Queen Elizabeth II: A Woman Who Is Not Amused

Customer Reviews:

I wouldn't be amused either!.......2000-03-31

Three years ago, I added this book to my too-large collection of books about the Royal Family. I started re-reading it this week when looking up something about her disinterest in clothes while reading the reports of her visit to Australia. Whoever is doing her hats now should be drawn and quartered!

This is an enjoyable book and I can only feel a bit sorry for the Queen. For all of her worldly possessions, she leads a rather dreadful life. Smiling, looking interested, holding flowers, etc. must almost drive her out of her mind! She does a good job of it, though, and for that I give her credit. It's a good show. I've been watching it for over 40 years!

Informative and highly entertaining.......1999-12-13

One of the best books on the British Royal Family and on Queen Elizabeth in particular.

Reading this book one can see that Mr. Davies is quite knowledgeable and has done his homework where researching the subject is concerned.

Queen Elizabeth may not be easily amused - and she has every right not to be - but I certainly was highly amused and entertained.

HM may not be amused but I sure was!.......1999-01-09

Ever since I can remember I have been fascinated by the British Royal family; watching the weddings of both the Waleses and the Yorks, reading Majesty magazine each month, etc. I bought this book to find out more about the Queen and Prince Phillip. I finished this book within two days and still find myself drawn to it. The depth that the author reaches, describing the Queen's marriage, family, responsibilities, daily life - it is all covered with a thoroughness that makes the reader feel as though they knew Her Majesty personally. Undoubtedly there are other books available that detail Queen Elizabeth II's life, but this one will stand out due to it's ability to draw the reader into the world of this remarkable monarch.

Queen Elizabeth II: A Woman Who Is Not Amused

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Queen Elizabeth II: A Woman Who Is Not Amused
Nicholas Davies
Manufacturer: Citadel Stars Mass Market
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000JC4CNU

Book Description

When George Kell broke in with the old Philadelphia Athletics back in 1943, never did he dream he had just embarked on a 53-year major league ride. From induction into baseball's Hall of Fame to an equally accomplished broad- casting career, it was a fantastic journey.

Customer Reviews:

George Kell - Better than Ernie.......2006-05-01

I know...I know...Ernie Harwell is a legend in Detroit and a Man of God. I would never take anything away from Mr.Harwell.

But, having listened to them both for years growing up, I can tell you that George Kell DEFINED baseball for many more Detroiters than you might think.

And this book helps resurrect the feeling he brought to the game for those who still miss him.

He had so many great lines. Every Tiger fan knows what kind of play he was describing when he said "...And it's a dandy."

And what about "...that helps." Maybe too obscure of a reference for some but Kell's voice uttering those words pop into my head almost everytime a fortuitious circumstance occurs in my life.

A little old fashioned, maybe even uptight by the standards of the 1990's when he hung it up, George would be PERFECT as the ultimate retro announcer in today's baseball climate where fans, so jaded by one disillusionment after another, would relish a rock-solid influence like the GREAT George Kell...

A decent man sheds new light on baseball's golden years.......1998-11-05

That George's book turned out to be a long, tall, cold drink of water on a hot summer day came as no surprise to me. We in Michigan, who watched George throughout his years as the premier Tiger TV announcer and as one of the great players of his time, have long known of his commitment to to all that is good and right about America's pastime. But he also served as a prophet concerning the aspects of the modern game which led to a slow decay not only in the quality of the game, but in the character of some of the game's players and management. Even so, how can a baseball aficionado not feel the warm sunshine of yesteryear as we read of a living Hall of Famer's account of playing under Manager Connie Mack, alongside and against Ted Williams...Joe DiMaggio...even Minnie Minoso! George's book is special. I can virtually guarantee you will not read the likes of "Hello everybody, I'm George Kell" ever again. It is an easy-reading account of baseball's glory days, when a nation came out of a war against the forces of evil, and after looking in the mirror, realized the color line must be obliterated in what was then the undisputed King of American sport. George's decency shines through the entire book, just as his light has shined his entire life. Bravo!

Book Description

is a blend of New England aggressiveness pushing at the borders of new thinking and the Sou thern charm of color boldness and creativity. This comprehensive anthology of the best from the last 15 years includes two or three articles and interviews in each of 21 topical sections. Journey through Cyberspace with Timothy Leary explore Nijinsky's Madness with Maggie Helwig and Goddess Religion with Jean Houston. Distinctive graphics and art work introduce articles on Music, Health, Myth, Ecology, Shamanism, Humor, and more by some of the most recognized names in the new age new science and new culture movements. Jerry Garcia, Nina Hagen, Carlos Castaneda, Whitley Strieber, and Joseph Campbell are just a few of the many authors represented. Each piece is introduced with a few comments about the author and clarifying the time frame and value of the article. As Robin Williams puts it Be Here Now. If Not Get Here Later.

Book Description

Also known as Valse Criollo, this is one of the most popular pieces written by the great South American guitarist/composer Antonio Lauro.

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Great book, for 2300+

The Sicilian Sozin
Mikhail Golubev
Manufacturer: Gambit Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Chess | Board Games | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
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Understanding The King's Indian

Mastering the Najdorf

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Chess Explained: The Taimanov Sicilian

Anti-Sicilians: A Guide for Black

ASIN: 1901983382

Book Description

The Sozin Attack is White's most overtly aggressive counter to the Sicilian. White puts his bishop on c4 and often follows up with direct play against the black king. Unless Black defends with the utmost precision, the bishop's influence often fuels a deadly attack leading to a cascade of sacrifices and a brutal king hunt. The Sozin set-up can be employed against the Classical Sicilian, the Najdorf, and even the Scheveningen. Mikhail Golubev is a young grandmaster who has employed the Sozin with devastating effect throughout the whole of his adult chess career. Here he explains how White carries out that attack in its various forms (including some relatively positional lines), and presents in detail the theory of all its variations, including the razor-sharp Velimirovic Attack.

Customer Reviews:

Great book, for 2300+.......2002-02-20

I think this book is a fruit of combination between human intelligence and computer database. The auther gives profound analysis on every possible line of sozin and velimirovich attack, and you'll find many interesting ideas hidden in the GM games. The assessment of positons and lines is very objective, which distinguishes this one from "winning with xx" books, where authers don't mind giving wrong assessment on purpose.
In short, this book is a MUST if you are a FIDE titled player and play sicilian with either color. On the other hand, if you just want to grasp the general idea of Bc4 lines, you may be embarrassed, because the author tends to give only concrete lines.

Easy Guide to the Classical Sicilian: Including Richter-Rauzer and Sozin Attacks

Average customer rating:

A good "Easy Guide"
The Best Repertoire Book I've Seen
Know thy ennemy like thyself.

Easy Guide to the Classical Sicilian: Including Richter-Rauzer and Sozin Attacks
Jouni Yrjola
Manufacturer: Everyman Chess
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 1857445244

Book Description

The Classical Sicilian is one of the most popular openings among top-class grandmasters as Black develops in straightforward and logical fashion. Whether White tries an immediate attack or chooses a quieter approach, Black retains the famed Sicilian counter-punch. The Classical is surprisingly neglected in chess literature; Grandmaster Yrjola finally reveals both the theory and concepts behind this well respected opening, making it accessible to players of all levels.

This guide is written by a renowned Classical Sicilian expert, covers all of White's main replies and explains an opening played regularly by Anand, Kramnik and Shirov.

Customer Reviews:

A good "Easy Guide".......2003-08-04

This is indeed a solid book. It covers the theory very well in a nice way, since he offers explanations after many moves instead of just listing the variations followed by a "with advantage to black".

Regarding all major variations, he presents general themes and plans for both sides. There are many diagrams, and in some cases the positions in the diagrams are closely related which helps you understand the connection between some plans.In my opinion, these are very instructive.

After each variation is covered, he starts a discussion entitled "Which line to choose in the (for example) Sozin)", where he explains firstly his own view and experience and then generally the differences, which line suits the positional player, the aggressive player, the solid player etc. From someone who has tested different lines in various variations and then read his discussion afterwards, I can say that he is right on many points.

Between me and some of my friends, we own all the Easy Guides in the different Sicilian Openings and a few others as well. In my opinion, this one is the best.

The Best Repertoire Book I've Seen.......2002-01-03

Easy Guide to the Classical Sicilian does a good job of balancing the need for general information on an opening, as well as getting into the specifics of each variation. The main strength of this book is that it does not try to take huge shortcuts that would keep you from memorizing a lot of material for the sake of being easier. The main variations are all deeply covered, up to move twenty or so in the h6 Rauzer, which prevents doubled f pawns. Some of his suggestions are not technically the "main line," but they are all lines played by top grandmasters including Shirov, Leko, and Svidler. The variations themselves are easily understandable, even up to an advanced stage. This is because the author does a good job explaining the main ideas before each chapter, so you understand the basic early middlegame plan even if you don't know the exact move at the moment. Another plus is that while it is a repertoire book, there are about 6 different ways you could put the lines together to form a repertoire. For instance, in the Sozin you have both the 5. .. Qb6 line, forcing the knight away, but making the game less concrete, or the dangerous (for both players) early queenside activity lines in the sozin and Velimirovic, as well as the main lines. In the rauzer, you have the plan of h6 to kick out the bishop, or choice of several Bd7 lines, with doubled F pawns. This also isn't a book that tells you that everything you play will be able to counter white, in fact in some places the author tells you that at this point black doesn't have a foolproof answer, but it's going to be that way with every line. If you're not yet facing the open Sicilian much, concentrate on the Anti Siclilians, but if you are facing the open more and more, this is the book for you.

Know thy ennemy like thyself........2001-08-19

As a club player, I am often confronted to Sicilian players. I bought this book to find out what I was supposed to play againt the Sicilian. "Easy guide to the Classical Sicilian" not only shows the main variations on many positions types but more importantly it explains the plans behind these positions (the whats and the whys). For each position-type, Jouni Yrjola present, in an easy to understand way, half a dozen or so "Typical methods for White" and "Typical methods for Black". So this book tricked me, in addition to show me how to play againt Sicilian players, it taught how to become one of them!

Easy guide to the Classical Sicilian Featuring the Richter-Rauzer and Sozin Attacks

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Easy guide to the Classical Sicilian Featuring the Richter-Rauzer and Sozin Attacks
Jouni Yrjola
Manufacturer: Everyman Chess
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000MFT0ZE

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Sicilian Sozin
T D Harding
Manufacturer: UNSPECIFIED VENDOR
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000UDPR4G

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Trends Sicilian Sozin
Jim Plaskett
Manufacturer: TRENDS PUBLISHING
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Pamphlet
ASIN: B000Q01XDM

The Sicilian Sozin (Contemporary Chess Openings)

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The Sicilian Sozin (Contemporary Chess Openings)
T. D. Harding , G. S. Botterill , and C. Kottnauer
Manufacturer: Chess Digest Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Sports | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0713428481

Book Description

Companies operating in today's roller-coaster economy have increasingly turned to competitive intelligence (CI) as an effective means of building and maintaining a business edge. Revealing their secrets for monitoring competitive forces and keeping on top of the trends, opportunities, and threats within their industries, this book presents 15 leading CI researchers and their hard-earned secrets. These CI researchers are from such Fortune 100 firms as Compaq Computer, Dell Computer, Lockheed Martin, Merck, and United Technologies. The tips, techniques, and models provided can be successfully applied to any business intelligence project, and the range of sources and strategies discussed will help any organization stay several steps ahead of the competition.

Customer Reviews:

Thought provoking........2004-10-30

This book makes the case for having a CI function within a company very well. It also outlines major CI approaches used and shows how CI is being used in different markets by a broad range of practitioners. The interviews are very enlightening, and many of the techniques can be used by other disciplines. My interest is using CI methods and processes to keep up to date with technology risks and opportunities. This book helps. The accounts of the interviews are great.

The one thing that was very irritating about this book: to say that "intelligence operations" are new to companies. CI may be a new discipline, but using intelligence methods in business is not new (J P Morgan and the other industrial magnates of his time would be turning in their graves! They used intelligence operations in the markets that would make the CIA blush). Within the US, industrial espionage probably has a longer history than military intelligence. The OSS, forerunner of the CIA was not formed until world war two. The secret service dates from the 1860's. During the civil war the Federal Government had to use Pinkerton's ......

This is a minor detraction from a great book that is very useful.

Super Searchers - Competitive Intelligence.......2003-08-23

In this book, Margaret (Peggy) Carr interviewed 17 well-known CI researchers and looked into the process of how they tackle CI projects. Each researcher revealed many of the tactics used in their work. At the end of each chapter, there is a Super Searcher Power Tips section, recapping the highlights of the interview. Even as an experienced researcher (and editor of The CyberSkeptic's Guide to Internet Research) I was able to learn a lot from this book.

Average customer rating:

Insightful

A good account of middle east politics

Son of Egypt

Anwar El Sadat: In Search of Identity an Autobiography
Anwar Sadat
Manufacturer: Harpercollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
General | Egypt | Africa | History | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0060137428

Customer Reviews:

Insightful.......2006-05-22

The book depicts few key historical incidents right from the horse's mouth...no historians around here. It's an integral testimonial in the pursuit of peace and its achievement. Changing your own self perception is the start of all changes.

A good account of middle east politics.......2004-06-08

Anwar Sadat in this book tells about his rise from a middle class villager to becoming Egypt's president. Anwar Sadat founded the free officers organization in the army to drive out the British from Egypt and establish self rule. As the leader of the organization he was jailed twice and had thus acheived a reputation as a patriot among the egyptian people. When in jail Abdel Nasser took over the free officers organization. Written in the book are Anwar's experiences in jail at acheiving spiritual liberation. I felt that he has not detailed this part that well. After Anwar and Abdel Nasser obtained freedom for Egypt in a bloodless revolution the book talks about about his efforts to rebuild Egypt. And he felt that for any development to occur Egypt must make peace with Israel and thus he became the first Arab leader to make peace with Israel. This was a landmark acheivement in the history of the middle east and he shared the nobel peace prize in 1978 with the Israeli premier for this. Anwar Sadat comes across as a very patriotic and a very inspired individual all through this book.

Son of Egypt.......2000-05-04

Anwar Sadat's account of his lifetime and struggles is an excellent account of the conditions prevailing in Egypt during the mid and late 20th century. It gives an excellent insight into Egyptian point of view of Israel and the Arabs.

Sadat's book is a must for anyone who wants to understand contemporary Egyptian thinking and foreign policy. His influence on the current situation in the Middle East has not dimished with time.

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Anwar El-Sadat on the Road to Jerusalem.

In Search of Identity: Anwar el-Sadat

Extremely inspiring

In Search of Identity
Anwar Sadat
Manufacturer: HarperCollins Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0060907053

Customer Reviews:

Anwar El-Sadat on the Road to Jerusalem........2006-06-22

This is an autobiography that describes How Saadat decided to come to the Knesset in the interests of Egypt and The Middle East. From fighting the British Colonialism, Arab Corruption,
to Egyptian Nationalism.
A must for those who want to understand the New Middle East
after WW2. Also recommend his wifes Book that came out after
One of the most Tragic Assasinations in recent History.

In Search of Identity: Anwar el-Sadat.......2005-09-07

This book is really good because it contains powerful insights from the life of a man who not only saw struggle, but was able to overcome them. However, I would recommend reviewing the society and culture of Egypt before or while reading this book because it contains many references to the region and society of the country that may be unfamiliar to people from other countries or non-muslim readers. Overall, very good book.

Extremely inspiring.......1999-03-16

This is a truly amazing book. Written in a very soft, story style it goes deep into the brain and spirituality of one of this century's greatest leaders. A wonderful, delightful read. Awesome connections of his success with natural priniciples. We can all learn a lot from him. Great examples of Win/Win mentality.

Anwar el-Sadat In Search of an Identity: An Autobiography.

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Anwar el-Sadat In Search of an Identity: An Autobiography.
Anwar. Sadat
Manufacturer: Harper & Row Pub.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NGWQIU

IN SEARCH OF IDENTITY . An Autobiography

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IN SEARCH OF IDENTITY . An Autobiography
Anwar El-Sadat
Manufacturer: Collins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000MWT2CS

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In Search of Identity : An Autobiography
Anwar El Sadat
Manufacturer: HarperCollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OA4IVI

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In Search of Identity : An Autobiography
Anwar El Sadat
Manufacturer: Harpercollins College Div
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OF4XOK

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IN SEARCH OF IDENTITY: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY
Anwar (Foreward by Jimmy Carter) el-Sadat
Manufacturer: Easton Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Book Description

William K. Harvey was the CIAâ€™s most daring and successful field operator during the tense, early days of the Cold War. Extremely intelligent, a dedicated martini drinker, coarse in manner and appearance, both loved and hated, he was larger than life. But just as Harvey reached his zenith, fate and personal flaws caused his swift, dramatic downfall. Bayard Stockton provides a rich portrait of the man, including accounts from Harveyâ€™s family, friends, and former CIA colleagues who have never spoken publicly before.

Harveyâ€™s intelligence career began at the FBI, where he hunted Nazi spies. After running afoul of J. Edgar Hoover, Harvey went to the fledgling CIA in 1947. Harveyâ€™s CIA successes included the unmasking of Soviet spy Kim Philby and masterminding the famous Berlin Tunnel that tapped Russian communications. The pinnacle of Harveyâ€™s career came as chief of both ZR/RIFLE, the agencyâ€™s political assassination operation, and Task Force W, the group targeted on Cuba. But Harvey was in constant conflict with Bobby Kennedy, who micromanaged operations against Fidel Castro. Harvey profanely insulted the presidentâ€™s brother during a tense meeting, which led to Harveyâ€™s reassignment to Rome. His alcoholism worsened in Italian exile, and he was forced to retire. He became a nonperson.

However, Harvey resurfaced during Senate hearings in the 1970s. When his supervision of the plots to assassinate Castro was revealed, many labeled Harvey the epitome of CIA excess. Harveyâ€™s continuing friendship with Johnny Rosselli, a Mafia figure who had helped the CIA with Cuban operations, opened further questions as someâ€”most notably Robert Blakey, former chief counsel to the House Subcommittee on Assassinationsâ€”linked Rosselli to JFKâ€™s assassination.

Flawed Patriot cuts through the rumors and inaccuracies surrounding Harvey to show a brilliant but flawed man who was undoubtedly one of the most talented and imaginative officers in the agencyâ€™s storied history.

Customer Reviews:

A tough read.......2007-05-07

There's a lot of great info in this book, but unless you're REALLY into FBI/CIA/Bill Harvey, it's very dry reading. It jumps around a bit, but if you persevere, you'll find some interesting tidbits here and there.

A Brilliant Title.......2007-02-02

This book has a brilliant title. Bill Harvey was indeed a Patriot. And he certainly had flaws. His drinking was a problem from early in his life and combined with smoking was at least partly responsible for the heart attacks that killed him at the relatively early age of 61.

He was also not exactly what you would call a team player. He was fired by J. Edgar Hoover for breaking regulations. His relationship with Robert Kennedy might best be called hatred. While he did some brilliant work, like identifying Kim Philby as a KGB agent and the famous tunnel into East Berlin, his relationship with the Mafia and rumors about being involved in the JFK assassination are not the sort of things that help get promotions within an organization like the CIA.

This is both an interesting biography of a full fledged master spy, and a history of the early days of the CIA and the Cold War. The author worked for Harvey in Berlin for two years before becomming a journalist and now a biographer.

The CIA Legend part is correct.......2007-01-23

Flawed Patriot has a great topic in Bill Harvey. The author's direct knowledge seems to be based on Harvey's career in Germany . The research of the late Mr. Stockton of much of the career of Bill Harvey appeares flawed. The drama of Bill and CG's adoption of a daughter in Germany is in line with what they told my wife and me in Rome,Italy in the mid 1960s. The events surronding Bill's return to Washington from Rome are not fair and complete and appear to be based on interviews that lack some of the facts.
Based on my personal knowledge and my research as an intelligence scholar and professor, Flawed Patroit does no justice to the pioneering work of Bill Harvey in clandestine collection, covert action and technical intelligence operations. In my opinion, Bill Harvey ranks amond the Top Ten Clandestine Service Officers in the history of the Central Intelligence Agency.

A true American patriot deserves better than this........2007-01-16

Bill Harvey was a larger-than-life secret agent who bull-dogged his way through the corridors of power in WW-11 FBI (where his sin of not being instantly available to take Herbert Hoover's telephone call cost him Napoleon's blessings), the OSS and eventually the CIA.

The apotheosis of Harvey's career was conceiving of and managing the digging of the Berlin Tunnel in 1953--an audacious wire-tap of 172 telephone cables just over the border in East Berlin. Before the author gets to telling us this story, he foreshadows it many times as if he's already told it. When he does tell it, the tale is vague and incomplete. Little of the extreme tension is conveyed that this major espionage coup created among the band of agents who carried it out, and none of the exultation.

Harvey was an anomaly in the rising intelligence community. Just like those other genius mavericks--General Billy Mitchell, General George Patton, Col. Charlie Beckwith--he bucked his superiors to get things done, and like them, he was undone by the iron law of all bureaucracies-- that fealty is much more important than results. His resentment at Bobbie Kennedy's ultra micro-managing of the Bay of Pigs fiasco certainly contributed to its failure. It certainly scuttle Harvey's career. Yet what politician has ever learned the harsh lesson that others' are better at their jobs than they are--so let them do their jobs?

A serious 3-martini luncheon schmoozer, Harvey was adroit in finding and attracting talented cohorts. He built up highly loyal groups in spite of the usual internecine infighting that is the hallmark of all operational organizations. In the end his drinking got the better of him, and he was cast off like all such "failures."

This author (deceased) needed a rigorous editor to get his house in order. The work is a mish-mash of anecdotes and commentary, all presented in no particular order, as if a massive re-ordering of chapters had been undertaken at the last minute. Names appear out of nowhere as if we had already been introduced. Too bad. Bill Harvey was a true American patriot; he deserves better than this.

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The Great Experiment of Our Political Laboratory

Empathy Acheived!

Politics in the Trenches: Citizens, Politicians, and the Fate of Democracy
Thomas J. Volgy
Manufacturer: University of Arizona Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Practical Politics | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
U.S. | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
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The American Democracy

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ASIN: 0816520860

Book Description

With suspicion and distrust of public servants running high, many citizens seem dispirited by the very process that has made the United States a showcase for democracy. Now the former mayor of a major western city argues that most elected officials are the very opposite of what the public thinks: honest, hardworking people whose real work goes unnoticed by most of their constituents and the media. Volgy has interviewed more than 300 elected officials from all over the U.S. to offer a decidedly contrarian view of politics. He shows that officeholders are for the most part average citizens motivated by a sense of civic duty; yet once elected they give up their personal lives and fall prey to every conceivable brickbat of public and media outrage. His book offers a fresh perspective on democratic governance, warning us that we could lose true democracy if we don't get involved.

Customer Reviews:

The Great Experiment of Our Political Laboratory.......2005-08-19

"I lived in this community for twenty years, and everyone I came into contact with trusted and liked me. As soon as I got on the city council, it meant an instant loss of credibility. All of a sudden, anyone who didn't like what I was doing would immediately challenge my integrity and motives."

The above quote, unfortunately, appears to reflect the feelings of a majority of both the constituents and elected officials in the United States. In an effort to enlighten and elevate the average American citizen above the level of an armchair analyst, Thomas J. Volgy, after fourteen years in public office and a thirty year career as a political scientist, wrote Politics in the Trenches: Citizens, Politicians, and the Fate of Democracy.

"Politics is a constant process of conflict over values and policy positions". Everyone who's taken a government or civics class, has voted, or knows anyone in politics should know this. In Trenches, Volgy feels it's necessary that all citizens know and remember this point to continue the American democratic experiment. Without our social capital, our democracy "will wither and die." How true...

Volgy's most important ideas presented in Politics in the Trenches are (in no specific order): the Founding Fathers were pragmatists, rather than ideologues; local governance and involvement in the local laboratory is key to the connection between citizens and national ideologies, including direct democracy and representation; negative portrayals and simplification of complex issues in "time bites" by the American media create an artificial closeness; whether the news is actually useful; campaign finance is strongly needed to level the playing field and allow for a modest turnover so more people can be a part of the experiment.

The supposition that the framers of the Declaration Of Independence and the Constitution were pragmatists flies in the face of most previous research, but after its introduction in the text, it is only used as an idea to construct our governing system as a laboratory. Using local level government as the main area of discussion is a good tactic; direct contact with elected officials is easiest here, and results of the political experiment are first seen at home. Volgy, in addition, has the most experience at a local level.

The artificial closeness created by media, along with a false image, perhaps contributes the most to a nation of individuals unknowing, uncaring, or unwilling enough to become involved in the political process. Roughly 50-60 pages of the text are devoted to increasing the reader's awareness of media effects. Chapter eight is a treatment of the different forms of media and the technologies that drive them. Throughout the book, television is the most consistently criticized for its false perception and shallow coverage of political events. As Volgy wrote, "Over forty years of addiction to television has taught us that nearly all problems are solvable in half-hour sitcoms and hour-long dramas." Even with the predetermined "knowledge" that television "creates" a short attention span and decreased social interaction, reading Volgy's ideas causes the reader to rethink the honesty and integrity of a news anchor and editors.

With regard to the import of the book to study of American government, Volgy explains the processes in a politician's daily roles, not just limiting the writing to legislative matters, but the tedious, often overlooked areas such as working in the car and lack of sleep before meetings. Little things such as this serve as reminders that political officials are just as human as the local grocer or schoolteacher.

The expenses of the job are important as well. In a time of increased media exposure to campaign finance reforms and wasteful government spending, knowing where your representative is spending constituent money is an area on which many negative campaigns focus. What does the public view as fair compensation, and what is viewed as a perk for elected officials? As with other areas, they typically take their cues from the media. Are vehicle expenses and travel reimbursements legitimate? Volgy writes that they may be viewed "as perks even though they constitute fair compensation for conducting public business." When compared with the responsibilities undertaken on these visits, an informed constituent can see that the travel to other parts of the United States, and the world, is no perk, but a necessary and often tiring part of the job.

Compensation itself is something many citizens, voters and nonvoters alike, look at with trepidation. Volgy notes that compensation for office at local levels in many cities places officials below the poverty line. Many do have other careers, but the amount of hours worked does not equivocate to pay for comparable private and public non-political positions.

Of all the perks, money spent on elections by incumbents is the one with which citizens should be most aware. Incumbents already have name recognition and many have franking privileges, but according to a California study, only have to spend 29 cents per dollar for direct voter contact, while a challenger must spend 53 cents of every dollar for direct voter contact. Large corporate lobbying of both major parties is another area of finance Volgy discusses.

He also shows the human frailty that can motivate some to run for office, not out of civic duty, but psychological pride or perceived need. The fact that most local politicians are exposed to more direct scrutiny is reassuring, but at the national level, more investigation on the part of the reader is necessary to discern possible motivations.

The discussion about types of municipal governments gives a better understanding of the local legislative process and some cities' answers to administration and legislation, as well as an in-depth look at how cities deal with specific issues such as homelessness. Different political factions handle issues with varying ideologies, and varying levels of success. At the lowest levels, dealing with tough moral, ethical, and social issues calls for compromise and choosing battles. Without a political ideology, voters are left with difficult decisions on these issues, and a lack of empathy with officials breaks down the process of representative democracy. The "absence of an explanatory framework that is being constantly improved and made more efficient" makes it more difficult to explain failures in the political experiment.

The idea of a political laboratory and officials as scientists gives a clear picture for many, but leads to the question "who controls the experiments?" Media currently has government wearing a blue lab coat, standing in front of a blue screen. This puts politicians in any setting that's convenient for increased market share of the respective media. Some politicians initiate their own airplay, posturing for more airtime through "affirmative action," while some are pushed onto the equivalent of a Hollywood soundstage in "legal spectacle[s]." By learning more about the people involved in government, and the processes by which our laws are made and enforced, the empathy created not only strengthens our country, but also allows the elected officials to change the color of their lab coats. Citizens with more knowledge of issues will demand better coverage of those issues, thus creating a social movement onto itself.

Finally, lack of empathy and lack of active participation in civic functions coupled with weak party identity weakens the entire process of politics, and allows a small minority to "steer government mostly for its own benefit." Increased social activity, participation in local and state government can begin to provide the stronger bridge to national government, and expose another generation to the ongoing experiment of democracy.

While mostly well written, this reader has several issues with the book: its tone towards media as a whole; necessity for more information on reliability of sources and validity; lack of explanation as to what role citizens play in the laboratory; repetition in many of his arguments. This reader believes that while media coverage is inadequate for our political purposes, this is a direct result of the larger problem of ideological collapse. While Volgy does discuss this, he spends too many pages writing about the horrors of modern media and the negative effects, without bringing a direct treatise on socialization levels into action. Anyone old enough to read the book will be able to grasp the idea of political socialization once outlines for them, yet he spends few pages on this, and less on political party ideology.

It appears as if the book is slanted at times, and some of his statements are transmitted as fact, while they are in reality his opinion. A disclaimer might be needed, or the use of a reader's own deductive reasoning. When information about government is released every citizen should ask himself/herself, "Is this matter truly relevant to the workings of everyday government? Does it affect the particular judgment on the issue(s) at hand? Who stands to gain from the release of this information- the constituents, or party opposition, the private sector and the media?"

As the ones subject to the experiments, what role do we play in the direct representation, other than choosing who will feed us and clean our cages? Someone such as this reader will understand our place, and our duty, but will an average citizen picking up the book? For that matter, would an average citizen pick up Politics in the Trenches? Most nonvoters would need more of an introduction to his ideas; perhaps even another chapter of historical information about either the American populace, or the formation of American politics. While this reader does understand the author's purpose, if it is indeed to educate the masses the message needs more underlying principle at the beginning.

This reader does however agree that before we can rightly and effectively criticize our government at the national level of legislation (on domestic policies), we must first "set our own house in order" by making a valid assessment of local government by use of empathy and availability of public records. Active participation in the local level of government gives a clearer window of our political process than the 13"-27" black and white or color one through which most Americans see the ongoing experiment. Only then can we say whether the political experimenters "are too insulated to understand the effects of their experiments".

Looking beyond these criticisms, this would be a book to recommend; the title is better than the working one listed on Volgy's biographical statement - Liars, Crooks and Cheats? Experimenting with Democracy in America. It would also be advisable for someone reading the book to either take a class simultaneously, or at the least have a government book on hand for reference.

Empathy Acheived!.......2005-05-23

I had to read this book for an Intro to Political Science course, and even though PolySci isn't my favorite subject, I really enjoyed this book. Volgy brings us in the daily life of a local politician, and we can witness first hand how they work a lot behind the scenes to make a better life within their communties. A lot of people (like me) are "free-riders" who don't really know a lot of how things in our communties happen. He also brings in how the media only covers interesting stuff, and doesn't give him enough time to really say what is going on. He has a 30 second window, to try to talk of what he is doing. Great book! I could not put it down...

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Tucked within Missouri's borders are eight congressionally designated Wilderness Areas. These magnificent forests, scattered across the southern portion of the state, combine a wide variety of unique ecosystems. In Unspoiled Beauty, Charles Farmer captures the essence of the Missouri Wilderness experience, allowing even those who have never set foot in the wilderness to enjoy its wonders and appreciate its importance.

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