F.K. Weyerhaeuser: A Biography

Book Description

Frederick King Weyerhaeuser, eldest male of the Weyerhaeuser lumbering family's third generation, may not have matched his grandfather Frederick in fame or power, but among the progeny none was more widely known and respected-and , within the family, loved-than he was. How his talents and dedication helped make the Weyerhaeuser name synonymous with the lumbering industry and the clan one of the closest knit in the country is this book's focus. This is an intimate, detailed story of F. K. the businessman and patriarch and the life he led with his wife, Vivian O'Gara Weyerhaeuser, and their two daughters on St. Paul's Summit Avenue. Based on company correspondence and records, family letters and reminiscences, and interviews, the book is a unique, behind-the-scenes look at an influential family and its forest products company over half a century. This is the third volume in Charles Twining's biographical history of today's Weyerhaeuser Company.

Book Description

The AP has covered every major sporting event and athlete of the last 100 years with its team of sports writers and photographers -- dissected them, analyzed them, and become the authority on them. Some of the greatest and most honored pieces in sports journalism have been written and photographed by the AP, and The Sports 100 was drawn from this body of work. Its subject is the 100 greatest athletes of the 20th century, according to the AP Sports Writers' Poll.

The 100 Greatest Moments in St. Louis Sports

Average customer rating:

Lively, informative sports history, compelling photography.
"Must" reading for all St. Louis sports fans!

The 100 Greatest Moments in St. Louis Sports
Bob Broeg
Manufacturer: Missouri Historical Society Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

History of Sports | Miscellaneous | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Sports | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1883982316

Customer Reviews:

Lively, informative sports history, compelling photography........2000-09-07

Fans of St. Louis sports will find this a fine keepsake edition recounting tales of record-breaking events in St. Louis sports. This was originally scripted for KFNS Radio as part of a series, using vignettes to consider the personalities and events of fourteen different regional sports. While this holds special interest for Missouri residents, any with an interest in local sports history will find its lively descriptions and black and white photos compelling.

"Must" reading for all St. Louis sports fans!.......2000-08-06

In The 100 Greatest Moments In St. Louis Sports, Hall of Fame journalist Bob Broeg recounts in a descriptive story-telling style the most outstanding, unusual, legendary, and thrilling episodes in fourteen different sports by St. Louis athletes. The individual stories range from 1899 (The Day Old Cy, New Cards Came to Town) to 1969 (Stop-Off to Cooperstown: Carlton's 19-K Game) and range from the comedic to the heroic. The 100 Greatest Moments In St. Louis Sports is highly recommended for anyone who delights in the history of athletic competition and achievement.

The 20 Greatest Athletes of the 20th Century (Sports Illustrated for Kids Books)

Average customer rating:

A good book for children as it points out how some of the best ahtletes struggled to achieve their greatness

The 20 Greatest Athletes of the 20th Century (Sports Illustrated for Kids Books)
Brad Herzog
Manufacturer: Rosen Publishing Group
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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jp-unknown2 | Specialty Stores | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 0823936945

Customer Reviews:

A good book for children as it points out how some of the best ahtletes struggled to achieve their greatness.......2007-06-14

While there will always be some dispute about the top 20 athletes of the 20th century, there can be no dispute about the accomplishments of these people. The 20 listed in the book are:

*) Muhammad Ali
*) Jim Brown
*) Wilt Chamberlain
*) Nadia Comaneci
*) Babe Didrikson Zaharias
*) Wayne Gretzky
*) Michael Jordan
*) Jackie Joyner-Kersee
*) Carl Lewis
*) Willie Mays
*) Joe Montana
*) Martina Navratilova
*) Jack Nicklaus
*) Jesse Owens
*) Pele
*) Jackie Robinson
*) Bill Russell
*) Babe Ruth
*) Pete Sampras
*) Jim Thorpe

Some of the people, such as Jackie Robinson, are in this list for greatness that went beyond his statistics in his sport. Unlike the records of others, his will stand forever with no hope of anyone else ever breaking it. However, for some of the others, the word dominance simply is not enough to describe their actions. Babe Ruth hitting more home runs than many other teams in the majors, Wilt Chamberlain scoring 100 points in a single game and averaging over 50 points a game for a season and Babe Didrikson Zaharias being the sole member of a track team and winning a championship are some examples.
This is an excellent book for children as it presents some of the amazing feats of people we call athletes. In many cases it also demonstrates that the best athletes play all aspects of their game very well and many struggled and worked hard to achieve their greatness.

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Greatest Athletes of the 20th Century
Tim & Garrity, John Crothers
Manufacturer: Sports Illustrated
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000S93FV4

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Greatest Athletes of the 20th Century
Tim Crothers , and John Garrity
Manufacturer: Total Sports
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies | Sports | Subjects | Books

History of Sports | Miscellaneous | Sports | Subjects | Books

Reference | Miscellaneous | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Sports | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1892129183

Book Description

Guaranteed to provoke debate, please the eye, and stir nostalgia for the heroes of yesterday, Greatest Athletes of the 20th Century is an elegant celebration of the 25 outstanding sports performers of the past 100 years. From Babe Ruth to Babe Didriksen, from Willie Mays to Wilt Chamberlain, the best of the legends of sports come to life through Sports Illustrated's gorgeous photography and vivid, incisive profiles by two of the magazine's senior writers. Ranging in scope from the Golden Age of sport in the early part of the century to the glitzy era of $100 million contracts in the late '90s, Greatest Athletes showcases its subjects like no other book. With 200 eye-catching photographs, the book salutes both the personalities and the times that created them.

Greatest Athletes of the 20th Century (The Century Collection)

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Greatest Athletes of the 20th Century (The Century Collection)

Manufacturer: Time Inc. - Sports Illustrated
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 1883013941

Product Description

An elegant celebration of the 25 outstanding sports performers of the 20th century.

Book Description

Maurice Tourneur (1876-1961), the French and American director, actor, and theatrical manager, is the focus of this work that takes a look at his life and career in the film industry. He began in France during the years 1912 to 1914, making a number of silents of which the subject was often gamin and orphan seeking shelter and love. Tourneur spent 1914-1926 in New Jersey and Hollywood, directing more than 50 films, using his French interests and talents to help shape the industry, and bringing "stylization" to the screen. He was known in America for his mastery of lighting, design, and atmosphere. Tourneur worked in many genres, but one theme that ran throughout his work dealt with the tricks and ruses of love that women often faced-and sometimes used-to find happiness. While special attention is paid to facts about his films, a notable feature of this work are the photographs of Tourneur and his film subjects.

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Maurice Tourneur: The Life and Films
Harry Waldman
Manufacturer: NY
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000MUGPJI

Book Description

For this book, Paul Krassner contacted 250 friends and acquaintances to cull stories. These true tales, ranging from funny to bizarre to poignant, include "How the Yippies Mailed 30,000 Joints to Perfect Strangers," "The Bust at Ken Kesey's Place," and "The Acid Trip of a Death Row Prisoner.

Customer Reviews:

*sigh*.......2005-05-20

Lord, spare me from aging boomers, for they think that the world ended in the 1970's. I was just as disappointed as "same old, same old" with the book's lack of relevance for younger, more modern-day smokers (and I'm at the very lower edge of the boomer generation). I assumed that someone with at least a small awareness of marijuana's consciousness-expanding and spiritually enlightening properties ("for the soul," remember?) would deliver something more than the "hee hee, we're so stoned" genre of stories. Yes, some stories are entertaining, but not new, and nothing more recent than the early 1980s. What about those who survived the War on Drugs? Don't those veterans deserve their own credit? If you're a boomer wanting to relive the glorious sixties, a far better investment would be to purchase some actual weed. I'm sorry, Paul, but we've moved on past you.

Good Times.......2004-05-30

I originally bought this book cuz I saw my favorite writer had contributed a story, the great HST. Turns out his contribution was a very brief article on his adventure in Africa popping lots of malaria pills (not a lot herb mentioned but still a very funny story.) I really loved all the stories in this book too. Sure, it's a pot book so all it has are stories about marijuana and drugs and stoners. I say so what! It's an excellent collection of different stories about a "somewhat misunderstood" subculture and lifestyle. AND THEY'RE FUNNY! These stories are extremely diverse and not all of them are pro-marijuana so there are some different angles presented for the non-tokers. OK, some of the stories do read like one of those typical stoner movies but many had a story to tell and a lesson to be learned. And if the story WAS about a typical stoner situation it was still funny and enjoyable to read. Excellent job Krassner!

Touched my Soul.........2001-03-23

First off, let me say that the past reviewer who said this book was "same old same old" has obviously never read this book. This guy probably just saw the High Times logo, and just imagined what this book was. Of all the ways I could descibe this great book, I would never say that this book is "same old same old."

As a person who has smoked marijuana, and has many friends who also smoke, I must say that the stories presented in this book have no similarity to my life. I only wish that I had the same cool adventures listed in these pages! I am just your average Joe, with a job, a car, and a nice little place in the city. While some people think all marijuana users are wild "Cheech and Chong" types, I am here to say that I am no diferent today, then when I started to smoke. I am shy, quiet, and only share my marijuana smoking with my closet of friends. Living in this country, I am always afraid to tell anyone about my "hobby", out of fear that I will end up in prison. While it might feed into some square's fantasy that all pot smokers all crazy nut jobs, I am here to say that we are all not Timothy Learys and Robert Downy Jrs.

Having said that, let me say that this book was a trip into the cool world of cannabis heaven. Stories of people, just like us, who happen to have neat adventures while they are high. And it is not what you think. While some reviewers might think this book is the ranting of a few stoners, I am here to say that it is no such thing.

Stories of love, escape, hate, paranormal, history, travel, and so much more. I could not put this book down. Each story was so personal and intimate, that I felt that these people are now my close friends. It is my wish that everyone who thinks that marijuana is "dangerous" will read this book. If this does not open your eyes and free your mind, then you are a zombie!

Now, for the standard stoner yell: FREE THE WEED!!

But something tells me that we will just get, "same old same old."

Krassner has done it again!.......2000-01-06

I found the book to be funny, poignant, and interesting. Famous people revealing their funniest pot stories.

Customer Reviews:

Title is a Misprint.......2003-03-23

The title is a misnomer. This is not a guide to winning at Keno. It rather tells of the history of the game, relates the adventures of the author and gives just a brief explanation on how to play the game. I definitely do not recommend this book. It's a waste of your money.

Move from Beginner to Intermediate.......2000-08-10

This is a book for the non-slot machine Keno player who wants to move from beginner or from an experienced player relying on instinct and common sense, to an intermediate player wise to the in's and out's of this complex and ancient gambling game. Of particular use will be the mathematical formulas necessary to calculate way (or combination) tickets and begin to perceive the odds. For example, it is smarter to play a way ticket of 3 groups of three, or 4 groups of three, or even 5 groups of three? And on a way ticket of 5 groups of 3, just how many combinations of 6 are possible? Or 9? This book shows you how to calculate those numbers. There is nothing new here for the expert player and those who just stuff coins into a Keno slot machine will be equally disappointed. The book is written in a flowing and casual style making it a quick read except for the time spent lingering over and understanding the relatively simple math and reviewing some helpful tables. Lots of excellent tips and info on the game in general. Interestingly, the author relates some short antecdotes about he and his wife's adventures in the casinos playing Keno. It seems she, not the author, may have been the more successful player. I don't know if she followed his advice, but I'd love to read her book! Maybe this isn't the absolute and Compleat Keno but it is all the Keno reference book most of us "play for fun" Keno addicts will need. A good deal for the price.

FOR BEGINNERS ONLY, BUT.......1998-08-24

I found the book to be very interesting and informative, if you have never played keno before, or if you are just starting to play. I live in Las Vegas and Keno is the only game I play. For me, purchasing this book was a waste of money. For one, the title, WINNING KENO. The book consists of formulas, odds, probabilities, etc., nowhere does it say how to win at Keno. The title maybe should have read MONEY MANAGEMENT WHILE PLAYING KENO. Another thing, like most people in Las Vegas (my opinion), I play video Keno. Of the 51 chapters or so, there is only 1 chapter devoted to video Keno. And, for the most part, I somewhat disagree with Mr. Cowles findings regarding video Keno. I am by no means an expert, but from my experiences, my conclusions are completely opposite of his. His theory is that it is completely random and that's it. My theory is that there are good and bad machines depending what part of the program they are in. Good in the sense that they constantly repeat numbers and patterns, and bad in the sense that they continuously give out scatterd numbers with no blocks (groupings). In any event, I would definitely never, never recommend this book to any of my friends or family, if they are already into the game of Keno.

Complete Guide to Winning Keno, Second Edition

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Complete Guide to Winning Keno, Second Edition
David Cowles
Manufacturer: Cardoza
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
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Powerful Profits From Keno
Keno Winner: A Guide To Winning At Video Keno
Basics Of Winning Keno (Basics of Winning)

ASIN: 1580421040

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Complete Guide to Winning Keno
David W Cowles
Manufacturer: CARDOZA PUBLISHING U
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000K717J6

Touch Typing in Ten Lessons: A Home-Study Course With Complete Instructions in the Fundamentals of Touch Typewriting
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Touch Typing in Ten Lessons: A Home-Study Course With Complete Instructions in the Fundamentals of Touch Typewriting
Ruth Ben'ary
Manufacturer: Perigee Trade
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
General | Skills | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Typing | Business Skills | Reference | Subjects | Books
General | Education | Reference | Subjects | Books
General | Test Prep Central | Reference | Subjects | Books
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Mastering Computer Typing: A Painless Course for Beginners and Professionals

Typing for Beginners (The Practical Handbook Series)

Keyboarding Made Simple: Learn the best techniques for keyboarding like a pro

Touch Typing Made Simple

121 Timed Writings with Skillbuilding Drills

ASIN: 0399515291

Touch typing in ten lessons : a home-study course with complete instructions in the fundamentals of touch typewriting and introducing the basic combinations method
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Touch typing in ten lessons : a home-study course with complete instructions in the fundamentals of touch typewriting and introducing the basic combinations method
Ruth Benry
Manufacturer: Grosset & Dunlap
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0448015099

Touch typing in ten lessons;: A home-study course with complete instructions in the fundamentals of touch typewriting and introducing the basic combinations method,
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Touch typing in ten lessons;: A home-study course with complete instructions in the fundamentals of touch typewriting and introducing the basic combinations method,
Ruth Ben'ary
Manufacturer: Grosset & Dunlap
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Typing | Business Skills | Reference | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0007DXKC0

What Mad Pursuit: A Personal View of Scientific Discovery (Sloan Foundation Science)
Average customer rating:

An Account of the Discovery of DNA's Structure and MORE!!!!

People behind the discovery

Insights from a great scientist

An amazing travel in science

Very good book.

What Mad Pursuit: A Personal View of Scientific Discovery (Sloan Foundation Science)
Francis Crick
Manufacturer: Basic Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Genetics | Evolution | Science | Subjects | Books
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Genetics | Evolution | Professional Science | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
General | England | Europe | History | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Francis Crick: Discoverer of the Genetic Code (Eminent Lives) (rough edge)

Astonishing Hypothesis: The Scientific Search for the Soul

Of Molecules and Men (Great Minds Series)

The Double Helix: A Personal Account of the Discovery of the Structure of DNA

The Eighth Day Of Creation: Makers of the Revolution in Biology

ASIN: 0465091385

Customer Reviews:

An Account of the Discovery of DNA's Structure and MORE!!!!.......2005-08-09

+++++

THIS book, by Dr. Francis Crick (June 1916 to July 2004), is partly an autobiography and partly a science book. As for the science part, Crick elaborates:

"I have written [this book] both for my fellow scientists and for the general public [and] believe a [non-scientist] can easily understand most of what I discuss...My advice to the reader, should he or she become stuck in...a [difficult, scientific] passage, is either to persevere or to skip to the next chapter. Most of the book is fairly easy. Don't give up hope just because a few paragraphs seem a little hard to follow."

What, then, is the purpose of this book? Crick tells the reader:

"The main purpose of this book is to set out some of my experiences before and during the classical period of molecular biology, which stretched from the discovery of the DNA double helix in 1953 till about 1966 when the genetic code...was finally elucidated."

(Molecular biology is a branch of biology that studies the chemical and physical principles associated with the composition, properties, and activities of molecules in living cells. The genetic code is the dictionary relating the nucleic acid {such as DNA and RNA} language to the protein language.)

Crick achieves his purpose admirably! He gives us an overview of his main, personal experiences and reveals his thoughts at each period in his life. I especially enjoyed his chapter entitled "The Gossip Test" and his memories about the "RNA Tie Club."

I found the science part especially well done. He explains the science that led up to the discovery of DNA's structure but goes beyond this, explaining such things as the different types of RNA, protein structure, the genetic code, and theory in molecular biology. Everything is well explained and there are many helpful diagrams.

Be aware that Crick decided not to give character sketches of his friends and colleagues especially James Watson (born: 1928), Maurice Wilkins (1916 to 2004), Rosalind Franklin (1920 to 1958) and Linus Pauling (1901 to 1994). In other words, he chose not to include "juicy" gossip in his book. I found this refreshing since I found that in reading other books similar to this one that such character sketches can be distracting to the main essence of the book.

This book does not conclude in the year 1966 since Crick includes a final, long epilogue chapter entitled "My Later Years." This chapter is especially interesting as we are told how he moved on to the field of embryology or developmental biology to become involved generally in human brain science and more specifically in human consciousness. I found his theory of "panspermia" (that "is the idea that microorganisms drifted to the Earth through space and seeded all life on Earth") most interesting.

This book has two excellent appendices that resemble a small course in basic genetics. I found these to be well written.

Included near the middle of the book are over twenty black and white photographs. My favorite is Crick with Wilkins and Watson (as well as famous others like John Steinbeck) at the 1962 Nobel Prize Ceremony.

Finally, my only problem occurs on the inside back flap of the book's dust cover. It says the Crick "shared a Nobel Prize with...Watson and...Wilkins in 1962 for the discovery of the double helix of DNA." Not true! According to the official Nobel Prize internet site, they shared the prize "for their discoveries concerning the molecular structures of nucleic acid and its significance for information transfer in living material."

In conclusion, if you want to know about the life and brilliant intellect of a "genius of modern science," then you have to read this book!!

(first published 1988; acknowledgements; introduction; 14 chapters; photo inserts; main narrative 165 pages; 2 appendices; index)

+++++

People behind the discovery.......2003-01-10

I've always been interested in the stories and scientists behind grand scientific discoveries. Everything seems so glamorous and magical on the news and in the textbooks. I know from experience that no science is as easy as it seems. Here, I read about how people in the different labs competed and worked together, got along and didn't get along, and discovered the structure of DNA as a side project. I was so amused by the anecdote about the RNA tie club that I actually laughed out loud. Each member was to receive a tiepin of one of the amino acids (so of course there could only be 20 members). Crick says he was to be tyr, but he never received his pin. There are even pictures of some of the members with there ties on. I am even more amused now that I'm in graduate school where we really do have an RNA club, but unfortunately no amino acid tiepins. The end of the book tries to get into the science and implications of the DNA structure discovery, but it is too quickly done and in the wrong context to really try to give textbook like information.

Insights from a great scientist.......2002-08-18

At first, I was reluctant about reading this book. What on earth could Francis Crick add to the story of the discovery of the double helix, that had not yet been told by his colleague, James Watson, in his famous book "The Double Helix"? A lot, as it turns out. In fact, the two books rarely overlap. Whereas Watson's book mainly relates his experiences as they worked their way towards discovery, Crick does what he does best: making comments. Also, Crick's book doesn't stop at the discovery of the double helix structure of DNA, as Watson's book does, but continues with the cracking of the genetic code.

Crick's book was written twenty years after Watson's book, and it shows. Watson's book contains a fresh story, the raw material out of which history is shaped. Crick's tale is a digested one: written after all the confusion of the moment had cleared up.

An amazing travel in science.......2000-07-26

I am a graduate student in neuroscience and a book by crick was not without any expectations for me. I feel that the book is totally up to my expectations to feel the diversity of a scientific journey from physics to behavior neuroscience through a mile stone achievement in molecular biology.. In the starting Crick gets little stuck in discussion of existance of God which confuses a bit , but later on it is worth of reading in one go. A bonus point of this book is to know other great scientists of that time and their way of thinking , and an excellent capability of crick to pass the meassages of those souls to the reader in a very readable way.

Very good book........1998-03-06

This book is a very good background to Francis Crick's life. He led a very interesting life and he does a hell of a job describing it. Sometimes this book gets to wordy, but it is still a well written, thorough book.

The Great Cat Massacre: And Other Episodes in French Cultural History
Average customer rating:

Illuminating

Killing cats to get back at their owners

Other people are other

Broad ranging, entertaining, with an interesting method of discovery

Great for getting into the minds of the common folk

The Great Cat Massacre: And Other Episodes in French Cultural History
Robert Darnton
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | World | History | Subjects | Books
17th Century | World | History | Subjects | Books
General | France | Europe | History | Subjects | Books
Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Anthologies | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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Cheese and the Worms

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The Forbidden Best-Sellers of Pre-Revolutionary France

ASIN: 0394729277
Release Date: 1985-02-12

Book Description

When the apprentices of a Paris printing shop in the 1730's held a series of mock trials and then hanged all the cats they could lay their hands on, why did they find it so hilariously funny that they choked with laughter when they reenacted it in pantomime some twenty times? Why in the 18th century version of "Little Red Riding Hood" did the wolf eat the child at the end? What did the anonymous townsman of Montpelier have in mind when he kept an exhaustive dossier on all the activities of his native city? These are some of the provocative questions Robert Darnton attempts to answer in this dazzling series of essays that probe the ways of thought in what we like to call "The Age of Enlightenment."

Customer Reviews:

Illuminating.......2007-10-11

It occured to me while reading this book that the art of cultural history is a bit like photography, and extensive research allows the author to offer extensive & insightful commentary about the "episodes" in this case of French cultural history. The actual instance of cat massacre described is probably about as impressive in scope as a Poison concert today or maybe less, but it's clearly illustrative of the points that the author makes about that particular segment of society at the time, although I'm sure I've seen something similar to this in the early eighties.
The Police Inspector sorts his file is also another great "episode" which gives a great viewpoint of the artistic world through the police lense. The author always takes great care to deflect misunderstanding, and details what a police inspector collecting files on artists really meant at the time for the state and the artists themselves, and of course much of the art, probably a good 50% is in the discovery of these files and the selection of this event for the book I would imagine.
My one criticism would be of the first chapter which was good at first and certainly well written and all, but the peasants tales are brought to the fore, explained and dispatched one after another. I guess the point was to set the tone for the experience of the peasant, but if this was the point I got it halfway through the chapter.
Anyway a pretty good book, and I found it a very useful read, and parts were highly illuminating to me about certain aspects of society.

Killing cats to get back at their owners.......2006-12-29

What a waste of the human soul, to stoop to depravities like that.

Other people are other.......2006-06-17

Little Red Riding, of the Brothers Grimm, is really French, 17th century. The Huguenots brought folk tales to Germany when fleeing the prosecution of Louis XIV. Folk tales are historical documents. They have evolved over many centuries. There was a golden age of folklore research in France between the years of 1870 and 1914. Folklore is a nineteenth century neologism. Oral traditions have enormous staying power. Continuities in form and style outweigh variation of details.

Village life, being a peasant, was a struggle in early modern France. Marriages lasted an average of fifteen years, terminated by death. The peasants lived in a world of stepmothers and orphans. The tales present a Malthusian picture. In the 1690's plague and famine decimated northern France when Perrault wrote 'Tom Thumb'. Wishing takes one form, the wishing for food. Meat is an extravagance. Fulfillment of the wish takes place in the everyday world. It is not an escape fantasy, but survival. In the tales daughters must be married off and sons may explore life on the road. There may be no land, no food, no work. There was danger on the road. English tales tend to be whimsical, French tales bawdy, realistic, comical, German tales supernatural, violent. French folk tales told the peasants how the world was put together and how to cope with it. In France, despite the distinction of social rank, there was a common stock of tales.

The apprentice printers, who staged a cat massacre, delighted in performing the affair again and again--copies. Masters loved cats and, therefore, apprentices hated them. In the second half of the seventeenth century there was an oligarchy of printing masters. It was difficult for journeymen to rise to the rank of masters. The wail of a cat could mean witchcraft, cuckoldry. Killing the mistress's cat was a metonymic insult. The cat massacre was put into writing by Nicholas Contat. In the massacre one of the apprentices imitated a cat.

A description of a French city, Montpellier, was written in 1768. The anonymous writer had an obsession with completeness. A sense of place is fundamental to our sense of orientation in life. The bourgeois was the owner of the modes of production and acquired class-consciousness. Except in Lille and a few other areas, a self-conscious industrializing class was absent prior to the Revolution. Thinkers belonged to the traditional elite. Montpellier was an administrative center. It had a commercial oligarchy. It was underdeveloped and wealthy people dominated the social and cultural life. It had a music academy and there was interest shown in science and technology. There were cabinets containing private natural history collections and private libraries. The ideal of the honest man had, in 1768, a bourgeois coloring.

The author relates that a police officer in Paris, Joseph d'Hemery, inpected the book trade and the men who wrote books. In five years, 1748-1753, he wrote five hundred reports. Clergymen constituted twelve percent of the authors. Seventy percent came from the third estate. Ten percent were doctors or lawyers. Thirty six percent were journalists, tutors, librarians, secretaries. Many careers went from the garret to the gutter. Everyone in the files was seeking or dispensing protection. The police did not question influence peddling. Police agents picked up sedition talk. Diderot was singled out for atheism.

Rousseau described reading and experienced it. He saw literature as an element of a power system. Rousseau initiated a new conception of an author--Prometheus. LA NOUVELLE HELOISE was probably the best seller of the century. Readers believed that Jean-Jacques had made them see deeper into the meaning of their lives. In thinking of how people read five centuries ago, it may be important to keep in mind the distinction between extensive reading and intensive reading. Rousseau taught readers to digest books and literature became absorbed in life.

The notes at the back of the book are interesting and varied.

Broad ranging, entertaining, with an interesting method of discovery.......2006-05-06

Whereas I enjoyed most of this book, I found it somewhat uneven with some chapters written in a far more academic manner than others.

In the first chapter, Darnton explores the folk tale with the argument that a full exploration of such tales gives insight into the social construction of reality and thought in previous generations and eras and we can thus explore better the vast differences between modern thought and thought from the Middle Ages. Darnton ridicules the psychoanalytic interpretations of folk tales offered by Bettelheim and Fromm. However he just glosses over the archtypal interpretations of Jung or the structural interpretations of Levi-Strauss. After pages and pages of half told folk tales he concludes that folk tales conveyed conventional wisdom to common folk in a time of great economic and social uncertainty. Life was fragile and this was reflected in these odd tales. Of course some tales have as the moral that we should be kind to strangers and other folk tales have as the moral that we should be careful around strangers, but what the heck, Darnton thinks there are lessons to be learned from them all. He observes that common sense varies from culture to culture and is basically a social construct. I am not sure if I totally agree with him. I would think in all cultures it is best not to argue with a drunk man who holds a gun. However, for some phenomena, Darnton may be correct, common sense differs from culture to culture and era to era. He does point out an observation from study of folk tales across Europe. He finds that Italian and French folk tales are more playful, full of trickstes who jest and humble the powerful; whereas German folk tales are more dark and more often violent. We are immediately struck by the weakness of Darnton's work, which is the issue of sampling. Does he select a random sample of such tales, or all tales, or just the ones he wishes to discuss? I found his arguement that for many peasants who toiled continually in the fields, that history was not conceived as a series of political events to which they were not privy. This is an interesting thought but I suspect that common villagers made up for this with a sense of seasonal history based on planting, harvesting, and storing crops; religious history based on multiple Saint days and other Christian holidays throughout the year; and personal history as one experiences births, marriages, childhoods, deaths in families and friends. Another interesting item from Darnton is that when someone is given a wish in a folk tale, they ask for food. He relates this to the lack of food during much of Europe's history. On this point, I think he wins.

The second chapter is an analysis of a printer's journal where he relates a story from his youth where he and other workers beat to death neighborhood cats. Darnton first puts this story in a context of general cruelty to animals, especially cats. However he then gives it a particular interpretation of social protest by young worker men against the rich employers, many of whom owned cats. He documents well the deterioration of the old guild system and the effect this had on the lowest level workers. Whereas I found his analysis of the killing of the cats to be somewhat of an economic statement during class-warfare, I wish Darnton had commented more on the sadistic cruelty of human beings, particularly males between 13-19.

The third chapter was one of my favorites, though far less dramatic than the first and second chapters. Darnton analyzes a description of a town procession written by an upper-middle class middle-ages male observer who put social annotations throughout the description. The desire of the middle class to emulate the upper class and find many social distinctions between themselves and the the lower classes is perfectly displayed here in this interesting case study.

The fourth chapter also analyzes the work of a single man, however this time it is the extensive files of a spy who maintained records on the intelligensia during the Enlightenment. One reason this chapter is interesting is that writters we now consider to be primary thinkers of the Enlightenment were suspects to this well organized and thoughtful policeman for the social order.

The fifth chapter is the most academic but is very interesting. We learn about the tree of knowledge that Diderot used to construct his theory of human knowledge for the Encyclopedia. We get a delightful story from Borges about categorization which sets the tone of the chapter. We see how the assumptions and work of Descartes, Locke, and Bacon greatly influenced the taxonomy of human knowledge and expereince which created the structure for the Enlightenment thought as well as the structure for this major publication.

The sixth chapter got tiresome as we read about Rousseau and one of his devoted reading fans.

Overall a good book with some unique and thoughtful observations and generalizations. I liked his method,using texts to gain insight into the consciousness of another time and place.

Great for getting into the minds of the common folk.......2006-03-22

One other reviewer used the term "between academia and pop nonfiction". I suppose accurate pop non fiction was what I was looking for as I was trying to get an overview of the mind set or zeitgeist of prerevolutionary France. It was a little narrower in it's scope than I expected but in hind sight accomplished it's goal in giving me a feeling for that period which in turn helps putting the revolution in context.

For me this book complimented "Holy Madness : Romantics, Patriots, and Revolutionaries, 1776-1871"by Adam Zamoyski
I would recommend the book for those interested in folk stories and fairy tales. I enjoyed the comparisons of the same themes expressed the folk literature of Germany, England, Italy etc.

The great cat massacre and other episodes in French cultural history / Robert Darnton

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The great cat massacre and other episodes in French cultural history / Robert Darnton
Robert Darnton
Manufacturer: New York : Basic Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000VZRGUG

Luz Y Contraluz De Una Historia Antropologica

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Luz Y Contraluz De Una Historia Antropologica
Eduardo Hourcade , and Horacio L. Botalla
Manufacturer: Editorial Biblos
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Essays | Historical Study | History | Subjects | Books

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jp-unknown3 | Specialty Stores | Books
ASIN: 9507860762

The Colours of Infinity: The Beauty, The Power and the Sense of Fractals
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Amazing!

The Colours of Enlightenment

Amazing Fractals

A great way to discover the colours of infinity

Fractal Visions

The Colours of Infinity: The Beauty, The Power and the Sense of Fractals
Nigel Lesmoir-Gordon
Manufacturer: Clear Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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SuperFractals

The Beauty and Complexity of the Mandelbrot Set

ASIN: 1904555055

Book Description

Benoit Mandelbrot discovered what is now called the M-Set in the early seventies and coined the term â€~fractalâ€™ to describe the geometry behind it. The power and the beauty of fractals were only capable of being seen with the advent of computers, which become psychedelic windows on the infinite when using simple fractal equations.

In 1992 Nigel Lesmoir-Gordon made the TV documentary, The Colors of Infinity about the Mandelbrot Set and fractals, which has since been seen right round the world. Nigelâ€™s enthusiasm brought together a dream team of contributors for the film who all now contribute to the book tracking how fractals have developed since the film was made. Sir Arthur C Clarke presented the film and in the book gives a lucidly simple account of the mathematics of the M-Set. Benoit Mandelbrot, the Belgian mathematician explains how it began. Professor Michael Barnsley, the computer graphics researcher who developed fractal image compression technology, explains the applications of the breakthroughs. Professor Ian Stewart, author of Does God Play Dice? adds his insights into the beautifully simple equation that gives birth to fractals.

Two of the most interesting applications of fractal geometry, reflected by the two new contributors to the book, are to the Internet and to the Stock Market. Dr Gary Flake, Chief Technology Officer at Overture, the leading provider of commercial search on the Internet and just taken over by Yahoo for 1.6 billion dollars, discusses the profoundly fractal nature of the Web in his article: The Self-ish Web. Robert Prechter Jr is President of Elliott Wave International, Inc. and founder of the Socionomics Institute. His latest title is Socionomics: The Science of History and Social Prediction (2003). He writes about how fractals can help us understand the oscillations of stock markets.

In the back of the book is a DVD of the original documentary with soundtrack by David Gilmour of Pink Floyd PLUS a 30-minute fractal animation to the music of members of Quintessence.

Customer Reviews:

Amazing!.......2007-08-13

The book and the DVD are truly amazing and beautiful. It has introduced me to a wonderful world which is a marriage of art and mathematics. The price is almost too low for such a masterpiece.

The Colours of Enlightenment.......2007-03-09

Depending upon one's education, it is possible to gain either an art appreciation of the fractal geometry of the Mandelbott Set or a realization of how all life is ordered and the universe structured. Life most certainly would exist somewhere out there and it would resemble what we have here on Earth. While viewing it, I felt that this was at least fifty percent of the riddle of the universe explained in at least its basis. The other fifty percent would be what Stephen Hawkin called the other formulae that will reverse this one. He hopes we will find this one before it begins to act in its turn. That would mark the collapse of the universe and he seems to think that we might prevent that. But the collapse may be inevitable and part of the eternal operation of two formulae.

The Mystery remains; was this ordered and if so, by whom or what? We may never know, but for this devastating mystery, we have David Gilmour's compelling score to propel us along through an eternal race toward infinity.

My only complaint is that the film needs re-mastering so that the fractal geometry can be expressed better. Ironic that the documentary that defines the detail of the universe is so fuzzy! Also, there is a second section of fractal art expression on the DVD that will only play on a computer. That ought to be fixed. I think it is fitting that Arthur C. Clarke is the narrator for this film, so I hope this original can be cleaned up and not trashed for an updated version with all new presentation and cast.

This documentary should be shown in all high-school science classes. In fact, I think it ought to be shown to everyone regardless of partticipation in science curriculum because it also assists the refinement of questions like evolution and religion.

Amazing Fractals.......2007-01-12

What an illuminating, thought provoking book and dvd! I have watched it several times and each time it has opened my eyes more to the amazing possibilities in almost every aspect of our existance here on earth. And then who doesn't like David Gilmour's music ?

A great way to discover the colours of infinity.......2007-01-05

Just a perfect combination of top-level science outreach with the
fantastic music of David Gilmour.

It's a journey into the wonders of the fractal geometry explained in
a clear and easy-to-follow way.

Buy it now !!! You won't regret !!!

Fractal Visions.......2006-12-04

Fractals were just hitting the popular consciousness when I was in high school. I remember a flurry of pop science books that came out around that time, all of which presented the wonderful fractal images, while nevertheless dancing quite vaguely around the underlying ideas. The questions these mushheaded books immediately provoked in me (i.e. "what does 'self-similar' actually MEAN?" and "is complexity an objective quality or in the eye of the beholder?) were left totally unanswered. In my high school, these books (and the fractal posters, key-chains, videos, water-pipes...) commanded the attention of an intellectually philistine (and usually highly-intoxicated) crowd. People who use "party" as a verb. This "whoa dude-it's a fractal" factor was so powerful that it left the whole topic kind of disreputable in my book...until now.

This,too, is a "pop" science book, after a fashion, but unlike those other fractal books, the authors here refuse to dumb the subject down to a mere collection of pretty pictures. There is enough detail here to permit a diligent reader to truly understand the logic behind fractal geometry. If you can grasp the math, the basics are here. If, like me, you are a "liberal arts" type, the concepts are also explained in precise English.

The content of the video is similarly excellent. The interviews with Benoit Mandelbrot and Stephen Hawking are very cool indeed, but my favorite part is when Arthur C. Clarke states that, while he doesn't know about this PERSONALLY, "the ingestion of certain illegal substances produces fractal visions." Clad in his trademark blue utility shirt, and with a perfectly straight face, Clarke goes on to note the similarity between the words "Mandelbrot" and "Mandala." (Whoa, dude!)

Unfortunately, the video itself (i.e. formally, visually) is pretty dated. It seems to have been made for VHS, and has not been cleaned up for the DVD release at all. The colors are bled, and the titles look like they were made on a Commodore 64. The fractal images are quite low-resolution, which is unfortunate, since fractals are one topic for which high resolution would seem particularly essential. (Then again, NO level of resolution would really be sufficient.) This video is just begging to be remastered. With contemporary high-def video and computer technology it would be absolutely jaw-dropping. Still, this is totally worth it.

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