Stravinsky: A Creative Spring: Russia and France, 1882-1934

Amazon.com

Already noted for a book on his subject's art (The Music of Stravinsky), Stephen Walsh is equally illuminating about Igor Stravinsky's turbulent life. This first installment of a projected two-volume work covers the years 1882 to 1934, during which time Walsh shows the composer creating many of his famous works, most notably The Rite of Spring, whose riotous 1913 premiere announced the arrival of a boldly modern classical music. He follows Stravinsky from his native Russia to Switzerland and France, as well as a 10-week tour of America in 1925. Delving into Russian-language documents seldom consulted by Western scholars, Walsh corrects many factual errors and, more importantly, makes evident the importance of Stravinsky's Russian roots and musical training, which the composer himself often downplayed in later years in order to "cultivate the image of the 'synthetic' international master." He's similarly judicious in evaluating Stravinsky's stormy 20-year association with Serge Diaghilev's Ballets Russes and his seldom-adept juggling of a long-suffering wife and a more sophisticated mistress. Candid about his distaste for some of Stravinsky's behavior and character traits, Walsh never seems nasty: "It is the richest personalities," he reminds us, "who engage us most fully." --Wendy Smith

Book Description

Widely regarded as the greatest composer of the twentieth century, Igor Stravinsky was central to the development of modernism in art, yet no dependable biography of him exists. Previous studies have drawn too heavily from his own unreliable memoirs and conversations, and until now no biographer has possessed both the musical knowledge to evaluate his art and the linguistic proficiency needed to explore the documentary background of his life--a life whose span extended from tsarist Russia to Switzerland, France, and ultimately the United States.
In this revealing volume, the first of two, Stephen Walsh follows Stravinsky from his birth in 1882 to 1934. He traces the composer's early Russian years, laying bare the complicated relationships within his family and showing how he first displayed his extraordinary talents. Stravinsky's brilliantly creative involvement with the Ballets Russes is illuminated by a sharp sense of the internal artistic politics that animated the group. Portraying Stravinsky's circumstances as an emigré in France trying to make his living as a conductor and pianist as well as a composer, Walsh reveals the true roots of his notorious obsession with money. He also describes the nature of his long affair with Vera Sudeykina.
While always respecting Stravinsky's own insistence that life and art be kept distinct, Stravinsky makes clear precisely how the development of his music was connected to his life and to the intellectual environment in which he found himself. But at the same time it demonstrates the composer's remarkably pragmatic psychology, which led him to consider the welfare of his art to be of paramount importance, before which everything else had to give way. Walsh, long established as an expert on Stravinsky's music, has drawn upon a vast array of material, much of it unpublished or unavailable in English, to bring the man himself, in all his color and genius, to glowing life.

Customer Reviews:

At last - the definitive Stravinsky.......2007-02-22

Stephen Walsh has done a job of research that boggles the mind. Revelations on every page about an elusive composer who projected so many personas and opinions he seemed almost a chameleon. Can't wait for Volume two.

A fascinating new biography.......2000-12-08

This major British musicologist has produced the most significant piece of work on Igor Stravinsky to date. It has changed our views of the man and his work as well of some of his associates. When will the final volume appear?

A revealing biography of a brilliant composer........2000-02-04

Stravinsky was a fine composer who contributed to the development of modernism in art, but little about his personal life reveals his background. This biographical sketch evaluates both his music and his art, examining his contributions with a critical eye to revealing how his past influenced his creations and eventually his world. An excellent, in-depth critical profile evolves.

Stravinsky: A Creative Spring: Russia and France, 1882-1934.(Review) (book review): An article from: Notes

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Stravinsky: A Creative Spring: Russia and France, 1882-1934.(Review) (book review): An article from: Notes
Charles M. Joseph
Manufacturer: Music Library Association, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

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Book Description

This digital document is an article from Notes, published by Music Library Association, Inc. on September 1, 2000. The length of the article is 1798 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: Stravinsky: A Creative Spring: Russia and France, 1882-1934.(Review) (book review)
Author: Charles M. Joseph
Publication: Notes (Refereed)
Date: September 1, 2000
Publisher: Music Library Association, Inc.
Volume: 57 Issue: 1 Page: 91

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Book Description

From Visionaire, publisher of the limited edition fashion and art quarterly, comes this fantastic visual compendium of the young and up-and-coming designers who will launch contemporary fashion into the new millennium. With a daring new vertical format and evocative new photography by such renowned fashion photographers as Mario Testino, Inez van Lamsweerde, and Vinoodh Matadin, this tribute profiles approximately sixty of the newest, cutting-edge designers from all over the world, including Raf Simons, Veronique Branquinho, Olivier Theyskens, Nicolas Ghesquiere, Jeremy Scott, Joseph Thimester, and A. F. Vandervorst. The clothes, the unforgettable shows, and the fantastic photos from today's top fashion photographers make this the fashion book of the new millennium.

Customer Reviews:

disappointing -- great concept, poorly realized.......2002-06-06

This book is a survey of new designers that lacks content and depth. While the designers featured may be talented, the photos often fail to convey this, because many of them don't display the designs prominently. Also, you don't get a good sense of the designers' styles based on the few examples (usually one or two per designer) shown.

In addition, I found the dimensions of this book to be quite awkward. The pages are smaller and narrower in width than I expected from a book containing fashion photographs.

I much prefer Claire Wilcox's Radical Fashion.

the future.......2000-04-08

In this second book by Stephen Gan, he is looking at the future generation of fashion designers. You won't find Karl Lagerfeld or Gianni Versace in this book but the next garde of world reknown group of designers.If you are looking for the designers of today buy Visionaire fashion's 2000.

Book Description

The first part of the book explains the theoretical basis for investment decision-making. Parts two and three are more practically orientated, and will equip the reader with the know-how of up-to-date methods and techniques to evaluate and monitor the investment performance of property assets and to develop efficient rational decision-making.

Book Description

Have you ever considered a career in the adult industry? Do you fantasize about getting paid to enjoy hot sex in exotic locations with beautiful people? The porn world is booming, with over 10,000 new adult videos released every year, but entering this secretive industry can be a trying experience. 1-2-3 BE A PORN STAR! shows you how to make your fantasy come true in three easy steps. You'll find out who the right people are, how you can meet them, and how to land your all-important first job.

Whether you're male or female, 1-2-3 BE A PORN STAR! makes it easy to cut through the usual obstacles. You'll get up-to-date contact information for all the best talent agents, directors, and producers, along with advice in their own words for how to ensure your success. Plus you'll enjoy exclusive interviews with legendary porn stars such as Jill Kelly, Max Hardcore, Nina Hartley, Peter North, Stacy Valentine, Randy West, Sharon Mitchell, Ashlyn Gere, Guy DeSilva, Annabel Chong and many more.

Please note that 1-2-3 BE A PORN STAR! focuses only on adult employment that is legal. Industry opportunities covered in the book include amateur, mainstream, hardcore, softcore, fetish, gonzo, gay, bi, lesbian, transsexual, and couples. Extensive discussion is devoted to the question of how to make your own adult videos. In addition to the video industry, the book also details opportunities in cable, CD-ROM, DVD, print media, and the booming Internet arena. An entire chapter is devoted to health and safety issues for adult performers.

Customer Reviews:

Reading this book will make you blind!!.......2004-12-09

To actually pay so much money for a book on introducing you to the porn industry has to be one of the biggest waste of money, and in doing so will lead you straight down the wrong path in life.

Seriously, you don't need this book to get you into the porn industry. Just read the following and keep your money or better yet, give it to a charitable organization.

I had a friend that was a producer and an agent for all types of actors. He told me that any pretty girl could get a job in the porn industry the same day she came into the office!! In turning out 10,000 new videos every year, the makers of these films need fresh meat every day.

A pretty girl could walk in and be working latter that day being violated by as many men and women as she can handle. Of course, once her pretty looks are gone through the constant sex and drugs she'll need to keep going, the industry will spit her out.

As for men, now, that's a bit more difficult. You won't get paid as much money but if you have a sizable member and are able to get excited on cue and maintain your excitement for long periods of time, then you could get work if you visit enough producers. Some of which will make you have sex with them to prove your abilities and to essentially "pay" your way into the industry. One reason why there are few men in this business is because of the humiliation to which you are subjected to in order to appear in one of these "films".

So there you have it, all you need to know about becoming a whore on film.

I urge people to first of all, not get into this industry and second, don't buy this book and support sick writers who are trying to lead people down the wrong path in life.

it's a good book.......2004-10-13

Go so tired of this repressed society and decided to get into porn. Been doing it for 7 years now. No regrets. Now, sex isn't an issue becasue the mystery is finally out of the way, as well as the akward attempts, etc.If you can get this book get it. It changed my life for the better, I'll say.

Incomplete.......2004-07-19

This book doesn't factor in the cost of all the drugs you'll need to take to be able to cope with your glamorous (incredibly degrading and painful) new career.

1 2 3 be a porn star.......2004-06-21

Exxxcellent reading. Im a 29 year old photographer here in Tampa Bay Florida. A lot of companies ask me to find them girls for work in Miami, Orlando here in Tampa etc...This boo kwas great for my business.
Any girls looking to star in movies ..email me ;) Fantasy_photography@yahoo.com

Help, i would like to be a porn star!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.......2004-04-04

To whom it may concern,

To anybody that is is the porn buisness, please get in touch with me at that bottom e-mail address. I have the ability to be in porn and I will be able to give any info., also i am very attractive. I always wanted to be a pornstar but didn't know where to start. can anyone help. im in my last semester in college and will be a attending a university in southern california. Thank you for your help.
losangeles_2@yahoo.com

Customer Reviews:

Excellent.......2004-04-11

Thorough, laid out clearly, covers all the points needed to understand the forms. Highly recommended.

One of the best around.......2001-12-11

Damn Good! Well structured and laid out. Clearly defined and very informative.

Average customer rating:

Tricky - but funny, as promised

The New York Times Will Shortz's Funniest Crossword Puzzles Volume 2: From the Pages of The New York Times
The New York Times
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Griffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Spiral-bound

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Book Description

Fifty great New York Times crosswords that will make you chuckle, chortle, groan or moan!As regular puzzlers know well, crossword puzzles can be funny, full of wordplay, puns, jokes and verbal trickery of all kinds. Under the editorship of crossword legend Will Shortz, The New York Times has become particularly renowned for its fun-filled, pun-oriented puzzles.This is the second volume containing fifty of Shortz's all-time top picks for the most sidesplitting puzzles from the pages of the Times. So get that funny bone ready---some seriously not-so-serious crosswords are coming your way!* Special introduction by Will Shortz* Puzzles chosen by Shortz for their inventive themes, featuring jokes, puns and all sorts of word-related fun* Spiral binding lets pages lie flat for easy puzzling

Customer Reviews:

Tricky - but funny, as promised.......2007-01-31

30 Jan 2007

Without imagination and an "attic" full of trivia information, this volume would be overwhelming.

Book Description

Need help ensuring your campany complys with Sarbanes-Oxley? Armed with this hands-on guide, you can detect early signs of fraud and operational loss, and safeguard your job, your employees' jobs, and the long-term success of your company. Don't let fraud derail your career. Protect yourself with the fail-safe Control Smart method found in Manager's Guide to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

Order your copy today!

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How to set up and monitor controls to ensure compliance

In a recent survey, Ernst & Young commented that, while large companies are spending millions of dollars to comply with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, mid-sized and small companies are "stuck like deer in the headlights." Written especially for managers at such companies, Manager’s Guide to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act lays out how they can assess and monitor their companies’ internal control structures. Using numerous case studies and vignettes, the book explains Sarbanes-Oxley and how it affects managers. Clearly written and practical, Manager’s Guide to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act is essential reading for managers, CEOs, CFOs, and auditors.

Scott Green, CPA (Long Island, NY), is currently the Global Head of Audit and Compliance for Weil, Gotshal and Manges–one of the largest law firms in the world and a leader in the practice of corporate governance.

Customer Reviews:

prompt delivery.......2005-09-14

It is important to receive email from seller to confirm the transaction, which he/she did. Prompt delivery. Book arrived in good condition as stated.

Far too general to be of value.......2005-07-13

Read this one a year ago and found it to be very non specific in the elements necessary to gain compliance. Now after three SOX engagements and having to deal with the intricacies of 404, this book stands as a poor introduction to the enormity of the task to follow.

If however one wishes to get a brief overview of what compliance and governance will mean to public companies, read away.

Poor Information value.......2005-07-05

I am writing a paper about SOA and read different books about it. In comparison to other books the Manager's Guide by Scott Green gives poor information about the SOA itself and talks about risks and controls most of the companies have realized centuries ago. In addition there are absurd comparisons to foreign laws, which maintain uselessness (for example a german law). I guess Scott Green has never been to Germany and doesn't know anything about Corporate Governance in Europe. I have traveled through Europe and found much better quality in leadership there and articles of most famous business magazins affirm my opinion.

The book is pure greed for money.

Packed with Knowledge !.......2005-02-23

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act is one of the most complex, costly pieces of legislation to emerge from Congress in the past two decades. Author Scott Green considers the legislation itself to be a risk - not merely to managers who might find themselves disgraced or imprisoned for mere mistakes and oversights, but also to the productive forces of American capitalism. His book outlines a process for identifying and managing the kind of risk that might result in violations of Sarbanes-Oxley. His approach is blessedly free from jargon and almost intuitively obvious. Other things about this book make it appealing to a reader who has waded through other analyses of Sarbanes-Oxley and who is concerned about full compliance. First, without oversimplifying, Green presents his prescription in simple, straightforward terms. Second, he does not make an overt sales pitch for his firm's consulting services. Third, he has apparently not service-marked his favorite terminology, such as "Smart Links." This restraint confirms that he actually has something to say to you, and is not merely trying to drum up business. What he has to say is not stunning or new, nor is it presented in sparkling prose, but we find it reasonably useful and well worth a manager's time to read.

Busting the Sarbanes-Oxley myths!.......2004-09-27

Boards of all shapes and sizes are wondering about the affect that Sarbanes-Oxley act will have upon their operations, accountability, and liability. But what about the managers running the day-to-day operations? Mr. Green kept his promise to "introduce groundbreaking and practical 'Control Smart' approach that not only meets the requirements of Sarbanes-Oxley, but also alerts you if operational controls stop working or are otherwise compromised."

While larger companies can afford to spend millions of dollars to implement control system monitoring tools, managers of small to mid-sized companies can be unsure of how to move forward if their budgets can't accommodate expensive advisors and systems. Mr. Green tells us in a forthright and clear manner that we must not depend on others to audit accountability into our reporting systems any more than we are able to test reliability or quality into our products. He places responsibility for our transparent transactions squarely on the shoulders of every manager and every employee throughout the organization.

The "Control Smart" approach to understanding where we need to make transformational changes and where we can live with transitional changes is easy to understand even as it is complex and difficult to execute. But we must all attempt to do so. Green insists that we can "walk our talk by taking the culture of our companies seriously. We are able to create positive values as company objectives and appropriately compensate those who uphold the company image." In this well written book, you will find the answer to just what it is that managers today need to do to implement the spirit and the law of Sarbanes-Oxley.

Amazon.com

The quintessential memoir of the generation of Englishmen who suffered in World War I is among the bitterest autobiographies ever written. Robert Graves's stripped-to-the-bone prose seethes with contempt for his class, his country, his military superiors, and the civilians who mindlessly cheered the carnage from the safety of home. His portrait of the stupidity and petty cruelties endemic in England's elite schools is almost as scathing as his depiction of trench warfare. Nothing could equal Graves's bone-chilling litany of meaningless death, horrific encounters with gruesomely decaying corpses, and even more appalling confrontations with the callousness and arrogance of the military command. Yet this scarifying book is consistently enthralling. Graves is a superb storyteller, and there's clearly something liberating about burning all your bridges at 34 (his age when Good-Bye to All That was first published in 1929). He conveys that feeling of exhilaration to his readers in a pell-mell rush of words that remains supremely lucid. Better known as a poet, historical novelist, and critic, Graves in this one work seems more like an English Hemingway, paring his prose to the minimum and eschewing all editorializing because it would bring him down to the level of the phrase- and war-mongers he despises. --Wendy Smith

Book Description

In this autobiography, first published in 1929, poet Robert Graves traces the monumental and universal loss of innocence that occurred as a result of the First World War. Written after the war and as he was leaving his birthplace, he thought, forever, Good-Bye to All That bids farewell not only to England and his English family and friends, but also to a way of life. Tracing his upbringing from his solidly middle-class Victorian childhood through his entry into the war at age twenty-one as a patriotic captain in the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, this dramatic, poignant, often wry autobiography goes on to depict the horrors and disillusionment of the Great War, from life in the trenches and the loss of dear friends, to the stupidity of government bureaucracy and the absurdity of English class stratification. Paul Fussell has hailed it as ""the best memoir of the First World War"" and has written the introduction to this new edition that marks the eightieth anniversary of the end of the war. An enormous success when it was first issued, it continues to find new readers in the thousands each year and has earned its designation as a true classic.

Customer Reviews:

Making the World Safe for Democracy?.......2007-07-15

This account by Robert Graves is one of the better personal journals I have read concerning the Great War. The very fact that Graves is in almost at the beginning of the conflict / situation of Trench warfare make this a very valuable work. Because he is an accomplished writer, it flows and reads very well. There are no sections of the book that lag. You will absolutely gain some insight to the way that the officers and men behaved and especially appreciate his commentary on French citizens caught in the middle of the conflict, individual soldiers that have some sembelance of a brain versus the moronic mass, and how much stupidity there is in military conduct based on previous experiences in war, not realizing that this was a new and different sort of conflict, yet trying to constantly apply outdated and dangerous methods in attack. One such crazy result of it is that officers had a high casualty rate. Why? Well, you could always identify them in the field of battle. They were the guys carrying a pistol and swagger stick versus a rifle. Easy pickings to say the least and you would think they would learn and make adjustments accordingly but tragically the practice continued. Anyway, a great book. Well worth your time and small investment to a window on another era by a first hand witness.

Goodbye to Graves Books.......2007-02-26

Good descriptive text of WWI in the trenches and on the way to them, but other than that, not a particularly well-written book. Graves's 'better than thou' attitude sours what could have been a masterpiece if written by somebody with a heart. A bitter story by a bitter man who should have stuck to his poetry.

Warning! Heavily Edited Version.......2007-01-13

This is the edition that Graves edited to all Jesus hell! I've seen excerpts of the unedited version and THAT is the book to aim for, though you have to find it through an antiquarian book peddler and the cheapest edition I could find cost $300. Rats. But hopefully perhaps an electronic edition of the original will somehow find its' way to the internet one day.

What is left is still an excellent read. Concerning the up to that date unprecedented rate of slaughter and the technological changes of modern warfare that made it so, his way is understatement which I believe made it that much more impactful. I like this man's mind - I like him. It would have been very interesting to corner him by a fire with a bottle of good sherry and to let him expound on the Latin or WWI or poetry, or perhaps Hebrew mythology.

Speaking of Hebrew mythology, he wrote a wonderful wonderful book on it, a treatise really on the book of Genesis. If you have any interest whatsover in religion, etymology or anthropology, please read this book - it is wonderful! Just google or "amazon" Graves and Hebrew myths and you will find it.

I have his "White Goddess", but have not read it yet.

An Accurate and Entertaining View on an English Soldier's Perspective During the First World War.......2006-11-11

The first half of the book is rather dry, yet don't let it hold you back! The second half of the book deals with his actual involvement with the war, as opposed to his education and prior background. The book is somewhat of a love story as well as a view on war, but his depictions of events are quite honest and astutely accurate. His views are quite contrasted with Ernst Junger, who wrote "Storm of Steel" and was a German soldier. However, for an English perspective, this is the best book by far that I have encountered!

Very interesting, but long in spots.......2006-10-17

Before reading this book, I knew little about WWI. I saw it recommended somewhere and ordered it from our library. I'm not sure which issue it was. Anyway, it was very interesting and well written. I learned a lot about the way gas was used in WWI.

I found myself amazed that the author kept going back to the trenches when he could have avoided that duty. Actually, I got a little frustrated with him too!

About two-thirds of the way through it became a bit of a slog to finish, but overall, I highly recommend it.

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Good-Bye to All That- an Autobiography

Manufacturer: Doubleday
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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GOOD-BYE TO ALL THAT an Autobiography
ROBERT GRAVES
Manufacturer: Anchor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Good-Bye to All That: An Autobiography
Robert Graves
Manufacturer: Jonathan Cape & Harrison Smith
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Good-bye to All That: An Autobiography
Robert Graves
Manufacturer: Jonathan Cape
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Good-Bye To All That An Autobiography
Robert Graves
Manufacturer: Jonathan Cape
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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GOOD-BYE TO ALL THAT. An Autobiography.
Robert: Graves
Manufacturer: Pan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000W2U0AQ

Book Description

This is an account of the turbulent saga of the only Arab state that has a nominal Christian majority. Packed with rival religious sects, feudal chieftains, war lords, squabbling political leaders, and in-house and foreign militias, Lebanon has suffered not only periods of civil war and internal infighting, but also invasions by Palestinians, Syrians and Israelis. It has survived as a republican entity, although shattered, exhausted and bankrupt. The 16-year long civil war in which Christian militias fought to eject Palestinian armed forces began in 1975. Western intervention was repelled by suicide-bombing attacks, and Lebanese Christians and Muslims sub-divided to fight each other. This book tells the story of a civil war was notable for massacres, treachery, atrocities, kidnapping, assassination, changing alliances of convenience, and invasions.

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What an odd mix

A true Gem

A True Gem

A fresh view on Globalization

Great

People Before Profit: The New Globalization in an Age of Terror, Big Money, and Economic Crisis
Charles Derber
Manufacturer: Picador
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Has globalization failed us? The promises of economic stability, increased prosperity, and cultural cooperation seem more like a pipe dream than ever before. But rather than stop globalization, Charles Derber challenges us to rewrite its rules in order to fulfill its potential as an agent of democracy and global harmony. In this provocative and optimistic work, one of the first examinations of globalization after September 11, 2001, Derber argues that only a democratic cure-begun at the grassroots level-will end global terror and economic insecurity. People Before Profit provides an essential understanding of our world economy as well as a practical guide for building a stable and more equitable global community.

Customer Reviews:

What an odd mix.......2006-07-02

I could easily believe that two authors wrote this book, interweaving their messages.

One Derber seems to be a "nice" free trade advocate, who observes that, if Buddha or Jesus were somehow given the chance, "most people would come to the conclusion the even Buddha and Jesus would likely fail to change corporate policy" to press for maximum return (even at the expense of 14+ hour days for some workers in the world, conveniently allowing that to be government, and not businesses, job).

Another Derber appears to support an corporate antiviolence agenda to "respect the rights of workers to freely associate and organize." Crushing unions seems awful to this Derber, although the business-friendly Derber seemed to insist even Jesus or Buddha would agree the business should crush such unions.

I may have read thru this book too quickly, but just as certainly I have no interest in going back to see what I may have missed. Back cover praise from Chomsky and Nader may not be as hard to acquire as one may think, when the writing is for a generally good cause. I'd suggest reading the 13 page epilogue which has some practical and challenging advice that I did find of substance.

A true Gem.......2004-01-28

If you have time for only one book on globalization this is the one to pick. I heard Charles Derber on a radio program and was surprised at the volume of calls he generated discussing his book "People Before Profit". Political skeptic that I am, I had some doubts about buying the book but my piqued curiosity took over. Two hundred pages later my conversion was almost complete.
"People Before Profit" takes us inside the globalization phenomenon and shows that it is not as "win-win" as portrayed by its advocates. Most of us are likely to find ourselves among losers-in more ways that you might think. Deeply moving stories of those who already lost in this brave new globalized world confer a distinction on this work that is lacking in other accounts. Nor is globalization as spontaneous and self-propelling as it is billed. Derber shows how globalization's realities grow out of policies, rules, and laws that are devised by a small group of "experts" to promote explicit corporate interests. The chapter on WTO is especially revealing. Another myth is the unique and modern nature of globalization, and the chapter on its history and its "ghosts" debunks that myth in a most elegant and entertaining way.
But Derber's mission is not just to forewarn us of the dangerous trends inherent in the current perverse form of globalization but also draft an inspiring program that could turn things around. The last chapter is a wake-up call for all of us.
The book is a real gem-the best gift you can give to friends and family.

A True Gem.......2004-01-28

A fresh view on Globalization.......2004-01-04

With many books recently written on the topic of globalization it is encouraging to find one that brings out new significant aspects. PEOPLE BEFORE PROFIT does this in a way that places it in the top range of my recommended books. In addition to providing a wealth of important reflections and very useful facts, Derber covers the complex topics surrounding globalization in a clear and very accessible style. By placing himself inside the circumstances and arguments he addresses his readers directly, fostering ongoing reflection and dialogue.

Derber examines the various uses and misuses of the term "globalization" that "globalizers" and "anti-globalizers" are claiming for their own ends. He cuts through the ideologies and myths by probing the concept within its historical context - reminding us that globalization and its driving force, "empire building", have been around for thousands of years. All ancient globalization systems were based on the exploitative relationship between a "core" and the "periphery". The net wealth flowed from the periphery (natural resources, cheap labour) to the core (skilled labour, technology) resulting in an ever-increasing gap between the rich core and the poor periphery.

Derber compares such uneven co-dependent power relationships to a dysfunctional marriage where the powerful partner can leave or bullies the other into submission. The win-win myth of globalization is in fact a "race to the bottom" where the corporations alone have the "exit power". He emphasizes parallels between early US history and the ambitions of recent US administrations. While confined in those days to one country, the concept of globalization can be applied to the American "Robber Barons" then just as much as to the US power brokers of big corporations today. Derber contends their desire to expand economic power and political influence is dependent on the ever-increasing gap between rich and poor. "Free trade" is a misnomer in the context of unequal power relationships between the rich North and the developing countries of the South. In Derber's comparison today's billions of poor in Southern countries have taken the place of the exploited impoverished workforce during the "Gilded Age", underpinning his arguments with many pertinent examples. Yet, his main objective is to motivate all participants in the "globalization game" to learn important lessons from the past. His fundamental precept is that we must "reinvent globalization to create a safe, democratic and economically secure world".

He challenges the narrow economic perspective of corporate leaders, arguing that globalization without democratization will fail sooner rather than later. Insisting that the political, social and cultural aspects of a globalized world have to be given equal prominence, he dissects the world economic and trading systems, such as the WTO, IMF and the World Bank. He emphasizes the importance of the "positive rights" of the UN system (right to food, shelter, work, etc.). These issues, he stresses, are of utmost importance in a fairer globalized world. He deplores the refusal of US administrations to adhere to existing international legal instruments. At the same time, he examines the "antiglobalization" movements differentiating between the "UN camp" and the "barbershoppers", the latter concerned only with the local community. Derber argues strongly that the localists and the globalists have to come together into a network of global justice movements that recognize that real democracy at one level cannot be sustained without democracy at all levels. He challenges his critics who have called him an idealist or similar with clear arguments, reporting on positive trends in intergovernmental trade debates as well as the democratization processes that have emerged since the Seattle demonstrations.

Derber elaborated four principles for a "global New Deal" designed to bring democratic control to the global system and to establish fair economic and trade relationships. One pre-requisite is the dismantling of the Bretton Wood institutions, i.e. the IMF, WTO and World Bank, which he sees as a major culprit for the current unfair global trading system. Real participation of people and accountability to civil society represent other crucial components of his vision. Finally, the "global security" we all want and need, whether citizen or transnational corporation, cannot be achieved without tackling the extreme rich-poor divide in this world. Derber concludes PEOPLE BEFORE POWER with a series of concrete action recommendations for his readers. Read this book, whatever perspective you have on globalization. It might provide you with new insights and understanding of the challenges ahead. [Friederike Knabe, Ottawa Canada]

Great.......2003-11-15

This book was awesome. I read it as an assignment for a class in the midst of writing my undergraduate thesis, and it ended up shaping the entire direction of the paper. Derber offers an explanation of problems many have already recognized but seemed to be unsolvable. He specifically addresses the feeling that these problems are vague and just sort of "the way things are," and after reading this book, it is evident where specifically the problem is and what can be done. He also makes an effort to explain his points in terms anyone could understand, whether they have a background in sociology or not.

People Before Profit: The New Globalization in an Age of Terror, Big Money, and Economic Crisis.(Book Review): An article from: Multinational Monitor

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People Before Profit: The New Globalization in an Age of Terror, Big Money, and Economic Crisis.(Book Review): An article from: Multinational Monitor

Manufacturer: Essential Information, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

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This digital document is an article from Multinational Monitor, published by Essential Information, Inc. on July 1, 2003. The length of the article is 752 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: People Before Profit: The New Globalization in an Age of Terror, Big Money, and Economic Crisis.(Book Review)
Publication: Multinational Monitor (Refereed)
Date: July 1, 2003
Publisher: Essential Information, Inc.
Volume: 24 Issue: 7-8 Page: 38(1)

Article Type: Book Review

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People Before Profit: The New Globalization in an Age of Terror, Big Money, and Economic Crisis

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People Before Profit: The New Globalization in an Age of Terror, Big Money, and Economic Crisis
Charles Derber
Manufacturer: Picador
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OTDWQG

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People Before Profit: The New Globalization in an Age of Terror, Big Money, and Economic Crisis
Charles Derber
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OTDWM0

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