America From 500 Feet!

Amazon.com

Photographer Bill Fortney and his son Wesley, in a very personal journey, embarked across the country and recorded incredible vistas from the air. In America from 500 Feet! the duo used a variety of flying devices, including souped-up hang gliders called ultralights, tiny Cessna planes, and helicopters to hover above the ground and produce majestic landscapes. For Fortney, flying was a lifelong dream, and this collection of images is a pinnacle of his artistic achievements. Luscious ocean views from California, dramatic multicolored canyons in the Southwest, and the idyllic coastal towns of the East highlight America's boundless panoramas. Fortney includes a brief commentary on each of the photographs, plus an essay on the undertaking of the project. It is always uplifting to be reminded of the natural splendor of this country, and this book serves as a testament to the importance of our national parks. If you're looking for inspiration to take that trip across the country, this could be it. --J.P. Cohen

Book Description

- Remarkable scenery from just 500 feet above the ground. - Provides readers with an incredible photographic look at nature.

Customer Reviews:

Great Book...but you missed Oregon!.......2002-01-02

I was given your great book for Christmas this year. It is a terrific concept and even better execution!

However, as a confirmed and dedicated Westerner, I have to tell you that you need to study up on your geography. Your first book section is the beautiful West, and most of you second section (mislabeled Central) is of the beautiful West.

Credit needs to go where it is due, and there is no place on earth to match the American West.

Your other obvious mistake is missing Oregon. It has more variety of land forms and natural beauty than any of the other 50 states. And I'm not prejudiced! From the rugged coast to the Cascades to the Columbia Gorge to the great high desert and ponderosa forests of eastern Oregon, it is unbeatable.

About my outdoor life in Oregon, I'll excerpt your quote on p 59 of the book.

"all my days...each one holds its surprises and I have seen almost more beauty than I can bear."

In my Oregon experience that beauty has been a pigmy owl, a black bear at 20 yards, an eastern Oregon rainstorm that swept by us raining 20 feet away while we were dry, elk feeding along a forested slope with the herd bull bulging, the majesty of Steens Mountain and its 5000 foot eastern drop-off, a flock of 300 swans migrating south over the Blue Mountains, a pair of great horned owls high up in an old ranch barn along the edge of a high desert miles long lake, the multi-colored layered rock of the John Day Fossil Beds Monument--for miles and miles.

You gotta come to Oregon where you can do a book just on this great state!

Thanks for your book...really.

Lee Findley

Exquisite, Surreal Imagery, a New Benchmark in Presentation.......2001-11-28

I have collected many works in the genre over the years. This particular one by Fortney I find especially compelling. I gasped in abject wonder at the first facing photograph when turning the page following the author's introduction. Extraordinary imagery. Captivating perspectives, rich in composition. Handsomely reproduced so the printing effectively achieves resonance. Definitely one for the coffee table. If you've had the opportunity to drink in aerial vantage points when flying commercial airliners, you will be in for a treat because of the immediacy inherent within most shots. Thoughtful commentary into the context of certain photographs enhances the overall appreciation for what ultimately contributed to the finished product. I truly hope more works of this stunning artform emerge. What's next, Mr. Fortney?

Fortney Book is An Uplifting Father/Son Experience.......2001-11-27

Bill Glenn & Wesley Fortney's book America At 500 Feet contains superb photography (one could only expect that from Bill Fortney)but contains an equally important sub-story--one of a unique father/son relationship. Every father who views this book will be jealous of the unique adventure that Bill and Wesley shared. Here is a son who was willing to quit his job to pursue a new identity and, in the process, becomes an accomplished photographer. Bill's reward is deep seated in strengthening the bond with a father's most precious possession--his son.
The pilot's logs personalize this book and bring the adventure into your living room. I don't know when I have enjoyed a book like this so much! This is must for anyone interested in outstanding landscape photography and a story of a unique father/son adventure of the highest level!

Wonderful, magical journey and fantastic photographs!.......2001-10-16

What a great time to appreciate America and what better way than to see it all from a different perspective! Many books offer images of our beautiful country but seeing it from the air is breathtaking. As an amature photographer, I have visited and photographed many of the places in this book but I feel like I'm seeing them for the first time all over again.

Book Description

This 6 1/2" x 8 1/2" engagement calendar features breathtaking photos captured from the single-seater ultralight airplane of Bill Fortney as he and his son Wes traveled around the country, capturing amazing images from 500 feet.

The scenery was magnificent. Their experiences were sometimes awe-inspiring, sometimes hair-raising. These unique photos are only a small glimpse into the truly remarkable natural beauty they captured.

Along with many more thought-provoking photos, the complete story of this unique journey is told in their book, AMERICA FROM 500 FEET!

The determination of sex in Elodea,
Average customer rating:
The determination of sex in Elodea,
José K Santos
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Plants | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B00087TB8C

Bilbao Pocket Guide, 2nd Edition (Footprint Pocket Handbook: Bilbao)
Average customer rating:
Bilbao Pocket Guide, 2nd Edition (Footprint Pocket Handbook: Bilbao)
Andy Symington
Manufacturer: Footprint Handbooks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Europe | Travel | Subjects | Books
General | Spain | Europe | Travel | Subjects | Books
Guidebooks | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books
Footprint Handbooks | Guidebook Series | Travel | Subjects | Books
General | Travel | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Bilbao & the Basque Lands, 3rd (Country & Regional Guides - Cadogan)

Wallpaper City Guide: Bilbao (Wallpaper City Guide)

Basque Regions of Spain & France: of Spain and France, a countryside guide (The 'landscapes" /Sunflower Guides) (The 'landscapes" /Sunflower Guides)

The Rough Guide to Northern Spain Country Map (Rough Guide City Maps)

The Basque History of the World: The Story of a Nation

ASIN: 1904777791

Book Description

This portable guide covers the entire Basque region, from crystalline coast to rustic interior. Here are in-depth coverage of the famed Guggenheim Museum, a year-long calendar of the best local festivals for planning, detailed maps of medieval streets in the old towns, and a Metro guide to the beach for sun, sea, and sand. Highlights include the cuisine of Sebastián, the wines of Rioja Alavesa, and the surf of Mundaka. The “At a glance” section and “Ten of the best” recommendations help visitors get their bearings.

Average customer rating:

Handy pocketsize, but oddly organized.

Footprint Bilbao
Andy Symington
Manufacturer: Footprint Handbooks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Europe | Travel | Subjects | Books

Guidebooks | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books

Footprint Handbooks | Guidebook Series | Travel | Subjects | Books

General | Travel | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1903471451

Book Description

This new guide spotlights Bilbao, gateway to the Basque lands of northern Spain and home of the region's newest cultural draw, the Guggenheim Museum. Part of the new wave of European city destinations, Bilbao boasts cheap flights and frequent ferries, not to mention great food and nightlife. Like the other guides in this new series from Footprint, this pocket-size handbook offers intelligent, concise, contemporary, and comprehensive travel facts in a fresh, stylish, and accessible format. It features district-by-district coverage of the city's sights and activities, up-to-the-minute listings of the best places to stay, eat, drink, and go clubbing, and a ten-page two-color map section cross-referenced to the text. In addition to the neighboring city of San Sebastian, the book covers Vizcaya including Gernika/Guernica and Vitoria.

Customer Reviews:

Handy pocketsize, but oddly organized........2004-09-12

The best feature is that this book is small enough to fit into a men's khaki (slacks) pocket. Some useful walking maps of Bilbao and San Sebastian complement this. Restaurant reviews are excellent, while attractions are sparsely and idiosyncratically described. My sampling of lodging did not match the descriptions; did the author actually stay at any of these places or just cruise the lobby? Finally, information on "Sleeping", "Eating and Drinking", "Bars and Clubs", etc. are all tabulated together in the center of the book rather than listed near the description of each area. Thus you'll end up flipping back and forth a lot and must also check frequently to make sure you're not reading a description of a restaurant that is in a different town. Buy this book to carry around, but don't make this your only guide.

Betty Crocker's kitchen gardens (The Betty Crocker home library)
Average customer rating:
Betty Crocker's kitchen gardens (The Betty Crocker home library)
Mary Mason Campbell , and Tasha Tudor
Manufacturer: Universal Pub.; distributed by Scribner
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

A Time to Keep: The Tasha Tudor Book of Holidays

Tasha Tudor's Garden

Inside the Secret Garden: A Treasury of Crafts, Recipes, and Activities

ASIN: 0684126133

The Tudor Kitchens Cookery Book
Average customer rating:
The Tudor Kitchens Cookery Book

Manufacturer: Printline Limited
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000GSG7DA

All the King's Cooks : The Tudor Kitchens of King Henry VIII at Hampton Court Palace
Average customer rating:

A combination cookbook and industrial history

All the King's Cooks : The Tudor Kitchens of King Henry VIII at Hampton Court Palace
Peter Brears , and Brears
Manufacturer: Souvenir Press Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Household Hints | How-to & Home Improvements | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0285635336

Customer Reviews:

A combination cookbook and industrial history.......2002-02-28

Peter Brears intersperses a thorough examination of Henry VIII's kitchens at Hampton Court with recipes drawn from period sources.

The palace kitchens at Hampton Court were a large-scale industrial enterprise that fed 600-1200 people every day - everyone from the lowliest servant to the King himself. The author does a grand job of describing how the system procured, stored, and prepared immense amounts of raw materials each day.

Interspersed with the description are recipes drawn from contemporary sources that are similiar to what might have been served at the palace. The author also covers Tudor table manners, etiquette, and the ceremony involved in feeding the monarch.

Betty Crocker's kitchen gardens (The Betty Crocker home library)
Average customer rating:
Betty Crocker's kitchen gardens (The Betty Crocker home library)
Mary Mason Campbell; Tasha Tudor
Manufacturer: Universal Pub.; Scribner
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000LUSFL0

Tudor Kitchen (Living in History)
Average customer rating:
Tudor Kitchen (Living in History)
Peter Chrisp
Manufacturer: Heinemann Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

History & Historical Fiction | Children's Books | Subjects | Books | Africa | Ancient | Asia | Australia & Oceania | Biographical | Canada | Central & South America | Europe | Exploration & Discovery | Fiction | General | Holocaust | Medieval | Mexico | Middle East | Military & Wars | Modern | Prehistoric | Renaissance | United States
General | Reference & Nonfiction | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
General | England | Europe | History | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0431068232

Betty Crocker's Kitchen Gardnens
Average customer rating:
Betty Crocker's Kitchen Gardnens
Mary Mason Campbell
Manufacturer: Universal Publishing, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000L9VLAS

Betty Crockers Kitchen Gardens
Average customer rating:
Betty Crockers Kitchen Gardens
Campbell Mary Mason and Illustrated By Tudor Tasha
Manufacturer: Golden books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OSHFN8

Book Description

George Canguilhem is one of the most distinguished French scholars of our time. This collection of his later essays discusses the role played by ideological factors in determining the direction, if not the results, of scientific work. Balancing internal and external approaches and theory and example, he reveals as few other philosophers of science can the way in which scientists actually work.

IDEOLOGY AND RATIONALITY IN THE HISTORY OF LIFE SCIENCES. Translated by Arthur Goldhammper

Average customer rating:

IDEOLOGY AND RATIONALITY IN THE HISTORY OF LIFE SCIENCES. Translated by Arthur Goldhammper
Georges. Canguilhem
Manufacturer: MIT Press,
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000VZIL6O

Raman Spectroscopy: Theory and Practice, Volume 2
Average customer rating:
Raman Spectroscopy: Theory and Practice, Volume 2
Herman A. Szymanski
Manufacturer: see notes for publisher info
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000M4SF6U

Average customer rating:
Raman Spectroscopy: Theory and Practice
H.A. Szymanski
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General & Reference | Chemistry | Science | Subjects | Books
General & Reference | Chemistry | Professional Science | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0306377411

Raman Spectroscopy: Theory and Practice
Average customer rating:
Raman Spectroscopy: Theory and Practice
Herman A. Szymanski
Manufacturer: Plenum Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NVX8TQ

Book Description

Die wichtigsten Formeln und etwa 140 vollständig gelöste Aufgaben zur "Technischen Mechanik 2 (Elastostatik, Hydrostatik)". Besonderer Wert wird auf das Finden des Lösungsweges und das Erstellen der Grundgleichungen gelegt. Behandelte Themen sind: Spannung und Verzerrung - Zug und Druck - Biegung - Torsion - der Arbeitsbegriff in der Elastostatik - Stabilität - Hydrostatik.

Die 8. Auflage wurde neu bearbeitet und erscheint nun in modernem, zweifarbigem Layout.

Book Description

John le Carré (b. 1931) is the pen name of David Cornwell. Under that pseudonym he has become the leading writer of contemporary spy thrillers. Tremendously popular and deeply influential, his novels feature a level of psychological depth and narrative complexity that makes them as rewarding as the most highly-touted literary fiction.

Weaving incisive political commentary, razor-sharp satire, and suspense, his work reflects upon and dissects both Cold War anxieties and the complications of social relationships. Several of his novels --- including "The Spy Who Came In from the Cold", "The Russia House", and "The Tailor of Panama" --- have been adapted into award-winning movies.

In "Conversations with John le Carré", the acclaimed writer talks about his craft, the nature of language, the literature that he loves, and the ways in which his own life influences the creation of, and characters within, his novels. He worked for the British Foreign Office in the 1960s, and although his works are dazzlingly informed about global politics, le Carré's voice is distinctively British.

His love of language, particularly the ways in which it can reveal or conceal thought and action, is evident in every piece here. In interviews with George Plimpton, Melvyn Bragg, and others, le Carré proves himself to be quick-witted, engaging, and deeply passionate. Though often self-deprecating in his humor, le Carré reveals his commitment to the spy thriller and tells us why he thinks it is just as capable of exploring human consciousness as any other literary genre.

Why I Wore Lipstick: To My Mastectomy
Average customer rating:

Awesome book

Compelling

Great breast cancer story

absolutely fabulous

Interesting approach

Why I Wore Lipstick: To My Mastectomy
Geralyn Lucas
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Medical | Professionals & Academics | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Women | Specific Groups | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Memoirs | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Breast Cancer | Cancer | Disorders & Diseases | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
General | Cancer | Disorders & Diseases | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Uplift : Secrets from the Sisterhood of Breast Cancer Survivors

Breast Cancer Husband : How to Help Your Wife (and Yourself) during Diagnosis, Treatment and Beyond

I'd Rather Do Chemo Than Clean Out the Garage: Choosing Laughter over Tears

B.O.O.B.S.: A Bunch of Outrageous Breast-Cancer Survivors Tell Their Stories of Courage, Hope and Healing

Dr. Susan Love's Breast Book:4th Edition 2005

ASIN: 0312334451
Release Date: 2004-09-09

Book Description

A soulful, surprising coming of age journey by a dynamo who used her own adversity as a platform for examining issues all young women face.Having finished journalism school and landed her dream job at age 27, the last thing Geralyn Lucas expects to hear is a breast cancer diagnosis. She decides to go public with her disease despite fears about the backlash at work, and her bold choices in treatment are irreverent and uplifting. When her breast is under construction and her hair is falling out, her skirts get shorter. She goes to work every day and gets promoted. She has sex with her bandages on. She reinvents her beauty and in a bold move of conscious objection, forgoes the final phase of her breast reconstruction: the nipple. She is reborn in a tattoo parlor when she gets a heart tattoo where her nipple once was. Geralyn recovers from her mastectomy and chemo and has a baby in the same hospital where she was treated for cancer. What could have been a huge negative for this young cancer survivor became the impetus to examine her own sexuality and burgeoning womanhood. Virtually nothing has been written for women of a young age who have been diagnosed with breast cancer. This book also deals with the broader issue of self-acceptance that anyone grappling with questions of illness, self-image and sexuality can identify with.

Customer Reviews:

Awesome book.......2007-07-20

Being a young breast cancer survivor myself, I found I was able to relate well to this book. It is an excellent choice for anyone going through treatment, as it is humorous and uplifting.

Compelling.......2007-04-30

To put it simply, I couldn't put this book down. I don't think I've ever read anything that could have me crying 1/3 of the way down the page, and then laughing at the bottom. A few minor nitpicks, e.g. explaining terms or situations in later chapters that had already been explained earlier on, as if the reader may have forgotten, but otherwise a very good read.

If you have already seen the Lifetime movie based off of this book, the book is not spoiled for you and you will still enjoy it; I saw the movie first myself. If you have not seen the movie, I recommend watching it before or after you read the book, as it brings a new dimension to Geralyn's story.

Great breast cancer story.......2007-03-05

I first saw the movie - while I was going through breast cancer myself at 32. Months later - I bought the book. I loved it! I was able to understand what other people went through. It was easy to read with lots of charm. I feel like I really know her and want to read more about how her life is today. I have shared this book with others so they can also understand what it is like to have breast cancer. It should be read by anyone with a loved one - breast cancer can happen to anyone.

absolutely fabulous.......2007-02-07

I cannot even describe how much I LOVED this book and the movie on Lifetime that went with it. I actually had seen the movie before I read the book and I loved it so much that I had to get the book. I think every woman should read this book b/c everybody will at one time or another know someone with breast cancer. This book was funny, sad and just an amazing story. I think Geralyn Lucas is the poster girl for breast cancer and just for women in general. I cried my heart out, laughed hysterically and thought about this for weeks after I read it. It will touch your heart and so will she.

Interesting approach.......2007-01-12

I found the way she dealt with her situation admirable. However, something about the last 2 chapters derailed the book.

Average customer rating:

Why I Wore Lipstick to My Mastectomy
Geralyn Lucas
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OTMX34

Customer Reviews:

SS-192.......2005-07-27

My father served on the USS Sailfish under Lt. Cdr. R.E.M. Ward from 1943-45 until the depth charging they received on 12th war patrol ended war for Sailfish. I went to a Subvets convention in 1983 in Scottsdale, Arizona, and there I met survivors of the Sculpin, as well as survivors of the Squalus. These geezers were amazing. They had an entire hotel filled with guys running around in those bush hats and blue/yellow vests and it was as if it were 1945 again and they were just off patrol. I recently received a copy of the wartime patrol logbook of the Sailfish, an hour by hour summary and it is fascinating reading. My dad was on the 10th thru 12th war patrols. My dad was the one who returned to sub with an very unusual souvenir from Saipan battlefield when they stopped to drop off shot down and rescued flyboys. And his best buddy has the same last name as a popular cake... BTW, the book is amazing and a must read....

Best read on ANY subject.......2005-01-19

This is one of the best books I have ever read on ANY subject. The author does not waste time with unnecessary 'fluff', just straight to the facts without fanfare!

Excellent Story of the Squalus and Sculpin.......2002-06-13

This is one of the best submarine books I've read. Mr. LaVo writes with the style of a novelist and keeps the reader on edge throughout this exciting story of the Squalus and Sculpin. He starts his story with the ill-fated test dive of the Squalus. A valve is mistakenly left open, although it shows as being closed on the control panel. Thousands of gallons of sea water pour into the open hatch and the sub plunges to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. Thirty Three men survived the sinking, but they are trapped on the ocean floor. "Swede" Momsen, inventor of the submarine rescue chamber, and his crew are summoned to the sunken submarine. Thanks to incredible human effort, the thirty three crewmen are successfully rescued and the submarine is rasied and refitted.

Perhaps the best part of this book is the story of the war patrols of the Squalus (now re-named Sailfish) and Sculpin. Mr. LaVo does an excellent job telling about the numerous war cruises of each submarine. Both ran up an impressive list of enemy ships sunk or damaged. The testimonies of the crewmembers are skillfully blended into the author's narrative and they give the reader a sense of actually being on the submarine.

An ironic twist of fate will forever seal these submarines together in history. The Sculpin was sunk by a Japanese destroyer, who picked up the survivors from the submarine. They were taken to the Japanese naval base at Truk, where they were transferred to the aircraft carriers Chuyo and Unyo for transport to Japan. The Sailfish intercepted the Chuyo and sank her with torpedoes. All but one of the Sculpin survivors was killed. Twenty survivors were aboard the Unyo and made it safely to Japan, where they were interred, under horrible conditions, for the remainder of the war.

Written with great knowledge and a true sense of suspense, this book belongs on any World War II or submarine enthusiasts' bookshelf. I also recommend "The Terrible Hours" by Peter Maas for more reading about the Squalus.

Diesel Boats Forever.......2001-10-26

Historians normally get most of the facts and dates right - that is no great accomplishment and the easy part of history. But for this author to leave me with the idea that he MUST have been a diesel boat sailor to describe the selection, training and life aboard an old fleet boat is quite an accomplishment. In fact I am sure he was not a submariner at all! Life as a submariner is so unusual it is hard even for us to describe properly.
I served on a fleet boat (USS BARBERO SSG 317)for three years and I was stunned at Carl Lavo's insight and the knowledge of life on a diesel boat. He is up there with Ambrose in my opinion.

14 year old reader loves this book.......2001-04-22

Since seeing the movie U-571, I have loved reading about submarines. This book is great. I couldn't put it down. It is about the sister ships, the Squalus/Sailfish and the Sculpin. Carl LaVo did a terrific job on this book. Anyone who enjoyed Tom Clancy's SSN or U-571 will love this book.

BACK FROM THE DEEP - THE STRANGE STORY OF THE SISTER SUBS SQUALUS AND SCULPIN

Average customer rating:

BACK FROM THE DEEP - THE STRANGE STORY OF THE SISTER SUBS SQUALUS AND SCULPIN
Carl Lavo
Manufacturer: Naval Institute Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000QRRMZS

Average customer rating:

Back from the Deep: The Strange Story of the Sister Subs Squalus and Sculpin
Carl LaVo
Manufacturer: Naval Institute Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NQM4BY

Law, Legislation and Liberty, Volume 2: The Mirage of Social Justice
Average customer rating:

Worthwhile sequel to The Constitution of Liberty

Readable Hayek

F.A. Hayek does it again... The Wisdom of an Old Whig

Law, Legislation and Liberty, Volume 2: The Mirage of Social Justice
F. A. Hayek
Manufacturer: University Of Chicago Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Popular Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Business & Investing | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Nonfiction | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Law, Legislation and Liberty, Volume 1: Rules and Order

Law, Legislation and Liberty, Volume 3: The Political Order of a Free People

The Constitution of Liberty

Individualism and Economic Order

The Fatal Conceit: The Errors of Socialism (The Collected Works of F. A. Hayek)

ASIN: 0226320839

Book Description

Dr. Hayek is world-famous for his valuable contributions to the field of economics as well as to the disciplines of philosophy and politics. This volume represents the second of Hayek's comprehensive three-part study of the relations between law and liberty. Here, Hayek expounds his conviction that he continued unexamined pursuit of "social justice" will contribute to the erosion of personal liberties and encourage the advent of totalitarianism.

Customer Reviews:

Worthwhile sequel to The Constitution of Liberty.......2004-12-18

The following passage sums up the entire book quite well: "[I]n...a system in which each is allowed to use his knowledge for his own purposes the concept of `social justice' is necessarily empty and meaningless, because in it nobody's will can determine the relative incomes of the different people, or prevent that they be partly dependent on accident. `Social justice' can be given a meaning only in a directed or `command' economy (such as an army) in which the individuals are ordered what to do; and any particular conception of `social justice' could be realized only in such a centrally directed system. It presupposes that people are guided by specific directions and not by rules of just individual conduct. Indeed, no system of rules of just individual conduct, and therefore no free action of the individuals, could produce results satisfying any principle of distributive justice...In a free society in which the position of the different individuals and groups is not the result of anybody's design--or could, within such a society, be altered in accordance with a generally applicable principle--the differences in reward simply cannot meaningfully be described as just or unjust." (pp. 69-70)

As with Robert Nozick (and with John Locke before them), justice is for Hayek a matter of process rather than results.

Law, Legislation, and Liberty was intended as a sequel to The Constitution of Liberty, in that Hayek wrote it to "fill in the gaps" that he felt existed in his argument in that earlier work. He wrote and published Law, Legislation, and Liberty on and off over a time-span of approximately 15 years (early-mid 1960 to mid-late 1970s), which were in part interrupted by ill health. Hayek admits that the result is at times repetitive and lacking in organization. The reason why he did not go through the effort of redoing the entire work upon completion is because he thought he might at that rate never finish it (he was 80 years old by the time volume 3 was published).

There are still plenty of great insights, which Hayek argues persuasively and in doing so manages to portray as common sense. There are also plenty of flashes of that true rhetorical brilliance characteristic of Hayek that can make his writings such a feast to the ear and mind. On the downside, however, these rhetorical gems are hidden in a large volume of pages that at times do indeed seem tedious, repetitive, and unorganized, unlike with The Constitution of Liberty, where they literally seem to jump off the page at you. All in all, read The Constitution of Liberty first, as Hayek himself suggests. And if you're not up for reading the approximately 500 pages that make up the complete Law, Legislation, and Liberty, two chapters (30 pages total) in the book The Essence of Hayek make for a comprehensive summary exposition of the ideas in the entire trilogy ("Principles of a Liberal Social Order", ch. 20 in The Essence of Hayek, covers vols. 1-2, and "Whither Democracy?", ch. 19, covers vol. 3).

Readable Hayek.......2004-01-13

Don't be put off from reading Hayek just because some authors and reviewers say his work is complicated and technical.Most of Hayek's writings are edited versions of speeches he has given to various audiences. His work is very readable, and I have found enormous benefit from just reading a chapter at one reading, and taking the work up again at another time.

Hayek's work should be found in both the classroom and on the coffee table.

F.A. Hayek does it again... The Wisdom of an Old Whig.......2002-04-29

Today, it seems everyone from Patrick Buchanan to Jessie Jackson are extoling the ideal of "social justice." But where did this insidious concept emerge. In the third and final installment in Hayek's Law, Legislation and Liberty series, Hayek delivers a knock out blow to the the notions of "social justice" or "distributive justice." He examines its socialistic roots and intellectual origins, which ensued after the egalitarian fervor in post-1791 Europe. He critiques new economic and social policy, which has emerged in the wake of the "social justice" phenemenon.

Book Description

The Endangered Species Act at Thirty is a comprehensive, multidisciplinary review of issues surrounding the Endangered Species Act, with a specific focus on the act's actual implementation record over the past thirty years. The result of a unique, multi-year collaboration among stakeholder groups from across the political spectrum, the two volumes offer a dispassionate consideration of a highly polarized topic.

Renewing the Conservation Promise, Volume 1, puts the reader in a better position to make informed decisions about future directions in biodiversity conservation by elevating the policy debate from its current state of divisive polemics to a more-constructive analysis. It helps the reader understand how the Endangered Species Act has been implemented, the consequences of that implementation, and how the act could be changed to better serve the needs of both the species it is designed to protect and the people who must live within its mandates. Volume 2, which examines philosophical, biological, and economic dimensions of the act in greater detail, will be published in 2006.

As debate over reforming the Endangered Species Act heats up in the coming months, these two books will be essential references for policy analysts and lawmakers; professionals involved with environmental law, science, or management; and academic researchers and students concerned with environmental law, policy, management, or science.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books