The New Ecological Home: A Complete Guide to Green Building Options (Chelsea Green Guides for Homeowners)

Book Description

Shelter, like many other elements of human existence, comes at an extraordinary cost to our planet and its inhabitants. In the U.S. alone, construction of 1.2 million new homes a year results in a massive drain on Earth's natural resource base. Today, nearly 60 percent of all timber cut in the U.S. is used in building houses, not to mention construction wastes and the huge amounts of resources used in the day-to-day operation of the "modern" household. In addition to environmental costs, there are the personal economic costs--the thousands of dollars each homeowner spends each year to heat, cool, and power our homes. Today, a new generation of architects and builders is emerging, intent on creating homes that meet human needs for shelter while causing only a fraction of the environmental impact of conventional housing. The New Ecological Home provides an overview of green building techniques, materials, products, and technologies that are either currently available or will be in the near future. Author Daniel Chiras provides a wealth of up-to-date, practical information for home buyers, owner-builders, and anyone interested in building for a sustainable future. Included are chapters on: * The Healthy House; * Green Building Materials; * Wood-Wise Construction; * Energy Efficiency; * Earth-Sheltered Architecture; * Passive Solar Heating and Passive Cooling; * Green Power: Electricity from the Sun and Wind; * Water and Waste: Sustainable Approaches;* Environmental Landscaping.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent introduction to wide array of green building options.......2006-12-11

During the planning phase of building our first home, this book was very helpful. We liked the emphasis right at the start on site selection -- what to look for in everything from the overall community to aspects of the land itself and how to environmentally protect that land during construction. A comparison checklist for assessing lots is included. Even though ours will not be a "natural House" (rammed earth, straw bale, etc.) and though those types of construction are covered, there was plenty of solid information on building a more energy efficient, and less wasteful, home of wood and concrete. Also included are chapters on design, using green and non- or less toxic materials, sustainable approaches to water and waste, environmental landscaping, and enery-efficient design, heating, and cooling. As this will be a retirement home, we especially appreciated the chapter on accessiblilty and ergonomic design.

An Excellent Overview of Green Building...Superb!.......2004-11-05

Author Dan Chiras has produced a series of amazing books on green building, including The Natural House, The Solar House, Superbia!, and The Natural Plaster Book. His books are extremely well written, well organized, comprehensive, and extremely well illustrated. He's truly one of the best, if not the best, writer in the green building field.

The New Ecological Home is no exception. In fact, I think it is one of the best books he has written. Although the cover is pretty drab, the book is a beauty inside. The book is engaging, easy to read, and full of interesting and helpful information that will assist those who want to explore the many options for building homes that are good for people, the planet, and the economy. This book should be read by all who are considering building a new home as well as those who are thinking about remodeling their homes. It is also a valuable resource for architects, builders, and students of architecture. Adding to its value, this book has a detailed resource guide that adds considerably to its value.

Ok, but not great.......2004-10-29

This book was a little bit hard to understand, especially if you are not knowledgable on the subject. I would recommend something more clear and easier to read.

Average customer rating:
Marketing for Cultural Organisations: New strategies for attracting audiences to classical music , dance, museums, theatre and opera.
Bonita M. Kolb
Manufacturer: Int. Cengage Business Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Arts & Photography | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Business & Investing | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
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Standing Room Only: Strategies for Marketing the Performing Arts

ASIN: 1844802132

Book Description

Cultural organisations have long been protected from the harsh realities of the marketplace by relying on wealthy patrons or public subsidies. But as these sources of finance become more scarce they now find that they have to compete for an audience. Some have adjusted to this new reality, but many have not. This book describes the new competitive environment in which cultural organisations now operate and how the more innovative ones are re-thinking their marketing strategies. These organizations realise that they are dealing with a new type of cultural consumer - one who is willing to cross the boundary between popular culture and high art but who wants a cultural experience that also entertains. With dozens of examples from the UK, US and elsewhere, this book will be essential reading for those who work in cultural organisations as they struggle to fit into the new marketing environment. It focuses on those aspects of marketing most related to the challenges currently facing cultural organisations, including determining their market segment and the positioning of their cultural product in a crowded marketplace. It will also be ideal for students of arts management or those who hope to work in the cultural industries. The new edition includes a useful chapter focusing on promotion. Each chapter now includes worksheets, which take the reader through the marketing planning process and are an invaluable aid for evaluating the organisations marketing environment and in establishing its strategy for attracting audiences.

Marketing Cultural Organisations: New Strategies for Attracting Audiences to Classical Music, Dance, Museums, Theatre and Opera

Average customer rating:

Marketing Cultural Organisations: New Strategies for Attracting Audiences to Classical Music, Dance, Museums, Theatre and Opera
Bonita M. Kolb
Manufacturer: Oak Tree Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Book Description

When it comes to learning a new skill, you want to be taught by the best--someone who truly specializes in what you want to learn. In these pages you'll find just that: a team of professional photographers ready to coach you in every aspect of digital photography--from what you need to know about your digital camera to how to capture a great image and how to use your computer to output an even better one. Interested in travel photography? Who better than an ex-National Geographic photographer to show you the ropes? Want to take lasting portraits of family and friends? Let an official White House photographer give you some hard-won tips. Need to document you daughter's soccer team in action? Get the inside skinny on capturing motion from a successful sports photographer. David Schloss and the team of pro shutterbugs at Blue Pixel pool their knowledge here to provide everything you need to know to create compelling digital photographs -- regardless of what camera or software you're using.

Customer Reviews:

Blue Pixel Personal Photo Coach: Digital Photography Tips from the Trenches.......2007-02-19

I got this book to self-tutor before a trip to South America and I wasn't disappointed. It is a must-have book for any camera buff...
Has a great mix of pictures with "how-to" text and examples of real-life situations.
Highly recommend!!

A worthwhile read for the beginning photographer........2006-06-26

Title: Blue Pixel Personal Photo Coach
Author: David Schloss
Publisher: Peachpit Press (September 28, 2004)
Paperback: 304 pages
ISBN: ISBN: 0321305280
List Price: US $24.99

Blue Pixel was founded with one mission: to have leading digital
photographers teach their craft from an unbiased, real-world
perspective. Each of the contributing photographers for the
Blue Pixel Guide to Travel Photography have from 20 to 40
years of photography experience (photojournalism, commercial,
teaching).

The book is divided into 12 chapters. Just about every page
has at least one color photograph (with red colored descriptive text) to further explain the topic being discussed. Most pages also have a blue colored text tips section in which the authors/contributors give their real-world experience
(tricks of the trade).

Having just read the Blue Pixel Guide to Travel Photography, I didn't know what to expect from the Personal Photo Coach by Blue Pixel.

Chapter 1 describes how to use your digital camera. This title is
misleading. It does not teach you how to use your digital camera.
Refer to the owner's manual of your camera for detailed instructions on this topic.

Chapter 2 describes how to compose your pictures. This chapter
provides some good rules, tips and suggestions on composing
your pictures.

Chapter 3 describes how to use your digital camera's settings.
This chapter thoroughly explains shutter priority, aperture priority, ISO settings, and color balance. This is a must read for the beginning photographer.

Chapter 4 describes how to use your flash. This chapter
covers various flash settings and their affect on your
picture/subject. I liked the use of showing the same
photograph with and without the proper flash setting to
see the affect of various flash settings and techniques.

Chapter 5 describes how to download and organize your
photos. This chapter describes USB 2.0 card readers,
EXIF and IPTC formats and backup/archival recommendations.

Chapter 6 describes how to fix your photos. This chapter
attempts to provide the reader/photographer with some
image editing techniques to improve/fix your digital
photos. Your time will be better spent reading
the owner's manual of your image editing software
and or buying a third party book or video on your software.

Chapter 7 describes how to share your photos. This
chapter describes resizing your photos for uploading
to websites.

Chapter 8 describes how to make a great print. This
chapter describes the theory of sensors, pixels and image resolutions. All of which are good to know if you plan to make your own prints.

Chapter 9 decribes how to take a great family photo.
Using many photographs and tips the author does a nice
job providing the reader on how to shoot portraits
in different settings and situations.

Chapter 10 describes how to take a great sports photo
using various techniques like panning and zooming.
The author follows the same method (photos and tips)
as chapter 9 to explain the concepts.

Chapter 11 describes how to take artistic photos. Here
the author allows the reader to explore their imagination
and different camera settings to achieve a different look
to their photographs.

Chapter 12 describes how to trick out your camera.
Finally the author mentions additional equipment
(like a tripod) to consider to enhance your photographs.

Overall I recommend this book for the beginning photographer.
Earlier I mentioned that I had just read the Blue Pixel Guide
to Travel Photography. The Photo Coach does include some
of the same information but there is enough unique information
in the Photo Coach to make it a worthwhile read.
It is a good value if you buy it online with a discount from
Peachpit Press or Amazon.com.

Disseminating easily on the Web.......2004-10-15

The book cleaves neatly into several parts. The first deals with the taking of a photo. Much here in techniques carries over from analog film cameras. The basic tenets of good composition of images are indifferent to your type of camera.

However, the second part of the book covers what you can do now that you have a digital camera, and a bunch of cool digital photos. Virtually all this is specific to those photos.

For example, Adobe's Photoshop now lets you send images to others, via email or to a mobile phone. Apple's iPhoto offers a similar feature. It turns out that a key attraction of digital photos is how easily they can then be plugged into the pervasive Internet. Not just for sending photos, but also displaying entire albums on the web. Of course, you can craft your own website, and many do. But the book also tells of online photo communities, like ofoto and Shutterfly. These strive to make your efforts uploading and filing into an album and then for others to view it, as easy as possible.

Blue Pixel Personal Photo Coach: Digital Photography Tips from the Trenches

Average customer rating:

Blue Pixel Personal Photo Coach: Digital Photography Tips from the Trenches
David Schloss
Manufacturer: Peachpit Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OUBJUQ

Average customer rating:

The Messdsl asi garbled

Pogo's Bats and the Belles Free
Walt kelly
Manufacturer: Fireside
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0671223933

Customer Reviews:

The Messdsl asi garbled.......2005-04-26

The TRUE title for ISBN 0-671-22393-3 is "Pogo's Bats and the Belles Free". First published in 1976 as a Fireside book by SIMON & SCHUSTER (a Gulf + Western company) Rockefeller Center, 630 Fifth Ave. New York NY 10020. It is a selection of Pogo stories from previously published works of Walt Kelly copyright by the Kelly estate. Holiday House is not mentioned anywhere.
Anyone familiar with Kelly's Pogo series need no further review. For those not familiar start with the cheapest Pogo book around, you will be hooked before you finish picking up the loose pages.

Average customer rating:

POGO'S BATS AND BELLES FREE (COMICS)

Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000GXS2XS

Average customer rating:

Hogs Are Teachers Too

Required reading for beginning teachers

A Ruined Pair of Contacts

Hogs who trudge the road to happy destiny.

A Delightful Find on the Bookshelf of Life as an Educator

The Hog Farm Chronicles
C. Allen Powell
Manufacturer: TRISON Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Educators | Professionals & Academics | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
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Strategies for Great Teaching: Maximize Learning Moments

ASIN: 0967463807

Book Description

The unthinkable, but true chronicles of a rookie teacher and his impulsive, unpredictable herd of 9th grade boys - affectionally known as the "Hogs". This collection of hilarious, sidesplitting (too wild to imagine) tales from the 70's classroom will keep you snorting with laughter and fill your heart with "Hog Wisdom".

In the stressed-out, too-serious world in which we work and live, "The Hog Farm Chronicles" is a refreshing escape and a must read for educators, counselors, youth leaders, kids, and parents.

Customer Reviews:

Hogs Are Teachers Too.......2002-03-23

It doesn't take many pages of "Hog Farm Chronicles" to know that
Allen Powell knows kids -- and himself. What unfolds in this short and delightful book is the chronicle of an adult learning from a group of kids about the mutuality of respect. Allen learns to respect them for their heroic struggles to be themselves in a system that doesn't fit. His respect of them results in their respect, and when you have theirs, they'll die for you. {Adult respect is in precious short supply in some lives.)

The book is an important one, although it may not appear so at first. I believe that it is an important one for those teaching and administering kids in schools because it clearly shows that the normal mold of schools will not work with some kids. They need alternatives -- alternatives that respect the skills they do have and wish to exercise. Indeed, their aberrant behaviors towards "the enemy" display brilliant tactics artfully employed to "get even."

For anyone who has shared a classroom with a motley bunch of early adolescents and grown to love them over time, I invite you to enjoy this book. For anyone who has shared a classroom with a motley bunch of early adolescents and has grown to hate them, you must read this book. It contains truth -- something rare in the halls of education. It also helps each of us come to a better understanding of our limits as teachers in "making" kids do our bidding.

Required reading for beginning teachers.......2001-08-24

This funny, sad, irreverent, hopeful, painfully honest, personal recounting of a brand new teacher's experiences with students with different problems, attitudes, and needs who are enrolled in a non traditional program of vocational agriculture in high school should be required reading for all beginning teachers, irrespective of the subject or level that they teach. Once you start reading, you won't put it down until you finish because it holds your attention. Powell illustrates vividly that students are people with feelings and needs, that they deserve the very best from the teacher, that they will respond to opportunities, that they will take initiative, that they are not losers, and that both teacher and students will be successful if the teacher accepts and allows nonconformity and uses ingenuity. While the author writes unnecessarily in a coarse and crude manner in a couple of passages, this does not distract from the human story being recounted with all the attendant implications for achieving success in teaching/learning. Principals, also, should read this short book and then ask themselves how they support teachers with nonconforming ideas.

A Ruined Pair of Contacts.......2001-01-09

Allen Powell's "The Hog Farm Chronicles" is without a doubt the most humorous and entertaining book I've read in many, many years. It is a "must read" for anyone ever involved in working with young people, particularly in education. BE WARNED: You'll laugh until you cry . . . I did and ruined a new pair of contacts.

Hogs who trudge the road to happy destiny........2000-10-03

With candid wit and humor, Mr. Allen Powell dares to bring to print his wild and touching stories as a teacher. Refreshing and real, I laughed as he told one story after another with such awesome expression of boys struggling with life on life's terms.

I hope teachers,educators and parents will give themselves the gift of Mr. Powell's short stories. We are not alone with our trials, struggles as well as heartfelt moments.

Thank you, Mr. Powell, for sharing your unique and uplifting perspective.

A Delightful Find on the Bookshelf of Life as an Educator.......2000-09-15

Educators will enjoy this insightful and realist revisit to the first years of their teaching experience and smile and laugh out loud at the author's recounting of those trepidacious and sometimes daunting times. Parents will see their precious piglets through the eyes of what is surely a caring and special educator. Everyone will have a pleasant and thought provoking respite while reading, as they are entertained and reminded that this business of successfully educating all of the children of all of the people is only possible when the teacher is a unique blend of gentleman farmer, philosopher, humanitarian and CEO.

We are all rewarded when someone takes the time to write a intelligent and philanthropic message from the heart and this is what Allen Powell has done.

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Techniques, published by Association for Career and Technical Education on February 1, 2000. The length of the article is 1342 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: The Hog Farm Chronicles.(Review) (book review) (book review)
Author: Eric Ries
Publication: Techniques (Magazine/Journal)
Date: February 1, 2000
Publisher: Association for Career and Technical Education
Volume: 75 Issue: 2 Page: 74

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Average customer rating:

no details, consult Ayurvedic Doctor for details is the standard Answer

Rest with Mediation is the key to a stress-free pregnancy

Some serious problems

Enlightened Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Parenting

For a Blissful Baby: Healthy and Happy Pregnancy With Maharishi Vedic Medicine
Kumuda Reddy , Linda Egenes , and Margaret Mullins
Manufacturer: Lantern Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Customer Reviews:

no details, consult Ayurvedic Doctor for details is the standard Answer.......2007-05-13

I bought this book with lot of hope about details, reasons, etc. Very superficial with no real data. I certainly have not bought this book with intention of getting PR for TM.

Rest with Mediation is the key to a stress-free pregnancy.......2003-07-06

We all know how important rest is during pregnancy but if you ever had any doubts on what is the best way to get that rest, read this book. I meditated 2 hours daily throughout my pregnancy and the entire 9 months and birth were effortless and so happy. Some of the recommendations in the book I ignored (like the modified demand feeding of your baby after 2 weeks) but the most important recommmendation - learn and practice Transcendental Meditation - is the best advice I could give any expecting mother. This book is filled with convincing scientific studies if you are hesitant.

Some serious problems.......2001-02-02

Because I was interested in holistic approaches to pregnancy, I was very excited to read this book when I was pregnant with my second child. In retrospect, however, Dr. Reddy steered me seriously wrong in some fundamentals. Following the Ayurvedic texts somewhat rigidly, she recommends against eating more often than three meals a day. I attempted to do this, and was constantly starving - I wound up eating full meals in the middle of the night, just so I could be full enough to sleep! As a result of this unrealistic approach, I gained over 50 pounds. Similarly, she repeats the ayurvedic text's outline of not sleeping in the afternoon. This is also not practical for most pregnant women, who need to rest a huge amount. When I was physically unable to follow her guidelines, I felt guilty, of course, that I wasn't providing my baby with the "best start possible." Some time after I gave birth, I was in touch with some trained Ayurvedic doctors in India, and asked them about the eating question. They said that as long as my body was functioning well and digesting properly, there was no problem with eating more often during the day. Ultimately, I chose to handle the pregnancy as I did, and I take responsibility for my decisions. However, I suspect that Dr. Reddy is not completely trained in ayurveda, but rather has a cursory knowledge, and as a result she presents information without appropriate context. In all fairness, there were many ideas in the book that I did benefit from, especially the suggestion to meditate regularly.

Enlightened Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Parenting.......2000-04-18

Every woman (and man) who intends to become a parent--and every health professional--should read this book. What a relief to finally have an easy-to-read connection between every aspect of prenatal and postpartum health to Nature's cosmic intelligence. This book is spiritual but without any religious overtones, making it culturally sensative yet universally applicable. It teaches practical how-to techniques to improve maternal and infant health with simple methods that have been time-tested for thousands of years--fostering trust in their effectiveness. The authors draw extensively on the knowledge of Ayur-Veda, the most complete system of health from ancient India. The book details the course of conception, pregnancy, and childbirth according to modern science, supplemented by relevant quotes from Vedic texts, and advises on maternal diet and exercise according to individual body types. We get recommendations on daily massage for mother and newborn, with references to research and anecdotes from parents who have used the specific methods described here. "For a Blissful Baby" also refers to the benefits of practicing the Transcendental Meditation (TM) program, citing ample scientific research supporting the practical value of this particular technique for prospective parents. This research indicates that TM reduces stress, hypertension, depression, ill-health and substance use while developing creativity, happiness, and energy--all signs of higher levels of consciousness, and ideal parenting. And development of consciousness is described as really essential for ideal parenting. If every maternity clinic in the country gave this book out, I'd bet we would see a huge drop in childbirth complications, postpartum depression, and child abuse and neglect. This could realistically ensure the newest generation's growing up in a nurturing environment. Every child deserves a holistic approach to birth and growth, and parents who are happy and healthy; this book could be mom's and dad's best friend.

Book Description

21 Days to Baghdad is an exclusive account of this historic rapid march and battle for Baghdad. Follow TIME Magazine's award-winning editors, writers, and photographers as they follow the coalition troops on their journey towards Baghdad, encountering Iraqis-both civilian and military-witnessing the war upclose and personal.... and documenting it all in historic words and photos. TIME brings you first hand reports on the Road to War. Revisit the "Shock and Awe" attack, the counter-attack by the Fedayeen, the rolling into Baghdad, the short but fierce overtaking of the country, and the poignant stories of the seven rescued POW's, including the dramatic rescue of Pvt. Jessica Lynch. TIME takes you to present day Iraq-the rebuilding efforts, and finally, the coming home of the returning troops.

Customer Reviews:

"The Inside Story of How America Won the War Against Iraq".......2007-03-18

I have a copy of this and the photos and the story are great. The only difference is the cover.

Mine has the caption "The Inside Story of How America Won the War Against Iraq".

The top has the banner "WAR COMMEMORATIVE EDITION".

I don't see the different versions noted in the main bin or the used copy bins.

The downfall of Saddam Hussein........2006-05-14

A nice little picture book about the War in Iraq. This book only explores the 2003 War that brought Saddam down. It does not cover the insurgentcy after the collaspe of Saddam's government. It covers the 21 days to bring Saddam down. As always, Time's pictures are without equal. There is not much meat in this book about the conflicts raging in both Iraq and the United States about starting the war.

If one wants to flip through the pages to learn about the 21 day campaign, this is an OK book. If one wants to find more about this conflict, you need to read elsewhere.

Contains high quality pictures and detailed information.......2005-10-23

This is worth it for the price if you want to follow the events of the conflict. Many photos depicting the real events that happened on our Tv screens while it all happened. I enjoyed the book and keep it on my coffee table.

Definitely one to add to your personal library.......2003-07-15

Talking about pictures being worth a thousand words! Every photo in the book I felt drew me in to imagining what it would have been like if I was the person behind the camera. I wouldn't recommend this book to someone who is looking for more of the technical "heavy duty" information on the war, i.e. tactics, troop movement, etc. It's more for the person who likes browsing through a book at their leisure especially picture books. The write-ups by the journalists are very interesting and do a great job of portraying what they and the soldiers experienced in the opening hours of the war and during it. I especially enjoyed the "Verbatim" sections that were scattered throughout the book. I am hoping that TIME might do a similar follow up book on the reconstruction of Iraq as my husband is currently over there with the 1st Armored Division assisting in the peace keeping processes.

21 Days to Baghdad Review.......2003-06-21

21 Days to Baghdad is Time magazine's first large-format book detailing what essentially became Gulf War II, featuring many photographs from various photographers and various short reminisces by photographers and correspondents on or near the fluid front lines.

As a picture book and one of the first books on the 2003 war it serves as a descent introduction but does very little else - many of the photographs, while professionally and expertly shot, provide a wide overview of the war, and very little is of real combat. Which is not to say there isn't any, but mostly you see the results rather than any actual fighting. Again, the book does a good job of detailing all aspects of the war, and does a decent job detailing the Iraqi side - from what was available through government censors apparently.

The photographs themselves are excellent; many are two-page shots that provide every single grain and spec of detail, from the blood in a used coffin to the drops of sweat on a Marine's exhausted face. There is a real sense of urgency crossing a bridge near Baghdad (in a series of very widely published photographs), and a sense of tragic loss for a group of Iraqi parents. This is not a book for the young; the dead and wounded have equal treatment with the living.

21 Days to Baghdad also features some graphics evidently from the magazine, as well as a map or two, though it could have really used more. The editorial content seems fair though is mostly from the US-point of view.

There's definitely some value to this work, but one hopes this is just the beginning of more comprehensive - and better - books and photographic works to come.

Book Description

The eighteenth century's critique of privilege and its commitment to the idea of advancement by merit are widely regarded as sources of modernity. But if meritocratic values were indeed the product of the Enlightenment and the French Revolution, how do we explain earlier attention to merit--especially the nobility whose values the Revolution rejected? The Culture of Merit probes this paradox by analyzing changing perceptions of merit among the old nobility from the age of Louis XIII to the eve of the French Revolution.

Jay M. Smith argues that the early modern nobility instinctively drew a correlation between the meaning of merit and an image of the "sovereign's gaze." In the early seventeenth century, merit meant the qualities traditionally associated with aristocratic values: generosity, fidelity, and honor. Nobles sought to display those qualities before the appreciative gaze of the king himself. But the expansion of the monarchy forced the routinization of the sovereign's gaze, and Louis XIV began to affirm and reward new qualities--talent and application--besides those thought innately noble.

The contradictions implicit within the absolute monarchy's culture of merit are demonstrated by the eighteenth-century French army, which was dominated by the nobility, but also committed to efficiency and expertise. Smith shows that the army's continuous efforts to encourage and reward "merit" led to a clash of principles. The ever-growing emphasis on talent and discipline led reformers--the great majority of them noble--to attack the most egregious examples of privilege and favoritism in the army. Smith's analysis of the long-term evolution in conceptions of royal service suggests a new explanation for the shift in values signified by the French Revolution. The transition away from the "personal" gaze of the king toward the "public" gaze of the monarchy and nation foretold the triumph of a new culture of merit in which noble birth would have no meaning.

The Culture of Merit will interest historians and other social scientists concerned with issues of aristocratic identity, state formation, professionalization, and the changing political culture of pre-Revolutionary France.

Jay M. Smith is Assistant Professor of History, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

Book Description

John J. Wolfe’s lavishly illustrated Brandy, Balloons, and Larnps: Ami Argand, 1750–1803 is the first biography of the remarkable Genevese scientist who literally turned on the lights at the beginning of the Enlightenment to illuminate the Industrial Revolution. Featuring 53 color plates and 106 black-and-white illustrations, Wolfe provides a colorful record of how Argand advanced Western civilization.

Though modest about his accomplishments, Argand moved with ease in royal and scientific circles. Among his many inventions, he developed such a superior method of distillation that Louis XVI named him superintendent of the distilleries of France. With the Montgolfier brothers, he launched the world’s first hot-air balloon. And dwarfing his other accomplishments, he revolutionized lighting for everyone.

Well aware of the importance of illumination, the best minds among a generation of intellectual giants turned their energies to the improvement of lighting. Scientists conducted experiments in France, England, and America, with the French and English governments offering handsome awards to anyone who could devise a method to improve street lighting. Joseph Priestley, Antoine Laurent Lavoisier, Jean-André Deluc, and James Watt debated conflicting theories of phlogiston. But it was Argand who gave the world an oil lamp that was cheaper, cleaner, and ten times more powerful than previous devices of illumination.

Wolfe tells Argand’s amazing story through contemporary sources, including lively exchanges between Argand and his supporters, foes, and family.

Customer Reviews:

Light up the World.......2006-08-31

This is a beautiful book, lavishly produced on fine paper, with 46 colored plates and many black and white photos. This is the story of Ami Argand, inventor of the greatly improved oil lamp in 1780. Argand lived an interesting life, and knew some of the main characters in the industrial revolution, such as James Watt, Matthew Boulton, and the Montgolfier brothers. His story had been mostly forgotten, though, and Wolfe has done the world some good in bringing it back to life.

The lamp Argand patented was actually an important invention. It was no small thing to bring a much improved, cheaper source of light to the homes and shops of an industrializing West. The Argand lamp became the standard configuration until about 1850 when the kerosene lamp more or less replaced it. Many of them were real works of art, eagerly sought by collectors today. They were more or less on the edge of what could be mass produced at the time, and Argand experienced many trials and tribulations in bringing it to market. Even the renowned Boulton factories had trouble producing them.

This is a wonderful tale of the Industrial Revolution, and I much enjoyed it. Thank you Mr. Wolfe!

Great Research and a Compelling Read !.......2000-04-30

Tremendous book. Beautifully researched and filled with staggering illustrations. I bought it as a reference as I collect lamps. As a reference and piece of scholarship it ranks with the work of Florence Montgomery, John Bivens and Catherine Lynn. What was the most pleasant surprise is that it is beautifully and compellingly written. A truly fascinating story of a fascinating man who lived during a fascinating era. No serious collector of lighting or 18-19th century decorative object should be without this work. Any major decArts library would be remiss not to own it. At $59.95 it is probably underpriced.

If you enjoyed Longitude you will love this book........1999-08-23

John Wolfe portrays the poignant story of a brilliant, gentle, and naive 18th century inventor, Ami Argand. Wolfe's exhaustive research rewards the reader with an intimate view into the life and thinking of Argand and other 18th century luminaries. This book engages your sense of histroy, science, intrigue, and lighting. I really enjoyed it.

The story of Ami Argand who spear-headed modern lighting.......1999-08-07

An invention of an oil lamp has revolutionized the world. Finally, a lamp has been created that produced a good light without the annoying smoke that has plagued the social life of people over thousands of years. The value of the inventions is immediately recognized and the demand for the new lamp is overwhelming. A commercial opportunity of enormous proportion has emerged. Can a single person protect his invention and satisfy the demand for the new light against the competitive spirit of free market? It is the year 1784, the rumblings of the French Revolution, of the Napoleon wars, and of restructuring of the social systems are not yet heard. It is the time of technical innovations. The steam engine has already advanced manufacturing industry and the dream to conquer the air has just become a reality, the balloon of the Montgolfier brothers graces the sky. John J. Wolfe's book provides an initiate picture of Ami Argand, the Genevese citizen who perfected distilleries for Brandy, invented the two-air draft burner for oil lamps, and assisted the Montgolfiers in flying balloons. Its is a also the story of greed, deceit and unhappiness, and a story of an unfortunate hero and of successful villains. For the first time, an authoritative account is given for the life of Argand; a brilliant scientist who is immortalized by his invention, the Argand lamp, but also a person who sought recognition and wished to persevere in business. The combination of a spell binding story and never published pictures of early lighting promotes this book as a must for students of history, technology and lighting.

Brandy, Balloons, & Lamps: Ami Argand, 1750-1803.

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Brandy, Balloons, & Lamps: Ami Argand, 1750-1803.
John J. WOLFE
Manufacturer: Southern Illinois University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OFZ8CQ

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