Openness In Adoption: Exploring Family Connections (SAGE Library of Social Research)

Book Description

Since the mid-1970s, adoption practices in the United States have changed dramatically, and the confidentiality maintained in the past is no longer the norm. The trend is toward openness in adoption in which either mediated (through an adoption agency) or direct contact occurs between the adoptive family and birth parent(s). Some adoption professionals argue that openness is harmful and experimental while others argue that the secrecy of confidential adoptions has been harmful to all parties involved. WhoÃ†s right? In Openness in Adoption, this question is addressed via a nationwide study of 720 individuals (190 adoptive fathers, 190 adoptive mothers, 171 adopted children, and 169 birthmothers) that was conducted over a five-year period. The book begins by presenting the issues and debates surrounding open adoptions and then examines them from the perspective of the adopted children, adoptive parents, and birth mothers. The volume concludes with implications for adoption practice, public policy, and future research. A groundbreaking volume, Openness in Adoption provides a wealth of information to professionals and practitioners in the fields of family studies, sociology, developmental psychology, social work, clinical psychology, and social psychology.

Customer Reviews:

Hard facts about the effects of OA.......2001-03-13

Finally, open adoption gets its due in this comprehensive study of its effects on all triad members. The research seems to prove that more openness is better; and that adoptees who have ongoing relationships with their birthfamilies have stronger, better bonds with their adoptive families, too. This isn't easy reading--as the results of a research study, it's written in academic style--but it should still be required reading for all prospective adoptive parents.

Eleventh Month, Eleventh Day, Eleventh Hour: Armistice Day, 1918, World War I and Its Violent Climax
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A New Look At An Old War

A fair but not great book by Great War standards

the big, the small, the whole picture

"In Flanders fields..."

An Anthology of Great War Accounts

Eleventh Month, Eleventh Day, Eleventh Hour: Armistice Day, 1918, World War I and Its Violent Climax
Joseph Persico
Manufacturer: Random House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

World War I | Military | History | Subjects | Books
General | World | History | Subjects | Books
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Silent Night: The Story of the World War I Christmas Truce

ASIN: 0375508252
Release Date: 2004-11-02

Book Description

November 11, 1918. The final hours pulsate with tension as every man in the trenches hopes to escape the melancholy distinction of being the last to die in World War I. The Allied generals knew the fighting would end precisely at 11:00 A.M, yet in the final hours they flung men against an already beaten Germany. The result? Eleven thousand casualties suffered–more than during the D-Day invasion of Normandy. Why? Allied commanders wanted to punish the enemy to the very last moment and career officers saw a fast-fading chance for glory and promotion.

Joseph E. Persico puts the reader in the trenches with the forgotten and the famous–among the latter, Corporal Adolf Hitler, Captain Harry Truman, and Colonels Douglas MacArthur and George Patton. Mainly, he follows ordinary soldiers’ lives, illuminating their fate as the end approaches. Persico sets the last day of the war in historic context with a gripping reprise of all that led up to it, from the 1914 assassination of the Austrian archduke, Franz Ferdinand, which ignited the war, to the raw racism black doughboys endured except when ordered to advance and die in the war’s last hour. Persico recounts the war’s bloody climax in a cinematic style that evokes All Quiet on the Western Front, Grand Illusion, and Paths of Glory.

The pointless fighting on the last day of the war is the perfect metaphor for the four years that preceded it, years of senseless slaughter for hollow purposes. This book is sure to become the definitive history of the end of a conflict Winston Churchill called “the hardest, cruelest, and least-rewarded of all the wars that have been fought.”

Customer Reviews:

A New Look At An Old War.......2007-05-07

Just when I thought everything that could be written about World War I had been written, I found this book. Eleventh Month, Eleventh Day, Eleventh Hour takes a fresh approach to this dreadful war. By focusing on the last day and flashing back to some of the worst moments, and some of the best, Joseph Persico brings a fresh perspective to World War I; its battles, generals, and the home front. It reads like a novel.

A fair but not great book by Great War standards.......2006-09-27

"Eleventh Month, Eleventh Day, Eleventh Hour" by Joseph Persico is not at all a bad book. If it were an account about an earlier or later war, I might have rated it at four or five stars. However, this book chronicles the Great War, a war that has produced the finest and most captivating masterpieces in fiction (All Quiet on the Western Front, A Farewell to Arms) and nonfiction (The Guns of August, The Price of Glory) alike. When, for example, it is compared to Alistair Horne's account of the battle of Verdun ("The Price of Glory") Persico's book falls flat.

The title (Eleventh Month, Eleventh Day, Eleventh Hour) seems to imply that the book will focus primarily on the events of the last day of the Great War. While many other WWI accounts will recall the last days with high-profile events such as the Kaiser's abdication or the German representatives' visit to Foch for terms, few mention how the trenches were blazing with gunfire and artillery right up to the final seconds of the Armistice. This is where Persico's book does well, although in my opinion he missed an opportunity to do better. Persico confined the actual account of the final day to a few chapters while scattering the personal accounts to bite-sized excerpts over several preceding chapters--chapters that chronicle the entire war from August 1914.

The personal accounts of the last days of the war were good but were unfortunately diluted by Persico's impulse to retell the war in its entirety. My only explanation for why Persico recounted the whole conflict was to make his book more palatable to lay readers. Oddly, many other authors (such as the fore-mentioned Horne) have a little more faith in their audience's ability to recall at least the basic course of the war. If readers need to brush up on their WWI history in order to understand the intended focus of this book, there is no shortage of great World War I overviews (such as those by AJP Taylor or a recent work by John Keegan.)

As with any book on the Great War, Persico does well in conveying the immense tragedy of the conflict from both sides on the Western Front. The diary and memior excerpts included in the book are not only from the American, British, and French perspective, but many German accounts are included as well.

As I have previously stated, "Eleventh Month, Eleventh Day, Eleventh Hour" is not a bad read, but it simply lags in its special classification as a WWI account. For those that have read a multitude of Great War literature (fiction & nonfiction), they will likely be disappointed in the lack of new information presented in this book.

the big, the small, the whole picture.......2005-11-20

There are many who have not read every First Great war book out there, and this is a good one for such to read (even though I have read many). The author admirably gives us what's going on in each phase of the war, and details each battle in a style of Strategy, then Big-Picture, then Zoom in showing the viewpoint of an individual corporal or captain. Plenty of descriptions of what corps or brigades must do and obstacles, but also plenty of quotes from diaries and letters and journals of participants. It doesn't matter that two hundred authors have given the big picture; you must still give your own version of the big picture in order to fit your new private letters quotes and details in it. But I must say this is not a fun read: Here's one detail:
"During the fight the men under MacArthur imagined they had witnessed every permutation of human suffering until they observed the fate of private Jim Gallagher, 168th Infantry. In an anemy night attack illuminated by star shells, a flare lodged in Gallagher's gut. There was nothing his comrades could do to remove the hissing projectile but watch the man die in agony."

I've read several recent Civil War offerings and see that today's history trend is offering diaries, letters-back-home and journals from corporals, privates and lieutenants; Persico has followed this with much illuminating source content; but he had to give the brigade and corps picture, the generals and strategies too, so we can fit the small into the big and get a clear picture, and Persico fully gives us this. The notes and bib pages, in packed small print, total twenty-seven pages (plenty for volumes way under six or seven hundred pages; this text is 410), including not only books but journals, archives, and gov docs collections, covering the gamut from 1914 to 1999. This is not stale stuff, we get a fresh lot in a full picture of the early glory-seeking and later "just survive!" actions and feelings, the soldiers' downtime and the few up times; and it's a balanced picture between the Brits, the French, the AEF (American Expeditionary Force) and the Germans; the privates, and the generals.

Here's another in it: "Troops of the 37th and 79th Divisions were arrayed before Montfaucon, a hill dominating the center of the front. Its earth was steeped in ancient blood. More than a thousand years before, men had died on its slopes in battles between warring tribes. Rain appeared to be the inevitable concomitant of a new offensive on the western front, including this day. Numerous creeks crisscrossing the region flooded and turned fields into quagmires. Troops dumped tens of thousand of sandbags into washed-out roadbeds to allow supply wagons to reach the front. The infantrymen had to lay down duckboards to advance."

I sure can't quote whole pages here, but every chapter gives good stuff: you hear and touch and smell every forest, every road, every mudpit, every man, besides see it like you are there; and thus gain the understanding. One could easily wish to choose 200 paragraphs to quote trying to give a picture of the illuminating success of this author's efforts: you could in fact read only this book to get a competent view of the daily doings and surviving efforts, and criminal career-motivated orders of many commanders, leading to his main point.

He drives home his point of exactly why the men who died that final November morning didn't have to: nothing gained, wasted lives. And woe to infantry advancing against entrenched machine guns.

"In Flanders fields...".......2005-10-11

Everyone seems to know the exact time and date of the end of the Great War, but very few realize that the Allies were fighting right up until the last minute. This book examines the stupidity that condemned more than 6500 men to death, and thousands more to permanent injury, after it had been determined that the war was going to end at a certain time. There really was no good excuse for action up to the last minute, as this book very ably shows, but that's what happened, and it's a story that doesn't always get told. I do agree with the conclusion of the author: the only consequence of the Great War was that it led directly to World War II. Read this book, and you will once again be astounded by the utter stupidity of the way-behind-the -front -lines generals and their staffs.

An Anthology of Great War Accounts .......2005-06-23

It is difficult, perhaps impossible, at this distance in time to add anything original to the Anglo-American literature on the Great War. The protagonists are dead, so primary source research is not really an option. Under the circumstances, Persico does the best he can with secondary source material. But the result, for readers even somewhat familiar with the literature, is an unoriginal book that adds little, if anything, to what one knows about that conflict. The book ends up being a kind of anthology of other people's writings on the War. The only way out of this conundrum is to write from a truly neutral perspective, or even from the perspective of the Germans. As long as the perspective remains Anglo-American, where the Germans are the bad chaps, I don't see how anything new can be said about this subject. That.... or, we have to hope that someone discovers long-lost documents of state in a proverbial attic that shows the protagonists in a whole new light!

Eleventh Month, Eleventh Day, Eleventh Hour: Armistice Day, 1918: WWI and Its Violent Climax (Unabridged)

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Eleventh Month, Eleventh Day, Eleventh Hour: Armistice Day, 1918: WWI and Its Violent Climax (Unabridged)
Joseph E. Persico
Manufacturer: audible.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Download
ASIN: B0006IU3WG

Eleventh Month, Eleventh Day, Eleventh Hour: Armistice Day, 1918 World War I and Its Violent Climax

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Eleventh Month, Eleventh Day, Eleventh Hour: Armistice Day, 1918 World War I and Its Violent Climax
Joseph E. Persico
Manufacturer: Random House Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000PCA40E

Book Description

Derderian looks at the large North African population in France and their attempts for recognition in a country which has long denied its rich immigration past and present. He considers how the North African community has developed from the late 1970s to the mid-1990s, especially in their political and cultural initiatives. Derderian examines the radio station "Radio Beur" and the television show "La Famille Ramdam," as well as political initiatives and the role of ethnic minorities in defining prominent French sites of memory such as the working-class suburbs or banlieues and the Algerian War. Based largely on oral history, Derderian draws from a wealth of interviews with North African artists and creators as well as various French cultural actors.

Customer Reviews:

One of the best books out there.......2007-09-25

Recently I have begun to study books that deal with the combination of theology and science. The reason for this is that, as I go through my seminary training, I realize that it is vitally important that I understand (as best as I can) God's creation that surrounds me. Especially when dealing with the bridge between Genesis and science. Thus when I found this book that explores the subtle nuances between Genesis 1 and 2 and science, such as the cosmology and theology of the Big Bang, God's relation to the science of relativity, among other points to ponder, I was quite happy. While I understand some of the math behind cosmology and theoretical physics, this book is easy for both the scholar of theology and science or the mere layman who wishes to understand the balance between God and science. Schroeder's work is easy to understand, comprehend, but has so much depth that you are often left breathless by the possibilities found herein the book. Schroeder is engaging, friendly, so you feel like you are sitting with him drinking a cup of tea while talking. The book is not a large book, doesn't have to be, and he doesn't waste words. You are not going to get a lot of fluff theology or science, Schroeder takes his time and makes each point poignant. I highly recommend that students of theology and/or science to pick this book up and see where it leads you-but be warned, you must have an open-mind when reading this book. If you are coming to this book with either a set presupposition (theologically speaking or scientifically speaking), then you are not going to allow yourself to learn. The only problem is that the book needs to be updated--I would like to see information on dark matter, I would like to see information on cosmic black holes, I would like to see information on the many-worlds theory. Still, a great and timely book.

No way........2007-09-08

Every culture in the world has it's own creation stories. The writer did nothing to try and tie all the creation stories from every culture in the world into this book. He only took one viewpoint of it. I'm sure as humans we would like to find a way to tie all our creation stories into known facts of science, but if this is done correctly, we must look at all creation stories from every culture in the world, Not just one. Maybe if we did that, then the ideas and viewpoints of religion and philosophy and science must at last acheive some intellectual logic and harmoney which would both help explain the universe and lead us to a more profound understanding of ourselves.

Physics and cosmology for the layperson.......2006-10-27

Dr. Schroeder enlightens readers with easily understandable wording of complex cosmological concepts. He shows that the biblical account in Genesis is in no way out of harmony with modern science. According to Galileo, the Bible has never been out of harmony with science: "The Bible teaches us how to go to heaven, not how the heavens go." Many of Schroeder's books deal with physics and God; this is a good introduction to his work. I also recommend following up with "The Hidden Face of God" and "The Science of God."

Old earth creation ('day age' version), via Big Bang, inflation, Einstein's time dilation, & punctuated equilibrium.......2006-06-12

The good: (a) easy to follow explanation of the underlying physics; (b) author got all his degrees including his two PhD's from MIT, and thus is well qualified; and (c) the book brings to light a lot of the wisdom of ancient Jewish scholars.

The bad: (a) no detailed explanation on how via Einstein's time dilation, the six 24-hour days of the Genesis account syncs with the 15 billion years given by modern cosmology; (b) no reconciliation given on the conflict of the sequence of the formation of the Earth vs. the stars [i.e., per the Bible vs. modern cosmology]; (c) no mention of the 'distant starlight' problem; and (d) no reference to the New Testament whatsoever.

The last point is understandable given that Schroeder is Jewish.

On the other hand, given that Schroeder's main thesis is that the period before the Creation is unknowable, and given on the other hand that there's a lot of New Testament references to the period before the creation of the world, Schroeder to the Christian robbed himself of what would have been a treasure trove of information.

The bottomline: it's a good read for anybody interested in the latest scientific formulation of the old earth ('day age') creation view of the Bible.

GREAT READ.......2006-02-23

I am currently finishing one of his other books. In all I have read 3. I think Dr. Schroeder aproach is very good. I do not have a back ground in physics but I am thinking of maybe taking some classes to continue on what I have read.

Genesis and the Big Bang: The Discovery of Harmony Between Modern Science & the Bible

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Genesis and the Big Bang: The Discovery of Harmony Between Modern Science & the Bible
Gerald Schroeder
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

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The Science of God
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Genesis and the Big Bang: The Discovery Of Harmony Between Modern Science And The Bible

ASIN: 0553070835
Release Date: 1990-09-01

Book Description

"During my boxing career, you did not see the real Muhammad Ali. You just saw a little boxing. You saw only a part of me. After I retired from boxing my true work began. I have embarked on a journey of love."

So Muhammad Ali begins this spiritual memoir, his description of the values that have shaped and sustained him and that continue to guide his life. In The Soul of a Butterfly the great champion takes readers on a spiritual journey through the seasons of life, from childhood to the present, and shares the beliefs that have served him well.

After fighting some of the fiercest bouts in boxing history against Joe Frazier and George Foreman, today Muhammad Ali faces his most powerful foe -- outside the boxing ring. Like many people, he battles an illness that limits his physical abilities, but as he says, "I have gained more than I have lost....I have never had a more powerful voice than I have now." Ali reflects on his faith in God and the strength it gave him during his greatest challenge, when he lost the prime years of his boxing career because he would not compromise his beliefs. He describes how his study of true Islam has helped him accept the changes in his life and has brought him to a greater awareness of life's true purpose. As a United Nations "Messenger of Peace," he has traveled widely, and he describes his 2002 mission to Afghanistan to heighten public awareness of that country's desperate situation, as well as his more recent meeting with the Dalai Lama.

Ali's reflections on topics ranging from moral courage to belief in God to respect for those who differ from us will inspire and enlighten all who read them. Written with the assistance of his daughter Hana, The Soul of a Butterfly is a compassionate and heartfelt book that will provide comfort for our troubled times.

Download Description

"""During my boxing career, you did not see the real Muhammad Ali. You just saw a little boxing. You saw only a part of me. After I retired from boxing my true work began. I have embarked on a journey of love."" So Muhammad Ali begins this spiritual memoir, his description of the values that have shaped and sustained him and that continue to guide his life. In The Soul of a Butterfly the great champion takes readers on a spiritual journey through the seasons of life, from childhood to the present, and shares the beliefs that have served him well. After fighting some of the fiercest bouts in boxing history against Joe Frazier and George Foreman, today Muhammad Ali faces his most powerful foe -- outside the boxing ring. Like many people, he battles an illness that limits his physical abilities, but as he says, ""I have gained more than I have lost....I have never had a more powerful voice than I have now."" Ali reflects on his faith in God and the strength it gave him during his greatest challenge, when he lost the prime years of his boxing career because he would not compromise his beliefs. He describes how his study of true Islam has helped him accept the changes in his life and has brought him to a greater awareness of life's true purpose. As a United Nations ""Messenger of Peace,"" he has traveled widely, and he describes his 2002 mission to Afghanistan to heighten public awareness of that country's desperate situation, as well as his more recent meeting with the Dalai Lama. Ali's reflections on topics ranging from moral courage to belief in God to respect for those who differ from us will inspire and enlighten all who read them. Written with the assistance of his daughter Hana, The Soul of a Butterfly is a compassionate and heartfelt book that will provide comfort for our troubled times. "

Customer Reviews:

The Soul of a Butterfly: Reflections on a life's journey.......2007-01-11

It is very heartening to feel the gentleness and deep caring for humanity from such a powerful man like Mohamed Ali. Reading of this book fills you with hope, love and light.

INCREDIBLE MAN - GREAT BOOK.......2006-11-03

ln this book we get a look at Ali now, the man he has become over the years.
He reflects back through life and most of all, he talks about his life today, the Parkinson's, and all the things he has learned along the way. This book makes you love him, it really does. lt's sprinkled with little quotes of sufi wisdom and stories, a few photos, poems etc. When you get to the page titled 'happy memories' its very moving....He is the biggest inspiration to me, someone who stood up to everyone no matter what they thought, never let anything get him down, and took pride in his race. lf your looking for the best Ali book, as far as details and tons of info. read 'the greatest-my own story' written by Ali himself. You cant get a better picture of him than through his own words and perspectives. Other books about him tell from the authors perspectives of Ali and his actions, ld much rather see it from Ali's view.

Great journey of a good man (simply).......2006-03-03

I have always been a big fan of Mohammed Ali. I have clearly remember my whole family waking up at 4:00 AM to watch Ali's fight (in North Africa); I was about 10 years old then. At that time I have decided to be like him and join a boxing club, but mom god bless her soul discouraged me. Mohammed Ali to me represents values, inspiration and determination. This book clearly brings the very basic and simple human values in Mohamed Ali; one story that touched me the most is the "Road to Heaven" where Mohammed Ali and his daughter pick up a man in front of a church and drive him home. It shows how far Mohammed Ali goes to help others. We can all learn something from Mohammed Ali. I say god bless you man. I also enjoyed all the Sufi stories mentioned in this book one in particular is about the slave Omer and the king. It shows you how respect and trust can bring people together.

A Very Philosophical Autobiography.......2005-10-04

Published recently in 2004, this is a very inspirational and deeply philosophical autobiography by Muhammad Ali.

I am writing this review after having read "Smokin' Joe, the Autobiography." I honestly feel that both autobiographies must be read to shed complete light on the relationship between the two.

This autobiography, which is an "Ebook" (which I wasn't too happy with) goes into interesting detail about Ali's childhood which for the most part has been talked about in televised biographies. Then, thoughout the book, Ali digresses with Islamic tales in order to make points. I found that distracting and elusive.

Throughout the book, he echoes about the power of love and the instinct of "following your heart" so much that, after awhile, I, the reader, feel as if he's belittling me. I didn't like that about this autobiography.

I was however amazed by his work ethic and when he went into detail, about his principles that led to him being stripped of his heavyweight title for not registering for the draft.

I was disappointed that he did not go into more details about his opponents or about those people in his life.

I found the best part of the reading related to his early years with the Nation of Islam movement. His ability to explain their misunderstood purposes and motives to be quite fascinating.

The most powerful aspect was his story about Malcolm X just prior to his death and how he regretted not saying goodbye to him. It was touching.

This book also provides insight on his current health and his mind today which is very active and still filled with love.

There are some disappointments, but there are many gems if you are able to read through the overly glossy parts.

Great Read.......2005-09-14

It is a wonderful book to read, it brings into context the man behind that face that shook the world. It is a spiritual journey into Muhammad's soul, a man that has devoted his life to helping others and to standing behind what he believed in. A great book to make you feel good about the world.

The Soul of a Butterfly: Reflection on Life's Journey

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The Soul of a Butterfly: Reflection on Life's Journey
Muhammad; Ali, Hana Yasmeen Ali
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: CD-ROM
ASIN: B000X73OH6

Thorndike African-American - Large Print - The Soul of a Butterfly: Reflections on Life's Journey (Thorndike African-American - Large Print)

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Thorndike African-American - Large Print - The Soul of a Butterfly: Reflections on Life's Journey (Thorndike African-American - Large Print)
Muhammad Ali
Manufacturer: Thorndike Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000MCAF7E

The Liberation of Pointe Du Hoc: The 2d Rangers at Normandy, June 6-8, 1944
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Another wannabe

A must read for the ETO buff.

A must read for the ETO buff.

The Liberation of Pointe Du Hoc: The 2d Rangers at Normandy, June 6-8, 1944
Joanna M. McDonald
Manufacturer: Rank and File Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | United States | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
General | Military | History | Subjects | Books
General | World War II | Military | History | Subjects | Books
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The Battalion: The Dramatic Story of the 2nd Ranger Battalion in World War II (Stackpole Military History S.) The Battalion: The Dramatic Story of the 2nd Ranger Battalion in World War II (Stackpole Military History S.)

Rangers in World War II

ASIN: 1888967064

Book Description

80 b/w photographs 8 x 10

In one of the remarkable stories of D-Day, the task of liberating a small but significant German stronghold-Pointe du Hoc-fell to 225 brave souls from the 2nd Ranger Battalion. Led by Lt. Col. James Rudder, the men scaled the 100 foot cliff and fought their way into history.

Volunteers for "the most dangerous mission of that day", they were asked to overcome natural barriers, destroy six huge 155mm guns, cut German communications, set up roadblocks, and hinder enemy reinforcements from reaching the beach areas. The suppression of the guns would literally make a life or death difference to the U.S. troops landing on Omaha and Utah Beaches. After two days of fighting, only 90 of the battalion were left to tell their story.

Customer Reviews:

Another wannabe.......2001-10-10

Another self-promoting individual exploting the kindness of the old-timers. Although the information is interesting, it lacks real scholarship and passion.

A must read for the ETO buff........2001-04-09

Most histories of D-Day include the exploits of the 2nd Rangers lead by their thrice-wounded CO, Lt. Col. James Rudder and their taking of Pointe Du Hoc. The daring heroics involving their scrambling up 100' cliffs on ropes and ladders while under small arms fire is the stuff of legends. On those cliffs the Germans had placed six 155mm guns which could rain fire down upon both Omaha and Utah beach. Gen. Omar Bradley labeled the elimination of these guns by the 2nd Ranger "the most dangerous mission of D-Day". A book giving them a more detailed account and the recognition they deserve is most appropriate.

This account include the birth of the 2nd Rangers, their training, the plans for D-Day and most importantly, their story after their primary mission was accomplished. For the next two days and nights, scattered members of D, E and F companies were subjected to three determined German counterattacks. When the in-land hook-up finally did occur only 90 of the original 225 men were left to command.

The book moves so quickly, it can be read easily in less than a day. Maps are numerous and allow the reader to following the action without effort. Photos of the personnel and the terrain added a much-appreciated dynamic element. This is another book I wish I had read before visiting the Normandy beaches.

For their action on Pointe Du Hoc, the 2nd Ranger Infantry Battalion won a unit citation for "grim determination and extraordinary heroism".

A must read for the ETO buff........2001-04-09

This account include the birth of the 2nd Rangers, their training, the plans for D-Day and most importantly, their story after their primary mission was accomplished. For the next two days and nights, scattered members of D, E and F companies were subjected to three determined German counterattacks. When the in-land hook-up finally did occur, only 90 of the original 225 men were left to command.

For their action on Pointe Du Hoc, the 2nd Ranger Infantry Battalion won a unit citation for "grim determination and extraordinary heroism".

The Political Ideas of Leo Strauss, Updated Edition: With a New Introduction By the Author
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The demystification of Leo Strauss - somewhat

STRAUSS DENOUNCED IN DETAIL

Political theory as polemic

Eminence grise--(i.e. hidden consultants of dot.gov, etc...)

Shadia Drury and her Discontents

The Political Ideas of Leo Strauss, Updated Edition: With a New Introduction By the Author
Shadia B. Drury
Manufacturer: Palgrave Macmillan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Political | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
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Leo Strauss: An Introduction to His Thought and Intellectual Legacy (The Johns Hopkins Series in Constitutional Thought)

ASIN: 140396954X
Release Date: 2005-06-16

Book Description

Now in paperback, this book explores the political thought of Leo Strauss, a philosopher most noted for playing a key role in neoconservative thought in America. Drury explores Strauss's thought and its role in American politics, exposing what she argues are the elitist, nearly authoritarian strains within it and those who follow it. A polemic against Strauss and his followers, the original edition has won Drury little friendship from the neoconservative camp and this revised edition with a new introduction is sure to continue the controversy among political theorists.

Customer Reviews:

The demystification of Leo Strauss - somewhat.......2006-05-15

As the author states in her original introduction, understanding Strauss for the lay reader is virtually impossible, because he purposely obscures his ideas. According to Straussians, devoted acolytes of Strauss, the truth, at least as they see it, is far too disturbing for mere mortals to accept. Only god-like, elite philosophers can deal with harsh reality. Strauss engages in what are termed esoteric and exoteric (safe) writings. The purpose of this book is to shed some light on the esoteric writing.

Basically Straussians are anti-democratic in the sense of recognizing natural equality among men. Instead they subscribe to the domination of the strong over the weak - the reality of the natural world. To them, a stable social order requires that elites endorse and feed a diet of religion, deceit, and shibboleths to the common man to hide their reality-based agendas.

In a new introduction, the author makes clear that the neo-conservatives of the Bush administration are dominated by Straussians. It is interesting that she recognizes that philosophical elites require simple-thinking, true-believers of societal platitudes to carry out their radical policies - the very epitome of which is George Bush. Constant, chauvanistic war mongering is essential to keep the population in a non-thinking fervor, while more calculating elements like multi-national corporations can proceed with their agendas relatively unimpeded. The current and non-ending war on terror is a perfect vehicle to suspend analysis of policies and actions. However, it is disturbing when the elected leaders of a nation actually believe their own propaganda and convince others of its veracity.

This book, while demystifying Strauss to some extent, is itself not an easy read. But before one plunges into Strauss, it is a good place to start.

STRAUSS DENOUNCED IN DETAIL.......2005-08-03

Shadia Drury's book originally was a cool and brilliant analysis of the Strauss dogmas, restrained in its criticism. This new edition is preceded by an even more brilliant 57-page preface which emphatically exposes the radicalism Strauss transmitted to his students. They now surround President Bush. His catastrophic policies show that Strauss' near-fascist teachings have infected their advice to him. Absolutely a must read for everyone who wants to know the political doctrines behind our present disaster in Iraq. Sartre88

Political theory as polemic.......2003-11-01

Unlike the previous review by Mr. Landon, I will say some thing about the book and Leo Strauss (as opposed to the Bush Administration). Professor Drury has created a kind of cottage industry out of critiquing Leo Strauss--a strange enterprise when one considers her obvious antipathy towards Strauss and his followers. Nevertheless, someone needs to tweak the Straussians--it is just too bad that it is someone who has as strong of passions over Strauss as his followers. Thus, we don't get a balanced view of Strauss's work. What we do get is polemic. We learn that Strauss is an anti-democratic elitist and an uncompromising critic of modern liberalism. We learn that Strauss thought all modern philosophers (Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau etc) to be fools, while ancient thinkers were breathtakingly wise. Of course there is a grain of truth to each of these contentions, but what is missing is the rest of the picture.
Drury rightly criticizes Strauss's conception of the esoteric and exoteric nature of texts. This is the strange contention that texts have two meanings: an esoteric or submerged meaning that only the truly adept will discover and that contains unpalatable truths, and an exoteric or surface meaning that will do less to offend authorities and common sensibilities. Strauss was too enamored of this practice in his reading of texts, though it does make more sense with a text like Plato's "Republic". In that text Thrasymachus challenges Socrates to prove that virtue would be valued simply for its own sake (even if it brought ruin onto the virtuous man). An adept reader will realize (as no doubt Plato did) that Thrasymachus's challenge wins the day (as Socrates's reply turns on several myths--a methodology that Socrates disavows earlier in the text).
Strauss has done much to advance the practice of political theory, both in terms of insights and in defending the very work of political theory. When normative work was highly out of favor in the fifties and sixties (the "behavioral revolution"), Strauss strongly criticized the imperical nature of the social sciences. Strauss reminded social scientists that politics is ultimately about the good, and not just voting trends and surveys. Theoretically, Strauss was also indispensible in pointing out how modern natural law theorists (Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau etc) attempted to incorporate reason of state theory alongside their natural law theory (a perilous enterprise...) Richard Tuck, the excellent Harvard professor, takes this as his point of departure in "The Rights of War and Peace" (highly recommended!). Thus, there is more to Strauss than Drury will give you, and I would suggest readers look elsewhere.

Eminence grise--(i.e. hidden consultants of dot.gov, etc...).......2003-10-18

This book should be back in print, soon. Many of the puzzles of the current regime change (Washington, not Bhagdad) might be illuminated by a read of this text, since Leo Strauss seems to be the object of a neo-conservative fan club. Shocked?
Bush is a poor liar, but he has cripped enough notes on Machiavelli from Straussian staff, no doubt, to fool enough of the people enough of the time.
Strauss' intellectual legacy is highly sophisticated,oulala stuff, but too eccentrically dangerous for governmental morons. In the hands of saddle tramps from the Texas bourgeoisie--uh oh!

Shadia Drury and her Discontents.......1997-12-24

The book might serve as an interesting springboard for truly substantial Strauss scholarship, but it is in large part an unfortunately simplistic portrayal of a man and a philosophy whose "true" message is hotly debated even by its students. Drury presents a layman's view of Strauss, Nietzsche and Plato that never manages to overcome itself or reveal the true subtlety and nuance Strauss possessed. Somewhat disingenuously, Drury relies on the very Strauss-mysticism she decries to cover up the fact that the book is really not terribly profound.

Amazon.com

What have we learned since 1951, when Rachel Carson's charming The Sea Around Us was published, winning so many hearts and the National Book Award? The sea below us, as pioneering marine biologist Sylvia Earle and others have demonstrated, churns with far more life than Carson ever dreamed. Sea Change is an enthusiastic celebration of that diversity and abundance. It's also a profoundly sobering account of the shortsighted human assault on ocean life. The "silent tide," as one reviewer wrote, may lie just offshore. Only a sea change in human habits and economies will save the oceans.

Like Carson, Earle carved a place for herself in the public imagination despite resistance from those in her male-dominated field. Her tales of underwater adventure--including many record-breaking dives among the 6,000 hours she has spent underwater--are punctuated by stories about her increasing prominence as an advocate for the oceans. She's seen it all, it seems: a year diving with whales in Hawaii, visits to Prince William Sound and the Persian Gulf in the aftermath of colossal oil spills, etc. Her breezy prose won't win her the National Book Award, but few others wear Rachel Carson's mantle as gracefully. That is reason enough to read Sea Change. --Pete Holloran

Book Description

Internationally renowned as the ambassador-at-large to the world's oceans, Sylvia Earle is an extraordinary woman--the former chief scientist of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a distinguished marine biologist, a veteran of more than 6,000 hours underwater, the founder of an ocean engineering firm, and an eloquent advocate for marine conservation. Sea Change is at once the gripping adventure story of Earle's three decades of undersea exploration, an insider's introduction to the dynamic field of marine biology, and an urgent plea for the preservation of the world's fragile and rapidly deteriorating ocean ecosystems.

Earle takes us along on journeys to places of unimaginable beauty and unutterable destruction. She conjures up the exhilaration of swimming with humpback whales off the coast of Maui; she makes us comprehend the true environmental tragedy of the massive oil spills in Prince William Sound and the Persian Gulf; and she leads us out into Australia's Great Barrier Reef, the epitome of ocean wilderness but also the final resting place for tons of waste that drift in from thousands of miles away. This brilliant, thought-provoking, superbly readable book will inspire a new reverence for the majesty of the world's oceans even as it opens our eyes to the intricate interdependence of all life-forms.

Customer Reviews:

The history and science of oceanography.......2003-01-25

Much of this book is written in the first person, which in places makes it very appealing, but in other places is distracting. My other gripe is that she jumps around a bit in her life time - so one chapter she talks about being the only woman on an expedition, and then she is the 1990's leader of NOAA and then we are back to her childhood haunts and back again.

That being said, it is a good read, full of facts and history. She worked in the sciences back when women were uncommon in the field. Back when there was no scuba gear and Jacques Cousteau was in to spear fishing, not conservation. Interesting stories, indeed! So, if you want an account of oceanography, past and present, its extreme limits and cool equipment from a personal point of view, pick this one up.

A message of The Oceans.......2002-12-10

This book was full of information and facts that I didnt know and found interesting as well as a list of Marine Sanctuaries etc. Sylvia Earle has paved the way for many I really found some of her passages to be inspiring. I will now think everytime I eat shrimp! I would suggest this book to anyone interested in Marine Biology or the Ocean and its conservation.

Excellent story about the Oceans and the environment.......2001-02-07

Sylvia really opened my eyes to the fragile nature of our environment and to the beauty and vastness of the oceans. I highly recommend this book for anyone with the slightest interest in our environment and nature. This book will make you interested in learning and doing more for the environment.

Learn from one of the best.......1999-05-26

Sea Change is a marine science book written by a master marine scientists. There are very few people around these days who seem to be in full command (or nearly so) of their subject. Sylvia Earle appears to be one of these rare specimens. I think that young scientists also can learn quite a bit through the experiences and personal insights of great scholars like Dr. Earle, insights that usually are not shared with all students, insights, that are normally learned by often painfull experience. Sea Change shows us the development of a science, of an important part of our world, our society and it shows us the personal development of a fascinating woman. If you want to know scientific details about marine science, go and buy a textbook. If you want to know how one of the greatest marine scientists thinks, buy Sea Change.

Excellent overview of marine science, too autobiographical........1999-02-23

This book provides an interesting overview of the development of oceanographic and marine biological sciences. It does a fine job of detailing the envirobnmental issues effecting the ocean in a pretty objective maner. The book focusses too much on the author's (sometimes unrelated) experience, however. I wasn't looking for an autobiography, I wanted to understand the subject matter better. Some background about the author is useful, but it's overdone here in my opinion.

Sea Change a Message of the Oceans (signed)

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Sea Change a Message of the Oceans (signed)
Earle Sylvia a
Manufacturer: G. P. Putnams's Sons
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000RYN0HY

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