The Learning Mystique: A Critical Look at "Learning Disabilities"

Book Description

Today, with alarming frequency, children of normal intelligence who do not perform at the same level as their peers are branded "learning disabled", the victims of a neurological dysfunction. This book demonstrates that the theories behind neurological explanations are unproven.

The Learning Mystique: A Critical Look at "Learning Disabilities." (book reviews): An article from: Exceptional Children

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The Learning Mystique: A Critical Look at "Learning Disabilities." (book reviews): An article from: Exceptional Children
Nancy Teitelbaum
Manufacturer: Council for Exceptional Children
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Exceptional Children, published by Council for Exceptional Children on December 1, 1990. The length of the article is 423 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 Learning Mystique: A Critical Look at "Learning Disabilities." (book reviews)
Author: Nancy Teitelbaum
Publication: Exceptional Children (Refereed)
Date: December 1, 1990
Publisher: Council for Exceptional Children
Volume: v57 Issue: n3 Page: p281(1)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Book Description

During the four years of the American Civil War, over 400,000 soldiers—one in every seven who served in the Union and Confederate armies—became prisoners of war. In northern and southern prisons alike, inmates suffered horrific treatment. Even healthy young soldiers often sickened and died within weeks of entering the stockades. In all, nearly 56,000 prisoners succumbed to overcrowding, exposure, poor sanitation, inadequate medical care, and starvation. Historians have generally blamed prison conditions and mortality rates on factors beyond the control of Union and Confederate command, but Charles W. Sanders, Jr., boldly challenges the conventional view and demonstrates that leaders on both sides deliberately and systematically ordered the mistreatment of captives.

Sanders shows how policies developed during the American Revolution, the War of 1812, and the Mexican War shaped the management of Civil War prisons. He examines the establishment of the major camps as well as the political motivations and rationale behind the operation of the prisons, focusing especially on Camp Douglas, Elmira, Camp Chase, and Rock Island in the North and Andersonville, Cahaba, Florence, and Danville in the South. Beyond a doubt, he proves that the administrations of Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis purposely formulated and carried out retaliatory practices designed to harm prisoners of war, with each assuming harsher attitudes as the conflict wore on.

Sanders cites official and personal correspondence from high-level civilian and military leaders who knew about the intolerable conditions but often refused to respond or even issued orders that made matters far worse. From such documents emerges a chilling chronicle of how prisoners came to be regarded not as men but as pawns to be used and then callously discarded in pursuit of national objectives. Yet even before the guns fell silent, Sanders reveals, both North and South were hard at work constructing elaborate justifications for their actions.

While in the Hands of the Enemy offers a groundbreaking revisionist interpretation of the Civil War military prison system, challenging historians to rethink their understanding of nineteenth-century warfare.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent History.......2006-08-03

Civil War Prisoner of War history is a very simple four-note song requiring little or no thought to answer almost all the questions.

#1 The South was unable to care for the Union Prisoner of War due to lack of resources.
#2 Exchanges ended when the South refused to treat members of the United States Colored Troops as solders.
#3 The South had a history of parole violations.
#4 The North reduced rations out of sheer meanness

A possible fifth note is Grant was responsible for stopping the exchange of Prisoner of War. This note plays best with the anti-Grant factions and many refuse to consider it part of the POW song.

How is it possible to write a full symphony with such a limited set of notes?

You can start by including a chapter on the American POW experience up to 1861. I considered this filler but worked my way through it, starting to question if I had bought a clinker. The "work" paid huge dividends. It allowed me to appreciate the foundation of the prison systems, establishing the American mind set on prisoners at the start of the war. The second advantage is an understanding of the pre-war Army financial system. An officer did not to spend government money but supplemented post rations by extra-legal methods. An elaborate system of withholding, selling and buying rations developed during this time. Designed to provide a varied and healthier diet for the post it became a procedure for abuse during the war.

Parole and exchange are the foundation of the POW system going into the war. Prisoners are to be paroled at the time of capture or shortly there after. Parole involves agreeing not to perform military duties until exchanged. Exchange is the swapping of prisoners freeing them to rejoin the army. Values had been set during the War of 1812 for cases where a one to one match was not possible. Imprisonment is expected to be temporary, of short duration and requires no extra preparation of facilities.

It was a nice idea that failed almost at once. One of the first questions was; did parole and exchange agreement grant recognition to the Confederacy? This was a major problem for Washington and it took time to resolve. During this time, prisoners accumulated. Each side was pushed to find or build prison space and to spend money to maintain the prisoners. Richmond was designated the Confederacy's collection point and scrambled to lease buildings. Washington tried to use existing prison space but soon was forced into building. Nether side ever came caught up with demand or made real provision for the men's needs. Why should they, this was a temporary state until exchanged.

An unexpected but major problem was the duties of a paroled solider. The government and the individual often had very different ideas on this subject. As the number of paroled soldiers grew so did the problem. After a number of attempts to use these men in non-combat roles or as Indian fighters, both governments gave up. Each had faced a riot or near mutiny in the process. The men who wanted to be in active service were those who did not went home. The problem created the idea that some men had surrendered to escape service. The quick parole and long exchange process would honorably keep a man out of the field allowing him to escape the hardship and danger. It did not matter if this was true or false, both governments accepted the idea adding an additional burden to the process.

In 1861 and 1862, the parole/exchange system managed to stay in place. Frequent halts would fill up the prisons but each time an exchange would reduce the numbers to a more manageable level. These two years are critical as both sides established their policies and procedures for treatment of the prisoners of war. The book does an excellent job of explaining this complicated process while placing politics, the press and needs of the service in the picture. We come to understand what is coming while not inevitable is the logical out come based on history and current experiences.

By 1863, the "hard hand of war" was falling on both sides. Military logic told the North that exchanging prisoners was more beneficial to the South. The South was facing the problem of Negro soldiers, many of whom were ex-slaves and the white officers that lead them. The parole/exchange system, never stable, collapsed and what follows is a national disaster.

Neither side is prepared to house, feed and care for tens of thousands of long-term prisoners. Not being prepared is one thing but being unwilling is another. Here the book truly gives real value as the author avoids moralizing and sensationalism in favor of a straightforward historical account of the tragedy. Andersonville and Elmira are the best-known camps. This book introduces a host of camps that may not have been as bad but were terrible in the same way. The North's motivation for treating prisoners the way they did is covered and at this point, with our historical background, has an awful logic. It is impossible to find as much logic in the South's policy of deliberate neglect. The book details the specific failures of both will and policy that create and expand problems. Andersonville shows us all that is wrong with the Confederacy's policies. We follow the prison from inception to the death camp it became, tracing the warnings, pleas and multiple attempts at improvements that Richmond refuses to consider. Under political pressure and trying to avoid the advancing Union armies, prisoners move from location to location with no consideration of facilitates or supplies. At the time when "no food" was available, the commissary department is accumulating over a million rations for Lee's army.

The war's aftermath and the finger pointing is well covered too. The book gives us a good understanding of how the majority escaped commendation. The era of reconciliation ends the inquires as both North & South struggle to forget what they did.

This is an outstanding book on a "hot topic". The author provides a balanced coverage that is accurate without moralizing. However, he is unsparing in fixing responsibility for what happened. This combination gives the reader the background and information to make an intelligent assessment.

Shameful treatment.......2006-05-09

Although numerous books on individual Civil War prison camps were recently published, there has been relatively little professional research on POW policy during the last twenty years. While some of the recent prison books are of questionable scholarly value, Sanders' work is wholly professional. Although there will no doubt be some criticism of his harsh judgment of both governments, I found his arguments mostly convincing.
He contends that the South had the ability to feed prisoners, but failed to make the necessary effort. The North, outraged by southern treatment, deliberately worsened already deplorable conditions in 1864. Secretary of War Stanton and General Grant felt that halting prisoner exchanges would help the North win the war. Presidents Lincoln and Davis did very little to improve the conditions of camps. Sanitation and institutional responsibility were almost nonexistent.
While Sanders' work is repetitive in places, his book is highly accessible to the general Civil War enthusiast. Though the book concentrates on POW policy-making, Sanders does provide some chilling details of conditions at specific prisons.

While in the Hands of the Enemy: Military Prisons of the Civil War.(Book review): An article from: Journal of Southern History

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While in the Hands of the Enemy: Military Prisons of the Civil War.(Book review): An article from: Journal of Southern History
Louis S. Gerteis
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B000NO3BB8
Release Date: 2007-02-21

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Journal of Southern History, published by Thomson Gale on February 1, 2007. The length of the article is 535 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: While in the Hands of the Enemy: Military Prisons of the Civil War.(Book review)
Author: Louis S. Gerteis
Publication: Journal of Southern History (Magazine/Journal)
Date: February 1, 2007
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 73 Issue: 1 Page: 191(2)

Article Type: Book review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Book Description

Most high-temperature geothermal resources develop in volcanic regions, but very few have been successfully explored and developed despite the ever-growing need for renewable energy resources. This is particularly true of the many developing countries that exist in volcanic regions with potential geothermal resources. Because exploration techniques, which must be adapted from the oil industry, are expensive and uncertain, economic growth in these countries remains contingent on the availability and cost of oil.
Bridging the gap between academic geologists and drilling engineers, Volcanology and Geothermal Energy is a practical and thorough guide to planning and operating a successful exploration project. It describes the potential geothermal reservoirs associated with volcanoes and volcanic regions and uses recent advances in volcanology to offer many examples of how geological field data give evidence of the location, nature, and size of a geothermal resource.

Volcanology and Geothermal Energy (Los Alamos Series in Basic and Applied Sciences, No. 12)

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Volcanology and Geothermal Energy (Los Alamos Series in Basic and Applied Sciences, No. 12)
Kenneth; Heiken, Grant Wohletz
Manufacturer: University of California Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000PRXZF0

Never Stop Pushing: My Life from a Wyoming Farm to the Olympic Medals Stand
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from a wrestlers point of view

Big-hearted Olympic hero tells his story

Great read!

Gotta Read It!

Well Worth It

Never Stop Pushing: My Life from a Wyoming Farm to the Olympic Medals Stand
Rulon Gardner , and Bob Schaller
Manufacturer: Carroll & Graf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Memoirs | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
General | Biographies | Sports | Subjects | Books
Wrestling | Individual Sports | Sports | Subjects | Books
Olympic Games | Miscellaneous | Sports | Subjects | Books
General | Sports | Subjects | Books
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A Season on the Mat: Dan Gable and the Pursuit of Perfection

Pinned Pinned

ASIN: 0786715936

Book Description

Never Stop Pushing is a motivational autobiography by Olympic Greco-Roman champion wrestler Rulon Gardner (Gold Medal, 2000; Bronze Medal, 2004). This inspiring memoir comes from one of the world's most remarkable athletes who achieved arguably the greatest upset in individual sports history when he defeated the Russian Alexander Karelin — three-time Olympic champ, undefeated and unscored upon for a decade before his match with Gardner — in the 2000 Gold Medal match.

Rulon Gardner tells the story of his impoverished upbringing as one of nine children in a close-knit Mormon family on a farm in Wyoming, where in performing unceasing chores he developed tremendous strength at an early age. Gardner writes about his struggles in school made arduous by learning disabilities that have challenged him his whole life. Also, after winning his Gold Medal, we read how this champion survived a snowmobile accident that marooned him outdoors for eighteen hours in high country. Rulon Gardner recovered from this and went on to defend his Gold Medal at Athens in 2004—yet another comeback from this athlete who was supposed to simply fade away.

Customer Reviews:

from a wrestlers point of view.......2006-10-26

This book was great, it showed anyone who read this book that if you put your mind to it, and work hard you can do any that you set your mind to. This book taught me to never give up on any of the challenges that lie ahead of me. I was also able to connect to this book with the wrestling standpoint, i wrestle Freestyle which is different then Greco-Roman, but its another Olympic style of wrestling. Rulon Garnder is my favorite athlete, not because he won the Olympic Gold, but because he work harder then anyone else who made it to the 2000 and 2004 Olympics, with injury and everything, he never gave up on anything he did. When he was stranded in the woods of Wyoming, the "middle of nowhere" as he said, he never gave up, waited patiently for someone to rescuse him.

This was the best book i have ever read, not just because of the wrestling, but because of the lessons it teaches the reader.

Big-hearted Olympic hero tells his story.......2005-10-16

"Never Stop Pushing" is the autobiography of Rulon Gardner, who staged one of the biggest-ever upsets in Olympic history by defeating the long-standing Russian world champion Alexander Karelin in the 2000 Sydney Games Greco-Roman heavyweight wrestling final.

Gardner's story shocked and surprised me since his gold-medal achievement makes up only part of the book. Instead, as Gardner himself states, the most remarkable time of his life was, ironically, his near-fatal accident whilst snow-mobiling near his Wyoming home. The moment-by-moment depiction of his struggle to survive a freezing cold night while waiting to be rescued forms the centerpiece of the narrative. The description of his ordeal is interspersed with details of his wrestling career and is recounted in full later on in the book.

Gardner also describes his childhood, which is something quite apart from the normal experience of most modern-day Americans. Brought up as the youngest of a large Mormon farming family, he spent long periods alone laying irrigation pipes and milking cows and lived quite an isolated life. At school he looked forward to meeting kids his own age but instead his learning disability set him apart and he made few friends.

His struggles to go to college and get a degree, like his brothers and sisters, form another substantial part of the book. You end up rooting for him to succeed.

Rulon comes across as an immensely likeable, soft-hearted guy. A few of his experiences struck a chord with me and I shuddered slightly as I recognised myself a little in the text. I particularly enjoyed his honesty - he describes crying on the way to an out-of-state wrestling meet after his coach tells him off for being late. I can't imagine many celebrities being that truthful.

NSP is by turns sad, joyful, entertaining and exciting. You get to learn about the politics of sport and how hard it can be for minority sports athletes to pursue their dreams. I would have liked a little more detail at times, for example, Gardner tells us he has bought a house in Colorado and you think, When? Why? but overall this is a remarkably well structured and pacy autobiography.

As an afterthought, I'm reminded of something Vince Lombardi said,

"It is time for us all to stand and cheer for the doer, the achiever - the one who recognises the challenges and does something about it."

I guess you could say that this book shows that Rulon Gardner is a supreme "doer" and a true champion of sport.

Great read!.......2005-10-08

This is a great book for all people, especially those who haven't had everything in life given to them on a silver platter. This book, with its uplifting and motivational stories from Rulon's life, inspires the reader to find the positive in life, and work hard to acheive your goals-no matter how difficult. Although this book is written in the framework of olympic wrestling, it's universal themes will appeal to any reader.

Gotta Read It!.......2005-08-22

This is a must read for the wrestling fan. If his story wasn't real it would be almost as if it was written for TV. It is very informing for people who already know Rulon, and for those who don't you get to hear the real story behind Americas greatest Greco Roman wrestler ever. It is a great book to give young athletes to show them anything is possible.

Well Worth It.......2005-08-19

The book arrived on shelves 10 or 12 days ago to little or no fanfare, and mores the pity. It is an inspiring story of an improbable hero and the many, MANY tests and challenges he has faced both on and off the wrestling mat. It is also the story of an unassuming, everyday kinda guy who faced adversity in many forms and always came out on top because of his belief in the idea that you never stop trying until you win. For any self-respecting wrestler or wrestling fan, this is a must-have. For the rest of the world, well, the writing style and prose pose no particular threat to Messer Hemingway or Faulkner's standing in the literary world, but that's part of what makes it such a fun and interesting read. It is a great story and great read. Go buy it. A few more Rulon Gardner's and the world would be a much better place.

Book Description

'Sammy' Sampson, in co-operation with aviation historian Norman Franks, has written a graphic account of his three years flying Spitfires on offensive ops over France. He has covered in detail his period commanding the Free French Wing, of which little has been recorded in Britain. His story is told with pace, spice and honesty, and his recollections of people and events provide a refreshing insight into the life of a wartime fighter pilot who previously played rugby for Scotland. He now lives in Benenden, Kent.

Customer Reviews:

Spitfire Offensive Readers thoughts.......2006-08-04

Good book but not a page turner. I was a little dissapointed with this book after reading First Light. Now that is a book worth reading heaps of action and well written.

Another great read is I Flew For the Furher. Great to get the other sides story. Their pilots had it much harder then ours.

Bool Description

What do Bill Clinton, Jay Leno, Monica Seles, Bruce Willis, Jerry Seinfeld, Paul McCartney, Prince Charles, Keanu Reeves and Oprah Winfrey have in common?

If you answer "they are all left-handed," right on, because these famous men and women are among the thousands of left-handers who have left their mark on the world. In LEFT IS RIGHT: The Survival Guide for Living Lefty in a Right-Handed World, author Rae Lindsay presents an upbeat look at the sinistral side of life. She lists dozens of notables, past and present, who belong to this "exclusive club" (estimated members in the Unit ed States: 40 million), discusses the theories about hand preference and brain organization, and traces the superstitions and religious customs as sociated with lefties through history.

Lindsay notes that presidents and presidential wannabes may swing left or right politically, but favor their left hands physically. In the last race for the White House, Clinton, Perot and Dole (whose right hand and arm were injured in World War II), were all southpaws. Earlier, lefties Steve Forbes and Alan Keyes also vied for the Republican slot. Three of the last five presidents have been left-handed: Gerald Ford, #38 (and his vice-president, Nelson Rockefeller), George Bush, #41, and currently, Bill Clinton. The feisty Harry Truman, #33, was a lefty, and so was the ill-fated James A. Garfield, #20.

Rae Lindsay writes that "all the world's major languages have special terms for being left-sided or left-handed...and very few of them are flattering," dating back to the Latin word sinister, which really meant "the pocket side" of togas. In modern languages gauche means "clumsy" or "awkward," as well as left; mancini indicates "crooked" or "maimed"in Italian; in Romany bongo translates as "evil" or "crooked;" and in Spanish, no ser zurdo means to be "very clever," in other words, not to be left-handed.

On the brighter side, lefties seem more adept at processing information and concepts from the right side of the brain, the hemisphere which controls intuitions, the five senses, and "holistic thinking" which allows us to grasp broader concepts, such as an entire painting or musical compositi on. LEFT IS RIGHT: The Survival Guide for Living Lefty in a Right-Handed World also lists sources for special products for southpaws, ranging from t-shirts and diaper pins to the "Left is Right"

Customer Reviews:

Left Is Right.......2002-01-08

Left-handers know they have it tough in the world, but for all those non-believing right-handers, this is the book you need to read. It is a thorough examination of left-handedness, including word origins, derivations of "left is evil" myths, famous left-handers, relevant anatomy, historical and cultural concessions to right-handers, and even a list of retail stores who cater to southpaws. Very well-done all the way around.

Very good stuff for southpaws.......2002-01-07

I really liked LEFT IS RIGHT because it provided excellent information for lefties, ranging from humorous anecdotes and helpful history to easily understood explanations for why people are left-handed...and lists and lists of famous lefties. Right on! for this special book for lefties.

Excellent Book!.......2001-12-19

I enjoyed reading Rae Lindsay's book. I really like her writing style. It was a light read and anyone interested in lefties should read this book!!

Excellent Book!.......2001-12-19

I enjoyed reading Rae Lindsay's book. I really like her writing style. It was a light read and anyone interested in lefties should read this book!!

Excellent! A great read........2001-12-19

It's about time someone wrote a great book for us lefties! WOW! This book is so fun to read and is so informative that I would recommend it to anyone. Yes, even right-handers! You can't imagine how much cool and interesting stuff is packed into this book.

Book Description

Updated guide provides the latest findings about the biology and ecology of the Gulf of Mexico.

Customer Reviews:

Way Too Technical for the Average Beach Bum.......2007-07-20

I was looking for a book for our kids and us to use to identify marine life we found and to learn a little about it. This book reads more like a graduate school textbook. Also, a few color pictures would have been nice; this book has only ink drawings whick are dull and not very helpful in distinguishing different creatures with subtle variations. There is nothing fun about this book. A friend who is a marine biologist looked at it and agreed with my assessment.

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