Book Description
The Handbook of Ancient Greek and Roman Coins combines the two main references that collectors have depended on for nearly forty years in the study of ancient Greek and Roman coins. The book touches upon every aspect of ancient coinage, from how the pieces were made to what their symbolism meant to the people who used them. It contains all the information needed to properly identify and attribute coins to that era. Beginning and advanced collectors alike will benefit from data, charts, and more than 1000 full-size photographs that depict the actual coins and show how to interpret dates and inscriptions. The book contains important information on:
--Reading Greek and Roman coin inscriptions
--Identifying emperors and dates on Roman coins
--Symbols, city names, and historical and mythological characters
Customer Reviews:
Handbook of Ancient Greek and Roman Coins.......2007-02-07
Book has some nice pictures and descriptions. Novice collectors will enjoy it.
Excellent intro to ancient coins.......2006-05-31
This was the first book I purchased on the topic of ancient coins, and it provides a first-rate introduction to the hobby. It's a good general overview of what is available, and is written in a style that is welcoming to the greenest of beginners.
This book would be a very good "first book" on the subject, and it would also make a great gift for someone who is just getting started on an ancient coin collection, especially for the price!
An easy way to get into Greek and Roman coin collecting.......2005-09-16
This well illustrated book is quick and easy to read and provides some basic information to for those intending to collect ancient Greek and Roman coins. It will help you recognize many common coins. It will allow you to interpret the inscriptions and in many cases the imagery on these coins. It is inexpensive.
Some things will not be found in it, however. Republican Roman coins (a fascinating area) are strangely not covered at all. There is no information regarding assessing the quality of coins, cleaning them, recognizing fakes, determining price or caring for your collection. For this type of information you should look at Wayne Sayles' more extensive series. For coin valuation David Sear is invaluable. This book is a cheap and simple way to form an impression about ancient Greek and Roman coin collecting. Eventually, recognizing that the price of almost any coin described in the book is far greater than that of the book itself, serious collectors will want to invest in more extensive reference sources. One must start somewhere however, and this is a good place to do so.
Lots of Pictures.......2005-07-13
I read only the part of this book dedicated to Greek coins (my area of interest) and learned much. There are many (black & white) pictures of coins as well as text dedicated to the inscriptions and people/gods found on the coins. However, the amount of information contained barely scratches the surface of the subject matter. I would buy the book again, but will continue to look for another title with more in-depth information.
Inexpensive Introduction to Greek and Roman Coins.......2005-01-19
This is the book to begin with if you think you may have an interest in ancient Western coins. This covers Greek coins from 680 B.C. to Roman Coins up to 476 A.D. The scope of this book is basically European coinage for roughly 1,000 years. What this book does NOT cover: Byzantine, Persian and Far East ancient coins.
About 60% of the book (the first half of the book) is devoted to Greek coins, and the other 40% to Roman (mostly imperial) coins. There are lots of black and white pictures of real coin examples in both sections of the book. I will be focusing mostly on the Roman section.
THE GREEK COIN SECTION:
This begins with a description of how ancient coins were made.
Greek 101 is not a prerequisite! The book teaches you how to read Greek characters on the coin inscriptions.
It also goes through a pictorial history of Greek coinage: The Period of Archaic Art (680-480 B.C.), The Period of Transitional Art (480-415 B.C.), The Period of Finest Art (415-336 B.C.), The Period of Later Fine Art (336-280 B.C.)The Period of the Decline of the Art (280-146 B.C.), The Period of Continued Decline in Art (146-27 B.C.), and finally The Imperial Period (27 B.C. - 268 A.D.). There are lots and lots of pictures.
THE ROMAN COIN SECTION:
This was what I primarily bought this book for. There is a brief history of early Roman coins (how they were cast instead of struck), but there isn't much in the way of text or pictorial examples in regard to Roman Republican Coinage...this is nearly all Imperial (From Caesar Augustus (29 B.C.) to Romulus Augustus (476 A.D.).
It goes through the denominations of Roman coins. It gives relative Roman values of: Aureus to Denarius to Sesterius to Dupondius to As to Quadrans. What it does NOT give much hint about ancient values is of later denominations like Antoninianus, Follis, Siliqua, and Solidus.
There is a big picture section on Reverse Types of Roman coins, going through all the gods and goddesses that appear on the backs.
There is an excellent section on how to read Obverse inscriptions. This is probably the most helpful section for the beginner. Included also is an extensive list of Emperor's names as they most commonly appear on the coins.
Finally, there is an Emperor-by-Emperor coin-by-coin history of Rome, with very brief comments about each ruler. Only one coin per ruler is listed, so don't expect to find a lot of examples of each Emperor.
CONCLUSION:
What this book will NOT do is give you the present-day values of coins, the relative rarity of a coin, and it speaks nothing about grading coins. If you have poor-quality late Roman coins that you are trying to attribute, this book will be of minimal help. The best book I have found on the Subject of Roman Coins is David Van Meter's Handbook of Roman Imperial Coins: A Complete Guide to the History, Types, Symbols and Artistry of Roman Imperial Coinage. It is much more in-depth, but of course, it is a lot more expensive as well.
This Handbook of Ancient Greek & Roman Coins serves as a fine introduction to these two subjects. Without breaking the bank, the huge amount of information contained in this 288-page Volume will give you a good idea if you want to pursue this subject further. For the range of coverage and the price, you can't go wrong.
Average customer rating:
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Color Thick and Thin (How to Draw & Paint Ser)
William Powell
Manufacturer: Walter Foster Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 General
| Instructional & How-To
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Drawing
| Instructional & How-To
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Painting
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 1560100486 |
Book Description
*129 b/w photos
* 7 x 9
* Basic and advanced techniques and equipment
* How to visualize and compose in black and white
"An excellent resource for the nature photographer who'd like to expand into black and white, George Schaub's book packs a solid one-two punch of inspirational photos and educational text."--Peter Kolonia, senior editor, Popular Photography
This practical guide, the ninth in Stackpole's popular How to Photograph series, shows in clear text and a wealth of photos how to "see" in black and white, select film and accessories, and use your equipment to master the classic medium of Ansel Adams, Edward Weston, and Minor White.
George Schaub teaches at the New School/Parsons School of Design in New York. He has written many books on photography and is a frequent contributor to Shutterbug's Outdoor & Nature Photography. He lives on Long Island.
Customer Reviews:
An OK but not essential book on the subject.......2002-01-02
I ordered this book with high hopes but must say I'm a little disappointed with the coverage and subject material. Here is a summary of the book contents:
Part 1: An appreciation of the Medium - a very quick summary of the field. Covers lots of territory with little depth
Part 2: Seeing Pictures - portion of the book I would like to see expanded, only 8 pages long. This covers composition and how to see pictures.
Part 3: Film - obvious. Covers grain, types, use a tripod, etc.
Part 4: Techniques - Light metering. Be aware of how your meter can fool you. Also filters.
Part 5: Completing the Vision - How to Print. Contact sheets, variable contrast papers, toning.
Part 6: Photo Diary - Artist's statement.
I think where the book fails is that it covers everything with such little depth. The Zone System gets maybe a paragraph. The one area where it does spend time is in using the light meter. If you aren't familiar with how white or black objects can fool a meter looking for middle gray, then maybe you could benefit from this book. I think it is more designed for the beginner/intermediate photographer. I think a book in this series which covers landscape composition a bit better is "How to Photograph Landscapes" by Joe Lange.
Most of the information presented in this book is not specific to landscape. The author makes clear that one of his favorite types of photographs is to find faces in cliffs and rocks. Not really my cup of tea. Again not terrible for basics but there are many books which cover the same material. I wish the book would have focused more on a few areas, particular to outdoors, and added more depth. Also note there is no index.
for those passionate about black & white.......2000-05-24
I picked up this book as an amateur wanting to learn more about black and white photography.
The book clearly elucidates the joy and sorrow (more joy than sorrow) of where the passion of black and white photography will take you.
Layer by layer, George Schaub peels the moods and experiences, sharing his tactics and finesse of observation with the reader.
You get to feel how much of an art AND science black and white photography really is. And you learn to learn from the kind of mistakes you make.
The book is as much a joy to read as to think about in your free time or while you're out there in the outdoors with a camera dying to be used.
George Schaub's book is packed with insight about his craft. The world we begin to see from behind the camera lens and the moments we so capture are given a timeless rendition in this book.
An absolute must for those who care!
Average customer rating:
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High Adventure #71
Manufacturer: Adventure House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Comics & Graphic Novels
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Graphic Novels
| Comics & Graphic Novels
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Humor
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
| Classics
| Comic
| Contemporary
| Literary
ASIN: 1886937737 |
Average customer rating:
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Why Can't You Tickle Yourself: And Other Bodily Curiosities
Ingrid Johnson
Manufacturer: Grand Central Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Humor
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
Questions & Answers
| Education
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Curiosities & Wonders
| Fun Facts
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Physiology
| Basic Science
| Medicine
| Subjects
| Books
Physiology
| Basic Sciences
| Medical
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Anatomy
| Biological Sciences
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0446393959 |
Book Description
In the tradition of When Do Fish Sleep? comes an enlightening and endlessly amusing volume filled with little-known information about the body--such as fat people bruise more easily than thin people, fingernails grow three times faster than toenails, and other fascinating trivia.
Customer Reviews:
Silly Book.......2007-07-22
Was not exactly what I expected...not as much about the "whys" of the body, but more about the funny little things the body does. Not as educational as i thought it would be.
Average customer rating:
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Dido Life For Rent
Dido
Manufacturer: Warner Bros. Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Instruments & Performers
| Music
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
Popular
| Songbooks
| Theory, Composition & Performance
| Music
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Music
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
Rock
| Musical Genres
| Music
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
-
No Angel
-
Sarah McLachlan - Afterglow
-
Life for Rent
ASIN: 1843285541 |
Product Description
Album matching folio including: White Flag Stoned Life for Rent Mary s in India See You When You re 40 Don t Leave Home Who Makes You Feel Sand in My Shoes Do You Have a Little Time This Land Is Mine See the Sun.
Average customer rating:
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Dido: Life for Rent
Manufacturer: OMNIBUS MUSIC SALES
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000GX6M8K |
Product Description
The historic first edition of 1962, in a slightly corrected edition. The classic founding statement of the Students For A Democratic Society (SDS).
Customer Reviews:
Editorial and Egotistical Distortions Notwithstanding.......2006-06-20
The editorial blurb provided here at Amazon states that the PHS was intended to "reform" the Democratic Party. That is false; no such agenda is to be found in the Statement.
Equally false is Mr. Hayden's grandiose presentation of the PHS as "launching" the "revolution" (there was none, by the way) of the 1960s, as social ferment, suffering, and struggle all preceded and indeed gave rise to the Statement as a response to events that had already occurred. The Civil Rights movement did not begin with the Statement, nor did other, later, struggles for justice--though the PHS *did* play a role in articulating some of the concerns that characterized what we called The Movement.
A passage from the PHS asserts that "the point is not to have one's own way but to have a way that is one's own." If anything, for all the externals of hair, dress, and bodily adornment typically touted by mass media as evidence of "freedom," we are today more enmeshed in both the struggle to have our own atomized/individual way while doing so in response to a steady stream of commercial slogans and jingles--thus ensuring we have no way authentically our own.
There has been no revolution, though thankfully some worthwhile reforms emerged from the cauldron and killing of the Sixties: people of color can vote and hold office, women are better situated to deal with discrimination against them in the workplace and home, gay people are similarly better organized to demand recognition of their simple humanity. The basic problems--loss of control of our government; the subordination of what advances we have made here to the globalization of the profit principle before all else; and now even the visible destruction of the world's ecosphere--have grown worse and more acute.
There has been no revolution, but the case for the urgent need of one has deepened. Paradoxically, the greatest virtue of this document from the past is to show how far we have come--but in a dangerous direction. The questions embodied in our national anthem are very much alive, and what a truthful response to those questions might be, is very much in doubt.
Book Description
OVER 30 ALL-NEW, SURE-TO-PLEASE PARTIES FOR KIDS OF ANY AGE!
Whether your two-year-old's passion is teddy bears, your eight-year-old can name every dinosaur in the museum, or your sweet-sixteen-yearold wants a sophisticated casino evening -- you can create the perfect party with The Penny Whistle™ Birthday Party Book.
Complete with suggestions for entertaining games and activities, instructions for making personalized invitations, decorations and party favors, and delicious recipes for refreshments (including the best birthday cakes ever!), this book shows you how to give:
* A Pig-Out Party (everyone gets to be a pig for the day)
* A Cloud-Nine Party (a heavenly time will be had by all)
* A Secret Agent Party (super sleuths get to find the birthday cake)
* A Stegosaurus and Friends Party (dress is prehistoric -- dinosaurs welcome)
* An Under-the-Big-Top Party (no more waiting for the circus to come to town)
* A Chocolate Factory Party (complete with a life-size candy cottage)
Customer Reviews:
Great book.......2005-08-15
My birthday's coming up soon, and my mother wanted me to decide everything I wanted to do. This is a great book with awesome themes that come with activites,invitation,and decorating ideas. It's very creative and helpful. I've looked through the book many times!
If your family is on a budget, don't buy this book!.......2003-06-17
This book is ridiculous. Nothing in here is affordable!
When I read the other reviews, I assumed that everyone here must have a fortune to spend on their children's birthday parties.
I'm on a tight budget and could never afford the lavish parties suggested in this book.
Don't waste your money on this book--check it out from the library. It has a few good game ideas, that's about it.
For Children of ALL ages..........2002-09-30
What I like about this book is the creative ideas for older children, even teens, not just young children. The party themes are listed along with age guidelines. Parties for older kids include a soccer game party, casino party, or a night "under the stars." The book has lots of fun ideas to get you brainstorming, and recipes to match themes. Good general advice, as well as specific party plans. Check the Penny Whistle Party Planner and the Penny Whistle Any Day is a Holiday books for more theme ideas.
Penny Whistle Party Book.......2001-06-24
If you own just one birthday party book, this would be the one to buy. The parties are creative and includes lots of fun activities, decorations, and refreshments. The book is kid friendly too, with attractive illustrations and easy to understand instructions for everything. The Penny Whistle books are the best available.
A busy mother's best friend!.......2000-01-02
This book has a number of wonderfully creative ideas for birthday parties for children including not only party themes, but activities, party favor ideas and even party-throwing guidelines to follow! What a relief to know that as busy mothers and fathers, we won't have to "reinvent the wheel" to make our kids' parties a smashing success!
Customer Reviews:
U.S. Maritime Policy Bellweather.......2006-11-11
Mr. Gibson and Mr. Donovan have written what is likely the clearest and most concise book there is on the successes and failures of our maritime policies. Unfortunately, the state of our maritime industry today reflects what looks like mostly failure. It is a sad story that the general public neither understands the realities of the state our transportation system is in, nor the impact we are yet to face as a result of the mis-guided and foolish policies of our government. The really dangerous part to this is that our government and politicians do not understand it, either.
This book should be required reading for all consumers, elected and appointed government officials, and all employees even remotely connected to the transportation industry. The lessons in this book can teach us a great deal about the dangers of runaway protectionist and entitlement policies.
Moreover, this book can be a road map to the elected people in offices around Washington, D.C., and our state capitols for what needs to be done to bring our maritime heritage back to the forefront of where it should be, and the impact of what is facing us if we don't get it there.
H-Net Review.......2001-03-02
Andrew Gibson and Arthur Donovan. The Abandoned Ocean: A History of United States Maritime Policy. Studies in Maritime History Series. Columbia, South Carolina: University of South Carolina Press, 2000. xiv + 362 pp. Illustrations, references, and index..., ISBN 1-57003-319-6.
Reviewed by Gordon Boyce, School of Economics and Finance, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand . Published by EH.Net (September, 2000)
In this well-written volume, Gibson and Donovan provide a concise analysis of American maritime policy from the early republic to the present. Their aim is to explain why since about 1860 the United States failed to achieve "its stated goal of promoting a commercially viable merchant marine engaged in foreign trade" even though a strong merchant navy was considered essential in times of national emergency. In so doing, Gibson and Donovan endeavour to furnish the historical background needed to guide future policy. Their advice is unequivocal: the government should eliminate restrictions and subsidies in order to let the industry operate freely on the same basis as its international rivals.
Yet, the argument does not come across as ideologically motivated or doctrinaire. Indeed, Gibson and Donovan carefully explain that America made a critical mistake by continuing to pursue protectionist practices. Specifically, the authorities required U.S. flagged vessels to be U.S.-owned and -built and reserved coastal trades for U.S. registered ships. Between 1830 and 1860, when America had an international comparative advantage in shipbuilding and formidable ship operating capabilities, these restrictions were unnecessary. After the Civil War, which caused the destruction of a large part of the national fleet, American shipbuilding lost its prowess as the shift from sail to steam and from wood to iron and later steel conferred advantages upon Britain's shipyards. Yet, U.S. flag restrictions compelled domestic operators to remain bound to an inefficient shipbuilding industry. The chosen solution was to provide subsidies, but these were inadequate to prevent a continued decline, especially as land ward opportunities offered greater returns. After 1880, the U.S. navy expanded as the country sought to enhance its international position, but the merchant marine withered to the extent that by 1900, American ships carried just eight percent of their country's foreign trade. During World War I, the consequences of this dangerous state of affairs finally revealed themselves, and the government responded by building and operating a huge fleet. It also passed the famous Shipping Act of 1916 which ignored international practices and compelled domestic and foreign ship owners servicing U.S. trades to operate within "open" conferences (rate-setting cartel-like organizations) that were subject to federal regulation.
America's policy settings were reinforced by subsequent legislation, which offered the industry more support in the form of postal, construction, and operating subsidies. The Shipping Act of 1920 committed the government to preserving a merchant marine capable of supporting the nation's trade and acting as a naval reserve and the Act of 1936 compelled ship operators to offer seafarers remuneration at levels above international standards. A divided union movement created chronically unstable labour relations to which ship owners responded by making generous concessions. Moreover, because the U.S. shipbuilding industry failed to exploit fully innovations (including modular construction) vessel costs were much higher than overseas. Subsidies, which were especially wasteful and corrupt in the 1930s, propped up the edifice. Political leaders were unwilling to make fundamental changes in the face of opposition from politically powerful interest groups. The fire sales of vessels that followed massive war-induced shipbuilding programmes gave the industry temporary fillips that could not compensate in the long-term for a lack of international comparative advantage.
By the 1980s, the link between commercial shipping and military support had been all but broken by changes in sealift requirements. (The army required Roll-on Roll-off vessels to carry heavy vehicles, but U.S. shipowners possessed few of these craft with the result that the world had a very close call when Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait.) Moreover, subsidies were becoming increasingly politically unpalatable. Currently, U.S. policies are completely out of touch with international conventions that allow the use of flags of convenience and support open registers.
Gibson and Donovan argue that the solution is to leave shipping free to meet foreign competition. By eliminating onerous registry rules and allowing American ship owners to buy vessels from foreign yards, to employ lower cost labour, and permit the same type of tax advantages enjoyed by international competitors, the U.S. might prevent the complete disappearance of its merchant marine. In so doing, the nation could preserve the industry's formidable innovative capabilities, while securing commercial and perhaps strategic advantages.
The Abandoned Ocean is not a typical "policy" book; it is written in a lively and compelling style, provides a broad context, and presents a clear analysis. This splendid volume will attract government officials, business historians, maritime historians, and economists. By highlighting the difficulty of regulating an international industry this volume indirectly offers guidance to those who might consider imposing restrictions on businesses like those conducted over the internet. It also draws attention to the way in which political factors that shape regulatory traditions can create enduring path dependency. The chapters on recent developments are particularly valuable. The Abandoned Ocean should be included in the reading lists of a variety of courses, including the economics of regulation, policy formulation and execution, and business and maritime history, as well. Individual chapters can be used as required reading for historical survey courses to develop maritime/international themes. Maritime historians will be anxious to see Gibson and Donovan's next work which examines the history of the container revolution.
Library of Congress call number: VK23 .G53 1999 Subjects: Merchant marine--United States--History Navigation--United States--History Citation: Gordon Boyce . "Review of Andrew Gibson and Arthur Donovan, The Abandoned Ocean: A History of United States Maritime Policy," EH.Net, H-Net Reviews, September, 2000. URL....
EH-Net Review.......2000-12-16
The Abandoned Ocean: A History of United States Maritime Policy Gibson, Andrew and Arthur Donovan
Published by EH.NET (September 2000)
Andrew Gibson and Arthur Donovan, The Abandoned Ocean: A History of United States Maritime Policy. Columbia, South Carolina: University of South Carolina Press, 2000. xiv + 362 pp. $39.95 (hardback), ISBN: 1-57003-319-6.
Reviewed for EH.NET by Gordon Boyce, School of Economics and Finance, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand.
In this well-written volume, Gibson and Donovan provide a concise analysis of American maritime policy from the early republic to the present. Their aim is to explain why since about 1860 the United States failed to achieve "its stated goal of promoting a commercially viable merchant marine engaged in foreign trade" even though a strong merchant navy was considered essential in times of national emergency. In so doing, Gibson and Donovan endeavour to furnish the historical background needed to guide future policy. Their advice is unequivocal: the government should eliminate restrictions and subsidies in order to let the industry operate freely on the same basis as its international rivals.
Yet, the argument does not come across as ideologically motivated or doctrinaire. Indeed, Gibson and Donovan carefully explain that America made a critical mistake by continuing to pursue protectionist practices. Specifically, the authorities required U.S. flagged vessels to be U.S.-owned and -built and reserved coastal trades for U.S. registered ships. Between 1830 and 1860, when America had an international comparative advantage in shipbuilding and formidable ship operating capabilities, these restrictions were unnecessary. After the Civil War, which caused the destruction of a large part of the national fleet, American shipbuilding lost its prowess as the shift from sail to steam and from wood to iron and later steel conferred advantages upon Britain's shipyards. Yet, U.S. flag restrictions compelled domestic operators to remain bound to an inefficient shipbuilding industry. The chosen solution was to provide subsidies, but these were inadequate to prevent a continued decline, especially as land ward opportunities offered greater returns. After 1880, the U.S. navy expanded as the country sought to enhance its international position, but the merchant marine withered to the extent that by 1900, American ships carried just eight percent of their country's foreign trade. During World War I, the consequences of this dangerous state of affairs finally revealed themselves, and the government responded by building and operating a huge fleet. It also passed the famous Shipping Act of 1916 which ignored international practices and compelled domestic and foreign ship owners servicing U.S. trades to operate within "open" conferences (rate-setting cartel-like organizations) that were subject to federal regulation.
America's policy settings were reinforced by subsequent legislation, which offered the industry more support in the form of postal, construction, and operating subsidies. The Shipping Act of 1920 committed the government to preserving a merchant marine capable of supporting the nation's trade and acting as a naval reserve and the Act of 1936 compelled ship operators to offer seafarers remuneration at levels above international standards. A divided union movement created chronically unstable labour relations to which ship owners responded by making generous concessions. Moreover, because the U.S. shipbuilding industry failed to exploit fully innovations (including modular construction) vessel costs were much higher than overseas. Subsidies, which were especially wasteful and corrupt in the 1930s, propped up the edifice. Political leaders were unwilling to make fundamental changes in the face of opposition from politically powerful interest groups. The fire sales of vessels that followed massive war-induced shipbuilding programmes gave the industry temporary fillips that could not compensate in the long-term for a lack of international comparative advantage.
By the 1980s, the link between commercial shipping and military support had been all but broken by changes in sealift requirements. (The army required Roll-on Roll-off vessels to carry heavy vehicles, but U.S. shipowners possessed few of these craft with the result that the world had a very close call when Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait.) Moreover, subsidies were becoming increasingly politically unpalatable. Currently, U.S. policies are completely out of touch with international conventions that allow the use of flags of convenience and support open registers.
Gibson and Donovan argue that the solution is to leave shipping free to meet foreign competition. By eliminating onerous registry rules and allowing American ship owners to buy vessels from foreign yards, to employ lower cost labour, and permit the same type of tax advantages enjoyed by international competitors, the U.S. might prevent the complete disappearance of its merchant marine. In so doing, the nation could preserve the industry's formidable innovative capabilities, while securing commercial and perhaps strategic advantages.
The Abandoned Ocean is not a typical "policy" book; it is written in a lively and compelling style, provides a broad context, and presents a clear analysis. This splendid volume will attract government officials, business historians, maritime historians, and economists. By highlighting the difficulty of regulating an international industry this volume indirectly offers guidance to those who might consider imposing restrictions on businesses like those conducted over the internet. It also draws attention to the way in which political factors that shape regulatory traditions can create enduring path dependency. The chapters on recent developments are particularly valuable. The Abandoned Ocean should be included in the reading lists of a variety of courses, including the economics of regulation, policy formulation and execution, and business and maritime history, as well. Individual chapters can be used as required reading for historical survey courses to develop maritime/international themes. Maritime historians will be anxious to see Gibson and Donovan's next work which examines the history of the container revolution.
Gordon Boyce's publications include Information, Mediation and Institutional Development: The Rise of Large-scale Enterprise in British Shipping, 1879-1914, Manchester University Press, 1995.
Citation: Gordon Boyce, "Review of Andrew Gibson and Arthur Donovan The Abandoned Ocean: A History of United States Maritime Policy" Economic History Services, September 11, 2000
Authorative Review of over 200 Years of America at Sea.......2000-07-31
This book is written in such a spendid way as to not bore the reader. While this is obviously a text for students of Maritime industry concerns - seafarers, transportation officals and the like - the book is fascinating to all who have an interest in how the United States became the power that it is today. It becomes apparent as to why we are not a strong commercial sea power, but the insight to our strength at sea via our Navel forces is also clear.
Starting from our earliest days as a nation the authors trace the world shipping history and how America fit in to global sceene. The book makes connections as to our past and how it became our present.
The book reads very well, is concise and fills in gaps in the details of our history that many scholors (layman or profession) should read and evaluate. It just makes sense to see the total picture painted by Gibson and Donovan.
History of U.S. maritime.......2000-06-21
Messrs. Gibson and Donovan provide a complete history of America's maritime policy and explain in detail the unfortunate demise that the U.S. merchant marine faces today. The reader should find the book easy reading, almost like a novel. America has gone from having the world's largest commercial shipping fleet to now being unable to carry more than 3 percent of its cargo. The political and business reasons for this evolution are pointed out though the reader unless familiar with the commercial maritime world might have trouble grasping the downfall of the U.S. flag fleet. Today, the U.S. is still the world's largest importer/exporter in numbers of tons, but due to outdated maritime policy, has failed to maintain a modern commercial fleet to carry a "fair share" of these cargoes. Recommended for maritime students and commercial shipping persons as well as for politicians as a lesson on how outdated policy can ruin an industry.
Book Description
With the Israeli-Palestinian crisis reaching wartime levels, where is the latest confrontation between these two old foes leading? Robert Fisk’s explosive Pity the Nation recounts Sharon and Arafat’s first deadly encounter in Lebanon in the early 1980s and explains why the Israel–Palestine relationship seems so intractable. A remarkable combination of war reporting and analysis by an author who has witnessed the carnage of Beirut for twenty-five years, Fisk, the first journalist to whom bin Laden announced his jihad against the U.S., is one of the world's most fearless and honored foreign correspondents. He spares no one in this saga of the civil war and subsequent Israeli invasion: the PLO, whose thuggish behavior alienated most Lebanese; the various Lebanese factions, whose appalling brutality spared no one; the Syrians, who supported first the Christians and then the Muslims in their attempt to control Lebanon; and the Israelis, who tried to install their own puppets and, with their 1982 invasion, committed massive war crimes of their own. It includes a moving finale that recounts the travails of Fisk’s friend Terry Anderson who was kidnapped by Hezbollah and spent 2,454 days in captivity. Fully updated to include the Israeli withdrawl from south Lebanon and Ariel Sharon's electoral victory over Ehud Barak, this edition has sixty pages of new material and a new preface. “Robert Fisk’s enormous book about Lebanon’s desperate travails is one of the most distinguished in recent times.”—Edward Said
Customer Reviews:
Excellent Journalistic Account of the Civil War and Israeli invasion of Lebanon.......2007-09-27
Robert Fisk, a journalist who is still living in Beirut, Lebanon gives and excellent journalistic account of the Lebanese Civil war and the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982. He doesn't pull punches and is quite accurate in his assessment. He is perhaps one of the few journalists who are stuck in the mainstream mode of reporting news in the Middle East. This book is an excellent resource for those who want to learn about this part of Lebanese history from the eyes of an in-the-trench journalist such as Robert Fisk.
Not for the faint of heart.......2007-03-23
It is difficult to know what to say about this book. I believe it to be a genuine effort to chronicle Lebanon's civil war and Israel's 1982 invasion of the country in as objective a tone as possible. For everything written has a "tone" no matter how objective the author tries to be.
I believe the facts speak for themselves. Robert Fisk had first-hand experience of the invasion and subsequent events so this is primary source material and should be read as such. I read the book originally in order to verify certain historical events as they are presented in a novel "The Scar of David". When I found these events to be confirmed by Fisk's narrative, I investigated further by searching the Internet for additional verification and found it. All three sources do not present Israel in a particularly flattering light. Is this the result of bias, of anti-Semitism, or simply evidence that the country has behaved badly on occasions?
The massacres at Sabra and Chatilla and the shelling of United Nations headquarters in Lebanon in 1996 are historical fact, as is the Holocaust.
To deny that they happened, or to accuse Fisk of anti-Semitism because he focuses on these events, is to approach the evidence with a biased eye in favor of Israel.
Is Fisk critical of Israel? Yes, he is. Is the criticism justified? I believe so. The horror of the Holocaust has made something of a sacred cow of Israel and with good reason. Six million dead is a figure that is difficult to ignore. But Lebanese and Palestinians are human beings too, and they have suffered as well. If Fisk had any intention in writing this book other than pure journalistic coverage, I believe it to be to point this out.
I have read no other books on the subject other than the aforementioned novel, so I cannot compare Fisk's book to anyone else's coverage of events. Is he thorough? Certainly. Is the reporting comprehensive? Possibly. Is the graphic depiction of the carnage necessary? Probably not. But it is effective. Is the U.S. complicit in its unwavering support for Israel? Almost certainly.
Is the Palestinian terrorism justified? Are Israel's responses to it proportionate to the offense? These are difficult questions to answer, and I can only offer something I read recently in another venue; "ideal justice, however yearned for, is beyond direct human experience".
We can only pity the innocent, and yes, pity the nation.
Not an easy read.......2007-01-19
As Fisk tells us this book is not an academic history of the wars in Lebanon but rather a personal narrative of a news reporter based on his mountain of notes, a profession in which he is just the best. This leads to some confusion for a reader who has to stay with him as he jumps from place to place, army to army, party to party, and even time to time. It also takes a strong stomach as he forces us to read about the reality of modern "war", the ugly brutality of what modern weapons can do in dismembering pitiful, innocent human beings. Over and over. As he says, "So far as armies and militias go, there are no good guys in Lebanon." While none of them including the PLO come out as heroes the Israelis certainly do not look good, not just in the brutality inflicted on the Lebanese but in their racist arrogance and lies they often told to cover up their actions. For exposing these Fisk was, as usual, subject to attack by the ubiquitous Israeli lobby in the US including the dreary and false charges of "anti-Semitsm". He is one of the few foreign reporters who has called attention to the Israeli practice of falling back on "the Holocaust" or accusations of anti-Semitism when caught out in one of their military outrages.
This book although a difficult read is particularly educational for Americans who may have opinions about Lebanon formed by the usually inadequate US media.
Fisk is British but lives in Lebanon. He was educated in Ireland and has somewhat Irish outlooks which I think give him a certain sympathy for those without power. I note that when on leave he went to the remote west of Ireland rather than the fleshpots of Europe!
Lastly, his bravery in reporting literally under fire is unique as far as I know, except for a few of his other companions such as his friend the kidnapped Terry Anderson and a few others from several nations and the brave United Nations soldiers. His final chapter about the Israeli attack on the UN base at Qana with its Fiji soldiers and many civilians is shocking and a fitting finale to the book.
Must-Read.......2006-09-08
Chock-full of information and rare insights that is rarely seen. I must say he is quite exhaustive in his dealings of each side of the various conflicts he discusses and lays everything out on the table so that you see the best and worst of all worlds. I am ordering his new book as we speak.
Days in life of a journalist in Lebanon.......2006-07-24
This book an account of the author's experience as a reporter in Lebanon during the Civil War. It is essentially journalism, in the sense that it covers the day to day experience of the author. As the author says in the beginning, it is not a history (even though you can follow historical events pretty closely through Fisk's eyes), it is more an account of the daily life of ordinary citizens. For example, there are no statistics, not much on politics and no economic consideration. I personally suspect that studying the economics could help understand the conflict. The good thing is that Fisk has been to a lot of places. He keeps running around the Muslim parts of Lebanon and speaking with everyone: Israelis, Syrians, Palestinians, Muslims, Christians, Druzes, Americans, French, Italians.... He always seems to be near to where the bombs fall, which makes it possible for the reader to learn about the many different ways of being discombobulated or burnt alive (phosphorus or normal burns ?). That can be a little depressing. There are some very interesting comments on the role of journalism and the importance of words, in particular the issue of whether to call someone a terrorist or a freedom fighter, as there is no official definition of terrorism. I also liked the almost poetic way of describing how all foreign armies lose their way in the mystery that is Lebanon.
Be aware that the author is often considered to be strongly biased against Israel and against the Lebanese Christians. To me, it is not clear-cut, but it's the reason why I cannot give it 5 stars. The impression I have is that the author does his best to try and remain objective despite his relatively obvious feelings. The book is factual and probably sincere, but facts as seen by one individual give a necessarily incomplete, and possibly misleading, view of the events. Besides, the religious questions (Muslims vs Christians vs Jews) is intertwined with political issues, which complicates the matter: for example Robert Fisk keeps implying that the Christian Phalange party are nothing but modern-day Fascists. Some comments are clearly unfair or inappropriate: for example when leaving the home of a Christian, he notes that "two Christian children where plucking out the wings of a living bird". What about an interview with Hitler ending with "leaving Chancellor Hitler, I noticed two Austrian children gouging out the eyes of a living cat" ? If you disagree with someone, there are more honest ways to make your point than suggesting that he belongs to an essentially evil people - even if the incident is factually true. It is still a worthwhile read, if only because in the West we tend to get only the pro-Israeli view of the events.
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