Book Description
Advance Praise for Dream-Singers
"You will find a great storehouse of folk and literary treasures in this ambitious book that speaks to anyone who has ever thought about his or her dreams. It's a wonderful adventure and I highly recommend it."-Clarence Major, author of Configurations and Juba to Jive
Acclaim for Dream Reader
also by Anthony Shafton
"A book so unique in its combination of scholarship, clarity, and down-to-earth feeling about dreams that I find it hard to fully express the excitement and satisfaction I felt on reading it."-Montague Ullman, M.D., Clinical Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Author of Working with Dreams and Dream Telepathy
"Breathtaking . . . the single most complete and thorough analysis of contemporary dream theories yet written . . . Shafton has a keen sense for what people most want to know about dreams, and an admirable ability to explain difficult concepts without oversimplifying them."-Kelly Bulkeley, Ph.D., Past President, The Association for the Study of Dreams, Author of The Wilderness of Dreams
Customer Reviews:
Remarkable Book.......2006-12-04
This is a book that needs to come back into print. It is an eye-opener. It deals with dreaming, not only in sleep, and not only in the narrow clinical sense. There is some very interesting material in the chapter, All Life Passes Through Water: Dreams in Hoodoo. This book is very good for spiritual workers and counselors. Among a lot of other interesting things, it speaks about the relationship between dreams and divination in African tradition, something important to consider.
Remarkable Contribution.......2005-02-18
Anthony Shafton has created an ambitious and noteworthy contribution to the literature of African American belief systems with his title, "Dream-singers: The African American Way with Dreams." Through numerous interviews and in-depth research Shafton opens the veil to reveal the unique quality of African and African American dreaming. Shafton goes further to create a clear picture of how African and by extension, African American dreams are distinctive from the way other cultures dream. "Dream-singers" gives voice to the practices of our ancestors--practices that heretofore have gone largely undocumented. "Dream-singers" situates dreams in the real world of our community, showing how they mirror our spiritual world view. Hats off to Anthony Shafton for "Dream-singers: The African American Way with Dreams." This book enhances the understanding of dreams in general and the spell dreams hold on the African American community in particular. "Dream-singers" is a useful work of nonfiction for people from a variety of fields and backgrounds; enriching conversation and point of view for all. Therapists, nurses, doulas and other support personnel will find that this book creates an especially clear window through which they can understand the unique ways dreams shape the perspective, fears, hopes and vision of many people of African descent. Highly recommended to those who work with dreams.
A richly textured book to match a richly textured reality.......2002-01-10
At a time of widespread interest in dreams and dreamwork, the African-American dream culture, for reasons good and bad, had remained completely invisible in the sea of books on the subject. The acknowledged importance of dream-themes in African-American music and in African-American literature makes it all the more puzzling that this vital and pervasive part of African-American life should have remained invisible to the scholars and practitioners of dream interpretation. Whatever the reasons for this discrepancy (which the author sifts through in his introduction), it was a yawning gap which Shafton set out to fill in this richly textured book.
Based on extensive interviews with 115 subjects ranging from highly educated professionals to ghetto children to prisoners, the author examines closely the full spectrum of dream experiences and their uses in personal, interpersonal and social contexts. This includes the prevalence of ancestor dreams, various forms of predictive dreaming ranging from the mundane to the sublime, the cultivation of dreamlike experiences in the waking state, dreaming as spiritual experience, dreaming as processing of socio-political reality, the nature of dream sharing in black America and the transgenerational transmission of beliefs, attitudes and interpretive techniques, the role of dream sharing as survival mechanism. Last but not least, running through the whole book, we find a subtle examination of the question of the African roots of this cultural form.
Throughout, the book makes room for the variety of cognitive and emotional experience, what the author describes as "the various degrees of certainty, consistency, and tolerance for ambiguity. There are hard skeptics. There are naive accepters. There are those in transition. There are those who embrace traditional beliefs as part of a broad enhancement of their identity..." all operating on the fundamental assumption that dreams matter. This adds credibility to one of the book's ambitions, namely to assess the future of the African-American way with dreams.
`Dreamsingers' is one of those rare cases where a book's promises seem modest by comparison with the final experience. This reflects in part the intrinsic richness of the materials the author was able to draw upon: yet Shafton's carefully conducted research could not have produced so satisfying a book without the reality of a vital dream culture and the variety of individual lives connected through that culture. Equally important, however, is Shafton's ability to elicit his interlocutors' trust, to become transparent to their individual voices, to allow for the development of the full spectrum of attitudes towards dreams and the use of dreams in the conduct of daily lives.
One effect is that the reader is in no doubt that (s)he is looking at a clearly African-American phenomenon, one that cuts across class, education and generational boundaries. Yet we are never presented with a stereotypical `African-American' voice/experience. The diversity and nuances of viewpoint revealed in this book are as vital to the whole picture as are the core beliefs and attitudes.
It is a further attraction of the book that neither the thoroughness of the research nor the complexity of the analysis are allowed to interfere with the intensely personal quality of the material being examined. We are listening to an extended, richly textured and subtle conversation between the author and his interviewees, and , indirectly, among the interviewees themselves.
By the same token, the thoroughness and intelligence of the author's analyses should make it possible for members of other groups to look at their own cultural traditions in the light of the African-American way with dreams, having been provided keys for truly multicultural understanding.
Dream Singers: The African American Way with Dreams.......2001-12-28
This book is a fine combination of fieldwork and scholarship written in an informal, non-academic style. Anthony Shafton interviewed 116 African Americans, as well as a control group of white people with which to compare attitudes toward dreams. He also searched African American poetry and fiction and the scientific literature of dream analysis, and the depth of his research is revealed in the copious notes and lengthy bibliography. As a reader raised in the white community, I found much that I had experienced myself, such as dream visits from deceased family and friends, recurring dreams, and sleep paralysis-and some that I had never experienced, such as religious conversion and deriving numbers for gambling from dreams. This book indeed taught me that the dreams of black people and white people aren't necessarily different, but they think about them differently. Because my own research is on African American hoodoo practice, I found the section on Dreams and Hoodoo and the appendices on Traditional African American Dream Signs, Policy and Numbers Gambling, and Dream Book Authors and Publishers to be among the most valuable and interesting parts of the book.
Dream-Singers.......2001-11-16
As a long time dream recorder and enthusiast, I found the book fascinating because it provided me with a different model for thinking about dreams besides the mainstream, psychological approach. It also gave me additional insight into my own grandparents who came from Poland and had similar takes on dreams. One was herself known for having predictive dreams.
As a white American, reading it has given me some insight that I didn't have before into black culture. I don't think I quite conceived before the extent to which there is a separate culture which deserves to be addressed and respected on its own merits. Nor the extent to which black people are really a part of two cultures which are sometimes in conflict. I feel much more at ease interacting with the black people in my environment and more free to address racial issues and compare experiences.
I highly recommend the book to anyone interested in the topic of dreams, but more particularly to white people who want to bridge the social gap between the races which stubbornly persists.
Book Description
Internationally acknowledged as the best one-volume reference to the world's naval and paranaval forces, this popular Naval Institute guide is both comprehensive and affordable. Updated biennially since 1976, it has come to be relied on for its all-inclusive, accurate, and current data on the ships, navies, coast guards, and naval aviation arms of more than one hundred eighty countries and territories, including for the first time this year East Timor. Large fleets and small maritime forces get equally thorough treatment as evidenced in this new edition, which highlights major and even minor developments that could have an impact on the world scene. From orders of new patrol boats for Yemen and ship-name changes in the Georgian Navy to performance details of the British Navy's new Astute-class submarines and Type 45 destroyers, the information is easily accessed by readers wanting to keep abreast of the world's navies. A thorough indexing of material and a logical ship-typing system makes the book easy to use and allows quick comparisons between fleets.
With the retirement of longtime Combat Fleets editor A. D. Baker III in 2002 and the appointment of Washington defense consultant and author Eric Wertheim as the new editor, the guide continues to present timely, authoritative information supported by hundreds of new illustrations. The section on the Indian Navy, for example, presents new photos and line drawings of frigates in the Shivalik and Talwar classes and late-breaking information about the modified Kiev-class aircraft carrier expected to enter India's fleet. For the Chinese Navy, Wertheim provides details of new armament fits and construction of its Project 52 destroyers, and for the German Navy he offers service entry details of the new Sachsen-class Type 124 air defense frigates. Even seemingly minor changes in naval aviation are recorded, including Japan's recent decision to purchase new EH-101 helicopters. Readers can also find out the latest about the U.S. littoral combat ships and DD(X) warship programs and the Kidd-class destroyers being transferred to Taiwan. More than a hundred correspondents from around the world contributed information and illustrations to this new volume.
From giant aircraft carriers and ballistic missile submarines to tugboats and launches, the characteristics and capabilities of ships large and small are reliably recorded. Complete descriptions of naval aircraft, weapons, weapons systems, and sensors are also provided along with useful commentary on organization, personnel strengths, and bases. For those who need fast access to facts about the world's navies, this single-volume naval reference is essential-and a bargain considering the wealth of material it provides. 4450 photographs. Also available in hardcover (ISBN: 1-59114-934-7).
Customer Reviews:
Worlds Navies on CD.......2006-11-02
This publication is an American equivalent of Janes Fighting Ships.I personally like the CD version as it has a good index facility and fairly good photos and illustrations with plenty of information about every navy particularly of the minor vessels. More illustrations would be useful but you cannot have every thing. Overall I like this product and keep it loaded on my laptop.
Biger and at One Third the Price is Pretty Convincing.......2005-03-23
Sub-Title: Their Ships, Aircraft, and Systems (Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World) ==There are only two books like this published in the world, so it is inevitable that they have to be compared. Jane's Fighting Ships is now in its 107th edition. The Naval Institute's Guide to Combat Fleets has been published every couple of years since 1977. In any case that's enough for both of them to have become established and to have developed a solid background/format/procedure for gathering the information about ships and for publishing it in as accurate a maner as possible. They are both excellent works. Neither is perfect, because some information is difficult to get (The Naval Institute book says: "Data for North Korea are only marginally reliable."), and there is a time lag between freezing the writing and the delivery of the finished product. ==So what is left to compare. They are both huge books, 7+ pounds of paper. The Naval Institute book has about 150 more pages than Janes, and it is about one third the price. Yes, one third of the price, not one third less. ==This book has 1104 pages, 4450 photographs. I also find it easier to read, easier to find what I need to know.
Almost perfect alternative to Jane's Fighting Ships.......2005-03-18
I bought this book because the price of Jane's Fighting Ships is simply impossible for me and many defence workers. I was very satisfied with this alternative and happy to know that there's an alternative to Jane's at a much cheaper price.
The only aspects I didn't like so much is that these editions are not annual but cover two years instead, so some information is very outdated (example: new chinese destroyers and fast missile boats, Tikuna class submarine, portuguese building program-multiple classes - at least these are closer to my work) and some pictures could be replaced by real photos of ships already launched last year.
I'm sure the next edition will be even better and personnaly I wish Naval Institute decide to put a Combat fleets guide every year out.
You will not regret to buy this.
"A Year of Compromise".......2005-03-12
This is the title of Eric Wertheims 2005 World Navies in review article found in USNI's Proceedings Magazine.
It is also about the new edition of Combat Fleets. While with any type of offering of this type some inaccuracies, typos and out-dated info are inherent.
But this book provides an almost impossible amount of detailed info on World Navies that after careful review is as up-to-date, accurate and free of typos as can be practically, realistically and reasonably expected.
In particular it details the recently announced drawdowns to the UK's Royal Navy & the Royal Netherlands Navy. This is in addition to its comprehensive look at all of the other Worlds Navies.
This tome is an indispensable addition to either an amateur or professional naval watchers library.
Good value, but already badly out of date in places.......2005-03-10
Combat Fleets convincingly beats its only real rival (Janes Fighting Ships) on price, but loses marks on the accuracy and currency of some of the information that it contains. I'm puzzled what was being done between the originally advertised publication date (May 2004?) and the actual February 2005 date. For much of this edition, it would appear that the entries were last reviewed and revised as long ago as 2003, or at best early 2004, and the opportunity to insert recent pictures or graphics for at least major classes and projects has not been taken.
Book Description
On December 26, 2004, giant tsunami waves destroyed communities around the Indian Ocean, from Indonesia to Kenya. Beyond the horrific death toll, this wall of water brought a telling reminder of the interconnectedness of the many countries on the ocean rim, and the insignificance of national boundaries. A Hundred Horizons takes us to these shores, in a brilliant reinterpretation of how culture developed and history was made at the height of the British raj.
Between 1850 and 1950, the Indian Ocean teemed with people, commodities, and ideas: pilgrims and armies, commerce and labor, the politics of Mahatma Gandhi and the poetry of Rabindranath Tagore were all linked in surprising ways. Sugata Bose finds in these intricate social and economic webs evidence of the interdependence of the peoples of the lands beyond the horizon, from the Middle East to East Africa to Southeast Asia.
In following this narrative, we discover that our usual ways of looking at history--through the lens of nationalism or globalization--are not adequate. The national ideal did not simply give way to inevitable globalization in the late twentieth century, as is often supposed; Bose reveals instead the vital importance of an intermediate historical space, where interregional geographic entities like the Indian Ocean rim foster nationalist identities and goals yet simultaneously facilitate interaction among communities.
A Hundred Horizons merges statistics and myth, history and poetry, in a remarkable reconstruction of how a region's culture, economy, politics, and imagination are woven together in time and place.
Customer Reviews:
Unreadable. Where was the editor?.......2006-06-10
I'm disappointed -- would give this a "O star" if possible. The topic interests me greatly, and the first bit I read in a book shop was well-written. After page three, however, it is unreadable. The author uses terms without defining them, includes information irrelevant to the topic, and is excruciatingly difficult to follow. I found myself wondering if I'm the wrong audience (smart, likes to read history) -- perhaps his audience is the professional historian and they understand this.
A few examples: "The entire intermediary structure was also vulnerable to the possibility of coming unhinged as a result of crises at the higher echelons of the capitalist architecture and the foundation of agrarian production below, as was to become dramatically apparent during the 1930s depression" (28). "Macro-models such as the world-systems perspective, while transcending these limitations, have tended to view an omnipotent West as the main locus of historical initiative and are too diffuse to take adequate account of the rich and complex interregional arenas of economic, political, and cultural relationships. Micro-approaches, such as subaltern studies, have done much to recover the significance of marginal actors, but have been overall a little too engrossed in discourses of the local community and the nation to engage in broader comparisons" (7).
It's too late to return it and I'm too nice to resell it.
Book Description
The foremost woman artist of her age, Elisabeth Vigée Le Brun (1755—1842) exerted her considerable charm to become the friend, and then official portraitist, of Marie Antoinette. Though profitable, this role made Vigée Le Brun a public and controversial figure, and in 1789 it precipitated her exile. In a Europe torn by strife and revolution, she nevertheless managed to thrive as an independent, self-supporting artist, doggedly setting up studios in Rome, Naples, Venice, Milan, Vienna, St. Petersburg, and London. Long overlooked or dismissed, Vigée Le Brun’s portraits now hang in the Louvre, in a room of their own, as well as in all leading art museums of the world.
This gripping biography tells the story of a singularly gifted and high-spirited woman during the revolutionary era and explores the development and significance of her art. The book also recounts the public and private lives of Elisabeth Vigée Le Brun, connecting her with such personalities of her age as Catherine the Great, Napoleon, and Benjamin Franklin, and setting her experiences in the context of contemporary European politics and culture. A generous selection of illustrations, including sixteen of Vigée Le Brun’s portraits presented in full color, completes this exceptional volume.
Customer Reviews:
Breaking the canvas ceiling .......2007-01-12
One of the nice things about being interested in art and history, is that you find out the most amazing things -- if I had read this as the plot of a novel, I would have harrumphed and muttered Balderdash! But once I started reading this slim biography, I was hooked about this story of a woman who not just held her own in the French court before the Revolution and Terror, but managed to survive and thrive in a world where women were certainly a second class.
Author Gita May takes on the intriguing and adventuresome story of Elisabeth Vigee Le Brun and fleshes it out into a portrait of a woman that took on the establishment, and yet was very much a traditionalist. Born into an artistic family, Elisabeth Vigee showed a precoious talent for drawing and portraits, something that delighted her father, an artist of middling stature who encouraged his daughter's education in art. Her mother, however, was disappointed in Elisabeth, and clearly favoured her son instead. While most young women of her class were busy planning for marriage, Elisabeth poured her passions and desires into art, and while she could not attend the formal sessions that the professional artists gave, she was still able to get private lessons. Still it was expected that she would marry, and Elisabeth Vigee soon married an art dealer, Le Brun, in what everyone thought would be a suitable match.
Her earliest portraits were of her own family and friends, and soon she was building a clientele of minor nobility. While today, portrait art is respectable, in the eighteenth century, portrait work wasn't held in that high of a regard, being not as worthy as say, history or landscape painting. But there was certainly a market for portraits, and Vigee Le Brun soon found that her talent was appealing to buyers. Soon she was having commissions to fill, and painting some of the more famous in the land -- a talent that soon had her walking in the halls of Versailles.
Her ability to capture liveliness and expression in her sitter was just the sort of thing to appeal to the circle of courtiers that surrounded Marie Antoinette. Soon Elisabeth was named official portraitist to the Queen, and she was spending her days working in her studio, and at night she had established a salon, where the titled and those of leisure could gather for intellectual conversation. All appeared well until Paris erupted in revolution, and the King and Queen of France were forced to live in Paris.
And now, is where the story gets interesting. Elisabeth watched her earnings and savings dry up. Her nerves were frayed, and she feared for the lives of herself and her daughter, Julie, for she had never been shy about admitting her ferverent royalist leanings. Before she could be arrested, she and Julie fled Paris, and France. Officially, she was going to Italy to 'study art,' but the reality was that she was an exile. To make matters worse, her husband had frittered away her earnings on other women and gambling. Could she succeed in a world where revolution was taking hold and being a woman at that?
Gita May uses Le Brun's own memoirs to tell the story, padding out the narrative with letters and biographies of the various people that she met while traveling around Europe. Her royal connections and sympathy for Marie Antoinette made it possible for her to have plenty of commissions, and she was able to carve out a reasonable living for herself, supporting herself while traveling to Italy, Vienna, Germany and even as far as St. Petersburg, Russia. In Russia, she found immense success, and acceptance from the Francophile courts of Catherine II and Paul I.
But what struck me about the book, despite the fact that it's rather short, are the portraits that Le Brun created. They are full of life, especially those of the women and children that she portrayed. There are several of Mare Antoinette herself, from the full-blown pomp of the formal attire of wide skirts and powdered hair, to the imfamous en gaulle portrait where the queen was shown in a simple muslin gown, a painting that was dismissed as showing the queen being far less than royal, and the one where the queen transforms herself from a frivolous girl into the regal mother of France's next generation of princesses and kings. Some have derided Le Brun as being overly flattering to her subjects, and far too sentimental, but I think that is exactly the charm of her work. Instead, she shows the sitters as they are, full of movement and life, and her studies of children are exquisite.
The text does tend to be a dud in places, and May tends to be repetitive in a very wearying way. But throughout there are black and white reproductions of various paintings and self-portraits, along with a few of the various places that Le Brun visited. There are also two full-colour sections of this book as well, and it has the self-portraits that Le Brun created, which are among the best of her work. While the narrative is on the weak side, it is still a very readable book, with plenty of notes and bibliography to read, and makes a decent study of Le Brun's work.
For those who are interested in Revolutionary France, eighteenth century painting and the lives of women in the past, this makes for an interesting study into that world. I wouldn't however, recommend it for the casual reader as the story gets bogged down in spots, and it's more of a travelogue and listing of the works that Le Brun made. Too, paintings are mentioned without listing where they can be seen, or without reproducing them, which makes it hard for the reader to figure out just what May is getting at here.
Recommended, but with reservations.
An interesting book, a nightmarish editing job.......2006-04-17
I must point out that I am reading this because I don't know that much about the subject; I can't really speak to its accuracy. I have always been charmed by Vigee Le Brun's work, and this is a relatively brief (237 pp.), but insightful and informative account of her life. Since Vigee Le Brun's memoirs ran to three volumes, I assume that this could have been much longer, but I thought it was a satisfying length, giving me the feeling of having a good sense of the person without being overwhelmed by detail, cant and speculation. There are a couple of other monographs, noted below, if the reader wants more detailed information.
May is quite aware that Vigee Le Brun, who became official painter to Queen Marie-Antoinette, might be considered politically incorrect, being rather conservative, lacking social awareness for the plight of the poor, and a Royalist with regard to the French revolution. I thought she handled this well, signalling her understanding that this might distress some readers and critics, while accepting her subject as she was. Unlike some writers, she keeps artistic talent, personal qualities and political thinking separate, without neglecting any of the three.
The book is gorgeously illustrated. There are sixteen color plates, plus a number of black and white reproductions scattered throughout the text. Of course, there are never enough illustrations. In reading about artists, I would like to see examples of the work of close associates, in this case Vigee Le Brun's father and mentors. Of course, I want this without having to give up any reproductions of the main subject's work. One can dream.
I was originally going to give this fewer stars because of the problems listed below. However, outside of being bewildered at a few points, I really enjoyed the book and I'm glad that I read it. I leave the reader to decide how much bad editing bothers them. I urge the Yale University Press to correct any other editions.
I believe that this is the most badly edited book I have ever read. Among less serious flaws, an allegorical painting entitled 'Peace Bring Back Abundance' is described as, "the figure of peace gently guiding and protecting peace." I believe that should be "protecting abundance." Further, it is frequently repetitive; e.g., the sad end to the life of Lady Hamilton is described twice (pp. 97 and 173.) More seriously, it is sometimes repetitive and self-contradictory. Plate 2 is a reproduction of a Vigee Le Brun portrait of a man in a yellow vest, identified as Hubert Robert. On page 16, this painting is described in detail and identified as "Joseph Vernet ... (plate 3)" and on p. 62, described again and identified as Robert. This is particularly pathetic for a university press.
The notes are nicely done and, one of my pet causes, the running titles is used to identify the sections of notes, making them easier to match up. There are some explanatory notes included with the bibilographic information. There is a fairly good index, although only one of the above noted accounts of Lady Hamilton's death is listed in her entry under "death". The other is included under "in London"; she actually died in Calais. There is not a bibliography as such, but May points to other monographs on the artist such as Mary Sheriff's "highly theoretical and ideological interpretation" Exceptional Woman; and Angelica Goodden's "more straightforward narrative" The Sweetness of Life. I very much appreciate that she explains the difference in approach between the two. (Introduction, note 7, p. 205)
Book Description
One of the classics in cryptographic literature. The first five chapters cover the history of cryptography from the earliest days of antiquity to the beginning of the twentieth century. Chapters are devoted to transposition methods, substitution methods, codes, cryptographic devices, and cipher machines. Text includes many problems in French for the solver.
Book Description
This valuable new title profiles more than twenty terrorist organizations operating in the Middle East and their affiliate groups worldwide. Designed as a complete, indispensable guide, the book's profiles describe essential characteristics, external relations and financial support and more.
Customer Reviews:
A Broader Expectrum.......2007-07-30
About middle east arm goups this is the book that give historical valuable, especific, updated info and a broader outlook aboout the espectrum.
Excellent source.......2007-05-13
Profiles in terror is a well organized standard reference book for anyone who wants to study the subject of Middle Eastern terror.
A profile of twenty modern-day terrorist organizations.......2005-01-05
Middle East and U.S. national security expert, and former director of research for the Middle East Media Research Institute Aaron Mannes presents Profiles In Terror, a straightforward profile of twenty modern-day terrorist organizations operating in the Middle East and the regional groups affiliated with them. Including detailed descriptions of each group's ideology and objectives, history, leadership, organization, external relations, financial support networks, target and tactics, and much more, Profiles In Terror is filled with crucial information for anyone researching modern history, crucially interested in American security or striving to better understand the darker side of world politics. Highly recommended.
A tour de force.......2004-10-31
This is a TOur De force in writing on terrorism. Many books purport to tell the 'inside' scoop on terrorist organizations, or try to give you some mammoth amount of info about each group, which is so impossible to digest, while other books try to 'balance' terrorism by showing hat 'all sides are terrorists'. But book gives you the straight dope, the who, the what and the how. From the leaders to the methods to the motives this is an insider's account. One will learn about the rise of Hamas, about the truth of Force 17 and about why George Habash is a Christian who turned to Communism. The only middling problem with this book is it cannot anticipate the terrorist of tomorrow. But it will remain the standard until the face of conflict changes.
Seth J. Frantzman
Comprehensive and Informative, but not Dry not Overwhelming.......2004-09-28
I read a fair number of books on military history, foreign policy, current events and radical islam in the course of my work and personal interest. Most books on terrorist groups and movements either come across as laboriously-researched, dry analytical tomes or sensationalistic 'heat-of-the-moment' rush jobs where fiction and editorialization fill in the factual gaps. This book doesn't fall into either category.
From reading 'Profiles In Terror,' it is obvious that Mr. Mannes has a well-grounded understanding of the Middle Eastern and Islamist terrorist groups that he writes about. Furthermore, much of his public-sourced information is extremely well-documented and, if anything, is a great suggested reading list if you want to see the extremely fine minutiae regarding these groups. Furthermore, the information is presented clearly and in an interesting manner such that the book is useful for professionals, but not at the exclusion of the average reader's interest.
All of the 'major' groups are covered: al Qaeda, Hamas, Hezbollah, etc, but Mannes also takes the time to discuss groups that are relatively unknown to the public, such as Jemaah Islamiya, the Kurdistan Workers' Party (KDP) and Force 17, amongst others. In addition to the well-written and thorough chapter on the terrorist groups covered in the book, the author included separate resource listing for each group (extremely valuable). Mannes also lays out a very specific chronology of significant events and attacks for each group. And thankfully, unlike so many other contemporary books on current events, there is a VERY detailed index, itself 31 pages long.
This book is definitely worth picking up, whether your interest is professional or just personal curiosity.
Average customer rating:
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Profiles in Terror: The Guide to Middle East Terrorist Organizations
Aaron Mannes
Manufacturer: Jinsa Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0971629714 |
Customer Reviews:
Magnificent man, fine book.......2003-07-24
John Muir is one of the greatest and least appreciated men of the paste 150 years. His fierce determination to preserve the wilderness was a gift to us all. This book does him justice in all ways. Not only is it beautifully written and crafted, the author's empathy and understanding of Muir is evident throughout. Naturally there is an emphasis on Muir's tremendous conservationist efforts, but I was pleased to see material on his early years in Scotland and the emigration to America. Ehrlich also discusses in some detail Muir's loss or sight and his spontaneous restoration of sight. An incredible story in itself.
Most of the book is devoted to Muir's tireless environmental work in California. His (ultimately futile) battle to save Hetch Hetchy is described in painful detail. His triumphs are also chronicled, including his epic hiking adventures, trail forging and wilderness activism. This is a first-rate biography of an outstanding human being, and hero to envioronmentalists everywhere.
Provides vision and hope........2003-07-06
An elegant and beautiful book. It was both visionary and poetic, like Muir, and offers us a fine, new appreciation of the man and his message in this time of political and environmental degradation. Stunning photographs.
What a nature lover!.......2002-09-04
This is an excellent book about the life of one of our greatest conservationists. If you have enjoyed Muir's books, I highly advise learning about his incredible life journey with this great biography.
Product Description
Special Deluxe padded leather bound edition. Gilt decoration and signature on front. Picture of John Muir on front cover.
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