Jewish Women and Their Salons: The Power of Conversation (Published in Association with the Jewish Museum, New York)

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Jewish Women's Power

A UNIQUE GEM

Jewish Women and Their Salons: The Power of Conversation (Published in Association with the Jewish Museum, New York)
Emily D. Bilski , and Emily Braun
Manufacturer: Jewish Museum
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Jewish | World | History | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0300103859

Book Description

From their debut in Berlin in the 1780s to their emergence in 1930s California, Jewish women’s salons served as welcoming havens where all classes and creeds could openly debate art, music, literature, and politics. This fascinating book is the first to explore the history of these salons where remarkable women of intellect resolved that neither gender nor religion would impede their ability to bring about social change.

Emily D. Bilski and Emily Braun examine the lives of more than a dozen Jewish salonières, charting the evolution of the salon over time and among cultures, in cities including Berlin, Vienna, Paris, London, New York, and Milan. They show how each woman uniquely adapted the salon to suit her own interests while maintaining the salon’s key characteristics of basic informality and a diversity of guests. Other distinguished contributors to the volume discuss in detail the Berlin salons of the 1800s; the salon in terms of Jewish acculturation and its relation to gender and music; and the relations of Marcel Proust, Oscar Wilde, and Gertrude Stein to the literary salon. The book is enriched with a lavish array of illustrations, including documentary photographs, paintings, drawings, prints, and decorative arts.

Customer Reviews:

Jewish Women's Power.......2006-02-25

The book on the Salons was part of the Jewish Museum (NYC) show last spring. I saw the show and the book is now a tool I use for research. The women and their salons include some of the most influental and creative forces through the centuries. The book is also worth having as table top book, for your salon/living room as a way to stimulate converstions when your friends gather. Biliski is to be commended for her work on a topic Jewish Women have been waiting for.

A UNIQUE GEM.......2005-08-31

For the earlier part of this analysis, I would like to retitle the book 'Salons'.
I know of no book that devotes its contents to the past two hundred years' cultural entity of the 'salon'. [For that matter I don't know of any book that devotes itself solely to the cultural entity of its 'equivalent' -- the 'musical(e)'.]
By provisionally eliminating the 'Jewish' or 'female' associations in the book, the study of the 'salon' as a cultural entity is unique itself.
Then coupled with the 'female' as the main creator and motivator of the salon is surely mind-expanding.
Then, in addition, (to those interested) to add the Jewish aspect (which, again, if one is interested) with its many associations (Jew and still German or Austro-Hungarian; the 'Court Jew'; voluntary conversion (or 'slipping away, or intermarriage) of some Jews, and its association with anti-Semitism, or just the desire to be 'less Jewish', the prominent place of many Jews in European history, etc., etc.) is surely a plus.
Now, to the physical aspect of the book: Its binding, quality of the paper, and quality of the (many colored) reproductions, are first quality.
Its content is unequaled with its seven introductory articles by the editors, the four monographs by other authorities; then the most interesting biographies of the female 'salon-keepers' [!!!]; and finally the fine notes, biblography and index.

To recapitulate: Physically this is a fine production; the subject (the salon) is a real contribution; plus the important function of the female (I can't think of any male 'salonniere'), and, to those interested, the importance of the Jew in the cultural history of particularly Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire, this a unique and entirely 'satisfying' production.

Jew or non Jew, if you are at all interested in this contribution to the culture of the 'western' world, the purchase of this book is a MUST.

Jewish Women and Their Salons: the Power of Conversation

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Jewish Women and Their Salons: the Power of Conversation
Emily D. Bilski
Manufacturer: Jewish Museum New York
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000N6B7KI

Book Description

A newspaper columnist for fifteen years and a humorist for life, Joanne Snow Duncanson views the world through Bombeck-colored glasses.

Book Description

All the songs from the album of the same name, including: Kodachrome, Tenderness, Take Me to the Mardi Gras, Something So Right, One Man's Ceiling is Anothe Man's Floor, American Tune, Was a Sunny Day, Learn How to Fall, St. Judy's Commet, and Loves Me Like a Rock.

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There Goes Rhymin' Simon
Paul Simon
Manufacturer: Warner Bros. Records, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: CD-ROM
ASIN: B000KYNW0Q

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A Politically Diverse, Well-Edited Anthology.......2000-03-29

Patrick Deane's anthology brings together 45 short documents from 1930's Britain, making this a great book for teachers and students of this politically volatile decade. Included are crucial documents debating involvement in the Spanish Civil War as well as some rarely reprinted feminist essays (including, for example, Vera Brittain's "Can the Women of the World Stop War?"). In addition to a smart and useful introduction, Deane has written an informative headnote and clarifying footnotes for each selection.

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Much more about mother than about Fred.......2006-01-14

I am a mother of a child with special needs. I had just read "Smiling at Shadows" by Junee Waites and Helen Swinbourne. and was so impressed by the insight it offered that I looked forward to reading "My Son Fred". The two autistic boys, now grown up, appear to have been born at about the same time although one was born in the States and the other, Fred was born in Sweden and also had an intellectual disability.

The two books are very different. "Smiling at Shadows" was a far more positive book that gives great insight into why many ASD children behave as they do. The mother did not in any way understate her own pain and described her journey with great honesty, but we also learned a lot about her son's way of behaving and looking at the world.

"My son Fred" is also about a mother's journey but there is somehow not much about Fred except how he impacts on his mother. There is though a great deal about the mother's feelings throughout. She is searingly honest about these but it is only towards the end of the book, when her son is grown-up, that she begins to describe her son's viewpoint and why he possibly behaved in certain ways. I found her writing style quite irritating, with many words written in CAPITALS or with a Capital First Letter, and some of the language quite cringey. It is translated from Swedish but no doubt the Swedish version contains the same writing style.

Having said all this, it is still worth reading for the terrible way children with intellectual disabilities were regarded at that time. The mother was told by doctors and so-called friends to put him into a home and forget all about him and was condemned for not doing so. She was unsupported and her decision to keep him at home had an enormous and draining impact on her family, yet they all loved him as much as any parent loves their child - something others could not see. Had Fred been born today it is hoped that he would have received much more enlightened care and education and his parents would have been far better-supported.

There are many good things about this book. Had there been a better balance between the writer's feelings and her son's story(as we got in "Smiling at Shadows") and the writing style had been different, I'm sure I would have closed the book feeling enlightened rather than irritated.

Book Description

- Authoritative, concise reference to the special operations units of WWII
- Explains why special forces were created and details their operational histories and battle honors
- Includes both Allied and Axis elite forces

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easy reading.......2007-08-15

short notes about Elite Troops of WW2, gives nice overall info from different troops from different countries. good one.

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Very Interesting

another expert ignored

An Insider's Perspective on Iraq

Indispensable

What is a Democracy?

Squandered Victory: The American Occupation and the Bungled Effort to Bring Democracy to Iraq
Larry Diamond
Manufacturer: Times Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Iraq | Middle East | History | Subjects | Books
General | World | History | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: B000MTEWIA
Release Date: 2005-05-26

Amazon.com

In late 2003, Stanford University professor and democracy expert Larry Diamond was personally asked by his former colleague Condoleezza Rice to serve as an advisor to the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq, a position he accepted with equal parts "hesitation and conviction." He opposed the initial invasion of Iraq, but "supported building the peace," and felt the U.S. had a moral imperative to reconstruct Iraq as a democratic and prosperous nation. Before going to Iraq he had serious doubts about whether the U.S. could actually do this--an opinion that was solidified after spending three months working with the CPA. Squandered Victory is his insider's examination of what went wrong in Iraq after the initial invasion. Diamond details a long list of preventable blunders and missed opportunities, from President Bush's decision to give the Pentagon the lead responsibility for the management of postwar Iraq to the CPA's inability to work with Iraqi leaders such as Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani. Diamond expresses admiration for CPA Administrator L. Paul Bremer, whom he believes was sincere about wanting to bring democracy to Iraq, yet points out that he was wholly unprepared and unrealistic about the task, resulting in "one of the major overseas blunders in U.S. history." In his descriptions of confrontations with Bremer, Diamond shows him as unwilling to diverge from paths that were obviously failing.

As an academic with an expertise in democracy building, Diamond sometimes seems more comfortable with theories than practical solutions, but he did experience the process in Iraq from the inside and provides a useful background on the various ethnic and religious groups vying for power there. He claims that he remains hopeful, but his optimism lies more with the abilities of the Iraqi people than with the U.S. government, since the difficult process of democratization will likely take much more time and effort than the U.S. can afford to spend. --Shawn Carkonen

Book Description

n the fall of 2003, Stanford professor Larry Diamond received a call from Condoleezza Rice, asking if he would spend several months in Baghdad as an adviser to the the American occupation authorities. Diamond had not been a supporter of the war in Iraq, but he felt that the task of building a viable democracy was a worthy goal now that Saddam Hussein's regime had been overthrown. He also thought he could do some good by putting his academic expertise to work in the real world. So in January 2004 he went to Iraq, and the next three months proved to be more of an education than he bargained for.

Customer Reviews:

Very Interesting.......2007-03-09

This is an interesting book. Anyone who is interested in an alternative to the right wing talk radio and tv news should seriously consider checking out the Thom Hartmann radio show opposite Rush Limbaugh weekdays at: thomhartmann dot com / showlisten.shtml

Whether democrat, republican, or indepedent, so many of the facts out there are completely ignored by the mainstream media and talk shows. This show is one strong example of an examination of the facts regardless of your political affiliation. I am not affiliated with the show in any way, just struck by the facts so many seem to ignore.

another expert ignored.......2007-01-18

In late 2003 Condoleezza Rice telephoned her friend and Stanford colleague Larry Diamond of the Hoover Institution to ask him to go to Iraq as a senior adviser to the Coalition Provisional Authority in Baghdad. Although he had opposed the war with Iraq, after the fact he considered it a "moral imperative" to do everything within our power to establish a democracy there. As an expert in democratic development around the world, both as a scholar and an adviser-practitioner on the ground, few people are more qualified. He believed the Iraqis truly wanted democracy and were willing to work for it. He clearly has no axe to grind, and no compulsion to justify or condemn. Nor did he think the task was hopeless, at least when he went. He believes our intentions were good, and he is eager to give credit to the CPA and Iraqis where it is due.

Diamond spent four months in Baghdad (January to April 2004), and I think it is safe to say that few people worked harder or with more conviction, passion, enthusiasm, and sense of duty than he did. His book went to press in January 2005 right after the election results were announced. While there he focused his efforts on two tasks --he was one of the five drafters of the interim constitution, and he crisscrossed the country (until it became too unsafe to do so) promoting democracy development through speeches, conferences, town hall meetings, print and news media, seminars, and the like.

From the start, though, the Bush plan was a long shot. Imposing a democracy by force is oxymoronic, wherever you might try it. Attempting it in the Middle East, the only place in the world without a single democratic government, decreases your odds of success. The "cardinal sin," in Diamond's mind, was the pre-emptive war in the first place, for this put the United States on a course of "path dependence." A trajectory was set in motion, a chain reaction of events was unleashed, and almost none of it is reversible. A distinguished diplomat likened this to driving down a one-way street in the wrong direction; no matter what turns you make thereafter you are making more wrong turns. That's your best case scenario.

Now compound this with the "staggering failures" that the Bush administration made at "virtually every turn"-- no post-war plan to secure the peace; substantial under-resourcing in troops, equipment, and money; an artificial time table to write a constitution, sell it to the country, and hold elections; interagency turf wars between governmental agencies and especially between the State Department and the Pentagon; disbanding the Iraqi army and de-Baathification that sidelined the only people in Iraq who knew how to rule; grossly underestimating Iraqi nationalism, resentment, disaffection, and suspicions of American motives; making numerous, important decisions in an unapologetically autocratic and undemocratic fashion (a point not lost on Iraqis); a dismissive and flippant contempt for all criticisms; willful and arrogant delusions; wishful thinking and bad information; ostracizing the United Nations; and horrible miscalculations regarding Sistani, Muqtada al-Sadr and Fallujah.

As the violent insurgency engulfed Iraq, Diamond watched much of what he and his CPA colleagues had accomplished unravel. Back in the United States, he decided not to return to Iraq. On April 26, 2004, he wrote his friend of twenty years, Condi Rice, a detailed, confidential memo. He never heard back. He has concluded that the Iraqi fiasco is well on its way to becoming "one of the major overseas blunders in US history." In his sharpest critique in the entire book, Diamond charges the Bush administration with "negligence on a monumental scale." He insists he means this not as a rhetorical flourish or verbal towel-snapping, but in the technical, legal sense of "gross or criminal negligence."

It will be years if not decades before a final verdict on Iraq is in, so predictions are risky. Oddly enough, Diamond still hopes that democracy of some attenuated sort might work in Iraq. For that to happen, three conditions must be met: the play of politics must be inclusive enough to encompass Sunnis and Kurds who feel threatened. Related, a balance of power must insure that no single group dominates the rest. In these first two conditions rests the contradiction between minority rights sought by the Kurds and Sunnis, and majority rule sought by the Shiites. Finally, Iraq's emerging politicians must evidence pragmatic flexibility as opposed to ideological rigidity.

If you read the newspapers, you do not learn much at all new in Diamond's book. What makes it compelling is his unique qualifications and inspirational dedication to the task. At the end of the day, if I was an insurgent who had the least bit of doubt whether my efforts were thwarting America's ill-conceived plans, I would be greatly heartened by this first person narrative of someone who chronicled his personal experiences up close and personal. So far we have been "simply overmatched" for a post-war conflict for which we were "grossly unprepared" (p. 291).

An Insider's Perspective on Iraq.......2006-11-06

Larry Diamond's Squandered Victory is interesting but also somewhat disappointing.

Diamond was among those Americans who went to Iraq after the invasion to try to support democratization. One of the sadder aspects of this book is the author's confidence that his forays into the Iraqi community to lead discussions on democracy had any chance of success. As one reads the volume, the optimism seems to have been misplaced (especially given our knowledge of what has happened over time) that it leads me to think of the author as somewhat naive (believing that meetings with small groups of Iraqis could make much of a difference, based on the larger context in Iraq; and I am familiar with and respect his other work on democracy).

Nonetheless, there are useful insights in this volume. On a number of occasions, he notes the likelihood that the key figures in the Administration's Iraqi policy group were caught up in "groupthink," where they lost their ability to be self-critical. On page 205, he observes that "But by now I had become accustomed to this kind of internal spin and groupthink." A similar reflection occurs on page 291.

Poignant was Condoleezza Rice's alleged nonresponse to his feedback to her on his assignment. This was his attempt to pass on to her the lessons that he saw as a result of his experiences in Iraq.

All in all, another volume on Iraq that helps to provide context; it adds a useful component to the full set of books on Iraq. The title, "Squandered Victory," however, suggests that the American adventure was winnable from the get go. Given the poor after war planning and the inherent religious and cultural fissures in Iraq itself, this is debatable. Nonetheless, a good addition to one's Iraq library. . . .

Indispensable.......2006-05-05

Probably the best book of the year. Diamond writes a great account of the Iraq disaster from an insider's view. Chapter 10, "What Went Wrong," is a devastating indictment of the many mistakes by this incompetent administration, e.g. the disbanding of the Baath party and the army, the insufficient troops and armor. The reader is left to wonder what might have been had the invasion/occupation been run more competently. Perhaps we would be victorious today. Disturbing, but fascinating.

What is a Democracy?.......2006-04-07

I thought the book was ok, but it bothers me that Mr. Diamond uses the word democracy over and over. We are NOT a democracy. We are a Republic. There is a differance and it is more than just words.

Coming to terms with Iraq.(Squandered Victory: The American Occupation and the Bungled Effort to Bring Democracy to Iraq)(Losing Iraq: Inside the Postwar ... article from: Ethics & International Affairs

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Coming to terms with Iraq.(Squandered Victory: The American Occupation and the Bungled Effort to Bring Democracy to Iraq)(Losing Iraq: Inside the Postwar ... article from: Ethics & International Affairs
Omar G. Encarnacion
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Ethics & International Affairs, published by Thomson Gale on December 1, 2005. The length of the article is 3472 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: Coming to terms with Iraq.(Squandered Victory: The American Occupation and the Bungled Effort to Bring Democracy to Iraq)(Losing Iraq: Inside the Postwar Reconstruction Fiasco)(Book review)
Author: Omar G. Encarnacion
Publication: Ethics & International Affairs (Magazine/Journal)
Date: December 1, 2005
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 19 Issue: 3 Page: 91(7)

Article Type: Book review

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Inside the green zone: a former CPA advisor details just how dysfunctional the Iraq occupation was.(On Political Books)(Squandered Victory: The American ... : An article from: Washington Monthly

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Inside the green zone: a former CPA advisor details just how dysfunctional the Iraq occupation was.(On Political Books)(Squandered Victory: The American ... : An article from: Washington Monthly
Ed Kilgore
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Imperial Life in the Emerald City: Inside Iraq's Green Zone (Vintage)

ASIN: B000BKSP0Q
Release Date: 2005-09-27

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This digital document is an article from Washington Monthly, published by Thomson Gale on September 1, 2005. The length of the article is 1347 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: Inside the green zone: a former CPA advisor details just how dysfunctional the Iraq occupation was.(On Political Books)(Squandered Victory: The American Occupation and the Bungled Effort to Bring Democracy to Iraq)(Book Review)
Author: Ed Kilgore
Publication: Washington Monthly (Magazine/Journal)
Date: September 1, 2005
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 37 Issue: 9 Page: 51(3)

Article Type: Book Review

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The Iraq Debacle.(Squandered Victory: The American Occupation and the Bungled Effort to Bring Democracy to Iraq)(How America Lost Iraq)(Night Draws Near: ... Review) : An article from: The Progressive

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The Iraq Debacle.(Squandered Victory: The American Occupation and the Bungled Effort to Bring Democracy to Iraq)(How America Lost Iraq)(Night Draws Near: ... Review) : An article from: The Progressive
Matthew Rothschild
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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This digital document is an article from The Progressive, published by Thomson Gale on November 1, 2005. The length of the article is 3145 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 Iraq Debacle.(Squandered Victory: The American Occupation and the Bungled Effort to Bring Democracy to Iraq)(How America Lost Iraq)(Night Draws Near: Iraq's People in the Shadow of America's War)(Book Review)
Author: Matthew Rothschild
Publication: The Progressive (Magazine/Journal)
Date: November 1, 2005
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 69 Issue: 11 Page: 48(5)

Article Type: Book Review

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You Break It, You Buy It.(Squandered Victory: The American Occupation and the Bungled Effort to Bring Democracy to Iraq)(Book Review): An article from: Commonweal

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You Break It, You Buy It.(Squandered Victory: The American Occupation and the Bungled Effort to Bring Democracy to Iraq)(Book Review): An article from: Commonweal
Margaret O'Brien Steinfels
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Commonweal, published by Thomson Gale on September 9, 2005. The length of the article is 996 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: You Break It, You Buy It.(Squandered Victory: The American Occupation and the Bungled Effort to Bring Democracy to Iraq)(Book Review)
Author: Margaret O'Brien Steinfels
Publication: Commonweal (Magazine/Journal)
Date: September 9, 2005
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 132 Issue: 15 Page: 30(3)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

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