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The Praetorian Guard : The US Role In The New World Order
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More about John

THE BITTER TRUTH

Interesting, but not great

Truths Be Told

Praetorian Guard is Amazing

The Praetorian Guard : The US Role In The New World Order
John Stockwell
Manufacturer: South End Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Relations | International | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
General | Political Science | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
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INSIDE THE COMPANY: CIA DIARY

ASIN: 0896083950

Customer Reviews:

More about John.......2004-01-23

I knew John right about the time he wrote this book and also met his family. The reviewer who suggested that he might be part of a CIA program in writing this book is way, way off. This man has put himself (and his family) in a very scary position and he deserves a lot of credit for coming out with the truths he knows. I knew him and did some work for him for about a year and I also knew someone else that had known him for decades. John Stockwell deserves many kudos for his courage and integrity in coming out with what he knows. You can believe the book. I hope he will come out with more.

THE BITTER TRUTH.......2002-08-04

This book explains the intricate, intense, and often unjustified involvement of the CIA in many parts of the world, through thousands of covert operations, which, according to the book and other sources, have ended the lifes of millions of people. It describes secret and obscure operations, some of which entailed the killing of people by the thousands at Angola, and others such as the one which overthrew the first democratic government in Guatemala, and the creation of the infamous "death squads" in that country and El Salvador, to murder civilians and seed terror among the people. All orchestrated by our CIA, apparently in the name of national interests. I will not say much about this, because I urge you to read the book, but many of these operations were bloody, bloody, bloody, and they were emphatically denied at official briefings to the Congress, which, needless to say, is a felony.

Stockwell goes deep, and he surely has bases to do it. He is the highest rank CIA official ever to go public. And even though this book has been censored, you still can get pretty much information from it. You will realize that most of the time, the CIA hasn't really had fair motives to carry out the operations. The real interests behind all of it are completely different from the picture that we get from the news and the official reports from our government. Reading this one will make you end up with a sad feeling after having been shown the bitterness of reality. It will make you wonder about which has been our true government, and you will want to ask if all our "liberties" and "freedoms" have been paid at the cost of millions of innocent children, women, and men from all over the world.

Interesting, but not great.......2002-04-26

The Praetorian Guard purports to tell the secrets of what the US government is really doing in the world and why. The author is ex-CIA and uses his inside knowledge to tell stories of what goes on in the world-behind-the-scenes. And they are interesting stories, certainly. He especially dwells on what are in his views the evils of the Reagan and Bush (1st Bush) administrations. He does mention activities before the Reagan era, but his disgust and dislike of the politics of both Reagan and Bush make his writing into more of a rant against those two than against world destabilization. One gets the feeling that he would still be in favor of all the secret dealings in the world if only they favored his own political objectives. That may be completely wrong and Mr. Stockwell may indeed be against these activities in general, but if so he spent a little too much of his anger directly on Reagan and Bush. Not that they are blameless.
When I picked up this book, I expected something much more "scholarly" than what I got. Perhaps that is my fault. I expected more time to be spent on the Why's of all this covert activity. I expected more revelation as to the motivations and direction or these top policy makers. Instead I got stories. Certainly, some of the subject matter is supposed to be secret and undocumentable, but there was plenty of mention of activities which were and are documentable. Mr. Stockwell's credibility in the book would have been much improved if he had included documentation for those things where it was available.
The author makes the claim that the CIA has had many books published to favor their own agendas. I am left wondering if this book itself was written and published under the same program. The stories contained therein are certainly plausible, and I believe much of it. But as the author well knows, a little truth makes for the best lies. The reader is left wondering how much to believe, and I am sure will believe only what their previous political inclinations let them believe.
I am a bit baffled by the 5 stars reviews previously posted. Perhaps my hopes were too high when I began reading this book. It is interesting and worth a good read. It is written well enough to be read in a couple of days. It is not a five star book, however.

Truths Be Told.......2001-12-31

While Mr. Stockwell does not write in the manner of a Noam Chomskey, citing historical precedents, etc., but his book is still a must read for anyone concerned about the damage that is about to be perpatrated upon us as a people. Mr. Stockwell's writing is closer to a thesis style and that's why I gave it 4 stars. This, however, does not minimize the importance of the information provided. This book should be read by all those concerned with our civil liberties, the ecology, and humanitarian issues. He even touches upon two items that failed during the Bush presidency, but appears to become a reality during the Chaney presidency: the raping of our social security, and the destruction of freedom as we know it today. Back in 1990, Mr. Stockwell inadvertantly warned about what bi-partison economists are saying today. That is, the social security fund WILL NOT be bankrupt as the American people are being told. It's just seen as an extra windfall for the elite. Once this is dismantled, we will be returned to the days working 12-to-16 hours per day, 6-to-7 days per week, no healthcare, and script to buy from the company store. Knowledge is power, do yourself a favor, get knowledgeable.

Praetorian Guard is Amazing.......2000-02-05

The Praetorian guard is so good it almost defies description. John Stockwell has finally answered the question of why elements in the U.S. Government would "want" to carry out some of the covert operations which seem to make no sense other than a desire for power or perhaps simple Sadism. Why for example would the government want to destabilize a small country, throw it into civil unrest, and have a corrupt dictator take over? What possible reason could there be for that? The answer is more down to earth, and for that reason more obscene than I had imagined. This book answered so many questions, and made certain actions by agencies in the government which seemed almost insane to me, finally make terrible sense.

Average customer rating:

Not Much text
Good introduction to the subject.
The sole book on the subject until now
Great book on the Roman Praetorian Guard

The Praetorian Guard (Elite)
Boris Rankov
Manufacturer: Osprey Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Rome | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

Military Science | History | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1855323613
Release Date: 1994-01-27

Book Description

The Praetorian Guard of Imperial Rome was the power behind the throne, with the ability to make or break an emperor. As the main body of troops in Rome, they were the emperor's instrument to discourage plotting and rebellion and to crush unrest. The emperor's most immediate line of defence, they could also be his most deadly enemies. This book details the organization, dress and history of the Praetorian Guard from the time of the late Republic to the Guard's effective destruction at the battle of Milvian Bridge in AD 312. Numerous illustrations vividly depict the uniforms and weaponry of this elite fighting unit.

Customer Reviews:

Not Much text.......2007-04-01

The actual text extends only to page 26, the rest of the book being plates (which are numerous and detailed, but aren't McBride) and a very detailed plate commentary. A good resource, but Angus McBride could have done it better.

Good introduction to the subject........2006-04-23

At only 62 pages this was better than I thought it would be. First it is an obscure and often neglected topic of the "Roman World." Starting from its inception during the long reign of the Emperor Augustus up to its disbandment. Their recruitment, uniforms, role, history, and equipment are all touched on to varying degrees. The photographs were somewhat more instructive than the color plates which were not nearly as good as Angus McBrides. There is a lengthy bibliography for further research.

The sole book on the subject until now.......2004-12-07

Mr Rankov's book earns 5 stars because it remains the single book written about the Roman Praetorian Guard. It contains much information based on good and extensive bibliography and will surely satisfy the enthusiasts of this ancient period with the numerous b/w photographs and the color drawings which are explained in exhaustively detailed captions. A nice first try on the subject.

Great book on the Roman Praetorian Guard.......2001-05-22

This is a rather good book, a typical Osprey Publishing production. The topic is the Praetorian Guard, the bodyguard of the Roman emperors from Augustus until their disbanding in the early 4th Century AD by Constantine. This is a very good introduction to this elite military unit and is one of the few English sources on the topic...the majority are either in French or Italian and a few others are merely secondary sources that mention the Guard only in passing. The color plates are also excellent works as usual, some are of course conjectural as most of the sculptures and artwork of the Romans have been damaged or lost their own paint over the years. The authors make no pretension as to the accuracy of the color of the Roman shields but the shield designs are pretty accurately described and drawn. Other than that it's a rather good book with a good amount of very useful information for the beginning person interested in Rome or maybe even the experienced historian interested in Rome.

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optimus, praetorian guard

Optimus: Praetorian Guard
P.M. Prescott
Manufacturer: PublishAmerica
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Historical | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1424159555
Release Date: 2006-11-20

Book Description

Christian tradition holds that while the apostle Paul was under house arrest awaiting trial in Rome, authorities had to change his guards because he kept converting them. This is a story about one of those guards. Sextus Cassius Optimus of the Praetorian Guard becomes a Christian and marries into a group of high-ranking Romans who are intent on having a Christian emperor. Along the way he befriends Epictetus and Josephus, while his service covers the reigns from Claudius through Domitian.

Customer Reviews:

optimus, praetorian guard.......2007-05-17

A very good first effort at novel writing. The characters are fully developed, the research extensive and the details of Roman life highly entertaining. Christians would enjoy reading about their predecessors.

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The Praetorian Guard -
John Stockwell -
Manufacturer: South End Press -
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OMQD1O

The Praetorian Guard: The US Role in the New World Order

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The Praetorian Guard: The US Role in the New World Order
John Stockwell
Manufacturer: South End Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000MKNRSA

Soldiers of Rome: Praetorians and Legionnaires

Average customer rating:

One of a kind!

Soldiers of Rome: Praetorians and Legionnaires
Robert F. Evans
Manufacturer: Seven Locks Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Rome | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

Military Science | History | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0932020364

Customer Reviews:

One of a kind!.......2004-12-07

Mr Evans has found an unturned stone in the heavily explored field of warfare. Although prior to his work there had been published some authoritative books on the subject of the Roman legions like Parker's excellent study "The Roman Legions", Evan's book is more compact, more clear, better organized and follows the modern military way of presenting an army's order of battle. A short history of deployment of every Roman legion is included and this makes the book an invaluable reference source. The introduction is also excellent giving some good details on the nature of the legions and the Praetorian Guard up to its catastrophic defeat at the hands of Constantine at Milvian Bridge (AD 312). The Appendices are very useful and contain a full list of all the emperors who served with the legions, all the prefects of the Praetorian Guard in a chronological list, and some maps with the geographic location of the imperial legions from Augustus' period until that of Trajan. Highly recommended for both old students of the Roman army and beginners on the subject.

The praetorian guards.(Brief Article): An article from: Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

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The praetorian guards.(Brief Article): An article from: Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
William M. Arkin
Manufacturer: Educational Foundation for Nuclear Science, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Science | Subjects | Books

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Book Description

This digital document is an article from Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, published by Educational Foundation for Nuclear Science, Inc. on March 1, 2001. The length of the article is 669 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: The praetorian guards.(Brief Article)
Author: William M. Arkin
Publication: Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists (Refereed)
Date: March 1, 2001
Publisher: Educational Foundation for Nuclear Science, Inc.
Volume: 57 Issue: 2 Page: 80

Article Type: Brief Article

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Tres círculos de hombres de su entera confianza forman la guardia pretoriana de Juan Pablo II: Los custodios del Papa.(TT: Three groups of trusted men ... Praetorian guard.): An article from: Epoca

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Tres círculos de hombres de su entera confianza forman la guardia pretoriana de Juan Pablo II: Los custodios del Papa.(TT: Three groups of trusted men ... Praetorian guard.): An article from: Epoca
José Manuel Vidal
Manufacturer: Difusora de Informacion Periodica, S.A. (DINPESA)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B0008GYN0Y
Release Date: 2005-07-28

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Epoca, published by Difusora de Informacion Periodica, S.A. (DINPESA) on March 13, 2000. The length of the article is 2299 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: Tres cÃrculos de hombres de su entera confianza forman la guardia pretoriana de Juan Pablo II: Los custodios del Papa.(TT: Three groups of trusted men make up the security detail of the Pope: his Praetorian guard.)
Author: JosÃ© Manuel Vidal
Publication: Epoca (Magazine/Journal)
Date: March 13, 2000
Publisher: Difusora de Informacion Periodica, S.A. (DINPESA)
Page: 60

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Book Description

This moving book is a first-time look at Israeli soldiers who have refused orders on moral grounds, earning the name of "Refusenik" along with a prison sentence. These are the stories of people who believe in their country, but not in its actions beyond its borders. Peretz Kidron, a long-time Israeli citizen, retells the stories of these "refuseniks" from the 1982 invasion of Lebanon up to the current situation with Palestine. The stories, experiences, viewpoints, and even poetry from a great spectrum of Israelis are presented--officers, ordinary foot-soldiers, men and women, from various ethnic backgrounds and classes. The book also reveals the cautious and embarrassed response of the authorities, and the wider implications of the philosophy of selective refusal for conscientious citizens in every country where conscription still exists.

Customer Reviews:

"I cannot take part in your crimes".......2005-11-22

General, your tank is a powerful vehicle
It tramples the forest, it crushes a hundred men.
But it has one flaw:
It requires a driver.

General, your bomber is strong.
It flies faster than the storm, it loads more than an elephant.
But it has one flaw:
It requires a mechanic.

General, man is very useful.
He knows how to fly, he knows how to murder.
But he has one flaw:
He knows how to think.
(Bertolt Brecht)

Dissenting voices in a sea of senseless assent. Thankfully these voices keep increasing in number, not to mention becoming louder and more persistent as time goes by.

This book is a collection of letters written by the "soldiers of conscience" explaining the reasons behind their refusal to serve in the Occupied Territories. What is prevalent in those letters is not excessive sentimentality -as possibly their polemics would have it- but rather plain old common sense. This, together with the fact that most of them are written with such outstanding skill is why it's so hard for anyone to argue against them.

Refusing to Put Down the Gaza Ghetto Uprising.......2005-04-04

Israeli soldiers opposed to the horrendous Nazi-style, Zionist occupation of the Gaza ghetto and the West Bank speak out in this moving testimony to the power of conscience over surrender to military orders. One of these objectors writes, "I am a soldier in the Israeli army, imprisoned for refusal to take part in repression, arising from a sense that it is out of the question to be a Jew, the son of a people of refugees and yet repress a people of refugees."

The book's editor and compiler, Peretz Kidron, is himself a "refusenik." This book is powerful, first-hand documentary testimony of what the US media will not report in any depth: that Israeli war crimes against Palestinian civilians are so widespread and systematic that some Israeli troops--cognizant of the mandate of Nuremberg-- have refused to take part in them.

[The reviewer is the co-author of "The Israeli Holocaust Against the Palestinians]

Book Description

The editors present a collection of essays dealing with both the life and ideas of Charles Darwin as they relate to human sociobiology. They represent themes coming from evolutionary theory, cultural anthropology, political science, sociology, and psychology and psychiatry. Consistent with E. O. Wilson's Consilience, the compilation also reflects an interest in the humanities and thus offers materials exploring the possibility of a broad synthesis of knowledge relating to human nature. Beyond the theory and evidence offered in these disciplines is the promise of finding explanations for, and solutions to, current human differences and problems.

Customer Reviews:

Sociobiology: the full swath.......2000-04-16

Typical of the Praeger series in Human Evolution & Intelligence but unlike most books on evolutionary psychology, this fine tome covers a lot of ground. It originated from papers read at a meeting of the European Sociobiology Society in Darwin's own Christ's College, Cambridge.

The organising theme is Darwinism across the full span of scholarly interests. Chapters span themes of humanities, social sciences, clinical application, the genetics of neurotransmitters and even theosophical considerations of the extended phenotype in human affairs.

Like most books edited from congress papers, this has its rough edges and uneven spots. Still, all in all it is a fine smorgasbord of topics with greater breadth amd sometimes greater depth than most other books concerning Darwinian approaches to contemporary studies ranging from humanities and social science on through medicine and philosophy.

It clearly surpasses books of more limited range such as Darwinian Psychiatry (Triosi & Maguire), Evolutionary Psychiatry (Stevens & Price) or Darwinian Medicine (Williams & Nesse). In fact, this book is to be recommended to an exceptionally broad range of scholars in disciplines from literature to pharmacology, not to mention alert lay readers.

The Darwinian Heritage and Sociobiology
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The Darwinian Heritage and Sociobiology
Editor-Johan M.G. van der Dennen; Editor-David Smillie; Editor-Daniel R. Wilson
Manufacturer: Praeger Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000ORATSC

Leaving Mother Lake: A Girlhood at the Edge of the World
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A life much less ordinary

Amazing how things are different in some parts of the world

A small but incredibly beautiful world

A small but incredibly beautiful world

Excellent Book

Leaving Mother Lake: A Girlhood at the Edge of the World
Yang Erche Namu , and Christine Mathieu
Manufacturer: Back Bay Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
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The Diary of Ma Yan: The Struggles and Hopes of a Chinese Schoolgirl

A Society without Fathers or Husbands: The Na of China

ASIN: 0316735493

Book Description

This remarkable memoir transports us to the remote reaches of the Himalayas, to a place the Chinese call 'the country of daughters,' to the home of the Moso, a society in which women rule men. According to local tradition, marriage is considered a foreign practice; property is passed from mother to daughter; a matriarch oversees each family's customs, rituals, and economies. In this culture a young girl enjoys extraordinary freedoms-but the impulsive, restless Namu is driven to leave her mother's house, to venture out into the larger world, defying the tradition that holds Moso culture together. LEAVING MOTHER LAKE is a book filled with drama, strangeness, and beauty. Yet for all the exoticism, Namu's story is a universal tale of mothers and daughters-the battles that drive them apart and the love that brings them back together.

Customer Reviews:

A life much less ordinary.......2007-02-17

The lifestyle and cultural norms of the Moso people "one of fifty-six Chinese nationalities" of Tibet, who "number about 30,000" are much different than those of most developed countries. The women tend to engage in a series of monogamous relationships, resulting in matriarch family units with several half-sibling children. This one fact might cause people to describe them as sexually promiscuous and immoral. Others might look at the matriarchal, matrilineal Moso as an intriguing social entity not bound by the social constraints of most cultures. Although the Chinese government has encouraged marriage, the Moso people are overwhelmingly undeterred. Mothers tend to prize daughters, as through their offspring the family lines continue. Children may never learn the identity of their fathers, and if they do, will refer to them (as all men) as "Uncle." Children ideally remain with their maternal relatives their entire lives, dying in the same dwelling in which they were born. Men are needed "to herd the yaks in the mountains, to travel with the horse caravans to trade in the outside world, and to make the long journey to Lhasa to study the holy Buddhist scriptures and become lamas." Girls shift from childhood to womanhood by participating in a post-menarche "skirt" ceremony. They then move from a communal room to their own special chamber and are encouraged to engage in sexual relationships. Leaving Mother Lake is the story of Namu Erche, a member of the Moso tribe, who lived a life less ordinary. Her mother, "curious and restless," defied the norms of the tribe by moving from her own mother's home to settle in a village two days' walk distant. Namu cried so much as a young child that three attempts to trader her to other families were unsuccessful. An elder sister was instead traded for a male cousin, who was raised as her brother. At eight, she was sent to yak-herd with a great-uncle. Several years later she returned to her mother's home to participate in her skirt ceremony. When a group of Han Chinese visited her village to record traditional songs, they noticed her singing skills and chose her along with two others to participate in a singing contest. Successful in their first endeavor, they again succeeded in a bigger contest. Changed by her big city experience, she ran away from home to follow her dreams. She returned home, but only for a visit, after several years at a musical conservatory. Although Namu's story is fascinating, the writing seems overly simplified. Other good memoirs about lives less ordinary include: Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt, The Twelve Little Cakes by Dominika Dery, and The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls.

Amazing how things are different in some parts of the world.......2006-04-05

Living in China, I wanted to experience a little about its culture. I have lived in some other countries (in the "western" world) and living here has both been a challenge and a great experience on how things are different from "my" western side of the world.
Then, I stumble across this book and it's even more amazing the way her (Namu's) life changed from the childhood in the Moso country to living among the han chinese (don't think these people are the same), learning their culture, their language and writing ( I myself know how difficult this is, I've been struggling for 2 years), and even go live abroad in the west. This is amazing, I wonder how she must have changed and how much she has learned from all this. It's really incredible.
This book is easy reading. Besides, it's not a sad story, like the ones we've been reading about women in China of the cultural revolution, etc. I really enjoyed it. It's so good she shared her story with us.

A small but incredibly beautiful world.......2006-03-05

A candid, insider's view of the fascinating woman-centered Moso culture of southwest China. Yang Erche Namu is a strong-willed, ambitious girl who wants to leave her village and make it in the outside universe. Yet her descriptions of Moso traditions, especially of her initiation into womanhood, show a culture of incredible beauty.

A small but incredibly beautiful world.......2005-05-29

Excellent Book.......2005-05-24

I really enjoyed this book about a culture so different from my own. As a mother, I was shocked by some of the events in the book like swapping children and sending a young girl to live with an "uncle" in a remote area.

Leaving Mother Lake (A girlhood at the Edge of the World)

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Leaving Mother Lake (A girlhood at the Edge of the World)

Manufacturer: Little Brown
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0965063259

Product Description

Yang and Mathieu have written a fascinating portrait of a young girl who grows up in a matrilineal society in a remote region of china and becomes a star. Leaving Mother Lake will take readers on an incredible journey to a part of the world most of us never knew existed.

United States Military Saddles, 1812-1943
Average customer rating:

A good starting place, but significantly flawed.

Probably the only comprehensive guide to this subject

United States Military Saddles, 1812-1943
Randy Steffen
Manufacturer: University of Oklahoma Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | United States | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
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Military Science | History | Subjects | Books
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The Horse Soldier, 1776-1850: The Revolution, the War of 1812, the Early Frontier (Horse Soldier, 1776-1943)

ASIN: 0806121025

Customer Reviews:

A good starting place, but significantly flawed........2000-09-13

One of the most popular sources of information regarding military saddlery yet published, it's hard to find an avid collector, historian, or similarly obsessed person who doesn't have a copy on their shelf. Indeed, one must put this book on their "Must Have" list. That said, this book really isn't the "end all" source of info. This book was apparently a preliminary work, done before his "The Horse Soldier" series was published. Numerous saddle types are missing - artillery, pack and officers equipment are very lightly represented. There are some glaring mistakes, such as the total misidentification of the 1833 dragoon saddle, and the representation of the Ringgold pattern dragoon saddle. There are significant omissions, such as the four McClellan types used from 1887-1904, as well as a scattering of minor errors throughout the text and some drawing details. However, considering the scope of such a project and what most readers will take away from it, it's not too bad. The one disappointing aspect of this book is the constant reissue by the Univ. of Oklahoma Press without any effort to correct the multitude of errors this book sustains. I understand that Mr. Steffan willed the rights to this publication to the publisher before his death, so there may be some difficulties in actually doing this.

Probably the only comprehensive guide to this subject.......1998-06-26

I originally ordered this book because of my interest in the "McClellan" saddles that are practically synonomous with the US Cavalry. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that this book covers not only the McClellan series, but every single saddle ever authorized by the US Military. The book gives a narrative, the original design specs, detailed drawings of each saddle, and at least one drawing of each saddle pictured while mounted with horse and rider. The illustrations (by the author) are excellent, with great detail. This book is the only one I've been able to find that covers the subject of US Military Saddles, and I can't see it being surpassed.

United States Military Saddles 1812-1943

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United States Military Saddles 1812-1943
Randy Steffen
Manufacturer: University of Oklahoma Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000K7M8DA

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United States Military Saddles 1812 1943
Randy Steffen
Manufacturer: UNIV OF OK + PRESS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000TXGSAO

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United States Military Saddles 1812 1943
Randy Steffen
Manufacturer: UNIV OF OK + PRESS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000SNB7TM

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United States Military Saddles 1812-1943

Manufacturer: Univesity of Oklahoma Pr, Norman, OK
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000I9GDUO

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United States Military Saddles 1812-1943
Randy Steffen
Manufacturer: Univesity of Oklahoma Pr, Norman, OK
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000TJWQ0E

Against Race: Imagining Political Culture beyond the Color Line
Average customer rating:

Not worth the money

Widely misunderstood

A brilliant scholar's call for a better world

Against Race: Imagining Political Culture beyond the Color Line
Paul Gilroy
Manufacturer: Belknap Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0674006690

Book Description

After all the "progress" made since World War II in matters pertaining to race, why are we still conspiring to divide humanity into different identity groups based on skin color? Did all the good done by the Civil Rights Movement and the decolonization of the Third World have such little lasting effect?

In this provocative book Paul Gilroy contends that race-thinking has distorted the finest promises of modern democracy. He compels us to see that fascism was the principal political innovation of the twentieth century--and that its power to seduce did not die in a bunker in Berlin. Aren't we in fact using the same devices the Nazis used in their movies and advertisements when we make spectacles of our identities and differences? Gilroy examines the ways in which media and commodity culture have become preeminent in our lives in the years since the 1960s and especially in the 1980s with the rise of hip-hop and other militancies. With this trend, he contends, much that was wonderful about black culture has been sacrificed in the service of corporate interests and new forms of cultural expression tied to visual technologies. He argues that the triumph of the image spells death to politics and reduces people to mere symbols.

At its heart, Against Race is a utopian project calling for the renunciation of race. Gilroy champions a new humanism, global and cosmopolitan, and he offers a new political language and a new moral vision for what was once called "anti-racism."

Customer Reviews:

Not worth the money.......2005-08-12

This book seems hopelessly out of touch with Black culture and US culture in general. It also seems to be pandering to people who want to believe the Nation of Islam is not different than Hitler and the Nazis! How simplistic! If you really want to understand race and how to do away with racism give this book a pass.

Widely misunderstood.......2003-08-08

Gilroy's polemical essay has received little attention and what attention there has been has been lukewarm or scathing. In it's most extreme forms this criticism either pigeonholes Gilroy as having re-invented the "reverse racism" argument and being a "race traitor" to the memory of his mother as a "confused" and "ambivalent" Black Briton, or by liberally denying the existance of "race" being colour-blind to the realities of racism. Both these rebuffs are symptoms rather than diagnoses of a moribund insecurity within Ethinic and critical "race" studies that Gilroy is bravely attempting to think beyond.
This is a fantastic book. It does not attempt to deny the horror of racism by doing away with all ideas of "racial" purity and racialised knoweledge. This is an old argument. It is perfectly possible, indeed desirable, to loose the idea and language of "race" in order to focus properly on the racism that constructs them. By inverting the categories of their oppression many hard-one battles have been fought and pride in community and solidarity have been established in response to racism. But it is the dangers involved in adopting ideas of "racial" and national sameness and particularity that Gilroy is highlighting here.

By re-working the notion of "generic fascism", Gilroy examines Black political and commercial cultures in a way that shows these cultures are not immune from the styles of sameness and unanimism that characterise fascist political practice. This is not unique to Black cultures, but a wider phenomenon linked to the post-70s emergence of identity politics, technological advance, and media-led multiculturalism. His point is that if fascism can find a home with the descendents of slaves it can find a home anywhere.

This focus on culture has been criticised for ignoring the actual political movements of fascism sui generis and of grass-roots Black political action. While this focus may well reflect the hegemony of cultural studies in the humanities, its focus on the cultures of fascism is far from the vague meanderings of a lot of that field and could quite easily be put in context with the re-evaluation of nationalism as an aesthetic project by Eagleton and others as someone far from postmodern excess. The repudiation of liberal multiculturalism as complicit in fascism's cultural manefestations has a long history, from Marcuse onwards.

As for grass-roots activism, Gilroys argument quite neatly parallels that of someone like Manning Marable who has argued for a new radicalism in Black American politics that neither adopts the liberal agenda (i.e. to be Jews, model minorities) nor the Black Nationalist alternative (i.e. to be Germans), but to focus on the grass-roots where the "camp-thinking" of these two alternatives is more fluid and ambivalent.

The "American" focus of this book, despite references to Rwanda, Marley, Fanon and Mandela as well as the lack of any explicit analysis of the way in which the structure of global capitalism might aid a renewed interest in "race" and "race"-thinking are perhaps the only criticisms worth making of this book. But Gilroy is trying make (mainly White) radicals take racism and the impact of "race"-thinking seriously so perhaps we can forgive him for this. He's also trying to warn against the immediate adoption of American standards of multiculturalism for the rest of the world (which might account for the difference in edition titles)

Finally, in a rebuff to the Kantians, Gilroy invents a concept of "planetary humanism" as something to aim towards after, and only after, coming to terms with the histories of colonialism, slavery, fascism and genocide so that we can understand our contemporary conditions and provide an answer to them.

This is a visionary book and well worth the purchase. Get the British edition back in print soon!

A brilliant scholar's call for a better world.......2000-08-07

In this amazing, necessarily complex, and deeply scholarly work, Dr. Gilroy, a Yale Professor of Sociology and African American Studies, lays out his well-thought-out and wholly reasonable thesis: humanity ought not to be split into groups based on skin color, and in fact twentieth-century fascism, an astonishingly dangerous 'ism' whose power came wholly from the false divisions of groups within societies, and whose specter remains with us in its various modern forms (the Klan, modern Nazis, the Aryan Nation, and corresponding European and African racist groups) - would wither in a raceless world - to the nearly unimaginable benefit of humanity.

Dr. Gilroy has not written a polemic so much as a comprehensive and authoritative survey of his topic. He has a utopian vision, but he is in command of the facts. He cites sources, references, and examples from literally all walks of life - pop culture to world history to cultural studies to genomics. It's an incredible ride.

The book is divided into three sections, and the chapters are each able to stand alone as insightful and original essays. In his first section, the foundation is laid with an essay on modernity, which traces the beginnings of 'race thinking' to the eighteenth century in Europe.

The second section deals with the frightening realities of modern fascism, and its considerable threat to society. Tangentially but not unimportantly, Dr. Gilroy includes a discussion of power, war, and the language, imagery, and culture of fascism, including advertising and promotions of mass movements.

In the third section, "Black to the Future," the author addresses a panoply of issues including sexism, race and guilt, success, the world of Black culture, and the considerable implications of cosmopolitanism - a unified world - as opposed to separateness.

No brief review can adequately discuss this important and erudite author's contribution. The book is dense, well-organized, and easily could form the text for a college-level course on this interesting and riveting topic. It is also totally readable and useful - out of the classroom. There are nearly 100 pages of notes, and a comprehensive index.

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Polity, published by Northeastern Political Science Association on April 1, 2004. The length of the article is 6530 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: Political theory and the racial order.(Book Review)
Author: Joel Olson
Publication: Polity (Refereed)
Date: April 1, 2004
Publisher: Northeastern Political Science Association
Volume: 36 Issue: 3 Page: 529(13)

Article Type: Book Review

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Against Race: Imagining Political Culture Beyond the Color Line

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Against Race: Imagining Political Culture Beyond the Color Line

Manufacturer: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000I0YPTY

Book Description

Longtime residents of the Sonoran Desert, the Tohono O'odham people have spent centuries living off the land-a land that most modern citizens of southern Arizona consider totally inhospitable. Ethnobotanist Gary Nabhan has lived with the Tohono O'odham, long known as the Papagos, observing the delicate balance between these people and their environment. Bringing O'odham voices to the page at every turn, he writes elegantly of how they husband precious scant water supplies, grow crops, and utilize wild edible foods. Woven through his account are coyote tales, O'odham children's impressions of the desert, and observations on the political problems that come with living on both sides of an international border. Whether visiting a sacred cave in the Boboquivari Mountains or attending a saguaro wine-drinking ceremony, Nabhan conveys the everyday life and extraordinary perseverance of these desert people in a book that has become a contemporary classic of environmental literature.

Desert Smells Like Rain: A Naturalist in Papago Indian Country

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When I miss the desert
Wonderful!
A pleasant look into the Sonoran desert.
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Desert Smells Like Rain: A Naturalist in Papago Indian Country
Gary Paul Nabhan
Manufacturer: North Point Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Deserts | Ecosystems | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Natural History | Nature & Ecology | Science | Subjects | Books
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The Desert Smells Like Rain: A Naturalist in O'Odham Country
Papago Woman

ASIN: 0865470499

Book Description

From mountain shrines to lowland oases, ethnobiologist Gary Nabhan takes us on a series of journeys with contemporary Papago Indians, the Tohono O'odham, or "Desert People." From these journeys we discover how much the Desert People know about the dynamics of their arid homeland in Arizona and Sonora, Mexico. The Desert Smells Like Rain offers insights into the natural history of desert plants and animals as it documents a dying agricultural tradition that has enriched the biological diversity of the Papago's seemingly harsh environment. Drawing on his extensive scientific research and study of Papago folklore, as well as his years of work among the Desert People in village gardening and nutrition programs, Nabhan portrays a desert-adapted way of life that has persisted despite the pressures of modern civilization.

Customer Reviews:

When I miss the desert.......2000-12-14

I worked out in the Sonora for a few years and learned to love its wide open, quiet spaces, the sizzle of a cicada and the smell right before thunder breaks and rain falls in big warm drops.

Living in Seattle, when I long for open grey-white land, the shade of the palo verde, the shuffle of a zebra-tail, I go down to the basement and find this book. Pure magic! Culture, nature and philosophy, this book has it all.

Wonderful!.......1999-08-11

Wonderful! One of the most eloquent and insightful books ever written on deserts, Native Americans, agriculture, etc., etc. A treat for both the mind and the heart...

A pleasant look into the Sonoran desert........1999-04-03

If you know how creosote smells after a desert rain, this book is for you. If you don't know, this book will help you to understand the appeal of the desert.

A nice look into the Papago lifestyle of the '80s, some history, some desert lore, some naturalist bent.

A nice read, recommended.

Read This Book.......1999-02-14

Nabhan has written a beautifully eloquent book about the Papago people of Arizona. The book focuses on the importance of rainfall to these desert dwellers and the way that it has become a key part of their culture and their celebrations. But this book is more than a simple study of desert climate and agriculture. It is an exploration of the beauty of the desert and of an ancient culture that is stuggling to live on their traditional lands in spite of the seperation from their families across the border in Mexico, and despite the lessened rainfall. In the desert the rain is a magical thing, and Nabhan has captured the feeling of the first raindrops after a long dry-spell. A beautiful work.

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