de Bovenkant Van Nederland: Holland from the Top

Book Description

A rare perspective on the Dutch landscape is provided in this stunning collection of more than 300 aerial photographs. Cities, farms, lakes, beaches, and fields of flowers are recognizable from above but are more abstractly rendered in the aerial view as if part of a different world. Travelers and newcomers to Holland will appreciate the unique images that celebrate the connections between earth and sky in this collection from an award-winning photographer.

Profiles of outstanding executives: getting to know some of Colorado's big names in regional business. (Special Advertising Section: Colorado's Top Executives).: An article from: ColoradoBiz

Average customer rating:

Profiles of outstanding executives: getting to know some of Colorado's big names in regional business. (Special Advertising Section: Colorado's Top Executives).: An article from: ColoradoBiz
Royce Holland
Manufacturer: Wiesner Publications, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B0008FKS5Y
Release Date: 2005-07-30

Book Description

This digital document is an article from ColoradoBiz, published by Wiesner Publications, Inc. on October 1, 2002. The length of the article is 2294 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: Profiles of outstanding executives: getting to know some of Colorado's big names in regional business. (Special Advertising Section: Colorado's Top Executives).
Author: Royce Holland
Publication: ColoradoBiz (Magazine/Journal)
Date: October 1, 2002
Publisher: Wiesner Publications, Inc.
Volume: 29 Issue: 10 Page: 30(EP30)(1)

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Customer Reviews:

Very detailed.......2002-06-24

This big thick tome is written by a renowned local outdoor writer and offers a huge amount of information about British Columbia and is a good companion for those who will be spending a lot of time in the area. It's obvious the author is well traveled as his descriptions are spot on. This great detail has a downside. If you're traveling to a place using this book it's often difficult to extract the highlights.

I've read a lot of reviews that compare the various guidebooks, but as each has a different niche this sometimes isn't fair, as in the case of this book, which excells in recreational coverage while only briefly covering places to stay and eat. Each chapter ends with a shortlist of places to stay and restaurants. These are condensed from another book in the series (so the Introduction says) and so in my opinion lose their usefulness as cutting corners has obviously come in front of continuing with author Christie's expert voice.

While the general information in this book is excellent and comprehensive, many things have changed since it was written, such as Forest Service campgrounds being free and the advent of the internet (no websites listed).

Book Description

Rumors are flying--about Jessica.

The year is off to a terrible start for Jessica Wakefield. Lies about her fly around school, and her friends seem to believe the rumors. How could anyone think that she would actually do that with him -- the biggest jerk at El Carro high?

Customer Reviews:

A real page-turner.......2005-03-29

I have been a lover of the television show for years, so I did not hesitiate to buy this book when I saw it in a bookstore. I really enjoyed this book and intend to get (well, more like collect) all the books of the series. In the book, Jessica's High School, El Carro High School & the surrounding area has been devistated by an earthquake, so Jessica and others at El Carro are forced to relocate to the not too distant Sweet Valley High. This seems to be the beginning of the end for Jessica Wakefield as powerful figure in the High School society. It's especially difficult for Jessica when she has to stay at the home of someone she isn't fond of, Conner McDermott. They appear to loth one another, however, is there more to this than simply dislike, yes! If you are a teen or a twenty-something having difficulties with love, romance, and trying to understand yourself and the people and world around you, you will definately be able to relate to this book! I know I did! With an intriguing plot and exciting story line, you will not want to put this book down until you are done! Wanna know how the rest of the story goes? Buy this book and find out! Recommended!

Melissa is a Witch with a capital B!!!.......2005-03-27

When Melissa Fox comes to Sweet Valley High,because El Carro High has been destroyed by an earthquake,she spreads rumors about Jessica Wakefield. She says Jessica is a S*Ut.

AWESOME BOOK!.......2004-03-05

I THINK THAT THIS BOOK WAS VERY GOOD. EVEN THOUGH THAT MELISSA WAS SO MEAN TO JESSICA, THOUHGT THAT THE PLOT WAS VERY GOOD.

Shaking my head in disbelief!.......2003-03-22

What? Has Sweet Valley been invaded by aliens?
Maybe. All of a sudden Liz has turned into a green-eyed monster concerning Conner. Conner who's trying to avoid Liz and his feelings for her is giving his oh so romantic attention to Maria. Liz who's fighting with her good girl/ bad girl self is telling Maria Conner is bad news-just so she can snuggle up too him and not to mention ditching school meetings and lying!

Meanwhile Jessica with no one to back her up against the horrible slurs being thrown at her like slime(what with Lila and Amy having joined forces with the queens of El Carro and practically builing devotion altars to the all powerful, tottally evil supreme queen,Melissa) is a pale shadow of the Jessica we know and love. Melissa will do anything to poision everyone's mind against Jessica because of Will's ( her boyfriend/obsession) infatuation with the blonde.
Did Jessica and Elizabeth bonk their heads on something during the Earthquake? This is like Freaky Friday what with them switching personalites (Elizabeth going from shy, pacifst who try's not to stir up trouble to party freak and Jessica becoming Liz like). Sweet Valley has never been so Crazy!

say it to my face.......2002-05-31

The senior year series is a lot different from the sweet valley high series, especially in this book. Liz is acting more like a normal person in this series, which is good. In Sweet Valley High, she was too perfect and boring to be believable. I don't like the change in Jess, though. She obviously needed SOME change, in Sweet Valley High she was too superficial and shallow. But she's changed too much. Why is she letting Melissa push her around like that??? But even though I don't like the way Jessica's letting Melissa push her around, it is a great book and it is actually realistic (unlike sweet valley high.) But, best of all, later in the series then the rumors about Jessica fade and she begins to act more like her old self, but not so much that it's not believable. I loved this book!!!!

Average customer rating:

Beautiful and Honest - Sometimes people don't like what they see in the mirror
addictive and beautifully written tale
Try again!!
Not the people I knew
A Yonkers coming-of-age tale

Say That To My Face: Fiction
David Prete
Manufacturer: W. W. Norton & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Book Description

Yonkers, New York, finds its place on the literary map of America

Transcending all the limitations of "ethnic literature" and mobster stereotyping, David Prete flawlessly (and seemingly effortlessly) nails Italian-American life to the page and elevates it to a new place in American writing.

Say That to My Face introduces us to Joey Frascone and his family and friends in the tense, violent, racially divided Yonkers of the Seventies and Eighties. His childhood segmented between four homes and his teenage dreams pulling him towards the challenge and excitement of New York City, Joey is a handsome kid whose intense and conflicting loyalties threaten to tear him apart. Whether responding to the crush of a motherless girl whose sister he adores; flirting with danger during the terrifying summer of mass-murderer "Son of Sam"; cheating his teammates of a victory to save a friend on the ballfield; watching his mother play softball against his father ("in her lovely red dress, she pretended to fix her crotch and spit out a wad of chewing tobacco... With one shake of her ass in the batter's box of a church parking lot, my mother dropped thirty years"); or struggling with the mind-blowing high of a lifetime while running drugs from Jamaica, Frascone wins the reader's steadfast allegiance as he tries to figure out where his own truest loyalties lie.

Capturing people in flux between their better and worse selves, David Prete is one outstanding storyteller. With hilarious, thrilling, and painful accuracy, he evokes the color and poignancy and humor of Italian-American speech and the characters who use it. Like barman Frank Gianguzzi, whose favorite term of affection is "coog," from the Italian "cugino," or cousin, or any of its variations: "coog-o, coogini, coogette, coogie coog, coog a'bell, coog a'brut." Or Benny Colangelo, the quintessential neighborhood guy, "emanating his future. A future of work, neighborhood, family, and the beautiful poetry of routine." Or Joey's butcher grandfather, scratching his grandson's back with his thick, heavy butcher's nails, as he yells, "Look at the prince here." Or his Uncle Gingy, whose motto — "the one thing you don't mess with is family"-doesn't seem to apply to how he treats his wife.

Having come of age among characters as memorable as any in Faulkner's Mississippi, Joey finds that even when he escapes Yonkers for the sophisticated city sparkling at the other side of the bridge, his past isn't forgotten: the past isn't even past.

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful and Honest - Sometimes people don't like what they see in the mirror.......2006-02-16

This book is a beautiful and subtle exploration of people who are stuck -- in one way or another -- and trying desperately to get unstuck so they can live the lives they've dreamed of. Sometimes they succeed, sometimes them don't, but each of their stories is beautiful. And in the midst of all this potentially heavy material, the book is hilarious. The characters are so real, and the dialogue so true, it feels like they're sitting next to you telling you their stories.

The main character grew up in Yonkers, and in response to all the reviewers who trashed this book saying they didn't like the way it portrayed their town, I have one thing to say: It sucks when someone hold up a mirror and you don't like what you see, doesn't it? A lot of people hate the way they sound on tape or look on camera, but that doesn't make those reflections inaccurate. Uncomfortable? Sure. Painful? Perhaps. But that doesn't make them less real. The same is true here. And sure, there are plenty of people in Yonkers who aren't like the ones Prete wrote about -- Yonkers is a huge city -- but there are also plenty who are precisely like those in this book. If anything, the fact that this book has upset some people is a testament to the depth and power of its characters -- they're real, they strike a cord. They tell a truth that not everyone wants to hear. And they do it in a way that's light and laugh-out-loud hilarious. Some people get offended by that -- I love it.

addictive and beautifully written tale.......2006-02-16

I read some of the other reviews on this site and feel like I must have read a different book. I truly could not put David Prete's beautifully written debut novel down. The prose is lovely, the characters endearing. There was also a great deal of humor, especially when the protagonist describes his large Italian family and some of the more colorful characters of his Yonkers youth. I rank this novel right up there with Tobias Woolf's classic, This Boys Life, for its insights into the difficulties of growing up. Truly an impressive debut.

Try again!!.......2004-06-16

This book was fact more than fiction. David (or Joey) came from this Italian Family. I remember him at the young tender age when the book starts out and I went thru memory lane with this book. The names were changed but the incidents really happened. I lost interest 3/4 thru the book as I did not know him at that time of his life. He is to be given alot of credit to be able to come this far having published this book.

Not the people I knew.......2004-01-08

Someone donated this book to the library where I am the librarian. As I grew up in Yonkers during the same time that the writer did, I perused it first with interest, and then with horror. What an insult to the people there! My family, my neighbors, friends and the community were not anything like this writer portrays. I hope that anyone that picks this book up realizes that it's the writer and his writing that is crass and classless. Don't waste a single minute of your reading time on this trash.

A Yonkers coming-of-age tale.......2004-01-07

Joey Frascone is a product of his Italian-American environment at a time when divorce is commonplace, spending his formative years in Yonkers. His parents' divorce is acrimonious, but Joey cultivates strong emotional ties to his older sister, Catherine. Dealing with parents who seethe with resentment for each other long after love has faded, the siblings learn to navigate these treacherous waters.

Prete writes a fictional-memoir in a series of anecdotal chapters, his personal account of American youth in transition. While the stories frequently appear random and rambling, they are the familiar tales shared by young men in an America defined by local accents and cultural attachments. And Frascone is purely Italian, his language and demeanor recognizable and endearing.

Joey attends school and endures the aggravations of adolescent development, surrounded by familiar faces throughout his youth. These are working class people who value their friends and neighbors, a secure identity of Americana gathered together in community.

Approaching maturity, Frascone faces the usual challenges, his future a source of concern. He takes a road trip with two friends and the trio travels only as far as South Carolina before they turn back. Nevertheless, this short-lived experiment offers an opportunity for emotional maturity, although not much life-experience.

Book Description

This volume contains original research papers presented during the Second International Symposium on the Limnology, Climatology, Palaeoclimatology, and Biodiversity of the African Great Lakes, organized by the International Decade for the East African Lakes (IDEAL). The book provides a comprehensive coverage of the large lakes of the African Rift System, touching on climate, limnology, palaeoclimatology, sedimentation processes, biodiversity, and management issues of these lakes.

The papers contained in this book have significantly advanced our understanding of natural and anthropogenic processes operating in the African Great Lakes, their temporal and spatial variability, their rates of change, and the linkages between environmental and ecological systems. For example, Lake Victoria has undergone dramatic shifts in the lake ecosystem caused by the introduction of the Nile Perch in the 1950s and of the water hyacinth during the past five years. The lake also dried up completely prior to 12,400 yr BP. Thus, the hundreds of species of fish in modern Lake Victoria may have evolved within the last 12,400 years; this is the fastest rate of vertebrate species evolution ever recorded.

This volume provides a comprehensive and comparative view of large African lake systems such as Lakes Victoria, Tanganyika, and Malawi. It serves as a basis for understanding the lakes' system history and sensitivity to processes of change, thus providing an essential tool for decisions related to the sustainable management of such precious resources. This book has been written to be of interest to a wide audience, including limnologists, palaeoclimatologists, evolutionary biology students and researchers, as well as people generally interested in the aquatic environment.

Book Description

Donald J. Cram is recipient of the 1987 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work on Host-Guest Complexes. A pioneer in physical organic chemistry, Dr. Cram developed early concepts for asymmetric synthesis ("Cram's rule"). His book is an interesting and lively account of this scientific research.

Book Description

Everything you could possibly know about Verdi and his operas, from the brilliant and humorous author of Wagner Without Fear.

If you want to know why La traviata was actually a flop at its premiere in 1853, it's in here. If you want to know why claiming to have heard Bjorling's Chicago performance of Il trovatore is the classic opera fan faux pas, it's in here. Even if you just want to know how to pronounce Aida, or what the plot of Rigoletto is all about, this is the place to look. From the composer's intense hatred of priests to synopses of the operas and a detailed discography of the best recordings to buy, it can all be found in Verdi with a Vengeance. William Berger has given another improbable performance, serving up a book as thorough as it is funny and as original as it is astute, an utterly indispensable guide for novice and expert alike.

Customer Reviews:

Bravo Berger for a Viva Verdi literary treat!.......2003-02-11

Viva Verdi! William Berger provides a useful guide to all of the Verdi operas from the obscure "Oberto" to the classic comedic masterpiece "Falstaff" which closed the operatic master's oeuvre.
Berger's book is similar to the treatment he earlier applied to Richard Wagner in his " Wagner Without Fear." This means:
a. Succinct but on target plot summaries of all Verdi's operas including the Verdi Requium.
b. Brief chapters on the staging of Verdi's operas; Verdi's works on CD and outstanding books on the Busseto genius for anyone wanting to know more about the King of Italian lyrical opera.
Berger's work is worthwhile reading for the operatic novice or the veteran opera fan who wants to brush up on the labyrinthal plot of "Il Trovotore" or explore how Verdi's music has been used as soundtrack for motion pictures.
Berger's book on Verdi is a treat for everyone enjoying opera who also relishes good writing done with wit, charm and panache! I eagerly await a similar guide on Puccini which I have learned is in the works from the pen of Berger! Highly recommended!

Bravo Berger and Viva Verdi!.......2003-02-08

This short guide to Verdi's life and works is in indispensable gem for anyone wanting to learn more about Italy's greatest operatic composer! Berger gives a succincly informative sketch of the complex composer's life. He adds chapters on Verdi books, CD'S, Videos, staging of Verdi operas and a helpful glossary of operatic terms.
The most helpful and longest part of the book deals with a brief synopsis of each opera in the Verdian canon from the obscure "Oberto" to the Master's final comic masterpiece "Falstaff." Berger lists the characters of each opera, makes witty comments on the big arias and scenes in each opera and also provides historical information on the production of each opera.
I had earlier read Berger's excellent "Wagner Without Fear" and was so impressed with his writing that I eagerly turned to Berger's guide to Verdi. I understand he is now working on a similar guide to the life and operas of Puccini which will be received by this reviewer with gratitude.
If you are a novice to operatic enjoyment or a seasoned Verdian
this work will be a delight. I highly recommend it for your consideration!

All of Verdi's operas discussed in this little book.......2002-04-02

Unlike another reviewer, what I really like about "Verdi with a Vengeance" is that it discusses ALL of Verdi's operas, even the early and/or less frequently performed operas. I especially like the "what to listen for" aspects, and also that it is informal and personal. I also like his discussion of different recordings and what he likes about them. I am a real Verdi-phile, and I love this little book. Only four stars because it's little and the discussions are brief. I could read a BIG book about Verdi.

A Vivid and Genial Guide to Genius.......2001-02-12

William Beger's "Verdi with a Vengeance" is a triumph of music writing: accessible, informed and passionate. For the newcomer to the breadth of works by the great composer, this guide is a godsend, as Mr. Berger lays out the history of each opera, the story behind its plot and, most important, what makes each one special. He doesn't preach, but his enthusiasm makes a reader -- and a potential listener -- hungry to hear and see the works he so vividly describes. Mr. Berger is a master of the telling detail: he lets you know what to look and listen for in particular arias, and how these moments affect the drama. "Verdi with a Vengeance" should also delight Verdi aficionados, since Mr. Berger is so familiar with all aspects of the composer's art, his research is so deep, that he reveals new aspects of the operas (and the Requiem). His prose is free of musicological jargon, though conversant with the language of music. Mr. Berger can describe economically the emotion music can convey, and he can give a sense of the intellect behind the notes. He is a writer of wit and nuance, masterfully evoking a mise-en-scene within an opera or limning the characteristics of hammy singers. This is a book both to be savored at length and dipped into for fresh insights before attending any performance of Verdi. It is a rare book that manages to be learned as well as breezy, humorous and deeply felt.

A good but not great book on Verdi.......2001-01-23

This book is similar in format to the author's "Wagner Without Fear". Like the Wagner book, it provides a lot of information in terms of biography, plot summary, musical overview, and selected recordings. Although a very good book, it is not quite up to the Wagner book in that it discusses many more operas (27 including the Requiem) than the Wagner book did (10) in roughly the same space. The plot summaries are still very good, though often there is not quite the same level of detail and (especially) commentary there was in the Wagner book. As a result, the book is more a (very good) set of plot summaries than its predecessors. In fairness to the author, this may be approrpriate is that Verdi is a generally more accessible composer who often needs less in the way of commentary to be a appreciated. It definitely is a good resource, though a reader interested in Verdi may find himself or herself going outside of the book more than they would if they were reading the Wagner book.

Book Description

The Special Operations Executive was formed by Winston Churchill in 1940 to "set Europe ablaze." In the SOE women were trained to handle guns and explosives, work undercover, endure interrogation by the Gestapo, and use complex codes. In The Women Who Lived for Danger, acclaimed historian Marcus Binney recounts the story of ten remarkable women who were dropped in occupied territories to work as secret agents.

Once they were behind enemy lines, theirs was the most dangerous war of all, as they led apparently normal civilian lives while in constant danger of arrest. They organized dropping grounds for arms and explosives destined for the Resistance, helped operate escape lines for airmen who had been shot down over Europe, and provided Allied Command with vital intelligence. SOE women agents came from all walks of life: from the dazzling Polish Countess Krystyna Skarbek (alias Christine Granville) and the American Virginia Hall, who was from a rich Baltimore family, to Marguerite Knight, a secretary in Walthamstow. Petite Lisa de Baissac lived next to Gestapo headquarters in Poitiers playing the part of a quiet widow, while twenty-year-old student Paola Del Din was sent to find a way through the German front line in Florence. Hot-tempered Paddy O'Sullivan deflected a German officer from examining her suitcase by making a date with him, and Alix d'Unienville feigned madness when captured.

The stories of these women agents -- some famous, some virtually unknown -- are told with the help of extensive new archive material. Their exploits form a new chapter of heroism in the history of warfare matched only by their determination, resourcefulness, and ability to stay cool in the face of extreme danger.

Customer Reviews:

Good introduction to a fascinating topic.......2006-01-13

Marcus Binney's book is a wonderful introductory book for anybody wanting information on women involved in espionage during WWII. These are remarkable stories about remarkable women, and a part of WWII history which is rarely covered. The book gives a quick introduction to 10 women who were important to these efforts, along with a glimpse of what they went through to prepare for their missions and the price they sometimes paid. If you want to learn about the women of the OSS, this is a great place to start, before delving into the longer volumes dedicated to the individual women (notably Violet Szabo, Virginia Hall and Vera Atkins).

Fascinating content that could have been better presented........2004-03-10

The stories of ten women who were air-dropped behind enemy lines in WWII to work as secret agents for the British Special Operations Executive, this book seems at first glance to be full of tasty tales of bold women and their daring exploits. Unfortunately, while the author may be an acclaimed historian, he's not a terribly good writer. The juicy nuggets excerpted from case files are encased in layers of clunky prose, making the reading less exciting and more just plain hard work. A better writer could have woven the facts into gripping narrative threads; I hope that better writer will come along and do this amazing material justice.

For fans of ALIAS meet the real women who risked everything.......2003-11-21

"They flirted with men...and with death!"
"Sky-Girl spied for 7 Months"
"No plane so Spy Girl died"
"All these unknown young girls have proved one thing forever. The toughest tests of courage and endurance faced by men can be passed with honor by women."

Marcus Binney introduces the reader to 10 young, bold, brilliant and fascinating women recruited to go behind enemy lines, passing themselves off as ordinary citizens, and leading normal lives-in constant danger of arrest and execution. At a time when survival didn't just require physical toughness, but the ability to live a cover story that could hold up under the toughest interrogation, women simply excelled. They were not commandos with masterful martial arts moves, nor modern Bond girls-this was an age when young women wouldn't bicycle for fear of bulky muscular thighs-they were simply charismatic and brilliant and displayed cool courage, intelligence, and adaptability in every situation-passing themselves off as country wenches by afternoon and chic Parisiennes by night. Putting country, and service to Britain and the Allied forces above all concerns for personal safety-they organized dropping grounds for explosives destined for the Resistance; helped operate escape lines for pilots shot down over Europe, and provided the Allies with vital intelligence.

This book is addictive, inspiring, and well worth ordering and sharing with the other women in your life.

Keeping their Memory Alive.......2003-11-10

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book with regard to the female agents of the Special Operations Executive; if anything, I did not want it to end but be more detailed. For someone who is beginning research into the subject, it is an excellent source to begin for some of the top agent names and leads via the sources / bibliography. Other famous agents such as Odette Sanson or Nancy Wake aka the White Mouse are not covered, but one of the most famous and well known agents, Violette Szabo is covered by a chapter. Other books to recommend would be We Landed by Moonlight by a top SOE pilot Hugh Verity,SOE in France by M.R.D. Foot,and Between Silk and Cyanide; Leo Marks.

The sacrifices made by these brave individuals should never be forgotten.

Average customer rating:
The Women Who Lived for Danger the Agents of the Special Operations Executive
Binney Marcus
Manufacturer: William Morrow
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000UF9PAQ

Book Description

A land of tension and segregation, relatively unchanged since Nelson Mandela's release from prison nearly a decade ago, South Africa is a country fraught with deep racial divides. While white citizens enjoy lifestyles similar to Westerners, black citizens inhabit a world of poverty and deprivation. Despite Mandela's regime-shattering election as President, there has been little improvement in the ability of the two sides to communicate, limited both by race and language.

In Power Lines, Jason Carter, grandson of former President Jimmy Carter, offers a portrait of South Africa that few outsiders see. During his Peace Corps training, Carter learned Zulu and Siswati, and these tools helped to break down racial barriers. Befriended by blacks delighted to find a white person who spoke their tongue, Carter was embraced by the community, participating in rituals and everyday life. Carter's moving accounts of his experiences reveal a willingness of people to reach out to each other—even in a society as divided as South Africa.

Compassionate and astute, Carter brilliantly depicts the strength and humanity of South Africans and their challenge to forge a vital bond.

Customer Reviews:

Path to New Hope.......2006-08-13

I loaned this book out from the library hoping to find something relating to travel, to the Peace Corps, and something relating to new ideas and places. I got this and a great story from a very successful teller. Carter's experiences are exactly what many dream of while working in the Peace Corps. But this book is full of history and even more personal experience. I enjoyed it immensly.

Ubuntu.......2003-04-09

Read this book to learn about Ubuntu which is a philosophy of life that Jason Carter found to be thriving in the Swazi. This approach to people and thus community is held out as a core strong hope for the South African native culture. This book is well worth reading. I have not stopped thinking whether Ubuntu is possible in our country or not. Let's hope it is not too late...we need it!

Wena Wekunene Jason (You're Great Jason).......2002-12-24

A great book that gives rare insight into Swazi culture and life in rural South Africa. Having lived in the area as a school teacher and a researcher, I enjoyed the innocence with which Jason re-created and shared his impressions and experiences.

Jason's immersion in the language and culture of poor rural South Africans is admirable. He clearly "goes native:" identifying with "the Blacks" and uncomfortably, judgmentally, dealing with Westerners and South African Whites. The brilliant twist in the story comes when Jason struggles to come to terms with South Africa's Black elite. He's the rugged, White bushboy reaching out to victims of apartheid who are now more like American yuppies than real "Africans."

I also appreciated his attempts to reveal the differences in experiences that Black (like me) and White Americans often have in South Africa. Interestingly, Jason's feelings about race in America affected how he perceived South Africa, and his South African experienced revised his sense of US race relations.

Definitely worth reading, along with James Hall's Sangoma!

Jason Carter is a Natural.......2002-11-23

Jason Carter's account of his two years in the Peace Corps was an easy, comfortable read. I was captivated. Thanks to Jason Carter and National Geographic for sharing this important experience about a nation in transition. Few have commented on the poignant introduction of Jason Carter's grandfather which concentrates on President Carter's own mother, Lillian Carter, and her own experience in an Indian village in the Peace Corp when she was in her 70's and at a very different time in the late 1960s.

A fine, but prosaic Peace Corps story.......2002-09-21

After my 2 trips to South Africa, a rugby tour and an volunteer project with the Capetown Health system, and reading My Traitor's Heart and Alex La Guma, I was eager to explore Power Lines. Power Lines was an easy page turner with some good observations. However, I feel that Jason Carter's birthright-driven opportunity to tell the Peace Corps story was squandered by a fairly ordinary tale. For all of his experience as a Carter and involvement in Africa, I feel that he fell short. His knowledge and fixation of the local languages, while impressive and important, became his downfall as he did not significantly build off those skills. I feel that he made the same mistake that I made as a Peace Corps Volunteer myself. Knowledge of local languages is merely a start and not the culmination of a cross-cultural experience. The absence of the ludicrious, the risks, and the great plunges that are a Peace Corps experience were absent and took away from the story. His criticism of the "lame" sport of rugby showed a lack of understanding of a crucial part of South African culture. Malan (?) author of Traitor's Heart with whom Jason Carter compares, makes up for his lack of knowledge of language by passion and deep heart-felt involvement. Jason Carter's story seems too detached and ordinary in comparison to the average Peace Corps experience.
With great power, comes great responsibilty. For a story of Peace Corps, it pales in comparison to Living Poor. For a story of South Africa, it pales in comparison to Alex La Guma or My Traitor's Heart. Given the richness of the material with which Carter had to write, it is disappointing.

Power Lines: Two Years on South Africa's Borders

Average customer rating:

Power Lines: Two Years on South Africa's Borders
Jason Carter
Manufacturer: National Geographic
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000TDC2RC

Book Description

The Atlantic Forest of Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina is one of the most devastated and most highly threatened ecosystem on the planet; less than eight percent of the original forest remains and is facing intense population pressures from all sides.

The Atlantic Forest of South America presents a detailed assessment of the state of biodiversity in the Atlantic Forest. Separate sections examine each of the three countries that are home to the forest, beginning with a brief overview that explores the dynamics of biodiversity loss in that country and outlines the topics to be addressed. Following the overview are individual chapters that analyze:"

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