Make Prayers to the Raven: A Koyukon View of the Northern Forest

Book Description

"Nelson spent a year among the Koyukon people of western Alaska, studying
their intimate relationship with animals and the land. His chronicle of
that visit represents a thorough and elegant account of the mystical
connection between Native Americans and the natural world."—Outside

"This admirable reflection on the natural history of the Koyukon River
drainage in Alaska is founded on knowledge the author gained as a student
of the Koyukon culture, indigenous to that region. He presents these
Athapascan views of the land—principally of its animals and Koyukon
relationships with those creatures—together with a measured account of his
own experiences and doubts. . . . For someone in search of a native
American expression of 'ecology' and natural history, I can think of no
better place to begin than with this work."—Barry Lopez, Orion Nature
Quarterly

"Far from being a romantic attempt to pass on the spiritual lore of Native
Americans for a quick fix by others, this is a very serious ethnographic
study of some Alaskan Indians in the Northern Forest area. . . . He has
painstakingly regarded their views of earth, sky, water, mammals and every
creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. He does admire their love of
nature and spirit. Those who see the world through his eyes using their
eyes will likely come away with new respect for the boreal forest and those
who live with it and in it, not against it."—The Christian Century

"In Make Prayers to the Raven Nelson reveals to us the Koyukon
beliefs and attitudes toward the fauna that surround them in their forested
habitat close to the lower Yukon. . . . Nelson's presentation also gives
rich insights into the Koyukon subsistence cycle through the year and into
the hardships of life in this northern region. The book is written with
both brain and heart. . . . This book represents a landmark: never before
has the integration of American Indians with their environment been so well
spelled out."—Ake Hultkrantz, Journal of Forest History

Customer Reviews:

Fascinating.......2005-10-23

Nelson's work is so absolutely excellent. His sentence and paragraph structure are so easy to flow with that I think he could make just about anything interesting. Often anthropologies are dry or are just this side of being believable....as is the case in some books about adventures among far-flung populations. Nelson is so thorough in his describing of myth, language and native understandings which engage the reader's imagination. He's an incredible writer-just as good as those fiction writers who are touted as being great artists in the New York Times Book Review that comes out with the Sunday edition. His writings are well grounded and there is nothing New Age or simplistic in his portrayals of the natural world or indigenous peoples in this case. I find his realism refreshingly accurate and precise when alot of what appears on his same subjects are vague emotional tomes that can be finished in an afternoon and promptly forgotten. If his name appears as author on any written work, read it!!

Seeing Alaska.......2002-08-02

As an anthropologist trained in Alaska, I recommend this book to anyone who wants to understand something more of what they see in Alaska than they can get from a tour guide. It will enhance your sensitivity to the power and mystery of Alaska and you'll see more than you would have if you hadn't read it.

Anthropology and Humility.......2000-06-12

A fresh direction for anthropological study that is from the "inside." The author lives "among" the people and learns from them, taking pains to distinguish the influence of "western" cultural values. The relationship between this "outsider" and the people who recieve him among them should be the model for all such explorations.

Excellent source of information on the Koyukon of Alaska.......1997-05-09

I really enjoyed Nelson's book and found it helpful in my research on the Koyukon people. This is ed in specifics. Nelson presents a sensitive and unbiased ethnography that is well written and enjoyable to read.

Make Prayers to the Raven : A Koyukon View of the Northern Forest

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Make Prayers to the Raven : A Koyukon View of the Northern Forest
Richard K. Nelson
Manufacturer: University Of Chicago Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OP8W4W

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Make prayers to the raven: A Koyukon view of the northern forest
Richard K Nelson
Manufacturer: University of Chicago Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OP8VU2

Seasons of the Wind: A Naturalist's Look at the Plant Life of Southwestern Sand Dunes
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Seasons of the Wind: A Naturalist's Look at the Plant Life of Southwestern Sand Dunes
Janice Bowers
Manufacturer: Northland Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Plants | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
General | Botany | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
Plant | Ecology | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0873583930

Seasons of the Wind: A Naturalist's Look at the Plant Life of Southwestern Sand Dunes
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Seasons of the Wind: A Naturalist's Look at the Plant Life of Southwestern Sand Dunes
Janice Emily Bowers
Manufacturer: Northland Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OCSR9U

Book Description

Award-winning author Chicki Mallan is at her finest with Moon Handbooks: Cancun. She provides the insider's edge to this top travel destination, including details on side trips, archaeological wonders, snorkeling and scuba diving, accommodations and food for all budgets, and where to shop for jewelry and Maya crafts. "This meticulously detailed guide covers the towering temples of the ancient Maya as well as the hotel towers of Cancun." -- Travel & Leisure

Customer Reviews:

Title is misleading, not a good guide.......2003-10-05

The title of this book is misleading. The title suggests that the book is mostly about Cancun if not exclusively. However, this book is not really about Cancun, but Yucatan peninsula.
The author seems to have enjoyed everything about Mexico and does not offer any real criticism (even a comparative one)about anything. Therefore, it is hard to make a trade off between restaurants, archeological sites or theme parks. If you are going to stay in Cancun for a month that does not matter. However, we spent just one week and the book did not help us at all to choose between attractions.
It also does not give any information on differences between tour organizers, so when the same tour is offered with $20 difference, you don't know if it is because one is better than other, or just one of them happens to have some deal with the hotel you stay in.
I found that in Cancun most of the restuarants offer terrible food at very expensive prices. The book suggests that almost all restaurants are good at Cancun and also does not classify them neither based on price, nor location, but on cousine and stops short of giving price information.
It provides very little detail on Xcaret -one paragraph- which is one of the main attractions close to Cancun.
The maps in then book were lacking detail.
I was very disappointed with this book. The only positive thing about this book is, it tells the history of the area in enough details.
I do not recommend this book to anyone.

Not Bad!.......2000-03-02

this is a real cool book and shows lot's of wonderful pictures you just can't resist! plus, it so real I can't believe it but the pictures do look like the real thing!

Of 206 pgs only 36 on Cancun - buy something else!.......1999-11-21

I love the Moon Travel series, their guide to Maui is the best of all the Maui guidebooks. So I was somewhat (very) disappointed to find that this guide wasn't even in the same league. Of 206 pages, 36 are devoted to Cancun - they should have found a better name than "Cancun Handbook". The rest of the book covers Mexican history and all the other spots along the Caribbean Coast. A much better choice is the excellent "Cancun and Cozumel Alive" (which at least warns you that it is as much about Cozumel as Cancun)which I ordered at the same time.

Local information is very cursory, almost like they were trying to conserve words. Shopping in Cancun is covered in less than one page, as opposed to the 12 pages devoted to this art in the other book I mentioned. Not even a word about converting Mexican clothing sizes to U.S. sizes.

I could go on and on about this book, but it's really not worth the effort to write it, or your effort to read it. Choose something better!

Lots of vital and practical info!.......1998-09-30

"Cancun Handbook" offers a wide variety of practical and vital information on Cancun and its neighboring Isla Mujeres and Cozumel.

Chicki Mallan covers, to name just a handful of her multitude of listings, Government & Economy; Transportation; Planning a Wheelchair Cruise; Health & Safety; Mayan Glossary; Spanish Phrasebook; and, of course, Archaeological Zones.

Shops and accommodations are also covered, of course. But often, Mallan doesn't write about them with the depth that they warrant--especially the hotels along Cancun's renown "Zona Hotelera."

But her sections on Chichen Itza; snokeling; and flora & fauna are marvelous blends of comprehension and precision.

They lived like this in ancient Mexico
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They lived like this in ancient Mexico
Marie Neurath
Manufacturer: Watts
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | History & Historical Fiction | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0531013952

Solutions Manual & Interactive Genetics CD-Rom: to accompany Genetics: A Conceptual Approach
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Solutions Manual & Interactive Genetics CD-Rom: to accompany Genetics: A Conceptual Approach
Jung H. Choi , Mark E. McCallum , Lianna Johnson , John Merriam , Mark S. Wilson , and Benjamin Pierce
Manufacturer: W. H. Freeman
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biology | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
General | Science | Subjects | Books
General | Biology | Biological Sciences | Professional Science | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
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Genetics: A Conceptual Approach (Second Edition)

Solutions Megamanual to Accompany Piece, Genetics

Lehninger Principles of Biochemistry, Fourth Edition

ASIN: 0716798786

Researches on the Arseniates, Phosphates, and Modifications of Phosphoric Acid
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Researches on the Arseniates, Phosphates, and Modifications of Phosphoric Acid
Thomas Graham
Manufacturer: ALEMBIC CLUB
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000UG099G

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Researches on the arseniates, phosphates, and modifications of phosphoric acid (Alembic Club reprints)
Thomas Graham
Manufacturer: Alembic Club
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B00086ATDO

Book Description

This volume is the second edition of the first-ever elementary book on the Langevin equation method for the solution of problems involving the Brownian motion in a potential, with emphasis on modern applications in the natural sciences, electrical engineering and so on. It has been substantially enlarged to cover in a succinct manner a number of new topics, such as anomalous diffusion, continuous time random walks, stochastic resonance etc, which are of major current interest in view of the large number of disparate physical systems exhibiting these phenomena. The book has been written in such a way that all the material should be accessible to an advanced undergraduate or beginning graduate student. It draws together, in a coherent fashion, a variety of results which have hitherto been available only in the form of research papers or scattered review articles.

Richard Wright : Early Works : Lawd Today! / Uncle Tom's Children / Native Son (Library of America)
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Fascinating, Stimulating, Brutally Honest Writing

Richard Wright : Early Works : Lawd Today! / Uncle Tom's Children / Native Son (Library of America)
Richard Wright
Manufacturer: Library of America
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | African American | United States | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Wright, Richard | African American | United States | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
General | Classics | United States | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Collections & Readers | United States | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
20th Century | United States | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Classics | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Wright, Richard | ( W ) | Authors, A-Z | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Richard Wright : Later Works: Black Boy [American Hunger], The Outsider (Library of America)

James Baldwin : Collected Essays : Notes of a Native Son / Nobody Knows My Name / The Fire Next Time / No Name in the Street / The Devil Finds Work / Other Essays (Library of America)

James Baldwin: Early Novels and Stories: Go Tell It on a Mountain / Giovanni's Room / Another Country / Going to Meet the Man (Library of America)

Zora Neale Hurston : Novels and Stories : Jonah's Gourd Vine / Their Eyes Were Watching God / Moses, Man of the Mountain / Seraph on the Suwanee / Selected Stories (Library of America)

Herman Melville : Pierre, Israel Potter, The Piazza Tales, The Confidence-Man, Tales, Billy Budd (Library of America)

ASIN: 0940450666

Customer Reviews:

Fascinating, Stimulating, Brutally Honest Writing.......2000-08-08

The Library of America consistently produces wonderful volumes, and Richard Wright's "Early Works" is a strong member of the set. As I worked my way through this volume, I found myself re-thinking questions I have put aside for a while, challenging attitudes that I have acquired as part of our zeitgeist. I did not find that much of interest in "Lawd Today!" and "Uncle Tom's Children," the first two selections in the volume. Perhaps I will take another look at them in the future. However, "Native Son" was a revelation to me, and I found it amazing.

As a student of Mississippi literature, as well as a native Mississippian, I am surprised that I had not read "Native Son" before. I wonder what response Wright might expect me (a white Mississippian) to have to his work. The answer is not as simple as one might think. Growing up in Mississippi, I worked as a dishwasher. I ran errands for people who looked down on me and wanted me to act stupid and grateful. I felt the harsh sting of minor capitalists zealously defending their tiny empires. Like Wright, I grew up in a single-parent household with extremely limited resources. Like Wright, I never had a feeling that "the system" wanted to do anything but keep me in my place. Like Wright, I looked around to see that my people were limited by their ignorance and fear. For all of our differences, white and black Mississippians have far more in common than most people want to admit. It is part of what makes us such a fertile field for literature.

The easy response for a white person, Mississippian or not, is simply to be reactionary, to allow "Native Son" to confirm easy stereotypes. In "How `Bigger' Was Born," Wright acknowledges that one of the dangers he faced in writing "Native Son" was that those who are pre-disposed to see Bigger as typical of "those people" in general and of blacks in particular would find unequivocal confirmation of their prejudices. Wright must have been constantly tempted to avoid writing with such brutal honesty.

However, it is this honesty that forms the core of Wright's artistic achievement and makes his work enduring, almost prophetic. Bigger Thomas represents a type that still exists in plentitude. In "How `Bigger' Was Born," Wright explicitly makes the point that Bigger represents a type that is both black and white, a person growing up in the land of plenty without prospects or hope, without enough education to replace instinct with rational calculation. Unable to participate and without a place, our Biggers simply want to blot out everything and everyone from the face of the earth. Some of them unknowingly follow Bigger's example and kill what they think is killing them.

I think I see Bigger every day on the black streets of Atlanta. A close relative of Bigger lives in the white trailer parks in our suburbs. Bigger acts every time a teenager commits a senseless murder, every time a child shoots up a school. I hear an analysis of Bigger when a demagogue politician says that we should just lock them up and throw away the key.

The Biggers of the world are irretrievably lost. As Wright clearly shows, there is no way to cure or save or even rehabilitate such people. Even at the hour of their death, they will not understand context, never know why they act as they do, always returning to the basest of emotions for self-justification. They continue to kill out of fear, and we continue to fear them.

People used to think that they knew how to prevent more Biggers from appearing, how we might save those not yet lost. There was hope that we could change things so that there would be no more Biggers. It turns out that we have Biggers aplenty and more arising every day. Perhaps we always will. No one seems to care any more.

This volume affected me greatly, and I think that it will repay several close readings. It is a definite keeper, well worth the price.

Early Works : Lawd Today!; Uncle Tom's Children; Native Son
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Early Works : Lawd Today!; Uncle Tom's Children; Native Son
Richard Wright
Manufacturer: Library of America, The
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OVDRWS

Even After All This Time: A Story of Love, Revolution, and Leaving Iran
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A Page Turner!

In the name of Iran

It is not a the whole story !

A page-turner

Great Book!

Even After All This Time: A Story of Love, Revolution, and Leaving Iran
Afschineh Latifi
Manufacturer: Harper
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Lawyers & Judges | Professionals & Academics | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
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Islamic | World | History | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

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Journey from the Land of No: A Girlhood Caught in Revolutionary Iran

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Foreigner

ASIN: 0060745339
Release Date: 2005-03-29

Customer Reviews:

A Page Turner!.......2007-01-30

I started reading this book and couldn't put it down. This is the incredibly story of the Latifi family who persevered through the revolution in Iran and their immigration to the United States.
I have spent quite some time in the Middle East and having this account of life and hardship in Iran helped me to understand the mentality and culture of women in Iran better.
I immigrated to the United States myself and even though I didn't come here under political asylum I know how hard it is to try to fit into the American culture and still hold on to your heritage. The bonds of family and the will to succeed show once more that you can achieve in this country whatever you want. You just have to have the will to do so, something that we are too quick to forget. This is a must read!

In the name of Iran.......2006-06-17

This book discusses that how Ms. Latify father was executed due to 1979 revolution in Iran. As a result, this family's life torn apart. Two elder daughters left Iran and made their way to US and eventually one became a doctor and other one became an attorney. Plus, their mother and two brothers came to US and resided in US and earned higher education.

It is not a the whole story !.......2006-05-17

I have finished this book recently and I really felt I need to say something about it! interestingly I am doughter of a teacher and colonel of the last regim too, who retired after the revolution, no problem at all. However, I do not want to say that those who were executed were all guilty. Her father had other chances too.
And sending Afshineh and her sister to Austria in that age and the aftermath of this decision just because the schools were running under the new regime, is so funny! there were and are great number of peolpe in Iran who have studied in that situation but could as well study English and music and anything if they could afford it (and it seems Latifi family well could) and go to study overseas when they finish high school. It was not like that because of the new regime there was no chance of good education. so this is basically causing the problem: Was is really that neccessary to send two girls abroad like that just for education reasons? I guess there was an urge to leave the country for this family that was beyond education.
Another thing is lots of false information like sending the 13 year boys to the military service! that rubbish. My husband who is the same age as the writer never recalls such a thing! and things like that are not exceptional in the book.
As some of the other people mention the book is good if you read it as a "fiction". Of course for those who left Iran after revolution and have no idea about living and growing in post-revolutionary Iran and become a great educated person and not neccessaily religious at the same, it might look "real", as well as non Iranians who do not know Iran very well. For me however and I think for many like me, who went to school and high school in Tehran after revoluton and grew in a family who was not that wealthy that can afford to send me overseas to study! but was very fond of good education (I was sent to the best schools available, English classes and I could go by myself overseas and study and get PhD after high school in Iran and be a successful woman)it does not seem to tell all the "real" story. it is not all of it. Do not take it as an information desk.

A page-turner.......2006-05-02

I just finished this book and loved it. If you like reading about different culture and enjoy non-fiction this is the perfect book for you. Its true, sometimes the author's admission of crying over clothes and Barbies is shocking - but I see it as admission of truth and lack of understanding. The author isn't patting herself on the back for these traits - but showing the reader how, as a child, she didn't fully comprehend the gravity of her family's situation. She was not careless and selfish individual, but a confused and frightened child.

Great Book!.......2006-04-28

I just finished reading this book and I thought it was excellent! It was very well written and a great true story! I felt that Afschinehs story was very interesting and I could see myself reading this book over again. I can't say enough good things about this book!

Even After All This Time: A Story Of Love, Revolution, And Leaving Iran

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Even After All This Time: A Story Of Love, Revolution, And Leaving Iran
Afschineh; Fenjves, Pablo F.; Fenjves, Pablo Latifi
Manufacturer: Regan Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OENC3E

Book Description

One of the most successful of prewar light tanks was the Czech LT-38 (TNHP). Built by CKD of Prague. A compact and reliable vehicle, it was sold to Iran, Latvia, Peru and Switzerland and was also built under license in Sweden. After the German annexation of Czechoslovakia in March 1939 all serviceable Czech tanks were absorbed into the German Army.

Redesignated the Panzerkampfwagen 38(T), the Germans were well pleased with the LT-38 as, armed with a 37.2mm (SKODA A7) gun of good armor-piercing performance, it was clearly superior to the Panzer I and IIs that formed the bulk of German armor at that time. In the battle of France, the 7th and 8th Panzer Divisions were composed almost entirely of ex-Czech tanks; indeed during 1940-41 they formed a quarter of all German tank strength.

On the Russian front, it was completely outclassed as a gun tank but production of the chassis continued as the basis of several improvised anti-tank self-propelled guns, such as the Marder III, and later as the efficient tank destroyer, Jagdpanzer Hetzer. The gun tank continued to serve late into the war with armored train units; the tanks being carried on flat cars for dismounted action against partisans.

Panzerjaeger (7.62 cm F.K.(r) auf gp. Sfl. to 7.5 cm Pak 40 Sfl.) Marder I, II, and 38T (Panzer Tracts, # 7-2)

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Panzerjaeger (7.62 cm F.K.(r) auf gp. Sfl. to 7.5 cm Pak 40 Sfl.) Marder I, II, and 38T (Panzer Tracts, # 7-2)

Manufacturer: Panzer Tracts
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0974486299

Product Description

2005, paper covers, 8 1/2 x 11, glossy page stock, 96 pages, illustrated with 23 - 1:35 scale drawings and 87 clear/rare large-format photos. We spent hundreds of hours accurately measuring survivors and over a thousand hours drawing at full-scale to create as-built drawings for the first time - accurate to the same tight tolerances demanded of the original assembly firms. In our 35-year search for original records (created by those responsible for the designing, producing, and using these Panzerjaeger), we have uncovered the real facts on their names, production, modification, issue, organization, and frontline employment. Hundreds of research hours went into finding previously unnoticed modifications. This book features new ultra-accurate, as-built 1/35th scale drawings of the Befehlsjaeger 38 Ausf.M, Panzerjaeger 38 Ausf.M, Panzerjaeger 38 Ausf.H, Panzerjaeger II, and Pz.Sfl.II.

Book Description

Current debate over the motives, ideological justifications, and outcomes of the war with Iraq have been strident and polarizing. A Matter of Principle is the first volume gathering critical voices from around the world to offer an alternative perspective on the prevailing pro-war and anti-war positions. The contribu-tors--political figures, public intellectuals, scholars, church leaders, and activists--represent the most powerful views of liberal internationalism. Offering alternative positions that challenge the status quo of both the left and the right, these essays claim that, in spite of the inconsistent justifications provided by the United States and its allies and the conflict-ridden process of social reconstruction, the war in Iraq has been morally justifiable on the grounds that Saddam Hussein was a brutal tyrant, a flagrant violator of human rights, a force of global instability and terror, and a threat to world peace.
The authors discuss the limitations of the current system of global governance, which tolerates gross violations of human rights and which has failed to prevent genocide in places such as Bosnia and Rwanda. They also underscore the need for reform in international institutions and international law. At the same time, these essays do not necessarily attempt to apologize for the mistakes, errors, and deceptions in the way the Bush administration has handled the war. Disputing the idea that the only true liberal position on the war is to be against it, this volume charts an invaluable third course, a path determined by a strong liberal commitment to human rights, solidarity with the oppressed, and a firm stand against fascism, totalitarianism, and tyranny.

Download Description

Current debate over the motives, ideological justifications, and outcomes of the war with Iraq have been strident and polarizing. A Matter of Principle is the first volume gathering critical voices from around the world to offer an alternative perspective on the prevailing pro-war and anti-war positions. The contribu-tors--political figures, public intellectuals, scholars, church leaders, and activists--represent the most powerful views of liberal internationalism. Offering alternative positions that challenge the status quo of both the left and the right, these essays claim that, in spite of the inconsistent justifications provided by the United States and its allies and the conflict-ridden process of social reconstruction, the war in Iraq has been morally justifiable on the grounds that Saddam Hussein was a brutal tyrant, a flagrant violator of human rights, a force of global instability and terror, and a threat to world peace. The authors discuss the limitations of the current system of global governance, which tolerates gross violations of human rights and which has failed to prevent genocide in places such as Bosnia and Rwanda. They also underscore the need for reform in international institutions and international law. At the same time, these essays do not necessarily attempt to apologize for the mistakes, errors, and deceptions in the way the Bush administration has handled the war. Disputing the idea that the only true liberal position on the war is to be against it, this volume charts an invaluable third course, a path determined by a strong liberal commitment to human rights, solidarity with the oppressed, and a firm stand against fascism, totalitarianism, and tyranny.

Customer Reviews:

This book blew my mind.......2005-12-31

The idea of a book full of arguments for the war in Iraq from liberal authors seemed so interesting that I immediately ordered it and started reading it as soon as I had finished my book of conservative authors not so happy about the war.

Seeing the way liberals had reacted to Iraq was one of the biggest reasons why I have started calling myself moderate instead of liberal. I'm not trying to imply that the word liberal is monolithic by any means, but seeing the way so many different types of liberals were so strongly opposed to this war (many times out of pure hatred of George W. Bush and nothing else), really made me take serious look at what I thought.

Some of the articles in this book are a bit dense, and the average reader might not be able to get through them, but there are numerous other brilliant articles in this book that make a very strong case for their arguments. Put simply, the main point of this book is that a perfectly logical case can be made in favor of invading Iraq from a humanitarian perspective.

The authors in this book are not fans of Bush in any way, but yet they still make the case that getting rid of Saddam Hussein is a good thing. One of the contributors, Adam Michnik, put it best when he said "I believe you can be an enemy of Saddam Hussein even if Donald Rumsfeld is also an enemy of Saddam Hussein."

Throughout the book, the authors pose tough questions such as "If Bush really did lie about the weapons (and knew that none were in Iraq), why did the U.S. not arrange to plant the weapons after the invasion? A simple, but ironclad point in my opinion. The authors also tackle many of the liberal points used to argue against the war. Michael Moore is mentioned several times and because of this book, I am firmly cemented in my view that Moore has about as many positive contributions to make to the political world as Ann Coulter (which would be next to none).

Something I found particularly interesting was that a lot of what was said could be found coming from the right, but the point here is that the talk of liberating the Iraqi people from these authors are genuine. Hearing someone like Sean Hannity making these arguments isn't convincing because he's only for liberating another country if a Republican President is the one doing it. You never hear Hannity-types making the liberation argument in any other case.

I sincerely hope that anyone calling themselves a liberal that is opposed to the war in Iraq reads this book. It really challenges liberals to look at Iraq from the humanitarian perspective and I would venture to say that if you're a Michael Moore fan or a Noam Chomsky fan that could make it through this book and not have second thoughts, you're no different than the Republicans and conservatives you accuse of being blinded by ideology.

A powerful and important book.......2005-11-12

Irrespective of whether it leaves you believing that the Iraq war was just, this book is a fresh and valuable perspective. It explores important and critical arguments of a sophistication and depth that the lightweights and bigots of the contemporary media simply ignore (whether through bias or ineptitude).

Read the introduction here:

http://www.ucpress.edu/books/pages/10415/cushman.pdf

...and another example of the books chapters is here:

http://www.dissentmagazine.org/menutest/articles/wi04/berman.htm

Highly recommended.

Voices of the Decent Left.......2005-09-24

With the exception of Roger Scruton, all of the contributors to this thought-provoking book come from the left of the political spectrum. It is most refreshing to see that there are still rational people on that side and that the strident, hateful and juvenile shrieking that one encounters in the media are not the only voices of the left.

Part One: Reconsidering Regime Change, contains contributions by the brilliant Christopher Hitchens, Jeffrey Herf, Jan Narveson and Mitchell Cohen. These essays state the case for the overthrow of the sadistic Saddam whilst discussing the liberal and humanitarian case for the liberation.

The next section, Philosophical Arguments, includes a reflection on national interest and international law by the conservative Roger Scruton, an essay on a just war against criminal regimes by Mehdi Mozaffari, and moral arguments on sovereignty, agency and consequences by Daniel Kofman.

Critiques Of The Left is the third section. This contains the most interesting dissection of leftist positions and thoroughly undermines the fallacy created by the mass media that liberals and leftists were unanimously against the war. My personal favourite essays in this group include Pages From A Daily Journal Of Argument by Norman Geras, Ethical Correctness And The Decline Of The Left by Jonathan Re and A Friendly Drink In A Time Of War by Paul Berman, a liberal.

In European Dimensions, people like John Lloyd, Michel Taubmann and Anders Jerichow reveal that many prominent European intellectuals, including Vaclav Havel, supported the war on liberal-humanitarian grounds.

Part Five: Solidarity, contains an interview between the compiler Thomas Cushman and the Polish intellectual Adam Michnik. There are also moving essays by Timorese leader Jose Ramos-Horta, Johann Hari, Pamela Bone and Ann Clwyd. It is quite clear that unlike the rest of the Left, these authors have genuine compassion for the weak and the oppressed. An important point made here is that indifference to the plight of the oppressed means abdication of the duty to protect them.

The volume concludes with Liberal Statesmanship that contains Prime Minister Tony Blair's full statement to the House of Commons on 18th March 2003 and another speech of his titled The Threat Of Global Terrorism. They are both eloquent arguments for the liberation of Iraq that are rooted in principle and morality.

This valuable book demolishes many myths perpetuated by the academic and media elites and more importantly, exposes their malignant mindsets to some extent. For example, Johan Hari points out how Anti-Americanism has become a religion and how leftists ignore the crimes of sundry third world dictators. It is made clear that the anti-war camp really did not care about Saddam's victims. Then again, this is nothing new - leftists of the past also tried to suppress knowledge of Stalin's atrocities and those of Pol Pot.

Another lie that is exposed is the myth of American unilateralism. Forty Eight countries had joined the Coalition by March 2003 and in Europe, states like the Netherlands, Italy, Hungary, Denmark, Poland, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Romania, Bulgaria, Albania, Croatia and Macedonia strongly allied themselves with the USA. Many Asian states supported it too, including Australia, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and the Philippines. That puts the myth of unilateralism to rest.

In his introduction, Cushman mentions the relentless campaign of hatred and disinformation against Israel by the United Nations and the travesty of a UN Human Rights body that that includes representatives of cruel totalitarian states like Libya, Sudan and Zimbabwe.

He also mentions the shady motives behind the anti-war position of France, Germany and Russia. These essays were written and the book compiled before the full extent of the UN Oil For Food graft became widely known, but this scandal of the century only confirms the hypocrisy of the leadership of the aforementioned countries.

The book is not flawless. Some of the writing is perhaps too self-critical and as a Reaganite, I obviously disagree with many contributors on a range of other issues. But they are brave people who are willing to stand up for their convictions in a hostile environment. I regard the George Galloway/Michael Moore Moonbat Left as one would a hairy spider, but these authors are rational and decent. Their concern for the wretched of the earth is genuine. Their hearts are in the right place.

I also recommend A Long Short War: The Postponed Liberation of Iraq by Christopher Hitchens, Unholy Alliance and The Anti Chomsky Reader by David Horowitz, The Force Of Reason by Oriana Fallaci plus everything written by the wonderful Norman Geras.

an important corrective.......2005-07-18

The essays in this book about the Iraq War and international law are for the most part in clear and accessible English and do not rely on theories that are left unexplained in the body of the essay itself. For that reason I would recommend this collection to people who are interested only in the development of international law and mores and who are not much concerned with the Iraq War.

For those who are interested in the Iraq War, this collection is, I feel, indispensable. Not because the authors agree (they do not) but because the debate in this volume has about it a quality that has been largely absent from the Iraq debate: candor. Thus while the authors disagree on fundamental issues such as:

* was the war in Iraq, on balance, justified;

* did the governments that lead us to war lie or act in good faith;

* was the suffering of the Iraqi people alone sufficient justification for war; and

* do we have what it takes to see this war through

they do so without simplifying the arguments and without assuming that the Iraqi people agree with their positions.

For as profound as their disagreements are, the authors agree that:

* Saddam's regime was genocidal;

* leaving Saddam in place was not costless either (and most immediately) to the Iraqi people or (eventually) to the West; and

* the Bush administration has terribly botched the occupation, thereby endangering the whole enterprise.

And finally these authors point out that when in a public policy debate, the liberals sound like Henry Kissinger while the conservatives echo John Rawls, the political landscape is out of joint.

This is the sort of debate liberals like myself had every right to expect in the days and months preceding the Iraq invasion. We did not get it (for reasons addressed in this volume). We get it here; in this collection of essays. I highly recommend it.

Book Description

North America's freshwater habitats and the extraordinary biodiversity they contain are facing unprecedented threats from a range of sources, including flow alteration, habitat fragmentation, introduced species, and overall land use changes. With nearly every freshwater system suffering from some degree of degradation and conservation resources limited, there is an urgent and practical need to set priorities.

As an initial step in identifying those areas where protective and restorative measures should be implemented first, World Wildlife Fund-US assembled a team of leading scientists to conduct a conservation assessment of freshwater ecoregions. Freshwater Ecoregions of North America presents that assessment and outlines measures that must be taken to conserve, and in many cases restore, native biodiversity. The book:

identifies freshwater ecoregions that support globally outstanding biological diversity
assesses the types and immediacy of threats to North American ecoregions
identifies gaps in information that hamper an accurate evaluation of biodiversity
provides a broad-scale framework for conservation activities

In addition, it offers appendixes that provide detailed descriptions of methodologies, raw scores and statistical analysis of results, and an integrated biological distinctiveness and conservation status index. Also included are 21 full-color maps.

Freshwater Ecoregions of North America is an authoritative reference on a subject of vital importance, and will be an essential tool for scientists, conservation professionals, students, and anyone interested in the conservation of North America's freshwater systems.

Customer Reviews:

Green Lantern..........2000-12-27

In the sphere of the social sciences, a long standing bias has existed against the so-called "natural sciences:" the lack of rhetorical power, and more simply, of terminological variability, has turned away sociologists, anthropologists, and historians from the literature of natural science. This bias is evident, but at base, irrational, at least by the uniform standards for scholarship that transcends disciplines. After all, the sociologist cannot simply write-off the work of the economist, just because of language.

This important work, although highly priced, must be read by social scientists as well as by natural scientists. Editor Robin Abell, with her talented staff at WWF-USA, have put together an inherently readable account of what "ecoregions" are threatened, while enumerating the attributes and possible threats to these areas. A reader, like myself, who knows little about such things , is sure to find themself surprisingly drawn to what otherwise seem like trivialities. For example, the consistent format of the volume, from section to section, provides the reader with a template, or general design, by which whole areas of geography can be understood.

And this understanding goes past the parochial association of one region with the "political unit" it is found in.

The title of this mini-review was not only meant to be teasing: it is my hope that more writers and editors adopt the style that Abell et al. have established. Perhaps then important subjects like this can climb closer to the center of the public conscience.

Insightful New Approach.......2000-04-20

The first approach anywhere that looks not only at scale of biodiversity loss and priorities for conservation for our often over-looked freshwater resources. This book is essential for anyone who truly cares about North America's diverse natural habitats.

The maps in the book are wonderful. They effectively convey areas which are spectacular and also the areas that are most threatened.

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