The Way of the Explorer: An Apollo Astronant's Journey Through the Material and Mystical Worlds (Audio Editions)

Book Description

Astronaut Edgar Mitchell experienced a profound sense of "universal connectedness" as he returned to earth after having walked on the moon. Since then he has devoted his life to understanding the meaning of that experience, investigating its basis in science and in spirituality. His brilliant inquiry is a breakthrough linking science and religion. Mitchell's own voice on this memoir adds a special dimension to a remarkable personal and professional search, answering our fundamental questions about the universal connectedness of all life. 3 cassettes.

Book Description

This lavishly illustrated volume vividly chronicles Alberto Ascari's legendary racing career. Award-winning author Karl Ludvigsen describes Ascari's foray into racing on Bianchi motorcycles, Ascari's 1940 Mille Miglia race; his win at the 1948 San Remo GP in a Maserati; his spectacular success in back-to-back world titles with Ferrari in 1952 and 1953; his frustrating move to Lancia in 1954; up through and including Ascari's devastating and fatal crash at Monza.

Book Description

Acknowledged as perhaps the masterpiece of materialist criticism in the English language, this omnibus ranges over British literary history from George Eliot to George Orwell to inquire about the complex ways economic reality shapes the imagination.

Customer Reviews:

A World in Transition.......2004-06-24

Raymond Williams discusses how the idea of "culture" and "society" evolved in England when two forces (democracy, industrialism) were undermining traditional notions of both. Williams is a Marxist and it is clear that his analysis of Burke, Coleridge, Mill, Carlyle, Newman, Arnold etc... is directed by Marx's theory of class relationships. The book, therefore, is both an analysis and an argument.

The analysis/argument is that democracy and industrialism broke down old relationships and initiated new ones. While this shift was occuring a new kind of writer was born: the cultural critic. The major theme of this book is the evolution of the word "culture" . Before the period in question (1780-1950) the word "culture" was used to describe art and literature but beginning with Burke and Coleridge the word begins to be used to refer to a "whole way of life". Coleridge makes the key distinction between "civilization" and "culture". Coleridge uses the word "civilization" to describe the "general progress of society" and he uses the word "culture" to express a standard of perfection independent of the progress of society that could be used "not merely to influence society but to judge it." Coleridge envisioned a class of men or "clerisy" whose sole task would be to tend to the cultivation of society. The great fear in the minds of nineteenth-century educated Englishman was that democracy would lead to a dumming down of public life and that what society really needed was some class of educated individuals(Coleridge) or some heroic individual (Carlyle) to insure the continued cultivation of society.
Raymond Williams is writing from a working-class perspective but he is a working-class kid who also happened to attend Cambridge. Writing from this unique perspective allows him to identify with both the great cultural thinkers of the past and with the "masses" that they feared. Coleridge and Carlyle felt that the masses were incapable of governing themselves and contributing to the continued cultivation of society(a notion that continues to inform much of modern conservastism). Williams suggests that it is a mistake to think of men as "masses" and that for society to grow it must remain open, and that society must encourage individual effort from all segments of society while continuing to value and cultivate a collective way of life. Exactly how society is to do this is explained only in vague platitudes.

The best and strongest part of the book is the early portion that examines the definition of "culture" as opposed to "society". The argument gets fuzzy around the time of Matthew Arnold who could not quite decide just what constitutes "culture". In the nineteenth-century "culture" is tied to religious tradition in the minds of Burke, Coleridge, Carlyle and Newman. Beginning with Arnold, however, cultural critics attempt to define "culture" without reference to religion. This proves to be difficult as "culture" describes not only all the best that has been thought but also refers to a body of values that have been passed down and religious institutions are just as powerful, if not moreso, than economic institutions. It is at this point when one begins to question the materialist approach to history.

In his conclusion Williams discusses democracy as if it were the natural substitute for religion or even a new kind of religion. He is not altogether successful and for me the concluding chapters were much less satisfying as cultural history than were the early chapters. This does not take away from the exceptional clarity of those early chapters.

The book is an excellent study of what it means to live in a world in transition and how difficult it is to properly define a "common culture" in a world that regularly undergoes cultural shifts. Society struggles on between two cultural ideologies; between the religious conservatives and the liberal-democrat reformers. In the best portion of Culture and Society Williams describes how J.S. Mill tried to find some way of melding the two ideologies into one.

Excellent.......2000-07-24

Williams examines the development of the English novel (and the language itself) as a means to socio-political criticism. The section on the Romantic Period is excellent, as are the sections on Eliot and Orwell. This isn't your typical "critical theory" work: Williams doesn't use the ridiculous theoretical schemes often found in the field. Also, while his analysis is ultimately radical left, Williams remains undogmatic and clear-headed throughout (also a rarity), attributable in part I think to his working class background (this is really one of the themes of the work itself - upper middle-class liberalism and "radicalism" versus working-class radicalism).

Don't be put off by the claim that this is a "materialist analysis." Yes, he describes the creation of the author as the result of an economic/social process, but this isn't the main thrust of the work.

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Wordsworth Circle, published by Thomson Gale on March 22, 2006. The length of the article is 3179 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 Long Revolution of Raymond Williams: Culture and Society fifty years on.(Critical essay)
Author: Eric C. Walker
Publication: Wordsworth Circle (Magazine/Journal)
Date: March 22, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 37 Issue: 2 Page: 60(4)

Article Type: Critical essay

Distributed by Thomson Gale

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Culture & Society 1780-1950

Manufacturer: Penguin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000GR8U1S

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Culture & society,: 1780-1950
Raymond Williams
Manufacturer: Chatto & Windus
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0006DING4

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CULTURE AND SOCIETY 1780 - 1950
RAYMOND WILLIAMS
Manufacturer: PENGUIN
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000S94DU6

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CULTURE AND SOCIETY 1780-1950
Raymond WILLIAMS
Manufacturer: Chatto and Windus
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000IZWSBG

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Culture And Society 1780-1950

Manufacturer: Pelican
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000H02A5Q

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Culture and Society 1780-1950
Raymond Williams
Manufacturer: Columbia University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OPXK1M

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Conan for AD&D 1st edition

Conan: Unchained! (Advanced Dungeons & Dragons module CB1)
David Cook
Manufacturer: Wizards of the Coast
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
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Conan: Against Darkness (Advanced Dungeons & Dragons module CB2)

ASIN: 0880381523

Customer Reviews:

Conan for AD&D 1st edition.......2000-05-09

Conan Unchained! is an AD&D (1st edition) module for character levels 10-14. It is set in Robert E. Howard's world of the Hyborian Age, and is designed for use with four pre-generated characters: Conan, Nestor, Juma, and Valeria (though other characters can be substituted). The adventure itself pits the characters against an evil magic-user who has taken control of a Turanian city.

As a real bonus, this module contains information on running a campaign set in the Hyborian Age. Rules are given for "luck points" and fear factors. Also, information is given on the use of spell casters.

Customer Reviews:

Conan for AD&D 1st edition.......2000-08-03

This module is absolutely a masterpiece. It is very well written, and has a lot of "goodies." If you can get this work, then do so!

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Get Control!

Preventing Internal Theft : A Bar Owners Guide
Robert A. Plotkin
Manufacturer: Barmedia
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Hospitality, Travel & Tourism | Industries & Professions | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Management | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Quality Control | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Criminology | Crime & Criminals | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
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Start and Run a Money-Making Bar

Successful Beverage Management

The Food Service Professionals Guide to Bar & Beverage Operation: Ensuring Maximum Success (The Food Service Professionals Guide to, 11)

The Professional Bar & Beverage Managers Handbook: How to Open and Operate a Financially Successful Bar, Tavern and Night Club

The Food Service Professionals Guide to Controlling Liquor Wine & Beverage Costs (Food Service Professionals Guide to)

ASIN: 0945562241

Customer Reviews:

Get Control!.......2000-05-17

I wish I had found this book years ago. It explains all the differnet concerns regarding theft at a bar. It is easy to go through and pull out the information that most meets the needs of the business. Way to go Plotkin!

Amazon.com

The composer, pianist, and headgear eccentric Thelonious Monk is one of the few musicians whose touch can be recognized from almost any three-second sample of his work. Who else could have dreamed up the majestic oddity of "Round Midnight" or "Well, You Needn't" or "Ruby, My Dear" or "Pannonica"? Who else could have duplicated Monk's distinctive attack at the keyboard, with its clenched harmonies and rock-skipping runs? At least one major biography has been in the works for the last 20 years, but now Leslie Gourse--who has also written books about Sarah Vaughan and Nat King Cole--has put together a graceful, intelligent narrative. Straight, No Chaser is notably light on musicological analysis, and the author never quite delivers on her promised revelations about Monk's final decade (during which he withdrew into both musical and verbal silence). But Gourse has done some excellent spadework, interviewing Monk's family, musical associates, and longtime manager Harry Colomby; her preliminary portrait is a fine one.

Book Description

Music/Jazz BiographyFirst English-language biography of a legendary and compelling jazz artist.Thelonious Monk was one of jazz's legendary figures, whose life story has yet to be told. Pianist and bandleader, he led the legendary jam sessions at Harlem's Minton's Playhouse where, along with Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie, he helped mold the nascent style of bebop. Monk's composition 'Round Midnight; Straight, No Chaser; Blue Monk; Misterioso; Rhythm-a-ning; and countless others have become classics in the jazz repertoire. Monk's piano playing was so unique that it has been widely emulated and praised, but never equaled. His personal life was also unique, including a long battle with depression and mental illness that finally led to his total withdrawal from recording and music making years before his tragic death. This book tells Monk's story based on first-hand interviews with the musicians who worked with him, along with the participation of his son, T.S., and other family members. It discusses both his musical and personal lives in frank detail, and illuminates one of the most important jazz player's of our time. Leslie Gourse is a well-known authority and writer on jazz. Her books have been widely praised, including Sassy: The Biography of Sarah Vaughan; Unforgettable: The Life and Mystique of Nat King Cole; and Madame Jazz. She has been awarded an ASCAP award for her journalism. Additionally, she writes regularly on jazz for both specialty journals and popular newspapers and magazines, including The New York Times, Christian Science Monitor, Village Voice, Boston Globe, Jazz Times, Harper's Bazaar, Elle, New York, Cosmopolitan, and many others. She has written liner notes for many jazz labels.

Customer Reviews:

Drum Son.......2006-03-18

This was an excellent and detailed account of Monk's life. It helped me to understand the man and his music.

Attention Thelonius Monk Fans!.......2000-08-15

Attention T.Monk fans! This book has lots of info on Monk. It is written in a very interesting way. Much of the info is from personal interviews, which means that there are many interesting and funny facts and stories. There are some great photographs of Monk with other jazz pioneers such as Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie etc. It also has a sessionography, index, list of compositions, and videography. A must read.

An excellent book.......1999-04-20

This book has gotten unjustified bad press. The author accurately captures the "real" T. Monk. She traces Monk's development and commitment to jazz over his career. The author had access to Monk's family (e.g., Toot his drummer son), friends, supporters, and the musicians that knew him. What I particularly like about the book was her treatment of Monk's mysterious pathology. Monk was a very strange guy. Various psychiatrists discounted him being schizophrenic and bipolar. The concensus was that he chemically ruined his brain over the years. He also cultivated an image of eccentricity. During the last six years of his life, he got up, put on a suit and tie (he was always sartorially snappy) and then laid in bed all day. This is a very good book and provided an insightful picture of this eccentric musical genius.

A too profesional job on an imposible subjet.......1998-06-19

Leslie Gourse and her team have done a book of merit, an investigation of true achievements, but one that lacks passion, and previous knowledge about the central theme: the life and music of Thelonious Monk. Nevertheless, this book is as close as one can get to the personal life of the high priest of bebop, but not to his musical perspectives. The author misses her point absolutly in avoiding a serious treatment of the music of one of the true geniuses of american music.

Straight No Chaser: The Life and Genius of Thelonious Monk

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Straight No Chaser: The Life and Genius of Thelonious Monk
Leslie Gourse
Manufacturer: Schirmer Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000O8VJMQ

Book Description

How Latin American governments will respond to popular outcry against unprecedented levels of both corruption and crime ranks among the principal political questions of this decade. The State on the Streets focuses on the tense interplay of police, democracy, state, and civil society in the region, using the cases of Argentina and Brazil as a lens.

Mercedes Hinton draws on her rare access to a wide spectrum of actors in the two countries--including top police officials and street patrolmen, military officers and legislators, clergy and prostitutes, business owners and shantytown residents--to present a vivid account of politics on the ground. Her in-depth comparative analysis reveals surprising parallels in the reform patterns adopted in Argentina and Brazil in the past decade, supporting conclusions that carry disturbing implications for the prospects for democratic consolidation in Latin America as a whole.

Customer Reviews:

Promoting Democracy vs. Crime Fighting.......2006-05-07

Having worked extensively with foreign police officials throughout the world, in Argentina, Venezuela, Iraq, and France among others, I can assert that Dr. Hinton has written a book that accurately depicts the delicate balancing act between effective policing and upholding democratic principles. It is relevant not only to the Latin American context, but speaks to many of the political tensions found throughout the world (and even some of the challenges at home). It is not your typical ivy-tower academic book as it is based on hundreds of interviews with both high and low ranking police officers, as well as residents of impoverished and high-crime neighborhoods. In addition to being informative and thought provoking, the way it is written lends to a smooth, easy read.

-A U.S. law enforcement officer

Book Description

Although bats are often thought of as cave dwellers, many species depend on forests for all or part of the year. Of the 45 species of bats in North America, more than half depend on forests, using the bark of trees, tree cavities, or canopy foliage as roosting sites. Over the past two decades it has become increasingly clear that bat conservation and management are strongly linked to the health of forests within their range.

Initially driven by concern for endangered species -- the Indiana bat, for example -- forest ecologists, timber managers, government agencies, and conservation organizations have been altering management plans and silvicultural practices to better accommodate bat species. Bats in Forests presents the work of a variety of experts who address many aspects of the ecology and conservation of bats. The chapter authors describe bat behavior, including the selection of roosts, foraging patterns, and seasonal migration as they relate to forests. They also discuss forest management and its influence on bat habitat. Both public lands and privately owned forests are considered, as well as techniques for monitoring bat populations and activity.

The important role bats play in the ecology of forests -- from control of insects to nutrient recycling -- is revealed by a number of authors. Bat ecologists, bat conservationists, forest ecologists, and forest managers will find in this book an indispensable synthesis of the topics that concern them.

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Another excellent compilation of information for Scientist.

BAT BIOLOGY & CONSERVATION
KUNZ THOMAS H
Manufacturer: Smithsonian
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Conservation | Environment | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

General | Conservation | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

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All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
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ASIN: 1560988258

Book Description

Presenting the most recent research and synthetic reviews of more than thirty-five of the world's leading authorities on bats, Bat Biology and Conservation discusses bat phylogeny and evolution, functional morphology, echolocation, and conservation biology. It is an essential reference not only for bat scientists but also for conservation biologists and those working with other mammalian groups.

Customer Reviews:

Another excellent compilation of information for Scientist........1998-12-28

A great follow-up book to the Ecology of Bats. A must for any bat biologist who is serious about their work. I cannot wait until Dr. Kunz publishes a work on Bats of the United States with color photo plates.

Bats of Southern Africa: Guide to Biology, Identification, and Conservation

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Showcases 78 species of bats native to southern Africa

Bats of Southern Africa: Guide to Biology, Identification, and Conservation
Peter John Taylor
Manufacturer: Univ of Natal Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Conservation | Environment | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

General | Conservation | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 0869809822

Customer Reviews:

Showcases 78 species of bats native to southern Africa.......2001-10-11

Enhanced with both color photographs and drawings, as well as b/w sketches and illustrations, Peter Taylor's Bats Of Southern Africa showcases 78 species of bats native to southern Africa. The reader is provided with clear descriptions and accurate diagnostic features, as well as a wealth of information on the bat's habitat, social and roosting habits, diet, reproduction, echolocation call, distribution, and conservation status. A superb introduction and reference, Bats Of Southern Africa is a welcome and highly recommended addition to wildlife reference collections in general, and the Bat in particular.

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