Conversation Pieces: Community and Communication in Modern Art
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    Conversation Pieces: Community and Communication in Modern Art
    Grant H. Kester
    Manufacturer: University of California Press
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Paperback

    GeneralGeneral | History & Criticism | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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    ASIN: 0520238397

    Book Description

    Some of the most innovative art of the past decade has been created far outside conventional galleries and museums. In a parking garage in Oakland, California; on a pleasure boat on the Lake of Zurich in Switzerland; at a public market in Chiang Mai, Thailand--artists operating at the intersection of art and cultural activism have been developing new forms of collaboration with diverse audiences and communities. Their projects have addressed such issues as political conflict in Northern Ireland, gang violence on Chicago's West Side, and the problems of sex workers in Switzerland. Provocative, accessible, and engaging, this book, one of the first full-length studies on the topic, situates these socially conscious projects historically, relates them to key issues in contemporary art and art theory, and offers a unique critical framework for understanding them.
    Grant Kester discusses a disparate network of artists and collectives--including The Art of Change, Helen and Newton Harrison, Littoral, Suzanne Lacy, Stephen Willats, and WochenKlausur--united by a desire to create new forms of understanding through creative dialogue that crosses boundaries of race, religion, and culture. Kester traces the origins of these works in the conceptual art and feminist performance art of the 1960s and 1970s and draws from the writings of Mikhail Bakhtin, Jürgen Habermas, and others as he explores the ways in which these artists corroborate and challenge many of the key principles of avant-garde art and art theory.
    Grant H. Kester, Conversation Pieces: Community+Communication in Modern Art.(Brief article)(Book review): An article from: Parachute: Contemporary Art Magazine
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      Grant H. Kester, Conversation Pieces: Community+Communication in Modern Art.(Brief article)(Book review): An article from: Parachute: Contemporary Art Magazine
      Marie-Claude Landry
      Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Digital

      GeneralGeneral | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
      ASIN: B000MTDNF8
      Release Date: 2007-01-19

      Book Description

      This digital document is an article from Parachute: Contemporary Art Magazine, published by Thomson Gale on January 1, 2005. The length of the article is 597 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: Grant H. Kester, Conversation Pieces: Community+Communication in Modern Art.(Brief article)(Book review)
      Author: Marie-Claude Landry
      Publication: Parachute: Contemporary Art Magazine (Magazine/Journal)
      Date: January 1, 2005
      Publisher: Thomson Gale
      Issue: 117 Page: 141(2)

      Article Type: Book review, Brief article

      Distributed by Thomson Gale

      Create It with Wax and Plaster: In an Evening (In an Evening)
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        Create It with Wax and Plaster: In an Evening (In an Evening)
        Caroline Righton
        Manufacturer: Special Interest Model Books
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Paperback

        GeneralGeneral | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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        ASIN: 1854861778

        Photoshop 6.0 A to Z
        Average customer rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars
        • Displeased
        • very few information
        • Colorful
        Photoshop 6.0 A to Z
        Peter Bargh
        Manufacturer: Focal Press
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Paperback

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        1. Adobe Photoshop 6.0 Classroom in a Book Adobe Photoshop 6.0 Classroom in a Book

        ASIN: 0240516559

        Book Description

        This quick, easy reference text is a must-have purchase for every Photoshop user. It is one of a kind - giving an easily accessible visual guide to all those vital Photoshop terms. Keep it next to your computer screen. It is a constant reference that will save you hours of frustration when the meaning of that term is on the tip of your tongue.

        Peter Bargh was technical writer for 'Practical Photography' magazine and Editor of 'Buying Cameras'. He launched 'Digital PhotoFX' magazine in 1997 and edited it until recently, when he left to set up his own company, Magezine Publishing Ltd. Peter is now publishing ePHOTOzine, a web based magazine, that will increase Internet presence for photography.

        · Save valuable time with this easy to use A to Z guide to Photoshop, covering all versions from 3.0 to 6.0
        · Get up to date fast with all the new Photoshop 6.0 references for Mac and PC
        · Full colour images for easy guidance are used throughout

        Customer Reviews:

        1 out of 5 stars Displeased.......2002-01-25

        I must have overlook the fact that I thought I was purchasing a book that would show me HOW to use Photoshop 6.0. This book told you the features BUT not how to go about using them. I was very disappointed in this book.

        2 out of 5 stars very few information.......2002-01-03

        i bought this book for the reason it was intended for: as an additional, quick guide for working with photoshop. well, the idea is good, but the book doesnt help you a lot when you are searching for something that you don't understand. this is because the books shows too many pictures (which are obviously what you see anyway when you get confused) and is very sparse with text information.
        the pictures quality is very good, but that doesnt help a lot to make the book better.
        I would recommend this book to a specific type uf user: somebody who never tried photoshop before and is playing around with the demo version to discover some of hte main functions. for pro users, don't waste your money.

        5 out of 5 stars Colorful.......2001-12-31

        This book is a must have for Photoshop users. This book is like a dictionary or an encyclopeadia without all the bulk of typical 300 page Photoshop books. All you have to do is look up a word in relation to Photoshop and the definition is right there. It's clear and concise. The book has very colorful sample images and screen shots. Peter Baugh also gives practical advices on how to use filters, especially Watercolor filters. Watercolors is something I need to practice more on.
        Photoshop 6.0 A to Z
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          Photoshop 6.0 A to Z
          Peter Bargh
          Manufacturer: Focal Press
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Paperback

          Adobe PhotoshopAdobe Photoshop | Digital Photography & Video | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books
          ASIN: B000OQ2SG4

          Have You Met My Other Half?: The Origins of Cliches a Cartoonists View
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            Have You Met My Other Half?: The Origins of Cliches a Cartoonists View
            Anthony Grant
            Manufacturer: Gloucester
            ProductGroup: Book
            Binding: Paperback

            GeneralGeneral | Comic Strips | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
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            ASIN: 0860516938

            Finger Flix Party Crasher
            Average customer rating: 3 out of 5 stars
            • Absolute Genius
            • Ripoff
            Finger Flix Party Crasher
            Joe Sharpnack
            Manufacturer: Andrews McMeel Publishing
            ProductGroup: Book
            Binding: Paperback

            GeneralGeneral | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
            ASIN: 0740704656

            Book Description

            Finger Flix #5. Finger Flix is a new series of wacky flip books based on off-the-wall humor found in social expressions. Finger Flix go beyond simple motion cartoons and supply the reader with comic relief, punch line and all.

            Customer Reviews:

            5 out of 5 stars Absolute Genius.......2003-06-21

            What "War and Peace" is to novels, this tome is to flipbooks. Unknown and Sharpnack have done themselves proud. One almost gets the impression that this book was nurtured in the basement of a green farmhouse on an old printing press. If the Pulitzer committee offered prizes for flipbooks, this would be the thumbs-up winnner.
            When I first read this book I couldn't put it down. I bought it late on a Friday night right before the bookstore closed so that no one would see my guilty pleasure. As soon as I paid, I whisked it into my backpack and darted glances around to see if anyone had caught my dirty deed. I scurried home to my garrett--taking backstreets and little used alleyways. As soon as I entered my small abode, I bolted the door and wedged a chair underneath it. Two days later, I finally woke up in a daze, my fingers raw from all the flipping. The following Monday morning, dazed from no sleep, unshaven and aching for a fix, I waited at the door of the bookstore. When the clerks arrived to open up, they knew what I was after--another fix. I scurried over to the flipbook section and got the next Sharpnack tome. I giggled to myself as I poured a heap of pennies, nickles and two Canandian dimes on the counter. I saw the clerk hike in his breath to complain about the Canuck change but--seeing the low ridge of my brow, the look of desperation in my eyes and the greedy way I ground my teeth back and forth while staring into his eyes, he relented and cut me loose.
            Now, weeks later, my supply run dry and a long wait until the next batch, I am reconsidering my obsession. I found myself waking up in the night on the floor--sweaty and confused--yelling "mattjoe mattjoe mattjoe!"

            Please be careful if you buy this book--it could ruin you like it did me!

            1 out of 5 stars Ripoff.......2003-01-09

            This is a ripoff of a very fine flipbook called Happy Birthday by Matt Pollard of Thumb Cinema. This book is a complete waste of time and money. Go get a Guinness instead.

            Ringo Starr: A Life
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              Ringo Starr: A Life
              Alan Clayson
              Manufacturer: Sanctuary Press (UK)
              ProductGroup: Book
              Binding: Paperback

              GeneralGeneral | Composers & Musicians | Arts & Literature | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
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              ASIN: 1860746470

              Book Description

              Replacing Pete Best on drums just as The Beatles were set to record Love Me Do, Ringo Starr became not only the luckiest man in pop music, but also the epitome of the rock and roll lifestyle: fame, fortune, glamorous women, plum film roles, and one-name recognition. After the group's 1970 breakup, only the genial, even-tempered Ringo remained on good terms with all of his feuding ex-mates. But behind the sunglasses and the quips lay another story: a hardscrabble childhood in Liverpool, frequent bouts of poor health, lack of education, and a long battle with alcoholism. Alan Clayson's biography traces Starr's entire life and career, from his early days with Rory Storm and the Hurricanes through the tumultuous Fab Four years and to his wildly successful stint as an actor and solo artist. This biography remains the definitive account of the man who anchored the Mersey Sound.
              Here, There, and Everywhere: My Life Recording the Music of The Beatles
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                Here, There, and Everywhere: My Life Recording the Music of The Beatles
                Massey, Geoff, Howard Emerick
                Manufacturer: audible.com
                ProductGroup: Book
                Binding: Audio Download

                GeneralGeneral | Beatles | Music | Pop Culture | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
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                ASIN: B000F2C6YG

                The Later Swing Era, 1942 to 1955
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                  The Later Swing Era, 1942 to 1955
                  Lawrence McClellan
                  Manufacturer: Greenwood Press
                  ProductGroup: Book
                  Binding: Hardcover

                  JazzJazz | Musical Genres | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
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                  ASIN: 0313301573

                  Book Description

                  Today's "Retro Swing" bands, like the Squirrel Nut Zippers and the Brian Setzer Orchestra, all owe their inspiration to the original masters of Swing. This rich reference details the oeuvre of the leading Swing musicians from the WWII and post-WWII years. Chapters on the masters of Swing (Ella Fitzgerald, Woody Herman, Billy Strayhorn), the legendary Big Band leaders (such as Les Brown, Dizzy Gillespie, Stan Kenton, Buddy Rich, Vaughan Monroe, etc.), vocalists (including Cab Calloway, Billie Holiday, Peggy Lee, Frank Sinatra, Sarah Vaughn, Dinah Washington), and Small Groups (Louis Jordan, Art Tatum, Charlie Venture, etc.) introduce these timeless musicians to a new generation of musicians and music fans. An opening chapter recounts how the cultural changes during the war and postwar years affected performers-especially women and African-Americans-and an A-to-Z appendix provides synopses of almost 700 entrants, including related musicians and famous venues. A bibliography and subject index provide additional tools for those researching Swing music and its many roles in mid-century American culture. This volume is a perfect sequel to Dave Oliphant's The Early Swing Eera: 1930 to 1941. Together, these books provide the perfect reference guide to an enduring form of American music.

                  Gradual Retirement in the Oecd Countries: MacRo and Micro Issues and Policies
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                    Gradual Retirement in the Oecd Countries: MacRo and Micro Issues and Policies

                    Manufacturer: Dartmouth Publishing Group
                    ProductGroup: Book
                    Binding: Hardcover

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                    Policy Issues in Work and Retirement
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                      Manufacturer: W E Upjohn Inst for
                      ProductGroup: Book
                      Binding: Hardcover

                      Labor PolicyLabor Policy | Popular Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
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                      ASIN: 0880990112
                      Work and retirement: Policy issues
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                        Work and retirement: Policy issues

                        Manufacturer: Ethel Percy Andrus Gerontology Center, University of Southern California ; University of Southern California Press
                        ProductGroup: Book
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                        Employee benefits, retirement patterns, and implications for increased work life (EBRI issue brief)
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                          Employee benefits, retirement patterns, and implications for increased work life (EBRI issue brief)
                          Paul Fronstin
                          Manufacturer: Employee Benefit Research Institute
                          ProductGroup: Book
                          Binding: Unknown Binding

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                          Work disincentives for older workers in western states pension policies: Issues of human resource options
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                            Work disincentives for older workers in western states pension policies: Issues of human resource options
                            Phoebe Liebig
                            Manufacturer: Andrus Gerontology Center, University of Southern California
                            ProductGroup: Book
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                            ASIN: B00072F0QK

                            Ideal Of Human Unity, US Edition
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                              Ideal Of Human Unity, US Edition
                              Aurobindo
                              Manufacturer: Lotus Press
                              ProductGroup: Book
                              Binding: Paperback

                              GeneralGeneral | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
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                              ASIN: 0914955438

                              Book Description

                              Sri Aurobindo examines the issue of attaining human unity with the concept of "unity without uniformity."

                              A Hanging Offense: The Strange Affair of the Warship Somers
                              Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
                              • 2 for the price of 1
                              • An article expanded to book length
                              • Philip Spencer
                              • very strange affair....
                              • Fascinating chronicle of the early American Navy
                              A Hanging Offense: The Strange Affair of the Warship Somers
                              Buckner F. Melton Jr.
                              Manufacturer: Free Press
                              ProductGroup: Book
                              Binding: Hardcover

                              GeneralGeneral | 19th Century | United States | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
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                              NavalNaval | Military | History | Subjects | Books
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                              4. Batavia's Graveyard: The True Story of the Mad Heretic Who Led History's Bloodiest Mutiny Batavia's Graveyard: The True Story of the Mad Heretic Who Led History's Bloodiest Mutiny

                              ASIN: 0743232836

                              Book Description

                              Mutiny on the Bounty is one of history's greatest naval stories -- yet few know the similar tale from America's own fledgling navy in the dying days of the Age of Sail, a tale of mutiny and death at sea on an American warship.

                              In 1842, the brig-of-war Somers set out on a training cruise for apprentice seamen, commanded by rising star Alexander Mackenzie. Somers was crammed with teenagers. Among them was Acting Midshipman Philip Spencer, a disturbed youth and a son of the U.S. Secretary of War. Buying other crew members' loyalty with pilfered tobacco and alcohol, Spencer dreamed up a scheme to kill the officers and turn Somers into a pirate ship.

                              In the isolated world of a warship, a single man can threaten the crew's discipline and the captain's authority. But one of Spencer's followers warned Mackenzie, who arrested the midshipman and chained him and other ringleaders to the quarterdeck. Fearing efforts to rescue the prisoners, officers had to stay awake in round-the-clock watches. Steering desperately for land, sleep-deprived and armed to the teeth, battling efforts to liberate Spencer, Somers's captain and officers finally faced a fateful choice: somehow keep control of the vessel until reaching port -- still hundreds of miles away -- or hang the midshipman and his two leading henchmen before the boys could take over the ship.

                              The results shook the nation. A naval investigation of the affair turned into a court-martial and a state trial and led to the founding of the Naval Academy to provide better officers for the still-young republic. Mackenzie's controversial decision may have inspired Herman Melville's great work Billy Budd. The story of Somers raises timeless questions still disturbing in twenty-first-century America: the relationship between civil and military law, the hazy line between peace and war, the battle between individual rights and national security, and the ultimate challenge of command at sea.

                              Customer Reviews:

                              5 out of 5 stars 2 for the price of 1.......2007-09-06

                              Excellent story! While trying to prevent a mutiny in 1842, Commander Alexander Mackenzie, of the US war ship "Sommers" hung a few of the mutinous sailors. The decision was abnormally intensified and complicated since Commander Mackenzie was a rising star in the officer ranks and one of the sailors hung was Midshipman Philip Spencer, son of the Secretary of War!! Not going to look good on the Commander's resume! Awesome story in itself, to choose what to do and the search for who were the main mutineers. It even gets better! Upon returning to the US, an expected uproar in the national press occurred. A major trial ensued to find if Commander Mackinzie had followed proper procedures and hung the correct sailors. The O.J. trial to the third power! Was it Mackenzie's turn to get the noose, be exonerated, or have his career virtually ended!

                              4 out of 5 stars An article expanded to book length.......2006-05-29

                              The story of the Somers is worth the recounting, and Bruckner Melton, who knows his ships and sea lore, certainly writes well enough. (Occasionally his prose does head over the top, as when he compares his pirate manqué with the new nation "where the lights of civilization grew dim and everything, even human life, was in flux."[26]) Nevertheless, Melton here presents a thoughtful and levelheaded version of the events that occurred aboard the Somers in November 1842.

                              Hanging Offense also treats a host of loosely connected (but often fascinating) ancillary subjects, from the beginnings of Anti-Masonry, to the nature of ancient sailing rigs, to the medical consequences of being beaten with a cat-`o-nine-tails. These digressions help Melton camouflage an obvious limitation of his topic--that it could have been adequately managed in a long article or book chapter.

                              What leads Melton astray is that, as a law professor, he finds more engaging than will most of his readers the details of the subsequent naval inquiry and court-martial. The inquiry was frankly lackluster, and the most notable feature of the court-martial was a zealous (if sometimes bumbling) judge advocate who conducted a fruitless fishing expedition in an attempt to uncover a post-hanging conspiracy. Unless the reader is a lawyer, he may wish to skip those chapters--more than a third of the volume--because Melton has already mined the records for earlier sections of the book.

                              5 out of 5 stars Philip Spencer.......2005-01-28

                              O here's to Philip Spencer, who when about to die.
                              When crashing down beneath the waves, loud shouted out Chi Psi!

                              4 out of 5 stars very strange affair...........2003-12-01

                              I found this book to be highly informative and interesting reading material. Obviously, there seem to be several different accounts of this incident but I found Buckner Melton's version to be pretty close to the mark. Other reviews before me have written much about it but I would add little bit of review, the book could have used some illustrations, of the ship, the primary players of this incident and maybe even a blue print of the Somers. Considering level of teen violence today, Melton's accessment sound pretty reasonable to me.

                              5 out of 5 stars Fascinating chronicle of the early American Navy.......2003-09-07

                              "A Hanging Offense" is a brief but powerful account of an early Amercian Naval incident. In order to squelch a possible mutiny aboard a warship in the early 1840s, the ship's commander executed three accused conspirators, including the alleged reingleader, son of the sitting secretary of war. While it's easy to pick apart the commander's decision, it's important to look at the events from his perspective and within the context of the times. Melton provides a balanced chronicle of this event and what possibly motivated the ship's commander to hang three sailors without benefit of a legal court martial. As a result, this book serves as an important lesson in leadership in general, and not just the military arena.

                              It's important to remember that the Somers' commander was a politically-connected rising star who was all too aware of the consequences of hanging a cabinet secretary's son, but nevertheless felt his actions were necessary. The Somers was a small but swift vessel whose loss would be both an embarrassment to the pride of the fledgling US Navy and a danger to other vessels. The Somers was crewed by mostly teenage trainees who, the captain feared, would fall under the influence of the mutineers into killing the ship's officers and becoming pirates. Although this entire premise sounds absurd, the circumstances provide a conundrum that would challenge the best military leaders in the world.

                              Melton presents this entire chapter of Naval history in a clear and lucid manner, without taking sides. If you're interested in books about the character traits of leaders, forget the management books that are out there. Read a history of the extreme example of a no-win situation and ponder what you would do if you were the Somers' captain.

                              America's Secret War: Inside the Hidden Worldwide Struggle Between the United States and Its Enemies
                              Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
                              • Excellent view behind the scenes
                              • Solid, Factual Analysis
                              • america's secret war
                              • Private Intelligence Officer's View Of The Terrorists Conflict
                              • Enlightening
                              America's Secret War: Inside the Hidden Worldwide Struggle Between the United States and Its Enemies
                              George Friedman
                              Manufacturer: Broadway
                              ProductGroup: Book
                              Binding: Paperback

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                              3. The Pentagon's New Map: War and Peace in the Twenty-first Century The Pentagon's New Map: War and Peace in the Twenty-first Century
                              4. Disinformation : 22 Media Myths That Undermine the War on Terror Disinformation : 22 Media Myths That Undermine the War on Terror
                              5. The West's Last Chance: Winning the Clash of Civilization The West's Last Chance: Winning the Clash of Civilization

                              ASIN: 0767917855
                              Release Date: 2005-10-11

                              Book Description

                              Dubbed by Barron’s as “The Shadow CIA,” George Friedman’s global intelligence company, Stratfor, has provided analysis to Fortune 500 companies, news outlets, and even the U.S. government. Now Friedman delivers the geopolitical story that the mainstream media has been unable to uncover — the startling truth behind America’s foreign policy and war effort in Afghanistan, Iraq, and beyond .

                              Stratfor, one of the world’s most respected private global intelligence firms, has an unmatched ability to provide clear perspective on the current geopolitical map. In America's Secret War, George Friedman identifies the United States’ most dangerous enemies, delves into presidential strategies of the last quarter century, and reveals the real reasons behind the attack of 9/11—and the Bush administration’s motivation for the war in Iraq. It describes in eye-opening detail America’s covert and overt efforts in the global war against terrorism: Not only are U.S. armies in combat on every continent, but since 9/11 the intelligence services of dozens of nations have been operating in close partnership with the CIA.

                              Drawing on Stratfor’s vast information-gathering network, Friedman presents an insightful picture of today’s world that goes far beyond what is reported on television and in other news media.

                              Al Qaeda’s war plans and how they led to 9/11

                              The threat of a suitcase nuclear bomb in New York and how that changed the course of the war.

                              The deal the U.S. made with Russia and Iran which made the invasion of Afghanistan possible – and how those deals affect the United States today.

                              How fear and suspicion of the Saudis after 9-11 tore apart the Bush-Saudi relationship and why Saudi Arabia’s closest friends in the administration became the Saudi’s worst enemies.

                              The real reasons behind George W. Bush’s invasion of Iraq and how WMD became the cover for a much deeper game.

                              How the CIA miscalculated about Saddam Hussein’s and Iran’s real plans, leaving the U.S. bogged down in the war.

                              How the war in Iraq began with a ruse, pretending that a “target of opportunity” attack on Saddam Hussein had presented itself.

                              The real story about why the U.S. raises and lowers its alert status and why the United States can’t find and destroy al Qaeda.

                              The strategic successes that are slowly leading the United States to victory

                              America's Secret War is an unprecedented look at the new world war being waged behind-the-scenes today. It is sure to stir debate and capture headlines around the world.

                              Download Description

                              THE STARTLING TRUTH BEHIND AMERICA'S FOREIGN POLICY AND WAR EFFORT IN AFGHANISTAN, IRAQ, AND BEYOND—FROM THE FOUNDER OF THE COMPANY DUBBED BY BARRON'S AS “THE SHADOW CIA”

                              Dubbed by Barron's as “The Shadow CIA,” George Friedman's global intelligence company, Stratfor, has provided analysis to Fortune 500 companies, news outlets, and even the U.S. government. Now Friedman delivers the geopolitical story that the mainstream media has been unable to uncover—the startling truth behind America's foreign policy and war effort in Afghanistan, Iraq, and beyond.

                              Stratfor, one of the world's most respected private global intelligence firms, has an unmatched ability to provide clear perspective on the current geopolitical map. In AMERICA'S SECRET WAR, George Friedman identifies the United States' most dangerous enemies, delves into presidential strategies of the last quarter century, and reveals the real reasons behind the attack of 9/11—and the Bush administration's motivation for the war in Iraq. It describes in eye-opening detail America's covert and overt efforts in the global war against terrorism: Not only are U.S. armies in combat on every continent, but since 9/11 the intelligence services of dozens of nations have been operating in close partnership with the CIA.

                              Drawing on Stratfor's vast information-gathering network, Friedman presents an insightful picture of today's world that goes far beyond what is reported on television and in other news media.

                              AMERICA'S SECRET WAR is an unprecedented look at the new world war being waged behind-the-scenes today. It is sure to stir debate and capture headlines around the world.

                              Customer Reviews:

                              5 out of 5 stars Excellent view behind the scenes.......2007-08-08

                              George Friedman gives us a rare look behind the scenes of America's fight with radical Islam. It was fascinating to get a look at how the U.S. viewed acts of terror and terrorists in general before and after 9/11. Friedman goes into detail that you simply cannot get from watching the news or reading papers. For example, Friedman lays out many reasons for invading Iraq other than WMD's. These include: a need for an impressive military victory to send a message throughout the Arab world, a point of leverage to deal with Saudi Arabia, and the fact the Saadam was a brutal dictator. Friedman discusses the strengths and weaknesses of various U.S. intelligence and law enforcement services in great detail. He also explains why Al Qeada has been as successful as they have and what seperates them from other terrorist groups. The book takes the reader through the military operations and campaigns of the first three years in the global fight against terrorism. For a more specific look at Al Qaeda and the rise of radical Islam see Lawrence Wright's "The Looming Tower."

                              5 out of 5 stars Solid, Factual Analysis.......2007-07-01

                              A few months ago, at the suggestion of a friend who is active in the American intelligence community, I subscribed to the Friedman's Stratfor email newsletter. In it I have found some of the best analysis out there. It consistently gives clear, concise, and factual explanations of world events--something that is very rarely found in the mainstream media today.

                              This book met the same high standard. The discussion covers the 9/11 attacks and the American response. Friedman attempts to cut through the fluff and public statements and looks at the hard geopolitical realities of the events, and he does an excellent job of doing so.

                              I was constantly impressed by the innovative explanations he develops. For example, he argues that a major reason for the Iraq war was to put greater pressure on Saudi Arabia to reign in Islamists. Another compelling idea is that the very purpose of the 9/11 attacks was to provoke an American overreaction, which would in turn help Islamists gain ground within the Muslim world.

                              [...]

                              Friedman's prose is succinct and readable, with the occasional entertaining anecdote to keep things interesting. This makes for a fast and enjoyable read.

                              My only criticism (and it is a significant one) is that Friedman does not cite any sources. There were many facts that I would like to have looked up, but I had no idea where he got his information.

                              Still, this was a tremendously good book. I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in America's contemporary foreign policy.

                              5 out of 5 stars america's secret war.......2007-06-08

                              It was the best explaination of the history and events in the Iraq war

                              5 out of 5 stars Private Intelligence Officer's View Of The Terrorists Conflict.......2006-12-28

                              In "America's Secret War" author Dr. George Friedman lays out his thinking on the background of the Islamo-fascist terror war on the West, events that led up to the Iraq conflict, and events that have occurred there through the print date of 2004.

                              Dr. Friedman is certainly qualified to do so as the founder and Chairman of Strategic Forecasting (Stratfor), often described as the "Other CIA" with an excellent track record in geopolitical event forecasting.

                              The reader will enjoy Friedman's clear-thinking approach by a skilled intelligence analyst devoid of passion, which he correctly states is praised to much. It leads to loud noises and incoherence.

                              He treats all the powerful players on the world stage with respect, no matter how (apparently) inept or diabolical the reader may think they are. One must understand that these skilled and powerful players have a clear vision of how they think the world should look. He also correctly states that fools and psychotics do not accumulate and hold such power.

                              From there, Friedman leads the reader through the events of the on-going conflict, and his perception of the mistakes (along with many victories) that have occurred on all sides. He closes out the book with his ideas of the concepts needed for victory over this murderous enemy. The Main Stream Media of course, is basically both lazy and clueless, and the reader will learn of many events that were either unknown to the MSM or, if known, not reported.

                              As the thinking reader would expect, there are no references to sources, just as one would not expect sources to be listed in a classified report from a government intelligence operation.

                              As a subscriber to Stratfor, this writer found Friedman's book just an extension of the expected clear-thinking analysis that appears in his newsletter. Those with interest in geopolitical events, will find this book well worth the read, and I fully recommend it.






                              5 out of 5 stars Enlightening.......2006-12-07

                              I was skepitcal about this book. I've read a lot on the war on terror, but no book has even come close to this. The last third of the book focuses, rightly, on Iraq. The author makes complex ideas easy to follow, like a good physics teacher. You will have an essential understanding not only of what's going on now, but the answers to the questions you've accumilated in the run-up to the invasion of Iraq, the invasion itself, and the occupation since. From France to Fallujah. Not just a military history or study of tactics, though it includes both. But of the Psy ops, the diplomacy, the good the bad and the ugly. Never dry or dull. You will be pulled as if by a magnet to the end of the book. And most if not all the questions you had will be answered. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
                              America's Secret War: Inside the Struggle Between the United States and Its Enemies (Unabridged)
                              Average customer rating: Not rated
                                America's Secret War: Inside the Struggle Between the United States and Its Enemies (Unabridged)
                                George Friedman
                                Manufacturer: audible.com
                                ProductGroup: Book
                                Binding: Audio Download
                                ASIN: B000776JGU

                                How to Raise & Train Pigeons
                                Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
                                • Great for anyone interested in pigeons!
                                How to Raise & Train Pigeons
                                Allen , and William H. Allen
                                Manufacturer: Sterling Publishing
                                ProductGroup: Book
                                Binding: Paperback
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                                ASIN: 0806976527

                                Customer Reviews:

                                5 out of 5 stars Great for anyone interested in pigeons!.......2000-06-30

                                How to raise and train pigeons is a wonderful, informative book that is great for the beginner. It has tons of color photos and plenty to read about. There are many topics mentioned, such as breeding, feeding, and maintaining the health of your birds. It is easy to understand and well written. I would recomend this book to advanced pigeon keepers as well as beginners just learning what it's all about.
                                How To Raise & Train Pigeons
                                Average customer rating: Not rated
                                  How To Raise & Train Pigeons
                                  Mervin F Roberts
                                  Manufacturer: TFH PUBLICATIONS
                                  ProductGroup: Book
                                  Binding: Paperback
                                  ASIN: B000PL081A
                                  How to Raise & Train Pigeons
                                  Average customer rating: Not rated
                                    How to Raise & Train Pigeons
                                    Mervin F. Roberts
                                    Manufacturer: TFH Publications
                                    ProductGroup: Book
                                    Binding: Paperback

                                    BirdsBirds | Field Guides | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
                                    GeneralGeneral | Birdwatching | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
                                    ASIN: 087666432X
                                    HOW TO RAISE AND TRAIN PIGEONS
                                    Average customer rating: Not rated
                                      HOW TO RAISE AND TRAIN PIGEONS
                                      Mervin F. Roberts
                                      Manufacturer: TFH
                                      ProductGroup: Book
                                      Binding: Paperback
                                      ASIN: B000H7LL0E
                                      How to Raise and Train Pigeons
                                      Average customer rating: Not rated
                                        How to Raise and Train Pigeons

                                        Manufacturer: Sterling
                                        ProductGroup: Book
                                        Binding: Hardcover
                                        ASIN: B000EY3A3G

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