Cereal Tycoon: Henry Parsons Crowell Founder of the Quaker Oats Company

Cereal Tycoon: Henry Parsons Crowell Founder of the Quaker Oats Company
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A religious man who was not ashamed to make money!

Inspiritonal and challenging to those whom God has prospered

Cereal Tycoon: Henry Parsons Crowell Founder of the Quaker Oats Company
Joe Musser
Manufacturer: Moody Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0802416233

Book Description

A fascinating and inspiring biography of the man who was called the father of modern merchandising, marketing and advertising, Henry Parsons Crowell, the founder of the Quaker Oats Company. Written by Joe Musser, award-winning film producer-director and author of the best-seller, "Joni" (3.5 million copies sold). Crowell, a contemporary of John D. Rockefeller, presents another side to the entrepreneurs of that day. Excellent reading for business men and women.

Customer Reviews:

A religious man who was not ashamed to make money!.......2001-10-27

Henry P. Crowell could make money just as easy as you and I can chew gum! You've probably never heard of this fine gentleman, but I know you are familiar with the company he helped make into a conglomerate. "QUAKER OATS." Mr. Crowell had a profound faith in God. He put his life into God's hands and just followed where God took him. If you are in business and you believe in God you will enjoy this book. There is very little out there about him, so get it here and enjoy!

Inspiritonal and challenging to those whom God has prospered.......1998-06-29

This biography of Henry Crowell is an easy read with a profound message for those of us whom God has prospered. The picture of the late 1800s and early 20th century are both interesting and enlightning. The testimony of his life and sucess in several arenas, while maintaining a humble stature, should be an encouragement to all.

Book Description

Kurt Warner is the greatest rag-to-riches story in the history of sports. It's a wonderful, hilarious, poignant and factual account of the magical ride. Go inside the locker rooms with all his coaches - from Dick Vermeil to Dick Breitbach... Get behind the scenes with Warner's trips to Wheel of Fortune, David Letterman and Disney World... Venture into the press box with Bernie Miklasz, Jim Thomas and J.R. Ogden... Eavesdrop on Bob Costas and Dan Dierdorf discussing the Kurt Warner Miracle... From the UNI-Dome to the Trans World Dome to the Georgia Dome, from Mariucci to his mom, this is the only book with the full story on the great unknown - Kurt Warner.

Customer Reviews:

I couldn't even finish.......2006-07-03

I love books. I love St. Louis. I love sports. However, I could not even finish this book. I got it for 50 cents at the library and was quick to realize why the previous owner was able to part with it. The most enjoyable thing was that the book is so bad that someone wrote tiny notes towards the end about how pointless most of the stories were.

Worst book I have ever purchased.......2002-02-03

I live in St. Louis and love both the Rams and Kurt Warner. I bought this book expecting to find out information on Warner and the magical season, but got rambling ... instead. The book is one chapter after another of people telling stories about themselves, some of which do not even know Warner. I bought the book at a local grocery store that had a huge promotion, selling copies at half-off the list price. Good books do not sell for half-price immediately after being published. It is not worthy of a match to burn it.

Kurt Warner: And The First Shall Be Last.......2001-06-27

I'm a big Kurt Warner fan, both as a football player and a peron. However, this book is almost degrading to him. Although everyone quoted speaks highly of Kurt, the author's presentation is extremely poor. It reads like he taped interviews and transcribed them word for word into a book. Very boring.

Weak effort. No Super Bowl for this book........2001-03-22

I am a huge Kurt Warner fan. However, this book was terrible. It seemed that it was thrown together so it could get to market quick. I wouldn't want anyone to waste their time with this. I normally don't try to trash items that people put a lot of work into. However, I don't feel there was lot of work put into this project. The book consists of stories/letters from people that new him. Most stories are disjointed at best. Sorry Kurt. Just don't feel this book is worthy of your achievements.

The intence biography of Kurt Warner.......2000-10-28

I think that this book is one of best Kurt Warner Biographys of many. I would requst this book to a person that likes sports. Also I would say that you would have to would have to know some things about the sport of football. There is alot of terms that only the people that like sports would know about. There is some things that this book doesn't cover. If you want to know more about Kurt Warner look at some of the other books that Amozon carries.

Book Description

The Arthurian legends are a crucial part of Western culture and literature. With their enduring themes, archetypal characters, and complex plots, it is not surprising that the stories of Camelot should find their way into films and television programs. From the moody (Excalibur) to the looney ("Knighty Knight Bugs"), over 250 entries describe the various media interpretations of the legendary king and his trusty knights. Entries are arranged alphabetically, with complete credits, synopses, and analyses of the ways in which the pieces interpret the legend. Included are works like The Sword in the Stone that are based solely on Arthur and his literary origins, as well as those that feature other Camelot characters like Galahad, Percival, and the operatic favorites Tristan and Isolde. Also included are fanciful interpretations in animated films, parodies like Monty Python's, films like Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade that feature Arthurian themes, and television programs with Arthurian episodes such as Babylon 5 and MacGyver. Operatic and dramatic works, like Camelot, that have been recorded for film and television are also covered. An index, appendices, and bibliography are included.

4 . . . Qh4 in the Scotch Game
Average customer rating:

The best there is on this line

I paid how much for that?!

4 . . . Qh4 in the Scotch Game
Lev Gutman
Manufacturer: Batsford
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Starting Out: The Scotch Game (Starting Out - Everyman Chess)

The Scotch Game Explained

ASIN: 0713486074

Customer Reviews:

The best there is on this line.......2003-01-22

I have to disagree somewhat with the other review of this book. I agree that it is a bit pricey but it is also available at lower prices. Consider that the Scotch isn't that popular and combine that with the fact that 4...Qh4 is very unpopular and you have a very small sales potential for this book. Add to that that it is authored by a world class grandmaster and that it is an encyclopaedic tome of all variations that follow in this opening. Further, there is nothing else on the market that has the information contained in this book. It is hard to see how this book could be inexpensive since high volume sales is out of the question. Although the product details on this site list the book as 208 pages, it is actually 272 pages.

The book itself is an exhaustive presentation of all the variations that can occur after 4...Qh4. Since this information is available nowhere else, this book is a treasure if you plan to defend with black or play against it with white.

A couple of observations: The defense is quite seductive because it seems to give black the advantage in all but two of white's responses. It's fun to whip the Queen out to h4 and threaten the pawn at e4 and in fact white allows you to play Qxe4 in many of white's approaches to this defense. 5 Nc3 seems to be about equal. The problem for black is that 5 Nb5 is so strong for white. White can easily let black play Qxe4+, develop a piece defending the check and force black to play Kd8 to defend against Nxc7+. White is down a pawn but black has his king in the middle and his rook on a8 with dim prospects of entering the game. In my database, white wins about 70% of these games. To be fair, there are better ways for black to play than Qxe4+ in the Nb5 variation but the Nxc7+ threat is cramping and makes for an unpleasant game for black. In the end, Gutman finds drawing chances in even the most difficult lines of this very complex defense.

This book is obviously not intended for the inexperienced player, it is for someone who is seriously working on their opening and is at the point where they are working on small parts of an overall plan. I feel that the short assessments of the variations provided by Gutman are sufficient and anyway the sort of explanation that would be required for beginning chessplayers would expand the size of this book to 600 pages or so.

For someone committed to playing the Scotch as white, I think this book is a must. Most Scotch sources just gloss over the Steinitz variation and the variation can be very dangerous (it scores nearly 50% overall in my database). Much of the old published analysis is faulty. Gutman's 2001 book is the last best word. If you decide to play 4...Qh4 as Black you need this book. Gutman has been playing this defense in correspondence games and has included some (all?) of that information in the book.

For awhile I have been playing the Nimzowitsch defense (1 e4 Nc6)and after the fairly common 2. d4 e5, if I face the fairly uncommon 3. Nf3 (dxe5 and d5 being by far the most common) , when I have nothing better than 3...exd4, transposing into the Scotch after 4. Nxd4. So I needed a defense to the Scotch. Someone whose opinion I respect suggested looking into the Steinitz. I have now done that. My conclusion: For my purposes it is too much material to try to learn for a variation I don't meet that often and playing against 5Nb5 is no fun. I opted for 4 Bb4+.

This is a well organized, nicely produced book that delivers exactly what you should be expecting in a large book devoted to an obscure variation. If it fits your needs, a strong buy recommendation.

I paid how much for that?!.......2001-07-25

I have been looking for a good book on the Qh4 line of scotch opening for sometime now. It is certainly a wild choice for black! This book does a good job on spending time on each variation (Horwitz, Modern, Fraser, Qd3), but it does not explain them very well. The book gives the variation, a short explanation of the strengths and weaknesses of the move and then shows a game or two with that line. A great improvement of the book would be more explaination of the variations.

Good values of the book: 1. A good number of diagrams for the line in discussion (a few more would be perfect). 2. All of the white and black choices covered. 3. Good for advanced players who want an indepth study of the Qh4 line.

Bad points of the book: 1. The organization of the book is alittle awkward. (But understandably so due to the many variations) 2. The "covered" choices are not explained indepth ie( consequences, strengths) 3. Not good for inexperienced players. 4. Very expensive for what you get.

This book certainly does cover the Qh4 line better than "The scotch game" by Peter Wells, who practically dismisses the move. In general, this book is only "ok". It could be improved on, and the price is too high. My opinion is, if you want to study the Qh4 line and are not on a tight budget, then buy this book because it is practically the only book on it.

Scotch 4...Qh4
Average customer rating:

See Jeremy Silman's Inside Chess Review

Scotch 4...Qh4
Sid Pickard
Manufacturer: Pickard and Son Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1886846022

Book Description

Scotch 4...Qh4, The Steinitz Variationby Senior Master John Hall

The venerable Scotch Game has enjoyed a great revival in recent years, with many top Grandmasters adding it to their repertoires. World Champion Kasparov's adoption of the opening aroused much interest, and the Scotch Game is regularly seen by his opponents. But Kasparov has so far gotten a free ride after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4, because his opponents have failed to task him with the dangerous and uncompromising 4...Qh4!?, the Steinitz Variation!

The Steinitz Variation with 4...Qh4 is undoubtedly Black's most challenging counter to the Scotch Game. After only four moves White suddenly must fight on Black's prepared territory, and is virtually forced to sacrifice his e-pawn and burn his safe, "positional" bridges behind him. Black provokes an immediate crisis, and brazenly grabs an important center pawn while keeping a compact position without weaknesses. White then has no choice but to look for compensation in the ephemeral world of tempi and development, ever mindful that Black will win almost any endgame. Maximun tension prevails in the razor-sharp struggle that follows, as the two sides play out the age-old chess conflict between Time and Material. The Steinitz Variation is thus an ideal weapon for those who want to win with the Black pieces.

Further, the Steinitz Variation has been tested in the fire of top level international chess, and even World Championship match play. The move 4...Qh4 is sound, aggressive and suitable for players of any level, from Grandmaster to postal player to average club member. All will find a powerful weapon in this cold-blooded, anti-Scotch counterattack.

This volume is the first monograph devoted exclusively to the Steinitz Variation of the Scotch Game. Here will be found the latest professional analysis of 4...Qh4, along with commentary by Chigorin, Zukertort and Steinitz himself, gathered from the rich history of this dynamic variation. Senior Master John Hall guides the reader to a deep understanding of the Steinitz Variation, providing original insights and fresh evaluations all along the way. Scotch 4...Qh4, The Steinitz Variation will be of interst to a wide range of players - from the practical competitor preparing for either color, to the general student wishing to learn gambit play.

Customer Reviews:

See Jeremy Silman's Inside Chess Review.......2000-01-15

Jeremy Silman, author of "How To Reassess Your Chess," and "The Amateur's Mind" wrote a comprehensive review which you can find at InsideChess.com. Summarizing: the Steinitz line 4...Qh4 is more dubious than ever particularly now because of Peter Well's book "The Scotch Game" which has newer, Grandmaster lines that either refute or weaken Black's optimistic assessments. Silman believes that this book could confuse weaker players with outdated analysis, although players interested in their own research will enjoy not having to "reinvent the wheel" and find out that a certain line has already been tested and found wanting.

Book Description

Dr. W. Edwards Deming, a household name in Japan, became the prime catalyst behind the incredible success of Japanese industry. In fact, since 1951, the Deming Prize has been the most coveted and prestigious award among Japanese corporations, similar to the Malcolm Baldrige Award for quality in business in the United States. Today, Deming is finally becoming a household name in his own country. The lessons he has to teach American business are more urgent than ever.

Just how different is the Deming Management Method? Compare just a few of the many differences in beliefs between conventional organizations and Deming organizations:

Standard Company

* Quality is expensive

* Defects are caused by workers

* Buy at lowest cost

* Fear and reward are proper ways to motivate

* Play one supplier off against another

Deming Company

* Quality leads to lower costs

* Most defects are caused by the system

* Buy from vendors committed to quality

* Fear leads to disaster

* Work with suppliers

Customer Reviews:

Pure Leadership.......2007-10-04

This should be required reading for anyone in a leadership position. Dr. Deming is the "father" of the Japanese business revolution that took place after WWII.

Timothy Kendrick Author-PTSD: Pathways Through the Secret Door

Useful Book.......2006-05-26

This is a good that has stood the test of time that is very useful for those who need a gentle introduction to Total Quality Management. Although the book is about 15 years old with some rather dated examples, the message it gives is still relevant and important.

The book written in plain language that focus on the essential quality and productivity message without statistical abstractions, which make it easily understandable to a wide readership. Those readers that have not read Deming's "Out of the Crisis" or Mary Walton's "Deming Management Method" will benefit the most from reading this book.

Quality in the writing, Quality out of the information.......2005-08-15

Mr. Aguayo writes as one who studies the efforts to produce quality, from an MBA, trained in the field, to view and review the management training in the US with that taught to the Japanese by Deming. His insightful examples and comparisons are invaluable to the reader, in furthering our understanding for the need to improve quality. Quality not as a product, but as a means and total way of life.

One of the top achievements in the XX Century!.......2004-12-05

The Quality is far beyond a simple theory. It is a vision of the life and how it must be lived .
There is a powerful statement of the Samurai code : Do not make anything useless.
And this is the way you get close mre and more to the essential doctrine and quality philosophy .
Deming was a pioneer in this sense, because he knew to establish patterns of behavior and systematic direction for an issue that mostly of the real artists own in his inner world .
His reading is absolutely recommended for any kind of reader .
And his presence must be a perpetuum mobile for the management no matter your discipline field is!

READ, READ, READ!!!! - easy redability and useful..........2001-09-24

Although I agree the book is dated in its examples, etc...

This book captures the essence of the way at looking at quality, no matter what field you may be in. The examples are dated, but the simple premise of what the book discusses is as important as ever today. The companies I have worked for since graduation from college (1992) still haven't come close to thinking of quality as described, and it was a hot topic in my production management classes during that time. The readability of the book is excellent; real-world (not classroom) analysis that keeps you interested in the subject without confusion.

The one dis-heartening (sp.) thing in this book is that for low- and mid-level managers, it's difficult to be an agent of change when nobody else believes or is comitted to this practice. Everywhere I've been so far still put too much emphasis on things that Deming calls crazy. I'll leave that for a management effectiveness book to discuss, but it's a read that anybody would find useful.

Dr. Deming, the American Who Taught the Japanese About Quality
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Dr. Deming, the American Who Taught the Japanese About Quality
Rafael Aguayo
Manufacturer: Simon and Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000S5Y8OQ

Dr. Deming: The American Who Taught the Japanese About Quality
Average customer rating:
Dr. Deming: The American Who Taught the Japanese About Quality
Rafael Aguayo
Manufacturer: Fireside
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OP6M7Q

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DR. DEMING: THE AMERICAN WHO TAUGHT THE JAPANESE ABOUT QUALITY.
Rafael. Aguayo
Manufacturer: NY, Carol, 1990. 289 pp. Fine copy of first American edition in dust jacket.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000UE02EA

"Power-Talk!" Strategies for Lifelong Success, Volume 15 - Dr. Deming, the American Who Taught the Japanese About Quality (Booklet and 2 Audio Cassette Tape Set)
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"Power-Talk!" Strategies for Lifelong Success, Volume 15 - Dr. Deming, the American Who Taught the Japanese About Quality (Booklet and 2 Audio Cassette Tape Set)
Anthony Robbins , and Rafael Aguayo
Manufacturer: Robbins Research International, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000RS0AB4

Musui's Story: The Autobiography of a Tokugawa Samurai
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Musui's Story

Record of a Scoundrel

A different take on the on Samurai's

A different twist on history

Review of Musui's Story

Musui's Story: The Autobiography of a Tokugawa Samurai
Katsu Kokichi
Manufacturer: University of Arizona Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0816512566

Customer Reviews:

Musui's Story.......2007-05-24

In "Muisi's Story", an autobiography penned by Katsu Kiricho, the reader is treated to a glimpse of Tokugawa era Japan through the lens of a restless and rebellious samurai. This work reveals the other side of life in Edo (later Tokyo), which is far removed from the sanitized version found in history books and found on the pages of the sages and shogunate of that day. The fact that the country of Japan was in the midst of a prolonged period of peace and was united for over 200 years rendered the samurai dormant and lacking in enemies. So idleness became the enemy of some samurai and in this case the author Katsu.

In this setting, Katsu writes of his life and times. Living between the years of 1802 and 1850, Katsu was born into a samurai house, but at the age of seven was adopted into the home of another samurai family. And, from his earliest recollection, he exhibited a headstrong and confidently confrontational nature that would have served him well on the battlefield, but there were no battles to be fought. So, Katsu battled himself in an attempt to find meaning in life and to satisfy his insatiable appetite for adventure. And, in so doing, he broke from the traditional code of the samurai.

A contemporary of Katsu, Samurai Soshici composed a code for samurai to adhere to. In the code, he admonishes samurai to honor parents; honor superiors; maintain peace in the neighborhood; instruct descendants; be constant in your Way; and avoid bad behavior. Katsu broke all of these codes religiously. In fact, he stole from his family; disobeyed edicts; ran a protection racket; rarely mentioned his son; was never content in his Way; and frequented brothels like they were a Starbucks. Yet, somehow he seemed like a good guy.

And, in defense of his actions or a falling on his sword, Katsu reveals his rationale for his behavior and the purpose of his autobiography. Reflecting on his life, he argues in a thinly veiled fashion that although he was disenchanted with his achievements, it was not his fault, but instead he was merely a victim of his DNA. From his earliest recollections through his years of retirement, he was a man of action and adventure. Nevertheless, codes were broken and as a token of respect for these codes he changed his name in retirement from Katsu to Musui, which means, "besotted son." And, although he writes to admonish his grandchildren unto good behavior, more likely it was fashioned for the consumption of his son who was rising through the ranks.

In the last analysis, "Musui's Story" is an engaging view of the period and of the commonality of mankind. Moreover, the autobiography is an engaging glimpse of a man that is recognizable in his bold and restless ways. Even though we don't see this type of man often, they are the players that comprise urban legend.

Record of a Scoundrel.......2007-04-11

Who writes an autobiography? Most people who write them are people of note, movers and shakers in their realms and time-periods, people with something to say. Rarely do we get to read the autobiography of a general loser, someone who is by no measure a good person, and someone completely beyond admiration. Welcome to Musui's world.

Musui, also know as Katsu Kokichi, was a low-ranking samurai and general good-for-nothing who never thought beyond his immediate needs, and did his best to attain something for nothing when ever possible. He started out bad, as a schoolyard bully who used his status as a samurai to push around lower-ranking kids. The older he got, the worse he got, and all means to control him or teach him respect failed, including his father locking him in a cage and forcing him to read classic military treatise. He was eventually adopted off into another family, which brought along with it a bride and a meager salary. It was never enough to keep up with his habit of visiting prostitutes in the Yoshiwara pleasure districts, so he was soon a leader amongst the black market, working with local extortionists and hoodlums, selling swords and working every possible kind of confidence racket.

Now, everything in this book should be taken with a grain of salt. Katsu was a grand liar with an enormous ego, who bluffed his way into money and out of trouble on a regular basis. His tales of his exemplary swordsmanship, his acts of kindness, his ability to drink bottle after bottle of sake without ever getting drunk, smacks as more wish-fulfillment than the true character of an unrepentant rouge. The translator, Teruko Craig, has added some notes on the accuracy of Katsu's tales, and surprisingly some of the most fantastic adventures are backed up by other sources. I suppose it is up to the reader to determine what is fact and what is fiction.

Teruko Craig has worked a minor miracle with this translation. Because of Katsu's sketchy literacy, and limited vocabulary, he has had to pull out all the stops in making a readable text that still maintains the flavor of Katsu's way of writing. The result is a very enjoyable, readable book that brings a nice balance to the world of the samurai. We have all read of the honor and integrity. It is nice to have some of the Low along with the High.

A different take on the on Samurai's.......2007-04-02

The life of a samurai is often considered a noble and respected one, but reading Musui's story will show you that there are always exceptions. This autobiography offers a unique glimpse into what would be a other wise unheard of life. Katsu Kokichi (Musui's younger name) wrote a biography of his life, but not as a work of literature. HE wrote this as a guide to his children, a guide on how not to live one's life. And considering how his son Rintaro turned out, it may have worked.

Early on in the book you get a sharp look at what kind of person Kokichi is. This made for a quite entertaining read due to the fact that Kokich led quite and interesting and perilous life. Hitting other kids with rocks, running away from home, and stealing money from family made up a substantial part of Kokich life.

It got so bad that at one point his family was forced to lock him in a cage for three years - some timeout. Aside from all the fighting and mischief, I found the most interesting part of this book was the times during which Kokich had run away from home. It was interesting to see the interaction Kokich had with the people he met during his travel and the measures that he took to stay alive and fed.

Overall I found the book enjoyable and easy to read. Being that it was an autobiography, I really enjoyed the perspective and insight on Kokichi's life that it offered.

A different twist on history.......2007-04-02

Musui's Story is an autobiographical account of a low ranking samurai in the early 17th century and his station in life. Seen from the prologue and his after thoughts, he was sending a message "Live a better, more righteous life than mine. Learn from my mistakes and my experiences." The story was written from the perspective of a man who did not always do the right thing. If you are looking for a tale of a self-sacrificing, courageous, romanticized life of a great samurai warrior then this is not it. This is the life of a man who tried to survive by any means necessary in the Tokugawa period of Japan.

Review of Musui's Story.......2007-03-30

I recently had the opportunity to read the autobiography of Katsu Kokichi. Musui's Story, translated by Teruko Craig, is the story of an unethical Japanese samurai in the late Tokugawa era. Musui finds himself in all sorts of dilemmas (mostly because of his own bad ideas) and unethical actions. From a very young age Musui was getting into mischief and causing his mother's life to be difficult. As he gets older he continues his ways by lying, cheating, and stealing through life. He disgraces the Katsu name, which had served the shogun honorably for generations. By the time he retires he looks back on his life, even warning others not to follow in his footsteps, but never expresses that he as any guilt about his behavior as a samurai.

This translation is modern and well-written. It is filled with a dark, more realistic side of Japan during the Tokugawa Era. It is a significant indication that the overall society was in a state of degeneration during the early 19th century. At times this book was funny, showing a different side of a samurai within the Japanese society at that time. It is a good book for those interested in Japanese culture

Book Description

Spanning twenty-five years, this historic collection of writings shows Vaclav Havel's evolution from a modestly known playwright who had the courage to advise and criticize Czechoslovakia's leaders to a newly elected president whose first address to his fellow citizens begins, "I assume you did not propose me for this office so that I, too, would lie to you." Some of the pieces in Open Letters, such as "Dear Dr. Husak" and the essay "The Power of the Powerless," are by now almost legendary for their influence on a generation of Eastern European dissidents; others, such as some of Havel's prison correspondence and his private letter to Alexander Dubcek, appear in English for the first time. All of them bear the unmistakable imprint of Havel's intellectual rigor, moral conviction, and unassuming eloquence, while standing as important additions to the world's literature of conscience.

Customer Reviews:

Havel's greatest essays in one single volume.......1997-07-09

Vaclav Havel has been called "the greatest moral thinker of our time" and "a sort of EuroGhandi." While most noted as a playwright, Havel's most important works have been of prose; essays such as "Power of the Powerless" and his "Open Letter to Gustav Husak" allowed his nation to retain hope under brutal conditions. Now, Havel's greatest essays, from the early sixties to his "New Year's Address" after his 1989 election to the presidency, have been collected in a volume that will, unlike most political texts, make you think as well as feel.

The most impressive of Havel's essays would have to be "Power of the Powerless" which was written in only a few days during the mid-1970's at the urging of a Polish dissident. It stresses that, when a government holds its citizens actions, words and even minds at bay, that gives the citizens a power that the government can only dream of; the power of truth. This idea of truth, which is contained in one form or another in all of Havel's writings, serves as the very basis of his political thought, which outlines man's current journey towards moral politics. A thought-provoking and deeply illuminating book

Open Letters: Selected Writings, 1965-1990
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Open Letters: Selected Writings, 1965-1990
Vaclav Havel
Manufacturer: Alfred a Knopf Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OAI4SG

open letters selected writings 1965-1990
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open letters selected writings 1965-1990
Vaclav Havel
Manufacturer: Alfred A. Knopf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000JWBT4K

Radical Evolution: The Promise and Peril of Enhancing Our Minds, Our Bodies -- and What It Means to Be Human
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A Book for the SciFi Inspired to the Technologically Challenged

Radical Evolution

O the possibilities

How can we maintain in the midst of what's ahead?

Exponential curve?

Radical Evolution: The Promise and Peril of Enhancing Our Minds, Our Bodies -- and What It Means to Be Human
Joel Garreau
Manufacturer: Broadway
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Fantastic Voyage: Live Long Enough to Live Forever

ASIN: 0767915038
Release Date: 2006-05-09

Book Description

Taking us behind the scenes with today’s foremost researchers and pioneers, bestselling author Joel Garreau shows that we are at a turning point in history. At this moment we are engineering the next stage of human evolution. Through advances in genetic, robotic, information, and nanotechnologies, we are altering our minds, our memories, our metabolisms, our personalities, our progeny–and perhaps our very souls. Radical Evolution reveals that the powers of our comic-book superheroes already exist, or are in development in hospitals, labs, and research facilities around the country–from the revved-up reflexes and speed of Spider-Man and Superman, to the enhanced mental acuity and memory capabilities of an advanced species. Over the next fifteen years, Garreau makes clear in this New York Times Book Club premiere selection, these enhancements will become part of our everyday lives. Where will they lead us? To heaven–where technology’s promise to make us smarter, vanquish illness, and extend our lives is the answer to our prayers? Or, as some argue, to hell–where unrestrained technology brings about the ultimate destruction of our species?

Customer Reviews:

A Book for the SciFi Inspired to the Technologically Challenged.......2007-05-08

Reading Radical Evolution is like reading a "How to" column - you are always surprised what can really be done. The book opens with a number of mind boggling bits of research talking about things from telekinesis to a device that gives soldiers x-ray vision; the funny thing is that these things are really occurring in laboratories as we speak. The purpose of the book is to provide an understandable, digested version of the work that is happening in Futuring land. Futuring, for those who are not in the know, is simply the study of trends and projections in an effort to forecast the future. Much like a meteorologist predicts the weather, futurists attempt to predict the social, political, technological, and economic climate 50 to 100 to a 1,000 years in advance. The book tries to stay neutral, explaining the possible horrors and terrors of advancing technology, but it clear from the first page to the back cover that its author, Joel Garreau, is a big supporter of advancements in technologies. Beyond the first couple examples, he goes further to describing how technologies can affect every bit of our being. Surveying the thoughts and opinions of numerous, credible futurists, he talks about how little robots can allow us to live in to our 200 hundreds and how we may have space colonies on the moon before we know it. The title, Radical Evolution, comes from the idea that through these advancements in technology, we, as humans, are creating a radical chain of evolution that is pushing past any boundaries that nature had set for us. It is even argued that we are actually transcending our humanity through these changes.
In the middle of the book he presents a point/counter-point discussion of the future technology, appropriately labeled "Heaven" and "Hell"; the greatest possible outcomes pinned against the most devastating consequences force the reader to ponder the benefits of new technology. As a compromise, Garreau offers a scenario in which humans simply prevail, this is neither a scenario of humanities grandeur or it's defeat, but rather a median between both extremes. Finally, Garreau admits the limited view that even the greatest researchers have in terms of looking at the future. People can make predictions to their hearts content, but in the end chance happenings and unplanned events can transform the course of any one prediction. All that any futurist can do is take the best information available and make a thorough forecast off with that data, supporting the argument until the next trend arrives.

Radical Evolution.......2007-04-15

Radical Evolution was written by Joel Garreu and is subtitled The Promise and Peril of Enhancing Our Minds, Our Bodies--and what it means to be Human. The book leaves many ideas in a readers head about what is going to come of humanity, and what is in store for our future. Many researchers and scientists are interviewed throughout the book to give realistic ideas about possibilities dealing with technological, genetic, and philosophical changes that can possibly occur in the future. Garreau notes that the first difficulty in the world today is "making sense of the world unfolding before us, in which we face the biggest challenge in tens of thousands of years in what it means to be human". The book aims at helping to shape our world, our lives, our children, and our relationships.
Many different advancements in the world are being worked on as we speak such as mood-enhancing drugs, metabolism-enhancing drugs, drugs that will enable us to live without sleeping nearly as much as we do, and increasing mental capacity with genetic machines. Garreau's book dives into the ideas and endless possibilities behind GRIN technologies. GRIN technologies include genetics, robotics, information technology, and nanotechnology. Throughout the book, the author also explores the idea of how the world is going to end up. He presents many different scenarios that can formulate the world that will surround our children as they grow up. These possibilities include the heaven scenario, the hell scenario, and the prevail scenario. It is obvious throughout the book that the author leads towards the prevail scenario in which we take the "two steps forward, and one step back" philosophy and we end up successfully slowly continuing our future.
The book was extremely well written and a difficult book to put down after you begin reading it. It is shocking to find out that in our future, our bodies can be changed so much that dieting and exercise could become a thing of the past. Garreau did a wonderful job researching and finding information and advancements in technology that can be important throughout the future of our lives. The book is a prime example of a post-human future in which society uses advancements in technology to allow humans to shape their lives, bodies, minds, and well being. This book introduces the idea that our technologies are beginning to merge with our minds, our memories, our metabolisms, our personalities, our progeny, and even beginning to merge with our souls.

O the possibilities .......2007-04-15

Joel Garreau's Radical Evolution is a trip through our wildest fantasies, where anything is possible. This in-depth analysis of what may be in store for our earth and the human species can, at times, seem intriguing, frightening, mind-boggling or even overwhelming, but never boring. Garreau's overall aim is to inform a general audience of the vast changes that are currently reshaping our selves, our children and our relationships. To do this he focuses on the advancements of what he calls the "GRIN" technologies, or genetics, robotics, information, and nano-tech. He presents his work and scenario predictions through scientific research and entertaining depictions of scientists and pioneers in various fields, all of whom hold widely different views
Following a brief background of defining scenarios and what they entail, Garreau begins his analysis of future scenarios by introducing the idea of the "The Curve" or the rate of exponential change in technology and the Singularity scenario. He demonstrates "the curve" through the progression of "GRIN" technologies, while also setting the scene for the remainder of the book, which focuses on the various potential outcomes of these advancements.
Garreau divides the majority of the book into four scenarios, "Heaven," "Hell," "Prevail," and "Transcend." Although he defines them separately, he believes that the future is usually a combination of all the stories you can construct to anticipate it. While reading the book, this is a good outlook to have because the scenarios presented are radical. In the "Heaven" scenario, supported predominantly by Ray Kurzweil, positive technological advancements have led to a Utopian society. In this prediction the human race has achieved perfection on all realms. In the "hell scenario," a complete contradiction of the "heaven" one, everything goes awry. In this pessimistic forecast, primarily described by Bill Joy, the human species not only fails to thrive, but has to fight for survival against the technology it created. "Prevail," presented by Janor Lanier is a scenario in which the human race "muddles through." In this forecast we do not excel, but we do survive. Lanier believes that as we advance we will create and discover new problems but, like always, we will get through them. It is important to know that Garreau describes the first three as not being on a line, but forming a triangle where the two base points are the "heaven" and "hell" scenarios. This entails that Prevail, although a more moderate scenario is not a mid-point between the other two.
The last major scenario presented in the book is "transcend," which forecasts the world transforming beyond our wildest dreams. The information here is hardly feasible and at times hard to grasp. Overall the book is fascinating and paradigm shifting, leading the reader to evaluate the presented scenarios and challenge preconceived notions about what the future entails.

How can we maintain in the midst of what's ahead?.......2007-04-11

Radical Evolution, by Joel Garreau is one of the most insightful, down to earth and wonderful reads about the field of futures thinking, futures studies and many other things future-related. Garreau depicts for the reader in his work how we have already begun the development of technologies that will lead us into the following decades and how the development of these new technologies, and the way in which humanity implements them, will fundamentally alter and forever change what it means to be human and to exist in this world. Garreau's theories and brilliant depictions of many possible future scenarios are easily understood; he is extremely careful and precise in his vivid manner of relating seemingly complex moral, ethical and physical future situations to the reader. The effectiveness of his work shines through in his "everyman" approach to discussing the material within the book's pages. Although he is a professional and scholar in the field of futures studies and futures thinking, Garreau never seems to put himself above the reader. Radical Evolution is not a lecture, more, this book is a sort of conversation between the reader and Garreau. If you compare this book to others that include projections of the future, at least half of Garreau's work/chapters stand out far from the rest. Instead of merely making worked-over and tired predictions about the future of humanity and our developing technologies, Garreau details in three of the eight chapters in Radical Evolution, three separate and distinct scenarios for the future of mankind. Chapter 4, heartwarmingly titled Heaven, exhibits the ultimate in desired futures: a place where work is done by the technologies we've developed and humans enjoy lives of leisure. The Heaven scenario depicts a place where, if we have not cured all, or even most, of the diseases that plague the human body, we are extremely close. In Chapter 5 the reader comprehends (rather fearfully at times) Garreau's Hell scenario, in which the title explains it all. Quickly, Garreau revives the reader with a chapter that outlines his Prevail prediction/scenario in which the future has a more human (perhaps faulty) approach, meaning, not all is well at first, things go wrong, etc. however mankind will carry on. Radical Evolution is a fair and balanced portrayal of both good and bad, order and chaos, light and dark and moral and evil. Radical Evolution paints an in-depth, touching and rich portrait about where mankind is heading, outlining how we are propelling ourselves there slowly but surely and most importantly, helping to define what it all means for the individual.

Exponential curve?.......2007-01-29

Radical Evolution discusses how the rate of technological innovation has consistently accelerated over time, and the implications for what the world might look like in ten, twenty, fifty years because of this.

Garreau focuses on 3 main scenarios for how it all might turn out, and he dubs these Heaven, Hell, and Prevail, which you can think of as optimistic, pessimistic, and realistic, respectively.

Interspersed in this presentation are many interesting tidbits and information about what is currently being worked on by agencies such as DARPA. My overall impression was that the book was of the variety of Blink and Faster, but with more meat.

The book content is actually only 273 pages long, due to a large index and collection of suggested readings, both very comprehensive.

Human transformation in the Twenty-first century?(Radical Evolution: The Promise and Peril of Enhancing Our Minds, Our Bodies - and What It Means to Be ... Journal of the Alabama Academy of Science

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Human transformation in the Twenty-first century?(Radical Evolution: The Promise and Peril of Enhancing Our Minds, Our Bodies - and What It Means to Be ... Journal of the Alabama Academy of Science
James T. Bradley
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

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This digital document is an article from Journal of the Alabama Academy of Science, published by Thomson Gale on July 1, 2006. The length of the article is 3669 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: Human transformation in the Twenty-first century?(Radical Evolution: The Promise and Peril of Enhancing Our Minds, Our Bodies - and What It Means to Be Human)(Book review)
Author: James T. Bradley
Publication: Journal of the Alabama Academy of Science (Magazine/Journal)
Date: July 1, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 77 Issue: 3-4 Page: 210(7)

Article Type: Book review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Radical Evolution: The Promise and Peril of Enhancing Our Minds, Our Bodies--and What It Means to Be Human.(Book review): An article from: Parameters

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Radical Evolution: The Promise and Peril of Enhancing Our Minds, Our Bodies--and What It Means to Be Human.(Book review): An article from: Parameters
James R. Downey
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

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General | Science | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: B000V5KDTC
Release Date: 2007-08-15

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Parameters, published by Thomson Gale on June 22, 2007. The length of the article is 954 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: Radical Evolution: The Promise and Peril of Enhancing Our Minds, Our Bodies--and What It Means to Be Human.(Book review)
Author: James R. Downey
Publication: Parameters (Magazine/Journal)
Date: June 22, 2007
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 37 Issue: 2 Page: 114(3)

Article Type: Book review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Book Description

"The best introduction to global environmental politics I have seen."
—Andrew Hurrell, editor of Regionalism in World Politics

Human activity is changing the global environment on a scale unlike that of any other era. Environmental deterioration is now a global issue—ecologically, politically, and economically—that requires global solutions. Yet there is considerable disagreement over what kinds of strategies we should adopt in order to halt and reverse damage to the global ecosystem.

What kinds of international institutions are best suited to dealing with global environmental problems? Why are women and indigenous peoples still marginalized in global environmental politics? What are the consequences of the global ecological crisis for economic and security policies? The Global Politics of the Environment makes sense of the often seemingly irreconcilable answers to these questions. It focuses throughout on the tensions between mainstream strategies, which seek to build support for reforms through existing institutions, and radical critiques, which argue that environmental degradation is a symptom of a dysfunctional world order that must itself be transformed if we are to meet the challenge of saving the planet.

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