Average customer rating:
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Disertaciones, Tomo III
Lucas Alamán
Manufacturer: Editorial Jus
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding
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Spain
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ASIN: 9684233558 |
Book Description
One of the great works on Mexican early history. A complete study on the history of Spain in relation with the Nueva España, or colonial Mexico. Facsimilar of the 1942 edition. A must for any library with a section on Mexican history.
Product Description
A leading figure in American dressage, Major Lindgren developed an innovative system using traffic cones in progressively arranged exercise patterns which, combined with his colorful imagery and humor, has helped many, many instructors and riders understand and improve. This book offers that system to dressage riders at all levels. And, as in his seminars and clinic, his joy in teaching shines through these pages, as well as his deep love for the horse.
Customer Reviews:
Don't try this at home ! (At least not without instruction.).......2002-06-11
This book is called 'A Manual for Instructors and Riders'. And yes, it is a manual, but it is not a book that will help you to become a better rider. The book gives you an overview of different patterns to ride when you are training and it is fairly useful as such. Before you buy it, however, be aware that this book tells you WHAT to do - but by no means HOW. As he says himself, this book is a collection of lesson plans.
The short introduction only serves to create confusion for any reader/rider who does not already have a fairly good idea of what to aim for and how to accomplish it. Anders Lindgren gives some advice that can easily be disastrous if not used with a lot of discretion. His 'philosophy of pattern use' is only one example: 'To produce a gymnastic effect in the horse without requiring that the rider also be well-schooled. A correctly executed pattern schools the horse'. My question would be how a rider who is not well-schooled should correctly execute any pattern? Highly unlikely.
His description of the half-halt gives some nice background thoughts but unfortunately no description of the aids actually used to perform it. Part of his advice: 'To be succesful, combine the aids for the half halt with the aids for a lateral movement such as leg-yielding, shoulder-fore or shoulder-in'. This might be useful in specific situations for riders who already know how to perform a correct half halt and who want to work their horse through a specific problem, with the awareness that they have to go back to the 'normal' aids eventually. A less sophisticated rider might easily translate this into permission to ride one-sided or crooked half-halts continuously, thereby creating a huge problem for herself in the future. The same problem applies to the section on rein contact. 'The rider must, through the rein contact, learn that a strong contact, usually on the left rein (the left hind leg - the left engine) works well.' Ouch! I think (hope!) I understand what he means, but it would take me a lot of time to explain this to a pupil and I don't think I'd be comfortable using this particular description.
One more 'gem' with the potential to be a bomb is the explanation of 'shuttling the bit' on a tense and nervous horse to create relaxation in the joints at the pollý. Don't even think of trying this at home!!
I have been riding and teaching in Scandinavia and found that the 'rider's disease' of wanting to place their horse's head with however much force it takes is even more rampant there. I also saw trainers using similar patterns, e.g. in shoulder - without any regard as to how the rider was giving the aids or as to how the horse was working.
After coming to the USA I see even more riders who are extremely focused on riding movements and totally forget about the first and main aim of dressage: namely, the athletic development of the horse. Riding these patterns without knowing how to give the correct aids and with a horse that is not 'through' is not only totally useless - it can be actually detrimental to the horses health (just think about the wear on the joints if the horse would continuously be going in the wrong bend) and his well-being. Repeating and repeating a pattern while you are doing something wrong is not going to make your horse go any better - my guess is that he will be going worse and worse, and you both will get more and more frustrated.
An unskilled rider trying these exercises without good instruction can easily end up with one of the 'mechanical horses' we unfortunately see so often. The ones that sourly do all the movements, but are stiff as a board and usually robbed of any elasticity and spring in their steps. If that is your goal, fine, and probably you'll now and then find a judge who shares your view. Dressage, however, it is not.
To end with a very practical 'flaw': please also be aware of the fact that the patterns given here are exclusively for a LARGE dressage arena (20 x 60 meters), and not for the more common regular size (20 x 40 meters). It would have added a lot of value to this book to at least have some patterns adapted for smaller arena's. Now you will have to do the math for yourself.
Of course I realize that there are many valuable thoughts to be found in this book. A number of subtleties easily might have been lost in the translation of Lindgren's words. And for sure it will be totally different if you are actually riding in one of his clinics. But not all of his readers will have the chance to experience him 'live'.
Most of the ideas in this book go along accepted classical lines - as long as you know what these are beforehand, you should be OK. The only persons I'd feel safe recommending this book to are experienced instructors/trainers looking for some inspiration for their lessons, or already well-trained riders who would like some new ideas for their schooling sessions and who hopefully have somebody on the ground to assist them with the correct execution of these patterns.
Exercise Manual.......2002-02-03
This book title says it all. It is a list of progressive exercises by level. It will be quite helpful for the reader to know how to do the various exercises as this book gives the "what" not the "how". Good reference book.
Nearly as good as the clinics I took from him!.......2000-09-01
Having had the wonderful opportunity of riding under Major Lindgren in clinics back in CA, I can honestly say that this book distills much of his techniques into a user-friendly archive. The patterns not only put the horse in the position of discovering for himself how best to balance, but they also teach the rider how to truly RIDE. It becomes apparent to rider and instructor where gaps exist in rider and horse development when the exercises are used stringently. An indispensible tool for anyone who knows the secret of riding a good dressage test: the movements you ride in a show are only the tip of the iceberg!
For those who school alone.......2000-05-21
I found Lindgren's book to be a concisely written work that clarifies many difficult concepts in the earlier levels of dressage schooling. The book is divided into levels (training through 5th) with up to eight different patterns/exercises for each level. The exercises are clearly presented with a "Purpose" (what one is trying to achieve by utilizing the specific execise), an "Explaination" of how to do the exercise, what to "Observe" when doing the exercise and "Suggestions and Advice" for proper execution of the exercise.
As a rider who does not have access to regular instruction, I found this book particularly helpful. The exercises give me a goal for each ride and they follow a logical progression so that I know I am on track in my schooling. I like the use of cones...they really help me focus on the patterns.
The introduction presents the best explaination of the use of the aids, the half-halt, and being "on the bit" that I have ever read...very clear definitions of these sometimes elusive concepts.
I reccommend this book for any lower level dressage rider. It is a wonderful tool for schooling alone or for structuring a lesson.
Average customer rating:
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Mike Figgis: Collected Screenplays 1: Stormy Monday, Liebestraum, Leaving Las Vegas
Mike Figgis
Manufacturer: Faber & Faber
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Movies
| Entertainment
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Screenplays
| Movies
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Screenwriting
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Paul Schrader: Collected Screenplays Volume 1: Taxi Driver, American Gigolo, Light Sleeper
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Ethan Coen and Joel Coen: Collected Screenplays 1: Blood Simple, Raising Arizona, Miller's Crossing, Barton Fink
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David Cronenberg: Collected Screenplays 1: Stereo, Crimes of the Future, Shivers, Rabid
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Naked and Other Screenplays
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PULP FICTION
ASIN: 0571210120 |
Book Description
Mike Figgis is known for his iconoclastic portrayals of outsiders. Stormy Monday (1988) depicts a janitor turned jazz club partner while in Liebestraum (1991) two affairs shed light on a 30-year old murder-suicide. But it was with Leaving Las Vegas (1995) that Figgis became a household name. The heartbreaking story of the friendship between a prostitute and a man drinking himself to death, the film garnered numerous accolades and awards including Oscar nominations for Best Screenplay and Best Director, and has since become a contemporary classic.
Average customer rating:
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Will Weng's Literary Crosswords (Other)
Will Weng , and
Wayne Robert Williams
Manufacturer: Random House Puzzles & Games
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Crosswords
| Puzzles & Games
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Puzzles & Games
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
Puzzles
| Puzzles & Games
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0812918428
Release Date: 1990-11-27 |
Book Description
Forty-five puzzles, edited by Will Weng, former crossword editor of
The New York Times, with themes from the world of literature.
Book Description
Becoming a Master Manager is an effective tool for stimulating thinking and building management skills. The book takes you through some of the social and intellectual challenges that managers encounter everyday, the most prominent being pulled by competing demands and having to play many roles simultaneously. This book uses the Competing Values Framework, a comprehensive map on which competing demands can be located and placed in context.
Becoming a Master Manager includes:
- Managerial examples from real organizations that illustrate new concepts using relevant examples.
- Learning models such as, mini-lectures, individual presentations, group simulations, small group and full class discussion activities, to expand knowledge of management and real organizations.
- A hands-on approach.
- An assessment, learning, analysis, practice, and application approach with each competency.
Customer Reviews:
This is a good book to waste your time........2006-01-18
There are much better books on management out there than this collection of unorganized work. Don't read this book if you're looking for new insight on management techniques. If you're already a seasoned manager, you'll find more value in your real work environment. This was a text for one of my MBA courses, and the rest of my MBA team (which consists of seasoned management professionals) has the same sentiments.
Spend your time elsewhere.
Becoming A Master Manager: A Competency Framework.......2005-10-02
Excellent service, timely delivery, the book was as advertised.
Horrible Layout.......2002-11-04
The content of this book is adequate, but the layout leaves much to be desired. The only way to find a chapter is through the table of contents. Pages are not labeled with chapter information, such as which chapter that page belongs to. The content is often broken up with cases and excercises that divide paragraphs in half. This makes it very confusing to follow the flow of the book. You can be reading along and jump into a case or excercise without knowing it and become very confused. If the authors and publishers would rework the flow of the book, I would rate it much higher.
Becoming a Master Manager.......2001-06-17
This is one book I believe all managers should read. Talking to several people in the business world, they don't see where they fit in as a manager. Many of them are too much of one thing or not enough of another.
After taking a Competing Values Management Practices Survey, then reading this book, and taking the survey again, you can see on the "spider-web graph" where in the circle you fit it to these eight values that include the Mentor Role, Innovator Role, Broker Role, Producer Role, Director Role, Coordinator Role, Monitor Role, and Facilitator Role.
This book is very easy to read, I'm a young college senior who doesn't like to read complcated textbooks. I'm spending the $50 to keep this book. It's one that I plan on referring back to at least once a year to see how my managment style has changed.
This book, as it gets around, will become the next 7 Habits of Highly Successful People.
what i like about this book.......2001-04-14
the reason that i like this book is quite simple. i think that it is very simple and easy to follow. it is structured very well and easy to read. you know how what are reading fits into the big picture as you read it. you dont just have random chapters. there are a lot good points and each section can be easily sumarized. i really enjoyed this book
Average customer rating:
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Quinn: Instructional Guide to Accompany Becoming A Master Manager - A Competency Framework (Manual)
B QUINN
Manufacturer: John Wiley & Sons Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
| Accounting
| Biography & History
| Business Life
| By Publisher
| Economics
| Finance
| General
| Industries & Professions
| International
| Investing
| Job Hunting & Careers
| Management & Leadership
| Marketing & Sales
| Organizational Behavior
| Personal Finance
| Popular Economics
| Real Estate
| Reference
| Skills
| Small Business & Entrepreneurship
| Women & Business
ASIN: 0471519111 |
Average customer rating:
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Becoming a Master Manager - A Competency Framework 2e - Teachers Manual
RE Quinn
Manufacturer: John Wiley & Sons Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
| Accounting
| Biography & History
| Business Life
| By Publisher
| Economics
| Finance
| General
| Industries & Professions
| International
| Investing
| Job Hunting & Careers
| Management & Leadership
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| Organizational Behavior
| Personal Finance
| Popular Economics
| Real Estate
| Reference
| Skills
| Small Business & Entrepreneurship
| Women & Business
ASIN: 0471130648 |
Book Description
Becoming a Master Manager is an effective tool for stimulating thinking and building management skills. The book takes you through some of the social and intellectual challenges that managers encounter everyday, the most prominent being pulled by competing demands and having to play many roles simultaneously. This book uses the Competing Values Framework, a comprehensive map on which competing demands can be located and placed in context.
Becoming a Master Manager includes:
- Managerial examples from real organizations that illustrate new concepts using relevant examples.
- Learning models such as, mini-lectures, individual presentations, group simulations, small group and full class discussion activities, to expand knowledge of management and real organizations.
- A hands-on approach.
- An assessment, learning, analysis, practice, and application approach with each competency.
Average customer rating:
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Competing Values Skills Survey (Cvss) Becoming a Master Manager - A Competency Framework 2e - Software
R Quinn
Manufacturer: John Wiley & Sons Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
| Accounting
| Biography & History
| Business Life
| By Publisher
| Economics
| Finance
| General
| Industries & Professions
| International
| Investing
| Job Hunting & Careers
| Management & Leadership
| Marketing & Sales
| Organizational Behavior
| Personal Finance
| Popular Economics
| Real Estate
| Reference
| Skills
| Small Business & Entrepreneurship
| Women & Business
ASIN: 0471130532 |
Average customer rating:
- bittersweet
- Well worth the read!
- An amazing story by an amazing person
- Great read!
- Discover The Greek In You
|
Greek Coffee: A Life of Love, Loss, Family, and Freedom--A Memoir
George Molho
Manufacturer: iUniverse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
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ASIN: 0595307841 |
Book Description
In 1978, at the age of seven, I was kidnapped and tortured for an entire year. Ten years later I would fall in love for the first time. At twenty-one I would turn the tables and confront my kidnapper. Seven years after that I married my soul mate. In 2001, we would separate, driven apart by our individual battles to discover ourselves. At thirty I began writing a long letter to my wife. The letter, which I never sent, marked the first steps on a journey to the center of my soul. In tracing my roots I inadvertently became the bearer of my grandparents' tales of survival in the Nazi death camps. My grandfather was sent to the camps because he was Jewish: my grandmother because she was a seventeen-year-old Christian girl working with the Greek underground. At seventeen she was captured, interrogated, and tortured for six months. She never broke. Had she, an entire village would have been slaughtered. Three years later, in 1945, she walked out of Ravensbruck.
I looked back to understand that I was empowered by Faith, motivated by Hope, held together by my Greek family, and emboldened by my grandmother's undaunted spirit and her timeless anecdotes. My Yiayia's divine gift to see the motivations in men's hearts, to unmask the past and spy the future in the coffee grinds of a Greek coffee cup, altered my perceptions forever.
I lived a life through her cups. And now, for the first time, at thirty-two, I have tasted freedom.
Download Description
In 1978, at the age of seven, I was kidnapped and tortured for an entire year. Ten years later I would fall in love for the first time. At twenty-one I would turn the tables and confront my kidnapper. Seven years after that I married my soul mate. In 2001, we would separate, driven apart by our individual battles to discover ourselves. At thirty I began writing a long letter to my wife. The letter, which I never sent, marked the first steps on a journey to the center of my soul. In tracing my roots I inadvertently became the bearer of my grandparents
Customer Reviews:
bittersweet.......2007-09-03
With wit and eloquence, the author shares his search for understanding after a life of tribulations, triumphs, and failures. It's satisfying to find a book that shows the bitter and the sweet of life instead of just complaining or holding forth a one-size-fits-all Pollyanna philosophy. I found it difficult to put down though I found myself overwhelmed at times by the forthright, intimate manner in which he shares the most difficult and painful of ordeals. Our pasts differ, yet I found myself relating to the struggles he outlines and through that, finding some comfort and understanding of my own.
Spending time with the passionate, singular people in this memoir was akin to coming across the diary of an old friend. What's the old line? I laughed, I cried. A truly worthwhile and wonderful read.
Well worth the read!.......2006-10-22
In this baring-of-the-soul, Mr. Molho shares events, feelings, and thoughts many are familiar with, while also exploring impactful events in his life with which few of us have any analogous experience. The latter range from the benign "reading of the cups" by his grandmother to his literal abduction by his biological father. Well worth the read!
An amazing story by an amazing person.......2006-07-22
All of the reviews so far are spot on. It isn't just a book, the author is so honest that you truly experience the story and learn the lessons within along with him. All of the cliches apply- a page turning, tear-jerking, heart-stopping, thrilling, chilling, should-be-made-into-a-movie kind of book. Somebody call HarpO!
Great read!.......2005-11-23
This book was written so well. Each charcter is developed so well, you can see each vivdly and relate to them as well. The story stirs so many emotions from the kidnapping to the obstacles between the charrcters. Each relationship shown has an underlying message to it, there are so many lessons that you can learn from them. I would tell anyone no matter what age or gender to read this book. The poetic flow and rhythm of the author's words is incredible, and I brushed up on my vocabulary at the same time. VERY VERY GOOD BOOK!!!
Discover The Greek In You .......2004-12-16
After reading Greek Coffee I felt as if I was sitting back watching my whole life pass. Every detailed scene reminded me of my "yiayia" and the things she would do. This was an excellent manner in which to describe Greeks and our culture with out all the "hollywood" hype. It's a MUST read.
Average customer rating:
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I Fought with Geronimo
Manufacturer: Bonanza Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000I6NFEY |
Book Description
The cousin and lifelong associate of Geronimo, Jason Betzinez relives his years on the warpath with the Apache chief. He participates in Geronimo's eventual surrender to the U.S. Army, goes to Florida as a prisoner of war, attends the Carlisle Indian school in Pennsylvania, and in 1900 joins his people at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, where they had been moved by the government six years earlier. Trained as a blacksmith, he describes daily life on the reservation until the resettlement of many Apaches in Arizona.
For Betzinez, there was a happy ending. When this memoir was first published in 1959, he was nearly a century old, settled on a farm in Oklahoma with his devoted wife and esteemed by his community.
Customer Reviews:
WORTH READING.......2007-05-25
Very interesting read. Betzinez' descriptions are vivid and colorful; especially when describing the areas he roamed with Geronimo. Definitely biased, but interesting just the same. He went from a nomad Apache to a settled blacksmith and farmer. Although Betzinez is Native American, he gives a different view of the Carlisle School, relationships with his white neighbors, and the Army of the late 1800's than the popular Native American view. Filled with many historical highlights of the late 1800's to the early part of the 20th century, and Oklahoma history. Great pictures and maps if you're learning about the west.I strongly recommend this book.
As I Recall - My Book Report (over 40 years ago).......2006-05-24
I once owned an original publication and autographed hardcopy by Betzinez. I even did a book report on it in grade school back in the mid 60s. As I recall, the book was vividly descriptive about the life and times of an Apache Indian in the American Southwest in the late 1800s up to the time he wrote the book in the late 1950s. Betzinez tells a story that was not so much about fighting the US Cavalry and settlers or kidnapping women and children but more about a young boy growing up in a native culture long since forgotten. As a warrior, he survived the harsh elements fighting with the great warrior chief Geronimo. As a fully matured adult, he became well educated and Christian American Indian who loved his fellow man reguardless of skin color. His story covers how he lived off the barren land, the exciting war party and raids, conflicts against rival Indian tribes, riding bareback on horses and hunting wildgame to survive. It is hard to believe Jason was born in 1860, since he was in incredibly good health when I met him in early 60s. He would have been over 100 years old. He certainly was not a wild savage more importantly he was a good Christian family friend and part-time employee of my Dad, the late Dr. Ernest Winter, a Dentist in Lawton Oklahoma.
He lived from the Stone Age to the Atomic Age!.......2000-10-10
A fascinating story of a "wild" Indian who made his way successfully through the various stages of his life: from the unfettered freedom of the mountains, to the tenuous search for refuge in a hostile environment, through the confinement of the reservation, to the peaceful contentment of Christian love. Jason tells the remarkable story of his life from 1860 to 1959 with self-effacing honesty. He will certainly blur, if not erase, the stereotypical image of the "Hollywood" Apache.
Book Description
When the Soviet Union dissolved, so did the easy credit, cheap oil, and subsidies it had provided to Cuba. The bottom fell out of the Cuban economy, and many expected that Castro’s revolutionâthe one that had inspired the Left throughout Latin America and elsewhereâwould soon be gone as well. More than a decade later, the revolution lives on, albeit in a modified form. Following the collapse of Soviet communism, Castro legalized the dollar, opened the island to tourism, and allowed foreign investment, small-scale private enterprise, and remittances from exiles in Miami. Capitalism, God, and a Good Cigar describes what the changes implemented since the early 1990s have meant for ordinary Cubans: hotel workers, teachers, priests, factory workers, rap artists, writers, homemakers, and others.
Based on reporting by journalists, writers, and documentary filmmakers since 2001, each of the essays collected here covers a particular dimension of contemporary Cuban society, revealing what it is like to have lived, for more than a decade, suspended between communism and capitalism. There are pieces on hip hop musicians, fiction writing and censorship, the state of ballet and the performing arts, and the role of computers and the Internet. Other essays address the shrinking yet still sizeable numbers of true believers in the promise of socialist revolution, the legendary cigar industry, the changing state of religion, the significance of the recent influx of money and people from Spain, and the tensions between recent Cuban emigrants and previous generations of exiles. Including more than seventy striking documentary photographs of Cuba’s people, countryside, and city streets, this richly illustrated collection offers keen, even-handed insights into the abundant ironies of life in Cuba today.
Contributors. Juliana Barbassa, Ana Campoy, Mimi Chakarova, Lydia Chávez, John Coté, Julian Foley, Angel González, Megan Lardner, Ezequiel Minaya, Daniela Mohor, Archana Pyati, Alicia Roca, Olga R. RodrÃguez, Bret Sigler, Annelise Wunderlich
Customer Reviews:
Lets get to the point.......2007-02-28
Cubans are under communism a.k.a SLAVERY. Cubans are not allowed to be independent in any way including economically, they are forced to depend on a very useless government despite how mediocre it may be, is a control tactic. After Castro outlawed (stole) all private property and with this destroyed the Cuban GDP and economy he solely depended on the money the U.S.S.R gave him directly which at the end amounted to billions to keep Cuba a Russian satellite nation, when this disappeared in '89 Castro was scared and in mid 90's opened Cuba to tourism to bring in money.
Everything is state owned still, so his grip is the same, he allows Cubans to make and receive SOME level of money since he owns all stores and necessities it will be his money at the end, as soon as Cubans start to operate outside the government, show independence and start creating a needed industry he strikes. Again, it is slavery, once you realize this everything is so clear. Lets recall that in '58 just a year before Castro, Cuba had the largest middle class per-capita not only in the Caribbean but in Latin America. Just a look at todays crumbling Havana more than reveals that this was a first world style metropolis unlike any other in a long radius; also, all those Chevrolets to Cadillacs still around from its capitalistic days more than shows proof of a past strong middle class.
Cubans have been submerged in necessity and poverty and Cuba has been falling to pieces ever since Castro took power. So ask yourself, where did all the Russian billions of $$$ go? They went to his Swiss bank account and in efforts to export his revolution; remember Grenada, Angola, the Salvadorian Civil War,etc. And where did the Colombian guerrilla got trained and supplied in the 60s and 70s? Cuba was the name. Is not about the embargo is about who is in control and truly embargoing the Cuban people. Is not about a cup half-empty or half-full is about go is drinking the water. To be more imformed check therealcuba site.
Simply enjoyable, fascinating, and easy to grasp.......2005-12-29
I very much enjoyed the simplicity and ease with which the various authors skated through the many cities and shared such encounters of colorful locals. Interspersed is a little history that is easy to grasp and enjoyable. The many articles provide varied perspectives of life in Cuba today.
The half full or half empty glass?.......2005-09-21
"Capitalism, God and a Good Cigar" by Lydia Chavez (editor) is a collection of 14 essays about life in contemporary Cuba. The book provides an intimate look at the experiences of ordinary Cubans as they struggle to define themselves in what appears to be a country that is positioned somewhere between socialism and capitalism. In that light, the book tantalizes the reader with the possibility of Cuba's transformation into a new and unique kind of socialist or capitalist state, depending on one's own perspective.
The authors present some of the many contradictions that abound in contemporary Cuba. For example, while articles such as "Four Women Survive Manzanillo" by Alicia Roca makes it clear that many citizens live impoverished lives, "Life on the Margins" by Julian Foley discusses how Cuban entrepreneurs are profiting from an underground economy that feeds off the officially-sanctioned tourist trade. Yet, the dollars earned by the government through tourism helps to finance popular universal educational and medical programs that benefit all of Cuba's citizens to a degree not found elsewhere in Latin America. One wonders if it will be possible for Cuba to finance its social programs through for-profit tourism without individualism and the lure of profit resulting in a breakup of the social compact.
As in any collection, there is variability in quality. Possibly the weakest article was "Hip Hop Pushes the Limits" by Annelise Wunderlich. In my view, the author's bemoaning of the difficulties that young rap artists experience while trying to cash in on their talents tends to trivialize the debate about capitalism versus socialism. More problematically, she recognizes that Cuban rap music has gained critical and popular international acclaim but misses the point that this success is attributable to the fact that Cuban music is produced by artists living within a socialist country and therefore is viewed, rightly or wrongly, as a more authentic expression of rage against the capitalist machine compared with rap music produced elsewhere.
Fortunately, the "Hip Hop" article is a rare moment in a book that is otherwise abundant with excellent content. The Introduction entitled, "Adrift: An Introduction to Contemporary Cuba" by Lydia Chavez provides excellent context and analysis to prepare the reader for the many articles that follow. Some of my favorites include: "Dancers Who Stretch the Limits" by Ana Campoy presents the triumphs and heartbreaks of ballet as practiced in revolutionary Cuba; "Socialism and the Cigar" by Daniela Mohor discusses the success of Cuba's socialist cigar factories in producing world-renowned products while providing benefits to its workers; "Authors Who Knew or Know the Limits" by Ezequiel Minaya draws on interviews with prominent writers who have struggled with Cuba's sometimes Stalinist repression of free expression; "Cubans Log on Behind Castro's Back" by John Cote describes how Cubans gain access to the Internet in a country with limited technological resources and government controls; and "The Spanish are Back" by Megan Lardner discusses the volatile but increasingly necessary relationship between Spain and Cuba, with an emphasis on the effect Spanish investment is having on reviving the Cuban economy.
I highly recommend this intriguing book for anyone interested in contemplating the question of whether the contemporary Cuban experience represents a glass that is half full or half empty -- and whether that glass might ultimately prove to be socialist or capitalist.
Book Description
This digital document is an article from The Historian, published by Thomson Gale on March 22, 2007. The length of the article is 525 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: Capitalism, God and a Good Cigar: Cuba Enters the Twenty-First Century.(Book review)
Author: Thomas M. Leonard
Publication:
The Historian (Magazine/Journal)
Date: March 22, 2007
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 69
Issue: 1
Page: 104(2)
Article Type: Book review
Distributed by Thomson Gale
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This American River: Five Centuries of Writing about the Connecticut
Manufacturer: UPNE
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| United States
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Similar Items:
-
Long River Winding: Life, Love, and Death Along the Connecticut
-
River Days: Exploring the Connecticut River and it's History from Source to Sea
ASIN: 1584651113 |
Book Description
The Connecticut, New England's dominant waterway and, since 1999, an American Heritage River, drains much of Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. For five centuries its natural beauty and rich history have inspired an enormously diverse and impressive array of writers. A major transportation artery and power source, it has been the main avenue for colonial settlements, Indian raids and border conflicts, as well as historic floods and hurricanes, epic log drives, farms and industries, sport and quiet reflection. More recently, the river's drama has included disappearance and then reclamation of salmon and shad runs, and increasingly successful fights to restore the purity and health of its water.
In This American River, noted novelist and premier New England nature writer W. D. Wetherell, long enamored of the river and its vast literature, celebrates the Connecticut in this eclectic anthology. Excerpted novels, essays, poems, journals, and histories--by Henry David Thoreau, Charles Dickens, Mark Twain, Wallace Stevens, Rudyard Kipling, Francis Parkman, and a splendid array of such contemporary writers as Sylvia Plath, Bill McKibben, and Sydney Lea--together portray this magnificent American river in all its glory.
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