Monkey Business: Swinging Through the Wall Street Jungle

Monkey Business: Swinging Through the Wall Street Jungle
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Great first-hand account into ib

It's "Business" for Excel Monkeys

Raw but Intelligent

Awesome, funny, and useful

Absolutely hilarious

Monkey Business: Swinging Through the Wall Street Jungle
John Rolfe , and Peter Troob
Manufacturer: Business Plus
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0446676950

Book Description

Meet John and Peter, two young business school graduates about to become frustrated foot soldiers for the world of high finance. 20 hour days, inflated salaries, senseless prospects, outlandish characters and strip club lap dances make escaping with their sanity sound like the best deal of all.

Customer Reviews:

Great first-hand account into ib.......2007-09-21

This book was an entertaining way to look into the world of ib. After being in ib for quite a while and hearing about this book left and right, I finally had the time to pick it up and read through it. It is right on the money with each of the topics. This book is a must read for anyone thinking of working in investment banking or Wall Street in general.

It's "Business" for Excel Monkeys.......2007-08-24

The numerous other reviewers have already done this work by Rolfe and Troob justice with their detailed and colorful comments and elaborations. So I'll make mine short -- JUST DO IT. Definitely read this book if you are in the trade. It's entertaining and educational. Plus, it makes a cross-country business trip plane ride go much faster.

Raw but Intelligent.......2007-07-10

This is the most "unveiling" book about associate life in investment banking (in equities at least) I've come across and I think holds its own on a Liar's Poker level. It's not low level humor, just highly witty and raw; and well written. You will laugh at loud, yes even you stoic business-types.

If you're thinking about I-banking, I'd recommend this, especially if you believe the myth of cigars, caviar and high-life escapades. MB, with some colorful descriptions, tells it like it is.

I agree with the counter claims made by some bankers in the comments section, and believe MB shouldn't discourage anyone. Any high level professional has to pay dues, the associate years at a bank is analogous to the residency years of a surgeon. Yes you're going to get destroyed, but that's the rite of passage.

Good luck to all the eager bankers out there. Read and enjoy.

Awesome, funny, and useful.......2007-06-19

I finished this book the second time I picked it up because it is absolutely hilarious. A great book, with very funny moments. Also this book gives a great insight into the kind of activities bankers do at the associate level. Great book!!

Absolutely hilarious.......2007-04-15

I work at an investment bank but I'm not a banker. I just bought this book on a friends recommendation and I must say this read is hilarious. I read it during my commute to work and the other day I just could not stop laughing in the bus. I had tears in my eyes. I had to put the book down before someone noticed and thought I was crazy.

Infectious greed in the capital markets and corporate accounting: a series of book reviews.(Book Review): An article from: Journal of Information Systems

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Infectious greed in the capital markets and corporate accounting: a series of book reviews.(Book Review): An article from: Journal of Information Systems
Robert E. Jensen
Manufacturer: American Accounting Association
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Product Description

From the beginning of the sound era until the end of the 1930s, independent movie-making thrived. Many of the independent studios were headquartered in a section of Hollywood called "Poverty Row." Here the independents made movies on the cheap, usually at rented facilities where shooting was limited to only a few days. From Allied Pictures Corporation to Willis Kent Production, 55 Poverty Row Studios are given histories in this book. Some of the studios, such as Diversion Pictures and Cresent Pictures, came into existence for the sole purpose of releasing movies by established stars. Others, for example J.D. Kendis, were early exploitation filmmakers under the guise of sex education. The histories include critical commentary on the studio's output and a filmography of all titles released from 1929 through 1940.

Customer Reviews:

solid information source but..........2006-06-20

This book provides solid filmographies of poverty row studios
active in the 30s' and good but brief histories of the studios. However Pitts omits coverage of perhaps the three most famous poverty row studios in this period: Republic, Monogram and Mascot. The book remains a good source for obscure but interesting companies like Majestic, Tiffany and Grand National.

Book Description

Given the phenomenal fame and commercial success that the Beatles knew for the entire course of their familiar career, their music per se has received surprisingly little detailed attention. Not all of their cultural influence can be traced to long hair and flashy clothing; the Beatles had numerous fresh ideas about melody, harmony, counterpoint, rhythm, form, colors, and textures. Or consider how much new ground was broken by their lyrics alone--both the themes and imagery of the Beatles' poetry are key parts of what made (and still makes) this group so important, so popular, and so imitated. This book is a comprehensive chronological study of every aspect of the Fab Four's musical life--including full examinations of composition, performance practice, recording, and historical context--during their transcendent late period (1966-1970). Rich, authoritative interpretations are interwoven through a documentary study of many thousands of audio, print, and other sources.

Customer Reviews:

Well done.......2007-05-16

To understand the majority of this book one would need a music theory background, possibly at the graduate level.

I was surprised at the amount of other information provided as to ho played which instrument.

Very well researched.

A Fine Review Of The Beatles' Later Music.......2005-07-14

This book and its companion (which traces the Beatles' music from its beginnings through "Rubber Soul") demonstrate that there are writers who are serious about the remarkable music of the Beatles. Apart from Mellers' rather professorial, pedantic book and Riley's excellent, approachable book, there is a dearth of material on the music of the Beatles, apart from their sociological or gender ramifications, their cultural iconic status and their effect on fashion and morals, etc. And the music is the only aspect of the Beatles that should matter, since they were incredible musicians and their music has clearly withstood the test of time. Forget other recent books about the Beatles, such as "Meet the Beatles," which reassesses their sociological and gender significance largely by repeating what was previously written about them. Everett succeeds brilliantly in reviewing the Beatles' music as if he were reviewing the music of any great composer. For those who do not have a background in music theory, certain parts of this book may be difficult to comprehend. However, it is worth the effort. A fine achievement.

A 10-Star Salute.......2004-09-03

If you are interested in the technical aspects of the Beatles' music, then make this book your best friend. This book has a plethora of information that will enthrall readers from those who are mildly interested in the Beatles to their most inveterate fans.

As noted in another review, for those who are not interested in the technical parts of this work, skip ahead to other parts of this book and prepare to be delighted. This book is a compliment to the intelligence of its readers; this author has done a sterling job of researching his material.

Hats off and a 10+ star review for this book!

Best study of the Beatles' music.......2001-11-30

A goldmine for anyone interested in the Beatles! By far the best study of the Beatles' music, indeed of any repertory of popular music. Everett includes technical analyses that will assist and inform musicians and scholars. BUT the general reader must not be scared off by the technical sections! If you're not familiar with music theory, skip the technical parts and you still have the best coverage of the Beatles as composers, with historical and personal details accurately recounted for each song and album. Impressed by Everett's work, the Beatles gave Everett unprecedented access to sketches and other unpublished material.

Both author and publisher deserve 10 stars for this magnificent effort.

Excellent book.......2001-10-20

The author knows his subject and, when considering the market for the book, must have decided not to "dumb it down". Good work!

The Beatles as Musicians: Revolver through the Anthology.(Review) (book review): An article from: Notes

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The Beatles as Musicians: Revolver through the Anthology.(Review) (book review): An article from: Notes
Steven Block
Manufacturer: Music Library Association, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

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Book Description

This digital document is an article from Notes, published by Music Library Association, Inc. on September 1, 2000. The length of the article is 966 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: The Beatles as Musicians: Revolver through the Anthology.(Review) (book review)
Author: Steven Block
Publication: Notes (Refereed)
Date: September 1, 2000
Publisher: Music Library Association, Inc.
Volume: 57 Issue: 1 Page: 157

Article Type: Book Review

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The Beatles As Musicians: Revolver through the Anthology

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The Beatles As Musicians: Revolver through the Anthology
Walter Everett
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OKOGW4

Over the Hill Game Book
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Over the Hill Game Book
Lansky
Manufacturer: Meadowbrook
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0671576046

Book Description

Eight Entertaining Games and Activities to Make Your Over-the-Hill Party Fun

Here's a great way to "break the ice" and get your over-the-hill party off to a fast and funny start. You'll find four group activities and four party games that everyone will enjoy. The games come with duplicate game sheets for eight people.

Over the Hill! Game Book - 7 Games for As Many As 12 People
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Over the Hill! Game Book - 7 Games for As Many As 12 People
Amscan Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000RZMFHY

The Character of Organizations, Updated Edition: Using Personality Type in Organization Development
Average customer rating:

Myers-Briggs for companies - surprisingly effective.

a little hokie

Insightful!

For anyone seeking to transform their own business

An "Inside-Out" understanding of organizations

The Character of Organizations, Updated Edition: Using Personality Type in Organization Development
William Bridges
Manufacturer: Davies-Black Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0891061495

Book Description

Just as people have personalities, Bridges explains organizations have character.

Customer Reviews:

Myers-Briggs for companies - surprisingly effective........2002-11-07

Criticisms that this book merely recycles standard Myers-Briggs ideas are misplaced. Most people familiar with ideas of psychological type might agree there was *some* case for an analogous approach to organisational character, perhaps at the level of the four categories of temperament. However, William Bridges succeeds in showing how applying the sixteen types of Myers-Briggs type theory can highlight essential and distinctive organisational characteristics. Most of his examples, although dated, seem compelling. There are a few issues: I suspect that most people would consider Hewlett-Packard to be SF, rather than ST, as Dr. Bridges has it (p. 25). And even for a book first published in 1990, the omission of Microsoft is a little surprising (INTJ?).

The other dimension of organisational analysis covered in this book is that of organisational development and lifecycle. Again, Dr. Bridges leverages type theory to develop some interesting ideas as to the different type-characteristics exhibited from organisation conception ("the Dream"), through maturity ("Becoming an Institution"), to organisational death. Given the extent of merger and acquisition activity in recent years, I was surprised to see how little attention Dr. Bridges gave to managing the cultural and developmental issues which surface when different company characteristics collide in M&A, (about half a page).

Finally, there is a deeper theoretical issue as to why Jungian/Myers-Briggs type theory - developed from Jung's theories of the human psyche, should be expected to apply to organisations at all. Do organisations assemble themselves around the type of their founders, does the type emerge as a side-effect of the types of employees who are best at tackling the company's problems, or is there a supra-human theory of "organisational psychology" trying to get out here? The book alludes to the existence of these kinds of problems, but does not really add much to our understanding.

All in all, this book will add value to anyone who already has a feel for the Myers-Briggs approach to personality types, and who is interested in effectively dealing with organisations.

a little hokie.......2002-02-03

I sent this book back - Its basically the myers-briggs at the organization level. It goes through characteristics of the ENTJ organization for example. My problem with it was that the people make the organization and the culture and unless all the same types of people are being hired or cloned and all the people in the org are primarily the particular type then the concepts fall apart. The other thing that bugged me was that the leadership generally sets the tone for the organization so if the leader is a certain personality type then that will probably prevade the organization so there's no need to look at the organization's type but instead to look at leadership and see what type of culture/values they portend andthen work at that level to make change. Anyway, I didn't find this book useful at all - just another spin on myers briggs

Insightful!.......2001-05-09

Organizations have their own personalities, as William Bridges demonstrates by applying the most popular personality test ever devised for humans to groups of people working together. Bridges developed the “Organizational Character Index” (OCI) from the ubiquitous Myers-Briggs Personality Type Indicator. While OCI thus far lacks the rigorous testing of hundreds of certified Myers-Briggs trainers, intuitively the model makes sense. Bridges provides a useful way of thinking about organizational styles and tries to understand the nature of departments within organizations. Abundant examples, lists and charts help illustrate the principles. We...recommend this book to managers and human resource professionals seeking insight into the nuances of organizational development, provided that they are willing to spoon through a certain amount of alphabet soup. (Note: Though this book has a 2000 copyright date, with the exception of a new forward by Sandra Krebs Hirsh, it is a republication of a work written in about 1990.)

For anyone seeking to transform their own business.......2001-02-10

The Character Of Organizations identifies sixteen types of organizational character using the framework of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator instrument and clarifies what people actually experience on the job. Utilizing "real world" corporate examples, William Bridges shows that an organization's character shapes how decisions are made and new ideas are received, how employees are treated and how change is accepted or rejected, and how such things affect company performance. Written in a lively, contemporary, and completely accessible style, and in a new edition enhanced with a foreword by Sandra Krebs Hirsh and a new preface by the author, The Character Of Organizations is highly recommended reading for anyone seeking to transform their own business to take advantage of their strengths and become aware of their weaknesses with which ever corporate character style they are employing.

An "Inside-Out" understanding of organizations.......2000-08-31

William Bridges' "Character of Organizations" provides a valuable understanding of the journey of an organization through its' "life cycles" as well as how to understand some of the confusing and counter productive actions of its' members as it progresses on that journey. Dr. Bridges has skillfully utilized the richness of Type, combined with his own knowledge and experience working with organizations, to develop a framework for understanding their strengths and limitations. His work then demonstrates for the reader how to build on this framework to help the organization improve critical aspects of its' operations such as strategic planning, problem-solving processes, communication systems and decision-making approaches, "The Character of Organizations" is a must for organizational leaders at every level.

Book Description

Deborah Santana is best known for her marriage to music icon Carlos Santana–a thirty-year bond that endures to this day. But as a girl growing up in San Francisco in the 1960s, daughter of a white mother and a black father–the legendary blues guitarist Saunders King–her life was charged with its own drama long before she married.

In this beautiful, haunting memoir, Deborah Santana shares for the first time her early experiences with racial intolerance, her romantic involvement with musician Sly Stone and the suffering she endured in that relationship, and her adventures in the freewheeling 1960s. Yet it is her spiritual awakening that is the core of this story. The civil rights movement was the foundation of her growth, the Woodstock era the backdrop of her love with Carlos. The couple was drawn indelibly together by a search for truth and spirituality, but while yearning to be filled with God’s light, they were pulled dangerously toward a manipulative cult. They eventually disengage themselves from the guru and reclaim control of their lives, putting their love for each other before the cult’s increasingly strenuous demands.

Space Between the Stars is a moving account of self-discovery, rendered in raw, beautiful prose, by a woman whose heart has remained pure even in times of despair. As Deborah Santana talks frankly about her lifelong fight against racial injustice and her deep-seated loyalty to her family, ultimately it is the struggle to remain a spiritual and artistic force in her own right, in the shadow of one of the world’s most revered musicians, that shines through as her most indomitable pursuit.

From the Hardcover edition.

Customer Reviews:

Space Between the Stars: My Journey to an Open Heart.......2007-09-19

I was so impressed with the book I bought copies for all my sisters and mother. We all loved the book and my 81 year old mother reads reads regency romance novels exclusively. A miracle ocurred and she read this book and didn't want to put it down! We all loved it. The book gave us courage and opened our hearts. THANKS Deborah.
Sincerely,
Karen Gravina Hull, Massachusetts

Thanks Deborah.......2007-07-15

Deborah Santana opens her heart and life in this book much the same way a musician such as her father or husband does on stage. Truly a great writer Deborah chronicles a period of Rock and Roll as an insider. We are lucky to have an account from this period of two famous bands to which she was connected. But Space Between the Stars isn't just about Rock and Roll. It is a story of a strong woman who has survived that era and come out stronger. The Music on The Cds is incredible. Her son Salvador is likely to be a force in the music world, admired and respected as were his father and grandfather.

Sublime Joy.......2007-03-07

This is an amazing book full of truth and wisdom. "You house the truth of God's essence inside yourselves, to be heard in the wisper of silence". "Really, all brokenness is a lack of oneness with one's own spirit and light". For those unfamiliar with Carlos's wealth of music and message, we learn; "every note is chosen with the hope that in the listener it will sing a story, spark a journey to goodness and mercy". I laughed, I cried, I loved it! I am a middle aged white guy who honestly thinks Carlos Santana is a Prophet, chosen and inspired by God. Just listen to his music (all of it!). Deborah Santana is a gifted writer, who tells her story in a magical and compelling narative. The message is truley inspirational. Thank you.

Substitute for Love.......2007-01-08

For the first two-thirds of Deborah Santana's autobiography, I was very worried. Sisterly concern radiated from me like a constantly buzzing red light of warning. I wanted to grab her by the shoulders and shake her. Be careful! That man, that guru, that drug, that situation is not right. Keep away! Stop! Reboot! What are you thinking, you foolish naive little girl?

Well obviously all of Deborah's experiences are in the past, and she successfully navigated them to her present apparently self-realized state. And of course my cautionary voice came from... where? Oh yes, the voice of experience. Is this a generational thing? Or a Women-Coming-of-Age-in-the-USA thing?

Those of us born in the 1950's and before were, at least subliminally, instructed to put aside our own personalities in order to grace the life of a man or a god. Yet we came of age during a time in the US when women as a gender were carving out new roles and civil rights. This clash of philosophies led many of us to what we gently refer to as "adventures" or " interesting circumstances". At least this happened to those of us who sought to embrace the greater world and the myriad of opportunities it presented. After all, we had freedoms never or rarely afforded women before - but little in the way of experience or wise grannies to temper us.

Still - how could someone raised in what appears to have been a loving open-minded family tilt so headlong into such tawdry difficulties? It all comes down to naiveté and the desire for love, and so many of us have been there. Deborah abandons her own ego to that of the abusive and drug addicted Sly Stone. Then abandons it again to guru Sri Chinmoy, and yet again to Carlos Santana. She finally seems to begin to get her identity together when she has children and realizes that even if her beloved husband has a roving eye, she still has worth and purpose. But it none-the-less remains based on glomming her personality onto that of another: Sly, Chinmoy, Santana, babies. Even the book title describes her as a void between brilliant bodies of light. Primordial ooze aside, methinks there is still self-realization to be achieved here. And I believe she is currently doing this through the Milagro Foundation, her family's philanthropic outreach.

What is ultimately so marvelous about this book is that Deborah articulates eloquently the struggle so many of us in our generation have had to reconcile purpose and identity in a material society. Although she writes of racism, I see her story as more of a cautionary tale of sexism, the gullibility of young sheltered women, and, above all, the need for love that is so strong it can blind the seeker to all logic and reason. For this reason, the book is a fantastic book club read. Less inspiration than commiseration, it serves as a wonderful stimulus to discussion of our role as women, how this is evolving, and where it needs to go.

not what you think.......2006-12-28

I thought this would be a book about a woman's growth. It ended up being full of excuses for what she didn't accomplish but had stated she wanted to accomplish. It seems "god" always had other plans for her that kept her in an easier position. I found Deborah to be easily susceptible to persuasion with no critical thinking and greatly influenced by the men in her life and their dreams despite what she believes about herself to be the opposite. She seems to base her self worth on how much worth she bestows on the men who "chose" her. I would have my daughters read this book only as a cautionary tale - not one of personal growth. If she were not Deborah Santana I can't imagine that any publisher would have found this to be worth publishing or enlightening to women in any way.

Space Between the Stars: My Journey to an Open Heart

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Space Between the Stars: My Journey to an Open Heart
Deborah Santana
Manufacturer: One World
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000N348NE

Customer Reviews:

Outdated.......2005-08-12

Nothing in this book is new. If you know anything about Pat Buchanan, Samuel Francis, or any of the other conservatives who opposed immigration and World War II intervention, you will be familiar with the arguments set forth in this book. Ryn attempts to give these ancient political arguments with a relativistic and postmodernist tint so as to make it appealing to modern-day liberals, who love anyone that offers a criticism of neoconservatives, as well as old school conservatives that have nostalgia for the 1780s. Indeed, though Ryn would deny this, much of this book is nostalgia. The world and foreign policy has changed so much (due to high tech weapons and globalization) that preaching isolationism and relativism is not only silly, but irresponsible. The problem with this mindset, of course, is that it's impossible to detect totalitarianism with it. For a better argument that can swiftly discredit Ryn read anything by Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, or more importantly, Winston Churchill. If this criticism of Ryn's book does not convince you, I assure you that this book has many grammatical errors to keep any intelligent reader from touching this outlandish and outdated book.

the best short book on the geneology of neoconservatism.......2005-02-15

it's hard to gain a sense of scope, in a short book, of the depth of the malicious current which now afflicts american politics in the fascist redux of neoconservatism. ryn does admirably, tracing the mindset of radical/revolutionary polarized idealism such as we see today in neoconservatism to the rousseauian jacobins.

ryn concentrates revealingly on the revolution within the form that has taken place in america, including the onset of political euphemism and the perversion of abstract words like "freedom", "capitalism" and "democracy" such that they mean now nearly the opposite of what they once meant. using the same words with wildly different meaning is the mechanism by which the united states pretends to adhere to the old lockean/puritan values of its founders while betraying them on every front. it is a central point in understanding the political development of america in the 20th and 21st centuries as it moves to totalitarianism.

it's extremely difficult for any short book to cover western militant idealism as it has evolved from plato through the renaissance and counter-enlightenment to modern decadence and fascism, and ryn to her credit tries to concentrate her field of view in a very complex topic. that necessarily means oversights, of course, and many aspects of idealism's intellectual development are left untreated -- most notably, the heavy influence of trotsky, himself something of a new jacobin and the advocate of perpetual revolution.

but the book remains a compelling foundation for her thesis and potentially represents brutally enlightening reading for many americans who think fascism "ended" in 1945 and could never happen here. the unfortunate truth appears to be that is has been happening here for decades, and is moving to an endgame.

Does anyone here know anything about the real Jacobin?.......2004-10-14

These reviews are so weird here. Does anyone question Ryn's use of the word Jacobin ? Does anyone here know what a Jacobin is ? The Jacobins describe a group of clubs in France that originally supported a constitutional monarchy, then, when Louis XVI proved unwillingly to submit to a constitution, these clubs supported a democratic republic. The group then split into two opposing halves, the Girondists and the Mountain. The former where moderates, the latter, the winners, the radical republicans from which the Terror eventually came. After the Terror, the Jacobins were disbanded, but allowed to reform after a while. But then Napoleon came along, the Jacobins opposed him and again, the clubs were disbanded. But it has to be remembered that the Jacobins were the original group agitating for the three cardinals of French enlightment: fraternity, liberty, equality. I don't see these American neocons agitating for those causes, but for the opposite causes, albeit they mask their fascistic tendencies under the cloak of American values. And it is good to remember that the Jacobin started out agitating for a legaslative body, the National Assembly, that would work with the king, and only when the king and his supporters kept thwarting the Assembly's efforts did the regime turn bloody. And it is good to remember that if America were not separated from England by the ocean, the American Revolution could have been as equally bloody. The English themselves went through such a bloody revolution with the overthrow of the Stuarts and the establishment of the Commonwealth, which included beheading the king. And it is also good to remember that the founders of America were as inspired by Enlightment thought as the French were and weren't only protesting over the loss of age old Engligh gentleman's rights. If I were Ryn, I would have used the term neo-fascist to describe what Shrub and his associates are doing, both in American and abroad, not neo-Jacobin. His understanding of the intricacies of the French revolution seems shallow.

This you have to read !.......2004-06-08

This book is getting attention, but everybody should read it! It might even arrest the slide of America into decadence and totalitarianism. This is the best I've seen on the crisis of American society. I could not stop reading. The book gets to the bottom of it all. It's no coincidence that American society and the constitution are falling apart while our government is busy improving other countries. Having read this book I feel that I understand the heart of the problem. I wish many more people did,then we might have a chance to avert national suicide. Don't lose any time,read this book!

How we got into this war.......2004-05-24

I am glad I heard this author on the radio and checked out his book. It's clear to me now: America has been pushed into an aggressive posture in foreign policy by imperialist thinkers and actors who want the U.S. to dominate the world,ostensibly for the sake of democracy.In the end they are most interested in power and in advacing their own hidden purposes. Because they build on utopian ideas and are breaking with the older American political tradition, they are doing great damage to American institutions and liberties domestically and creating hatred of the U.S. abroad. America the Virtuous relates the ideas of American neo-Jacobinism to a general decline of American culture, but the author also shows that this political movement is just a symptom of a much larger problem with modern America. I was vaguely aware of some of this before, but now I can see it clearly. Although the book deals mostly with ideas rather than practical politics,it is a pleasure to read. You don't have to be a scholar to find it engaging and enlightening.

America the Virtuous: The Crisis of Democracy and the Quest for Empire.(Book Review) : An article from: Independent Review

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America the Virtuous: The Crisis of Democracy and the Quest for Empire.(Book Review) : An article from: Independent Review
Christopher A. Preble
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Independent Review, published by Thomson Gale on January 1, 2006. The length of the article is 1638 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: America the Virtuous: The Crisis of Democracy and the Quest for Empire.(Book Review)
Author: Christopher A. Preble
Publication: Independent Review (Magazine/Journal)
Date: January 1, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 10 Issue: 3 Page: 436(4)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Book Description

Over the course of two centuries, Americans have tried to tame the Missouri River. First explored by Lewis and Clark, this once free-flowing river has in modern times been dammed, dredged, and channelized until it now barely resembles its former self. Yet the Missouri remains beyond complete human control.

Writing in a new tradition of environmental history, Robert Kelley Schneiders takes a long historical view to reconstruct the Missouri Valley environment before Euro-American settlement and then trace the environmental transformations resulting from the development projects of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. He tells how the mighty Missouri has been transformed from a shallow, meandering stream to an engineered waterway with over a dozen dams, thousands of stone pile dikes, and seemingly endless miles of rock bank line--and how the river has reacted to the disruption of its original hydrologic and ecological processes.

Schneiders explores the reciprocal relationship between people and the natural world as he examines the political origins of Missouri River development plans. Bringing together much of the previously fragmented history of the river, he describes the environmental changes caused by the construction of a barge channel below Sioux City and by dam and reservoir construction in Montana and the Dakotas. Contrary to the conclusions of several other water historians, Schneiders argues that the development of the river was guided by neither federal elites nor local interest groups acting alone but by the two working in cooperation; while the Corps of Engineers built dams and channelization structures, private citizens cleared the lower Missouri Valley for agriculture, industry, and housing.

Although Schneiders claims that Missouri River development was undertaken primarily to benefit agriculture, he holds that in the long run the river has foiled these management attempts--and that despite the investment of technology and money, the public may have been better off if the Missouri had been left alone. Rich in geographical and topographical information and featuring both historic and contemporary photos, Unruly River shows that despite humanity's herculean efforts, the Missouri continues to be the principal actor in its own life story.

This book is part of the Development of Western Resources series.

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