Techno Textiles 2: Revolutionary Fabrics for Fashion and Design

Book Description

The incredible intersection of textiles, design,and technology and how it influences our twenty-first-century way of life.

Following on the success of the first edition of Techno Textiles, the updated Techno Textiles 2 is completely revised and incorporates over 200 new illustrations, all in color. Textile technology has radically evolved in recent years, and many of the ideas mentioned in the first edition have now become reality, while countless new ones have been conceived.

Techno Textiles 2 highlights advanced textiles in production and available to the designer, artist, architect, and consumer today. Here are textiles for a new world: fabrics that shrink or expand to the desired size; textiles developed from carbon, steel, glass, and ceramics; materials that protect the wearer from environmental extremes on earth and in space.

The book is divided into three sections: "Innovations" (how the newest textiles are imagined and made); "Applications" (from fashion and design to architecture and art); and "Reference" (a full reference guide, including glossary, biographies, directory of addresses, public collections, and an extensive bibliography). It will become required reading for professionals and for anyone curious about the new environment in which we live. 300 color illustrations.

Customer Reviews:

Not so good...........2007-01-16

This book was not at all what was expected...
It almost has no purpose.

An exciting pick for any designer or artist working in fabrics.......2006-05-22

TECHNO TEXTILES: REVOLUTIONARY FABRICS FOR FASHION AND DESIGN will prove an exciting pick for any designer or artist working in fabrics. Here are features of new textiles developed from carbon, steel and even glass: materials which protect wearers from the environment or offer new versatility traditional fabrics can't match. Accompanying color photos of fabrics in use are discussions of changing trends in fabric construction, design and style - an outstanding display of images in a top-rated title juxtaposing art and functional style. Very highly recommended.

Diane C. Donovan, Editor
California Bookwatch

Book Description

* Comprehensive * Easy to follow format * Companion volume to Basic Betacam Camerawork by same author A large proportion of broadcast, satellite, cable television and corporate video programs are produced using a multi-camera production technique which has its own distinct discipline, equipment and operational procedures compared to the single camera, single shot technique practiced in film and lightweight video camera operation.

Average customer rating:

Video Camera Operator's Handbook
Peter Hodges
Manufacturer: Focal Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Direction & Production | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Direction & Production | Television | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Book Description

The Video Camera Operator's Handbook explains in easy-to-understand language the background to video operation. It describes the video system in photography terms, explaining its benefits, limitations and how these influence picture making.

The Video Camera Operator's Handbook explains in easy-to-understand language the background to video operation. It describes the video system in photography terms, explaining its benefits, limitations and how these influence picture making.

Aimed at camera operators (those transferring from photography and film, as well as those already working in video and television) the book explains how camera operation, lighting and special effects are all affected by video operation. The system is described from its roots. The camera and picture display are considered together to describe how they interact - these form the backbone of video photography. Checkout procedures are described and there is a discussion on lenses, lighting and pictures where these are specific to video operation. In short, all the important basics are covered to ensure the operator fully understands the system.

Peter Hodges is a freelance trainer and consultant, operating his own Moving Image Masterclasses which teach the fundamentals of video from a visual base. He worked for many years at BBC Pebble Mill on such productions as Oliver Twist, The Rai.

Reviews:

'A compelling read for all camera operators learning their craft and for those who think they know it all'
Amateur Film and Video Maker

'I would recommend The Video Camera Operator's Handbook to anyone
who is serious about taking moving pictures and who would like to
understand what lies behind grain, aperture ramping, colour temperature,
gamma and the many other elements which affect the pictures we
produce.'
Despatches

Explains how the video system influences picture making
An invaluable guide for those needing to multiskill
Invaluable for workers in allied crafts such as lighting, vision operation and special effects as written in a non technical language

Average customer rating:

Video Camera Operator's Handbook
Peter Hodges
Manufacturer: Focal Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OPYB1K

Customer Reviews:

great comics experiments by kaz.......2002-05-22

this is an awesome anthology. it's 11x17 inches in size and about 40-50 (i can't remember) pages long. the lead stories are about "ToT," a strange radioactive baby, another one of Kaz's great characters. my favorite segments, though, are called "vamp dance" -- they are funny, formal experiments in comics. the large size allows for classic-newspaper style layouts. very nice. -yakov.

Book Description

Have you ever noticed how many people look like their dog? Have you spotted these look-alikes on the street, in the park, or at a family picnic? Have you been to a dog and owner look-alike contest at a local fair? Now you can see examples of this phenomenon in DO YOU LOOK LIKE YOUR DOG?, a book which features 100 look-alike owners and dogs. The photos comes from the popular Website www.doyoulooklikeyourdog.com, which gets thousands of hits a day, and the book features about 50 photos sent in by owners from all over the world and the rest taken by author Gini Graham Scott at dog shows in the San Francisco Bay Area. The book has even become a game introduced by Briarpatch and a song featured on YouTube, MySpace, and other sites. The dogs range from toy Poms and Miniature Pinschers to Cocker Spaniels, Golden Retrievers, Irish Wolfhounds, Siberian Huskies, and many more. The book also includes a brief introduction about how the hundreds of breeds developed and the reason that many people do resemble like their dog in many ways, from their hair style and hair color to their body build, personality, and dress. So see if you can find your favorite dog-owner look-alike and enjoy.

Customer Reviews:

Cute but disappointing...........2005-01-20

The cover shows great color pics, but the inside pages are all black & white! My 9 yr. old daughter was terribly disappointed! It is very hard to see resemblence due to color matches in black and white photos. I was disappointed that the books listing did not state it was a black and white book.

Do you look like your dog?.......2004-02-22

How original! That is so cool. They say husbands and wives look alike after awhile. That can happen with dogs as well. Good going on the book.

Book Description

Ideal for any learning setting, this book includes all the information and instruction a novice student needs to successfully learn to play the guitar. Drawing on his own experiences as a musician and instructor, the author capably guides student and teacher from the very first encounter with a time signature, through learning finger placement, playing chords and reading compound meter. Large graded anthology with over 30 works for solo guitar as well as guitar ensembles. Study notes accompany each carefully fingered solo composition. An audio CD, included with the book, allows the student to hear the correct way to play the exercises and reinforces what they have learned.

Customer Reviews:

Great book!.......2000-09-14

This is a wonderful book. My son is 8 and has used it for nine months and has made amazing progress! Before that he was floundering with other books, none of which were appropriate--they were all either too hard or too easy. This book is just right. Mr. Hemmo has a true passion for teaching.

Exercises have really helped.......1999-02-13

I found the simplest exercises most helpful in emphasizing basic good form.Without any pressure to immediately play, I'm able, as a beginner, to get comfortable with efficient, accurate technique. The CD is especially helpful and the songs in the anthology are inspiring to a beginning player.

By far the best beginning classical book I've come accross........1999-02-11

I've been playing guitar for 5 years and have used numerous books from every genre of music. They were all stereotypical and similar to one another. Phillip Hemmo has incorporated some of the well known techniques of classical playing with a new and refreshing repertoire of music. I personally hated the fact that songs like, "Mary had a little lamb" and others of that sort, were always used in learning. Hemmo grabs songs from a different bag for this book. They are manageable and more aesthetically pleasing. The book also drills the student into learning the classical method as if it was second nature. I've played in jazz ensembles, rock bands, and even had classical lessons yet I've learned massive amounts from this book. I highly recommend it.

An easy to understand guitar method book.......1999-02-10

As a beginning guitar player I was very pleased with this book. The easy to read diagrams and basic explanations have made learning guitar a breeze. I found the exercises and selected pieces to be excellent. I was able to go from never playing guitar to Yankee Doodle to Prelude in A in a matter of three months. I would STRONGLY recommend this book for anyone who wants to learn the basics as well as those who want to improve their Guitar playing skills.

Great!!! I have never learned so much from a book.......1999-02-10

Hemmo's book is great for beginners, even those with no prior musical training, because he explains everything and makes it simple. I have had musical training for other instruments, but I was interested in learning classical guitar. This book made it easy for me to the learn the techniques and styles essential to guitar performance. This book also takes you from very simple songs to great performance pieces, so you don't need to purchase lots of music to have access to a large repertoire of guitar music. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning about basic guitar or classical guitar. I can now play pop songs and classical works. Great book!

Beginning Classroom Guitar A Musician's Approach

Average customer rating:

Beginning Classroom Guitar A Musician's Approach
Philip Hemmo
Manufacturer: Schirmer Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000O92VLS

Beginning Classroom Guitar with CD: A Musician's Approach

Average customer rating:

Beginning Classroom Guitar with CD: A Musician's Approach
Philip Hemmo
Manufacturer: Schirmer/Thomson Learning
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Music | Books on CD | Audiobooks | Formats | Books

General | Books on CD | Audiobooks | Formats | Books
ASIN: 0534273823

Customer Reviews:

Modern Cigar Culture.......2003-07-21

I own a growing collection of books about cigars and this one is certainly one of the better ones. This book avoids being simply a history lesson about a pastime that was popular 150 years ago, and dives in to the here and now. It contains a lot of original and interesting contemporary cigar culture material that is quite fresh, and would be hard to find elsewhere. The text traces the journey of the author(s) as they move around the world interacting with cigar smokers and the culture that surrounds them. It also reviews 50 popular modern cigars from various locations. Iým deducting 1 star because I think the book tries to be a bit too sexy, a cardinal sin amongst true cigar smokers, who donýt smoke to impress and often have to try hard to throw off the pretentiousness tag. However, make no mistake, this is a really enjoyable book that is nice to look at, quite modern in content and also rather unique.

Book Description

Labor economists generally agree that new technologies are changing the face and nature of today's workplace. Gaining ground in the new labor market are more-skilled, better-educated workers who are capable of embracing technological change in their jobs. Falling out of favor and lagging behind in wages are workers lacking the education and skills needed to acclimate themselves to new technologies. This phenomenon is referred to as "skill-biased" technological change, and Siegel provides evidence that technology adoption is associated with downsizing, skill upgrading, greater employee empowerment, and a widening wage gap. Unlike previous studies that use industry-level data, Siegel collected firm-level data on technology usage and labor composition which enable him to link the magnitude of labor market outcomes for six classes of workers to the types of technologies implemented. Specifically, Siegel examined 12 advance manufacturing technologies (AMTs), some of which were CAD/CAM systems, robotics, and just-in-time inventory systems, that were implemented by the employers surveyed. He also gathered information on Human Resource Management (HRM) strategies that accompanied the AMT installations. These data allowed him to

* directly examine the labor market implications associated with the implementation of new manufacturing technologies,

* explore whether changes in HRM policies that enhance employee empowerment arise following technological change, and

* conduct a dissagregated analysis across the two broad classes of advanced manufacturing technologies, linked and integrated. Siegel's study has important implications for employment policy. To alleviate the well-publicized shortages of workers possessing the skills needed to adopt new technologies, he recommends that colleges and universities develop closer alliances with employers that hire their graduates and that they use an assessment center approach to evaluate educational outcomes. This will help ensure, Siegel says, that our workforce will continue to have the skills needed to complement technological change. A number of groups will be interested in the findings and recommendations presented in this book. "This evidence could be useful to managers who formulate HRM policies and strategies," points out Siegel, "and to policymakers to help target subsidies for training programs and retraining displaced workers more effectively." The findings also have implications for studies of return on investment in human capital.

Book Description

Michelle Lovric scoured libraries and museums to put together this beautiful book of words between women that celebrates the many ages and stages in women's lives. This special Little Book includes miniature envelopes with letter inserts.

Customer Reviews:

What a Treasure.......2000-06-13

This exquisite book was on someone else's coffee table, and in a moment of boredom, I started shuffling through it. My boredom evaporated immediately, though I don't usually spend time reading 'books like this' - coffee table books always seem like a waste of time, money spent for a quick flip through a soon-to-be dusty book.

This isn't a book you can shuffle through, and it probably won't gather dust because it's really a treasure of reproductions of little hand-written letters women have written to each other over years gone by - mothers to daughters, daughters to mothers, sisters to each other, friends-to-friends and (yes, I think) occasionally a lover-to-lover.

Mary Shelley, Eleanor Roosevelt, Jane Austen, Emily Dickenson, Louise May Alcott and others have letters. In addition, there are pages of quotes from other exchanges.

But the amazing thing is that the stationery, the script, even the envelopes are reproductions of the actual writings, and so look genuine - they are tucked throughout the book in tiny envelopes, printed or hand-written as the originals one.

Each letter has a transcript in the back, as the 'originals' may be difficult to read due to script styles or language (Marie Antoinette's letter en francaise to her mother is, of course, in French - loose sheets in calligraphy, folded inside a larger piece of paper).

This would be a wonderful gift for a sister, mother, daughter, friend, especially if she's interested in history as the letters and the rest of the content of the book have information about the times of each letter writer.

If this book is available in paperback, don't get it - the hardcover is the one!

Carol from Scottsdale.......1999-11-26

This is a gorgeous book to give a daughter, sister or friend who loves beautiful little treasures.

Book Description

The thwarted invasion of England by the Spanish Armada is studied here in fascinating detail. How, in a few short days, Philip II's fleet was stopped from invading England and forced into full retreat is looked at in a new and unique way. With the help of battle plans and bird's eye views of the action, leading historian Angus Konstam considers many of the intriguing questions surrounding the campaign, concluding with details of how the Armada's disastrous return voyage around Scotland and Ireland became one of the most tragic episodes in maritime history.

Customer Reviews:

In the fine tradition of the Osprey Series.......2002-06-07

The Armada Campaign 1588 : The Great Enterprise Against England (Campaign, 86) by Angus Konstam, and Howard Gerrard (Illustrator) is written in the fine tradition of the Osprey Campaign Series. It is written in the traditional format and describes the immediate causes and effects of the battles as well as the battle itself.

The book is well written and easy to follow. The maps are very helpful and do a good job of putting the narrative into context. When one finishes, one has a basic understanding of the wheres, whys and hows of the attempted invasion of Britain. The fact that the British protagonists are names which bring forth images of dashing and gallant pirates, such as Francis Drake, doesn't hurt.

Decent but Too-Limited a Focus.......2001-04-28

The Armada Campaign 1588 is a decent summary of the Spanish attempt to invade England in the late 16th Century. As per the standard Osprey Campaign format, Angus Konstam provides succinct but accurate sections on the origins of the campaign, the opposing leaders, opposing plans and opposing warships. A detailed campaign chronology, blow-by-blow battle account and epilogue complete this survey of the Spanish expedition. Konstam concludes that the Spanish fleet maintained fairly tight defensive formations throughout the week-long fighting and while the English had the upper hand in gunnery and maneuvering, the English were unable to defeat the armada outright. Rather, the fortuitous fireship attack off Calais forced the Spanish to abandon the amphibious part of their mission and severe Atlantic storms demolished the once-mighty fleet on its return to Spain. The maps and illustrations that support the text are excellent.

However the problem with this volume is an over-focus on the English-Spanish naval battles in the channel. This campaign was merely an episode in a very long Anglo-Spanish struggle for hegemony, not an isolated event. For example, Drake's pre-emptive raid on Cadiz in 1587 inflicted far more damage on the preparations for the Armada than this account suggests. Although Konstam provides a good order of battle table on the English and Spanish fleets, there is no information on the Duke of Parma's Spanish in the Netherlands or the Dutch rebels. In fact, the Dutch fleet was far from insignificant in the campaign because it served to impede Parma's ability to mount an amphibious operation from the Netherlands. Certainly the large Spanish galleons in the Armada were no solution to dealing with shallow-draft Dutch warships that could interdict the Spanish invasion barges. Nor does Konstam mention the 18,973 soldiers that sailed with the Armada in his order of battle (there were five brigade-size tercios with the fleet). Another area that is totally ignored is that of finances and logistics. Nobody had ever supplied a fleet for extended operations with gunpowder weapons before and ammunition shortages were a major limiting factor, particularly for the British. While Konstam mentions the "Royal ships" (ie. warships owned by the crown), he does not mention how expensive it was to maintain a standing navy. Queen Elizabeth had to de-mobilize parts of the fleet in late 1587 when the Armada was delayed and then time re-mobilization in 1588 with the expected arrival of the Spaniards. Disease was another factor that caused attrition of trained crews sitting around in ports. All of these are examples of a broader view of the campaign, rather than just warships slugging it out in the channel.

Nor does the author spend much effort in discussing follow-up operations or the impact of the failure of the Armada. The English expedition to Portugal in 1589 is ignored, as is the Spanish intervention in the French civil wars in 1588-9. The Spanish expeditions of 1596-7 are mentioned, but not detailed. The loss of fifty or more warships and 15,000 or more crewmen was a catastrophe for Spain that is not spelled out in this account. King Philip II sent the hurled the best force he could afford at England and failed utterly. Reconstituting a similar force was beyond his means. Finally, the Armada Campaign was a landmark in naval history due to the fact that it set the pattern for the next two centuries of fleet battles.

Book Description

In the tradition of Hedrick Smith's The Russians, Robert G. Kaiser's Russia: The People and the Power, and David Remnick's Lenin's Tomb comes an eloquent and eye-opening chronicle of Vladimir Putin's Russia, from this generation's leading Moscow correspondents.

With the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia launched itself on a fitful transition to Western-style democracy. But a decade later, Boris Yeltsin's handpicked successor, Vladimir Putin, a childhood hooligan turned KGB officer who rose from nowhere determined to restore the order of the Soviet past, resolved to bring an end to the revolution. Kremlin Rising goes behind the scenes of contemporary Russia to reveal the culmination of Project Putin, the secret plot to reconsolidate power in the Kremlin.

During their four years as Moscow bureau chiefs for The Washington Post, Peter Baker and Susan Glasser witnessed firsthand the methodical campaign to reverse the post-Soviet revolution and transform Russia back into an authoritarian state. Their gripping narrative moves from the unlikely rise of Putin through the key moments of his tenure that re-centralized power into his hands, from his decision to take over Russia's only independent television network to the Moscow theater siege of 2002 to the "managed democracy" elections of 2003 and 2004 to the horrific slaughter of Beslan's schoolchildren in 2004, recounting a four-year period that has changed the direction of modern Russia.

But the authors also go beyond the politics to draw a moving and vivid portrait of the Russian people they encountered -- both those who have prospered and those barely surviving -- and show how the political flux has shaped individual lives. Opening a window to a country on the brink, where behind the gleaming new shopping malls all things Soviet are chic again and even high school students wonder if Lenin was right after all, Kremlin Rising features the personal stories of Russians at all levels of society, including frightened army deserters, an imprisoned oil billionaire, Chechen villagers, a trendy Moscow restaurant king, a reluctant underwear salesman, and anguished AIDS patients in Siberia.

With shrewd reporting and unprecedented access to Putin's insiders, Kremlin Rising offers both unsettling new revelations about Russia's leader and a compelling inside look at life in the land that he is building. As the first major book on Russia in years, it is an extraordinary contribution to our understanding of the country and promises to shape the debate about Russia, its uncertain future, and its relationship with the United States.

Download Description

"In the tradition of Hedrick Smith's The Russians, Robert G. Kaiser's Russia: The People and the Power, and David Remnick's Lenin's Tomb comes an eloquent and eye-opening chronicle of Vladimir Putin's Russia, from this generation's leading Moscow correspondents. With the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia launched itself on a fitful transition to Western-style democracy. But a decade later, Boris Yeltsin's handpicked successor, Vladimir Putin, a childhood hooligan turned KGB officer who rose from nowhere determined to restore the order of the Soviet past, resolved to bring an end to the revolution. Kremlin Rising goes behind the scenes of contemporary Russia to reveal the culmination of Project Putin, the secret plot to reconsolidate power in the Kremlin. During their four years as Moscow bureau chiefs for The Washington Post, Peter Baker and Susan Glasser witnessed firsthand the methodical campaign to reverse the post-Soviet revolution and transform Russia back into an authoritarian state. Their gripping narrative moves from the unlikely rise of Putin through the key moments of his tenure that re-centralized power into his hands, from his decision to take over Russia's only independent television network to the Moscow theater siege of 2002 to the ""managed democracy"" elections of 2003 and 2004 to the horrific slaughter of Beslan's schoolchildren in 2004, recounting a four-year period that has changed the direction of modern Russia. But the authors also go beyond the politics to draw a moving and vivid portrait of the Russian people they encountered -- both those who have prospered and those barely surviving -- and show how the political flux has shaped individual lives. Opening a window to a country on the brink, where behind the gleaming new shopping malls all things Soviet are chic again and even high school students wonder if Lenin was right after all, Kremlin Rising features the personal stories of Russians at all levels of society, including frightened army deserters, an imprisoned oil billionaire, Chechen villagers, a trendy Moscow restaurant king, a reluctant underwear salesman, and anguished AIDS patients in Siberia. With shrewd reporting and unprecedented access to Putin's insiders, Kremlin Rising offers both unsettling new revelations about Russia's leader and a compelling inside look at life in the land that he is building. As the first major book on Russia in years, it is an extraordinary contribution to our understanding of the country and promises to shape the debate about Russia, its uncertain future, and its relationship with the United States. "

Customer Reviews:

Wish Amazon had a "zero stars" option..........2007-03-29

If you are looking for Russophobic propaganda, this book will do nicely. The anti-Putin, and frequently anti-Russian bias is pervasive throughout its pages. Of actual scholarship and research there is almost none. It is clear that the authors started writing this book having already reached two conclusions: (1) Everything in Russia is horrible, and (2) It's all Putin's fault. The book has many flaws, but it turns simply disgusting when the authors delve into the subject of terrorism. The quasi-apologist attitude and the lack of serious condemnation were strongly offensive. Apparently, when a group of individuals is murdering defenseless women and children "over there", they are not terrorists, but cute and cuddly resistance fighters. Disgusting.

In conclusion, I would like to recommend an alternative for anyone interested in a much more unbiased and scholarly perspective. The book is "Putin: Russia's Choice", by Richard Sakwa. Dr. Sakwa is the Head of the Department of Politics and International Relations at the University of Kent. His book is available on Amazon.com: Putin: Russia's Choice

Critical point missing!.......2006-12-01

The authors do a nice job presenting selected topics regarding Putin's rise and handling of Russia; however, there are critical components of his history and the recent controversies in Russia regarding the lack of free press that is clearly missing. I would have expected more from the authors since they have had to live under the scrutiny of Putin's fanatical reach in reporting the news.

Carefully reading 'Kremlin Rising', I must admit that there are some very nice overviews that are presented to the public. But for many of us who have purchased this book, we're simply not just the reading public interested in a historical notation. We're writers and journalist -- and there should have been more detail in concentration to the issues of liberty and freedom of the press.

If it is not the fair press who holds accountable governments, then who does? Did we forget the many journalist who died in and around Moscow while reporting on the relationships between the oligarchs and Yelstin . . . and Putin? Have we forgotten that Paul Khlebnikov, the Editor of Forbes Russia was murdered for investigative journalism, and all that is mentioned here is that the hospital doors could not open in time to get him to the operating table?

The obligation of protecting the press and the voices of freedom in the context of 'Kremlin Rising' are relevant. Here, the authors fail. What is of positive news for the reader is the fact that the general background and the research provided is strong.

This could have been much better and more influencial.

Empire Falls 101.......2006-07-09

I was a little skeptical of this book when I first picked it up, expecting it to be one of those typical occidental treatises on "them quirky Soviets" and about how Russia and her new chief were going to be ruined because of the clear disdain for democracy.

On the one hand, Kremlin Rising is exactly that: the book makes no attempt to veil its contempt for Putin on all subjects from A to Z. It's as if the man invented the bubonic plague, and had the authors been charged with writing a history book, I'm sure they would've included that detail.

On the other hand, Kremlin Rising is something quite unprecedented, a broad-spectrum analysis of what's wrong with Russia today and why. The chapters on Beslan and Nord-ost were especially arresting, craftily written but without much pomp or sap. The bulk of this book is factual information, introduced to us by various "characters" the authors met in their tenures at the Washington Post in Russia. Everything from Chechnya to the crippled Red Army to the adolescent zeitgeist to the radio revolution is covered, and that's extremely impressive for two American journalists for whom the peculiarities of Russian culture may have been a little difficult to grasp.

My main complaint with this book is the overwhelming bias that sometimes resulted in the omission of certain truths, just to emphasize how much of a beast VVP really is. For example, even though Baker & Glasser go to great lengths to talk about Yeltsin's alcoholic incompetence, they portray the years under him as some kind of democratic paradise, a decade of unregulated freedom with few tangible consequences. While television wasn't state-owned - that much I'll hand to old Boris - those nine years of the true perestroika were a textbook case of rampant chaos, starting with the free-for-alls of privatization schemes to the alarming crime waves. Yet none of this is covered, to add contrast to Russia today. Only about a sentence is dedicated to the fact that crime diminished (just a little, I know, but in a nation where it was so popular, a little means a lot), and nowhere is it talked about that perhaps Russians have a valid excuse to "fear" democracy.

The second thing that irritated me about B&G's account was how much they strove to portray Khodorkovsky as the boy wonder of democratic reform. They talked about his privatization deals under the umbrella term "shady" and mentioned his boasting to buy parliament in '03, yet at the end of the chapters, sympathy toward a man who basically dug his own grave resonated throughout the concluding paragraphs. When a guy goes around talking about how he's going to purchase a deliberative body and then lecture a president about corruption - I'm sorry, but that paradox doesn't merit the kind of pity that was relegated to him by Kremlin Rising.

Lastly, the relentless underlining of Putin's past as a KGB agent seemed hypocritical at best. It's well known that it's now a big part of who he is as a political leader, but the analogous situation of Bush, Sr., a former head of the CIA, is not treated. The CIA is responsible for numerous attempted and perpetrated coups. Why are we not outraged by erstwhile directors becoming presidents? Why is the guy who never even made colonel portrayed as the next coming of Dzerzhinski? It's ridiculous and unnecessary, at least until the authors begin to talk about how his KGB past has influenced his decisions in the present, such as to increase the hiring of former operatives in the Kremlin network.

Overall, the book was fascinating and rarely boring. It's a great piece of work for someone who wants to get a thorough introduction to what Russia is, how she thinks and why, and what the future holds for the largest country in the world. Highly recommended.

This portrait of Putin has more than a taste of a tabloid treatment.......2006-06-26

I find "Kremlin Rising" a difficult subject to review. The authors put forth their credentials as Moscow bureau chiefs for The Washington Post. Increasingly, just declaring yourself as a journalist opens you to suspicion and after reading this book, you can see why.

The book does not seem written to edify the ordinary reader, but rather to impress those who consider themselves the journalistic, academic and political elite. Kind of like showing slides from their trip to some exotic, expensive locale.

The writing style is ponderous, slow and often flat-out boring.

I am certainly not an expert on Russian life, but it doesn't take one to see that the authors are piling on Vladimir Putin. After the failure of a 70 year old, incredibly oppressive socialist political system, the Glassers seem to think that a new political system, new political leadership and a new leader can simply step to the fore and make everything work in a society where nothing worked before. Because that has not happened, the authors pin the failure on one man: Vladimir Putin. Frankly, this appears to be superficial reasoning of the kind often employed by journalists who want to appear as masters of their subject, but really aren't.

Putin become the cause of everything bad, the author of nothing good. It is the same kind of rhetoric you see every day in U.S. mainstream media. Overblown, hyperbolic, without much support.

The authors employ a strange blend of techniques. "Man in the street" interviews with supposedly ordinary Russians. Some interviews with alleged insiders, often former insiders, who just might have an axe to grind. And endless, often boring, commentary and editorializing.

The book is uneven. When it comes to Chechen Islamist terrorism, the authors are hard-put to flat-out call those who murder innocent men, women and children (hundreds at the Beslan school alone) terrorists. Instead, they treat them respectfully with politically-correct, left-wing euphemisms such as "resistance." I find such delicacy offensive: how can you fail to construe the murder of children as anything but terrorism?

The authors, apparently a husband and wife team, served in Moscow for 2001 to 2004. It isn't clear how deep their knowledge of pre-Soviet, Soviet and post-Soviet history goes. There is no doubt that Russia is not yet a fully functioning society. There is also no argument that some of Putin's moves rise the spectre of a return to one-party, even one-man rule. But the authors never make it clear why precisely Russia should be in a better state than it is. They certainly don't explain how, for example, a new judicial system is supposed to instantly take root in a nation spanning 15 time zones that had been a totalitarian state for more than seven decades. From my perspective, I'd be happier if the authors expressed appreciation that the Yeltsin and Putin governments have kept this nuclear armed nation from civil war and utter ruin.

Overall, I think Baker and Glasser wrote this book to gain oohs and aahs from their journalistic, academic and political friends and advance their careers. Three pages of such friends are "acknowledged." For the general reader, I think there are better ways to learn about contemporary Russia and Vladimir Putin.

Jerry

Objective and Factual.......2006-03-28

This is one of the most well written and researched books that I have read on contemporary Russia. The writer(s) based their observations on personal interviews and feedback from those in the Kremlin's inner circle. It was obvious that the authors did their homework and wrote this book in an objective level without any added speculations or sensationlism. Any and all conclusions were backed with hard facts. It left any future prognosis about Putin's political ambitions in doubt and relating conclusions up to the reader.
It is apparent that the authors are no fans of Putin, but they did not belabor this point. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in post-glasnost Russia.

Kremlin Rising: Vladimir Putin's Russia and the End of Revolution, Updated Edition

Average customer rating:

A top pick not just for college-level holdings

Kremlin Rising: Vladimir Putin's Russia and the End of Revolution, Updated Edition
Peter Baker , and Susan Glasser
Manufacturer: Potomac Books Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Putin's Russia: Life in a Failing Democracy
How Russia Really Works: The Informal Practices that Shaped Post-Soviet Politics and Bussiness (Culture and Society After Socialism)
Putin's Russia (Revised Edition)
Russia's Foreign Policy: Change and Continuity in National Identity (New International Relations of Europe)
Darkness at Dawn: The Rise of the Russian Criminal State

ASIN: 1597971227

Book Description

With the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia launched itself on a fitful transition to Western-style democracy and a market economy. But a decade later, Boris Yeltsinâ€™s handpicked successorâ€”Vladimir Putin, a self-described childhood hooligan turned KGB officerâ€”resolved to end the revolution. Kremlin Rising goes behind the scenes of contemporary Russia to offer a sobering picture of its leader and the direction in which the country is now headed.

As Moscow bureau chiefs for the Washington Post, Peter Baker and Susan Glasser witnessed firsthand the methodical campaign to reverse the post-Soviet revolution and transform Russia back into an authoritarian state. Their gripping narrative moves from Putinâ€™s unlikely rise through the key moments of his tenure. But the authors go beyond the politics to draw a moving and vivid portrait of the Russian people they encounteredâ€”both those who have prospered and those barely survivingâ€”and show how the political flux has shaped these individualsâ€™ lives.

With shrewd reporting and unprecedented access to Putinâ€™s insiders, Kremlin Rising offers both unsettling revelations about Russiaâ€™s leader and a compelling inside look at life in the land he is building. This book is an extraordinary contribution to our understanding of Russia and the debate about the countryâ€™s uncertain future and its relationship with the United States.

Customer Reviews:

A top pick not just for college-level holdings.......2007-08-09

KREMLIN RISING: VLADIMIR PUTIN'S RUSSIA AND THE END OF REVOLUTION appears in an updated edition to offer a behind-the-scenes look at modern Russia. The authors were Moscow bureau chiefs for the Washington Post and witnessed firsthand the campaign to change Russia back to an authoritarian state: their observations of Putin's rise reads with the drama of fiction and the authority of fact, and is key to understanding today's Russia, making it a top pick not just for college-level holdings but for any library including modern Russian history in its collection.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

Putin on the Ritz; The president is the power in Russia.(Kremlin Rising: Vladimir Putin's Russia and the End of Revolution )(Book review) : An article from: The Weekly Standard

Average customer rating:

Putin on the Ritz; The president is the power in Russia.(Kremlin Rising: Vladimir Putin's Russia and the End of Revolution )(Book review) : An article from: The Weekly Standard
Michael McFaul
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B000FOQ8IO
Release Date: 2006-05-12

Book Description

This digital document is an article from The Weekly Standard, published by Thomson Gale on February 27, 2006. The length of the article is 1558 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: Putin on the Ritz; The president is the power in Russia.(Kremlin Rising: Vladimir Putin's Russia and the End of Revolution )(Book review)
Author: Michael McFaul
Publication: The Weekly Standard (Magazine/Journal)
Date: February 27, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 11 Issue: 23 Page: NA

Article Type: Book review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Book Description

Ramble through the varied habitats and remarkable scenery of Alamba and Mississippi with this terrific birding location guide. Vist more than 125 parks, forests, shores and lakes, including spectacular Dauphin Island --one of the most impressive migration hot spots in the United States.

Average customer rating:

Birder's Guide to Alabama & Mississippi
Ray Vaughan
Manufacturer: Houston Gulf Publishing Company 1994.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NV9RPK

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