.
How UPS Became The Global Force It Is Today.......2007-06-19
UPS began in 1907 in Seattle as a messenger service, and quickly evolved to focus on delivering packages for local department stores - allowing consolidation. Today's urban drivers make about 200 stops/day (free aerobics program, and 1/3 more than at FedEx) with packages weighing up to 150 lbs.
Waiting time for new hires can reach 4-5 years before attaining regular driver status. Those that do average $70,000/year, receive 6-9 weeks vacation each year, and 100% paid medical insurance. The company practices promotion from within as much as possible, and its executives answer their own phones and have no private secretaries.
UPS, however, did not happen overnight. About 65 years were required to cover the nation - the process involved innumerable confrontations with the ICC and state commerce commissions, as well as arranging customers and setting up routes. The really bad news, however, is that it was caught napping by FedEx's foray into overnight delivery and took several years to effectively respond. (UPS had experimented with airplane delivery before, but had not succeeded.)
Today's challenges have expanded from competition to also include becoming more green (reduced mileage via use of computerized routing systems, experimentation with hydrogen fuel cells), increased service around the world, supply-chain management (eg. providing assembly of some customer products, servicing broken computers, direct delivery of Internet orders, etc.).
The definitive corporate biography of UPS.......2007-06-12
The package delivery business is a huge industry that hinges on personnel and logistics, as author Greg Niemann explains in this informative, entertaining biography of the United Parcel Service. Niemann, a UPS career insider, explains how the company became a global leader. He gives credit to the values of its founder, Jim Casey, a hard worker from a humble background. Casey believed in strict routine, safety, precision, shared responsibility and fairness; he pioneered programs to distribute the company's wealth to his employees, while holding them to strict procedures. This absorbing corporate bio is more objective than you might expect, though clearly Niemann is a fan of Casey and UPS. We find that his focus on Casey's entrepreneurship offers a fine example for anyone who is trying to make a company prosper.
Great Memories.......2007-06-08
I worked as a driver and clerk for UPS for 30 years and this book showed me the rich history of this company. They work their employeees very hard but they give you a fair paycheck each week, with great benefits. It was nice to read about UPS.
Book Description
Many consider the Battle of Midway to have turned the tide of the Pacific War. It is without question one of the most famous battles in history. Now, for the first time since Gordon W. Prange’s bestselling Miracle at Midway, Jonathan Parshall and Anthony Tully offer a new interpretation of this great naval engagement.
Unlike previous accounts, Shattered Sword makes extensive use of Japanese primary sources. It also corrects the many errors of Mitsuo Fuchida’s Midway: The Battle That Doomed Japan, an uncritical reliance upon which has tainted every previous Western account. It thus forces a major, potentially controversial reevaluation of the great battle. The authors examine the battle in detail and effortlessly place it within the context of the Imperial Navy’s doctrine and technology. With a foreword by leading WWII naval historian John Lundstrom, Shattered Sword will become an indispensable part of any military buff’s library. Winner of the 2005 John Lyman Book Award for the "Best Book in U.S. Naval History" and cited by Proceedings as one of its "Notable Naval Books" for 2005.
Customer Reviews:
How the Japanese Blew It .......2007-10-17
This is an excellent book. In a way one might ask what about Midway is untold? There have been numerous books which explained what happened. In a naval operation aimed to destroy the American carrier force, Admiral Yamamoto moved four of his fleet carriers into the middle of the pacific ocean. He aimed at invading Midway Island and hoped that the Americans would come out to defend it. Instead the Americans knew of his plans through radio intercepts and it was they who laid the trap. Aircraft from three of their carriers destroyed the four principal Japanese Fleet carriers and ended what had been up to that time a flood of Japanese victories.
What this book does is to explain how and why things happened. It is in some ways amazing how rudimentary the Japanese naval forces were. Unlike the Americans they did not have radar and the quality of the radios in the fighter aircraft were so poor they were generally not used. At the Marianas the Americans were able to spot the Japanese attacking forces on radar at a distance and to use radios to direct their fighters in the combat air patrol (CAP) to intercept them miles away from their targets. At Midway the Japanese method of directing their fighters now appears ludicrous. Surrounding cruisers would fire their heavy weapons to direct the attention of fighters in the CAP. There was no real coordination and where the CAP went was a matter of luck. In fact probably none of the Japanese probably saw the attacking flights of American dive bombers who did the damage until it was to late. The Americans maximised anti-aircraft fire power by placing their carriers in a fleet of war ships with huge numbers of anti-aircraft guns. The Japanese did not do this. The Japanese strategy was to frantically manoeuvre their carriers at full speed turning in huge circles to doge torpedoes and bombs. Heavier naval units had to keep away to allow the carriers room to manoeuvre and to come close would have led to serious dangers of collision. The only real anti-aircraft guns were placed on the carriers and these had limited ranges.
Despite this the Japanese could possibly have won if their commanders were not idiots. Yamamoto has tended to have had good press in the past. However his planning of this operation was abysmal. For some reason two slower smaller carriers were diverted of to the Aleutian Islands for an invasion which made no logical sense. Another carrier was left in Japan. It would seem the reason for this was that Yamamoto was concerned that the Americans would not engage him unless his force looked small. Despite the victory of Pearl Harbour with its message that battleships were now just targets to be sunk by carriers Yamamoto also had huge number of battleships manoeuvring in the rear whilst exposing his carriers placing them in a position when they could be attacked by land based aircraft from Midway and naval based aircraft from the American carriers.
The writers suggest that the Japanese would have had more chance of winning if they had used their naval assets in campaigns around the Solomon Islands. They could have used their land based aircraft better and the Americans would have been forced to commit forces to prevent the loss of Australia. The genius of this book is in the detail of not explaining the story which had been told many times but explaining why it happened. The detail the level of understanding is well beyond that of this type of history. It is possible to have an insight into the minds of the Japanese and why they fought as they fought. The book also explodes a number of popular myths about the battle through careful research.
Midway seen in another light.......2007-09-10
An excellently researched story of Midway giving a lot of new details and insights, all very well researched and with extensive proof to support the ideas put forward.
I thought I knew the story of Midway by heart, having read every book on the subject I could lay my hands on, who have been copying each other.
This book gives a completely new perspective and with the supporting documentation makes a credible point for a new look at the sequence of events.
The final book on Midway? Not likely, but it will be hard to surpass it in novel approach.
A book to read without stopping.
Only drawback is that (at least at the time I bought it), there was no paperback version, but that probably wouldn't have lasted long anyway because the book is begging to be re-read over and over again.
Solid history, but somewhat over written.......2007-08-17
Shattered Sword is an excellent, but somewhat over written work that is really two books in one. The first is a solid, well documented account of Japanese operations at Midway. The other is a reassessment of certain events that been centerpieces in most popular depictions of that battle.
The former is a foundational piece that should be included in any serious historian's bookshelf; a five-star work that provides considerable insight to Japanese strategy tactics and operations. The latter is an interesting, but ultimately over-advocated piece that deserves credit for correcting the historic record, but ultimately does not contribute nearly as much new knowledge as the first. A three-star work.
Parshall and Tully fill in a huge gap by providing a soup-to-nuts assessment of Japanese planning and operations that made up the Midway and Aleutians campaigns. Their meticulous analysis is remarkable, and seemingly consists of about two pages of analysis for one page of narrative. The end result is a keen understanding of how Japan conducted the campaign, and the fatal flaws that were both latent and all too visible.
It seems that the Japanese Imperial Navy was wholly unprepared to conduct a major war like the one they initiated, and not from a logistical/industrial standpoint either. The picture the authors paint (perhaps unintentionally) is of a military organization that is highly polished but extremely brittle. When they faced a surprised or weaker opponent, the Japanese dominated. But if the Japanese faced a foe even close to parity, their planning and organization would unravel, resulting in a high loss of life and material. The glaring flaws in their strategic and tactical planning, operations, and command structure seem to suggest that even if they won the Battle of Midway, it was only a matter of time before their organization failed and they would suffer some catastrophic disaster at the hands of the Americans.
As for the authors' reassessment of Midway, they try too hard to push these revelations. While I laud them for rectifying these errors, most of these issues are far less important than other topics the authors brought up. For example, the authors go to great lengths to explain how Nagumo's reserve strike were actually in the hanger rather on the flight deck, when the Americans made their decisive strike. It really seems to be a relatively minor detail, since (as the authors stated) the Japanese carriers had unarmored flight decks, and the American strike would have blown the carriers to smithereens in either case. What is of more importance, but is given less promotion, is that the Japanese were unable to launch an attack in the face of uncoordinated but persistent American attacks. This essentially says the Japanese never really had control of the battle from the very beginning.
Nevertheless, Shattered Sword is a fabulous and serious historical study. I look forward to future works from the authors.
Excellent WWII book........2007-08-06
Shattered Sword was a most interesting and informative book covering this famous battle as well as events leading up to it, primarily from the Japanese perspective. This in itself is unusual. The narrative was very detailed yet fast paced, even difficult to put down. What I enjoyed most, though, was that the authors related the events at Midway to strategic decisions made many years earlier. Thus, the battle of Tsushima in 1905 would ultimately affect placement of gun batteries and other such things which would determine the outcome at Midway in 1942. IMHO it is the good historian who is able to connect such distant dots.
So very revealing and in depth abot the Psyche of the Japanese Navy.......2007-07-13
I bought this book based on the writer's excellent website. What I expected was detail and facts. What I got was much better.
Shattered Sword not only totally covers the events of the MI raid but it looks back to the start of the war and how these successes actually laid the groundwork for the total failure of the Japanese Navy both at Midway and beyond. The authors reveal Yamamoto as both brilliant and a bully. His plans were shown to be flawed but pushed on the Navy by threats. The actual minute by minute account of the battle goes into incredible detail (based on many survivor accounts). The technical sections show how the carriers were attacked, damaged and how their poor damage control finally sent them to the bottom. Perhaps the most interesting were the debunking of the Myths of Midway. Read the book to find out what I mean.
It is a great book filled with detail, vivid descriptions, stories and analysis of the battle, its causes and its ultimate failure for the Japanese. Just for fun there is a what if section. Again read the book and enjoy.
Alan
Amazon.com
Fortune's Formula is a fascinating study of the connections between such seemingly unrelated topics as gambling, information theory, stock investing, and applied mathematics. The story involves the stunning brainpower of men such as MIT professor Claude Shannon, who single-handedly invented information theory, the science behind the Internet and all digital media; Ed Thorpe; and John Kelly of Bell Laboratories, who developed the "Kelly criterion," a now-legendary investment strategy for maximizing growth while controlling risk. Initially, Shannon and Thorpe took Kelly's theory to Las Vegas and applied it to roulette and blackjack. Later, they took it to Wall Street and cleaned up--Shannon made a personal fortune while Thorpe created the highly successful hedge firm Princeton-Newport Partners. They both discovered that Kelly's system was particularly effective when applied to arbitrage (minute price differences that result from market inefficiencies). As Poundstone ably demonstrates, the merits of Kelly's criterion are still hotly debated today.
Poundstone has a tendency to meander in his writing, but his asides are so revealing and interesting that they add, rather than detract, from the narrative. The book also includes a cast of fascinating and colorful characters as varied as Ivan Boesky, Warren Buffet, Rudolph Giuliani, and notorious mobsters such as Bugsy Siegel and Meyer Lansky. In explaining the lasting impact of the work done by Shannon, Thorpe, and Kelly, Poundstone even explains Kelly's system for those wishing to follow his formula, offering readers both theoretical and practical lessons. Whether viewed as a how-to guide or straight scientific and financial history, Fortune's Formula proves an entertaining and illuminating analysis of "the most successful gambling system of all time." --Shawn Carkonen
Book Description
In 1956 two Bell Labs scientists discovered the scientific formula for getting rich. One was mathematician Claude Shannon, neurotic father of our digital age, whose genius is ranked with Einstein’s. The other was John L. Kelly Jr., a Texas-born, gun-toting physicist. Together they applied the science of information theory—the basis of computers and the Internet—to the problem of making as much money as possible, as fast as possible.
Shannon and MIT mathematician Edward O. Thorp took the “Kelly formula” to Las Vegas. It worked. They realized that there was even more money to be made in the stock market. Thorp used the Kelly system with his phenomenonally successful hedge fund, Princeton-Newport Partners. Shannon became a successful investor, too, topping even Warren Buffett’s rate of return. Fortune’s Formula traces how the Kelly formula sparked controversy even as it made fortunes at racetracks, casinos, and trading desks. It reveals the dark side of this alluring scheme, which is founded on exploiting an insider’s edge.
Shannon believed it was possible for a smart investor to beat the market—and Fortune’s Formula will convince you that he was right.
Customer Reviews:
Kelly criterion for investing?.......2007-10-17
I give the book four stars because it was a pretty good read and an informative history. The story revolves around the Kelly Criterion which is a risk management system where you bet according to the edge you have. If you have a great edge, like highly reliable tips on horse races, then you bet heavily. If the edge is a much lower probability, you risk much less. Pretty simple. If you can quantify your edge. One important aspect of the criterion was that you always took into account a catastrophic loss, so you never risked your entire account. In theory you could continue to bet forever even if you have a horrible string of losers because you are always betting only a percentage of your account.
The story revolves around John Kelly, Claude Shannon, Ed Thorpe, and a host of others including mafia members, Rudy Guiliani, Ivan Boesky, the geniuses from LTCM and many others. I enjoyed the way the author linked all of these people together. The story kept me interested throughout the entire book. And this was my second time reading it! I picked it up by mistake, read the first chapter, thought to myself "hey, I have read this book already", but I was hooked again so I kept reading. Glad I did.
The Kelly system was interesting to me because Thorpe and Shannon used it to win money at the casinos and also to make a fortune on Wall street. The Princeton-newport partners were highly successful for a number of years and surpassed almost all of Wall street with their consistently high returns. Maybe it was a great streak of luck as they implied, but maybe the market is inefficient and smart people can pull money out at will.
I am thankful for reading this book and learning about the Kelly system which is not all that different from my present risk management system. Except the Kelly system has a few rules I presently do not use. But it has gotten me interested and I will test it out and probably implement some of it into my trading.
Things you don't get to learn elsewhere.......2007-09-02
Someone recommended this book to me as an investment book. At the time I was not sure how gambling and quantitative approach to investment are related. But this book, through its illustration of Kelly's criteria provides a new way to think about investment strategy. I learned all the moot theories in school - Mean portfolio optimization, diversification, efficient market theory, etc. But thinking of information theory, Kelly's criteria and ever present arbitrage can give one quite an edge.
The book interweaves mathematics, history and stories quite well and is a very good read. Imagine an investment book that reads almost like a fiction novel :)
The material is very well researched and it contains history of gambling, and investment and how information theory evolved. The book also gives a view into how a powerful school of thought can eclipse other schools of thought. in this case, Samuelson, et all from MIT refute geometric returns from Kelly's criteria even though working proof is present and the alpha factor in returns is not a myth.
I am glad the person recommended this book to me.
An engaging story.......2007-09-01
Wow, I loved this book. A well written and easy to read history of the evolution of investment theory. Starting with off track betting at the beginning of the century and ending with the collapse of Long Term Capital Management, this is an engaging story.
I was particularly interested in the application of betting theory to investing. The fact that some investment strategies actually include a point of zero value was very informative.
A great read.
KELLY'S METHOD OF INVESTEMENT ALLOCATION.......2007-07-21
KELLY, a Texan mathematician died at 41 but left behind a wonderful method/conceptual framework applicable to investments as well as casino gambling. It is a fascinating book and the mathematics professors provide a wonderful drama. The author has made complicated math/statistics concepts real simple even for those who don't like maths.
Fun and Informative.......2007-07-19
Yes, perhaps the book's title is a bit misleading. Those who gave bad reviews to the book may have been looking for a get rich quick formula to beat the market or the casinos. The book focuses on the Kelly criterion and also gives quite a bit of attention to the efficient market hypothesis. The strength of the book is in its portrayals of the characters involved in the stories behind the Kelly Criterion and Efficient Market Theory.
Admittedly, at times it was a stretch to connect some of the players in this drama to the Kelly Criterion or the Efficient Market Hypothesis. Rudy Guiliani is one of several people in the book who are quite tangential to the main story line. However, I found this not to be a weakness of the book. Indeed, it enhanced my enjoyment of the story.
Those who are looking for a hard core mathematical examination of some of the topics of the book will be disappointed. As will those who are looking for a quick how-to in applying some of the theories. However, the vast majority of people will enjoy getting an inside look at some of the personalities involved in the development of these concepts and will love seeing how some of the theories held up in the "real world".
Book Description
An engrossing examination of one of America's most notorious and bewildering crimes–the gruesome murder of Felix Polk by his wife, Susan, in October 2002.
With the same exclusive access and penetrating investigation that made A Deadly Game a #1 bestseller, Catherine Crier arrives at the scene of another stunning American crime. For decades, Susan Polk, mother of three, played devoted wife to Felix, her former therapist and a man 25 years her senior. The torment and alleged abuse that happened behind closed doors made headlines in October 2002 when Susan was arrested for fatally stabbing Felix in their Oakland, CA, compound.
Early accusations and allegations in the case of CA vs. Susan Polk:
•Susan Polk was mentally, verbally and physically abused by Felix.
•Susan Polk spoke of killing Felix on numerous occasions, detailing possible methods.
•Felix Polk carefully guarded his own history with mental illness–his year–long stay in a mental hospital and his diagnosis with schizophrenia in the 1950s.
•Felix Polk may have used hypnosis, and perhaps even LSD, on his patients–and even on his own sons.
•Susan Polk stabbed her husband 27 times, put the knife back in the kitchen drawer and went to bed, leaving her son to find his father's dead body in their home.
With three sons pitted against each other–one for, two against their mother; with the bizarre October 2005 murder of the wife of Susan's attorney; and with the bulk of the evidence still to come, the Polk case will take its place as one of most confounding true crime cases of recent years.
Customer Reviews:
Author adds her own psychiatric 2 cents.......2007-08-17
Similar to Keith Ablow (who wrote the forward), Crier adds her own opinion about the psychology of both the victim and the perpetrator. Her facts should stand by themselves without her weaving in tidbits similar to "this relationship was a perfect storm of neuroses and it was inevitable that Susan would kill her husband, thinking she was actually getting back at her father, who abused her...."
I wonder who proofread this book. Sloppy editing abounds - from small things such as spelling Goodwill (the store) as Good Will and Sony PlayStation as Play Station. There's also a 16-year-old who commits murder and two weeks later, "celebrates his 18th birthday." What happened to his 17th year? Did he lose one for committing murder?
Better Alternative Exists.......2007-07-14
I tried reading this one, but after reading Carol Pogash's book about the same trial, I just couldnt finish this dull imitation.
Ho Hum.......2007-07-02
Ho Hum! Even a mediocre cook should be able to create a masterpiece with the right ingredients and a few good spices. This case had nothing but the best - but Crier served up a formulaic stew -- overcooked and without the spice. Forget this one -- unless you want a cure for insomnia.
Read Carol Pogash's book on the same case -- "Seduced by Madness" She captures the characters and the family dynamics that underlie the Polk tragedy. Believe me, the victim was once a close friend and I know the back-story and most of the cast of characters. Pogash got it right - she writes like a gourmet -- the book will make your mouth water.
Little wonder the marriage ended like it did.......2007-06-22
I listened to the book on CDs. The story of the relationship between Susan and Felix is fascinating, as is the effect that their dysfunction had on their three sons. With two mentally ill people whose relationship began with one molesting the other while she was patient and he was therapist, it's little wonder that the ending was tragic. Susan as defendent and lawyer for herself gives one a good understanding of her mental illness. My only criticism would be that I think Catherine Crier would have been better off to allow someone else to read the book for the audio version. Some of her reading of what the people say doesn't ring true. I wish for the best for Susan's sons.
A TRUE CRIME, RECOMMENDED.......2007-05-20
"I would like to know what is going to happen to us financially."
"Financially?" the officer repeated. What do you mean? It seemed an odd question coming from a boy who had just discovered his father murdered- particularly when the boy's mother was the prime suspect."
The Susan Polk Murder Case is a true crime. Susan Polk was officially arrested for the murder of her husband. It is unfortunate that both parents appeared unstable at the time, so much thought should be given to that. Thought should be given also to the fact that her husband Felix was always threatening to kill his wife, and she, him. Felix was accustomed to insulting her in front of their three sons and she did the same, attacking his manhood. Susan Polk for reasons understandably moved out of the Polks' home and tried to find somewhere to live away from him. Not wanting she and her husband to be an example to what marital relationships should be like, she tried to bring the boys up in the normal way and tried to show them how a woman should be treated. She took them away on trips, she wanted the best for them. her sons Gabe, Eli and Adam could not understand her, and they took the side of Felix their father, all with the exception of the middle child Eli who wrote her such emotional letters while she was incarcerated. A well wriitten true crime, but Susan Polk still waits in jail to hear her sentencing, and assertain if it is necessary to appeal.
Recommended for True Crime readers.
Reviewed by Heather Marshall Negahdar ( SUGAR-CANE 19-05-07)
Book Description
In the tradition of The Perfect Storm and Flags of Our Fathers, Halsey’s Typhoon chronicles the epic tale of men clashing against the ruthless forces of war and nature. In December 1944, America’s most popular and colorful naval hero, Admiral William “Bull” Halsey, unwittingly sailed his undefeated Pacific Fleet into the teeth of the most powerful storm on earth. Three destroyers were capsized sending hundreds of sailors and officers into the raging, shark infested waters. Over the next sixty hours, small bands of survivors fought seventy-foot waves, exhaustion, and dehydration to await rescue at the hands of the courageous Lt. Com. Henry Lee Plage, who, defying orders, sailed his tiny destroyer escort USS Tabberer through 150 mph winds to reach the lost men. Thanks to documents that have been declassified after sixty years and dozens of first-hand accounts from survivors—including former President Gerald Ford—one of the greatest World War II stories, and a riveting tale of survival at sea, can finally be told.
Customer Reviews:
A Great Sea Story.......2007-10-20
There are many unknown stories of WW II. One of the lesser known stories is about Adm. Halsey's fleet that was caught in a deadly Typhoon.
The story is full of first person accounts from people who somehow lived through the typhoon, including some who floated in the stormy ocean for days.I plan to read the book again... that's high praise.
Halsey's Typhoon.......2007-09-30
Outstanding!! Best WW2 historial book I have ever read. Wonderful background info on key issues and people
"Sea Cobra" wins.......2007-08-21
"Halsey's Typhoon": earned one star for the awesome photos of future Prsident Gerald Ford skying for the basketball on the basketball court and
Commander Henry Lee Plage of the USS Tabberer looking three times cooler than Fonzie and John Wayne put together. He proved in action to be three times the hero that he looked.
"Halsey's Typhoon": earned three negative stars for a boring start, middle and end as well as talking down to the reader (constantly using words that had to be looked up and when I looked them up the results were staggering. The words were constantly listed as slang, archaic, obsolete and the meaning didn't even fit the sentence!!!)
"Sea Cobra" by Buckner F. Melton Jr.: covers the same event and earned 4.5 stars. It was extremely user friendly and made the story come to life. You felt like you were with the sailors fighting Typhoon Cobra and Typhoon Viper and Commander's Plage's decision to ignore Halsey's orders and amazingly rescue drowning sailors.
"Sea Cobra": earned .5 negative stars due to lesser photos.
Tragedy and Human Response.......2007-08-17
This is a great book recounting the story of the typhoon in December of 1944 that swept through the Phillipine Sea and sunk three American destroyers costing over the lives of over 700 sailors. The author is very good and not only describing these events, but laying out much of the background that lead to them.
Its important to never forget the old adage that "hindsight is 20/20" in assigning responsibility to other people for their response or lack of response to the events around them. This book provides much food for thought about not only Halsey's Typhoon of 1944, but it can also furnish us guidance about responding to contemporary tragedies. In that sense, its more than just an old World War II story.
Acts of God like hurricanes and typhoons may be beyond our control. However, emergency planning and response may make all the difference in the world. Those who read this book will be struck by the actions of Lieutenant Commander Henry Plage who commanded another destroyer at the time, the U.S.S. Tabor. He was quick to respond to the catastrophe and using skills of superior seamanship rescued dozens of drowning sailors from the ocean. Plage couldn't have done it without a well trained crew and understanding the fine art of sailing in seas with waves and swells as high as 100 feet.
Another example of response to this catastrophe took place on board an aircraft carrier, the U.S.S Monterrey. This ship had caught fire after airplanes were flung about their hangars and ruptured gasoline tanks started an inferno. The situation became so bad, an order was given to abandon ship. The crew decided though that they could save the Monterrey and they proceeded to do so by fighting the fire in a very thought out manner. The Monterrey was saved by its dedicated and competent crew.
Old ships that were top heavy capsized in the hurricane. New ships that were designed to ride out bad weather survived the storm.
Its a very interesting book that gives us much to think about.
A compelling story marred by errors and style.......2007-08-01
Halsey's Typhoon is a World War II disaster-survival tale about Typhoon Cobra enveloping the U.S. Navy's Third Fleet, commanded by Admiral William F. (Bull) Halsey, in the Philippine Sea in December 1944.
The best part of the book, by far, is the second half. Participants, primarily surviving crew members of the three sunken destroyers or the destroyer escort Tabberer which rescued 60% of the survivors despite its own severe damage, relate their experiences during the storm, floating in the water for 24-48 hours, being rescued and recovering These survivors' and rescuers' tales, related recently to the authors by a handful of remaining veterans, are informative, frightening, fascinating, memorable and inspiring. I'm glad their firsthand experiences, even in part, have been published.
Unfortunately, apart from the survivors' personal narratives, this book's deficiencies are many. The authors seem to have relatively little knowledge of either the Navy or World War II, with misused terms and questionable characterization events being too numerous to itemize. Examples include referring to the flag flown at the bow of a naval vessel as a "battle guideon" (an Army term for what the Navy calls a battle jack); calling a ship's mess deck its mess hall; repeatedly referring USS Monaghan as having "drawn first blood" when it sank a Japanese mini-sub inside Pearl Harbor thirty minutes after the attack started whereas it is widely acknowledged that USS Ward sank a Japanese mini-sub outside the entrance of Pearl Harbor before the aerial attack even commenced; describing MacArthur's invasion of Luzon as a "stepping stone" toward Iwo Jima, Okinawa and Japan itself when it was arguably more of a strategic distraction from Nimitz's Central Pacific island hopping campaign through Guadalcanal, Guam, Saipan, etc. that actually established the air bases from which the U.S. directly struck Japan in 1945 and opened the route to Iwo Jima and Okinawa.
Also, the book needs serious editing to eliminate wordiness, inconsistencies (e.g., ascribing different ranks or titles to the same people within the scope of a few days) and questionable or obscure metaphors. For instance, does it make sense to describe Halsey's belated decision to allow his command to break formation in order for individual captains to concentrate on the safety of their ships to being like "Mrs. O'Leary reporting her cow missing?" The authors' wordiness and commitment of space to irrelevant biographical details or wartime events may have been a way to deal with the fact that a concise rendition of their most original and compelling material would have filled perhaps just half as many pages.
Finally, apart from the sunken destroyers and their principal rescuing vessel, former-President Ford's experiences on the USS Monterey and descriptions of near-disaster on the USS Aylwin, there are few details about what happened to any of the other vessels during the typhoon. Finally, there is nothing whatsoever about how the typhoon affected the war effort. How long did it take before the damaged Third Fleet was again combat ready? What impact did the loss of Third Fleet air cover have on the Army's Mindoro campaign, which was the reason Halsey was so reluctant to release his ships from formation? The world wants to know...
The book's three sections - The Fleet, the Storm and The Rescue - are divided into twenty-five unnamed chapters that total 266 pages. An Epilogue (immediate post-storm events), Afterword 2006 (post-WWII careers of some figures in the narrative), four-page bibliography, an index and miscellaneous addendums bring the page count to 322. Twenty-eight B&W photos illustrate some of the key characters and ships and endpaper charts depict locations relative to the typhoon track. There are no footnotes.
Recommended to naval history and WWII buffs, survival/adventure tale fans or anyone who lost a relative at sea during WWII due to the recounting of individual veterans' experiences. Not recommended to people seeking information about WWII campaigns and strategies or those seeking tightly composed nonfiction prose.
Book Description
From the ESPN National Correspondent and author of the New York Times bestseller "Cinderella Man" comes the remarkable behind-the-scenes story of a defining moment in sports and world history. In 1936, against a backdrop of swastikas flying, and storm troopers goose-stepping, an African-American son of sharecroppers won a staggering four Olympic gold medals and single-handedly crushed Hitler's myth of Aryan supremacy. The story of Jesse Owen at the 1936 games is that of a high-profile athlete giving a performance that transcends sports. But it is also the intimate and complex tale of the courage of one remarkable man. Drawing on unprecedented access to the Owens family, previously unpublished interviews, and exhaustive archival research, Jeremy Schaap transports us to Nazi Germany to weave this dramatic tale. From the start, American participation in the 1936 games was controversial. A boycott was afoot, based on reports of Nazi hostility to Jews, but was thwarted by the president of the Americn Olympic Committee, who dismissed the actions of the Third Reich as irrelevant. At the games themselves the subplots and intrigue continued: Owens was befriended by a German rival, broad jumper Luz Long, who, legend has it, helped Owens win the gold medal at his own expense. Two Jewish sprinters were denied the chance to compete for the United States at the last possible moment, most likely out of misguided deference to the Nazi hosts. And a myth was born that Hitler had snubbed Owens by failing to congratulate him. With his trademark incisive reporting and rich storytelling gifts, Schaap reveals what really transpired over those tense, exhilarating few weeks some seventy years ago. In the end, "Triumph" is a triumph--a page-turning narrative that illuminates what happens when sports and geopolitics collide on a world stage.
Customer Reviews:
An Amazing History Lesson.......2007-04-10
Take a trip back to the days of World War II in this historical account of Jesse Owens and his trip to the Berlin Olympics.
Good History lesson.......2007-03-31
Very good history lesson. The book flows well and gives a good account of what America and the world was like during Mr. Owen's life. Would encourage the reading of Triumph
Pure Gold!!!.......2007-03-26
Mr. Schaap has sifted through the myth and legend of Jesse Owens and the Berlin Olympics and given us a compelling account of these extraordinary games. He presents a balanced account of the man and athlete Mr. Owens was, from his humble beginnings in Alabama to his record setting Olympic performance. He sets the tone early by recounting the legendary day of days in Ann Arbor when Mr. Owens achieved one of the greatest athletic accomplishments of all time by tying one and setting FOUR WORLD RECORDS in the span of one hour. He takes us through the politics of race and the olympics. He transports us back to a moment in time when the world was on the precipice of war. For such a small book this is A STUNNING ACHIEVEMENT!!!
A 20th century Sport Hero.......2007-03-19
Sport stories tend to be puffed up and dry. This story lifted out of the early days of WW2 brings to the reader "in living color" the true stry of Jesse James. I had the good fortune of meeting him on two occasions and there was never a finer gentleman than Jesse Owens.
Jack Vax
Fantastic ! Page turner!.......2007-03-17
This is a wonderfully written book. It sounds cliche, but I really couldn't put it down!
Book Description
From Quentin Tarantino (Kill Bill) to Eli Roth (Hostel), the young guns of modern Hollywood just can't get enough of that exploitation film high. Between 1970 and 1985, American Exploitation movies went berserk. With censorship relaxed, excess, wide-open, horror - the Exploitation genre par excellence - offered a vibrant alternative to mainstream American cinema. Luridly titled wonders like The Headless Eyes, Scream Bloody Murder and Hitch Hike To Hell played at Texas drive-ins and NYC grindhouses, touting a combination of mind-bruising violence, weird sex and drug-soaked delirium. Massively popular around the world, these movies have remained persona non grata in most serious studies of American film, until now. • Explores the development of America's subterranean horror film industry • Spotlights the wildest films • Revealing the fascinating true stories behind classics and obscurities
Customer Reviews:
NIGHTMARE USA THE BIBLE OF HORROR AND EXPLOITATION.......2007-10-01
I'm gonna keep this short and sweet.Any fan of horror and exploitation,and also obscure material,should have this book! 528 pages of pure beauty I just can't say enough about this awesome book! So shell out the 60 bux or so for this gem! Trust me you will not disappointed!Splatterbeast is a happy beast thanks to nightmare usa!
More Than I Hoped For.......2007-09-29
I read about Nightmare, USA: The Untold Story of the Exploitation Independents by Stephen Thrower online on several discussion forums. I had not heard of the book before, but was intrigued by the subject. Though expensive it is worth every penny. With long interviews of filmmakers, restrospectives of their work, detailed reviews of the movies and extensive use of pictures, many unseen before, this is a great add to anyone's film library. The subjects chosen have rarely been profiled or even discussed before, though many of the films are cult classics.
At over 500 pages and weighing almost five pounds this is an excellent book that will fill many hours with great reading.
Excellent, astounding and fun........2007-09-29
Consistently thoughtful, funny, appreciative of the material but never solemn, Thrower's book gleefully mines the dross pile and finds gold on every page. There is no snootiness here, as in a great many other genre books, no sense of superiority to the material. But there's no blindness to substandard acting, low-ball production values or whacked-out results, either. Don't let the gigantic size of the tome put you off. Any given chapter is a self-contained, independent joy to read on its own, well-researched, insightful and amusing. Full disclosure: Stephen interviewed me at length for the chapter on director Irv Berwick (and quoted me accurately, too.) Highly reccommended to anyone interested in exploitation, horror, or film history in general.
GREAT!.......2007-09-29
I bought this book without having seen it and having only heard reviews of it. WOW! I was NOT disappointed. If you are a fan of drive-in and grindhouse movies you owe it to yourself to pick up this book. As a graphic designer, I am equally impressed with the number of great "never before seen" photos included. I've heard rumors of a volume 2... If there is, I will buy that without hesitation as well. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Believe the hype- truly outstanding........2007-09-01
Good lord, what an amazing piece of work. Worth its (considerable) weight in gold, this is a steal at $80, and a shameful screwing of the publisher at the $50 Amazon is selling it for. One caveat, though: I got my copy from Amazon, and it arrived looking a bit dogeared.
Average customer rating:
- On a 20th Century Footing
- the whole story
- Racy, readable, delightful.
- Flawed, like the man
- Fascinating book
|
The Fellowship: The Untold Story of Frank Lloyd Wright and the Taliesin Fellowship
Roger Friedland , and
Harold Zellman
Manufacturer: Harper
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 General
| Architects, A-Z
| Architecture
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Wright, Frank Lloyd
| Architects, A-Z
| Architecture
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Artists, Architects & Photographers
| Arts & Literature
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
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Death in a Prairie House: Frank Lloyd Wright and the Taliesin Murders
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Loving Frank: A Novel
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The Fountainheads: Wright, Rand, the FBI and Hollywood
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Frank Lloyd Wright The Houses
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Reflections from the Shining Brow: My Years With Frank Lloyd Wright and Olgivanna Lazovich
ASIN: 0060393882
Release Date: 2006-08-22 |
Book Description
Frank Lloyd Wright was renowned during his life not only as an architectural genius, but as a subject of controversy—from his radical design innovations to his turbulent private life, including the notorious mass murder that occurred at his Wisconsin estate, Taliesin, in 1914. Yet, as this landmark new book reveals, that estate also gave rise to one of the most fascinating and provocative experiments in American cultural history: the Taliesin Fellowship, an extraordinary architectural colony where Wright trained hundreds of devoted apprentices, while using them as the de facto architectural practice where all of his late masterpieces—Fallingwater, Johnson Wax, the Guggenheim Museum—were born.
A decade in the making, The Fellowship draws on hundreds of new and unpublished interviews, along with countless unseen documents from the Wright archives, to create a captivating portrait of Taliesin and the three mercurial figures at its center: Wright, his imperious wife Olgivanna Hinzenberg, and her spiritual master, the Greek-Armenian mystic Georgi Gurdjieff. Authors Roger Friedland and Harold Zellman reveal how the idealistic community of Taliesin became a kind of fiefdom, where young apprentices were both inspired and manipulated by the architect and his wife. They trace the decades-long war of wills between Wright and Olgivanna, in which organic architecture was pitted against esoteric spiritualism in a struggle for the soul of Taliesin. They chronicle Wright's perennial battles with clients, bankers, and the government, which suspected him of both communist and fascist sympathies. And through it all they tell the stories of Wright's devoted apprentices—many of them gay men—who found an uncertain refuge in the architect's Wisconsin and Arizona compounds, and who helped the master realize his dreamlike architectural visions, often at great personal cost.
Epic in scope yet intimate in its detail, The Fellowship is an unforgettable story of genius and ego, sex and violence, mysticism and utopianism—a magisterial work of biography that will forever change how we think about Frank Lloyd Wright and his world.
Customer Reviews:
On a 20th Century Footing.......2007-08-16
The 20th Century was to have been the era of transformation in which the human race, and indeed human nature itself was to be wholly revised and repaired. There were as many different formulas as there were thinkers and doers. From Lenin to the Ayatollahs, everyone had a plan to bring paradise back from the lost and found. It hardly needs to be said that all of the various visions found themselves at war with each other. More than 100 million people died in the ensuing competition.
Frank Lloyd Wright thought that transformation would be a natural result of living in a dwelling that conformed with his ideas of "organic architecture". The dwelling would be properly sited in a non-urban, highly programmed, planned community. He hated cities.
In the Taliesin Fellowship, Wright had the opportunity to operate his vision the way a model railroad enthusiast operates a miniature transportation network. The results are instructive. The story is a most entertaining read and well told by the authors, Roger Friedland and Harold Zellman. The writing is excellent. The narrative has everything: sex, power, ego, mysticism, a grand vision, vivid characters, tragedy and madness.
Frank Lloyd Wright has been called the greatest architect of the 20th Century. He may be. It will remain an article of debate for as long as people care about 20th Century building. There is no debate that he lived in interesting times. The Taliesin Fellowship is an excellent mirror in which to glimpse both some of the glory and some of the horror of that time.
the whole story.......2007-08-02
Like many former apprentices I learned much more about Olgivanna
than I knew from my own contact during the time I was apprenticed at
Taliesin. It never occurred to me that she was indeed cruel--I just thought she was
FLLW's means to keep himself free of the logistics of housekeeping.
He never expressed much liking for the mystic Gurjieff, and Olgivanna set up the school
following Wright's death which spelled the demise of Wright's ideas in favor of the mystic.
I am sorry that the existing remnants of the Fellowship at Taliesin
seem to have prevailed in denying this exposition. The idolization of
Olgivanna persists!
The book reveals it all and is a great read!
Bill Patrick
Racy, readable, delightful........2007-07-03
What fun this book is! I could hardly put it down. A fascinating, almost embarrassingly readable entree into a group of brilliant, talented and contradictory people who literally changed the face of America. Frank Lloyd Wright comes across as a conflicted and rather scary genius who attracted star-struck acolytes prepared to put up with his mercurial humors; his family and entourage are equally vividly brought to life, as is the fascinating intellectual and artistic spirit of the times in which Wright's unique vision was born and developed. Some critics claim that sources are not cited - not true, they are, dozens of pages of them, but you don't realize they're there until you've finished the book (no callouts in the main text). Treat yourself to this one, you're almost certain to love it, and learn from it too.
Flawed, like the man.......2007-06-14
If you liked muckraking author Seymour Hirsch's sensationalist book about the Kennedy Administration, "The Dark Side of Camelot", then you'll lover "The Fellowship". If you would prefer an objective, concise, and balanced review of Mr. Wright's architecture as well as his personal life, then you would be better served by reading the revered architectural critic Ada Louise Huxtable's recent book, "Frank Lloyd Wright", from the "Penguin Lives" series of biographies. Ms. Huxtable is both a Pulitzer Prize winner and a MacArthur Fellow, which puts her credibility head and shoulders above the authors of "The Fellowship", one of whom sounds like he could be a disciple of Gurdjieff himself.
Fascinating book.......2007-06-12
Not only did this book teach me a lot about architecture, it also presented a highly entertaining soap opera about an incredible bunch of people. Fun read.
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