Amazon.com
Amid his efforts to expose the Russian mob, Robert I. Friedman learned from the FBI that "the most brilliant and savage Russian mob organization in the world" had put a $100,000 price on his head. Reading Red Mafiya, it's not hard to see why: this is a brave book about a troubling subject. Friedman, a freelance journalist, describes the research behind it: "I ventured into the Russians' gaudy strip clubs in Miami Beach; paid surprise visits to their well-kept suburban homes in Denver; interviewed hit men and godfathers in an array of federal lockups; and traveled halfway around the world trying to make sense of their tangled criminal webs, which have ensnared everyone from titans of finance and the heads of government to entire state security services." Their racket involves heroin smuggling, weapons trafficking, mass extortion, and casino operation, among other activities. "Blending financial sophistication with bone-crunching violence, the Russian mob has become the FBI's most formidable criminal adversary, creating an international criminal colossus that has surpassed the Colombian cartels, the Japanese Yakuzas, the Chinese triads, and the Italian Mafia in wealth and weaponry," writes Friedman. They've even penetrated professional hockey, as Friedman shows in an eye-opening chapter ("Federal authorities have come to fear that the NHL is now so compromised by Russian gangsters that the integrity of the game itself may be in jeopardy").
Red Mafiya benefits from a breezy narrative in detailing a master criminal operation whose influence on the United States is growing rapidly. Russian mobsters already have siphoned off millions of dollars in foreign aid meant to prop up their country's economy--and they may have a more direct impact on American national security concerns in the years ahead: "The Russian mob virtually controls their nuclear-tipped former superpower," writes Friedman. Now, there's a scary thought. Lifting the Iron Curtain seems to have been a mixed blessing: it let freedom in, and organized crime out. --John J. Miller
Book Description
"In North America alone there are now thirty Russian crime syndicates operating in at least seventeen U.S. cities, most notably New York, Miami, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Denver. The Russians have already pulled off the largest jewelry heist and insurance Medicare frauds in American history, with a net haul exceeding $1 billion. They have invaded North America's financial markets, orchestrating complex stock scams, allegedly laundering billions of dollars through the Bank of New York, and coolly infiltrating the business and real estate worlds.
"The Russians didn't come here to enjoy the American dream," New York state tax agent Roger Berger says glumly. "They came here to steal it." -From the Introduction From an award-winning investigative journalist comes an astonishing exposi of Russian organized crime, its growing power in the United States, and its terrifying implications for the rest of the world.
In the past decade, from Brighton Beach to Moscow, Toronto to Hong Kong, the Russian mob has become the world's fastest-growing criminal superpower. Trafficking in prostitutes, heroin, and missiles, the mafiya poses an enormous threat to global stability and safety. The black-market corruption of the Brezhnev era proved the perfect breeding ground for organized crime. Beginning in the 1970s, Soviet ?migr?s--including a large number of felons and murderers the USSR was happy to get rid of--began arriving in the United States and quickly established themselves as a major criminal force in New York, Las Vegas, and elsewhere. But it was the breakup of the Soviet Union that made the
Russian mob what it is today. In a weakened, impoverished Russia, it quickly became the dominant power. And it has now spread to every corner of the United States, infiltrating its banks and brokerage firms--and American law enforcement is just waking up to this enormous problem. No journalist in the world knows more about the Russian mob in America than Robert Friedman. At great risk to himself, he has made connections with a number of top criminals who have gone on record about their activities for the first time. The result of his discoveries is a revelation: the Red Mafiya is everywhere. The implications--for law enforcement, the economy, foreign policy, for the American people themselves--are staggering."
Customer Reviews:
Good information, poorly organized.......2007-10-04
An account of the Russian Mafiya is an daunting task that requires a great deal of research. While I have no doubt that many of the statements in this book are true, the book suffers from a terrible lack of organization. It seems as though Friedman decided to write this book in a stream-of-conscious format. The format problem is damaging to the credibility of the book because it can confuse readers.
The evolution of the Russian Mafiya, which is located at the conclusion of chapter 5, should really open the book. Instead, Friedman jumps right into a prison interview with little primer before the important text. The main thesis alleges that the KGB stashed much of the money after the fall in the Soviet Union in as many places as possible. Among these places was organized crime, which has been diversifying since the 1970's. The problem was exacerbated when the Soviet Union fell. And because many of these Russian are Jewish, they seek asylum in Israel.
One of the move informative chapters discusses the extortion practices that mafiya associates exhibited with Russian NHL player. The media seems woefully unaware of any problem. This chapter is toward the middle of the book, sandwiched between prison interviews, illegal schemes, and biographies of members. The format left me with little frame of reference or time line regarding this developing problem. The book could benefit from a return to an editor.
Very Factual and in NO WAY anti semitic........2007-08-07
Contrary to some of the comments mentioned by those giving this book low marks; this book is extremely accurate and in NO WAY anti semitic. Some stated that this book was anti semitic because it did not talk about the good side of the Russian-Jew Imagre. NEWS FLASH!!! This book is about the Russian Mob! The book is about BAD GUYS! Who says the author has to talk about the honest and good Russian-Jew imagre?? Secondly those who said the content was embellished or un-believable obviously do not have any knowledge on the subject of the Russian Mafia. Myself being involved in law enforcement at the state and federal level for 23 years, I can attest that nothing is sensationalized in this book. As for the person who claimed to have been written about in the book.. GIVE ME A BREAK!
for lack of "0" star option.......2007-04-29
Bottom line: this is not what you'd expect - 90's Russian mafia in the West stories. I was duped into... by the title 7 years ago... and pissed of by the good reviews which I saw now.
The great robbing of Russia and the spill-overs into the world have nothing to do with the hoodlum stories of this book.
Publishers do that: once a topic gets media attention... publish anything related.
CRAP!
Quite Shocking!.......2006-10-07
This is quite shocking of how the mafia is able to buy off members of both major political parties in the U.S. along with other Western nations such as Israel. I would also recommend reading Double Cross about Sam and Chuck Giancana the two mafia bosses whom had the Kennedys in their pockets.
Inciteful and Highly Readable.......2006-05-12
A real eye-opener. Friedman writes about some pretty ruthless, cruel people. I don't know how the author could have possibly obtained all the information that he did; he is a brave man. I hope he's still alive, and will be amazed if he is, given the nature of the people about whom he has written. Friedman describes Russian Mafiya types operating in Toronto, near to where I live -- very unnerving. Mind you, if you live in NYC, Miami, Denver, San Francisco or Los Angeles, you are not alone...
Book Description
Designed as an introduction to general economics for non-majors, Sharp/Register/Grimes’ text presents economic concepts as useful tools to analyze contemporary social issues. The book may also be used to supplement principles courses. The Economics of Social Issues has garnered a loyal user following for its timely and impartial handling of current social issues which dominate newspapers and television news. While the issues are contemporary and the supporting information updated, the authors remain objective.
Customer Reviews:
Good introduction to applied economics.......2006-12-04
This is an introductory policy economics book. The principal weakness of this book is that it does not give a solid explanation of economic theory, and it will probably be a bit basic for anyone who has taken even separate introductory courses in microeconomic and macroeconomic theory. The book appears to be designed to stand alone as introductory economics textbook for non-economics majors. What little (very little) economic theory is needed to understand this book is explained within, but it is not enough to meet even the needs of introductory class economics class for business or economics majors. Political science majors might find this book useful for giving them an introduction to the economic issues at hand in education, unemployment, free trade, government spending, social security, and other areas (such as the business of big sports). Importantly, the authors seem to come out with new editions often, so they are hopefully keeping up to date on the issues.
This book will give someone as solid a foundation as can be achieved wihtout really learning economic theory, which makes me think that it would be best for people studying a political or policy-related field. It could perhaps be used in a serious economics class, provided sources of more in depth information are also used.
Wrong Edition.......2005-07-06
I am supposed to get 16th edition, instead I received 15th edition. The book was completely changed from the previuos edition
outstanding introduction to economics.......1999-03-18
this is an outstanding book for those who want to know more, but not too much more, about economic thinking. modern examples and applications make the book easy to read, for a university text.
Book Description
People who are single are changing the face of America. Did you know that:
* More than 40 percent of the nation’s adults---over 87 million people---are divorced, widowed, or have always been single.
* There are more households comprised of single people living alone than of married parents and their children.
* Americans now spend more of their adult years single than married.
Many of today’s single people have engaging jobs, homes that they own, and a network of friends. This is not the 1950s---singles can have sex without marrying, and they can raise smart, successful, and happy children. It should be a great time to be single. Yet too often single people are still asked to defend their single status by an onslaught of judgmental peers and fretful relatives.
Prominent people in politics, the popular press, and the intelligentsia have all taken turns peddling myths about marriage and singlehood. Marry, they promise, and you will live a long, happy, and healthy life, and you will never be lonely again.
Drawing from decades of scientific research and stacks of stories from the front lines of singlehood, Bella DePaulo debunks the myths of singledom---and shows that just about everything you’ve heard about the benefits of getting married and the perils of staying single are grossly exaggerated or just plain wrong. Although singles are singled out for unfair treatment by the workplace, the marketplace, and the federal tax structure, they are not simply victims of this singlism. Single people really are living happily ever after.
Filled with bracing bursts of truth and dazzling dashes of humor, Singled Out is a spirited and provocative read for the single, the married, and everyone in between.
You will never think about singlehood or marriage the same way again.
Singled Out debunks the Ten Myths of Singlehood, including:
Myth #1: The Wonder of Couples: Marrieds know best.
Myth #3: The Dark Aura of Singlehood: You are miserable and lonely and your life is tragic.
Myth #5: Attention, Single Women: Your work won’t love you back and your eggs will dry up. Also, you don’t get any and you’re promiscuous.
Myth #6: Attention, Single Men: You are horny, slovenly, and irresponsible, and you are the scary criminals. Or you are sexy, fastidious, frivolous, and gay.
Myth #7: Attention, Single Parents: Your kids are doomed.
Myth #9: Poor Soul: You will grow old alone and you will die in a room by yourself where no one will find you for weeks.
Myth #10: Family Values: Let’s give all of the perks, benefits, gifts, and cash to couples and call it family values.
“With elegant analysis, wonderfully detailed examples, and clear and witty prose, DePaulo lays out the many, often subtle denigrations and discriminations faced by single adults in the U.S. She addresses, too, the resilience of single women and men in the face of such singlism. A must-read for all single adults, their friends and families, as well as social scientists and policy advocates.”
---E. Kay Trimberger, author of The New Single Woman
Customer Reviews:
ALLBOOKS REVIEWS.......2007-10-13
The hook lies on the front cover of the book jacket: "How singles are stereotyped, stigmatized, and ignored, and still live Happily Ever After". In Singled Out, Dr. DePaulo debunks the American "Matrimania" myths in a logical, scientific manner that's (thankfully) peppered with plenty of anecdotal humor and written in a loose, non-academic style that makes for an easy, enjoyable read.
DePaulo starts out by showing us how prejudice against singles has played out in history and then goes on to debunk the claims of Waite & Galligher, scientifically demonstrating how their erroneous claims that married folks are happier, healthier, live longer, and even have more frequent and more enjoyable sex were founded on biases studies and statistics. She discusses the fact that society equates marriage with validation. And how about the perks and benefits of most government entitlements, such as Social Security? Or running for political office? Up for a promotion? . . . Well, your chances are certainly better if you're married. DePaulo humorously shows how TV shows, magazines, and even talk shows tout the Holy Grail of Marriage--with the wedding ceremony as the ultimate climax in life. She uses the acronym BLAME to describe society's view of singles: Bitter, Loveless, Alone, Miserable, and Envious. Whoa! Does that spark a vision of the ol' "Lonely Hearts Club" or what? Seems the gist of the media message is that single equals lonely. Singles are portrayed as immature and self-centered. Self-centered, asks DePaulo? How about the debauchery of weddings? How self-centered is that?
In her bio, Dr. DePaulo, a social psychologist who did her graduate work at Harvard, is single and Living Happily Ever After in California--certainly qualified to write Single Out. She invites you to visit her website at www.belladepaulo.com In the final analysis, I'd say this book is a "must read" if you're single and you've been made to feel bad about it by society. And even if you're not, it's a terrific, informative, and even entertaining book. I'll give you one word to prove that Dr. DePaulo is right on? . . . Oprah.
Recommended by reviewer: Jan Evan Whitford, Allbooks Reviews
A great consciousness-raiser.......2007-10-05
I just finished this book (which I had checked out from the library) and plan to purchase a copy for re-reading. Recently and very unexpectedly divorced after nearly 30 years of marriage, this book came into my life at the perfect time. I (embarrassingly) recognized myself within the pages as one of those who had unknowingly had the cultural advantages and self-satisfied attitudes of couplehood/marriage.
This book has taken me to a new level of awareness and understanding of society's subtle (and not so subtle) messages about people who are single by choice or by circumstance. Ms. DePaulo's writing is clear, insightful, and humorous. (I found her humor in turns wry, sly, and playful, not at all sarcastic or bitter.) She is right-on in her analysis of cultural views of both singlehood and coupledom.
Aided by the perspective of this book, I am no longer simply accepting life as a single, but looking forward to creating a future as rich, fulfilling, and compassionate as possible. I now view my unexpected singlehood as a blessing that allows me to direct my love and energies into new avenues, including deepening my friendships and providing community service. This book has dramatically redirected my outlook.
Somewhat disappointing.......2007-08-01
A friend sent me DePaulo's chapter headings and they are hilarious! I looked forward to reading her book as an interesting exploration of the devaluation of singlehood. The book's concept is thought provoking. The writing, however, is sarcastic (to the detriment of DePaulo's message), at times embittered, and sometimes tedious (e.g., she'll describe at length another writer's work and then pick it apart bit by bit; she could have instead made her point more clearly and persuasively if she wasn't just reacting to other material). All in all, I was disappointed.
"Don't worry, honey, your turn to divorce will come....".......2007-06-23
DePaulo's book is brilliant, but it made me so angry. Angry at how many couples (from here on, "marrieds") stereotype, stigmatize, and ignore singles, of course! I already knew that marrieds feel sorry for singles because they're "incomplete," "lonely," and "unfulfilled." But not everyone wants the same thing, not everyone wants the conventional, predictable married life. I enjoy solitute tremendously, and marriage has never been my life goal. I'd rather focus on my career, which is more fulfilling than any relationship I've had. I also enjoy traveling on the weekends whenever I want, spending my money how I want, hanging out with single friends (fortunately I still have several of them). Most marrieds don't plan a weekend to go visit a good college friend (well, maybe they will if it's a couple and not merely a single person) and spend money "selfishly" on food, entertainment, and going to take photographs of old nuclear power plants or other unique trips. Does this mean I'm not grown up? no! It means I know what I like to do, so I do it. It's that simple. I feel like I have to put so much energy into defending my contented state, while marrieds are assumed to be content (although I know that isn't always the case, especially since marriage ends in divorce half the time).
I am almost 26 so it's still "acceptable" for me to be single, but people still ask why I don't have a boyfriend. "Don't you want to get married one day?" "Are you dating anyone?" "Don't you want to have children?" "You're attractive, why aren't you with anyone?" (there must be something wrong with you!) I used to feel inferior when asked those kinds of questions, especially in college when people were frantically getting engaged, much like a Baskin Robbins gets raided on the day they sell ice cream for 31 cents per scoop. Better get some before it runs out, ya know. But gradually, I became confident in my singleness by my junior year. This book really reinforced my feelings and it was as if DePaulo was reading my mind for most of it. Especially the chapter about why anybody should CARE if we're single of not? Get a life, marrieds..perhaps you should worry about decreasing your divorce rate instead.
I also liked the part criticizing how society gives a hard time to singles who still live with their parents. I still live with mine but am not "mooching" off them. I pay rent, my car payments, my car insurance, my phone bill, my college loans, and other expenses. I am saving up for my own condo (not because it screams "Single person!" but because it's the only thing I can afford in my area). I have a good relationship with my parents and I give a lot back to the economy, much like the Japanese women. I know that I go out and have a social life more than a lot of marrieds I know. And I'm not going out just to look for a husband either, grrrrr!
I have a good male friend in his late 30s. Some people have asked me if he's ever been married. When I answer No, one of them remarked, "There must be something wrong with him." Actually, there isn't. He just doesn't believe that marriage would improve his life. It's overrated and not a "fix-all" solution. He likes being single! He's happy being single. Is that so difficult to understand? Apparently, it is.
Sure, sometimes I think it would be nice to be married, to have that one person who is supposed to be your best friend, lover, etc. But I'm not going to go around actively looking for it because it's not worth it. If it happens, it happens, but I know I wouldn't mind being single for the rest of my life. I don't need another person to make me feel complete. I'm not going to waste time obsessively searching for the right person (dating is much more of a waste than being contentedly single). Ooh, I must be bitter with this attitude! Sometimes I am, but usually I just think, why try to change my life when I love how it is right now? And marriage could also make my life much worse - you never know if it will work out or not, and you could end up devastated by infidelity, abuse, etc (also true in serious unmarried relationships, i know, but people generally have higher expectations of a fairytale perfect marriage, especially with all that commitment). I know a few married men at work who are cheating on their spouses. Obviously, not all marrieds even respect marriage. How then, can this type of person look down on singles as inferior?
I was especially disgusted with Chris Matthews' treatment of Nader. How dare he imply that because Nader did not consume as much as the marrieds (such as no house, no car), that he was less of a person, less responsible? He is really a thousand more times responsible than Newt Gingrich or Bill Clinton, who have made a mess of their marital relationships. Nader is responsible enough to never embarrass a wife (or any other woman, for that matter) on international television. HE never made a mockery of the all-important marriage as others have done. And he is environmentally responsible for not owning a car because, wow!, he doesn't need one, which makes perfect sense (although not to Matthews). Singles rarely get credit for their accomplishments. I admire him and politicians like Condi Rice all the more because of their singleness.
How are people more "grown up" just because they're married? Nineteen year olds get married and are no more grown up than 19 year old singles. In fact, I argue that 19 years old marrieds are much more stupid and insecure than singles their age.
Have to mention one more thing. Once I was invited on a weekend trip where I would be set up with some guy. But I immediately turned it down because I was buying my new car that weekend. An organizer of the trip then asked me, "Which would you rather have, a new boyfriend or a new car?"
"A new car." Of course. I needed a car, but I didn't need a boyfriend...and still don't.
Singe Edition.......2007-06-13
I had been anticipating the arrival of Bella DePaulo's book for months and read it within a day upon receiving it. Ms. Depaulo could not have said it better when she indicates that not all singles are desperately waiting to be rescued by a mate. In fact many are completely satisfied in their solo state while those who are married may not necessarily be fulfilled. Increasingly individuals are choosing to remain single and Ms. Depaulo helps shatter the stereotypical portrait that has been painted. Bookstores today are replete with kitschy chic lit tales, dating propaganda or stories that glorify mommies but Singled Out is a power piece that raises the individual to the positive and realistic rank they merit. I am thankful for the contribution Ms. Depaulo has made and applaud the sincere and courageous stance she has made in putting forth her writings.
Sherri Langburt
Amazon.com
This startling look at desperate, drug-addled inner-city lives ranks as one of the grittiest--and best--examinations of underclass America available. Like Alex Kotlowitz's There Are No Children Here and Leon Dash's Rosa Lee, The Corner shines light on a horrific subculture of addiction, crime, dependency, and violence. Authors David Simon (who wrote Homicide, the book that inspired the TV series of the same name) and Edward Burns (a former cop) are muckraking reporters who operate in the finest tradition of American journalism. They spent an entire year on the corner of Fayette and Monroe in West Baltimore, getting to know its open-air drug market and its people. Although the authors present strong evidence that the so-called war on drugs cannot be won, The Corner has no political agenda. It is simply a powerful testament to the bleak situation confronting many urban neighborhoods. At once deeply unsettling and extremely rewarding, this humane book deserves a wide audience.
Book Description
West Baltimore, Fayette and Monroe: the corner. On this forgotten intersection, the American dream has crumbled to a nightmare. Here, the full price of the drug culture is being paid--yet, surprisingly, it can also be a place of hope, caring, and love.
This extraordinary book tells the searing true story of one year in the life of an inner-city neighborhood.
Written by David Simon, the award-winning author of
Homicide, and Edward Burns, a former police detective, it follows a handful of people who must struggle mightily just to survive--let alone escape--the drug market that fuels their world. At the center of the narrative is fifteen-year-old DeAndre McCullough. DeAndre's parents, Gary and Fran, were once poised, against all odds, to pull themselves up and out of West Baltimore. But when they themselves stumble and then succumb to the corner's temptations, DeAndre's future hangs in the balance. Smart and streetwise, he is both drawn to and wary of the drug trade that flourishes beyond his rowhouse steps. Can he rise above his parents' addiction, or will he, too, become a casualty of the corner?
In telling the story of DeAndre and his broken family, Simon and Burns open up the complex world of the corner and its unforgettable characters. It's a place of predators and their prey, of slingers and touts, of stickup boys and shooting gallery nurses, of ambivalent police, helpless users, and innocent bystanders. But it is also, incredibly, a place of fragile hope. Fat Curt, an aging drug tout, remembers the corner as a kinder place, and tries to protect his customers from weak or dangerous product. R.C., a troubled teenager, finds refuge from his chaotic life within the basketball court's magic boundaries. Ella, a longtime resident, runs the recreation center for the corner's children, shielding them as best she can from what lies outside the playground's chain-link fence. Amid so much desperation, decency still flickers, poignantly, across the corner's blasted landscape.
More vividly than any recent book,
The Corner captures an America of which many of us are only dimly aware. Through the prism of just one desolate crossroads, Simon and Burns offer chilling assessments of why law enforcement policies, moral crusades, and the welfare system have done so little for our inner cities. Deeply moving and unflinchingly real,
The Corner will forever alter our view of the so-called war on drugs, even as it compels us to look deep into the hearts and minds of all those who live in America's abandoned places.
Customer Reviews:
A look into a very real world.......2007-09-06
I bought the book after I was absolutely enthralled by the mini-series. The book and movie both give you a very emotionally capturing look into the world of the drug corners of every inner city ghetto. In the book's case, it focuses on life in the most dangerous ones of Baltimore, homicide capital of the USA. The book is a stunningly accurate portrayal of a world that is often forgotten, neglected or never talked about.
So far I would say the book is even better than the mini-series as it contains much more detailed information, many new stories, and the world of the corner through the eyes of many new perspectives that are only briefly mentioned in the mini-series movie.
A Very Important Book.......2007-06-23
I think everyone in the United States should read this book. The authors put the reader on a West Baltimore corner looking at it through a first person perspective. I don't think we can understand our society and the policies we try to implement unless we understand the people these policies are directed towards. This book puts a face on the truly poor, the drug addicts, and those trapped on the brutal drug corners of many cities. The book shows the reader how so often the policies adopted by elected officials and idealogues miss the point and end up failing. When we understand the lives of those of the bottom, only then can we help them.
Unique learning experience.......2007-05-21
I just finished reading The Corner for my bookclub and truly enjoyed it. Although it took a while for me to get into the book I felt more and more connected to the characters, learned about ghetto culture and understandood more the drug addict's lifestyle as the book progressed.
In The Corner, opportunities were both a curse and a blessing. Gary having a job at the [...] place was good because he didn't have to do any dangerous capers. But having so much money fueled his addiction. When Fran was clean, she began to have hope for her family and her own future. But she then became very disconnected from most of her familiar life, and, in turn, very lonely and unhappy.
What was clear to me is that the social structures have to be available for people. I don't think we can spend too much in this area. Every piece should be there even if they don't all work perfectly. The educational system and the justice system, which are deeply flawed served an important purpose. DeAndre was deterred from the streets out of fear of going back to the juv. detention center. Tyreeka was able to make something of her life via higher education. Access to the homeless program, drug rehab and social programs were essential stepping stones to Blue's and Fran's long term rehabilitation.
By the time i finished the book, I felt connected to the folks on the corner, less judgemental and sympathetic to them and their daily struggles to survive.
Breathtaking.......2007-04-24
Books don't get much more powerful or moving than this.
The premise is simple--Baltimore Sun reporter Simon (who's lately been earning acclaim as the driving force behind HBO's "The Wire" which takes place in the same area). spent a year living on or around one of the busiest drug markets in Baltimore and reports what he learned. In doing so, he tells the stories of the people who inhabit this world, street pushers, kids trying (although often not that hard) to stay straight and the parents who worry about them, when they're not too busy trying to score their next fix. The stories are harrowing--from people who spend their days cashing in scrap metal for cash to earn their next fix to families sharing one small bedroom in a shooting gallery. Pretty much everybody is hoping for a change in fortunes, but the book offers few happy endings. In spite of this, its a fascinating glimpse of a world where most of Simon's readers will never go.
The narrative is occasionally broken up by Simon's musings about the war on drugs. No matter where you fall on the political spectrum, its hard to disagree with Simon's belief that the war has failed, at least in his little corner of the world. There's a particularly powerful passage near the end where Simon flat out shatters the Horatio Alger myths that many middle-class suburbanites cling to, particularly the idea that should they find themselves in that situation, they'd simply apply a little Puritan gumption and work their way out their unfortunate circumstances. In the end, he doesn't offer any solutions and precious little hope.
Yet, the people who live there are more than mindless junkies. They're human, with hopes and dreams and stories to tell. Perhaps Simon's greatest achievement is the way in which he employs his sharp eye and powers of observation to paint a wholly three-dimensional and, given the circumstances, refreshingly non-judgmental picture of a community in deep decline.
In the end, its an amazing powerful read, one that will leave readers deeply affected and likely having shed at least a couple of tears along the way.
Satisfying and heartbreaking. That's how you know it is real........2007-02-18
David Simon and Ed Burns studied a typical inner-city American neighborhood over the course of a year in 1993 and this book is the journalistic enterprise that reports on what they learned. We are presented with a West Baltimore universe that could be, and most likely is, representative of any city's neighborhood that has two things: poverty and open-air drug markets. We are presented with the experiences of those involved in that drug culture and those still trying to live among it while doing what they think is right.
It is a satisfying read in that you never get the sense that you are not getting the real deal. And that is the singular reason that it is so heartbreaking. To see people give so much to get out of the hell that they are in and fail again and again is almost too much to bear. You may not be able to contain your tears when you discover the final fate of Gary McCullough. You understand why this was the only way that it could have ended for him and the fact that you understand why just breaks your heart. This book is not supposed to be hopeless and it definitely is not. The authors make it pretty clear that there is a way out of this and it is certainly not what we are doing now. Until we can see these people involved in the "War on Drugs" as human beings we haven't even gone through the first step. When all we are willing to do is cut welfare and build more prisons we, and by we I mean all of us in America, are doomed.
The most interesting aspect of this book are the chapter parts that sometime show up that are essentially a set of facts that elucidate the part that just happened and the ones to come. These facts apply to West Baltimore but can be generalized to any inner-city drug culture. They are very eye opening and beautifully allow you to look at things in a way that you never even thought of before. These make the lives of all of these people make so much sense but the sense is senseless. As Ella Thompson likes to say: "It just doesn't make sense." But it does and she knows this. It is just that the knowledge is too painful.
Book Description
The first and possibly the greatest sociological study of poverty in 19th-century London. Mayhew and his collaborators explored hundreds of miles of London streets in the 1840s and 1850s, gathering thousands of pages of testimony from the city's humblest residents. A classic reference source for sociologists, historians, and criminologists.
Customer Reviews:
View into the underbelly of Victorian England.......2007-10-23
The book is heavily referenced in Theodore Dalrymple's "Life at the Bottom" and due to the impact of that work, I placed an order for Mayhew's classic work.
Personally, for a survey of the side of London that Merchant Ivory films tend to miss, this book isn't the way to go.
Ideally, this should be a resource for Sociologists like Dalrymple or perhaps criminologists.
The extensive statistics and, frankly, difficult to decipher language of that time, make for a tedious read for the layperson.
Book Description
For over forty years in more than sixty countries, Raymond Baker has witnessed the free-market system operating illicitly and corruptly, with devastating consequences. In Capitalism’s Achilles Heel, Baker takes readers on a fascinating journey through the global free-market system and reveals how dirty money, poverty, and inequality are inextricably intertwined. Readers will discover how small illicit transactions lead to massive illegalities and how staggering global income disparities are worsened by the illegalities that permeate international capitalism. Drawing on his experiences, Baker shows how Western banks and businesses use secret transactions and ignore laws while handling some $1 trillion in illicit proceeds each year. He also illustrates how businesspeople, criminals, and kleptocrats perfect the same techniques to shift funds and how these tactics negatively affect individuals, institutions, and countries.
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PRAISE FOR CAPITALISM'S ACHILLES HEEL ""The corrosive effects of bribery, money laundering, tax evasion, and fraudulent transfer pricing need to be analyzed and explained. Raymond Baker, a pioneer in this research, shows how illicit funds move through world financial systems and lead to increased corruption, poor distribution of resources, and damage to the rule of law. I hope his passion for the subject will inspire others to delve into the legal, economic, and social consequences of dirty money and what must be done to stop it."" -Senator Carl Levin, (D-Michigan), Ranking Member, Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations ""In today's world, expanded trade relationships and rapid advances in communication technology foster opportunities for greater political freedom, economic growth, and higher living standards around the world. These developments also create new vulnerabilities for the international financial system. This book takes a look at these challenges head on and makes an important contribution to the public debate."" -Senator Charles Grassley, (R-Iowa), Chairman, Senate Finance Committee ""This groundbreaking book will open your eyes to two things: how illegal money is shifted out of poor countries into rich countries and how these illegal flows add to poverty, misery, and inequality in poor countries themselves. Can this be stopped when those in power think they are benefiting? Public pressure, as was focused on slavery two centuries ago, is the first step toward change."" -Branko Milanovic, Economist, World Bank and author of Worlds Apart
Customer Reviews:
required reading.......2007-01-13
Working in the financial sector in emerging markets, this was a fascinating shot across the bows. It should be required reading for anyone potentially involved in the effects of flight capital. This relates not to illegal movements but also to the legal (but immoral?) movement of money from poor countries to rich country priavte bank accounts.
The machanisms by which poor countries remain poor, while benefitting banks in rich countries makes for worriesome reading. Highly recommended.
a naive look at the "shadow economy".......2006-11-13
After graduating from Harvard's Business School in the 60s, Raymond Baker spent some time in Africa, and is clearly unhappy with the continent's progress, or perhaps more accurately lack of progress, since then.
If you would believe Baker, the reason for much of this poverty is the corruption and shadow economy that plague much of Africa and South America, and he does indeed describe some of the manifestations of this plague, such as the Abachas. All the same, I was disappointed by this book, because I feel that it only superficially addresses these problems. South Korea was once a rather backward country with a rather opaque business world, and yet it has made leaps and strides towards becoming an industrialized country, while other countries in the same position went backwards. Ireland went from being a somewhat backward country most known for its exports of emigrants to a booming country whose economy is growing at 6% per annum without organizing UN conferences on tax evasion. Unfortunately, Baker doesn't touch on possible explanations for the fact that some countries could overcome their "Achilles Heel" while others stagnated.
Similarly, he insists that the rampant tax avoidance and tendency to stash money overseas and the like cause the corruption in Africa; could it not be that the corruption, arbitrary taxation and confiscation of goods account for the habit of avoiding exorbitant taxes and keeping one's savings overseas? If Italy is any guide, Baker is confusing cause and effect of the problems he describes. How did Dubai, once much poorer than Africa, and endowed with little oil become such a prosperous emirate? Not by whining about corruption and the like, but by establishing a pro-business business environment and letting the market work its magic. Unfortunately Baker neglects this Cinderella story that doesn't support the thesis of his book. Singapore too, with its similar history, goes unmentioned. This isn't to say that Baker doesn't identify some very real problems, but rather that the cures he has to offer may actually be worse than the disease. I feel that this book ought to be read with much caution.
Round Up the Usual Suspects.......2006-04-04
This book distorts the corruption problem in developing countries by lumping it in with tax evasion. Little is said about government officials helping themselves to the public treasury in Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Middle East and Eastern Europe. The book only touches that issue to blame Western banks for accepting their deposits. Yet U.S. banks are subject to harsh penalties for accepting ill-gotten funds. Criminal as well as civil penalties are imposed on bankers who don't get the point, which means imprisonment and/or fines from personal assets. I hoped this book would propose practical solutions for improving this enforcement. Instead, it effuses on fear and greed, pointing the finger only where the market for anti-capitalism literature can bear. (I have no affiliation with banks, just grasping for solutions.)
For example, the author equates transfer pricing with tax evasion. Since every product is made in more than one country these days, there is always room for discussion about where income was earned and thus where income tax is owed. Developing countries often have tax rates in excess of 70%. Their officials frequently do not expect these rates to be paid-they use them to extort bribes with impunity. In countries where prices are negotiable, people are not shocked when government fees and regulations are negotiable. While this impoverishes the public treasury, local managers adapt (albeit stifled). U.S. managers cannot play this game because they are scrutinized under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. They cannot circumvent 70% tax rates by paying bribes, so they use transfer pricing to create some sort of system integrity in an environment of overwhelming litigation risk.
Valuable and well-written sections of the book relate to traditional forms of "dirty money"-criminal and terrorist proceeds. The author has a very worthwhile goal--to staunch the flow of dirty money by unifying efforts to fight all its various forms. My only disappointment was the pursuit of this goal by "rounding up the usual suspects."
Baker shows how we have lost our way.......2006-03-03
Baker shows us how "maximizing profit" is a failed philosophy. Only by including Justice in our dealings with one another can we expect to create a decent, life-giving society. The one we have, he points out, is not working.
The day after finishing "Capitalism's Achilles Heel" I noticed a news item regarding the new cancer drug, "Avastin". The drug maker plans to charge $100,000 per year; citing the "inherent value of life-sustaining therapies". They said further that the health economics hold up "and therefore we don't see any reason for touching them".
A perfect example of Baker's revelation that "maximizing profit" is the operative principle in today's business dealings.
Dear reader, you need this book !
Useful account of crime and capital.......2006-03-01
This is a fascinating and deeply researched book by a businessman with experience across the world. Baker sums up, "Dirty money causes disaster for millions and deprivation for billions. No other economic condition generates so much harm for so many people. A system that continues to support such massive illegal flows, sustaining poverty, and contributing to historically high levels of global inequality, requires fundamental rethinking."
Multinational firms steal an estimated $500 billion a year from the peoples of Asia, Africa and Latin America. This can only happen with the connivance of the West's banks, which process the illicit gains.
Baker writes, "Intracompany trade across borders represents about 50 to 60 percent of all cross-border trade. I have never known a multinational, multibillion-dollar, multiproduct corporation that did not use fictitious transfer pricing in some part of its business to shift money between some of its entities."
Half of all international trade and investment passes through the world's 63 tax havens, including the Isle of Man, the Channel Isles, the Cayman Islands, Bermuda, the Bahamas, Cyprus, Malta, Gibraltar, Singapore and Hong Kong. Nearly half are members of the Commonwealth. They host about three million dummy corporations (500,000 in the Caribbean alone), holding possibly $11 trillion.
Foreign aid to Asia, Africa and Latin America is $50 billion a year, just a tenth of the amount plundered. These countries owe $1.5 trillion: the World Bank/IMF's Heavily Indebted Poor Countries' Initiative forgives only $50 billion of this, 3%.
How does the system `support such massive illegal flows'? For centuries the British ruling class, then the US ruling class too, have used the law to maximise capital's freedom. Lord Chief Justice Mansfield said in 1775, "No country ever takes notice of the revenue laws of another." So no capitalist state enforces the tax rules of another, opening the way to tax evasion.
Later, in 1929, the ruling in the case Egyptian Delta Land and Investment Co., Ltd. v Todd established the principle - for the entire British Empire - that companies could incorporate in Britain but avoid paying British tax. This allowed tax havens to sprout across the Commonwealth. Britain itself became a tax haven. As a French parliamentary committee reported in 2001, "Great Britain does not cooperate with European countries and offers a totally unacceptable haven for criminal funds."
Baker shows how the US state used English law as precedent: "Holes [were] intentionally left in anti-money laundering laws." These laws allow US banks to trade in the money generated by most kinds of crimes committed in other countries - prostitution, people smuggling and slave trading, for example.
Even after 9/11, the American Bankers' Association lobbied against tighter controls on bank accounts to curb terrorists' funds. So it is no surprise that 99.9% of anti-laundering efforts fail.
Liberal structures - the free movements of capital, goods and labour - suit capital best. By the same process, they aid crime and corruption. The freer capital is, the more lawless the host society will be. Free movement of capital also destroys national sovereignty and democratic accountability.
Baker shows how all capitalism's leading institutions are complicit in crime, but what does he say we should do about it? He urges us to press capitalism to put justice before profit. He writes, "There is no suggestion here that businesses should not be maximizing profits, operating efficiently, and competing. The point is much simpler: Capitalism should not place these aims ahead of justice in its institutions and transactions. Justice must be a prior condition."
Where is the evidence that capitalism could do this? It is idealist nonsense, sheer wishful thinking. As Lenin pointed out long ago, if capitalism could put justice before profit, it would not be capitalism.
Illegal money flows are not an unfortunate off-shoot of capitalism: they are integral to capitalism. Baker gives us enough evidence to convict capitalism as an unreformable, exploitative system, inevitably breeding crime and corruption.
Average customer rating:
- Fascinating plot inspired by true events
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Boy Kills Man
Matt Whyman
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ASIN: 0060746653
Release Date: 2006-08-01 |
Book Description
In the South American town of Medellín, where drug dealers rule and hope is scarce, young assassins are in large supply. Take Shorty and Alberto: two hardened best friends from poor homes whose biggest dream is to see a live soccer match. These boys understand that the one true power they will ever possess comes in the form of a fully loaded Smith & Wesson. Pulling the trigger may not be a way out . . . but it's the only way to the top.
Customer Reviews:
Fascinating plot inspired by true events.......2005-04-19
Sonny, aka Shorty, hasn't been in a classroom in years, and he spends his days doing odd jobs on the dangerous streets of Medellín, Colombia, South America. He and his best friend Alberto have a regular gig running cigarettes for a convenience-store owner, and in this line of work Alberto meets El Fantasma, a soft-spoken crime leader with a reputation for being merciless.
Soon after Alberto starts spending time away from Sonny, he shows up with a gun and fifty American dollars. Sonny knows Alberto is involved with something illegal, but rather than try to stop Alberto, he's intrigued with his friend's new secrecy and possessions. After all, the criminals in Medellín have better lives than everyone else. They have money and power and they know they're in control. Sonny, following Alberto's lead, convinces El Fantasma to take him on as an employee, specifically an assassin. What he doesn't know is that El Fantasma sees him as nothing more than a disposable object.
Don't be fooled by the title and setting of this book. Even though Sonny lives in poverty, abuse and violence, he is not a violent or evil person. In fact, he cares greatly for his friends and takes the assassin job because he believes it will help him support his mother. Matt Whyman doesn't beat the reader over the head with morality and lessons, either. Instead, he lets Sonny, a basically good kid who does the wrong thing for what he believes is the right reason, speak for himself.
BOY KILLS MAN is inspired by the true story of child assassins in Colombia.
--- Reviewed by Carlie Webber
Book Description
Twenty-seven million people are estimated to be held in slavery around the world today. This collection of first-hand accounts will raise awareness and show how slavery is thriving in the twenty-first century. From poverty-stricken countries to affluent American suburbs, slaves toil as sweatshop workers, sex slaves, migrant workers, domestic servants, and chattel slaves. This groundbreaking collection includes accounts written by ten former slaves and slaveholders in Southeast Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and the United States. From Micheline, a Haitian girl who wound up as a domestic worker in Connecticut, to Abdel, a Sudanese slave owner turned abolitionist, these are stories that will heighten awareness of a global human rights crisis that can no longer be ignored.
Customer Reviews:
Slavery is often seen as a historical issue - but in fact human bondage is very prevalent today.......2007-04-19
Slavery is often seen as a historical issue - but in fact human bondage is very prevalent today, as ENSLAVED shows with its collection of slave narratives written by both past and current slaves and slaveholders from Asia, Africa, the Mid-East and the U.S. 21st century human bondage isn't a common topic but it will prove a unique and involving one for any high school to college-level course in social issues.
Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch
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- Jody Raphael reveals the reality of prostitution.
- A Must Read
- A compelling, informative, and gripping autobiography
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Listening to Olivia: Violence, Poverty, and Prostitution (The Northeastern Series on Gender, Crime, and Law)
Jody Raphael
Manufacturer: Northeastern
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Book Description
For nineteen years, Olivia lived the shadowy life of stripper, streetwalker, and heroin addict on the fringes of society. Leaving a troubled home at age sixteen to land a seemingly glamorous job at a Chicago stripclub, she became trapped in a web of prostitution and drug addiction that eventually forced her onto the streets and into a world of hardship at the hands of abusive men. But Olivia, a resourceful, vibrant woman of color, ultimately escaped the prostitution lifestyle and is now director of addiction services at a community counseling program, working to support drug-dependent women.
Listening to Olivia is the compelling account of her descent into poverty and abuse together with her hard fought recovery. By assimilating new research on the women and girls in prostitution--in addition to their male customers--Jody Raphael discovers that experiences like Olivia's are alarmingly common and argues that the sex trade as an institution promotes violence against women. Smashing both the common stereotype of the depraved streetwalker and abstract feminist arguments legitimizing prostitution as the sexual liberation of women, the author uncovers an emerging multimillion-dollar global trafficking industry that detains women in a violent cycle of exploitation and dependence. Olivia's own insights on her turbulent childhood, stripping in clubs, soliciting on the street, drug addiction, brutal pimps, her three pregnancies, and her extraordinary transformation highlight important new questions: who are the men who buy sex from such poor, strung out women; and why are so many of these men so violent?
Olivia's story gives a human face to the overwhelmingly low-income, non-white, and unempowered young women in prostitution today. Combined with a wealth of new findings, this gripping and accessible study challenges the academy, the legal system, and society as a whole to wake up and listen to the women like Olivia.
Customer Reviews:
Jody Raphael reveals the reality of prostitution........2005-08-28
Listening to Olivia is the book that many anti-prostitution activists wish they had written. Ms. Raphael has the ability to interweave Olivia's true story with the extensive research documenting various aspects of the reality of prostitution. The book is a terrific resource for anyone researching in this area. If you care about women, you MUST read this.
A Must Read.......2005-04-13
Listening to Olivia is a tremendously important and compelling book written on the subject of prostitution. Ms. Raphael tells Olivia's story in a raw, forthright manner, flawlessly interweaving testimony and research. Olivia is courageous as she shares her story in the hopes of helping other young women avoid her path. This book is a must read for providers working with women and girls, policy makers whose work impacts this vulnerable population, and parents who hope to raise daughters who stay safe from The Life. For those of us who work in prostitution prevention and intervention, this book will be seen as a key resource for years to come.
A compelling, informative, and gripping autobiography .......2004-10-12
The newest addition to "The Northeastern Series on Gender, Crime and Law", Listening To Olivia: Violence, Poverty, And Prostitution by Jody Raphael (Senior Research Fellow, DePaul University College of Law's Schiller, DuCanto and Fleck Family Law Center) is the personal story of Olivia, a woman who spent nineteen years of her life as a stripper, a prostitute, and a heroine addict. She left a troubled home at 16 and became involved in Chicago's subculture of prostitution, drug addiction, and abusive men. A resourceful woman of color, Olivia was able to eventually break with "the life" and now works to support drug-dependent women. Especially commended to the attention of students of Urban Sociology and Women's Studies, Listening To Olivia is a compelling, informative, and gripping autobiography that uniquely illuminates the life led by low-income, non-white, young women in commercial prostitution today.
Book Description
"Not so long ago and not so far away, people with guns could take a family, burn a house and disappear, leaving a small child alone in the world." So begins the true story of Selavi, a small boy who finds himself on the streets of Haiti. Selavi finds other street children who share their food and a place to sleep with him. Together they proclaim a message of hope through murals and radio programs.
Youme is an artist and activist who has worked with communities in Kenya, Japan, Haiti and Cuba to make art which honors personal and cultural wisdom. Edwidge Danticat, Haitian author, adds an essay to Selavi.
Customer Reviews:
Wonderful children reading........2007-05-28
Very well written. Great service and fast shipping. Thank you
This is a powerful and moving book..........2007-01-06
The story, as you can read in the descriptions above, is an amazing and powerful one. The book itself could be filled with negativity, but it seems to barely flitter over the negative spots... what, exactly happened to Selavi's family? The upheaval and chaos of revolution and political instability is not mentioned directly, though a knowledgeable (not a young) reader would be able to recognize it. The young reader is able to recognize the central theme: We are all drops of water, but together we can create a mighty river. Teamwork and community are powerful forces against evil. The illustrations are beautiful and meaningful. I enjoyed reading the endnotes by Danticat, which helped fill in some of the gaps of the story.
A true story with a positive message.......2004-11-06
Selavi: A Haitian Story of Hope is the story of a homeless child befriended by other street children living in Haiti, who all look out for one another sharing food and companionship. Together they find a caring community and a voice to create a radio station run by and for children. A true story with a positive message, that vividly presents the poignant difficulties street children face in daily life.
All the colors of life..........2004-06-02
This is a gracefully written, beautifully illustrated book that introduces young readers to a complex true story of hardship and resourcefulness, persecution and triumph. As a former teacher, I think it would also make a strong teaching tool to introduce the concept of human rights to young readers.
While the story has painful moments, the pages also contain joy, humor, and levity. The book does not condescend or oversimplify. It trains a keen child's eye, perceptive to all the colors of life, on the people and politics of Haiti.
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